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Friday Email - 13 SEP 2013

Julia Mackintosh
SIS (Sisters in Spirit)
Youth Parent Retreat
Forum – September 15
ONA Sunday
Sunday School will start Sunday, September 15
Economic Justice Task Force
Parent Appetizer/Dessert Potluck – Rituals & Resources
NC Pride Festival and Parade
New to CUCC? Newcomers' Supper Sept. 30
NEWSLETTER DEADLINE
Caring Committee
Stewardship Ministry
Gardening Therapy
Crop Walk
Keeping Homeless Families Together
Moral Monday ad hoc Group
An Evening of Blue Grass
PFLAG Fundraiser


Julia Mackintosh – Julia Mackintosh, frequent attender of Forum at CUCC, died last Saturday, Aug 24, surrounded by her family.  The memorial service will be on September 14, at 2:00pm, at Community United Church of Christ.  To view her memorial page on the Cremation Society of the Carolinas' webpage, go to:
http://www.memorialsolutions.com/sitemaker/memsol.cgi?user_id=1070802


SIS (Sisters in Spirit) - This Saturday Sept. 14th, 8:00pm, the Common Ground Theater in Durham will present Ionesco's play The Chairs – a play about two 92 year olds who welcome a large audience into their home to witness their final message to the world. Written in 1952, this piece explores the ideas of alienation, aging, and our ultimate responsibility to the world in which we live. The cost is $10 a ticket for seniors and students or $12 for regular admission.  If you'd like to come, please just come to the church parking lot on the Wade Avenue side where carpools will be organizing at 6:45pm on Saturday. We'll leave the parking lot to drive to the theater at 7:00pm.

Youth Parent Retreat - On Saturday, September 14 we will have a Parent Retreat upstairs in the Pilgrim House from 9:00 am-12:00 pm.  Coffee, juice, bagels, cream cheese, and fruit will be provided. This is an important meeting to look over our plans for Church School and Youth Group activities for 2013-2014. We need parent input on Church School Curriculum, Confirmation, BYC, ASP, Service Projects, etc. Parents please respond to Śānti (forsanti@aol.com or 919-961-8814) to indicate whether or not you will be able to make this meeting.

Forum - September 15, 9:15am, VFH - "Anyone and Everyone" Part 1.    The ONA Task Force will present the documentary “Anyone and Everyone” in two parts, with part 2 shown next Sunday, September 22. In the documentary by filmmaker Susan Polis Schutz, individuals from such diverse backgrounds as Japanese, Bolivian, and Cherokee, as well as from various religious denominations such as Mormon, Jewish, Roman Catholic, Hindu, and Southern Baptist, share intimate accounts of how their children revealed their sexual orientation and discuss their responses.  The parents also talk about struggling with the pain of their sons and daughters dealing with not being accepted by relatives or friends, and being ostracized by religious congregations.  Discussion will follow; facilitated by Cathy Marshall.

ONA Sunday – Sunday, September 15, the ONA Task Force will lead the 10:30am worship service.  Please join with us as we celebrate our 24th year of being an Open and Affirming Congregation.  It will be an uplifting celebration followed by fellowship provided by the ONA Task Force.

Sunday School will start Sunday, September 15 - In addition to the nursery we will have a pre-K class (3 years old - kindergarten) and an elementary class (1st - 5th grades).  Our preschool class will be led by Ellen Beidler, Linda Baker, Gray Woodard, Kathy Widenhouse and Marty Lamb.  Please thank these ladies when you see them!!!  Parents will also be asked to teach one Sunday during the year and to help with special activities.  I will lead the elementary class and be assisted by parents as needed and the youth when they volunteer.  Susan Maleszweski has agreed to help us with her cooking skills when it is our turn to provide treats for fellowship time.  There will be several times during the year when we have a combined class, which is always nice, so the older and younger children can stay in touch.  We will be using the Gather Round curriculum; the theme is "God's people scattered and gathered."  Lessons are adapted for each class. Looking forward to seeing everyone!!!

Parent Appetizer/Dessert Potluck – Rituals & Resources** - Do you have a child elementary age or younger?  You are invited to join other parents in the same boat for conversation about raising children as faithful people.  It's a time to compare notes and resources, ask open-ended questions, laugh together, and become friends.  Nobody will tell you what to do - it's not that kind of group.  We're meeting Sunday, September 22, 4:00pm – 6:00pm at Jane and Gary Smith's home.  Bring an appetizer or dessert to share.  This meeting is parents-only.  RSVP to Jane so she has enough chairs and plates (smithjeg@mindspring.com or 919-787-6539).

