August 1, 2012

Happenings

God is still speaking,

What’s Inside... Rev. Louise Ott

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Church and Community

From the Pastor’s Desk—

Here I am, Lord! Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night. I will go, Lord where you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart. — Daniel L. Schutte In the city of Chicago there are more seminaries for more denominations than any other metropolitan area in the United States. Once upon a time it was my privilege to study on the north side in Evanston, home of Northwestern University and Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. In response to our urban location and the gospel of Jesus Christ one course offered was “Church and Community.” In this difficult course we discussed sociological theories, practical theology, and studied real churches located in communities of Chicago challenged by poverty, racism, and hopelessness. Then as now there are really big problems in the world and in people’s lives. As people of God in the movement of Jesus Christ called the church, we have an ethical responsibility to address these problems, issues, and circumstances.

Like Evanston, Birmingham and Bloomfield Hills sit on the northern edge of our beloved Detroit whose problems in the media are too often portrayed as a cliché or worse. As ambassadors of Jesus we offer our love for the people of Detroit through our ministry support. This is one reason why our FROGS (middle school students) went with Motown Mission to serve in Detroit this summer. This is why we have a ministry partnership with Trinity-St. Mark’s UCC to assist with their two annual rummage sales and their Christmas Toy Store. For nearly a year now I have been seeking an organized way that our church might partner with other community groups to address the systemic challenges of the Detroit metropolitan area. There are a number of service organizations that I might join as a clergy member of our community. (Continued on p. 2)

Congregational Church of Birmingham, United Church of Christ 1000 Cranbrook Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304

Christian Ed.

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Reverend Louise R. Ott, Pastor

Events

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Phone: 248•646•4511 Fax: 248•646•9375 Email: [email protected] Website: www.ccbucc.org Office Hours: Monday - Thursday, 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM; Closed Friday in July & Aug.

News

Calendar

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Happenings Editors: Lisa Franks ([email protected]) & Toni Wilson ([email protected])

From the Pastor’s Desk... continued from p. 1 Years ago I was a Rotarian helping to eradicate polio on this planet and supporting the local parks. This spring I was invited to join the Optimist’s Club of Birmingham whose mission for encouraging the voices of our youth was inspiring at one of their early morning breakfast meetings. The question in my mind as your pastor asks, “What organization reflects the progressive and practical theology of the Congregational Church of Birmingham which we affectionately call CCB?” So last fall I started intentionally exploring the Metropolitan Coalition of Congregations by attending their monthly lunch meetings. It’s organizer, Luke Allen of the Tubman Center, had been to visit with me in my office as he listened for the felt needs of the community. The major concern and concerted effort of the MCC to date has been to encourage the Michigan Safe Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) to be more aggressive in its dispersement of the $400 million in Hardest Hit funds available from the federal budget until 2017. In March I opted in (paid $50) as a member of the Steering Committee. You may remember that Luke Allen was one of our Comma Conversation speakers on this topic in May. Presently, several congregations of the MCC in our suburban landscape are operating a “listening campaign” in their churches to discover what concerns are priorities for this area in the minds of our members. Our sister congregation, Central Woodward Christian Church along with many others is actively “listening” to their members this summer in one to one meetings. On Sunday, August 5, from 3-5 PM the Metro Coalition of Congregations is sponsoring a First Issues Convention and Candidates Forum. (See the ad in this newsletter.) The top issues that have been discussed in churches across the Detroit suburbs will be presented. Our church members present will vote and then we will have two or three issues to address together in our community. Following the vote local candidates for public office will have a brief opportunity to share their perspective on these issues. How will we be a faithful member of our metropolitan area? We are expected to have at least 5 members of our congregation present but we can bring many, many more. Please come with me on the first Sunday in August to hear the issues, register our concerns for our community, and to hear the perspectives of those seeking public office. I am looking for your wise counsel on how we as a congregation engage the principalities and powers in addressing issues that affect the lives of real people. Serving God the People of God with You,

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Christian Education... Check Out the August, 2012 Christian Education Sunday Morning Schedule! We have many educational opportunities for children, youth and adults on Sunday mornings at CCB. Check out the information below for more details. Please contact Sara Erickson with questions. We hope to see you at one of our many gatherings!—Sara

Christian Education August, 2012

  Children in Pre‐School thru 4th grade  are invited to a end Crea on Sta ons  Sunday School throughout the summer  months at CCB. This educa onal oppor‐ tunity takes place a er the Children’s  Sermon during worship. These summer  classes will be focused on exploring the  book of Psalms.   We hope you’ll join us!     Should you have ques ons, please con‐ tact Sara Erickson or Heather Schulz. 

