February 20, 2024

SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT

Seminary Sunday/Church Vocations Sunday

“If we can share our story with someone who responds with empathy and

understanding, shame can’t survive.”

-Brene Brown

CHRIST CONGREGATIONAL UCC

JOIN US FOR WORSHIP IN THE GARDEN CHAPEL

10:30 AM

JOIN US FROM ANYWHERE ON FACEBOOK LIVE

WORSHIP RESOURCES BELOW

WORSHIP BULLETIN

HYMNS

"I Sing the Praise of Love Almighty"

"Jesus, Keep Me Near The Cross"

"Lift High the Cross"

Sheet Music is here! Remember to click. Special Music links too!

SPECIAL MUSIC

"Prayer of Need"

""Praeambulum""

“WELCOME!"

We are so glad you are here!”

As we enter our church, as we live as members, as we experience important life-cycle events (falling in love, marrying, parenting, baptism, coming out, transitioning, etc.), words of welcome and support, understanding and love are what we all long for. This manifestation of God’s Extravagant Welcome and the justice and social witness that accompany it are the heart of what we hope to show our community and all who walk through the doors of Christ Congregational United Church of Christ.

PEACE BE WITH YOU!

February 23, 2024

Dear Congregation,

Grace and peace to each of you. It was exciting to have a portion of our

new audio/visual system up and running for worship last Sunday. I have

heard from many of you that the sound was very much improved, which was wonderful to hear! I really like my new over-the-ear lavaliere microphone which gives me freedom of movement. (No more having to practically put my mouth on the pulpit mic in an attempt to be heard!) Jay and Graham will also have new mics to use.

The two large screens, on which the worship bulletin and song lyrics were projected, were also very well-received. This coming Sunday we’ll see our first short video about the Church World Service Blanket the World with Love program during Announcements. In the future, there will be many and varied opportunities to use the screens to enhance worship and share information. Someone remarked that the screens gave a whole, new, modern feel to the Sanctuary.

Very soon the three cameras will be up and running. When the whole project is complete, we will no longer have to use an iPhone on a tripod to livestream on Facebook. We’ll also be able to zoom in and out and video from various angles.

The beautiful custom-made, wooden audio/visual booth, the command station for the system, blends in perfectly with the wood in the Sanctuary.

Many thanks to Daniel Best and Lorrie and Isabella LeGrand for being our live-streamers for so long, beginning way back when Covid started and we couldn’t worship together in person! Thank you to Bianca for working so hard with Greg Beaty from Sonic Integrity to make CCC’s dream a reality!

Here’s a picture of Bianca operating the system on Sunday. We are advertising for a very part-time audio/visual person to operate the system in the future.

I invite you to come and experience for yourself the improvements that have been made. Come and worship!

In Christ’s love,

Pastor Candy

Bianca's You Better Bee-lieve It Corner

🌟 Exciting Announcement! 🌟

Join us for an inspiring Justice Luncheon on Sunday, March 3rd, at 12:30 pm, featuring the dynamic Harold Ford from the NAACP as our special guest speaker! 🗣Get ready for thought-provoking discussions on justice, equity, and progress within our community.

Best of all? We've got you covered with a FREE lunch!  Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and be a part of the change we want to see.

Save the date, spread the word, and RSVP now! Together, let's pave the way for a brighter, more inclusive future. 🌈✊🏽

"Wrap the World in Love: Spreading Warmth and Kindness"

Hey there, champions of compassion! We're excited to shine a spotlight on the "Blanket the World with Love" campaign by Church World Service (CWS). Picture this: cozy blankets being distributed like hugs to those who need them most. It's not just about keeping warm; it's about wrapping folks in a big, fuzzy embrace of love and solidarity. From disaster-stricken areas to refugee camps, these blankets are like warm reminders that someone out there cares. Let's join hands (and hearts) to spread the love and make the world a little warmer, one blanket at a time.

