The Guide – March 2021 Christ Church United Church of Christ

“We embrace all as we journey the way of Jesus.”

15 So. Ft. Thomas Avenue Ft. Thomas KY 41075 Phone: 859-441-2565 Fax: 859-441-3117

www.christchurchft.org facebook.com/christchurchuccft Twitter @ChristChurch_FT

Office Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 9am-4pm Closed on Monday & Friday

Worship Schedule: Check schedule inside for online links for worship and bible studies

Call for Youth & Children’s Ministry Information

Christ Church Staff: Edward Goode, Designated Pastor ed@christchurchft.org

Kelly Kuhnhein, Director of Outreach & Christian Education kelly@christchurchft.org

Toni Sheffer, Music Director/Organist toni@christchurchft.org

Max Gise/Guitaritst max@christchurchft.org

Sherri Spaulding, Parish Administrator sherri@christchurchft.org

Melanie Sorrell, Co-Director of Illumination Youth Ministries melaniemcb@gmail.com

Rev. Dr. David V. Schwab Pastor Emeritus

There are some words that just sound good…gaze…is one of them. Gaze isn’t just a quick passing glance, but instead something you really look at and look into. One dictionary defines it is “a fixed or intent look, as of eagerness, wonder, or admiration; a continued look of attention.” I really love those three words in there – eagerness, wonder, admiration. When I read the stories of Jesus, I imagine that the ways that he looked at people was more of a gaze than a glance or even a look. Jesus engaged with people in eagerness to connect and in wonder of seeing who they are in God’s eyes.

Gaze has been my word so far this year. It started on January 1 when Fr Richard Rohr’s daily email shared about the concept of a “second gaze.” It is that email that moved me to my devotional practice for this year – seeking to gaze deeply into different themes for each day. It has been a beautiful practice for me as it has helped me to slow down, see more of God’s working, and be connected back to Scripture in some new ways. I’ve been posting most every day on my blog – imagoscriptura.com – with different reflections if you’d like to check them out.

One of the most significant was for the theme “In a row.” I took a photo of how Scout drags her paws just the tiniest bit as she walks in the snow. Her prints looked like a bunch of commas. But what stirred in me was not about her dragging her paws but of how we do so many things without really even thinking about them – some good and some probably not so good. We get into ruts and habits that are hard to shake. But in Romans 12, Paul writes that we are not to be “conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

There’s a transforming work that God wants to do in each of us and through each of us. But it does require us to be intentional in being open to how God changes and works. As we are a few weeks into Lent, it is a good time to reflect upon what things might need some “tweaking.” What might be waiting in your life to be trans- formed so that you can follow the will of God – the will that Paul speaks of as “good, acceptable, and perfect”? If I can help you in any way with this, please let me know.

Grace, Peace, Love, and Joy,

Pastor Ed

Grieving what we’ve lost -

Writing this on Thursday the 25th, I had a moment that I wanted to share with you. I had wandered up to the education wing of the Christ Church building and needed to get something out of the library. As I walked in, I realized that I think that it was probably the first time I walked in there in at least the last six months. I walked in and saw the print of The Return of the Prodigal Son that had been used in the Sunday morning Bible study over a year ago and it sparked some sadness about how long we’ve been away from that space and from what we had grown accustomed to. But as I looked around the rest of the room, I realized how much has changed in the last year since that group gathered. People have passed away, others have moved away, people have been diagnosed with Covid-19 (and all thankfully have recovered), and none of us are the same people we were a year ago. I needed to take some time just to feel the sadness and grieve.

As we see the growing numbers of people who receive the vaccines, as we see some breaks in the frustrations of the pandemic, and as we will be getting back in person, there is much to celebrate. But I am feeling we also need to take some time to grieve. We have lost loved ones, we have missed celebrations and significant events, we have had to change and change and change again, and the list goes on. Makes my heart heavy even just typing those words and I go to the words of 1 Peter 5:7 which says, “Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you” and also to the words of Psalm 61

Hear my cry, O God;

listen to my prayer.

From the end of the earth I call to you,

when my heart is faint.

