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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We, the members of the United Church of the Valley, stand against racism, discrimination, and bigotry in any form. According to Stop AAPI Hate, there were approximately 2,800 acts of hate and bias targeting Asian Americans since the national emergence of COVID-19 in March 2020. The acts of hate are not limited to Asian Americans of one particular ethnicity. An 84-year-old Thai grandfather was fatally attacked while on his morning walk in San Francisco. A 91-year-old Chinese man was attacked in Oakland. A 64-year-old Vietnamese man was assaulted in San Jose. And a 61-year-old Filipino man was slashed on a subway in New York.
During the last year, there have been a significant increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans. Individuals are being threatened and harassed. Asian Americans are being told to “Go back to China,” and are being blamed for “bringing the virus” to the United States. The people are being referred to with racial slurs, spat on, and physically assaulted.
The members of United Church of the Valley strongly condemn the recent rise in anti-Asian hate incidents. We call on all people to unite in condemning these and all racially motivated acts of violence.
Sandy Selby, Moderator
Jamie Barnett, Vice Moderator
Kerry Keester-Wellman, Treasurer
Debbie Hudson, Secretary
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Becoming a Just Peace Congregation |
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Along with our study of St. Francis’ prayer, we will be exploring the possibility of becoming designated as a Just Peace congregation. UCV has a long history of participating in ecumenical efforts to promote peace. In the early 2000’s, individuals from UCV and UU faithfully met at the Community House every Friday afternoon to silently protest the war. Frequently a group of counter-protesters met across the street by the post office. Many of us joined with others from Interfaith to stand with the Muslims when demonstrations against the proposed construction of a new mosque were expected. Thus, it seems appropriate that UCV explore becoming a “Just Hope” congregation. This designation, similar to that of “Open and Affirming”, is achieved after a congregation has participated in a study program and then voted to affirm their intention of becoming a Just Peace church. Lee Eddy has agreed to guide us through this process. Watch for further information as we determine our specific plan. |
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Kid’s Church is Back Every
Sunday During the Service
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May services will be live and on Zoom beginning at 9am 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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Our discussion on "So You Want to Talk About Race" has been put on hold due to lack of interest.
I hope we will be able to start again in the near future. Please let Kerry know if you are interested in this topic. She can be reached at 951/326-0945 (text or talk) or at keestman@gmail.com
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"The Difficult Questions"
Testimonials
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Well, it’s been 3 months since our group Difficult Questions had its first meeting and it has been quite enlightening. We currently have 7 regular participants and another 2-3 that have occasionally dropped in. We have no ‘weekly agenda’ that is arranged, we all just come with what is on our minds. Perhaps the difficult question posed is a person’s internal struggle that has been with them for years, or perhaps there’s a consensus that a certain current event is the most prevalent thing concerning us. Whatever the question is Difficult Questions is certainly the safe & loving place to ask it. One member mentioned a quote, early on, that really explains our purpose for existence pretty well…
I would rather have questions that can’t be answered than answers that can’t be questioned.
~~Richard P. Feynman~~
So, If you have had a question(s) that you have pondered for a day, a year, a decade or even longer and would like a safe, loving place to talk about it or if you just want to see what we’re all about, we hope you’ll ZOOM in on Tuesday’s from 6pm – 7pm.
UCV’s Difficult Questions truly welcomes ONE & ALL!!!
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It is with great joy that we can let you know that the vast majority of our Partner Groups have returned to meet inside at UCV. Our AA groups, Al Anon Group, Riverside Trans Support Group, and Citizen’s Climate Lobby have either returned already or will be returning in May. Each group came back with the understanding that should the Covid-19 restrictions come back that we would once again have to shut down. Each group has been terrific in adhering to our guidelines of maximum people, mask requirements and physical distancing requirements. Some are actually doing ‘hybrid’ meetings using Zoom to include those who are not yet comfortable with meeting inside. Each group has been so gracious with their donations to UCV and their praise with the way we continued to maintain our commitment to them and opening up as soon as we could. There are a few groups that have not returned which has opened up some time for the possibility of a new group or two. If anyone would like some information as to time availability please feel free to email Deb Hudson at admin@ucvchurch.org.
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The Social Work Action Group (SWAG) is a local non-profit providing outreach and wholistic support to people experiencing long-term homelessness. Thanks to the Barnett’s, our Prayers and Squares team is making 15 quilts for the SWAG team to give to their clients.
In addition, UCV is participating in a Temecula-Murrieta Interfaith Council effort to gather supplies for hygiene kits and “Welcome Home” baskets to people moving into interim housing. Over the next month, please bring one or more of the following items to church (or arrange for a monetary donation!):
· Toothbrush & toothpaste
· Single-serving snacks (trail mix, nuts, crackers)
· Dark socks
· Paper towels
· $10 fast-food gift card
We’ll take care of delivering your gifts to our friends at SWAG. Thank you!!!
