Skip to main content

Friday Email - 14 NOV 2014

Monitor the Stewardship Campaign Progress at communityucc.org

Costume Poetry Slam with Café Style Coffee and Dessert
A Message from the Stewardship Ministry
Forum – November 16, 9:15am – “Fracking and Methane”
New Address for Shannon and Glenn Core
Pray at the Legislature
Sisters in Spirit (SIS)
“Hand and Foot”
PFLAG
Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, Nov. 20, 2014
Pianist Jonathan Moyer to Perform at West Raleigh Presbyterian
Fall Congregational Meeting, Sunday, November 23
Save the Date – Steve’s Retirement Party!
No Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service
“Festival of Lights” Celebration
New Lights in the Choir Loft
Sunday School Children Need Your Help Filling Stockings

Costume Poetry Slam with Café Style Coffee and Dessert
Tomorrow!  November 15, 7:00pm, in the Vaughan Fellowship Hall. Join us for our second annual Poetry Slam/Coffee House Party and Novemberfest celebration.  For more information or to RSVP or volunteer to share a poem, contact Śānti Matthews ASAP at forsanti@aol.com.  Coffee and dessert will be served café style by our youth wait staff.

A Message from the Stewardship Ministry – Pledge Sunday
This is “Pledge Sunday,” when those of us who have not already pledged for next year's budget can place our pledge cards in the collection plate.  We truly need you to think and rethink your contributions to this church, and hopefully increase what you have given this year by about 5 - 10%.  Many of us have given the same amount of money for years, and with an interim pastor coming on board, we would like to be able to think positively toward the future.  Break down that increase in your mind.  It's not so much if you calculate it as a weekly increase - perhaps simply as much as a dinner out. PLEASE come this Sunday as we dedicate our pledges and PLEASE PLEDGE!
     What we can do next year as a congregation depends entirely on our contributions.  Think of what KayJay and Lei said last week in their Mission Moment, and Cathy Marshall and Fawn Pattison the weeks before; think about what you get from the church and what you want it to be. Make your pledge accordingly.
     And last, but not least, DO COME to our POETRY SLAM this Saturday night, November 15, 7:00pm.  Your Stewardship Ministry will be providing many scrumptious desserts for the party.  Our incredible Youth will be the wait staff.  Entertainment will be by the youth and the characters in our congregation and should be a hoot.  Please contact Śānti Matthews at forsanti@aol.com to sign up so that we know about how many tables to set up.  If you're not sure, just let us know you're a "maybe." But please come if you can for this wonderful fall social.

Forum – Sunday, November 16, 9:15am – “Fracking and Methane”
“Fracking and Methane” - Fracking is a source of CO2 and methane (CH4) and of water pollution. What is fracking, what is happening nationally and in NC?  What are members of CUCC saying to the NC Mining and Energy Commission and to the leaders of the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources on fracking rules?  Presented by JCC members Pastor Steve Halsted, Paul Kiel, John Little, Grady McCallie, Skip Stoddard and Gary Smith.

New Address for Shannon and Glenn Core
Shannon and Glenn Core have moved!  Their new address is 501 E. Whitaker Mill Road, #207-A, Raleigh, NC 27608.  Their new phone number is 919-833-6205.

Pray at the Legislature
Every Tuesday, from 12:30pm to 1:00pm, Duane Beck from the Mennonite Church meets with some of us. Go in the front door off of Jones Street. Turn left and meet at a table in the garden area.  Scriptures will be provided if requested. Contact Adrienne Little for additional information.

Sisters in Spirit (SIS)
The regular SIS get-together and potluck will be held on Thursday, November 20, 2014, 6:00pm, at Gray Woodard's home (919-417-5411), 3131 Hemlock Forest Circle, Unit 201, Raleigh, NC.  Her condo is located on the second floor – there is an elevator; enter at the back of the circle where there is a fountain between buildings 3131 and 3141. This month we'll have a sing-along at Gray's! All women of the church are invited.

“Hand and Foot”
“Hand and Foot” is a card game based on Canasta.  It’s very easy to learn and you are invited to join a group of enthusiastic and non-competitive card players that meet on the third Wednesday of every month in the Vaughan Fellowship Hall at CUCC.  We meet around 12:15pm for a brown-bag lunch and begin playing around 12:30pm.  You don’t have to come every time and you can leave when you need to.  It’s a fun way to fellowship and get to know your fellow card players.  Contact the church office at 919-787-6422 and let us know if you can join us.  It’s a lot of fun!  All are welcome!  Our next card playing extravaganza is Wednesday, November 19, 12:15pm.

