Our Mission: "We are an inclusive Open and Affirming faith community reaching out with love, compassion, and justice."
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Thursday, February 3, 2022
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Thank you to Nancy, and Hello to Karen!
The Office and Property Manager position has been filled!
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A Huge Thank You to Nancy Sheets for her 7 years of service as Office Administrator at RUCC.
Enjoy your retirement! We love you and will miss you!
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Please welcome Karen Hester, our new Office and Property Manager, to RUCC. Karen brings over 15 years of human resource experience. Most recently, Karen served as the Human Resources Director at the YMCA of the East Valley for 11 years. We are grateful for the many gifts Karen brings to the RUCC staff. Welcome Karen!
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A Message from Our Pastor and Teacher |
Communion and the Fifth Sunday after Epiphany - February 6, 2022 ~ "Spiritual Giants: Desmond Tutu"
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We begin a new sermon series entitled, “Spiritual Giants.” In this past year, we’ve grieved the loss of many influential persons: Bishop John Shelby Spong, Desmond Tutu, Betty White, bell hooks, Prince Philip, Cicely Tyson, Larry King, Hank Aaron, Siegried fischbacher, Colin Powell, Bruce Van Blair (RUCC Founding Pastor) and Thich Nhat Hanh to name a few. Without their physical presence on earth, our planet somehow feels different. This month we will explore the lives of three spiritual giants: Desmond Tutu (South Africa), bell hooks (USA), and Thich Nhat Hanh (Vietnam). Although each one of these spiritual giants was from a different part of the planet, they each deeply influence our personal worlds.
We kick-off this sermon series celebrating the life of Desmond Tutu, one of the greatest evangelists I know. Archbishop Tutu went to the ends of the earth to share the good news of God’s love for all people. May we follow in his footsteps
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Sunday's Scriptures
Luke 5: 1 – 11
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February 6, 2022 ~ Communion and the Fifth Sunday after Epiphany |
Prelude:..Shosholoza arr. by Jeffrey Ames ............................ Sophia Ohanian
Welcome and Announcements:..........................Rev. Dr. Jill A. Kirchner-Rose
Responsive Call to Worship:........................................................Janet Wilson
Opening Hymn:. # 85 I Woke Up This Morning .........Led by Jennifer Brainerd, .........................................Heather Abushanab, Dan Abushanab and Jim Tong*
Opening Prayer:........................................................................... Janet Wilson
Childrens' Circle:.......................................................................Suzy Sternberg
Joys and Concerns:............................................................. Dr. Kirchner-Rose
Silent and Pastoral Prayer:...................................................Dr. Kirchner-Rose
Special Music: Thixo Onothando Michael Barrett......................Covenant Choir
........................................Michael Horton, Paul Welsh and Peter Tupou Soloists ..............................................................................Kevin Bellefeuille, Percussion
Scripture: Luke 5: 1 - 11 .............................
Message: “Spiritual Giants: Desmond Tutu”...........................Dr. Kirchner-Rose
Offertory: Ntyilo Ntyilo by Miriam Makeba..............................Sophia Ohanian
Doxology:...........................................................................,..... Sophia Ohanian
Prayer of Dedication:....................................................................Janet Wilson
Closing Hymn: # 526 Siyahamb ekukhanyen kwenkhos (We are Marching in the Light of God)........................ Led by Jennifer Brainerd, Heather Abushanab, ...........................................................................Dan Abushanab and Jim Tong *
Benediction: ..........................................................................Dr. Kirchner-Rose
Time of Reflection:.Sisi Ni Moja arr. by Jacob Narverud .........Sophia Ohanian
* Leaders on the hymns may change.
On February 6, we will share together Holy Communion in our online interactive worship. Before the time of the service, you will want to prepare some bread - a slice, a small loaf, a tortilla, a rice cake - a wheat product is not necessary. Let it be something you alone, or your with others in your household, may break and share. Prepare a cup or cups of juice or your choice of wine-with or without alcohol.
