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Pastor’s Newsletters
February 2, 2012
Candelmas Greetings!
Who knew that the European roots of Groundhog Day connect to the Feast of Candlemas? Apparently, the Roman legions, during their conquest of the north, brought this tradition to the Germans, who concluded that if the sun made an appearance on Candlemas, the hedgehog would cast a shadow, thus predicting six more weeks of bad weather. An old English song summarized it as follows:
If Candlemas be fair and bright, Come, Winter, have another flight;
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, Go Winter, and come not again.
But what is Candlemas? It’s actually the Feast of the Purification of Mary (forty days from the Nativity) and was traditionally celebrated by having candles blessed at church. Candlemas is a time of new beginnings. Six weeks after the Winter Solstice, it comes just as we’re finally able to affirm that the sun has truly returned. And some years (this one, for instance!), spring even seems to have arrived…
But why is this important? Because the spirit of Candlemas reflects the current forward-moving energy of Cleveland Park Church (which differs markedly from the classic movie, Groundhog Day, that has Bill Murray waking up to the same old day over and over again)! Candlemas is about getting ready, it’s about preparation, it’s about spring. And at Cleveland Park Church this is exactly what we’re experiencing. We’re getting ready. We’re preparing. We’re energized for spring!
Last weekend’s Spiritual Retreat and Annual Meeting exemplified this. On Saturday afternoon twenty-three of us came together to meditate, reflect and listen to Spirit. It was an uplifting, joyful experience that left us hungering for more. Then on Sunday forty or more of us met to approve our budget, vote in new lay leaders, and discuss and approve some important changes to our programming and committees. Good questions were asked, important points were made, the spirit of the meeting was wonderfully positive, and every vote was unanimous!
The good news is that we’ll be continuing these themes of preparation and new beginnings as we move into our Strategic Planning Process and the Season of Lent. Please save the afternoon of Sunday, 3/4, for our Strategic Planning Kick-off. This is going to be a wonderful opportunity for our congregation to begin the process of listening for its corporate “call,” and it’s very important that many of us be involved.
As I said in my Pastor’s Report (see Annual Report), we’ve already had an amazing nine months together. If you haven’t yet done so, please look through the attached Annual Report and revised bylaws. And, if you have any questions, e-mail our new Moderator, Lori Sonderegger, at moderator@cpcchurch.org. 2011 was a bright new beginning, and I can only begin to imagine what 2012 is going to bring!
Blessings,
January 12, 2012
Winter Greetings~
Despite this year’s capricious January weather, the season of winter offers us an excellent opportunity to do some internal reflection both as individuals and as a congregation. As I said in last Sunday’s sermon, “we are each here for a purpose, a reason, and every one of us, as an individual, is the only person who can fulfill our particular purpose or reason for being alive in the world… The point of call is for us to be most fully ourselves, for us to hear the voice of our own neshamah (voice or spirit of God) and to live out that purpose in the world.”
During the winter months, we’ll have a variety of opportunities for listening both to our own neshamah and to our collective call as a congregation. On Saturday, 1/28, we’ll host a half-day spiritual retreat meant to provide congregation members and friends with the quiet space and time they need to experience both the call and love of God in their lives. Please see attached for the schedule, which will include art, movement, conscious breathing, deep relaxation, and music (in other words, meditative modalities meant to appeal to a wide range of preferences!).
On Sunday, 1/29, we’ll gather after worship for our annual congregational meeting. This is such an important part of our denomination’s “polity” (system of governance), because it demonstrates how each person really does have a voice in every UCC congregation. We’ll vote on: our annual budget, the ballot of nominated lay leaders, and some important bylaws changes that reflect our current needs for programming and committees. We’ll also hear an update from our Strategic Planning Chair, Kris Davis, who will introduce us to the concept of call as it applies to our entire congregation. And we’ll continue to listen for our congregation’s call as we move forward with the strategic planning process in the coming months.
As I reflect upon the almost nine months since I arrived at Cleveland Park Church, I perceive that, together, we have gestated something wonderful. Our Sunday School Program is thriving, there are more opportunities for adult faith formation and fellowship, worship attendance has grown substantially, mission activities and contributions have increased, and our stewardship campaign was a success. Guided by the Spirit, we have all worked together—lay leaders, volunteers, church staff and clergy—and I am grateful to each and every one of you for fulfilling your own “particular purpose or reason for being” at Cleveland Park Church.
I look forward to this Sunday’s worship, when Rev. Anne Troy, Executive Director of Shaw Community Ministry (SCM), will be guest preaching and the SCM Praise Dancers, a group of five middle and high school girls from the Shaw neighborhood in DC, will be performing. I’ll be right there with you to welcome them.
Blessings,
Pastor Ellen
January 5, 2012
Happy New Year!
