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CCC NewsNotes January 25, 2005 From Jim, Ash Wednesday – February 9th, Social Witness Happenings, From the Church Administrator,: Jan. 8 Workday, Parking Lot Signs, Street Parking, Summer Day Camps for Children – Musical Theater Center, Weather-Related Cancellations, Upcoming Opportunities for Women, Sanctuary Committee Helpers Needed, Spirituality Day, Retreat House Committee, Annual Dance Has New Twist!!, OWL Only for 5th and 6th Graders on February and March Sunday Evenings, Politics & Protocols at CCC, Parish Notes, Upcoming Events, NewsNotes Deadline, CCC Staff From
Jim To a President All you are doing and saying is to
America dangled mirages, ---Walt Whitman After my devotional reading this morning, I picked up my copy of Leaves of Grass, wondering what our greatest American poet, prophet, and mystic might say to shed light on Inauguration Day. Thursday is the day I try to take off, and having considered and rejected taking part in Inaugural or Counter-Inaugural activities downtown, I was content to sit and gaze into our backyard and enjoy the beauty of our St. Francis statue and our Congregational Church bird-feeder, each resting beneath a mantle of soft snow. (Buddha sits contentedly under the shelter of a large rhododendron). And I came upon To a President. Whitman doesn’t indicate which president, though we can be sure it is not Lincoln, whom he adored. But it doesn’t matter, because the poem applies to most, especially presidents of either or any party, in rhetorical high gear. They "dangle mirages" before us. They are motivated by politics as usual. Whitman talks of the "politics of Nature." When this poet talks about Nature he never simply means Mother Nature or the "Great Outdoors." He really means the totality of reality, visible and invisible – material and spiritual. He is referring to the largeness of Creation that eludes us as we hunker down over our daily agenda. For Whitman it is Nature that we are a part of and connected to. And it is Nature that each of us fully contains as well. We are each blades of grass, identically enfolded in the great grassy meadow, and the great meadow is within each of us. (Whitman the mystic!). The politics of Nature informs and is greater than everyday politics. The politics of Nature is the politics of "amplitude, rectitude, impartiality." One could say that these are the values of democracy at its best. They certainly transcend the politics of narrow ideology, crusade, and the reduction of opponents to enemies. All great leadership is visionary. Who is to know for certain whether any president’s grand visions are in reality "dangled mirages"? Time alone proves prophets right or wrong. But let us all pray that we may be sustained by genuine visions of amplitude, rectitude, and impartiality, and that the dangled mirages of any leader may sooner, rather than later, "lift off from these States." Faithfully, Jim
Communion Sunday in February will be the Anne Weissenborn, Board for Social Witness Epiphany Letter from the Rev. John H. Thomas, General Minister and President, UCC. On Jan. 6, Rev. Thomas issued a pastoral letter calling all members of the UCC to deeper understanding of Jesus’ radical welcome and of what "God is Still Speaking . . ." really means. Noting the controversy over the UCC’s national TV ad, and calling the ad "an often silenced message of grace," Dr. Thomas states: "I believe we have been given a unique opportunity to help recast the public debate over values in this country and to reshape the public perception of the nature and purpose of Christian faith and Christian community." He continues: "Seizing the opportunity will take courage, for resistance to our message is formidable, cutting against the prevailing grain of a society frightened by the stranger, suspicious of difference, and easily seduced by appeals to a future secured with narrowly defined theological boundaries and well defended national borders. Living out the welcome promised in our ad will take commitment to continued growth in congregational cultures of hospitality. . . . Will we be courageous enough, committed enough, and generous enough to seize this moment with humility and confidence?" Dr. Thomas also emphasizes that "the Stillspeaking God" pushes us beyond pride in the UCC’s past by requiring us to act in the present to address continuing racism, consumerism, all forms of exclusion, as well as "imperial" militarism, and "to discern and receive the gifts of other Christians even as we celebrate our own . . . ." The full letter is posted on the Social Witness bulletin board and at www.ucc.org/news/record/thomas010605.htm . By Jackie Walters Jan. 8 Workday was very successful thanks to the following volunteers: Sue Bratten (thanks for a delicious lunch!), Mike Breads, Bud Dennie (a terrific