Sunday, July 27 ~ Rev. Joe's Last Day ~"God Can Use This"
God has a way of taking what is messy, what is unpleasant, what is downright terrible and using it for good. I don't think this means God wants or intends for "bad things" to happen. It just means that God often works most powerfully in the hard situations of life. My namesake, Joseph was beaten, betrayed, enslaved, and imprisoned before being freed and put in charge of preparing Egypt for a famine. Yet God's presence is with Joseph, and when he has the power to punish his brothers for betraying him, he forgives them and tells them, "what you intended for evil, God intended for good." God's power, God's grace, God's forgiveness overcome the evil and suffering of the world.
In my last sermon as Senior Minister of RUCC, I want to reassure us all that God can use this! God will use our time together, use yet another pastoral transition, use the messiness, and bring a lot of good. I don't regret accepting the call or moving across the country, even with the challenges I've faced this year. I hope you don't regret our time together. But regardless of how we feel, we should have faith that God can and will use us, exactly how we are, and bring good.
First reading: Luke 6:22-24
Second reading: Genesis 50:15-21
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A farewell note from Rev. Joe
Dear Church Family,
This is my last update for The View as Senior Minister of RUCC. My last two months here have flown by, and my final day is this Sunday, July 27. People are being so kind and loving about our departure. A few people have asked if I regret the decision to move out here, knowing now that just one year in, I would be resigning and returning to Massachusetts. It would have been easier, and involved less heartache, but it also would have been a less holy and meaningful year. RUCC has left a deep mark on me, one I will carry not only in my future ministry, but in my everyday life.
This past week, I sat down with a great small group of lay leaders for an “exit interview,” where I could share some advice about the direction of the church, and ways to set the next minister up for success. But I also repeated what I said in my resignation letter—there was nothing the church did or didn’t do that led to our family’s need to return to Massachusetts. It wasn’t a lack of welcome or support; in fact, we felt incredibly welcomed into the community.
I did tell them that this church is high energy, and I love that about it! It’s an active, passionate church and the world needs it. Redlands and the entire Inland Empire benefit tremendously from this small but mighty progressive church. I wish I could continue to be a part of it, but I’m needed in other places and in new ways. I also recognized that the church has a lot of momentum right now—lots of repeat visitors and new covenanting members. But I believe that momentum was here before I arrived and will continue after I’m gone. People are here for the church and the community, not just the pastor.
There are rules about how pastors can interact with their former churches. After Sunday, I won’t be available for pastoral duties, and will need to limit my contact with the church community. I’ve also prayed a lot about what to do about Facebook (my only real social media presence): Often pastors “unfriend” their former parishioners when they leave, and that is the recommended practice. However, I have decided that although I will leave the RUCC Members and Friends Facebook group, I won’t be removing people from my friends list. I won’t be commenting on your posts, or having conversations over Messenger, but my Facebook friends will get life updates and the occasional meme. For those without Facebook, there will be an update in a future edition of The View on what’s next for the Zarro family. There is something in the works but it’s not ready to be announced publicly.
It has been a privilege and an honor to serve RUCC, and I beg your forgiveness and grace for needing to depart so soon. I will continue to admire your community and ministry from the East Coast.
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Joe
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Searching...
Greetings from the 2025 Pastoral Search Committee! We held our initial meeting on July 20 and are off to a great start. Rev. Rachael Pryor, Conference Minister of the Southern California Nevada Conference of the UCC, was present to explain the pastoral search process and what we may anticipate as we move forward. Thanks to the efforts of RUCC's 2023 Search Committee, we are further along in the search process and hope to soon begin receiving candidate profiles for review.
In addition, we discussed our individual roles within the committee. Based on Rachael’s recommendations, these roles include technology, communication with the congregation, communication with candidates, chaplains, review of candidates' social media, and committee chair. At our next meeting on August 7, we will consider additional roles and responsibilities and report on each of these in an upcoming edition of The View.
- Lisa Dewey, 2025 Pastoral Search Committee Chair
Please share our settled pastor listing with anyone you feel would be a qualified candidate for our next minister. The Search Committee members are Sophia Beardemphl, Lisa Dewey (chair), Pam Dunn, Kathy Economen, John Hoeger, Nick Mineo-Wells, Keith Osajima, Julie Phillip and Jules Rattray.
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Pastoral coverage for August
With Joe departing and Jake not starting until September, we will have a gap in pastoral coverage for the next month or so. If you have a need for pastoral care, please first contact your Shepherd Group Leaders, listed below. If you aren't sure which group is yours, you can log into Realm, or you can ask Shepherd Area Leader Maegan Hill or Veronica in the church office.
