MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF PIONEER CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST MAY 2018 VOLUME 18 ISSUE 5

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1 PIONEER POST MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF PIONEER CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST MAY 2018 VOLUME 18 ISSUE 5 Rev. Phil Konz Family Times Letter from the Pastor ` We are entering the time of year when special events seem centered around families. Mothers Day, Fathers Day, graduations and family reunions are times when families come together. Hopefully the gathering is celebratory. Unfortunately, family gatherings are not always happy times. If the family is defined by legalities and genetics only, there is a chance that the relationships are not loving and healing. Our early childhood experiences have profound effects on us. Every child will experience some kind of trauma. The degree of trauma does not seem as detrimental as the lack of healing afterwards. Denial, blame and shame will bury the experience which will then keep sending up shoots of odd and often self-destructive behavior. Healing needs a minimum of assurance of steadfast love and acknowledgment of the child s experiences. I remember thinking as a first-time parent that I was responsible for every thought and feeling of my daughter. If she was going to be a happy healthy adult, I had to make sure her needs were met perfectly. If she ever felt sad, mad or any other negative emotion, it meant I had done something wrong. It did not take me long to realize I had set myself an impossible task and she was much more resilient than I expected. She did not need the sterile environment. She needed the freedom to experience and to explore. And she could come up with mischief all on her own. Parents need to be protectors and guides, not gods that micro-manage actions, words and emotions. If there is any way in which a parent should be god-like it is in assuring steadfast and unconditional love. Teaching right from wrong is important, but not as important as teaching about forgiveness and acceptance. So, I would propose that we determine family by those whom we love and accept, more than by legalities and genetics. It would be great if those conditions always overlapped. If they don t, choose love as the defining factor when you celebrate family times. Pastor Phil Konz 1

2 WHAT S INSIDE... NEWSLETTER SECTIONS Letter from the Pastor... 1 In the Know...2 Our Community... 3 Get Involved...7 Be the Change...8 Feed Your Spirit...10 Keeping You Posted Who We Are THIS MONTH S EVENTS May 5 - Women s Breakfast Mimi s May 6 - Foundation Meeting May 6 - Peace Garden Dedication Committee Meeting May 6 - Performances at Pioneer: Jason Sia Concert May 9 - Five Wishes Workshop May 9 - Choir Rehearsal May 13 - Colonial Potluck May 13 - Social Justice Meeting May 15 - Book Club May 16 - Choir Rehearsal May 18 - Kitchen Committee Meeting May 19 - Men s Breakfast Mimi s May 20 - Strengthen Our Church Collection May 20 - Council Meeting May 20 - Reconciliation Singers Choir May 23 - Choir Rehearsal May 27 - Marketing Meeting IN THE KNOW NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS Five Wishes Workshop Say exactly how you wish to be treated if you get seriously ill Five Wishes Workshop will be presented by chaplains from Sutter Medical Center on May 9 at 7:00 PM here at Pioneer Church. Five Wishes is changing the way we talk about the plan for care at the end of life. More than 25 million Americans are using Five Wishes to express how they want to be treated if they are unable to speak for themselves. It helps people maintain their human dignity by addressing their personal, spiritual and medical concerns. The Five Wishes Workshop is open to all members and guests. Everyone is welcome! Rental Space Space is available for rent on the 2 nd floor of our building at 2700 L Street. Contact Vi McNally for more information at mcnally.viola0@gmail.com. Space Available for Rent 2

3 IN THE KNOW NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS Flower Sponsorship Sign up to sponsor a beautiful flower arrangement at the events table in Fellowship Hall. If you have already signed up and would like to dedicate flowers in honor of someone, please the office at connect@pioneerucc.org at least one week before your scheduled Sunday, so that this information can be placed in the bulletin. Bouquets are $45 and are yours to take home following the service. Sponsors: May 6 Fay Grundel in honor of my dad s birthday May 13 May 20 May 27 Claire Chase in honor of Mother s Day Dean & Karen Wakefield in honor of our 37 th anniversary George & Esteri Hinman in celebration of our 23 rd anniversary OUR COMMUNITY MEMBER SHARING & ACTIVITIES Members Celebrating Birthdays This Month! 1 Carol Love 4 Patricia Houge 4 Philip Jackman 14 Jerry Bettencourt 17 Joseph Lenihan 25 Crystal Taylor 26 Esteri Hinman 30 Andy Balog Join Us for Breakfast See you there! Ok to bring a friend! The Women s Breakfast meets on the first Saturday of the month at 9am at Mimi s Café at 2029 Alta Arden Way. Please Sue Bryant-Still at singndance152@comcast.net for more information. The Men s Breakfast meets on the third Saturday of the month at 9am at Mimi s Café at 2029 Alta Arden Way. Please Don King at dkingrhf@gmail.com for more information. 3

