United Church of the Valley
A Partnership Church
United Church of Christ/Disciples of Christ
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A Progressive Christian Community
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September services will all be live on Zoom at 10 am on Sundays. The live service will be recorded and available on the UCV website, Facebook and YouTube later in the day.
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We are entering our 6th month of online worship, and I am so proud of our worship team! They have done a great job keeping us connected to God and to one another during this time of quarantine. I’m also very proud of all of you for willingly making this sacrifice for the health of our community. They will truly know we are Christians by our love for others.
The good news is that the rate of new COVID-19 infections is dropping! The bad news is that we are still seeing at least 4-6 times the number of new cases weekly as we saw when we closed in March. The council will continue to monitor the situation closely. We still have not received our certificate of occupancy for the sanctuary, so we have some time for infection rates to drop even further.
Keep up the good work in preventing transmission! Wear those masks with pride! Continue to love one another! Just keep a safe distance.
May God bless you all!
Sandy Selby
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Blessing of the Backpacks for the New School Year
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United Church of the Valley provided 19 backpacks filled with school supplies for local foster kids. What a blessing it was for us to provide a blessing for these kids as they start a new school year!
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Greetings from your Prayers and Squares team – Donna Richards, Laurie Landrum, Anne DiPardo, and Edna Wright. Though we’re collaborating from a distance, we’re so grateful for one another and our shared work. Once in-person Sunday services resume, you’ll all have a chance to bless each quilt and tie knots as you say prayers for the recipient. It’s all so much more vivid when it’s hands-on – but for now, thanks to everyone who’s responded to our requests with emailed prayers!
Holly Rolfe recently delivered one of our quilts to Ben Galde and passed along these wonderful photos. Ben sends his thanks to UCV for the quilt and for our continuing prayers!
All of our Prayers and Squares quilts are entirely free, and we’ve so far been using supplies we have on hand or paying out-of-pocket for additional odds and ends. Since we need financial support if this outreach ministry is to grow and become sustainable, we’re launching our first fundraiser – a Prayers and Squares online “Boutique.” We’re making available an array of beautiful handmade items – including scarves, table runners, bowls, bookmarks, and T-shirts – in exchange for modest donations. All are one-of-a-kind, made with love, and perfect for gift-giving. To have a look, go to the UCV Website and find the “Boutique” link in the top menu or click on the button below. All donations will go entirely to UCV’s Prayers and Squares, are payable via Paypal or Venmo, and tax deductible.
The Boutique was made possible by the skill and generosity of UCV’s Webmaster, Rick Hayden, who’s worked with us extensively in creating the listings and testing each donation link. If you’d like to create a Boutique space for a different UCV ministry, contact our UCV Moderator, Sandy Selby (moderator@ucvchurch.org).
We’re thrilled to see our Prayers and Squares chapter get off the ground, even in these times of social distancing! As always, feel free to contact Anne DiPardo ( dipardo.anne8@gmail.com) if you’d like to participate or request a quilt for someone going through tough times. And know that we’d be pleased to teach you to sew once we can be face to face again!
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PLEASE send in any pictures, new or old, so we can continue to see everyone’s smiling faces throughout the month of August...any road trips?
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The Doors May Be Closed....
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A Stewardship Update
Just because the doors of the church aren’t open doesn’t mean the church is closed. These are the moments where we step forward in our communities and offer love in bold tangible ways.
As we are in uncharted waters, your ministry is needed in vital, life-saving ways. May the work of the church be undergirded by the ways we engage in the means of grace so that together, we will grow more spiritual and share God’s love in ways that will help us emerge from this pandemic a more faithful church and a healthier and stronger community. The means of grace also includes doing good work, visiting the sick (even via phone and computer), feeding the hungry and giving generously to the needs of others as well as seeking justice and ending oppression and discrimination.
Cancelling in-person worship and adhering to the guidelines laid out by public health officials are a moral necessity in this moment of crisis. We have been encouraged by the churches, mosques, and synagogues that have chosen to protect their members by moving to virtual worship experiences. All across the world, congregational leaders are choosing faith over fear and protecting their members through social distancing. Although justice and neighbor-love in this moment may mean physical separation, it never means spiritual distancing. The social bonds that tie our communities together are central to whatever house of worship you may visit. Pastoral care works are facing challenging times as they find new and transformative ways to be the church together.
