Friday, May 22, 2026

Trouble viewing this newsletter? View as Webpage

Worship at RUCC

Pentecost Sunday, May 24

"Nurturing God's Spirit"

We live in a time and place where it can be easy to get separated from the herd! We may believe or vote differently from persons who surround us at work or in the wider world. Our faith may move us to make different choices in what we buy, whom we listen to, and how we nourish relationships. In the story of Pentecost, we learn that diversity can threaten to pull us apart and cause confusion and upset. Come join us for worship this Sunday at 10:30 a.m. - online or in person - and we will look together at how to celebrate our differences and work together as a faith community!

Rev. John H. Pomeroy

Remember to wear red, yellow, orange, and/or any color you associate with fire!🔥

Scripture: Acts 2:1-21

Last week's sermon: redlandsucc.org

Caring for Each Other

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 the person’s relationship to our community.

Prayer Request:

• Prayers for healing for John Hoeger, who had a procedure in the hospital this week.
• Prayers for peace in Ukraine, Gaza, Iran, and the Sudan.
• Prayers for hope, understanding, strength, and reassurance in a time of transition at RUCC.
• Prayers for our Search Committee, Transition Search Committee, and Worship Area as they work to staff our pastor position in the months ahead.
• Prayers of thanksgiving for the persons and work that have made our community garden, labyrinth, and entrances more beautiful this spring.

Ongoing concerns:

• Tom Miller
• Bill Buchanan
• Ruth Jordan
• Jon Herbert
• Carol Buchanan

Please send prayer requests to Pastor Jake at jake@redlandsucc.org

Transitions

Update from the Settled Pastor Search Committee

We began in July 2025, when our committee was formed and approved. Early on, our meetings focused on what we hoped to find in a new pastor, and how we were going to review and evaluate applications. Candidate profiles came to us from September through February. We conducted video interviews with all candidates, and second follow-up interviews with many of those. This process helped us to identify people we wanted to learn more about through an in-person visit.

In March and April, we brought three candidates to Redlands. We hosted welcome dinners, took them on tours of Redlands, showed them our beautiful campus, and had small group meetings over meals or coffee. On the last evening of each visit, we had a meal together and asked candidates to lead us in a short devotional. All of these interactions helped us get to know candidates on a much deeper level. 

On May 8 and 9, we met to discuss the strengths and areas of improvement we found in the candidates. After several hours of deliberation, we unanimously agreed that one candidate was particularly impressive, having strengths and experience in all the areas we sought (pastoral care, administering activities of the church, and leading strong worship services). It was with great hope and excitement that we contacted the candidate to say that we wanted to recommend to the Board that they be called to be our next settled pastor. 

It is here that I wish I could say that the person accepted and we could begin the celebration. But sadly, that is not the case. On Monday, May 11, the candidate declined our offer. We don’t know why they did so, other than the fact that they accepted a call from another church. We also want to note that the committee agreed that there was not a second candidate that we wished to call.

As you can imagine, we were devastated and disappointed. As one of us said, “I feel like we got down on one knee and proposed and then got turned down.” But we’ve known all along that finding the right person was not going to be easy. We expected there to be ups and downs and knew it could take time. So even with this setback, we remain determined to continue our search and feel optimistic that our experience to date has prepared us to move forward in a hopeful way. This time reminded us that “God is still speaking,” and when one door closes, another may soon open. 

Our church profile remains on the conference website, and we will review profiles as they arrive. We also hope to actively identify and recruit potential candidates (which may include asking you to put names of potential candidates in a suggestion box). In the meantime, the Board will form a group to begin a separate search for a bridge pastor.

As usual, we will keep you up to date on our process. We ask for your continued prayers and support as we move into the next phase of our work. 

Groups & Gatherings

Game and Conversation Night, Saturday, May 23

Game and Conversation night is the 4th Saturday of most months. We may skip a month if Hospitality is hosting some major events the same month. On 5/23, Saturday, we hope to see you at 5:30 in Covenant Hall. It is for all ages, and we love it when the kids and adults hang out together. Bring your favorite game or join others - we have a wide variety of games, including Bingo! We are going to skip dinner and give Chef Kim and the kitchen crew a night off so they can join in the fun. If you can bring a sweet treat to share, that would be great. Everyone who comes gets a prize. The prize table is an opportunity to add an item that you no longer use, but you think someone else might want. This is a great time to bring a friend and introduce them to our wonderful church. Fun, friendship, food!

