Lamentations 1:8-22 and 2:10-22

 Online Worship Logistics: 

• The online doors to our Zoom worship will open at 9:00am. 

• From 9am to 9:30am, the worship space will be open for folks to gather and get settled in. Our worship service will begin at 9:30am. 

•  Holy Communion will be a part of our online worship, so we encourage everyone to prepare by putting together your own communion set from whatever you have handy in your kitchens and pantries. Please have these items nearby and handy when you join us online.

Summer 2020 preaching series- Forgotten Books of the Bible:

Wisdom from the Five Jewish Festival Scrolls for Today’s World.

For the next two Sundays, July 5th and 12th, we will be reading from the book of Lamentations. Whether the cause is the COIVID-19 crisis, or the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement in light of continued oppression of black and brown bodies, or another of the countless ills facing our nation, or a combination of all of these… we find that we are living in a time that calls for deep lament. 

The book of Lamentations has been sitting right here in our Bibles, right under our noses. Perhaps it is time we bring the varied voices of Lamentations into the light… to teach us, to embrace us, to offer us a way forward.

“The book of Lamentations, which reflects the humiliation and anger of the people of Jerusalem following the destruction of their city by the Babylonians in 586 BCE, provides a starting point for thinking about how to create such a space for sorrow, anger, and protest within the Christian community. Perhaps the most unflinching book of the Bible, its expression of anguish and accusation resonates wherever there is suffering, whether public or private, communal or individual. It stands within the Bible as a voice of protest against God, enfolding even the most angry and disillusioned of us into the community of faith, never correcting or silencing our lament.“ 

Robert Williamson Jr.

The Forgotten Books of the Bible

“Lamentations challenges all piety that commends passive, silent suffering. Even if the suffering is just punishment-something not fully conceded-the book articulates the horror endured communally and individually during and in the wake of the destruction of the structures of corporate and individual life.”

Richard W. Nysse

Lamentations

enterthebible.org

If you are curious, take a look at the outline of the summer preaching series, available via PDF here. 

We have made a lot of progress over the past few weeks!

-          We have established COVID-19 related policies for ChristChurch members and guests in the building.

-          Rachael has been working hard to clean out the office and workroom spaces.

-          Movers helped us get furniture out of the student lounge. Thank you Rachael Jans for managing the logistics for this event. 

-          The stage lights, projector, and cross have been safely taken down and are being packed for storage.

-          The tech and worship team equipment is being uninstalled and sorted.  Thank you, Michael Gross, Mark Henderson, Mitch Radford, Rich Radford,  Dave Slack, and Pastor David for their work and expertise to make this happen.

-          Eileen Gross and Shirley and Dick Dinger cleaned the folding chairs that we are keeping so they will be in top shape when we are ready to use them again - they look great! Eileen, Shirley, and Dick also provided lunch and cookies to the tech-decommissioning team.  We appreciate your help and hospitality!

-          David Dahl is scanning our extensive music library so we can move to a more paperless worship team.  Thank you David.

-          Jill Bierman and Eileen Gross have been cleaning out the kitchen with supreme remote guidance from Shirley.  Thank you ladies!

-          Larry Wade has completed dozens of tasks from uninstalling shelving units, marking the sanctuary floor to keep us organized, and putting protection on our custom oak tables for safekeeping.  Larry – we (literally!) could not do this without you. 

As a result of the purging, we have a lot of things to offer the ChristChurch and local community. Jane Jackson is managing the listings of items for sale and free items. 

To see what is available, go to this Google Photo album which is being updated regularly.

 If you are interested in any of the items please contact Jane before July 10th. Any remaining items will be donated after that date.  Jane Jackson: Text 503-807-7098 or email at  jane.m.jackson@intel.com 

If you have trouble viewing any of the Google Photo albums please email Rachael. 

-Chris Radford
Transition Coordinator

Pandemic Emergency Economic Relief (PEER)

In the midst of this pandemic, many families who were already marginalized and pressured are now facing acute economic and food insecurity.  At the same time, most of us are feeling isolated and longing to act.  What if we could GROW connection during this time and ACT together to relieve pressure in our communities?

In order to reflect dignity and relieve pressure, the Oregon Synod (ELCA) and the NW Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC) are partnering to encourage local congregations to join with one another and community-based organizations, like schools and social organizations, to offer grocery gift cards and other food or financial assistance to families most impacted during these times.  

How it works:

ChristChurch has received a $500 matching gift grant from the Oregon Synod (ELCA). We are combining that with funds dollars from our benevolence fund and the pastor’s compassion fund for a total of $2,000. We will then buy grocery gift cards and deliver them to counselors at Evergreen Middle School, who will in turn get these grocery gift cards to families.

What can you do:

Help us double these funds by clicking on the PEER category in our online GIVE button so that we can purchase even more grocery gift cards to impact local families in need. 

Thank you to everyone that has already donated!
We have received $1,000 in just one week!
And thank you to everyone that helped spread the word about this opportunity. 

How is this a partnership?

One of the goals of moving out of our current building was to increase our partnerships and presence in the community. 

By working with the local schools we engage in meaningful discussion around:

• How can we better partner with you? 

• What are families experiencing and is this what is needed or could our action be more impactful?

Additionally, we are working with ecumenical partners - 

• The United Methodist Church has committed $100,000 in matching grants to local congregations

• The Oregon Synod has received a $20,000 grant from the ELCA to offer matching grants, so partnering with our local ecumenical friends can double our gifts! 

• The Presbytery of the Cascades (PCUSA) has also committed $100,000 in grants to local congregations. 

If you have questions about the program please contact Rachael Jans or Pastor David Eppelsheimer. 

Even if you can not donate please feel free to share this opportunity with friends, family, and neighbors! It’s a wonderful opportunity to do good and connect more with our local schools. 

This is Christ's church. There is a place for you here.

Pastor David Eppelsheimer: pastordavid@comchristchurch.org  
         

Administrative & Communications Coordinator, Rachael Jans

admin@comchristchurch.org

Prayer Requests: admin@comchristchurch.org