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Weekly Email - 14 MAY 2015

From the Intentional Interim Pastor
Congratulations to Robert Parrish
Clay Pots Needed for Garden Irrigation
Wake Federation of the Blind Yard Sale
Triangle Hands Across the Sand: Say Yes to Clean Energy!
Youth Fundraising Brunch – Sunday, May 17
Forum
1st Tuesday Taizé is now 3rd Tuesday Taizé
Fracking Stories: Tuesday, May 26, 7:00pm, CUCC
Newsletter Deadline
Relief Efforts in Nepal

From the Intentional Interim Pastor

"Taize is an ecumenical sung and silent participatory prayer service designed to achieve a contemplative state through music, song and silence." http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/taize.htm

Dear Friends,
I believe in worship.  I believe that worshiping together is the central focus of the church.  I believe that worship feeds our souls and prepares us to do the work of Jesus out the in the world.  It brings us into community and then sends us out to be the hands, feet and voices of God.

Worship for me has many facets.  This past Sunday was a perfect example of how many voices bring us together.  The children sang.  Three young men led us in a Radical Mother’s Day litany, and a young woman brought the children’s message. You could feel the energy.

It is my opinion that worship must have energy.  I don’t necessarily mean drums, clapping and dancing energy, but the energy that comes from the movement of the Spirit.  Even our contemplative Taize services have energy, because the Spirit is moving among us.

Have you been to our Taize services?  We have a 9 a.m. service each Sunday morning led by lay people, and I am continuing the tradition of a week night service once a month.  Now that service is on the third Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m.

Will you join us this coming Tuesday, May 19, at 7 p.m.?  The sanctuary will be open at 6:30 p.m. for 30 minutes of silence before we begin.  I hope you will be with us for this opportunity for a contemplative evening with communion.

P.S.  Read about the Taize community in France at their link:  http://www.taize.fr/en.

Prayers for the journey, Pastor Peg

Congratulations to Robert Parrish
Congratulations to Robert Parrish who graduated from the Business Enterprises Program on May 14.  Robert will have the opportunity to run a food service or vending facility in a state or federal building. For more information on the program, go to: http://www.ncdhhs.gov/dsb/services/businesses.htm

Clay Pots Needed for Garden Irrigation
Clay pots and trays are needed for our "Plant a Row for the Hungry" garden. We are using 6" and 8" clay pots and trays to irrigate the garden. The holes in each pot are plugged. The pots are planted in the garden, filled with water and the trays are placed on top of the pots as lids. The water takes a couple of days to leach into the soil through they clay. Pots are refilled every couple of days to keep the garden properly watered. We need more pots and trays to add to the system before the hot weather gets here. If you can help, please leave pots and trays beside the garden. We are working to donate even more this year than the 129.23 pounds we donated last year.
Anne Bailey Zschau

Wake Federation of the Blind Yard Sale
China, baskets, fans and pans –oh my!!!  It must be time for the 2015 Wake Federation of the Blind Yard Sale.  The yard sale will take place in the CUCC Vaughan Fellowship Hall on Saturday, May 16th, from 8:00 A.M. until 11:00 A.M.  Proceeds from the sale will help blind and visually impaired persons gain better equality and independence in our society. If you would like to make donations for the Wake Federation yard sale, please free to drop them off in the Vaughan Fellowship Hall as early as 1:00 P.M. on Friday the 15th.  Unsold items will be given to Slightly Used, a thrift store where blind and visually impaired persons are employed.  Thank you for your participation in previous yard sales for the Wake Federation of the Blind; and thank you again for supporting us with this one!  See you Saturday, May 16th.

May 16 Triangle Hands Across the Sand: Say Yes to Clean Energy!
Join us Saturday, May 16, at 11:15am, at Seaforth Recreation Area at Jordan Lake as our community gathers to call on local, state, and federal leaders to protect our communities by rejecting offshore oil drilling, fracking, coal ash, and more — and instead accelerate the shift to clean, renewable energy like offshore wind and solar power. Following the gathering there will be a BYO picnic, birdwatching, canoeing, and community building. Bring reusable plates, utensils, and water bottle for picnic. Entrance fee to the park is $6 per vehicle. We encourage carpooling!!

