News for April 24, 2024
This Sunday, April 24: In-person service at 10am
This Sunday we will be welcoming Rev. Rhina Ramos (she, her, hers) as our guest preacher. She is an ordained United Church of Christ minister doing work of LGBTQI inclusion in faith communities. Locally, she leads a Spanish speaking congregation she co-founded in December 2011. Ministerio Latino is home to LGBTQ Latine immigrants and a place where they are welcomed and affirmed. She is a nationally known faith leader fighting for radical inclusion of the LGBTQI community in faith spaces. Pastor Rhina is also a former attorney who practiced labor law in NY during the ‘90s on behalf of immigrant workers, recuperating thousands of wages owed to these workers. Originally from El Salvador, Pastor Rhina understands the pains of being an immigrant and starting life in a new country. In her free time, she can be found taking long walks listening to sappy romantic music in Spanish.
She will be preaching this Sunday on Acts 9:1-9, and will reflect on questions such as, "How our conscious evolves? What forces us to change? What happens when we resist change?" I hope to see many of you this Sunday, to reflect these questions together.
The Giving Sunday offering for April is for the UCC's One Great Hour of Sharing. This is the global outreach fund that enables the UCC to help people around the world. Click on the link and watch the short video for an inspiring example.
Recent sermons
Check out our YouTube page to see recent sermons. Go to our archive of slides to see bulletins and slides used during recent services.
Recordings of our Taize services are also on the YouTube page.
Upcoming services and events
Weds discussion group: Thurs, Apr 25 (7 pm) on Zoom. Continuing with Marcus Borg’s “Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time”, read Ch 2 for the next meeting.
Postcard Party: Sun, April 28 (3-5 pm). Over half the postcards went home with writers after the party last Sunday, so we should be able to complete our commitment of 250 on the 28th. The mailing deadline is May 9.
Worship & Arts: Sun, May 5 after worship. Come help us plan the summer worship calendar.
Book Group: Sun, May 5th (7 pm), Zoom Our next book will be "Tom Lake" by Anne Patchett.
Taize: Fri, May 10 (7:30 pm) Peter will lead our monthly Taize service.
UCC Family Camp: July 19-21, Monte Toyon Retreat Center, Aptos. Save the date to join the Belmont UCC like last year. More info coming.
Links and resources
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the UCC Mental Health Network has sent worship resources as well as two videos to use during this time. May 19 is Mental Health Sunday this year, but any Sunday is a great day to focus on mental health!
Quote of the week
“Maybe you are searching among the branches for what only appears in the roots.” - Rumi
Weekly events
• Meditation group: Wednesdays at 7:30 am
In person at the church building.
• Sunday worship: 10 am
In person at the church building.
Image: Rev. Rhina Ramos
