The Central Courier. Pastor s Note... Life loves the liver of it ~Dr. Maya Angelou. Central Congregational Church United Church of Christ

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The Central Courier March 2015 Central Congregational Church United Church of Christ Rev. Christine Ng Senior Minister Rev. Ray Jordan Associate Minister Rev.

1 The Central Courier March 2015 Central Congregational Church United Church of Christ Rev. Christine Ng Senior Minister Rev. Ray Jordan Associate Minister Rev. Steve Wilson Associate Minister for Congregational Nurture Kathy Lowrie Minister of Music Svetlana Ivanchenko Assistant Minister of Music Allen Pope Pastoral Intern Kitty Ammann Director of Preston Royal Preschool Dr. Charles S. Hastings, Jr. Pastor Emeritus Council Members Kent Binfield Moderator Ann Stockert Finance Coordinator Doug Willis Property Coordinator Teresa Shuttlesworth Outreach Coordinator Dee Shuttlesworth Church Life Coordinator Kiira Russell Education Coordinator 5600 Royal Lane Dallas, TX (Fax) Website: Pastor s Note... Life loves the liver of it ~Dr. Maya Angelou I used this quote during my sermon a few weeks ago. It is one of my favorites from Maya Angelou. To me, it encapsulates one of the greatest secrets to living a successful life. Meaning, the secret to success isn t ambition for fortune and fame but the secret to a successful life is simply the willingness to actually live it. I m aware that this sentiment seems like an odd take on life, but I have found that one chief enemy of life is our tendency to be distracted from it. Just think about it. Particularly in today s world, there is work and family and community responsibilities and war and poverty and technology and traffic and yes, even church can serve as a distraction from the true beauty and grace God has placed before us. However, if we resolve that we will not be overwhelmed by life nor turn away from it in fear or trepidation, but rather face life and all it brings with an open heart and attitude of tenacity and curiosity, I am convinced that our lived experience will be full of God s unexpected blessing. To actually live life to the fullest, I believe we must be willing Continued on Page 3

March 8th Third Sunday in Lent DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME BEGINS. Set your clocks ahead so you don t miss church! Rev.

2 Life at Central Sundays in March March 1st Second Sunday in Lent Communion/Family Sunday. Rev. Jordan leads us in worship as we continue with our Lent series, with this Sunday s theme, The Shadow of Betrayal, based on Matthew 26: Choir meets before worship. March 8th Third Sunday in Lent DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME BEGINS. Set your clocks ahead so you don t miss church! Rev. Wilson will lead us in worship as we continue our series with the theme The Shadow of Denial based on Matthew 26: Before worship, choir rehearsal is at 9:30am. March 15th Fourth Sunday in Lent. Our worship theme is The Shadow of Injustice. We will welcome a special guest, Chicago Theological Student Deneen Collins, who will bring the message. Choir meets before worship, and after worship stay for coffee hour and show Deneen our Texas hospitality. Confirmation Class meets at 12:30. March 22nd Fifth Sunday in Lent. We continue our Lent series, with this week s theme, The Shadow of Despair. Rev. Ng will bring the message based on Matthew 26: Choir rehearses before worship at 9:30am. After worship, stay for our quarterly congregational meeting and lunch. March 29th Palm Sunday. Rev. Ng leads us in worship, with this week s theme The Shadow of Mockery, based on Luke 19: At 9:30am before worship, the Chancel Choir rehearses. After worship, the Confirmation Class meets in the Library. Sat. Night March 7th March 2015 The Central Courier 2

Continued from cover to search for God in the light. As a new year s resolution, I have a friend who has decided to post his beautiful find of the day to Facebook.

This is his attempt to slow down and find the beauty in the midst of the pain, heartache and oppression too easily experienced in the world.

Therefore, to aide in this endeavor we are engaged in a Lenten sermon series examining the shadows of life.

God is present in the light but God is also present in the dark places of life.

During this Lenten series we ll look into the shadows of life but we won t be afraid to live. Rather we ll courageously find the beauty and grace that even the shadows have to offer.

Take steps toward simplifying your life and be intentional about noticing the little things.

