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CCC NewsNotes March 22, 2005 Consecration
Sunday – April 17, 2005, Consecration Sunday – April 17, 2005 On Sunday, April 17, the culmination of our annual stewardship program occurs. Consecration Sunday’s program includes both a catered breakfast and a special worship service. The schedule that day is as follows: 8 a.m. or 10 a.m. - catered breakfast provided by the Board of Stewardship 9 a.m. or 11 a.m. - worship service in the sanctuary and
the consecration of our pledges Please use the sign-up sheets outside the church office or the response forms in the bulletin to indicate which service you will attend so that the Board of Stewardship can provide our breakfast caterer with a good idea of how many people will be present. But, if you forget to sign up, come anyway! Our Guest Steward, who will bring us an inspiring message, is The Rev. Dr. Bernice Powell Jackson, Executive Minister for Justice and Witness Ministries, UCC. In addition, she has recently been chosen as World Council of Churches President from North America. Plan to be present on April 17th. The Board of Stewardship Anne Weissenborn, Board for Social Witness A Prayer for Jerusalem. Christians for Middle East Peace ("CMEP") is a Washington-based program of numerous Christian denominations and organizations, including the UCC that seeks to help heal the brokenness manifested in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. From the time it was founded in1985, CMEP has focused in particular upon the status of Jerusalem which, it asserts, "must be determined by a negotiated settlement that respects the human, political, and religious rights of both Israelis and Palestinians." CMEP continues to call for an undivided Jerusalem to be shared by two peoples and three faiths. During this holy season CMEP is calling for prayers for peace in Jerusalem and has prepared such a prayer, portions of which are as follows: "For the Church of God, that she may work and pray for the peace of Jerusalem, we pray . . . , For political leaders, that they may take bold initiatives for the peace of Jerusalem, we pray . . . , For zealots on all sides, that they may put aside their animosities and be still for the sake of Jerusalem’s peace, we pray . . . , For peacemakers, that they may have courage and perseverance, we pray . . . , For Jews, Christians and Muslims that they may learn to be at peace with one another in the Holy Land and here in the United States, we pray to the Lord . . . ." I sent an autographed church history, ‘The First 60 Years,’ to Louise McClelland, the widow of our founding minister, the Rev. John F. McClelland. The book was sent in care of their daughter Laurie McClelland Howell in Billings, Montana. Laurie called me a few days ago (she sounds exactly like her mother) to say thank you for the book and to tell me about her mother. Louise is now in a ‘group’ home that accommodates eight residents. Since the home is small, Louise receives excellent, around the clock care, according to Laurie. She is on oxygen 24 hours a day and uses a walker. Louise has some memory loss but can remember things from the past, so the history book has meant much to her. Louise will be 90 years old on July 23. The other McClelland siblings are Jeff, Sutter Creek, California; Doug, Red Lodge, Montana; Julie McClelland, and Marcy McClelland Brown, along with Laurie all in Billings. Laurie, who lives about one mile from her mother, visits her every morning and Julie visits her every afternoon. Church members who would like to write to Louise, may address a card or letter to Mrs. Louise McClelland, c/o Laurie McClelland Howell, 410 Silver Lane, Billings, MT 59102-1031. Laurie will deliver the letter to her mother. Bill Carnahan Did you know that CCC has a group of caregivers who are available to members of the congregation to be with them during times of transition or crisis or just for a friendly visit or phone call? Some of the Called to Care caregivers keep in touch with our service men and women. Some take part in intercessory prayer for those on the weekly prayer list. Some are on call when an emergency arises. If you are in need of extra support and would like to have a caregiver assigned to you, please call Jim Todhunter at the church (301) 585-8010. Is your board or committee planning a special meeting, an activity or an event? As you turn your ideas and visions into action, the following guidelines will help ensure success. Selecting a date and getting that date on the church calendar CCC is a very busy, active church. The official church calendar listing both CCC events and those events held by outside groups using our facilities is maintained by Jackie Walters and Susan Gray in the church office. The calendar is on the CCC web site, http://www.christ-ucc.org . Click on "Current month’s calendar" on the home page to bring it up. Other months can be accessed by clicking on "Select another month". The first step of any event planning should be to check the calendar on the web site before selecting a date and time and then confirming it with the office to be sure that there are no conflicts in scheduling. What other activities are going on? Will other activities impact your event and impact parking? Will folks have to make a choice between your event or meeting and another scheduled activity? Clear