Lead me to the rock

that is higher than I;

for you are my refuge,

- Psalm 61:1-3a

I personally feel it would be meaningful for us to gather at some point in the coming months for a service to honor and remember those whom and that which we lost over the last year and to call upon the One who is the Great Healer. So, let’s take some time to do this even as we celebrate coming back together (hopefully without any more Covid spikes…)

Grace, Peace, Love, and Joy,

Pastor Ed

Personnel Committee Report The newly formed personnel committee (Debbie Paillette, Audrey Bernhard and Howard Storm) met with Ken and Ed in early February to discuss Ed’s contract as our Designated Term Pastor. His current contract will expire in September 2021. Because of the pandemic, many of the tasks Ed had planned to focus on during his time as Designated Term Pastor have slowed due to the immediacy of the changing situation. After much discussion, it was agreed upon that we as Christ Church UCC will move to extend Ed’s contract as Designated Term Pastor for one more year, thus concluding in September 2022. This will allow Ed the opportunity to continue working with Christ Church on the three designated tasks-Open and Affirming, Administrative structuring and Discipleship. It was also determined that a task force be formed by January 2022 to prepare a “profile” of what we are looking for in a Senior Pastor. This group would be comprised of a diverse mix within our congregation in an attempt to gather varying areas of importance in the profile. Ed, too during this time, would prepare a UCC profile to submit to Christ Church for consideration. This task force would then review Ed’s profile in light of the Christ Church profile to consider what the next steps should be. We believe that this is an ideal process going forward to continue to prayerfully discern the next steps for Christ Church and for Pastor Ed. Debbie Paillette

Mission Team Update for February

The mission team meets on the third Thursday each month. The team plans to continue supporting local agencies in the coming year such as Brighton Center, St. Vincent de Paul, and Hosea House. Furthermore, our team values our work with Washington UCC and would like to find ways to expand our assistance and do more with them. In addition, the team discussed a desire to find a global mission to support in the coming year.

Illumination Youth Ministries

Scripture Our winter/spring scripture comes from Romans 12:12-- “Let your hope make you glad. Be patient in time of trouble and never stop praying.”

I remember packing up my school office in March, thinking that we would be home for a couple weeks. Who would have thought that we would still be feeling the heavy effects of this pandemic an entire year later? I rejoiced when I received my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine in February 2021. My second dose will come in March. I eagerly await when my fiance will be vaccinated (he helps to manage a grocery store). I want my boys to get back to the childhood they knew; I want my youngest to begin kindergarten without needing a mask; I want to celebrate my wedding this fall with family and friends. I continue to be patient. I continue to wear my mask and support my boys as they wear theirs. We continue to create fun nights at home. I continue to be patient as I join the IYM youth by Google Meet. Let’s continue to be patient and pray.

Fall/Recap Well, we had a couple socially-distanced get-togethers in early fall, but as the cold set int, we retreated to our computers. We baked cookies, painted what God felt like to each of us, and even attempted a game of pictionary. It’s clear that we all miss our in-person gatherings and the pandemic is wearing on all of us. Hang in there--I am optimistic that with warmer temps coming (soon? ha!) and vaccines (yay, science!), that we’ll be able to see each other again soon.

Upcoming Schedule

March 3, 2021 -- 6-7 PM Let’s gear up for spring with a March project. Part 1: We’ll build birdhouses tonight. https://meet.google.com/buy-zxsw-mah?hs=122&authuser=0

March 17, 2021 -- 6-7 PM Let’s gear up for spring with a March project. Part 2: We’ll paint our birdhouses tonight. Still have your paint from fall? Get it ready! https://meet.google.com/thm-mvce-vzs?hs=122&authuser=0

April 7, 2021 -- 6-7 PM Pandemic baking seems to have been a “sweet” spot for our meetings--let’s bake and enjoy some cookies together. https://meet.google.com/jya-fdqm-jru?hs=122&authuser=0

April 21, 2021 -- 6-7 PM Earth Day is April 22. Let’s make our world a little greener and enjoy some at-home gardeninghttps://meet.google.com/tca-rrat-ake?hs=122&authuser=0

