Requested By Relationship Requestor s Elder. Reason for Request

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1 Community Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 1300 Holly Drive Richardson Texas voice fax Communi-K Volume 38 Number 10 May 10, 2011 Dear Friends, What does it take to achieve spiritual wholeness, well-being and peace after we ve been injured or wounded by another? Is an apology all it takes or is something more required? What does it take to make the pain go away or to make the violation disappear? I have been re-listening to J. Paul Young s presentation at TCU s Minister s Week in He is the author of the best selling book, The Shack. While it is a work of fiction written for his kids, it is also his story, metaphorically, of his own journey to healing, forgiveness, and reclaimed wholeness with God. The main character, Mackenzie or Mack, spends three days in the shack having an encounter with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. He leaves the shack transformed. Young shared with us that Mack s three day experience in the book is a compressed and condensed description of his own eleven year struggle to receive and give forgiveness. Paul shared with us some of the inner turmoil and pain of being a victim of sexual abuse beginning when he was four and again at boarding school as an adolescent. His way of coping with the guilt and shame of what had happened was to hide behind a veneer of perfection so that no one could see the hurt beneath. Later, in his early forties, Paul began an agonizing process of letting go of the pain and resentment he kept locked within himself towards his abusers and of the release of the shame that lurked alongside it for being victimized. Paul s story of healing is every bit as powerful as the character Mack s experience. I found his story challenging again in light of the killing of Osama Bin Laden. Paul s process of healing and subsequent feeling of wholeness makes me wonder if that might be possible for us as Americans to someday overcome our own hurt and fear. Is Bin Laden s death and the overloading of information and background dispensed in the media intended to bring a sense of closure, or some bit of healing, to us that he died as he lived? For you and me as American citizens and for a majority of our society, will we find resolution or healing in this event? Is a small measure of justice the same as becoming healed? What might our healing look like that is different than closure? Through Paul s personal sharing and in his book, the goal of finding and being healed took enormous effort to allow the hurt, resentment, pain, and anger to finally be released into God s love and to fully offer forgiveness. Does that sound similar to Jesus teaching in the Gospels? While we teach one another forgiveness in church and desire it as people of faith, are we seeking the same thing as citizens? We have seen numerous people celebrating Osama s demise in the media. We have heard from family members who lost loved ones during the 9/11 attacks that now say they have a sense of closure. Is that enough for us as citizens to close this chapter in our history and move on? Will time be the healer of our anger and hurt? Are we looking for or wanting more? I am finding myself spending more time in prayer over this, seeking guidance for myself. Am I really called or invited to offer forgiveness to an avowed terrorist of my country, my faith and way of life, not so much for him as for myself to stop the bitterness from festering? Hearing Paul s story reminds me that God wants more for our lives than simply coping or getting even. Wholeness is possible and inevitably desirable. What is your take on this? Do you see healing differently? In the risen Christ s service together wherever He leads, David

2 Prayer Request Card Watch your bulletins for a sample of our new green pew prayer request card. We have created this new card to help us more accurately track your prayer requests. We ask that you complete a separate card for each prayer request and joy. We believe the card is self-explanatory, but feel free to ask for help if you have questions. Pray For Date Requested By Relationship Requestor s Elder Reason for Request Except for military personnel and CCC members, names will normally be kept on CCC prayer list for two weeks. Please contact your elder to advise if your request should be kept for longer than two weeks and/or when the name should be removed from the prayer list Joy Concern Church Prayer List Elders Only Pastor Only The prayer request cards will be in the back of each pew, and there will be extra cards located in the narthex and on each side of the sanctuary, as well as in the wall-pocket in the hallway outside the communion room. We will continue to the use pink Announcement forms located in the narthex, on each side of the sanctuary, and in the wall-pocket in the hallway for announcements. Outreach I thought I'd pass on some thanks from some of the beneficiaries of CCC's outreach. Juliette Fowler appreciates our monthly gift, saying that it helps provide more than 355 residents with the opportunity for the best quality of life possible. The Network thanked us for our 2010 giving of $2,616 and 1,472 pounds of food. They shared a story about June, who said I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the wonderful, kind, thoughtful men who came out to fix my plumbing. I had been without water for weeks. I have bone cancer and no money to fix my house. The Network is a blessing as are the people who give their time and talents to help people like myself. God bless all of you for your help and kindness so I can stay in my home. Bless you. In 2010, Network provided assistance to 48,033 individuals and 11,004 families. The clinic handled the healthcare needs of 541 uninsured children from RISD. Seniors Net was there for 3,365 of our elderly, and Emergency Services assisted 44,126 individuals. You have touched the lives and hearts of those in need. The Disciples Mission Fund appreciates the fact that we've increased our giving, in spite of the challenging year. Habitat for Humanity also appreciates our monthly giving. Our giving not only helps build the houses, but it also helps Habitat to give each family more than 48 hours of pre- and post-purchase classes on home-buyer education. Due to this and other efforts, over 95% of Habitat homeowners are still in their homes years after purchasing them. The next RAIH build is scheduled to begin September 10, 2011 mark you calendars and watch the Communi-K for more details as the date gets closer. Each year, we give a percentage of our income to certain charitable organizations. Since it's a percentage of our income, our giving goes up or down along with our giving to CCC. Thank you everyone, for all the giving you re constantly doing. Mic

