Canned Food Collection Rematch Canned Green Beans Canned Sliced Potatoes Two weeks remaining in our competition!

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1 Newsletter of the Richfield United Church of Christ THE COLUMNS October 2016 Canned Food Collection Rematch Canned Green Beans Canned Sliced Potatoes Two weeks remaining in our competition! We are having a rematch of our competition between the piano-side pews and the organ-side pews to collect canned food for the Feed My Sheep soup kitchen. Help your team by placing your donations in the front pews. Coffee-hour treats will be provided on October 30th by the losing side. You are invited to a Peace of Mind Seminar Thursday, October 13 The Men s Health Group will host this seminar, presented by Julie Graf Skinner, on Thursday, October 13, 2016 at 10 am in the Gathering Room. How do you want to be remembered? Do your loved ones know your favorite song or scripture? Losing a loved one is a difficult experience for anyone to go through, but the weight of the loss for your family can be lightened knowing that your wishes were honored. We invite you to a special presentation on the importance of arranging your final wishes so you will feel confident that your final wishes will be granted. We will outline the steps in the planning process and answer any questions you may Neighbors In Need Special Offering Sunday, October 2 The United Church of Christ s annual Neighbors in Need special mission offering supports the UCC s ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States, including the Council for American Indian Ministries, justice and advocacy, and direct service projects supported by Justice and Witness Ministries. have. This presentation is brought to you by Busch Funeral and Crematory Services. We hope to see you there!

2 You've never heard a sermon from me about hell. Maybe I've got too much Good News to share to squander it on threats. Maybe I think love and truth are sufficient motives for doing the right thing, without punishments and rewards. Maybe I just don't believe that a loving God would punish his beloved with eternal suffering. At any rate, the Biblical idea of hell is actually less clear than many people seem to think. We're all familiar with popular imagery of a devil. He holds a pitchfork, wags a bifurcated tail, gleefully and busily tormenting souls amid fire and brimstone. Most of this popular folklore actually comes from John Milton's Paradise Lost (1667) and Dante Alighieri's' Inferno (1314). A careful reading of the Bible shows something else. The Old Testament speaks of a shadowy afterlife known as "Sheol," the place of the dead to which both good and evil went without distinction. "There is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol." (Ec 9:10) In the New Testament, there are three Greek words you might translate as "hell." Hades appears 11 times and comes from Greek mythology; it is the underworld of Homer's Odyssey and includes Elysium for the good and Tartarus for the evil. The word Tartarus is used once in the Bible (2 Pt 2:4). The third word is Gehenna, which appears 30 times. I've actually been to Gehenna. It is a valley just outside of Jerusalem where trash was burned in Jesus' time. It was considered especially evil because apostate Jews had offered sacrifices to the god Ba'al there. In Jesus' time there were mainly two philosophies about an afterlife: The Sadducees had little to say about it; they dwelt on the need to be righteous in this life. The Pharisees adopted many ideas of an afterlife from the Greeks and Persian empires, in which they'd been exiles for generations. In fact, the "Pharisees" got their name from "Farsi" an old word for Persian. To the Pharisees, you went to hell if you were careless about religious rules and rituals, if you were economically poor or ritually unclean. In other words, you went to hell if you weren't like them. Jesus clearly agreed with the Pharisees that there is an afterlife. Yet his message is full of hope. He speaks of "eternal life," of "going to prepare a place for us." Jesus uses the word "heaven" 139 times in the Gospels. This is a clear theme in Jesus teaching. A Preacher Goes to Hell But Jesus sharply disagreed with the Pharisees about whom they destined to hell. Pharisees condemned the ritually impure, those whose beliefs differed from theirs. But Jesus' references to "hell" tend to turn the Pharisees judgment of others back on themselves. Jesus told parables, stories in which the condemned were, well, a lot like the Pharisees. Neither the prostitutes nor the ritually impure were condemned by Jesus. Rather, harsh judgement went to those who condemn others in their own religious self-righteousness (Lk 18:9); people like the rich man who ignored the poor (Lk 16:20); people who would not help those in need (Mt 25:41). Jesus had particularly harsh words for those who viewed the religious community as exclusive, rather than inclusive. But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in, you stop them! (Mt. 23:13). Thus, Jesus took the Pharisees understanding of hell and flipped it upside-down. The old time preachers liked to use these stories to scare the hell out of us. But it turns out that Jesus' parables were actually teaching us a radical transformative vision of a God who loves everyone, including those whom the religious elite thought didn't have a snowball s chance. In the words of Brian McLaren, "he wasn't so much teaching about hell as he was un-teaching about hell." The God I believe in neither condemns countless billions of souls to eternal torment, nor extorts us into conformity under threat of punishment. The God I believe in does beckon us with love, to love one another (Jn 15:12) to feed the hungry (Mt 25:35) and to drive out all fear (1 Jn 4:18). I believe in a God whose mercy and love extend beyond our imaginations - even to those whom we would myopically condemn. Rev. John King October Sermons and Scriptures October 2: Sermon: What a Little Faith Can Do Scriptures: 2 Timothy 2:8-15 Luke 17:5-10 October 9: Sermon: An Attitude of Gratitude Scriptures: 2 Timothy 1:1-14 Luke 17:11-19 October 16: Sermon: Gustav Mahler and the Blessed Perseverance Scriptures: 2 Timothy 3:14-17, 4:1-4 Luke 18:1-8 October 23: Sermon: The Flaw in the Floor Scriptures: 2 Timothy 4:6-8, Luke 18: 9-14 October 30: Sermon: A Call to Conversion Scriptures: Isaiah 1:10-18 Luke 19:1-10

