The Courier MARCH-APRIL COCOA BEACH COMMUNITY CHURCH United Church of Christ 126 South Atlantic Avenue LENT AND EASTER 2014 HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE

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1 The Courier MARCH-APRIL 2014 COCOA BEACH COMMUNITY CHURCH United Church of Christ 126 South Atlantic Avenue LENT AND EASTER 2014 ASH WEDNESDAY March 5, 7:00 PM SIX SUNDAYS OF LENT March 9 - April 13 HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE PALM SUNDAY MAUNDY THURSDAY GOOD FRIDAY April 13, 10:00 AM April 17, 7:00 PM April 18, 12:00 Noon SUNRISE COMMUNITY EASTER SERVICE April 20, Fischer Park on A1A EASTER SUNDAY WORSHIP April 20, CBCC 1

2 CBCC OFFICE HOURS Tuesday Friday 8:30 AM 12:30 PM P.O. Box Cocoa Beach, FL Tel: Fax: CBCC THRIFT SHOP Mondays & Thursdays 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM Friday & Saturday 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM Serving the people of the Space Coast and beyond w/ outstanding quality merchandise at a fraction of retail. We also have a great selection of Books, Tapes, CDs & DVDs Minister Rev. Dr. Fred Fourie Administrator Betty Catalon Christian Education Coleman Todd Music Director Jan Johns Church Musician David Wrable President Phyllis Baker Worship Bob Watkins Center for Spiritual Enrichment Cindy Johnson Spiritual Life Teams Linda Norwood Treasurer Joy Gilmore Invictus Team Jean Dugan Webmaster Carl Witlicki Inspired reading for your prayerful reflection each morning from the United Church of Christ, The God is still speaking' church No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here. 2

3 PARTICIPATE IN OUR MUSIC PROGRAM WEDNESDAY 7:00 PM Sunday Mornings 9:30 AM in Sponsler Hall Contact:Janet ART DISPLAY We are inspired by and privileged to have artists from our Congregation share their artwork in Sponsler Hall. Please consider having some of your work displayed. Schedule a Month to Display Your Art!! Contact: John Harbaugh GREET YOUR NEIGHBOR COURIER JOURNALISTS: Roby Raymond - Karen Neumann Do you have a reflection or story to share? Send your suggestion to Betty-Catalon@cfl.rr.com Or call the church office Betty will have Roby or Karen contact you. CBCC THRIFT SHOP 50 th ANNIVERSARY FASHION SHOW Friday March 21 6:30 PM in Sponsler Hall $5.00 Featuring Fashion Trends for Spring and Summer! Champagne and Chocolate Refreshments FROM THE PULPIT CALLED TO SERVICE MARCH Rev. Dr. Fred Fourie There were some Greeks in town who had come up to worship at the Feast. They approached Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee: Sir, we want to see Jesus. Can you help us? Philip went and told Andrew. Andrew and Philip together told Jesus. Jesus answered, Time s up. The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you ll have it forever, real and eternal. If any of you wants to serve me, then follow me. Then you ll be where I am, ready to serve at a moment s notice. The Father will honor and reward anyone who serves me. John 12:20-26 [MSG] John s Gospel tells a very significant and touching story. Jesus and his followers were already in Jerusalem. Until this moment, Jesus' directed his ministry exclusively to the Jews. Nevertheless, the foreigners also heard about him and many wanted to come closer to him. At that crucial moment, two Greeks asked Philip, one of the disciples, Sir, we wish to see Jesus!" Cont. on page 11 3

4 VISITATION & RECEPTION SPREADING LOVE AND CARE Caring members of our Church regularly visit members and friends in their homes, in hospitals, or in nursing homes. Birthday cards, Get-Well Wishes, and Miss-You cards are sent regularly. Those who receive it appreciate this personal contact provided by members of our church. The gift of giving and sharing is deeply rewarding. Do you know someone in need? Need a birthday added? Was one missed? Please call the church office and let us know. When providing Altar Flowers on Sundays, please consider letting our Visitation Committee take them to a shut-in or to the hospital for a patient who may appreciate cheering up. Maureen Walsh Women s Fellowship consists of women who are members or friends of the Cocoa Beach Community Church. Any woman who is interested in the programs of Women s Fellowship or the church is welcome and encouraged to attend our meetings. We usually meet on the second Thursday of each month from September through May. WF Potluck Supper Thursday March 13, :00 PM Sponsler Hall The March meeting will be a special evening meeting. All members and friends of CBCC (men and women) are invited to attend a presentation given by Pastor Jay Bergstresser from Lutheran Church of the Resurrection. He has recently written a book called The Jesus Quiz: Surprising Answers for W.W.J.D. Bring a dish to share! If you or a loved one is in need of Care or Prayer, the Telephone Prayer Chain is here for you. Call Today! Alma Stephenson