Reminder: Nursery Services are  available throughout the summer  also! An usher can direct you to our  nursery where your child will be  cared for by our nursery   a endant, Bindu. 

Events...

Metro Coalition of Congregations First Issues Convention and Candidates Forum August 5th 3pm to 5pm Serenity Christian Church, 24120 North Chrysler Drive, Hazel Park 48030 Metro Coali on of Congrega ons will hold its first issues  conven on and candidate forum on August 5th, 2012  from 3pm to 5pm.   Join with congrega ons across the suburbs of Metro De‐ troit in raising our voices for concerns facing our com‐ munity members.   *We will vote for a slate of issues which we will begin to  work on collec vely.  *We will ask the congressional candidates to respond to  our top issues.   For more informa on contact: MCC Chair Pastor Ben Sandin (586)566‐8660 or at [email protected] MCC Vice Chair Pastor John Harvey (248)547‐2121 MCC Intern Organizer Cother Abdo (313)205‐3660 MCC Organizer Luke Allen [email protected]

News... Mission Trip Five adults and three youth went to Pine Ridge, South Dakota to take part in a week-long work camp and cultural education experience from June 21-30. We drove two vehicles and spent a night on the way there and back in churches en route. On Saturday, we visited the Crazy Horse national monument, which is unfinished. It is being carved out of a mountain and is on the way to becoming the largest sculpture in the world. There is a museum of Native American artifacts from many tribes there. Saturday afternoon we went on to Re-Member, where we stayed in a large dormitory with big groups from Congregational Church of Kalamazoo and another from a girls' school in Cincinnati, Ohio. We helped replace a roof on a house, build a wheelchair ramp for a woman so she could come home from the hospital, and put skirting and insulation around the bottoms of two house trailers (which will cut their winter heating bills by an estimated 2/3 to 3/4). In the evenings, we heard from an Oglala Lakota medicine man, a high school teacher, area craftspeople and we also visited the Wounded Knee massacre grave site and the grave of Red Cloud, a great Lakota chief. We had an amazing week and loved the experience. Those who went were Rev. Ott, Elaine Winter, Kim Newport, Toni Wilson, Kevin Wilson, Ken Brown, Justin Newman and Cara Skrzycki.

News...

Scenes from VBS “Babylon: Daniel’s Courage in Captivity” July 20-22

CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS for our Congregation—For more detailed calendar information including meeting rooms and outside groups using CCB,

August 2012 SUN 29 July Family Camp II @ Camp Talahi

please visit the website

MON 30

10AM Worship 11:30AM Membership Class

6 5 10AM Worship w/ 7:30PM Communion 3PM MCC First Issues Council Convention & Candidates Forum (@ Serenity Church, Hazel Park)

TUE

WED

31 5PM Spiritual Gifts Meeting 5:30PM MAT Meeting

1 August

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7PM Stephen Ministry Meeting

ccbucc.org/calendar

THUR 2 6:30PM CE Board Meeting

SAT

4 3 Office Closed CCB Campers to Harrisville (to Sunday) 7:05PM Tiger Baseball Outing

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10 Office Closed

11 12PM Green Cruise (downtown Ferndale)

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17 Office Closed

18 Woodward Dream Cruise

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FRI

12 10AM Worship

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19 10AM Worship 11:45AM Renaissance Festival/Lighthouse Fundraiser (to 3:15PM in Holly)

20 21 7PM Boards & Committees

22 6:30PM Choir Party @ Louise & Elaine’s

23 3:00 PM Happenings Deadline September Issue

24 Office Closed

25 12PM Brunch Bash Set-Up

26 10AM Worship 11AM Brunch Bash 3PM Renaissance Festival/Lighthouse Fundraiser (to 6:30PM in Holly)

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29 Happenings Mailing September Issue

30 7PM Disciple II Bible Study

31 Office Closed

1 September

28 Happenings Printing – September Issue

The Congregational Church of Birmingham, United Church of Christ 1000 Cranbrook Road Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304-2725

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CCB Goals and Commitments 1. We intend to become more intentional about living out our faith by reaching out to each other and through our mission in the region, nation and world. 2. We intend to become more inclusive, open and affirming in our approach to ALL people regardless of age, gender, race, nationality, ethnic background and sexual orientation. 3. We intend to become better stewards of the environmental and economic resources which are a vital part of God’s creation.