Update and Resources

November 15, 2024

"Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another."  

~Hebrews 10:24-25

Sunday Worship at 10am

Please join us in the sanctuary this Sunday morning! Or worship online via our live stream. You can worship anytime on our Kent UCC Video page. Click here to print the bulletin for an order of worship for those worshiping online.

Make an Impact!

How many organizations can claim that their support ​makes an impact for you and your family, but also locally and across the globe? ​

The Kent United Church of Christ can!

You are invited to ​deepen your relationship with God and others by supporting the mission and ministry of this church. ​ Prayerfully consider the kind of impact you would like to make with the resources God has entrusted to you​. You may have missed Dedication Sunday on November 10, but there is still time to make your pledge. There is still time to discern how you might make a difference in our community and throughout the world through your financial gifts to our church.

​There are pledge cards on the tables in the narthex. Just place the card in the offering plate or send it to the church office. For those who wish to give online, you are wholeheartedly encouraged to do so; we kindly ask you to fill out a pledge card as well indicating your pledged amount for next year's ministry.

​We are "Up to Something Good" at Kent UCC. And that good can be even more powerful when we all participate fully in the life of our beloved church.  Thank you in advance for your faithful commitment and pledges.

Adult Education Class through November

The Social Justice Committee is happy to host a 4-week book study for the month of November every Sunday morning at 8:45am in the Lounge. We will study the book Decolonizing Palestine by long-time UCC Global Ministries partner, Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb. This study will be done in a "circle format" where every participant will have the opportunity to share one lesson they have learned from the week's reading and invite a brief response from the group. We will have a visual aid to center the Palestinian people as well as a weekly ritual to ground us spiritually. Please consider buying the book online at ELIZABETH'S BOOKSHOP & WRITING CENTRE Bookshop.

From Bookshop.com: "Decolonizing Palestine challenges the weaponization of biblical texts to support the current settler-colonial state of Israel. Raheb argues that some of the most important theological concepts -Israel, the land, election, and chosen people - must be decolonized in a paradigm shift in Christian theological thinking about Palestine. Decolonizing Palestine is a timely book that builds on the latest research in settler-colonialism and human rights to place traditional theological themes within the wider socio-political context of settler colonialism as it is practiced by the modern nation-state of Israel. Written by a native Palestinian Christian theologian who continues to live in the region, Decolonizing Palestine provides an insider's perspective that disrupts hegemonic and imperialist narratives about the region."



Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb is founder and president of Dar al-Kalima University in Bethlehem, Palestine. Raheb is the most widely published Palestinian theologian to date, including his books Faith in the Face of Empire and, with Suzanne Henderson, The Cross in Contexts: Suffering and Redemption in Palestine. He received the 2017 Tolerance Ring Award from the European Academy of Arts and Sciences, the 2015 Olof Palme Prize, the 2012 German Media Prize, the 2006 International Mohammad Nafi Tschelebi Peace Award, and the 2007 German Peace Award of Aachen. He holds a doctorate in theology from Philipps University, Marburg, Germany, and an honorary doctorate from Concordia University, Chicago. 

November Community Meal

THIS Sunday

The November Community Meal is THIS Sunday November 17th, 2024. We are going to think outside the box and serve a beautiful roast beef dinner with mashed potatoes and glazed carrots! We only need help for cooking, serving, and cleaning up this month. Please consider coming to support the meal and meet all of our community friends! We need help at 8:30 AM to cook (goes until 10 then you can go to church), 4:15 to set up and serve, 5:15 P- Clean-up /Dishes. If you can help, please sign up here. I wanted to shout out to UYF who have come and help serve at the meal, 10-12 have been coming each month and that is awesome! Please let Gayle Wall know if you have any questions.  

Bob Clark Turkey Fund

The Bob Clark Turkey fund is an annual fundraising event here at Kent UCC. It was started years ago by Bob Clark who was concerned about area families who were food insecure not having a Thanksgiving dinner. We have continued that tradition over the years as the need for help has grown. Through THIS Sunday, November 17, we will be collecting money that will be given to Kent Social Services to help them ensure all families can enjoy lovely Thanksgiving dinner. You can put a check or cash in an envelope labeled Turkey Fund and place it in the offering plate, or you can mail in a check with Bob Clark Turkey fund on the memo line, or you can give online here. Thank you.

You are invited to our last

Evening Prayer Service of the year

Wednesday, November 20

7pm in the Chapel

We are exploring a new worship experience at Kent UCC. Join us for our next contemplative prayer service to bask in the sacred silence, hear God’s word, pray together, and sing Taizé chants. Each service includes a special ritual action for personal prayer and reflection. Our last service of the year is in November.  There will be no service in December due to the holidays. We will resume on Wednesday, January 15. Give yourself the gift of peace and join us on Wednesday, November 20 to rest in the Presence of God.

WHAT’S CHRISTMAS

WITHOUT COOKIES?

Please join the Fellowship Ministry at Coffee Hour on December 15 when we host the third annual Cookie Exchange! Here’s how it works:

• Bring 2 ½ dozen of your favorite, homemade Christmas cookies to church on December 15.
• Drop them off in the church kitchen BEFORE church and make sure to label what they are.
• The Fellowship folks will then make a table tent to display with your cookies.
• Two dozen of your cookies will be on the Exchange Table, the ½ dozen will be served during coffee hour.
• Each person that participates will receive a take home box to fill with 2 dozen cookies to take home. 

