L king Ahead - Union Congregational Church | St. Louis Park

Union Congregational
United Church of Christ
A J ust P eace, Open and Affirming Churc h
E-pistle
Contact Us: (952)929-8566
Email us: Info@Unionslp.com
DATE: June 10, 2014
Church Office Hours: 9:00 a.m.—2:00 p.m.
Interim Pastor
Pastor—
—Contact Information
Office Hours: M-W 9:00-1:00, Th. 12:00-2:00
Email: Interimpastor@unionslp.com
Bob Griggs - cell number: (218)402-0484
Director of Faith Formation
Formation—
—Contact Information
Email: dff@unionslp.com
Leah Springer - cell number: (612)280-8588
Please visit our Website at:
http://unionslp.com
(CTRL + click to follow link)
WiFi is available at Union Church,
connect using the password unionslp.
INDEX
From the Interim Pastor
Joys and Concerns
Summer Celebrations
TDFS:
Storage Space Needed
Work Day
Deal of the Week
Hats for the Free Store
Adult Education
Faith and Film
Pilgrim Point Camp
Loose Coin
STEP
Assisting Next Sunday
This Week at Union
Looking Ahead
From the Interim Pastor
This weekend we have the opportunity to meet our neighbors and let people in our
community know that we are alive and well at 37th and Alabama. A sizable
contingent of members has already signed up to march in the Partacular Parade,
but the more the merrier. And also, the more who march the stronger impact it
will make on our neighbors. Folks are meeting at the church at 11:00 AM on
Saturday to go to the staging area of the parade together. If you are free and able,
come and join our church's group. And as some are marching, others of us will be
at the Minnesota Conference Annual Meeting at St. Benedict’s College. Please
keep all the delegates and our conference staff in your prayers as we work together
to discern the future of our conference.
Bob Griggs
Joys and Concerns
Sonia Schuster had a same day surgical procedure on Friday. All went well, and
she is recovering at home. Let us keep Sonia in our prayers for a rapid recovery
and quick return to church.
Let us keep Randy Pratt in our prayers as he continues to do the hard work of
managing the aftermath of the fire at his home.
Search Committee Update
The June 2nd trial Skype meeting went well, and we are working out the details for
interviews with actual candidates. We have now received resumes from ten pastors.
The team met Sunday after worship to take a look at them. The message from
worship spoke to us as we continue to pray for the discernment of the Holy Spirit to
guide us along the way and help us look fairly at all potential candidates. The
search committee will meet weekly in June as many of us are traveling in July.
We will keep you posted as more profiles come in and as we start to narrow down
the numbers.
Submitted by
Summer Is Still Speaking
June 14 Parktacular Parade
Sunday, June 14, Noon to 2:00 p.m. 40th & Joppa to Rec Center.
June 22 Outdoor Worship and Ice Cream
Held on Union’s front lawn, sponsored by
the Faith Formation Board.
June 25 Faith and Film - 7:00 p.m.
The first of three Wednesday evening
worship services that highlight ties between family friendly films and
our faith journeys.
June 27 Gay Pride Festival—June 27, 28 and 29
June 29 Gay Pride Parade
Starts at 3rd & Hennepin at 11:00 a.m. and ends at Spruce & Hennepin.
THANKSGIVING DAY FREE STORE
Messages from the Thanksgiving Day Free Store
TDFS Storage Space
HELP! We need storage space. We have been storing our inventory in Randy's
basement. His home was extensively damaged in a garage fire. Fortunately the Free
Store items seem to be largely intact and undamaged. The coats I've sniffed do not
smell smokey at all, for which we are grateful. We will know more after we can get
in with our inventory sheets to do a systematic assessment of what's there. We do
know we need to find donated space to store our coats, clothing and personal care
items. If any of you have space in your homes, or know of a business or
organization that might be willing to donate some storage space for a charity, please
let us know. We'd like to find a reasonably long-term solution, but if you could even
offer some temporary storage for some of the things from the burned home that
would be great. Thanks for your help!
~Sarah Stanley
TDFS Work Day
INVENTORY WORK DAY
SATURDAY, JUNE 28, 9am-NOON
We will be sorting and counting our inventory down in the basement.
Doughnuts and coffee will be provided. Please sign up on the bulletin
board in Fellowship Hall so we know how many to expect.
TDFS—Deal of the Week
Sho
ppin
g
Dea
l Of
The
Wee
k
June 8 Deal of the Week
Walgreen's has Mitchum Deodorant for 99 cents
with
card and the $2 coupon from the Sunday paper.
This is a great deal!
Hats For the Free Store
Oh the weather outside's delightful, But next winter will be frightful,
So while by some lake we sit, let us knit, let us knit, LET US KNIT!
Summer is upon us and we'll all be busy enjoying everything that the season offers.
However, we also know that winter will return, bringing with it the harsh reality of
the cold for those who are living on the edge. We need to keep knitting to reach our
goal of 250 hats for the Thanksgiving Day Free Store.
Reminder of the basics:
Hats may be knit or crochet
Any pattern is acceptable, although we prefer hats with
rolled brims and those using double-strands or bulky
yarn for extra warmth.
There are a variety of knitting patterns available if you
need one.
Wool is preferred, but any and all yarns will be accepted.
Please contact Carolyn Cleveland (cmaccleve@gmail.com) if you have any
questions.
