CUCC News and Chat

Recording of Christmas Eve Service Now Available

2009-12-25T10:52:00.007-05:00

The complete recording of the Christmas Eve service (5 PM) is now available on the music portion of the Media Projects area of the CUCC website. In previous years we had a "family service" primarily for children at 5 PM, and an adult service at 11 PM. This year the two were merged, and everyone seemed to like the intergenerational focus. An abundance of musicians participated in the service, and this recording captures the spirit of the evening. You can enjoy the service in its entirety, or you can pick and choose among the labeled selections. In addition to the beautiful music provided by a great variety of performers, there's a Christmas story written by Sheila Barrick and read by Sue Cottle, and the pastoral remarks of Pastor Steve Halsted.

Dr. Seuss explains Copenhagen

2009-12-24T09:24:00.000-05:00

Dr. Seuss explains Copenhagen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_RlKxz_ymQ&feature=player_embedded

hilarious take on a serious topic.

Celebrating the Babies of 2009

2009-12-22T23:27:00.000-05:00

Epiphany - the day we remember the story of the wise men's search for hope, discovered in a child.

Epiphany Sunday, January 4, we'll celebrate the hope incarnate in the children born to us in 2009.

Join us after traditional (10:30) worship for Epiphany cake as we thank God for Anna, Jesse, and Ruth Ann.

Did you miss the Christmas Party?

2009-12-18T19:53:00.005-05:00

Take a look at the fun and fellowship we had at this year's Christmas Party (3 short videos) and then put it on your calendar for next year (2nd Saturday in December). Or if you did make it to this year's party, enjoy a quick reminder of the fun and celebration. (Photos are available via the Photo Gallery link on the home page at communityucc.org.)

Thank you, Senator Hagan!

2009-12-17T22:18:00.000-05:00

I just noticed that Senator Hagan has signed on as a co-sponsor of S.1524 , The Foreign Assistance Revitalization and Accountability Act of 2009. This is the bill for which we made a Bread for the World offering of letters in May. Please send Senator Hagan a quick note of thanks.
Have a few extra minutes? Contact Senator Burr, asking him to join as a co-sponsor. This bill has bipartisan support because it truly seeks to build accountability for tax dollars spent and to make sure our foreign assistance helps people in need.

Is your business LGBT-friendly?

2009-12-17T21:06:00.000-05:00

CUCC is a founding member of the new LGBT Center of Raleigh. The Center is inviting LGBT-owned and LGBT-friendly professionals and business owners to be listed for free on their website's Community Resources section. Contact the Center at lgbtcenterofraleigh@gmail.com.

New Members

2009-12-17T11:45:00.003-05:00

The new members who joined CUCC on December 13. From left: Ida Klages, Annemarie Evans, Marsha Tai.

CUCC Christmas Pageant Video

2009-12-15T17:22:00.007-05:00

The video of the Christmas pageant presented by the children of CUCC on Dec. 13 is now available. (There's also a link to it in the "Current Events" box on the home page at communityucc.org.)

In keeping with the higher bandwidth that is now commonly available to most Internet users, we're ramping up the quality of the video that will be delivered in the media section of the CUCC website. This video of the 2009 Christmas pageant is higher resolution than we've opted for in the past and supports fullscreen viewing. The 30 minute video is about a 170 megabyte download, but for viewers with standard DSL or cable service, the video should play without significant delay and should play smoothly without stoppages. It does a reasonably recent version of Adobe Flash, but that version is now ubiquitous on PCs and Macs. And Flash now has the ability to display the high resolution videos that Apple's Quicktime has long supported. So the same video may be viewed via Quicktime if that is the user's preference. If you have problems viewing the video, contact Lavon Page.

Also featured from the Dec. 13 worship is the violin and piano duet performed as the prelude by John Robertson and Doug Barrick.

