Return
to CCC Home Page|
Printable version of this NewsNotes CCC NewsNotes
December 6, 2005 A Just Peace and Open and Affirming Church
CHRISTMAS AT CCC--From Jim I’m guessing you don’t remember when Christmas Day last fell on a Sunday? Answer: 1994, eleven years ago. Do you remember how we celebrated Christmas that Sabbath day? Answer: a simple service of lessons and carols. This year, since Christmas once more falls on Sunday, our schedule will be a little different, but I think you will find the changes interesting. To begin with, remember that on Sunday, December 18th, we will have two identical services at 9 and 11 A.M. That evening at 5:00 P.M. we will welcome the choir of Emmanuel-Brinklow Seventh Day Adventist Church to join our CCC Chapel Choir for a special program of Christmas music, including Poulenc’s wondrous Gloria. On Christmas Eve, our Inter-Generational Family Service will be at 5:00 P.M. At 9:00 P.M. (instead of at 11:00 P.M.) there will be a Traditional Service of Lessons and Carols. This will be followed by a reception in the Church entryway. Since many of our high school and college graduates come to this service each year, be sure and let anyone you know who might come of the earlier hour this year. Christmas Day. There will be one worship service on December 25th at 10:30 A.M. And, it will be very different. We will gather at that time in the Church Social Hall for our version of a Christian Agape Meal (or Love Feast). If you have ever taken part in a Moravian Love Feast you have some idea of what we will be doing. Come as you are in informal Christmas morning attire. We will take our places at tables together. The service will be informal and joyous, including singing, readings, and sharing. Simple, sweet bread, coffee, tea, fruit, and juice will be served. The service will last one hour. What is an Agape Meal? It is believed that from the time of the first century, Christians worshipped and celebrated the Risen Christ in private homes. Central to their worship was, of course, the Sacrament of Holy Communion. But it is believed that another experience of worship also took place from time to time. It was worship that included a shared meal. This meal was simple, joyous and welcoming. It was different and distinct from the Sacrament. Its emphasis was on Christian love, the spirit of welcoming all, and remembering the poor, needy, or forgotten. Many Christian traditions today continue this practice. For the Moravian Christians (mentioned above) this custom takes place in the sanctuary and involves the passing of sweetened coffee and simple rolls for all the worshippers. But in many traditions such meals can take place anywhere including private homes. If you find this idea intriguing and want to spend an hour with CCC friends at Church that Sunday (after the presents have been unwrapped and while dinner is in the oven), please join us. In the Agape spirit of outreach and inclusion, we will be inviting some of our friends from Springvale Terrace to join us, many of whom expect to be alone at Christmas. So, your presence would be a real blessing for everyone! Love, Jim * * * * * A MERRY AND BLESSED CHRISTMAS AND THE HAPPIEST OF NEW YEAR'S FROM THE CCC STAFF Jim, Sandy, Markus, Julia, Susan, Dianne, Vicki, David Gayer, Cory, Jordan, Christian, David Frey, and Coleman. * * * * * HOW WE LOVE ONE ANOTHER I recently received a card with this note from Claudia Tornblom. As I thought about what she wrote, it seemed to me that this is a lovely example of how caring takes place at CCC, perhaps more than people realize. The background is that Claudia underwent shoulder surgery in November. It was more serious than she had expected and she had to be pretty much homebound for several weeks. As an independent single mom, with Audrey away at college, she was determined to manage on her own. This prompted concern on the part of some Chancel Choir friends, notably Leslie Weyn (herself a broken arm survivor) who called me. I talked to Claudia with the suggestion that she have a Care Giver from Called to Care and asked if I could call Sam Brush, president of the choir, about providing some assistance with meals and transportation. "Well, okay," Claudia agreed, stressing that she really didn’t think she needed all that much help. I called Sue Dollins and Sam Brush and they carried the ball from there. This is what Claudia’s card said (shared with her permission): November 23, 2005 Dear Jim, Thank you very much for prompting me to admit I needed assistance after my shoulder surgery and for asking Sue Dollins and the Choir to consider providing it. I am overwhelmed by the widespread response and very mindful of how much more difficult my recovery would have been without it. June Leonard provided dinner and a ride to a doctor’s appointment; Pat O’Connor provided dinner; Terry Strand was planning to bring dinner when her mother fell and I convinced her I could feed myself that day; Ann Marshall and David Main provided dinner and company while I ate it; Aldene Ault came over to remove two stitches the nurse had missed; Nancy Kosinski provided a ride to a second doctor’s appointment; Ben Gallup provided a ride to BWI to pick up Audrey