A message from our Guest Minister - Rev. Dr. Ben Bohren

Sunday, July 7 ~ Seventh Sunday after Pentecost ~ "Threshold Journeys"

How often do you use the word “threshold”? It’s not very commonly used, and yet our lives, physically and spiritually are filled with “thresholds…places or points between leaving and entering.” Let’s explore a few of these places—personally, nationally (it is July 4th weekend), scripturally, from an obscure First Testament reading (Habakkuk 2:1-3) and a well-known passage from Matthew 4:1-11. And of course, our beloved RUCC has been on quite a journey of thresholds in the last few years. And a big one is now before us as we welcome Pastor Joe on July 14. Who knows…a “threshold” might just materialize in our sanctuary!!

Sunday's Scripture

Habakkuk 2: 1–3;

Matthew 4: 1–11

Caring for Kin for July - School Supplies for Women of Faith

For the month of July, we will be collecting school supplies for Women of Faith, a local organization that assists refugees and migrants. Their most needed items are new backpacks and college-ruled notebooks, but other items such as pens, pencils, markers, and glue would also be appreciated.

Book Group Meeting is July 7

The RUCC Book Group will meet Sunday, July 7, at noon in Founders Room. The book is Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno Garcia and the presenter is Charletta Campfield.

Two-Week study—Abortion in Historic and Biblical Context—to begin July 11 at RUCC

Please join us for two sessions in person or online: Thursdays, July 11 and July 18, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. We will begin each session by watching a 30-minute video lecture from Westar Institute, followed by discussion, as we reflect on the various ancient precedents which are presented in each lecture.

Week 1: “In Context: Woman and Body in the Ancient World”

Week 2: “Immortal Soul and Abortion”

For more information, contact AL_education@redlandsucc.org

Racial Justice reflection of the week

It's been 60 years since the 1964 Civil Rights Act was signed into law.

Across the country, civil rights groups, scholars and others have commemorated the landmark law with panels, comprehensive reports and rallies. Many have cited its impact and other federal laws that came in its wake, including one protecting the right to vote for all citizens and another banning discrimination in housing.

USA TODAY invited nearly a dozen leaders of national organizations to share their take on how far the country has come since the act was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on July 2, 1964. They also shared how far they think the U.S. has to go to achieve the full promise of the law.

Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/06/30/1964-civil-rights-act-turns-60/73892426007/

From the Environmental Justice Team

“A [2020] study published...in the journal Environmental Epidemiology found that in the 297 most populous counties in the U.S., at least 5,600 deaths annually might be caused by heat. … A 2020 study in the journal Weather, Climate, and Society found that, over the last decade, heat-related deaths have increased in major metropolitan areas along the Pacific Coast among men and women over the age of 45. Several other cities in the South and Southwest have experienced a similar increase. … What’s driving the surge is unclear. The study’s authors suggest that while Americans are more aware of heat’s dangers, and air conditioning is more common than it was a decade ago, an increase in the number of heat waves may have overtaken these advances.”

Source: A. M. Phillips, T. Barboza, R. Vives, and S. Greene, “California extreme heat deaths show climate change risks,” Los Angeles Times project, 10/7/21: https://www.latimes.com/projects/california-extreme-heat-deaths-show-climate-change-risks/

When did social media stop being fun?

On July 13, the Inland Empire Braver Angels Alliance will hold a new, important workshop called Skills for Social Media. It is designed to help you improve the culture of posts and conversations in social media and provide a constructive alternative to the polarized and judgmental exchanges that dominate the current discourse.

PLEASE JOIN US!

Location: United Church of Christ, 168 Bellevue Ave., Redlands, CA 92373.

Date: Saturday, July 13, 2024

Time: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

How to register: Click on this link to register, or if you have questions, please reach out to Holly Highfield, co-chair of the Inland Empire Braver Angels Alliance, at hhighfield@braverangels.org.

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER

• July 6 - Sanctuary at 9 a.m., Sacred Saturday
• July 7 - Book Group (see article above)
• July 8 - 7:00 p.m. Bible Study
• July 8 - First day of work for our new Senior Minister, Rev. Joe Zarro
• July 9 - 7:00 p.m. Stewards Meeting
• July 11 and18 - Two-week study on abortion. (see article above)
• July 13 - Braver Angels Social Media Workshop (see article above)

The church calendar is found at redlandsucc.org

Click on "calendar" in the red banner near the top of the page