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A message from our Pastor and teacher
Sunday, February 16 ~ Sixth Sunday after Epiphany ~ "Haters Gonna Hate"
John the Baptist was among the best people ever born. Jesus was literally performing miracles, even bringing a person back from the dead. But their critics were still finding fault with them, and it didn't matter what, as long as they could make it stick. John didn't eat or drink rich foods, so they said he had a demon. Jesus did, so they called him a glutton. With some people you can't win. But Jesus points out that wisdom vindicates its children in the end, and blessed are those who can see the healing of the blind and the freedom of the prisoner as good news. My sermon will be on letting go of hate and learning to see and celebrate the grace shown to other people. It will also distinguish between blind criticism and authentic calls for justice and righteousness.
It will be good to be back in the pulpit after a week away to attend to family matters. Everybody is OK at the Zarro house and we are feeling a lot of love and support, and appreciate people's prayers and understanding of our privacy.
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Concerns:
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Ongoing prayers for those affected by the Palisades, Eaton, Hughes, and other wildfires, and Altadena Community Church UCC, which was destroyed by the Eaton Fire. A reminder for all of us that recovery will be a marathon, not a sprint.
- Prayers for Jayne Miller who was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma. Prayers for treatment and healing.
- Prayers for Johanna Ballard’s brother Dave who had skin cancer removed and plastic surgery. This is layered on top of other medical complications. Prayers for healing appreciated.
- Ongoing prayers for Mary Lou Haney, and her daughter and caregiver Jennie, and Jennie’s fiancé Patrick. Prayers of gratitude for all those who celebrated her birthday with her last week.
- Continued prayers of healing for Dick Ault who is experiencing a lot of pain in his legs due to spinal problems.
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Prayers for the friends and family of Fred Arth, who passed from life to Life on Jan. 29, 2025. Fred was a founding member of RUCC along with his parents, Helen and Aaron, and his brother Stephen, who is a covenanted member.
- Prayers for the victims of oppression and violence around the world. This week we pray for the people of Venezuela, especially those targeted by the Maduro regime, those affected by gang violence, and those coping with political instability and extreme poverty. Prayers for the millions of Venezuelan refugees in diaspora across Southern, Central and Northern America.
Ongoing Concerns:
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Danny Anderson
Jerry Andrews
Bill Buchanan
Judith Gregory
Beki Hill
Harriet Holt, Beki Hill's mother
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Jules Rattray’s sister, Jenny
Amber McGuigan
Cynthia McGuigan
Dondon and Scott Mong
Floyd Orr
Dee Dee Seek’s great grandson Jaxson
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Paisley Parcell
Carl Parish
Robert Silver
Steffen family
Tom Miller
Janet Wilson’s great niece Amelia
Michael White
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Lenten Series begins March 12
Dialogues on the Refugee Crisis
Please RSVP
This year's five-week Lenten Series, “Dialogues on the Refugee Crisis,” will take place on Wednesday evenings in Covenant Hall from 6-8 p.m., with a soup supper followed by discussion. Dates are March 12, 19, 26, and April 2 and 9.
During this year’s series, we will be reading together, watching short videos together, learning together, and listening to each other as we explore this difficult and timely topic. We will also look at what the Bible has to say about refugees and strangers in our midst, and the ways in which we are called as Christians to respond to this worldwide crisis. Child care will be provided.
We ask you to please respond to al_education@redlandsucc.org to let us know if you are planning to participate this year, because there are study materials we need to purchase in advance and your response will help us get a general idea of the number of people we should plan for.
We look forward to having you join us at our first session on Wednesday March 12!
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Pizza with the Pastor... this Sunday
Sunday, February 16, at noon! An informal gathering for folks considering covenanting with the church for the first time. We'll have copies of the 2025 Covenant booklet and will have a discussion about what it means to become a member of this church. There is an opportunity for questions, not only of Rev. Joe, but a couple of RUCC's volunteer leaders. And of course, lunch is served!
Join us for a time of information, relationships and discussion about whether God may be calling you to Redlands UCC. Enjoy fellowship time after the service, then gather at noon in Founders Room.
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Georgia and Rick Sforza are hosting Fellowship this Sunday
This February marks ten years since Georgia’s cancer diagnosis, treatment, and life-saving surgery. They are grateful for their church family who supported them in so many ways … bringing meals for weeks, sitting with Rick while Georgia was in the hospital, donating money and time to help while she couldn’t work, offering rides, and so much more than can be listed here. The Sforza family says THANK YOU!