4 OUR COMMUNITY MEMBER SHARING & ACTIVITIES Book Club Join us on Tuesday, May 15 at 7:00 pm in the church parlor At our next Book Club meeting, we will discuss My Name Is Lucy Barton, by Elizabeth Strout. Thank you to fellow Pioneer, Sue Bryant- Still for the suggestion! Lucy Barton is recovering slowly from what should have been a simple operation. Her mother, to whom she hasn t spoken for many years, comes to see her. Gentle gossip about people from Lucy s childhood in Amgash, Illinois, seems to reconnect them, but just below the surface lie the tension and longing that have informed every aspect of Lucy s life: her escape from her troubled family, her desire to become a writer, her marriage, her love for her two daughters. Knitting this powerful narrative together is the brilliant storytelling voice of Lucy herself: keenly observant, deeply human, and truly unforgettable. From Sue I proposed My Name Is Lucy Barton for Book Club because a friend whose recommendations I usually concur with highly recommended it, and because of this from its New York Times review: in its careful words and vibrating silences, My Name Is Lucy Barton offers us a rare wealth of emotion, from darkest suffering to I was so happy. Oh, I was happy simple joy. Feel free to Claire with book club questions at: clairechase@comcast.net. 4

5 OUR COMMUNITY MEMBER SHARING & ACTIVITIES Summer Camp Registration is Open! We will also be looking for contributions to give camperships to youth in our congregation who could not otherwise afford to attend. Registration now open for Summer Camp for Camp Cazadero located outside Guerneville, and Camp Tamarack in the high Sierra, east of Fresno. Early bird registration ends 6 weeks before camp - register now via ncncucc.org/yomc. Sessions at Camp Cazadero: Caz You and Me Camp: July 6-8 (entering 1st-3rd grade) Caz Senior High Camp: July 8-14 (entering 10th-12th grade) Caz Junior Camp: July (entering 4th-6th grade) Caz Junior High: July (entering 7th-9th grade) Caz Community: Aug 3-5 (all ages!) Sessions at Camp Tamarack: Tam CIT Camp: July (High School graduate) Tam Junior Camp: July (entering 4th-6th grade) Tam Junior High Camp: July (entering 7th-9th grade) Tam Senior High Camp: July 29-Aug 4 (entering 10th-12th grade) Paper Registration forms for Tamarack Non-summer camp dates: Caz weekend workcamp: May 4-6. There are jobs available for every skill level. Contact Steve Warden for more information and to sign up. scwarden50@aol.com or call Annual gathering youth program: June 14-17, Sonoma State University (Santa Rosa) for grades Western Regional Youth Event: June 25-July 1, Hawaii, Grades 8-12 this is a chance for youth to engage in transformative experiences with other youth from the Western Conferences of the United Church of Christ. Details here: Staff applications are available at: ncncucc.org/yomc. Making Camp more affordable: We don t want finances to be the reason kids don t go to camp. For information about requesting a campership, or donating to the campership fund, contact Pastor Phil at pastorphil@pioneerucc.org. 5

6 OUR COMMUNITY MEMBER SHARING & ACTIVITIES Church World Service Emergency Cleanup Buckets We are collecting these items as one of the 3 Great Loves service projects for the Annual Gathering: Four scouring pads Seven sponges, including one large One scrub brush Eighteen reusable cleaning towels (e.g. Easy Wipes) One 50 oz. or two 25 oz. bottle(s) of liquid laundry detergent One oz. bottle of liquid disinfectant dish soap One oz. bottle of household cleaner that can be mixed with water (no spray bottles) One package of clothespins Clothesline, two 50 ft. or one 100 ft. Five dust masks Two pairs no-surgical, non-latex gloves One pair work gloves, cotton with leather palm or all leather heavy duty or contractor type gallon trash bags on a roll and removed from carton One 6-9 oz. bottle of non-aerosol insect repellent All cleaning items must be new all liquid items must be capped and securely tightened. We will bring these items to the Annual Gathering (June 14-17) to be assembled there. Buckets will be provided by Church World Service. 6

