CUCC Weekly eNews

CUCC and UUFR will be joining with other faith groups to set up voter registration tables in parking lots and to canvas in neighborhoods where volunteers will help make a difference in the lives of many of our voters--including the lives of the voters whose voices could potentially be disenfranchised by NC’s New Voting Laws.  We will be helping to make sure all eligible voters in NC have the opportunity to register to vote and to know what the new law says about their voting rights, including when they’ll need the new photo ID.  If you would like to join with those who will be volunteering together on April 6th (time/place TBD), please contact Gray Woodard.

Plan now to attend our annual spring Auction - Saturday, April 26, 6:30pm- 9:00pm. Click the picture below to submit an auction donation form. It will be a lot of fun and the proceeds go to the good causes that our congregation supports. Tim Jensen has graciously agreed to be our Auctioneer again this year. Lisa and Richard Leiser-Banks will again provide their computer and financial skills, and the Stolaricks will be bartending for the event.  “Ya’ll come!!” Submission of auction items is now closed. But be sure to come to the auction! CUCC Family Fun Auction Party Saturday, April 26, 6:30 pm by Carol Kepler and Carol Clark The CUCC Family Fun Auction Party is coming up on Saturday, April 26, and we need you to help make it a success! The auction is an annual fundraiser for CUCC.  Would you consider donating an item to the auction?  Examples of past auction items include: Garden plants                       ...

We will be sprucing up the sanctuary and church grounds on Saturday, April 12, just in time for Palm Sunday.   The work day is planned for 9am -Noon, so you will have time for other things you may have planned.  Work activities will include cleaning the pews in the sanctuary, removing excess pine straw and cones from the grounds, evening out the driveway off Wade Avenue, and lots of other fun stuff!  Your tools are also welcome - be sure to mark them so you will get them back.  There will be things to do for all ages 8-80!  If you would like to bring snacks to share, that would also be terrific.  Let's help CUCC put on its best Easter outfit! - submitted by Property Ministry

Youth Service Project - Tomorrow, March 29 Forum, Sunday, March 30, 9:15am - VFH “One Great Hour of Sharing” 1st Tuesday Taizé Worship Service, April 1, 2014 All Church Workday – Saturday, April 11 Got Cots? Say it with Flamingos! “Groundswell Rising, Protecting Our Children's Air & Water” Souls to the Polls – April 6, 2014 Congregations for Social Justice Conference Property Purchase Funds Save the Date! Annual Spring Auction Youth Service Project - Tomorrow, March 29 The Youth are invited to join Śānti Matthews in a service project tomorrow morning, Saturday, March 29, from 10:00am – 11: for a cleanup of the Oberlin Cemetery. If you have never been there, it is tucked away behind Interact: 1012 Oberlin Rd. Raleigh. It is a beautiful piece of land being swallowed up and overshadowed by development. This is an important cemetery, steeped in African American history, in desperate need of your help and cleanup relies on volunteers. Please join Śānti with your gloves, boots, and c...

Ken Beatty was for many years a regular member of CUCC. Here's an excerpt from today's obit at the Raleigh News & Observer. Dr. Kenneth Orion Beatty, Jr., of Raleigh, NC, Reynolds Professor Emeritus of Chemical Engineering at North Carolina State University, died at home of heart failure on March 24, 2014. He was 100 years old and had recently greatly enjoyed birthday celebrations with his friends and family. Ken Beatty with Mary Pettitt and Kerma Hazel - 1990s (photo from CUCC Archive) See the  full obituary in the Raleigh N&O .

Three videos are available from the Youth Sunday service on March 23, 2014. All are permanently located in the CUCC Archive. Condensed version of entire service (29 minutes) Youth quartet singing "Hallelujah" (2:43) Choir's anthem "Because You Came" (2:10)

2014 Youth Led Worship Service, Sunday, March 23! Sunday Morning Bible Study – Lenten Study Forum, Sunday, March 23, 9:15am - VFH Stewardship Ministry Meeting Property Ministry Meeting How to Use the CUCC Website Monday Lunch Group Lenten Study Earth Sabbath Got Cots? Say it with Flamingos! Newcomers' Supper Toxic Free NC Event  “Groundswell Rising, Protecting Our Children's Air & Water” Congregations for Social Justice Conference Property Purchase Funds Save the Date! Annual Spring Auction 2014 Youth Led Worship Service, Sunday, March 23! Please join us this Sunday as our amazing Youth will lead the 10:30am worship service.  They have a very spiritual and moving service planned – one you do not want to miss.  See you this Sunday! Sunday Morning Bible Study, 9:30am, Bradow Room During Lent, the Bible Study is engaging in two contemplative practices to prepare our hearts and minds for Easter: Lectio Divina and Centering Prayer.  You may have experienced these prac...

