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In this Issue
- A Word from Rev. Karen
- Our Prayers
- Round Table with Bethel AME
- NOTE: Contemplative Prayer Class Postponed
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In this Issue, cont'd.
- Musical Meditation
- UMC Town Hall Dismantling Racism Discussions
- Reopen Task Force Update
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A Word from Rev. Karen
In these times, we search for hope.
We seek brightness.
We wonder...
...what comes next?
...when will there be a vaccine?
...when will we see beloved faith friends and family in person again?
...when will we be together in the sanctuary?
We can attempt to answer our own pondering and we can turn to trusted others to share our experiences and we can offer our wonderings as prayer.
We tend to have seasonal patterns in our home lives, in our work lives, in our school lives.
And the seasonal patterns of our faith and church are cherished traditions.
We on the church staff have begun to plan for the fall and even for Advent and Christmas.
We approach this with the hope that we will all continue to find ways to stay connected with our faith and through our faith, with one another, and in service to the community and the world.
We continue to find ways to be the church beyond the building.
Thank you all for living out your faith and holding on to hope.
As we strengthen ourselves though our faith and prayer practices, we begin to imagine even more ways in which we as individuals and as a faith community can be present with those in any need.
Throughout the fall, watch the "Weekly Window" and weekly Sunday worship for ways the Claremont United Methodist Church faith community is continuing to serve those most in need in our community, in our region and around the world.
Thank you for your generosity of service as a faith community and as individual followers of Christ.
In prayer and care,
Rev. Karen
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The New Testament in Four Sundays
In the beginning was the Word.
For the four Sundays this August, we will travel through the New Testament together, exploring our Christian origins, our call to New Life, our call to serve, and our call to resist powers and principalities that run counter to our call to justice, lovingkindness, and walking humbly in faith.
This week we consider the letters written to the earliest Christians. We have letters and fragments of letters sent to encourage and instruct early Christian communities. While they were written almost 2,000 years ago, we still see applications for how to live our lives of faith today?
Each week, if you wish, engage a "Summer Reading" challenge. This week pick a letter to read, some can be read in one setting, others may take a few days.
Consider the letter as if it were addressed to you,
Dear CUMC Christ follower...
The New Testament in Four Sundays
Our Origin Story
Our Resurrection Story
Dear Christians: Our Letters
Rise Up: Our Revelation
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We Are Praying For...
 If you have someone you would like Claremont UMC to keep in prayer, and list on our prayer list, please email Jessica, Office@claremontumc.org. Please indicate whether they are to be listed on the public prayer list, or kept private. Please pray for these dear ones on our prayer list, HERE. |
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Round Table Discussion with Bethel AME
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Contemplative Prayer Class Postponed
NEXT Thursday, August 27
7:00 p.m. via Zoom
Our contemplative prayer class will take a one-week break, resuming next week at 7 p.m. on August 27. Bishop Charles Wesley Jordan will lead the class on the life and writing of Howard Thurman and how to reflect contemplatively on his writings.
Rev. Karen Clark Ristine and Dick Bunce co-facilitate the course. Each class is a stand-alone class. So come to one or come to all. The zoom link is the same as is shared for Sunday fellowship and will be sent next Thursday afternoon as a reminder.
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A Musical Meditation from Katie
As a special piece for the "Weekly Window," Katie shares an audio of her playing a well-loved hymn! This week's hymn is "Take Time to Be Holy." Click HERE and enjoy!
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United Methodist Church Dismantling Racism Town Hall Discussions
The work of dismantling racism is not new; now more than ever we need to be reminded of the work that has moved us to today’s reality—and to name where we still need to go.
TODAY (August 19), four experienced leaders in the work of dismantling racism discussed their experiences in confronting racism. (The video from that discussion is below, just click on it, and it will take you to the video.) They talked about parallels and distinctions between their historical work and how today’s anti-racism and anti-oppression movements are different, as well as their insights about the church’s role in this work, where the church must lead the prophetic call to justice and the tension between different approaches to this work.
Our hope is that this Town Hall series will help equip the United Methodist Church as we engage in our anti-racism work across the Connection. To learn more about today's Town Hall, click HERE.
A second Town Hall discussion will take place NEXT Wednesday, August 26 at 10:0 a.m. PT. Don't miss a conversation with a panel of young United Methodist leaders on Wednesday, August 26. They will discuss strategies for changing the world and encouragement for partners in this work. To learn more about this second discussion, click HERE.
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You can forward ahead to about minute 13 when the discussion begins.
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Update from CUMC Reopening Task Force
 The Reopening Task Force is working on several outdoor, in-person worship experiences. We have submitted our plans to the Cal-Pac Conference and await approval. We hope to begin monthly in-person worship experiences starting in early fall. We are looking for volunteers who are comfortable helping at events. For liability reasons, volunteers need to be over 18 years old. Volunteers will be needed to direct traffic in the parking lot, to conduct health screenings (take temperatures and ask screening questions), and to register participants. If you would like more information about the volunteer opportunities or would like to volunteer, please email the Task Force at askclaremontumc@gmail.com.
~ Sara Domonoske (Chair), John Mohl, Rev. Martha Morales, Jared Pugh, Rev. Karen Clark Ristine, Peggy Williams, Curtis Viggers, Pearl Viggers, Reopening Task Force
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