Cy and Carolyn King Award

A video of the presentation of the Cy and Carolyn King Award has been added to CUCC's Media Archive. Since the award is for their work on peace and justice issues, the video below has been located in the "Church and Society" portion of the archive. An earlier post to this blog provides a link to the YouTube version of this video.

Cy and Carolyn King Award

Wild Goose Festival

For any of you with some time available this week/weekend - check out the Wild Goose Festival June 21-24 at Shakori Hills in Chatham County.

Wild Goose is "a community creating a festival at the intersection of justice, spirituality and art." It brings together speakers, musicians and artists from a broad spectrum of spiritual (primarily Christian) traditions, modeling an environment that is somewhere between UK's Greenbelt and Burning Man.  Speakers include Jim Wallis, Brian McLaren and Julie Clawson to name just a few http://www.wildgoosefestival.org/the-2012-lineup/speakers-2/.  Michelle Shocked is performing Saturday night.

Cy and Carolyn King Award

On June 17 I recorded the Cy and Carolyn King Award presentation during the 10:30 worship service. DVD copies of the video will be delivered to Cy and Carolyn within the next few days. A copy of the video is now available from YouTube below and at http://youtu.be/hAjYVHk-Rlw. The video will soon be added to the CUCC Media Archive.

The Works + Eating Together, Eating Healthy

Our first Wednesday potluck falls on the 4th of July, so we're combining our dinner with carpooling to The Works, the official 4th of July festival for North Carolina.*  Music!  Seed spitting!  Circus acts!  A kids zone!

Bring your potluck dish to CUCC for dinner at 6:30pm, then we'll carpool downtown for the celebration, culminating with fireworks at 9:30pm.  Some might choose to park in the Glenwood South area and take the R-line for free.  Others might choose to park in a downtown lot and share the cost of the parking fee.  If fireworks or crowds aren't your idea of fun, come for dinner, then head home for a quiet evening.

Yes, our theme for the meal is still Eating Together, Eating Healthy (and you define healthy - good company?  fair trade?  farmworker rights?  nutrition?  remembering our roots?  ... ).  Remember to bring a list of the ingredients so that others can select foods that connect to their interests.

*  The fireworks at the NC Fairground have moved downtown.

- A Gathering of Friends event

What do you use?

The CUCC Website will be undergoing changes in the near future. We would like all members to check out the website and then submit constructive feedback on changes you would like to see implemented on the website. If you are a new member, we would especially like to know what information you looked for when searching the site prior to joining the church. Send your comments and suggestions to the church office. - submitted for Communications Committee and the office

Have you added your hand to Lend-A-Hand?

Check out the poster on the right as you walk into the Vaughan Wing from the kitchen; that's the “LEND-A-HAND” poster. “LEND-A-HAND” is a project recently started by the Caring Committee. Its mission is to provide help to each other for times when you just need a “helping hand” to make the job possible or easier, like moving a chest from one room to another, cleaning out a closet, taking someone to the doctor, pet sitting, working in the yard or garden, just to name a few. Trace your hand on the brown poster and fill in what you are willing or able to do. No strings attached. No long term commitment. It’s a way to help out and get to know each other a little better. If you have a request or need, fill out one of the post-it notes provided and stick it on the white poster entitled “Help Wanted.” - posted for the Caring Committee

Something to ponder from Social Justice Ministry

From time to time, John Little will circulate to the Social Justice Ministry inspiring snippets from devotionals he receives.  He recently sent the following which comes from Church of the Savior's Inward/Outward project; some of us liked it so much we decided to share it with the wider congregation.

Space for change to take place

(From Reaching Out by Henri Nouwen)

Hospitality means primarily the creation of a free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy. Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer them space where change can take place. It is not to bring men and women over to our side, but to offer freedom not disturbed by dividing lines. It is not to lead our neighbor into a corner where there are no alternatives left, but to open a wide spectrum of options for choice and commitment.

Sisters in Spirit to swap summer reads

SIS will meet in the Hoffmann room on July 31st at 7PM for a potluck supper and discussion of our favorite summer reads.  Come share and learn more about your Sisters in Spirit.  All women of the church are welcome. The SIS beach retreat is scheduled for Friday, September 7 through Sunday, September 9 on Topsail Island.  Let Marty know if you wish to be a part this year to reserve space and learn more about the retreat.  The theme this year will be "Launching New Beginnings." - submitted for Marty Lamb A Gathering of Friends event

Congregational Meeting June 24 at noon

There will be a congregational meeting following worship on Sunday, June 24. This special meeting has been called to address the Economic Justice Covenant proposal. As you will recall, a motion to adopt the Covenant was laid on the table ("tabled") at the May 26 meeting. At the June 24 meeting, the motion will be brought back to the floor for further discussion and vote. If the Covenant is adopted, there will be a second motion to "Establish a structure to implement" the Covenant. The two motions may be found below; copies will also be available in the back of the sanctuary. Please review the motions in preparation for the meeting on June 24.

OUR COVENANT FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE  - (Original)

As we are called to fulfill God’s vision of creation, we strive to work for a world where love, justice, and mercy prevail and God’s abundance is shared. Therefore, we, the congregation of Community United Church of Christ, covenant with God and with one another to establish and maintain a structure within CUCC to: 

Examine our collective and individual life styles and our stewardship of creation.

Educate ourselves as to the causes of economic injustice and the forces that perpetuate it.

Engage in economic and political actions that are consistent with our moral views:

Strive to change practices, policies, structures, and any other barriers to all people being able to realize their fullest potential for secure and meaningful lives.

Collaborate with those in economic need and those with economic means to work together toward the greater empowerment of the powerless.

Partner with other organizations working toward greater economic justice.

We recognize that without God’s help and mutual support we are inadequate to these tasks. We pray for insight, guidance, and courage in the struggle for greater economic

justice in our country and in the world.


PROPOSED MOTION:

To establish a structure to implement the Economic Justice Covenant as follows:

 a. The current Economic Justice Task Force has completed its effort to present a proposed Covenant and volunteers to coordinate its implementation.  It will continue as the new structure and be expanded to include any people within the congregation who would like to participate. 

 b. The group will follow the example of the ONA Task Force for its structure within the Church.

 c. The group will select a chairperson.

 d. After it has established itself, each year the Economic Justice Task Force will consult with the congregation and propose one or more specific action items for the following year.  Partnering with H K on J (Historical Thousands on Jones Street) is an action that has been approved. These action items will help to guide the activities of CUCC in carrying out the Covenant for the year. The Task Force will make the action items widely known through the normal channels, including the Newsletter, the CUCC web site, congregational meetings, etc. 

 e. The Economic Justice Task Force will report to the Council on the progress of their activities. The Task Force will submit an annual report just as other CUCC ministries and task forces. The report will include a discussion of the activities that were carried out in accordance with the action items and will aid in the choice of new or continued action items for the following year.

- posted for the Social Justice Ministry

Mike Hanley to preach June 17

We welcome author and woodworker Mike Hanley as our guest preacher.  Mike comes to us from Wisconsin where he runs Autumn Woods fine woodworking studio and enjoys his Harley Davidson.  Mike's interest in old woodworking tools led to his writing of Motorcycles, Planes and Revolution.

"This is a story made in America, of how our freedom was born of common men like Noah Pratt who built homes and furniture – and fought as a Minuteman as the American Revolution boiled over in the 1770s just outside Boston."   


Join us in welcoming Mike to the pulpit this Sunday, June 17, at 10:30am worship.  Mike has offered to sign copies of his book at the reception after worship.