Now is the time to join hands and transition our energy policy away from our dependence on fossil fuels and into the light of clean energy and renewables! This is part of the national gathering, Hands Across the Sand and is co-sponsored by NCIPL, 350 Triangle, Capital Group Sierra Club, River Guardian Foundation, and Frack Free NC. For more information - https://www.facebook.com/events/371187489748770/

Directions for Jordan Lake: The park address is not listed on any GPS system. If you attempt to use this method it will misdirect you. Jordan Lake State Recreation Area is located in Chatham County, 21 miles southwest of Raleigh off US 64, and can be reached via NC 751 or US 15-501 from Durham and Chapel Hill. Traveling west on US 64 from Raleigh, go over the bridge on Jordan Lake. The Seaforth entrance is on the left. Here is a link to a map of Seaforth: Map to Seaforth Recreation Area

Youth Fundraising Brunch – Sunday, May 17
CUCC Youth will prepare and serve a delicious brunch (made with local ingredients) in the fellowship hall after the 10:30am worship on Sunday, May 17! Don't miss this chance to fellowship with the church family while helping us raise funds for BYC summer youth church camp. All are welcome - reservations are not required.
Suggested donation:
$10 per plate for youth and adults
$5 for school age children up to 5th grade
Free for preschool kids

We are focusing our brunch on local foods, much of which is vegetarian.*  We are serving family style, so every table will have the same food on it: one quiche, one basket of muffins, one bowl of grits, one bowl of strawberries, one plate of sausage links, one pitcher of lemonade, and one pitcher of water, and one basket for donations.  People will seat themselves at tables and pass the food at their tables family-style. Coffee drinkers will have to fix their own coffee at a separate coffee service table.

Brunch menu:
quiche made with local eggs and local tomatoes (vegetarian)
blueberry muffins made with local blueberries (vegetarian)
local strawberries
grits
pork sausage links (vegetarian sausage will not be provided)
coffee, lemonade, water

*We are not trying for a low calorie, organic, vegan, or gluten-free menu.
 For questions or additional information, contact Śānti Matthews at forsanti@aol.com.

Forum:  Sunday, May 17
So what do you think about growing older?  Everyone gets there (older) sooner or later - if you are lucky!  How do we navigate this unexplored territory?  What do we know about this particular stage in life?  What do we need to learn?  Join us in an informal conversation as we share our thoughts about the challenges, blessings, questions and opportunities for this special journey.  Conversation facilitated by Shirley Birt, who is growing older.

1st Tuesday Taizé Service is now 3rd Tuesday Taizé Service
Every Sunday morning at 9:00am, we offer Taizé worship in the Sanctuary.  One evening a month, we also offer this calming, meditative service.  Taizé worship is marked by a spirit of contemplation, prayer and periods of silence which enable us to let go of the clutter of our minds and to listen and pray to God with our hearts. All are welcome.  Tuesday, May 19th, 7:00pm, Sanctuary.

Fracking Stories: Tuesday, May 26, 7:00pm - 8:30pm, Community UCC
Join us for Fracking Stories - an event featuring six short documentaries that expose the public health and environmental consequences of hydraulic fracturing, and the ways that communities are coming together to protect their land and water. Come learn about the issues, talk with community members, and find out how you can help keep fracking out of North Carolina. Therese Vick, North Carolina Healthy Sustainable Communities Campaign Coordinator for Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, will be one of our featured speakers.

The Raleigh screening is co-presented by The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, Appalachian Voices, Clean Water for North Carolina, Working Films, 350 Triangle, Sierra Club Capital Group, and The Justice in a Changing Climate Group at CUCC.

The series will launch in North Carolina, which lifted a moratorium on fracking last year. Events will take place across the state from mid-May to mid-June in Wadesboro, Asheville, Durham, Fayetteville, Pembroke, Raleigh, Salisbury, Sanford, Wilmington, Pittsboro, and Winston Salem. For more information go to: www.workingfilms.org/fracking

Newsletter Deadline
The June Newsletter deadline is Wednesday, May 20th. Please send in your article by the end of the day on Wednesday.  Thank you.

Relief Efforts in Nepal
If you are interested in donating to the relief efforts in Nepal, remember that “One Great Hour of Sharing” is a good place to send your money.  Make your check payable to CUCC and write OGHS in the memo line to ensure that your dollars support the relief efforts of the UCC.