organizer!), Janice Dennie, John Enagonio, Coleman, Sonja and Stevan Fisher, Ted Foster, Ben Gallup, Cory Gray, Susan Gray, Adam MacLeod, Marilyn Meyer, Cynthia Page, and Bruce Strand. Dick Meyer did some preparatory work prior to that Saturday. The crew built shelves for the Sanctuary Committee in the closet in 103, rehung the projection screen on the Social Hall stage, cleaned and organized kitchens, cleaned and organized the toy closet and lumber storage on the Social Hall stage, got rid of several broken and unusable furnishings, and installed new signs around the parking lot. Parking Lot Signs – The Trustees approved the installation of several signs in the parking lot. We added two handicapped parking spaces and three spaces reserved for visitors on Sundays. Articles on church growth consistently mention the unintentional message churches send to visitors when the parking lot is full: We’re full and there is no room for you – and we didn’t care enough to leave any room for you! CCC does not want to send that message! In an attempt to increase safety for persons parking in the lot, we added signs to discourage using the lot as a through street and as an area for unsupervised play on mobile toys (skateboards, scooters, bikes, etc.) A letter sent to the neighbors explaining why we installed the latter two signs -- stressing safety for neighbors using the lot for walking, bicycling and supervising their children at play -- has been well-received by those who responded. Street Parking – Remember: we do have parking across Indian Spring Drive at 9601. If you do need to park on the street, please do not park diagonally across a corner at an intersection. Such parking blocks visibility for those drivers seeking to check oncoming traffic before moving out into the intersection. Sundays and Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings are becoming increasingly crowded due to the number of people who use the building. If you are a 2+ car family coming to the church, one of you should agree to park at some distance and walk so that people who have difficulty walking and who need to park close can find a space in the parking lot. Summer Day Camps for Children – Musical Theater Center will return to CCC beginning July 11 for their three-week camp featuring acting, singing and dance. Several CCC and neighborhood children attended this very successful and fun camp last summer. For more information about the program or to register, visit www.musicaltheatercenter.org. KMS Summer Jazz Camp debuts at CCC from June 27 – July 1, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Local teacher David Kellert conducts this introduction to jazz for middle school children (grades 6-8) who are interested in jazz but who have never tried it or have had limited experience. David says "Anyone can learn jazz, and any instrument can play jazz!" All instruments – brass, woodwinds, rhythm (drums/bass/guitar/piano) and non-traditional jazz instruments (e.g., cello or bassoon) – are encouraged. Contact David Kellert at 301-565-9229 or david@davidkellert.com for information. Registrations for both camps are open now. Weather-Related Cancellations – If, in the event of a weather-related emergency, CCC staff and lay leaders (Moderator, Chair of Deacons) decide to cancel services or programs, one person will call WTOP to have the cancellation announced. If you are unsure about whether CCC is open for services or events, listen to WTOP. If you do NOT hear our name, that means we are open. At this time, we are unable to dial in from home to change the greeting message on the answering machine to reflect cancellation news. Staff will do their best to update the EVENT line, but that can get jammed with calls during bad weather. Calling the church office should be your last resort – listen to WTOP first. Upcoming Opportunities for Women – At CCC’s Fall Women’s Retreat, several women expressed interest in being informed about local programs of interest to women where they could simply go and "be" with other women, not "plan and do" at CCC! In that spirit, Washington National Cathedral is hosting two programs this winter and spring. Sacred Circles: A Celebration of Women’s Spirituality 2005 is the seventh such gathering for women. Plenary sessions, spiritual practice and hands-on workshops offer diverse ways to develop compassion for participating women, others and the wider world. The program is Friday, Feb. 18 (7-9:30 p.m.) and Saturday, Feb. 19 (9 a.m. – 5 p.m.). On April 13 at 7:30 p.m., best-selling author Sue Monk Kidd (The Secret Life of Bees) will lecture on the image of the Black Madonna as a muse for inspiration, freedom and authority. For information, call 202-537-2221 or email programs@cathedral.org or visit http://www.cathedral.org/cathedral/register . Sanctuary Committee Helpers Needed The Sanctuary Committee is