3 Continued from cover to search for God in the light. As a new year s resolution, I have a friend who has decided to post his beautiful find of the day to Facebook. It s usually a picture, song, dance, poem, good deed or otherwise pleasantry. This is his attempt to slow down and find the beauty in the midst of the pain, heartache and oppression too easily experienced in the world. Indeed, to find the holy among us we must look for the light of the world! Life at Central Likewise, we must also be willing to see God in the dark. Admittedly this might be a more difficult. Therefore, to aide in this endeavor we are engaged in a Lenten sermon series examining the shadows of life. During this series we ll discuss the shadows of disappointment, betrayal, denial, injustice, despair, forsakenness, and yes the tomb. God is present in the light but God is also present in the dark places of life. However, too often we turn away, numb ourselves, and refuse to fully live life with the boldness, love and courage it requires of us. During this Lenten series we ll look into the shadows of life but we won t be afraid to live. Rather we ll courageously find the beauty and grace that even the shadows have to offer. So, as we march into the Lenten season, Central I encourage you to take some time to pause. During this time I invite you to take advantage of the introspection Lent offers. Take steps toward simplifying your life and be intentional about noticing the little things. Breathe in; breathe out; be thankful; be fully present to your loved ones and pay close attention to the moving of Spirit all around you. Life is here to teach us and even in the shadows we can find love and laughter and beauty. We simply have to be willing to live it! Living life, Pastor Ray Are You Interested in Becoming a Deacon? New training classes will be scheduled soon. Deacons are responsible for preparing Communion for worship service and for recruiting congregation members to assist in serving. Deacons may also be asked to take Communion to the home-bound or those in hospital from time to time. Deacons are authorized by the congregation to conduct Communion service on behalf of our church in the absence of an ordained minister if requested by the Pastor or if necessary to take Communion to the homebound or those in hospital. Training consists of four sessions of two to three hours each in the theology and practice of Communion, and in visitation skills. Candidates should have a compassionate and spiritually grounded attitude. If you would like to become a Deacon, please contact our new Church Life Coordinator, Dee Shuttlesworth, either in person or . March 2015 The Central Courier 3

Life at Central The Easter Cross Witness Notice of Quarterly Congregational Meeting Sunday, March 22nd The Easter Cross is a witness of out belief in Jesus live, death and

Today, the program can be found in forty states and several foreign countries with thousands of churches from over thirty denominations.

Untill Easter Sunday the blank side of the cross faces the street. On Easter Sunday the cross is turned to celebrate our faith in Jesus resurrection.

4 Life at Central The Easter Cross Witness Notice of Quarterly Congregational Meeting Sunday, March 22nd The Easter Cross is a witness of out belief in Jesus live, death and resurrection. The Easter Cross Program was started in Dallas, TX in 2005 with 6 churches. Today, the program can be found in forty states and several foreign countries with thousands of churches from over thirty denominations. 12:30pm after worship Light lunch provided These crosses have two sides - one blank and the other with the words He Is Risen and It Is Finished. Untill Easter Sunday the blank side of the cross faces the street. On Easter Sunday the cross is turned to celebrate our faith in Jesus resurrection. The Women s Fellowship is providing these crosses for you. They will be available in the Narthex and Fellowship Hall following worship services through Easter morning. Palm Sunday March 39 Thank you for welcoming us! Central already feels like home! ~Trey, Alley and Joshua Jordan Maundy Thursday/Good Friday Worship & Dinner April 2nd at 6:30 p.m. Easter Sunday April 5th March 2015 The Central Courier 4

Life at Central Lent Education Series Visiting Seminary Student Deneen Collins Chicago Theological Seminary On March 15th, we welcome to our pulpit Deneen Collins, as part of an exchange program with

She is an ordained Deacon at Trinity United Church of Christ, Chicago, where she has served as a servant-leader for the past eight years. Ms.

5 Life at Central Lent Education Series Visiting Seminary Student Deneen Collins Chicago Theological Seminary On March 15th, we welcome to our pulpit Deneen Collins, as part of an exchange program with our UCC seminaries. Ms. Collins is a thirdyear Master of Divinity student at Chicago Theological Seminary. She is an ordained Deacon at Trinity United Church of Christ, Chicago, where she has served as a servant-leader for the past eight years. Ms. Collins is currently employed at Westside Health Authority as Youth Case Manager, where her gifts/talents are being utilized in working with inner city underprivileged youth. This allows her passions to flow for equipping young people with effective training and life-enriching tools that empower them to reach their highest potential. Other interests revolve around Black Liberation and Womanist Ethics theologies. Stemming from her personal experience as a Black woman who has survived breast cancer, Ms. Collins also eagerly promotes holistic perspectives of healthy mind, body and soul. At the core of her philosophy is Jesus Christ as her liberator and healer. Her favorite scripture is Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. The Shadow Effect: Illuminating the Power of Your True Self Deepak Chopra Debbie Ford Marianne Williamson March 6, March 20, and March 27 6:30pm To dovetail with our Lent worship series Shadows, we are offering a book study on the book The Shadow Effect. Each of the three authors take a different approach to a spiritual obstacle we all face the shadow the parts of ourselves that we deny, but that still direct our lives. This class will be offered in three installments on 3 Friday nights in Lent at the home of Rev. Ng, accompanied by a simple dinner. Each class will cover a different section of the book. Because each of the three sections of the book is a stand-alone essay, you can come to one or to all three. Books are available on-line, on Kindle, or let Rev. Ng know and she will order a book for you. March 2015 The Central Courier 5

