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A Just Peace CongregationThe Good News – October 2021 NewsletterDear Clackamas UCC,At Bible Study a few weeks ago we had a meaningful conversation about shame. I recently went on a retreat with folksinvolved in peace work in the United States and in Africa. I was amazed because the main topic that came up in that BibleStudy and in the retreat was the same: Shame. In one way or another, shame seems to be a universal human emotion.Many would rather deny that we experience shame, but this denial only causes us to project our own sense of shameonto others, which allows us to neglect the responsibility to take responsibility for the shame that so often harms us.In our Bible Study we decided that we would like to hold a book study on shame. One of our participants suggested abook called Healing the Shame that Binds You by John Bradshaw. I have just started diving into the book, and I think itwill lead us to some great conversations.The book study will be over Zoom on the third Monday of the month from 4-5 pm Pacific. We will take this book slowly,covering 2-3 chapters at a time. For our first session, we will read the introduction and the first two chapters. Stay tunedinto upcoming emails for more info on this book study.I’d also love for you to join our congregation in a Zoom program conducted by Common Table and Ecumenical Ministriesof Oregon called “Reckoning with Racism.” I think these two topics, shame and racism, have a lot to do with each other,so it will be good to talk about these two topics at the same time. You can register at the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregonwebsite here. If you are interested, please register asap. Reckoning with Racism takes place on the first and thirdTuesday of each month from 6:30-8:30 and lasts from October to June. It is a time commitment, but you can miss someclasses here and there. I’ll be missing a few, but we will take it as a congregation, so we can fill one another up to speed.I also know that we are all wanting to get back to in-person worship as soon as possible. I’ll be talking with the worshipcommittee, trustees, and our council to see if we feel it is safe enough to worship. These are such strange times. It’sharder to stay connected, and I am ready for it to be over. I know you are too, but we also need to keep ourselves andespecially the most vulnerable among us safe. These are tensions that are hard to navigate, and I often feel a sense ofshame for not knowing the answers, which is another reason why I personally think this upcoming book study will beimportant for me.As always, if you have any comments or questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to hear from you.Grace and peace,Pastor Adamadam@c-ucc.orgChanges to This Week's Service - This Sunday we will worship with the Centra Pacific Conference of the United Church of Christ at 10 amfor World Communion Sunday. Our guest preacher is from Palestine, Rev. Fadi Diab, who will preach on the theme of this year's annualgathering, "Living Water." Please know that everyone is welcome to worship. You do not have to have signed up for the annual gathering inorder to attend. As always, everyone is welcome. Please join at 10 am at this Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81964687771After worship, we will join together with others who attended worship for coffee hour on Zoom. Here is the link to join coffee hour- https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82844911423At 9 am, during our normally scheduled online service, we will hold a 20-minute morning meditation and prayer service on our FacebookPage 1Page and YouTube channel. It will be a time for music, song, and lifting one another up in prayer.
Prayer RequestsKeep the following folks in your prayers!Rev. Norm Bengel – On hospiceJudy Boncaro – Following surgery and recent fall – send cards until Oct. 6 to Marquis Mill Park, 1475 Southeast 100thSt., Portland, Oregon 97216Roberta Chaffee – Ongoing health issuesRev. Ann Duffy – Ongoing post-surgery knee issuesDave & Rhonda Frick-Wright & Family – Upon the death of Dave’s mother, DorisSavannah Goddard (friend of Amy Brinkley) – Waiting for a kidney transplantJunita Kauble – Follow-up after cancer treatmentDwight Richardson – Ongoing health issuesMillie Sandwick – Ongoing health issuesElsie Savin – Ongoing health issues, cards would be appreciated c/o Michael & Jazelle SavinSteven Schroedl – In treatment for autoimmune diseaseJoyce Steiner, Janice Straub, Family & Friends – Following the death of Joyce’s husband, Eldon SteinerAll the children and teachers in our communities returning to school – That safety measures keepthem healthy and in schoolFor the Afghan refugees in our world – That they are safe and receive help to adjust to new livesoutside of AfghanistanThank you to Erika Beseda – for cleaning and purging the preschool and nursery rooms inpreparation of return to in-person worship. Erika is a new member of the ChristianEducation Committee. Thank you, Erika!Dave Frick-Wright – for making all of the much-needed repairs to the outside playstructure. Stay tuned for furtherexciting news about the outdoor equipment later this year!Neighbors in Need Special OfferingEvery year CUCC takes part in the national effort to raise funds for Neighbors in Need. In2021, Neighbors in Need “Unfailing Love” offering is focused on supporting organizationsand projects that are serving homeless and immigrant neighbors or communities. One-thirdof NIN funds support the Council for American Indian Ministry (CAIM). Two-thirds of thisPage 2
