Waiting for the World to Change

The Beacon
A Quarterly Publication
UNIVERSITY
CHRISTIAN
CHURCH
(Disciples of Christ)
December 2013, January & February 2014
Rev. Hill’s Thoughts on Waiting for the World to Change”
I
Volume 9, Issue 10
Inside this issue . . .
Advent Begins
told my wife recently - “I’m ready for Christmas.”
Looking Ahead
She sighed, “It’s not even Thanksgiving yet!”
Safe Haven
Yes, I’ve succumbed. I am one of THEM now, one of those Christmas lovers who wouldn’t mind fast forwarding right past Thanksgiving and into the special time that is the Yuletide season. I just can’t wait.
Perhaps by some stroke of luck or insight, some months ago I chose our Advent theme to center on
waiting. Of those stories surrounding on the expectation and coming of Jesus Christ, most of them have
something to do with waiting. There is, of course, Mary and Joseph, hoping for their baby boy who
might change the world. There are shepherds and wise men, watching the heavens for glad tidings and
prophecies of old. There is Zechariah and Elisabeth, expectantly awaiting the child they shall name
John. And don’t forget Simeon and Anna in the temple, filled with joy and peace at the sight of their savior.
It’s not easy to wait, whether it’s for a baby or your number to flash at the DMV. It’s not fun to sit in that hospital waiting room, hoping the doctor will bring good news. It’s not joyful to watch your email and phone for a call about that position you just interviewed for. It’s hard to have peace when the vio-­‐
lence and chaos of our world does not seem to end. It’s impossible to love others when everybody seems to be in a rush to the top. It’s tough to wait when we aren’t always sure there is good news for us and for our world.
Choir Cantata Sunday
A Victorian Christmas Tea
Disciples Women News
Quadrennial Assembly of
Disciples Women
Poem: “Ask Me Again”
Update on Capital
Campaign Project
A Festival of Lessons and
Carols
Feed the Kids
Youth Fellowship
Our advent theme is “Waiting on the World to Change,” based on a song written a few years ago by John Mayer, capturing some of the frustration by people of all ages who feel left out and left behind.
Mayer sings in the chorus:
So we keep waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change
It's hard to beat the system
When we're standing at a distance
So we keep waiting
Waiting on the world to change
(Continued on Page 3)
Birthdays and Anniversaries
Events and Activities
Advent Events at cUc
Advent begins the church year. Advent is a season of preparation for the
coming of Christ and for the celebration of Jesus’ birth at Christmas. The word “advent” comes from the latin adventus, which means “coming.” As God’s people, we make room for reflection. We reflect upon our need for a Savior and upon God’s glorious plan that gave us one. Let us make Advent a time of reflection and Christmas a time of celebration. Let us hear God
saying, “I love you.” Sunday, December 1 - Advent Begins
Waiting for Hope - Lighting of first Advent Candle
Sunday, December 8 -Advent 2
Waiting for the Spirit - Lighting of second Advent Candle
Rev. Lari Grubbs to preach: “ Waiting for the Spirit” Scripture: Matthew 3:1-12
During worship we will receive the Christmas Joy Offering
After Worship Service, a reception will be held in Rev. Grubb’s honor in the Narthex
Sunday, December 15 - Advent 3
Cantata Sunday: “A Festival of Lessons and Carols” - Lighting of the third Advent Candle
During worship we will receive the Christmas Joy Offering
Friday, December 20 - Longest Night, 7:00 p.m.
Peaceful worship for the Holy Season. If you have experienced the loss of a loved one and is in need of comfort and
strength this holiday season, we invite you to join us.
Sunday, December 22 - Advent 4
Waiting for Love - Lighting of the Fourth Candle
Christmas Eve Services
Tuesday, December 24
7:00 p.m. - A family-oriented service for participants of all ages.
11:00 p.m. - A Candlelight Service of worship with communion.
Sunday, December 29
We will all come together as one church family to celebrate
anew the birth of our Lord.
Looking Ahead!
January 1 - New Year’s Day
January 6 - Season of Epiphany begins
January 20 - Martin Luther King Jr Day
February 16 - Week of Compassion begins
February 16 - Warm Nights begins
March 4 - Shrove Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
March 5 - Ash Wednesday Service, 6:30 p.m.