The question arises, “With churches closed, how can they minister in their communities?” It is important to remember, as many have said, that while the building is closed, the church is still open. Our church is a body of believers and followers, not a building. Many suggest if the only mission of the church is to meet together in a building, then they have missed the whole point of being the church. While many don’t believe God sent this virus upon us, we can believe that the Holy Spirit can take any calamity, disaster or whatever you want to call it, and use it for good. Always has; always will. In this case, COVID-19 has forced the church to move outside the comfort of 4 walls and do what it was supposed to be doing all along.
Now for the more everyday parts of Stewardship…
Can you believe we are already over halfway through the longest 4 months, I mean year, that has ever existed? Quarantined since mid-March, I have been lucky enough to save a ton of money on gas by WFH (working from home) and it’s given me huge appreciation for the fact that I am still able to work full time but also thankful for the amazing people I work with that I haven’t seen in several months. The Council has made concerted efforts to maintain as much normalcy as possible despite not being able to have traditional church on Sundays, while also searching the most responsible way of being financially stable during these unprecedented times.
The Council (with a significant effort on Sandy Selby’s part) was able to garner a decent loan for the PPP (Payroll Protection Program) allowing us to continue to pay our staff since they are working from home themselves as much as is absolutely possible. The biggest advantage of this loan of almost $15,000 is 100% forgivable, meaning we do not have to pay it back if it is used for payroll, payroll taxes and benefits like pension and insurance, and utilities!! WOO HOO!!! We have until November to spend the money so we will qualify for 100% loan forgiveness. It is wonderful that we were able to secure this funding so we would not have to lay off any staff members and to be honest most of them are actually working even more as the church moves forward with the planning and production of virtual services.
Also, gratefully, most of our amazing members have stayed current on their yearly pledges! The total pledges for 2020 were $45,300, so if you split that in half to determine where we are at the halfway point, it means we should be at $22,650. I am excited to say that we are at $21,937 meaning we are just over $700 behind. This is exceptional news given we haven’t been able to meet in person. It is awesome that everyone is deeply committed to keeping their pledges up to date! THANK YOU!!
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We Need Your Help As We Update Our UCV Directory
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If you could email Deb Hudson and include your address, phone, email and a short bio (30 - 35 words) we can get things current. Deb Hudson
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So Close to our Goal of 50 Chairs
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We are excited to say the chairs promised from Center for Spiritual Living for so many months will be picked up in just a few days. We have 45 “purchased” so far with donations from various members and church friends. Everyone is looking forward to the day we can be together celebrating our new “home” and finding out the dedications that were made for the chairs. Crossing fingers, toes and even eyes that this comes sooner than later.
A donation of $50 provides a chair for our sanctuary. You can honor a friend or family member or maybe it would be in memory of a friend or family member. Our goal is 50 chairs and as of August 28th we are at 45. We are so very close. To help us reach our goal please click on the button below to donate. Thank you for your consideration.
God's Peace.
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Our Flock of Cranes is Growing
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The cranes have been hiding out during this hot August, but they’ve checked out their new digs in our new sanctuary and have given their stamp of approval. Very soon we are going to need some of our seamstresses to help string them together. Phoebe has created a model so it isn’t a complicated task. Stay tuned…
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Bringing our tithes and offerings to God is an important spiritual practice that cultivates gratitude and generosity. While we cannot physically pass the offering plate, we can continue to bring our gifts to God through online or mail-in donations.
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To send a check, please use:
United Church of the Valley
41685 Date Street Suite 100
Murrieta, CA 92562
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Or donate online:
(3.5% fee)
Venmo: @ucvchurch (free)
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On one hand, March 13 seems like just yesterday. Just a day before, our governor had ordered “the elderly” and in those of compromised health to shelter in place for perhaps 3 weeks. On that Saturday afternoon, Jamie Barnett emailed the council suggesting that we should move to virtual worship immediately—as in the following day. There was unanimous agreement and on Sunday, March 14, after a scary morning when technology wasn’t working, Lee Eddy delivered his message online. When we first heard that we would be quarantined, it sounded like an eternity and that goal-post continues to move ahead. But our worship team has continued to learn new technology and to continue to search for creative ways to improve our worship experience. We produced video playlists and then, for the past month, have switched to live zoom worship. I’m proud of our persistence and willingness to learn new ways to communicate.