offering is used by the UCC’s Justice and Witness Ministries (JWM) to provide funding grants to UCC churchesand organizations leading justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects in their communities.Please join us by sending a special donation to Neighbors in Need. Donations can be made on our Giving page with thedesignation of NIN, or mailed to PO Box 2562, Clackamas, OR 97015. Click here to see stories from people who have beenhelped by our Neighbors in Need offerings!Member NewsEldon Steiner’s Celebration of Life was held on September 11 where he received Military Honors includingFlag Presentation Ceremony, Taps, and the Marines’ Hymn and Amazing Grace played by Cascadia Bagpiper. He wasalso honored by the Patriot Guard Riders. Eldon served in the US Marine Corps from 1953 to 1957 and received theNational Defense Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, and the Marksmanship Ribbon (Rifle). He was a long-timemember of CUCC along with his wife of 60 years, Joyce Steiner, and sister-in-law, Janice Straub. During the Celebrationwe were also blessed to hear two songs, recordings from earlier years, of Joyce and Janice in beautiful harmony. If youwould like to hear these recordings please click on either song - How Great Thou Art and The Lord’s Prayer (Jean Herreraon piano/organ).Special memories can be mailed to Joyce Steiner directly at 7820 SE Jefferson, Milwaukie, OR 97267.Page 3
Congratulations!Sally Rudisill Gray has graduated from Portland State University and received herBS degree in Social Science. She will begin her Masters program at OHSU inSeptember and is studying for a degree in hospital management. A challenging fetefor a wife, mother of two, and a full time job! Sally is the daughter of Cheryl and JimGuffey, long time CUCC members currently living in Bend, OR.Meet New MembersAlesia ZornI am originally from New England, where I met my partner. We moved to SouthCarolina after we married and were there for 7 years. Work transferred us to Portlandin 1993 and we never looked back! We live in Northeast Portland with our 3 cats. Aftera few career changes, I gave into my lifelong passion for pen and paper and "hungout my shingle" as a calligrapher and lettering artist and have recently fallen in lovewith engraving as well. Like so many, I was drawn to CUCC by 'the sign' when I saw itposted on an East Coast friend's Facebook wall - that message bounced a long wayto lead me somewhere 11 miles from home.Rich and Leigh Ann BakerOur photo was taken a few years ago just north of Mazatlan, Mexico, at Las Labradas, an Archaeological sitepreserving 4,000-year-old petroglyphs.We met our H.S. Junior year in Geometry class, had after-school jobsacross the street from one another, and married more than half acentury ago. After spending 2 years in the Marines (mostly serving inVietNam), Rich started working as a deputy sheriff in ClackamasCounty, where he retired 30-some years later. While he was overseas,Leigh Ann worked as a legal secretary in downtown Portland. Wemoved to our first house in 1970, and raised 3 terrific kiddos here inMilwaukie, where we still reside, today.We love spending time with our grown kids and their families. We areblessed with 4 grandkids, who are growing up way too fast! Our oldestgranddaughter is working as an EMT in this local area, our 2 teenage grandsons live half way across the country inMinnesota, and our 4-year-old grandson (lucky for us) lives nearby. We try to have family dinners often, though thelast year has made it difficult!We spend our winters in Mazatlan, or at least we did before Covid-19! We fell in love with the people many yearsago, and have worked with a variety of orphanages, churches and a day care center that is transforming the lives ofthe children from the City Dump, as well as the lives of their parents, through education and counseling programs.We could go on and on about the orphanages/feeding centers/day care center and all the people we love andcurrently miss very much south-of-the-border!Page 4
Brinkley Family Celebrates!Erik, Amy and Alex Brinkley celebrating Amy’sbirthday early in September with breakfast out withthe boys.Happy Birthday, Amy!Twins Keeping BusyJanice Straub and Joyce Steiner recently visitedGov. Bob Straub State Park in Pacific City to pickwild berries, followed by canning six types of jamsand jelly – wild huckleberry, wild blackberry, plum,blueberry, hot pepper, and grape jelly. Many willbe available at our Annual Bazaar on Nov. 20!Holiday Bazaar & Quilt Raffle – Nov. 20At this point, we still are planning for our annual Holiday Bazaar andQuilt Raffle for Saturday, November 20 from 9 am to 4 pm(dependent on COVID protocols at that time)!You can help by preparing or donating handmade items for sale –embroidered dish towels, pillow cases, hand-sewn decorative pillows,shopping bags, homemade greeting cards, potholders, etc. We wouldlike to offer homemade canned items, such as jellies and jams, pickles,sauerkraut, homemade baked items, such as breads, pies, cookies, andcakes if it appears safe at that time given the Covid issues. And if you’renot a crafter or baker, you can also help by putting out yard signs andfliers in the area!We also need help setting up and working shifts as sales help andcashiers. It is fun and a worthy cause! No luncheon this year due toCOVID concerns. If you have any questions, please contact JeanHerrera.Quilt Raffle Tickets on Sale Soon!Don’t miss out on your chance to win this beautiful queen-sized “PonyExpress Star Quilt” (84" x 101-1/2"). Raffle drawing will be held during ourHoliday Bazaar Nov. 20th (need not be present to win). Stay tuned fornotice when tickets go on sale. Thank you Jean Herrera for creating thisbeautiful quilt!Page 5
