August 30, 2020
"Unify Us, Don’t Divide Us"
Maureen O'Rourke, Guest Preaching
One of the challenges of our time is how white Americans can develop honest, respectful relationships with African Americans and other people of color. Maureen’s sermon includes stories from her life, about her relationships with African American men.
Maureen O'Rourke and her wife, Shannon Richards, joined the Community Church of Chapel Hill in the fall 2009 shortly after arriving here from Ann Arbor Michigan for the purpose of being close to the grandkids. They both volunteered at the IFC Community Kitchen almost immediately. Maureen is planning to return to the kitchen as soon as it is safe to do so. One of the highlights of their memories as members of this congregation is their wedding which took place March 14, 2015. What a wonderful day to look out and see so many UUers joining in celebrating their day. Shannon and Maureen feel so fortunate to be a part of this beloved community.
MUSIC NOTES: This Sunday will feature music by Berniece Reagon Johnson, a veteran composer and member of “Sweet Honey in the Rock,” and Melanie DaMore, a songwriter, performer and activist based in Oakland, CA. Soloists will be Lex Headley and Julie Pendleton. The hymns will be accompanied not only by the virtual choir, but by our “Out of the House Band,” recorded live (but masked and socially distanced) in the Sanctuary. They may even play a tune by Allen Toussaint as “Gathering Music” before the service.
*** NEW DEADLINE FOR JOYS & SORROWS ***
If you wish to have a joy or sorrow named in the service,
(The text of your Joy or Sorrow will be forwarded to the Worship Associate.)
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SUNDAY OFFERINGS:
- Watch Virtual Worship Service On Demand
- 10AM - Live Religious Education Service on Zoom
- 11AM - Live Community Coffee Hour on Zoom
- 3PM - Middle School Youth Group
- 7PM - High School Youth Group
We live our Mission through your generosity!
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Lila Berry, for building community by making sure there were greeters to welcome people - both old and new - into our services, week after week, for OVER 20 YEARS. Her tenacity and dedication unfailingly served our church. While in-person services have been suspended, Lila has had some much-deserved time off. We miss her phone calls! Thank you, Lila!
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WHAT’S NEW THIS WEEK WITH OUR NEW BUILDING CONSTRUCTION? In the ninth week following the (yay!) June 19 start date, the masonry team has continued building up the cement-block walls. You can take a virtual peek at the ongoing work here via weekly-updated photos and video. (Please do that in lieu of physically visiting the construction site behind the church, which for safety reasons is off-limits without an authorized escort.)
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WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS WEEK IN CHILDREN AND YOUTH MINISTRY? This summer children (ages 3-13) in Religious Education are studying Toolbox of Faith in an interactive zoom worship followed by family fellowship. This week our tool is a level and we will use it to talk about atonement in a worship led by Marion Hirsch. Middle School and High School youth groups will gather virtually on Sunday afternoon and evening. On Saturday, the Family Event is singing with Scott Provan. For more information about our Religious Education Program, contact Marion Hirsch or Kat Good.
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FAMILY EVENT -- SINGING WITH SCOTT PROVAN SAT 8/29 at 4 PM We are excited that Scott Provan will be singing at our weekly Family Event on Saturday at 4 PM. All are welcome to attend on Zoom. Join here. For more information, contact Marion Hirsch here.
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COMMUNITY CLICKERS The Community Clickers will hold their first September meeting outside under the eaves of the church courtyard, with masks -- socially distanced. We plan to collect completed blocks and design some Hospice shawls. The meeting will be from 2-4 on Wednesday, September 2. Please bring a chair, completed blocks, and projects to share. Join our email list here.
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JOIN OUR CHURCH'S 29 DAY RACIAL EQUITY CHALLENGE SEA in partnership with other ministries is proud to sponsor an important opportunity for our church community. Based on the 21-day Challenge curated by Eddie Moore, we are challenging our community to a daily act (read an article, watch a video, reflect, notice, or act) aimed to help us deepen our understanding of racism and better work for racial equity in the world. We meet Thursdays over the month to reflect together in facilitated small groups. 9/10, 9/17, 9/24, 10/1, 10/8 7-8 PM on Zoom. Register here for the 29-Day Racial Equity Challenge. While we will be assigning specific readings, videos, and actions for the challege, you can view Eddie Moore’s curated collection of materials here.
