Church Building Closed through
Sunday, May 3, 2020
The church building will be closed to all except church staff, facilities chair and vendors, Board members, the Assistant Treasurer, and those involved in the production of electronic
Sunday services.
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Rev's Reflections
Last week, as I prepared for Friday evening’s Tenebrae Service online, I was rereading the gospels, the parts having to do with Jesus’ final days. There was a passage in Matthew (27:3-8) that caught my attention:
When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”
So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. (NIV: New International Version)
Usually, I take away from this reading some fairly obvious lessons, about being mindful of your actions, living with guilt, and the impossibility of “un-ringing a bell.” Once a deed is done, it can’t be undone, no matter how horrible we feel. And the repercussions can last well beyond our lifetimes.
But something stood out to me this time for the first time. The reference to the potter’s field. I had just seen somber images on the news, of mass graves being dug at New York City’s Potter’s Field earlier in the week. In the past I’d heard of that particular burial ground for the indigent, especially during the worst of the AIDS pandemic, back in the late 80’s. But last week was the first time I made the Biblical connection.
It turns out that lots of cities have Potter’s Fields. It’s a legitimate, intentional thing, and one of those Biblical reference that has escaped me until now. It served as a reminder that we are not served if we don’t know about the most widely read book in the world, the book that so many of our family members, neighbors, co-workers and leaders live by. Making the connection between the gospel of Matthew to a common practice and an uncommon occurrence in our times gave Easter, especially Good Friday, new meaning for me.
It wasn’t the first time we had a Tenebrae service at East Shore. The services are always small, quiet and intense, as we share traditional and contemporary readings about suffering and persecution, extinguishing candles along the way and ending in awkward darkness. But this was the first time it felt so intense, so real, so applicable to our times.
Don’t worry. This isn’t some lame attempt to “make East Shore more Christian.” That’s the last thing on earth I would want. I think our UU faith is fine as it is. But this is definitely one of those times when our connection to our neighbors feels strong, and finding commonality is empowering. Even when it is somber.
In Peace,
Rev Denis
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Upcoming RE Events
MONTHLY THEME
This month’s theme is “Community”. Our communities have drastically changed in the last couple of weeks. We will be discussing how our new communities work. What makes a community. How we can stay strong in our communities. Who is in our personal communities? What new tools can we teach each other and learn to carry forth and support all the communities we belong too. We will support and keep each other strong in the weeks to come. And on that note...
WEEKS TO COME
Classes:
COA Class – every Sunday at 12:30 on Zoom.
I will send everyone a link before the class each week. I will also tell you what physical items you may need in order to do the class. These items will be simple and things you have around the house.
RE Faith Development Class – every Saturday at 3pm on Zoom
I will send everyone a link before the class each week. I will also tell you what physical items you may need in order to do the class. These items will be simple and things you have around the house. This Class is for all children, teens, COA teens, and adults that want to hear and share in the wisdom of our younger generations.
RE Kid/Teen Zoom Chats – every Tuesday at noon on Zoom and every Friday at 3pm on Zoom
These are Zoom meetings are for the children and teens to have an opportunity to be together and share with each other. What they share can be about anything they have seen, read, watched, played, felt, dreamed, or created. Please give your children and teens privacy during these meetings. I also will not be lording over these meetings. I will simply send the link, make sure people have logged on ok, and then I will go off and do other things so that they have privacy from me as well.
GATHERINGS:
Theme Thursday: 2 nd Thursday of every month 6pm
Each month we will continue to explore our monthly theme. In this class we discuss and delve deeper into the meaning of the monthly theme and how we express it in our spiritual lives. This class is for everyone 16 years and older. I will send everyone a link before the class each month. I will also tell you what physical items you may need in order to do the class. These items will be simple and things you have around the house.
Circle of Mom: 3 rd Thursday every month 6:30pm 
I can’t supply the chocolate or the flowers, but we can still come together for conversation. I will send everyone a link before the gathering each month.
Virtual Spirituality of Art: 3rd Saturday every month at noon
I personally felt very sad when we could not have our Spirituality of Art gathering at church. then I got to thinking why not do so virtually. So, gather any art supplies, it can be as simple as a pen and a piece of paper, it could be what you are knitting, sewing, sculpting or whatever. The thing is we can all connect on Zoom and create art in our own space together. We can still talk and share and listen to music or just share the moment in quiet. I will send everyone a link before the gathering each month.
LETTER EXCHANGE
You should have received your pen pals physical address by now to mail letters to. If you have not please contact Halcyon at dre@eastshore.org Don’t forget to write each other.
PERSONAL NOTE
Due to the radical changes in our world, I just want to let everyone know that if you need someone to talk to, give me a call. I will listen if you need. I will joke if you need. I will share if you need. My phone number is 440-708-4596
TEENS
The current schedule for CER Youth and Adult Cons (YAC): https://www.uua.org/central-east/youth/districtyouth
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 If you are itching to get outside and isolate on a tractor on the beautiful East Shore property, now is your chance!!!
We have a very limited commitment of time, volunteer opportunity that will go to the first one person to claim it;)
Seriously, we need one more person to join our mighty mowing team. It involves only 1 1/2 HOURS OF COMMITMENT, ONCE A MONTH, to mow a section of our property.
Thanks to Dan Bond, Maggie Caulkins, Jerie Greene, John Hanson, Pat McGovern, Jen Rose and myself we will have the grass taken care of except for one section.
If you could so kindly take our last slot, the rest of the team would be so very thankful! Oh, and did I mention only 1 1/2 hr, once a month?
Thanks for being the one! Jan
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2020-2021 Stewardship Campaign
The 2020-2021 Stewardship Campaign launched a few weeks ago. A letter and pledge card went out in the regular mail as well as in an email. If you have not received your packet please contact Linda in the office at 440-256-3400 or mail@eastshore.org.
Please mail, email a picture of your pledge card or email a note with your pledge amount to mail@eastshore.org.
The Finance Committee is working on next year's budget and pledge information is needed to complete this process.
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BEVERAGES & BANTER
ONLINE
Before each online gathering, Rev Denis will send out a reminder with the links.
Saturday, April 18 at 11 AM - 12:30 PM
https://zoom.us/j/312106674
Meeting ID: 312 106 674
Thursday, April 23 at 2-3:30 PM
https://zoom.us/j/304792927
Meeting ID: 304 792 927
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East Shore Midnight Support
Can’t sleep?
Lots of people are awake after everyone else has retired. They’re worried or restless, looking for someone to connect to. We will keep a space open on Zoom from Midnight to 2:00 AM as long as the need exists. When you arrive in the Zoom Room, there may be nobody there, but if you wait a while, others are likely to join you.
zoom.us/j/176049112
Meeting ID: 176 049 112
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UPCOMING LOOSE OFFERING
Every year we decided to donate 50% of our loose  offerings to local organizations that our members support. With the online services, a collection plate is no longer passed. The Board at the April 11, 2020 meeting decided instead to direct individuals to donate directly to the organizations. Any amounts sent to the church that is not part of a pledge will be posted to our operations account.
April: Northeast Ohio Musical Heritage Association:
www.neomha.org
May: Ministers Discretionary Fund
ESUUC
10848 Chillicothe Road, Kirtland 44094
Put "discretionary Fund" in your memo line
June: Old South Food Bank
Old South UCC
9802 Chillicothe Road, Kirtland, OH 44094
Put Old South Food Bank in the memo line.
Thank you for your support of East Shore and our organizations.
Shirley Hairston, Treasurer
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Both audio and written sermons are available online. To access go to 
