|
A special consciousness is required to recognize the ultimate significance of time.
--Abraham Joshua Heschel
In his book The Sabbath, Abraham Joshua Heschel addresses the relationship between holiness and time. In Judaism, God reveals God's will through time and history rather than nature and objects. According to Heschel: "Holiness in space, in nature, was known in other religions. New in the teaching of Judaism was that the idea of holiness was gradually shifted from space to time, from the realm of nature to the realm of history, from things to events. The physical world became divested of any inherent sanctity."
That's not to say that people in other cultures didn't have a concept of sacred time. They did. The Mayans are a perfect example of people who conformed their lives to sacred time based on the movements of the sun and other heavenly bodies. The difference is that Judaism introduced a pattern of holy time removed from the movement of the stars or the recurring cycle of agriculture. Judaism introduced a pattern of holy time based on the historical deeds of its God. Even though many of the Jewish holy days originated on days marking phases of the moon or highpoints of the agricultural cycle, their holy days evolved to commemorate God's revelatory acts in history.
Leon Kass, in his work, Genesis, The Beginning of Wisdom, a recent men's book club selection, would agree with Heschel. Offering a thorough analysis of the first creation story in Genesis, Kass describes how the order of creation divests the sun of any divine power. Genesis reveals that the sun is not a god and that the movement of the stars has no sacred significance. In other words, the rhythms and cycles we discern within creation do not reveal God. God reveals God's will in creation's historical drama, in the temporal realm distinct from the created patterns of the natural world.
Some environmentalists criticize the very reality Heschel celebrates, blaming Judaism and Christianity for divesting the physical world of any inherent sanctity. They argue that by denying the earth a sacred identity, the two faiths have fostered the attitude that the planet is nothing but an object for humanity to dominate, exploit, and bend to its will. While it may be helpful for Jews and Christians to hear this critique, they shouldn't accept it uncritically. The Biblical bias against the spiritualization of nature does not translate into a blank check for humanity to dominate, exploit, or bend God's creation to its will. We could cite plenty of Biblical critiques of this problematic tendency of the human will.
More to the point is Heschel's concern that we do not adequately recognize or celebrate the liberating gift of God's Sabbath time. If Judaism replaced sacred space with sacred time, but we do not truly organize our lives around the recognition and celebration of sacred time, then what do we have left? A weakened relationship with God and a diminished life.
For many people in our time and place, time is primarily a unit of measurement measuring distance and accomplishment. It takes half an hour to go from here to there, and ten minutes to do this and that. Sometimes we don't have enough time, other times too much. We often want time to go faster, especially when we're sitting behind a red light, waiting for our computer to boot up, or enduring the pastor's sermon. We buy time, make time, spend time, waste time, fill time, and kill time. For many, time is money. But when and where in our lives is time sacred? When is time a revelation of God? What does time reveal about God?
These are questions we'll be asking ourselves as we reflect on the Sabbath. Our first gathering will be on Sunday, February 13, after worship. If possible, please begin reading Heschel's book, The Sabbath, before our first meeting. We'll reflect on the relationship between holiness and time for as long as we need. In future gatherings, we'll reflect on the relationship between Sabbath and justice. Please join us.
Tom
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION MATTERS
Mark your calendars!
This year's all-church retreat is scheduled from the evening of April 15 through the morning of April 17 at Slumber Falls. Rev. Whit Bodman, with the assistance of others, will lead us in examining, in our contemporary context, how to render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's. Activities for children and youth will also be planned. Please set aside the dates now and watch for upcoming announcements for more details about the program.
On Friday, February 11, 2005, at 7pm, the children and youth will be making delicious Valentine's chocolate pops again! Cookie decorating will also be available for the younger children. Bring your kids on Friday, and make sure they're in church on Sunday, February 13, 2005, to help with the sale of the chocolate pops and creative cookies in fellowship hall, just in time for Valentine's Day! At the suggestion of the children themselves, the profits will benefit Tsunami relief and reconstruction sponsored by the United Church of Christ's Church World Service. Thank you in advance for supporting this important fundraising effort initiated by the children of the church!
On Sunday, February 13, 2005, Rev. Tom VandeStadt will be initiating his adult education Sabbath series after church. Please see the separate announcement for more information and join us on February 13, 2005.
If you're interested in becoming involved in teaching or assisting with Sunday School for any age, please contact Sunday School Superintendent John Burlinson.
