The Neighbor
The Orinda Community Church Newsletter
An Open and Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Christ
May 7,2008
Frankly Speaking…
From the United Church of Christ website, www.ucc.org:
On Sunday, May 18, many pastors across the UCC will be preaching on race in hopes of beginning a sacred conversation, a dialogue that is needed in our pews, our homes and the hallways of power across our country. The UCC is encouraging this national dialogue in order to foster a spirit of healing and unity in our churches and communities. While much has been said during the past few weeks about the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., this dialogue among our members is intended to be a larger conversation, one not focused directly or exclusively on the recent controversy, but one certainly influenced by it.
Sacred conversations are never easy, especially when honest talk confronts our nation's painful past and speaks directly to the injustices of the present day. Yet sacred conversations can, and often do, honor the value of diverse life experiences, requiring an openness to hear each others' viewpoints. Growth often happens when honest conversations are communicated in a respectful environment.
Here at Orinda Community Church, we’ve been inadvertently edging into this proposed “sacred conversation” for some time, facilitated by the recent exhibit in our Doug Adams Gallery of Matt Herron’s powerfully evocative photographs from the 1965 Civil Rights March to Montgomery, as well as Sonja Ingebritsen’s insightful sermon of April 13, entitled
“God’s Gonna Trouble the Water” (available at www.orindachurch.org and in our Harland Hogue Library).
Katie Morrison and I believe we have much to learn and gain from a "sacred conversation" about race, and I’m going to take a modest step forward in this direction ourselves, with an explorative sermon on May 18 that I propose to call “A Sacred Conversation.” In preparation, we’ve been searching our respective personal experiences and viewpoints regarding race, and have already discovered that, while growing up at different times and places in California, our experiences and viewpoints are remarkably different. Nonetheless, new understanding, commitment and redemption are always possible in light of the gospel.
We pastors are convinced that significant dialogue about race in our country and in our culture must begin with reflection and sharing based in our own stories, our own truths, and our own faith. Thus, in the months ahead we hope that you will join us in additional opportunities to continue with this respectful and wide-ranging sacred conversation on race.
~ Frank
Pick-a-Pleasure Fundraiser Update $16,565.20 have been raised so far! There are still some openings for dinners and gatherings which we would love to fill - thereby trying to hit the 17k mark. More details as the dinners are approaching. |
Outstanding Woman
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Yosemite Weekend
65 members of the congregation gathered in Yosemite Valley over the first weekend in May for OCC’s annual celebration of God’s grace and goodness in the company of church family and friends. The weather was splendid, the fellowship superb, refreshments abundant, singing enthusiastic, and worship on the beach of “the River of Mercy” appropriately inspired by the baptisms of Daniel Jay Matteson and Preston Harris Quilici.
Call for Graduates
Graduation time is coming up! We’ll recognize all graduates (elementary school, middle school, high school, college, grad school) on Sunday, June 1 in worship. Please call the church office at (925) 254-4906 or e-mail us at office@orindachurch.org to give us the names of any graduates you have in your family, plus the name of their school and degree program (if applicable).
In Memoriam Marian Brown, a 60-year member of Orinda Community Church, died April 28, 2008. There will be a memorial service at the church, 1:00 p.m., Saturday, May 10. |
`Generations` Exhibit in the
Doug Adams Gallery
Who? All members of our church community are asked to consider sharing.
Why? A chance to share our church heritage within our church family.
What? Sketches, drawings and art portraits from you, your personal
collections -father, mother, Grandmother, Grandfather, children then or now.
(But not photographs -- we’ll save those for another exhibit)
Where? These will hang in our Doug Adams Sanctuary Gallery.
Imagine where these portraits were created!
Each piece will have a little biography near the art.
And hopefully the span of time will be of
our children now
or perhaps back in time to who knows when!
When? Please deliver framed pictures with a title or short biography,
your name and contact information by SAT., JUNE 7TH before 10 a.m.
to the church office. Please collect them after the service on
Sunday, Aug 10th, after the service.
For questions please call or email
Dorothy Cutright Davisdnfdavis@comcast.net
or Sue Boudreau sueboudreau2004@yahoo.com
Ongoing Lifelong Learning Opportunities at OCC
Our Monday Night Bible Study has just completed an in-depth reading of the Psalms. A new study will begin the evening of May 12, looking into Paul’s First and Second Letters to the Corinthians. The class is led by Frank Baldwin and meets from 7-8 p.m. each week in OCC’s
Harland Hogue Library. All are welcome!OCC’s Thursday Morning Bible Study, led by the Rev. Lee Cruise, is held at 10:30 a.m. in the 6th floor meeting room at Orinda Senior Village. All are welcome!
CALLING ALL OCC 13-18 YR. OLDS! Consider going to NYE!
The UCC National Youth Event (NYE), held every four years, provides an opportunity for over 3000 youth (ages 13 to 18) to gather for worship, workshops, faith, fun and fellowship. It is planned by the collaborative efforts of national staff and a National Youth Event Planning Committee comprised of a diverse group of UCC youth and young adults. I’m hoping to bring at least 4 youth from OCC… are you interested? Call me: (630)886-2324 or email me: Katie@orindachurch.org. This really is an awesome opportunity. |
CALLING ALL CAMPERS!
Come learn more about the local UCC summer camping opportunities at our information table after worship on May 11th and 18th. We’re looking forward to getting a great group of kids involved in going to camp this year.See the full page flyer in this newsletter for camp dates. We already have OCC kids signed up for Adventure 1 at camp Tam and Kids Camp at Caz. Contact Rev. Katie for more information. |
NEWLY REVISED SAVE THE DATE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Parent & Youth Gathering
Sunday, May 25 12-1:30pm In the Fellowship Hall
PLEASE RSVP to Rev. Katie by May 21(Katie@orindachurch.org)
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Rev. Katie’s
INSTALLATION SERVICE
will be
June 8, 3pm @ OCC
Followed by an open house reception
at Katie & Curran’s home.
Breakfast Group
The breakfast group meets every
Wednesday at 7:00 a.m. in the Boardroom for breakfast and discussion.
Everyone is welcome
Women’s Spirituality Group
We will meet on May 17, at 9:00 a.m. in the Board Room. All OCC women are invited
Happy Mother’s Day!
"God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers". ~ Jewish Proverb |
May 9 and 10, at 8PM in Hertz Hall
The University Symphony Orchestra
presents
its final concert of the season under the direction of Maestro David Milnes.
Our program features the monumental Alpensinfonie (1915) by Richard Strauss, a towering work in orchestral literature. The concert also showcases the talents of violinist Jessica Ling in Ravel's tantalizing Tzigane (1924). New exciting works by local Berkeley composers round out the evening, Jean Ahn's Salt (2007) and Edmund Campion's Practice (2006).
Tickets are $4 with UC Berkeley ID, $8 for seniors, UC faculty and staff, and other students, and $12 for general admission. Tickets can be bought an hour before the concert at Hertz Hall, or in person at the Ticket Box in Zellerbach Hall, or online at http://tickets.berkeley.edu.
Next Neighbor Deadline: May 18, 2008