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Thursday Thoughts on September 17, 2020

Thursday Thoughts on September 17, 2020

September 17, 2020 by Evangelical Reformed UCC in

CLICK HERE TO READ THURSDAY THOUGHTS for September 17, 2020

 

September 17, 2020

***Please note that the 9:30 Educational Classes BEGIN THIS WEEK! See below for links and information.
The 10:30 service can be viewed online at:https://boxcast.tv/channel/bzioh0xyyacgq5fmjnoi

11:30 a.m. Virtual Fellowship: https://zoom.us/j/153605864?pwd=M2VSRjZsRDdFd1Q4bms0RExzam5SUT09&status=success PW: 007681

Dear Congregation:

In addition to thinking a lot about safety protocols lately – best masks to wear and have on hand at the church, how to secure hand sanitizing stations that have been on back order since March, how to remind people – nicely – that we need to maintain physical distance from each other — I have also been doing a lot of thinking, reflecting, and praying about leadership in these days. It’s one of the reasons why I have chosen to focus on the book of Exodus on Sundays in September and into October. What can I, we, learn from Moses’ leadership and the challenges he faced. I’ve been exploring that alongside the leadership of Jesus. Then there’s what we have been learning and discovering in our Thursday evening Bible Study on the Book of Acts and leadership and life in the early church.

What do these stories say about leadership for these days with the challenges of a pandemic and a contentious political landscape on top of the usual congregational life? It’s pretty clear from the stories of Moses and the journey of the people of Israel as well as Jesus and the disciples, that leadership requires a team. Moses could relay messages from God over and over again, but nothing was going to change or happen unless some in the community took action. Jesus could take five loaves of bread and bless them and multiple them to feed five thousand people but it required the disciples to distribute the bread. Peter and Paul were great motivational speakers, painting a picture of new life in Jesus, but the Jesus movement spread because others took on leadership and tasks.

All of this leads me to reflect on how do we notice, name, and nurture leaders at ERUCC. In some areas of our congregation’s life we are stuck due to lack of persons willing to serve as committee chairs and team members in areas such as education and worship. We also need to identify new members for finance and persons willing to take on leadership as treasurer and finance chair in the 2021. These needs and opportunities have been with us long before the pandemic, but the pandemic has added burdens to the smaller number of people already serving in leadership. I know I have shared this concern before. I know also people have listened to this request from me and others. I am not sure that the critical nature of these needs has been heard.

The time to step up is now. Understanding that, like Moses, we may each feel “who am I to lead,” I ask you to look inward and discern whether you are feeling a call to serve in some committee member or leadership capacity. Additionally, is there someone you can name that would bring new energy to these areas of the church’s life?

I welcome your thoughts and ideas. You can also talk with Peter Brehm, elder and President of the Consistory ( pbrehm@comcast.net) or Marc Kline, chair of the Spiritual Council (mkline354@gmail.com).

Rev. Dr. Barbara Kershner Daniel, Senior Pastor
Evangelical Reformed Church, United Church of Christ
15 West Church Street, Frederick, MD 21701
301-662-2762
e-mail: bkdaniel@erucc.org

 

Food for Thought
“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” (Desmond Tutu)

 

 

 

Thursday Thoughts – September 10, 2020

Thursday Thoughts – September 10, 2020

September 10, 2020 by Evangelical Reformed UCC in / /

CLICK HERE to read your Thursday, September 10, 2020 Thursday Thoughts.

 

Dear Congregation:

I am grateful for an energetic group of ERUCC members and friends who have committed themselves to getting people to the polls this November.  The UCC encourages its members and congregations to engage in voter registration drives, candidate forums, providing information on how to vote and in this year, the process for obtaining mail-in ballots.

The Rev. Traci Blackmon,  Associate General Minister of Justice & Local Church Ministries for The United Church of Christ, writes:  “For people of faith, the public arena we know as ‘politics’ represents much more than the partisan politicking we see on the news.  It is a means by which we live out the commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves.  Scripture reminds us over and over that building right relationship in human community and with God’s creation is an act inseparable from our relationship with God.  So, it is important for faith communities to engage in nonpartisan voter education and empowerment programs that help us reflect on our collective life and work to uplift the common good through the political process.”

No matter your opinion or political affiliation , your voice – your vote – matters and you deserve to be heard.

Thursday Thoughts: September 3, 2020

Thursday Thoughts: September 3, 2020

September 3, 2020 by Evangelical Reformed UCC in /

CLICK HERE to see your Thursday Thoughts for September 3, 2020

Dear Congregation:

I know I don’t need to remind us all that we are in a different world when it comes to our life as a church and everything else. As we anticipate being in this time of pandemic for months to come, we are evaluating what is most helpful for keeping in holding our community connected with one another.    We continue to assess how we can continue our ministry and mission while keeping one another safe.

In-person worship on Sundays and at 6 pm on Wednesdays, outside on the patio, and robust live-streaming provides a variety of choices for worship.  We have a number of adult educational programs and mission outreach activities being planned.  Sunday School for children and youth will resume on September 13th via Zoom calls.  The youth group and God’s Kids’ Club are meeting regularly.   I am excited about the formation of a new youth group composed of 5th – 7th graders.

