First Sunday after Easter

Our Mission: "We are an inclusive Open and Affirming faith community reaching out with love, compassion, and justice."

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Thursday, April 8, 2021

A Message from Our Pastor and Teacher

Holy Humor Sunday, April 11 ~ “No Gloom in the Tomb”

Mary feared that grave robbers had taken Jesus’ body from the tomb. But it is God who robs graves and renders them useless. For centuries in the Eastern Orthodox church, a Holy Humor Sunday was observed by the faithful as a day of joy and laughter. On Holy Humor Sunday, church goers and pastors told jokes, sang, and danced. Holy Humor Sunday is rooted in the musing that God played a practical joke on the devil by raising Jesus from the dead. In the words of the Apostle Paul, “Where, O Death, is your sting?”

Beginning this Sunday, the 10:30 a.m. Worship Service will be livestreamed from the Sanctuary on YouTube.

Sunday's Scripture

1 Corinthians 15: 54-55

Worship for Holy Humor Sunday, April 11, 2021 - 10:30 a.m.

Prelude: The Entertainer by Scott Joplin........................................... Sophia Ohanian

Welcome and Call to Worship: ................................... Rev. Dr. Jill A. Kirchner-Rose

Opening Holy Humor Hymns:...Led by Alexia Benson, Zoe Petersen, and Jim Tong

Opening Prayer:........................................................................................... Jim Tong

Children's Circle: ............................................................................... Susi Jacobsen

Community Joys and Concerns: ___________......_................... Dr. Kirchner-Rose

Special Music: Lord of the Dance by Sydney Carter................ Joseph Brackett and

.................................................................................................Zoe Petersen, Vocalists

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15: 54-55_____............................. __...--_.............Jim Tong

Message: "No Gloom in the Tomb".....................................Rev. Dr. Jill Kirchner-Rose

Offertory: Neapolitan Song by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ...................Sophia Ohanian

Prayer of Dedication: _________________________.................................Jim Tong

Closing Holy Humor Hymn: I've Got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy. .Led by Alexia Benson, ..........................................................................................Zoe Petersen, and Jim Tong

Time of Reflection: Variations on Ah vous dirai-je, Maman by W.A. Mozart .......... . .............................................................................................................Sophia Ohanian

Concerns:

Sue Hammond requests prayers for the family of Bonnie Ann who passed from life to Life
Prayers for Ronan Godfrey, who has been diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis.
Prayers for Leslie, sister of Barbie Fiske-Phillips, who had extensive back surgery and is having complications that intensify the pain.
Prayers for those in the congregation who are struggling with mental health challenges.
Prayers for the family of Mariane, mother of Kathie Blakley, who passed from life to Life.
Prayers for Connie Roener who has been diagnosed with breast cancer and is currently going through chemotherapy.
Prayers for Julie Philip whose brother, Stephen, passed from life to Life.
Prayers for Sue Wallace whose cousin, Bob, passed from life to Life.
Prayers for Mary Lou Haney who is recovering from eye surgery.
Prayers for Maegan Hill who is experiencing back pain.
Prayers for Caroline, mother of Karin Blad, who has been diagnosed with colon cancer.
Prayers for Patricia, sister of Michael Flores, who fell at a construction site and injured herself.
Prayers for Beth Welsh as she appeals the suspension of her driver’s license due to an epileptic seizure.
Prayers for Evan, son of Meagan Hill, who badly sprained his ankle.
Prayers for Evan, son of Margaret Paul, who is facing life challenges.
Inez Diggs requests prayers for her friend, Penni Pierce, who suffers from Pulmonary Fibrosis, and needs a double lung transplant to help her breathing capacity.
Prayers for Rosemary Whitmer who is facing health challenges.
Prayers for Keith, cousin of Maegan Hill, who is blinded by a blood clot.
Prayers for Lorna, mother of Erin Beardemphl, who shattered her kneecap.
Prayers for Claudine, grandmother of Paul and Dante Welsh.
Prayers for Charlie Seek challenged by diabetes related foot issues.
Prayers for Greg Farrell, brother of Karen Walsh, who is undergoing radiation treatment for cancer.
Prayers for Gloria Ebert who is facing heart challenges
Ongoing prayers for parents, teachers, students navigating online school.
Prayers for Dick Ault, who is awaiting knee replacement surgery.