Adults Only ASP Weekends in February and March

2009-12-02T19:19:00.000-05:00

If weatherizing and repairing homes is a ministry you'd enjoy, but you aren't wild about a week with teens, consider one of the Adults Only Weekend trips. Read more below from our friends Bill and Rosemary Pate from The Prince of Peace Episcopal Church (Apex) - our ASP partner congregation. Jane Smith can give you their contact information if you have questions. The Pates are wonderful- caring, organized, witty, passionate about justice. "Please mark your calendars and save the dates for the following Adult ASP trips. We leave on Thursday morning and return on Sunday afternoon. The cost is $105 per volunteer - scholarships are available.

February 4-7, 2010 to the Guyan Valley Center in Brenton, West Virginia This trip occurs two days after Ground Hog Day and regardless of the ground hog prediction, we are sure that it will be cold in West Virginia for this weekend. Come and see how people in substandard housing survive the cold winters in Appalachia. Volunteer to make a home warmer for a family in West Virginia. Please let us know ASAP if you plan to go on this trip.
March 18-21, 2010 to the Jonesville Center in Jonesville, Virginia This trip coincides with St. Patrick's Day, the first week of daylight saving time, the beginning of Spring (vernal equinal equinox on March 20), and the first round of March Madness (we will find a place to watch some of the night games). Celebrate all of these events by volunteering to make homes warmer, safer and drier. We expect a large group for this trip so please let us know ASAP if you plan to go on this trip. (Note from Jane: Imagine unwinding after a hard day of work, flopped on leather couches in a log cabin-style great room in front of a roaring fire! Jonesville center has real beds and hot showers!)
Prior to these trips we will send out more information and will meet for dinner to finalize travel plans. Circulate this information to neighbors and friends who may be interested in volunteering to repair homes in Appalachia."

Julia Robertson - Teacher of the Week

2009-12-02T11:38:00.003-05:00

Link to video at WRAL.:

http://www.wral.com/news/education/video/6532140/

Advent Computer Fun for Children

2009-12-02T08:27:00.000-05:00

The UCC has created a weekly Advent game sheet to print and has links to six simple on-line games that might be fun to explore with your child or grandchild this Advent.

Childcare Available Dec. 13 - And help CUCC Youth!

2009-12-01T16:17:00.002-05:00

(posted for Santi)

Need some time to Christmas shop without the kids? CUCC youth (7th -12th graders) are providing childcare to CUCC children on December 13. For a donation to the youth program (whatever amount they choose), they can receive childcare following worship from 12:00-2:30 p.m. on December 13. We will order pizzas for lunch, play outside (weather permitting), and watch a Christmas video (The Little Drummer Boy). Parents, please contact Santi by email forsanti@aol.com or 919-961-8814 to RSVP with the number and age of children requesting care. Please RSVP by Monday December 7. Also, Santi will need adult helpers if anyone is interested.

Congregational Meeting

2009-11-29T20:50:00.003-05:00

I want to remind church members that there is a Congregational Meeting next Sunday, December 6 immediately after the main church service. Please plan to attend.

What should I buy for our Meals on Wheels friends?

2009-11-29T15:42:00.000-05:00

The Retirees will again this year be collecting and wrapping Christmas gifts for Meals on Wheels recipients. The deadline for contributions is Sunday, December 13. Drop-off boxes to collect the items are in the narthex and outside the Bradow room.
REQUESTED ITEMS:
Fleece throws
Household products (dish-washing liquids, window cleaners, paper towels, toilet paper etc.)
Toiletries (hand lotion, shampoo, soap, tissues, and bathroom hand towels)
Food items (hearty cans of soup, instant coffee, hot chocolate, popcorn, crackers, cookies, individual wrapped candy: both holiday and hard candy)
Socks
Puzzle books (large print)
Umbrellas, radios
Postage stamps
Gift cards of small denomination (gas, Walmart, any of the fast foods)

Tonight - story on the Congo on "60 Minutes"

2009-11-29T14:22:00.000-05:00

"60 Minutes" will air a story on conflict minerals in the Congo TONIGHT, 7 PM.

The Enough Project is encouraging people to watch the show and to invite friends. John Prendergast of Enough traveled with the crew to eastern DRC when they filmed.