5 50 Thrifty Years for Cocoa Beach Community Church Thrift Shop BY KATHY ANDERSON SMITH In 1964, as manned rockets were entering outer space just a few miles to the north, Cocoa Beach Community Church was also launching a new mission in the form of a Thrift Shop. Still operating today, it is believed to be the longest running Thrift Shop in Brevard. The Women s Fellowship of this United Church of Christ Church opened the shop in the garage of a house along South Orlando Ave. in Cocoa Beach 50 years ago. The house was located just to the south of the current sanctuary across the street from the beach. On nice days the ladies would bring their merchandise out of the garage, and place it onto tables along the road for better visibility. By 1967 the shop was moved into a Sunday school room in the building on the church complex which now serves as the church office. At that time there were many days when the day s total sales were under $5.00. In 1967 the average age of Cocoa Beach residents was 26 years old. The young and growing community in those years resulted in a shop with baby and children s clothing and toys as the top sellers. Due to the growth of young families in the area, CBCC expanded its property to cover the entire corner of First St. South between Orlando and Brevard Avenues in With the new property came a small house on the south end of the Brevard Ave. side of the property. Initially the house was shared by the Thrift Shop and Sunday school classes but eventually a Sunday school wing was added to the church complex and the Thrift Shop took over the entire building. After the shop took over the house a storage shed was built to contain donations and the house s kitchen became a sorting room. Individual room doors were opened up to allow for better flow in the shop. This also allowed the various areas to be dedicated to specific lines of merchandise. Few physical changes to the property occurred for several decades but the popularity of the Thrift Shop grew as well as the hours of operation and sales volume. The hours have been expanded to the current schedule of Monday and Thursday from 9:30 3:00 and Friday and Saturday from 10:00-1:00. In 2008 the old storage shed was removed and a breezeway and the shed area were combined into a large donation sorting room. Other improvements over the past 5 years have included updated windows and doors, AC 5 upgrades, a fenced in donation area, the addition of a client s garden, and many other minor upgrades. A Chinese Proverb says To open a shop is easy; to keep it open is an art. The Cocoa Beach Community Church Thrift Shop has been lucky enough to have had hundreds of dedicated volunteers and leaders over the past 50 years who turned running the shop into an art. Customers consistently comment that the shop and the merchandise are so clean and so well organized that it is their favorite thrift shop. Our goal is to offer high quality merchandise at very low prices. This fulfils an important church mission of enabling people on fixed incomes or with limited means to afford to purchase necessities. In addition people in severe need are able to stop in and receive a set of clothing as well as a bagged lunch. Funds earned are disbursed through the Women s Fellowship to a variety of organizations in our community and beyond. To recognize the success and growth that has been enjoyed over the past 50 years a year-long 50th Anniversary Celebration is taking place. Beginning with the theme of Celebrating 50 Thrifty Years we will offer Anniversary Sales that will feature 50 cent reductions or 50% off on specific categories of merchandise. These will take place throughout The first major event of the celebration will be a Spring-Summer Fashion Show that will take place on Friday evening March 21st. The event with champagne and chocolate refreshments will feature current looks for spring and summer 2014 that have been put together from the shop s merchandise. In addition we will showcase a few vintage outfits that our customers might have purchased if they were shopping with us over the past 5 decades. In the fall of 2014 an Open House is planned for parishioners and customers after Sunday services. At that point in the Anniversary year the focus will switch to the future as we continue to work to improve and grow. The Open House will introduce a theme for the future which comes from the Space Coast s past: Blasting Off for Another 50 Years Serving our Customers and Community.

6 BIRTHDAYS 3 Dolores Stringer 6 Louise Heckman 7 Babs Didden 17 Gloria Rebentisch 18 Norma Bruce 19 David Counts 20 Jala Torres 23 Jack Haberthier 27 Joan Macura ANNIVERSARIES March 1, 2001 Bryan & Karen Mills 13 yrs GOLDEN PLUS ANNIVERSARIES March 1, 1950 H. C. Burt & Jean Cox 64 yrs March 2, 1964 Roger & Susie Fleming 50 yrs BIRTHDAYS 2 Jean Dugan 6 Rosemary Hoskin 9 Paul Verhagen 10 Betty Nicolaison ANNIVERSARIES April 28 Michael & Michelle Dugan 17 yrs 1996 Lloyd & Iris McIntire 14 yrs Evan Thomas Lew Musil 14 Pat Bosley 15 Mary Wiseman 19 Jane Ross 21 Joyce Stottler Susan Martin 28 Jeweldene Calvetto 30 Herb Hobgood 6

