The Mercury

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“Whoever you are, and wherever you are on your journey of faith, you are welcome in this place.”

“Living the Spirit of Aloha”

Interfaith Thanksgiving Service (See page 3)

Sunday, November 13 (See page 4)

Ornament Fundraiser (See page 6)

Welcome New Members!

On Sunday, October 23 we welcomed into membership: Willy Young, Lovelyn Voorhees, Jodi Akasaki & Kenneth Voorhees.

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 467 N JUDD STREET HONOLULU, HI 96817 808-536-8418 WWW.UCCJUDD.ORG

9:00 AM SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:30 AM WORSHIP SERVICE

Our Core Values: Compassion, Family, Love, Respect & Spirituality

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Senior Pastor’s Perspective: Hearing the Cry of the People “Then the Lord said, ‘I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry … I know their suffering … I have come down to deliver them … I will send you …” Exodus 3:7-10

Rev. Darren T. Galindo Senior Pastor

This Exodus text was one of the scriptures used by our UCC General Minister and President Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer at a recent Clergy Retreat. For me it triggered thoughs about what our mission is. Are we passionate about hearing the cries of our own community (the homeless, the hungry, and those who thirst for spiritual nourishment)? So I asked myself, if our core values speak to these questions and if so, how? I felt somewhat comforted during the retreat by the fact that our church has been focusing its classes and sermon series on our core values (compassion, family, love, respect and spirituality). These values should keep us focused on not only hearing, but responding to the cries of our community. Why is this important? Because people who are looking for a church want to know if we make a difference in the world. They want to be part of a church that just doesn’t recite its core values or set of beliefs but truly live them. In other words, is our Christianity a way of life or do we just preach a good game? If we are to stay relevant to the needs of our surrounding community, we must continue to have a greater sense of cooperation, tolerance, understanding and acceptance. People stay away from church because they do not want to be judged or be part of a group of haters. Our extravagant welcome must be not only genuine, but visible to the ears and hearts of those coming to seek Christ. I think it would be helpful if we continue to show an ability to partner with other churches and organizations as we live out our core values. We are not an island on the corner of Judd Street and Liliha, but part of a much larger community. This is not so much about proving ourselves worthy to those seeking Christ as it is about staying relevant to the cries of a changing society.

Beyond Resistance by Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer This book was the required reading for our Clergy Retreat in September. Rev. Dorhauer talked about our changing times, how it has impacted our church and how churches are finding new shapes, forms and expressions to meet the spiritual needs of this 21 st century. It is an exciting time, but he notes that there is a lot of grieving going on because there are also churches seeing their membership shrink. There are churches around the country who are left with no choice but to close their doors. The hope is in looking for opportunities for resurrection or transformation in these changing times.

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“Stop Waiting on When” 11/6 (Communion Sunday), Guest Preacher Rev. Don Asman “Standing Firm & Moving Forward” 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 11/13 (Stewardship Sunday), Pastor Mary, “Working Hard, or Hardly Working?”

1 Chronicles 29:10-14; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-9, 11-13

11/20 “When Ends Don’t Meet” 2 Corinthians 9:6-9 11/27 “Opening the Door of Hope & Surprise” Isaiah 11:6-10; Acts 12:15-17; Mark 10:13-16

Passages with Judy Asman – Sundays, 9 a.m. in the Board Room This 6-week series started in mid-October and ends on November 20. It offers an opportunity to discuss some of the more difficult life passages and issues that we deal with as we age in a quickly changing environment. We are learning how to gather important information as we create our own resource book to document pertinent personal information and wishes. Facilitated by Judy Asman, retired R.N. and wife of Rev. Don Asman.

Women’s Study – Sundays, 9 a.m. in the Cry Room The Women’s study is reading the book Dwelling Places: Words to Live in Every Season. Spiritual Life will help subsidize the cost of the books. We ask for a $5 donation by each member and the book will be yours to keep! Wednesday Class with Pastor Mary, 7 p.m. in the Board Room Our Wednesday night class is reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, discussing the message of the book, and bringing it into conversation with scripture and our church’s core values. All are welcome to join us! LGBTQ Spiritual Life Group – Our group for members and friends in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities, as well as straight supporters, will meet at 6 p.m. on November 13. All are welcome!

Interfaith Thanksgiving Service Every year the Nu’uanu Valley Interfaith Community comes together to share in honoring each other and celebrating our common humanity through our faith. We set our intentions on continuing to work for a peaceful society. Each year the celebration includes the sharing of each other’s faith philosophies around a certain theme related to caring for others in our community. Through song, dance and dialogue we aim to inspire our fellow community members to carry on this spirit in their daily live. Join us at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 22 at the SGI Hawaii Culture Center. Entertainment and community booths open at 6:00 p.m.

