International Women’s Day
On Wednesday, March 8th there will be a special nationwide online celebration of International Women’s Day. The theme, End Women’s Poverty, Invest in Caring Not Killing, reflects the struggles and contributions of women. The webinar will focus on women’s poverty and its impact on families and wider communities. Women’s unpaid caregiving work alone contributes $1.5 trillion to the US…
HILLCREST BOOK GROUP
Our book selection this month is “Small World” by Jonathon Evison. This novelspans 170 years of American history told through the point of view of 4different families. Stories of triumph and tragedy, of heroes and villains,of the wealthy and needy. The author ties these stories with those of theirdescendants through the construction of the Transcontinental…
UCC GMP Search Committee makes historic choice, recommends Karen Georgia Thompson as next leader
by Emma Brewer-Wallin | published on Feb 27, 2023 After a year-long search, the United Church of Christ Board’s Search Committee for General Minister and President has made a historic choice. The committee will be recommending Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson to the UCCB this week as nominee for General Minister and President. If elected, she would be…
LENTEN BIBLE STUDY
This year’s Lenten Bible Study is entitled, “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark”. We will encounter the Visio Divina Practice through a series of vignettes and time for reflection. Lenten Bible Study, led by Pastor Kim Kendrick, will be held every Wednesday throughout Lent beginning March 1st at 6pm via Zoom. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81548637611
FOOD ROOM SUNDAY – March 5th
Food Room Sunday is held the first Sunday of each month. Last week we served 100 people! Your donations of food or money are greatly appreciate and go a long way in feeding the hungry in our community. As always, the following food is needed: Peanut Butter, Chili, Ravioli, Pork & Beans and Cereal. Please…
Lenten Season at Hillcrest
God is Love The theme for this Lenten Season is, “Looking for Love…”, where we will explore together all of the places we look for and find LOVE. We look forward to you joining us on the journey. Following is a schedule of dates and the weekly theme. Worship services begin at 10:30 a.m. All…
Our Prayer for Turkey & Syria
God of grace and mercy, there are many who are suffering loss today. Around the world and in our communities, we are mourning. Today we come holding in our prayers our siblings in Turkey and Syria who are still searching and rescuing survivors and victims of this earthquake. Be present with these families and communities…
Spiritual Connection: “With Kindness”
Epiphany 4 January 29, 2023 Suggestions for Making Someone’s Day Place this information somewhere where you will see it every day and remember to keep your eye out for opportunities to perform random acts of kindness. Some ideas are: pay for the person behind you at a drive-through eatery or toll booth volunteer at a…
FREE Tax Preparation
Free Tax Preparation will again be offered by AARP Tax-Aide. The service, provided by volunteer IRS certified tax counselors, is available starting February 2023. Tax-Aide does not have an income limit, but helps to moderate income taxpayers of any age, with special attention given to seniors 50 plus. Starting mid-January 2023, appointments and information are…
Adult Education Class Begins: Women of the Bible
Starting Sunday, January 29th at 9:30 am., we will begin a six week series on the “Women of the Bible”. Come and learn about some of the most interesting, and often overlooked, figures in our Christian tradition. The class will meet in Fellowship Hall and will be led by Allison Kuechle-Silva, Pastoral Associate.
New Members Class
Hillcrest UCC will soon offer an information session for all who are interested in becoming members of the church. All who are interested in exploring membership are welcome to attend the session, which will take place right after the worship service on Sunday, February 5th. We will load up our plates with snacks from fellowship hour…
Hillcrest Youth Group Meet-Up
Join us Saturday January 28th from 1pm – 2pm for a time of friendship, discussion, and fun. All Youth are welcome to attend and bring a friend! In addition to games and food we discuss topics ranging from faith to school to our society as a whole. We will meet in the Youth Room on…
Season of Epiphany
Spiritual Connection: With Music Sunday, January 15, 2023 In this season of long nights, we know that tomorrow there will be just a little more light than today. This Epiphany season we will focus on deepening our spiritual connections with God in our everyday activities, making them more meaningful and bringing more light into our…
Reflecting the Sacred: Advent-Christmas Season Calendar
Advent- ChristmasSeason Events Calendar
Dec 11-December25
The Longest Night: December 21
The Christmas season can be difficult for those struggling with loss, hard times, or just the pressures of the season. This year Hillcrest Church offers two opportunities to attend a worship service that honors these feelings. Please join us. 2:00 p.m. Winter Solstice Service of Hope in the Hillcrest Church Sanctuary 7:00 p.m. Longest Night…
Christmas Eve “Baby Shower” for Mary
Christmas Eve “Baby Shower” for Mary to benefit Hillcrest Church’s Layette Program Join us for a special Christmas Eve service where we will honor Mary and collect donations for the Hillcrest Layette program*. The Christmas Eve service begins at 5 p.m. We hope you will join us in celebrating the birth of Jesus on Christmas…
Pre-Post Racial America: Spiritual Stories from the Front Lines
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Pre-Post Racial America
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Message from Rev. Fred
Senior Minister
Stones in the Temple of God
As I write, MLK Day has just passed and it is the afternoon of Inauguration Day. Many things are in my heart and mind. I want to share one image, or set of images, having to do with building.
Just a little over 1,900 centuries before Martin Luther King, Jr., a preacher named Ignatius wrote a letter from jail. He was the bishop of Syria within the still-new Christian church and had been imprisoned by the empire for his faith. In his letter, Ignatius pictured the people of God as ones defined and “kindled” by “love.” And he continues, “You are as stones of the temple of [God].” What’s more, “You are then all fellow travelers, and carry with you God, and the temple.”
Along with the love that is so core to our Christian faith and that Ignatius knew so well, the imagery of building and buildings was clearly important and dear to him. He had been arrested, taken away from his people and ministry, and carted off to the imperial city for trial. He was concerned for the future of his church and for all churches. And yet he knew and felt and prayed that the love and caring to which he had been called would not stop. And not only that it would not stop, but that it would continue to build. And it would…through people. People are the stones that build God’s temple, house God’s presence, and share God’s love in the world!
Just about 160 years ago, Abraham Lincoln stood in front of the not-yet-completed capitol dome in our nation’s capitol building and used similar language to that of Ignatius. The building must continue and it must ever go on. When we stop building with and for love and peace, then who and what are we?
Sisters and brothers of Hillcrest—here’s to the Spirit of love alive among us and alive among anyone and everyone of any faith and no faith. Let us at Hillcrest ever be about leading the way in showing people what love alive in the world looks like. Like Ignatius says, we are living stones in the temple of God.
Let it be so, O God, let it be so.
Blessings,
Rev. Fred