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CCC NewsNotes July 15, 2003 Worship Schedule Forums, Worship Issues, Recommitment Reminders, Our First Global Learning Opportunity for Youth, Our Second Global Learning Opportunity for Youth, German Youth to Visit CCC, Flower Delivery, Proud Deacons, Open and Affirming, Applicants for Property Administrator Position Sought, Small Groups, Childcare Committee, Come Get the Scoop on CCC, Search Committee, Social Witness Happenings, NewsNotes Deadlines, CCC Staff After studying the Worship Issues developed at the June 16 Worship meeting (see article below), the Board of Deacons is close to finalizing some proposed worship schedules for fall. Following worship on Sunday, July 20 and Sunday, July 27, the congregation is invited to preview the schedules that have been developed and to let the Board of Deacons know their preference. We hope other boards will take time to discuss the proposals at their July meeting so their concerns can be heard at the August 4th Executive Council meeting where a final schedule will be adopted. The deacons have only addressed Sunday morning worship options at this point. In the fall, we will study alternative worship, spiritual growth groups, and additional adult education classes. Please plan to attend one of the forums — either July 20 or 27. We welcome your options. If you cannot attend either date, you may pick up a proposal in the church office and indicate your choice during the week of July 21-25. Mary Carnahan, Chairman Following receipt of the Worship Service Forum feedback and subsequent meetings with the staff, choir, and other church members, the Board of Deacons continues to study the many components and varying interests to produce a Worship Schedule that will ensure that all of our members and their families have the opportunity for a meaningful, spiritual worship experience. Timing issues are a large part of this. At a special meeting of the Board of Deacons on Monday, June 30, several issues were identified and are listed below:
We are continuing to work towards providing an outcome that will meet the needs of the majority of our members. We want you to know that you are being heard and that any other input you have for us will be warmly welcomed. The Board of Deacons Reminder #1: On your new Stewardship envelopes, the line for "Keystones" now means "Recommitment." The church saved a little money by not redesigning the envelopes. Reminder #2: If you are giving regularly to Recommitment and have not yet filled out a pledge form, please return the one you received in the mail or pick up a new one in the office. Thank you: to everyone who responded to the "Our New Church Home" letter over the last few weeks. Reminder #3: You can send in your pledge form now (from the mailing or available in the church office), or if you would like to talk to someone on the committee before making your decision, please contact David Bobbitt at drbobbitt2000@yahoo.com (301-887-0054) or Elaine Wunderlich at elaine@marlaine.com (corrected number: 301-604-1758.) Our First Global Learning Opportunity for Youth The first trip is to a Lakota, Sioux Tribe in New Town, North Dakota. Our youth will do some repairs and building much like we do in Rebuilding Together. They will also have the opportunity to attend a Pow Wow, meet youth from the tribe, stay in the homes of the hosts, and listen to the tribal elders talk about their spirituality and their traditions. They will also share in worship with our group. The trip will be from July 24th to about August 2nd. There are eight of our Senior High youth going on this trip: Scott Klein, Greg Breads, MacKenzie Robinson, Vicki Dean, Nora Arnold, Chelsea Wilson, Coleman Fisher and Mike Dirda. Our youth advisor for this trip is Barbara Breads. There will be six youth from Little River UCC and eight from Heritage Church in Baltimore and seven adults all together. Please keep them in your prayers and invite them to share their experience with you when they return. Linda and the Youth Committee Our Second Global Learning Opportunity for Youth Registration is still open for the second opportunity, which is scheduled for August 14 to 21 and is a Civil Rights Immersion Experience in Memphis, Tennessee. This is a program of First Congregational UCC in Memphis and is supported by our UCC National Justice and Witness Ministries. This program provides experiential learning and reflection around civil rights issues while focusing on the Memphis situation and the subsequent assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The 3-day experience includes touring the National Civil Rights Museum, W.C. Handy home, freedom trail safe houses, Beale Street, and the historic sites where Dr. King spoke. There will also be evening films and discussions about civil rights, hate crimes and overcoming violence. The deadline for registration is August 1. The cost is $175 and extra permission slips are on the Youth Bulletin