Christmas Gifts: Love in Action

2009-11-24T21:29:00.000-05:00

Be sure to check the excellent organizations at CUCC's Marketplace of Meaningful Gifts as you consider your Christmas gift list. Community Outreach has vetted these organizations and been impressed at the excellent work they do on our behalf.
I enjoy shopping at Marketplace, but occasionally don't find the match I need for someone. If you find yourself in that predicament, consider Global Ministries Alternative Gifts . You'll find ten ministries from around the world with a description of how your donation would be used (scroll down the page to find the ministries). You'll find gift ideas from $2.00 to $3000.00. These could be just the thing for family and friends who enjoy travel or have a connection to one of the countries.

Forum Announcement

2009-11-24T07:54:00.002-05:00

Forum will NOT meet this Sunday, November 29.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Thanksgiving

2009-11-24T07:46:00.005-05:00

Numbers to think about this Thanksgiving (from NC Policy Watch):

Fitzsimon File
Monday numbers
By Chris Fitzsimon

49,000,000—number of Americans who could not afford food some time during 2008 (USDA, Household Food Insecurity in the United States, 2008)

16,670,000—number of children who went hungry at some point in 2008 (Ibid)

49,056—Number of households in North Carolina who could not afford food in 2008 (Ibid)

12.2—percentage of U.S. households who could not afford food in 2008 (Ibid)

13.7—percentage of North Carolina households who could not afford food in 2008 (Ibid)

3.9—percentage that food insecurity in North Carolina grew from 1996-2008 (Ibid)

1—rank of North Carolina in fastest growing food insecurity from 1996-2008—tied with Maine and Missouri. (Ibid)

24—percentage increase in monthly food stamp participation in North Carolina from August 2009 to August 2009 (State Health Facts, Kaiser Family Fund)

33—percentage of people in North Carolina eligible for food stamps who do not receive them (USDA Food and Nutrition Service)

874,000,000—–pounds of sweet potatoes produced by North Carolina in 2008 (U.S. Census Bureau News)

1—–North Carolina’s rank in U.S. production of sweet potatoes (N.C. Agricultural Statistics, NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services)

39,000,000—number of turkeys raised in North Carolina in 2008 (U.S. Census Bureau News)

2—-North Carolina’s rank in U.S. in raising turkeys (N.C. Agricultural Statistics, NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services)

6—rank of North Carolina in number of migrant farmworkers. (N.C. Farmworker Institute Fact Sheet)

125—number of buckets of sweet potatoes a farmworker must pick and haul to earn $50 (Ibid)

2—weight in tons of 125 buckets of sweet potatoes. (Ibid)

5—-percentage that farmworkers inflation-adjusted wages have fallen in the last decade. (Ibid)

8—percentage of farmworkers covered by employer-provided health insurance (Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Demographics, National Center for Farmworker Health)

5—percent of seasonally-employed farmworkers covered by employer-provided health insurance (Ibid)

5—number out of every 10 farmworkers who cannot afford enough food to feed their families. (Ibid)

Celebrate! 20 Years ONA

2009-11-23T16:43:00.000-05:00

By unanimous vote on December 17, 1989, the CUCC Congregational Meeting adopted a Resolution on Being an Open and Affirming Congregation. Over the years, our life together has been blessed by that decision and by the gifts and friendships it engendered.

On Sunday, December 20, we'll celebrate! Following 10:30 worship join us for cake and conversation. With this celebration, we are renewing our commitment "to continue to look for ways to address the needs and advocate the concerns of lesbian, gay and bisexual people."

Let us "[j]oin together as a covenantal community, to celebrate and share our common communion and the reassurance that we are indeed created by God, reconciled by Christ and empowered by the grace of the Holy Spirit."

Adult Christmas Party, December 12

2009-11-23T11:03:00.001-05:00

Imagine twinkling lights, holiday greenery, animated conversation with an overlay of laughter. Enjoying friendships new and long-held. A break from shopping and Santa, traffic and cooking.

Saturday, December 12, 6:00 PM

Heavy hors d’oeuvres and entertainment

RSVP to the office
If you'd like, dress in your Christmas finery, whether a red vest, a wreath sweatshirt, or a taffeta gown. Contribution for wine requested. If you would like childcare, please call the office BY DEC. 5.

