Encanto Community Church An UNITED CHURCH of Christ Congregation

2710 N. 7th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85007-1124 602.266.4602

The Pilgrim July 2019 July

Events

Pat Acosta, Karen Adams, Bruce Barkly, Candy Bancroft, Vivian Barrera, Mary Alice Belden, Teri & Don Brandstetter, Dorothy DeLaney, Revs. Rich and Barb Doerrer-Peacock, Jacqueline Deja Eric, Francisco, Mike Gray, Bertha Hartman, Vernon Higginbotham, Marybeth Holloway, Virginia Jett, Mildred Juncker, Carol Krietenstein, Marlet Krietenstein, Sue Loehr, Bob Lofthouse, Phil Mackey, Brad Madsen, Leslie Martensen, Del & Carolyn’s neighbor Martha, Tillie McKay, Julia Olson, George Penny, Bonnie Petrasek, Gini Pyne, Lyle Riley, Alan Robinson, Erich Schrader, Cindy Schwartzkopf, Alec Sills-Trausch, Holly Tedaldi, Robert Tootle, Alison Victor, Leonard Ward, Encanto Community Church, Our Community, Our World.

WE ARE AN OPEN AND AFFIRMING CONGREGATION

July 7 Bible Study 8:45 AM Worship service 10 AM Fellowship 11 AM Cantaloupe planting 11:15 AM

July 10 Trustees Meeting 6 PM Church Council meeting 7 PM

July 14 Bible Study 8:45 AM Worship service 10 AM Fellowship 11 AM Deacons meeting 11:15 AM

July 16 Late Last Supper Club 6:30 PM

July 18 Volunteering at ICM 8:15 AM - noon

July 20 Job skills for RE 9 AM

July 21 Bible Study 8:45 AM Worship service 10 AM Fellowship 11 AM Outreach meeting 11:15 AM

July 23 Newsletter deadline

July 24 Handbells 6 PM

July 28 Bible Study 8:45 AM Worship service 10 AM Fellowship 11 AM

May God’s grace and healing touch be with you all.

Please Remember in Your Prayers:

Late Last Supper Club

Our July culinary adventure for the Encanto Church

Late Last Supper Club will take place at 6:30 p.m. on

Tuesday, July 16, 2019, when we'll be dining slightly

upscale at Greektown located at 8519 North Seventh

Street, Phoenix, Arizona. If you've never been to

Greektown, you should know that it has been a local

favorite for many years, consistently producing

delicious Mediterranean food, including traditional

Greek dishes, wonderful seafood and chicken

dishes, Saganaki (flaming cheese), and magnificent

chocolate mousse. Join us for a pleasant evening of

conversation and good food! Please let Kathy V.

know if you'll be attending, so she can make the

necessary arrangements. Hope to see you there!

Thanks!

Planting Cantaloupes

Recently, Outreach has been discussing the Garden and our contributions to ICM. We've decided to focus on one or two specific foods per season to be able to provide bulk amounts to ICM that require low or zero preparation. For the summer season, we're planting cantaloupes in the playground. But we need to get them in the ground fast. We're asking all able and willing bodies to come on Sunday, July 7 for a quick work session following church service. It will be hot but with a lot of us out there, it should not take long. We ask you to bring comfortable clothes, close-toed shoes, and a go-get-em attitude.

NEWS & INFORMATION

A hearty thank you to the wonderful, generous people of Encanto. Your donations have provided some much needed items for our food, hygiene, clothing, and bus card bank. Thank you! As the weather changes to cooler temps, we will provide food bags, bus passes, shoes and clothes (mostly slacks, T-shirts, and shorts).

Our target needs for July are peanut butter, tooth care, deodorant, and water. Thank you friends and members of Encanto for your caring attitude and donations so that we can serve our call to minister to those in need.

Food & Clothing Bank

Deacon on duty for July: The Deacons are available to assist the pastor.

The Deacon on duty for July is:

Jamie Vice (602) 277-1733

Every Sunday, we find that cookies, punch, and coffee have “magically” appeared on the table. Really, the magic comes from our wonderful Hospitality crew! Many thanks go to Jamie Vice and Lloyd Lo for the great job and patience in serving us during June!

If you would like to keep in touch with our congregation and friends or share some information, please join us on the Encanto Community Church Facebook page. It’s pretty doggone fun.

Treasurer’s Report (General Fund for May 2019)

Beginning Balance -$2,085.40 Received: $13,204.02 Disbursed: $14,538.81 Ending Balance: -$3,420.19 For a loss of: $1334.79

Total Offering Receipts for April 2019 5/5 5/12 5/19 5/26 2636.00 1706.00 1649.00 1803.00

There was no withdrawal from the Endowment account ($89,905.72) during May 2019.

