This week we are having ...
our second full month of the month. I read where when you have a second full moon in one month it’s called a blue moon. The next time we will have one is September, 2018. Thus the saying once in a blue moon.
It used to be that it was once in a blue moon that we heard about a police officer shooting a civilian or a civilian dying while in police custody. Now it seems to be every month. And that is troubling both for police departments and for civilians.
It used to be once in a blue moon that we heard about flooding or droughts. California has been in a drought for 16 years now and the situation has escalated to the crisis level. Meanwhile here in FL there has been epic flooding along the Elfers River twice in the past two years near where I live.
It used to be once in a blue moon that we heard about mass shootings in our nation. I remember when a gunman opened fire from the clock tower at the University of Texas in 1966, the first campus mass murder. Since then there have been too many others. I was shocked when I found a USA Today article that said that on average we have mass murders, which means four or more people killed, every two weeks in our nation, many of which go unreported. Every two weeks.
It used to be once in a blue moon when we heard about a professional athlete getting arrested, but now it seems that every week there is an NFL (mostly) player getting caught speeding or with pot or in cases of domestic violence or cheating. And if it’s not professional athletes, it’s college ones.
On the other side of the coin, it used to be once in a blue moon that you heard of women being elected to Congress. Now there are more than 100 (but we still rank 71st in the world). And we’ve got a woman running to be President…
It used to be once in a blue moon that you heard about African Americans or Latinos heading Fortune 500 companies, now there are by some counts nine (eight men and a woman — a number, sadly, that doesn’t seem to be going up.)
And then once in a blue moon we used to hear about victories for farmworkers. But now they seem to be coming more frequently. Stay tuned for a new announcement from the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (sadly, not about Publix yet).
Once in a blue moon …. one of those phrases we need to stop and think about.
In Peace,
Rev. Bernice Powell Jackson
revbpjackson@yahoo.com
Sunday, August 2
The texts for Sunday are:
Ex 16:2-4
John 6:24-35
Readers:
Quench: Mimi Reid
11:00 AM: Laurie Hope (English), Graciela Flores (Spanish)
Pulpit assistant: Rev. Graciela Flores
Rev. Bernice Powell Jackson will preach on “This Bread Always”
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 (The choir and children's church are taking a summer break, but join us anyway. There will be inspired music and printed activities for children.)
Prayer requests
Doris Rampolla, Pat Allen, Alice Wilber, Karen Mattheis’ daughter, Shandy; Rev. Bernice’s brother, Nick; Lois Whitehurst, Leroy Hershberger, Bob Mitchell, Kenn & Steve Antonelli and family; CL Townsend, Paul D’Agostino & father, Lynette Sanchez’s mother, Alba; Archbishop Desmond Tutu, 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; Hector Rios’ niece, Viviana Perez; Lois Price and family, Martin Montonye, Martha Sanchez, Julian Cunningham, Jean McCann, Jim Roney, Carol Barker
Meetings and important events
Thursday, July 30 at 6:30 PM: 20s/30s Group / Dinner
Saturday, July 32 (oops!) August 1 5-8 pm, Christmas in July fun-raiser
$20. Plus bring a white elephant gift, wrapped! Be there or B square...
Sunday August 16: 11 am worship: Farmworker's Self-Help from Dade City will worship with us.
Their children's choir will sing, Rev. Margarita Romo will preach and they provide a light supper after the service.
Plan to attend!
Sunday adults' discussion group
The Adult Seminar is taking a short break before it starts its next book discussion. Stay tuned for more information!
Compassion Corner: Words to think about
St Paul provides us with a useful checklist in the famous definition of love. Charity is “patient and kind”; it “is never boastful, never conceited, never rude,” never envious or “quick to take offense.” Charity “keeps no score of wrongs” and ”takes no pleasure in the wrongdoing of others. If we are quick to take offense and positively smack our lips in self-righteous delight at the wrongdoing of others, we will fail this test. If we speak impatiently, rudely or unkindly, we may be in danger of bringing ourselves down to the level of intolerance we are condemning.
~~~Karen Armstrong~~~
How many people have been killed by guns since Newtown?
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.
A special meeting with potluck food will be held on Sunday, August 23 after the second service for parents and teachers or prospective teachers to plan for the next year. Please join us!
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
