Return
to CCC Home Page|
CCC NewsNotes May 20, 2003 Thinking About Death, Special Invitation from Our Muslim Neighbors, Lois and Jim Todhunter are in Brazil , The Todhunter’s Program "Images and Impressions of India: A Spiritual Pilgrimage", In Gratitude from the Landscaping Committee, Social Witness Happenings, Small Groups are Coming! Small Groups are Coming! June 8! From the Board for Church Life, The Global Learning Initiative, To All Graduates and parents of graduates, The CE Board, Recommitment News, New Directories, CCC Youth Calendar, Remember These Dates, News Notes Deadlines, CCC Staff I have been having many conversations about death. There are seasons in the life of a congregation when, because of the loss of many loved ones, we find ourselves thinking about the meaning of death. The last several months at CCC have been such a time. Some wonderful people have left us. Some dear friends have lost loved ones. And as we mourn, we remember other losses, some even from long ago. Questions about death itself, life after death, and what comfort our faith offers inevitably come to mind. The great spiritual traditions teach us that, if you want to understand life, you must look at death. Of course we all know that we were born and will one day die. But the fact is that we usually don’t live our daily lives with such recognition. Many say that we Americans in particular live in denial of death. We put death out of our minds as something morbid. We are determined to stay young – workouts, diet, plastic surgery, the youth culture, etc. But the more we push down the reality of death into our unconscious minds, the more it comes back to haunt us. We are sometimes shocked, confused, and even embittered when death comes to someone close to us. We feel unprepared and angry. But why is this? Isn’t death one of the few things we can expect to happen to everyone for sure? I remember the Native American wise man in the film "Little Big Man" who faces each beautiful morning by looking up into the sky and proclaiming, "Today will be a good day to die!" Amazingly our faith teaches us that, if we look squarely at death, there can be some real spiritual benefits. When we reflect on our own death, we are surprised to discover that we cannot conceive of not being alive. Try it. It isn’t possible. If we stay with this introspection and look deeply within, we will discover something in our heart which tells us that before we were born we were alive and that we will be alive after we are dead. When we find this conviction within, we must have the courage to trust it. Jesus said, "If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?" We know with intuitive assurance that what is real in us is eternal. But if this is true, what are we afraid of? Why do we get so confused? One sage answers this way: "The problem is that we create some post-mortem state that still involves this body and mind, instead of realizing that That within us which is convinced it can never die is something deeper and more fundamental than our body and our mind." How can we come to experience this and trust it? Through prayer and reflection. But more often it is suffering itself that has the power to drive us deep into our souls to this realization. It can happen when we allow ourselves to truly grieve the loss of loved ones, and allow ourselves to fully experience the pain of loss. Then we can receive the gift of discovering that our yearning for eternity is not an idle dream or frightened escape, but the experience of Eternal Life now. Love, Jim Special Invitation from Our Muslim Neighbors The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community invites CCC and the larger community to a special session at their national convention on Saturday, June 28th at 2:30 PM. After the session, dinner will be served to all the guests. We want to continue the dialogue we’ve entered into with our Islamic neighbors at the Bait-ur-Rahman Mosque at 15000 Good Hope Road in Silver Spring. Let Dale Ostrander or the CCC office know of your plans to attend. Lois and Jim Todhunter are in Brazil to attend the graduation of her son, Peter Cailloux, from the American International Church in Rio. He will be returning to the United States with them on June 9th. The Todhunter’s Program "Images and Impressions of India: A Spiritual Pilgrimage" has been rescheduled for Sunday, June 29th, at 5:30 p.m. The evening will include an Indian buffet, slides and a talk about their sabbatical journey together. In Gratitude from the Landscaping Committee We are thrilled by what has been accomplished last fall and this spring to supplement the landscaping that was included in the contract with Henry Lewis for the renovation of our church building. With the landscape design of George Haskins, the nursery purchasing of Rowland Dennie (and truck driving of Bud Dennie), the unending coordination and participation of Dick Meyer, and the hard work and skill of numerous church members, we’ve made such a difference, particularly in the areas around our new entrance. Special thanks to Stevan Fisher, Bridget Dugall, Richard Rolls, Ed Young, Pauline & Ben Gallup, Toko & Dave Ackerman, Jackie & Jim Walters, Carl Brandt, Phil Perrine, Winifred Roberts, Martha Kreiger, John Enagonio, John Rogers, John & Julia Peterson, Mike & Greg Breads (and Greg’s friend, Neal), Mary & Greg Keating, Peter Karl, and Dan Pence (apologies if anyone was omitted). In late September or early October, we plan to have another workday, focusing on the Brewster Avenue side of the church, from "Mary Brown’s corner" (including the area around the beautiful tree planted in her memory) all the way to the parking lot. Please stay tuned for further information. Mary Pence, Interfaith Summit on the Humanitarian, Spiritual