Community UCC eNews
January 9, 2020
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Community UCC is an inclusive and progressive Christian Church doing social justice, environmental faithfulness, interfaith collaboration and and spiritual formation to help ourselves and others grow in faith, hope and love.
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Sunday Sermon
Sunday, Jan. 12, Pastor Ara will deliver a sermon titled "In the Language of the Hearer ( I Love to tell the story {for a 21st century audience?} no so much)," based on ACTS 17:16-34.
Worship Service Each Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
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NOTE:
We broadcast our Sunday Worship service on
Facebook Live
beginning at 10:30 a.m. We want to make service accessible to members or friends who can't be with us on Sunday mornings. The camera captures the front of the Sanctuary and the first couple of rows of seats.
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Finding Community: By Armando Madrid
Armando Madrid: "I had lost trust that a church can truly be welcoming to someone like me. But with Alex now by my side, we both felt ready to find a church that was welcoming of us. ... You all genuinely seemed happy to see us and invited us to worship together. I felt acknowledged, but most importantly, I felt accepted."
If you missed Armando's testimony last Sunday about how he and Alex came to find Community in our congregation, you can continue
reading it on our website.
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Another Small Step to a Just Peace
From Pastor Ara: As a Just Peace congregation in the United Church of Christ, we of Community have taken two great leaps toward an environmental justice and peace in installing a solar system long ago and xeriscaping more recently. Yet, we knew there was more we could do as a congregation and as individuals within Community. Today we announce one new thing and remind us of three smalls steps offered in 2019.
The NEW THING
A beautiful new CUCC reusable shopping bag (pictured) can be yours for $5 beginning Sunday, Jan. 5, at the church. Get a couple for yourself and several for family, friends and neighbors. Thank you to Faith Education for the upfront cost!
TP and K-Cup
Not a new series to binge watch, but low impact bamboo toilet paper from a
company that reinvests 50% of its profit is building clean water systems throughout the United States and the world. 9 rolls available as a gift from the church. The K cup is reusable. Fill with coffee and be alert for worship, work or play. A few remain as a gift from E.J. and the pastor (Now that’s a series I would binge watch.)
Last, but most significant: Dishwashing sign ups!
We are committed to using the Church’s China and flatware at all fellowship events, rather than disposable products. But we need two people to sign up each Sunday to wash what is used during Fellowship Hour after worship. The sign up sheet is in the narthex at the Welcome Table.
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Men's Book Study Group
The men's book study group, led by facilitators Rod Zook and Chad Hayden, will continue their study of "Naked Spirituality" by Brian McLaren at 6 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 13
, in Room 3. The group will discuss Chapters 17-19.
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The Women's book for January will be
"Holy Envy, Finding God in the Faith of Others"
by Barbara Brown Taylor. We will begin our study at
6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan 14
, in the Conference Room. If you would like to order a book they are $19. Please let Robin or Marilyn know.
Reading assignments:
Jan. 14 - Intro and Ch. 1
Jan. 21 - Ch. 2
and
3
Jan. 28 - Ch. 4
and
5
Feb. 4 - Ch. 6
and
7
Feb. 11 - Ch. 8
and
9
Feb. 18 - Ch. 10
and
11
Feb. 25 - Ch. 12 and Epilogue
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Living the Questions 2.0
Below are the upcoming calendars (subject to change) and themes for January.
Theme: INVITATION TO JOURNEY
Jan. 12
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Out into the World: Challenges Facing Progressive Christians
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Saturday Morning Breakfast Group
Saturday, Feb. 1
, Conference Room
Breakfast at 8:45 a.m., talk begins at 9 a.m.
On Feb. 1,
Phil Fullerton
will discuss "
Eight Years in Provence; a look at French Culture
"
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In each week's eNews, we include a news article from our larger denomination,
United Church of Christ
,
to show the faithful work being done in other places.
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UCC reaches out with disaster relief following earthquakes in Puerto Rico, launches emergency appeal
The United Church of Christ is reaching out to partners in Puerto Rico after a series of earthquakes, the largest of which struck the island early Tuesday morning, Jan. 7. The
magnitude-6.4 earthquake
, nine miles from the southwestern town of Guayanilla, has killed one person, taken down homes and other structures and caused an island-wide blackout.
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Happy Birthday and Anniversary to all who are celebrating this month!
January Birthdays
2
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Theodore Dutton
4
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Lonna Walker
5
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Stacy Fazio, Paige Newport
6
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Mike Mighaccio
11
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Kellin Chaffin, Nancy Parks
15
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Jeff Jones
16
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Helen Winkel
17
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Joseph LeBeau, Patty Parks
19
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Joel Van Patten
21
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Betty Lundberg
24
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Sue Hipp
25
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Ben Parks
29
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Carter Reynolds
31
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Roger Wall
January Anniversaries
No anniversaries in January.
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Upcoming Church Events
- Jan. 9 – Council meeting, 5:30 p.m. Conference Room
- Thursday Evening Worship – weekly at 7 p.m., we hold a weekly contemplative, interactive, spirit-filled worship service in the Sanctuary
- Sundays at 9 a.m. – Adult Education in the Conference Room
- Jan. 20-Martin Luther King Day/Office Closed
- Feb. 1 – Saturday Morning Breakfast Group, 8:45 a.m., Conference Room (see article above)
- Feb. 2 – Recycling Sunday, first Sunday of the month
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eNews deadline is 10 a.m. Wednesdays
CUCC eNews is a weekly publication distributed every Thursday.
Deadline for submitting announcements is 10 a.m. Wednesdays
(and earlier is appreciated).
Please send your announcements to Marilyn at
office@communityucc.com
. Lisa Boyles (lisamboyles12@gmail.com, 559.244.9502) is the eNews editor and communications liaison for our church.
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Phone: 559.435.2690
Email: office@communityucc.com
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