3 Becky s Quilt Fall Potluck and Farm Outing October 23 Come join the WPM Board as we celebrate the fall season and wonderful fellowship within our church. The afternoon fun begins with a potluck lunch following the church service. The WPN Board will provide pulled pork sandwiches, drinks and table service. Congregation members are asked to bring a side dish or dessert. Following lunch, we will be going to Luther Farms (5126 Alger Road) for an afternoon of fall fun to include face painting, a corn maze, hayrides, a corn pit, pumpkin cannon, petting zoo, hay maze and pumpkins galore. There will be a nominal fee payable at the farm entrance tent. WPM Fall Collection October 23-November 27 OPEN M CHRISTMAS BASKET COLLECTION OPEN M has requested help in filling their giving baskets with the donations of toothpaste and single rolls of paper towels. We will need to collect 100 of each and have them to OPEN M by November 28. We are a very giving church and I know we can help those in need. Please join us again for another friendly competition and see which side of the sanctuary will host a December coffee hour. S&A Board Outdoor Cleanup November 5 The S&A Board needs your help with improving the appearance of our entry driveway. We plan to clean On September 11 at the 10:15 service Becky Monegan was presented with a quilt, handmade by congregation members, in honor of her work with the RUCC children s programs. My thanks to all for this lovely gift. We have hung the quilt in the hallway outside the choir room so that all can enjoy it before I take it home. I love looking at each individual block and thinking about your reason for the design of each. (Brenda Lindsey is still trying to collect your thoughts if you have not written them down for her.) As I said at the service, you all say I know everything that is going on around here, so how could this have happened right under my nose? It has been my pleasure and a lot of fun to plan and organize Vacation Bible School, Life of Paul and the children s Lenten programs. My past mentors of the children s programs here at RUCC helped to shape my programs (Mary Jones, Debbie Rogers and John Nelson). Your support as a congregation for items needed or staffing of these programs made it easy. The youth group over the years have also been very supportive in moving from being participants to being staff members. And, I could not have put it all together without the help in brainstorming and the building of props, from Pieter van der Meer and Lew. I have had a lot of fun playing with the kids for many years and will remember your support and the fun the kids had as I enjoy your gift. -Becky With special thanks to the quilt block artists: Betty van der Meer; Karen Butera; Sarah and Grace Luther; Michal, Kirsten & Patrick Swan; Bonnie Obenauer; Nancy Hartman; Marilyn Scarbrough; Marny Kuczmarski; Mary Patrick; Dorothy Hooper; Tim & Linda Hnath; June Dengate; Pat Worton; Polly Wheeler; the Christian Ed Board with help from Peggy Couch; Barb & Diane Luther; Karen Kiska; Rachel Luther; Nagwa Ahlborg; Brenda Lindsey with help from Riley; Sally Heston; Lucy Snow; Katie & Ian King; Emily Keppler & Patty Ellis, with help from Lillian, Anna, Kayla, Charlotte and Dorothy; Ruth Joslyn; Mary Summers; Cece Bard; and the behind-the-scenes planning

4 Richfield United Church of Christ Youth Group October 2: Youth Sunday Please come prepared to usher, greet, and bring a dessert to share for Social Hour. We need readers for any first Sunday! Report From the ONA Committee We have met three times, the first two were open to all who were concerned, the last was closed to review the questionnaires. Thanks to all who participated; the discussion was heartfelt. -Tom Barker 1. Do you have unanswered questions about the ONA process? 2. Do you have strong feelings, either way, about our church making this new covenant? 3. Do you have thoughts about how God is part of this whole process? We will be announcing further meetings for you to be able to express your concerns. You can also contact any of the members of this committee: Tom Barker, Dan Kuczmarski, Dawn Schilling, Kevin Ahlborg, Katie King, Bob Neillie, Jamie Tuttle ONA Movie Night The Bible Tells Me So Adult Mission Group Adult Mission Group Meeting Sunday, October 2 The adult mission group will meet in the Gathering Room after the 10:15 service on October 2 to discuss the possibility of an October mission trip to West Virginia. If you have an interest in helping others, feel free to come or contact Pieter van der Meer or Newt Heston. A light luncheon will be served. Election Day Bake Sale Planned in November The Adult Mission Group will be looking for baked goods donations from the church family for the election day bake sale taking place on Tuesday, November 8. This is a fundraiser for the Adult Mission Group and you will hear more about it in the coming weeks. There will be a sign-up sheet in the social hall. Thanks for your help as we use these funds to help those in need. A New Letter From Leydi Has Arrived Dear Sponsors, Receive cordial greetings. Let me tell you that I ve done well at school but in the first period I failed a subject. Also, I go to church and I praise to God in the choir. Also, I m paying attention to my mother. Also, I m happy because I attended to young service. I love the homily.

