THIS WEEK AT FAITH

June 2, 2024

No matter who you are

or where you are on life’s journey

you are welcome here.

Our Welcoming Statement

FAITH UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

5992 Route 378

Center Valley, PA 18034

610.282.3939

Office Hours:

Monday (*remotely) - 9 am - 4:00 pm

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday - 9 am - 4:00 pm

Friday - Closed/Pastor's Sabbath

*Sandy will be working remotely but will check messages

on a regular basis. If you find yourself in immediate need,

call or text her at 610-967-6232.

faithchurchcv@gmail.com

www.faithchurchucc.org

MEMBERS & FRIENDS DIRECTORY

(Updated May 2024)

What's happening in June??

Look inside to find out!

Pastor Bruce has a new email address effective immediately:

pastorbruce.faithucc@outlook.com

Join us for Worship this

2nd Sunday after Pentecost

June 2, 2024

10:15 am Worship

Order of Worship

Thanks to our Volunteers:

Melissa Shafer, Head Usher

Cindy Talaber & Iris Shelly, Ushers

Cindy Talaber, Lay Reader

Sue Roberts, Altar Flowers

Wes Koser, Financial Secretary

Dwayne Schantz & Bob Shelly, Lawn Crew

FAITH UCC CALENDAR

Sunday 6/2 - 10:15 am WORSHIP; 12:30 pm Youth Bowling Party; 6 pm Native Plants Presentation
Monday 6/3 - Sandy will work IN the office
Tuesday 6/4 - 2 pm Faith in Stitches; 7:00 pm Worship Com Mtg
Thursday 6/6 - Personal Day for Sandy
Friday 6/7 - Office Closed/Pastor's Day Off
Sunday 6/9 - 10:15 am WORSHIP

VOLUNTEER SCHEDULE

Interested in sponsoring altar flowers? Open dates are 7/21, 7/28, 8/4, 9/1, 11/24 & 12/15. The cost is $40. Call the church office to reserve your date!

Youth Bowing Party!

We're having a bowling party for Faith Youth on Sunday June 2!

When: June 2, 12:30 – 2:30

Where: Earl Bowl, Quakertown

Cost: FREE!!!

Lunch: Pizza and Soda include!

DON'T FORGET TO REGISTER

Native Plants In My Garden

Sunday, June 2, 2024

6 - 7:30 pm at Faith UCC

You are invited to attend a presentation hosted by Faith UCC Justice Committee and given by Penn State Master Gardener, Consuelo Almodovar on NATIVE PLANTS!!

There will be an activity for children! Please register the age(s) of your children so we can plan accordingly.

The first ten people to register will take home a NATIVE PLANT!

Looking to recycle unused gardening containers? We are looking for gently used gardening containers for our June 2 Native Plant program (5 inches or larger). Please leave them in the designated box in the narthex.

A LOOK AHEAD...

SUNDAY, JUNE 16TH

HONORING FATHERS
HONORING GRADUATES -

Amanda Gunkle

Connor Licairac

Noah Jellison

Sadie Schaffer

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING TO ELECT CONSISTORY MEMBERS

JUSTICE COMMITTEE EVENT

SATURDAY, JUNE 22ND

POLLINATOR CELEBRATION AND NATIVE PLANT SALE

BURNSIDE PLANTATION

10 am -2 pm

1461 Schoenersville Road

Bethlehem, PA 18018

SATURDAY

June 29th at 2:00 pm

CELEBRATE THE LIFE

OF MIKE FORD

here at Faith UCC

Mike's Obituary

WATER COMMUNION

As we carry on the traditions of friendship and community with each other, the Worship Committee would like to continue the practice that allows each of us to renew our baptism in a way that is special and unique to each of us.

We're sure all of you have special locations that make you feel happy and safe, or just able to forget your worries and have fun. So while you are on vacation or just enjoying time at home, we would like you to take one of the tubes (available in the narthex) with you and collect some water from your special place. This could be at your favorite beach, the ocean, mountains with streams or lakes, a favorite fishing hole, golf course, or hiking trail. Maybe a luxurious bath or hot tub! Perhaps standing on a porch during summer rains or getting splashed going down a water flume at an amusement park. It could be something as simple as the hose you use to water your flowers and your garden, the tub where you bathed you children when they were young, or your kitchen where you have prepared many meals.

Whatever or wherever you feel happy, grab some water AND make SURE that someone takes a picture of you collecting your water. Please turn your picture into the church office by Sunday, August 25th.