Everette Noland speaks at congregational meeting On Sunday, March 16, a special congregational meeting was held in the sanctuary following 10:30 worship. The congregation approved purchase of the house adjacent to Pilgrim House and the apartment building behind it. The vote followed an approximately one hour discussion of the proposal to ratify the purchase. Dialog will continue regarding management and long term use of the property. The vote in favor of the proposal appeared to reflect a desire within the congregation to keep future options open. -- Submitted by Lavon Page Moderator

On Sunday, May 23, the Communications Committee will present a brief overview of the church website during the fellowship period following 10:30 worship. It's a good opportunity to get a better understanding of what types of information are found at the website and how to locate what you're looking for. Join us in the fellowship hall for this 15-20 minute presentation. -- submitted for the Communications Committee

In 1969 Betsy Towler was living in the front, left apartment of the Lloyd property's apartment building on O'Berry Street. Yesterday Betsy dug up a few old pictures and dropped them by. These are of interest in regard to the church's consideration of purchasing the property. Betsy and her son Stan in front of their apartment. In the background you can see Pilgrim House lying between the roofline of the 1969 church and the Lloyd property house on Dixie Trail. Betsy's daughter Liz was born in this apartment.   Click any photo to view large versions of all photos   Entry into the two front apartments - Christmas 1969 Front bedroom of Betsy's apartment. Hardwood floors. The window is facing Dixie Trail. The hill across the ravine is where the CUCC Dixie Trail parking lot now lies. At the left edge you see a tiny glimpse of the church building. Here the tent sits on present CUCC property. Behind Stan would lie the Dixie Trail parking lot, and if Stan lifted his right arm...

You may give your late contribution to the OGHS offering directly to Cathy in the church office. One Great Hour of Sharing is the refugee, relief, and development offering of the United Church of Christ, transforming lives through health, education, agricultural, and emergency relief initiatives in 138 countries. OGHS funds enable the UCC to respond quickly to disasters and other urgent and unexpected needs as they arise.  Four ministries within the UCC respond to urgent and ongoing needs: National Disaster Ministries. Refugee Ministries Volunteer Ministries Global Ministries (with Disciples of Christ) OGHS also supports three partner organizations, which concentrate on health and economic justice issues: IMA World Health  focuses on improving the accessibility and quality of health care among people who need it most. When IMA launched in 1960, its primary mission was to procure medicines and supplies and to distribute them to needy clinics around the world. Today, IMA has gr...

Congregational Meeting Sunday, March 16 - 11:45am 2014 Youth Led Worship Service, Sunday, March 23! Sunday Morning Bible Study – Lenten Study Forum, Sunday, March 16, 9:15am - VFH Monday Lunch Group Lenten Study How to Use the CUCC Website A Different Lenten Study:  Victory and Peace or Justice and Peace? Lenten Study – The African American, Many Rivers to Cross Got Cots? Say it with Flamingos! Newcomers' Supper Toxic Free NC Event  “Groundswell Rising, Protecting Our Children's Air & Water” Congregations for Social Justice Conference Loan Your Art to the “Loo(vre)” Congregational Meeting Sunday, March 16 - 11:45am The Church Council has called a special Congregational Meeting in the sanctuary immediately following the 10:30 worship service next Sunday, March 16. The purpose of this meeting will be to ratify the purchase of the Lloyd property at 802 Dixie Trail and 2916 O’Berry Street for a total of $575,000. The Ad Hoc Property Committee and Stewardship Ministry will prov...

At the request of the newly formed fund raising committee, the Church Council has called a special Congregational Meeting in the sanctuary immediately following the 10:30 worship service next Sunday, March 16. The purpose of this meeting will be to ratify the purchase of the Lloyd property at 802 Dixie Trail and 2916 O’Berry Street for a total of $575,000.

