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Website Restructured and President's Report Page Added

A dedicated President's Report page can be found in the About Us section.

Weekly updates of events are now in the newly renamed News & Events section where Wanderings, our monthly newsletter, can now be found.


Programs... parties... classes... seminars... forums... concerts... retreats... worship... Feastings... Art for Heaven’s Sake!... prayer... scripture study... book discussion... meetings... musical rehearsals... peace vigils... all of these “events” and more make up the life of this vital congregation. The beauty of a congregational system is that there can be as many programs and events as creative and talented people to lead them.

Whoever you are, whatever level of involvement you choose, wherever you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.

Click for this month's calendar

If you have questions about any of these events, please contact the church office. We will be happy to assist you!


Sunday – July 20th

This morning’s scriptures are Psalm 86:11-17, Romans 8:12-25 and Matthew 13: 24-30, 36-43. You are invited to enhance your worship experience by reading these passages ahead of time.

  • 8:00 a.m. – Contemplative Worship Service in the Sanctuary ~ prayers, scriptures, music, meditation, communion ~ a rest for your soul. All are welcome to this additional, unique worship experience.
  • 10:30 a.m. –Sally Burton will present the meditation.
  • 11:40 a.m. – Church Life will host an ice cream social following our worship service.  They will provide all the trimmings for banana splits, ice cream sundaes with sprinkles, nuts and fresh fruit toppings. Everyone is welcome!
  • Grocery scrip and movie scrip are available for sale at the Scrip table in Covenant Hall after worship until 12:30 p.m. Year to Date profits from scrip sales are $2,900.  Thank you for your patronage.
  • 5:00 p.m. – Summer Series at the home of Fred and Christine Nicoloff.

Monday – July 21st

  • 10:30 a.m. – The Prayer Group will meet this morning for meditation and silent prayer. All are invited. If you have questions, please contact Rich Blakley at rsblakley@earthlink.net.

 

Summer Series –We will meet at the home of Fred and Christine Nicoloff , 646 Fairway Drive, Redlands, to continue the summer series.  Fellowship and potluck will be followed by a discussion led by J.R. Hustwit, Ph.D.  The subject will be: why talk to other religions.  Can more than one religion offer saving truth and wisdom, or are the world’s religions mutually exclusive?  We will explore possible answers to this question, while paying specific attention to the insights of Christianity and Buddhism.  For the potlucks bring a dish to share and your own table service.  Drinks, tables and chairs will be provided.

On July 27, we will meet at the home of Craig and Carole Wesson.  Presentation and discussion leader will be Kristi Campbell.  We have all heard about the 7 days of creation as found in Genesis but have you heard about it from the Celtic perspective?  Come to explore the light of God, the wildness of God, the fecundity of God, the harmony of God, the creatureliness of God, the image of God and the stillness of God.  For the potluck bring a dish to share and your own table service.  Drinks, tables and chairs will be provided.

 With joy

Leif Lind
and
Taylor Ruhl

invite you to join them
in the celebration of their marriage
on Wednesday, the twenty-third of July
Two thousand and eight
at seven o'clock in the evening
at Redlands United Church of Christ
168 Bellevue Avenue (corner: Olive Street)
Redlands, California

Dessert Reception to follow
in the Church Garden - No gifts

Church Work Day –  Saturday, July 26 from 8-10 a.m.  We will try and focus on the calla lily bed.  We hope to see you there.

International Christian Youth Fellowship – A group of high school youth and their adult sponsors from Canada, from the Christian Church Disciples of Christ, are coming to Southern California July 20 for their National Youth Event.  They will be doing work projects around Southern California. Drivers are needed to help transport the youth and their sponsors to some of their activities in San Bernardino.  If you can help, please contact Susan Richardson at (714) 685-6827.  Your help will be most gratefully received. Thank you.

Redlands Theater Festival -- Evan Hughes is part of the cast in the musical Big River.  For ticket information and dates go to the RTF website at www.rtfseason.org.

Please Note: We can be sure that those who wish to ban equal marriage for gays and lesbians will make their voices heard. If you would like your voice to be strong in supporting equal marriage, please consider signing the petition which is found on the Issues Table, near the Fair Trade items.  Thank you. – Sally Burton

The UCC Justice and Peace Action Network  --- Our denomination’s grassroots advocacy network composed of individual members and local UCC congregations across the country.  It is simple to join us at: www.ucc.org/justice.  A similar site at Church World Service also provides action alerts: www.churchworldservice.org.  For further information, contact Kathie Blakley.

