CUCC Weekly eNews

KIDS IN CHURCH :-) 3-year-old Reese: 'Our Father, Who does art in heaven, Harold is His name. Amen.' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A little boy was overheard praying: 'Lord, if you can't make me a better boy, don't worry about it. I'm having a real good time like I am.' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After the christening of his baby brother in church, Jason sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car. His father asked him three times what was wrong. Finally, the boy replied, 'That preacher said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home, and I wanted to stay with you guys.' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ One particular four-year-old prayed, 'And forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets.' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A Sunday school teacher asked her children as they were on the way to church service, 'And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?' One bright...

Hope you have had a nice Summer! After the Summer break, the CUCC Forum resumes this Sunday, Sept. 6, and we hope you will participate in the programs. The September schedule: September 6 – Cy King, “The Peace Movement: A Little History” September 13 – Chris Fitzsimon, “The NC Budget: Realities & Inequities" September 20 – Health Care Reform (panel to be announced) September 27 - Joan McCallister, "Links Program: the needs of our Youth as they transition out of foster care”

CROP Walk is Sunday, October 4 http://www.cropwalkraleigh.com/

1) Pray. The United Church of Christ is calling us to P.U.S.H. - Pray Until Something Happens to bring health care to all Americans. 2) Be a public witness. One opportunity: Health Care Can't Wait rally to support affordable, quality health care for all Americans. This Saturday, August 29, 10:00-11:30am, State Capitol Building. (Look for Gary to join the CUCC contingent.) 3) Sign the Vision Statement for inclusive, affordable, accessible, accountable health care either online or after worship this Sunday.

The acclaimed German film "The Lives of Others" (Das Leben der Anderen) will kick off the foreign film series beginning this fall at CUCC. Each month beginning in September we'll have a Friday night film. Dates and titles will be announced at least a month in advance and will be posted under "Upcoming Events" on the front page of the church website, as well as in the newsletter and on the News and Chat blog. All movies will begin at 7:30 in the Fellowship Hall. "The Lives of Others" is set in the 1980s in East Berlin and won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film of 2007. This is a remarkably redemptive and moving film. Come and enjoy it with others. This film series is a project of the Welcome, Fellowship, and Growth Ministry. The purpose of the series is fun and fellowship. The series will include films from Germany, Netherlands, Great Britain, Czech Republic, Hungary, China, and South Africa.

Interesting posts on health care reform. Thought I'd weigh in. I am a free market democrat and so I am opposed to a government plan. But I am in favor of universal coverage. How can this be done? Right now there is no free market for health insurance. I am self employed and I basically have one choice - blue cross advantage. If I was a large employer, then I would have options. But for individuals there is not a well-functioning market. In addition, there would not be a free market for health insurance even if I worked for someone else. Of all the jobs I've had over the years, my employer has only offered me one and only one health care option (I don't count an adjustment in the deductible as "choice"). Want a different health insurance plan? Then you must change jobs! Even further, if on my present plan I decide to "choose" my doctor, and they are on my plan - then I pay through the nose (retail). So the insurance company determines who my do...

When I wrote yesterday's post Musings on healthcare reform , I thought I was out of the mainstream. Today I wake up and see that others are thinking more or less the same thing. So maybe there's a groundswell here. Today's If only we had to keep costs in mind column in the N&O is written by a local emergency room physician. While strongly supportive of reform, he starts out with ... I'm furious with President Barack Obama. When he got elected last fall, I thought we finally had a leader who was willing to tell us the truth about health care: It's just like everything else in life. If we want meaningful reform, we have to realize that we can't all have everything we want, at any hour of the day or night, always paid for by somebody else. Don't get me wrong. I think universal coverage is an idea whose time has come, within limits. In a wealthy advanced society like ours (current economic woes notwithstanding) everyone must have access to some essential se...

Here are two websites where you can sign a petition in support of a public option for health insurance ... http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/205855008 http://action.firedoglake.com/page/s/keepthepledge

I listened to all of the healthcare conference call yesterday. It left me with the impression that I've been developing for quite some time. There's not going to be any healthcare reform this year, and probably the best thing we can hope for at this time is no bill at all from Congress. If anything resembling the bill that's now festering in Congress passes, we're going to take longer to recover from its ramifications than will be required to start all over again on a reform effort at some point in the future. You see, my friends, what is emerging from all this is the sad fact that the problem is us. It's not the President, it's not Congress, it's not the insurance industry, and it's not the pharmaceutical companies. It's us, the American people. And by that I mean that what we say we want isn't attainable. Now admittedly part of the problem is the brokenness of political institutions. (How long has it been since Congress actually did something ...

(submitted by Jim Smith) This is from a friend of mine who has a lot of knowledge of the healthcare system and who I respect tremendously. I wanted to send you all this forward from The Institute for Healthcare Improvement. I have been involved with IHI for the last decade or so and they have made significant strides in enhancing the quality of care in the US. This particular article from yesterday highlights the success of multiple communities who have reduced the escalation in Medicare Costs through regional assessment of practice patterns and the restructuring of healthcare delivery in accordance with need. The President's agenda includes enhanced incentives to embrace the adoption of health information technology, provide coordinated care and assess health outcomes. The reasoning behind these initiatives is due to the overwhelming evidence that persons who are treated within the structure of a Medical Home Model where Mistakes are Minimized, have healthier lives and spend less...

This press release on the Living Letters trip gives info on work of the churches outside of the eastern conflict area. I appreciated widening my understanding of the background and focus of some of the work which would be supported by our money via Global Ministries. The WCC site also has a paragraph on the history of some of the churches in DRC (including the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) affiliate) as well as a list of the WCC connected denominations there. This is the best description I've seen anywhere.

Jo and I are pleased to announce a new grandnephew (the first after 4 grandnieces). Born to Niko and Shara in Peekskill NY this morning. No name yet. Birth was at home with help of a midwife.

Fall Church School Begins August 23 All 5th-12th graders are invited to leave worship with the children, after the children's message, for church school every Sunday, except for the first Sunday of each month. First Sundays, we do not hold church school classes, and we encourage all 5th-12th graders to attend worship, and either sit together, or with their families. There are rare exceptions to this pattern, advance notice will be given. One such Sunday is September 27, which is Arts in Worship Sunday; all 5th-12th graders will remain in the sanctuary for this creative worship experience. 5th-12th grade church school Sundays break down as follows... Some Sundays, classes combine for Stand Up for Your Rights curriculum led by Santi Matthews, upstairs in the Pilgrim House, otherwise... 5th and 6th graders form the Journey class, led by Santi Matthews: Beloved Community curriculum: Pilgrim House 7th-9th graders form the Confirmation class, led by Sue Cottle and Mike Evans: Confirma...