Return
to CCC Home Page|
CCC NewsNotes March 18, 2003 Meeting Our
Muslim Neighbors, Congratulations to CCC Women,
Special Offering: One Great Hour of Sharing,
New Life Review Group Forming,
"A Land Twice Promised" "The Quran requires belief in the truth and righteousness of all the Prophets and in the revelations that were vouchsafed to them by God…..Thus Islam seeks to bring about reconciliation between followers of different faiths and to establish a basis of respect and honor among them." From "Islam and Peace" by Muhammad Zafrullah Khan IMAM SHAMSHAD A. NASIR has invited Christ Congregational Church to visit the AHMADIYYA MOVEMENT IN ISLAM MOSQUE on Good Hope Road in Silver Spring on Saturday, April 12th. All are invited to this special event promoted by Older Adult Programs at CCC. The visit will include a tour of the Mosque and exhibits, an opportunity to sit together for discussion, followed by "Hospitality" (we will be served lunch). Our time together will end with Prayers (10 minutes). We will gather at the Mosque, located at 15000 Good Hope Road at 11:30 am and depart by 2:00 pm. Plan now to participate in this special and timely opportunity to become better acquainted with Islam and our Islamic neighbors. There is no charge for this event, and there is no limit on the number who can attend. But, please RSVP by calling Dale Ostrander or the Church Office so that Imam Shamshad can plan for us. Dale Ostrander About 10 members of CCC attended the Potomac Association’s Women’s Coordinating Committee’s annual luncheon honoring the church’s wise women elders on March 8. Congratulation to the following honorees: Wise Women Elders: Ruth Avery (Westmoreland Congregational UCC) and Anne
Weissenborn (CCC) Special Offering: One Great Hour of Sharing On Sunday, March 30, CCC will participate in the One Great Hour of Sharing ("OGHS") special offering of the national UCC. Envelopes are enclosed with this issue of News Notes. Eight Christian denominations and Church World Service ("CWS") participate in this offering. OGHS provides funds for the UCC’s direct mission efforts at home and abroad (66.6%) and for its work with CWS (33.3%). Proceeds are used for international sustainable development projects, including support of ten missionaries (approx. 50%); international and domestic disaster preparedness and response (26%); refugee assistance and advocacy (9%); and social services (13%). Only 5% of the offering goes to fundraising; thus, 95% is used directly for mission activities. Please give as generously as possible. Board for Social Witness A new Life Review Group will begin in late April. An introductory session is planned for Monday, March 31st at 10:00AM for those interested or those inquiring about such a small group experience. Life Review is an opportunity for exploring, reflecting on, and understanding one’s own life story, recalling earlier life events, past experiences and roads taken. This is appropriate and worthwhile activity at any stage of life, but it is an especially important part of the developmental work of later life. Participants often find that they gain new perspectives and clarity about their lives, as well as a sense of their legacy. And it provides an opportunity to participate in a rewarding small, supportive group experience. This will be a group of about 8 people, meeting once a month for two hours on a day and time to be determined by those planning to participate. This will also be the last Life Review Group that I will be offering before my interim ministry at CCC ends. Thirty-One Older Adults have participated in the four previous Life Review Groups. Please let me know if you are interested. Dale Ostrander "A Land Twice Promised" On Sunday, March 23, at 7:00 pm in the CCC sanctuary, Noa Baum will tell her story about the dialogue that led to her friendship in the US with a Palestinian woman who also grew up in Jerusalem. Neither woman had ever before had a friend from the other side. Ms. Baum has written: "We spent hours arguing and disagreeing, getting defensive and struggling with the voices we grew up with, our respective historical narratives we believed were The Truth, and yet, having heard the story of the other, we were able to come back to our basic trust, affection and compassion for each other." Ms. Baum quotes Gene Knudsen-Hoffman, who has written: "An enemy is one whose story we have not heard." Given the emotional intensity of this presentation, Ms. Baum believes it is appropriate for persons aged 14 and above; however, probably not for younger children. More mature middle schoolers who are aware of world events could benefit. A donation of $10 will be suggested to cover expenses. Please tell your friends and neighbors about this opportunity. Board for Social Witness Social Witness Happenings Immediate - "A Third Way" As previously noted, on Feb. 18 a delegation organized by the National Council of Churches met with PM Tony Blair and presented to him "An Alternative to War for Defeating Saddam Hussein: A Religious Initiative," otherwise referred to as "A Third Way." The delegation was made up of leaders of the NCC, Sojourners, the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, DC, the Presbyterian Church, USA, the Methodist Council of Bishops, and the American Baptist Church. Now Sojourners is urging individuals to read the proposal at www.sojo.net/action, e-mail it to President Bush, PM Blair, and the Secretary General of the UN, and share it with friends via the website. A copy of the proposal is on the BSW bulletin board. March 23 – Performance by Noa Baum, Israeli storyteller, at CCC. See related article. April 1 – Rally and March in Support of Affirmative Action On Tuesday, April 1, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the two cases involving the use of affirmative action programs in the admissions decisions of the University of Michigan. A diverse group of students and youth from Michigan has formed a coalition called United for Equality and Affirmative Action ("UEAA"); the coalition is a defendant in the law school case. The UEAA is organizing a rally and march in support of affirmative action on the day of the arguments. The opening rally will be held outside the Supreme Court from 9:00 am- noon. At noon the group will march to the Lincoln Memorial, via Constitution Avenue, where a follow-up rally will begin at 1:00 pm. For more information, go to www.UEAA.net. 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 $____________