7 SUNDAY MORNING PROGRAM Adult Bible Lessons With Loren Bowling 9:00 AM Christian Education Wing The Standard Lesson Quarterly NIV, based on the International Sunday School Lesson (ISSL) program richly resourced, with a discussion guide, background information, charts, maps, and home daily Bible readings. SLQ combines meaningful Bible study with culturally relevant examples and discussion questions. ENSEMBLE/HANDS ON 9:00 AM - 9:45 AM Ensemble team practices whenever scheduled as well as Sunday school teacher/leader preparation. CHILDREN & YOUTH: Pre-K to 12 We gather for worship at 10:00 AM, at an indicated time during the service, we will depart for Bible Stories, Music, Elements of Worship, Crafts, Games and Refreshments. NO childcare offered for children less than 4 years of age in worship. Families are invited to use our break room if needed during worship. The break room is located near the front doors of the sanctuary. Worship can be seen and heard! Youth Group! Grades 6-12 Meeting at Lutheran Church of Resurrection 525 Minuteman Causeway 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM CBCC CE Ministry Opportunities Contact Coleman Todd / cntodd@earthlink.net THE SEASON OF LENT The first Sunday of Lent is March 9. Lent is a time of preparation for Easter. Lent is 40 days (and six Sundays) from Ash Wednesday to Easter. May our own experience of Lent this year fill us with such an awareness of God s presence bringing transformation and renewal. Easter Day is the oldest festival and the most important day of the church year. Christ Lives! Alleluia! The Resurrection is the focal point of the Christian faith, like a keystone supporting an arch. Easter Egg Hunt and Party Plan to attend and celebrate Easter Sunday at CBCC with our annual Easter egg hunt for the kids. Food and games for all! Welcoming Joyce Stottler We extend greetings to Joyce Stottler who agreed to serve as our Christian Education Chairperson for Sincere thanks to Joyce! AFTER WORSHIP Meet New People! Greet Old Friends! Find out who needs a helping hand, a telephone call, or maybe even just a smile. Fellowship is more than Refreshments.... It is a vital part of our Church Community 7

8 CHOP, CHOP THURSDAY Chop, Chop Thursday was the mantra again leading up to this year s spectacular Valentine s Day Card Party and Luncheon. This was, and is, the Ladies Society s major fund raising event of the year. Held annually for more than four decades, it has developed a celebrity status of its own. Many volunteers know weeks beforehand what they will donate or be asked to do. It is also, along with the highly regarded Thrift Shop, looked upon as an outreach into the community. Margaret Counts, Ladies Society President, welcomed 124 guests representing six surrounding towns on Friday morning, February 14. Chop, Chop Thursday called for due diligence on the part of every volunteer to show up on schedule. And do whatever had to be done to prepare for the next day s important event. To handle the crowd of card plyers themselves, in addition to so several dozen volunteers and those on hand to watch, called for a strategy of almost military precision. Everything in the hall, having to do with card playing, including prizes and score pads, was Chairman Bea William s responsibility. Everything in the kitchen, concerned with preparing and serving the luncheon itself, was Karen Neumann s responsibility with the help of Anne Rutishauser. For Bea, among other things, t his meant setting up 31 card tables and chairs. When Marty Stieger and Jerry Hinds volunteered to do so, Bea noted that since they were handling the tables anyway, would they mind putting the red covers on them? Of course not, and they even came back the next day to take everything down. Meanwhile, volunteers and Bea collected and packaged prizes donated by local merchants and individuals into huge baskets from the Thrift Shop. Included were a man and a woman s wrist watches, tickets to a play at Surfside, a dinner at the Pier, a bottle of champagne with two glasses, selected boutique items and more. The most unusual prize, selected by the winning hand at each table, was the 12" x 12" fabric tote hand 8 bag made by Susie Fast and filled with coffee mugs, small baked loaves, some of Julia Stalling s famous peanut brittle, hot chocolate mix and home made cookies. This is the third year Susie has donated the bags made from fabrics she began collecting from the Thrift Shop last January. It is the luncheon; however, that adds a layer of mystery and awe to the entire event. How could Karen and Anne purchase, cook, prepare and serve a menu of chicken salad, fresh spinach, dessert, coffee and tea to a crowd of this size with serenity and aplomb? It wasn t easy. Karen watched the papers for weeks to find the best prices for fresh food and that could be stored. On Tuesday before the party, Karen and Anne shopped for what they needed. The main problem was how to pack everything into Karen s SUV and still have room for her husband, Paul, to sit on the front seat with bags and bags of groceries surrounding him. It took all three of them to cart everything into the kitchen and store it in the refrigerator which completely filled it. On Wednesday Karen and Anne cooked 40 pounds of chicken breast they had bought in Melbourne. Thursday was Chop, Chop Day when dozens of volunteers, all reporting for a certain length of time, settled down to dice, chop, peel, cut, and slice mounds of ingredients that went into the chicken salad. Others even cut the stems off spinach in a final act of delicacy and some separated 169 plastic knives and forks into four units, bound with white tape to be set at each place. When all was ready, Karen closeted herself in the kitchen and mixed in her secret, uniquely delicious dressings. When asked what they were, Karen merely smiled and looked the other way. No one has been able to find the answers. The day ended with Bill Ross and his Barber Shop Quartet serenading guests on both sides of Sponsler Hall. As Valentine s Day Card party and Luncheon add another page to the long history of successes, it does, as one volunteer said, makes us all happy in working together in common goal. After all, isn t that what s all about? Roby Raymond