7 GET INVOLVED VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Volunteer Schedule We love our volunteers! Thank you for your time! DATE READER USHERS FELLOWSHIP May 6 May 13 May 20 May 27 Stephen Schulman Liam Murdock Fay Grundel Philip Jackman Shipman- Jackman Family Andy Balog Mark Viviano Bernadette and John Wallace Ray Graetz and Joe Lenihan Betsy & Clyde Wilson Colonial Potluck Pat Houge Marge Watson Nancy Alex Parks-Cutigni Family SUNDAY SCHOOL Kevin Mahan Claire McKnight Robyn Taylor Claire McKnight TEEN GROUP ACOLYTE TELLERS Esteri Hinman Claire McKnight Diane Mahan Claire McKnight Liam Murdock Lauryn Taylor- Piazza TBD Lauryn Taylor- Piazza Robyn Taylor Karen Wakefield Crystal Taylor Michele Champion George Hinman Mary Kay Rose Caryl Butcher Marietta Jackman A thank you for assembling brown bag lunches for WIND Youth Services in our kitchen to Nancy Alex, Judy Berlyn, Marietta Jackman and Bernadette Wallace. Last month s lunch was roast turkey and munster cheese on wheat or white, with chips, chocolate dipped sugar cookies and an apple. Be sure to sign up for the opportunity to host our Fellowship Hour. It is a very special time for members to get to know each other better. For information, please see our volunteer table in Fellowship Hall or contact Vi McNally at mcnally.viola0@gmail.com. 7

8 BE THE CHANGE OUTREACH Commemorative World Peace Garden Save the Date: Dedication Ceremony on Sunday, June 24th Pioneer Congregational Church is creating a Commemorative World Peace Garden. In its center is our World Peace Pole proclaiming, May Peace Prevail On Earth. Artist s rendering A 9 x 12 area has been excavated surrounding the future World Peace Pole. A concrete pad is in place and 699 lbs. of engraved bricks have been delivered for the first order of Pioneer s Commemorative World Peace Pole Garden project. Our World Peace Garden will be dedicated Sunday, June 24 th, immediately following the church service. We will meet in the Fellowship Hall for the ceremony, followed by refreshments. Thanks to WinSol Groundworks, GP Landscape and VonRotz Construction for their work in completing our community project. Engraved bricks can be personalized to honor your special occasions: weddings, gradations, memorials, births, special birthdays, milestones, christenings, anniversaries, reunions, and businesses. For more information, visit Four Carlsbad Planters in the Labyrinth/Courtyard will hold New Zealand Flax, Adam s Needle, and Profusion Orange Zinnia. First shipment of engraved bricks for Peace Pole has arrived. 8

9 BE THE CHANGE OUTREACH Help Those in Need Bring your donations to the sanctuary on Sundays! The Community Service Committee of the Outreach Board has committed to support of Wind Youth Services and Sacramento Food Bank. Please remember to bring your donated items to the baskets for located in the front of the sanctuary. You can help by donating the following: River City Food Bank canned food items WIND flip flops and baseball caps Wind Youth Services is Sacramento County s only program serving homeless youth. Their mission is to provide supportive services and opportunities to youth experiencing homelessness as they pursue self-determined lives of stability and independence. Pioneer s mission is to support them in this worthy endeavor. River City Food Bank helps people avoid a downward spiral and work toward selfreliance by providing a short-term food supply when they are unable to meet basic living expenses. Clients who meet income guidelines receive a three-day emergency food supply up to once a month. In addition to food supplies, River City Food Bank is also a unique Sacramento food outreach program that provides nutritional counseling. Nutrition education programs help clients shop better by demonstrating the number of healthy meals they can create from the same few healthy food staples. 9

10 FEED YOUR SPIRIT INSPIRATION & GUIDANCE You Are Not Alone Join the Pioneer Prayer Chain Participation in the Prayer Chain is open to all. When a prayer request is received, it is sent out by . Those on the list are asked to pray for the person or situation. The purpose is to be in prayer as soon as possible. Nothing else is required. If you would like to participate in the Prayer Chain, or to request a prayer, contact coordinator Betsy Wilson by at: betsy@clydew.org or by telephone at (916) or the church office at (916) Personal prayer time with a Pioneer Friend is also available immediately following the service in our parlor. May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace! Psalm 29:11 Safety Pins Offered During Worship Service Pioneer offers safety pins to the congregation during the worship service. If you follow social media, you may have seen that the safety pin has become a symbol of safe spaces for people who feel threatened by harassment or discrimination. We hope all who enter Pioneer know that our church is a safe place for all people. Pioneer invites members to wear a safety pin as a gesture of silent reassurance that anyone experiencing fear or insecurity does not stand alone. The pin also serves as a reminder to the person wearing it of their promise to offer support if somebody else is harassed, threatened or hurt. 10

