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Our deadline for submitting newsletter announcements is Monday at noon.  Please email any announcements to Harper at admin@uccasheville.org.  Thanks! 
A Note from Margot
Intentional Interim Minister
margot.pickett@uccasheville.org
At Sunday’s workshop after worship, Rev. Beth Kennett talked about the Five C’s of Healthy Congregations, and then focused on two of them: Community and Communication. Everyone at the gathering rated First Congregational UCC in these areas using a tool developed by the Center for Congregational Health in Wake Forest. (link here if you want to see the document) And interestingly, while most everyone seemed to give us high marks in the area of Community, when Beth asked, “What is one thing you think you could do to improve a sense of community here?” several people made good suggestions. The ones I wrote down were: 
•    Wear nametags (Don't have one?  Need a new one?  Ask a Deacon or Greeter on Sunday morning and they'll show you how to request one) 
•    Spend more time on Sundays with people we don’t already know
•    Have more meals together
•    Have more opportunities to talk to each other about “meaningful stuff”

In the discussion about Communication, Beth pointed out that poor communication can lead to rumors, gossip, boundary crossing, lack of trust and productivity, and fracturing of relationships. People seemed to indicate that there was ample room for improvement in this area. Several positive comments were made about the electronic newsletter, but there was also the suggestion that we might want to print some copies for people who don’t use computers, and others thought the newsletter could be shorter, crisper. There were also comments about the need for the Governing Board to communicate more with the congregation about when they’re meeting, what they’re discussing, and how to give feedback. When it came to “one thing you could do” one person said she thought she needed to become a better listener and a few people suggested that perhaps we could have open forums after worship as often as once a month. The staff sometimes jokes that we are First CONVERSATIONAL UCC…and that seems to be one thing people really value about this church! 

The Transition Team listened carefully to what was being said, and they intend to provide more of those opportunities for conversation in the weeks and months ahead. You will soon notice a very interesting and comprehensive timeline of the life of the congregation displayed in the Art Gallery. We invite you to spend some time looking at those and writing “post it notes” with your own contributions to FCUCC’s history, and/or your questions or observations. The Transition Team has spent several hours poring over the timelines that were made over the years and they have found the experience to be illuminating and often emotional. They will host open discussions about the timelines on July 17, 24, and 31, before worship and after worship. Watch for details in next week’s newsletter and the Transition Team’s separate email. These forums promise to be important moments for congregational conversation about “meaningful stuff,” such as who this church has been, what this church has done, and what all this means for the future. 
 
Ministry Updates
Yolanda Adams
Ministry Coordinator
ministry@uccasheville.org
Dear Community,
Thanks for your continued love and support. I continue to “ease” into my daily routines and work. That’s the hard part-for me. I am immensely grateful to all that have volunteered to help at the church and for those who have even asked to dog walk and grocery shop for me. Thank you Beaver Wyatt for the loan of the little white car until I figure out my car situation.
We demonstrate each day, we are Community and for that, I am deeply blessed. We are all deeply blessed.

Annual Church Retreat:  (August 12-14) If you are interested in attending the annual retreat, PLEASE turn in your registration forms ASAP!  Forms are outside of Yolanda's office and more details about retreat can be found here: www.uccasheville.org/annual-all-church-retreat

Volunteers needed for Summer Meals Program.  Please see announcement towards the end of the e-newsletter for more information or find more information at the bottom of the page here: www.uccasheville.org/events
 
Youth News
Taleese Morrill 
Youth Ministry Coordinator
taleesemorrill@gmail.com
We have a quiet weekend for the youth group as we prepare for next week's Wild Goose Fest!
 
Wild Goose Fest is an awesome time for the youth group to learn, grow, and bond as a group. And it's never too late to join us! If you have a teen or preteen, 6th grade or up who is interested in joining us, you can still email me if you're interested.
 
 We are still in need of a few items for the festival.
If you are willing to lend us camping chairs, or a tent, we would greatly appreciate.
 
You can contact me for any of these things at taleesemorrill@gmail.com

Wild Goose Fest is in need of volunteers!
The festival organizers are looking for local volunteers willing to pick up and drop off some of the weekends contributors. This would entail driving to the Asheville Airport to pick people up, and driving them to the Hot Springs campgrounds to drop them off. Or vice versa.

In exchange for your help, the WGF coordinators are offering free weekend passes to the festival.

