THIS WEEK AT FAITH

May 22, 2022

No matter who you are
or where you are on life’s journey
you are welcome here.

FAITH UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

5992 Route 378

Center Valley, PA 18034

610.282.3939



Regular Office Hours:

Monday - Thursday 9 am - 4 pm

Friday - CLOSED


www.faithchurchucc.org


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Just when we thought COVID was a thing of the past it spikes again. Here is the latest from the CDC:

 

In Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, community level is High.


Given this change I am requesting that people attending worship in person wear masks.


Pastor Bruce


https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html

Join us for Worship

Sunday, May 22nd

MISSION SUNDAY

Celebrating the Families in Haiti


Darin Jellison will share his musical offerings

during the prelude.


Sunday School at 9 am

Worship begins at 10:15 am

(Click here to print bulletin)


Volunteers:

Mike Ford, Head Usher

Ruth Smith, Usher

Jerry Trexler, Lay Reader

Sue Roberts, Altar Flowers

Jerry Trexler, Financial Secretary



To view our live streamed services  at home go to YouTube


Please keep Caroline Frantz in your thoughts and prayers as she undergoes gall bladder surgery on Monday, May 23rd.



Is there someone in your life in need of prayer? Click here to fill out a prayer request form and Pastor Bruce will mention that person’s first name during worship. Please be sensitive to privacy. Permission to share from those involved must be granted before making a request.

UCC

Daily Devotional

Just for Us

by Rachel Hackenberg 


Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, saying, “Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?” – Acts 11:1-3 (NRSV) 


When white slaveholders required enslaved Africans and African Americans to attend pro-slavery worship services, their intention was to maintain the status quo of slavery through Bible stories and the name of Jesus. Enslaved people interpreted a different message from those stories: freedom. Jesus became both the faith and the code for freedom. “Steal away to Jesus,” they sang. Steal away to freedom.


Freedom was not the slaveholders’ intended message. To the slaveholders, the name of Jesus was supposed to teach obedience to the enslaved; freedom was reserved just for the slaveholders. 


But freedom just for a few is not freedom. 


Just like the good news of Jesus just for a few (or its counterpart, the-good-news-of-Jesus-for-all-but-exactly-like-we-tell-you) is not the good news of Jesus. 


“Why did you go visit them, Peter? Why did you affirm that they can have the good news of Jesus, too? We thought Jesus was just for us.” 


Why do they get Jesus? 


Why do they get freedom?

 

We thought it was just for us. 


Just for us to determine and distribute the good news of Jesus. Just for us to have and assign freedom. Just for us to receive grace for our sins and crimes. Just for us to grocery shop without being terrorized. Just for us to legislate the capabilities of a uterus. 

 

Just for us. Not for them. 


But “just for us” is not justice. “Just for us” is not freedom. “Just for us” is not Jesus. 


“We thought Jesus was just for us,” said the believers to Peter in ancient Jerusalem. But when Peter explained his experience in Caesarea—how God gave visions to all people, how the Holy Spirit baptized circumcised and uncircumcised alike—the believers silenced their “just for us” complaints … and they rejoiced that God is for all. 


Prayer

God, have mercy! We cling so tightly to “ours” and anger so quickly over “theirs.” Forgive our possessiveness over freedom, over grace, over life, over Jesus himself. Multiply goodness for all on earth as it is in heaven.

About the Author

Rachel Hackenberg serves on the national staff for the United Church of Christ. She is the author of Writing to God and the co-author of Denial Is My Spiritual Practice, among other titles. Her blog is Faith and Water.

CALLING ALL GRADUATES!!


We at Faith would like to honor our 2022 High School and College Graduates in the June issue of Focus on Faith. We will also recognize the graduates during worship on June 19th.

 

Please EMAIL the following information (along with a picture if possible) by Wednesday, May 25th:


  • Name
  • Date of graduation
  • Degree
  • School name
  • Future plans

 

We can’t honor you if we don’t hear from you!!

Calling all Faith Church gardeners!


We will be creating a Pollinator Garden with Faith Church families during VBS this summer.


Please contact Patience Stevenson at 610-248-5587 if you have any of the following plants you could share with us:


Perennials:


Echinacea- coneflowers

 

Rudbeckia hirta- black-eyed susan

 

Eupatorium dubium- Little Joe Pye weed

 

Helianthus-sunflowers

 

Liatris-blazing star


Solidago-goldenrods

 

Symphyotrichum-asters

 

Thanks very much!

Thanks so much to our Lawn Crew members who have helped in the past and to those who are still able to keep our property looking great!


We currently have several open weeks on our Lawn Crew Schedule and are looking for volunteers to fill the openings.


Please take a look at the schedule below and see where you may be able to help.


2022 Lawn Crew Schedule

ITEMS CURRENTLY NEEDED: 


CEREAL BOXED POTATOES STOVE TOP STUFFING

CANNED PASTA SPAGHETTI SAUCE PASTA

SIDE DISHES (RICE-A-RONI, KNORR'S RICE)

MEAL HELPERS (GROUND BEEF, CHICKEN, TUNA)


If you would like to take part in the service as usher or lay reader, please email Joan Hassler .

Let's remember our Friends, Members, Forget-Me-Nots and others as we go through the week. Keep each other in your thoughts and prayers and stay connected if possible.


MAY


 19 Sandi DiSanto

 19 Kim Ritter

 19 Brian Bross

 20 Meagan Santoro

 20 Brandon Barone

 21 Michele Keeler

 22 Megan Farino

 23 Dennis Duda

 23 Edison Zehnder

 24 Heather Koser

 24 Spencer Gunkle

 25 Ezekiel Sosnowsky

 27 Alex K

29 Darcie Greger

 31 Gavin Gunkle

 31 Kristen Jellison


(If you would like to send cards, addresses can be found in the Members & Friends Directory link at the bottom of this email.)


Click here for a list of birthdays and addresses of our Forget-Me-Not's. Some phone numbers are also included if you'd like to give a call! Also included on the list are names, addresses, and phone numbers of members who usually attend services but don't get to see the recorded services on a regular basis. Reach out to them and say hello or fill them in on the weekly news!

A Special THANK YOU to all who continue to financially support our ministry as you are able. We'd like to remind you there are several ways you can do this:

  1. Mail your offering directly to the church
  2. Make an electronic donation through Tithe.ly on our website's Giving page
  3. Use your bank's Bill Pay service
IMPORTANT LINKS

(Updated April 2022)

Need to make changes, corrections, or additions to our Church Directory? Click HERE to let us know if your info is current or if we need to make
changes. Thanks in advance for taking the time to keep our
Church Directory up to date.




Contact us via email or call the church office at 610.282.3939

Dennis J. Duda, Organist & Music Director
Sandy David, Parish Administrator
(click on names to send an email)