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Soon and very soon, we are going to go inside…
(I write these words with some trepidation for, many years ago, they were used as the theme song for what we expected was a “soon“ to be realized bulding project on our Clinton Keith property. However, this time, just maybe “soon” means soon!)
Our Council and Worship Team are working on plans for moving inside our building (soon!) We need to be sure that we have a plan to 1) keep everyone who worships in person safe and 2) to make our worship experience meaningful for both our in-person and online participants. Please watch emails carefully for the latest information.
Thank you to all who have responded to the questionnaire about your worship preferences and comments. If you haven’t had a chance to reply yet, please do so asap. We want to hear from everyone! When we move inside (soon!!), one important question will be “what time shall we meet?” Of the surveys we’ve received so far, there isn’t too much consensus. Some want to return to 10am while a good number prefer an earlier start time. So, please let us know your preference.
I have been busy attending a plethora of webinars about re-opening, creating meaningful hybrid worship, what it means/could mean to be a hybrid church –not only for Sunday mornings but in all that we do as a beloved community and even when we can sing again. They have filled my mind to overflowing with great ideas—and great questions that we need to find answers for together, so this will be an on-going discussion. In addition, there have been some valuable discussions about the technical—and personnel—needs to make everything come together.
The webinar I attended yesterday was for UCC pastors and lay leaders from our Central and Southern Associations. What a wonderful network of creative, thoughtful people. There is so much I could share, and I hope to share more in the weeks and months to come, but let me center on a couple of thoughts that grabbed me.
First, a word about “change”. Throughout our 28 years, our congregation has had to face lots of changes—in venues, pastors, and plans. I think we have become stronger as a result. Soon!!!, we will face another big change as we move into our own sacred space and, at the same time, learn ways to include those who are joining us online. I remember at very first organizing meeting of UCV, Randy Leisey, the foundling pastor, asked each of us why we had come. Vicki Lambert said she wanted to “go to a church where no one would say ”we’ve always done it this way”. Fortunately, in our years of wandering, we’ve learned to embrace change as well as be resilient in the face of challenges. Another question posed was “will we be a pre-covid” or a post-covid church?”
So, I’m realizing more and more that Re-Opening is a way bigger topic than just being able to worship inside our sanctuary safely (though, of course, that’s an incredibly important starting point). But, in addition, can we re-imagine what a hybrid beloved community needs to/can be/do in a post-covid time of new possibilities?
Perhaps this quote by Karen Armstrong can start our thinking and imagining: “One of the conditions of enlightenment has always been a willingness to let go of what we thought we knew in order to appreciate truths we had never dreamed of.
On February 29, 2020 many of us participated in an all-church retreat led by our UCC Conference minister. There was such energy and enthusiasm and a real commitment to do the work of visioning in order to discern UCV’s place in our valley. And then, just two weeks later, we were suddenly scrambling to figure out how to move online (and out of the Masonic Center), and our commitment to developing the action plan we had created at the retreat came to a screeching halt as we moved into “survival mode”. But we’ve learned so much during the interim: technology isn’t as scary as many had thought, in fact it was pretty cool. Zoom and You Tube have given us the flexibility to be more accessible to people who previously were not able to be included. So, now it’s time to return to our visioning with new eyes and valuable new experiences.
These are challenging but exciting times! The journey goes on. If you’d like to participate in a UCV “think tank” to reimagine UCV in a post-covid new world, let’s talk. Let Lynne know that you are interested in participating(lbradley93168@gmail.com).
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T'ai Chi with Paul Dallas |
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UCV member Paul Dallas invites you to join Sun City T’ai Chi on Zoom on Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 am PST.
You are also invited to practice on your own time using his YouTube video as a guide:
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It’s been an eventful time for our ministry! We’re enjoying in-person meetings and recently welcomed two new members: Kellie Watson and Nita Maclean. Welcome to both!
Since issuing our first quilt last May, we’ve now given out a total of 33, which we’re told is a great start. Meanwhile, with generous funding from Kathryn and Jamie Barnett, we’re also making 15 flannel prayer quilts to give to our friends at the Social Work Action Group. We plan to complete this project in advance of the cooler fall weather, as SWAG will distribute the quilts to clients currently experiencing or moving out of homelessness.
Recently, Anne travelled down to Poway to visit with members of one of the very first Prayers and Squares chapters (they’re Chapter #2, while we’re Chapter #1295). They offered lots of sage advice, supportive encouragement, and the gift of a truckload of free fabric! We’ve promised to put it all to good use, and to pay it forward whenever we can.
Each of our prayer quilts is completely free, and given the great success of our ministry so far, we do have ongoing needs. We plan to launch another pre-holiday fundraiser in the fall, and in the meantime, we remain most appreciative of your gifts of fabric, time, and funds. Thank you for helping us carry UCV’s loving spirit into the wider world!