Forum: November 22

2009-11-20T11:08:00.002-05:00

Program for Sunday, November 22:

Tammy Martin, Chair of the Wake County Commission for Women.

Helping NC Conservation Network

2009-11-20T11:01:00.002-05:00

You can support the NC Conservation Network and get some early holiday shopping done by bidding on some items on their Holiday Auction. Bidding ends Friday, the 20th.

Thanks for your support

2009-11-20T10:32:00.007-05:00

Many thanks to all of you who have supported Jo and her family during the long illness of Jo's beloved sister Linda Tavernise who passed away at 4:30 AM yesterday morning with Jo by her side. Your thoughts, prayers, hugs, love, and e-mail have nourished Jo throughout this journey.

In keeping with my habit of working through my own loss by making a video of the beloved, I've done so for Linda. While this is primarily for the family, please share with us in the celebration of Linda's life if you are so inclined.

Quicktime version:

http://web.me.com/lavon/videos/linda.mov

Flash version:

http://web.me.com/lavon/videos/linda/

(In the pictures of the three sisters, Jo is the youngest, Linda is the oldest, and Cindy is the tallest after they get to be 10-12 years old. There are also several pictures of Linda that include their only first cousin Marcella who is 4 years older than Linda and who is also now under hospice care and in her final days.)

Details - Conflict Minerals Trade Act of 2009 (HR 4128)

2009-11-19T20:20:00.000-05:00

(from today's Raise Hope for Congo email):

Why is this a useful bill? "Legislation in the US alone will not end the conflict in eastern Congo, but this bill would provide a crucial step toward the creation of a practical and enforceable means to ensure that the trade in Congolese minerals contributes to peace rather than war. This bill would also serve as a useful precedent for other countries to develop legislation for holding to account companies in their jurisdiction who may be fuelling the conflict in eastern Congo."
"What will this bill do?
This bill demands greater transparency and accountability from those companies whose products contain these mineral ores or their derivatives. The U.S. government would identify those commercial goods that could contain conflict minerals, approve a list of independent monitoring groups qualified to audit the worldwide processing facilities for these minerals, and eventually restrict the importation of minerals to those from audited facilities. Importers of these goods would have to certify on their customs declaration that their goods “contain conflict minerals” or are “conflict mineral free” based upon this audit system. The audits would determine the mines of origin for processed materials, verify the chain of custody and verify information provided by suppliers through investigations in the DRC and other countries.
Importantly, the bill would also direct the State Department to support multilateral and U.S. government efforts to break the link between the trade in minerals and armed conflict in eastern Congo."
Who else supports this bill?
"A coalition of international nonprofit organizations - including the Enough Project, Human Rights Watch, World Vision, Oxfam America, and Global Witness, among others – today released a joint statement of support for the Conflict Minerals Trade Act of 2009 in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill also received support from various stakeholders in the electronics industry, including the Information Technology Industry Council and HP."

In the Senate, Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) has introduced "Congo Conflict Minerals Act of 2009" S.891, a counterpart to the House bill. Neither North Carolina Senator is a co-sponsor at this time.

Thank you, Rep. McDermott!

2009-11-19T17:49:00.002-05:00

Rep. Jim McDermott today introduced a The Conflict Minerals Trade Act of 2009. This bill would help halt the use of conflict minerals from the DRC, starting a certification system and working to assist the victims of conflict mineral violence. You can read information from his website.

I wrote an email to Representative Brad Miller encouraging him to co-sponsor this bill. I know Mr. Miller has a deep connection to human rights in the DRC and has shown leadership on human rights in the region, so I hope he will co-sponsor.

Would any of you from Rep. Etheridge's or Rep. Price's districts be willing to write to them to encourage them to co-sponsor? Follow the link to their contact pages.

If any of you would be interested in exploring creative ways to encourage passage of this legislation, please let me know.

Why support this legislation? God's creation - the minerals of the Congo - is being abused and God's children are being wounded and killed as a deliberate tactic to keep the minerals/money flowing. And if we can prevent the sale of conflict minerals, we can help to create the breathing room needed by the people of the DRC to build their future.