Ongoing Concerns:

Gretchen and Aaron Andrews

Carla Becerril

Les Budai

Diane Campbell

Diane, Sister-in-Law of Heather King

Carol Chaney

Precia Gwenhwyfer Courtney-Hveen

Cousin of Rick Cruz

Norma Erickson

Betty Gayle

Jerry Greenfield

Emma Grimauld

Katia Hage

Beki Hill

Jody Hoelle

Harriet Holt, Beki Hill's mother

Mark Alan Johnson, friend of Nancy Hotaling

Kim Johnson, friend of Gretchen Andrews

Jenny, Sister of Jules Rattray

Emily Jones

Hank Kirchner

Amber McGuigan

Bill McIntyre

Amy McQulillian, friend of Gretchen Andrews

Larry Minor

Sarah Montez

Mary Mortensen

Maria Montana

Carmen & Jim Neafsey

Kristin Farmer Preslica

Steve, Brother of Julie Phillip

Nancy Rojas

Adolph Romero

Joan Roth

Spencer, friend of Stacey Greene

Doris Stockton, Kathi Roth's Grandmother

Heather Tee

Arika Torres

Vasquez Family

Helga Vroom

Reflection of the Week from the Racial Justice Team

Question 27: Are you willing to serve in the armed forces of the United States on combat duty, wherever ordered?

Question 28: Will you swear unqualified allegiance to the United States of America and faithfully defend the United States from any or all attack by foreign or domestic forces, and forswear any form of allegiance or obedience to the Japanese emperor, or any other foreign government, power, or organization?

How to answer these questions created a rift within the Japanese American community that lasted for decades. Among those who said yes, many felt they had to keep proving their loyalty as Americans to gain acceptance in their fight for equality, despite the indignity of the questions. They would swallow their anger and keep sacrificing their freedoms, in camp or in combat, in the hopes that their actions would underscore the injustice of their incarceration. Some even excoriated those who disagreed with them for making the community look bad, which seeded the resentment toward the No-Nos.

The government treated anything other than a yes as a sign of disloyalty and moved to isolate those who said no. They chose Tule Lake, where 41% of the inmates did not say yes, in part because so many people had refused to fill out the questionnaire.

As the war drew to an end, the government began to plan for the closing of the camps. Incarcerated people at Tule Lake were asked whether they would stay in America or renounce their citizenship. Some who decided to give up their citizenship had become disillusioned by how their country had treated them. Others had lost everything during incarceration and had no home to return to. Thanks to overseas propaganda carried over by short-wave radio, some believed that Japan was winning the war. Others feared their family would be separated if their immigrant parents were deported, so they renounced to ensure they stayed together. Altogether, 5,589 citizens — 98% of whom were incarcerated at Tule Lake — gave up their American citizenship.

- Source: https://www.latimes.com/projects/japanese-americans-incarcerated-us-world-war-ii-camp-speak-out/

Racial diversity within a church is associated with higher average attendance over time. A Baylor University study of Methodist congregations found this in contrast to previous research that reported multiracial congregations are less stable. Attendance levels were highest for nonwhite Methodist churches in 100 percent white neighborhoods as well as racially diverse Methodist churches in neighborhoods with racial uniformity. The authors speculate that nonwhite or racially diverse Methodist churches may attract more participants because they offer an attractive alternative to typical white Methodist churches found in white neighborhoods.

- Source: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-03/bu-rdw032621.php

From the Environmental Justice Team

In 2013, on Ohlone tribal lands in California, thirty-two global leaders of indigenous peoples, climate scientists, and grassroots eco-activists gathered to discuss the Rights of Nature - producing "The Stillheart Declaration of the Rights of Nature."

"We are pointing to the need for a wholly different framework that recognizes that Earth's living systems are not the enslaved property of humans. Just as it is wrong for men to consider women property or one race to consider another race as property, it is wrong for humans to see nature as property over which we have dominion. All rights, including humans' , depend on the health and vitality of Earth's living systems. All other rights are derivative of these rights. This requires an essential paradigm shift from jurisprudence and legal system designed to secure and consolidate the power of a ruling oligarchy and a ruling species, and to substitute a jurisprudence and legal system designed to serve all of the living Earth community."

