3 Things from Church Council

Church Council met on Wednesday May 12 for their regular monthly meeting. Here are the three things you need to know from that meeting:

1. BIG NEWS FROM THE SEARCH COMMITTEE! The Search Committee is overjoyed to report that after much prayer, hard work, and discernment they are ready to present a candidate to serve as the next Settled Minister at the Encanto Community Church! Ellen King will preach her candidating sermon on Sunday May 23 with a congregational vote immediately to follow the worship service. HURRAY!
    
2. Stewardship Update: We have received 34 pledges totaling over $77,000 for our 2010-11 operating budget. Thank you to everyone who pledged and if you haven't turned your pledge card in yet it is not to late!
    
3. We will be sending 10 kids off to Church Camp this summer! And if that isn't enough for ya, our very own Ted Shepherd will be on program staff this year! Congrats, Teddy and we hope all of our kids have a great time at camp this summer.

Imagine Wordle

Here is the Wordle version of my sermon from Sunday May 2, 2010 (aka "The iPad Sermon").

For the full manuscript, click here to visit the church's website.

And to see the full-sized Wordle rendering just click on the pic below.

I've been thinking about...

....SB 1070.

Who hasn’t been, right? This “Immigration Bill” recently signed into law by Gov. Brewer has been on all of our minds. Which is why I want to share with you portions of a pastoral letter drafted by UCC folks at our recent Southwest Conference Annual Meeting.

As people of faith we affirm and live by the biblical imperative, “When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 19:33-34).
 
We are profoundly disturbed by the passage of the harshest anti-immigrant legislation in the country by the Arizona Legislature. It is legislation such as this that codifies racial profiling and creates an atmosphere of suspicion, hatred, and scapegoating of immigrants and  U.S. citizens.
 

We are committed to:

• Encourage non-compliance with SB 1070
• Cancel plans to hold our 2011 Southwest Conference Annual Meeting in Arizona
• Mobilize congregations to advocate for the Dream Act, a just and fair Comprehensive Immigration Reform, and the abolishment of SB 1070

These are just excerpts from the Open Letter drafted at Annual Meeting. If you would like to see the letter in its entirety then copies will be made available for you.

Yours in the journey, Rev. Brian