Community UCC eNews
Aug. 6, 2020
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Community UCC is an inclusive and progressive Christian Church doing social justice, environmental faithfulness, interfaith collaboration and spiritual formation to help ourselves and others grow in faith, hope and love.
The Church and Office will remain closed for now.
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Sunday Worship — Zoom and Facebook Live
On Sunday, Aug. 9, Pastor Julia Penner-Zook will deliver a sermon titled “Alone and in the Dark” based on Matthew 14: 22-33.
Julia writes: We’re comfortable with light, sound, and action! Not so comfortable when we‘re alone in the dark! This holds true for adults as well as kids!
Since we find ourselves in a global pandemic, a reality that requires physical distancing, we are now confronted with darkness and aloneness simultaneously. While we did not ask for this situation and are doing all we can to prevent and alleviate suffering, this time presents an opportunity to learn new spiritual practices.
See below for details of how we will "do church" for now.
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Instructions for Zoom worship
For upcoming worship services, we are doing Zoom videoconferencing meetings, so we can see each other's faces even as we are apart.
Links to the Zoom worships go out each Wednesday in a separate email just to church members. Look for "Zoom links" in that email subject line.
Lisa will continue to provide Facebook Live on Sundays at 10:30 a.m., by capturing her computer screen during the Zoom worship (although we are looking into the possibility of streaming the Zoom worship directly to Facebook Live — more to come).
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Community UCC will NOT reopen church, office for now
Despite our sense of loss and longing, we will keep our church building doors closed at this time out of an abundance of caution and concern for the health and safety of all members of our congregation and our staff. Read more about this decision on our website.
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Packing and Unpacking
By Pastor Julia Penner-Zook
When you think about packing, do you think about this ... (picture of suitcases and travel accessories)
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… or about this? (picture of moving boxes)
It depends on whether you’re thinking about getting away or moving.
Either way, there are decisions to be made. What will make it into the luggage, and what is deemed worthy (enough) to accompany you into your next home?
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I heard sociologist, novelist, TedX speaker Dr. Bertice Berry pose a thought-provoking question a few days ago: “What do I need to pack, and what do I need to unpack?”
She was talking neither about a vacation nor a relocation. She was urging her hearers to ponder each morning what they need to pack or unpack to carry with them into the day.
Will it be laughter or cynicism?
Creativity or boredom?
Courage or fear?
Will it be every available news report to confirm our already strongly held bias, or stories of our neighbors—our common and similar joys and struggles?
It seems more important than ever to ask that question, as what we pack or unpack will impact whether we make it through this pandemic, or how successfully we will make it through.
So, what will I pack or unpack?
What's important enough to move with me into my future?
What is vital enough that it will move me into my future?
And you into yours?
What is important enough to move us into our future as a church family?
Photo credit 1: Laptop; suitcase; camera; sunglasses: Anete Lusina via unsplash.com (open source)
Photo credit 2: Moving boxes: Matthew Hamilton via unsplash.com (open source)
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"A Space for Reflection" will contain quotes and poetry to contemplate and reflect upon as you move through your week. Take a moment to read the quote or poem, allow the words to wash over you. Then, see what word(s) spoke to you, what thought(s) came up for you and then you might journal those thoughts or just sit with them for a while.
“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”
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Adult Education
We are changing the day for Adult Education via Zoom. It is moving from 10 a.m. Mondays to 9 a.m. Sundays for the foreseeable future. Marilyn will send Zoom links.
Here is the new schedule:
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Last Sunday, Pastor Julia Penner-Zook delivered a sermon titled “They are Tired Too” based on Matthew 14:13-21.
She writes: "These months are hard for those who are helpers! All we have to do is pay attention to what’s happening to medical professionals, teachers, and support service personnel (to say nothing of parents) as COVID-19 wears on. Exhaustion and burnout pose a real threat.
"What happens when the crises just keep coming as we hardly have strength for the next step? Observing Jesus’ intentions and actions can give us hope." Click here to watch her sermon.
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Office hours for Pastor Julia
Office hours for our Pastor, Julia Penner-Zook, are Tuesday afternoons. If you'd like to chat with Julia by phone, please email her at j.penner.zook@gmail.com to schedule a time. She would love to hear from you.
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75 years after the atomic bombs dropped
CUCC members Janet Capella and her daughter, Laural Fawcett, contributed their talents to efforts by the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) to mark the 1945 atomic bombings of Japan The United States bombed Hiroshima on August 6 and Nagasaki on August 9 at the end of World War II.
Laural created a graphic (see above) that WILPF chapters across the nation can use to publicize the 75th anniversary of the bombings.
Janet joined with WILPF members across the country to plan associated campaigns to ban nuclear weapons and press for ratification of international peace treaties.
Ceremonies will be held at 8 a.m. Aug. 6 and at 11 a.m. Aug. 9 in the Fresno State Peace Garden. The events are closed to the public because of the pandemic, but the ceremonies will be live streamed on the Facebook pages of WILPF Fresno and the Human Rights Coalition of the Central Valley, and they will be available for later viewing at those sites.
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In Print: 'The COVID-19 Pandemic'
Back in May, our member Dr. Helmut Kloos gave us a preview of an upcoming article he was involved in researching and writing. Now the article has been published. Helmut and 27 other scientists prepared an article published last week in the British Medical Journal, Global Health. The article is entitled "The COVID-19 pandemic: Diverse Contexts; Different Epidemics — How and Why?" Read more on our website.
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In each week's eNews, we include a news article from our larger denomination, the United Church of Christ, to show the faithful work being done in other places.
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UCC grants available now to help register, educate and mobilize voters locally
The United Church of Christ’s advocacy office is encouraging local churches to be creative and COVID-conscious as they apply for “Our Faith, Our Vote” grants in support of work to inform voters on key issues and motivate them to vote.
Five grants of $2,500 each are available “for use in local and regional Our Faith, Our Vote organizing,” said Sandy Sorensen, director of the UCC office in Washington, D.C. Churches can apply online here. Applications are due Aug. 14.
Eligible projects include nonpartisan activities in any of three areas: voter registration, issue education, and voter empowerment and mobilization. Continue reading at UCC.com.
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Happy Birthday to all who are celebrating this month!
August Birthdays
9 – Helmut Kloos and John Moseley
11 – Landry Reynolds
12 – Devon Wright
16 – Ron Perry
17 – Samantha Earl
20 – Tess Hayden
22 – Sally Hoagland
24 – DayJu Ramirez
25 – Arville Earl
29 – Sally Garcia
August Anniversaries
14 – Sue and Spence Hipp
26 – Eileen and Sib White
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Upcoming Church Events
- We will resume listing in-person events after things get back to normal. For now, events have either been cancelled, will be rescheduled or will be held virtually.
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eNews deadline is 10 a.m. Wednesdays
CUCC eNews is a weekly publication distributed every Thursday. Deadline for submitting announcements is 10 a.m. Wednesdays (and earlier is appreciated). Please send your announcements to Marilyn at office@communityucc.com. Lisa Boyles Bell (lisamboyles12@gmail.com, 559.244.9502) is the volunteer communications liaison for our church. Lisa and Doug Hoagland (doughoagland@att.net) alternate working on eNews. Send your announcements to both of them for newsletters from June to August.
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We've updated our Joyful Giving page to reflect the many ways members can help support our Church's missions and operations, especially needed in these critical and uncertain times.
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The Church and Office will remain closed for the time being, due to COVID-19.
Phone: 559.435.2690
Email: office@communityucc.com
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