Trouble viewing the newsletter? View as Webpage

Thursday, March 28, 2024

~~~ Click here for this Sunday's bulletin ~~~

Bulletin available on Friday

Holy Week opportunities continue at RUCC

Good Friday - March 29

Open Sanctuary: Noon – 6:00 p.m.

In commemoration of the crucifixion and death of Jesus, the sanctuary, labyrinth and grounds of the church will be available for individual time of prayer and reflection. There will be reading material and prayerful art supplies available for this sacred time of silence. Come and go as you wish.

Saturday - March 30

Children’s EGG-stravaganza! 10:00 a.m.- noon.

Bring the kids for a morning of games, crafts, races, treats and family fun. (See article below for RSVP information.)

Sunday - March 31 - Easter Worship and Activities

Easter Worship – 10:30 a.m. Celebrate the resurrection with the whole family. Bring cut flowers from home to transform our barren altar into a colorful image of new life. (extra flowers in the entryway). No Sunday School, so the whole family can be part of this joyful service. Nursery Care available.

Children’s Easter Egg Hunt - After the Hallelujah Chorus, kids under 5th grade will gather on the patio with Ms. Susi who will begin the hunt.

Easter Lunch – Sandwiches provided, please bring salads and desserts. (See article below to sign up for potluck.)

Youth Scavenger Hunt will happen after lunch– Find Ms. Andrea!

A message from our Pastor and teacher

Easter Sunday, March 31 ~ "Becoming Ressurection "

When the women arrived back at the upper room, where they were staying, they were sobbing. Well, of course they were –

they had just returned from attending to Jesus' corpse. But wait! They weren't crying. They were laughing, with tears streaming from their eyes. They told the other disciples an inconceivable tale about holy men from God, a moving boulder, and white clothing.

The others just stared. Then it began to sink in. They were saying that there was no body in his tomb! And then they remembered what Jesus had said. And soon, there was no one left in the room – they were all tearing back to the tomb to see if it was true.

Sunday's Scripture:

LUKE 24: 1-12

JOYS

I want to thank everyone at RUCC for all the prayers, support, and cards you sent during my recovery during the last few months. It meant the world to me. I am so happy to be able to attend services again and see you all in person. God bless my RUCC family.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>................................>>>>>> ~ Stephen Arth

Concerns / Prayers:

Jayne Miller asks for prayers for her husband Tom who continues to be challenged with wound healing, and for her friend Stephanie who is on dialysis.
Charlie Seek is back home and doing better following kidney surgery.
Dianne Landeros' cousin Monty Montano had a stroke.
Danielle Abushanab's co-worker, Hyejin Lee, passed from life to Life.
Coralyn’s niece, Shannon, with 20 percent heart function after Covid.
Judith Gregory’s son-in-law (cancer surgery); granddaughter and 2-pound baby (medical complications); cousin (cranial surgery),Judith Gregory’s grand-daughter’s husband who had cranial cancer surgery.
Jolene Barrow's brother Andrew will receive kidney surgery in April.
Tom Medlicott is recovering from a broken neck.
Lori Glass is still having throat problems and has not yet received a referral to ENT to get a diagnosis.
We continue to hold in our prayers the people of Ukraine, the Middle East, and wherever war and violence prevail.

Ongoing Concerns:

Karen & Daniella

Family of Carla B

Jerry Andrews

Scott Ault

Dave, brother of Johanna Ballard

Bill Buchanan

Cousin of Rick Cruz

Janet Edwards

Norma Erickson

Beth Welsh's brother, Coyne ("Butch")

Don Don and Scott Mong

Rev. John Forney

Mary Lou Haney

Beki Hill

Harriet Holt, Beki Hill's mother

Jules Rattray’s sister, Jenny,

Amber McGuigan

Cynthia McGuigan

Dan Schoepf Michael Schoepf

Betty Jacobs Family

Georgia & Rick Sforza mother & father

Jake Pomeroy

Floyd Orr

Ryan and Evan Paul

Dick Ault's brother-in-law, Charles Proctor

Spencer, friend of Stacey Greene

Robert Silver

Arika Torres

Rosemary Tuohy

Nancy Ternasky

Beth Welsh

Denise Cain

Steve Arth

Julie Phillips

RUCC's Eggstravaganza, March 30, 2024!

It’s not too late to RSVP for Eggstravaganza.

We will be meeting in Covenant Hall for lots of Eastertime fun.

Saturday March 30

10: a.m. to noon

Cookie Decorating
Bingo
Interactive Easter storytelling
Games, prizes and more!

Please RSVP using this link: https://onrealm.org/RUCC/PublicRegistrations/Event?linkString=OTdjY2UzZDItOTRlZC00OTY3LTlhZjItYjEzOTAxN2VkNDhh

Please Join Us for Lunch on Easter Sunday!

