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October 1, 2015
WORLD COMMUNION SUNDAY
NINETEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
From Pastor Bernice
A global consciousness
Last Saturday evening at the Global Citizens Festival, the Prime Minister of Norway proclaimed, “We can no longer be a generation of by-standers”. I watched a bit of this televised concert not because of the celebrities (rapper Common and singer, Sting, among others) but because I was interested in the idea of an event that celebrates and perhaps even honors the belief that people of this planet are all connected. A sense of global consciousness is urgently needed to address the multiple issues affecting the poor, the hungry, the displaced, the mentally ill, the abused, the homeless and those who are victims of violence.
Their desperation stretches across the globe. Their fates are connected to each and every one of us. So, even though many of the people in New York’s Central Park were enjoying the entertainment, the festival was also sending out messages about world hunger and the importance of supporting agriculture; messages about world health and the importance of eradicating polio; messages about the importance of aid to the poor around the world and the critical need to support education for girls. The notion of global connections is not new. Generations of social activists have understood that oppression, hunger, violence and other social ills cannot be dismantled by focusing solely on conditions in one city, one country or even one continent. In our efforts to promote global citizenship, the Social Action Committee will sponsor events that inform our congregation about many different issues. We will ask our community of concerned Christians to think about how we can also be concerned and caring global Christians. Our next “Third Wednesday” speaker will be Trevor Aaronson, the executive director of the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting. He will share the findings that led to his book, The Terror Factory, and his observations on how the “war” is affecting everyday life for people around the world. Join us for this and other events; learn how we can be connected to a larger world of global actors.
Cheryl Rodriguez
Pastor Bernice is currently on vacation, but she will return next week.
Sunday, October 4
The texts for Sunday are:
Quench: Job 1:1; 2:1-10
11:00 AM: Isaiah 28:14-17 and 1 Peter 2:1-9
Readers:
Quench: Jim Roney
11:00 AM: Maureen Baez (English) and Rev. Paul Werner (Spanish)
Pulpit assistant: Rev. Paul Werner
Rev. Melvin James will preach on "Life on the Cornerstone"
SUNDAY SERVICES:
9:00 AM - Quench 
Quench your spirit’s longing for God and community in an intimate service of message, music, and media. Communion every Sunday. Join us!
11:00 AM - Worship Service
A larger service with prayer, choir, sermon and children's church. Come, we're expecting you!
Prayer requests
Doris Rampolla, Pat Allen, Alice Wilber, Karen Mattheis’ daughter, Shandy; Rev. Bernice’s brother, Nick; Lois Whitehurst, Leroy Hershberger, Margaret Mitchell and family, Kenn & Steve Antonelli and family; Hector Rios and family, CL Townsend, Paul D’Agostino & his family, Lynette Sanchez’s mother, Alba; Archbishop Desmond Tutu, President Jimmy Carter, Robin Hill, Fonda Harris’s sister, Jeanine; Willy Emerson, Carl St. Meyer, Joyce Bresee, Caleb DeNote, Roy Tamura and Debra Warner and family, Joyce Cleary’s son, Mike; Barbara McFarland’s sister, Diane; Maria Morales’s husband, Rudy; Lois Price and family, Martin Montonye, Julian Cunningham, Carol Barker, Daphne Thomas' brother, Wayne, Rev. Jean Simpson and family, Cheryl Rodriguez' mother, Mimi Reid's daughter, Amanda, Dove's daughter, Ali, the Megathlins' daughter, Becky
Meetings and important events
Join us Saturday, October 3 at 4 pm.
for Fabulous Concert by the Kozmik Quartet
 Tickets: $20 pp/ $10 students
The Choir is Back!
Interested in singing? Come to choir rehearsals on Thursday nights at 6:30.
Notice of congregational meeting
The Church Council is currently negotiating a contact for the purchase of our property on Fowler Avenue. While we are in the beginning stages of this negotiation, this offer seems very promising.
Any final contract has to be approved by the congregation at a specially called congregational meeting. Our bylaws require that such a meeting be announced 10 days prior to the date of the meeting. Please accept this communication as notice of the meeting on Sunday, October 11 immediately following the 11:00 service. Additional notice will also appear in the church bulletin. Please keep our negotiations as well as this congregational meeting in your prayers.
Yours in Christ,
Paul D'Agostino, Moderator
Sunday adults' discussion group
The Adult Seminar is meeting on Sundays at 10:10 in the library. They are reading Christ Actually:The Son of God in a Secular Age by James Carroll. All are invited to join in!
Compassion Corner: Words to think about
Remember Confucius’s advise about the way to apply the ethic of the Golden Rule to politics: “you yourself desire rank and standing; then help others to get rank and standing. You want to turn merits to account; then help others to turn theirs to account. We can no longer thrive at the expense of others. A practically expressed respect for the other is probably indispensable for a peaceful global society.
~~~Karen Armstrong~~~
How many people have been killed by guns since Newtown?
98,129
Listen to sermons online
Now you can listen to recordings of Sunday sermons on our website, www.ucctampabay.org. Tell your friends!
Please help us on Sundays
If you are the last one to leave the church property on Sunday, PLEASE be mindful to check that all doors are locked. Thank you!
Sunday School news
Over the summer there will be no special Sunday school classes. Children will stay in worship with their parents. There will be children's learning kits for them to play with.
Needed for the fall! 3-4 more teachers and 1-2 teacher's assistants. Would you consider being a teacher or assistant at least once a month? Our children need you.
2 x 3 = 6
Six hours spread over three months – the amount of time Hospitality Hosts contribute to making our Sunday Fellowship Time the best. Each host “team” member agrees to serve once a month for three months – providing food, enjoying rich fellowship and – yes – cleaning up.
You are invited to become part of this continuing ministry. As a regular member of a team – pick your Sunday – or as a substitute available as needed. One further note – Paul D’Agostino and Jim Roney come early every Sunday to make coffee in addition to serving as fifth Sunday hosts.
First United name badges
We are ordering name badges for members, friends, and visitors. The cost is $10.00. Please contact the church office at 813-988-4321 or churchoffice@ucctampabay.org.
Submitting items to Courage in the Struggle
We hope you enjoy receiving Courage in the Struggle, the weekly e-news of First United Church of Tampa. If you would like to submit an item that would be of interest to the members and friends of First United, please email it to webservant@ucctampabay.org. Attach your submission as a Word document. Submissions may be edited for length or clarity. For events, be sure to include the date, time, location, and cost (if any). Thank you!
First United Church of Tampa
7308 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33617 - 813-988-4321
Founded in 1885
www.ucctampabay.org
OUR FOUR CORE VALUES:
EARTH CHARTER
MULTIRACIAL AND MULTICULTURAL
OPEN AND AFFIRMING
PEACE WITH JUSTICE
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