UCC News

UKAMA Sunday Service & Greetings from Zimbabwe

Abbreviated greetings from Chikanga Church, Mutare, Zimbabwe

Full greetings and project update from Chikanga Church, Mutare, Zimbabwe

Music from Chikanga Church (from prior holiday)

Chikanga Church Music 2 (from prior holiday)

Blessing Zimbabwe Musical Video

Worship Service with UKAMA and Living Waters Focus

Reflection/Sermon on Wells & Rivers: Living Waters

Greetings from JCC Council to Chikanga Church, Mutare, Zimbabwe

Greeting from Jackson Community Church Council to Chikanga Church, Mutare, Zimbabwe

Blessings sent from Rev Gail Doktor for use in Chikanga Church’s UKAMA Worship

Our Church’s RESPONSE to HAITI’s CRISIS

UCC (United Church of Christ) Is Partnering with Global Ministries, Church World Service and the ACT Alliiance   Jackson Community Church is sending urgently-requested funds from our Mission budget, held aside for disaster relief, as a first-wave donation to the UCC’s Haiti Appeal. As noted above, the UCC (United Church of Christ) is working with Global Ministries, Church World Service, and the ACT Alliance among other partners.

For anyone wishing to make the most direct impact, we advise adding your financial contribution to this Haiti Appeal, which will be put to work with organizations who have volunteers and resources on the ground in Haiti. You can make a direct donation from the link below. Note that our church is gathering all individual contributions that are submitted this week into one large additional donation to be sent in after this weekend. We suggest that you make out a check to Jackson Community CHurch with the subject line HAITI. All contributions will be sent together as followup addition to our  church’s first response to the Haiti Appeal.

For more information, visit this line:  https://www.ucc.org/ucc-haiti-appeal/.  

Highlights from the UCC Haiti Appeal:

The UCC is working with Global Ministries, Church World Service and the ACT Alliance among other partners, all of which are currently assessing the situation for damages and needs. 

… UCC Global H.O.P.E. team leader Joshua Baird was in touch with the partner networks on August 16 and said that the ACT Alliance reports that more than 60 percent of the people of Haiti have been impacted by the disaster. Both the ACT Alliance and Church World Service have spoken about “significant infrastructure challenges,” with road closures due to civil unrest compounded by earthquake damage.  

… Immediate needs include water, due to the corruption of water tanks, and first aid. They note that there are not enough hospital beds in existing, structurally safe facilities. “People are being treated in hospital yards – or dying there,” according to Global Ministries’ bilateral partners CONASPEH (The National Spiritual Council of Haitian Churches) and House of Hope, Baird said.

Other challenges facing Haitians include COVID-19. Vaccination of health care workers and people over 65 only got started in early August. There’s also the political and social disruption following the assassination of the country’s president in July.

Opening worship for the national Synod gathering of the UCC (United Church of Christ)

SYNOD Begins Today: WORSHIP featuring Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.
You can view it as a Facebook event or on Youtube live event at 5pm EST today, Sunday, July 11.
Live chat is disabled for this event, but you can participate:

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr
Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.’s history in the United Church of Christ and the Civil Rights Movement go back years and reflect a legacy of justice orientation and activism. Chavis was a part of the Wilmington 10, a group of civil rights activists who were wrongly convicted of arson and conspiracy in 1972 after deadly racial conflicts in 1971. Chavis, a staffer with the UCC’s Commission for Racial Justice (CRJ), received a 34-year sentence. CRJ came to their defense, and the 1977 General Synod meeting in Washington, D.C. held a march outside the White House for their release. Their sentences were commuted in 1978, their convictions overturned in 1980, and in 2013, the state’s governor pardoned them. Chavis was a youth organizer in North Carolina for Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., served as Executive Director of CRJ from 1985 to 1993, headed the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People from 1993 to 1994, served as national director of 1995 Million Man March in D.C., co-founded the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, and now leads the National Newspaper Publishers Association. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina and Duke Divinity School and holds a D.Min. degree from Howard University. Originally published in 1983, Chavis’ Psalms from Prison is available for pre-order at The Pilgrim Press: https://www.thepilgrimpress.com/products/psalms-from-prison-chavis

JCC and Around Town: MON, Aug 24 – SUN, Aug 30

Note: Rev Gail will be on vacation/”stay-cation” during the period Aug 20 – Aug 31 while her family visits. You may continue to email Rev Gail, especially in emergency, but responses and availability will be limited during this time. You may contact deacon Meg Phillips if any urgent needs arise.

MON, Aug 24

  • 1pm Leaders in Training program is concluded for the summer. We will resume in September.
  • 4pm Youth Choir & Band resumes on Mon, Aug 30. We are taking a break this week as band & choir members submit their recordings. Contact Billy Carleton for more info or if you have questions.