I just finished creating the winter calendar of church activities and events (see attached), and I must say— there continues to be much renewal in the air! Whether you’re interested in personal spiritual growth, mission activities, bible study, or culture and the arts (or all of the above!), there’s something going on at CPC for you. And, if we’re missing anything, we always welcome new ideas…
Speaking of new ideas, this year’s Annual Meeting (1/29) will include an Offering of Time and Talent. This means that each person will be encouraged to think about the ways in which they’d like to volunteer their time and talents to the church in 2012. Do you enjoy working with children? We have a fabulous Sunday School Program! Do you like to learn about and discuss the Bible? We’re looking for a new Bible Study Coordinator! Do you have high tech skills that could help with our computer systems? We frequently need assistance in this area! And so on… Aside from the Pastor and a few part-time staff positions, most smaller-sized churches (including ours) rely heavily on the time and talents of their members to keep things running (and, hopefully, growing). Thus, I’m ever so grateful to all of our fabulous lay leaders and many volunteers who do everything from decorate the Sanctuary for Christmas to pay our electric bill in a timely fashion. YOU are the church!
And, yes, speaking of gratitude, we had a wonderful collection of services over the holidays that began with our joyful Nativity Pageant on 12/18 (with over 100 people attending), continued with our special Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Fireside Services (with over 120 people attending), and concluded with our New Year’s Day Service (which about 40 hardy souls attended). The focus of the New Year’s Day Service was, in fact, gratitude! And each person in the congregation that morning wrote a thank you note to someone special in their lives—in gratitude for that person’s loving presence (as distinguished from any material presents…). Because, as I said in my reflection:
… when it comes right down to it, that’s really what Christmas is all about. Christmas is about the gift of God’s Presence with us. God is present in Jesus, God is present in each one of us, God is present in this great big beautiful world. Okay, so let’s make use of the obvious pun—God is one big Present! The love of God is right here, right now, with us. Emmanuel has come. God-With-Us is here.
And that’s what I’m thinking about on this cold January day. God’s Presence. And your presence. And the blessing of our presence in the lives of one another.
May we continue to be a blessing to each other throughout the coming year!
With Gratitude and Joy,
Pastor Ellen
December 22, 2011
Advent and Christmas Greetings~
This past Sunday was filled with much Advent and Christmas cheer as our children performed a wonderful nativity pageant, our choir and musicians filled the sanctuary with Vivaldi’s Gloria, and our Coffee Hour hosts outdid themselves with a delicious assortment of holiday cookies and treats. Best of all, our congregation collected a vast assortment of warm winter clothes and blankets, which are being donated to Community Council for the Homeless at Friendship Place this week. By so doing, we are surely participating in the true meaning and work of Christmas as expressed in the words of pastor and theologian Howard Thurman that I shared at the end of the pageant on Sunday morning:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoners,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers,
To make music in the heart.
I hope we will all keep these words in mind as Advent becomes Christmas. And, of course, I look forward to seeing many of you this Saturday and Sunday for our Christmas worship and celebration. On Christmas Eve (7:30 pm) we’ll hold a classic Lessons and Carols Service, and on Christmas Day (10:30 am) our service will offer a combination of poetry and scripture. And, of course, we’ll make a joyful noise with many carols at both services!
Looking ahead, on New Year’s Day we’ll hold our regular Sunday morning worship at 10:30 am. This service will focus on both gratitude and new beginnings and will be welcoming of both children and adults. Sunday School classes will resume on 1/8 (which is when we’ll hold our January Communion Liturgy).
It has been such a pleasure to spend this portion of 2011 with Cleveland Park Church, and I look forward to sharing a wonderful 2012 as well. In the meanwhile… For those of you who are traveling, I wish a safe journey. For those of you who are entertaining, I wish peace and rest. For those of you who will be alone, I wish companionship of the Spirit. And, for all of you, I wish a blessed and joy-filled Christmas!
God Be With You,
Pastor Ellen
December 8, 2011
Advent Greetings~
Over the past two Sundays, my sermons have focused on the fullness of the Advent paradox—that it’s a time for gratitude and a time for grief; a time of waiting for God’s presence in the world and a time for experiencing the God who’s already here; a time to acknowledge the groaning of all creation and a time to embrace the abundance of our many blessings. Today, I invite you to pause for a moment on this Advent Journey and take a rest. Julian of Norwich, the great Christian mystic, invites us to consider the possibility that “all shall be well,” and, as Patricia Carlson writes:
During Advent – as we await the birth of wholeness in the world and in us – we can find no better guide than Julian of Norwich. In troubled times like ours, she comprehended the degree to which divine love upholds everything: from our slightest concern to our greatest anguish, from the very fabric of the material world to the heartfelt substance of our prayers. She knew God’s power as Father, tenderness as Mother, and assurance as Spirit.
And in the words of St Julian (1342-1416):
Dear Lord, help me to trust in your wisdom that nothing is forgotten. Give me the strength to meet the events of my life, believing that in you all will be revealed and everything will be made well. Help me to surrender my anxiety so that my spirit might have ease and be at peace in love.
