A Word from Rev. Karen

Holy Vessels: Community 

Dear CUMC friends in faith,

My prayers are with each one of you as we continue together in a Lenten journey of healing and hope.

Each week in Lent, our worship focus together will be a Gospel lesson of a healing story of Jesus coupled with our own prayer and reflection on different aspects of our lives in need of healing and recovery.

This week we consider community health and well-being. One challenge that has always been present, yet has been highlighted during this pandemic year is the great economic disparity in our country and communities. This has been particularly apparent in the increase of families who are in need of food. 

As we consider the needs of our community, our hearts are touched, and move us to action for those who are food insecure. As we consider this ongoing and growing need, what can we do as a faith community to create ongoing and sustainable ways to work toward food security in our communities? How can we sustain and expand existing ministries, and what more can we do?

This question of economic health touches the tables of so many in our community; it also touches the communion tables as well. Churches in our mission area are working to redefine themselves in the midst of economic struggle. Are there ways we can help them as well as they help their communities?

These are questions we will prayerfully ponder and share our ideas and opportunities.

Throughout Lent, our hope and prayer will be to focus on our own healing of mind and body and spirit in order to recover the strength we need to engage our faith in the service and care of our community and the world through.

I end again this week with the prayer song we will repeat often during Lent. You are each a Holy Vessel!

Vessels, holy and whole
Broken, needing the One
Open, body and soul
Healer, come.

In prayer and care,
Rev. Karen

Join CUMC's Youth to March for Change!

Greetings, Friends!

Claremont United Methodist’s Youth Chimes and Youth Group would like to invite you to join them in a different kind of Lenten practice. Starting on March 1st, the Youth Chimes and Youth Group will be leading the congregation in our “March for Change," an ALL age, multi-generational event.

The "March for Change" is a virtual 5k, with a couple of twists. One of the twists is that it is an open-ended distance challenge. You can commit to do a 5k, 10k, half-marathon, or even a century between the dates of March 1st and March 31st. Another twist is that you can choose to walk, run, bike, or swim your miles.

We will be doing our "March for Change" in order to raise funds for Color of Change, an organization suggested to us by Henry Jefferson. Color of Change is the U.S.’s largest online organization working for racial justice, and has been active for fifteen years.

This brings us to another twist in our virtual race. You can choose to participate in a number of different ways:

• You can sponsor a youth with a donation.  

• You can partner with a youth, doing the march alongside them virtually.  

• You can team up with members of your own household to get out and move together.   

• You can choose to do the march on your own.

For all of these options, you can choose to donate either a predetermined amount, or determine an amount per mile you’d like to commit. For example, you could pledge $1 for every mile, and if you walk 24 miles, you would donate $24.

As a little extra, the Youth will be sharing a list of audio books and music they have chosen so that you can listen while you’re out doing your miles. Or, you can turn your miles into prayer walks, praying for peace, racial justice, and the change we all need.

You can click here to sign up for our "March for Change." Or you can copy and paste the following link: https://forms.gle/auQDeB3fAJSgnSMz6. You can share this link with anyone--inside or outside the church family--you think would be interested in joining us.

On the linked form above, you’ll be able to choose how you’re going to participate and then commit to your mileage and your donations there. After you’ve signed up, we’ll send you a log sheet so you can keep track of your miles, as well as a short Google Form where you can update us on how many miles you’ve gone every week. Feel free to track your miles using whatever device is convenient for you. If you have a pedometer, we’ll be counting 2000 steps as a mile.  

We’d also love for you to post pictures of your walks, or your smart watch with your mileage, or whatever else you think would be fun to share on the church’s Facebook page. Be on the lookout for a new “March for Change” Instagram account, too. Let’s get the word out to everyone we know. Who knows how far we can go when we all March for Change

Thanks!
The Youth Chimes and the Youth Group

P.S. Please click here to view a video to see what Color of Change has been up to over the past fifteen years. We also encourage you to check out their website at ColorofChange.org.