One of the areas that we are continuing to evaluate is communications with the congregation.  Thursday Thoughts and the monthly newsletter continue.  We’ve added the delivery or mailing of worship packets every month and the feedback we have received is positive to continue preparing and delivering those packets.  If you wish to opt out, please let Amy know.

Early in the pandemic, we added a Monday email blast to provide updated information people to pray for as well as building and activity news.    As the bulletins are printed  so many weeks in advance, the Monday email became a way to fill in the information gap between the bulletins and the newsletter.

I kindly ask that you please let me know or Amy know what you have found helpful in terms of communication and if there are other things you would like us to communicate with you.

I would like to add that one of the challenges for me, as your pastor, is that it is a challenge to go from interacting regularly with 150 + of you each Sunday to less than 30.  I have missed those face-to-face interactions.  Phone calls and email contacts are not the same but as we say over and over these days, it is better than not having contact at all these days.

I have been meeting with those of who feel comfortable sitting outside on your porch, backyard, or in Baker Park.  I’ve enjoyed some physically distanced walking with a few of you.  Let me know if you want to meet somewhere.

Feel free to call the office or send me an email if you want to have a conversation.
Further Note

The Central Atlantic Conference of the UCC will be meeting the end of September.  Here is a link to the agenda and program for the week — September 21-26.

http://www.cacucc.org/56th-annual-meeting  

I encourage you to consider attending the meeting as it will give you a broader look at the UCC and how our conference works in our region.

The church has budgeted for our members to attend these meetings and events of the UCC.  If you are interested in attending, please let me know and I’ll register you.

 

Sunday, September 6 Bulletin

Sunday, September 6 Bulletin

September 2, 2020 by Evangelical Reformed UCC in /

CLICK here for the Sunday, September 6 Bulletin.

Join us for Sunday worship, in person, or on-line at: https://boxcast.tv/view/sunday-1030-service-586747

Exodus 12:1–14 related the story of the first Passover as the enslaved Hebrew community prepared for an epic journey. It was to be a political journey, from slavery to freedom. It also was to be a journey toward community culture and identity.  In Matthew’s gospel in chapter 18, verses 15-20, Jesus offers that “true greatness” comes in the way we live with each other, especially in “reproving another who sins.”  Holding each other accountable before the community and before God is a great and hard commandment.

We will be sharing in Holy Communion this morning,  If you are worshiping at home, please prepare a plate with bread or a cracker and a cup or cups with juice, wine, or water as we share in the sacrament together.

 

Bulletin, Sunday, August 30

August 28, 2020 by Evangelical Reformed UCC in /

CLICK HERE to view the bulletin for Sunday, August 30th.

To watch the service on-line: https://boxcast.tv/view/sunday-1030-service-434132

Sunday Worship

In Romans 12: 9-21, named in some Bibles as “Marks of the True Christian,” Paul writes a description of what the Christian life looks like. It reads like a list of instructions, and perhaps was written to offer advice to new Christians. In these exhortations, Paul calls the Christian community to put its faith into action. The imperative verbs give a sense of urgency to the community’s calling. Exercising love, rejoicing in hope, overcoming evil with good – all go to the heart of what it means to be Spirit-led.
A “call to faithful living” is a consistent theme in the readings for this Sunday. Exodus 3:1–15 narrates Moses’ call. It also serves as the call to the people of Israel to hope in God’s promise of a secure future.  In Matthew 16:21–28, Jesus calls both teacher and followers to discipleship

Sunday, August 23 Bulletin

August 21, 2020 by Evangelical Reformed UCC in /

CLICK here for the Sunday, August 23 Bulletin
Join US: https://boxcast.tv/view/sunday-1030-service-318482
Worship Notes:
Paul uses the image of the Body of Christ in Romans 12: 1-8, to describe the community of those who believe in Jesus the Christ and follow in God’s ways. The Spirit forms this body through unique talents, or gifts, given to each person. When community values and nurtures the expression of each individual’s contribution, the bonds of kinship are expanded and strengthened.
Jesus calls out the faith and the gifts of the disciples in order to build the church. Matthew 16:13–20 invites consideration of the authority Jesus grants to the Body of Christ to be agents of God’s compassion and justice.
Add a pair of sandals to your worship center today as a symbol of the journey of discipleship.
Today we will have our annual blessing of the backpacks. If you are participating in worship at home, please hold your backpacks as we offer a blessing for another year of learning.

Sunday, August 16 Bulletin

Sunday, August 16 Bulletin

August 13, 2020 by Evangelical Reformed UCC in / /

CLICK HERE for the Sunday, August 16 Bulletin

Psalm 133 offers the subversive claim that to live in unity with kindred – human and all of creation — is to experience the blessings of God.   A Gentile woman’s persistent and unconventional actions move Jesus to break down the barrier between Jew and Gentile. As told in Matthew 15:10–12, 21–28, her faith in God, who works through human activity, changes things for the better.

CLICK HERE for livestream