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CCC NewsNotes August 15, 2001
CCC Building Improves After Series of Setbacks; Stewardship Update; CCC Pool Party Aug. 25; Colombia Missionaries Receive CCC Funds; School Supplies Needed; Member Loan Program Brings High Response; Social Witness Pledges Support for 3 Projects; Mark Calendar for Fun!; Be a Friend In Action; Thanks To Young Adults; Local Medal Winner; News Notes Deadlines; CCC Staff CCC Building Improves After Series of Setbacks Mike Grabowski, site superintendent for Henry H. Lewis Contractors, used a single word recently to describe CCC's renovation progress: "Good." That's encouraging after two months of frustrating setbacks and delays caused by rock and underground springs on the building site. Both rock and water in the elevator pit excavation slowed construction work. Henry H. Lewis was able to complete pouring the concrete footings for the new entry addition and has begun raising the cement block foundation. But the contractor is forced to maintain a "work-around" area in the event heavy equipment needs to be brought in to break up solid rock in the elevator pit area. Structural engineers are studying the situation and drafting plans for installing the elevator shaft footings. Interior demolition is 95% complete, and the electrical contractor has finished rough wiring the building. At the progress meeting on Aug. 8, Building Design members approved locations for the building's emergency lighting. Contractors are installing ductwork for air conditioning. The plumbing also will be upgraded, with copper pipes replacing lead pipes. On Aug. 8, Music Director John Touchton toured the music wing with architect Jonathan Lessem, Property Administrator Dick Meyer and Building Design Co-chair Jackie Walters to approve finishing and construction details for that space. The group reviewed plans for acoustical details and for office, rehearsal and storage space. The retaining wall on the church's far east boundary, next to the church's neighbors, is complete except for some finishing details. The courtyard excavation is complete, as is the retaining wall outside the new exit from the social hall. Workers are installing the stormwater control system for the parking lot. Huge concrete containers are being sunk into the ground outside the sanctuary and the lounge. Stormwater control equipment that includes a sump pump and generator will be added within the next few weeks. The potential surprises that could hamper the smooth flow of work are diminishing, but a significant one remains. Contractors need to place drain pipe from the courtyard to the stormwater control drains on Indian Spring Drive. The pipe will go under the steps of the porch facing Colesville Road. Solid rock in that area could cost CCC time and money. The good news is that Henry H. Lewis has persisted in adjusting its schedule to make progress and minimize delays wherever possible. Despite earlier problems, our contingency fund contains a healthy balance. Jackie Walters, Building Design co-chair We are happy to report that we are close to our pledge goal. At last count, we received pledges totaling $430,000 , out of the planned $441,000. Praise and thanks to all of us! Only $11,000 to go! If you have not yet pledged, now would be a great time to do so. Peter Block's book on organizational change, entitled "Stewardship," expands on the theme of holding something in trust for another, and more pointedly taking good care of the Kingdom while the King is away. For me that statement evokes powerful images: taking care of our church building while the congregation is away, taking care of our world while our spiritual King is "away." (Elvis fans infer no hidden meaning!) Here's an idea for creating your own faith-based initiative. Many of us have received or will soon receive IRS checks from the recent tax cut legislation. We add our suggestion that you consider ways to use your tax check as an expression of your faith. These could include an addition to your current stewardship pledge or your Keystones pledge. We wish you well in finding the highest and best use for these funds. Bill Prindle, Board for Stewardship The Board for Church Life invites you to a pool party on Saturday, Aug. 25 from noon to 3 p.m. The party will be at Stonegate Community Pool, 220 Stonegate Dr., off New Hampshire Avenue about 7 miles north of the church. The board will supply pool passes, pizza and plenty of beverages! This will be a great chance to reconnect with folks at the end of the summer. For directions to the pool and other information, please RSVP to Sara Watson at (301) 879-7692 or saradwatson@aol.com. (Editor's note: The July issue of News Notes incorrectly printed Sara Watson's e-mail address. Please note the correct address.) Colombia Missionaries Receive CCC Funds (The following letter recently was sent to Anne Weissenborn regarding a $1,300 donation made this spring by the Board for Social Witness to a Mennonite church working with displaced persons in Colombia.) Dear Anne & All Members of CCC, Please forgive our tardiness in response to your very generous gift. I was waiting to go to Sincelejo to give the money over to the church there and talk with them about how they would use it. The church in Sincelejo is operating a school for 400-500 children of families that have been displaced by the violence in their regions. They have come to Sincelejo out of absolute necessity to save themselves, and they live in very difficult conditions. The school offers a chance for the kids to continue in their education (often they can't enter normal schools because there is no room for these newcomers), and enter into a program of social-psychological recuperation, since they generally have suffered much trauma. The kids are all jammed into a very small amount of space without chairs on the floor. A church in Pennsylvania is offering support to buy chairs, and the money that your church has sent will be used to fix the patio in the back of the building and cover it so that it can also be turned into classrooms. We are so grateful for your solidarity with us, and your faithfulness to God's call. Blessings, Bonnie Klassen on behalf of the Mennonite Church, Sincelejo At the annual meeting of the Central Atlantic Conference, a resolution entitled Redistributing Tax Rebates to the Poor was approved. The resolution reads, in part: "Whereas the members of the Bethesda United Church of Christ . . . are concerned about the forthcoming distribution of $300 and $600 tax rebate checks to relatively wealthy individuals and families, while up to 30 million of the poorest working Americans less endowed with material benefits than we will receive nothing . . . we are requesting that recipients of the tax rebate, if they are