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Concerns:
- Prayers for the family and friends of Marilyn, sister of Norma Erickson, who passed from life to Life.
- Cherie Rouse requests prayers for the people of Winston-Salem, NC who have evacuated due to a fire and threat of explosion at a fertilizer plant.
- Kenneth Lee requests prayers for his mother, Melinda, who has had complications following surgery.
- Beth Welsh requests prayers for her mother, Maggie, who has been diagnosed with COVID
- Debra Van Engelen and Mark Janz request prayers for grandson, Johnathan, who is in the army stationed in Germany during this time of Russian build-up outside Ukraine.
- Cherie Rouse requests prayers for niece, Beth, and her family as the move across the country and seek housing.
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Prayers for the family of RUCC’s founding pastor, Rev. Bruce Van Blair, who passed from life to Life on Friday, January 21st. Expressions of sympathy can be sent to: Mariana Van Blair, 1204 Madison St., Port Townsend, WA 98368-4422, or Willene: [email protected]
- Prayers for the family and friends of Betty Gayle who passed from life to Life.
- Prayers for Maegan Hill who faces challenges with MS.
- Val McGlasson requests prayers for her sister and nephew who are in need of housing.
- Prayers for Kate Rhodes, daughter and granddaughter of friends of Carol Robb, who is having serious and unexplained allergic reactions. Prayers also for her doctors as they search for the cause.
- Prayers for Travis, son of Beki Hill, who was diagnosed with COVID.
- Prayers for Cynthia McGuigan who faces complications with her chemotherapy treatments. Cynthia and medical staff are determining next steps.
- Prayers for our medical personnel who are overwhelmed by the number of Covid patients.
- Prayers for educators and students who returned to school in the midst of a Covid surge
- Jolene Barrow requests prayers for her mother, Karen Barrow, who has been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and is in significant pain.
- Rosemary Tuohy requests prayers for her friend Holly, who is recovering from surgery.
- Prayers for Beth Welsh as she recovers from a back injury.
- Carla Becerril requests prayers for her aunt Margaret, uncle Raul, and cousin Kathy who have been diagnosed with COVID.
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Prayers for Eleanor Kemp who broke her hip and is recuperating at Mission Commons.
- Cid Breyer requests prayers for her sister in law, Karen, who is going through chemo and radiation for blood / bone cancer.
- Beth Welsh requests prayers for her niece Heather who is pregnant and has been diagnosed with COVID
- Prayers for Carole Beswick who is recovering from partial knee replacement surgery.
- Prayers for Marcia Taack who is recovering from knee replacement surgery and has been diagnosed with cellulitis.
- Prayers for Glenda Bates, friend of Gretchen Andrews, who has been diagnosed with operable pancreatic cancer
- Prayers for Carole Wesson who is currently in the Health Facility at Plymouth Village.
- Nan Root requests prayers for her brother Gary who has dementia and has placed on hospice.
- Carla Becerril requests prayers for her friend, Edward, who works for a small business in which 7 of the 10 workers have been diagnosed with COVID
- Prayers for Richard Ault who broke his hip and is now home recovering.
- Prayers for Bob Sheets who is recovering from eye surgery.
- Prayers Angie, sister-in-law of Sue Hammond, who has been diagnosed with COVID.
- Prayers for Eber, brother of Lara Urrutia, who is undergoing tests for a mass in his neck.
- Prayers for Lisa, friend of Beth Welsh, who is recovering from emergency surgery.
- Johanna Ballard requests healing prayers for her dear friend, Lana.
- Sue Hammond requests prayers for her sister-in-law, Linda, who is receiving treatment for multiple myeloma.
- Prayers for Burt, family member of Johanna Ballard, who is facing severe health challenges.
- Eliza Ames requests prayers for her brother Coyne who is hospitalized and is very ill.
- Beth Welsh requests prayers for her brother, Michael, who is recovering from surgery following a work accident.
