Community UCC eNews
March 24, 2022
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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.
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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Worship this Sunday
On Sunday, March 27, Pastor Julia Penner-Zook will deliver a sermon titled "Our Unholy Trinity: Anxiety, Stress, Overload" inspired by Matthew 6: 25-34.
Julia writes: "In her writing, Brené Brown points out the correlation between anxiety, stress, and overload, validates them, and connects them with what we tell ourselves about each. Jesus appeals to the mind, too, calling his hearers to specific ways of thinking."
Note: The after-worship discussion will not take place this week. Everyone is invited to attend the reception for Robin (see below). The discussions will resume on April 3.
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Thursday evening worship
Thursday worship meets at 7 p.m. on Zoom. Please check your email for the Zoom links sent out earlier in the week or contact Robin Carlson (faithgrowth@communityucc.com).
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New: Robin Carlson's final service as commissioned minister; reception follows
Robin Carlson will attend her last worship service as Commissioned Minister of Religious Education on Sunday, March 27. She is retiring on March 31.
Please plan to attend the service and reception that follows worship to honor Robin. She has been a faithful and active member of CUCC for more than 30 years. Robin joined the church staff as a commissioned minister in 2012.
Please bring a finger food to share at the reception.
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New: Let's celebrate Siete de Mayo at CUCC!
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Join us in celebration of Siete de Mayo – our first fundraising party since before the pandemic!
It will be a time of much needed fellowship and fun. We will serve tacos, rice, beans and dessert. We will provide lemonade and water and sell beer, wine and margaritas.
There will be music and a raffle of baskets filled with all manner of treasures as well as a gift card raffle. We will also have our CUCC beer steins for sale.
You can purchase your tickets beginning Sunday, March 27, before worship or you can send
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checks to the office or or you can give through Givelify or Vanco Please designate "Siete de Mayo " on your payments.
When: Saturday, May 7, 2022, 5 – 8:30 p.m.
Where: Hayden Hall
Tickets: $40 for adults, $10 for children ages 4 to 17, children 3 and under free
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New: 'April Showers' fundraiser starts strong
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We have collected $6,400 for the "April Showers" fundraising campaign to help grow our church – and the effort just began. An additional $2,000 is pledged.
You can help by donating!
The Finance Team has crafted a thoughtful plan to landscape the area to the east of the dry creek bed and the strip on Fresno Street beyond the pine trees to the corner of Browning, then continue on Browning to the parking lot entrance.
The materials will be in keeping with our commitment to environmental justice.
They also will provide not only beauty – making our church more appealing for membership growth and the enjoyment of our current members and visitors – but also will provide much needed weed control.
The ground will be covered with a weed resistant plastic topped with gravel.
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Muhly grass (above left) and lantana (above right) – both drought tolerant and colorful – will be planted.
Total cost: $18,825
In the bank: $6,400
Pledged: $2,000
Still needed: $10,425
Please consider making an extra donation toward this campaign during the month of April so we can complete this project.
The landscaper will begin on April 1 and will continue work as donations come in.
You can contribute by sending a check to the church or through Givelify or Vanco.
Please designate the donation for "April Showers" or "landscaping."
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From Rod Zook: If you enjoyed the remote Zoom worship service experience and are still not able to join us in person, please join us on Sunday at 10 a.m. on Zoom. We will do our best to connect with you and give you a window into the Sanctuary as it fills up on Sunday morning.
When the service starts at 10:30, you can then switch to the livestream on YouTube, or stay with the Zoom service. We will do our best to give you a decent audio and video feed for the service. Look for the Zoom link in the Zoom Links email that went out on Wednesday, March 16.
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Money, money, money needs a counter |
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CUCC needs someone to help count money after worship on the 1st and 5th Sundays of the month. You'll work in a team, and the process takes about 30-40 minutes. Training will be provided.
Please contact Carol Kilburn at carolkilburn559@gmail.com if you can help in this way. Thanks for considering it!
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Proof of vaccination requirement |
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Reminder: CUCC requires proof of vaccination for attendance at all in-person events. Click here for more details posted at the church website.
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• Adult Education, Sunday, March 27, 9 a.m., church conference room, discussing Pete Enns’ podcast "Staying Christian Is Hard, Isn't It?" Click here to listen.