and Civil Costs of War. On April 29-30, more than 75 religious leaders representing the Christian, Muslim and Jewish faiths, including the Rev. John H. Thomas, President of the UCC, met in Chicago to discuss and issue a set of principles - an "Urgent Call for Reflection, Hope and Action" - in the aftermath of the war in Iraq. The Call urges political leaders to "draw back from the use and threat of ‘first strike’ war," "draw back from unilateral U.S. control over the reconstruction of Iraq," transfer reconstruction authority to the United Nations, and "make available U.S. resources as part of a world effort to serve the needs and decisions of the Iraqi people." The Call also asks all people of faith to explore together "what kind of society we seek to become." The accompanying "Words of Reflection" express gratitude for the end of hostilities in Iraq, acknowledge "the many sacrifices," mourn all loss of life," call for a national day of interfaith prayer and reflection, and urge "the President to distance himself from religious leaders who demonize the faiths of others." The summit was convened by the Rev. Bob Edgar, General Secretary, National Council of Churches; Rabbi David Saperstein, Director, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism; and Dr. Sayyid Muhammad Syeed, Sec.-Gen., Islamic Society of North America. See the Board for Social Witness bulletin board on the wall to the right just outside the CCC sanctuary for the full texts of the Call and Words and for a list of summit participants. New York Times Ad in Support of United Nations. On May 2, more than 150 religious leaders, again including UCC President John H. Thomas, were listed as signers of an ad in the NY Times supporting the UN and Sec. Gen. Kofi Annan. Under the heading "Today, the United Nations is more relevant than ever," the ad cited the abilities of the UN to "provide peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance," "assist women and children in war zones and in the developing world," "protect human rights and preserve the environment," "immunize children and . . . address the global AIDS crisis," and "inspire young people with a global perspective so they can become leaders for the future." See the BSW bulletin board for a small copy of the ad. Small Groups are Coming! Small Groups are Coming! June 8! The Board for Church Life will soon be starting small groups that gather a group of people to give support and fellowship to each other on a specific topic. These groups will help new and long-time members connect to others in the church with a similar interest and provide companionship for life’s challenges and stages. They will meet for a limited time – four to six months – and then re-evaluate, in order to meet people’s needs and make it easy for new people to join. Each group needs a convener to organize the first meeting and kick off the group, but we’ll provide a structure and guidelines to get you started. After that, the groups will be self-managed, with members deciding when and where you meet and when you’ll start – groups may meet once a week or once a month, at church or in homes, start now or wait until the fall. In order to join a small group, please come to the small group organizing day at the church, on Sunday, June 8, from 10:20 – 10:50 or 12:10 to 12:30. There you’ll have a chance to meet others interested in the same group and arrange your first meeting. If you cannot attend that day, send in this survey beforehand and we’ll connect you with the group you indicate. We have had requests to start the following groups. Please indicate if you are interested in joining and if there is no convener, indicate if you are interested in doing so (each group needs a convener to get started). Name: ______________________________ Email: ___________________________ Address: ____________________________ Phone: ___________________________ Participate Convene ___ ___ Military families ___ ___ Stay at home dads (ages of your child(ren) _____________ ___ ___ Parents of preschoolers (ages of your child(ren) _______________ ___ _x_ 40+ singles (convener Winifred Roberts) ___ ___ Mid-life women's group ___ _x_ Bringing holistic health care to CCC (convener Gretchen Wiederrecht) ___ ___ Empty nester/parenting young adults ___ ___ Finding your next life in retirement ___ ___ Other (describe another group you would like to start) __________ Return to church office (Board for Church Life) or fax to Sara Watson at 301-879-7693 by June 6. From the Board for Church Life Ever wonder where all the goodies for Fellowship Hour come from every week? They are purchased by members of the Board for Church Life. For years, donations made during Fellowship Hour have amply reimbursed expenses, and there was even a kitty that had accrued. Lately however, donations have not covered what is being spent each week to provide the coffee, punch, and snacks. In addition, the accrued kitty has been depleted. In order to continue to provide this much loved service, the Board for Church Life is asking that you remember to make a small donation to the pot each week. We thank you for your continued generous support. The Global Learning Initiative The Youth Committee of the Board of Christian Education and I have been working for the past four years to develop a comprehensive youth ministry at CCC. With this in mind, we have agreed to partner together with two other churches in a youth ministry entitled, The Global Learning Initiative. Our partners in this endeavor are the Little River UCC, in Annandale, Virginia and Heritage UCC in Baltimore. This program will provide young people with in-depth, intense learning opportunities in various setting both in this country and abroad. The youth will then learn to translate their specific experiences