Ongoing Concerns:
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Joe Adcock, family member of Mary Mortensen
Anden, nephew of Michelle McNevin
Jerry Andrews
Jeff Bonadiman
Les Budai
Burt, family member of Johanna Ballard
Diane Campbell
Diane, Sister-in-Law of Heather King
Dave, brother of Johanna Ballard
Carol Chaney
Caroline, mother of Karen Blad
Claudine, grandmother of Paul & Dantae Welsh
Precia Gwenhwyfer Courtney-Hveen
Cousin of Rick Cruz
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Norma Erickson
Michael Flores
Betty Gayle
Emma Grimauld
Katia Hage
Beki Hill
Jody Hoelle
Harriet Holt, Beki Hill's mother
Mark Alan Johnson, friend of Nancy Hotaling
Susi Jacobsen
Kim Johnson, friend of Gretchen Andrews
Jenny, Sister of Jules Rattray
Emily Jones
Hank Kirchner
Amber McGuigan
Sara Montez
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Bill McIntyre
Maria Montana
Carmen & Jim Neafsey
Ryan and Evan Paul
Rick Peetz, Sr.
Kristin Farmer Preslica
Nancy Rojas
Adolph Romero
Joan Roth
Spencer, friend of Stacey Greene
Miguel Sewer
Doris Stockton, Kathi Roth's Grandmother
Heather Tee
Arika Torres
Rosemary Tuohy
Vasquez Family
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Special note regarding the Prayer List: Please review the list for any prayer requests you made that are outdated or that may be removed. Please notify both [email protected] and [email protected] of any changes that are needed. Thank you. |
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Reflection of the Week from the Racial Justice Team |
In today’s digital world, people rely on online advertising platforms for critical information such as job opportunities or available housing. But unfortunately, thanks to practices known as “digital redlining” the use of technology to perpetuate discrimination — any ads for housing or jobs that you are likely to see (or not see) in your newsfeed can largely depend on who you are, including your gender, race, or age.
Digital redlining has become the new frontier of discrimination, as social media platforms like Facebook and online advertisers use personal data to target ads based on race, gender, and other protected traits. Research has shown time and again that online ad-targeting practices often reflect and replicate existing disparities in society, effectively locking out historically marginalized groups from housing, job, and credit opportunities. For example, they give housing providers the ability to target potential renters or home-owners by zip code — a clear proxy for race in our still-segregated country. This type of online discrimination is just as harmful as discrimination offline, yet some courts have held that platforms like Facebook and online advertisers can’t be held accountable for withholding ads for jobs, housing, and credit from certain users based on their race, age, or gender — even though the same practices would be considered unlawful if they were offline.
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From the Envionmental Justice Team |
On January 1, 2022, a new recycling requirement for all Californians went into effect. Senate Bill 1383, passed in 2016, is now law. The goal of this new law is to reduce the amount of organic waste ending up in landfills. When food scraps end up there, they produce methane, a very harmful greenhouse gas. Methane is a climate pollutant up to 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a heat trapping gas, and that is what happens to organics when they end up in the landfill. This law is environmentally the right thing to do. Below is information from the city of Redlands webpage (cityofredlands.org) that gives you the information you need to comply with the new law. This recycling of our food scraps is one of the very best ways we all can honor the Earth. As mentioned before, we reduce methane emissions from landfills, lower our carbon footprint, capture renewable energy, and restore the essential nutrients back to the soil.
Each city will adopt its own recycling program. CLICK HERE for the details for the City of Redlands. If you live in another community, check with the city where you live.
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Bible 101 continues every Tuesday through
March 1 at 5 p.m. on Zoom
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This 6 week class is an overview of the Bible in its entirety. The class meets on Tuesdays, through March 1 at 5 p.m.
Here is the Zoom link:.
Topic: Bible Study
Time: Tuesdays, January 25th – March 1 @ 5 p.m.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 831 8926 0341
One tap mobile
+16699009128
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Book Group at 1 p.m. (NEW TIME) this Sunday |
The RUCC Book Group will meet this coming Sunday, February 6, at 1:00 pm online on Zoom. Our reading selection for the month is All The Lonely People by Mike Gayle and our presenter is Tia Trotta-Greer.