yesterday; and Sue Dollins provided flowers, company, and a standing role as needed to assist – not to mention encouragement based on her own experience. Beyond these named individuals I was grateful to receive a number of cards and calls from other CCC members. Thank you, all. Claudia "See how they love one another," it was said of the early Christian church. And it is still happening Criticism of No Child Left Behind Act. The UCC is represented on the Committee for Public Education and Literacy of the National Council of Churches. Recently this committee issued a statement warning "that the ‘No Child Left Behind Act’ is leaving more children behind than it is saving, especially children of color and poor children." The statement especially opposes "the business-management assumptions" that form the basis of much of this law. "As people of faith we do not view our children as products to be tested and managed, but as unique individuals to be nurtured and educated." For further information, go to www.ncccusa.org/news/051130NoChildBehind.html.More Discretionary Mission Allocations. At its November meeting, the Board for Social Witness made two more allocations of CCC’s budgeted discretionary mission funds as follows: Shepherd’s Table - $1,000. In 1983, a group of community and religious organizations, including CCC, banded together to address the homelessness and poverty growing in and near downtown Silver Spring. The initial purpose was "to provide a hot, nutritious meal in a warm, welcoming environment to those who are homeless and needy." This basic service quickly expanded to include medical services, social service information, shelter referrals, on-site shower facilities and a clothes closet, and advocacy and counseling assistance. In 1996, Shepherd’s Table moved from a small house to Progress Place. In 1999, an eye clinic opened. Throughout the twenty-two years of Shepherd's Table's operations, CCC has provided financial assistance plus volunteers who serve meals on the second Wednesday of each month. Project Mala - $500. The goal of this long-standing project is to eliminate child labor in the hand-knotted carpet factories of eastern Uttar Pradesh, India. The project identifies working children in villages and gives them three years of non-formal education in basic literacy and math, plus a general knowledge of science. They also receive vocational skills involving a rural handicraft, with the hope that they will stay in their communities rather than migrate to a large city. There are now five such schools with a total of over 1000 students. Half of the children decide to continue their education at the end of the three years. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ SHAW COMMUNITY MINISTRY - Thanks for Thanksgiving, On to Christmas. As a result of the generosity of Potomac Association congregations, including CCC in a big way, Shaw Community Ministry (SCM) packed and distributed 157 Thanksgiving baskets to residents of Lincoln-Westmoreland Housing and other nearby homes. Many thanks to all of you who helped out yet again. On Saturday, December 17, 12:00 noon to 2:30 PM, SCM will hold its annual children’s Christmas party at the SCM office, 1718 7th Street, NW, DC. The office is right above the southern entrance to the Howard Univ./Shaw Metro station on the Green Line. EVERYONE IS INVITED TO ATTEND. This is always a festive occasion, with food, crafts, music and presents for the children. If you would like to provide a present (books, toys or a gift certificate) for one or more of the children, please contact Anne Weissenborn at weissenborn@starpower.net or (301) 682-6042. This year CCC has been assigned five youngsters ages 4, 6, 7, and 12 from two families.^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The Committee for the Arts seeks talented artists who would like to exhibit in the Marian Tate art gallery in 2006. Works of art of any medium are welcome: whether written, drawn, painted, photographed, or sewn. Both individual and group shows are encouraged. Contact Stephanie Fitzpatrick by phone (301-589-9282) or email (fitzpatrickstephanie@yahoo.com). Christmas Concert – Sunday, December 18: CCC’s Chancel Choir and the concert choir of Emmanuel Brinklow Seventh-Day Adventist Church, accompanied by orchestra, present a concert of lessons and carols featuring the Poulenc Gloria on Sunday, Dec. 18, at 5 p.m. in the Sanctuary. The concert is part of the "Music for a Sunday Afternoon" concert series. The concert will also be presented at Emmanuel Brinklow, 18800 New Hampshire Avenue, Ashton, at 8 p.m. on Friday, December 16. CCC’s Executive Council will host a reception following the Sunday concert with thanks in advance to the Council and to Sue Dollins for planning and preparing the reception. ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` Duroncelay Family Update MISSING*********MISSING*********MISSING*********MISSING*********MISSING One of the small white coffee pots in the second floor kitchen is missing its filter holder so we can’t make coffee in the second pot. If you know what happened to it, please let the church administrator know of its whereabouts before a replacement part is ordered.