Please take five minutes today and just rest in the knowledge that “all will be revealed and everything will be made well” so that you, too, may “be at peace in love.” This is my Advent prayer for each and every one of us!
And then consider participating in our Advent Poetry and Prayer Series every Sunday morning from 9-10 am. As a group, we reflect on poetry and scripture related to the Advent Season as we spiritually prepare for the Coming of the Light.
Other upcoming Advent activities include:
- Carol Sing and Deck the Halls (12/10)—THIS Saturday from 4-7 pm.
- Winter Clothing Collection (12/10-18)—Bring new or gently used items for donation to Community Council for the Homeless.
- Christmas Pageant and Christmas Fund Collection (12/18)—10:30 am
And, finally, some of you may remember the Prayer sermon I preached in October. At that time, I invited you to share your ideas for incorporating more prayer into the life of our church. I still welcome your input and would love to know whose interest was piqued – even if you’re not sure exactly how we should go about it!
May you each be at peace in love,
Pastor Ellen
November 20, 2011
“I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.”
—Ephesians 1:16
Happy Thanksgiving!
And thank you all for your loving support this past Sunday afternoon as we mutually committed to one another at my Service of Installation. It was a wonderfully festive event with many UCC clergy in attendance along with the pastor and members of the Korean congregation that worships in our Sanctuary every Sunday afternoon. Special thanks go to Kris Davis and Dit Talley for leading worship, to the Deacons and Jr Deacons for supporting worship, to the choir for their beautiful music, and to the newly named Fellowship Committee for creating a welcoming and delicious reception! I was also very touched by the celebratory stole you gave me and look forward to wearing it in service to this congregation for many years.
Cleveland Park Church has abundant reasons for giving thanks this year—a thriving and growing congregation, increased mission and service activities, expanded children and youth Sunday School programming, a variety of upcoming adult education opportunities, and a full schedule of holiday events for the Advent and Christmas Season (see attached calendar). We are truly blessed with the time, talent and treasure of every congregation member, and I hope you each feel as inspired as I to continue walking this path on which God’s welcoming light is, indeed, shining.
As Don Clarke explained in his recent “Mission CPC: Launching Our Vision” e-mail, the 2011 Stewardship Campaign is drawing to a close, and we need everyone to send in their 2012 pledges as soon as possible. The pledge drive was scheduled for 10/30 thru 11/26 so that we wouldn’t have to continue asking during the Advent and Christmas Season. But the truth is, in order to move forward with our mission and vision, we need to know the size of our budget for 2012! Thus, as Don wrote:
Consider the love, support, guidance and inspiration your church has provided you and your loved ones, and what role you want to play in the future of our mission to nurture love of God and love of neighbor in the world. Please take a moment now to complete your pledge form and express your grateful commitment to Launching Our Vision in the coming year.
In closing, I want to thank everyone who participated in the Help the Homeless Walkathon last Saturday and to all those who donated canned goods for families in need. Tate Corrales, one of our Sunday School youth, contributed these donations to the Takoma Park food drive that helps low income immigrant families enjoy Thanksgiving in their new found home. Your generosity is a blessing!
With gratitude and joy,
Pastor Ellen
November 9, 2011
Autumn Greetings~
“Saints are the people the lights shines through,” said the little boy in the story I told this past Sunday. And that’s one way of saying it. Another way would be to say that saints are the people who let their light shine. As Marianne Williamson has written, “We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” This is a congregation filled with people who allow their light to shine, and it’s my privilege to serve and encourage you in your glow. So shine on!
Here are some of the many ways we’re manifesting the glory of God right now:
Neighbors in Need Canned Food Drive, 11/13—We began collecting canned goods last week and will continue this Sunday. Please bring your donations to the worship service, where the Sunday School students will collect them during the Children’s Talk.
Help the Homeless Walkathon, 11/19—We already have a team of walkers committed to raising $1000 to combat homelessness, and we’d love to have you join us! Go to www.helpthehomelessdc.org to register. Our team is “Cleveland Park Congregational UCC.” We’ll meet at the exit of the Smithsonian metro stop at 8:45 am on Saturday, 11/19. For more information, please e-mail njpaulu@aol.com
My Installation Service, 11/20—The entire congregation is encourage to attend this service that will formally “install” me as your pastor. Since the ceremony focuses on our commitment to one another, it’s important that we all be there! The service will take place at 4 pm and be followed by a festive reception.
Stewardship Campaign—We’re in Week Two of our four-week pledge drive and know that you’re giving prayerful consideration to the financial commitment you’re planning to make for the coming year. As a small church with a growing number of programs and a passionate commitment to Mission (i.e. social action and outreach), we need each one of us to contribute as much as we’re able in order to do the work we’re called to do in the world!