3 Calendar of Events May 5 May 12 May 3 May 7 May 13 May 14 May 16 May 19 May 22 May 23 May 24 May 27 May 29 May 30 May Anniversaries May Birthdays Judy & Gerald Bush Liz & Harry Metrick Gene Benton Rob Potter David Cartwright Brittany Fairchild Jo Ann McGoodwin George Stovall Brent Campbell Julia Jones Ken Kellam Mic Burnett Amelia Latham D.J. Burnett Disciples Women's Ministries 5/14/11, 10:30 a.m. please calendar this Saturday for a brunch meeting at Southern Recipe Cafe for our last scheduled meeting. I hope this date will be open for you. Sign-up sheet is posted on the office window. 5/21/11, 10:00 a.m. NTA Disciples Women's General Meeting/Brunch to be held at NTA Office, 3525 Lawler Rd, Garland. Reservations no later than 5/12/11. Program: Installation of Officers Rev. Coretha Loughridge. Please let me know if you plan to attend. Lu Sifferd, Chair Sunday, May 15 5:00 p.m. Pastoral Relations 7:00 p.m. Executive Committee Wednesday, May 18 7:30 p.m. Choir Practice Thursday, May 19 10:00 a.m. Spiritual Disciplines Prayer Group Saturday, May 21 8:30 a.m. Property Workday Sunday, May 22 Wednesday, May 25 7:00 p.m. Choir Practice Thursday, May 26 10:00 a.m. Spiritual Disciplines Prayer Group Sunday, May 29 Monday, May 30 Memorial Day Holiday Church office closed in observance of Memorial Day

4 Where Everyone Counts Worship Attendance 05/01/11 55 Visitors 6 Debb Faulk Brandon Suratt Juan C. Vides Arthur Roberts Chuck & Sally Turner Worship Attendance 05/08/11 63 Visitors 4 Debb Faulk David Kellam Geoffrey Gafford Juan C. Vides Financial Report (Budgeted weekly revenue: $2,788.46) Receipts for 5/1/11 $3, Receipts for 5/8/11 $2, Memorial Gifts in Memory of Romie Jones Jon McRaney Imogene O Brien From Can You Hear Me Now? No? Teresa Gafford Teresa Gafford Digital Realty Trust Many of you may have noticed how the sound system in the sanctuary cuts out from time to time. Over the past few months several bids have been submitted to upgrade the system. Some money has already been raised but we need more. Our goal is $9,000 which should cover the needed upgrade including a special system for those who are hard of hearing. Please consider making a donation to this very important project to the Church. Be sure and designate that your contribution is for the sound system. Thanks, Mark Slaight Deacon Serving Schedule The following deacons signed up to serve during the month of May: Paul Latham, Proctor Kevin Horn Joanne McKinley Pat McPherson Bill Whitley Laban DeLay, Deacon Chair Sunday, May 15 4th Sunday of Easter Acts 2: Peter 2:1 10 Sermon: Our House Worship Participants Preacher: David Cartwright Lay Leader: Carolyn Straw Acolyte: Addison DeLay Sunday, May 22 5th Sunday of Easter 1 Peter 2:19 25 Acts 6:8 7:2a Sermon: That Is My Story Worship Participants Preacher: David Cartwright Lay Leader: Lu Sifferd Acolyte: Cameron Horn Leading Worship for May Elders: Karlan Fairchild, Larry Fairchild Linda Fairchild Deacons: Paul Latham, Proctor Kevin Horn Joanne McKinley Pat McPherson Bill Whitley

5 Where Everyone Counts Join Us on Sundays Calendar Updates 9:30 a.m. Sunday School For updates to the CCC calendar, check with the Service church office or the bulletin board across from the 12:15 p.m. Fellowship Time church office. Church Office Hours Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Church Office Contact Info David Cartwright s Contact Info (office) djc@cccrichardson.org (home) tracvad@aol.com (cell) The next issue will be Wednesday, May 25, 2011 The Communi-K is published bi-weekly by Community Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 1300 Holly Drive, Richardson, Texas 75080, (972) , (972) fax, editor, Jeannine Frank Community Christian Church ccc@cccrichardson.org Rev. David Cartwright Jeannine Frank Rebecca Baker Anne Speights Hop Chu Santos Camarillo Greg Hendrickson Mark Slaight Julie Knecht Patty Latham Laban DeLay Minister Church Secretary Choir Director Accompanist Childcare Custodian Board Chair Board Vice Chair Board Secretary Church Treasurer Chair of Elders Chair of Diaconate Community Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 1300 Holly Drive Richardson, TX 75080