May 5 Colonial Church News

“Who Can Withhold?: Break Forth!” Mother's Day Worship

Worship Series Dare to Dance Again

Summer is right on the heels of this Mother's Day! Summer camps are special. You leave behind your normal grind and spend time with people. You have deep conversations. You may even fall in love.

There was a certain "summer camp" vibe in the early church, but it didn't last. We may be on the cusp of God's Spirit calling us into new experiences for love and hope in our world!

Come to Colonial Church to worship at 10:15 a.m.
Connect to online live worship services at https://colonialucc.online.church/ at 8:30 or 10:15 a.m.
Or, you can worship anytime via YouTube at https://bit.ly/CCYouTubeVid.

Online Children's Sunday School. This week's Sunday School Bible story will go live on Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. https://bit.ly/CCYouTubeVid

Online Coffee & Conversation

Immediately following our online worship service (at 9:15 a.m.) grab a mug and come over to our community's Coffee & Conversation online.

You can connect at https://bit.ly/CCCoffeeCon

In-Person Worship Resumes

It was delightful to be back in the sanctuary at 10:15 worship on May 2. We will continue in-person going forward, with the 8:30 a.m. service online.

In-Person Worship Information

We will

Hear Joseph play the organ
Listen to musicians sing hymns and perform other music
Take Holy Communion in hygienic sealed kits by coming forward
See liturgists and Children's Conversation leaders on screen. Children will not come forward.
Offering will be collected in a box in the narthex

We won’t

Sing hymns aloud
Have Sunday school or nursery service available. Those will return later this summer.
Host coffee hour, classes or meetings in the building on Sundays. Those will remain online

Other important information

Masks are required
Social distancing will be observed
Restrooms will be open but only one person at a time may use a restroom

These worship protocols will evolve as we go along and we will continue to keep you updated.

We will continue to provide the live online worship at 8:30 and 10:15 a.m.

Volunteers Needed – Returning to the sanctuary means we need worship volunteers again, although the roles have changed a bit. Click here for updated job descriptions. to see descriptions for greeter and usher. Please register your willingness to volunteer and we will put together a schedule. https://colonialucc.breezechms.com/form/d2371f74.

No doubt our volunteer needs will evolve as time goes on. Thank you.

Mother's Day Pothawira Donations

This Mother’s Day (May 9) honor your mother by supporting Pothawira in Malawi. With your gift you will help provide medical care to an impoverished community, educate and care for over 125 orphans and support safe births at its birthing center.

To donate online, click here and select "Malawi-Mothers Day" from the dropdown menu. You can also mail a check to Colonial. Checks can be made to Colonial with "Mothers Day Malawi" in the memo. Thank you!

In the words of Marilyn Uppman, “Your mother would want you to donate." ❤️

AIDS Walk Fundraiser a Success

Participants above (left to right): Kelly Hansen, Carrie Roberts, Martha Wofford, Shawn Boelter, Cheri Van Orman, Jayne Quimby and Stacey Algren. Participants not pictured: Kristen Wootton, Sydney Wootton, Tiffany King, Mary Burnett, Rev. Aaron Roberts, Cristen Hayes, and Jenny Henry

I wanted to share some stats with you from AIDS Walk 2021 on April 24, 2021. Colonial UCC pledges for walkers totaled $2,910. The church itself was also a generous sponsor and contributed $5,000 bringing the total we raised to $7,910!

When started this journey, I had to pick a pledge goal amount. Because of the pandemic and financial hardships of many, I conservatively set a goal of $750. Needless to say, we went above and beyond and nearly quadrupled that goal. We had 14 walkers and averaged $565 a walker!

