Second Sunday of Advent, December 7
"Turn Around"
Sometimes when we change the prescription of our glasses or contact lenses we notice something for the first time because our vision is clearer and wider - the light comes to our eyes differently than it has in the past. Advent is a time of waiting in the fading light of winter - listening and straining to see in the disappearing light of the season - hoping to see and hear God amidst the difficulties of our days. The work of John in our text for worship - calling out and baptizing persons with a loud voice and warnings- is meant to be a help to all of us - “Look here now! See what God is doing” - it is as if we are offered a wide, new window to look through and see our lives differently! Come join us for worship online or in person this week as we consider together ways our faith asks us to see differently - to Turn Around!
Scripture: Matthew 3:1-12
Last week's sermon: redlandsucc.org
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Blue Christmas service, Sunday, December 14
Join us on December 14 at 7:00 p.m. in Mosaic Hall for a gentle, contemplative service of quiet. Through prayer, readings, and piano music, we offer space for those carrying grief or loss during this Advent season. All are welcome.
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Covenants are always welcome.
We would love for you to join us.
If you didn't quite get around to turning in a Covenant on Covenant Sunday you're in luck - there's no deadline, and all are welcome, all the time. It's helpful for planning purposes for the board to have your information sooner rather than later, and it's helpful for Pastor Jake to have your statement to guide his pastoral leadership of the church. If you have any questions about covenanting or need more information about something in the booklet please speak to Pastor Jake, to your Shepherd leader, or to any member of the board.
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Bring Your Prayers
During Advent worship, we are trying something new for our prayers - there will be a sheet at the back of the sanctuary with space for prayer concerns and joys…please write LEGIBLY whatever you would like to share with the community that day, and it will be shared during our prayer time together. Prayers may be edited for length, and it helps if you identify a person’s relationship to our community. Worship area will meet in January to see if this is a helpful tool for us going forward in the new year! Thanks!
Prayer Request:
- Georgia Sforza requests prayers for her brother-in-law, Dean Huebert, and his family as they address his recent bladder cancer diagnosis and upcoming treatment.
- Prayers for Jon Herbert who is recovering from surgery to install a pacemaker this week.
- Prayers for healing for the brother of Coralyn Finlayson, who has suffered a stroke.
- Prayers for Cynthia McGuigan for test results.
- Prayers for food for all who are food insecure this Advent, that benefits and support may be restored and our gifts find their way to those in need.
Ongoing concerns:
- Tom Miller
- Floyd Orr
- Carl Parish
- Bill Buchanan
Please send prayer requests to Pastor Jake at jake@redlandsucc.org
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Church Kitchen Remodel & Temporary Closure, January 2026
We’re excited to share that our church kitchen will be undergoing a remodel! This work will help us create a more functional, welcoming, and safe space for future meals, ministries, and community events.
Please note that the kitchen will be completely unavailable during the renovation period. As you plan upcoming events, meetings, or gatherings, keep in mind that no kitchen facilities—including sinks, appliances, dishwashing, or food prep areas—will be accessible.
We’ll provide updates as the project moves forward and will let everyone know as soon as the kitchen is back in service. Thank you for your flexibility and understanding during this time!
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Settled Pastor update
We have completed the first round of video interviews and are in the process of organizing second video interviews with several candidates. We look forward to having more in-depth conversations in the next round, where we can ask more detailed questions about their views and experiences, and begin to discern who holds the most promise to be our next settled pastor. Given the busyness of the holiday season, we expect these second interviews will extend into January. Thank you for your continued support.
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Book Group Sunday, December 7
All Invited: Redlands Author Visit
The RUCC Book Group will welcome Redlands author, Tracy Wise, to discuss her book, Madame Sorel’s Lodger, on Sunday, Dec.7, at noon in the Founder’s Room. Judith Ashton will help lead the discussion. This event is open to everyone. The book is available in different formats on Amazon and at local libraries.
