From our July 2008 Newsletter

FACILITIES
Lenore Harris

LANDSCAPINGCHANGES – As you drive by the north entrance to the church on Royalton Rd., be sure to notice our updated landscaping. In order to achieve a more organized look and rid several areas of mugwort (a very invasive weed) most of the plants, and shrubs were removed from the raised beds. These areas were sprayed with weed killer and mulched with wood chips. Later, when the weeds are under control, more plants can be added to the beds. The area around the sign was cleared and boxwoods planted on each side of the sign. All planting areas in the lawn were edged and mulched.

The signs indicating memorial plantings were removed and recorded. An indoor plaque will be make to record these dedications and any future ones. The plaque will be hung on in a place yet to be determined. If you have information about past dedications, please call Nan Martin.

The city's arborist, Charles Owen, has advised us that the pear trees in the parking area islands should be removed. Because they were field grown and planted in fill, the roots are working their way to the surface and there produce hundreds of suckers. The worst ones were in the two small islands, and these spaces were cleared, sprayed with weed killer and mulched. Replanting the islands will require a solution for the poor soil and will be addressed later.

APARTMENT FOR RENT – The west side of our Arlington St. house is now for rent for $550 per month. This includes a garage space. Call Cheryl Spieth at 526-3771 for details.

HAVE YOU LOST SOMETHING? – Some nice hand gardening tools were left in the parking lot after the yard clean-up on Sat., May 19. They are waiting for their owner in the church office.

SPIRITUAL LIFE
Janet Renovetz and Patricia Bailey

The Spiritual Life Ministry hopes you will join us for two events this summer.

Saturday, July 26: A labyrinth walk, cosponsored with The Christian Education Ministry, will be held at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Cleveland. We will meet in the church parking lot at 10 a.m. to form car pools. Sign up with your friends for this experience. Please see the article later in this edition of The Pillar. More info to follow in the July Sunday Bulletins as well.

Sunday, August 24: Worship in the Park will be co-hosted with Richfield UCC at Richfield Woods Park on Broadview Road, just north of Rt. 303. This annual outdoor communion service will begin at 10:30 a.m. with both Pastor Dave and Pastor Ray serving the elements. Come at 10 a.m. and share in fellowship, bagels, juice and coffee.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MINISTRY

Each month the Leadership Development Ministry highlights a different BUCC ministry group in an effort to inform and enlighten our members about the wonderful ministry opportunities available to them. This month’s feature ministry is Stewardship.

Mission & Responsibilities:
Wikipedia defines stewardship as "a responsibility to take care of something one does not own". Our task is to enable BUCC members to better understand that responsibility and to offer educated options for their time and money. Remembering that our generous God loans us everything we have, then stewardship here at BUCC is seen through a very wide lens. The primary mission and purpose of this ministry is to plan and help carry out stewardship programs that provide financial support for BUCC's missions, with additional emphasis on stewardship of the environment and our health.

This ministry's most important responsibility is to plan and manage our annual program to secure financial support of the church. This includes planning the program details and promoting it through speakers, articles, literature, and mailings. Progress is tracked with our financial secretary. Together with the Membership Ministry, plans and arrangements for the traditional dinner of thanksgiving on pledging Sunday (also known as Stewardship Sunday) are carried out. Throughout the year, awareness and education on stewardship of the environment, including topics of conservation, pollution, health implications, and responsible use of natural resources are ongoing.

Members:
The members of the Stewardship Ministry for 2008 include Ron Beebe, Jim Cowden, Paul Nicholas, Betsey Wilson, Pastor Dave Shackle, ex officio, and Robert Chandler, Chairman.

Future Activities:
Future activities planned are programs of stewardship of time and talent (encouraging members to volunteer their time and skills in support of BUCC and its missions), stewardship of treasury (promote giving to the church and its missions, including estate gifts), and stewardship of health (education concerning healthy lifestyles).

Joys and Challenges:
One great challenge is to design and present programs that inspire members to respond in a positive manner. Another challenge is to stimulate members to think more closely about effects of lifestyle on the environment. A good first step might be to increase our recycling efforts, including around the church.

It is not all work, as there are great joys associated with serving on this ministry, including contributing to programs that help sustain the financial health and mission of our church, as well as the health of our people and our environment. In addition to the fellowship, it is uplifting to work with some very talented, joyful, and spiritual BUCC members. Because this ministry is made up of only five people, one of whom is relocating to another city, additional persons would be welcome this year. Also, the traditional length of service on a ministry is three years, and all members of this ministry have served for at least three years. Therefore, for next year it will be vitally important that additional persons be added to the membership of this ministry.