A Contemporary Word

Each week in Lent, as a part of worship, we'll hear an "Ancient Word" on healing, coming from Scripture. We will also hear a "Contemporary Word," a quote from a more contemporary figure on healing. You'll see one quote each week in the worship video and printed in the Sunday bulletin. And we will feature a different quote in the "Weekly Window." Below is this week's quote for this week's "Window":

"Life Goes On" TONIGHT

Part of the human experience is facing all kinds of challenges, dealing with loss, and working our way through grief that at times can threaten to overwhelm us. In the last 12 months, the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged us with even more sadness. We need the comfort and support of our faith community. As in the past, Life Goes On responds to this need by offering support, comfort, and objective information in a safe and confidential setting.

Life Goes On resumes its monthly gatherings – this time via Zoom – TONIGHT, February 24 at 7:00 p.m., considering the theme of Sadness and Resilience in the Time of COVID. Each gathering begins with prayer and a short presentation, followed by small group discussion of whatever feels important to the participants. The Zoom link was emailed to all of you yesterday, Tuesday, February 23. All are welcome.

Life Goes On will continue on the fourth Wednesday of the month through the spring. You may drop in as your schedule allows. If you have questions, please contact Paula Hui. If you need Paula's contact info, or if you didn't receive the Zoom link yesterday, email the CUMC office at info@claremontumc.org (monitored between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.).

A Lenten Dismantling Racism Study

Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman
Claremont UMC's Dismantling Racism Committee invites you to a six-week study during Lent of Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman. This one-hour Lenten Study via Zoom continues this Sunday, February 28 at 11:00 a.m.

Please buy this short, powerful book, available on Amazon, or your favorite book retailer. Let's read together; let's reflect on what this wise prophet is saying to the disinherited and to all of us today. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi learned from him. There is a powerful voice that comes through from the disinherited that we need to hear.

You will receive the Zoom link for this class in the Saturday "Where to Find Worship" email. Be sure to look for it when you receive that email! Thank you for NOT sharing the Zoom information on social media!

Blessings, CUMC's Dismantling Racism Committee

You're Invited to Watch: "The Black Church: This is Our Story. This is Our Song."

CUMC's Dismantling Racism Committee invites all to watch this two-part PBS Documentary. It came to my attention that there is some confusion over airdates and times here in SoCal. I checked the SoCal PBS site and found that the documentary will air (both parts 1 and 2) on February 28 at 11:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. for part 1; and 2:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. for part 2. You can also watch Parts 1 and 2 online here: https://www.pbssocal.org/shows/black-church#overview.

At the above link, toward the top, you'll see a link to see more airdates. And at the above link, if you scroll to the bottom, you'll see the videos for parts 1 and 2. I hope this is helpful!

Click HERE and HERE to see trailers and clips of the documentary. Click HERE and HERE to learn more about this amazing rich opportunity.

~ Jessica, Claremont UMC Office Administrator

Special Adjourned Charge Conference Now in March

Our adjourned charge conference to consider the 2021 budget has been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 16 at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom. All are invited to attend virtually. We'll send out the Zoom link closer to the date.

Listening Session with Erin Hawkins

Save the Date
Saturday, March 6, 2021
11:00 a.m.
Cal-Pac Laity Council cordially invites YOU!
Listening Session
Guest Speaker: Erin Hawkins, Executive Director of Connectional Ministries
 
A time to share your concerns, ask questions, and see how we can be ONE in ministry!

All East District Lay Leaders and interested leaders of the Church are invited to attend. The ZOOM link will be provided as the date draws nearer. Email Jessica at info@claremontumc.org if you are interested in this virtual event.
 

We Are Praying For...

If you have someone you would like Claremont UMC to keep in prayer, and list on our prayer list, please email Jessica, prayers@claremontumc.org. Please indicate whether they are to be listed on the public prayer list, or kept private.

Please pray for these dear ones on our prayer list, HERE.

A Musical Meditation from Katie

This week's hymn is "Heal Me, Hands of Jesus" found in the United Methodist Hymnal, no. 262. I hadn't heard this one before, but it's gorgeous and the words are wonderful. If you have a hymnal at home, you may want to follow along. Click HERE and enjoy!

~ Katie Franklin Ledsinger

Claremont UMC Website

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