Community UCC eNews
April 8, 2021
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Community UCC is an inclusive and progressive Christian Church doing social justice, environmental faithfulness, interfaith collaboration and spiritual formation to help ourselves and others grow in faith, hope and love.
COVID Status: Virtual worship. Limited office hours.
See below.
SO MUCH GOOD NEWS! — If it says "[Message clipped]" at the bottom of your eNews, that means you're not seeing everything. Click the link next to that to view the entire newsletter.
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Join us for worship on Sunday, April 11. Pastor Julia Penner-Zook will deliver a sermon inspired by John 20:19-31. The sermon is titled:
"C'est quoi?"
("Seriously?")
See below for how we "do church" now.
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Sunday worship onYouTube begins at 10:30 a.m.
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Instructions for Zoom worship
For now, we will continue to provide the Zoom worship live on our YouTube channel (bit.ly/cuccyoutube) on Sundays at 10:35 a.m. Doors "open" around 10:15-10:20 for a few minutes of fellowship before worship begins.
Links to the Zoom worship services go out each Friday in a separate email just to church members. Look for "Zoom links" in that email subject line. If you would like to receive the Zoom links to participate in the Sunday service in a more interactive way, please contact the church office or let Lisa know.
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Thursday evening worship
Evening worship has resumed at 7 p.m. Thursdays on Zoom. If you have questions or would like a Zoom link, contact Robin at faithgrowth@communityucc.com.
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LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!
Capital Campaign reaches $15,000 goal!
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Thank you to everyone who donated to our Lights! Camera! Action! capital campaign.
We reached our $15,000 goal with $10,000 generously donated by our church members and $5,000 from the Bettenhausen Christian Education Endowment Fund annual distribution, thanks to the support of our Faith Education Team.
This funding lets us improve the outdoor perimeter lighting (LIGHTS!) around our buildings and to add a new camera system (CAMERA!)
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to allow streaming and recording of our worship services and many events in our sanctuary.
Moderator Felicia Rocha has ordered the camera system (ACTION!) and we look forward to having it installed and ready when we return to using the sanctuary again.
Congratulations and thank you to everyone who supported this capital campaign!
Sharon Powers
Finance Team Chair
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Work Party Saturday, April 10: Join in to keep xeriscape looking good
A work party is scheduled from 8 a.m. to noon this Saturday, April 10, to weed the xeriscape.
Please bring a hoe, gloves and sun protection gear. If you don't have a hoe, we have some at church. We also have a wheelbarrow.
Helmut Kloos, who is organizing the work party, writes:
"I am looking forward to seeing many of you who want to get some exercise, fresh air and companionship after this long pandemic confinement. More importantly, this gives us a chance to honor our commitment to be good stewards of the environment because Roundup, the alternative to hoeing, is a carcinogen and is found in most water supplies in the U.S."
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Stewardship Campaign 2021: "Beloved, Love"
This year's Stewardship Campaign – "Beloved, Love" – kicks off this Sunday, April 11, and will culminate on Stewardship Sunday, May 2. Each week will feature a different theme and different speaker:
- April 11 – Love of Children, featuring Patty and Spencer Parks.
- April 18 – Love of Neighbor, featuring Sarah Fey.
- April 25 – Love of Creation, featuring Alex Madrid.
- May 2 – Love In action, featuring Gary Walker. Doug Hoagland will give the
- sermon.
Community UCC conducts an annual Stewardship drive each spring to ask church members and supporters what they will bring to the mission of the church by completing a financial pledge form and Time and Talent sheet for the following fiscal year, from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022.
A letter from the church will go out next week with forms and sheets. Please return them to the church by May 2 or fill them out online beginning next week when links will be available in eNews and on the website.
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Faith Education Team raffles Game Night Basket
The Faith Education Team is selling tickets to win a Game Night Basket with puzzles, games, movies and more.
Tickets are $5 each or five tickets for $20. A drawing will be held at the April 25 worship service to select a winner.