6 We Are the Solution Lay Reader Schedule We Are the Solution March 2015 March 1 Grace May-Warden Matthew 26: March 8 Matthew 26: Jim Latimer March Allen Pope March 22 Matthew 26:31-35 Wendy Curran March 29 Luke 19:28-44 Steve Wilson Allen Pope, Lay Reader Coordinator Cell phone apope_socal@yahoo.com Please contact Allen Pope should you need a substitute. The Word of God for the people of God. March 2015 The Central Courier 6

We Are the Solution Worship Welcoming Teams & Schedules We Are the Solution Team Lead * March 1 through April 19, 2015 1.

7 We Are the Solution Worship Welcoming Teams & Schedules We Are the Solution Team Lead * March 1 through April 19, Dee Shuttlesworth * March 1, 2015 Teresa Shuttlesworth Jeanine Mason Patricia Crawford 2. Jan Hire * March 8, 2015 Jan Georgeson Billie Willis Marydella House 3. Liz Willis * March 15, 2015 Doug Willis Paula Lam KC Lam 4. Sharon Ouer * March 22, 2015 Gabriella Ouer Kristi Willis Gates Whitaker 5. Sydney Reichard * March 29, 2015 Julia Harvey Grace May-Warden Carol Tate 6. Steve Wilson * April 5, 2015 Nancy Wilson Jerome Young Jonathan Wimberly 7. Rob, Anna Humble * April 12, 2015 Ben Walker Daniella Girdano Wendy Swearinger 8. Lois Wisseman * April 19, 2015 Tanis Binfield Natasha Desouky Wendy Curran Worship Welcoming Teams Coordinator Julia Harvey or or juliah4124@gmail.com March 2015 The Central Courier 7

Opportunities for Involvement Delegate Needed One delegate is still needed to attend the North Texas Association meeting on March 7th and the South Central Conference meeting June 5-7.

One Great Hour of Sharing Special Mission Offering March 15th The One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) special mission offering of the United Church of Christ involves you in disaster,

8 Opportunities for Involvement Delegate Needed One delegate is still needed to attend the North Texas Association meeting on March 7th and the South Central Conference meeting June 5-7. For more information, see Rev. Ng. Please Help Where You Can There is an on going need for Lay Readers, people to host Coffee Hour and people to purchase Chancel Flowers. There are sign up sheets for all these ministries on the bulletin board outsid the Fellowship Hall. Join the Central team walking to raise funds and awareness during AIDS Walk South Dallas March 21 8am Please see Pastor Ray for details. One Great Hour of Sharing Special Mission Offering March 15th The One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) special mission offering of the United Church of Christ involves you in disaster, refugee/immigration, and development ministries throughout the world. When a disaster strikes or people are displaced or made refugees by violence or extreme poverty, you are part of the immediate response and of the long-term recovery. Through OGHS you engage in holistic development programs including health care, education, agriculture, food sustainability, micro-financing and women s empowerment. Because the UCC relates in mutual partnership to churches and organizations through Global Ministries and worldwide response & recovery networks, your contributions to One Great Hour of Sharing put you in the right place at the right time for the relief, accompaniment and recovery of the most vulnerable. You meet immediate needs and you address the underlying causes that create those needs in the first place. OGHS is one of the 5-for-5 special mission offerings of the United Church of Christ. We will take up this offering in worship on March 15th, or if you know you will be absent from worship you can send your donation to the office and reference OGHS. Thank you for your generous contribution. March 2015 The Central Courier 8

Opportunities for Involvement More Hands Needed! Do you learn well doing things hands on? Do you like to laugh and don t take things too seriously? Try something NEW in the NEW YEAR!

