Community UCC eNews
March 31, 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 "Goin' There" inspired by Matthew 7: 13-29.
Julia writes: "Somehow Jesus was able to live the balance of 'going there' with hard-to-understand spiritual teaching, and living a life of genuine love and acceptance. Since Jesus-followers have the tendency to emphasize one or the other, we’ll work hard to do both!"
Note: We will celebrate Holy Communion together this Sunday. If you join us via the live stream, please have communion elements ready for that portion of worship.
Our after-worship Discussion Group resumes this Sunday. This week’s text is Matthew 7: 13-29, and you can read Brian McLaren’s thoughts on this Scripture in Chapter 31 of "We Make the Road by Walking." Thoughts that are expressed during these discussions add to the depth of insight needed to better understand the words of Jesus.
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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). This will be the final meeting of this group for the time being. It may resume at a later date.
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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 $6,485 for the "April Showers" fundraising campaign to help grow our church – and the effort just began. An additional $2,500 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.
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The ground will be covered with a weed resistant plastic topped with gravel. Muhly grass (bottom left) and lantana (bottom right) – both drought tolerant and colorful – will be planted.
- Total cost: $18,825
- In the bank: $6,485
- Pledged: $2,500
- Still needed: $9,840
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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A thank you from Robin
Dear CUCC,
Thank you so much for such a beautiful day last Sunday. The video was amazing, the book holds a lifetime of memories, the kind words, the generous gifts and the reception after were overwhelmingly wonderful. There really are no words to express my gratitude for such a memorable day. I will be forever grateful to this faith community for their support, love and care as I grew in my faith and in God's call in my life.
You all will be in my heart and prayers as this faith community continues its journey of sharing who CUCC is within the church walls as well as showing who CUCC is in our community and beyond. God is definitely still speaking!
Much love and grace to you all!
Peace,
Robin
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Memorial service for
Margery Mulvihill
A memorial service for Margery Mulvihill is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 9, in the Sanctuary. Proof of vaccination will be required and masks must be worn during the service. Margery, a longtime member of CUCC, passed away on Feb. 3.
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Honoring Robin's Ministry
On Sunday, March 27, we honored Robin Carlson during her last worship service as our Commissioned Minister of Religious Education. She is retiring on March 31.
Photos by Roger Wall
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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 30.
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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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On Sunday, March 27, delivered a sermon called "Our Unholy Trinity — Anxiety, Stress, Overload." Pastor Julia says: "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."
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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 appeal helps provide safe spaces for Ukraine women and children
Most refugees from the war in Ukraine are women with children whose husbands and fathers were required to stay behind to fight. They arrive in Poland, Hungary and other neighboring countries exhausted and craving a safe place to rest. Tragically, it’s at this moment that they are at high risk of falling into the hands of people who want to exploit, not help them.
Women and girls, already susceptible to various forms of gender-based violence, particularly transactional sex, survival sex and sexual exploitation and abuse, are even more at risk of gender-based violence in situations of war and displacement.
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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
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17 — Katharine Chaffin
21 — Leland Virag
24 — EJ Hinojosa
25 — Jake Tilley
Anniversaries
March 31 – Carolyn and Al Evans
April 2 — Carol and Henry Phillips
3 — Steve and Marie Edwards
16 — Jeff and Cheryl 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.
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Phone: 559.435.2690
Email: office@communityucc.com
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