Fire damaged the sanctuary of Christ Reformed United Church of Christ in Middletown, MD this morning (3/4/10)
The fire was confined to the front of the sanctuary building in an area above and behind the pulpit and altar. The area above the altar is now "roofless". The acrid smell of smoke permeated the attached chapel and Sunday School buildings. Children in the church's child care program were safely evacuated. The church offices in an adjacent building were not damaged.
The Middletown fire department is located across the street. Fire departments from neighboring communities in Frederick and Washington Counties also responded.
Pastor Mark Wakefield was on the phone with UCC Insurance Board when I arrived.
Here is a picture of the altar area.
Additional pictures will be posted on the church's webpage: www.christreformeducc.org
Planful Communication in the Vital Church: Completing the Circle is the title of the CAC April 9-10, 2010 event in Linthicum, MD. Click on the link to the left to see the information. Registration deadline is March 7th.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Church World Service Issues Urgent Request for Help in Replenishing Kit Supply
Rocky Hill, NJ, November 11, 2009 – The international humanitarian agency Church World Service (CWS) has issued an urgent call for contributions of Hygiene, School, and Baby Kits, and Emergency Clean-up Buckets. The CWS Kit Program collects and distributes donated recovery Kits to meet the emergency or on-going needs of disaster victims, refugees, and others in need worldwide. Some of the overseas locations that Kits were shipped to in the past year are Ghana, Ethiopia, Haiti, Bosnia, Indonesia, Nicaragua, and Peru. Kits were also distributed to hurricane and flood victims and the economically disadvantaged in various states in the U.S. Thousands of Kits are needed now to replenish the supply of Kits in order to fill substantive pending requests. Kits are scheduled to be shipped to Congo, Syria, Pakistan, and Jamaica. Kit assembly is a great hands-on activity often taken on by civic organizations, congregations, women's or men's groups, or youth groups. Monetary donations which are used to purchase relief supplies are also encouraged. For more information on assembling and shipping the Kits, visit our web site, www.churchworldservice.org/kits, or call, 888-297-2767. Contributions to the Kit Program, may be made on-line at www.churchworldservice.org, or sent to Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515. Processing/Shipping fees of $2 per Hygiene, School or Baby Kit, and $3 per Emergency Clean-Up Bucket are also needed to speed kits to their destination. Make checks payable to: Church World Service, earmarked for “Processing/Shipping”, and send to: CWS, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515.
ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS:
HYGIENE KIT
· one hand towel (approx. 16"X28" (no fingertip or bath towels)
· one washcloth
· one wide-tooth comb
· one nail clipper
· one bath-sized bar of soap
· one toothbrush
· Six Band-Aids
Items should be sealed in a 1-gallon plastic bag with a zipper-like closure. Value: $11, Processing/Shipping Cost: $2/Kit
SCHOOL KIT
· one pair of blunt scissors
· three 70-count spiral or tape-bound pads of 8" X 10 1/2" ruled paper. (no filler paper, please)
· one 30 cm. ruler (12”)
· one hand-held pencil sharpener
· six new pencils with erasers
· one large eraser
· one box of (24) crayons
All items should be packed inside a cotton cloth bag (approx. 12”X14”, or 14"X16" finished sized) with handles. Value: $13, Processing/Shipping Cost: $2/Kit
BABY KIT:
· six cloth diapers
· two t-shirts or undershirts (no onesies)
· two washcloths
· two gowns or sleepers
· two diaper pins
· one sweater or sweatshirt
· two receiving blankets (one can be a hand-knitted or crocheted baby blanket).
All items should be new. Wrap items inside one of the receiving blankets and secure with both diaper pins.
Value: $39, Processing/Shipping Cost: $2/Kit
EMERGENCY CLEAN-UP BUCKET
· One 5-gallon bucket with resealable lid
· Five scouring pads
· Seven sponges, assorted sizes
· One scrub brush
· Eighteen cleaning towels (reusable, like Easy Wipes ®)
· One 50-78 oz. box dry laundry detergent
· One 12 oz. bottle of liquid concentrated household cleaner (like Lysol ®)
· One 25 oz. bottle liquid disinfectant dish soap (like Dawn ®)
· Fifty clothespins
· Clothesline, two 50 ft. or one 100 ft.
· Five dust masks
· Two pairs latex gloves One pair work gloves
· 24-bag roll of heavy-duty trash bags (33-45 gallon)
· One 6-14 oz. bottle of insect repellant (drops or lotion, not aerosol)
Please purchase all liquids in plastic bottles. Be sure to send only new, unopened materials. Put all items in the plastic bucket, making sure they are packed securely to avoid damage during shipment, and seal lid with packing tape. Place each Bucket in a separate box. Value per Emergency Clean-up Bucket is $45.
SHIPPING INSTRUCTIONS:
Kits should be packed into boxes. Boxes can be of all sizes/shapes and hold as many Kits as fit, but please keep the weight of the box to a maximum of 30 lbs. A note containing your name, address and telephone number, and contents of the box should be included in the top of the box before sealing with packing tape. The number and type of Kit should also be clearly marked on the outside of each box.
