CUCC Weekly eNews

UCC Daily Devotional Aug. 28, 2018 (Ir)Rational Quinn G. Caldwell " Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all day long. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is always with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your decrees are my meditation." - Psalm 119:97-99 Bad news, friend: you are not a rational person. Turns out most of your opinions and decisions are made up of an unsavory soup of prejudice, first impressions, old hurts, snap judgements, and fantasy, with some actual fact and reasoned thought thrown in for spice. In case it makes you feel better: same here. Same everywhere. We tend to think of humans as highly rational, but it just isn't so. Google "are humans rational?" or "do facts change minds?" Dig one layer down past the fluff pieces and listicles and see what science actually has to say about our minds—not that I expect any of the information there to change yours, if you&

Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost - Green Song of Solomon 2:8-13; Psalm 45:1-2, 6-9 or Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9;  Psalm 15; James 1:17-27; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Sunday    09/02          9:00am   Nursery provided   9:00am   Taizé Worship – Sanctuary     9:30am   Choir Practice - Sanctuary     9:30am   Adult Monday Morning Bible Study - Bradow Room 10:30am Worship Service - Sanctuary 10:45am Children’s Sunday School - Sunday School Room 10:45am No Youth Sunday School - Youth stay in service 1st Sunday 11:45am Fellowship - Vaughan Fellowship Hall 12:00pm Religious Education Ministry Meeting - Hoffmann Room   4:00pm Covenant Community - Bradow Room      Monday 09/03     Office Closed for Labor Day 12:15pm Monday Lunch Group - Hoffmann Room Tuesday 09/04     6:30pm Life and Faith - O'Malley's Pub & Restaurant,  5228 Hollyridge Dr, Raleigh, NC 27612  Wednesday 09/05     9:30am Tai Chi – Vaughan Fellowship Hall   6:30pm Bible Study - Pilgrim House   7:00pm Choir Practice - Sanctuary Thursday 09/06      6:30pm Deacons Ministry Meeting - Hoffmann

Thanks to the $500 donation given to Loaves & Fishes through the Economic Justice Task Force,       CUCC was   able to help fund an intern program that provided training and job opportunities to three high school students at LAF. The program had two phases: ·        Phase 1 – Students interested in obtaining a summer job at LAF had to first successfully complete a job training program.   This training showed them how to   find   employment, fill out a job application, hold an interview, dress for success and communicate effectively with supervisors and coworkers. ·        Phase 2 – Students then had to interview with Loaves and Fishes for a summer job working with younger students and their facilitators. Loaves & Fishes works with low-income K-12 youth and their families to overcome challenges in order to achieve healthier and more fulfilled lives.   This is accomplished through out of school programs that enrich mind, body and spirit.   It is currently serving up

As always, this is a fluid group - just drop in!  We meet on 1st Tuesdays. September 4 proposed topic:  What is your “arena anthem”? Gary and I had the pleasure of worshipping with High Country UCC in the mountains during the month of August.  Pastor Tamara Franks posed this question to the congregation, so I owe her a debt of gratitude for this month’s topic. The term “arena anthem” originates from author Brené Brown and is part of her workshop "Daring Schools: The Four Pillars of Courage"; Jenny has mentioned Brown in sermons and you may know her work yourself.  A quick definition (courtesy of The Clownfish and the Anemone blogger Flex Tio): "It is a playlist of empowering songs that accompanies you when you want to summon your courage to enter the 'Arena.'”  You can find various arena anthem playlists on youtube if you are curious.  If you are my vintage, remember Rocky’s theme as he runs up the stairs at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. As Pastor Fra

Save the Date: Welcoming Sunday is Sunday, September 9 Join us for worship, fellowship, fun, games, music, and food, food, food.  More details to come.

Lectionary of the Day: Mark 8:14-21 Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” “ Twelve, ” they replied. He said to them, “Do you still not understand?” ——— Dear Community UCC and Friends, This week, like so many others, if we choose to we can read headlines and listen to podcasts and fill our screens with news of yet more scandal and deception while our angst about these circumstances continues to grow, or we can choose to “hear” and “see” a different story. The story of abundance where there is more than enough “bread” to feed the multitudes. My week invited me into community conversations and one-on-one discussions with good folks who are committing to do good works. Today, I sat around a table with

Calling all children, youth, educators, bus drivers, cafeteria or janitorial workers and more! Please bring your backpacks, briefcases, lunch bags and selves to worship next week to receive a special blessing. 

RETURN OF THE KILLER YOUTH POOL PARTY! Sunday, August 26 Hosted by The Burkhardt Family All youth and their families are invited to come swim, relax, and hang out!  Lake Park Pool (directions below)  4:00-7:00 p.m.   Please respond and let us know if you can be there or not! And please bring a snack, side dish, or dessert to share. Pizza and beverages will be provided.  Directions: From Crabtree Valley Mall, take Lead Mine Road north. After crossing Millbrook Rd., go approximately 3/4 mile and take a right onto Lake Park Drive, then take the second right onto Lakeland Drive. The swim club is located about 1/4 mile down on the right. 