Copies of the monthly Treasurer’s Reports, including a list of all disbursements, are on file in the office.

Receive this Newsletter Electronically!

The Purse Project

Off to the Movies

Our purse project is has

entered Stage 2 - the filling

of the purses! We are

asking for monetary

donations so we can fill the

purses in a uniform manner.

If you would like any further

information on this excellent project please see

Michelle and she can fill you in. Thank you!

To all moviegoers, our “Cinema under the Stars”

season has ended, but our "Off to the Movies"

excursions will resume soon. Watch your e-mail

for further information. In addition, we’re planning

a second season of “Cinema under the Stars"

movies beginning in mid-September."

Youth Job Skills Training Workshop

Hey Everyone, if you would like to receive the electronic version of this captivating newsletter, please let us know. Benefits include color photos, quicker delivery, and more beautiful trees shading our Earth. You can call the church office at: (602) 266-4602 or, better still, email us at: office@encantocommunitychurch.org. If you don’t do computers or electronic devices, never fear, The Pilgrim is always available in print.

On Saturday, July 20, 2019, Religious Education will be sponsoring a Youth Job Skills Training Workshop from 9 a.m. until 12 noon at the church. A number of our parishioners will be helping provide the youth with such basic skills as handshakes, phone etiquette, job application and interview protocols, appropriate dress, and proper follow-up communications. The workshop is open to anyone who can benefit from it or who wants to stop by for coffee and donuts. If you are interested in participating either as a trainer or a trainee, please contact Kathy V.

Congratulations Graduates

ECC Youth in Colorado THANKS to everyone who made our recent Youth Retreat possible! Everyone had a wonderful time in Colorado. It is safe to say that it was a transformative experience for virtually everyone, and it was high-lighted by an abundance of wildlife and snowball fights in the middle of June. We will showing pictures and giving a brief presentation about the trip later in the summer, so watch your calendars. Thanks, again!

It is time to begin collecting for our August back-to-school drive. This year our Deacons have chosen the Glendale Elementary School District Teacher Resource Room as our beneficiary. The GESD Teacher Resource Room is a place where elementary school teachers can go to pick up materials for class projects and lessons. Things like paper towel & toilet paper tubes, shoe boxes, check registers, fabric scraps, craft items, potato chip cans, children’s books, yarn, any other items a creative teacher might use. So don’t toss that paper towel tube, bring it to church!

ECC Supports Education

ECC Volunteers at ICM On Thursday, June 20, five Encantonians went to ICM Food & Clothing Bank to volunteer for the morning. We had a wonderful time! We helped helped clients to their transportation (144 food boxes), Worked in the free boutique, sorted cards, and sorted clothes. We’ve decided to make it a monthly outing (every third Thursday) so if you are free, join us at 8:15 AM in the ECC parking lot to carpool to nearby ICM. If you have questions please contact John H. or Cindy W. or email: office@encantocommunitychurch.org.

Goat Yoga with the ECC Youth

I want to dedicate this Pastoral Pondering and Augusts Pastoral Pondering to reviewing actions taken at General Synod 2019. Every two years, General Synod brings together thousands of faithful members of the United Church of Christ for formal church witness, inspirational worship, and fellowship with friends (new and old). The theme of this year's General Synod was "Shine" which was inspired by a quote from Rev. Franz Rigert, Wisconsin Conference Minister. “When we light just one candle in the darkness, it illuminates dimly, but when many candles are lit, and all let their lights shine, together we can bring brightness to the world.” General Synod is the place where resolution addressing our infrastructure or social issues related to our Christian values are introduced and if accept voted on by the delegates representing all of the conferences of the UCC. While the resolutions can be quite detailed Only a summary and final action will be introduced in this newsletter article. Details concerning these resolution can be found only United Church of Christ website. I will also make a couple of paper copies available for members to share. Resolution #1 - from an article by Tim Kershner A RESOLUTION TO ABOLISH THE GROWTH AND EXISTENCE OF PRIVATE PRISONS A Resolution of Witness (A Resolution of Witness is an expression of the General Synod concerning a moral, ethical or religious matter confronting the Church, the nation, or the world, adopted for the guidance of the Officers, Covenanted, Associated or Affiliated Ministries, or other bodies ...) Privately run state and federal prisons should be abolished in the United States, the United Church of Christ’s General Synod said Tuesday. “As believers in Christ, we must abhor and actively battle against any individual or industry which derives profit from human misery,” the Synod declared in a resolution that delegates passed by a vote of 646 to 27 at the UCC’s biennial denominational meeting. Brought by the UCC’s Illinois Conference and its Chicago Metropolitan Association, the resolution calls upon:

The U.S. Congress and state legislatures to ban government contracting with privately owned or operated correctional or holding centers.

