Fourth Sunday of Lent, March 15
"Building Trust "
If we look at the news, we can find any number of examples of broken trust. It is harder to find stories or examples of creating trust - in relationships, in business, in institutions. Our faith requires trust - and in our story from Scripture this week the religious establishment is deeply distrustful of healing offered by Jesus and the message about God that comes with it! Join us for worship this Sunday at 10:30AM - in person or online - as we explore how our faith community can build and widen a circle of trust with our practices! Rev. John H Pomeroy
Scripture: John 9:1-26
Last week's sermon: redlandsucc.org
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Floyd Orr Remembrance, Tuesday, March 31
Floyd Orr passed away on January 15. He was a member of our faith community for many years. His family held a private ceremony - we are celebrating Floyd’s life here at church with a simple gathering on Tuesday, March 31, at 10 a.m. in the Micah room of Mosaic Hall. We will have a time of sharing, readings, and music - all are welcome.
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Bring Your Prayers
During 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.
Prayer Request:
- Prayers for Jon Herbert, who has moved home on hospice care.
- Prayers for Larry Rose as he continues treatment for prostate cancer.
- Prayers for compassion, shelter, and safety for all who are threatened by ICE presence and enforcement.
- Prayers for the RUCC search committee as they start a new stage in the work toward a settled pastor.
- Prayers for persons with painful, broken relationships within their families.
- Prayers for an end to the war in Iran and support for all families that have lost loved ones in the war so far.
Ongoing concerns:
- Tom Miller
- Bill Buchanan
- Ruth Jordan
- Mary Lou Haney
- Craig Wesson
Please send prayer requests to Pastor Jake at jake@redlandsucc.org
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Office Hours for the Month of March
The office hours for the month of March will be Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
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Our Stewards Are At Work
RUCC has a wonderful property - and we have a wonderful Stewards Area group that coordinates the care of both the building and our grounds. Sometimes we may notice something that needs doing around the property - watering a bush, removing dead flowers, clearing away some rocks or a light bulb that is no longer working.
Instead of taking maintenance into our own hands, please notify Veronica in the office via email - Veronica@redlandsucc.org. She will know if the concern is scheduled to be addressed by our own volunteer labor or by a contractor - and will notify Stewards Area Leader Barbara Shields if the concern is not already on our list! If you address maintenance needs around the property on your own - without communicating the need to others - we risk interfering with the work of a contractor or creating a new problem (last weekend one outside water station was left on for 24 hours straight). If you see something, let Veronica know - and Stewards will make sure the need is addressed in a timely way! Thanks!
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From the Desk of the President
This is a check-in to let you know that our new board is off and running! Our board members are actively engaged in their responsibilities, and the church is in good hands. We spent our all-day board retreat at the end of January getting to know each other, talking about our dreams and priorities for the church, and imagining ways that we could make our dreams a reality. We had wonderful support from Dan and Loring as we learned more about the technologies the church uses for communication, meetings, and documents. And Pastor Jake was our guide as we built the foundation for a cohesive, caring team. We have had our February board meeting, which was positive and productive, and our March board meeting will be on the 17th.
I am in the Micah Room on Tuesday mornings, usually by 10:00 or earlier, and leave at noon. As a retired professor, I refer to this time as my “office hours.” I just want you all to know that I am available to chat about any ideas or concerns you have about our church, or even just to visit a little! Please feel free to drop in!
In community,
Patty Little
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Settled Pastor update
The Settled Pastor Search Committee has scheduled candidates for in-person visits, which will take place at the end of April. In the coming period, we will continue our work checking references and preparing for the interviews. We’ll update you as needed, but we expect to be less active than usual as we turn our attention to Easter, and some of us take long-awaited trips. We will return to our work in earnest in mid-April. Thank you for your continued patience and support.
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Be Safe at Church
We have had a couple of falls in the last few months, so now is an important time to remind ourselves to take care of each other around our church campus! Try walking to your car or in the garden with a buddy; you can help steady one another! Stewards are looking at repair projects in the parking lot and our garden areas, but designs and bids take time to sort out. We will repaint markers for our accessible parking spots and hope those visual markers will help us all! Mind how you go!
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Lenten Series Final Date, Tuesday, March 17
Still Speaking, Still Becoming: Faith, Community, and Meaning in a Changing World
What does it mean to live a thoughtful, meaningful Christian faith in our time?
This Lenten season, Redlands UCC continues to invite you to conversation exploring how faith is shaped at the intersection of institution, community, and individual experience. Together, we’ll reflect on trust and belonging, identity and calling, and how we each shape our personal theology within our public, everyday life.
These gatherings are designed for listening, reflection, and respectful conversation—no preparation required, and no pressure to agree. Whether you’ve been part of the church for decades or are still finding your place, you are welcome.
Soup supper is at 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., and then we transition to our conversation. Please bring your own bowl and utensils for the meal. See Stacy Kaiser on Sunday to sign up to help with these meals.
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Next Chair Yoga, March 16
Jeanne Andrews is a gifted yoga instructor. We thank her for leading us toward health and wellness on Mondays at 10 a.m. in Covenant Hall. Donations appreciated.
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Caring Hearts, Monday, March 16
Caring Hearts is at it again. We will be at Brookside Health Center, 105 Terracina Blvd, Redlands, on March 16, 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. If you are interested in helping with crafts with the patients, please contact Ginny Cruz.
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Immigrant Justice Team, March 19 & 26
We are partnering with the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice (IC4IJ) to offer training for anyone interested in participating in two upcoming projects:
March 19 (7-8:30 p.m.): IC4IJ will train us to be Legal Observers, so we can be part of their Rapid Response Network to go to places where ICE has been sighted in our local area and offer support.