Advent and Christmas Preview—Our first event is the Advent Wreath-Making and Soup Lunch, following worship on Sunday, 11/27. On each of the following Advent Sundays, I’ll be leading an Advent Poetry and Prayer Session from 9 am to 10 am in the Parlor. Please check out the attached Advent and Christmas Schedule for information about all upcoming holiday events.
This Sunday—On 11/13 I’ll be taking a Sabbath break from church to celebrate my husband’s and my birthday weekend. While I’m looking forward to the time off, I’m sorry to be missing the amazing service that will be led by CPC Member and Georgetown University Professor, John Voll. So, Enjoy—and Let Your Light Shine!
I look forward to seeing you next week.
Blessings,
Pastor Ellen
October 26, 2011
Greetings~
UCC Fall Association Meeting—As part of the Potomac Association of over thirty other UCC congregations in the greater DC area, Cleveland Park Church is asked to send a delegate to two Association Meetings per year. Our current delegate is Matt Henkes, and he and I attended the fall meeting at Wesley Theological Seminary on Saturday. This particular meeting stands out because our congregation was asked to host the event, meaning that CPC volunteers provided breakfast for all participating clergy and delegates and I led worship and preached. The meeting itself focused on the passage of a resolution to make the Potomac Association “Open and Affirming,” meaning that, as an Association, we now officially welcome all people regardless of sexual orientation, preference, or gender identification. Amen!
Sunday Worship—Our very own Julia Bush preached a wonderful sermon about the Two Great Commandments (Love God and Love Neighbor) Sunday morning. Julia is a recent graduate of Wesley Theological Seminary and a UCC Ministerial Candidate “in care” with Cleveland Park Church. Julia reminded us that love of neighbor results from loving God, which highlights the importance of taking the time to cultivate our relationship with the Divine!
Blessing of the Animals—Sunday afternoon we had close to seventy people (and their pets) gather on the CPC side lawn for our annual Blessing of the Animals, co-sponsored by Westmoreland Congregational Church. Many thanks to the Deacons for setting up and providing snacks (for both the two and four-legged creatures!) and to the Westmoreland musicians, along with Dorothy Mora and the CPC Children’s Choir (and their adult helpers), for making a joyful noise. Special thanks to Bruce Grimes and Mike Durst, who initiated and helped plan the day’s festivities.
Blessings,
Pastor Ellen
October 12, 2011
Greetings,
Over the past two Sundays I’ve focused on the Jewish High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur as a starting place for talking about the great divine and human drama of gift giving and receiving. Rosh Hashanah celebrates the abundance of gifts God has given us, including (but not limited to!), creation, covenant, and commandments. Yom Kippur asks whether and how we’ve received those gifts. Have we noticed them? Have we expressed gratitude for them? Have we used them well? Have we shared them? If the answer to any of these questions is “no,” then Judaism teaches us to seek forgiveness by making amends and returning to a right relationship with one another and with God.
Even though we, as Christians, believe that we’re already forgiven and already unconditionally loved, the Jewish High Holidays remind us to consider our covenantal relationship with the Divine and to understand that what we do in relation to God and neighbor matters. Christianity teaches that forgiveness is a free and amazing gift (and we don’t have to respond), but Matthew’s Parable of the Wedding Party suggests that God desires our response. And one important way of responding is to turn away from whatever “golden calf” is distracting us and turn back to God, righting the wrongs we have done and reconnecting with those from whom we have become disconnected.
But why should we, as Christians,spend time learning from Judaism? My answer is threefold. First, Jesus himself was Jewish, and understanding the tradition of our Teacher and Savior seems respectful at least and imperative at most. Second, many of us have friends and relatives who are Jewish, and honoring another person’s religion can be a powerful way to express love of neighbor. And, third, Judaism (like the other major world religions) is a source of great wisdom. The truth of Christianity is life altering, and it is profound. But none of us humans has the corner on Truth. In the words of the Prophet Micah: “What does the Lord requires of us? To do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God.”
And now, on a lighter note, here are a few announcements!
- Individual Visits—I’ve met with many of you individually and most of you in small groups—but I’d like to meet with each one of you. If you’d like to meet with me, please e-mail pastor@cpcchurch.org or call 301-404-0893c.
· Christmas Pageant—Many thanks to those of you who responded to our “pageant survey.” Based on your input, we’ve decided that the pageant will be part of a multi-generational service on Sunday morning, 12/18. There will be something that appeals to every age!
- Church Finances—We’re seeking volunteers who have a background in finance, economics or bookkeeping. Please e-mail pastor@cpcchurch.org or donmarshall@me.com if you feel called to serve in this way.
- Fall Dine-Around, 10/22—Please sign up for our festive adult dinner by e-mailing casaglass123@starpower.net.
- AIDS Walk, 10/29—Please register by going to our web page at www.cpcchurch.org or e-mail krisdavis@starpower.netwith questions.