Sixteen volunteers, powered by coffee and Krispy Kreme doughnuts, worked through a long “to do” list at the August 18 church work day. They cleaned drains, installed new lights in the storage building, filled a drainage ditch with large stones, repaired the storage shed door frame, washed table tops, mulched, weeded, painted, spread gravel in the parking lot, brightened the entrance to the youth room with new benches and artwork, and replaced the old steps to that area with safe and attractive new steps. Check out all the improvements the next time you’re at church and plan to join us for the fall work day on October 27 from 8:00am-12 noon. If you weren’t able to attend the work day but would like to tackle a project, please contact Property Ministry co-chairs Merrilee Jacobson (919-274-4539) or Skip Stoddard (919-827-2346).

If you are interested in occasionally serving as a host for Eliseo Jiminez, who is in sanctuary at Umstead Park UCC, there is a training session scheduled for Sunday August 26, at 2:00 p.m. at UPUCC.  The training is easy and less than an hour.  Hosting is also easy, and more volunteers are needed.  A number of CUCC folks are already helping out.  Contact Diana Koenning ( dianna.koenning@gmail.com ) or Skip Stoddard ( skip.stoddard@gmail.com ) for more info.

Sunday   08/26           9:00am   Nursery provided    9:00am   Taizé Worship – Sanctuary    9:30am   Choir Practice - Sanctuary     9:30am   Adult Monday Morning Bible Study - Bradow Room     9:30am Economic Justice Task Force Meeting - Library 1 0:30am Worship Service - New Members Joining - Sanctuary “Blessing of the Backpack” 10:45am Children’s Sunday School - Sunday School Room 10:45am Youth Sunday School - Youth Room 11:45am Fellowship - Vaughan Fellowship Hall 12:00pm Social Justice Ministry Meeting - Bradow room   4:00pm Covenant Community - Bradow Room   4:30pm CUCC Youth Pool Party - Lake Park Swim Club (Contact Śā nti Matthews for additional info)      Monday 08/27   12:15pm Monday Lunch Group - Hoffmann Room Wednesday 08/29     9:30am Tai Chi – Vaughan Fellowship Hall Thursday 08/30     3:00pm CUCC Staff Meeting - Pilgrim House Sunday 09/02     9:00am Nursery provid

Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost - Green 1 Kings 8:(1, 6, 10-11), 22-30, 41-43; Psalm 84 or Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18; Psalm 34:15-22; Ephesians 6:10-20;   John 6:56-69

Your pledge status report is on the back table of the sanctuary . Please let Carol Clark know if your prefer to get this report by email by emailing her at  cdebclark@msn.com .

Fun and More Fun!  Don't Miss Tonight's Heifer PICNIC PARTY!  We're all going to a park for a picnic! ALL FOOD PROVIDED! 5:30-7:30PM , Marla Dorrel Park in Cary Play a game (led by Sam Woodrum)! Learn a song (led by Annaka Sikkink) Play on the playgrounds or in the misting garden! Just bring yourselves! The park is conveniently located at  111 Thurston Dr, Cary, NC 27518  just off US1. All Ages Are Invited!

Dear Community UCC Friends and Neighbors, It’s hard to believe that it is already the middle of August, but that means Welcoming Sunday is just around the corner! In a few weeks, we will return from our summer vacations, some of us will head back to school, some to new jobs or experiences, others of us will resume life and our typical daily routines. Our communal life with look differently too as new classes and projects begin, worship-life will be richer from the fullness of your presence, and resounding prayers will fill our halls and hearts. As I sit here anticipating all that can be, and relishing all that is, I am filled with gratitude for the gift of serving as your Pastor. Thank you! Two weeks ago, I took our CUCC staff team to Wilmington for a weekend planning retreat. We had a great time as we took one step closer to one another, and listened deeply to what and where we hear Spirit leading our community. Each of us expressed our own hopes and dreams for the minis

We will have an all ages friendly worship service this Sunday to celebrate our Heifer International Summer Series. All are welcome to join our service of bluegrass music, stories, scripture and songs! We'll lift up how grateful we are for God's abundant Love and Light, and share how lovely it can be when we pass on God's gifts. Children and Youth will not have Sunday School this week but will be be invited to provide spontaneous leadership for several elements of our worship service! Come one, come all!                                                                                                 -Religious Education Ministry

Lectionary for the Week of August 19, 2018 Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost - Green 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14; Psalm 111 or Proverbs 9:1-6; Psalm 34:9-14; Ephesians 5:15-20; John 6:51-58