Board in the lower lobby. This trip will also be done with the two churches listed above. The Rev. Helmut Becker of St. Peter’s Church in Halle, Germany is bringing 22 youth to the United States this fall to visit churches in Baltimore, Lancaster, New York City and Washington, D. C. They will be in Washington, D. C. from October 9th through the 12th. They would like to stay with us, housing one youth per home. If you would like to host a youth in your home, please contact Linda by email at linda@christ-ucc.org . Host families will be responsible to get them to and from a pick up point (perhaps the church) each morning and evening. All the youth speak some English, and Helmut wants them to practice their English with us. Their plans are as follows: Thursday October 9, they will visit Sojourners, then sing Compline at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation, near the Senate Office Building. Friday they will tour Washington. Saturday, they would like to meet with the youth from all the churches they are visiting in D.C. for songs, prayers and a common meal. On Sunday they will attend and participate in worship at CCC. In the afternoon they will travel to BWI for their flight home. Again, if you would like to be a part of this wonderful experience, please let me know as soon as possible. You do not have to be a parent of a teenager to participate in this. Linda and the Youth Committee We need extra hands to deliver Altar flowers to the sick & shut-ins after Sunday worship. Anyone who could help occasionally would be most welcome. Please contact Audrey Platt at 301-879-9772. Although we acknowledge that all of our deacons make us proud as they carry out all the duties entrusted to them, we are exceptionally proud of our deacon, Brian Phelps. Brian has served our board, not as a youth representative, but as a full-fledged working deacon. Whatever the need, Brian can always be counted on to volunteer. You know Brian as our candle lighter at Sunday worship services. (He also serves on the Audiovisual Committee). We would like the entire congregation to share our pride as Brian takes part in the Lancaster Seminary program entitled "Spiritual Formation with Youth" traveling to London, England and Iona, Scotland. Brian is a part of a group made up of youth carefully selected from youth nominated by churches in the Middle Atlantic Region of the UCC. While in London for 5 days, the youth will participate in workshops on worship with members of local alternative churches and with folks from Oxford University. In Iona, they will attend a 3-day Youth Festival focusing on Celtic Spirituality. There, the youth will have an opportunity to meet and interact with youth from around the world. Brian will travel to Lancaster on July 21 for training before leaving for London the next day. We hope you will seek out Brian on Sunday to wish him Godspeed and share our pride in not only Brian but many other youth in our church who are maturing before our eyes into leaders of tomorrow. Mary Carnahan, Chairman This fall the Open and Affirming Task Force will open a dialogue on the topic of transgender. The intent of this series will be to learn about transgender. Included in our sessions will be a scriptural context, a discussion of language and a time of sharing personal stories with some guest speakers. Those of you who remember our Open and Affirming process will recognize that this is a similar format. Another part of the sessions will be discussion of a proposed amendment to our Open and Affirming statement which will include the word transgender. Our planned dates for this series span the Sundays of September 14 – 28. Please watch the News Notes for further information. Terry Strand Applicants for Property Administrator Position Sought Upon the anticipated resignation of Dick Meyer, the CCC Board of Trustees is seeking applications from anyone interested in filling the Property Administrator position, effective September 1, 2003. The position is part-time, 20 hours per week, with a flexible work schedule. Responsibilities include over-all maintenance and coordination of church facilities, including the main church building and grounds, as well as 9601 Colesville Road. If interested, please leave a message for Mary Pence at 202-362-4934. At the recent "small group organizing day," people indicated their interest in participating in or starting a small group. Several people have designed groups in addition to those on our original list. The descriptions of the groups they’ve designed will appear in News Notes and the bulletin – please contact them if you are interested in joining. The group would decide when, where and how often to meet. Lunch Bunch Small Group Sign up for pot luck or just bring your own and meet for lunch one Sunday per month. No hidden agenda -- just fellowship. Oh my! Just one minor detail, we ask your help with set up and clean up. Watch for sign up sheet on the Board For Church Life bulletin board