I look forward to seeing you this Sunday for a worship service about Prayer!
Blessings,
Pastor Ellen
September 29, 2011
L’ShanahTovah!
Or, Happy New Year in the Jewish tradition! I’ve always thought that autumn was a great time to celebrate a new year with all the new beginnings that September brings. This Sunday I’ll be preaching about Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and its connection with new beginnings, self-awareness, and commitment to transformation and change. This is a good time to take inventory of our relationships with family, friends and community and to make thoughtful choices about the way we want to nurture and sustain them throughout the coming year.
Last Sunday many of you were fortunate to hear Don Blanchon preach an incredible sermon about his life and faith journey, which has involved much loss, plenty of learning, lots of listening, and a resultant humility and clear sense of call. If you didn’t get a chance to hear it, please see attached. And, in case you didn’t already make the connection—Don is the Executive Director of Whitman Walker Health, the organization that benefits from the annual DC AIDS Walk, which raises funds for the work done by WWH providing health care and other services for low-income, HIV/AIDS infected, LGBT and other individuals. WWH provides a vital service to the DC Community, and I hope that many of you will either support or join us for the AIDS Walk on Saturday, 10/29. You can register and/or donate at the Mission Table during Coffee Hour this Sunday or e-mail krisdavis@starpower.net for information.
And, finally, here’s a quick overview of upcoming events this month at CPC:
Visitor/New Member Inquiry Session—This Sunday, 10/2, after church with Pastor Ellen. Anyone interested in membership is encouraged to attend.
CPC Hats & T-Shirts—Available this Sunday, 10/2, at Coffee Hour. Please support CPC Mission & Outreach with a suggested donation of: Hats, $15 and Shirts, $10.
Fall Dine Around—Saturday evening, 10/22. This annual adult dinner includes potlucks at neighborhood members’ homes followed by dessert at the church. Look for the sign-up sheet during coffee hour or e-mail casaglass123@yahoo.com.
Blessing of the Animals—Sunday, 10/23 at 4 pm at church (rain or shine!). Pets and photos of pets are welcome, and friends and neighbors are warmly invited.
Stewardship Sunday & New Member Ceremony—Sunday, 10/30. Not only do we have 8-10 new members joining on this Sunday but also Don Clarke will kick off this year’s pledge drive. We have a lot to celebrate!
With wishes for a sweet new year,
Pastor Ellen
September 14, 2011
Greetings,
As I said in my sermon on Sunday, the 9/11 Anniversary had a far greater emotional impact on me than I anticipated. Several of you shared that this was true for you as well, and I’m grateful that we have such a wonderful community that gathers, with love, in times of both sorrow and joy. The choir’s offering of “Prayer for the Children,” the beautiful organ music, the return of so many of our children, and the 9/11 Coffee Hour Sharing all made it a very special day.
And, yes, it really was true that the assigned lectionary reading for Sunday, 9/11,was the famous passage on forgiveness from the Gospel of Matthew (the lectionary is a three year, set cycle of readings in both the Hebrew Bible and New Testament). In Matt. 18:21, Peter asks, Master, how many times do we have to forgive—seven?And Jesus answers, Hardly!Try seventy times seven. That’s a lot of forgiving, but it’s what we’re called to do by a loving God who forgives us all our trespasses as well!
As we move forward into the fall (I felt a slight crisp to the air as I walked my dog, Zooey, yesterday evening), CPC has a lot of wonderful plans and events in the making. Many of you received a copy of the fall calendar in your worship bulletin on Sunday, and it’s attached again here. The calendar includes a number of upcoming mission events, such as the AIDS Walk on October 29th. We’ll walk together as a team that day, wearing our new CPC t-shirts. Please take a look at the attached AIDS Walk form for information about how to register for the event both as an individual walker and as a member of the CPC Team.
Other upcoming events include:
Sunday School Supper &Information Session: This Saturday, 9/17, from 5-8 pm.
Bible Study: Reconvenes this Sunday, 9/18, from 9:30 to 10:20 am.
Cabinet Meeting: This Sunday, 9/18, after worship in the Library.
Diaconate Meeting: Sunday, 9/25, after worship in the Library.
Interfaith Meditation: Tuesday, 9/27, from 7:30 to 8:30 pm in the Sanctuary.
In closing, I had a lovely time yesterday morning with the CPC Book Group as we discussed the amazing novel, Cutting for Stone. If you’ve never met with this passionate and informed group of readers, you’re missing a real treat! They gather on the second Tuesday of each month from 9:30 am to Noon in the Parlor.