Project Start Right UpdateThank you so much to everyone who donated to Project Start Right!This year they were able to give out 1,400 packs for children to startthe school year off right! Project Start Right buyers spent many hours onlinepurchasing the needed supplies. A big thank you to everyone who donated funds tomake this happen!A Thin PlaceThis place where the physical world and spiritual world meld iscalled a “thin place” in the Celtic Christian tradition. There is a Celticsaying that "heaven and earth are only three feet apart, but in thethin places that distance is even smaller.” There the veil thatseparates heaven and earth is lifted and one is able to receive aglimpse of the glory of God and all who dwell in the spiritual realm.“Thin places,” the Celts call this space,Both seen and unseen,Where the door between the worldAnd the next is cracked open for a momentAnd the light is not all on the other side.God shaped space. Holy. by Sharlande SledgeClass With Pastor Adam – Oct. 18Join Pastor Adam for a special book study on Monday, October 18, 4 to 5 pm Pacific on Zoom. We willbe reading Healing the Shame that Binds You by John Bradshaw; we will take this book slowly, covering2-3 chapters at a time. For our first session, we will read the introduction and the first two chapters. Staytuned into upcoming emails for more info on this book study.Justice & WitnessReckoning with RacismThere is still time to sign up for the Reckoning withRacism cohort with members of our congregation! Itstarts in October and runs for 9 months on the first andthird Tuesday evenings of each month. It’s a greatprogram that is run by the Common Table andEcumenical Ministries of Oregon. If you’d like moreinformation on the program and would like toregister, you can do so here. Please contact PastorAdam if you have any questions.Page 6
World Communion Sunday – Oct. 3The first Sunday of October has become a time when Christians in every culture break bread and pour thecup to remember and affirm Christ as the Head of the Church. On that day, they remember that they arepart of the whole body of believers. Whether shared in a grand cathedral, a mud hut, outside on a hilltop, ina meetinghouse, or in a storefront, Christians celebrate the communion liturgy in as many ways as thereare congregations. World Communion Sunday can be both a profound worship experience and a time forlearning more about our wider community of faith. See page 1 for service details.SOAR (Sponsors Organized to Assist Refugees)Over the past month, we have seen many heartbreaking stories about Afghan (and more recently, Haitian)refugees. Below, we've recapped a few possible organizations where you can learn more about what is being doneand how you can help:The mission of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service is, as awitness to God’s love for all people, to stand with and advocate formigrants and refugees, transforming communities through ministriesof service and justice. They have been active particularly in thesupport of Afghans evacuated to the U.S. They have a page whichlists communities where they are working to get them settled, butPortland is not currently listed. That said, you can help out in a moregeneral way.More locally, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO) is partneringwith Church World Services to help support the Afghan refugeescoming to Oregon. EMO is committed to mutual respect and understanding, bringing together diverse communitiesof faith to learn, serve and advocate for justice, peace and the integrity of creation. One of their ongoing services isSOAR, Sponsors to Assist Refugees, which welcomes and assists our new neighbors as they arrive in thePortland metro area. So even if you can't get involved right now, but feel passionate about the cause, you canbookmark and revisit, as there will always be people looking to find refuge here in the U.S.Lastly, you may remember IMIrJ, the Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice, as an organization we began topartner with prior to the pandemic. They accompany and equip communities and people of faith to advanceimmigrant justice through direct accompaniment of immigrants facing detention and deportation, policy advocacy atlocal, state and national levels, and prophetic action. While they don't have active Afghan or Haitian refugeespecific programs, they have a great newsletter about action we can take on a regular basis to help make life morehospitable in Oregon for all immigrants.We encourage you to learn more and get involved, if you can.Material submitted by Abby Kempf / CUCC Justice & Witness TeamDomestic Violence Awareness MonthDomestic violence can happen to anyone and it is present in everycommunity, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, race,socioeconomic status, religion, or nationality.During October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, several Portlandnonprofits, including Clackamas Women's Services, are providing supportfor women and children impacted by sexual abuse, domestic violence, stalking, sex trafficking, and elder abuse.Please help to raise awareness and help support victims of domestic and sexual violence. Learn more about what youcan do at this link.Page 7