If you loved A Man Called Ove, then prepare to be delighted as Jamaican immigrant Hubert rediscovers the world he'd turned his back on this "warm, funny" novel (Good Housekeeping).
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February 5 is Sacred Saturday - 9:00 a.m. on Zoom |
Sacred Saturday will be held via Zoom on Feb. 5, 2022. Please join in through the link below. We will gather together at 9:00 am and will be done by 12:00 pm. Don’t worry - we are only on our screens a portion of that time. We will gather for community check in and contemplation and then have individual time, returning together for our closing.
If you have any questions, please feel feee to contact Barbie Fiske-Phillips.
Barbie Fiske-Phillips (she/her/hers) is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Sacred Saturday
Time: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 357 038 066
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Each year a group from RUCC participates in a weekend long silent retreat. Silent retreats help us to slow down, enjoy nature, and listen to the wisdom of the Divine. This year our silent retreat will take place in Los Altos.
When: May 12 – 15
Cost: $495 for three nights with your personal bedroom, personal bathroom, and 3 meals a day.
RUCC has reserved 12 spaces for this Silent Retreat. If you are interested in attending or have questions, please contact Pastor Jill, [email protected]. Scholarships are available.
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2022 All-Church Book Challenge: The 1619 Project |
First Discussion Session: February 28, 2022 at 5 PM. Online.
This year at RUCC we are challenging ourselves to read this important new book together.
On Monday, February 28 we plan to kick off this year-long project with the section titled “Church.” We are a Christian church in America: therefore it is incumbent upon us to take a hard look at some uncomfortable truths about the ways in which Christianity has been used to perpetuate Racial Injustice.
Please get yourself a copy of this book at your local bookshop or library.
Or, you can borrow one of our church copies! Please contact [email protected] if you would like to borrow one of the church copies of The 1619 Project.
This particular section of the book, titled “Church,” is a very manageable length and is found on pp. 335-356.
Please join us for this meaningful and important discussion! Monday 2/28/22 at 5 p.m. Stay tuned for online meeting link.
Future sessions will be held roughly once a month throughout the year.
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We Need Flowers, Even If We're Virtual Right Now |
If you want to dedicate flowers for Sunday Worship, contact Dee Dee Seek at [email protected] or phone her at (951) 534-3438. You will need to give your name, the dedication you wish to make to anyone or anything, and any colors you prefer.
You may also provide your own flowers from your garden or from another vendor. Just make sure you send Dee Dee the dedication information and have the flowers there by 10:15 a.m. on the Sunday you choose. If you have questions do not hesitate to email or call Dee Dee.
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Please bring canned foods to RUCC on Sunday, February 13 from noon – 2 p.m. for a “Drive-By ‘Souper’ Bowl Food Collection.” All food collected will go to Family Services Association. You can also send in checks to RUCC and designate “Souper Bowl” in the memo or you can give through your REALM account. |
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When you purchase gift cards to pay for your day-to-day expenses or provide as gifts, RUCC receives a rebate that helps fund our missions. It’s an easy way to raise some money for RUCC.
Gift Cards in stock - Delivered to your door --We carry a limited supply in stock of some of our more popular gift cards. While RUCC worship services remain virtual to protect the community, Pam Dunn has volunteered to make house calls for stock scrip orders while supplies last. If you would like to purchase any of the following gift cards, please contact Pam at 909-963-8305.
- Stater Bros - $100 (5)
- Stater Bros - $25 (12)
- Vons/Albertsons - $25 (1) – this card is reloadable
- Target - $25 (4)
- Amazon - $25 (2)
Physical Order Deadlines – Currently, physical cards are once per month. If the demand increase, we can add a second card order each month. Here is the ordering schedule for the next few months.
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February 14 – available for pickup on February 20
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March 14 – available for pickup on March 20
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April 11 - available for pickup on April 17
eCards – Remember that you can buy eGift cards, available to you immediately, to use for online or in-person shopping or to send as a gift. Every time you buy, RUCC gets a small rebate.
