February 26 – March 25 – Lenten Season
10:30 am

Room 106

OOOPSSS…Lets try that again….Communications for Relationships”

Lent can be a wonderful season for spiritual, personal and relational reflection and renewal.

Drawing upon some biblical guidelines (some a bit challenging!), we’ll explore various dimensions of our most valued interpersonal spirits, this good humor, mutual respect and eager participatory class is intended to deepen our understanding and skills as communicators.

This class will be led by Susan Yarrow Morris, a retired United Church of Christ minister,
and her husband David Morris, a Certified Relationship Coach. They have co-led,for over 30 years, workshops and classes and retreats focused on relational communications of all kinds – from intimate to family to communities of various sizes and configurations, including
workplace teams, churches and others.

They are glad to be a part of TUCO as members since 2010.

On Wed. February 15th, United Churches welcomed the Marriage Equality Marchers from Vancouver WA before a rally on the steps of the Capitol.  Following the Rally TUCO hosted a celebratory potluck in our Social Hall for over 100 people! (referred to as the “Loaves and Fishes” potluck)

Numerous TUCO members, friends and staff contributed to the success of this event—including Congregational Life Ministry, Rainbow Circles, the Church Council, Pastors Tammy and Jill, musicians and drummers, and a groundswell of helpers!

We were joined by members of the larger Olympia-area community as well—St. Benedict’s Episcopal, Holy Wisdom Inclusive Catholic Church, Community for Interfaith Celebration, Temple Beth Hatfiloh, Olympia Unitarian Universalist, pastors from near and far, and ”just folks” who came in support.

The marchers were tired and foot-sore when they got to TUCO, but were heartened by our extravagent welcome!  As Pastor Brooks Berendt, First Congregational Church, UCC Vancouver said in his final blog:

“For me, the march was an amazing example of how God can work through ordinary people to make the extraordinary happen. As the struggle for marriage equality continues, may we continue to be vessels of God’s Spirit. Amen.”

For more pictures and blogs, go to www.vanucc.org

Pat Dickason, UCC Moderator, TUCO

Come on down and join the church youth for an evening of mystery and pasta!

On March 10 at 5:30 pm the senior high youth group will lead you on a mysterious adventure as we solve the mystery together. The Men’s Group will be preparing the culinary delights of a three course meal. A Vegetarian option is available.

At the low low low price of $8 for an adult and $5  for youth 10 and under. Childcare will be available.

Reservations are highly recommended for the best seat in the house. You may purchase your tickets as early as the Sunday the 26th from any senior high youth and they also may be ordered through the office as well.  Can your tickets soon as seating is limited. Rumor has it that this event is one that you don’t want to miss… or else!

Mark Boyd, Youth Director

February 22: 6:30 pm in the Chapel

Texts
Joel 2:1-2,12-17
Psalm 51:1-17
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

More information

On Ash Wednesday, ashes are placed on the forehead as a symbol that we have come from dust and one day will return to dust. It is one of many Lenten and Easter customs that remind us of our historical connection with Jewish tradition.  Most of this time of preparation is symbolized by the color Violet, though the season is bracketed by the mourning Black of Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Lent

The forty days of Lent correspond to the forty-day temptation of Jesus in the wilderness and the forty-year journey of Israel from slavery to a new community

February  21 5:30 pm -7 pm, Social Hall
Join us for pancakes and strawberries on 5:30 pm-7 pm Tuesday evening, February 21, as we celebrate Shrove Tuesday together!

Shrove Tuesday marks the end of the season after Epiphany, with Lent itself starting the next day (Ash Wednesday).  And since Lent is typically seen as a more austere season, Shrove Tuesday (also referred to as Mardi Gras or “Fat Tuesday”) was traditionally a time to use up richer foods (milk, eggs, fat, etc) in preparation for the simpler fare of Lent.

At United Churches we mark Shrove Tuesday with our great strawberry pancakes and whipped cream or syrup, ably served by our great Middlers youth.  Pat Dickason will again be bringing her yummy ham.  Gluten free pancakes will be available, thanks to Liz Frey.

This year, we will have a little lagniappe – in addition to delicious pancakes, we’ll have an opportunity to experience a ”taste” of the SpiritPlay Lenten series that mixes InterPlay forms with Lenten themes. If you might like to sing your soul, improvise in prayer, dance through the 40 days in the desert, and speak sacred stories then this series might just be for you.

Learn more about it and InterPlay while you ”pass a good time, cher” with some Cajun tunes and your TUCO community.  As a special bonus this year, we will have an introduction to a fun new Lenten offering called Interplay

So bring your friends along, and join us in the Social Hall for a fun and delicious lite supper!

Flyers will be posted around the church to remind you of the details.  Cost is by donation to cover our food.  If you feel like joining our friendly, energetic team of servers and batter mixers, we would love to have more willing hands – Contact Trina at tsbishop@comcast.net or one of our wonderful Congregational Life Ministry members.

Hope you can join us for this tasty event Tuesday, Feb 21st, as well as our church’s Ash Wednesday service Feb 22nd, as we move into the contemplative season of Lent.

On the capitol steps

More information

More information

The February-March 2012 edition of the Pacific Northwest Conference United Church of Christ News is now online.  Visit http://www.pncuccnews.org to read about the new camp director, annual meeting, news briefs, new Open and Affirming churches, adopting soldiers in Afghanistan, testifying for marriage equality, Keystone UCC bringing Occupy to its neighborhood and more.

Please share the link with folks on your email list, your church’s email, your Facebook and other sharing media.  We hope you already have a link or have signed up for the RSS Feed so it’s on your church’s website.

The key to effective communication today is to share.  Let us know how you pass it on!

Thanks,
Mary

Our Senior High youth have spent many evenings and Sunday afternoons baking, decorating and wrapping over 150 heart shaped cookies for you to enjoy. We sold and handed out cookies on the 12th to many hungry folks. The remaining cookies were hand delivered to Camp Quixote after church.  The Senior High Youth want to say thank you so much for all your support with our Val-A-Gram cookie sale. We raised $651 half of which we will be donating to a charity or cause of the youth’s choosing.