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A Message from the Pastor
As we anticipate our gradual return to the church campus for worship and other activities, perhaps the wonders of zoom no longer seem as spectacular. We have been "zooming" our worship services, meetings, and classes since March 22, 2020, and therefore perhaps some of the "shininess" of this technology has worn off. I think it's an appropriate time to share some of the specifics of why I'm thankful for the blessings of zoom video conferencing.
Thank you, zoom, for--
- providing a way for us to see each other and hear each other's voices when we can't be together in person.
- making it possible for us to participate from our homes, our yards, our cars, wherever we might be.
- making it possible for former members and extended family to join us in worship from out of town and out of state.
- making us unmute before speaking. Perhaps that extra moment has helped us to be more careful with our words.
- giving us different ways to be present--we can turn our video on or off.
- allowing us to hide the particulars of our own setting at home by using a different background.
 - giving us the record option--we can watch worship services that we have missed; we can review a meeting to make sure our notes are accurate.
- extending the life of our wardrobe from the waist down--not needing to wear nice pants, socks, shoes...
- helping us to become for proficient with, and less intimidated by, technology.
Thank you, zoom. We will continue to use you and appreciate you long into the future, even when we are again gathering at 22 Chalice Way.
Peace in Christ,
Pastor Mitch
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Even though we are unable to meet in person,
RRCC has three ways you can still give your tithe:
- Go to the RRCC website rrdisciples.org and click on the "GIVE HERE" button at the top of the main page. Or use the link at the top of each newsletter. It will take you to the same place.
- Use your bank's electronic bill pay feature to have a check mailed directly from your bank to RRCC.
- Mail your check directly to RRCC.
Address your envelope to:
Financial Secretary
Round Rock Christian Church
22 Chalice Way
Round Rock, TX 78665
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For the past 13 months, leaders launching new churches have stepped up with great creativity and innovation to spread the word about the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) - to be the new church.
The 2021 Pentecost Offering supports new church development in our Region and across our denomination. Half of the gifts go to regions to support new church development. The other half goes to New Church Ministry which trains, equips, assists, and multiplies new church leaders.
The 2021 Pentecost Offering will be received on May 16 and 23.You may give by check or online at www.rrdisciples.org, designating your gift as Pentecost Offering. Let's all be the new church, together.
DISCIPLES MISSION FUND SPECIAL DAY OFFERINGS provide an opportunity to highlight specific ministries as part of our faith celebrations. There are six Disciples Mission Fund Special Day Offerings received each year during Easter, Pentecost, Thanksgiving, and Christmas seasons, plus Reconciliation and Week of Compassion.
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Bluebonnet Area/LRGVD Assembly
The 2021 BBA/LRGVD Assembly to be held on Saturday, May 15, 2021 at Central Christian Church of San Antonio for those attending in person and via Zoom for those attending virtually.
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Upcoming Events
There will be no events/meetings held in the RRCC facility until further notice.
Some RRCC activities and events have been cancelled until further notice.
Most are continuing online via zoom.
Tuesday, May 11, 2021
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7:00 p.m.
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- Elders Meeting 40 Day Prayer Journal (via Zoom) Link HERE | |
7:00 p.m.
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- Shalom Congregation (off site)
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5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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- Texas Heat Volleyball
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- Caring Hearts Prayer Group (via Zoom) Link HERE
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7:00 p.m.
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5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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- Texas Heat Volleyball
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Thursday, May 13, 2021 Ascension of the Lord
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1:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
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4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
| - Texas Heat Volleyball
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8:00 a.m.
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- Shalom Congregation
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10:00 a.m.
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- 2021 Bluebonnet Area/LRGVD Assembly
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Sunday, May 16, 2021 The Sixth Sunday after Easter
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9:45 a.m.
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- Explorers Sunday School (via Zoom) Link HERE | |
9:45 a.m.
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- Open Circle Sunday School (via Zoom) Link HERE | |
11:00 a.m.
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Evening
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- Manantial de Vida Congregation (off site)
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Monday, May 17, 2021
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5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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- Texas Heat Volleyball
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7:00 p.m.
| - Guiding Board Meeting (via Zoom) Link HERE |
Tuesday, May 18, 2021
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5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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- Texas Heat Volleyball
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7:00 p.m.
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- Shalom Congregation (off site)
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ZOOM MEETING LINKS, events and details can be viewed on the RRCC Calendar.