Forty Years
Ago – The Beginning & the Vision In my first meeting with the search committee of Christ Church in 1960, when we talked of a new ministry, I proposed a retreat program as a meaningful addition to a highly organized church. We held our first "family camp" at Camp Rim Rock just down and across the river from the Retreat House property. One afternoon, Farley Massey and Josephine Kelly, owners and directors of Rim Rock, met me with their jeep, as I was en route to the river for a swim. We forded the Cacapon River and traveled a country road to a hill CCC folks later named Fossil Mountain. Hiking through brambles (I in my swim trunks), our feet scrambled over troglodytes sleeping in their rock strata along with other forms of ancient life undisturbed since the Ice Age. At the top, a magnificent view lay beneath us. Farley gestured toward the cultivated fields leading down to the river where we could see Forrest Davis’ farm on the other side. On the far side of the field was a string of cabins along the fencerow. Across the road to our left was the farmhouse with a cabin and pump house nearby. A springhouse lay at the foot of the hill to the left of the house. Across the road from the house was a utility shower and washhouse and down the road, almost directly below our lookout, was a barn. Originally envisioned as an equestrian camp for older girls, everything looked planned and complete -- the Promised Land in our mind’s eye. Farley smiled when she told me that the valley folks had said they would like "those church people over there at Rim Rock to be neighbors." Commonly thought to be haunted during old Mrs. Kline’s declining years, the house was in disrepair. This all sounded like a spiritual gift at a time when we were looking for a retreat location. Even before the purchase was finalized, we were able to hold retreats. We learned small groups of 15 or 20 people contributed to our personal experience and sharing. It was a high time, when we were able to employ two local women to cook for us. For several years, it was an indescribable experience – except for the weight watchers! Then the time came for the Trustees to see the property, which would become their responsibility. On the night we arrived, it had just rained, and we forded Lohman’s Branch with some doubts about the return. In the low fog, the whippoorwills would not make their plaintive calls. Inside the house, things cheered up as we told stories of Indian lore in the area. When it was late, we walked to the river rapids and, standing in silence, we listened to the water as it made its own kind of music as it trickled over the stones and watched the starlight reflected in the quiet pools. I think we could feel the property was not an end in itself but sacred space revealing the Presence beyond the symbol. When we needed a chapel, John Reese, an architect who had already designed two chapels for church camps, moved from the west coast to Silver Spring. His design of rustic simplicity made it possible for young and old to make creative additions to the chapel, and many joined Leonard Ebel, with his carpentry skills, in building it. Every time we enter the Church office now, forty years later, we see the treasure that was rumored to be in the foundation of the old house. Instead, we found it in the stairway, "View of Mt. Katahdin" by Virgil Williams, and its value estimated by the Smithsonian was greater than the cost of the house and all the property. Truly, the Retreat House was a gift of sacred space to be used by Christ Church – with children floating down the river in inner tubes, others discovering fossils, and the sharing of soul friends – all sending Jesus’ message of the abundant life in the Spirit. Update from the Board of Outreach and Engagement It has been one year since the United Church of Christ (UCC) lunched its multi- million-dollar Advent television advertising campaign – "the Bouncers" ad. Thanks to CBS and NBC’s refusal to air the ad last December, the UCC received enhanced national media coverage and attention. The UCC also ran additional television ads during the 2005 Lenten season. Over the past year, visits to the UCC website have increased from 950,000 annually to 5 million. More than 521,000 people have entered a city name or zip code to find a UCC church near them. Most of the visits to the UCC website have occurred during the running of the television ads. In early November 2005, the UCC and Gotham advertising agency won the prestigious Association of National Advertisers 5th Annual Award for Multicultural Excellence for "the Bouncers" ad and the Still Speaking Initiative Campaign. This award recognizes the efforts for an