On Sunday, September 15th bring your water to church and we will celebrate “Water Communion.” During the service that day everyone will come forward and pour the water into the baptismal font. We will dedicate the water and have it sterilized and throughout the year at each baptism we will pour a portion of the water into the baptismal font. This way we will all be participating in baptisms by our actions and our promises. Children as well as adults are encouraged to participate.

From

The Rev. Dr. Bonnie Bates

Conference Minister

“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth. "I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:17-21, NRSV)

Dear friends,

May is reaching its end and June is about to begin. This June, for the first time in our history as UCC conferences, all four of the PA UCC Conferences will be meeting together in State College, PA. It is an exciting time. It may also be anxiety producing for some of us.

Change usually brings with it some anxiety. We like to have predictable outcomes, but we are not always able to see them as we approach new ways of working, new ways of worshiping, or new ways of following Jesus. We can enter new relationships, new processes, and new beginnings with some fear. I am reminded, when I pray, that fear does not come from God, and that Jesus’ hope for the church is that we would unify and be one.

“That they may all be one,” was a prayer of Jesus as he prepared to leave his disciples. It is still a prayer for the church and is a key part of the foundational belief of the UCC. This call to be one does not mean we lose our own individual identities. We were, of course, created as unique individuals, and our churches are unique in faith practice and mission. Yet, we are called by Christ into unity, not uniformity.

As we gather next week, representatives of our conferences will explore the possibilities afforded us by coming together as one merged conference. Those of us who have been working on the study and working group for the past 19 months truly believe that the four conference are stronger together – we have so many gifts to share, so many opportunities to explore, so much to accomplish, and we CAN do the work of the church better with the mutuality of support, faith, and hope as we work together.

I hope to see many of you at the All-PA UCC Spring Conference Meeting, some in person and some on-line. I hope you will explore with us the benefits of coming together in unity with one another, ask the questions you need answered, and share your hopes and dreams with us. Please reach out if you have questions, concerns, or hopes which you think we have not yet addressed. Please be part of the process of moving into the future with hope, grace, faith, and strength. Please follow Jesus as we, in PA, seek to be “one.”

Blessings,

Bonnie

FROM THE CONFERENCE

Visit our Website

Children of Blessing

by Vicki Kemper

“This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. So they shall put my name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.” – Numbers 6:23-27 (NKJV)

It’s a funny thing how—in my countless years of hearing, offering, and receiving this blessing—I never really noticed the explanation behind it. As the ancient liberated-but-lost Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, God wanted them to know they were in good hands. That they belonged to God. That God’s name was their name, too.

It’s funny—in the hidden way of holy mysteries—because that’s exactly what was behind the “blessings to go” I felt called to start offering some 12 years ago. More than anything else, I wanted people to know they were beloved children of God. Deep down, that was also what I needed to know.

By the time you read this, Pride observances in the college-saturated corner of the world where I live will have come and gone. I will have spent four non-stop hours telling folks of all sexualities, genders, and identities that they are beloved children of God. I will have wiped away tears and received grateful hugs.

But where you live, Pride month and its many joyful celebrations of queer love are just around the corner. You can still get thyself to a parade—or anyplace—and share God’s flamboyant and extravagant love. Blessings be upon you.

Prayer

What a gift it is to share your name and lineage! May we shine as we share your love with all people and creation.

About the Author

Vicki Kemper is the Pastor of First Congregational, UCC, of Amherst, Massachusetts.

WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR

SUPPLYING 100 BOTTLES OF DETERGENT

FOR BETTY LOU'S PANTRY THIS MONTH.

THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP!

FOOD ITEMS DESPERATELY NEEDED:

PEANUT BUTTER

PASTA

MACARONI & CHEESE

MAY

31 Gavin Gunkle

31 Kristen Jellison

JUNE

01 Amy Schafer

02 Amy Grammer

02 Joel Ritter

03 Ruth Cressman

05 Alyce Featherman

05 Roger Erney

05 Alison Stebbings

05 Miles Stebbings

06 Adele Gasda

08 Jean Cambiotti

08 Carol Eisenhart

09 Ellen Stetler

09 Sara Hovis

09 Morrison Hite

12 William Steele

12 Brooke Bittenbender

13 Nicole Schaffer

16 Gertrude Steinbach

17 LaVerna Diehl

18 Diane Jenny

18 Brenda Snyder

19 Amanda Y

24 Karen Talboo

25 Jennifer Schaffer

26 Monica Campbell

27 Deb Orach

27 Adam Bouc

27 Andrew Weidner

28 Rodney Koch

30 Damon Eltz

A Special THANK YOU to all who continue to financially support our ministry as you are able. We'd like to remind you there are several ways you can do this: