Advent is around the corner. Time to prepare your Advent wreath and gear up for this joyous season.
CLICK HERE for a copy of the Advent Devotional that was distributed in the monthly packet.
Now Available! November 2020 CLICK HERE FOR FORM
Excited to reveal the 275th Anniversary commemorative ornament, featuring Trinity Chapel’s beautiful stained glass window.
This miniature, just 2”x3” in size, reproduces the historic window on glass, with a metal frame and hanger. Now available for sale at $15 each, your purchase supports the Preserving Our History campaign. All funds raised through the sale of the miniature windows go directly into our historic building preservation fund.
Just 200 boxed miniatures were ordered, the shipment is here, and they are available for purchase today. Use the order form below, or contact ERUCC to submit your request.
A sincere thank you to Jeff Schaeberle whose photograph of the stained glass window was used to create this miniature. His talents shine brightly at ERUCC!
Yes! I/We want to order the miniature of Trinity Chapel’s stained glass window
Quantity: _______ @ $15 each * = $ ___________
How would you like to receive them? r Pick up from church
Deliver with my next envelope Other __________________________________
I/We would like to make an additional donation to the 275th Campaign this year $ __________
Name: ___________________________________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________________________
Email: _____________________________________ Phone:______________________________
* 100% of your purchase is a donation to ERUCC’s Preserving Our History campaign! The cost of the ornaments has been underwritten so that all purchases support the anniversary campaign.
Thank you!
EVANGELICAL REFORMED CHURCH | UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
15 West Church Street, Frederick, MD 21701 | 301-662-2762 ♦ Fax 301-695-2578 ♦ www.erucc.org
for the the past several months,
How to be Anti-Racist
Engagement, Conversation & Opportunities
“Becoming an anti-racist is a life-long journey. It happens in community with other committed people who journey together and commit to decentering whiteness, leaning into practices to decolonize socialized patterns of thinking and behaviors. The process includes relearning history, correcting false narratives, and working towards radical shifts in policies and structures that harm black lives”. ~ Velda Love
Book Discussions
via Zoom Call
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86893297577?pwd=OEVSOVJrc1VRVzJmMkJydlk2SlZ4Zz09
Meeting ID: 868 9329 7577 Passcode: 494164
November 2 at 8 p.m.
So You Want to Talk About Race
Ijeoma Oluo
December 1 at 7 p.m.
I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness
Austin Channing Brown
PRAYER VIGIL ON THE EVE OF THE USA ELECTIONS on Monday, November 2 , 7– 7:30pm
ERUCC will hold a prayer vigil on the eve of our election day on the front steps of the main sanctuary. The vigil will include time for silence as we hear the beating of one another’s hearts for peace. The only words spoken will be a brief welcome and an invitation to share in the prayer of St. Francis, “Let me be an instrument of thy peace.” Those gathered will be invited to sing, “Let There Be Peace on Earth.”
Candles will be provided. Masks are required and participants will be asked to maintain physically distancing.
The vigil will also be live streamed on the ERUCC Facebook page – Evangelical Reformed United Church of Christ.
July 16, 2020
***Please note that the 9:30 Educational Classes are suspended.
The 10:30 service can be viewed online at:https://boxcast.tv/channel/bzioh0xyyacgq5fmjnoi
If you are interested in attending in person go online to EventBrite to reserve your place: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/109158933308
11:30 a.m. Virtual Fellowship: https://zoom.us/j/153605864?pwd=M2VSRjZsRDdFd1Q4bms0RExzam5SUT09&status=success PW: 007681
Dear Congregation:
Last week, I realized that this was likely going to be the first year since 1999 that I would not be traveling to Europe to visit with church partners and friends.
Next week our youth and adults, along with our German partners, were scheduled to travel to the UCC National Youth Event at Purdue University. Due to COVID-19, this national event has been postponed to the summer of 2022.
Yesterday, I realized that this is the first year since I was 21 years old that I will not be attending a national gathering of the United Church of Christ. For over 40 years, youth events, General Synod, Faith Works, and other gatherings have been foundational in my formation as a Christian and as a clergy person. While I know in the scheme of things missing these gatherings for the health and safety of participants is critical, like other events that are being canceled or postponed there is grief. My faith and leadership was nurtured and formed through those national gatherings. The conversations, worship, Bible studies, and speakers have nurtured and challenged me personally and professionally.