We invite you to join us in Covenant Hall for lunch after the Easter Sunday worship service. RUCC will provide sandwiches and volunteers will bring salads and desserts to share. If you can bring something, please let us know by signing up using the link below or emailing [email protected].

Salad & Dessert Sign-up: www.PerfectPotluck.com/TARJ4687

Hey kids! The Easter Bunny has lost all his eggs right here at RUCC!

Join us Easter morning, immediately after the service, to find as many eggs as you can, then exchange the empty eggs for a big bag of candy!

We have baskets available to use or bring your own. Everyone is guaranteed to find one or more eggs, and all receive the same bag of candy no matter how many eggs you find!

Come help the Easter bunny by finding all those lost eggs!

Easter flower dedications

Caring for Kin - last week for Women of Faith

As we celebrate Easter, let's once again consider how we might help our refugee kin as they settle into their new country.

Take a look at the following list and see if there is something that you could donate. You have been most generous in your contributions, and it is appreciated.

(For the month of April, we will be helping groups who care for homeless pets. Watch for further information.)

Current needs include:

Let's fill these shelves by March 31!

Brooms & Dustpans
Food storage containers
Measuring cups & spoons
Pots & Pans - all sizes
Baking pans
Mixing & serving bowls

Large kitchen utensils
Manual can openers
Cutting boards
Paper towels
Spray paint (for a project), partially filled cans are OK

Lotion - family size
Shaving cream
Men's deodorant
Disposable razors
Sturdy laundry baskets
Household-size scissors
Size 5 diapers

Remember, we're still looking for a Youth Director!

This may be only a part-time position, but it is 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 RUCC Personnel Committee

From the Environmental Justice Team

Water shortages are becoming a way of life in cities across the globe — Los Angeles; Cape Town, South Africa; Jakarta, Indonesia; and many more — as climate change worsens and authorities often pipe in water from ever-more-distant sources.

"Water sources are depleted around the world," said Victoria Beard, a professor of city and regional planning at Cornell University. ‘Every year, more cities will face ‘Day Zero,’ with no water in their piped systems.’”

Source: MacDonell, P. J., “A metropolis runs low on water,” Los Angeles Times, 3/25/24, p. 1.

Racial Justice reflection of the week

On April 27, 1957, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered an Easter sermon titled, "Questions that Easter Answers." For him, Easter settled the mystery of death and secured for us the importance of living a life in light of those forces that go beyond our physical experience. We are not simply biological processes. Instead, King argued, Easter cries out to us about the importance of the unseen and of the personality, those "spiritual forces that are eternal and not merely these material things that we look about and see."

We matter. Our hopes and aspirations, our joys and triumphs matter. Not because of something we have actually done, but rather, because of an inheritance borne on a cross on Calvary. King understood Easter's answer to the significance of human action in the world. "There is a faith, there is love, there is hope, there is something beyond the external that will stand through the ages."

"But thank God the crucifixion was not the last act in that great and powerful drama," King preached. "There is another act. And it is something that we sing out and cry and ring out today. Thank God a day came when Good Friday had to pass."

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/04/04/glaude.easter.mlk/index.html

Children and youth activities

National UCC Climate Hope Art Contest

This year’s UCC children and youth art contest is underway!

During fellowship time on April 7 our kids and youth are invited to create beautiful works of art to be submitted to this year’s Climate Hope Art Contest.

We’ll have all the supplies you need at a table in Covenant Hall during Fellowship hour. Create beautiful art to help save the climate!

Going, Going… almost Gone!

Only 3 Purple RUCC shirts are left: just $5 each! These are the sizes we have left:

Adult Small
Child L (14-16)
Child M

100% of the proceeds goes to the Youth for this year’s Western Regional Youth Trip!

Contact [email protected] if you’d like to buy one of these shirts.

LGBTQIAFG will be meeting Friday, March 29 at 6 p.m.

This month, we will be gathering at VIP Nightclub in Riverside @ 6 pm for dinner/drinks in support of queer-owned businesses. This venue is 18+.

Address: 3673 Merrill Ave, Riverside, CA 92506

Questions?: Contact Samantha Sanchez-French

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER

March 28 - Maundy Thursday Seder and Tenebrae
March 29 - Good Friday
March 30 - Eggstravaganza
March 31 - Easter Sunday, including lunch and children's Easter egg hunt
April 6 - Sacred Saturday, 9 a.m. - noon
April 7 - Book Club Founders' Room at noon The group will discuss Crossing the Line. Deborah Rada will be the discussion Leader.
April 21 - Candidate service with Rev. Joe Zarro followed by congregational meeting to vote on calling him as RUCC's next settled pastor
April 27 - 3rd Annual RUCC Family Nature Fair