11 KEEPING YOU POSTED MESSAGES FROM THE COUNCIL A Note on Giving to the Church Pledging, Designated Donations, etc. From Bill Witcher, Pioneer UCC Treasurer Recently those of you who have made generous pledges to the church this fiscal year received letters detailing the status of your pledges to date. The letters have resulted in many questions to the office about amounts given which were not reflected in the letters. To eliminate some of the confusion, I want to clarify the difference between pledges and designated donations which are two very different things all under the single term of offerings. A pledge is the amount of unrestricted money you give to the church to support our general operations. It is not earmarked for any specific purpose and can be used wherever needed in a flexible manner and whenever the need arises. A pledge can also be a non-monetary commitment to offer your time and talent in any number of needed volunteer services. A designated donation is the amount of money given with your explicit instruction that it be used in a certain way. Many of you write on your offering envelopes or checks that certain amounts should be used for specific purposes, and we are bound by your instructions to account separately for that money and use it only for your indicated intentions. Many of the areas you list are already covered by general undesignated funds (in other words, pledges), but when you tie your offerings to specifics and they therefore must be used only in that way, it necessarily changes their classification. There are many examples: You can designate that you want all or a portion of your offering to be used for Christian education, camperships, building maintenance and repairs, support of the music ministry, Colonial Fellowship, advertising, or something else like office or fellowship supplies. That makes it a designated donation and does not count toward your pledge. Some of you have made direct contributions for capital improvement projects and purchased commemorative bricks for our peace garden; these are separate designated donations which do not affect your pledge. When we have special offerings, such as those for the Compassion Fund or to support the broader church (One Great Hour of Sharing, Neighbors in Need, Strengthen the Church, the National Christmas Fund and Our Church s Wider Mission), they are tax-deductible, but they don t count toward your pledge. These generous offerings are gratefully accepted and are reflected in your Annual Giving Statement. When we make collections for other entities such as the Heifer Project, WIND, or most recently Amanda Shipman s ECO Students Abroad project, these are directly applied to those entities and are not considered donations to the church, but can be included separately from the church as tax deductions. Ticket purchases for concerts are not tax-deductible, but offerings made at free performances are, as are underwriting donations. The purchase of flowers is not tax-deductible and cannot be included on your Annual Giving Statement. A non-cash donation, such as furniture, requires us to give you an acknowledgement letter that we have received it, but it is up to you and your tax accountant to attach an appropriate amount of the donation. I hope this will clear up many of the questions you have regarding the pledge letters that were recently sent to you. They were meant to reflect only the money you have contributed toward your pledge, not your total giving to the church thus far. Thank you very much for your commitment to our church and for helping it continue to be a great center for our spiritual growth and support. 11

12 KEEPING YOU POSTED MESSAGES FROM THE COUNCIL Pastor Phil to take Sabbatical Leave From Rev. Bob McGrath, Minister for Wider Church Affairs During July, August and September, Pastor Phil will be on Sabbatical Leave. What is Sabbatical Leave? you ask? Sabbatical Leave is a time for our Pastor to shift gears in order to rest, disengage, study, reflect, and travel in order to return to minister among us refreshed and renewed in body, mind and spirit. It is a time for Pastor Phil to receive spiritual nourishment and a change in perspective, to deepen his relationship with God, himself, and his family a season of spiritual growth. He plans to travel, settle some family property business, renew relationships, continue his word studies, reflect on God s creations in our National Parks, and begin work on a book. A Sabbatical Planning Committee is already at work arranging for Guest Preachers and special speakers to complete our worship team of musicians and Lay Readers, in addition to our team of five retired ministers who will serve as Liturgists. Our retired ministers team will also handle pastoral calling and emergency pastoral needs, along with specially-trained Called to Care lay members. A brochure with more detail in question-and-answer format will be available in mid-may. 12

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16 WHO WE ARE ABOUT PIONEER Join Us for 10AM Sunday Service - All are welcome! No matter who, no matter what, no matter where you are on the journey of life, you re welcome in this place. There is a great diversity of beliefs held by our members. We find that unity in Jesus Christ and our differences add to the richness and strength of our life together. We are an open and affirming church that proclaims the love of Jesus Christ, the compassion that his love serves, and the humanity his love seeks to embrace. Office Hours: 8AM to 1PM Mon-Thu (916) connect@pioneerucc.org Please send any questions, comments, or updates you have for the Pioneer Post to post@pioneerucc.org. If you are subscribed, please remember to add this address as an approved so it doesn't go to your "spam" folder L Street Sacramento CA