in September. The Singles are Coming, the Singles are Coming! Are you 40 years of age or older? Are you single and interested in meeting new people? On July 22 at 7:30 to 9:00 P.M. there will be a meeting to form this new group in Room 207 (Senior High Room) at the Church. We will be discussing how often we want to meet, what kind of activities we want to become involved in, and other weighty topics. No need to respond -- just show up. Spiritual Warriors: An Experiment in the Teaching, Practice, and Spirituality of Mahatma Gandhi This is a small group for anyone interested in exploring Mahatma Gandhi’s teaching on satyagraha (Truthforce). Richard Jaeggi Spiritual Journeys This is a group for people who are looking for ways to discover, integrate and journey together using a spiritual framework. Each month a different person could host the event by choosing short readings from the Bible, CS Lewis, Merton, etc. and/or a theme. Jay Marciano & Ginny McDonagh (301)588-0494 jmarciano@aol.com gmcdonagh@aol.com Prophetic Voices - Searching for Prophetic Christian Voices for the World Today This is a group for those interested in discerning what it means to be a Christian in the world of today. To me, this means searching for contemporary prophetic voices, as we ask ourselves how we, as a Christian community, relate to the society around us. Clarence Stone (301) 681-6925 cnstone@gwu.edu Note: More detailed descriptions of Spiritual Warriors, Spiritual Journeys and Prophetic Voices were published in the June 25, 2003 edition of News Notes. There are a few copies in the church office; it is also posted on the church’s website at www.christ-ucc.org. Back in snowy February the Childcare Committee distributed a survey to both current and potential members of CCC with children and received input from the Board for Outreach and Engagement. In a March report to the Executive Committee summarizing the result of the survey, the committee reported short and long term recommendations that would provide support to families who have told us that childcare is important to support their active involvement in the CCC community. We are happy to report that the Executive Council enthusiastically endorsed the report of this committee. In fact the Executive Council voted to create a permanent childcare committee, reporting to the Board for Church Life and establishing the new Christian Education Coordinator (Susan Grey) as the point of contact for the childcare provider when that position is filled. A budget was submitted to the Trustees and although the budget to fund a childcare provider was not approved, our full budget request is on the list of 5 items that will be reinstated, depending on the response to the Pledge Campaign and the Recommitment Campaign. We urge anyone who has not already made a pledge to consider doing so to fund this and other programs we have come to expect at CCC. In anticipation of continued pledging over the coming months, the Childcare committee will begin a preliminary search for a childcare provider over the summer months. We will be looking for creative approaches to finding someone to fill this position beginning in the fall and we welcome recommendations from the congregation for this position. The current plan is to begin in church communities who celebrate their Sabbath on Saturdays. Please let us know if you have any contacts within these communities that might know of people who would like to work Sunday mornings on a regular basis. The compensation we are offering is, we think, generous and this would be a great part-time job for the right person. In addition, our current limited budget will allow us to continue providing childcare on Board meeting nights beginning in September. We will provide an update in the fall on the budget issue, as it affects funding of the childcare position. Bud Dennie, Toby Ratcliffe, Glenda Neal, Ann Bullock Back by popular demand! The Board of Outreach and Engagement is once again hosting this entertaining and informative community outreach event. Those of you who attended last year know how successful it was in generating interest in CCC. Visitors enjoyed free festivities and witnessed firsthand the vibrant, generous spirit of CCC. Our second "Scoop" is scheduled for Saturday, September 6 from 1 - 4 p.m. We would like your help in getting the word out among your neighbors and friends. If your community publishes a newsletter that could run a notice, please let us know. Also last year broadcasting e-mails was very effective. If you know of a list-serve or chat-room that could send information about our event, we are collecting those addresses now. Of course, if you would like to jump in and join the fun, please let us know! Nancy Mills