The young people and adults of ERUCC have attended a national gathering of the UCC for the past 12 years. As General Synod in July of 2021 will be virtual, I am coming to terms with the fact that it will be two years before our youth have an in-person experience of the diversity of the UCC and be challenged, formed, and nurtured by these experiences of the national setting of the UCC.
I’m pondering how we will fill that void. The national setting of the UCC is working hard to provide virtual experiences for the wider church but we know that it is not the same. Just like the difference between live streaming the worship service from your home and gathering in the sanctuary in-person, it’s just different.
There are a lot of experiences these days that we can say are not the same or just different. Sunday worship in our Sanctuary, sitting with masks on and not singing. Visiting with family members and friends with masks on and sitting six feet apart. Zoom happy hours. Facebook live parties. It’s not the same and so we grieve what we once had.
Once I have named the loss and understand that it is okay to grieve and give myself the time to grieve, space opens in my heart and mind for a new way of nurturing my life and that of our young people. While I know that youth groups gel when they have experiences away from home, we will need to discover new ways of coming together here at home. While we may not hear national and international leaders speaking live in a huge convention center and experience the energy that comes with a crowd, we can listen to speakers and have a thoughtful conversation about what we have heard. We can take the time to look around us and see where we may engage our time and energy locally, participating in events and marches as safely as we can.
Perhaps, in these months ahead, these new ways of learning, meeting, and growing will prove to be more than measures to fill in a gap. I anticipate that some of these new ways may become just as meaningful and fulfilling as attending a national youth event or General Synod. It will just be “different.â€
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
2.  RECYCLING:  Because of  the additional cardboard and paper packaging from online ordering, the top environmental officer of the US said that Recycling is more essential than ever.  There is even some concern of a cardboard shortage developing, so let’s put it back into the supply chain.  Since Frederick County does NOT require that cardboard boxes be broken down,  just put your cardboard boxes and paper out for curbside recycling.  DO NOT PUT MASKS AND PPE IN RECYCLING even if they are plastic!!!  They need to be put into bags, sealed, and placed in the TRASH.  The CDC has requirements for proper disposal of PPE.  Much of PPE is thrown away carelessly and clogs drains and washes into waterways. Also, remember that Frederick Co.(which includes the city) does not recycle any clam shell containers or plastic bags.
3.  PLASTIC:  After all our efforts to avoid using plastic bags by bringing reusable bags for our grocery shopping, we can no longer do this in most stores, except in certain circumstances.  Giant, at least,  allows patrons to use their reusable bags in the self-checkout lines. Other stores probably do also.  Another alternative is to ask the checker if you can place the items you have bought back in your cart after they have been checked out.  Then take your cart back to your car where you can pack the items in the bags that you have cleverly stashed away in your trunk.  A little more work for you, but creation will thank you for it.  Also, some stores may recycle plastic bags and the clamshell containers we are getting from carry out.  Please let us know which stores recycle these items if you have that information.
The amount of plastic is surging during the pandemic and threatens the earth, Â the oceans, Â and their wildlife. Â If you must get plastic bags from the store or restaurant carry out, REUSE them as often as you can. Â Ask the restaurant not to include plastic utensils, napkins, and straws. Â Studies reveal that plastic is showing up in our bodies and bloodstream, so let’s do all we can to reduce our plastic use. Â Please contribute your ideas to help the rest of us out.
4.  COMPOST:  Now that we eating at home so much, this is a perfect time to start to compost.  You can easily compost at home in your own container; the internet has lots of information to guide you.  And many church members could  help you out.  Also, you could investigate the reasonably priced residential service offered by Key Compost, with whom ERUCC has had a contract .  Key Compost will pick up all your food scraps, including meat and bones,  and return compostable soil to you twice a year.  Key’s website, keycompost.com, has all the information.  Composting is a wonderful way to reduce the amount of trash that goes into the landfills and replenishes the earth.
Did you know that we have over 15 different types of plants and flowers on the grounds of ERUCC? Join Peter and Jack and Pastor Barbara, as they take us on a tour of the gardens and grounds of Trinity Chapel and all around our main building at 15 West Church Street! Thank you for the tour of our beautiful grounds!
CLICK HERE to watch the tour
Since our founding, Evangelical Reformed UCC has used God’s blessings to be the hands and feet of His love throughout Frederick and the wider world. For 275 years, we have created welcoming spaces. For 275 years, we have developed and implemented programs and missions that serve those near and far.
In celebration of those 275 years of faithfulness and service, we will host events throughout the year that are open to the public. We invite you to celebrate our past and work to preserve our future.