Blessings to you and yours,
Pastor Ellen
August 31, 2011
Greetings,
It was a joy to see so many of you this past Sunday, emerging from homes with or without power, sloshing through rain soaked streets, and gathering together in worship to celebrate the call to love and justice exemplified by the life and work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As I said in my sermon, many Civil Rights leaders have emphasized that their movement began “at the hour of prayer, on our knees.” And I claimed that it was the spiritual inspiration of both the Exodus Story of liberation and Christ’s call to love our enemies, which motivated those involved to risk their own lives without harming others. It was an extraordinary movement, and it is not yet finished. For, just as “the Exodus is a development, not an endpoint, the Civil Rights Movement is a process, not a product. And Dr. King may have passed on, but his dream has not. His dream… still lives and there are many voices and lives through which it is going to be realized.” We at CPC can be a part of this realization in so many ways, through worship, mission, education, outreach and extravagant welcome. There is hope, and there’s still a great deal work to be done!
~New(s) For Fall~
Mission: The Mission Committee will be meeting on Tuesday, 9/6, at 6 pm and seeks the support of everyone who’s asked that we do more mission work at CPC. Please e-mail Jennifer Singleterry at jsingleterry@gmail.com if you’d like to participate in a specific project and/or join us for the meeting.
Sunday School: Thanks to our wonderful Christian Education Chair and Associate (Serena Wiltshire and Anna Sannes), we have a great year planned for the children. On Saturday, 9/17, all families and teachers are invited to a Sunday School Supper & Information Session from 5-8 pm. Activities for the kids will be provided after supper while the parents and teachers gather for information sharing and training.
Worship:
Preaching—Beginning in September, I’ll preach most Sundays, but will open the pulpit to other voices and ideas once a month. Please let me know if you’d be interested in sharing a biblically and/or experientially based 15-20 minute talk with the congregation, and I’ll schedule your theme for the appropriate Sunday!
Middle School Students—Beginning in October, our 6th-8th grade students will join us for worship on the 1st Sunday of each month. Since that’s Communion Sunday, I plan (hope!) to offer a homily on those days that is multi-generational in appeal.
As we approach the end of summer, I look forward to seeing many of you who have been away. I wish you safe travels and a joyous return!
Blessings,
Pastor Ellen
August 11, 2011
Many thanks to Mike Durst and Dit Talley for preaching and leading worship while I was away on vacation this past week. As Don Marshall emphasized in his recent e-mail, Sabbath and rest are very important parts of our life and work together as a congregation, and it was, indeed, a good thing for me to spend a week out west, on the trail, by the river, and in the mountains.
Of course, I was also visiting family, and, as Dit reminded us in last Sunday’s sermon, all families face their own systemic challenges. I’m grateful to him for this honesty at a time of year when so many of us are visiting relatives or attending family reunions as part of our summer vacations. It’s important to be reminded that, just as none of us is perfect as an individual, none of us has a perfect family. And that’s okay; our loving God embraces us with tenderness and grace regardless (or perhaps even, because of) these challenges. For this triune God is nothing if not a God of relationship: Father, Son, Holy Ghost; Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer; Mother, Child, Spirit. Each of these Trinitarian formulas presents a God-in-relationship. In fact, the Trinitarian concept of God reminds us that we are connected at the core. And even if our families, at times, provide us with more concerns than joys, well, we are still connected. So stay tuned for Part II of the dysfunctional families sermon series: I’ll be preaching it this Sunday!
Other bits and pieces:
- I spoke with Rev. Dick Dodds, our Minister Emeritus, a few days ago, and he and his wife, Margaret, will be joining us for worship on Sunday, August 28th. He also happened to mention how much he loves our Coffee Hour–hint, hint!
- A half dozen people responded to my “Pastor vs. Reverend” question. Matt Henkes wins the prize for best Wiki Research response, which I’m sharing here: “Reverend and Minister are both titles denoting that you are a clergy person. Pastor [means] that you are the ordained leader of a particular church. I like Pastor, because of the leadership position it denotes, and [according to this definition], you are our pastor!” Margaret Goodman had the funniest response, which was to suggest that I be called “Reverend Mom” (though, as you might guess, my kids had already thought of that!). So here’s what I suggest: 1) you’re each free to call me what you wish, 2) I’d like the children to call me Pastor Ellen, and 3) I’ll appear as “Reverend Ellen Jennings” on formal and “Pastor Ellen” on informal written communications (with both in the worship bulletin). Your further input is always welcome!
I look forward to seeing you this Sunday.
Blessings,
Ellen
July 27, 2011
I want to offer my thanks to the large number of people who attended this past Sunday’s worship service and special thanks to those of you who stayed afterward for our mid-year meeting. I’m told this may have been record attendance for a July service and congregational gathering!
In many ways, Sunday was the culmination of the first stage of my ministry with you—the “start up” and “getting to know you” stage. Of course, there are still more people for me to meet and plenty of things about CPC for me to learn, but I have a feeling that the intensity of this initial two month period, in which I threw most of my energy into finding out “who you are,” “what you do,” and “how things work,” will probably not need to be repeated.