• The Women's Book Discussion Group plans to keep going after Robin's departure. Kristi Cole will lead the next book study, "The Rock That is Higher: Story as Truth" by Madeleine L'Engle, beginning at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 5.
For the first session, please read the first two chapters. As you read, please make a note and bring a couple of points to share with the group — either a passage you really liked or something to prompt discussion. Zoom links will resume the week before the group resumes.
Following the completion of that book, Lisa Bell will lead a discussion of Cicely Tyson's autobiography "Just as I Am: A Memoir," beginning in late May (exact date to be determined).
• Men’s Study Group is taking a break.
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The “Eyes” Have It
by Julia Penner-Zook
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“I’ve seen a lot . . . but I have never been a refugee,” writes photojournalist Peter Turnley.
During the 40 years in which Turnley has borne witness to human suffering in most of the world's major conflict regions, he has focused on eyes.
He sees deep emotion in people’s eyes, describing final goodbyes of families, most recently in the train stations of Ukraine – women and children inside; men outside. With a train window between them, their love and hope, anxiety and sorrow flow from their eyes.
On long train rides made with those fleeing their homes, Turnley observes eyes filled with pain and shock, yet remarkably also eyes filled with deep love and pride for the homeland.
Despite unspeakable insecurity and suffering, refugees’ eyes tended not to harbor hatred or anger.
Seeing can be reciprocated. Turnley writes that as a photographer he has intentionally not turned away from tragedy and horror.
He has given up his protected status – one who could have hidden behind the camera – allowing himself to get close enough to people for eye contact.
Extended periods of eye contact in many cases.
Turnley is convinced that he can communicate compassion and concern simply with his eyes.
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Forty years is a long time to engage with the brutality of war and flight. And yet, this man’s resolve remains strong.
In order to retain or regain our humanity, we must look! If we cannot look our fellow humans in the eye, we must go deep into our own souls to discover where the disconnect lies.
We are not in a war zone. We are not refugees. Yet, we are confronted with loss, pain, and despair daily. Our current global experience makes it more important than ever to be(come) people who can look others in the eye, not divert our gaze elsewhere.
Along with Peter Turnley, we can determine not to look away: not to quickly move on after seeing an image on our device or on our city streets; not to blot human suffering out with distraction or busyness.
We are one humanity. We are one congregation of hope. Let’s resolve to see one another and our world.
Photo Credit: Davide Pietralunga via unsplash.com (open source)
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On Sunday, March 20, four women from the Women's Book Discussion Group presented reflections on "If God Is Love, Don't Be A Jerk" by John Pavlovitz. The speakers were Sharon Powers, Nancy Pressley, Ann Scott, and Eileen White. |
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Marilyn's office hours
Marilyn is usually in the church office from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m Mondays through Thursdays. She is off on Fridays.
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Contacting Pastor Julia at church
Pastor Julia is in the office Thursday and can be reached by phone, text, email or FaceTime other days of the week as well. Email 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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UCC officers urge confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to Supreme Court
eNews note: National Officers of the United Church of Christ are speaking out in support of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's historic nomination to the United States Supreme Court. The American Bar Association has unanimously rated her as “Well Qualified” — ABA’s highest ranking — to serve on the high court.
Supreme Court Justices hold vast power and enormous responsibility to be faithful arbiters of the consequential legal questions of the day. Their opinions once handed down hold the ability to shape generations in all matters of our common lives including, voting, marriage equality, health care access, the rights of unions to organize and criminal justice among many others. Their decisions have far-reaching ramifications, most especially for vulnerable populations whose civil and human rights are often in the balance. Continue reading at UCC.com
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Birthdays
4 – Dala Ramirez
6 – Kristi Cole
8 – Emma Haring
9 – Ashlyn Chaffin and Olivia LeBeau
14 – Lynette Mulvihill
15 – Jack Van Patten
16 – Marie Edwards and Benjamin Williams
17 – Michael Dillahunty
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23 – David Rocha
24 – Pam Mighaccio and Lu Parks
25 – Sophie Gilbert
27 – Debbie Schroer, Kate Hayden and Carol Dailey
30 – Jerry Thompson
Anniversaries
19 – Carol and Bill Dailey
26 – Penny and Tom Carroll
31 – Carolyn and Al Evans
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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.
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Phone: 559.435.2690
Email: office@communityucc.com
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