March 9 - Daylight Savings time
April 13 - Palm Sunday
April 17 - Maundy Thursday
April 8 - Good Friday
April 20 - Easter Sunday
“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their
strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they
shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not
faint.” Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)
“Waiting for the World to Change” (continued from page 1)
I can almost hear mother Mary singing that tune - and the people of Israel who for years had endured corrupt king after king and
then the mighty power of the Roman empire. They too kept on waiting, waiting that God might hear them and move in a new
way. And the good news is - God answered that prayer!
As we prepare our hearts for this Advent season of waiting, listening, and preparation, may our prayers of expectation
also fill our souls, homes, and communities. And may we trust that it will all be worth the wait, however long and hard
it may be.
- Rev. Nathan
Update on Capital Campaign Project - Board Notes
It has been awhile, so there is lots of catching up to do, and I will try to make this as brief as possible. The main item the
board has been working on is the Capital Project, which includes remodeling the sanctuary and completely renovating
the bathrooms. So, here is what has happened so far:
We discovered that our Capital Project will cost quite a bit more than first realized and on Monday, September 16, at a
special board meeting, your board of directors passed, by a unanimous vote, the following motion:
The Congregation of University Christian Church suspend Section IV, Disposition of Endowment Income, of the Policies
for the Acceptance and Handling of Special Gifts, dated 27 June 1993, and draw $200,000 from the Endowment Fund
to supplement funding for the capital improvement program. No income will be dispersed from the fund until the corpus
is restored to the amount at the time of the draw through equity appreciation and designated contributions.“
The same motion was presented to the congregation for a vote on September 22, and was passed with well above the
required ¾ majority.
Since that vote a lot has been going on:
We have renegotiated with the contractors and set proposed timelines for construction to begin, and we are possibly
days away from signing contracts and obtaining permits.
It appears that the construction may begin as early as December, or possibly January.
This is a very exciting time in the life of our church as we begin to renew our building, and renew our hearts for the work
that our Lord has in store for us.
Please keep Rev. Nathan, your board, and your leaders in prayer as we move forward with God’s work here at the “Church at the Intersection.” Pray that we continue to be a blessing to those in need around us, and that we strive to model the love and compassion of our Lord and Savior,
Jesus Christ.
- Hanford (Smitty)
President
May every heart rejoice at
Christmas in the glory of
the Christ child’s birth!
with love,
from your staff at
University Christian Church
Women, mark your calendars for
A Victorian Christmas Tea
Saturday, December 7, 2013
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
At University Christian Church
Sponsored by Disciples Women: Live!
Watch for more information)
Disciples Women News
All women are invited to attend any of these small group meetings:
Martha Group
Monday, December 16, at 7:00 p.m. at the home of Ramona C.
Monday, January 20, at 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, December 5 at noon., at Anna-Mae K.’s home
Rachel Group
Thursday, January 9, at noon
Mary Mags (usually meets on one Friday evening a month; varied activities)
November: The Mary Mags met for “Ladies Night at the Mud Hut” on November 8.
December
Date TBD - Food and Friends volunteering event:
(http://www.foodandfriends.org/site/pp.asp?c=ckLSI8NNIdJ2G&b=8543177)
January
February
Friday, January 10 at 7:00 p.m. - DVD and discussion
Friday, February 7 at 7:00 p.m. - DVD and discussion
Date TBD - dinner service one night at Warm Nights (February 16 - February 23)
Quadrennial Assembly of Disciples Women
International Disciples Women will gather for the Quadrennial Assembly 2014 in Atlanta,
Georgia. The theme for the event is I SEE YOU. This wonderful opportunity occurs every four years. From
Wednesday to Sunday, June 25-29, 2014, women from all over the world will come to together for worship,
service, renewal, and fellowship. I hope that ten or more of us will attend. If you have questions, speak
with Sara H., Bonnie Z., Joyce H., Ella G., Betty R., or Anna-Mae K.,,all former attendees; going with friends is
a lot of fun and helps with the cost of a room!!
Information is available at discipleshomemissions.org ; Quadrennial Assembly’s home page is under DHM Ministries. Register on-line or pick up a registration form in the narthex. Scholarships are available, either from the Quadrennial Assembly or from our own Disciples Women.
A Festival of Lessons and Carols—Sunday, December 15, 2013, 10:45 a.m.