You are invited to the Newcomers' Supper on Friday, March 28th.  Unwind after a busy week, ask questions about CUCC, and meet other newcomers.  Dinner served at 6:30pm.  Please RSVP to the CUCC office by March 24th at 919-787-6422 or cucc@nc.rr.com.  Please tell us if you need childcare (ages) and if you have dietary restrictions. - submitted for Bev Stolarick

I thought Joy Alford's benedictory prayer at Ash Wednesday worship might be a great one for use throughout Lent and asked her if she would mind sharing it.  She graciously said "yes."  Thank you, Joy. Gracious God, We have been reminded by ashes of the human condition-and the uncertainty we often experience in pain, suffering and loss.  Help us to remember that here tonight, we have also received the gift of Jesus at the table of grace. As we begin our journey toward Easter, let us not only turn from sin but go in peace remembering the ashes we wear on our foreheads symbolize Your faithfulness and forgiveness, God.  Let them remind us that in all things we must turn to You. Holy God, we want to be transformed -to be made new - to walk with Christ into the wilderness toward new hope, a new beginning and a new world marked by peace and justice By your power and glory forever. Amen - request made by Jane Smith

On March 9 Carol Kepler presented information on the anticipated property purchase adjacent to the church. This video of Carol's presentation was opportunistically shot with an iPhone from the back of the sanctuary, so it's not stabilized via having the camera mounted on a tripod. Nevertheless, it is sufficient to convey Carol's presentation if you happened to miss it on March 9.

Spring Forward this Sunday! Pancake Breakfast Tomorrow, March 8 Sunday Morning Bible Study – Lenten Study Forum, Sunday, March 9, 9:15am - VFH Retirees’ Group – Monday, March 10 Monday Lunch Group Lenten Study Aldo Leopold Study Group – A Lenten Program A Different Lenten Study:  Victory and Peace or Justice and Peace? Lenten Study – The African American, Many Rivers to Cross 2014 Youth Led Worship Service, Sunday, March 23! Got Cots? Say it with Flamingos! Newcomers' Supper Loan Your Art to the “Loo(vre)” “Groundswell Rising, Protecting Our Children's Air & Water” International Women’s Day Celebration, March 8, Pullen Memorial Baptist Church Justice in a Changing Climate (JCC) Poll of the Congregation   Spring Forward this Sunday – (to be sung to “God of Grace and God of Glory” “God of sleep and God of slumber, help us not be late, we ask: Changing clocks one forward number, may we not forget this task. Choir directors, preachers, teachers, all will bless your holy name,...

For what people think wealth distribution is currently in the United States, what they think would be best, and what wealth distribution actually is, see this video: http://www.upworthy.com/9-out-of-10-americans-are-completely-wrong-about-this-mind-blowing-fact-2?c=reccon1

The United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries is co sposoring a meeting "Putting Our Faith into Action: Support Farm Workers in NC" at West Raleigh Presbyterian Church, 27 Horne St. Raleigh NC 27607, at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 18, 2014. http://nfwm.org/2014/02/putting-our-faith-into-action-march-18-2014-2/

Please respond to this Justice in a Changing Climate (JCC) Poll of the Congregation Background: Part of the Justice in a Changing Climate Task Force* commitment is to help CUCC “change our practices” to slow climate change.  Decreasing CUCC’s energy consumption will help because it would decrease our fossil fuel consumption, our CO2 production and the need for hydrofracking. Toward that end, the task force was asked at the 2012 congregational retreat to investigate installation of solar panels on our fellowship hall roof. CUCC uses about 18000 kwh of electricity per year for lights, appliances and air conditioning.  This costs us about $2200 per year.  With solar panels, we would be able to supply about 55 % (about 10,000 kwh) of our electricity with a 10KW solar array.  The cost of a 10KW system would be about $55,000.  The cost of a 5 KW system would be about half of that. But beyond the savings in money and CO2, having those solar panels on our roof would be ...

You are invited to participate each Sunday as we learn and discuss.  9:15-10:15 am in the Vaughan Fellowship Hall March 2: InterAct is a private, non-profit, United Way agency that provides safety, support, and awareness to victims and survivors of domestic violence and rape/sexual assault. InterAct fulfills this mission through the support of its volunteers and community. Tara Romano from Interact will speak at Forum to discuss the agency's mission, work and how members of the community can help them grow. March 9: Inequality for All (Part 1). Documentary about income inequality in the U.S which is at historic highs. American economist and former U.S. Secretary of Labor, Robert Reich explains the issues through compelling visuals and commentary. March 16: Part 2 of the documentary, Inequality for All. March 23: "Reducing Income Inequality". How can we reduce inequality of income in our country? A panel of CUCC members will discuss what we can do to bring about more econo...