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Souper Bowl Results from
Caring for Kin
The EAGLES won .... both the RUCC competition and the football game!
Unlike the televised football game, the RUCC competition was very close!
The Eagles won by a mere four cans of soup! Once again, thanks so much for your generosity in helping to feed our hungry kin.
And thanks to Julie Phillip and Susan Kirkhart for delivering all the food to Family Services and Youth Hope.
Caring for Kin -- See you the next two Sundays
Reminder: Caring for Kin will shift from the Super Bowl collection to collecting your old eyeglasses. Just think how wonderful it will be to give the gift of improved vision. RUCC Seekers will make sure that the glasses are distributed internationally. Prescription and readers accepted with or without cases. Be sure and ask friends and family to contribute, as many folks have them stuffed in a drawer because they don’t know what to do with them. Now they can do good. Collection dates are February 16 and 23.
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Rummage Sale February 22 ~~ 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Rummage Sale is almost here!!! Start boxing up your treasures. You can bring them to church this Sunday before or after church. We will also take your donations Tuesday-Thursday from 9 am-4 pm, Thursday evening from 6-8 pm and Friday from 9-noon. Please let Pam Dunn or Claudia Tolar know if you need help getting your items to church. Remember that we will take anything except furniture. And don't forget your E-waste. The truck will be in our church parking lot on Saturday, February 22 from 8:00 am-1:00 pm.
Please also contact us if you are willing to help with the Rummage Sale. We can never have enough volunteers!
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And speaking of the Rummage Sale...
Do you have anything in the Lost & Found box in Covenant Hall? Please claim it this Sunday (which might make you feel good) or leave it as a donation to the Rummage Sale (which also might make you feel good). Win / win!!
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Fiber Prayer Group
A new prayer group will begin this Sunday – a group for creating prayer shawls for folks in our community. How nice would it be to wrap yourself up in the supportive love of RUCC? How comforting might it be if you were in the hospital, or going through a crisis, to be able to hold on to a gentle reminder that you are not alone, and others are praying with and for you? Those are the gifts this new program is hoping to create for the RUCC community. As we knit, crochet or otherwise create these gifts together, we will also hold the recipients, our church, the community, and the world in prayer. The completed prayer shawls will be blessed by the RUCC community as a part of worship services and taken to those in need.
Whether you already knit, crochet, do any type of fiber work OR if you've never touched a piece of yarn, but are curious, you are encouraged to come to this group. There are folks who are willing to teach, and there’s lots of access to YouTube videos to help us along. We will also have some extra supplies available, so no need to make any investment!
Our first gathering is this Sunday, February 16, at noon (after church and a bit of fellowship time) in Micah Room. Any questions? Please reach out to Barbie Fiske-Phillips.
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Parents, want a kid-free night on Valentine's Day?
Drop off your kid(s) at the church at 5 p.m. on February 14 where they'll enjoy a fun night of movie watching (Ratatouille), pizza making (and devouring), and crafts! Pick them up by 8 p.m. and you don’t even have to pay the babysitter!
For more details, contact Susi Jacobsen.
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Consecration of Live Oak UCC
RUCC is invited to join in a special celebration on Sunday, February 23, at 3 p.m. This will be a joyful day as Rev. Sarah Averette-Phillips (daughter of Barbie and Loring) is officially installed at Live Oak United Church of Christ during their Service of Consecration.
The emerging Live Oak UCC is a unique congregation, born from the consolidation of Brea Congregational Church and the Congregational Church of Fullerton. This new church community is three years in the making and has taken countless hours of love, conversation, dreaming, and growing together to become the vibrant church it is today.
With gratitude for RUCC, the church that formed and believed in her, Sarah hopes to share this milestone with the community that helped shape her faith and ministry.
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Book Group meets Sunday, March 2
The next RUCC Book Group meeting is March 2, after church at noon, in Founders Room. We'll discuss the book Drawn Testimony: My Four Decades as a Courtroom Sketch Artist by Jane Rosenberg. Deborah Rada will lead the discussion.
"Rosenberg’s fascinating debut offers a front row seat to some of the most high-profile criminal cases of the last four decades."—Library Journal review.