** “Rituals and Resources for Teaching Faith at Home" - this group meets about once a month on a Sunday late afternoon.  Most months parents and children come together.  Parents talk while the children play, then we share a potluck dinner together.  But sometimes the group wants time when their children won't be in earshot, so we do an earlier gathering with appetizers/desserts.  New folks welcome.

NC Pride Festival and Parade – Saturday, September 28.  Come out and show your support for your LGBT family and friends.  CUCC will have an outreach table and will march in the parade.  If you have never been to Pride, you have missed out on a wonderfully affirming event.  We need volunteers to help set up and be at our table; and we would love to have as many of you as are able to march with us.  The event is located on the Duke East Campus.  Set up begins at 9:00am.  Festival grounds open at 10:00am and the Parade begins at 1:00pm.  Contact Cathy Marshall (cathyann8504@gmail.com) or Maegan Mohr (Maegan_mohr@yahoo.com) for more information.

New to CUCC? Newcomers' Supper Sept. 30 - You are invited to join us for supper on Monday evening, September 30.  Around the table will be some people new to CUCC and some who have long been part of the congregation.  Bring your questions about the church and its congregation.  Arrive after 6:00pm for appetizers; we'll sit down to supper at 6:30.  RSVP to the church office (919-787-6422).  Let us know if you have any dietary restrictions or if we can arrange childcare for your young children.  We look forward to getting to know you.

NEWSLETTER DEADLINE – The deadline for the November Newsletter is Wednesday, September 18.  Please send in your COPY READY article to the church office no later than Wednesday.  Thank you.

Caring Committee – The Caring Committee will meet Sunday at Noon in the Pilgrim House.

Stewardship Ministry - The Stewardship Ministry will meet Sunday at Noon in the Library.

Gardening Therapy – Days are cooling; weeds are growing.  We can use a few more hands to get down and dirty to improve CUCC’s grounds.  Gardening Therapy is continuing into the fall and we hope you will add these dates to your calendar:  September 17, October 1, and October 15.  We begin at 9:00am and work until Noon.  See you there!

Crop Walk - CUCC will participate in this year's CROP WALK...and we want YOU!  This year's CROP Walk will be held Sunday, October 27, 3:00pm, in downtown Raleigh.  This is a fun, family-friendly event that raises money for food organizations in our community.  We would love to have a big CUCC presence this year!  If you would like to join the team (and we hope that you will!) and/or sponsor a walker from our church, please email Laurel Powell (laurel.powell@gmail.com).  We hope to see you there!

Keeping Homeless Families Together - Please continue to help families be able to live together as they transition from homelessness to temporary housing to permanent housing by contributing household items.  Take a post-it or two from the bright poster in the Vaughan Fellowship Hall, purchase the item(s) written on the post-it(s) and then return the item(s) to the basket under the poster.

Moral Monday ad hoc Group - Over the next year, the Moral Monday ad hoc group will be identifying opportunities for you (and your children) to get involved a few hours at a time. Look for upcoming voter registration drives, photo ID assistance projects, and driving to the polls.  Or, consider attending some of the Moral Monday’s public events.  We'll note family-friendly activities. On CUCC's website under Hot Topics, click on Moral Mondays.  Anyone is welcome to drop in on the Moral Monday’s ad hoc group; meetings are joyful, energetic, and action-oriented.

An Evening of Blue Grass - The Wake Federation of the Blind invites you to enjoy an evening of Blue Grass Music with musical artists India Cain and Allen Keith.  The event will be held on Saturday, October 12 at 7:00pm at Community United Church of Christ.  Tickets are $10.00 each and will aid blind and visually impaired people to become more independent citizens in society.  For more information contact Robert Parrish at 919-616-1606.  Come and help us change what it means to be blind.

PFLAG Fundraiser – PFLAG Triangle once again will sponsor a Signature Ad in the Pride Edition of the Independent Weekly in September.  Last year we had wonderful support from the CUCC members and raised over $250 for PFLAG.  This is PFLAG’s only fundraiser during the year and the contributions to PFLAG Triangle allows the organization to continue its work through Advocacy, Support, and Education for the LGBT Community.  Below is a copy of the fundraiser letter with information on how to donate.  You can also send Cathy Marshall an email at cucc@nc.rr.com or call me at 919-395-2600 or 919-787-6422 and let me know if you want your name listed in the ad; then drop off or send a check to the church office (814 Dixie Trail, Raleigh, NC 27607).  You may also put your check and how you want your name to be listed in the offering plate this Sunday (ONA SUNDAY!).   The deadline to submit your name is September 17, 2013.  Please have your money in by Sunday, September 22.  Thank you for your support of PFLAG and the ONA Task Force.  This is truly an Open and Affirming and Welcoming Church!!!!  (Submitted by Cathy Marshall for the ONA Task Force)