into broader concepts. They will learn to theologize about the deeper meanings of their experiences and the broad implication on society in general. By the completion of this project, young people will have a more realistic grasp of the effects of racism and prejudice in the world and they will understand how often violence is used to solve problems. They will learn to look at alternative solutions and leadership styles that are inclusive. This is a Global Experiential/Theological Reflection model of learning. These opportunities will be available each summer. Representatives from the three churches have met together several times and have planned the following: SUMMER 2003 (and 2005) - College Tour – This will be primarily for 9th graders. The Heritage church in Baltimore has a tradition of taking their youth to visit UCC Colleges and African American Colleges, particularly those started by the Congregational Church. Training Days for Youth in the Coalition: May 17, 10 – 3 at Little River UCC Native American Experience: July 24 – August 2 - Senior High Youth from the three churches will go to Nebraska to work with the Santee Native-American Community Civil Rights Immersion Experience in Memphis Tennessee: August 14 – 21 - This is a program of First Congregational Church in Memphis. The purpose of providing experiential learning and reflection around the civil rights issues in the South using the Memphis situation and the subsequent assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as a focal point. SUMMER 2004 (and 2006) College Tour – See description above. World Council of Churches, Geneva, Switzerland and the Taize Community in France - Senior High Youth from the three churches will travel to the WCC in Geneva for an experience with youth from other countries as a part of the WCC Decade To Overcome Violence. The youth will also visit the Taize Community in France. UCC National Youth Event in Nashville Tennessee - This is a gathering of Senior High UCC Youth from all around the country for worship, workshops, fairs and fun. EXPENSES FOR THESE OPPORTUNITIES - The goal is that each youth will have to pay no more than $100 - $500 for any one of these experiences. So we are working on grant writing and pooling our resources. Little River UCC will manage the funds for all of us. They have already worked to get several grants. Each of the churches has contributed funds, ours came from the Jubilee Funds. WHAT CCC WILL BRING TO THIS - We will host a retreat in the fall and perhaps in the spring for the Junior High Youth from each of the churches at the Retreat House. This will help our youth get to know each other in preparation for the trips. Also, Susan Gray is handling the communications for the planning team. HOW YOU CAN HELP - Encourage your youth to participate at the level of your comfort. Remember we also have the summer camping program. Also, we will need Adults to be youth advisors on the trips, to attend the training events and to drive youth to the training events. We have a planning team but there is room for more, and we will probably need small task groups under that. We need grant writers (we already have a few) and a coordinator for the total project since I will be leaving just as it is getting off to a good start. Please drop me a note or an email regarding your interest. linda@christ-ucc.org Also, send the following permission forms in now so we know how many will be attending each event. I will get the particulars to you later. We believe this is a fantastic beginning toward nurturing our youth in the Gospel of Love, Peace and Hope. Linda Carder To All Graduates and parents of graduates…The Deacons want to recognize this year’s college graduates and grad school graduates, but we don’t know who you are. If you are graduating this year, or have a son or daughter who is graduating, please let us know. We don’t want anyone to be left out of our recognition. You may send me an email at either wgray5@starpower.net or churchschool@christ-ucc.org . Thanks, Susan Gray The CE Board has misplaced two copies of the book The Teaching Church at Work: A Manual for the Board of Christian Education edited by Kenneth Blazier and Linda Isham. We are asking for your help in tracking them down. If you should run across either copy, please put it in Linda’s box in the office. Thank you! Susan Gray The latest CCC Directories are available now in the church office. They are in loose leaf form so they can be either stapled or punched to be placed in a notebook. Please note any corrections in writing to the church office. One directory to a family, please. If you have decided what you would like to pledge to the CCC Recommitment Campaign, but haven’t remembered to pick up a pledge form, they are now available on our web site. Go to: http://www.christ-ucc.org and click on "Posted" from the front page. You can also get a copy from the church office or from Co-Chairs, David Bobbitt, drbobbitt2000@yahoo.com or Elaine Wunderlich elaine@marlaine.com May - June 2003 May 25 No Sunday Evening Youth Meetings-Memorial Day Weekend May 30, 31 Covenant Class Retreat at the Retreat House June 1 Confirmation Sunday Junior High 6 - 8 PM Dinner, Last meeting for the year Senior High 6 - 8:30 PM Dinner, Last meeting for the year Remember These Dates
~ Sunday, June 1 Sunday, June 8 Sunday, June 15 Sunday, June 22 Sunday, June 29 PLEASE NOTE: Deadline for the next issue is THURSDAY, May 29, 5:00 P.M. Please submit articles via: email - mojobo@aol.com, phone - 301-236-0025, or paper copy - drop off in the News Notes box in the church office. Thank you, Joan Boyer, Editor 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; Richard Meyer, property administrator; Ruth Avery, office administrator; Archie Freedman, Custodian |