A Progressive Christian Community



An Open & Affirming Congregation

January 2025

Our Sunday service is live and on our Zoom channel. The recording of the service will be available online later that day on Facebook, YouTube and on our Website.

If you are planning on attending a United Church of the Valley Sunday Service or other event and require a ASL interpreter, please email admin@ucvchurch.org so that we can meet your specific needs.

Worship

This Sunday is Epiphany Sunday, so our liturgical calendar moves into the season of Epiphany which extends all the way to the beginning of Lent which, this year, is March 5. Easter is late this year (April 20) so we should have a bounty of flowers to adorn our flower cross. The liturgical color of Epiphany is generally green, so we’ll be heading into a period of Common Time. As we continue to tell the story of Wise People following a star to find the new Messiah and a paranoid king so worried about his preserving his power that he decreed that all babies under the age of two in the area be killed, it’s about time for us to sing one of our congregations’ favorite songs, “Home By Another Way”!

Sunday, January 19th right after Sunday Service.

If you are a member of the United Church of the Valley, it is time to cast your vote to approve the 2025 budget and to vote into place your 2025 church council. If you have yet to become a member, there is still time, click the button to send an email letting us know. Non-members can attend to stay up to date on things but you wouldn't be able to vote...quite yet.

Stewardship is here, your pledges in 2024 allowed UCV to operate in the black, to become a Just Peace church, and to also be awarded the Accessibility 2 All designation. Our youth church school program flourished as did our adult church school. We were active in our community and advocated for social justice. We are a small congregation with a loud voice. Thank you all for making that possible.

Let's keep it going in 2025, a little bump over 2024 if you are able.



From Your Acting Moderator

We need to hold tightly all of the people, pets, and wildlife affected by the Southern California fires, the widespread devastation will displace thousands of people for a good long time. I saw a before and after photo this morning of the Palisades area, it was so hard to wrap my head around it, from neighborhoods to nothing but ash. There are so many that have opened up their homes to those displaced, others have set up a refuge for pets and wildlife, this coming together as a loving community shows me that HOPE is still strong here, and maybe we can show others across our country that HOPE is present everywhere, just open up your heart to find it, and then share it with others.

Pray for our Brothers and Sisters, hold them close to heart, let's keep HOPE alive.

UCV Official Designations

The United Church of the Valley, your church, is officially designated a/an:

Open & Affirming Congregation

Just Peace Congregation

Accessibility 2 All Congregation

Pastoral Care Ministry

Even though we don’t have a paid pastor at UCV, we have a number of lay pastors who want to be there for you as you travel down life’s sometimes difficult road. Please contact Sandy Selby at (502) 930-2199 to receive a confidential referral. 

Our Peace Pole and Meditation Garden sit in front of the United Church of the Valley building, a totem of peace and hope for all people. A place to come and sit and reflect on life.

Thanks Ruth, Sherian and everyone who made this happen.

Phone:951-249-3255 Website: www.emilysspace.org 

Instagram: @emilys_space_ Email: EmilysSpace.Murrieta@gmail.com

Congregational Care

Joys and Concerns:

JOYS

• We had the privilege of meeting our conference minister Rev. Rachel Pryor when she visited our church on Dec 15th.
• What a great advent time we celebrated in Dec. Thanks to all who planned and participated each Sunday.
• It was good to have Pastor Jen join us on the last Sunday of Dec.
• Congratulations to the Barnetts. Their grandson's adoption is signed, sealed and delivered.
• Lynn accompanied Donna on her harp as Donna sang What Child is This on the last Sunday in January. Thanks Lynn.

 CONCERNS

• Jason, Laurie and Neil
• Mark Clinton
• Bella Martinez
• The Ortega family
• Fred
• Jen
• Irene's mother
• William Martinez
• All of the people, pets, and wildlife affected by the fires

So Calif/Nevada Conference UCC

Our new conference minister Rev. Rachel Pryor will be installed on January 11, 2025 at the Montebello UCC at 1pm. Reservations can be made at SCNCUCC.org. Donna and Laurie will be attending. If you are interested in joining them then please contact Donna at 951-217-0735 as soon as possible.  

Winter camp is happening on February 15th-17th. Theme is BELONGING. It is for Junior and Senior high school campers. For registration and information go to pilgrimpinescamp.org and click on events.                                                           

UCV is now offering a change in our name badges. We are offering to put your requested pronouns (below your name). If this is a replacement name badge, there will be a charge of $12.00 otherwise there is no cost for your 1st one. If you are a member and don't have a name badge or want a replacement just let Deb Hudson know.

Farm Workers of Deluz

Becky Sulzmann, is one of the coordinators for this effort and will be our 'point person' for this campaign. Her contact information is:



Becky Sulzmann

847-507-9305

becsulzmann@gmail.com

45002 Corte Zorita 

Temecula, Ca. 92592

See below for a full listing of needs

• all Soups, no boxed soups please
• breakfast cereals or anything breakfast related
• shelf-stable milk
• canned chicken, tuna, beef
• instant coffee
• powdered creamer
• water
• masa
• canned fruit
• top ramen
• apple sauce
• pasta
• canned stews
• pasta sauce
• peanut butter
• popcorn kernels
• quinoa
• rice
• chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• green pickled whole jalapeno peppers
• tortilla chips
• trail mix
• instant oatmeal/hot cereals
• can openers (sturdy)
• canned vegetables
• salt/pepper/spices
• chicken, beef, and vegetable broths and stock, not boxed
• dried fruits
• healthy snacks for kids
• honey
• juices for kids
• nuts, salted and unsalted
• canola oil or lard
• band aids
• paper towels
• soap-bath, dish detergent
• towels/wash cloths
• shampoo
• rubbing alcohol
• peroxide
• pain ointment or cream
• anti itch cream
• sunscreen
• toilet paper
• toothbrushes and toothpaste
• sanitizing wipes
• work gloves
• calamine lotion
• feminine hygiene supplies - no pads please

2024 Church Council

Please email any joys & concerns you would like read aloud to at . You can also send confidential prayer requests. Just indicate as such and let Sandy know if you want it shared with any of the other spiritual counselors.

January Birthdays

• Aimee Hayden - 2nd
• Kyle Hayden - 2nd
• Joanne Skinner - 3rd
• Sarah Halverson-Cano - 9th
• Phoebe Eddy - 15th
• Michael Banks - 17th
• Dennis Wolfe - 23rd
• Becky Harris - 30th

Even fellowship can be online, thanks to the innovative minds at Zoom! Join us for Sunday Service live and on zoom beginning at 10am. UCV has its own Zoom meeting room at https://zoom.us/j/9516981520

You can join from your Zoom app using meeting number 9516981520 

Or you can join by phone:

One tap mobile

+16699006833,9516981520# US (San Jose)

or dial 

+1-669-900-6833

and then enter 

9516981520# 

You can start your own online fellowship, too! Just email Sandy Selby at moderator@ucvchurch.org to get on the meeting schedule. 

Sunday Service - Live and on Zoom, 10AM

Book Club - We are meeting online every Sunday at 8am Zoom Meeting Room

UCV Council Meeting - 1st Sunday of the month 11:15am live and via our Zoom Meeting Room

AA Meeting - Every Monday 7pm

Women's Al-Anon Meeting - Every Wednesday 5:30pm

Men's AA Meeting - Every Wednesday 7pm

OA - 12 Step Program - Thursday 6:30pm - 7:30pm

A Big Book Study - Every Friday 7pm

C.O.D.A.Meeting - Every Sunday 5:30pm (Currently still on Zoom)

The Community House is located at

41685 Date Street, Murrieta 92562

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