Ship all Kits prepaid to:
CHURCH WORLD SERVICE
601 Main Street
P.O. Box 188
New Windsor, MD 21776-0188
(Please include both the P.O. Box and the street address on boxes.)
Church World Service works with grassroots partners throughout the world on projects to eradicate hunger and poverty and to promote peace and justice by supporting sustainable development, disaster relief, and refugee assistance, and by educating and advocating around food security issues. In the U.S., CWS helps communities respond to disasters, resettles refugees, and promotes fair national and international public policies. For more information on CWS, please visit our web site, www.churchworldservice.org.
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JIM BUNDY RETIRES
Rev. Jim Bundy, President of the Central Atlantic Conference UCC, retired as pastor of Sojourners United Church of Christ in Charlottesville, VA on January 31. Even the blizzard's of 2010 did not stop the warm festivities. Jim was pastor of this "new" congregation for the last ten years. During his tenure the congregation relocated from rented space and purchased their own facilities. Jim and his wife, Ava, will continue to live in the Charlottesville area. Congratulations, Jim!
Click here to see some photos.
the photos were taken by church member, Ray East
For Information and Updates on Haiti Relief Efforts
click here
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2/27/2010, 3:00 p.m.
Serving the (now) 33 local churches in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia, the Potomac Association continues to live into the future as a United and Uniting church.
Today, we affirmed the call of three Students-In-Care towards ordination: Karen Byrne, Kristen Curlee, and Mary Barrino-Smith. Karen will soon begin her ministry with Winslow Congregational Church-Winslow, ME. Mary continues her ministry at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital. Please check the Potomac Association website for the date of their Service of Ordination.
Today, we affirmed the fellowship of two congregations as local churches in covenant with the Association: United Christian Church-Lexington Park, MD (formerly the Southern Maryland Faith Community); and Covenant Baptist Church-Washington, DC. UCC-Lexington Park is an ecumenical partnership with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), under the leadership of Rev. Annie Blackwell. The Service of Reception will take place at Bethany Christian Church-Fort Washington, MD on Palm Sunday, March 28, 2010. Covenant Baptist Church is self-described as a congregation with “a unique history of steadfast service and commitment to a constantly changing community.” Co-Pastored by the Rev. Dr. Dennis W. Wiley and the Rev. Dr. Christine Y. Wiley, and supported by a strong ministry team, Covenant Baptist Church serves the Bellevue neighborhood of Ward 8 in Southeast DC with active progressive leadership in the community, and prophetic ministry throughout our nation’s capital. The Service of Reception will take place at Covenant Baptist Church on Sunday, May 16, 2010.
Today, we took an affirming step into the future in ministry in community together. Isaiah reminds us:
Thus says the Lord God,
who gathers the outcasts of Israel,
I will gather others to them
besides those already gathered. (56:8)
Thanks be to God for challenging us to be a progressive, liberal voice in Christian faith, and for gathering us all in as a United church.
On behalf of the Potomac Association Board of Directors,
Rev. Henry E. “Hank” Fairman,
Pastor for Children, Youth, and Families-Rock Spring Congregational UCC-Arlington, VA
Moderator, Potomac Association
This year's Mid-Atlantic Regional Youth Event is July 21st to 25th at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA. The early bird registration deadline is Febuary 28th. Save money and register early. All important information and registration materials are online at:
http://www.marye-ucc.org/
It will be a great event full of music, learning, worship, fellowship an fun!
This is my last communication as the CAC's Youth Ministry Coordinator. It's been a wonderful journey and I thank you all for your support in this ministry. Please direct questions about RYE and CAC youth activities to the conference offices.
Blessings,
Kristen Curlee
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The 2010 CAC Clergy Retreat-- SABBATH KEEPING
Are you in need of some time to rest, restore, relax and reconnect? Yes?!
Then join us for a Sabbath Keeping retreat, where we'll gather to support one another in taking better care of our precious selves through time set aside for contemplative prayer, silent meditation, yogic relaxation, music and movement, and enjoyment of the great outdoors...
Where: Hallowood Retreat Center, near Sugarloaf Mtn (Comus, MD)
What: A sacred time and space to celebrate Sabbath
RSVP: Please e-mail Rev. Ellen Jennings at ellenjennings@yahoo.com for more information and/or to express interest (we'd like to begin getting a headcount much earlier this year!)
The Sabbath is a reminder of the two worlds--this world and the world to come; it is an example of both worlds. For the Sabbath is joy, holiness, and rest; joy is part of this world; holiness and rest are something of the world to come. --Abraham Joshua Heschel
This year's clergy retreat is being planned by Rev. Doug Clark, Rev. Julia Jarvis, and Rev. Ellen Jennings. If you'd like to share ideas or join us as part of the planning team, please e-mail Doug at revdlmc@gmail.com. Thanks!
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10 Top Reasons for CAC Clergy to Take the Boundary Awareness Training - Click Here (posted 11/2/09)
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Our 2009 Board of Directors
(posted 9/22/09)
A new listing of Resources in the CAC has been added to the left column of the Resources page. (09/22/09)
New Resources have been added to our Going Green page, click on the icon in the left column. (posted 9/15/09)
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