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Congregational Meeting, November 13 following the service All voting members are encouraged to attend this Congregational Meeting. The purposes for the meeting are to: 1. Elect our 2017 Board Members and other elected positions. 2. Share a Draft of the Proposed Budget for 2017 3. Share Other Important Information through Announcements (Due to additional input from the congregation, the vote on the proposed changes to the Articles of Incorporation & Bylaws will be moved to the Dec 4 Congregational Meeting.) 2017 Slate of Nominees Vice Moderator/Moderator Elect (2 Year Term) - Yvonne Nakata Board Secretary (2 Year Term) - Brenda Asato Buildings and Grounds Committee Chair (2 Year Term) - Milton Chun Membership Committee Chair (2 Year Term) - Alison Leong Missions Committee Chair (2 Year Term) - Dwight Ovitt Spiritual Life Committee Chair (2 Year Term) - Jonathan Fong Aha Pae‘aina Delegate (1 Year Term) - Edwin Fong Nominating Committee Member (3 Year Term) – Donna Chang The following Board Members will be serving the 2nd year of their elected terms: Vice Moderator will become the Moderator – Edison Chong Treasurer – Mike Jeong Special Activities Committee Chair– Wendall Chu Stewardship Committee Chair – Dawn Young Worship Committee Chair – Joni Chun

Our bylaws also allows for the nomination of qualified candidates by petition using the following procedures: “Qualified candidates may also be nominated by petition signed by fifteen (15) or more Active Members and submitted to the chairperson or secretary of the Nominating Committee no later than thirty (30) days prior to the date of the Election Meeting. The petition must contain the written consent of the candidate being nominated.”

Stewardship Corner - Go and Do the Same By Dawn Young, Stewardship Chair

Dear Church Family and Friends, We invite you to commit to our church’s future with a financial commitment for 2017. Pledge cards have already been distributed. If you have not received one by now, please call the church office and we will get one to you right away. Sunday, November 13, 2016 is Stewardship Sunday. This is the day the church will receive and offer a blessing for your financial support and we will celebrate our dreams for 2017. Your financial commitment will be a great help to us as we determine how to plan for our ministry in 2017. When the people of a congregation make financial commitments each year, they see the greatest growth, vitality and energy! If you could let us know what you plan to give to the church in 2017, you will be helping more than you realize. Jesus’ call of compassion and mercy is for us to feed, house and clothe others. UCC Judd Street has always been one to respond to that call. GO and do the same! Love and Prayers, Stewardship Committee

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Online Giving

By Joy Lee, Office Manager

UCC Judd Street is happy to offer an online giving option to receive donations. Similar to paying HECO or other monthly bills online through automatic deduction from your checking account or credit card, you can now pay your donations online. Currently 41% of churches in America offer online giving and that number is growing. Studies show that overall donations increase due to online giving by 10-30% and 14% of churches that exceed their offering budget offer online giving. 61% of young givers NEVER write checks. In 2011 studies showed that 50% of people over 65 preferred to donate online. Amazingly, 25% of online givers are first time givers, not first time visitors but regular attendees who never gave before! The potential benefit of e-giving to UCC Judd Street are: a. Emailed receipts saves the church the cost of paper, ink, envelopes and postage. b. Setting up recurring payments online saves the church the cost of offering envelopes. c. Holiday and first time visitors may not be prepared with a check or cash. They can use mobile giving in the pew! d. Online payments saves the church returned check fees & deposit error fees. e. Members can go online anytime to check the status of their pledge. f. Members can give anytime, anywhere. g. Setting up recurring payments means there is no need to “make up pledge payments”. h. Online giving is one of the things people searching for churches look for. Here are some frequently asked questions. If you have any additional questions that have not been answered, please contact the church office. 1. Is it safe? Can I trust putting my information on this site? Yes. Vanco Services, LLC is the financial technology company chosen by the United Church of Christ (see national website: ucc.org) as a partner in offering UCC egiving. Vanco processes electronic donations for over 10,000 churches.

2. What are the fees involved? Each transaction incurs a $0.45 transaction fee. Credit card transactions also incur a 2.75% processing fee and bank account transactions incur a 1% processing fee. 3. If I give $50 online and the fees total $1.83, do I get credited $50 toward my pledge or $48.17? If you give $50, you will be credited $50. If you choose to select “Off set the fees”, you will be credited and charged $51.83. 4. If I give some donations online and some by check in the offering plate, will all my donations be listed on my end of the year statement? Yes. All donations made to UCC Judd Street, either online or by check/cash will be credited to your account. 5. Will I still receive an end of the year donation statement from the church office for my taxes? Yes. Anyone who donates to UCC Judd street, either online or by check/ cash will receive a year end statement. Statements will be mailed by January 30. 6. I donated $100 online toward special programs such as River of Life. Will I still receive acknowledgement letters from the church office for these special donations? Donations made online will receive an emailed receipt that includes the same wording for tax purposes on the acknowledgement letter we currently send. 7. Can I still write a check or give cash? Yes. E-giving is just another option for you to choose from. 8. How will the church office know that I made my donation? When a donation is made online, the Office Manager is notified electronically of the donation by Vanco. 9. Will there be a mobile giving option? Yes. Forgot your checkbook or cash? No problem! Our personalized bar code is available in the pew. Simply scan the barcode with your smart phone bar code app and you will be taken directly to our donations page. 10. I enjoy giving an offering during the service. What if I feel weird not putting something in the offering plate? There are “I Give Online” cards in the pew that you can place in the offering plate in place of your envelope.