9 Opportunities for Involvement More Hands Needed! Do you learn well doing things hands on? Do you like to laugh and don t take things too seriously? Try something NEW in the NEW YEAR! Volunteer to teach Sunday School! You do not need to have ANY background knowledge of the bible or church history to teach. In fact teaching Sunday School has increased my understanding of the Bible and the stories because I get to learn with the kids. Currently we only have 6 dedicated teachers to fill the teaching needs in the two rooms. With everyone s schedules being as busy as they are that sometimes only leaves one person available to teach on certain Sundays. Because Sunday School is during worship, that also means that these teachers don t get to be in worship as much as they would like. The more hands, the lighter the work. We need more hands. When a child is baptized, we, as members of the congregation, promise to help raise these children in the faith. One of the largest parts of this is through what they learn in Sunday School. Please see Kiira Russell if you might be interested. You will go through training and first be an assistant teacher so that you can get your feet wet. If you feel confident after that and would like to serve as a lead teacher, the children would love to have you. VBS Is back! Thanks to the Educational Survey that was sent out earlier this year, I learned that we have enough people not only interested in having their kids attend VBS (Vacation Bible School), but also enough people who are interested in helping make it happen! If you are interested in helping with logistics, teaching, bringing snacks, and general planning, please see Kiira Russell. January is when all of the VBS curriculums come out and need to be picked through to find the one that will work the best for our kids. That means that planning will start soon. Without volunteers, this will not happen. If you are interested in being the team lead, please let that be known when you contact me. Thanks! Nominating Committee We are looking for people to serve on a 3-person Nominating Committee to prepare a slate of nominations for Church Council elections this coming May. If you are interested, please fill out a Nominations Form, found on the table in the Church Office, and place it in the Senior Minister s box in the office. You must not be interested in being nominated for any position on the Church Council. If you are nominating someone else, please be sure to check with her/him before submitting the name. March 2015 The Central Courier 9

Meeting Notes Council Notes The Executive Committee and the Church Council met on February 16th. The Executive Committee discussed continuing unhappiness with the work of our maintenance contractor.

The EC also discussed the need for a new video security system as the old one is working very poorly, and also the continuing problems with the phone lines that affect our fire alarm system, and

10 Meeting Notes Council Notes The Executive Committee and the Church Council met on February 16th. The Executive Committee discussed continuing unhappiness with the work of our maintenance contractor. Steps will be taken to get some better ideas of other contractors to handle this, and in the meantime we will get the kitchen floor well-scrubbed. The EC also discussed the need for a new video security system as the old one is working very poorly, and also the continuing problems with the phone lines that affect our fire alarm system, and discussed possible solutions which will be investigated. The Church Council renamed the Deacon s Fund as the Benevolence Fund to better reflect it s purpose as a fund assist members of our congregation in financial need. The Council decided to allocate the $ collected from the Nutritional Seminar fundraiser to the Benevolence Fund. It was decided that there should be more awareness of the fund both to encourage donations to the Fund so it is not depleted so far again, and so members are aware of its existence for when they are in need. There will be a yearly special mission offering and quarterly Courier announcements. The Mission Advisory Team decided to make a one-time allocation to the Fund as well. With this and the recent fundraising, the Fund is in good shape for now. Thanks to all who contributed. Chris reported on the progress in hiring a new office manager. The Job Description has been completed. Interviews will be conducted by a three person team. Dee reported on candidates who have expressed interest in becoming Deacons. We will continue to call for interested candidates, and the Council will vote on those candidates in the March meeting, and pass recommendations to the congregation for a vote in the next congregational meeting. This will be followed by training, which will be conducted by Rev. Wilson. We also have only one volunteer to be a delegate for either the North Texas Association Meeting on March 7th or the South Central Conference Annual Meeting in June. Allen Pope has volunteered. We have one more delegate spot to fill. The next EC meeting will be March 9th at 7pm. The next Council meeting will be March 16 at 7pm. The next quarterly congregational meeting will be after worship on March 22nd. March 2015 The Central Courier 10

About Our Church Family Happy Birthday March Birthdays Jessica Lanier 3/4 Carly Marquis 3/4 Ken Dir 3/5 Jim Latimer 3/7 Doug Willis 3/7 Jerry Meier 3/9 Anna Humble 3/11 Bill Barrett 3/12 Laura Grace

Parlor. No experience necessary. We can teach you to knit or crochet. If we are missing your birthday or anniversary, please let the office know.