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 After 14 months of virtual meetings, our Handcrafters Ministry took advantage of the spring weather to gather outdoors at the church on Saturday, May 8. Good conversation, crocheting projects, and hugs abounded. Eleven baby blankets with caps and 11 additional caps were blessed, to be delivered to newborn babies at Seton Williamson Hospital. Pictured: Carrol Scarborough, Linda Glover, Anna Marie Blair, Janette Johnston, Susan Kessler, Bea Whitley, and Lisa Walker.
Also on May 8, following their monthly Zoom men's fellowship, a group of Disciples Men gathered to clean out and add plants to the new flower boxes along the east driveway.
More work projects are planned to beautify our landscaping in preparation for our return to 22 Chalice Way. Pictured are Rod Walker, John Claymon, Perry Mouser, Paul Maybaum, and Jim Kessler.
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Mission South and Disciple Oaks Summer Camps 2021
Church camp changes lives! You can register online here. You can also register on the Disciple Oaks website. For a copy of this flyer you can download it here For a copy of the Mission South Summer Camp 2021 Fees download it here For a copy of the CampDoc Registration Instructions download it here More information can be found at our website, link above.
2021 Summer Camp Dates:
CYF Conference: June 21-July 3, 2021
Eighter's Camp: July 4-10, 2021
JYF Camp: July 20-21, 2021
Chi Rho Camp: July 25-31, 2021
Online Registration opens March 15, 2021
More info:
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Fern Chester has moved. Her new address is below, and she would love to receive cards and visits. Fern has been an integral part of Round Rock Christian Church from our early days. Her late husband, the Rev. Dr. Ray Chester, was our first minister. Through the years, Fern has served in many roles, and has been very active in Open Circle Class and the monthly book group. Despite being our oldest member, Fern remains energetically curious about the world and always eager to learn more. She enjoys using, and is not intimidated by, modern technology. She is an Elder Emerita.
Fern Chester
Buckner Villas
Greenridge Building, Apt. 205
11110 Tom Adams Dr.
Austin, TX 78753
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RRCC Newsletter Deadlines
Please submit your
Tuesday Newsletter articles and pictures
before 10:00 a.m. on Mondays.
and your Friday Reminders articles and pictures
before 12:00 p.m. on Thursdays.
Thank you!
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CHANCEL CHOIR ZOOM FELLOWSHIP
Chancel Choir meets via ZOOM on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m.:
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Did You Miss a Newsletter?
Past newsletters dating back to mid-March 2020 are currently archived under the "ABOUT US" tab on the RRCC Website.
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Upcoming Birthdays
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May 15
| - Bob Jenkins | |
May 17
| - Kent Toomey |
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Prayer Needs
LEADERSHIP
1. Our Guiding Board, Ministries Council, Elders, Deacons, Ministries and Teams. Our Elders are nearing the end of their "40 Days of Prayer & Faith Sharing"
2. Our staff: Jimmy, Mitch, Katie, Randy, and Molly
3. Our music ministries and their leaders: Randy Preston, Rod Walker, and Jimmy Horowitz
4. Our tech team: Gary Collier, Tara Pollock, Katie Maybaum, Randy Preston, Rod Walker, and Dan Knight
5. Our Reopening Task Force
6. Our Caring Hearts Prayer Group
7. Our Stephen Ministries (Care Receivers and Caregivers)
8. Our partnership with Shalom Seventh Day Adventist & Manantial de Vida congregations (and their pastors Edy Rosa Paez and Maria Rosario)
9. Reverends Christal Fisher (South Texas) and Andy Mangum (CCSW)
10. Rev. Alfred Walker, the newly called Community Regional Minister (CRM) for Reconciliation and Anti-Racism. Welcome, Rev. Walker!