Thanks to all who have contributed to the windows restoration. We have received as much as we expected would be needed for the project! Work should begin this month. Many will be happy that we have approved the purchase of a NEW dishwasher for the nursery room including professional installation! This will make clean up on Sundays much easier--Hooray! We are still working on flooding problems and this is likely to be ongoing with gradual improvements. Trustees are seeking individuals who are interested in being on the Building and Grounds committee. If you have an interest, please speak up. We need you!
Trustees: John Moore & Pam Tucker
Deacons: Liz Nash
Christian Education: Marilyn Vaché
Christian Outreach: John Goff
FROM THE BOARD OF DEACONS
On Saturday, February 5th, we will be sprucing up the Fellowship Hall and Corliss Gaspari Library from 10 a.m. to noon. We would like a few willing hands to help out. The morning will consist of rearranging furniture and straightening up in the Fellowship Hall, as well as shelving books and clearing clutter from the library. The purpose is to make the rooms more inviting and easier to use. All are invited.
The Board of Deacons has also been thinking about our welcoming ministry. We have decided that we want to encourage all of us to be part of this. On Sunday, February 20th, we invite everyone in the congregation to stay after worship for a short DVD presentation and discussion on being a welcoming church for visitors. This material is from the UCC "God is Still Speaking" campaign. It will also feature a short segment on our identity as a UCC church. As with the church's Open and Affirming forums, we invite everyone to bring finger food. We'll take a few minutes after worship to have some refreshments to quiet the lunchtime hunger, then gather for about a half-hour to forty-five minutes in the sanctuary. Be sure to join us!
Planning for the Back Bay Mission trip will begin in earnest with an after-service meeting on February 27. The trip is scheduled for the last week in June. At this time we would like to get reasonably firm commitments, so that we can begin to coordinate our work for the week with the Mission. John Goff will serve as coordinator-in-chief, but important tasks will be delegated (i.e., travel coordinator, meal coordinator, etc.). Costs for the trip will be modest: just $50/person for the week plus travel (we may rent a van) and meals (which we'll cook ourselves). To help finance the trip we are going to organize a yard sale fundraiser. Tom and Robin have volunteered their driveway. The date is not yet set, but now is a good time to start thinking about saleable items (no clothes, please) that you are ready to get rid of. Please hold onto them a bit longer for later donation when the date for the yard sale is announced.
Dennis Murphy's cell phone number is incorrectly listed in the new church directory. The correct number is 923-2949. Nodie's cell is 923-2940. The office numbers listed for them in the directory (255-6006 and fax 255-7532) have been disconnected because they are now closing the office (Does anyone want to rent a fine 800 sq. ft. office on the west side of Round Rock, one block from IH-35?). At the end of December Nodie and Dennis moved their youngest son Ned to San Antonio, where he has signed up for classes at San Antonio College and will be working at the Consulting Engineers Group (where their son-in-law Larbi Sennour is now VP). Ned's address: 1234 East Mulberry Ave, #121, San Antonio, TX 78209. Dennis also has a special request. His VHS-C (compact) video camera has died, and he's looking for a kind soul who has one in working order and would be willing to lend it to him long enough for him to dub his VHS-C tapes to another format. Any VHS-C camera with S-video or composite video out would work.
Several of the residents at the Englewood Estates have asked Rizer Everett for his comments about the tsunami destruction in North Sumatra, Indonesia. He and Hildegard lived in central and south Sumatra for ten years from 1954 to 1964 and in Java from 1964 to 1966. His employer was Esso Eastern Overseas. In 1989, they traveled with a group for a tour of Sumatra, Java, and Bali and were warned by the tour leader that Aceh in north Sumatra was not a safe area for foreigners to visit. That is because it is inhabited by militant Muslims that want to separate from Indonesia. Thousands have been killed in the civil war in the area in the past thirty years. An unofficial truce between the rebels in Aceh and the federal officials in Jakarta was established after the tsunami on the 26th of December, 2004. It is hoped that the recently stepped-up military patrols will be able to control serious actions of the guerrillas in the Aceh area.
Mary Sinclair sent an update from New Hampshire on Judith Karasi (who is struggling with metastasized breast cancer) and Martin Bukasa as of mid-January. "Judith is doing quite well at the moment. The lesions on her back have diminished and her breathing is very good. She has more energy and has gained four pounds!! She is attributing this to all the prayers being sent her way and to an African herbal medicine which she takes faithfully. The week before Christmas Martin had to go to hospital with what turned out to be a blood sugar level more than four times normal. He is now diabetic and must take insulin shots twice a day. He's working on getting his insulin levels stabilized and has had to cut down on the many hours of overtime he works every week. We are still working with Senator Sununu's office to get Judith's mother over from Congo on a six-month visa but it is a slow process (at the Congo end). Now that Martin has his green card, this request carries more weight with the various bureaucracies. I was really glad to be with them in early December to help get things organized. The kids are well and growing like weeds. They all send their love and gratitude for the congregation's continuing support. Being sick in this country is a terribly expensive business, even with some health insurance."