Oran Nabors, Karrie Newby, Lynne Olson, Herman Pope, Shirley Pope, Mimi Quezada, John Scott, Nile and Annalee Smith, Brenda Stowe, Ezra Swearingen, Netia Tunson, Aileen Wussow, family of Mari

11 About Our Church Family Happy Birthday March Birthdays Jessica Lanier 3/4 Carly Marquis 3/4 Ken Dir 3/5 Jim Latimer 3/7 Doug Willis 3/7 Jerry Meier 3/9 Anna Humble 3/11 Bill Barrett 3/12 Laura Grace House 3/12 Austin Killam 3/13 Royce Peterson 3/17 Brennan Knabe 3/24 Carole Tate 3/24 Dee Shuttlesworth 3/27 Nelsie Petersen 3/28 Prayer Shawl Ministry Meets every second Tuesday at 7:30 pm in the Parlor. No experience necessary. We can teach you to knit or crochet. If we are missing your birthday or anniversary, please let the office know. Prayer Concerns Prayer Concerns: Natalie A, Russ Cannon, Teresa Cipriano and family, Ruthelma Doerr, Paula Foster, Ellen H, Ellen Hays, Jeanne Jeanin, KC Lam, Earl Lawrence, Betty Metcalf, Family of Oran Nabors, Karrie Newby, Lynne Olson, Herman Pope, Shirley Pope, Mimi Quezada, John Scott, Nile and Annalee Smith, Brenda Stowe, Ezra Swearingen, Netia Tunson, Aileen Wussow, family of Mari Brauzer, Matthias Murray. The Church Council has been advised by the cell tower broker that consideration of the church as a cell tower site has been put on hold. Verizon is working on its budget priorities for the year. The broker believes that they will be able to contact us again later in the summer to resume discussions. The Council had submitted a revised draft of the proposed lease agreement prior to receiving this news, so we have established a basis for negotiations if the broker resumes discussions. We will keep the congregation advised if there are any further developments. Steve March 2015 The Central Courier 11

12 March 2015 February 2015 S M T W T F S March 2015 S M T W T F S April 2015 S M T W T F S Central Congregational Church Dallas Christian Holidays US Holidays Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 9:30 AM Choir rehearsal 11:00 AM Worship 12:00 PM Fellowship Hour 2:00 PM Model T 1 6:00 PM AA book group 7:00 PM AA 2 3 6:45 PM Bells 4 5 World Day of Prayer 8:00 PM AA 6 9:00 AM Tai chi workshop 7 Daylight Saving Time Begins 9:30 AM Choir rehearsal 11:00 AM Worship 12:00 PM Fellowship Hour 12:30 PM Social Justice Group 8 6:00 PM AA book group 7:00 PM AA 9 10:00 AM Women's Fellowship 10:00 AM Pastors Meeting 7:30 PM Prayer Shawl Knitting 10 6:45 PM Bells 11 7:00 PM Chess Club :00 PM Wedding rehearsal/rehearsal dinner 8:00 PM AA 9:00 AM Tai chi 7:00 PM Willis/Stepaniuk wedding 14 9:30 AM Choir rehearsal 11:00 AM Worship 12:00 PM Fellowship Hour 15 6:00 PM AA book group 7:00 PM Council 7:00 PM AA 16 St Patrick s Day 17 Canterbury Book Club 6:45 PM Bells :00 PM AA 20 9:00 AM Tai chi 21 9:30 AM Choir rehearsal 11:00 AM Worship 12:00 PM Fellowship Hour 22 6:00 PM AA book group 7:00 PM AA 23 10:00 AM Women's Fellowship 24 6:45 PM Bells :00 PM AA 27 9:00 AM Tai chi workshop 28 Palm Sunday 9:30 AM Choir rehearsal 11:00 AM Worship 12:00 PM Fellowship Hour 29 6:00 PM AA book group 7:00 PM AA April Fools Day 6:45 PM Bells 1 6:30 PM Maundy Thursday/Good Friday worship 2 8:00 PM AA 3 9:00 AM Tai chi 4 Central Time Time Zone Page 1/1 March 2015 The Central Courier 12

The Central Courier. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is thy name in all the earth! From Rev. Ng... Psalm 8:9

The Central Courier. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is thy name in all the earth! From Rev. Ng... Psalm 8:9 The Central Courier June 2014 Central Congregational Church United Church of Christ O Lord, our Lord, Rev. Christine Ng Senior Minister Kathy Lowrie Minister of Music Steve Wilson Pastoral Intern Kitty