Of course, on the other hand, it seems like forever since that March 13. The exciting ideas that we began to formulate during our retreat with Rev. Felix Villanueva, at least so far seem to be a casualty of our survival-mode mentality. And yet, here we are today. We’ve survived 5 ½ months which, back in March, seemed like an eternity. We’ve been forced to learn new technology that will serve us well in post-covid times. We’ve discovered an unexpected positive. When we sing (how I long for that day!!) “Draw the Circle Wide” we’ve discovered that we can open our doors wider than we’ve ever envisioned to include those aren’t able to physically attend our worship—those viewing us from TX, IL, WY and even Nicaragua, those whose jobs conflict with worship and those with disabilities which make physical attendance challenging.
These qualities of perseverance and willingness to pivot and change course (remember our God is a Still-Speaking God) have not been manifest only during this pandemic. This month, UCV miraculously is celebrating it’s 27th anniversary. Our scrappy and passionate church has honed these qualities through an abundance of challenges that could have brought us down but instead have made us stronger. So, on September 20th, we will celebrate our anniversary with joy.
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We have added a time of Joys & Concerns to our online Sunday service. Please email any joys & concerns you would like read aloud to Sandy Selby at moderator@ucvchurch.org. You can also send confidential prayer requests. Just indicate as such and let Sandy know if you want it shared with any of the other spiritual counselors.
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Behind the Virtual Pulpit in September
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During the month of September our Sunday service will be live on our Zoom channel. The recording of the service will be available online later that day on Facebook, YouTube and on our Website.
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Sept. 6th - Rev. Dr. Sharon Graff
Sept. 13th - Rev. Stephanie Toon
Sept. 20th - Lynn Bradley
Sept. 27th - Jamie Barnett
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You can find our Sermons, past and present, on our YouTube channel (click the video) as well as our website (click the button).
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Health, Travel and Thank You News
- Sue Berry is home and doing much better. She enjoys phone calls.
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Anne Crutchfield is doing fine.
- Prayers for the Martinez family. William had surgery on Aug. 27th and will be home in a few days. Irene's is doing better; John is getting glasses soon.
We all miss seeing each other. Send cards to your church family members. Let Donna know what is going on with our friends so we can share the news and prayers with each other. Email her at donnalouise1rn@aol.com.
Other Happenings Around Our Church
- Join our coffee hour on Sunday. Catch up with what is going on in our church family. Look for the zoom link on our website. Sandy and Lynne have helped me get on zoom and I enjoy the fellowship.
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Pilgrim Pines camp had a successful camp in a box and camp at home. UCV had 3 campers and 1 counselor participate in camp in a box. Donna and the Martinez children had a great week doing similar things that would have happened at camp although we missed being on the mountain.
There were 80 campers at home and 226 camp boxes handed out with 66 boxes going to Peppermint Ridge. Peppermint Ridge houses developmentally challenged people that live in homes in Corona. Many have attended camp for years. There were campership awards in the amount of $2,200. 90% of campers that participated in the weeklong camp came back online for the Bonus day. This camp had children from 4 years old to adults from Peppermint Ridge and there was group time for each age group throughout the day.
Pilgrim Pines is being funded by the conference through the end of December. There are many ways to help keep the camp open on a limited basis. The cabins can be rented by families. It would be like camping except that you have beds and restrooms. You can send monetary gifts to the camp. The Pilgrim Pines committees are planning events via internet and ZOOM meetings. In September we are planning a hoodie fundraiser.
They also are having an antiracist workshop for teens/young adults and adults. Cost will be $50 for three hours. There will be a silent auction from Oct. 2-10. Items will be online for your bidding. Money will support Pilgrim Pines. Keep the weekend of October 9 - 11 open for the fall "fun for all intergenerational camp" with Apple Pie family baking time. Live auction results in the evening on Oct.10th. There will be a talent show and farewell on Sunday in the late afternoon. Go online to see Pilgrim Pines at www.pilgrimpinescamp.org.