Sunday   08/19            9:00am   Nursery provided      9:00am   Taizé Worship – Sanctuary  1 0:30am   Worship Service - Heifer Worship Service - Sanctuary 10:45am  No  Children’s Sunday School Today 10:45am  No  Youth Sunday School Today 11:45am Fellowship - Vaughan Fellowship Hall   4:00pm Covenant Community - Bradow Room      Monday 08/20   12:15pm Monday Lunch Group - Hoffmann Room              Tuesday 08/21   10:30am Triangle Interfaith Alliance - Hoffmann Room Wednesday 08/22     9:30am Tai Chi – Vaughan Fellowship Hall    Saturday 08/25     4:30pm Children and Families at Pastor Jenny’s Sunday 08/26      9:00am Nursery provided   9:00am Taizé Worship – Sanctuary   9:30am Choir Practice - Sanctuary   9:30am Economic Justice Task Force Meeting - Library 1 0:30am Worship Service - New Members Joining - Sanctuary 10:45am Children’s Sunday School - Su

     The Sai Center of Cary sponsors a health clinic each September.   They solicit donations of eyeglasses for patients who have no glasses.   Donated glasses are evaluated for strength etc. to provide the best match possible.   The clinic this year will be done at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church on September 17.      If you have glasses you are willing to donate, please bring them to church any time by August 19.   Joan McAllister will be working as usher and will receive your donations and will pass them on to Prabhakar for the clinic. They must have them before August 20 to assure they can get them checked. They DO take reading glasses as well as prescription- no sunglasses, though. http://raleighsaicenter.org/

Look at those satisfied smiles... job well done. Our last work day of the summer is scheduled for Saturday, August 18 from 8am and noon.  There will be indoor and outdoor projects for all ages and skill levels.  To keep us fueled, we’ll have Krispy Kreme doughnuts, muffins, fruit, juice and coffee. Most supplies will be provided, but outdoor workers are welcome to bring their favorite work gloves and pruning tools. Wheel barrels and blowers would also be appreciated. Outdoor projects Mulching/weeding/bush trimming Installing additional stone in drainage area behind Pilgrim House Rebuild split fence behind Pilgrim House Place pine straw on pathway on south side of building Install/fix lighting in main part of storage building Install new steps to youth room Indoor projects Paint wall in kitchen behind new refrigerator in Pilgrim House Install GFIs in main kitchen by sink Check all smoke detectors, CO detectors and exit lights to make sure batteries are working proper

Celebrate Beauty:  All are of Sacred Worth. Every child should feel beautiful, appreciated and loved. That’s what we believe.  So, we offer this gift... Prism, a ministry of the United Church of Christ , in partnership with Nancy Jo Photography, offers an opportunity for transgender children to celebrate their beauty. SEPTEMBER 13th beginning at 6pm at Nancy Jo Photography in Wake Forest, NC A special event for all transgender children ages 3 to 17. This will include make up application, if desired. You will receive a 15 minute photo shoot in a non-threatening,  LGBT friendly environment. You will also receive one of your favorite images from the session of your child (a professional 8" x 10") as well as a digital copy for free. Our goal: Simply that you will see your child’s beauty illuminated by an award winning photographer and know that you are loved, as you are, in all your beauty, by Prism. For booking, please contact Rev. Joy Allridge at 919-605-4336.  P

Circles of 12 adults will be grouped together for six months. Hosts make soup and others bring potluck. Sign up by Aug 19  /  Groups announced Aug 26  /  Your group should meet 4 or 5 times between Sept-Feb on the 2nd Saturday of the month Each circle will decide details such as children’s participation and any dietary considerations. We’ll regroup again for Mar-Aug of 2019. It’s a simple "fellowship over dinner" model that makes it easy to share a light meal in someone’s home (not necessarily yours!) in a manageable sized group. To sign up for this first round, email Susan Atkinson at   booatkinson@mac.com . Indicate the following: Will host at my home OR  prefer to share hosting duties at someone else’s home (will bring soup) Looking forward to supping over soup and hope you are too. Let’s get together, CUCC!   - Submitted by Susan Atkinson for Welcoming and Fellowship

Zenna Bryan's translation of Psalm 139:1-18 Lord you know me inside and out. You know when I lay my head down on my pillow after a long day and You know when I rise ready for a new one. You hear my words before I even speak them, my thoughts before I think them. You know everything, and You love everything. You made me, head to toe. You laid your hand upon me and vowed to be with me through my best and worst times. You promised to be with me from the time I was born until the day I took my last breath. You are with all of us, all the time. Cheering us on in our victories and comforting us in our defeats. You love us unconditionally, every inch of us. Always. So I will praise You because we are fearfully and wonderfully made.