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CCC NewsNotes April 4, 2003 From Jim, Keystones Follow-up Committee, Emergency Policy, Consecration Sunday Breakfast, Deacons’ Fund, Annual Reports, Social Witness Happenings - April and May, Easter Memorial Flowers, Visit the AHMADIYYA MOVEMENT IN ISLAM MOSQUE, Worship Schedule—Holy Week, Important Announcement: Sunday, April 13—Two Forums on Staff Design II Draft Report, Parents’ Night Out, Rebuilding Together, IMPACT Silver Spring, CCC Youth Calendar April - June 2003, Food, Word and Consecration, 2003 Shelter Walk, News Notes Deadlines, CCC Staff On April 1st I officially resumed my duties as Senior Minister, marking the end of my three-month sabbatical. As you know this time away included a stay at the Osage Benedictine Monastery in Oklahoma and, with Lois, five and a half weeks in India. There we spent about half of that time at the Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh and the rest traveling in northern India, visiting religious pilgrimage sites and seeing what we could. Shortly before we left for India, I was able to hold my mother’s hand as she took her last breath and "close her dyin’ eyes" as the old spiritual says. This was a profound moment for me. I deeply appreciate the cards and notes of sympathy that so many of you sent. Let me say that I regard my sabbatical time as wonderful! It was enriching and enlightening in ways that I had hoped for, and included many surprises that I would have to simply call gifts of God’s grace. To say that it will take some time to assimilate this experience is not quite right. I’d rather say that this experience is beginning to assimilate me! The best experiences may be those that call our lives into question in ways we hadn’t counted on. We’ll see. As I left, my spiritual director gave me a word of advice. She said that especially when one is immersing oneself in a new experience that may be transforming, it is important to talk to God in advance. The point of that conversation is to ask God to keep you safe in those things that you know you aren’t ready to let go of, the things that anchor you in new experiences that may be tempestuous. In my conversation with God, I decided that the one thing I did not want to let go of in this experience was my faith in Jesus as my Lord. I think this was right for me. Because this enabled me, I think, to be open and attentive to the faith experiences of people from other traditions – Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, Jain, or just "seeker" – while trusting that I would be upheld by my relationship with the living Christ. And, amazingly, I could feel this same Christ speaking to me through other traditions and new voices. Much more to share. But let me add two things. First, the experience of sharing in this spiritual journey with Lois was the most wonderful gift of all. So often our two lives have seemed to be parallel tracks – work, children, interests – with too few opportunities for real spiritual sharing and journeying together. But I believe that the most wonderful experience we shared together was our faith journey. The thrill of travel and adventure really pale beside the blessing of this inward journey together. Second, I feel tremendous gratitude to the staff and leadership of CCC. Rumors began to reach me in advance of our return that, indeed, things were going very well at CCC in my absence. Not only very well, but in some respects better than ever! What a gift. Linda, John, Dale, Ruth, Dick, and Archie are real professionals in the best sense of the word. Upon return I could clearly see that the people of CCC, the Body of Christ right here, were wonderfully cared for. Jackie and Jim carried on their leadership confidently and carefully. That has to be said for all our wonderful leadership. I hope each of you will find appropriate ways to let them know how great they really are! Love, Jim The following is adapted from the presentation made by Bob Brown, co-chair of the Keystones Follow-up Committee, during worship services on Sunday, March 16, 2003. Today we celebrate the amazing success of our Keystones Capital Campaign. We now worship in a building renovated to help us better be God’s people in service and discipleship. Over four years ago we were led by our staff and by lay leaders who found themselves called from our midst. We met as a congregation and dreamed our way into a building program that needed great financial support. We decided to follow our CCC angel in vision, faith and commitment. We decided that, with god’s help, we would dream up dollars and manufacture a miracle. Enter the Keystones Capital Campaign. We called on