Dear Recommitment Committee, I am a 71-year-young member of the church. I love CCC, but I don’t think I can make a major gift to the church for the capital campaign. I do have some assets, but I live on the income they generate. It is not much, but I may need that income even more if my health deteriorates. Is there any way I can make the gift I want to? Signed, Aging In Silver Spring ******* Dear Aging, You may be able to. You could make CCC a beneficiary of your will (see question that follows). You may also consider making a Charitable Gift Annuity or CGA. Our denomination handles CGA’s for member churches. To make a CGA, you give an asset to the United Church Foundation of the denomination and sign a contract designating CCC as the beneficiary. It is irrevocable once signed. You will then get a fixed interest rate annuity for the rest of your life. At your death, the remaining money in the CGA is given to CCC. The best news for you is that the interest rates are very competitive: someone your age will get about 7% (and someone older would get even more). A CGA is designed so the church will get on average about half the amount you put in to begin with. Plus you will get a triple tax savings. (1.) You will not have to pay any capital gains tax on the asset you give. (2.) You will get a tax-deduction of the full value of the CGA. (3.) Only about half the CGA income you get annually will be taxed. A CGA is especially good to fund with a highly-accrued asset like stock because of the tax benefits. Help the church and get a great interest rate at the same time! Thanks for writing, Recommitment Co-Chair ******** Dear Recommitment Committee, How do I designate CCC to be a beneficiary in my will? I don’t know how much my estate will be when I die. It could go up or down in value, and who knows how long I’ll live. Sign me, My Lawyer Just Shrugged ******** Dear Shrugged, You may want to find a lawyer who specializes in wills and estates. But let me give you some non-lawyer tips. A gift through a will is called a bequest. You already know that you can design a person, such a family member, or a charity such as CCC, to receive some of your estate when you die. The best way to make designations for most people is with percentage designations or with a residual bequest. Either may help your situation. If you designate with percentages, it does not matter what is the final value of your estate. For example if you give 30% to your child, 20% to your sibling, 20% to your niece, 10% to your favorite children’s charity, and 20% to CCC, your estate can fluctuate in value but everyone will get the percentage you desired. Another strategy is to make whole number designations the way people traditionally have done, then give "the residual if any" to CCC or CCC and other charities you support. For example, give $5,000 to Uncle Ned, $250 to your neighbor, etc., and the residual if any to CCC. Thanks for writing, Recommitment Co-Chair ***** "Ask the Committee Chair" is not intended to be legal advice. See your estate planning professional for advice on your situation. If you have questions about making a CGA or bequest to CCC, contact David Bobbitt, Recommitment Co-Chair at 301-887-0054 or drbobbitt2000@yahoo.com. David has over 8 years experience in professional fundraising and will help CCC members who want to include CCC in their estate plans in confidence for no charge. USO Theme Dance RESCHEDULED for CCC’s Big Band will provide music for a 1940’s "USO Dance" sponsored by Asbury Methodist Village. The Village is located near Lake Forest Mall in Gaithersburg. Enter at the gatehouse on Odendhal Avenue. Dancing will take place in Building 417; donation—$2 per person. The public is invited. For further information, call 301-216-4113. Board for Church Life is planning a Member Recognition for those who have been members of Christ Congregational Church for 50 or more years. This will take place during the 11:00 service on March 30, 2003, with a special fellowship time following the service. Mark your calendars now and plan to join us for this special event. Thanks, Sisters for Sisters, will be meeting Sunday, March 23 after the 11:00 service in the Conference room. Please bring your own sandwich. A beverage and dessert will be provided. Special Congregational Meeting The Executive Committee is calling a Special Congregational Meeting on April 6, 2003, at noon to consider revisions to the CCC Constitution and Bylaws. Please see the official call for the meeting on the bulletin board by the church office. You are invited to (talk about) Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler on Sunday, April 6, at 7:00 P.M. when CCC’s Book Group meets at the home of Eleanor Waldrop. For directions, please call Eleanor at 301-434-2245. Under God's Roof June 22 - June 28, Middle School August 4 - 8, Vacation Bible School Registration for camps will be March 30, 5:45 pm to 6:15 pm at church, right before the Sunday evening youth programs. April 6, 10:15 am to 11:00 am at church will be an alternative. Camp fee is $160 per camper, per camp. There will be an additional fee for tickets to the Shenandoah Summer Music Festival performance for Music Camp. Families will receive notice of the amount after arrangements have been made. Registration for vacation Bible school has not been set but will be announced, as will any fee, when a decision has been made. 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. PLEASE NOTE: Deadline for the next issue is THURSDAY, April 3, 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 |