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DON'T MISS THE GIFT OF WRITTEN MEMORIES WORKSHOP Recalling and writing our stories helps us reflect on their meaning, and helps our descendants understand our key experiences and values. Participants will write about themes such as career, family, and spiritual development. “The Gift of Written Memories” workshops will be Tuesday evenings, 9/15 to 11/17. Meetings will include lecture and small group sharing of writing. Sponsored by Spiritual Exploration for Adults (SEA). Sign up here; Registration is required. Learn more here. Please email Carolyn Holt here or email Jody Savage here with questions.
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COOKBOOK DEADLINE EXTENDED TO SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 The Welcoming Ministry is creating a Community Church Cookbook, to enhance our virtual connections through sharing beloved recipes – with ourselves and following generations. Proceeds will help close the Gap for the Building Project. To be ready in time for holiday gifting, the schedule is tight. The deadline for recipes is September 30. Learn more and submit recipes here. Questions? Please email us here. The more who participate, the more we will all love this cookbook!
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PROMOTE THE VOTE: KNOW IT AND SHOW IT Do you know voting deadlines? Voter Registration must be submitted by Oct 9th or at Early Voting locations Oct 15-30th. Help us share this and other critical information (here) with voters of color at risk of being purged from the voting records by joining our UU the Vote zoom phone banking sessions for the NC NAACP in September. Sign up here. If we have over 60 hours of calls made Marion will dye her hair the color of our choice! Questions? Contact Dana here.
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2020 FALL AUCTION Can you believe it? This year’s Fall Auction (here), Community Church’s largest fundraising event, is only 8 weeks from now – how time flies during the pandemic, 😊. The auction catalog (here) is now open for donations, and 15 donors have donated 23 items. What can you offer? A dinner, socially distanced if necessary? A service? Special food, perhaps a main dish delivered to a home? New categories include Plants and Jewelry. All bidding will be online. Questions? Questions? Contact Don & Susan Blanchard here.
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RARE WOMEN We are elder women who meet via Zoom (to be “safer at home”) and discuss the gifts, myths, and challenges of growing older. During the summer, some groups will discuss selected topics, and others will have open discussions (details and schedules here). All groups are open to all Rare Women. Newcomers are welcome! In September, all groups will begin discussing Mary Pipher’s book, Women Rowing North – Navigating Life’s Currents and Flourishing as We Age.
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EARLY DEADLINE FOR SEPT 11 WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS Rachel Rose will be out of the office in early September; please submit your contribution to the September 11 Weekly Announcements by Wednesday, September 2. Thanks for your understanding!
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THE COMMUNITY CHURCH IN ACTION
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8/7/2020
SIDE WITH LOVE
In collaboration with The North Carolina NAACP and Reclaim the Vote,
over 46 member and church friends are writing over 2,000 postcards
to help mobilize voters in August.
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NEW ART IN THE SANCTUARY The art team is pleased to announce that new art has been hung on the wall in the sanctuary that's visible during virtual services. The paintings are by James Keul. Thanks to Bonnie Gilliom for arranging this exhibit. And thanks to Thom for making a video of the paintings which is now viewable on the "Art in the Sanctuary" page of the church website here.
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BEYOND OUR WALLS
EVENTS SUGGESTED BY MEMBERS & GROUPS
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INTERFAITH COUNCIL FOR SOCIAL SERVICE Requests for help at the IFC Food Pantry remain very high. Any standard non-perishable foods you can contribute will help. Mt. Carmel Baptist Church will accept from 9-11 any Saturday. Binkley Baptist Church will accept the first Monday of the month from 10-11. In Sept. that is changed to 9/14 because of Labor Day. Each place takes bags from the back of your car and delivers to the Pantry promptly.For questions, contact Sue Brewer here.
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STAND TOGETHER UNTIL THERE IS JUSTICE Stand Together Until There Is Justice (Black Lives Matter), Binkley Baptist Church sponsors a weekly vigil on Fordham Blvd (aka 15-501), Fridays, 5-6pm (Wear mask, stand 6’ apart, hold sign) Sponsored by Humanitarian Crisis Group - contact Alice Glover here with questions. Submitted by Connie Gates
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INFORMATION
Most orange text is clickable! Orange text links to outside websites or to an email address. Example: email c3hfinance@gmail.com for rentals.
Please submit Weekly Announcements contributions HERE.
Announcements are due by noon Wednesday, prior to Friday's issue.
Event submissions may be run up to two times.
Please include contact information.
The Community Church Board wants to hear from you!
Click here to share with us your thoughts, comments, concerns, and questions. Click here to learn more about the Board, including viewing the Board and Congregational Meeting minutes.
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