each other and said, "Let’s do it!" By the end of the three-year campaign, there were 280 pledges with $2,190,000 pledged. Almost all of the pledges were fulfilled, economic changes not withstanding. The stunning news is that that the pledge contributions were actually more than the original pledge amount, totaling about $2,230,000! Thanks go out to all CCC members and friends who completed their pledge, increased or even overpaid their pledge. Finally, when receipts from the silent auction, concerts and vehicle donations are added, the grand total for the Keystones Capital Campaign is $2,348,000! Let us celebrate the end of our Keystones Capital Campaign with deep thanksgiving. We give thanks for one another and for a wealth of faith, service and treasure. When we pledge ourselves to give for God’s work and with God’s helping hand, we do know God is good and that miracles will still happen. After the "big snow," it was decided we
needed a policy about when to close church for any such emergencies. The
plan is: pastors and moderators will talk on the phone and decide whether
or not worship services and other church activities will be canceled. Then
we will put the notice on the event line and the web page. So in the
future, just check those two places. Response forms for the Consecration Sunday breakfasts to be held on April 27 were included in the Stewardship Board’s letter sent recently. Unfortunately the e-mail address for the office was not correct and many people have had their response returned. The correct address is cccoffice@christ-ucc.org. If there is difficulty getting through even with this corrected address, please call the office, 301-585-8010, and speak with Ruth or leave a message. The Board of Deacons appreciates the generosity of CCC’s members who so faithfully support our Deacon’s Fund. The fund is dependent on contributions made usually on Communion Sundays monthly and receives no other funding. During the past year, through your faithful support, we have used the fund to support Ministries United Silver Spring Takoma Park (MUSST) with a contribution of $200 monthly. In addition, we were able to respond to critical needs of members of this congregation. We all have those "rainy days" in our lives when we wonder "Why us, O Lord?" With the Deacon’s Fund each of us is able to help those in our church family withstand the deluge of bills due to medical catastrophes or other crises that occur through no fault of our own. Concerning MUSST, in January we helped prevent 11 people from being evicted in wealthy Montgomery County. One man lost his 39 year old wife last year to a massive heart attack. Although employed, he fell behind in his rent due to the sudden unexpected expenses of funeral arrangements. In February, MUSST provided prescriptions to two people suffering from bipolar disorder. Other nonprofits in the area refused help due to lack of funds. Without these prescriptions, these people would wind up in a mental health institution in order to receive treatment. With the medication, they can work, raise their children and live relatively normal lives. Often they have no health insurance and receive low incomes. There is no money left for medicine. Your Board of Deacons feels your contributions to the Deacon’s Fund monthly is really helping not just our own church families but the community around us as we join other churches in their support of MUSST. May the Lord bless you for your kindness in these demanding times in which we live. Mary Carnahan In order to have the Annual Report document completed for the CCC Annual Meeting scheduled for June 15, reports from Staff, Officers, Board Chairs, Committee Chairs and Small Groups must be submitted by Monday, May 19. If possible, please e-mail reports directly to Elaine Wunderlich at elaine@marlaine.com AND to the church office, cccoffice@christ-ucc.org. in Microsoft WORD. If you do not have access to a computer, please bring or mail the report to the church office. Thank you for your help. Social Witness Happenings - April and May Prayer Occasioned by War in Iraq by The Rev. John H. Thomas, General Minister and President, UCC. John Thomas, UCC President, has posted at the beginning of the national UCC website, www.ucc.org, a prayer that was incorporated in part into CCC services on May 30. A copy is on the Board for Social Witness bulletin board. Every Tuesday, 5:30 pm. – Silent Vigil for Peace. United for Peace and Justice, an umbrella group that includes Win Without War of which the UCC is a member, is holding a vigil for peace with silent prayer and worship at the U.S. Capitol each Tuesday afternoon. The group gathers in the Upper Senate Park for