If you are interested in joining the Stewardship Ministry as a member or helper, please see one of its members, or a Leadership Development member (Evie Novak, Jon Thompson & Bridget Whyte).

FINANCE
Joy Garapic

Several collections netted the following results: Strengthen The Church $577; SARA $1,010.75; and Zelma George Shelter $768. Checks were issued and sent to each of these causes.

A note with a check enclosed was received from Betty Einhart who said, "Though no longer an active member of BUCC, I still feel a strong attachment." The check was "written on Memorial Day - with fond memories of all".

COMMENTS FROM OCWM

It looks like BUCC will be busy in late June and early July. On June 29 St. Boniface needs help with a hunger meal at Brookside. We have agreed to provide salad, dessert, milk, bread, ice, and of course people are needed to help serve and clean up.

On Tuesday, July 1, BUCC will be participating in Interfaith Hospitality Network at Christ Redeemer Lutheran Church. The evening meal and hospitality (including playing with children) will be provided.

Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me (Matthew 25:40).

Notes and Asides

July 20 is the date of the annual church picnic at 9256 Highland Drive in Brecksville. Bathing suits, towels, fishing poles, bait, and a dish to share are all you need. We will provide hamburgers, hot dogs and drinks. Feel free to bring a game to share, or just sit back by the lake and enjoy the day. Please sign the sign-up sheet so we can get a food count. Come anytime after 2:00 p.m. We are looking forward to seeing you at the church picnic!

GOOD NEWS FOR SARA

At the last Council meeting, there was a unanimous consensus that the proceeds from the redemption of aluminum cans donated by BUCC members would go to benefit SARA. SARA is an acronym standing for Sharing America's Resources Abroad, and is a mission outreach of the Ohio Conference of the UCC. This effort provides knowledge, equipment, medical supplies, and clothing to people living in economically deprived countries. To date, just over 1200 pounds of cans have been redeemed, yielding just over 800 dollars. Up to now, the proceeds have been put in the Blessings Jar for discretionary use by Council. This Council decision is very timely, as requests for help from SARA are increasing.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR JULY 26. . .
and get ready for a walk . . .

Karen Adolphson

A Labyrinth walk, that is. On Saturday morning, July 26, BUCC will have a Labyrinth walk at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 2230 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland OH 44115. We'll carpool at the BUCC parking lot at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday July 26, and then drive downtown to Trinity. We'll begin our walks around 10:30 a.m. Our walks are on the 11-circuit Labyrinth based on the one in Chartres Cathedral in France. The path winds through the 4 quadrants of a circle toward the center, which is a 6-petaled rosette, a traditional symbol of the Virgin Mary. Estimated walk times vary from 10 minutes to about an hour, depending on your pace. For those who may find walking the Labyrinth difficult, as well as for those who simply want to experience the Labyrinth in a different way, Trinity has available a wooden finger Labyrinth. A third labyrinth is painted on the floor of Cathedral Hall. It is a form of the Cretan Labyrinth, named after the island of Crete. It has 7 circuits, and it is the oldest know form of this ancient tool for meditation.

Sign-ups for this Labyrinth walk begin in early July. Sign up on the sign-up sheet on the "Come Join Us" bulletin board in Pilgrim Hall. This is a free program. We encourage everyone to bring a friend. Youth are welcome, too, from ages 10+. Afterwards, we will have lunch in the Café Ah-Roma nearby (bring your wallet, please); the Ten Thousand Villages and Sacred Path Books & Art shops are also open to us then.

If you have questions, please contact anyone on the Spiritual Life Ministry or the Christian Education Ministry.

EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS
Creation Story Books

Karen Adolphson

Late in May, the combined Early Elementary and Intermediate Class met together for their lesson, focusing on Genesis 1, one of the Creation stories. After hearing the story, and shouting out many times "God saw that it was good!" our youth made the first page in their Creation Story books. We used stickers, markers, and rubber stamps, and inks of silver, gold, and copper. What at first appeared to be a just a big black hole in the middle of a sky soon became a 3-dimensional Night & Day page, with the Milky Way, suns, and stars in the sky, and many animals roaming the planet. Here are the verses we used for this Night & Day page:

First this: God created the Heavens and Earth – all you see, all you don't see. Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God's Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss.

God spoke: "Light!" And light appeared.