Ref: Susan Schept, “Electronic Giving Increasing for Church Collection”, Reuters, 2011.; Kent Woodyard, “4 Reasons to take Church Mobile Giving Seriously”, Church Mag, 2015; Kent Woodyard, “ Online Giving: What’s Holding Your Church Back?”, Church Mag, 2015; www.ucc.org

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By Rev. Mary Herbig

. Youth Class In November, the youth class will be discussing stewardship using an interactive new curriculum. Our youth advisors will each teach one week of class.

Some of our youth families are planning a camping trip in November. Please contact Pastor Mary if you are interested in attending and she will direct you to the right person.

Christmas Ornament Fundraiser Our youth will be making UCCJudd keepsake Christmas ornaments again this year. They will be on sale for $10 or 3/$25. Watch for more information about a youth work day in late November or early December. Advent Workshop Penny Carnival Penny Carnival took place on October 29 from 11-2 p.m. The youth have chose the Hawaii Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention as this year’s beneficiary. Watch for picture in the December Mercury!

On November 27, we will have our annual Advent workshop, a fun time of gathering for people of all ages! We will share some pastries, have a small devotional, and make Advent wreaths together. All are welcome to join us at 9 a.m. in Room 6.

UCC-Judd Street Prayer List Please notify the office at 536-8418 when you no longer require intercessory prayers, and to add or remove a name from the list. If you would like more information about those listed, please contact Membership Chair, Donna Chang

Jeannine Ark Stephen Bischoff Leslie Chan Muriel Char Ruth Ching Mabel Chock Gary Ann Cordeiro Beatrice Ing

Rev. Harold Jow Nancy Lau Clayton Lau Richard K. H. Lau Dennis Lee Pearl Ma Mycah Muranaka Jane Oshiro

Amy Pang John and Rose Park Yoshiko Smallman Sadie Wong Wai Chee Yee Benson Young Dennis Yuen

Church Office Hours: Monday-Friday 10:00-4:00 Office closed: Nov 11 (veterans day) & Nov 24 Thanksgiving)

Rev. Darren T. Galindo, Senior Pastor [email protected] [email protected] 536-8438 397-1977 (emergencies) Rev. Mary K. Herbig, Associate Pastor [email protected] 522-1730 815-979-5124 (emergencies) Cayanna Herrera, Director of Music Ministries [email protected] 348-1203 Joy Lee, Office Manager [email protected] 536-8418 Anelle Graham, Custodian 286-2880 Marlene Patton, Accompanist

December articles are due to Joy by November 15.

Your birthday is a blessed event for you are God’s gift. Your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ wish that your special day is filled with joy and happiness. If we missed someone’s birthday, please call the Church Office and let us know. Happy birthday from the Membership Committee! Thomas Ark Eldora Chang Karen Chun Pei Mian Chung Brett Kurashige Richard K. H. Lau Bette Lum George Mow Liam Nishimura

Faith Okawa Justice Shen Cynthia Suzuki Victoria Tom Choi Yuk Wong Deborah Yee Jon Yoshishige Lily Au Yuen

STEWARDSHP SUNDAY

27 9am Advent Workshop (Rm6) 11:45 Nominating (CR)

28 29 5:30 BOD Mtg (BR) 9am Healing Touch (CR) 9am PPS Chapel 12pm Newsletter Team (BR) 5pm HB Ensemble (S)

22 9am Healing Touch (CR) 9am PPS Chapel 5pm HB Ensemble (S)

Thu 3 6pm Wedding Rehearsal (S)

30

5 8:30 LTK 9:30 Breast Cancer Support (Rm6) 4pm Wedding(S)

Sat

18 11am Issei Wedding (S) 5:30 Girl Scouts (Rm6)

Choir Rehearsal: Sundays at 8 am Bell Choir Rehearsal: Sundays at 11:45

9 a.m. Advent Prep (Rm6)

26 8:30 LTK

19 8:30 LTK 9:30 Body Roll (Rm6) 2pm Wedding Rehearsal (S)

11 12 VETERANS DAY 8:30 LTK OFFICE CLOSED 9:30 Body Roll (Rm6)

4 5:30 Girl Scouts (Rm6)

Fri

23 24 25 PPS Thanksgiving THANKSGIVING 2pm Wedding (S) Feast OFFICE CLOSED PPS CLOSED

17

9 10 4:30 PPS Mtg (BR)

2 6pm Spiritual Life Mtg(BR)

1 9am Healing Touch (CR) 9am PPS Chapel 5pm HB Ensemble (S)

8 9am Healing Touch (CR) 9am PPS Chapel 5pm HB Ensemble (S)

Wed

Tue

14 15 MERCURY ARTICLES 16 5pm Exec Mtg (BR) 9am Healing Touch (CR) 9am PPS Chapel 9:00 Thanksgiving Visits (Rm6) 5pm HB Ensemble (S)

7

Mon

20 21 Thanksgiving Offering 11am Issei Wed11:30 Membership Mtg (CR) ding (S) 11:45 Worship Mtg (PO)

13

11:45 Stewardship Mtg(PO)

6

Sun