Richard and Mary spent a lovely Christmas/New Year in their new home in Longmont. CO, with Richard's cousin and family from London. They came over for 10 days and, being avid skiers, persuaded Mary to try skiing for the first time. Breckenridge had lots of nice, soft snow so she only has a few bruises to show for the experience. She did manage to make it safely down a few "green" slopes but doesn't think she'll take it up as a hobby - too much snow for her!
Kerry Manning got sick on December 27th, and refused (this is husband --and nurse Michael Adams talking) to go to the doctor until Friday, January 7th. It was almost too late. She was in the South Austin Hospital for almost a week. Julia really had a tough time missing her mom. The doctors called it everything but pneumonia until they finally agreed that that is what it was. In more cheerful news, Michael reports that they did get a card from long-ago member Linda Bulkely, who is well and has bought a house in the Berkeley area. They also got a card from former members Marian McKenzie and Walter Smith, with a photo of them, their three kids, and their friend Mike. Walter's tenured job gives them a house for LIFE! Therefore, they have no plans to buy one. It's huge, six or seven bedrooms.
Lisa Kirch and daughter Sarah are back from a long Christmas visit with family in Mississippi. Sarah got to spend lots of time with her four-year-old cousins, Gabriel (Pittsburgh) and Maria (Maracaibo, Venezuela, formerly of Bangkok). She enjoyed being the idolized and squabbled-over big kid, and Lisa enjoyed being able to take naps and read books. This image stuck in Lisa's head: all three of the kids stretched out flat on a bed, watching movies on Maria's portable DVD player, their little faces blue in the light from the screen, utterly rapt. This sound stuck in Lisa's head: the "safe fireworks" on New Year's Eve at the end of the family party at Gulfport's excellent children's museum. The "safe fireworks" were enormous strips of bubble wrap that a genius had taped to the museum's deck for the circa 200 children to stomp on. It sounded just like firecrackers, and even grown-ups couldn't resist edging over to pop a few bubbles. Lisa suggests that anyone visiting Back Bay Mission who has small children in tow should take time to visit this museum, the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center.
Eunice Paul (she and her late husband Bob were members of the church 15 years ago) reports from Leatherhead, England, that this Christmas her three children were together for the first time in more than thirty years since Lydia and Dean Tapley moved to England in 1973. Tim and his family from Pittsburgh and Martin and family from Connecticut came to join Lydia and Dean Tapley in their new home here in Leatherhead where Dean is the minister of the United Reformed Church. This meant that Tim and Lydia spent Christmas in the house where they had grown up (while Bob was minister here) until the Paul family moved to Switzerland in 1954. There was not room for all the family (including Dean's brother) in Eunice's house and the manse but they made use of space given by kindly neighbors who were away for the holidays. Eunice's grandsons Nathaniel and Joshua Tapley were home; Nathaniel (with his friend Zoe) and Joshua from Austria. They filled two pews in church! There were comings and goings for almost two weeks, including a three-day trip to Paris for some of them, so they are just now getting back to normal. For the last ten years Eunice has spent most of January with friends in Naples, Florida, but this year she didn't have the energy to organize herself for that. Maybe next January, Eunice!
Marguerite and Ben White spent the Christmas holidays in Davis, California, with their son Cappy, daughter-in-law Lillian and granddaughter Maya, who is now in 4th grade. They enjoyed mild weather and only mild delays of flights on return due to the snowstorms in the South.
After celebrating Christmas with Mary in Austin, Jim Tomasek and his daughter Dorcas went to Lincoln, NE, for 5 days to visit family. The most meaningful part of the trip was when Jim and Dorcas went to his mother's grave-site where they, along with about 15 other family and friends, commemorated the year since his mother died. It had special significance to Jim since he had been unable to go to her funeral service as he was ill at that time. Jim was able to stand as he led the 15 minute service--and then was delighted to adjourn from the cold to a friend's home where he visited with old friends who had been members of the youth fellowship and choir when Jim was a boy.