God saw that light was good and separated light from dark. God named the light Day, he named the dark Night. It was evening, it was morning – Day One.

BOOK BITE
Karen Adolphson

"Grief is about a broken heart, not a broken brain."

Earlier this year, BUCC member Rob Grow facilitated an adult education class, joining us as we worked through "The Grief Recovery Handbook: An Action Program for Moving Beyond Death, Divorce, and Other Losses" by John W. James and Russell Friedman. Our first evening together, we viewed the film, "Tear Soup". Our first discussion sprang from that viewing, and prepared us for the work awaiting us in "The Grief Recovery Handbook". Here is an excerpt from the first chapter, "Grief: A Neglected and Misunderstood Process".

"Grief is the normal and natural reaction to loss of any kind. Therefore, the feelings you are having are also normal and natural for you. The problem is that we have all been socialized to believe that these feelings are abnormal and unnatural.

"While grief is normal and natural, and clearly the most powerful of all emotions, it is also the most neglected and misunderstood experience, often by both the grievers and those around them.

"Grief is the conflicting feelings caused by the end of or change in a familiar pattern of behavior. . . . All relationships have aspects of familiarity whether they are romantic, social, familial, or business. What other losses cause similar conflicting feelings? While death and divorce are obvious, many other loss experiences have been identified that can produce grief. Among them are: death of a pet, moving, starting school, death of a former spouse, marriage, graduation, end of addictions, major health changes, retirement, financial changes – positive or negative, holidays, legal problems, empty nest. . . loss of trust (in parents, in God, or any other relationship)." During the next 5 weeks, each of us in the class were asked to "do the work" recommended to us in the book. This work includes drawing our Loss History graph, then writing – and using – our Relationship Graph, recognizing Truth, and practicing Forgiveness. A vital part of this handbook's recovery process is to share our Relationship Graph (our stories) with a Listening Partner. The work can be done alone, but it is highly recommended that we share our stories with our Listening Partner.

Copies of this book are available from the BUCC library.

A note from BUCC member Karen Adolphson: I was in this class. I went in to the class expecting a certain outcome – I thought I knew what my obstacle was. It was when I began the Loss History and Relationship graphs that I then realized what "the work" was to be in this process. It is easy to shut the book's cover, and not do the work. Believe me, I hesitated for a couple of weeks – the book laid unopened smack dab in the middle of the kitchen table. Finally, I began to "do the work". And I was surprised – what I saw in the final graphs was not what I expected. And it was then that the real work began. I'm still working through this book; the process is not yet completed. But, I'm on my way! And I'm not afraid.

ZINGO - THE BUCC BINGO
Karen Adolphson

"Make a creation calendar"; "Memorize a verse from Matthew"; "Do a work service for the church"; "Brighten someone's day"; "Make a new friend" and lots more to do . . . if you're a part of the Sunday School, you know all about this summer's BUCC Bingo game, ZINGO. Dot Bailey, from our CE Ministry, dug into the summer curriculum, and pulled out some fun activities for our youth to do through this season. We currently have 12 ZINGO cards in progress in the Sunday School. If you haven't started your ZINGO card, it's easy to start it now - or anytime. Just ask your Sunday School teacher for a ZINGO card, and let your teacher know when you've completed a project. In fact, many of the projects can be completed during your Sunday School class! Prizes will be awarded at the end of the summer. . . Prizes? Prizes!!!

PRAYER COMPARISON
Karen Adolphson

So many of us are familiar with The Lord's Prayer the way we recite it in our worship service on Sunday mornings. There are other translations and versions of The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). Here are two of them:

Eternal Spirit,

Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, Source of all that is and that shall be. Father and Mother of us all, Loving God, in whom is heaven:

The hallowing of your name echo through the universe! The way of your justice be followed by peoples of the world! Your heavenly will be done by all created beings! Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.

With the bread we need for today, feed us;

In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us. In times of temptation and test, strengthen us. From trials too great to endure, spare us. From the grip of all that is evil, free us.

For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and forever. Amen.

(From New Zealand Prayer Book, Rev. ed., New Anglican Church in Aotearea New Zealand, 1997. Note: Marcus Borg and Tim Scorer use this prayer at the end of every chapter in their book "Living the Heart of Christianity". BUCC also used this prayer at the outdoor worship service during the October 2007 Fall Retreat.)

And here's another contemporary version, from Eugene Petersen's The Message:

Our Father in heaven, Reveal who you are. Set the world right;

Do what's best – as above, so below.

Keep us alive with three square meals.

Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil. You're in charge! You can do anything you want! You're ablaze in beauty! Yes. Yes. Yes.

MEMBERSHIP NEWS
Mark Your Calendars

BUCC Canoe Adventure – August 9
Row, row, your boat (or canoe in this case)! The Membership Committee invites you to join us for Canoeing at the Loudonville Canoe Livery on August 9. We will meet in the BUCC parking lot at 1:30 p.m. to travel together to Loudonville. (Approximate drive time is 1 ½ hours.) The cost is $33 per canoe – each will hold a maximum of 3 adults and 2 children under 10 years. The canoe trip is 1 3/4 hours long. Please plan to bring your own dinner, so we can picnic together afterwards! Maps and information on overnight camping in the Mohican/Loudonville area, for those interested, will be available in the narthex. If you have questions, please contact a member of the Membership Committee – Tina Ortiz, Joyce Barchet, Joanne Cook, Kathy Smith or Janet Nicholas.

ABOUT GIFT ANNUITIES

You probably recall Max Roha's article in the February 2008 issue of The Pillar, relating his experience with gift annuities. Max has included a gift annuity as part of his planned giving to BUCC. Because we thought that others, especially those 60 years of age and older, might find this an interesting option as part of their planned giving to BUCC, we thought the information provided below would serve as a good introduction to gift annuities.

Quoting from a UCC brochure, "A gift annuity is an agreement where a donor transfers assets such as securities to the church in return for lifetime income of a fixed amount. Thereafter, the remaining principal benefits the church or church-related organization designated by the donor". As you can see, a gift annuity is a contract between the UCC or BUCC and an individual. Individuals can transfer property or other assets to the UCC or BUCC in return for a fixed rate of return for the rest of their life. The rate is determined at the time the annuity is established.

Part of each payment is earned interest and is taxable as ordinary income, and part of each payment represents return of principal and is tax free. Payments depend on the size of the initial investment, age, life expectancy, and interest rates at the time of entering into the annuity agreement. At the end of the individual's life, the remaining assets go to the UCC or BUCC.

Participation is made easy by the UCC. A brochure is available which outlines features of gift annuities and the procedure for establishing a gift annuity. If the above interests you, contact Bob Chandler at 440-526-9714, or Max Roha at 440-526-8640.

There are also other ways to participate in planned giving to benefit BUCC. These include wills, bequests, charitable remainder trusts, pooled income funds, or life insurance. If any of these interest you, please contact Bob Chandler for further information.

FRIDAY NIGHT WITH FRIENDS:
TRAVELS TO CHINA

Friday, August 1 - 7:00 p.m.

Karen Adolphson

Join Joy Garapic as she shares slides and stories from her recent trip to China. We'll get a taste of Chinese culture in this kick-off to the Summer 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Refreshments are provided – including an Ice Cream Sundae Bar (It's been said that ice cream was invented in China) and fortune cookies (which were probably invented by Chinese immigrants to the U.S.). Please bring either a boxed or canned food good or a cash donation ($1.00 buys 4 meals) to donate to the Cleveland area Hunger Network. This program is free and for all ages. Bring a friend! If you have questions, please contact Joy Garapic or Karen Adolphson.

ONA NIGHT AT THE MOVIES
INLAWS &OUTLAWS

The film Inlaws & Outlaws will be shown at Brecksville UCC on Saturday, July 26, at 7:00 p.m. in Pilgrim Hall. Inlaws & Outlaws is the first featurelength film produced by the True Stories Project of Seattle, WA. Since 2005, it has been shown widely at film festivals around the country, winning awards at several of them. Here is a written preview from the film’s website:

"Inlaws & Outlaws cleverly weaves together the true stories of couples and singles – both gay and straight – and all into a collective narrative that is as hilarious as it is heartbreaking. At the top of the film, you meet real people one on one. You don’t know who’s gay or straight or who’s with whom. As their stories unfold and stereotypes fall by the wayside, you won’t care because you’ll be rooting for everybody. With candor, good humor, great music and real heart, Inlaws & Outlaws gets past all the rhetoric to explore what we all have in common. We love. We lose. We all want to belong. And we’re all making this up as we go along."

"Currently heated discussion of gay marriage makes the coolheaded 'Inlaws and Outlaws' a timely examination of the nature of marriage, whether straight or gay." – Ken Eisner, Variety.

For further information, please see Jon K. Thompson.

FOOD PANTRY
Toothpaste, Shampoo, and Toilet Paper