“A bold exploration of the encompassing drive of creativity, the power of art, and the bonds of community and friendship, Madame Sorel’s Lodger explores what it means to follow or hide your heart and how these choices, in the end, are what makes us human.” (Amazon review)
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Next Chair Yoga, December 8
Chair yoga will continue on Mondays at 10:00 a.m. until the end of the year. All ages are welcome.
We are blessed to have Jeanne Andrews, certified yoga instructor, hold an introductory chair yoga session for the church family.
Covenant Hall. Kid-friendly. Donations accepted.
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RUCC Christmas Concert, Saturday, December 13
The music ministry at RUCC presents Christmas Joy! Come experience our Christmas concert featuring the Covenant Choir, Celebration Ringers, Rhymes with Orange, and Instrumentalists. We will bring the Christmas Joy to RUCC on Saturday, December 13, at 1:00 p.m. Stick around after for a sweet treat and fellowship. Don't be a Scrooge, we'll see you there!
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RUCC Christmas Caroling, Monday, December 22
Fa la la la la la la la la! ‘tis the season for Carolers! Monday, December 22, RUCC Carolers will take flight around the neighborhood and spread Christmas Joy. We would like to come to your house! If you would like us to come serenade you, please contact the church office so we can add you to the caroling route, and we’ll be there with bells on.
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Mah Jongg Training for church members
Would you like to play Mah Jongg at RUCC with a fun and friendly group of RUCC members? This is a fun and challenging game, as well as a great way to enjoy time with wonderful people. Contact Claudia Tolar for lessons beginning immediately.
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Ornament making, Tomorrow! Saturday, December 6
Children and youth ornament-making party, all children, youth, and families are welcome to join. We are starting at 3:00 p.m. and ending at 5:00 p.m. in Covenant Hall. You can make an ornament for your tree or as a gift. Come enjoy some holiday fun.
| | Gingerbread house decorating, Sunday, December 14 | | RUCC Christmas Pageant, Sunday, December 21 | |
Caring for Kin
For December ....... a new pair of socks!
December can be a very expensive month, as we all celebrate with our families,
and also donate to wonderful causes through the Angel Tree and other community drives.
During this time, Caring for Kin wants to continue helping others, without over-asking from our generous church.
It would be great if each of you could bring one pair of new socks to donate to those in need.
Warm, new socks can often feel like such a comfortable luxury if you have had to go without.
They will make a much-appreciated after-Christmas gift.
Thanks, as always, for your generosity!
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RUCC Angel Tree Donations' last day is Sunday December 7
Your gift will be used to buy food cards for those facing food insecurity this holiday season, and help their lives shine a little more brightly.
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Environmental justice message
Recyclable [Keurig] K-Cups are made from No. 5 plastic, or polypropylene. “Polypropylene is accepted in a lot of curbside recycling programs,” says Dylan de Thomas, vice president of Public Policy and Government Affairs for the Recycling Partnership, a nonprofit that promotes recycling. To recycle K-Cup pods, start by peeling off the aluminum foil top. Toss the aluminum top (its materials can’t be recycled when soiled), toss or compost the coffee grounds and the paper filter, and then rinse the plastic pod and add it to your recycling bin.
Source: “The Ultimate Guide to Recycling K-Cups, Nespresso Capsules, and Other Coffee Pods,” Daniel Wroclawski and Molly Bradley, Consumer Reports, 3/12/24
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RaiseRight orders December 9, and 16
It's holiday shopping time! As a reminder, every time you participate in the RaiseRight program, by buying gift cards (scrip) or shopping online, RUCC gets a small rebate which goes into our General Fund and helps to pay our staff and expenses and fund our ministries.
We will be placing an order for physical gift cards this week for pickup this coming Sunday, December 7, after the worship service. Orders may be placed through the website at www.raiseright.com or the RaiseRight app – you must pay for it online (link bank account, debit card, or credit card) for your order to be submitted with the order this week. If you want to pay by Zelle, please let me know.
