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A message from our Pastor and Teacher
Sunday, January 19 ~ Second Sunday after Epiphany ~ "Home Field Disadvantage"
In baseball and other sports, there's often a home field advantage—you're in a familiar place, you've got the crowd rooting for you, and referees tend to be a bit friendlier. But when it comes to playing the prophet, you're at a profound home field disadvantage. This Sunday, we learn about Jesus' return to Nazareth, his proclamation of the year of the Lord's favor, and his ultimate rejection by the very people he grew up with. But out on the road, people are more receptive to the ideas and the criticism a prophet brings. It's a life of itineracy, and Jesus laments, "Birds have nests, and foxes have dens, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay." Join us as we explore this home field disadvantage and more in worship this Sunday. (Reminder: from now until Easter, we will be reading selections from the Gospel of Luke in mostly chronological order.)
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Concerns:
- Prayers for those affected by the Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, and other fires in Los Angeles County. Ongoing prayers for Altadena Community Church UCC, which was destroyed by the Eaton Fire.
- Ongoing prayers for Mary Lou Haney, and her daughter and caregiver Jennie, and her fiancé Patrick.
- Prayers for Mary Mortensen who is scheduled to have heart surgery at Loma Linda on Thursday, Jan. 16. Prayers for a successful surgery and a quick recovery, and for her husband Larry.
- We renew our prayers for the victims of violence and oppression around the world. This week we lift up the Karen people in Myanmar, a persecuted minority with many in refugee camps and even a diaspora in the United States. Prayers for peace in Myanmar for all who live there.
Ongoing Concerns:
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Danny Anderson
Jerry Andrews
Johanna Ballard's brother
Bill Buchanan
Judith Gregory
Beki Hill
Harriet Holt, Beki Hill's mother
Paisley Parcell
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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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Carl Parish
Robert Silver
Steffen family
Sforza family
Tom Miller
Janet Wilson’s great niece Amelia
Michael White
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Pizza With the Pastor...
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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Do you like to eat? Do you like to talk?
The RUCC “Munch & Muse” (M&M) group will meet this coming Tuesday, January 21, at 11 a.m., in Covenant Hall. This is a great way to meet new people and find out what’s happening with the church, and many other things as well. Everyone is invited to bring a sack lunch and join in with munching and musing!
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Caring for Kin Special Request
Our collection of jackets, sweatshirts, and hoodies has focused on adult items to fill the need of which we were most aware. Jean Arnott has asked us to include children's jackets for the refugee families that Women of Faith is sponsoring. If your child has outgrown a jacket that is still in good shape, please consider donating it to Caring for Kin on Sunday, January 19th or 26th. New jackets welcome also! Let's keep those kiddos warm! (*Image is AI-generated*)
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Morning-time fun in the Garden this Saturday
We invite you to join us in the RUCC Garden for some fun playtime and learning activities!
- Saturday January 18, 9 a.m.-noon
- Kids Grades 12 and under
- Parents are welcome to stay and enjoy the morning or drop off their kids (permission slip required)
- We’ll begin the morning in Covenant Hall with some bagels and fruit!
- Kindly RSVP to al_education@redlandsucc.org
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Pilgrim Pines Winter Camp is Feb. 15-17
It’s almost time for Pilgrim Pines’ annual Winter Camp which takes place during Presidents’ Day Weekend. This program is open to kids 6th grade and older. This year's theme is "Belonging."
RUCC offers “camperships” (scholarship funds) to members and also to grandkids of members (even those who don’t attend RUCC).
Please contact al_education@redlandsucc.org if you are considering attending.
Use the following link to find more information about the program:
https://www.pilgrimpinescamp.org/wintercamp
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Annual Meeting and potluck January 26
RUCC's annual meeting is January 26 after worship. We'll stay in the sanctuary for the business portion of the meeting (see below), then move to Covenant Hall for information, fellowship, and food! Please bring a potluck item to share.
We will have two formal votes at the meeting - first, to approve the recommended 2025 budget, and second, to elect the board for 2025. The nominating committee has put forth the slate below, which the board endorses. We will also accept additional nominations from the floor that day:
- President: Dan Abushanab
- Vice President: Patty Little
- Clerk: Sue Wallace
- Treasurer: Diana Steele-Jones
- Member at Large: Stacy Kaiser
- Growth: Michael Dewey
- Education: Andrea Morics and Jules Rattray
- Shepherds: Maegan Hill
- Stewards: Pam Dunn
- Hospitality: Kimberly Lara-Kane
- Wider Ministries: Kathie Blakely
- Worship: Barbie Fiske-Phillips
We need a majority of covenanting members for a quorum. If you are unable to attend in person, please complete an absentee ballot, available at https://redlandsucc.org/ballot/ and return it physically or electronically to the church office or to an officer of the church.
The RUCC Book of Reports is available here.
If you have any questions, please contact Dan Abushanab, RUCC Board President.
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Consecration of Live Oak UCC
RUCC is invited to join in a special celebration on Sunday, February 23, at 3:00 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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Special MLK Jr.-inspired Bible Study this Monday
You're invited on Monday, January 20 for a special Bible Study focused on the writings of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the biblical passages which informed his life’s work. We will meet in Founders Room 7-8:30 p.m.