Hopefully your shepherd group can provide the support you need. But if more help is needed, the Revs. Erin Beardemphl and John Walsh have volunteered to offer that support for the first and second half of August, respectively. Your Shepherd Group Leader will help facilitate in any case.
- Group 1 - Barbie and Loring Fiske-Phillips
- Group 2 - Scott Mong or Joette Orman
- Group 3 - Cid Breyer or Maryn Mineo-Wells
- Group 4 - Maegan Hill or Jayne Miller
- Group 5 - Heather Abushanab or Judith Turian
- Group 6 - Kevin and Dawne Simmons
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Susi Jacobsen is retiring
After 13 years of faithful service as RUCC's Christian Education Director, Susi Jacobsen is retiring. On August 10, we will have a special recognition of Susi in worship and fellowship time. Future updates on the search for a new CE director will be provided periodically by the board.
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In our thoughts and prayers
- Prayers for Susi Jacobsen’s ex-husband, Rev. James Huffstutler, who passed from life to Life on July 16, 2025. Prayers for Susi and her family.
- Prayers of love and mercy during this time of transition for RUCC and the Zarro family, and our future ministries.
- Ongoing prayers for Mary Lou Haney, and her daughter and caregiver Jennie, and Jennie’s fiancé Patrick.
- Prayers for congregations whose members have special concerns about ICE raids, even at their church services. Prayers for their safety, and prayers for our ability to be allies in support and solidarity.
- Every week we pray for the victims of violence and oppression around the world. This week we pray again for Gaza, where the UN reports 100,000 women and children are suffering from acute malnutrition. Oxfam and more than 100 other international aid and human rights groups are warning of mass starvation. The famine conditions are caused by the complete blockade of Gaza by the Israeli government, whose prime minister has an active warrant from the International Criminal Court. Lord in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Ongoing concerns:
- Those affected by wildfires, including the UCC in Altadena
- Dick Ault
- Jerry Andrews
- Ron Bickford
- Tim and Ida Blakely
- Bill Buchanan
- Judith Gregory
- Beki Hill
- Harriet Holt, Beki Hill's mother
- Floyd Orr
- Paisley Parcell
- Amber McGuigan
- Cynthia McGuigan
- Dondon and Scott Mong
- Carl Parish
- Dee Dee Seek’s great grandson Jaxson
- Robert Silver
- Tom Miller
- Janet Wilson’s great niece Amelia
- Michael White
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Caring for Kin
This is the last Sunday in the month of July, and we are collecting school supplies for Women of Faith, a local organization that supports refugees in the Inland Empire. Items of special need include college-ruled notebooks and paper, colored pencils, markers, scissors, and backpacks for all ages. A few items that are NOT as needed are glue sticks, pens, and pencils.
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Come to seek and save the lost
Our Lost & Found box is overflowing like the leftover baskets of loaves and fishes. Somewhere between Pentecost and potluck, your jackets, coffee mugs, and that one mysterious single sock have made a home for themselves in Covenant Hall!
We’re not saying your reusable water bottle has been consecrated, but it has been through six committee meetings and a funeral. So please—stop by, dig through the box of sacred relics, and reclaim your belongings. After August 1, they’ll be donated to a good cause or added to the rummage sale where you can repurchase your own item!
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Hospitality schedule now open through August
Fellowship is looking for friendly folks to help out with one of the most amazing hours of our church time together..After the Service Fellowship Time!
- We need people to help with set-up at 9:30 to make sure the tables and chairs are ready, make coffee and lemonade, and put out napkins and cutlery.
- We also need at least 5 people to bring delicious goodies to share.
- Last, but not least, we need folks to help clean up after all our talking and connecting has finished.
If you are excited to help out in this way, make delicious cookies and snacks, or are willing to put in some elbow grease before or after, please follow this link or email Kim@redlandsucc.org.
The schedule is now open through August; please sign up or contact Kim Lara-Kane or Loring Fiske-Phillips who will add you to the schedule.
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Seekers group begins a new book discussion
Seekers won’t be meeting this coming Sunday, July 27, but will begin discussing a new book on Sunday, August 3: The Mystic Heart: Discovering a Universal Spirituality in the World's Religions by Wayne Teasdale. We’ll start by looking at the forward through the introduction. The book can be purchased from Amazon, ThriftBooks and perhaps other online sources. If you’re interested, join us Sunday mornings in Founders Room at 9:15 a.m. for social time, with discussion of the book starting at 9:30 a.m. Please know that we welcome you even if you’ve not acquired a copy of the book, or haven’t read the passage up for discussion.
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Have you had your Dinner for Eightish?