Bee Polomé and her husband Milt Weiss had a lovely trip to Mazatlan in early January. They enjoyed cool temperatures in the day time and cooler ones at night--a bit of a challenge since the hotel had no heat! They took several tours of the area including one of 3 typical small Mexican towns which took more than 8 hours to complete. Bee held up quite well, to her delight, and found the trip to be invigorating. She continues to fight her lung cancer and is still undergoing treatments and tests. She will be appearing at the Wednesday Morning Music Club Pops Concert on March 2 at 10 a.m. with the ABC Steel Drum Trio playing "Yellow Bird" and her arrangement of "The Entertainer." All are welcome to come.
We had lots of visitors at church on Sunday, Jan. 16. One couple was returning after an absence of almost 50 years! Lolita and Jesse Binford were members from 1955-58 when Jesse was an instructor at UT in the chemistry department. They went on to California for 3 years and then on to Tampa where he was on the faculty at the University of South Florida (and, coincidentally knew a dear friend of Pat and Mel Oakes). They have retired back to Austin to be near their grandchildren. They were delighted to re-connect with Cathy Hubbs and are looking forward to talking with Mathis Blackstock. Bert Miller was the pastor when they were here. Welcome home!
Former members, Matt and Martha Wilding are still thriving in Cedar Rapids, IA. Jake (whom many of us remember) is in the 5th grade and younger brothers are Bill, in the first grade, and Ben who is 2. Matt manages the Automated Analysis Group at Rockwell Collins' R&D Center. Martha continues to be a branch librarian for the U.S. 8th Circuit Court.
Jeffrey and Lynne Lemley had a very unpleasant experience on December 20. Lynne was driving (both wearing seat belts, thank heaven) as they exited 183 when a car slammed into them from the rear, slamming them into the car in front of them. Lynne's treasured '93 Honda Accord was totalled, but they were OK except for the back pain which persisted for several weeks. Now they are continuing the joy of negotiating with the insurance company. Sigh.
Mary Charles Williams enjoyed an extended visit with her daughter Meredith and son-in-law Graham Parker who were visiting from Salcombe, England . Graham and Meredith brought Mary Charles to church and everyone enjoyed visiting with them.
Former member Juditha Burchstad is still recuperating from a viral infection which attacked her cranial nerve in the fall of 2003. Finally she is beginning to make progress in overcoming problems with her balance, vision, and facial paralysis. She has continued to work (as a professor of comparative anatomy) and she and her husband Fred (a librarian at the Widener Library at Harvard) are thoroughly enjoying the antics of their first grade son Gus.
Pastor Emeritus John Towery reports that he heard from two former members who were ordained by the UCC. Rev. Ms. Martha Hartman who has served two churches in Russell, Kansas, is now working in a university position in Valdosta, GA. Her address in 1503. E. Park Ave., Apt. 11, Valdosta, GA 31602. Rev. Pat Russell has a new address at 111 Bramton Lane, Cary, NC 27513 (Phone 919-468-9668). Sadly, Pat's marriage is breaking up.
Former church secretary Louise Whitworth's husband LaVoy died suddenly on Jan. 11. The family was to hold a private family service with a memorial service to be planned for a later date. Our hearts go out to you, Louise.
Mel and Pat Oakes had a good trip over the holidays, spending several days before Christmas with Pat's dad in North Carolina, then being joined by youngest daughter Mardie and her fiancé Tony Deifell Christmas Day. Christmas afternoon they went on to Black Mountain outside of Asheville where they spent a wonderful 4 days getting to know Tony's parents and siblings. Mel and Pat then went back for another day with her dad and then went on to Bethesda, MD, where they spent a great week with middle daughter Sarah.
FEBRUARY
4 Jonathan M. Carruthers
6 Mardie Oakes
Holly Ann Horner
7 Geneva Ross
8 Barbara Burnham
Lois Drachenberg
11 Valentino Herrera
13 Richard Jackson
16 Mathis Blackstock
Nancy C. Brown
Betty James
17 John Horner
John Moore
18 Ned Murphy
19 Jamie Adams
20 Flo Chiles
Whit Bodman
26 Ida M. Little
29 Martha Wilding
MICAH 6 VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
The Christian Outreach Committee would like to encourage greater participation from Congregational Church of Austin members in the Micah 6 ministries. Micah 6 is an undertaking of University area churches to coordinate their ministries to more effectively address the needs of the community. Currently, Micah 6's primary ministry is its Food Pantry, open on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. The Congregational Church of Austin provides financial support for the Food Pantry as well as the volunteer commitment of a small group of dedicated individuals. We are hoping to expand this involvement by initiating some regular small group volunteering from this church. Below is a list of some of the volunteer opportunities available to support the Food Pantry. Please compare the available options to your interests and availability and let Robin Chapman know of your interest at alexrobintom@sbcglobal.net. She will attempt to coordinate some small group involvement. If you prefer to make individual arrangements to volunteer, or if the small group arrangements don't fit your schedule or interests, please use the contacts named below to make individual arrangements to become involved, or contact Scotti Woolery-Price, sprice@austin.rr.com, who is coordinating overall Micah 6 volunteer recruitment. Any small group volunteer activities arranged for Micah 6 will replace our regular involvement at the University Methodist Church's Saturday Outreach program. Please let Robin Chapman know if you would like to remain available as a substitute for the University Methodist Saturday Outreach Program.