If you are interested in helping, or for more info, please contact Taleese at taleesemorrill@gmail.com 
You can learn more about the festival here: http://wildgoosefestival.org/
Stirrings from Stir The Soul Center: 
Looking for some summer reading? Come, stop by the library and check out our recommendations.  Want to see some pictures from Iona?  Join us from 2:00 - 4:00 on Wednesdays for a 'cuppa' and chat about our pilgrimage.
 stirthesoulcafe.wordpress.com. 
This Week's Birthdays
Gary Mitchell July 1
Christopher Oakley July 1
Larry Horne July 3
Tara Darby July 5
Joshua Kersey July 8
Sunday's Scripture
 

2 Kings 5:1-14 (NRSV)

The Healing of Naaman

5 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favor with his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy.[a] 2 Now the Arameans on one of their raids had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”[b] 4 So Naaman[c] went in and told his lord just what the girl from the land of Israel had said. 5 And the king of Aram said, “Go then, and I will send along a letter to the king of Israel.”

He went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of garments. 6 He brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you my servant Naaman, that you may cure him of his leprosy.”[d]7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to give death or life, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy?[e] Just look and see how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me.”

8 But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and halted at the entrance of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.” 11 But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, “I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy![f] 12 Are not Abana[g] and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?” He turned and went away in a rage. 13 But his servants approached and said to him, “Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.
Congregational Milestones 
  •  Please congratulate Rev. Paul Gillespie. The First Baptist Church of Madison, Wisconsin, voted in June to name him Pastor Emeritus.   He was pastor there for most of the ‘80s.   They expect to have him come to Madison one weekend in September for a ceremony and to preach. He feels most honored since he has been away for so long and yet they took the initiative to honor him in this way.
  •  Please congratulate Austin Blythe for graduating this year with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work.
 
 
Faith Formation Workshops
The Church and Mental Illness:  A 3-Part Adult Forum Summer Series
2 remaining dates at 9:15-10:15 am in E-101.  July 10th & August 7th.  

Click this link to learn more!

Facilitator: Rev. Jerene Broadway, staff chaplain at Mission Hospital, where she serves primarily in the Copestone psychiatric units. Jerene is also a member of the board of National Alliance on Mental Illness Western Carolina.
 
Prayer Concerns
Prayer Requests:
  • Austin Blythe’s mom was in the hospital on Sunday for the second time this month. No word on the results yet.
  • Rev. Jerene Broadway’s surgery went well and she is recovering slowly but surely
  • The little girl mentioned on Sunday by Joyce Rhymer that was killed at summer camp when lightning struck a tree which fell on the cabin she was sleeping in. Please pray for the family and all families sending their children to camp.
  • The people in California facing loss because of the fires and the people in West Virginia losing their homes and belongings because of floods.
  • Dennis Littrel, a friend of Randall Bowman’s just diagnosed with cancer.
  • Melissa Earhart is undergoing radiation but she is still having motor skill and speech problems. There is family support but let’s keep praying that she will recover steadily.

Click here to read continuing prayer requests.


In the red pew pads there are prayer request cards available for all to use. If you need prayer and do not want to speak of that need in church, please use those cards to record your prayer needs and put it in the offering plate or prayer box. We would love to pray for you.

Please let us know if you wish your prayer request to remain confidential with the Deacons and staff, otherwise we will share it here with the congregation.  
Psalm 145:18 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
"God is near to all who call on him,
    to all who call on him in truth"
Submit a Prayer Request
Our Time Together 
Remember!

Volunteers needed for the Summer Meals Program:
“For God satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” Psalm 107:9
Thank you, Mary Kancevitch and Beaver Wyatt for being the Site Supervisors as we once again are participating in the Summer Meals Program. We will be serving meals at the Ledgewood Apartments each Thursday beginning on Thursday, June 18 until Thursday, August 18th, from 11:15 am to 12:15 pm.

We still need volunteers for July 21st, August 4th, 11th and 18th. Please contact Beaver Wyatt or Mary Kancevitch to sign up or sign up on the sheets in the Narthex. This ministry is fun, fast and is very much aligned with the mission and vision of our church.
We will be serving meals prepared by the school system to children from 2 years old to 18 years old. We still need books to give away as well and personal care items such as toothbrushes and tooth paste and educational games and puzzles.

Unfortunately, this lunch may be the only nutritious daily meal that these children will get during the summer because most of these children are on the free or reduced cost meal program at the school. We are very lucky once again to have an air-conditioned, safe and clean place to serve during the hot summer days. If you want to be a volunteer that serves meals and entertain the children, there is no training required.
-Yolanda

PS- if you don't know how to contact Mary or Beaver and can't sign up in the Narthex, reply to this email and we'll make sure you get connected.
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First Congregational United Church of Christ Asheville · PO Box 3211 · Asheville, NC 28802 · USA

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