MEMBERS AND FRIENDS
1. For all who are grieving the loss of a loved one
2. For all who have been ill with COVID-19, and their families
3. Acree, Mary -- health and balance challenges
4. Barnett, Barbara -- fatigue issues
5. Cratin, Katherine -- sister and brother in law, Marietta and Frank
6. Fennimore, Nancy -- sister Joan Heckford managing ALS symptoms
7. Guilbeau, Rick & Cynthia; Cynthia's father, Harold Hubbard, now at Georgetown Living
8. Johnston, Janette -- mother Billie, in Alabama, will have surgery this Friday; granddaughter Izzy's surgery on June 7 to correct heart valve anomaly
9. Malone, Betty -- sister Carolyn recently had major cancer surgery and remains hospitalized
10. Miller, Chris -- (son of Jean Bell) experiencing some neuropathy from cancer treatments
11. Mouser, Tricia -- rheumatoid arthritis infusion treatments and side-effects
12. Salzwedel, Molly -- her aunt Margaret was hospitalized with COVID and is now home; will continue to monitor ongoing issues from pneumonia
13. Tucker, Terry -- brother of Gary Tucker -- recovering from recent surgeries and and ongoing tests and consultations
14. Walker, Lisa -- receiving dialysis treatments 3x per week
15. Wilson, Garvid -- chemo and radiation treatments have concluded; will consult with doctor today to discuss recent scan results and possible treatment options going forward
16. York, Tasha -- granddaughter Madi hospitalized in ICU after a series of seizures; family decisions for care of mother Peggy Massey
OTHER
1. All who don't know Jesus
2. COVID-19 (the ill, their families, medical professionals, essential workers, treatment and vaccine researchers, the logistics of distributing and administering the vaccine safely and efficiently, evaluating side effect risks. reaching "herd immunity")
3. Those who have lost jobs during the pandemic; businesses that continue to struggle
4. All people who are persecuted for their faith throughout the world 5. Our military personnel and families 6. Pressing immigration concerns at our border, development of an immigration policy for the U.S. that is fair, just, and responsible; cooperation and communication with Mexico and Central American countries 7. Developing policies and education programs to battle systemic racism in all of its forms 8. For all efforts toward affordable health care for all Americans 9. For all efforts to make voting safe, simple, and easily accessible for all in our country; and to oppose recent voter suppression legislation 10. U.S. lawmakers and community leaders to work together to solve the problem of mass shootings in schools, places of work, etc. 11. All teachers, administrators, students, and parents. Our neighborhood schools: Union Hill Elementary School and Hopewell Middle School.
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[There will be no Sunday School classes in the church building for the foreseeable future.
Some classes will be meeting via Zoom
during this time of social distancing.]
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Early Childhood Class (ages 4-7) -Taught by Lisa Walker
Intermediate Class (3rd - 5th grade) - Taught by Jennifer Kienzle
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Chi Rho Class - (6th - 8th grade) - (studying the book, "Middle School TalkSheets" for ages 11-14. "These TalkSheets present every aspect of Jesus' life in a way that young teens can connect with as they learn to apply the lessons to their own lives.")
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CYF Class (9th - 12th grade)
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Open Circle (primarily adult women) - 9:45 a.m. Sunday mornings via ZOOM, s tudying Gospel Medicine by Barbara Brown Taylor. ALL ARE WELCOME! Link HERE
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Explorers (mixed adults) - 9:45 a.m. Sunday mornings via ZOOM, facilitator is Mildred Adair; have recently begun a study of Paul's letter to the church at Rome. Link HERE
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Follow us on Social Media!
We can be found on:
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Submitting a photo? Awesome!
We love pictures of congregational life!
Please remember to include
identification (who, what, when, where, why)
for each photograph submitted to the office.
Also, please indicate where you would like the photo to be used (RRCC website, social media, weekly newsletter, etc.)
.
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Mondays:
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9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
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Tuesdays:
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2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
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Wednesdays:
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9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
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Thursdays:
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9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
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Fridays:
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9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
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Elder's Prayer Corner/Closing Message
I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower.
-- John 15:1
Israel is symbolized as the vineyard that God has planted (Isaiah 5:7). The prophets criticized Israel for not bearing the fruit that God intended (Isaiah 5:2). Now Jesus is seen as a midrash or commentary on the life of Israel. If Israel was alternately obedient and disobedient to God, what would it have been like if Israel had been obedient?
Like Israel, Jesus is seen as God's firstborn Son (Exodus 4:22). It is said of Israel that God took a "no" people and made them into God's people. Jesus does not come from the natural process but comes from that which is freshly created, the virgin birth. Jesus has his own wilderness experience where he is tempted by his own needs and is led out of his own bondage to Satan. In a way similar to God's providing the Ten Commandments that marked Israel as special, so at Jesus' baptism, he is marked as special and becomes a light to the nations.
The vine has branches (the disciples) who themselves must bear fruit. While being a disciple does not protect you against evil, the suffering you experience can be like a pruning, even as Israel was pruned during the period of the judges. Jesus is not a new vine that replaces Israel but is the embodiment of Israel as obedient child. Through Jesus we can be grafted on to the vine even though, as Gentiles, we were not the original branches. All branches must bear fruit. The test of the true Israel, be they Jew or Gentile, is whether they bear fruit. "Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit ... Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers ..." (vv. 5-6).
Prayer:
Grape grower God, We come praising all the ways you have made the branches fertile. We pray that we too, may experience your touch, that we be branches, made to be fruitful ones under your care. It is our prayer that we be so loaded with your luscious fruit that we may effect change in the world. We pray to be a part of your strength and your peace. In Christ's holy name, Amen
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