the grapevine - church of the redeemer united church of christ · 2019-05-01 · the grapevine...

The Grapevine Church of the Redeemer United Church of Christ 23500 Center Ridge Road Westlake, OH 44145

440-331-0834 www.corucc.org March 2014

March Mission Envelopes

One Great Hour of Sharing

We Are One! (with our sisters and brothers)

Each year, One Great Hour of Sharing – United Church of Christ produces an Annual Mission report. We highlight a glimpse of mission made possible because of the support of our churches and friends. You support is deeply appreciated by all whose lives are touched. In 2014, the One Great Hour of Sharing theme is “WE ARE ONE! The focus is on sharing with our brothers and sisters in need around the world because we are connected with them through Christ Jesus. It suggests that as long as anyone has an unmet need, we all have unmet needs. This idea is easy to understand when the person in need is a family member or neighbor in our community. It is not as easy when the person in need is someone we don’t know, who lives far away. Yet, we are called to care for those near and far, alike. From disaster relief, to training programs, to boots, and healthcare, your gift is making a major impact in the lives of real people. Together we are showing the world, God’s love and compassion through acts of kindness, making the United Church of Christ a vehicle through which lives are transformed. With your generous support, these vital ministries of life can continue. Thank You!

March In-Gathering Stormy Weather

We will be collecting Peanut Butter and Jelly throughout the month of March for local food banks. Please place your donations in the wagon in the hallway across from the office.

Be sure to check the expiration date, as food distributors cannot accept expired food.

Thank you so much for your generosity!

The Mission Outreach Committee

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SAVE THE DATE!

Pancake Breakfast after church on Sunday, March 23rd!

Proceeds to buy books for the children in grades K-3 at Charles Mooney School in Cleveland, Ohio.

Come one, come all, and eat Elaine Freed’s delicious pancakes and sausages.

Church of the Redeemer is hosting a Scholastic Book Fair the weekend of March 29th and March 30th . Come buy books for yourself, your children, your grandchildren, or your friend’s children! All profits will go towards purchasing books for the students at Charles Mooney School. Bev & Paul Eckard’s daughter, Susan, is a 2nd grade teacher at the school. Or consider making a direct donation to the cause by buying books for the children at the school. We will have suggested book titles available.

Upcoming Events:

• Sunday, March 2 BW Concert at Redeemer 3:00 p.m.

• Wednesday, March 5 Ash Wednesday Service 7:30 p.m.

• Saturday, March 8 Parents Night Our Kids Fun Night In 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.

• Sunday, March 9 Daylight Saving Time Begins

• Thursday, March 20 First Day of Spring

• Sunday, March 23 Pancake Breakfast

• Saturday/Sunday March 29 & 30 Book Fair

• Saturday, April 12 Palm Saturday 3:00 – 5:00

• Sunday, April 13 Palm Sunday

• Thursday, April 17 Maundy Thursday Service 7:30 p.m.

• Friday, April 18 Good Friday Prayer Walk

• Sunday, April 20 Easter Sunday 10:30 a.m.



All About Us Please keep the following

people in your thoughts and prayers: Anne Szabo, Joan Kish, Mary Ann Hatala (Marcia Powles’s cousin), & Barbara Green.

Our thoughts and prayers go to the family and friend of Julia Brown who passed Sunday, February 23.

Our thoughts and prayers also go out to the family and friends of Dr. Henry Krueger. His wife, Doris, lives in Texas. If you would like to send a card, here is the address:

1526 Straus Road Cedar Hill, Texas 75104

From Mary Weisman I am so thankful for all my

friends at Redeemer. Your thoughts and prayers mean so much to me. I cannot thank you enough for all you have done for me during the recent loss of my husband, Rick. Your kindness and gifts to the church are greatly appreciated.

From Martha Brown I want to thank everyone for

your thoughts, prayers, cards, and phone calls during the recent loss of my husband, Jim. They were greatly appreciated.

From the family of Stephanie K. Schlitter. We would like to thank

everyone for all your thoughts, prayers, and donations during this difficult time. We sincerely have appreciated the support you have given us. She will be forever in our hearts.

Dear Friends in Christ,

Thank you so very much for your thoughts and prayers for my grandson, Jon, over the past few years. Thankfully, Jon came home this week. He is happy to be back and will be using his new CDL driving skills. The whole family is grateful to have him home. Sincerely yours, Jane Huml and family

Congratulations to Margaret and Wayne Borrelli on the birth of their new grandchild Elliott James Clifford, Sunday, February 23.