9 CENTER FOR SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT Thursdays; February 20 March 27 7:00 PM in the CBCC Board Room Facilitated by: Cindy Johnson and Coleman Todd Embracing Emergence Christianity Author, historian and keen cultural observer Phyllis Tickle invites us to join her in examining the changing face of Christianity and culture. Phyllis surveys 2000 years of Western history, identifying the great upheavals that occur in Western culture and Christianity every 500 years. The last was the Great Reformation of the 1500 s; the next is happening now. What are the implications of this Great Emergence, both culturally and spiritually? What are the key questions and issues that need to be addressed? Where might we be headed next? And, perhaps most importantly, where are you, at this moment? Might you be an emergence Christian? There are six sessions on the DVD. Each session begins with a video presentation by Phyllis Tickle, lasting from minutes followed by our group discussion OUTREACH AND MISSION CROP WALK Sunday March 23 2:00 PM Hunger Walk & Picnic Larry Schultz Park Fiske Blvd. Rockledge REFLECTIONS ON CROP HUNGER WALK BY BARB & GEORGE FRANKE SNOWBIRDS FROM COLORADO We have been involved with CROP Hunger Walks in several states for over 30 years. We re happy to share our enthusiasm about CROP Walk with Cocoa Beach Community Church. Did you know that there are some 2000 CROP Walks in the U.S. each year? What is the CROP Walk?? The letters in CROP stand for Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty. Cocoa Beach Community Church is one of those communities. CROP Walk is a fundraising activity that helps to feed hungry people in Central Brevard County as well as around the rest of the U.S. and world. If you choose to participate, you have several options. Sign up to walk the short, symbolic walk in Larry Schultz Park in Rockledge at 2 p.m. on March 23rd, publicly remembering the millions of people who must walk miles each and every day in order to provide food and clean water for their families. Make a donation to CROP Walk. Of course we hope to raise a lot of money so we can help feed a lot of people, but any size donation is welcome. TOGETHER we can make a difference! Who gets the money?? 25% of funds raised stay local, used for Central Brevard Sharing Center s Community Kitchen Program. Did you know that 1 in 4 children in Brevard County go to bed hungry each night? 9

10 75% of funds raised is used by Church World Service (CWS) for hunger relief AND disaster relief efforts in the U.S. and in other places around the world. In 2013 our own home community of Loveland, CO had first-hand experience with disaster relief provided ty CWS. Mountain rivers, swollen with days of non-stop rain, flooded large areas downstream in Loveland and neighboring communities. Many homes, businesses and roads were destroyed or damaged. Lives were lost. CWS was not only an early responder supplying clean-up supplies for those affected, but was also there later, organizing and training volunteers in longterm recovery efforts. We experienced the work of Church World Service right in our own community. Did you know that CWS has also been at work in areas of Florida hit by hurricanes, helping feed people and rebuild lives? This year s walk is right across the street from our sister UCC church Hope United Church of Christ. They are looking forward to seeing some folks from CBCC over on the mainland. We hope you will support CROP Walk in 2014! Sign up will be each Sunday in Sponsler hall until the walk date. WE COLLECT FOOD EVERY WEEK! CBCC helps support many food ministries in Cocoa Beach and beyond. We appreciate the food and other items brought in each Sunday and placed in our basket on Sundays. Single serving items are used in ready to eat lunch bags available at the thrift store and at the church office. Foods that need to be cooked are given to local food pantries. Spaghetti and tomato sauce can be saved for the monthly Community Meals. Cocoa Beach Community Meal The Community Meal provides a welcoming place for those who are homeless and need a place to get a warm meal, and for; singles, families, the elderly, the lonely, and anyone else who may simply need a helping hand along the way each month. The First & Third Sundays of Each Month March 2 & 16; April 6 & 20 Dinner Served: 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM Food Pantry Open Too! Meal Location: First United Methodist Church 3300 N. Atlantic Ave. The Community Meal is always looking for folks to help with this ministry. Volunteer Shifts 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM AND 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM COCOA BEACH FOOD PANTRIES Lutheran Church of the Resurrection 525 Minutemen Causeway PANTRY OPEN 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM First & Last Tuesdays and the 2nd & 3rd Saturdays First United Methodist Church 3300 N. Atlantic. Ave PANTRY OPEN 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM During Community Meals 10