I’m grateful for this, because it means that we can now move on to the next stage and begin working on the ideas I shared Sunday, both in my sermon and in my visioning statement (attached to this e-mail). As I said at the meeting, the vision I’m proposing for the coming year does not preempt any strategic planning that will begin this fall. In fact, the two are quite compatible. The vision I shared, which is based on the input I’ve received from you, provides a roadmap for the coming year, while the strategic planning committee will be creating a plan for the next 5-7 years, most likely concluding with our 100th Anniversary in 2018.
If you weren’t at Sunday’s worship service or meeting, I encourage you to read the attached sermon and statement. And, of course, I invite your questions, concerns and suggestions. Because this vision involves us all!
On a few more notes:
* I received a lovely and welcoming card from Rev. Dick Dodds, who hopes to come visit and worship with us one of these days. If anyone is in need of his addresses (summer in PA and winter in FL), please let me know.
* I’ll be away on vacation from 7/30-8/7, visiting my parents in Montana. Mike Durst will lead worship and preach on Sunday, 7/31, and Dit Talley will lead worship, preach and serve communion on Sunday, 8/7. If there’s a pastoral emergency, please call Kimberly Durham Bates at the church office, and she’ll contact me.
* If anyone else has an opinion about the “Pastor vs. Reverend” question, please share it! I’ll summarize your responses in my next missive.
I wish you a wonderful couple of weeks.
Blessings, Pastor Ellen
July 13, 2011
Hi Everyone,
As you’ve probably figured out by now, Don Marshall, our interim Moderator, and I are taking turns with this weekly missive to the congregation. This week we’re going out of order, so that Don can write next week’s message leading up to our mid year congregational meeting on Sunday, 7/24. If you don’t yet have this date on your calendar, please add it now—we’ll meet for an hour immediately after worship, and childcare will be provided.
This week I thought I’d update you on a few groups and committees with whom I’ve been meeting as well as presenting you with a challenging question…Mission—we had a great meeting last week and have come up with a plan for mission work at CPC that we’ll be sharing with the congregation over the next couple of months. In the meanwhile, committee members will be offering a Moment for Mission at the beginning of worship each Sunday to highlight both specific mission projects and important mission themes. If you’d like to be part of this dynamic committee, please e-mail John at josborne@g-risk.com
Young Adults—we recently enjoyed both a fun dinner together and an interesting conversation about what appeals to younger adults and what they hope CPC can provide for them. Interestingly, though they’d like CPC to offer more evening/after work events, they don’t want to create anything that will directly compete or conflict with Sunday morning worship. They value being part of a multi-generational community!
Children and Youth Programming—we’re planning an excellent year of Sunday School, including a new 6th/7th grade class. We’re also brainstorming ideas for our teens, such as the possibility of a Summer 2012 mission trip to WV. The Sunday School year will kick off with a Family Supper in September (date TBA), at which we’ll outline the year’s program for parents, provide training and materials for teachers, and offer kids the opportunity to be part of our acolyte and/or new Jr Deacon programs. If you’re interested in assisting with our Children and Youth, please e-mail Serena at Wiltshire@starpower.net.
Sunday Get Togethers—we’ve already had two good sessions on 7/3 and 7/10, with one more scheduled for 7/17. About a dozen people participated in each, with an age range of 12 to 80(ish)! I’m finding out all sorts of interesting things about the history of CPC, as well as people’s hopes and dreams for the future.
In addition, I discovered (see following):Pastor or Reverend?– …some people have mixed feelings about what to call their pastor/minister! In other words, am I “Reverend” or am I “Pastor?” Good question! In my past positions, I’ve always been known as “Rev. Ellen,” but I assumed the tradition at CPC was to use the term “Pastor.” And, in fact, upon thinking about it, I decided that “Pastor” has a more heart-centered feel to it than “Reverend,” so I was fine with the switch. But, I’m curious—what do YOU think? If you have an opinion, feel free to e-mail me at (yes, my e-mail refers to “pastor”) pastor@cpcchurch.org and let me know both your preference and why you prefer it.And, of course, you’re always welcome to call me, “Ellen!”
Blessings,
Rev. Ellen Jennings
July 7, 2011
Greetings~
I hope everyone enjoyed a festive 4th of July celebration after our Sunday Service that focused on welcome and refuge. Both the reading from the Gospel of Matthew, “Come unto me all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest,” and the Emma Lazarus poem, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…,” connect in wonderful ways to our congregation’s welcoming mission statement: “To nurture love of God and love of neighbor in the world.
As you probably realized from last Sunday’s sermon, I don’t think we can ever overstate the importance of welcome to Jesus’ message, and, hence, to our Christian tradition. In fact, our denomination, the United Church of Christ, makes this point by referring not just to “welcome,” but to “extravagant welcome.” And, since the UCC just celebrated its 54th anniversary (right before our nation celebrated its 235th), this seems like a wonderful time to highlight and affirm the extravagant welcome that we, as Cleveland Park Congregational United Church of Christ, make great effort to offer one another, our community and the larger world.