the date you have selected with Jackie or Susan before publicizing it. If there is a conflict, your event may have to be changed. Publicizing and advertising the event or activity If you want folks to attend your meeting, event or activity, they have to know about it. The best ways to reach everyone in the congregation are with an article in NewsNotes three to four weeks ahead of the event, announcements in the Sunday bulletin for two or three weeks prior to the event, and postings on the web site. Email articles for NewsNotes to editor, Joan Boyer, at mojobo@comcast.net. Check the calendar on CCC’s web site for the schedule of NewsNotes deadlines. Email Elaine Wunderlich at Elaine@marlaine.com with web site posting information. The deadline for announcements in the next Sunday’s bulletin is close of business on Wednesday. Keep announcements short and concise. Sign-up sheets, registration for an event A simple sign-up sheet can help you determine the response to your event or activity. Generally, you are responsible for creating your own sign-up sheets and posting them on the bulletin board in the lobby outside the office. The office staff can help you. If registration is required for an event, a box can be left on the counter in the office to receive registrations. The office administrator will process checks as they come in and leave them for the financial secretary to be deposited each week. Instruct participants to make checks payable to CCC and to put the name of the event on the memo line. Set-up and clean-up If you need equipment and/or furniture arranged, contact the Church Administrator in advance so the night/weekend custodians can be informed. Generally, members are expected to recruit volunteers to help with set-up and clean-up and to leave rooms as they found them and ready for the next user. Event planners may ask the custodial staff on duty to provide assistance. Fifty-Year Members Recognition Sunday, April 24 On April 24 (note date correction) at the 10:30 worship service, CCC members with 50 years of service will be recognized. After the service there will be a reception in the social hall to honor these and other CCC "Elders" with 50 years or more of service. Come meet or renew acquaintances with these people who have served so long, some since the 1944 founding of CCC. 2004-2005 Sr. High Youth Ministries The CCC Sr. High youth are having another successful year in making a difference in our world. The Walkathon for the Homeless in November raised $930.00 for Progress Place and our youth marched with CCC’s new red banner held high for thousands to see on the National Mall in DC including the local radio announcers. The youth followed this up with contributing and assembling items for over two dozen hygiene kits that were donated to Progress Place in December to help our homeless community members in Silver Spring. Similarly, the youth donated and assembled over three dozen health kits and cash for the Church World Service Tsunami relief effort in Asia. During the coldest months of December and February, the Sr. High youth volunteered at Shepherd’s Table helping to serve meals to, and connect with, hundreds of our neighbors in need. It was at the December Wednesday night Shepherd’s Table that the youth delivered the hygiene kits, and then at the February Wednesday night Shepherd’s Table they presented Shepherd’s Table with a check for $340.00 from their collection efforts on Souper Bowl Sunday. Closer to home, the youth continue to help out at the CCC work days and in providing child care. Our next major youth ministry project will be joining other CCC volunteers at the April 23 and April 30 Rebuilding Together to help spruce up the home, and thereby lift up the spirit, of a Montgomery County resident. Finally, throughout the year, both Sr. High youth and Jr. High youth have been preparing for their summer Y-GELI projects. In living out their faith through these ministries, the youth have not only witnessed the immense need in the world around them and the great reward in helping others, but our youth have also enjoyed the connections made with all of you, the adult members of CCC, who continue to encourage and support our youths’ ministries. Faithfully, Over thirty youth and fifteen adults from the three Y-GELI churches joined together last month for their second all day training retreat, studying this year’s theme, Hunger and Homelessness. We gathered at Earl’s Place, a shelter for homeless men in downtown Baltimore and learned from first hand accounts how homelessness and hunger affect God’s children. The group will gather here at CCC on May 7 for the final training retreat before embarking on two separate mission trips this July. Youth over 15 years old will spend the week of July 16-23 in Americus, Georgia at Habitat for Humanity, and younger youth will volunteer July 8-11 with Harvest of Hope, in Exmore, Virginia. Both of these programs include discussions about hunger or homelessness, hands-on experiences, and worship time. As we make final preparations for this summer’s programs more information will be available about how you can help support our youth and their leadership training. You may also see the youth in action at this summer’s UCC Central Atlantic Conference Annual Meeting in Newark, Delaware in early June. The Y-GELI youth are presenting a workshop on their experiences in hopes of inspiring other congregations in our conference to develop similar programs. YES… God is still speaking.. Faithfully. From the Senior Adults