Men’s Spiritual Journey Discussion Group

The Men's Spiritual Journey Group is beginning its fifth year together. We meet on the 2nd Sunday of each month and we have found that we have a lot to talk about! We talk about our faith, we discuss our own personal faith journey, we share our thoughts and prayers about our Redeemer faith family and we discuss what we can each do to strengthen our faith community and God's presence in our daily lives.

We begin 2014 by study and discussion of "The God We Never Knew--Beyond Dogmatic Religion to a More Authentic Contemporary Faith," by Marcus Borg.

Men interested in joining our dialog are welcome to join us. Meetings are held at 8:45 AM on the 2nd Sunday of each month. We meet in the Lounge. Please join the conversation! Questions about the group may be directed to Myron Kushner, Mike Miller or John Michelich.

May Concert The Redeemer Chancel Choir will be presenting a “Movie Music

Extravaganza” on Sunday, May 18th, at 3:00 p.m. You will hear songs from some of your favorite movies such as Ghost,

The Rose, Oliver, The Jazz Singer, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Chicago, Titanic, and many more. Come and enjoy beautiful music from some of the greatest movies ever!

SHOE COLLECTION—SOLES FOR SOULS

In keeping with our

“Journeying with God” theme for this year, we are collecting NEW shoes for Children and Adults to be distributed in the Cleveland Area. Bring in your shoe donations throughout Lent and place in the large box provided in the gathering room. On Good Friday, return to see them placed around the Labyrinth in the Gathering Room.



CHRIST CANDLE LITURGY FOR THE HOME

On each evening (or on Sunday evenings) during Lent, light a candle and follow the simple liturgy provided. (Use the candle you decorated on Candlemas or any other large candle from home.)

PRAYER Leader: Almighty God, who began ordering the world with the creation of light, PEOPLE: we praise you for sun, moon, and stars. Leader: Our hearts are filled, O God, with memories of your saving lights: PEOPLE: we thank you for the fiery pillar of the Exodus, the star of Bethlehem, the dawn of Easter. Leader: Continue to bless us, we pray, in these days of lengthening light, with reminders of your care; PEOPLE: illumine our path as we walk toward Jerusalem with Christ. Leader: Grant that this and every flame, every lamp, every daybreak may fill us with the Light of the world. PEOPLE: And bind us to one another and to you in the sharing of Christ’s light through this holy season. Leader: Let your light shine upon us, PEOPLE: and give us grace to follow the command of Jesus to let our lights shine before a needy world.

Amen.

DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING—

Where have I experienced the light of Christ this day (this week)?

CLOSING BENEDICTION

“Arise, shine; for your light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.” Isaiah 60:1

God is your light, let it shine in the world. Carry the light of the love of God in your heart. Be the light to others.

PRAYER WALKS Most activities are enhanced when motion is added to them. There is a heightened sense of awareness when the spiritual discipline of prayer is added with walking. Although there is no wrong way to prayer walk, there are things to keep in mind while you are engaged in the activity.

If used as Intercessory Prayer: Focus is sharper when the people, places and things you pray for are in sight. If you have decided to pray for your neighbors, walking through your neighborhood while you pray will keep your neighbors on your minds.

As meditation: Focus is placed on taking each step. A short phrase may be repeated every few steps, such as, “Holy One, I will follow you.” or “Jesus Christ, help me walk in your footsteps.”

As a practice of gratitude: One may just look around and be grateful that all God has created or has placed in your path this day.

COME TO ONE OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING PRAYER WALK OPPORTUNITIES—

Thursday March 20th, 9:00AM at Great Northern Mall with Pastor Houston. Enter at the entrance to the right of Dicks. Meet inside the food court in front of Subway.

Sunday April 6th, NOON at Clague Park with Margaret. Park by the Pond. Bring a brown bag lunch to eat at church prior to leaving for the park.

Thursday April 10, 1:30 PM Walk the Labyrinth at the Unity Spiritual Center with Pastor Houston. Meet at 23855 Detroit Avenue

PALM SATURDAY A gathering for all ages to

help us prepare for Holy Week. SATURDAY APRIL 12, 3:00-5:00 PM

Come for any or all of the time. * Make bread for Maundy Thursday * Make Greeting Cards for those needing cheer * Make banners for Palm Sunday Procession * Make an Easter Take Home Item

