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CCC NewsNotes May 24, 2005 Summer
Worship and Church School Schedule Summer Worship and Church School Schedule Please note change to Summer Service Schedule The CCC summer schedule begins on June 12, Church School Sunday. The worship service will be led by all the children in the church school classes. On June 12 and for the remainder of the summer there will be one service of worship at 10:00 AM. The Contemporary Theology adult education class will continue to meet at 8:45. Nursery - toddler/Twos will meet in the nursery - Room 003, 3 - 5 year olds will meet in Room 006 and 6 - 8 year olds will meet in Room 009. See Susan Gray to sign up to take a Sunday to help with one of the three age groups. News Notes Schedule… in June, July and August there will be only one edition per month, as follows:
From Jim Meeting with Mark Fraley of Action in Montgomery Tuesday, June 7, 7:30 PM in the Conference Room With the rising impact of the radical Christian right on culture and politics in America, progressive Christians are asking what we can do to speak out more clearly, forcefully, and faithfully. Come and join in an informal conversation with the Executive Director of AIM, as we explore theological as well as practical issues facing Christians today. Jim Anne Weissenborn, Board for Social Witness UCC 2004 Annual Report - "Come As You Are." The national UCC has just released its annual report for 2004. A copy is posted on the CCC main bulletin board outside the church office. The boldly colored cover makes it hard to miss. The rest of the artwork and the written contents are striking and moving. The report is full of excitement about the success of the "God Is Still Speaking" campaign, but also challenges members and congregations to continue to demonstrate the "extravagant welcome" and "evangelical courage" that both motivated and resulted from the events of the past year. In his introduction, the Rev. John H. Thomas, General Minister and President of the UCC, states: "The Stillspeaking Initiative (TSI) is calling the United Church of Christ to a renewed commitment to evangelism and to the vocation of welcoming the stranger to the community of grace and discipleship we know in Christ. As we discovered in the midst of the controversy caused by the mainstream media’s refusal to air our commercial, extravagant hospitality requires its own kind of evangelical courage. The Jewish scholar Abraham Heschel called it ’spiritual audacity’. Our own Reinhold Niebuhr, perhaps more modestly, named it ’a touch of daring’." Such daring has brought positive
responses. As one section of the report concludes, ‘"Truly, 2004
has been the year of ’come as you are’." The report is full of
quotations from those touched by the UCC ads. Examples include: "I
want to compliment you for the wonderful ad you have created . . . . I am
a white, female, married, non-Christian, mid-westerner . . . So I don’t’
fit any of the categories. I can say that if this ad reflects the attitude
of your church, I may just give our local UCC my support." And,
"It pleases me so much to see a Christian religion openly welcome all
people. There is enough hate in the world, so your message of love of
everyone is truly needed and welcome." And, "I sit here with
tears in my eyes as I write this e-mail. Thank you for recognizing gay and
lesbian couples. . . . I plan to attend a service next Sunday. Thank you,
acceptance feels good." From the Church
Administrator Appreciation to CCC from Building Users – CCC recently has received several thank-you’s from users of the building.
Thanks to – for cleaning kitchenettes on May 10 – and for putting up signs about not putting food down the drains! Robert Bullock, Dave Main, and David Gayer – for responding immediately and with practical advice to a plea for help in how to deal with an invasion of SPAM as a result of the Sober virus on Friday, May 6. We were able to take the necessary steps to notify the staff about the problem and provide remedies for dealing with it. Norton Anti-Virus did prevent Sober from infecting the church – thanks to regular updates by David Gayer. Girl Scouts – for working on removing dandelions in the lawn on May 11. Opportunity – Workday, June 4 – This quarterly opportunity for work and fellowship will take place on Saturday, June 4, from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Child care is provided, and lunch will be served to all volunteers from 12-1. Sign up on the lobby bulletin board. Outdoor work includes painting dumpster gate, planting summer flowers, continuing weeding & mulching. Workdays provide an opportunity for boards and committees to plan projects (like cleaning closets and classrooms) and to enlist the volunteers who sign up and want to keep busy on the workday. Contact Jackie Walters at PropertyAdmin@christ-ucc.org or 301-585-8010, ext. 222, for more information. We will finish in time for those who plan to attend John Touchton’s farewell to change before the party at 2 p.m. From the Kitchen Committee: If you take towels from the kitchenettes or Social Hall kitchen home to wash, please bring them back. Many of the new towels purchased on our return to the building are missing. Please check your kitchen linens and return any that belong to CCC. Thank you. Silver Spring