Palmetto Bay Annual Picnic - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

🎉Attention Volunteers! 🎉

We're gearing up for the Palmetto Bay Annual Picnic, and we need your help! We're looking for 2-3 enthusiastic volunteers to join us at our booth/table for a day of fun, community, and connection.

Get ready to showcase our church and engage with our neighbors while enjoying giant games like Jenga, Connect 4, and Checkers! It's a fantastic opportunity to represent our Church to the community and share the love with others.

While you're there, you'll have the chance to chat with visitors, answer questions about our church, and spread joy throughout the event. Plus, we'll be polling attendees to gauge interest in our Messy Church activities!

If you're passionate about making a difference and spreading positivity, we'd love to have you on board. Please reach out to Bianca and let her know if you.🌟

JUST Pop Tops!

We are collecting pop tops for a special cause. These pop tops will be donated to support the Ronald McDonald Program, aiding children and families in need. Wondering how your pop tops can make a difference? According to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Florida, these tabs are recycled for dollars that directly support the children and families they serve in their Houses. By contributing, you're playing a part in providing crucial assistance to those in our community who need it most. Let's make this season a time of joy, creativity, and giving!

Join us and be a part of this wonderful initiative—where every pop top collected brings smiles and support to those in our community who can use it most.

Our book cart is assembled and ready to be loaded. If you have any current books that you'd like to part with please bring them to church and we'll put them on our "Take one/Leave one" cart which will be outside the church on Sunday mornings. Have a good book? pass it on!

Take time in the Lent 2024 season to bend low and be renewed. From the Stillspeaking Writers' Group, the devotional Bend provides daily readings, reflections, and prayers for the Lenten season: Ash Wednesday (Feb 14) to Easter Sunday (March 31).

Purchase your Lent Devotional here!

Find Us, Like us, Follow Us, and Share Us

on Social Media!

Facebook: Christ Congregational United Church of Christ

Twitter/X: @CCC_UCC

TikTok: @CCC_UCC

YouTube: ChristCongregational-UCC

Instagram: @christcongregationalucc

REMEMBERED IN OUR CONTINUING PRAYERS

Helen Wiley, The family and friends of Carol McCreary, Joan Hansen, Maggie McDowell, Paul LeGrand, Frank Tirb, Joy Reid, Daniel Best, The Family & Friends of Rev. Tom Franzman, Linda Soltys, Abigail Castro, Rocio Tafur-Salgado, Shawnalee Vassell, Mary Ann Dente and Theresa Gambrell.



For Pastoral Care Needs, please call Pastor Candy directly at 925-640-9289 or you may call and leave a message with the Church Office, 305-235-9381.

Please let Tracy Williams, Administrative Assistant at office@christcongregationalucc.org or Pastor Candy know if you'd like a name included.

8 Black Inventors Who Made Daily Life Easier

Black inventors changed the way we live through their many innovations, from the traffic light to the ironing board.

CLICK HERE

Middle East Conflict

The war in Israel/Palestine declared on October 7, has claimed thousands of lives, and tens of thousands of people have been injured. Approximately one million Palestinians in Gaza have been displaced, still within Gaza, as there is nowhere to go. Half are in emergency shelters set up by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). It is increasingly difficult for Gazan Palestinians to find safe space, as even hospitals and a church have sustained damage, killing and injuring hundreds of people. Food, water, fuel, and electricity have been cut off, and supplies are running out. 

Convoys of trucks carrying humanitarian relief await the opportunity to bring much-needed relief into Gaza from Egypt, but the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza has been damaged by rocket strikes. Other entrances, controlled by Israel, remain closed and the threat of an Israeli ground invasion threatens more lives and livelihoods in the coming days and weeks.