The goal for the AIDS Walk was $300,000. Last I checked, walkers and sponsors raised $292,000. There are still outstanding donations, so we are, oh, so close. You are all the best! I thank each and everyone of you for raising money for the medical needs and other services for more than 5,700 children and adults living with HIV/AIDS in the Kansas City area. Just a reminder, all money raised in Kansas City stays in Kansas City. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Shawn Boelter, Captain, Colonial UCC AIDS Walk Team

We're Going to Dance Together on May 23

We are postponing creating our video of the Jerusalema until Pentecost, May 23, but keep practicing. The Jerusalema is a line dance...and we can do this together. On May 23 we will record ourselves dancing together. We’re going to put together a video and challenge our friends at Plymouth Church in Lawrence to do the same.

Our own Tamara Carson has put together a video instruction for how to do the Jerusalema - there's also a low impact and accessible to dance-challenged people.

Hymnals Post COVID

The move to online worship during COVID changed many things. We removed the hymnals from the pews immediately after the pandemic began out of concern for passing the virus by handling them. Our United Church of Christ legal counsel then advised us that singing from hymnals in an online worship service (even if it is live-steamed) is not covered under the hymnal’s copyright. A separate license is necessary to do that and our counsel recommended obtaining proper rights through OneLicense.net.

However, many of the lyrics in our New Century Hymnal, which came out 25 years ago, are not included under this license. Additionally, changes in federal law have made it easier for publishers to pursue legal action against churches. Effectively, our hymnals became obsolescent. So, we are not planning to return them to the pews in our Sanctuary.

Upcoming Events

May 16 - Cookout & Backyard Games with Plymouth Group
June 5 - Youth Movie Night featuring "Madagascar." Saturday, June 5, 7:30 p.m. outside at Colonial. Popcorn, candy and drinks provided. Bring lawn chairs and blankets.
July 16-20 - UCC Synod Youth Online Events

For more information, email or call Heather in the office.

Colonial Women Activities

With the return of nice weather and many of us already having received COVID vaccinations, we are returning to in-person Colonial Women’s activities.

Colonial Women Blue Moose Tuesday - 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 11. Blue Moose patio
Colonial Women Book Group - 7:00 p.m. Friday, June 4, Stacey Algren's home. We will discuss "The French Lieutenant’s Woman" by John Fowles.
Colonial Women Breakfast at Big Biscuit - 9:30 a.m. on Monday, June 7.

Your Support Matters

Even though we are not worshiping in person, our work together matters - to each other and to the community. Your pledges help Colonial do its work. You may mail in your pledge checks, as well as any other payments. An easier alternative is to make contributions online. You just fill in your banking information or provide a credit card and your name and email and what fund you are paying (Stewardship, food pantry, etc.) and the amount. Click the donate button below.

If you have any questions, you may email or call Heather in the office or Jayne Quimby, Financial Recorder.

Donate

VANish the Void Supplies

Pre-pandemic, Colonial helped Kar Woo and Artists Helping the Homeless by providing and serving a meal in Mill Creek Park once a month for homeless people. We hope to resume that outreach eventually. In the meantime, the Colonial Board of Outreach is providing funds for non-perishable food items for Woo to hand out when he is out in the Be the Change van helping disadvantaged and homeless people in Kansas City. You can give to that effort here by selecting AHH from the dropdown menu.

Save the Date: VBS 2021

Mark your calendars for July 6-9. Watch for more information.

Celebrations!

Please remember these folks who are celebrating milestones.

Happy Birthday!

6 Sally Huggins, Paul Roberts

7 Kelly Hansen

8 Terry Brown, Kim Fairchild

11 Bennett Graff

Colonial Family

Stephanie and Jason Graff are moving to Providence, Rhode Island and are having an open house style going away party on June 9 at Gezer Park (3700 W 133rd St., Leawood). All are invited to bring a picnic dinner or not, stay the whole while or just pop in for a (?vaccinated, masked, distanced) hug/selfie with your favorite Graff. We will be keeping it simple--probably just soda & cookies. Work/church/school/grown-up/kids/volunteering/college/family--whatever your relationship, we welcome you!