TUE, Aug 25

  • Community Event: STORY by Believe in Books
    9:30am • Believe in Books Livestream
  • STATEWIDE VIRTUAL CHOIR: Tenor & Bass Rehearsal
    10am • Zoom (link available for choir member – RSVP by email to participate) 10am – Tenor & Bass
  • Community Event: FAMILY EXPLORATION PROGRAM – MAGNIFICANT MONARCHS
    11am & 1pm • Nature Learning Center, Albany
    To register for any session call 603-447-6991 or email us at info@tinmountain.org.
    • Please bring a mask for each participant.
    • Suggested Donation $15/family for members and $25/ family for non-members. Scholarships available.
    • Make a day of it and bring a picnic lunch. Each family (or families that prearrange to come together) will sign up for an 11am or 1pm start time and will travel between stations along the trail with a Tin Mountain staff member.
    • And because each family group stays with the same instructor for the duration, programming can be tailored to and appropriate for any age!
  • CLERGY LUNCH
    12:30pm • Zoom
    Local clergy gathering for meal and discussion.
  • Community Event: LIBRARY PICKUP/PRINTING HOURS
    2-6pm • Jackson Public Library
    You can place a hold –
    • online via your Koha account using your 14 digit library card number
    • Contact by email: staff@jacksonlibrary.org. or leave a voice message at 603-383-9731
    • We will send you an email as soon as your item/s are ready for pickup. If you need to make special arrangements, please let us know, we want to help.
    • Printing and scanning services are also available. Contact us for details.

WED, Aug 26

  • Community Event: STORY by Believe in Books
    9:30am • Believe in Books Livestream
  • Community Service: WAY STATION BOARD of DIRECTORS
    9:45am • Zoom
    Board meeting to discuss policies and programs. JCC volunteers attend as officers of board.
  • RING BELL
    Noon • Jackson Community Church

THURS, Aug 27

  • Community Event: YIN/RESTORATIVE YOGA with Anjali Rose
    **8am** • Zoom (Link provided once participants complete health waiver is sent to anjalirose15@gmail.com and registration/payment for class received.) See Anjali’s website for full list of classes offered and instructions to register. 
  • Community Event: STORY by Believe in Books
    9:30am • Believe in Books Livestream
  • STATEWIDE VIRTUAL CHOIR: Soprano & Alto Rehearsal
    10am • Zoom (link available for choir member – RSVP by email to participate) 10am – Sopranos & Altos
  • Community Event: NATURALIST LED HIKES  (Tin Mountain Conservation Center – Jackson Field Station)
    10am • Jackson Field Station, Jackson, NH
    Registration required: call 603-447-6991. Highlights include the summit of Tin Mountain, a tin mine on the property, and historic homestead, and a mountain pond. Tin Mountain’s naturalist will explain the historic use of the property, help identify plant species, and point out animal signs. These hikes are a great way to explore the lesser trod trails of the White Mountains and avoid the crowds. Participants of all ages a welcome. Reservations required – please call by the Wednesday prior at noon. Limited to 10 participants. Program fee of $5/person or $20/family; members free. More info: https://www.tinmountain.org/event/naturalist-led-hikes-8/
  • RING BELL
    Noon • Jackson Community Church
  • Community Event: LIBRARY PICKUP/PRINTING HOURS
    2-6pm • Jackson Public Library
    You can place a hold –
    • online via your Koha account using your 14 digit library card number
    • Contact by email: staff@jacksonlibrary.org. or leave a voice message at 603-383-9731
    • We will send you an email as soon as your item/s are ready for pickup. If you need to make special arrangements, please let us know, we want to help.
    • Printing and scanning services are also available. Contact us for details.
  • Community Service: WAY STATION SHIFT
    3pm • Curbside package preparation
    5pm • Shift at curbside with guests
  • Community Event: CRAFTUP (Jackson Library)
    4pm • Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/888091236 
    All crafts and all skill levels are welcome.
  • Community Event: WHITE MOUNTAIN JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL featuring GOD’s SLAVE (final in summer series) with guest speaker Marjorie Agosin.
    7:30pm • Zoom 1) Contact organizer IN ADVANCE register. Please email: whitemountainjewishfilm@gmail.com
    2) In advance, watch the film under discussion, GOD’S SLAVE. Available to rent on Amazon Prime for $4.99 HD,  or click on “more options” for the $3.99 SD version. Here’s the link to God’s Slave on Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Slave-Mohammed-Alkhaldi/dp/B00SNUT2YY The film’s running time is about 1:35 minutes.   3) Then look for followup email (once registered) that includes link to attend the Film Forum.
          Additional info about Marjorie Agosin: poet, human rights activist, and literary critic. Marjorie Agosin is Professor of Spanish,  at Wellesley College. Her diverse writing and teaching focuses on Jewish literature, women’s rights and human rights in Latin America,  as well as migration, identity and ethnicity. Professor Agosin’s accomplishments are many — deeply tied to her love of her adopted home: Chile,  and her commitment to social justice. The United Nations has honored Agosin for her work on human rights. The Chilean government awarded her with the Gabriela Mistral Medal of Honor for Life Achievement in 2000.  And in the United States, she has received the Letras de Oro, the Latino Literary Prize, and the Peabody Award, together with the United Nations Leadership Award in Human Rights. Here is a link to learn more about her:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marjorie_Agos%C3%ADn and a sample of her books for adults and children which are available on Amazon:
    A Cross and a Star: Memoirs of a Jewish Girl in Chile and I Lived on Butterfly Hill  and Taking Root: Narratives of Jewish Women in Latin America (Ohio RIS Latin America Series Book 38)

