A message from our Pastor and Teacher

Sunday, February 4 ~ Communion Service ~ Fifth Sunday after Epiphany ~ "From Capernaum to the Ends of the Earth"

Have you ever wanted to ask the Divine, "Where do we go from here?" Sometimes in life we feel like we know just what to do – other times we struggle with our next steps. In Capernaum, big changes were happening at  Peter's house, and in his life. We, too, stand at the edge of new things. Where are we going? What are we meant to do? 

Sunday's Scripture:

Mark 1: 29 - 39

The 2024 RUCC Board

At the annual meeting on January 28, we elected a new board for this year. Here's who they are and what they do:

There are four officers on the board, President Dan Abushanab, VP Carol Robb, Clerk Sue Wallace, and Treasurer Stacey Greene. They run the board, keep official records, sign contracts, and manage our finances.

There's a member at large, Larry Rose, whose job is to be especially attentive to the concerns and needs of the members and to serve on the nominating committee.

Then there are seven "areas", and area leaders for each one, listed below. The areas encompass all aspects of the life of the church, from the sanctuary to the wider world. Each area has a committee that meets at least quarterly, with most meeting monthly. All committee meetings are open to everyone, and you don’t have to formally join the committee to learn more about the area, offer a suggestion, or attend a meeting. Contact any area leader to learn more and get yourself "in"!

• Worship: Barbie Fiske-Phillips, barbie@redlandsucc.org
• Stewards: Pam Dunn, pam@redlandsucc.org
• Church Growth: Michael Dewey, michael@redlandsucc.org
• Education: Jules Rattray (jules@redlandsucc.org) and Andrea Morics (amorics@redlandsucc.org)
• Hospitality: Minori Tsukimoto, minori@redlandsucc.org
• Shepherds: Maegan Hill, maegan@redlandsucc.org
• Wider Ministries: Kathie Blakley, kathie@redlandsucc.org

Racial Justice reflection of the week

I wish I could say that racism and prejudice were only distant memories. We must dissent from the indifference. We must dissent from the apathy. We must dissent from the fear, the hatred and the mistrust…We must dissent because America can do better, because America has no choice but to do better.

 - Thurgood Marshall, American civil rights lawyer and jurist.

He was the Supreme Court's first African-American justice.

From the Environmental Justice Team

According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service of the European Union 2023 was the Earth’s hottest year on record (https://climate.copernicus.eu/global-climate-highlights?utm_source=press&utm_medium=referral&utm_id=gch23).

A statement from Samantha Burgess, deputy director of Copernicus: “2023 was an exceptional year with climate records tumbling like dominoes. Not only is 2023 the warmest year on record, but it is also the first year with all days over 1 degree Celsius [1.8 degrees Fahrenheit] warmer than the preindustrial period. Temperatures during 2023 likely exceed those of any period in at least the last 100,000 years.”

Source: “Earth reaches grim milestone: 2023 was the warmest year on record,” Smith, H., Los Angeles Times, 1/9/24: https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2024-01-09/its-official-2023-was-the-warmest-year-on-record

A Message from Board President Dan Abushanab

Hello church! Thank you again for entrusting me and the rest of the board with the leadership responsibilities for RUCC this year. The board is meeting this Saturday for our annual planning retreat, where we will brainstorm goals for the church and for each area. I'll share the outcome of that process in a future message, but here are a few things I expect we'll include as our bigger goals for the year:

• Find and welcome a new settled pastor.
• Find and onboard a Youth leader and a new childcare worker.
• Continue to build community at RUCC through Dinners for 8ish, Shepherd Groups, and ad hoc social events.
• Continue the great work of Wider Ministries reaching out to our neighbors.
• Install the new organ and thoughtfully incorporate it into our worship services.
• Replace the roof!
• Run another crazy-good Art for Heavens' Sake.
• Start the planning for our 50th anniversary celebration in 2025.

It's going to be another wonderful year for RUCC. We have so much for which to be grateful!

It's easy to help supply meals to the women's cold weather shelter

"Take them a meal" is an easy way to sign up to provide dinner for the Redlands Cold Weather Women's Shelter! If you have questions about quantities or other logistics, contact Jean Pagdilao 909-206-4156. Use the link below to pick a date, and to see all delivery instructions. Easy, peasy!

CARING FOR KIN

Sundays February 4^th and 11^th

Caring for Kin will be celebrating the SOUPER BOWL!

Please “vote” for your favorite NFL team as you help feed our kin.

The Caring for Kin cart will be divided in half.

If you prefer the Kansas City Chiefs, please place soup products on this side of the cart.  You may bring any kind of boxed or canned soups that will help feed a hungry body.

If you prefer the San Francisco 49ers, please place Rice-a-Roni or any boxed or bagged rice products on this side of the cart.  Again, please pick any rice items that will be enjoyed by our hungry kin.

This contest will conclude on Sunday, February 11^th, the day of the NFL Super Bowl.  It will be fun to see which team wins the RUCC Souper Bowl, as you, again, so generously serve our neighbors.

(For ease of transport, please avoid bringing any items in glass jars.)

RUCC Dinners for 8ish 2024

Have you been coming to Redlands United Church of Christ for a while but feel like you still only know a handful of people? Are you looking to make new friends and deepen existing friendships at RUCC this year?

RUCC Dinners for 8ish is back after a successful launch last year (see the video below). Participants will share four meals over the course of a year. Your “set” (see below for what that means) will coordinate one meal and you’ll attend three meals coordinated by others, each time with three different sets of people. You’ll end up having a meal with a total of twelve sets of people.