UCC churches and their members to divest and promote divestment from companies that invest in or supply such prisons. Existing prisons to improve health care, mental health care and safety measures for inmates. Resolution #2 - from an article by Drew Page

ADDRESSING THE STATE OF GLOBAL FORCED MIGRATION

A Resolution of Witness

Submitted by the United Church of Christ Board The UCC General Synod overwhelmingly approved a resolution titled "Addressing the State of Global Forced Migration." The resolution calls on all settings of the church to "to pray, learn, and actively engage in education about the current state of global forced migration." Speaking on the resolution, Committee Chair Yolanda Adams of the Southern Conference said the number of displaced people across the globe is now over 70 million people, yet this number includes people Adams said are not reflected in current United Nations language. The United Nations defines refugee as a person forced to flee their home nation due to persecution, war, or violence. "This definition does not take into consideration the vast number of people displaced by economic and climate-related disasters," said Adams.

Pastoral Ponderings

The language of the resolution includes a wider scope, addressing all displaced people, "whether they are refugees, migrants, internally displaced, asylum-seekers, or others." Adams said the committee worked on creating language in the document that "strengthened the tone and flow" of the resolution.

In addition to affirming inclusivity and rejecting divisive discourse, the resolution calls on the wider church to learn about global migration, and for member churches to participate, engage and advocate for displaced people and take efforts to dismantle racism, discrimination, bigotry, and xenophobia. It also call on the U.S. Government to take the matter of global migration seriously and participate in United Nations efforts to address the issue. Finally, the resolution urges all settings of the church to advocate for the US to work closely with the global community and partners

Resolution #3- written by Drew Page DENOUNCING ACTS OF VIOLENCE, HATRED, AND RACISM CARRIED OUT IN THE NAME OF NEO-NAZI AND WHITE SUPREMACIST IDEOLOGIES A Resolution of Witness Submitted by the Connecticut Conference of the United Church of Christ Delegates of General Synod voted to approve a resolution denouncing acts of violence in the name of hate groups on Monday, June 24. The Connecticut Conference, UCC, brought the resolution, titled “Denouncing Acts of Violence, Hatred, and Racism Carried Out in the Name of Neo-Nazi and White Supremacist Ideologies.” The resolution as written prior to committee work calls on congregations "to denounce all forms and expressions of white supremacist hatred" and "to speak and act in solidarity with all who are the targets of hate speech and actions." It also encourages each congregation to work with organizations of other faiths in efforts to promote racial justice. During committee work, participants added two key points, according the Rev. Jocelyn Gardner Spencer, a Connecticut pastor on the committee. Some delegates wanted to see language that addressed how to respond to white supremacy discourse. Others asked for language that encouraged intentional dialogue with groups holding diverging opinions.

Resolution #4 - written by Eric Anderson RESOLUTION Calling for the United States to pull “Back From The Brink” and Prevent Nuclear War A Resolution of Witness Submitted by: numerous Massachusetts UCC Churches The United Church of Christ’s national deliberative body reaffirmed its commitment to global peace by overwhelmingly passing a resolution urging the United States to change its nuclear arms policies and to ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The overwhelmingly affirmative June 25 vote flowed from the church’s mission statement, which includes the commitment to “build a just world for all.” Rose Wright Scott of the Southern Conference, chair of a delegate committee that studied the resolution June 23, bore witness to the passion of the committee’s members. The resolution calls for the United States to adopt five principles of the “Back from the Brink: The Call to Prevent Nuclear War” campaign:

Renouncing the option of using nuclear weapons first;

Ending any U.S. President’s ability to authorize a first strike nuclear attack;

Taking U.S. nuclear weapons off hair-trigger alert;

Canceling the plan to replace the nation’s arsenal with new, enhanced weapons; and

Actively pursuing a verifiable agreement among nuclear states to eliminate their arsenals. The resolutions above are issues that affect the lives of UCC Christians in various parts of the Country. Blessings, Rev. Gloria

Pastoral Ponderings continued

Cindy and Jill demonstrate to all of us the vital power of a living faith on a daily basis. This is true whether we

find Cindy preparing the newsletter for publication, or Jill choosing music for our next worship service. These are two

ladies whose lives are truly dedicated to spreading the gospel of Christ to people wherever their travels may take them. We are so fortunate to

have both of them in our fellowship.

It is a sad day for all of us when we stop to consider that Cindy and Su’s Dad has died. We don’t doubt for a moment, however, that

he has made his transition to his heavenly home. Ed was a man of quiet dignity who joined us in worship whenever his health would permit.