Upcoming holiday order schedule:
Tuesday, Dec. 9, 8 a.m. for pickup Sunday, Dec. 14
Tuesday, Dec. 16, 8 a.m. for pickup Sunday, Dec. 21
As always, if you have questions or need help with the program, just let me know!
-Jennifer Brainerd
giftcards@redlandsucc.org
As a reminder, here are all the ways to earn for RUCC while you shop.
- Buy gift cards from RaiseRight and use them to pay for all your holiday expenses. Every gift card purchase from RaiseRight earns up to 20% back!
- Shop online through RaiseRight—log in to your RaiseRight account (RaiseRight.com) , click through to shop directly on a brand’s website, and earn upon completing a purchase. Install the RaiseRight Earnings Extension to easily activate online earnings for a brand, buy eGift cards to pay for your online purchase, or both at once! Install Browser Extensions – Browser extensions are currently available for Chrome, Edge, and Safari for iOS mobile devices. If installed, these extensions will alert you when you go to a website that participates in RaiseRight and make it easy for you to activate RaiseRight rebates and purchase gift cards for that brand, raising money for RUCC. To install an extension go here: The RaiseRight Earnings Extension
- Dine locally—link a credit or debit card in your RaiseRight account to earn 5% every time you dine at thousands of restaurants nationwide and pay with your linked card while at home or traveling.
- Book travel through RaiseRight—save and earn by booking hotels and car rentals using RaiseRight's travel site.
Bonuses – Check out the week’s bonus rebates every week to make your shopping dollars go even farther for RUCC. Current bonuses include: Albertsons/Vons/Safeway, Bath & Body Works, DoorDash, Delta Air Lines, and many more. See all bonus rebate options here: https://www.raiseright.com/shop
eGift Cards – Remember, you can order eGift cards at any time and receive them immediately (great for those last minute gifts). Through the RaiseRight app or raiseright.com website, you can buy eGift cards, available to you immediately, to use for online or in-person shopping or to send as a gift. For some eGift cards, there are options to have the eGift card sent directly to the recipient at a specified time. Otherwise, you can take snapshots of the eGift card in your “wallet” and give it to the recipient.
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This week at RUCC
Saturday, December 6
- 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Sacred Saturday
- 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. - RUCC Pageant Practice
- 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. - RUCC education ornament making
Sunday, December 7
- 9:15 a.m. -10:30 a.m. - Kids Zone early care
- 9:30 a.m. - Seekers group (social time at 9:15)
- 10:30 a.m. - Worship in the Sanctuary (Second day of Advent)
- 10:30 a.m. - Sunday School (kids start in Sanctuary)
- 11:30 a.m. - Congregation photo lower lawn
- 12:00 p.m. - Book Group
Monday, December 8
Tuesday, December 9
- 11:00 a.m. - Munch and Muse lunch group
- 7:00 p.m. - Stewards meeting
Wednesday, December 10
- 1:00 p.m. - Mah Jongg
- 6:00 p.m. - Bells Rehearsal
- 7:00 p.m. - Choir Rehearsal
Thursday, December 11
- 5:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m. - Search Committee meeting
Friday, December 12
- 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. - Private Funeral - Sunset
Saturday, December 13
- 10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. - Christmas Concert Rehearsal
- 1:00 p.m. - Christmas Concert
Sunday, December 14
- 9:15 a.m. - Kids Zone
- 9:30 a.m. - Seekers group (social time at 9:15)
- 10:30 a.m. - Sunday School (kids start in Sanctuary)
- 10:30 a.m. - Worship in the Sanctuary
- 11:30 a.m. - Gingerbread houses decorating
- 12:00 p.m. - Pageant practice
- 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. - Blue Christmas service
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Upcoming Dates to Remember
- December 21 - Christmas Pageant
- December 24 - Christmas Eve Service and Dinner
- December 25 - Office Closed
- December 28 - Office Closed
- January 1 - Office Closed
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