Interfaith Housing Coalition Recognizes CCC On May 18, Jim Todhunter and Jackie Walters attended the Annual Meeting of the Silver Spring Interfaith Housing Coalition (SSIHC) to receive an award given to CCC "for opening your doors to the Silver Spring Interfaith Housing Coalition." Throughout the year, SSIHC holds several meetings, including its monthly board meetings, at the Church. As its mentor and case management program expands, SSIHC also plans to hold resident enrichment programs at the Church. One activity being developed is a day to teach parents and children how to plan and cook nutritious meals. In 2004-05, CCC donated the equivalent of $1,470 worth of space to SSIHC. In her presentation remarks, Executive Director Norma Jennings described CCC as a place where, "When you step in, you feel the Spirit of Christ – you feel you are in God’s house. There is a spirit of giving, and you know this is a place where you can do God’s work." In his review of the year, SSIHC Chair Fred Hoefner discussed the Coalition’s ambitious 5-year strategic plan in terms of what challenges confront affordable housing in Montgomery County and how member congregations can help. He cited four steps: (1) Renew membership; (2) Sponsor mentor groups; (3) Increase financial contributions; and (4) Provide leads on property the Coalition can obtain to establish permanent housing. Among the challenges facing the Coalition are skyrocketing property values in Montgomery County and significantly reduced federal government funding. Two member congregations have purchased and rehabilitated residences to provide permanent (as opposed to transient) housing for Coalition client families. More member congregations are need to become actively involved in obtaining housing, to sponsor volunteer mentors (who are trained to provide support to client families), and to fill board vacancies. CCC’s board position was listed as vacant. Dr. Jasper Ormond, Associate Director of Community Justice Programs at the U.S. Office of Community Justice Programs and the keynote speaker, emphasized the importance of the interfaith nature of the Coalition and of its development of a mentor program. Dr. Ormond, a sociologist, stated that, in order for every citizen to become a fully functioning member of society, their basic human needs must be met. One need is safe, sound and affordable shelter. Two key components for meeting basic needs are family and community. Mentors help strengthen client families by providing support (such as talking and listening, taking children for some time-out, driving people to appointments) and promoting the essential family elements of bonding, esteem and empathy. By its interfaith nature, the Housing Coalition models an essential element of community: community-based groups cooperatively working together to provide services to meet basic needs. CCC is a founding member of the Silver Spring Interfaith Housing Coalition, and it was an honor to represent the Church at this event. The Board for Church Life will again be hosting a "Small Group Sign-Up Day" on Sunday, June 19, following the morning services. The purpose of these small groups is simply to give both new and long-time members an opportunity to connect with others in the church who have similar interests, for fun and fellowship. New groups that have been proposed thus far include a Friday Movie Night at CCC (convener, Linda Phelps); a Scrapbook Club (convener, Priscilla Peterson); Spiritual Reflections on Selected Movies (convener, Jay Marciano); and a Support Group for those who have Adult Siblings with Disabilities. In addition, Julia Jarvis is starting a Springvale Terrace Helpers group to brainstorm about different things we can do as a commmunity and small group to support the Springvale community. About 1/3 of the 154 residents there have very little resources, community or family. This group's main emphasis will be to think of ways we can support these particular residents during the holidays and throughout the year. There will also be information available about the fifteen current small groups at CCC that are open to new members. Anyone wishing to start a new group is welcome to do so! For further information, to sign up for a small group, or to start a new group, please contact Priscilla Peterson at 301-942-1720 (email: priscillap@starpower.net ). Many members of the church have thanked me for organizing this event, so I in turn want to thank all of those who helped me make this event a success. Around 20 members of the congregation served food for 2 hours, stood at display tables to explain the many programs we have on environmental and economic justice here at CCC, set up and cleaned up, and performed any and all sundry tasks that I needed done. I will mention by name just a very few: Leslie Wilson, the co-chair for this event -- without her vision and help in every instance I requested it (and some in which I did not even think to request it) this event would not have happened; Jackie Walters, who as usual cooperated in every way that I needed to get the event done; Scott Klein, who is truly amazing -- cheerful and efficient in setting up the many tables and other items needed to host this event; the middle school class and Chelsea and Nicole Wilson for doing beautiful artistic displays on many topics (did you see them?); Marian Dirda, who never blinked an eye when I told her "coffee hour" would be 2 hours long and serve as many as 200 people; and Jim Todhunter, Sandy Dodson, and Julia Jarvis for being so supportive in all ways in opening up our church to a sermon by Rabbi Swartz and the subsequent fair. I also wish to thank the following CCC boards: Social Witness, which sponsored the event financially and with individual help from its members; the Board of Church Life which fed the multitudes; and the Board of Outreach and Engagement, which spread the word to the public at the last minute when it became clear that this event had grown larger than I had at first imagined. Please understand that I could go on and on naming people and thanking them, but this article grows long; you all know who you are -- thank you so much. We had more than 20 outside groups and individuals represented at the fair who also deserve all our thanks. I hope we can do this every year! Winifred Roberts Talk about CCC at the Takoma Park Folk Festival Once again CCC will have a display table at the Takoma Park Folk Festival on Sunday, September 11. It's a fun, free event that attracts thousands of people. Last year this was a great way for us to spread the message about CCC to a very receptive audience (at least one new family joined after learning about us at the festival). We have a beautiful display depicting CCC and we'll have simple activities for kids. Please consider signing up (on the bulletin board) to be at the CCC table for an hour or two during the festival. And please let me know if you can help with face painting for kids. Questions, contact Sara Watson, saradwatson@aol.com, 301-879-7692. Join us on Saturday, June 4 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM for a reception in the Social Hall to celebrate the eight years of inspiration and leadership that John has brought to the music ministry at CCC. If you would like to make a contribution to a gift for John, make your check payable to "Christ Congregational Church" with "John Touchton Gift" in the memo line and mail or bring it to the church office by June 1, 2005. Families with Young Children Retreat June 17-18 CCC Retreat House Take a break, sort of, and enjoy the company of other families for a weekend of play. Let's have fun getting to know one another! Activities will include creating family friendly rituals of prayer, crafts, playing games, singing and of course, a Saturday night campfire. Meals and leadership will be shared among adult participants. Children can be age 8 and younger. Housing in shared rooms in the Retreat House and Bunkhouse or bring your tent! Please sign up before June 12 on the flyer posted outside the church office or call the church office to register. $30/adult for entire weekend. $20/adult for one night only. Children free. Meals extra. Weekend Cordinators: Sandy and Jaime Dodson Vacation Bible School Is Coming In August In order to plan for Construction Zone VBS we need to know how many teens and adults we'll have to staff the program. If you missed the chance last summer to participate, don't miss the experience this year. Contact Katherine Hake with questions about volunteering and/or enrolling your children at 301-434-4752 or K2JHAKE@copper.net. Do you enjoy acting, crafts, games, music, creating decorations and props, storytelling, sharing your faith, and/or motivating children? If so, there are many opportunities for volunteering your talents at Construction Zone VBS. Volunteers are needed to lead games, serve snacks, do crafts, sing, and teach valuable character building lessons. We also need childcare for the toddlers of other volunteers. We would love to have you join our crew the week of August 1 – 5. Not available all week? If you can only volunteer one or two mornings that week we will be glad to have you. Not free in August? Volunteers are also needed to create the room decorations prior to VBS and to provide snack items. Katherine Hake Choosing CCC News Notes Online Just a reminder… To Sign up to receive News Notes on-line:
If you choose to read the News Notes on the web:
This year’s Beach Weekend is set for Friday, August 19 through Sunday, August 21 at the Christian Church Conference Center in Bethany Beach, Delaware. Come join us for fun in the surf and sand before the summer comes to an end. The Center is about a block from the beach in the main part of town and has a community playground within steps of the facility. It’s a great time for fun, community, and fellowship! Registration forms with complete details will be available soon. Watch for announcements. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact Kathie McConnelll at 301-589-0151 or by email at KLMcconnell@mindspring.com Calling Past CCC Choir Members As many of you know, Sunday, June 5th is John Touchton’s last day at CCC as Director of Music. During the course of planning for this special service, he has asked me to extend an invitation to all present and past choir members who have sung under his direction to participate with the choir that Sunday. This invitation is for all ages, Kindergarten through adult. We will sing two pieces in the worship service that involve this group of singers. If you are willing and available to join us, please come to the choir rehearsal on Thursday evening, June 2, at 7:45 PM and meet in the sanctuary. I hope you can join us to make John’s send-off even more special to him." Sam Brush, Choir President Stewardship
Pledge for fiscal year 2005-2006, Below is a pledge card for our coming fiscal year. If you have not yet completed a pledge card for the new church year, you can use the card below to send your pledge for CCC to the church. Cards are also available in the pew racks in the sanctuary, and on a table outside the church office. Please complete the pledge card and mail it as soon as possible to:
If you prefer, you may leave it in the church office in the box of the Stewardship Board. Help us to make this pledging season the best ever. Thank you. – Board of Stewardship 
I/we joyfully pledge to give CCC an annual total of $__________ beginning July 1, 2005. I/we will make my donations as follows: _____weekly, _____monthly, _____quarterly, or _____ yearly. I understand that I can change this commitment at any time by notifying the Financial Secretary. Name(s): ________________________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ * I would like to talk with someone about opportunities to serve within the church. * I would like to talk with someone about including the church in my will.– Board of Stewardship PLEASE NOTE: Deadline for
the next
issue is THURSDAY June 2, 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 |