"Perceptive, compassionate, and endlessly fascinated by how the human condition is revealed in the courtroom, Rosenberg tells riveting and resonant tales in image and word."—Booklist review
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Church Grounds Workday, Saturday, March 15
Everyone is invited to come and beautify our grounds on Saturday, March 15 from 9:00 am-2:00 pm. The RUCC Grounds Committee is working hard to make this a fun and efficient day. Please bring your own garden gloves and water. Snacks and a light lunch will be provided. See you there!
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Environmental justice message
The EPA on Thursday put 168 employees within its environmental justice [EJ] office on administrative leave as the Trump administration executes presidential actions to roll back diversity initiatives. … Similarly, the Department of Justice is rolling back Biden-era environmental justice enforcement policies, according to a Wednesday memo reviewed by Bloomberg Law. ….
With the EPA’s EJ office now essentially closed, advocates will likely pivot to efforts at the local and state levels. Many states, like New York, California, and Washington, still have programs that focus on those communities, make grants, and convene working groups. Advocacy groups and individual activists are also highly organized, having spent decades painstakingly building alliances because the federal government was offering little or no help.
Learn about environmental justice programs at the California Environmental Protection Agency: https://calepa.ca.gov/envjustice/
Source: “Trump Dismantles Environmental Justice Team, Staff Put on Leave," Stephen Lee, Bloomberg Law, 2/6/25: https://news.bloomberglaw.com/environment-and-energy/trump-agencies-begin-dismantling-environmental-justice-efforts
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Racial Justice reflection of the week
"Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s experience with racism could be summed up in the following words: ‘[r]acism is diabolic, racism is dehumanising. Racism is a sin. Racism is the Berlin Wall of America. Racism is America’s 'national sin'."
- Peter Frick, writing in "Understanding Bonhoeffer"
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Upcoming Dates to Remember
- February 13, 8 a.m. - Redlands Area Interfaith Council Bagel Bash at Redlands Seventh Day Adventist Church
- February 14 - Kid-Free night for parents (see article)
- February 16, 12 noon - Pizza with the Pastor (see article)
- February 22 - Rummage Sale (see article)
- March 2 - Run Through Redlands, allow extra time to get to church
- March 9 - 2 p.m. - Legacy Service and reception at First Congregational UCC, San Bernardino (see article)
- March 9 - 4 p.m. - Installation of Rev. Joe Zarro, Redlands UCC Sanctuary
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March 15 - Church Grounds Workday from 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m..
The church calendar is online at http://www.redlandsucc.org/calendar
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Sunday, February 16
- Seekers ~ 9:15 - Social and 9:30 - Discussion - Founders Room.
- 9:30 a.m. – Kids’ Zone
- 10:30 a.m. – Worship service & Sunday School
- 11:30 a.m. - Fellowship time, Covenant Hall
- 12:00 p.m. Pizza with the Pastor
- 12:00 p.m. - Fiber Group - Micah Room (see article)
Monday, February 17 - President's Day
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7:00 p.m. - Bible Study at church or online
Tuesday, February 18
- 7:00 p.m. - Board Meeting - Founders Room
Wednesday, February 19
- 1 p.m. - Mahjong, Mosaic Hall
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Thursday, February 20
- 7:00 p.m. - Covenant Choir rehearsal in Micah Room
- 7:00 p.m. Education Meeting
Friday, February 21 -
- 7 p.m. – Woman’s AA Meeting - Founders Room
Saturday, February 22
- 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Rummage Sale (see article)
Sunday, February 23
- Seekers ~ 9:15 - Social and 9:30 - Discussion - Founders Room.
- 9:30 a.m. – Kids’ Zone
- 10:30 a.m. – Worship service
- 11:30 a.m. - Fellowship time, Covenant Hall
- 12:00 p.m. - Wider Ministries Workshop
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RUCC Staff
Senior Pastor: Rev. Joe Zarro
Music Director: David Wells
Associate Music Director: Sophia Ohanian
Children's Education Director: Susi Jacobsen
Director of Youth Ministries: Kathy McCool
Office and Property Manager: Veronica Bermudez
Child Care: Caitlin Walsh
Website: www.redlandsucc.org
Phone: 909-793-3520
Staff and Other Emails
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pastor@redlandsucc.org
musicdirector@redlandsucc.org
childrenseducation@redlandsucc.org
youth@redlandsucc.org
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office@redlandsucc.org
weddings@redlandsucc.org
theview@redlandsucc.org
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