Please contact Jennifer at [email protected] if you need help placing an order or want to learn more about the program.
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Our Pastoral Relations Committee |
The Pastoral Relations Committee had its first meeting of the year this week. The committee members are Gretchen Andrews, Johanna Ballard, Ben Bohren, Mary Fung, Jim Holbrook, and Jim Sommer. We'll be meeting at least four times a year. Here's a description of the purpose of the committee from our by-laws:
"The purpose of the Pastoral Relations Committee is to actively promote a healthy relationship between and among the Pastor and the Congregation, and to act as an advisory committee and support for the Pastor."
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Looking ahead: RUCC Lenten Series begins Wednesday March 9 |
Take a closer look at the book which is forming the basis of this year’s Lenten Series! Follow this link for more information.
What is a mystic? Bruce Epperly defines mystics as people who see holiness in everyday life. We can be mystics without leaving our families, disengaging from daily responsibilities, becoming a priest, or joining a monastic order. Epperly shows how we can experience the living God in the midst of daily life and never again take everyday events for granted.
Bruce Epperly introduces readers to 12 individuals or groups of mystics through the ages: St. Francis of Assisi, the desert mothers and fathers, Benedict of Nursia, the Celtic mystics, Hildegard of Bingen, Mechthild of Magdeburg, Brother Lawrence, the Baal Shem Tov, Howard Thurman, Etty Hillesum, Rumi, and Julian of Norwich.
Each chapter describes each mystic's life, spiritual experiences and worldview, and provides spiritual exercises to help us experience the mystic firsthand. Through his conversational, down-to-earth approach, Epperly inspires us to realize that we can encounter God wherever we are, whatever we are doing.
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Family Nature Fair at RUCC—Saturday, March 12, from 10 a.m. to Noon. |
Saturday March 12 from 10 a.m. - Noon.
Join us in the beauty of RUCC’s outdoor campus as we spend the morning learning about and celebrating God’s creation.
We will have games, crafts and learning opportunities to help us find new ways to love and protect our planet.
Stay tuned for more information!
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UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER |
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February 5 - Sacred Saturday
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February 6 - Book Group at 1:00 p.m. on Zoom. Please note time change. See article above for details.
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February 8 - 5 p.m. Bible 101 on Zoom
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February 8 - 7 p.m. Stewards
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February 13 - Drive-by Souper Bowl donations at Church from 12 to 2 p.m.
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February 15 - 5 p.m. Bible 101 on Zoom
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February 15 - 7 p.m. Board
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February 17 - Worship Committee
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February 22 - 5 p.m. Bible 101 on Zoom
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March 5 - Sacred Saturday
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March 9 - Lenten Series begins. See article above for details.
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March 12 - Family Nature Fun - See article above for details.
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This Week at RUCC
Calendar for February 6 - 13, 2022
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Sunday, February 6
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10:30 a.m. Virtual Worship Service on YouTube, followed by virtual fellowship hour on Zoom.
Monday, February 7
Tuesday, Februay 8
- 5 p.m. Bible study on Zoom
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Wednesday, February 9
- 12 p.m. "The Pastor is In" on Zoom
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Thursday, February 10
Friday, February 11
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7 p.m. Closed women's AA meeting in the Founders' Room. Masks required.
Saturday, February 12 -
Sunday, February 13 -
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10:30 a.m. Virtual Worship Service on YouTube. followed by virtual fellowship hour on Zoom.
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RUCC Staff
Senior Pastor: Rev. Dr. Jill Kirchner-Rose
Honorary Minister of Arts and Worship: Rev. Erin Beardemphl
Music Director: Jim Tong
Accompanist: Sophia Ohanian
Children's Education Director: Susi Jacobsen
Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries: Vacant
Office Manager: Karen Hester
Child Care: Joette Orman
Phone: (909) 793-3520
Staff and Other Emails
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