PFLAG
Please join us Wednesday, November 19, at 7:30pm for our regular support meeting.  The holiday season can be particularly difficult for the LGBT community and their families. Come and listen to ways other families cope with the holidays.  All meetings are confidential and all are welcome! PFLAG is the United States' largest organization for parents, families, friends, and straight allies united with people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT).  The mission of PFLAG Triangle is to: Support Families and Friends; Educate Ourselves and the Public; Advocate for Equality. We strive to create a world where our loved ones are judged on the content of their character, not by their sexual orientation or gender identity.  All are welcome! (ONA)

Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, Nov. 20, 2014
Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR) is held annually to memorialize those who have been killed as a result of anti-transgender violence, and works to bring attention to the continued violence endured by the transgender community. You are cordially invited to attend the Candlelight Vigil from 6:00pm – 6:45pm on Thursday, Nov. 20, at the CCB Plaza, 115 Market Street, Durham, NC 27701.  Following the closing of the vigil, all are invited to march across town to MotorCo, 723 Rigsbee Ave, Durham, NC 27701, for a night of musical performances, spoken word, and special guest speakers. The event will include a silent auction from 7:00pm – 9:00pm for many wonderful prizes. Information tables will be present from participating organizations. Silent Auction Winners will be announced at 9:30pm but need not be present to accept their prize. Submitted by Cathy Marshall - ONA

Pianist Jonathan Moyer to Perform at West Raleigh Presbyterian
West Raleigh Presbyterian Church cordially invites you to attend a concert by Pianist Jonathan Moyer on Saturday, Nov 22, 3:00pm, in the Church Sanctuary, 27 Horne Street, Raleigh, NC. The program will feature selections from Scarlatti, Chopin, and Liszt. Admission is free.  Mr. Moyer is a native of Raleigh, attended the Hartt School of Music at the University of Connecticut, and has performed extensively throughout the United States and South America as well as with the North Carolina Symphony and Durham Symphony.  For more information, go to www.jonathanmoyerpiano.com.

Fall Congregational Meeting, Sunday, November 23, Noon, VFH
At our Fall Congregational meeting, we will preview the budgetary considerations for the upcoming year and give a progress report on recruitment of church officers and ministry leaders and participants.  If you have budget concerns, please contact Carol Kepler who leads the Stewardship Ministry. The Nominating Committee consists of Julie Robertson (Chair), Joy Alford, and Marty Lamb. Please contact one of these members if you would like to volunteer your services on any church committee or ministry or wish to recommend someone for a position on a committee or ministry.  See you Sunday, November 23, at Noon in the Vaughan Fellowship Hall.

Save the Date – Steve’s Retirement Party!
Plan to join us on Saturday, December 6, from 5:00pm – 7:30pm, as we honor and remember Steve’s legacy with our church and celebrate with him and Marcy as they look forward to new adventures and experiences.  There will be skits, food, fun, reminiscences and more.  Child care will be provided.  If you would like to carpool or a ride to and from the celebration, contact Sue Cottle at 919-772-8288.  If you would like to volunteer to help with decorations, setup, cleanup, or anything else, please contact the church office at 919-787-6422.

No Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service
We will not have a joint Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service this year.  For questions, contact Pastor Steve.

“Festival of Lights” Celebration
On the last Sunday of November, November 30, we begin the Season of Advent with the lighting of the first Advent Candle.  But Christians are not the only faith tradition that celebrates the “Divine Light” in images that overcome darkness in our world.  “Festivals of Light” are also celebrated in some fashion by Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, and Bahai groups.  CUCC and the Triangle Interfaith Alliance will host a “Festival of Lights” celebration in our Sanctuary on Sunday, November 30, for our 10:30am worship service.  Representatives of the above mentioned faith traditions will explain and demonstrate how they celebrate within their tradition and we hope that mutual respect and greater understanding will bring people closer together.  We will continue our celebration with a potluck meal together sharing favorite foods from our cultural traditions.  Please bring a dish to share that reflects your cultural or religious heritage.  We hope to see all of you there as we celebrate this ecumenical event.

New Lights in the Choir Loft
The new lights in the Choir Loft were donated to the church by choir members and church music staff.  Many thanks for this generous gift!

Sunday School Children Need Your Help Filling Stockings
The CUCC Sunday School Children have requested that we collect small items for the Salvation Army Christmas stocking program this year and they need your help!  They wish to fill 50 stockings for children from infants to 12 years old.  Please help us by donating to our collection.  The children will be collecting items that will fit in the stockings until December 7th.  Small toys, markers, pencils and sharpeners, coloring books, card games, cars, trains, dolls, etc. are perfect for the stockings.   We will fill the stockings during Sunday School on December 7th.  Please look for our donation boxes wrapped in Christmas paper!  Check the bulletin board in the hallway at church or see below for suggestions of items for the stockings.   Please provide new, unwrapped gifts (no food or candy, please). Thank you for your help!

Girl or Boy, Infant or Ages 0-1:
Sippy cups/bottles, hats, toys, wipes, books, blankets, pacifiers

Girl or Boy, Ages 2-3 or 4-5:
Coloring books/crayons, toothbrush/toothpaste, hats and gloves, bubbles, play-doh, stuffed animals, dolls, toy cars, balls, dress-up accessories/jewelry, card games

Girl or Boy, Ages 6-8:
Jump ropes, jacks, cards, toothbrush/toothpaste, hats and gloves, markers, stuffed animals, dolls, bouncy balls, pocketbooks, model cars, flashlights (please include batteries), jewelry, pens/pencils, markers

Girl or Boy, Ages 9-12:
Cards/Games, hats, and gloves, toothbrush/toothpaste, watches, flashlights (please include batteries), radios, pens/pencils/markers, jewelry/hair accessories, make-up, perfumes/colognes/lotions, nail polish.

For additional information or if you have any questions, please contact Anne Bailey at 919-424-8122 or annebailey@mindspring.com.