FRI, Aug 28

  • Community Event: STORY by Believe in Books
    9:30am • Believe in Books Livestream
  • RING BELL
    Noon • Jackson Community Church
  • JUDY FULLER’S MEMORIAL
    3pm •Glen Cemetery, Glen, NH
    Link to memorial website: https://judyfuller.alpynservices.com.
    RSVP to the service: https://judyfuller.alpynservices.com/rsvp/
    Rev Gail facilitates the gathering. From Judy’s Family: “We would like you to join us for a beautiful memorial service planned for Judy. It will be held at the Glen Cemetary in Glen, NH. This will be a casual, socially distanced, outdoor service, in order to accommodate all those who would like to attend.  We would like an RSVP and also ask that everyone be considerate and please wear a mask.” They write: “About Judy… Judy was born on April 2, 1936 to Roger A. and Isabel M. Griffin, in Boston, MA. She was the first born of the 6 Griffin children, who’s births spanned 18 years. Being the oldest, Judy was relied upon to help care for her younger siblings, and as the only girl in the first 4, she quickly learned be very resourceful. Her Life… After graduating from college, she met and married the love of her life, in a ski club in Glen, NH. Together, Judy and Carl raised a family that she was most proud of, ran a successful small retail business, and she generously gave her time and energy to many organizations including Cranmore Mountain, the garden club, and the Meister Cup Race. Upon retiring to NH full time, Judy enjoyed their social life, playing golf with the ladies, and skiing with “the gang”. Together, Carl and Judy traveled all over the US and the World to visit with their many friends and family.  They enjoyed life on their many trips to fish at Jones Pond, and the chores of daily retirement life, like making homemade maple syrup. Judy will be dearly missed by her family, close friends, and the many people that came to know her.”

SAT, Aug 29

  • Community Event: LIBRARY PICKUP HOURS
    10am-2pm • Jackson Public Library
    You can place a hold
    • online via your Koha account using your 14 digit library card number
    • Contact by email: staff@jacksonlibrary.org. or leave a voice message at 603-383-9731
    • We will send you an email as soon as your item/s are ready for pickup. If you need to make special arrangements, please let us know, we want to help.
    • Printing and scanning services are also available. Contact us for details.
  • RING BELL
    Noon • Jackson Community Church
  • Private Event: WEDDING
    Afternoon • Jackson Community Church

SUN, Aug 30

  • INTERFAITH GATHERING (pavilion only)
    8am •  Pavilion **ONLY** this week and next week. No zoom in Rev Gail’s absence, group will be lay-led. Small group gathering outside at pavilion. Use social-distancing protocols: bring your own mask. Join us for poetry, prayer and reflection.
  • CHOIR PRACTICE
    9am • Zoom link & password required. Contact church for more info.
  • IN-PERSON WORSHIP in SANCTUARY with GUEST PREACHER REV. CANON DAN WEIR
    9:15am • Social-distancing & Masks REQUIRED
    We will use only designated open pews only (2 out of 3 pews are roped off). Families (and quaran-team groups who have already been in close proximity) may sit together. We will avoid passing of peace, handshaking, hugs, etc. We also ask that you use hand sanitizer as you enter and wear your own mask throughout service. Worship will be streamlined with scripture, prayer and live music by Alan Labrie (if he’s able to arrive while worship is in session): no congregational singing. When worship ends, participants are asked to leave the church with social distance between each group;  we will immediately be preparing for the next zoom-based 10:30am worship service. If you have any signs of illness such as fever, cough, congestion, stomach upset, you are courteously asked to remain home and take care of yourself.
  • VIRTUAL WORSHIP with GUEST PREACHER REV. CANON DAN WEIR (Zoom)
    10:30am •  Zoom link & password required. Contact church for more info.
    Join us for worship, music, reflection, prayer, scripture. Stay for virtual coffee hour. Service will also be live-streamed to website and Facebook (if technology supports this function on the day of event). Afterward, recordings of worship service will be posted to FacebookVimeo.com channel & Youtube.com channel.
  • RING BELL
    Noon • Jackson Community Church

STATEWIDE NH CONFERENCE CHOIR

Virtual – Directed by Billy Carleton

We are preparing choral music for the Sat, Oct 17th Annual Meeting of the NH Conference. Choir director Billy Carleton will be working with choir participants from across the state.

Rehearsal schedule follows: Thursdays: Aug 18, 25

  • 10am – Tenors & Bass

Thursdays: Aug 20, 27

  • 10am – Altos & Sopranos

Sundays: Aug 16 & 30

  • 2pm – Combined Practice

Recordings due:

  • Final individual recordings due by Sun, Aug 30.

RSVP if interested , so we may send you email updates, links to download music and practice tracks, as well as rehearsal zoom-based links.

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