As we move toward our mid-year congregational meeting on 7/24, I invite each of you to envision the ways in which YOU see our congregation living out its mission in the world. New programming will, of course, emerge from this vision, and many of us are excited, if not anxious, to begin creating it! However, I strongly believe that it’s important for us to agree on our passions and priorities before beginning to organize and establish new initiatives.
As part of this process, I’ve already participated in a great number of meetings and individual conversations at CPC over the past month, and I’ve listened carefully to what you each have to say. I plan to share the results of this information gathering, along with my own reflections, in a “vision sermon” on 7/24. Some of the areas on which I’ll focus will include: Children & Youth Programming, Mission & Outreach, Communications, New Members, and Member Care. If you have a priority you’d like to add, please let me know. This is a great church with many wonderful things already happening and many more excellent possibilities in store!
My sermon this Sunday will focus on Body and Spirit, with references to both the challenging passage on that subject in Pauls’ Letter to the Romans and the Genesis story of Jacob and Esau. We’re both body and spirit; how do we embrace it all?
I hope to see you in church! Pastor Ellen
It was good to see so many of you in church last Sunday for a service focused on New Life and the Spirit, which celebrated Father’s Day, a Baptism, and my first Sunday preaching as your new pastor. The sermon explored the interrelationship of beginnings and endings and suggested that the success of our new ministry together will depend on listening and communicating—with God, with ourselves, and with one another. As I said at the end—“it’s time to begin!”
Following Sunday’s service, we had a very well attended Cabinet meeting that included an official acknowledgement of Don Marshall’s role as our interim Moderator while Lori Sonderegger is away caring for her ill mother. We also agreed on the importance of creating a coordinated plan for all church communications, including: our website, membership and outreach materials, brochures and signs. Matt Henkes has volunteered to facilitate this task force of four Cabinet members.
I’m glad to report that I’m continuing to meet and communicate with many individuals and committees in my effort to get to know all of you and learn about the different programs and priorities in the life of the church. This week’s meetings will focus on: Sunday School and youth programming, new members, member care, and the website. I’ll also be participating in the Sunday morning Bible Class and will be meeting with the Diaconate after worship.
This Sunday’s service will, as promised, focus on the Pentecost Story of God’s Holy Spirit descending upon the disciples and their followers on Shavuot (the Jewish Festival of Weeks) fifty days after Jesus’ death. I’ll make a connection with the challenging story of the Sacrifice of Isaac, which is the Hebrew Bible lectionary reading for the day.
Finally, I encourage you to participate in one of the member meetings I’m hosting after church in July (7/3, 7/10 and 7/17). Sign up sheets are in the parlor. And I ask that you reserve Sunday, 7/24, for our mid year congregational meeting, which will be held after church on that day.
As always, I welcome your calls, e-mails and input!
Peace Be With You,Pastor Ellen
pastor@cpcchurch.org
P.S. Please feel free to stop by the church parlor and take what you’d like from the collection of old books I recently culled from the pastor’s study.
June 13, 2011
What a joyful Children’s Sunday Service we had yesterday! The sanctuary was filled with Spirit and New Life, and I think everyone enjoyed the excitement of a truly multi-generational worship experience. My hope is that we can find more opportunities for children, youth and adults to worship together, regularly celebrating the fact that our congregation includes members and friends of all ages and stages.
Having just completed my first week with CPC, I’m happy to report that this new journey has already had a wonderful beginning. I’ve enjoyed the first of many meetings with lay leaders, was happy to provide some pastoral care, and even managed to sneak in a quick trip to the UCC Central Atlantic Conference in Newark, DE. I was truly pleased that Matt Henkes, the elected delegate from CPC, was able to attend this annual meeting with me.
Looking to the week ahead, I’ll be preaching for the first time as your pastor this coming Sunday. My sermon will continue the focus on Spirit and New Life while also highlighting my developing vision of a ministry with Cleveland Park Church. I’ll be performing a baptism as well, which seems fabulously fitting.
As for the Pastor’s Page you’re reading, I plan to write one each week until Lori Sonderegger, our Moderator, is able to return to DC from Connecticut where she’s been caring for her very ill mother. At that point, Lori will resume sending a Moderator’s Memo, and we’ll decide whether I should continue sending my message as well.
In closing, I want to encourage each of you to sign up for one of the meetings I’ll be hosting after church most Sundays in July. I’m eager to meet as many of you as possible and to hear about your hopes and dreams for this wonderful congregation as we begin planning our future together. Please e-mail info@cpcchurch.org with your date of choice (7/3, 7/10 or 7/17) or put your name on one of the sign up sheets in the parlor.
May the Holy Spirit fill your being with the peace and love of God this day and always.
Blessings,Pastor Ellen
pastor@cpcchurch.org