Bible Study Monday, May 25

Please join us as we discuss the biblical story of Eve as found in Genesis 1-3. We'll also be using the book Fierce by Alice Connor as a supplementary text. Please join us in the Youth Room, Monday, 5/25 at 7 p.m. First-timers welcome!

For more information, contact Andrea Morics.

Next Chair Yoga, Wednesday, May 27

Jeanne Andrews is a gifted yoga instructor. We thank her for leading us toward health and wellness. For the next week, chair yoga will be held on Wednesday at 10 a.m. in Covenant Hall. Give it a try! It is gentle yet effective. So good for your mind and body. Donations appreciated.

Quarterly Meeting and Celebration of Jake, Sunday, May 31

RUCC Book Group, Sunday, June 7

The RUCC Book Group is reading A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst, and will be discussing this at the next meeting on June 7, at noon in Founders Room.  The presenter is Diana Sommer.

“This is nonfiction that reads like fiction – the best kind.”- USA Today

“A Marriage at Sea is a study of couplehood in extremis: Sophie Elmhirst’s enthralling account of Maurice and Maralyn Bailey’s adventures on the ocean shows what the common hazards of married life look like amid utter disaster"- NY Times  

Children and Youth

Pilgrim Pines 2026 Summer Camp information

Please see the attached flyer for Pilgrim Pines 2026 summer camp information, including dates and fees.

Pilgrim Pines flyer

RUCC Vacation Bible School, June 8-12

Spanish Immersion Summer Day Camp, July 6-10

Helping Hands

Caring for Kin in May

In May, we are collecting supplies for Redlands Animal Shelter. Please see below for a list of their most needed items. They also have an Amazon wish list with specific items. In addition to using these supplies at the shelter, they offer them to community members in need once a month. 

Canned and dry dog and cat food

Dog and cat treats

Toys

Cat litter

Potty training pads

Collars and leashes

Inflatable cone collars

Bleach

Dish soap

Towels and blankets (used but clean OK)

Thanks for your ongoing generosity.

Environmental justice message

Climate disasters are making already-dangerous prison and jail conditions even worse. A new Duke University School of Medicine study examined how climate disasters affect people who are incarcerated. Researchers interviewed 18 people in Houston, Texas, a region repeatedly hit by extreme flooding, heat, and hurricanes, and found that most had lived through at least one disaster while behind bars.

Participants described being crowded into small cells and left without basic necessities during storms. Some went days without drinking water or working toilets. Others lost contact with their families when the power failed and phones stopped working. Extreme heat made already-dangerous conditions even more severe, especially in facilities with poor temperature control.

The study found that these risks often continued after release. Many participants struggled to find stable housing and reliable income, leaving them with fewer resources to evacuate or recover when the next disaster struck.

Hurricanes and other disasters impose additional trauma on people already living in stressful and unpredictable environments. The findings are a stark reminder that climate change does not affect everyone equally, and that emergency planning must include those whose safety depends almost entirely on institutions that may not be prepared to protect them.

-Excerpted from Talking Climate with Katherine Hayhoe, climate scientist

The Wider Church

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.

Around Town

• Redlands Events May 2026
• Redlands Fire Dept CERT Classes 2026

Calendar

This week at RUCC

Saturday, May 23

• 9:00 a.m. - Private Funeral
• 2:00 p.m. - Worship Meeting
• 5:30 p.m. -8:30 p.m. - Game and Conversation Night

Sunday, May 24

• 9:15 a.m. - 10:30 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 (Pentecost Sunday)

Monday, May 25

• OFFICE CLOSED ( Memorial Day)
• 7:00 p.m. - Bible Study

Tuesday, May 26

• 11:00 a.m. - Munch and Muse Lunch Group

Wednesday, May 27

• 10:00 a.m. - Chair Yoga
• 1:00 p.m. - Mah Jongg

Thursday, May 28

Friday, May 29

• 11:00 a.m. - Private Funeral

Saturday, May 30

Sunday, May 31

• 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 (Trinity Sunday)
• 12:00 p.m. - Quarterly Gathering/Celebration of Jake

Useful Information

Social Media

Please find us on Facebook and Instagram, like, follow, and share.