Relevant Bible passages include:
- Matthew 5:43-48
- Luke 12
- Paul’s letters
Reading materials are at these links:
If you have any questions please contact al_education@redlandsucc.org. (*Image is AI-generated*)
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Environmental justice message
This was the year my husband and I were going to build a home together. Now we keep receiving report after report of yet another family that completely lost their home to the flames.
Our local mosque is gone. The city’s Jewish center burned down too. As of now my home congregation is still standing, but at least twenty families from our church have completely lost their homes. Some of the most hospitable people I know, the ones who would be first in line to offer their house to those in need, are now victims of these devastating fires.
I’m struggling to comprehend how much we’ve lost. Entire neighborhoods are gone and will never be the same. Who knows what the future of Los Angeles will hold.
During these difficult times, I’m also experiencing the importance of community.
Because of my faith community I have people checking in on me and offering help. I’m plugged into a network of communication that allows me to hear stories from my neighbors. I also have people that will sit by my side and grieve with me.
Community is the best tool we have during a disaster, but we also need our communities to speak up against climate change and prevent these disasters from ever happening.
Source: Message from Bekah Estrada, the California Interfaith Power and Light SoCal director
To see the whole message go to: https://www.interfaithpower.org/message-from-our-socal-director-la-fires-💔🔥/
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Racial Justice reflection of the week
In the weeks after the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, in which white mobs burned the Oklahoma city’s vibrant Black neighborhood to the ground, a federal agent quickly concluded that the attack that left as many as 300 people dead wasn’t motivated by “racial feeling,” and its perpetrators hadn’t broken any laws.
More than a century later, the Justice Department has sought to correct that flawed record, writing in a report made public this week that the rampage wasn’t the result of spontaneous mob violence but rather a coordinated, military-style effort to ruin what was then one of the wealthiest Black communities in the U.S.
Source: https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/justice-department-report-aims-to-correct-record-on-tulsa-race-massacre-3e8fcfb1
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Book Club - February 2
The RUCC Book Group will meet on Feb. 2, 2025, in Founders Room after church, at noon. The selection for this meeting is The Sun Walks Down by Fiona McFarlane. Beth Kolpien will be the presenter.
“Fiona McFarlane’s blazingly brilliant new novel, The Sun Walks Down, tells the many-voiced, many-sided story of a boy lost in colonial Australia. ‘The Sun Walks Down is the book I’m always longing to find: brilliant, fresh, and compulsively readable. It is marvelous. I loved it start to finish.’ ―Ann Patchett” (Amazon review)
Upcoming RUCC Book Group dates and selections:
March 2: Drawn Testimony by Jane Rosenberg, April 6: James by Percival Everett, April 27: Feather Trails, by Sophie A. H. Osborn, No May Meeting, June 1: The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride
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Game Night Friday!
Game Night is this Friday, January 17th, at 5:30 p.m. in Covenant Hall. It is fun for all ages. In addition to games, there is an art table. If you have a favorite game, please bring it. Eat before you come. Root beer floats served. You're invited to bring an item from this list that will be donated to the inpatients at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital. Some of these kids are hospitalized for months so let’s help them pass the time. Contact Ginny Cruz for more info.
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The church office will be closed on Monday, January 20, for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
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Epiphany Words are still available!
Did you miss the opportunity to choose an Epiphany Word? Fear not! A word is still waiting to choose you! Visit the words in their glass container in the back of the sanctuary, reach in, and make a year-long connection. The words are available through the month of January.
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From your Financial Team
Your Individual Giving Statement for 2024 was emailed on Sunday, January 12. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Erica Jensen, our Financial Secretary, at finsec@redlandsucc.org. Thank you!
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Redlands Area Interfaith Council - Bagel Bash
Thursday, February 13, 8-9 a.m. at Redlands Seventh-Day Adventist Church auditorium
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Upcoming Dates to Remember
- January 17, 5:30 p.m. - Game Night (see article)
- January 18, 9 a.m.-noon, Fun day for grades 12 and under, RUCC Garden, (see article)
- January 20 - Church office is closed
- January 26, 11:30 a.m. - Annual Meeting of the Congregation with potluck (see article)
- February 1, 9 a.m.-noon - Sacred Saturday
- February 2, 12 noon - Book Club (see article)
- February 16, 12 noon - Pizza with the Pastor (see article)
- February 22 - Rummage Sale
The church calendar is online at redlandsucc.org/calendar
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Sunday, January 19
- Seekers ~ 9:00 a.m. Social; 9:15 to 10:15 - Discussion - Founders Room.
- 9:30 a.m. – Kids’ Zone
- 10:30 a.m. – Worship service
- 11:30 a.m. - Fellowship in Covenant Hall
- 12:00 p.m. - Shepherd Leaders meeting, Founders Room
Monday, January 20
- Church office is closed for MLK Day
- 7 p.m. - Bible Study at church or online
Tuesday, January 21
- 11 a.m. - Munch & Muse
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7:00 p.m. Board meeting
Wednesday, January 22
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Thursday, January 23
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11 a.m. - Worship Area meeting, Founders Room
Friday, January 24
- 7 p.m. – Woman’s AA Meeting - Founders Room
Saturday, January 25
Sunday, January 26
- Seekers ~ 9:00 a.m. Social; 9:15 to 10:15 - Discussion - Founders Room.
- 9:30 a.m. – Kids’ Zone
- 10:30 a.m. – Worship service
- 11:30 a.m. - Congregational meeting, Sanctuary
- ~Noon - All-church potluck gathering, Covenant Hall
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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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