11 FROM OUR PULPIT Continued from pg. 3 Philip was surprised and unsure what to do, so he first found Andrew and together they went to Jesus and told him about the unusual re-quest of the Greeks. Certainly, Jesus would want to meet strangers who traveled such a great distance! Jesus, however, surprised them. Instead of inviting the Greeks over, Jesus changed the subject and revealed that these Greeks were only the first of many people from every race and nation who would eventually call on his name. The first of countless millions who through the ages, like us, would plead: Sir, we wish to see Jesus! The answer that Jesus gave would forever change our understanding of what Christian faith is really all about!, Jesus said, Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than just a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. Jesus had a very specific vision and hope for the future: He wanted his followers to celebrate peace and community with those around them. He wanted to see life - true life - grow out of his vision and his hope: The crucifixion of Jesus would make him like a grain of wheat that, by falling into the ground and dying, would bear much fruit, bringing many, many others to real life! In spite of the cruel realities surrounding him at that time, Jesus then made a powerful statement about the coming crucifix-ion!, And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." What happens when a grain of wheat, or a seed, falls into the ground and dies? It germinates! It begins new life! It produces buds, sprouts, branch-es, flowers. The grain of wheat only has to die in order to resurrect a 1000 times over! Jesus is saying, I am like a grain of wheat! I am the foundation! My vision and hope will prevail and will blossom forth into the Kingdom of God! ~ Philip, Andrew, Peter, John go tell the Greeks, tell the world! They did ~ and that is why you and I are here today! When Jesus calls us, he leads us to undergo a radical inner transformation. Like a grain of wheat, through Christ, we gain strength TO DIE to the fears that keep us from loving. We gain courage TO DIE to the selfishness that keeps us from sharing our gifts. We learn TO DIE to seeking only our own success and salvation in disregard for the good of all God s children. IF WE die with Christ, we will also rise with Christ as new creations, to be God s children, worshipping together, caring about one another, and discovering what it means to be fully human. Thus, Jesus became Lord for whosoever would come. Jew and Gentile, rich and poor, righteous and unrighteous, no one excluded. All of us are equal in his sight. Now we understand that the foreigners who wanted to see Jesus were only a pre-view of what was to come. A time was coming when people from all over the world would reach out to receive Jesus as their Savior and Lord. Since the beginning of the Christian era, people have experienced how lives without real meaning or direction were touched, changed and transformed when they became sincere followers of Jesus. That prompted un-counted millions to echo the request of the Greeks so long ago. Sir, we want to see Jesus! When Jesus becomes Lord in anyone s life the transformation, from inside out begins. The Bible says, If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see every-thing has become new! Jesus is the corn of wheat that willingly died so that you and I can live! As we come to the table this morning, we celebrate and remember Jesus as the grain of wheat who died to transform your life. and mine When I survey the wondrous cross, on which the Christ of glory died, my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride. Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all! Come to the table we are welcome here! Amen. Find Dr Fred's Sermons at 11

12 THE COURIER MARCH / APRIL 2014 COCOA BEACH COMMUNITY CHURCH UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST The UCC is a welcoming, justice-minded Christian community. At a time when religion is too often portrayed as narrow-minded and exclusive, many are raising their VOICES for an alternate vision: Here God is all-loving and inclusive- Where the Church of Jesus Christ welcomes and accepts everyone as they are - Where your mind is nourished as much as your soul - Where Jesus the healer meets Jesus the revolutionary - Where together we grow a just and peaceful world from UCC God is Still Speaking Website CBCC is on Facebook COCOA BEACH COMMUNITY CHURCH United Church of Christ 126 South Atlantic Ave. Cocoa Beach; FL CBCC-Info@cfl.rr.com 12