May 5, 2021 -- 6-7 PM Mother’s Day is May 9. If there’s one thing I’ve learned as both a daughter and a mother, it’s that Moms love cards. I’ll drop off supplies and we can craft cards for the ladies in our lives. https://meet.google.com/upf-gjry-bzk?hs=122&authuser=0

May 19, 2021 -- 6-7 PM It’s time to bring back a past activity--as this school year winds down (and what a year it’s been!), let’s write a thank you note. You can write to a teacher, a coach, a relative, anyone you want to thank. https://meet.google.com/knv-gwun-ieo?hs=122&authuser=0

Illumination Youth Ministry is a shared youth ministry of St. John UCC-Bellevue, Christ Church UCC-Fort Thomas, and St. John’s UCC-Newport. Middle School and High School Youth (grades 6-12) are invited and encouraged to attend. Our regularly scheduled meetings are on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. Friends are always welcome. Given our current virtual nature, RSVPs are highly encouraged so that necessary meeting supplies can be dropped off in time.

For more information, please contact the IYM Coordinator:

Melanie Sorrell Call or text: (859) 468-8076 Email: melaniemcb@gmail.com

MEMORIAL FOR WILBUR HERRMANN

Ray Thompson Dear Friends, Your concern, care, love, cards, and prayers have meant so very much to us the past few weeks. How lucky we are to be a part of this wonderful Church Family! Thank you! Jim and Linda Gracey

FYI

We are no longer collecting caps.

Thanks for your support!

The Fort Thomas Junior Football League is excited to announce that in addition to our Fall Tackle Football Registration being open, we have added Spring Flag Football, and teams are already forming! Any current K - 8th grader living in Fort Thomas or attending a Fort Thomas school is eligible to play Spring Flag Football for only $25. Children currently in grades 2nd - 7th are eligible to play Tackle Football next Fall in our 3-4 Division, 5-6 Division, or as a Bluebird in the Middle School Conference. Tackle fees are $150 for the first child, and only $25 for each additional sibling. In addition, those who sign up now for Fall Tackle Football play Flag for FREE! Please come check us out at www.fortthomasjrfootball.com. We’ve been serving the community for over 60 years and would love to provide your child the opportunity to play the great game of football under our guidance and supervision.

Prayer Requests: Chip Price, Jane & Marvin Cox, Jimmy Wainscott, Jim Gracey, Mary Hertzman, Faye

Gately, Larry Chapman, Bob Derby, Pete Stinnett, Judy Robinson, Laura Randall, Jeff McDonald, Ken Himes, Carol, Karen Elliott, Whitney Sudkamp, Scott, Michael, Michelle & Faris, Mary Nell Crumfield, Larkin Vogel, Ramel Vogel, Al Rice, Marcia Storm, David Hosea, Matt Hoffman, Jen Korpik, Gus Byers, The Kuhnhein Family

Christian Ed Update – February Council

Current: Purchased a 12 week curriculum from Illustrated Ministries in January, The Beatitudes. Every week, there is a video lesson posted to YouTube and Facebook with the lesson. At times, based on family availability, there have been video lessons done with children via zoom calls. Of note, children and families are reluctant to do more online activities as those consume much of their time either working from home or doing school from home. I’ve consulted with people working in Christian Ed from other local congregations who are experiencing the same resistance to platforms such as zoom. In general, children have screen fatigue from all the time spent in this format therefore engaging with them is more challenging.

Packages with supplies for a Shrove Tuesday pancake dinner at home and items for Valentine’s day were delivered to 15 families with children in preschool to 5th grade. Three new families were included in this round of deliveries. I have received positive feedback from several families and this seems to be a good format for reaching out. I plan to do another delivery of this type as we move through the season of Lent.

Moving Forward: It is unclear how many families may return to in person once we are open again. I predict it may be a slow re-start due to children being masked for 7 hours/day at school all week and needing a mask break on the weekend. I expect the youngest children may be our first to return. I plan to re-start Sunday school as soon as church re-opens in Hoffman Hall due to the ability to space them out. It will require a period of trail/error and support from volunteers (likely parents initially) until we are into a routine. I intend to have the children come to Hoffman Hall at the start of the service rather than following a ‘children’s chat’.