able, pledge their checks to their local churches on a national organized Day of Consecration. We are requesting that our churches distribute the rebates to national church agencies, local human service agencies and to their local church crisis funds in order to address both the causes and effects of poverty." For the full text of the resolution, visit CCC's web site (http: //www.christ-ucc.org) Community Ministry of Montgomery County has an Interfaith Clothing Center that will be distributing hundreds of sets of school supplies to children from poor families in our county this August. The goal is to provide 1,200 children with the supplies they need to start school. The Interfaith Clothing Center will collect all summer long. Call (301) 424-3796, ext. 6 for more information. Member Loan Program Brings High Response We are delighted with the status of the church's Member Loan program. Church members have made commitments for a total of $575,000 in loans ($125,000 for two years, $235,000 for five years, and $215,000 for seven years). Commitments were made by 49 individuals or couples for a total of 51 loans. Of these, 37 loans have been fully funded, and a total of $335,000 has been passed to the church treasurer. The remainder of the funds are scheduled to come in before June 2002. This is a magnificent response to the additional call for support of our "Building Through the Spirit" efforts. In addition, eight individuals or couples have agreed to provide a minimum of $80,000 in back-up, two-year loans, in amounts of $10,000 if called upon to do so. These loans only will be needed to meet an unforeseen request to repay member loans in extenuating circumstances or in an emergency. Ideally, we would like a few more members involved in these back-up arrangements, which may not be needed, but give us a safety margin in the overall program. If you would be interested in joining this arrangement, please let me know. Thank you for making this task such a pleasure. Neville Platt Social Witness Pledges Support for 3 Projects In July and August, funds were allocated by the Board for Social Witness to the following organizations and individuals: ASSISST -- Allied Silver Spring Interfaith Services for Seniors Today is an interfaith volunteer caregivers program, which uses trained volunteers of all ages to provide basic support services for older adults in the greater Silver Spring area. (www.servintfree.net/assisst) Jenny Breads & Jamie Platky -- These two CCC Senior High students are members of the national UCC delegation to the Youth Forum of the World Conference Against Racism. The forum, sponsored by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, will be held in Durban, South Africa, from Aug. 22-30. (www.un.org/WCAR/) Shaw Community Ministry, Inc. -- Shaw Community Ministry promotes "family and community rejuvenation" through many educational, pastoral, and social service programs to help the youth and families of Lincoln-Westmoreland Housing and the Shaw community of Washington, D.C. For more information, please go to CCC's web site (www.christ-ucc.org) Holly Brooks, CCC Communications Officer On Sun., Sept. 9, we will depart from our normal afternoon services for a time of worship, fun, food and fellowship at the Silver Spring YMCA. We will gather at the "Y" at 3 p.m. for an hour of swimming and pool fun, followed by an outdoor worship service on the grounds at 4 p.m. The Board for Church Life will then provide subs and drinks for a picnic supper; the congregation will be asked to bring a salad and/or dessert to share. The YMCA has graciously agreed to open its doors to us; no memberships or guest fees will be required. The swimming portion of the afternoon will take place rain or shine, as the YMCA's indoor pool will be available to us. In the event of inclement weather, the worship service and supper will be held at Marvin Memorial UMC. All you need to bring on this wonderful afternoon is a swimsuit, towel, dish to share and a folding chair or blanket. Further details concerning this event will be forthcoming, please watch for them in the bulletin, News Notes and the CCC web site. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer to assist with setting up or clean-up, please contact Robin Platky at (301) 434-5499, or by e-mail at rplatky@cais.com. ******************************** There won't be any chili, but we're still planning on food, fun and fellowship at the Silent Auction. The event will be held on Sat., Oct. 13 at the Ratner Museum in Bethesda. Check out the web site (www.ratnermuseumcom) to see what a wonderful setting this is. And as you might expect, given our members' talents and creativity, we have some great items and terrific services you'll want to bid on. Look for details in upcoming issues of News Notes. For several years, volunteers from CCC and First Baptist Church have formed a small team working with two families struggling to survive with limited resources. Essentially, the Friends In Action team becomes a friend to the families, and we have had modest success. This fall, the Friends In Action team will consider work with a new family or individual. We need several new persons from CCC to volunteer. If anyone can spend about four hours per month working with this important mission, you can be assured you will learn a lot about what it means to be on the margins in our community. Contact Jim Henkelman-Bahn at (301) 445-1752 for info. The Board for Christian Education celebrates Cory Gray's leadership and gift of carrying on traditions as he chaperoned his 20th camp at our retreat house this summer! The Board for Christian Education is very grateful to Chris Walters for spending two weeks of his vacation at our summer camps this summer! And a thank you goes to Abbey Cailloux for organizing many of the administrative tasks involved in our summer camp programs! Kristen Brown, chair of Christian Education More than 8,000 athletes from all over the U.S. competed in the National Senior Olympics held in Baton Rouge, La. July 14-27. CCC member Louise Walker won five medals in swimming events for her age group. She won three Gold Medals (50 meter backstroke, the 50 meter breaststroke and the 100 meter breaststroke). She also won two Silver Medals (100 meter backstroke and 200 meter backstroke). Congratulations! PLEASE NOTE: Because of
vacation schedules, the deadline for the Sept. 1 issue will be Thursday,
Aug. 23 at 5 p.m. News Notes editor -- Susan DeFord (301) 649-3093, or
sjdkjk@erols.com The Rev. Jim Todhunter, senior minister; the Rev. Linda Carder, assoc. minister; John Touchton, director of music; the Rev. Dale Ostrander, director of programming for older adults; Toby Ratcliffe, church school coordinator; Richard Meyer, property administrator; Ruth Avery, office administrator. |