Programming Our Feb. 14th Valentine Luncheon was a lovely hit. People wore lots of red and the decorations livened up the social hall into a festive, loving event. Salads and deserts were brought by everyone! We had a wide variety of salads which were fabulous and heathy (so important for Julia!). A couple from Riderwood came and sang oldies but goodies and we all sang along. We played "Guess the Tune" and most folks won prizes of red roses. Most people brought pictures of their wedding pictures and it was fun guessing who was who. Neville Platt in particular looked so much in love in his wedding picture. He still does! We ended the day with poetry and remembering those loved ones who were no longer with us in body. Big kudos to Mary Michele, Mable Elliot, Ruth and Bill Kaupert, Bill Carnahan and Gale Haggard, Grace Dietz and Ken Stith. April Fool's Game Day On April 1st from 12:30-3 p.m we will continue our community building with game playing and finger food eating. Please bring your favorite games -- Julia will lead up the scrabble game, Bill Carnahan will teach folks how to play "Touring" and others will facilitate some card games. Please eat lunch before you come but bring your favorite snacks to share. We will provide cold drinks. With love
and gratitude, Welcome Weekend
Retreat at the CCC Retreat House Ever wondered what the CCC Retreat House is and where it is located? Come and discover CCC’s best kept secret just for a day or overnight beginning Saturday, May 28th through noon on Monday, May 30th. The Retreat House is located in Yellow Spring, West Virginia, approximately a 2-1/2 hour drive from the Silver Spring area. The Welcome Weekend will provide opportunities for CCC 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. The Outreach and Engagement Board extends a special invitation to CCC’s newer members and regular visitors, to attend all or part of the weekend. For more information and to sign up, see the bulletin display outside the church office, or contact Outreach and Engagement Board member Trish Esposito at 301-593-1858, trishespo@yahoo.com. Summer Camps at the Retreat House, Vacation Bible School here at CCC and a Wilderness Canoe Trip for older youth. Pick up a brochure from the kiosk in the lobby for more details about all of these events. Brochures and camp registration forms were mailed to families with children in the third grade through high school seniors. Camp registration forms may be left the box on the counter in the church office or mailed to the church. Additional forms are available from the church office. There is a need for volunteers to help with Vacation Bible School the first week of August. Call the church office at (301) 585-8010 if you can help. The Board of Outreach and Engagement wants to help ensure that we put notices of upcoming CCC events in local community newsletters and listserves. If you know of a newsletter or listserve where we could post CCC events without charge, would you please contact me with the information on how to place a notice? Thanks! Thank You We wish to thank the many members who called, sent cards and/or prayed for us. We found that pneumonia can be extremely serious when you get older. We continue to marvel at the outpouring of love and concern that flows from the CCC Family. Love, Volunteers needed for this quarterly day of fellowship and work at CCC, Sat., April 2, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Lunch is served to all volunteers. Child care will be provided. Sign up on the lobby bulletin board for the morning or afternoon or both shifts. Weather permitting, we will get the grounds ready for spring – weeding, trimming, mulching, planting, etc. -- and do some general cleaning indoors. Call or email Jackie Walters (301-585-8010, ext. 222; PropertyAdmin@christ-ucc.org), for more information . Retreat House: Opening Work Retreat – An open invitation to all planning to use and/or wanting to help maintain the Retreat House. The Committee will ready the house for the season on the weekend of April 1 – 3. Join in for a weekend of camaraderie, work, good food, and being in the country by signing up on the lobby bulletin board. Call or email Barry Johnson (301-593-7053; b_w_j@yahoo.com) or Jeanne Bohnet (410-964-2001; jcbohnet.1@juno.com) for more information. Silver Spring Friends, a local civic group, is renting space in the Social Hall to provide the neighborhood with an opportunity to meet Ike Leggett, a candidate for County Executive. This notice is published to advise interested CCC members and friends about this opportunity, which occurs on Sunday, April 10, 7:30-9:00 p.m. The sponsors, Tony & Toba Hausner, are requesting RSVPs: 301-587-6943.
Events Sponsored By The Board For Church Life April 3rd -- First Sunday Pot Luck in the Social Hall - Everyone welcome!!! April 15th -- Parent’s Night Out - a babysitting co-op for all ages. April 24th -- 50 yr. Member Recognition Sunday (note change of date). August 19-21st -- Beach weekend at Bethany Beach. PLEASE NOTE: Deadline for
the next
issue is THURSDAY April 7, 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.
Thank you. 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 |