outstanding multicultural advertising campaign. The other two finalists for the award were Microsoft and MasterCard. According to Ron Buford, the Coordinator for the UCC Still Speaking Initiative, "The UCC was awarded this honor because we didn’t take a brand and make it multicultural, we took multicultural and made it a brand, the UCC brand." Closer to home, the Potomac Association, which is made up of UCC churches in the Washington, DC, area, has been working on a joint newspaper advertising campaign. During the 2005 Lenten season the Potomac Association ran print ads in the front and local sections of the Washington Post and in other community newspapers. All of the ads refer folks to the Stillspeakingmetrodc.org website, where readers can find a UCC church near them and connect to the local UCC church websites. The joint advertising method is the most cost effective and it allows all of the UCC churches in the area to choose to participate. The Potomac Association plans to run newspaper print ads again during the 2005 Advent season. Here at CCC we continue to welcome first time visitors and repeat visitors weekly. Take a look around the congregation on a given Sunday and you will see many new faces. Visitors are finding us by way of the UCC website, the CCC website, word of mouth and other outreach efforts lead by the CCC Outreach and Engagement Board. They are finding us through the CCC booth at the Takoma Park Folk Festival, a flyer in the Indian Spring Community Association September newsletter, a year long ad in the Silver Spring/Takoma Park Voice monthly newspaper, a year long ad in the Gay Men’s Chorus program, and announcements sent out through public service organizations. They are findings us through community e-mail list-serves for events like the Music Series, the Steven Coll book event, and many other CCC sponsored events open to the public. The Outreach and Engagement Board makes follow up telephone calls to those visitors who leave contact information. We invite visitors to attend our monthly Conversation Meetings as a way to learn more about CCC and the UCC. During 2005, CCC has welcomed 18 new adult members and 8 confirmands to the church. At this writing, CCC membership is 699 as compared to 678 in December 2004. The Outreach and Engagement Board thanks you, the members and friends of CCC, for being a welcoming congregation - for taking the time to speak to visitors or unfamiliar faces and for introducing yourself. The kiosk in the entryway of CCC is stocked with various brochures about the UCC denomination and CCC programs and events. Don’t be afraid to hand out brochures to visitors. Please encourage visitors to participate in the life of CCC and worship with us because, our underlying message is, "No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey you are welcome here" at CCC .Upcoming Events sponsored by the Board for Church Life: Join us on Sunday December 11th for an evening of Christmas Caroling, sponsored by the Board for Church Life. The Carolers should plan to meet at the church by 4:30 pm. From there, we will travel to Springvale Terrace to spread Christmas Cheer from 5:00 to 5:45 pm. This is a fun Christmas activity that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Mark your calendars and plan to attend! ^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^V^ ‘TIS THE SEASON * CHRISTMAS IS COMING * ‘TIS THE SEASON Broad Acres Elementary School is very much looking forward to receiving our winter outerwear collection again this year. Please bring your gently used or new coats of any size, mittens, gloves, hats, scarves, and boots to church from December 4th through the 18th. These items will be delivered to the school on the 19th in order to be distributed before winter break. For further information or questions contact Kristen Brown: 301-460-1806, brown.jk@comcast.net Christmas Ornament Sale – Handmade porcelain Christmas ornaments will be on sale in the lobby following worship beginning Thanksgiving Sunday (Nov. 20) through Christmas Sunday (Dec. 18). For this 3rd annual benefit, four styles of these delicate ornaments – a peace dove, a heart, a star and a pear -- by Hooven & Hooven, a mother-daughter team of artists based in California, will be offered. All proceeds go to CCC’s Building Fund to help pay the mortgage on the Phase I renovation. These beautiful ornaments make wonderful Christmas gifts for work colleagues, teachers, collectors, and friends and family. SPRINGVALE CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS Springvale Terrace, our nearby UCC assisted-living facility, has about 35 residents who don't have any family and live on very limited