Keeping Our Diary

Many are by now aware that I've escaped the position of CUCC website manager (after 15 years) and that Drew Dickens has taken over the position. I'm sure that Drew will receive much encouragement and support from everyone.

Not so well known, perhaps, is that I plan to continue a very active role in expanding the parts of CUCC's archival information that most interest me. And the purpose of this note is to publicize and encourage interest in developing these resources. Primary among these are the historical archive and the media projects.

The role of the historical archive is to preserve the history and the valuable artifacts of CUCC. A brief scan of the historical archive home page gives you a pretty good notion of what's there at present.

As initially conceived, the Media Series has four components. As it turns out, we now have some items that are cross listed because they fit more than one of the categories:

1. The Oral History Project
2. Telling Our Stories
3. Music
4. Church and Community

The Oral History Project provides valuable remembrances, many from the distant past. Many of the remembrances are of now deceased members. We find here things like a meditation session led by Sarah Hoffman, and recordings of Keith Petersen reading his poetry. The Telling Our Stories section tends toward the personal, but also includes communal efforts such as the Christmas pageants we share every year. The Music archive includes recordings and videos from many programs and services, often involving the CUCC choir. And the Church and Community section consists of resources that reflect on the role that CUCC has played in the life of the community (panel discussions, interviews, etc.). The overlap is considerable. For example, the interviews which Robert Parrish and I did last year with Cy and Carolyn King are part of our oral history, constitute a wonderful story from two highly regarded long time members, and certainly provide accounts of CUCC's involvement with the community.

This week I have substantially upgraded the Music archive to improve the sound quality of many recordings from earlier years, as well as to make the music more accessible. The audio files in this archive are now higher bandwidth and can be either downloaded (as mp3 files) or listened to via an open source easy-to-use embedded media player.

I encourage everyone to appreciate what's already listed in these archives and to help me think of ways in which these resources can be expanded.

MLK "Day On"

Make it an inspiring “Day On" this January 17. Hear untold stories about Dr. Martin Luther King and help us launch three YWCA Study Circles on race in our community.

Join us in the Community UCC sanctuary at 3pm for a special program commemorating Dr. King that will include:

•A community forum moderated by WUNC's host of The State of Things Frank Stasio.
•Panelists including youth activist Sanyu Gichie; civil rights scholar Benita Jones; education activist Olga Matos; race/culture expert Mark Anthony Neal; and Muslim interfaith leader Jihad Shawwa.
•Reception and work groups follow the program.

The event marks the official kick-off of three YWCA Study Circles in our community. Study Circles are multi-racial groups of eight to 10 people who gather for six weeks to learn about present-day racial equity in our nation and the region. Participants share their experiences and learn steps to foster proactive resolutions.

Free childcare provided on a first-come, first-served basis.

If you're committed to racial equity, join us as we strive toward justice for all!

You can get more information and register on the YWCA website. Click on the block "Join us for the MLK Day On" in the right hand column.

If you would like more information or would like to volunteer to help with the event, call YWCA Study Circle Coordinator Julia Dawson at 828-3205 ext. 22, or Cynthia Ball at 387-9479.

Have an old washer/dryer to give away?

Our friends Bill and Rosemary Pate are heading to Jonesville, Virginia, on an adult ASP work weekend January 3.  They would love to bring a used but working washer and dryer to a family who just got their plumbing fixed.  Call the CUCC office to get Bill and Rosemary's contact info if you have either to offer.  [I'll be hard to reach over the holidays.]

Greetings from the church in the Congo

Read a letter of Christmas greetings from Rev. Eliki Bonanga, Community President of the ten congregations of the Disciples of Christ Community of Congo (10-CDCC).  The letter is in English and French.  This denomination is active in four provinces of the DRC.  Our donations to Global Ministries support the work of the United Church of Christ in partnership with the 10-CDCC.  If you were to visit the DRC with Global Ministries, 10-CDCC would be your hosts.

Congregational Meeting January 9

The next congregational meeting will be held after church on January 9. Items on the agenda will include approval of minutes of November 2010 congregational meeting, a report on the results of the stewardship drive, final approval of the budget for 2011, and election of candidates for church officers and ministries. Annual Reports for 2010 from the various Ministries will be presented. These reports should be sent electronically to the Church office by December 15. Each Ministry chair or other representative will be asked to speak briefly and to answer questions about key points in their ministry report.
Also on the agenda will be approval of the proposed “Resolution on Being an Open and Affirming Congregation 2011,” as discussed at the November 21 Congregational meeting. The new resolution broadens and replaces the ONA resolution first passed in 1989.
Another item on the agenda will be proposals for the organization of the Adult Forum in 2011.
We will be approving the minutes of the November congregational meeting.
- submitted for Edith Sylla, Moderator

Bring a finger food to share for the hors d'oeuvres potluck.  We'll eat during the meeting.  Remember:  no forks will be provide!

Advent Centering Prayer

At the first session, Steve led fifteen of us through an hour of tastes of types of centering prayer. Main techniques: breathing, prayer beads, repeated words, singing. Steve did a great job of explaining, and of helping us know what to expect.  I appreciated his encouragement to find my own style and to not feel constrained to do things the "right" way.  My favorite technique tonight:  praying through the words "watch" and "wait."  Another treat:  Steve's Advent-focused words to Silent Night.
QUESTION:  What did others who attended enjoy/learn?

Next week (Dec. 14th, 7pm): light and focal objects on an altar. 

Stockings were hung by the chimney with care...

Thanks to the Children's Church School, God's love will go to people in our community.  The children have been collecting gifts for Salvation Army as their fall church school offering and service project.  They stuffed the stockings at this year's Family Advent Workshop.  Here is the report from Miss Anne Bailey.
"After much discussion and voting the children decided to support an organization at home rather than another overseas group. The Salvation Army is familiar to most of them because of the sports programs. They pledged to fill 25 stockings [and met their goal], donated items to Meals on Wheels [the Retirees project], will donate to Toys for Tots, and donate more items to the Salvation Army."

Welcome, Dave, Gale and Lee!

With joy we welcomed new members Dave and Gale Cass and Lee Frazier.  See more pictures from the celebration.

Meals on Wheels gifts due Dec. 13 by 10:30am

The Retirees will wrap our annual gifts to Meals on Wheels recipients on Dec. 13 at 10:30.  Drop off your gift at the church this Sunday in the narthex or at the office this week.  Feel like wrapping?  You are always welcome as an honorary retiree!

All gifts are requested to be new. Any monetary contribution will be used by the Retirees to purchase gift cards, which are really appreciated. 
Wish List
Gas and Gift cards
Holiday candy, cookies, and snacks
Gloves and hats
Holiday soaps, towels, etc
Umbrellas
Fleece throws
Postage stamps
Holiday gifts sets of any kind
Holiday baskets (small)