“A community of
faith providing nurture, strength, & direction for living today in God’s
world.”
FROM THE HEART
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing
so some have entertained angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2
UCF is wonderful at
welcoming me. In these early days, a number of you have commented that it was
courageous to move to start a new job among people I don’t’ know. I was startled
– after all I have a job, a church where people had been waiting a long time
for a pastor and folk who offer to help wherever I turn. What took courage?
The comment led me to
look up “courage” [root: “heart”].One definition is “mental or moral strength
to venture, persevere and withstand danger, fear or difficulty.” I am struck by
the courage of visitors who venture through our doors each Sunday looking for a
faith community. Their arrival may be less obvious than mine, but is no less
important. There is not physical danger, but we all know the vulnerability of
being in a place where we know no one and no one knows us; where we don’t know
the customs or what is expected. Our faith calls us to be care-full of that
vulnerability in others. It also acknowledges that there is risk in inviting
the stranger in, and so calls for courage on the part of those who would open
the door.
To create an atmosphere
of mutual hospitality where we are open to the possibility of both being and
entertaining angels takes a willingness to risk on everyone’s part. It is a
risk worth taking and not as hard as it may seem.
*Take the initiative to
tell someone your name, hat they might respond with theirs. Greet them by name
the following week.
*Even if it means not
sitting in your “assigned pew” sit with someone who is alone.
*During the Greeting of
Peace, greet one stranger for every person you know.
*Invite someone you don’t
know well (member or not) to join you in Fellowship Hall.
*Include people “hugging
the walls” in Fellowship Hall in your group or go to them and start a new
conversation.
I hear again and again
from visitors and Inquirers’ class members how these simple acts made them feel
their presence mattered and made more of a difference than we might
imagine.
Let us keep on doing the
good we do, responding to courage with courage and opening our hearts to the
strangers among us.
In faith,
Linda
Child
Care Provided from
Before
worship coffee fellowship with Adult Ed groups 9 AM
Worship
at 10:25 AM
Fellowship
Time each week after worship in Fellowship Hall
Oct. 7 World Communion Sunday 27th
Sunday, Ordinary Time
10:25 AM Rev. Dr. Linda
D. Even preaching
Sacrament of Communion (come forward)
Peacemaking
Offering will be received
Oct. 14 Worship for
the Lord’s Day 28th
Sunday, Ordinary Time
10:25 AM Rev. Dr. Linda D. Even preaching
Commissioning
of CROP Walkers
Oct. 21 National
Children’s Sabbath 29th
Sunday, Ordinary Time
10:25 AM Rev. Dr. Linda
D. Even preaching
Oct. 28 Reformation Sunday 30th Sunday, Ordinary Time
10:25 AM Rev. Dr. Linda
D. Even preaching
Reception of New Members
Presentation of Bible’s to 3rd
Graders
Nov. 4 All Saints Sunday 31st
Sunday, Ordinary Time
10:25 AM Rev. Dr. Linda
D. Even preaching
Sacrament of Communion (served)
Dedication of Memorial Gifts for 2007
A
Time of Remembrance for those who died this past year
Congregational Care:
Dr.
Even works with our Congregational Care Committee and can be reached through
the church office (637-3186), at the Watt’s home, or through the elders of the
month. Elders for the month of October are Emily
Olmsted and Michael Olmsted.
Purpose of Elders of the Month: For
those members with a crisis, emergency situation, a particular concern or need
for care, the elders of the month are available to assist the pastor, when the
pastor is unavailable, or when the church office is closed.
Procedure for calling: Please call the church office weekdays
between
Worship & Spiritual Life
World Communion Sunday
On Sunday, Oct. 7th, we meet
with Christians around the world at the Table of the Lord. Breads from many cultures will be part of our
celebration. At UCF we share the Greeting of Peace in several languages as a
sign of our oneness in Christ. We will
sing the song “Peace, Salaam, Shalom” This
new song uses only three words for its text — peace, salaam, shalom —
three words commonly used in the three great Abrahamic religions, Christianity,
Islam, and Judaism . . . universally-understood words of peace, greeting, and
blessing.
The beginning of World Communion Sunday…
In
January 1935 a group of ministers met to study the spiritual needs of the
church in depression days. In the Lord’s
Supper they saw an opportunity to unite Christians of all denominations in
dedication to Jesus Christ. This early
ecumenical awareness led to the first World Communion Sunday in 1936. People from the four corners of the globe
answer Christ’s invitation, “Do this in
remembrance of me.” With Christian
neighbors from around the world - from
Make World Communion Sunday a tradition for
your family!
The Peacemaking Offering will be collected
on Sunday, Oct. 7th
A Hug and a Salute --- Word to the Children at UCF
What is the REAL purpose of Word to the
Children?
·
To
sneak in a "word" to the grown-ups?
·
To
teach the children something profound?
·
To give
the congregation a warm-fuzzy moment?
Surely all of the above are possibilities,
but the main purpose of calling the children to the front during our service is
to actively include them in our gathering.
It is a way to embrace and encircle them as a community --- to give them
a public hug. And it is a concrete way
of telling them that they are important, to salute them in our midst.
If you would like to offer your hug and
salute to our children, please plan to join me on Oct. 28th after
worship for a light-hearted hour of planning Word to the Children for our
services. We will generate ideas,
practice with a microphone, pretend to be kids (with REALLY funny comments),
and look at our faith from a child’s point of view. Feel free to bring a coffee or your lunch.
Sunday, October 28,
Oct. 21st - National Children’s Sabbath
UCF joins with
thousands of other congregations across the nation in the 16th
annual National Observance of Children=s
Sabbaths. The weekend unites religious
congregations of all faiths in common concern for children and common
commitment to improving their lives and working for justice on their behalf. A daily devotional guide will be distributed
the week before to help people prepare for Children=s Sabbath. This
year, children in the 5th and 6th grade classes with
Leanne Larson are helping to prepare parts of the service.
Nov. 4th All
Saints Sunday
Dedication of Choir
Wing!
After
Worship on Nov. 4th we will move downstairs for the Dedication of
the Kathy Willyard Choir Room and renovated classrooms in the lower level. Please plan to join the dedication ceremony;
the choirs will sing, there will be refreshments, and tours of the newly
renovated choir room, the three classrooms, and the two restrooms in the
wing. (see Rich Hole’s article on the project completion)
Journey to the Tent of Abraham: The
First Step
Join
“Women Transcending Boundaries” (WTB) for a unique historic event in
The “Journey to the Tent of Abraham”
is inspired by the story told in Genesis and in the Quran, where everyone, even
a stranger, was welcomed with kindness and hospitality. Spouses, friends and
family are welcome. The event concludes at Hendricks Chapel on the SU hill,
where you will walk through a tent open on all four sides.
The journey begins at
Grace Episcopal
Church,
the Islamic Society
of
At each site you will be welcomed to enter, learn,
and enjoy a characteristic ritual or program. The afternoon will conclude with
a closing ceremony and refreshments between
This
is the third consecutive year in which WTB is focusing one of its fall programs
on an unusual confluence of holy days in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Baha'i,
and various non-Abrahamic faith traditions, including Hinduism and Native American. Because of our unique calendars, this confluence
will not occur again for another thirty years.
Step outside your comfort zone on
Sunday, October 21 from 1:3O to 5:OO PM
Acolytes – Tower
Children
in grades 3 – 6 and youth are also invited to become acolytes and serve in this
important role of bearing the Christ-light in worship services. Acolytes are also invited to ring the tower
bell with the help of an usher at the beginning of worship. Experience the lift of ringing the bell in
the tower! To sign up, contact Jim
Spencer, coordinator, at choir or the children’s gathering worship.
Alice Dickerson Hatt, Minister of Music & Worship;
Jackie Meyer, Chr., Worship & Spiritual
Life Comm.
Adult Education – September 2007
Forums, Bible Study, and “Parents Place
on Sunday mornings
I. Adult Forums [Will return to the
normal location Beard Lounge]
Forums are presentations and discussions
which focus on timely topics of Christian social concern, personal and spiritual
development, Bible study, exploration of our Christian heritage, and study of
world religions. Through Forums we seek
to provide a place for understanding special topics or current issues of our
Christian presence in the community and world.
October 7: Timothy
Volk, will
speak on sources of bio energy fuels as an alternative to petroleum and
food-based (corn, soy bean) fuels. Dr. Volk is a Senior Research Scientist in
the Forest & Natural Resource Management Department of the SUNY School of
Environmental Science and Forestry. He
is the Program Director for the SUNY-ESF Biomass Program.
October 14: Phyllis
Danks and Deborah Glisson will
discuss their trip to
October
21: The regular Adult Forum presentation will not be held. There will be a program focusing on the needs
of children co-sponsored by the
October
28: Ruth Colvin, founder of Literacy Volunteers (now
known as ProLiteracy America), will describe programs to teach literacy to
persons speaking Creole, based upon her recent trip to
II.
Bible Study in Women’s Lounge [Meets
in Women’s Lounge]
III. A Parents’ Place [Meets on the basement level in Room 5]
Submitted by Norman Hatt, Chair
Youth & Seekers
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SEEKERS |
UPCOMING
EVENTS:
10/7
10/9 7 PM: Youth Committee Meeting
10/14
10/21
10/28
Senior High Evening Activity: Our first Senior High only event of the year
will be on Sunday, October 7, in the Fellowship Hall from
Youth Committee Meeting: Our next committee meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 9th at
Crop
Walk: We’ll
be leaving the church at
“Tent
of Abraham” Women Transcending Boundaries Event: This is an event to promote understanding and
appreciation among adherents of all of the Abrahamic traditions (Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam), and will include a walking tour of places of worship
from this faith on or nearby SU’s campus. More detailed information will
follow, but I think this potential a transformative event. We’ll be leaving the
church together on Sunday, October 21st, at about
Junior
High Evening Activity:
Our first Junior High only event of the year will be on Sunday, October 28th
in the Fellowship Hall & Youth Room from
Advent
Candles/Fundraising: We’ll
be selling Advent candles as a fundraiser this year starting on Sunday, October
14th through November 4th. You’ll then be able to pick up
your orders on Sundays November 18th & 25th. We’ll
also continue to sell Enjoy the City Books
throughout the month of October and November toward raising money to support
the Youth Night Watch Trip to NYC in February. Finally, thank you to those who supported our
youth programs by ordering Flowering Bulbs through Dutch Mills. They should be
delivered to us hopefully by October 14th at which time you should
be able to pick them up at church. We’ll make certain to get your orders to you
in a timely fashion. If you have questions, please call Tracey Kuhns.
PAST EVENTS
Stage
Set Up & Take Down: Thanks
to those volunteers who helped set up the stage on Saturday 9/8 and take down
the stage on Sunday 9/9. Your efforts added $75 to the youth budget. Volunteers
were Sherry and Brad Sutliff, Lizzy, Esau, and John Price, Susie Spencer,
Lorina Mpinga, and Connie Caldwell.
Fall Kick-Off Event: Our first scheduled Sunday evening meeting for
all Jr. & Sr. High Youth was on September 23rd. We had a great
crowd of youth and parents. I want to thank everyone for coming and for all
those who brought food. I am excited about our events so far and am looking
forward to a great year.
Tom Parmenter, Director of Youth Ministries
What’s
Up from Down Under
Sharing and Caring by the Young People
See you at these upcoming events !
Oct. 14 1:30
p.m. CROPWALK
Oct. 21 Children’s
Sabbath Third Grade Bible Orientation
Oct. 28 Third Grade Bible Presentation