We're now into the second round of Dinners for Eightish but some folks didn't get together for round one. It's not too late! If you were listed as host and life got in the way, please reach out to your group now and find a date to get together. Also, if your host hasn't contacted you, feel free to give them a nudge (or even offer to help). RUCC folk consistently report that these small gatherings of friends, old and new, are a great way to connect with our church family. Questions? Contact Kim Lara-Kane or Loring Fiske-Phillips or email d48ish@redlandsucc.org.
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RUCC Book Group
The next RUCC Book Group meeting will be held August 10 (note the changed date) in Founders Room, after church around noon. The selection to be discussed is The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys, and the presenter is Rosemary Tuohy.
“Sepetys and Sheinkin deftly weave the desperate urgency of the days before the Blitz with the real history of geniuses like Alan Turing who bent their brilliance to stop Hitler."—The Christian Science Monitor review
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Singing in the Pines
Do you love singing? Solos? Choirs? Small ensembles? Do you love being in the great outdoors and singing out for all you're worth? Register for the Unitarian Universalists' Singing in the Pines, August 7-11, to join Malcolm Hawkes, a collegiate vocal instructor, pedagogue, and choral director.
Lots more information and registration is available at this link. (This event is connected to "Hope Renewed" below.)
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Racial Justice Message
Can immigration agents stop and detain anyone with brown skin if they’re within a few hundred miles of the U.S.-Mexico border? Tom Homan, Acting Director of ICE, says agents can question people “based on their physical appearance.”
Courts will have to decide whether someone’s skin color and overall appearance can be considered by officers looking for illegal immigrants, or whether this is just another form of discrimination based on race and ethnicity.
Source: https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/ice-racial-profiling-20766846.php
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Environmental Justice Message
The website that hosts the most recent edition of the National Climate Assessment has gone dark. The sprawling report is the most influential source of information about how climate change affects the United States. "If you are a human being in the United States, your life is already being impacted by climate change whether you know it or not," says Katharine Hayhoe, a climate scientist who was one of the authors of the report. "If we don't recognize that, it's simply because we haven't connected the dots. And the National Climate Assessment was one of the primary tools connecting those dots."
You can still access the National Climate Assessment on other websites:
An archived version of the most recent edition is available through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA's archive site is not searchable the way the original website was. An archived version of the original, searchable website is available through the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine tool here.
Source: “The White House took down the nation's top climate report. You can still find it here,” Rebecca Hersher, All Things Considered, National Public Radio, 7/15/25
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John Walsh is keynote speaker at "Hope Renewed" camp
Member Pat Gordon is on the board of directors for the Unitarian Universalists' Camp de Benneville Pines, located in Barton Flats, on Jenks Lake West. She invites the RUCC community to the 2025 Summer Break Camp for Adults & Singing in the Pines featuring member Rev. John Walsh as keynote speaker.
John will address the impacts of climate change on our planet and our government’s reluctance to respond. John asks, “What can we do to find a path to environmental awareness? How can we live mindfully green?” The voices of John Muir, Rachel Carson, Annie Dillard, and other mindful writers ask us to respond to their environmental warnings.
Much more information and registration at:
https://www.uucamp.org/camps-retreats/adult-camps/2025-summer-break-camp-for-adults-singing-in-the-pines/
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From the UCC Justice & Peace Action Network
For the past several years, the Philippines has been deemed one of the deadliest countries in the world for human rights defenders, journalists, and trade unionists. Under former President Duterte’s regime, massacres, killings, and intimidation became a regular occurrence, with the number of extrajudicial killings estimated at 30,000.
Last week, General Synod 35 resoundingly passed the Declaration of Support for Philippine Human Rights. Join the UCC in living out this declaration of faith by taking action to support our siblings in the Philippines!
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This week
Saturday, July 26
Sunday, July 27
- 9:15 a.m. - Kid's Zone
- 9:30 a.m. - Seekers group is not meeting July 27
- 10:30 a.m. - Summertime Sunday School
- 10:30 a.m. - Worship in the Sanctuary (Joe's last day)
Monday, July 28
Tuesday, July 29
Wednesday, July 30
- 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. - Mah Jongg, Mosaic Hall
Thursday, July 31
Friday, August 1
- 7:00 p.m. - Women's closed AA meeting
Saturday, August 2
Sunday, August 3
- 9:15 a.m. - Kid's Zone
- 9:30 a.m. - Seekers (social time at 9:15 a.m.)
- 10:30 a.m. - Summertime Sunday School
- 10:30 a.m. - Worship in the Sanctuary
- 11:30 a.m. - Quarterly Gathering
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Upcoming Dates to Remember
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August 10 - Retirement celebration for Susi Jacobsen
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September 2 - Rev. Jake Pomeroy begins as Transitional Pastor
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