Submitted by
Adult Education
Sundays, 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. in the Library (call to arrange child care)
THE OLD TESTAMENT is a 24 lecture DVD series given by the widely sought
speaker, Professor Amy-Jill Levine of Vanderbilt University Divinity School. The
lectures offer an introduction to the history, literature and religion of ancient Israel
and early Judaism as presented in the New Testament. The lectures aim at a very
general familiarity with the Bible's themes and figures. Oriented toward historical
context and literary meanings, these lectures provide members of faith communities
with richer insights into the literary content and into the debates over their meaning
as well as the critical methods through which they have been interpreted.
Beginning June 22, a study on the book of Ecclesiastes: Some think the book was
written by a cynical curmudgeon, but is God still speaking to us to address problems
of pain, anxiety, as well as living the good life?
Beginning around July 27 through approximately the end of the year, our study will
focus on the New Testament.
All ideas welcomed and respected. Coffee provided.
Submitted by the Faith Formation
Board
Faith and Film Summer Series
Wednesdays 7:00 p.m.
♦June 25, Finding Nemo
♦July 23, TBD
♦August 20, We Bought a Zoo and Blessing of the Animals
Three Wednesday evenings this summer families of all shapes and sizes will gather
in an informal setting to discuss faith as it is touched on in popular films. June 25,
7:00 p.m., we begin looking at scripture, our lives and the adventures in Disney’s
Finding Nemo. This is a wonderful film for all ages about individuality, family,
community, love, forgiveness and justice.
Submitted by
Pilgrim Point Camp
Celebrating Traditions!
Camp begins with Fireworks and BBQ of July picnic, continues with celebrations of
Valentine’s, Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays and ends with
the traditional Pasta Bar dinner. There will be service
opportunities in nearby Alexandria and at camp, daily swimming,
“low ropes” challenge activities, group games, a waterfront
carnival, and a Talent Show with everything from knock-knock
jokes and singing chins to original music and dramatic readings.
JULY FAMILY CAMP PILGRIM POINT
JULY 13 - 19, 2014
Registration materials at:
www.pilgrimpoint.org (congregational camps)
www.unionslp.com (forms) or call Union Church 952.929.8566
Submitted by Benevolence and
Community Outreach Board
June Loose Coin
We invite everyone to participate in Sunday’s offering, even if it’s just dropping a
few coins in the plate. Our giving acknowledges that God provides more than
enough for us each day, and affirms our desire to help those who are in need. Coins
from this month’s loose offering will be donated to myHealth for Teens and Young
Adults (formerly West Suburban Teen Clinic,) which offers comprehensive,
professional, and low-cost medical, mental health, and health education services to
youth ages 12 to 23.
For more information, please visit: http://
myselfmyhealth.org/clinic-profile/westsuburban-teen-clinic-hopkins-location/.
Formerly West Suburban Teen Clinic
Submitted by the Benevolence &
Community Outreach Board
STEP (St. Louis Park Emergency Program)
Achoo!!! Has anyone got a tissue?
Food stamps won't cover paper goods. So, pass your neighbor a box of
tissues, and while you're at it, throw in a pack of paper towels. For
those little unexpected messes, tissues and paper towels are essentials!
Book Club
Our Book Club choice for June is A Pelican of the Wilderness:
Depression, Psalms, Ministry and Movies by local, renowned
author, Rev. Bob Griggs. He tells his story of depression and
recovery - a recovery of health, vocation and faith. He turned to
the biblical Psalms, but he also found hope in films including
Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Blazing Saddles. To the mental health
issues facing clergy and others in the helping professions Griggs
brings to bear insights from research and from his own
experience as a pastor and a person recovering from depression.
He tells his story with spirit and humor.
Join us at Bruegger’s Bagels, 4500 Excelsior Boulevard in St. Louis Park on
Monday, June 16 at 10:00 a.m. This book is available at Amazon.com and at
Barnes & Noble.
Assisting Next Sunday
Fellowship Hosts
Greeter
Head Usher
Reader
Money Counters
Team #7 (Ruth Berger)
Ilo Madden
Don Franson
Karen Heuiser
Barb Steinmetz and Kathy Hunter
This Week at Union
DATE
TIME
EVENT
LOCATION
Tues., June 10
Wed., June 11
10:30 a.m. Bible Study
6:00 p.m. Building & Grounds
6:15 p.m. Kid Zone
Library
Discipleship Room
Fellowship Hall
Thurs., June 12
7:00 p.m. ACIM (A Course In Miracles) Library
Fri., June 13
7:30 p.m. Friday Night AA Hope Group Library
Office Closed
Sat., June 14
Sun., June 15
Father’s Day
8:30 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
After Worship
6:00 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
Mon., June 16
Tues., June 17
L
10:00 a.m.
6:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
Adult Education
Worship Service
Fellowship Time
AA I
AA II
Library
Sanctuary
Fellowship Hall
Fellowship Hall
Fellowship Hall
Book Club
Search Committee
Finance Board
Monday Night Step Group
Al Anon
Bruegger’s Bagels
Pastor Bob’s Office
Discipleship Room
Library
Basement
6:30 p.m. Faith Formation Board
Library
king Ahead
June 14
Parktacular Parade
June 19
Breakfast Club
June 22
Outdoor Worship at Union
June 25
Faith and Film
June 27-29
Gay Pride Festival
June 29
Gay Pride Parade
July 3
Staff Floater Holiday
July 4
Independence Day
July 12
Calhoun/Deaven Wedding
July 26
Shakespeare in the Park