seeking men and women who can help create a sacred space for worship. Anyone with a desire to be creative; to work with flowers or other medium; or to help with Easter, Thanksgiving and/or Christmas decorating is invited to join the committee. The altar flowers are provided so we simply make bouquets or decorations for the church office, lobby and sometimes the Meeting Room. All ideas are welcome and the cost of flowers can be reimbursed or taken as a tax deduction. Special holiday decorating takes a committee effort and is lots of fun. We will provide training or mentoring as needed. So, if you have any desire to help create a beautiful worship space - even if you can only help out a little, please contact Chair, Joanne Hollcroft (301-384-5645) or Co-Chair, Ruth Prindle (301-649-4698). We’ll welcome your call. MARK YOUR CALENDARS for the CCC’s upcoming Spirituality Day: The Sound of Sheer Silence, Saturday, March 19th from 9:00 am-12:30 pm. In I Kings 19, Elijah stands on a mountain before the Lord. A great wind, an earthquake and fire come by. But the Lord is not in any of these. "..and after the fire a sound of sheer silence." It is in this silence that God comes to Elijah. We’ll come together to explore how God can be encountered in the silence of our lives. Workshops, speakers and a Taize service are planned. More details to come. Ginny McDonagh Thinking of Spring? Well we are. The Retreat House Committee and those who would like to join the Retreat House Committee will be meeting on February 13th at 7:00pm at the church to discuss the calendar for 2005 and the list of work to be accomplished during the work Retreat now scheduled for the weekend of the 1st of April. Please contact Jeanne Bohnet at jcbohnet.1@juno.com or call 410-530-6194 if you can't make it to the meeting but would still like to participate. On February 12th from 8 – 11 p.m., our Social Hall will ring, and dancers will swing (and sway) to Big Band sounds, provided by CCC’s own Big Band Tradition. New this year: Half masques will add mystique to the affair. This idea emanated from members of the choir who visited Venice last summer. Masques will be available at the door until the supply runs out. Wearing a masque is optional. Admission will be by donation to the church’s building fund. Refreshments will be provided by the Church Life Committee. Come to listen, or to dance. Join the fun! OWL Only for 5th and
6th Graders on The "Our Whole Lives" (OWL) program will supplant the regular Sunday evening program for fifth and sixth graders during February and March. The regular first-Sunday evening meetings for fifth and sixth graders will resume on April 3 and continue on May 1 and June 5, with the possibility of special activities during the summer if families are interested. Thanks to the members who sought me out after worship on Jan. 16 to inquire whether announcing in church and including in the bulletin the guest appearance of County Executive Doug Duncan at the invitation of the Greater Silver Spring Democratic Club jeopardized CCC’s non-profit status in any way. It is a wonderful question! How and whether to publicize events that could be construed as political is a question recently considered by the Executive Council. With guidance from Anne Weissenborn, an attorney formerly with the Federal Election Commission, and from an IRS pamphlet directed toward non-profit organizations, CCC carefully complies with established guidelines for non-profit organizations. Here are some points that may clarify matters:
The recent national election has heightened awareness of churches’ participation in the nation’s political processes and has inspired more careful scrutiny of legal guidelines by churches like CCC who desire to be "in the world and of the world" in a responsible and prudent way. For more information, visit www.irs.gov and download Publication 1828, "Tax Guide for Churches and Religious Organizations." The Sanctuary Committee is most grateful to Corey Gray, David Frey and Jackie Walters for taking down the Christmas decorations. This relieved us of a huge job and all we had to do was pack them away. We are also indebted to Cory for putting the Advent Wreath rope back through the pullies when we so carelessly let it slip. Thanks a million.
PLEASE NOTE: Deadline for the next issue is THURSDAY February 3, 5:00 P.M. Please submit articles via: home email - mojobo@comcast.net, phone - 301-236-0025, or work jboyer@apwuhp.com or or paper copy - drop off in the News Notes box in the church office. Please note the e-mail change from mojobo@aol.com to mojobo@comcast.net. Thank you, Joan Boyer, Editor The Rev. Jim Todhunter, Senior Minister; The Rev. Sandra Kay Dodson, Associate Minister; The Rev. Julia Jarvis, Director of Programming for Older Adults; John Touchton, Director of Music; Jackie Walters, Property Administrator |