Cleanup Team - need an overall coordinator and several volunteers to be responsible for keeping the food pantry clean on Saturdays at 11:30 am after the food pantry closes, including sweeping/mopping floors, cleaning and lining shelves, cleaning refrigerator and defrosting freezer, taking cardboard boxes to dumpster. Clean-up after closing on Thursday evenings at 6:30pm is also needed.
Records - need 2-3 volunteers that want to help organize and maintain records (recipient and volunteer time records) and prepare reports for Central Area Food Bank (CAFB) and other organizations.
Acquisition Coordinator - ordering food from CAFB on Wednesday, scheduling drivers, acquiring donated food and other items, inventory management.
Drivers - there is a need for two volunteer drivers to pick up the Bakery products and other items (about 2 push baskets full) from the Randalls on Balcones and 2222 on Wednesday and by 10 am on Saturday mornings each week and transport to and unload into/stock the Pantry.
Resource Acquisitions (Fundraising and Contributions) - Need several volunteers to help in this area. Contact for the above activities is Charles Locklin, chlocklin@austin.rr.com or 343-0782.
Truck Unloading - need overall supervisor to help with scheduling as well as several volunteers to help unload trucks and stock the pantry on Thursday afternoons, 3-5pm.
Pantry Stocking - need overall supervisor and 2 volunteers to stock the pantry on Thursday afternoons. Contact for the above activities is Debbie Webb, debbiewebb@aol.com or 799-9358.
Equipment Maintenance - need 3-4 volunteers to help monitor equipment regularly and repair or arrange for repairs as needed. Contact Phillip Stovall, pstovall@austin.rr.com or 632-8413
Safety Monitoring: Volunteers needed during Food Pantry hours on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings for safety monitoring outside the pantry. Only adults may fulfill this role, and formal training is encouraged for safety monitors--the next training session is in February, date TBA. Contact our own Cecile Adam, cervin1@earthlink.net or 419-1546.
Have you noticed? It has been some while since we last pruned the large oak by the church entrance. So the entrance to the church has gotten darker and darker as the branches grew ever closer to the church blocking the view of it.
Since accomplishing the pruning of the tree has become ever more dangerous, the committee sought and obtained the aid of the City's arborist in providing us a cherry picker to accomplish the needed pruning over the Christmas break. They were able to remove numerous branches that were scratching against the church's front entrance and dropping acorns which clogged our gutters. Take a look the next time you enter the sanctuary and see the difference pruning can make.
In addition, we did some pruning of our own of the flowering peach trees surrounding the perimeter of our church. Hopefully, this will prevent further vandalism from walkers-by who have found some of the low-hanging limbs not to their liking and have tried to take their own corrective action. We are hoping that the pruning will ensure a beautiful flowering again this spring.
Yes, it's back by popular demand--the CCA Talent Show! We raise money for a good cause while having a great time. This year, we're going to support Tom as he goes "Pedalin' for a Purpose." He'll be joining three other nut cases who'll be riding their bikes from Austin to Biloxi as a fundraiser for Back Bay Mission. We'd like to help cover some of Tom's personal expenses on this trip. Additional money raised may go directly to Back Bay Mission or to support our church's mission trip to Back Bay in June.
Mark your calendars for 5:30 p.m., Sunday, February 27, 2005--and start practicing!
BACK BAY MISSION TRIP
JUNE 26 to JULY 2
It's now winter, which means summer's just around the corner. You can see how my mind works! We need to begin thinking more seriously about our Back Bay Mission trip at the end of June. Here's some information that may be helpful. We can bring anywhere from 12 to 24 people. The mission work is housing rehab with a lot of scraping and painting. There is also some recreational time scheduled. We stay in dorms, and the cost is $50.00 per person for the week. Our group must purchase and prepare its own food. Our church must pay a $150 registration fee. The camp experience is geared toward High School youth and their adult chaperones. However, Junior High youth may participate as long as they are mature, willing to work, and do not consist of more than 25% of the total group. Please keep your eyes and ears open for our next information and planning meeting.
|
