Bulletin/News Sunday, March 11, 2018

In the Coming Week  
  

  • It is Daylight Savings time! Time to “spring forward”! Set your clocks ahead one hour before going to bed on Saturday night.

  • Sat. Mar. 10 – Chapman University Founder’s Day. Lectures by Dr. Amy-Jill Levine on Bible, Gender and Sexuality. Details and registration at: https://www.chapman.edu/about/church-relations/founders-day/index.aspx

  • Sunday March 11: Worship theme: “Identity and Freedom.”  Bible Reading: Bible Reading: Mark 5:1-20
  • Sunday March 11: One Great Hour of Sharing. The UCC’s biggest mission offering, for locally-run missions all over the world, as well as disaster relief supplies ready at a moment’s notice. Checks can be made to BCC, with “OGHS” in the memo line.http://www.ucc.org/oghs
  • Wed. March 14, 7 pm. BCUCC Theological Book Club (see next page for details)
  • Thursday March 15, 6:30 pm: Tai Chi Practice  No experience needed: benefits all ages.  No special clothing or shoes necessary.  Tai Chi is a practice of slow, gentle balance movements that promote good health and peace of mind.  We meet every other Thursday evening at 6:30p.m. in the sanctuary; next meeting March 29th.  Come join us for this peaceful, centering practice.
  • Sun. March 18: worship theme is “Gracious Challenge and Forgiveness.” Mark 7:24-28.
  • Sun. March 18: Connecting Voices:  Elizabeth Hansburg is an urban planner by training. In January of 2017, she started People For Housing Orange County, a volunteer-driven nonprofit organization that advocates for new housing construction in existing communities. P4H is part of a “YIMBY” (Yes in my backyard) movement. While we may not agree with every program P4H is advocating, they challenge us consider what it means to truly love our neighbor.

Ongoing

  • The BCUCC Theological Book Club is beginning a new book.  For a change of pace, we will be reading a book of fiction that shows theology through creative transformation and the persuasive power of God.  The book is Augustown by Kei Miller.  Augustown, set in the backlands of Jamaica, is a magical and haunting novel of one woman’s struggle to rise above the brutal vicissitudes of history, race, class, collective memory, violence, and myth.  We will read the first 116 pages and have a discussion on Wednesday, March 14, and then the rest of the novel for the next meeting on March 28.  We meet at 7:00p.m. at the home of Karen and Jim Hill.  Light refreshments are provided.  Please phone or email for directions at 714-693-0261 or jandkhill@mac.com.  Looking forward to a lively discussion together.  See you there.
  • Choir practice on Thursdays at 7:30pm in the music room. We love newcomers! Give us a try.

What is One Great Hour of Sharing?
One Great Hour of Sharing is the special mission offering of the United Church of Christ that carries God’s message of love and hope to people in crisis.  Almost 60 percent of the UCC’s offering supports international development initiatives, including annual support for missionaries working in disaster relief, health care, education, sustainable agricultural development, and refugee support. The offering also funds disaster preparedness and response, and disaster related volunteer initiatives in the U.S. This voluntary offering makes a difference!

UCC missionaries are always sent at the request of, and in partnership with, local organizations, to meet special needs those local organizations identify, and to respect the decisions and values of the people we serve.

 On average, of every dollar given to One Great Hour of Sharing, 95 cents is used directly for mission programming, and the remaining 5 cents is used to create interpretation materials. Administrative costs are paid by gifts to Our Church’s Wider Mission National Basic Support.