This year’s “Sermon in Song” transforms cUc into a virtual cathedral at the corner of Adelphi and Belcrest as the cUc Choir and Friends present a full English-style Lessons and Carols service. Readers and choristers from our own
congregation present the Christmas story told in scripture and celebrated in carols drawn from the history of the Church
in the British Isles. There is a wonderful tradition of mystery and warmth in this service. Invite your friends and family
and wrap yourself in the wonder of the season as we prepare for the arrival of the Christ child.
“Feed the Kids”
Our first two deliveries were very successful. In October we delivered 15 bags with one chicken dinner and one spaghetti dinner for
each household. Our families ranged for 2 to 8. The parents were so excited about starting this program with them. We have been
asked if we could handle two more households and after considering our path we decided to add the two extra families starting in December.
On November 22, 2013 we delivered 16 baskets to the school and in each basket there was a turkey, a chicken,
ground turkey, fish, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, stuffing, celery, macaroni, apples, a pie, green beans
(which we took from our own pantry) and carrots. All this was possible due to the enormous generosity of this
congregation. Because of the size of these baskets I had extra hands to load and carry the baskets; without
who, we could have not done this. The team at SHARE was inspiring. Men and women from our Armed
Forces were there. Not only do they put their lives on the line to protect this country of ours, but they give
back more.
On December 20th we will be delivering 17 bags with one dinner of tuna noodle casserole and one dinner of
beef tacos. We have been blessed with a child, who for her 10 th birthday, decided to do a service day. She
cooked for her guests and asked that they bring food for the program in lieu of gifts for her. Isabella filled all
the bags with the ingredients for the tuna noodle casserole and $450 for the ingredients for beef tacos.
Isabella, what a wonderful gift you have given to many children and their families, who may or may not have had a dinner for this
weekend. I personally want you to know what an impact you have made on so many children. You are an inspiration for children all
around.
Youth Fellowship
First Chi Rho/JYF Activity
Youth Schedule
December 6 - CYF trip to visit the
National Christmas Tree, 6:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m.
January 12 - Dinner at cUc, 6:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m.
February 23 - Warm Nights - prepare and
serve dinner
Ask Me Again: My Journey
I can remember when
Jesus politely asked me,
May I come into your life?
I thought to myself, why?
I think the way I govern
myself is just fine.
And because He’s such a gentleman, He didn’t just barge in.
But at a later time I heard His
familiar voice asking me
again, may I come into your
life?
I was only a teen then and nothing that Jesus had to
offer me was appealing, or even interesting to my being.
And then to my surprise everything I idolized was
snatched from me: maybe it was the breast cancer
scare in 2008, or maybe it was my growing pains.
The older I got I felt no one else could relate; or maybe it
was the pain in my chest caused by haunted dreams
because my actions were so careless.
But whatever it was I can remember wishing He would
ask me again.
I wished the little voice would come into my head
And ask me did I need a friend.
Around my college years I got tired of waiting for Him to
ask me so I asked Him.
I can remember praying a prayer like this,
“Jesus, I’m hurting now;; I’m not used to praying so I won’t have anything to say that’s profound but I need You to take control of my life, because somehow what
I’ve done is spiraling out of control, And I don’t like . . . Me.”
I need You to come into my personal storm and provide
your majestic anchors for some stability because the
only thing that I have that’s stable is the fact that I know that there’s a wedge between me and my sanity.
I feel so incomplete because the one who created me,
I rejected for all things that were worldly.
I promise if You come into me, if You would just ask me
again, I will live my entire life for thee—
Please!
Because You loving me is the only hope I got.
You see people are too inconsistent; but somewhere before
I’ve heard the love of God is not. And you see He answered my prayers.
It wasn’t a formal meeting but I believe Jesus saved me right there in my dorm room.
There was no church or pastor;; it didn’t even take me leaving. That was almost five years ago; and our love story
continues.
But now instead of a vertical relationship; He has carved out
divine leadership.
I was a little reluctant to accept; but I had to understand a
leader is only a humble servant.
Listening for God’s voice, responding to His call,
and showing others that Jesus is the satisfying choice.
My life is a reflection of a covenant I made from me to Him.
A vow to remember every day that night in my dorm room
when I gave my life to Him.
Now everyday He gives His life to me.
And I promise to serve this world in limitless capacities.
Walk with me as I move forward in my call to further understand.
Thank you University Christian Church for having me here.
I sincerely believe it is a part of God’s divine plan! - Shanay S
DEVOTIONAL BOOKLET
Please pick up your “Partners in Prayer” Advent Devotional, to lead you through
this holy season.