one hour under the banner "Seek peace and pursue it (Psalms 34:14)". The group has stated: "Our message is a positive one." These vigils do not include planned civil disobedience and do have police protection. April 26, 12 noon – Pillar of Faith Awards Luncheon, Howard University School of Divinity. The UCC Friends of HUSD, formed by local UCC leaders including CCC’s own Merlene Bagley and Theron Snyder, will hold its second annual awards luncheon on Saturday, April 26, at the Armour J. Blackburn Center at Howard University. UCC Friends was organized ten years ago "to reclaim, maintain and celebrate the historic connection between the [HUSD] and the [UCC]," and to provide financial support to the School. Members of First Congregational Church in DC founded the University shortly after the Civil War in order to prepare ministers to serve freedmen and newly freed slaves coming to the city. Proceeds from the event will go to establishment of an endowed chair and Ph.D. program in religious studies at HUSD. Watch for registration details in CCC Sunday bulletins. May 1, 9 am- 4pm, "A Theology and Public Policy Colloquium: Ethical Issues Raised by Preemptive War," Wesley Theological Seminary. On May 1, The Churches' Center for Theology and Public Policy of Wesley Theological Seminary, 4500 Massachusetts Ave., NW, will host a colloquium on preemptive war that will be open to the public. The cost is $25, including lunch. For more information on speakers and registration, call (202) 885-8684 or go to www.cctpp.org. The Easter flowers that are used to decorate the sanctuary on Easter Sunday off an opportunity to remember loved ones or to celebrate special blessings. Names of the persons for whom the flowers are a memorial or the celebrated events will be listed in the bulletin. After the services on Easter morning, Deacons will take the flowers to those members of the congregation who are confined to home, hospital or nursing home. The charge this year will be $10 per plant. In order to make arrangements, requests must be received by Monday, April 14. Checks should be made payable to Christ congregation Church with "Easter plant" written on the corner of the check. Orders and checks may be left in the Church Office in the marked envelope. If you have questions, please call Joanne Hollcroft at 301-384-5645 or the Church Office at 301-585-8010. EASTER MEMORIAL PLANT No. of plants____________ Amount enclosed $____________ In celebration of___________________________________________________ In memory of_____________________________________________________ Given by______________________________________________ Imam Shamshad A. Nasir has invited Christ Congregational Church to visit the AHMADIYYA MOVEMENT IN ISLAM MOSQUE. The visit will include a tour of the Mosque and exhibits, an opportunity for discussion, followed by "Hospitality" (we will be served lunch), and a time of prayers (10 minutes). CCC will gather at the Mosque at 15000 Good Hope Road (and Briggs Chaney Road) at 11:30 A.M. and depart by 2:00 P.M. There is no charge for this event or limit to the number who can attend, but please RSVP by calling Dale Ostrander or the Church Office so that Imam Shamshad can plan for our group. This is a special and timely opportunity to become better acquainted with our Islamic neighbors. Head for the Hills for a Getaway to the CCC Retreat House - Memorial Day Weekend Ever wondered what the CCC Retreat House is and where it is located? Come and discover what longtime members know is CCC’s best kept secret. Beginning on Saturday, May 24th and continuing through noon on Monday, May 26th, the Outreach and Engagement Board will host a Welcome Weekend at the Retreat House which is located near Yellow Spring, West Virginia, approximately a 2 ½ hour drive from the Silver Spring area. The CCC Retreat House is a pre-Civil War farmhouse on 54 rustic acres along the Cacapon River. Acquired by CCC in 1965, the house and grounds are the site for CCC’s five, weeklong children and youth camps and Fall and Spring weekend retreats for groups within the church. Here is your chance to come and experience the Retreat House for just a day or over night. The Welcome Weekend will provide opportunities for members and guests of all ages to participate in hiking, crafts, field games, playing in the creek, tubing in the river or just relaxing on the front porch. Members of CCC will be present to coordinate activities. On Saturday and Sunday a picnic style lunch will be provided. On Sunday morning a worship service will be held in the outdoor chapel. The Welcome Weekend provides a wonderful opportunity for families with younger children to discover and enjoy the Retreat House, for parents and summer campers to come and visit prior to summer camp and for all ages to enjoy the surrounding beauty that the Retreat House has to offer. For more information, see the bulletin board display outside the church office, or contact Outreach and Engagement Board members Trish Esposito at 301-593-1858, trishespo@yahoo.com or John Rogers at 301-622-4747, j-krogers@msn.com. Palm Sunday – Schedule as usual. Church school for all ages at 9:30