This is a great and easy way to get some of your holiday baking accomplished. Even if you do not wish to participate in the exchange, you can still enjoy coffee, cookies and fellowship with your church friends. See you on December 15!

Fall Cleanup Dates 

Property has scheduled two fall cleanup dates and are asking for some volunteers to beautify our church yard. The dates will be Saturday, November 23 from 8-11am and Saturday, December 7 from 8-11am. Please bring rakes, battery operated blowers, and yard clearing supplies. Thank you!

ACME Cashback Program 

We have started collecting ACME receipts for this year's ACME Cashback Program. Every year we try to collect as may receipts as we can to participate in the program that gives money to various non-profits in the area. Any receipt dated August 1, 2024 through February 15, 2025 is eligible. At the end of the program (February 15), ACME sends our church a check. Please place your receipts in the baskets around the church and in the church office. Thank you! See below for products that earn cash back.

Nursery Volunteers Needed! 

Do you have a heart for children?? Kent UCC strives to show God’s love to all our children by providing a welcoming, inclusive, and safe environment. We need a few more volunteers to help us do this in our nursery (birth-3 years)! Two adults are needed each Sunday in accordance with our child safety policy. All volunteers need to have a current background check – we’ve made the process very easy and the church can complete it for you. Pastor Emily is building a schedule; the more volunteers we have, the less each volunteer is needed. Please prayerfully consider sharing your gifts with our littlest ones! Speak to Pastor Emily if you are interested.  

County Clothing Center

Needs Our Help

Due to a decrease in its funding and an increase in client use, the Clothing Center is in need of donations. Please consider looking through your own closet before Christmas! It also sponsors Santa's Closet- an area set aside for parents to shop (one visit) for presents for their children (infants-age 18). Donations of new toys, hats, gloves, scarves, books, or money would be appreciated by the end of November as Santa's is open only on December 2, 4, and 6th. For more information, please contact Kathy Robinson.

Coffee Hour Help Needed!

Please consider signing up to host coffee hour after worship services. Coffee hour hosts prepare the coffee and tea service, as well as a cold beverage option like ice water or lemonade. Food (cookies, muffins, etc.) are completely optional - you can do as much, or as little, as you wish.  

There are some November and December dates open. Please add your name to the sign-up sheet on the bulletin board in VanMeter Hall. Jaime Baughman, Fellowship Ministry Chair, will follow-up to answer any questions you may have.

Space for Grace Prayer Group

Space for Grace, our contemplative and intercessory prayer group meets every Tuesday morning at 7:30am. We meet on Zoom. Please contact Pastor Amy to indicate your interest.

Kent Social Services

Grocery Cart

Outreach is continuing to collect groceries, toiletries, and diapers placed in the grocery cart and taking them to Kent Social Services. We ask that any bags you place in the cart are not too heavy. But because we are concerned about families in need throughout the area, we are also reminding people about our Blessing Box in the parking lot, which was built by Wil Mahon for his Eagle project. It can be stocked with canned foods, household items, toiletries, clothing, blankets, coats, gloves, hats. And lastly as our summer vegetable gardens grow, we are asking people to share any spare fresh vegetables with our community dinner guests. Thank you.

Sign Up to Greet

Extend extravagant hospitality to visitors and members with a warm smile. Sign up HERE. 

Spiritual Care

One of the greatest joys of spiritual community is knowing others are constantly holding you in prayer and in love. Please know that you are not alone. Pastor Amy is available for spiritual care and prayer as are our lay leaders.

• For confidential help and spiritual care needs, devotional materials, prayer, or just to talk this week, contact Pastor Amy, a Deacon or a Stephen Minister.
• Contact Pastor Amy: pastoramy@kentucc.org or (330) 673-9534
• Contact a Deacon: KUCCdeacons@icloud.com
• Contact a Stephen Minister: sueotterson@gmail.com or (234) 417-2335
• For financial assistance from our Congregational and Community Assistance Fund, please let Pastor Amy or the Deacons know. 

Looking Ahead

· Every Sunday in November - Adult Ed class studying the book "Decolonizing Palestine," 8:45am in the Lounge

· Wednesday, November 20 - Evening Prayer Service, 7pm in the Chapel

· Sunday, November 24 - Hanging of the Greens & Advent Workshop after worship

· Tuesday, November 26 – Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service at United Methodist Church 7pm

· Saturday, December 7 – Family Fellowship Parent's Night Out, 5-8pm in VanMeter Hall

· Sunday, December 8 – J-Walkers to Urban Air, 11am

· Sunday, December 15 - Fellowship Cookie Exchange, after worship in VanMeter Hall; Lessons and Carols Service, 7pm in the Sanctuary

· Thursday, December 19 - Blue Christmas Service, 7pm in the Sanctuary

· Tuesday, December 24 - Christmas Eve Service, 7pm in the Sanctuary

· Sunday, January 26 - Annual Congregational Meeting after worship

This Week’s Sacred Text

Hebrews 10:11-25

And every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, “he sat down at the right hand of God,” and since then has been waiting “until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.” For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying,

“This is the covenant that I will make with them

    after those days, says the Lord:

I will put my laws in their hearts,

    and I will write them on their minds,”

and he adds,

“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”

Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.