At its July 7 meeting, the Executive Council appointed a Search Committee to seek a candidate for the Associate Pastor position, which will be available on the Rev. Linda Carder’s retirement in February 2004. Members of the Search Committee are Dave Ackerman and Betty Eakin Stith, co-chairs; Sonja Fisher, Arleen Lopes, Brian Phelps, Bill Pringle, John Rogers, Kathy Stedman, and Chris Walters. In response to a question from a Council member about how the members were selected, past moderator Jackie Walters explained that then-Moderator-Elect Dave Main, Rev. Jim Todhunter and Music Director John Touchton were consulted regarding a list of candidates. (Linda Carder has recused herself, following Association and Conference guidelines, from any discussions about the search process.) Co-chairs Dave Ackerman and Betty Stith also suggested candidates. In his capacity as resource and advisor, the Rev. Dr. Kwame Osei Reed, Potomac Association Minister, recommended that the committee consist of 7-9 members and that it have an odd number. At the congregational forums sponsored by Staff Design II in March, members indicated that it was important a search committee reflect the diversity of the Church, including gender, ethnicity, age, length of membership, and commitment to CCC’s Just Peace and Open & Affirming positions. The committee was recruited under the condition that it would serve only if the congregation adopted the recommendation of Staff Design to proceed with a search for an Associate Pastor, which the congregation did at the Annual Meeting on June 22. Betty Stith stated that the committee planned to hold its first organizational meeting in mid-July. The Rev. Dr. Kwame Osei Reed attended the Council meeting to brief the Council and the Search Committee on the search process and on the support and assistance provided to churches by the Association and by the Central Atlantic Conference. Kwame reviewed the "Green Book," a resource provided to churches to assist them in the process, and answered questions about timing, responsibilities, and involvement of the congregation and staff in the process. He stated that Senior Minister Jim Todhunter will work closely with the Search Committee throughout the process and that the professional staff will have the opportunity to interview the final candidates. Kwame observed that a goal of having a new Associate on board next spring was a realistic one. The entire staff design process has resulted in our being well-placed on the search process continuum. Kwame will be talking about CCC to interested parties at the General Synod in July, and he is optimistic about the level of interest in an associate position at CCC among well-qualified candidates. Jackie Walters Peacekeepers to Liberia. The Rev. John McCullough, Exec. Dir., Church World Service, has written letters to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell urging that a multilateral peacekeeping force be sent to Liberia and that the U.S. "assume a significant leadership role in concert with African and other international bodies." The CWS, the humanitarian ministry of the National Council of Churches, sees such a force as the only way to bring decades of conflict to an end. To read more about this initiative, go to www.ncccusa.org. Restoration of Child Tax Credit Benefits. On July 19, representatives of the National Council of Churches and eleven Christian denominations, including Dr. Audrey A. Miller of the UCC, sent a letter to Pres. George W. Bush asking him to urge the House of Representatives to support legislation passed in the Senate in June to restore child tax credit benefits for lower income families dropped from the tax bill signed in May. Almost 12 million children from working families are affected, including more than one million in military families. For the full text of the letter, see the BSW bulletin board or go to www.ncccusa.org/news/03news-bushchildtaxcredit.html. Interfaith Climate Change Network. The National Council of Churches and the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life are collaborating on an Interfaith Climate Change Network that can be reached at www.protectingcreation.org. The Network views concerns about global climate change as a matter of justice for poor people, for future generations and for all of creation. "We are called to serve as stewards of creation. In this role, let’s take action together – on public policy, in our congregations, in our homes and daily lives…" All interested persons are urged to become part of the Network. Ethics and Biotechnology. On June 25 the Biotechnology Industry Organization and the National Council of Churches signed a Memorandum of Understanding "that commits both organizations to promote an active and informed public debate about the ethics and moral implication of the use of various biotechnologies" and to "actively seek out collaborative efforts, programs and projects that promote a deeper public understanding of the ethical issues surrounding biotechnology." To read more about this collaboration, go to www.ncccusa.org. Anne Weissenborn PLEASE NOTE: Deadline for the next issue is THURSDAY, August 7, 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 |