AM Important Announcement: Sunday, April 13—Two Forums on Staff Design II Draft Report A large number of CCC members communicated their views on CCC’s future staffing needs to the Staff Design II committee. A total of about 170 members participated in the meetings held in conjunction with the morning worship services on March 3. In addition, the committee received 81 completed questionnaires over a 2-week period, and most of these were submitted with extensive written comments. One cannot read them without being impressed with the love and care shown for CCC and by the thoughtfulness of the comments. We truly believe we have begun a dialogue with CCC members on this important subject. The committee tried faithfully to incorporate in its draft report all of the various views expressed. We will present the draft report to the Executive Council at its April 7 meeting. We also are inviting member comments: the committee will hold feedback sessions on Sunday, April 13 both between the worship services and after the 11:00 service. There also is a box in the church office for leaving written comments. Copies of the draft report are available in the church office and on the website. We will present a final report to the Council at its May meeting. Tom Ault, for Staff Design II The PNO program, which is normally held on the third Friday of each month, will be held on the fourth Friday (April 25th) this month. This is a program of cooperative childcare for children of all ages. If you have questions or wish to sign up, please contact Glenda Neal at 301.622-3948 or gbneal@aol.com . Rebuilding Together (formerly Christmas in April) is a nonprofit volunteer organization dedicated to helping elderly and/or disabled low-income homeowners, through home renovation and repair. Our goal is to keep people living in warmth, safety, and independence, while helping to build better communities in Montgomery County. Many of our neighbors have worked all their lives and have been physically and financially able to maintain their homes in good condition. Now due to illness, the loss of a spouse, aging, and/or economic hardships, they are unable do the repair work themselves and their homes deteriorate or become unsafe. Our next Rebuilding Days will take place on Saturday, April 19th and April 26th, 2003, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Please sign up to volunteer and be apart of this amazing program! For more information please contact either Ted Foster 301-388-6360 or Gregg Brown 301-589-1080.
IMPACT Silver Spring, which received $500 as part of discretionary missions funding, writes: "Please express our sincere appreciation to the entire Board for your continued support. Christ Congregational is one of the two local institutions that believed in our vision from the beginning! As we build upon our early programs, we will continue to depend on organizations like yours, which are willing to commit time, energy or financial resources. Thanks again for your commitment to building an empowered, multicultural Silver Spring!" 50 Year Membership Recognition 1951 Honorees 1952 Honorees 1953 Honorees CCC Youth Calendar April - June 2003 April 13, 20 - No Sunday Evening Youth Meetings-Spring Vacation On Stewardship Sunday, April 27, we will celebrate our annual giving with breakfast/brunch before each service, words from a Guest Steward, and a special worship time when we make and consecrate our pledges. The two services will be identical, with breakfasts at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. and no Christian Education classes so that families can participate together. Everyone is welcome to join in this special time. The Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless is sponsoring a 1-3 mile walkathon for the homeless at the Rio Entertainment Center in Gaithersburg on Sunday, May 4, 2003. Walker registration fee is $20. Each walker will receive a Shelter Walk 2003 t-shirt. Walk begins at 3:00 p.m.; Registration and Activities begin at 2:00 p.m. For more information call Jen Lowry at 301-217-0314 or email lowrypjr@aol.com. PLEASE NOTE: Deadline for the next issue is THURSDAY, April 17, 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 |