His pace slowed down a bit as he aged, but his warm and generous spirit continued to glow brightly until the end. We no longer have to

wonder about the source of Cindy’s great love and compassion for her fellow beings on Earth. We know now that it is a part of a final legacy

passed on to her from her Father. It is a portion of a legacy which will continue to live as long as the spirits of these two wonderful people are

kept alive.

We lost another wonderful person this week. Most of you never had the good fortune to know Maxine Vandivort, but, take my word

for it, she was a grand and a glorious lady. We always enjoyed sharing an evening with the Vandivorts. The history of the Pines and Vandivort

clans met at an intersection years ago. All of us had roots that were planted firmly in the rich soil that surrounded Salem, Missouri. I have told

you many times that the Pines family was in the automobile business. During the same time period, the Vandivort family produced several

generations of pharmacists.

Throughout the years, our businesses prospered, and our families became close friends. I can remember spending many happy hours

at the Vandivort soda fountain visiting and enjoying a freshly squeezed lemonade or limeade. What a wonderful treat that was on a really hot

summer day! Pam, Maxine’s daughter, recalls the day when one of those 8-track tapes broke and messed up the tape player in their family car.

My Dad came to Pam’s rescue, and helped to untangle the garbled mess. Those 8-track players were always something of a problem.

Then, there is the matter of Maxine and her superior cooking skills. This was a lady who could have easily been a chef. Her meals for

company were always a special treat for invited guests. The celebration meals for specials occasions were always on a grand scale. Maxine

always took the time to find out what your favorite food was, and when your special day came along, you could be sure that your favorite food

was the centerpiece of your celebratory feast.

Maxine was a fine lady with a warm and generous heart. I shall always remember her thoughtful, considerate approach to her friends

and the great compassion she demonstrated for everyone who crossed her path.

I wish all of you a wonderful Independence Day!

“Celebrating Life with Steven” By Steven Pines

The family of Edward Walley would like to thank our family at Encanto for the well wishes, words of comfort, recollections, facilities preparation, service preparation, reception set up and preparation, hugs, and clear, undeniable love. Ed Walley felt completely at home in this church and the acceptance and love you showed him made some lonely years much less lonely. He loved his Encanto family. Thank you all for being a wonderful church with wonderful people. Cindy, Su, Jill, Rand, and Perky

A Word of Thanks

Attendees: John Hasenstab, Janice Russell, Betty Grotewold, Kathy Van Etten, Rev. Gloria Smith, Lloyd Lo & Steve

Holloway

Called to order by Jan Russell at 7:11pm, prayer was lead by Jan Russell

Deacons: Father’s Day Pancake breakfast went well. Plan to clean up Deacon’s room and hang advent banners. There

will be a survey for red hymnal book to be used for a hymn sing. Purpose to is to find out if anyone is interested in

doing this. Deacons may not have a meeting in July.

Trustees: Voted and approved platform for audio video area in the Sanctuary. Will need to have air conditioner looked

at it is not working properly. There was a bee issue by the pergola that was taken care of. The parsonage renters will

be moving out by the 15th of this month

Religious Education: The youth will be putting together a presentation on their retreat to Colorado. This Saturday will

be going to baby unicorn goat yoga and alpaca hugging. There are currently a couple of kids at camp.

Treasurers Report: We may need to make an endowment withdrawal in the next month or so.

Financial: Money is in the bank

Memorial Report: Report passed around

Hospitality: Cookies are in the bank

ECC Social Gang: Dog show in September

Technology: Stage platform for audio video area in Sanctuary approved

Pastoral Report: General Synod to start, will have information in newsletter for next week. Things have slowed down

nothing much to report.

Calendar: June 23: Outreach Meeting; June 25: Late Last Supper; Thai Rama ; July 21: Outreach Meeting ; July 20:

Job Skills Day for R.E. at 9:00am

Meeting adjourned by Jan Russell at 7:37pm

Council Meeting: June 19, 2019

This good looking group is enjoying dinner at local restaurant Thai Rama. They are part of the Late Last Supper Club. Check our calendar each month for information on our next Late Last Supper Club dining experience (for July it is the 16th at Greektown) and join in all of the gastronomical fun.

Encanto Community Church United Church of Christ

2710 North 7th Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85007

Rev. Dr. Gloria Smith, Minister Deb Sanders, Moderator Jill Mahoney, Choir Director Genevieve Benham, Organist Tony Lusania, Caretaker

Encanto Community Church United Church of Christ

Worship —Sunday 10:00-11:00 a.m. Phone # 602.266.4602

www.EncantoCommunityChurch.org