Devotionals will be available in the
narthex the first two Sundays of Advent.
“For unto us a child is born.” -Isaiah 9:6
cUc Community “Trunk or Treat” A Great Success!!!
Week of Compassion Offering
for Disaster Relief and Development
through the Christian Church
will be collected on
Sundays February 16 and 23
Please be abundantly generous!
...that 100% of your gifts to Week of Compassion are applied directly to the
needs of those who are experiencing hard, painful and frightening moments
in their lives? Few charitable organizations can make such a claim. Together
we can make a difference!
Events and Activities
December:
1—Advent Begins
—CMF Breakfast, 8:00 a.m. at Plato’s Diner
5—Rachel Group Meeting, at Anna-Mae K’s home
7—DW Alive: Victorian Tea, 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
8—Safe Haven, begins, ends December 15
9—Cabinet Meeting, 7:00 p.m.
13—Young Adult Christmas Party at Zack and Sara M’s home
14—Special Choir Rehearsal, 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
—Special Christmas Movie: refreshments, 6:30 p.m.;
movie, 7:00 p.m.
15—Choir Cantata Sunday
16—Martha Group Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Bonnie Z’s home
home
20—Longest Night Service, 7:00 p.m.
22—Christmas Sunday
24—Christmas Eve Services, 7:00 p.m. & 11:00 p.m.
25—Christmas Day, Church Office closed
January:
1—New Year’s Day, Church Office closed
2—Rachel Group Meeting, 12:00 p.m.
5—CMF Breakfast, 8:00 a.m., Plato’s Diner
6—Epiphany Begins
10—Mary Mags Group Meeting, 7:00 p.m.
20—Martin L. King Jr’s Birthday, Church Office closed
—Martha Group Meeting, 7:00 p.m.at Karen M’s home
25—Movie Night, refreshments, 6:30 p.m.; movie, 7:00 p.m.
27—Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m.
February:
2—CMF Breakfast, 8:00 a.m. at Plato’s Diner
6—Rachel Group Meeting, 12:00 p.m.
7—Mary Mags Group meeting, 7:00 p.m.
16—Warm Nights begin, ends February 23
—Week of Compassion begins
17—Martha Group Meeting, 7:00 p.m.
—Presidents’ Day—Church Office closed
22—Movie Night: refreshments,6:30 p.m.; movie 7:00 p.m.
24—Community Place Café, 11:30 a.m. —Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m.
Weekly events:
Elders’ Circle, Sundays, 8:30 a.m.
Sunday School, Sundays at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
Worship Service, Sundays, 10:45 a.m.
Martins’ Bible Study, Tuesdays, 7:00 p.m.
Choir Rehearsal, Wednesdays, 7:00 p.m.
cUc Choir Ensemble Rehearsal, Thursdays, 6:30 p.m.
Please check Web site for calendar updates: uccmd.org
Our Prayers
“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayer intercessions, and
thanksgiving be made for everyone…” (1 Timothy 2:1)
Please pray daily for the continued healing of those who are sick in
health and spirit.
Always keep in prayer our Pastor, Rev. Hill;
President of the Congregation;
A quarterly publication
of
University Christian Church
University Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ)
6800 Adelphi Road, Hyattsville, Maryland 20782
Sunday School: 9:30 a.m. & 12:00 p.m.
Worship Service: 10:45 a.m.
Office Hours: Monday — Friday, 9:00 a.m.—
3:30 p.m.
Telephone: 301-864-1520
FAX: 301-864-9550
E-Mail: [email protected]
Newsletter Articles Submission Deadline:
March/April/May articles are due:
12:00 a.m. Monday, March 3, 2014
Please submit articles to Rev. Nathan Hill
Sunday Bulletin entries are due:
10:00 a.m. Wednesdays.
Weekly E-mail announcements are due:
9:00 a.m. Mondays.
Entries for the bulletin or weekly E-mail
announcements may be placed in the
Secretary’s mail box across from the church office, or E-mailed to [email protected]
Any submissions or calendar changes should be
E-mailed or in writing.
Submissions may be edited for space and clarity.
Staff
Rev. Nathan Hill
Pastor
Music Director
Vern F.
Pianist
Stefan P.
Intern Creative Ministry
Shanay S.
Secretary
Cynthia J.
Custodians - Property
Cha rles M. .& Harold M.
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