Your OCTOBER 2020 Trinity Chimes is available. Click HERE to read!
Dear Congregation:
The Serenity Prayer is a prayer written by the American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr (1892–1971). God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.
I know that many of us are feeling overwhelmed, discouraged, frightened by daily life these days and it feels like there are many things we cannot change. Today and in the weeks ahead, I am inviting us to consider things we can change in our lives, things we can do to bring some peace into these chaotic days.
I invite us to consider a holy pause each day. Imagine the power of all of us pausing at noon, every day. Take a few moments to take a deep breath. Consider something for which you are grateful. Go outside and smell the fall air. Gaze at the changing colors on the trees.
A pause can help us reframe our day and perhaps even our attitude, move us away from negative thoughts, and give our bodies a chance to renew itself.
Here are some other thoughts on practices you may consider adopting in the weeks ahead. Limit your exposure to how much mews you are subject to – including TV, social media, newspapers. It’s clear that in the current climate that we are being torn apart as individuals, a community, and nation by the tone of discussions.
Practice gratitude. Write a letter or email or text to someone, giving thanks for their presence in your life. Make a list of people and things in your life that bring you joy. Take a moment to reframe your thinking by meditating on joy.
Pray or meditate asking for peace, guidance, wisdom.
Eat healthy. Feed your body with food that is nutritious and will make you feel better.
There is an old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”
He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”
May we feed ourselves with that which will bring us joy, hope, and peace.
Join us for Sunday worship in person or online at https://boxcast.tv/view/sunday-1030-service-415027
In Exodus 17:1–7 , the people of Israel ask, “Is God with us, or not?” This is an understandable question when people are struggling in a wilderness of uncertainty. God answers through a guiding cloud, the crossing of the Reed Sea, and by providing manna and water for the journey. How does God continue to say, “Yes, I am with you“?
In Matthew 21:23–32, Jesus faces religious authorities who refuse to take a stand either way. Jesus responds to this time of testing by declaring the importance of standing with God’s truth, regardless of the consequences.
Join us for worship live at 10:30 in our historic main Sanctuary or on-line at https://boxcast.tv/view/sunday-1030-service-957062
Click HERE for the Sunday, September 20, 2020 Bulletin
Sunday Worship
Wandering in the wilderness, faced with difficulties of survival, the Israelites complain in Exodus 16: 2-15. Despite their complaint, God graciously gives them the food they need. Jesus tells the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, Matthew 20: 1-16, in which the master of the vineyard in which the master of the vineyard is shown to be incredibly gracious.
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)
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.
Join us for worship live at 10:30 in our historic main Sanctuary or on-line at https://boxcast.tv/view/sunday-1030-service-957062
September 13
Today’s service will focus on environmental stewardship. Our focus scripture will be Genesis 1:24-2:4, 50:15-20. Rev. Esther Ziegler will be preaching this morning on behalf of the Green Committee.
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.