GOOD FRIDAY LABYRINTH PRAYER WALK

We will have a labyrinth Monday through Friday of Holy Week in the

Gathering Room On Good Friday, we will encircle the

labyrinth with our shoe collection. There will be music playing, prayer

prompts, and someone to assist you. All ages are welcome at both

scheduled times. CHILD FRIENDLY

EXPERIENCE 2:00-4:00 PM ADULTS AND TEENS

6:00-8:00 PM

INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNION FOR

CHILDREN Communion is a sacrament that requires more of an experience of the heart than an intellectual understanding. At Church of the Redeemer, people of all ages are welcome at the communion table. As children get older it is appropriate

to have them develop deeper understandings of the sacrament, so their experience of it becomes more meaningful. This year, on Sundays March 16 and 23rd,

children in 1st-5th grades will meet together to participate in Communion activities. The Youth will be helpers during these sessions. On Sunday March 30th, parents of those children will be invited to join them during the worship hour to participate in some family activities. Parents can then make the decision whether to have their children partake of communion during Holy Week—on Maundy Thursday or Easter Sunday.



President’s Corner I would like take this opportunity to introduce myself as President of Consistory for 2014. Married to Gail Salco for 43 years. We have been a Redeemer Church member since 1976. Having served as Consistory president in 1980, I understand the need for communication with the church membership.

What awaits the church this year is exciting yet anxious as we welcome a new minister. This year represents the 60th anniversary of the church. In celebration, we plan to extend recognition to charter members of Redeemer and their families. We also desire to recognize 60 year members and their families of the First Church of Lakewood. Jill Negray has volunteered to identify the membership for First Church and Gail Salco has the responsibility for the Church of the Redeemer.

Long-term member lovable Dr. Henry (Hank) Kruger died February 10, 2014 in his home in Texas. He leaves behind his lovely wife, Doris, and three children, five grandchildren & two great-grandchildren. Hank an OBGYN delivered many of the church’s children in this world.

As we anticipate a year of change, we as your consistory welcome your suggestions for a better spiritual existence. Please communicate with me at my home phone 440-333-3762 or by E-mail [email protected]. Ray Salco

From the Parish Nurse Artificial nails are very fashionable, but they can be harsh on your actual nails. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends giving your nails a rest every one or two months for a few days at a time.

Our Parish Nurse, Jane Lokiec, is available at the church every Tuesday from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. for an office visit. She will also make hospital calls and home visits. For more information, please call the church office 440.331.0834.

*Second Sunday of each month blood pressure check.

Pastoral Search Committee

This continues to be an exciting time for Church of the Redeemer. In October our Church Profile was advertised throughout the United Church of Christ.

We have received many fine candidates profiles and we are conducting conversations with many candidates. We are searching for a talented, charismatic person who is going to help us continue to become an energetic faith presence in our West Shore community.

We have so much to be thankful for here at Redeemer. We thank all of you for your help in getting us started and we ask for your patience and prayers as we continue our search.

The Pastoral Search Committee:

Kevin Bracy, Megan Carney, Elaine Freed, Dave Hille,

Janet Kramer, Myron Kushner, Jeff Reitz

From the Interim Pastor “When you see people going to church and becoming smaller (that is, loving fewer people) instead of larger (that is loving more people), you have every reason to question whether the practices or sermons or sacraments or liturgies are opening them to an authentic God experience.” Richard Rohr

A seminary friend wrote –“Spirituality is about enlargement...religion often focuses on diminishment...” Our hope is that all we do helps our members to enlarge their vision and call of God. The season of Lent is a

chance again to enlarge our spiritual life. These forty days give us a chance to practice our faith. To see where we can grow and mature. We will be offering a mixture of classes and spiritual tools that may help. I sincerely hope you will find something that you can practice with.

I will be leading a discussion of “The Jesus I never Knew” by Philip Yancey- this six part class will look at the life and teaching of Jesus using video clips of how Jesus has appeared in the movies. You can read the book or can come to each class with out doing any preparation. I believe you will get something out of this discussion. Classes will be on Tuesday evening and Wednesday afternoon.

Tuesday Evening at 7:00 begin on March 11- April 15

Wednesday Afternoon at 1.30 begins on March 12- April 16

I will be leading two spiritual/prayer walks this Lent :

Thursday, March 20 at 9 am at Great Northern Mall. You will not have to walk my pace

Thursday, April 10 at 1.30 pm at the Labyrinth – Unity Center on Detroit Rd* if raining we will postpone

I hope you will find a way to expand your spiritual life and find new practices that may help – found this quote and not sure where – hope it will bless you - We need to practice a new art of attention to the inner rhythm of our days and lives. This attention brings a new awareness of our own human and divine presence.

Houston

the grapevine - church of the redeemer united church of christ · 2019-05-01 · the grapevine...

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