Each set of people will be responsible for one part of the meal: The Coordinator set is responsible for contacting the other sets to schedule the meal and provides the Main Dish, while the other three sets bring the Salad, Beverage, and Dessert.

A “set” of people of your choosing may consist of an individual, a couple, a small group of friends (approx. 2-3), or a family. The point is to keep the total number of guests at the meals manageable (8ish).

Because the focus is fun, fellowship, and relationship-building, there is a lot of flexibility when it comes to logistics. The coordinator can invite people over to their home or choose an alternate location (e.g., the church, a restaurant, a park). The “dinner” could also be brunch or lunch. We would like to get the first round of meals started mid-February.

If you are interested in participating in RUCC Dinners for 8ish 2024, please scan the QR code or click here to sign up and we will be in touch in the coming weeks. If you have any questions, please send an email to D48ish@redlandsucc.org or contact Minori Tsukimoto at 585-808-5006.

Please sign up by February 9^th

Book Group news

The current book selection for the RUCC Book Group is Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan.

   “Alternatingly heart-pounding and heartbreaking. This collaboration between two best-selling authors seamlessly weaves together Olivia and Lily’s journeys, creating a provocative exploration of the strength that love and acceptance require.”—The Washington Post

The book discussion will be after church at noon on Sunday, February 4, in the Founders Room, and the discussion leader will be Claudia Tolar. Everyone is welcome to join.

Upcoming selections:

February 4, 2024- Selection: Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan  

Presenter: Claudia Tolar

March 3, 2024- Selection: Exit Prohibited by Ellen Estilai

Presenters: Judith Turian and Ellen Estilai/ This will be a special opportunity as the author will help present her book. See the article below for more information.

April 7, 2024- Selection: Crossing the Line by Kareem Rosser.  Presenter: Deborah Rada

May 5, 2024 - Selection: The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

Presenters: Susan Matthews and Karen Walsh

Special Book Club event on March 3

On March 3rd at noon, all are invited to join the RUCC Book Group as we welcome Inlandia author Ellen Estilai as she leads a discussion about her memoir, Exit Prohibited.

So you can read it in advance, Judith Turian will be selling copies for $15.00, below Inlandia’s cost.

Youth Group News

Last weekend the Youth Group, along with kids from the younger Sunday School classes, enjoyed the Riverside Children’s Theater performance of Finding Nemo. This performance featured our own Youth Member Celeste Ellison! We all had a wonderful time.

With apologies to Ruthemma Rush for being cut off by mistake.

These vacancies at RUCC need to be filled

These may be only part-time positions, but they are important to our church's mission. The Youth Director plays a key role in helping our young people understand why RUCC's values and theology are important to them as they prepare to go out in the world.

The Nursery Care Worker provides a warm and loving environment for small children too young to participate in an hour-long church service. Parents feel free to concentrate on the service and do not have to worry that their small children are appropriately cared for.

.......................~~ The RUCC Personnel Committee

Pilgrim Pines Winter Camp

Join us on the mountain for WINTER WONDER CAMP 2024! 

This will be a fun event with some of the Pines' favorite camp traditions and activities. Enjoy outdoor crafts, games, conversations, workshops, hikes, and other fun and meaningful activities with your camp friends!

This retreat is for middle school and high school campers. 

Winter Wonder Camp Theme

Resilient

February 17-19

​

Everyone loves a good "comeback" story! Let's make it yours! At Winter Camp we will be looking at what it means to keep going even in the face of challenges. Life gets so hard, sometimes it can feel like you are being knocked down on all sides. Micah 7:8 says "Though I get knocked down, I get up again". Let's explore some tools to help us do just that and become more Resilient!

​

RUCC kids receive at least 50% off their tuition for all Pilgrim Pines programs—in many cases more than that! Also, grandkids of RUCC members receive 25% off—even though the grandkids themselves don’t attend RUCC.

For more information about these scholarship opportunities, please contact admorics@mac.com before you log on to the Pilgrim Pines website to make your reservation.

Chapman University’s Founders Day - Saturday, March 9

Chapman University will hold its 40^th Annual Founders Day, Saturday, March 9, 2024. We are pleased to bring to campus prolific writer and acclaimed speaker Diana Butler Bass, Ph.D. She is an award-winning author, popular speaker, inspiring preacher, and one of America’s most trusted commentators on religion and contemporary spirituality. The theme of her morning presentation will be GRATITUDE, helping us translate gratitude into a deeper spiritual practice than simply feeling thankful.

The afternoon worship will also feature Dr. Bass’s preaching, Disciples on Campus students and the excellent Chapman University Singers. The day will end with a Disciples on Campus alumni party.

Ministers needing CEU’s can earn .3 hours for full participation. Scholarships are available by contacting Nancy Brink at churchrelations@chapman.edu. No one is turned away because of finances!

Online registration can be found at www.chapman.edu/founders-day. Questions or needing assistance with online registration? Please call University Tickets at (714) 997-6812. For all other Founders Day questions please contact the Office of Church Relations at (714) 997-6760.

And we are serious—do not let the cost of registration keep you away. If you need a scholarship, please ask for it!

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER

• February 3 - Sacred Saturday
• February 3 - Board Retreat
• February 4 - Book Group - Noon
• February 10 - RUCC Rummage Sale & Electronics Recycling
• February 13 - Stewards meeting
• February 18 - Memorial service for Carla Becerill - 1:30 p.m. at RUCC
• February 20 - Board meeting

The church calendar is found at redlandsucc.org

Click on "calendar" in the red banner near the top of the page