With ecumenical partners, the UCC has offered a public witness that has been unequivocal:

— Condemnation of the violence of Hamas and Israel’s use of force against Palestinians in Gaza

— A call for a cease-fire

— The allowance of the provision of humanitarian aid for Palestinians and an end to collective punishment

— The guarantee of and respect for safe spaces for people to find shelter

— Support for robust diplomatic efforts to resolve the core issues

The UCC is learning from Palestinian Christian partners how they are attempting to respond to the needs of the people of Gaza, even amid steady bombardments.

— In times of calm, the Department of Service for Palestinian Refugees (DSPR) of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) operates medical clinics and trauma therapy classes in Gaza.

— Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, an Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem institution, normally offers a critical and courageous ministry of health care provision (often free of charge) in the most trying circumstances. It has sustained damage in two incidents in the first week and a half. Yet, staff remain committed to their calling to provide care and hope, “delivered in a spirit of love and service.” 

— Other partners, such as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, the YMCA of East Jerusalem, and the YWCA of Palestine, are preparing to respond to the needs of Palestinians.

— These partners and others, bilaterally and through ACT Alliance, are preparing to address immediate and longer-term responses such as food and nutrition needs, physical and psychosocial health care, shelter and rehabilitation, and direct assistance.

Frequent updates are posted here.

“The work of our partners in Palestine, and specifically in Gaza, is inspiring, especially as they cope with conditions and access that are extremely limited. Having visited Gaza, I know the dedication and commitment of our partners’ staffs to serve the whole community and offer a witness of care and service. We mourn the loss of life and pray for the end to violence,” said Peter Makari, who currently serves as Transitional Executive for Wider Church Ministries, and Global Relations Minister for the Middle East and Europe in Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ. “We must walk in solidarity with them in this time of war, accompanying them now and in the future as the impact of this war will be lasting.”

Please advocate for a cease-fire, access for humanitarian assistance, and for the core issues to be addressed.

At the same time, we invite your financial support to undergird the work of our partners with whom we have had a long-standing relationship. Your gifts will make an impact and a difference on those suffering so greatly during these days of lamentation and suffering.

The two actions go hand-in-hand. Thank you for your generosity.

You can also mail a check made payable to the United Church of Christ, PO BOX 71957 Cleveland, OH 44194.

Please be sure to note “Middle East Support” in your check's memo section.

ACTION ITEMS:

• We are all still reeling from the reports of tragic loss of life and continued atrocities taking place in Israel and Gaza. As we mourn, and pray for those who have lost loved ones, we must call on policymakers to support a Just Peace.

Contact Your Legislators

• Urge Congress to call on the administration to expedite protections and critical supports, including visa processing and access to resettlements, for Afghan refugees.

Act Now

• Register to pray for Peace in the Middle East.

Register Here

• Read the letter that was sent to congress.

Read letter

• Contact your State Senators to urge them to defend our democracy by supporting the For The People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

Protect Voting Rights

Global Ministries offers a weekly prayer for one of our global mission partners. This week's prayer is with Ecuador. To read their mission moment, please click the Global Ministries IMAGE. Below is this week's prayer, united we pray.

We begin our prayers by saying THANK YOU, GOD, YUPAYCHANI, for all our blessings, the gift of life, and the activities at FEDICE.

We pray that FEDICE, the Ecumenical Foundation for Integral Development, Capacity Building, and Education, even within this entire situation of insecurity and unrest that our country is experiencing, can continue working with people in the communities.

We ask for prayers for peace in Ecuador so that we move forward with FAITH, JOY, and HOPE.

Our Lord and Savior, we praise you, glorify you, and put our lives, the work, and the dreams of our colleagues in your hands.

In times like the ones we live in Ecuador, we pray for all Ecuadorians, especially for the communities’ families, humble people, workers, and fighters. We pray for their lives and projects that are the daily sustenance for their families and homes.

We thank and pray for the people who are part of this MINGA with FEDICE, for all the brothers and sisters who, from near or far, speak Spanish, English, and Kichwa, and show us their love and faith. We recognize ourselves as neighbors, brothers, and sisters in Christ.

We will continue working together to realize the kingdom of God. AMEN.