News for March 19, 2024
This Sunday, Mar 24: In-person service at 10am
Come celebrate Palm Sunday with us! Rev. Jorge Bautista will be preaching his first sermon as our new pastor. There will be palms to wave as we remember the ancient story of Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem.
Choir will rehearse at 8:45am. Lenten choir will meet for this Sunday and next, and sing on Easter morning. Anyone interested is welcome to come sing with us.
Don't forget to sign the lily list if you are bringing memorial lilies on Easter.
After worship there will be a Q&A session with Rev Jorge around his "direct actions" (protests, demonstrations, etc). He does these actions with both the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity and with Peninsula Solidarity Cohort. His question for us: does he represent College Heights Church or simply the United Church of Christ?
The Giving Sunday offering for March is for Stefan Waligur's Community of Peace in Louisa, Virginia. They've made so much progress in the last few years, welcoming residential members and hosting many temporary visitors, refurbishing buildings on their property, adding a labyrinth and chickens and so forth. We regularly sing a number of chants written by Br. Stefan and this is our way of saying thank you.
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.
Starting in Sept 2023, recordings of our Taize services are also on the YouTube page.
Holy Week calendar
Sunday, March 24 -- Palm Sunday, service at CHC. Pastor Jorge Bautista preaching. Come at 8:45 for choir practice.
Thursday, March 28 -- Maundy Thursday, joint service at CCP (aka "the Belmont church"), 7pm. Come at 5:30 to join the Combined Choir.
Friday, March 29 -- Good Friday, joint service at CCSM (aka "the downtown church"), 7pm. The service will interweave the Seven Last Words of Christ with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's "Letter from Birmingham Jail". King wrote the letter after being arrested on Good Friday in 1963. Come at 5:30 to sing in the Combined Choir.
Saturday, March 30 -- Great Easter Vigil, joint service at CHC, 7pm. We will tell the story of the very first Easter vigil, held by Mary Magdalene at the tomb.
Sunday, March 31 -- Easter Sunday, service at CHC, 10am. Pastor Jorge Bautista preaching. We will have our traditional flower cross and memorial Easter lilies, and will also be receiving new members into the church. Come at 8:45 for choir practice.
Upcoming services and events
• Worship & Arts: Sun, April 7 after worship
Come help us plan the worship calendar for spring.
• Book Group: Sun, Apr 7 (7 pm), Zoom
Our next book will be "Lost Connections: Why You're Depressed and How to Find Hope" by Johann Hari. Note new date.
• Worship & Arts: Sun, April 7 after worship
Come help us plan the worship calendar for spring.
• Weds discussion group: Apr 10 (7 pm), Zoom
Switching gears to the historical Jesus, we will read together "Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time" by Marcus Borg. Preface and chapter 1 for the first meeting.
• Postcard Parties: Sun, April 14 & 28, 3-5 pm
Writing to encourage people in Georgia to vote in their congressional primaries. If you want to write your postcards at home, see Polly for a packet with instructions, address labels and stamps.
• Taize: Fri, Apr 19 (7:30 pm)
Our monthly Taize service, a week later than usual.
Links and resources
• Powerful Rhiannon Giddens video “Another wasted life”
• Jon Batiste crosses musical genres
• Masterworks Chorale presents a concert of Mozart's Requiem, Bach's Magnificat, Dan Forrest's Ngokujabula! and Stephen Paulus' "The Road Home", April 6-7, Woodside HS.
Quote of the week
To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan, and not quite enough time.
- Leonard Bernstein
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. Jorge Bautista