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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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UCV Birthday Bank - a Timeless Tradition |
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The Birthday Bank has been a tradition at the United Church of the Valley for many a year. When your birthday comes around you get to put $1 for every year into the birthday bank (the $1 per year is only a suggestion). Of course we would love to celebrate with you during our social after the Sunday Service, we'll even provide the cake. Is your name on this list?
May Birthdays/Anniversaries
- Craig Thorsen - 3rd
- Glaser Harris - 14th
- Deandre Williams - 16th
- Lynne Bradley - 17th
- Suzi Linsley - 23rd
- Kathy Linsley - 25th
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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 May |
During the month of May 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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May 2nd - Dr. Rev. Sharon Graff
May 9th - Jennifer Zechlin
May 16th - Rev. Stephanie Toon
May 23rd - Lee Eddy, Pentecost (wear red)
May 30th - TBA
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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). |
Our new sanctuary is ready and waiting, and several very talent people have been working hard to make it feel like home—and a worshipful sacred space. Our very talented fabric artist, Anne DiPardo has created some amazing banners. Several of us also spent some of our covid time folding origami cranes. Originating in Japan, they have become a symbol peace. A senbazuru (installation of 1000 cranes) is said to bring good luck and happiness, and UCV crane-folders have managed that impressive feat. Now we need to finish stringing them and hang them in our sanctuary. If you want to help, please contact Lynne—Soon!!!!
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We did it!! Thanks to the incredible generosity of so many, we raised the $2000 needed to pay for UCV’s half of a new house for Chacraseca. We don’t know yet who the lucky family will be, but we’ll post pictures as soon as we hear!
The music program at the Cultural Center (and at two of the local elementary and high schools) continues to make impressive progress. The music kids are working to learn the songs used by the local folkloric dance troupe so they can perform together with live music! What a great example of integrated learning. And, last Friday I offered to join the music class Abi leads at one of the high schools via zoom (they meet very early in the morning (6am CA time!). I was pleased to see how attentive they all were, even at that early hour (though I remember the roosters started their cock-a-doodle-dooing at 4 am). The kids have lots to learn about singing and matching pitch, but I was impressed by how ready they were to work. I’m planning on joining their class again next week and hopefully will be able to work with some of the students in small groups. Technology certainly is a new tool in the toolbox!
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● She’s been in touch with Anne Crutchfield, who is at The Springs Health and Rehabilitation Center but hopes to be home soon.
● Please let Donna know of anyone graduating from school or college this year! That’s 951/217-0735 or donnalouise1rn@aol.com
Donna’s news is coming to you second-hand this month, as she’s been spending time at Inland Valley Hospital for treatment of a kidney stone. She’s responding well to treatment and is on the road to recovery. While an inpatient, she befriended her roommate and successfully recruited her to our UCV Prayers and Squares team. Well done, Donna!
Call Donna for further information. 951-217-0735.
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This link will also show you the other activities going on at camp and how you can support the camp with donations via spending a few nights (vacation) at the Pines. Camp needs volunteers to help run the camp. Sign up to help with the camp program. Interviews will begin in May. Upcoming workdays are planned for April 17th and May 15. More info coming soon. Call Donna at 951-217-0735 if interested in either or both work days. We need to register to attend.
You can help support Pilgrim Pines through donations to the camp. You can make reservations to camp at the Pine. Money from renting the cabins goes to maintenance of the camp. There is a self-contained cottage called the Brown House. It has 3 bedrooms, 1 bath, and a kitchen, dining area, and living room. Money from this rental goes to the Campership Fund. Go to pilgrimpines@gmail.com for camp information.
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Services will be live and on Zoom at 9am on Sundays. The live service will be recorded and available on the UCV website, Facebook and YouTube later in the day. |
Even fellowship can be online, thanks to the innovative minds at Zoom! Join us for Sunday Service live and on zoom beginning at 9am and 10am 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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Sunday Service - Live and on Zoom, 9AM
Fellowship - Virtual on Zoom, Every Sunday at 10am
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 - SUSPENDED further notice. We are meeting online every Sunday at 9 am Zoom Meeting Room
AA Meeting - 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 - Every Monday 7pm
Women's Al-Anon Meeting - Every Wednesday 5:30pm
Men's AA Meeting - Every Wednesday 7pm
TVP Board Meeting - Currently on Zoom
AA Big Book Study - Every Friday 7pm
AA Step Meeting - Every Saturday 8am
Trans Family Support - 1st Saturday of the month 4pm
Citizens Climate Lobby Meeting - 2nd Saturday of the month 9:30am
C.O.D.A.Meeting - Every Sunday 5:30pm (Currently still on Zoom)
AA Meeting - 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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