You can buy tickets through Givelify or by sending a check to the church. Please designate this is for the Faith Education basket.
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... From Pastor Julia
Pastor Julia delivers a video message in this week's edition of eNews. Click on the triangle to hear her speak about doubt and argument as essential elements of our faith.
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Women's Book Discussion Group
The Women's Book Discussion Group will conclude its discussion of "There There" by Tommy Orange, an indigenous author from the Bay Area, at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 13.
A new six-week book discussion will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 27 on Zoom, reading "Blessed Are the Crazy" by Sarah Griffith Lund.
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Book study on mental health challenges resumes April 11
A new book study group meeting to discuss "Blessed Are The Crazy" by Sarah Griffith Lund will resume at noon on Sunday, April 11. Please read Chapter 3.
This is part of CUCC's preparation for becoming a WISE — Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive and Engaged — congregation to all persons who experience mental health challenges. WISE is an initiative of the United Church of Christ.
If you have questions or want to receive Zoom links for the study, please contact Kathy Lukan at lukefam5@yahoo.com or Elizabeth Davis-Russell at edavisrussell@comcast.net.
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Adult Education meets Mondays
Adult Education meets from 9-10 a.m. Mondays. The group is discussing Richard Rohr’s daily meditations.
To get them, please register at the Center for Action and Contemplation: cac.org.
On April 19, the group will begin a six-week video discussion at 9 a.m., exploring "How the Bible Actually Works" by Peter Enns.
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On April 4, Pastor Julia delivered a sermon titled "Easter Sunday: Something Happens" inspired by Luke 24: 1-12. Click on the triangle above to watch and hear the sermon. |
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Marilyn's office hours at church
Marilyn is in the office from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. Please be sure to call ahead (559.435.2690) and remember to wear a mask if you need to come to the office.
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Contacting Pastor Julia at church
Pastor Julia will be in the office Thursday morning and can be reached by phone, text, e-mail or Facetime other days of the week as well. E-mail her at j.penner.zook@gmail.com.
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In each week's eNews, we include a news article from our larger denomination, the United Church of Christ, to show the faithful work being done in other places.
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40-day anti-racism practice helps participants ‘unlearn’ during Lent
What did you give up for Lent?
That’s a question often posed by Christians who see Lent as a season of sacrifice and self-reflection. A time of preparation for the hope and joy that Easter brings.
But this year, hundreds of members of the United Church of Christ might instead be asking each other, “What did you unlearn?”
Those people, more than 230 of them primarily across the Wisconsin and Minnesota Conferences, took part in a 40-day anti-racism practice, "Strengthening Emotional Stamina to Counter White Fragility." Offered though the Conferences’ joint leadership development program, the Damascus Project, the online course asked participants to take a journey of self-work to unlearn internalized white supremacy. Continue reading at UCC.com
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Happy Birthday to all who are celebrating this month
April Birthdays
1 — Sharon Powers
2 — Elise LeBeau
4 — Sierra LeBeau
5 — Megan Fazio
7 — David Wall
9 — Niki Ruffin
10 — Nancy Tackitt
11 — Everette Newport
16 — Abbie Kilburn
17 — Katharine Chaffin
21 — Leland Virag
24 — EJ Hinojosa
25 — Jake Tilley
April Anniversaries
2 — Carol and Henry Phillips
3 — Marie and Steve Edwards
16 — Cheryl and Jeff Jones
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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). Send your announcements to both Lisa Boyles Bell and Doug Hoagland. Doug is now the primary newsletter designer, but Doug and Lisa collaborate on its production. Emails: lisamboyles12@gmail.com and doughoagland@att.net.
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Our Joyful Giving page reflects the many ways members can help support our Church's missions and operations, especially needed in these critical and uncertain times.
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Due to COVID-19, worship will remain virtual for now. Limited office hours have resumed.
Phone: 559.435.2690
Email: office@communityucc.com
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