5 . Ushers for October October 2: Youth Group Victor Stanko Gary Summer Karen & Tom Kiska October Lay Readers October 2: Youth representative Bob Neillie Boards and Council Monday, October 10 7:00 pm Church Boards meet 8:15 pm Church Council meets Men s Health Group You are invited to join the Men s Health Group on Thursday, October 13, at 10:00 am in the Gathering Room for a presentation entitled, Peace of Mind by Julie Graf Skinner from Bush Funeral Home. Book Club Book Club will meet on Monday, October 24 at 7pm. The reading selection for October is Everyday Faith by Terry Pluto. Caring Companions The Caring Companions will meet in the Gathering Room on October 26 at 7:15 pm. Bicentennial Committee The next meeting of the Bicentennial Committee will be Tuesday, October 18, at 7 pm in the Gathering Room. The Gathering Room Gallery The artwork of Phyllis Lawicki is now on display in the Gathering Room. Stop in and take a look at her beautiful paintings. There is something so exciting about filling your brush with water and color and laying it down on a damp surface and watching the magic happen. Red Cross Blood Drive RUCC Wednesday, October pm At October Birthdays 10/1 Katie (van der Meer) Wilson 10/1 Robert Ballinger 10/4 Jeff Hooper 10/5 Kayla Hamilton 10/8 Paul Swan 10/10 Greg Gerber 10/10 Camryn Supelak 10/13 Samuel Gill 10/16 Max Monegan 10/16 Maddie Rosene 10/16 Sean Wheeler 10/17 Jean Krankowski 10/18 Donald Venus October Anniversaries 10/2 George & Anne Walker 10/5 Larry & Gail Cholensky 10/5 Terry & Ceec Bard 10/9 Ken & Jean Bennett 10/12 Paul & Michal Swan 10/15 Greg & Beth Gerber 10/16 Thomas & Jeanie Kerns 10/20 Emily & Jason Keppler 10/30 Larry and Amy Harsey 10/31 David & Karen Butera 10/19 Shellie Hart 10/20 Mason Aquino 10/22 John Sikora 10/23 Alicia Stanley 10/23 Mary Summers 10/23 Pamela Supelak 10/26 Elizabeth Schreiner 10/27 Gordon Brown 10/27 Duane Simmons 10/29 Shannon Best 10/31 Candi Venus In Loving Memory Tom Emmett passed away on September 7. We send our prayers to the Emmett family. New Members On September 11 we welcomed 5 new members into our congregation. Peggy Couch has been a resident of Richfield her entire life. She enjoys feeding and watching birds and is a retired nurse. Peggy was also baptized at the September 11 service. Jean and Dennis Krankowski are Richfield residents and usually attend our 8:00 service. Dennis is a retired millwright with BF Goodrich and Jean is a retired manager at Sherwin-Williams. Debbi and Jakob Dorsey are Richfield residents. Debbi works in real estate sales with ReMax and Jake is 16 years old and attends Revere High School.

6 Richfield United Church of Christ 4340 W. Streetsboro Rd. Richfield, Ohio Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 4 GATHERING OF THE CHURCH FAMILY EVERY SUNDAY EVERY WEEK WEDNESDAY 8:00 AM Early Worship Service 9:15 AM Sunday school 10:15 AM Worship Service MON 7:30 PM AA WED 8:00 PM AA SAT 8:30 PM AA 6:30 AM MEN S GROUP THURSDAY 7:15 PM BELL CHOIR PRACTICE Like us on Facebook Facebook.com/ TheRichfieldUCC October Activities October 2: Communion / Third graders receive their Bibles / Neighbors in Need offering / Youth Group greets, ushers and hosts coffee hour at the 10:15 service / Adult Mission Group Meeting October 5: ONA Movie at 7 pm: The Bible Tells Me So October 10: Church Boards meet at 7 pm and Council meets at 8:15 pm October 12: Red Cross Blood Drive at RUCC from 1-6 pm October 13: Men s Health Group at 10 in the Gathering Room with speaker Julie Graf Skinner October 13: Retirement Village Board meeting at 7 pm in the Gathering Room October 18: Bicentennial Meeting at 7pm in the Gathering Room October 23: Potluck and Farm Outing after the 10:15 service / Adult Mission Trip to West Virginia October 24: Book Club meets at 7 pm October 26: Caring Companions Meeting at 7:15 pm Richfield United Church of Christ Phone: Fax: Richfielducc@windstream.net