Job Opportunities -- First Congregational United Church of Christ, San Bernardino, announces two position openings:

We are accepting resumes for the position of Financial Secretary from interested persons through July 15, with a planned start date of August 4.  The position is for 5 to 15 hours a week (depending on the time of month and season) with flexible scheduling of hours within regular office hours.  The position includes managing the bookkeeping and financial organization of our congregation, and the new Financial Secretary will be trained in our congregation's bookkeeping system and software.

We are also accepting resumes for the opening of Administrative Secretary, in charge of publications (bulletins, newsletter), secretarial duties (phones, mail, messages), and administrative duties (building scheduling, directories, ordering supplies).  This position is a 24 hour/week position, with hours of Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and lunch from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.  The planned start date is July 29, 2008.  The position is open until filled, although interviews may begin as early as July 14, so interested candidates should submit resumes as soon as possible.

Full job descriptions for both positions will be available in the church office or by emailing pastor@sbucc.org .  Any questions should be directed to the Senior Minister, Rev. Petra Malleis-Sternberg, (909 886 4911 x 101).

Grief Support Group -- A  new grief support group is now forming and will meet weekly for approximately six weeks beginning Wednesday, July 30, 7:30 - 9:00 P.M., in the church office. Anyone is welcome to attend. This group is specially focused to the needs of those who are grieving the recent lost of loved ones, or who still may be working through grief issues after some time has passed. The group will become a closed group after the second session, in order to allow for confidential group dynamics.

At the request of Pastor Sharon, co-leaders are Dr. Bill and Colleen Kintner. The Kintners are both California licensed psychotherapists. Bill has been on medical leave from his duties as a United Methodist pastor for six years. He has also taught graduate students in psychology. Colleen is employed in behavioral medicine at Redlands Community Hospital where she heads the local psychiatric emergency team. The Kintners have been active members of RUCC for more than five years. There is a small text book for the course. Written by Granger Westberg, titled, Good Grief, it is available to participants for a donation of $5.00. No other fees of any kind are involved. Anyone from the greater Redlands community is warmly welcomed. For further information, or to indicate your interest, please phone Bill or Colleen at (909) 335-0050.

General Fund Update as of 06/30/08
Budget Covenant Income 87,000.00
Received to-date 74,104.00
Deficit -12,896.00

Electronic Giving -- We are now ready to process electronic giving.  If you are interested in electronic giving, please see Carla Becerril for a form.  For any questions regarding electronic giving, please contact Jake Spoor, Treasurer.

Ordination and Installation Service -- I wanted to share some news with all of you about my upcoming ordination and installation service. I had hoped to have the ordination here at Redlands United Church of Christ, with installation following at First Congregational UCC in San Bernardino. This is my home church and the place where I was a Student in Care. RUCC has always been such a nurturing and inspiring place, as well as a church home that I love and am very proud of.  However, members of the SCNC Eastern Association and the Church and Ministry Committee feel strongly that ordination and installation should take place on one day and in one spot. Since installation needs to occur at FCUCC in San Bernardino, both events will take place there on Saturday, September 6th at 3:00 p.m. with a reception to follow.

I am hopeful and excited about the prospect that both congregations will participate in wonderful ways. Both Dr. Taylor Ruhl and Jerry Ripley, the Director of Music at FCUCC, are ready to involve both choirs. Thank you to everyone for all the support and encouragement you have always shown me.     With Love~  Sally Burton  

Sabbatical Fund Update

We are very happy to report that we have raised $15,060 for our Sabbatical Fund!  This amount does not include the generous donation of frequent flier miles.  We exceeded our goal of $15,000!

Any amount that we raise in excess of our goal will help pay for Sabbatical Committee expenses or will go towards our Sabbatical Fund budget.  We are already planning for another Sabbatical in five years and will include this in upcoming annual budgets.  So if you haven't donated and still would like to, you can!  Just indicate "Sabbatical Fund" when you make your donation.

We would like to close with a Celtic Blessing....

May the blessing of light be on you - 
light without and light within.
May the blessed sunlight shine on you
and warm your heart
till it glows like a great peat fire.

Beth Kolpien
Stewards Area Leader