A global movement of indigenous peoples, scientists, conservationists, environmental ethicists, and animal rights activists have acknowledged that individual animals, wild species, and nature have rights. The movement to recognize the Rights of Nature has grown as humans have realized that they have moral obligations, a need to respect, and responsibility toward Nature (and the Earth). The Spirit is calling the United Church of Christ to join the global voices of concerned people and spiritualities to a deeper relationship with Nature and recognizing our responsibilities to care for and protect Nature.

Excerpted from "Who Will Speak for the Trees? A Resolution of Christian Witness on the Rights of Nature - The Federated Church, Marborough, New Hampshire, A Creation Justice Church in the UCC, rev. Dr. Joseph Shore-Goss

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Honoring Earth Week

The week of April 18 - 24 will include a series of activities in celebration of Earth Day. We encourage all of you to eat vegetarian all day on Earth Day - April 22. To help us with this effort, we invite you to share your favorite vegetarian recipe. Please send to Dianne Landeros, [email protected] by April 10. She will compile the recipes and make them available to you on April 19 or sooner.

Other Earth week activities will include:

April 18, 3 p.m. - Orientation to our community garden and talk on how to compost - led by Gretchen Andrews.
April 21 - Viewing of the film, Kiss the Ground. Discussion to follow.
April 22 - EARTH DAY! Honor the bounty provided by the earth by eating only vegetarian meals all day.
April 24 - Walk through Caroline Park with a Redlands Conservancy guide. time tbd
April 18 - 25 - collection of letters to send to the Secretary of Agriculture. More information on this will follow.
Other ideas you can do:

Plant a tree!
Combine errands to reduce driving.
Refuse - reduce - re-use - recycle.

...............- Dianne Landeros, Chris Nicoloff, and the environmental justice

................ team.

Celebration of Life for Jay Grayson on April 10 at Noon

We will hold a Celebration of Life Service for Jay Grayson, our beloved caretaker, on Saturday, April 10^th at noon on the patio. If you would like to attend this service, please RSVP to our Office Administrator, Nancy Sheets at [email protected] or call the church office at (909) 793-3520. All attendees are required to wear a mask.

Book Club Meeting this Sunday, April 11

The RUCC Book Group is reading The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd for the month of March. Our next group meeting to discuss this book will be on Sunday, April 11, at noon on Zoom, and Kathie Blakley will be the presenter. Zoom information can be found elsewhere in the View.

“Grounded in meticulous research and written with a reverential approach to Jesus's life that focuses on his humanity, The Book of Longings is an inspiring, unforgettable account of one woman's bold struggle to realize the passion and potential inside her, while living in a time, place and culture devised to silence her. It is a triumph of storytelling both timely and timeless, from a masterful writer at the height of her powers.” Amazon review

Spring Cleaning at RUCC's Grounds on April 17

What: Sprucing up our beautiful grounds

When: Saturday April 17, 8:00 am to 12:00 pm

Please join the RUCC Grounds Committee for a work day, as we start to freshen the grounds for the months ahead. It's exciting to be able to work together on our beautiful property. We'll do some weeding, some planning, some tidying, some trimming, all outdoors in beautiful surroundings.

No green thumbs required. Jobs great and small need attention. We hope you'll come for some or all of the morning. Coffee and donuts await!

Quarterly Congregational Gathering - April 18

Quarterly gathering on Zoom: Sunday April 18, 2021 at 12:00 noon

Please plan to attend to learn what our different church areas are doing.

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER

April 10 - Celebration of Life for Jay Grayson. RSVP .................[email protected] or call the church office at ............ ...............(909) 793-3520
April 11 - Holy Humor Sunday

...........................Book Club will discuss The Book of Longings by Sue Monk ...........................Kidd. Facilitator will be Kathie Blakley.

April 15 - Prayer Polygon at 7:30 p.m.
April 18 - Quarterly Gathering on Zoom. 12:00 p.m.
August 20-22 - Silent Retreat at Serra Retreat Center. Contact Pastor ................Jill if you are interested in attending.