March 26 (7-8:30 p.m.): IC4IJ will train us to visit immigrants incarcerated in the Adelanto detention center. Our goal will be to offer moral support and to engage in advocacy to monitor conditions and civil rights violations within the center.
If you have questions, see Sara Schoonmaker
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Game and Conversation Night, Saturday, March 28
Hot Diggity Dog! Game and Conversation Night is 3/28, Saturday in Covenant Hall at 5:30. Come play your favorite game or learn a new one, chat with friends, do an Easter craft and have a grilled hot dog (beef and vegetarian) with the fixings, chips, and potato salad. You are invited to bring a sweet treat to share! This is a no stress event! (Redlands and Riverside's No Kings Protests are in the morning on 3/28 so there is not a time conflict.)
| | Contact Kathy McCool if you have any questions regarding the Youth Tie-Dye party. | | Easter Egg Hunt, Sunday, April 5 | |
CARING FOR KIN, March
CARING FOR KIN, March
For our March collection, we are going to try to supply several local organizations with some of the personal/grooming items that they most need.
Some of the organizations need sample or travel-sized items, while others require the regular-sized products.
The most common items asked for, so far, are:
- deodorant
- toothpaste
- shampoo
- conditioner
- shaving cream
- body lotion
- sanitary napkins
If you would like to see the specific items for which each organization has asked, there is more info on our Facebook page, on the lists hanging on the Caring for Kin cart, and here:
List of organizations
Thanks for your kind hearts and generous natures!
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Racial justice message
The University of Michigan ended its long‑running partnership with the PhD Project after federal civil‑rights officials warned that the program’s diversity‑focused recruitment could violate new interpretations of anti‑discrimination law. The decision highlights how shifting federal enforcement is reshaping long‑standing efforts to diversify academic pipelines, especially for Black and brown scholars who remain underrepresented in doctoral programs. It’s a reminder that racial justice work often advances or retreats not through headlines, but through policy decisions that quietly reshape who gets access to opportunity.
Source: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/michigan/articles/2026-03-02/u-m-ends-ties-with-program-that-helped-diversify-phds-after-federal-threat
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Environmental justice message
In the hour when the Holy One, Blessed be [God], created the first [human], God took [the human] and let [the human] pass before all the trees in the Garden of Eden and said to [the human]: “See my works, how fine and excellent they are. Now, all that I created I created for your benefit. Think upon this and do not corrupt or destroy my world. For if you destroy it, there is no one to restore it after you.” (Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7:28)
Source:The Left Hand of God by Michael Lerner
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Peppermint Ridge
At the first quarter meeting of RUCC Wider Ministries in 2026, we decided to send a donation to 4 nonprofit organizations, including Peppermint Ridge.
Peppermint Ridge operates seven homes on our campus and five in the Corona community, providing stable, supportive living environments for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Each resident receives individualized support based on their needs, with care plans that evolve to support daily living, health, and personal goals. Through our Alternative Day Program, individuals stay active and engaged through meaningful activities, relationships, and connections within the broader community. As needs change over time, we adapt our services to provide continuity, prioritizing stability and keeping individuals connected to their home, friends, and community at Peppermint Ridge. The choir from PR has visited RUCC in the past and given a presentation.
https://www.peppermintridge.org
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Bless & Be Blessed is a space for our church family to share new or gently used items they no longer need. Whether you’re looking to pass something along or find something useful, this is a simple way to care for one another and practice good stewardship within our community. Contact the office or send the information to the View when you have an item to offer or an item you need.
- Floyd Orr's family wants to donate his nearly new walker (with seat) to someone in our church. Please contact Valerie Naftzger.
- I am giving away my mother's vintage doll. I.D. (early Jumeau) 22 inch. Name "Promentte" antique Bisque, French. She needs repairs. The same doll in good condition costs $495 online. Please contact Valerie Naftzger.
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This week at RUCC
Saturday, March 14
- 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. - Youth Tie-Dye party
Sunday, March 15
- 9:15 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. - Kids' Zone early care
- 9:30 a.m. - Seekers group (social time 9:15)
- 10:30 a.m. - Worship in the Sanctuary (Fourth Sunday of Lent)
- 12:00 p.m. - Shepherd Leader meeting
Monday, March 16
- 10:00 a.m. - Chair Yoga
- 7:00 p.m. - Bible Study
Tuesday, March 17
- 11:00 a.m. - Munch and Muse Lunch group
- 5:30 p.m. - Lenten Series
- 7:30 p.m. - Board meeting
Wednesday, March 18
- 1:00 p.m. - Mah Jongg
- 6:00 p.m. - Bells Practice
- 7:00 p.m. - Choir Practice
Thursday, March 19
- 6:00 p.m. - Jam Session with David Wells
- 6:30 p.m. - Immigrant Justice Meeting
Friday, March 20
- 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. - Private Funeral
Saturday, March 21
- 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. - Private Funeral
Sunday, March 22
- 9:15 a.m. - Kids' Zone
- 9:30 a.m. - Seekers group (social time 9:15)
- 10:30 a.m. - Sunday School (kids start in Sanctuary)
- 10:30 a.m. - Worship in the Sanctuary (Fifth Sunday of Lent)
- 11:30 a.m. - A2A meeting
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Upcoming Dates to Remember
- March 28 - Game and Conversation Night
- March 29 - Palm Sunday
- April 3 - Good Friday
- April 5 - Easter Sunday
- April 5 - Easter Egg Hunt
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