Indigenous Peoples’ Day – October 11Indigenous Peoples’ Day reimagines Columbus Day, changing acelebration of colonialism into an opportunity to reveal historicaltruths about the genocide and oppression of indigenous peoples inthe Americas, to organize against current injustices, and to celebrateindigenous resistance. Click here to learn about Oregon’s formal recognition ofthis day. Use this interactive map to find out which tribe’s land youcurrently live on. There are many great books on this subject – here is oneAn Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States - thefirst history of the United States told from the perspective of indigenous peoples. Internet search for ways to recognize this special holiday in your area.Fourteen states – Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Carolina,Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Vermont and Wisconsin – plus the District of Columbia and more than130 cities observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead of, or in addition to, Columbus Day.Daily DevotionalGet Quietby Ann Kansfield published September 2021“Be still, and know that I am God!” - Psalm46:10 (NRSV)Our church feeds people. Every Wednesdaynight we provide a community meal, betterknown in the neighborhood as a “soup kitchen.”We get all kinds of folks, and occasionally someone arrives whose had a bit too much to drink or a particularlydifficult day. They get into a fight, and someone calls for me, the pastor, to try to bring about some peace.Early on, I thought the most effective way to break up such a fight involved strength and force. I’d arrive in themiddle of the fight loud and threatening. It didn’t really work well. Then someone suggested getting quiet, inorder to be heard. Over time, I’ve learned that when there’s a lot of chaos, even that angriest person is far moreapt to respond to quiet confidence. It’s counterintuitive, but lowering my voice often gets their attention. And thestruggle to hear what I’m saying often creates enough space to restore a bit of calm to the situation.Life is full of noise: responsibilities, obligations, and often a television in the background. It can make it hard tolisten for God. Perhaps that’s why God seems to speak most often in a still, small voice. It’s a level of volumethat might help us to slow down, get quiet, and be still.Prayer: Holy One, speak to me in a quiet voice so that I, in turn, must slow down in order to listen. Amen.ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ann is co-pastor of the GreenpointReformed Church in Brooklyn (UCC/RCA) and Chaplain forthe Fire Department of the City of New York.Page 8
Treasurer’s Report – September 30, 2021Submitted by Jeff PrattWe’re still looking good year-to-date in general contributions and expenses, although we were in the red forSeptember.Year-to-date, cash/check offerings at 70,107, are running behind expectations by 13,368. Online offerings at 44,305, are still running ahead of expectations by 9,156. Total contributions, 114,412, are under budget by 4,213. Our fund-raising came in at 2,427, which is 1,409 over budget, so total income, not counting the loanforgiveness, is 145,362 -- under budget by 3,448. Expenses ytd are 132,673, also below budget, by 16,138,which puts us in the black ytd by 12,689, not counting the PPP loan forgiveness income.With PPP forgiveness factored in, total income ytd becomes 160,646, above budget by 11,836, and we’re inthe black by 27,973.For September, cash/check offerings were 3,878; below expected by 5,397. However, online offerings were 5,506, above expected by 1,601. Total offerings, at 9,384, however, were low for the month, by 3,797.Expenses were high in September -- 21,044, which was above budget for the month by 4,510. This puts us inthe red for the month of September, by 8,683. However, 9,000 of the month’s expense was due to catching upon our planned transfer of 1,000 per month into the “Pre-fund Music Director Position” designated fund. (I justrecently figured out how to properly enter that into our accounting software, so had to catch up the expense linefor that transfer all at once.) So, September looks bad, with a 8,683 deficit; however, if not for the 9,000internal transfer we would have been in the black by 316.September:Regular Income:Monthly Proportion ofBalance Forward:Total Income:Total Expenses:Net for September: 10,047 2,314 * 12,361 21,044 (Note, 9,000 of this is a transfer to DF-reserve) -8,683Year-to-date:Regular Income:YTD Proportion ofBalance Forward:Total Income:Total Expenses:Net YTD: 139,816 (Note, 15,284 of this is PPP loan forgiveness) 20,830 *160,646132,67327,973Bank Balances (9/30)General Checking:Designated Funds: 66,801.73 16,151.64* (Our budget surplus from 2020, plus the cost of specific items allocated from it, totals 27,773, which makes upa portion of our anticipated total financial resource for 2021. However, since that money was already in our bankaccount at the end of 2020, it cannot be counted as budget income this year. In order to provide a realisticpicture of our financial position on an ongoing basis this year, I’m including 1/12 of that amount, per month, asthe “YTD Proportion of Balance Forward”.)Page 9
Study and in the retreat was the same: Shame. In one way or another, shame seems to be a universal human emotion. Many would rather deny that we experience shame, but this denial only causes us to project our own sense of shame onto others, which allows us to neglect the responsibility to take responsibility for th