resources. You can help make their Christmas brighter by helping Julia and others create for each of them a big stocking filled with both pleasurable and needed items. If interested, contact Julia at home or via email: juliajar@erols.com. 5:00 PM CHRISTMAS EVE INTERGENERATIONAL SERVICE Families and members of the congregation will take part in the re-telling of the ancient Christmas story. The service will be very simple. There will be no lines to be learned, no rehearsals. We are asking for families to share in the story by coming forward during the service as angels and shepherds, sheep, animals and wise-ones as the scene at the manger unfolds. There is a signup sheet on the bulletin board. The Christmas Fund offering will be collected on Sunday, December 18, 2005. The Christmas Fund Offering is one of four Special Mission Offerings of the United Church of Christ (UCC). Gifts to the Christmas Fund help provide pension and health premium supplementation to low-income retirees, emergency assistance to the families of clergy and lay employees and Christmas Gift Checks to hundreds of annuitants. In addition, this year, 25% of the Offering will go to UCC's Back Bay Mission in Biloxi, Mississippi to assist their rebuilding efforts. CCC has a long-standing relationship with the mission, which has been on the forefront of civil rights for decades and works to help the most marginalized members of society. Envelopes will be available in the pews throughout the month. American Red Cross Blood Drive – CCC's next blood drive will be held on Saturday, January 7th from 8:00am-1:00pm. To schedule a donation time, please contact the ARC directly at 1-800-GIVELIFE. If you have questions about the drive, contact Sam Brush at 301-565-5929.The Referral and Service Committee needs your help! We assist church members during times of short-term need and are looking for new members to provide food for and serve at memorial service receptions, to provide rides for medical appointments, and to deliver meals. If you are interested, please contact Stephanie Peterson at 301-589-1080 or at sjp@starpower.net. The next CCC Book Group discussion will be on Sunday evening, January 22nd, 7 p.m., at the home of Eleanor Waldrop. The book to discuss is Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks, a novel set in 17th England in the time of the plague. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Tuesday 8 AM--Adult Education/Bible Study Check with Elsa Brandt (301-589-8694) for December and January meeting dates. SISTERS FOR SISTERS will meet at Barbara Whittlesey's home for a Christmas Tea at 1:30 on Saturday, December 10th. There will be a White Elephant Exchange. Barbara lives at 15402 Short Ridge Court in Leisure World. Please RSVP to Nancy Kosinski - Telephone # 301-933-7531 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU To our CCC Family: Words are inadequate to express our deep appreciation for such loving care and compassion during this period of bereavement for our dear husband and father, Joseph. Your cards, flowers, notes, food (wonderful repast) and other expressions of sympathy have eased our pain and grief tremendously. Johnnie Watkins, Adam, and Monte * * * * * * * * * I am so grateful for all your prayers and many
expressions of care and concern since the death of my mother, Phyllis
Holtzen. Many of you had met her over the last 10 years since she moved
to MD and know what a special place she played in the life of our
family. We will truly miss her. Your notes meant a great deal and have
been very helpful during this difficult time. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WINTER WEEKEND January 13-16 at Camp Soles, Rockwood, PA It’s not too early to mark your calendars for the annual ski weekend! As in years past, we are teaming up with the Washington Ethical Society for family, fellowship and good times. Strap on your skis and hit the cross country trails, take in the slopes and tube parks at nearby Hidden Valley or Seven Springs resorts, or lounge at the Camp Soles Lodge sipping hot cocoa in front of the fire. (Fri.-Sun., 3 nights/8 meals) 18 years to Adult $136; Youth 7 to 17 $130; Children 4 to 6 $67; (Fri. & Sat. OR Sat. & Sun., 2 nights/5 meals) 18 years to Adult $94; Youth 7 to 17 $90; Children 4 to 6 $52 As always, children under 4 are always free! Register early to have your pick of bunk houses! PLEASE NOTE: Deadline for
the next
issue is THURSDAY January 5, 2006
at 5:00 p.m. Betsy Thomas, Editor The Rev. James A. Todhunter, Senior Minister; The Rev. Sandra K. Dodson, Associate Minister; The Rev. Julia Jarvis, Director of Programming for Older Adults; Markus Williams, Interim Director of Music |