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September services will all be live on Zoom at 10 am on Sundays. The live service will be recorded and available on the UCV website, Facebook and You Tube later in the day.
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Even fellowship can be online, thanks to the innovative minds at Zoom! Join us Sunday’s at 9am for Book Study and 11am for Fellowship Coffee Hour. UCV has its own Zoom meeting room at https://zoom.us/j/9516981520
You can join from your Zoom app using meeting number 9516981520
Or you can join by phone:
One tap mobile
+16699006833,9516981520# US (San Jose)
or dial
+1-669-900-6833
and then enter
9516981520#
You can start your own online fellowship, too! Just email Sandy Selby at moderator@ucvchurch.org to get on the meeting schedule.
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Our Friends in Nicaragua Need Our Help
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We learned from our friends in Nicaragua that one of the extra challenges they are facing right now is about clean water. The water project that our church participated in in 2008-2009 brought clean water to all the 8000 residents in the community of Chacraseca is now facing some problems. Each month, the community receives a water bill for the entire community. Each individual family then is billed for their share. However, because of covid and the political situation in Nicaragua, there are so many people unemployed that many are not able to pay their share. JustHope has mounted a special campaign to raise funds to cover the water bills for the next three or four months. In her message last month, Darcie Dunlop challenged UCV to donate toward this effort and Ruth, in her children’s conversation, showed us all how to fashion a bank from a plastic water bottle. We now have another challenge: Dennis Wolfe has offered to match donations up to $200. Let’s not waste his generous offer!
As with many non-profit organizations, JustHope, the foundation we’ve worked with for many years, is having serious difficulties as well. Donations would be greatly appreciated to be able to keep paying the Nicaragua JustHope staff. You can send donations to UCV (via Venmo, PayPal or US mail and add a memo to indicate you are donating to Nicaragua.
For any of you that are able, an extra donation to Just Hope at this time would be so appreciated. You can donate through JustHope (click link below) or through UCV and note "Nicaragua" (see information below)
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To send a check, please use:
United Church of the Valley
41685 Date Street Suite 100
Murrieta, CA 92562
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Or donate online:
(3.5% fee)
Venmo: @ucvchurch (free)
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Construction on our sanctuary is complete!
We have the green light to start moving things into the sanctuary side, so we set up 25 socially distanced chairs and relocated as much as possible. Thanks to Lynne Bradley for the pic! We are still waiting for the door to be retrofitted with a panic bar to allow for quick exiting in case of fire. Once that is completed, we can request our final inspection and occupancy certificate. Almost there!
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Sunday Service - Virtual until further notice
Monthly Game Night -SUSPENDED until further notice. Every 3rd Saturday of the month from 6:30 - 8:30 at The Community House
Monthly Potluck - SUSPENDED until further notice
Book Club - We are meeting online every Sunday at 9 am Zoom Meeting Room
AA Meeting - Virtual Only Monday - Friday 7am
Voices of the Valley Youth Choir - SUSPENDED until further notice
UCV Council Meeting - 1st Monday of the month 6pm Zoom Meeting Room
AA Meeting - Virtual Only Every Monday 7pm
Women's Al-Anon Meeting - Virtual Only Every Wednesday 5:30pm
Men's AA Meeting - Virtual Only Every Wednesday 7pm
TVP Board Meeting - 2nd and 4th Thursday 6pm at The Community House
AA Big Book Study - Virtual Only Every Friday 7pm
AA Step Meeting - Virtual Only Every Saturday 8am
Trans Family Support - 1st Saturday of the month 4pm
Citizens Climate Lobby Meeting - Virtual Only 2nd Saturday of the month 9:30am
C.O.D.A.Meeting - Virtual Only Every Sunday 5:30pm
AA Meeting - Virtual Only Every Sunday 7:30pm at The Community House
The Community House is located at
41685 Date Street, Murrieta 92562
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United Church of the Valley is a Partnership Church
United Church of Christ/Disciples of Christ
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951-698-1520 admin@ucvchurch.org
www.ucvchurch.org
41685 Date St. Murrieta
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