Parkrose Community United Church of Christ

Portland Pastor Will Discuss Gun Violence During July 5th Sermon

Americans in unprecedented numbers are buying guns that can be termed nothing less than weapons of war – we are not talking about your father’s hunting rifle here – and gun violence is on the increase in many communities.  Christian denominations have for years spoken out in favor of sensible gun control.  “We take seriously the call made by God in the Book of Isaiah that humans should turn weapons into ‘ploughshares....’  God calls us to be a people of justice who use non-violent means to resolve disputes,” said the Rev. Chuck Currie who will preach on Sunday, July 5th a sermon entitled “God, Guns & American Violence: Turning Weapons Into Ploughshares” at Parkrose Community United Church of Christ (NE 105th and Wygant) during the 10 am service.

Sadly, groups like the National Rifle Association and other extremist organizations have tricked Americans into believing that assault rifles and cop killer bullets are needed to protect society.  The NRA has opposed background checks, worked to allow assault rifles that are essentially weapons of mass destruction to be put on the streets, and has even opposed back ground checks for those on the Terrorist Watch list attempting to purchase firearms.

Recently, a pastor in Kentucky had his parishioners bring their guns to church for a special celebration of guns and God.  “I don’t see any contradiction in this,” the Rev. Ken Pagano, the pastor of the New Bethel Church, told The New York Times.”

Rev. Currie has a different take.  “What Pastor Pagano did was blaspheme and an insult to Jesus, the prince of Peace.  His actions, in fact, amount, to theological malpractice.  My sermon this Sunday will not target hunters but rather the ways in which our society has moved to a place where gun violence is accepted and even celebrated at the same time that ‘each day in America more than 80 people die from guns and another 200 are wounded but survive with injuries (source: Brady Campaign To Prevent Gun Violence),’” said Rev. Currie.  “The Christian faith is opposed to violence. The cross is our symbol, not a gun”

We're Looking For Office Help

Parkrose Community United Church of Christ (www.parkroseucc.org) is hiring a temporary part-time administrative assistant.  The temporary administrative assistant will be hired as soon as possible and work until December 2009 during a time of transition in the life of the church.  Our interim pastor is leaving effective August 15th and a new pastor is expected to be called by that time.  The temporary administrative assistant will work 10 hours per week during this transition.  Candidates need to be familiar with office equipment and literate in computer operations.  Duties will include mail handling, bulletin and newsletter preparation, filing, telephone reception, responding to members' questions when they drop by or call in, and providing support to the pastor.  Previous experience in office management is required.  The position pays $10 per hour and comes with no benefits due to the very part-time nature of the job.  The new permanent pastor will have the opportunity to hire their own permanent administrative assistant in December 2009.  Resumes should be e-mailed to office@parkroseucc.org.  No phone calls please.  The position will be open until filled.    
 
In Galatians 3.28 we are reminded that despite our differences we are all "one in Christ Jesus." There-fore, we, the people of Parkrose Community United Church of Christ, declare ourselves to be open and affirming. With God's grace, we seek to be a congregation that includes all persons, embracing differences of sexual orientation, gender, marital status, age, mental and physical ability, as well as racial, ethnic, religious, political or social-economic background. We welcome all to share in the life and leadership, ministry, and fellowship, worship, sacraments, responsibilities and blessings of participation in our congregation. This is God's church and no matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here.

The Crier - June 2009

The June 2009 issue of The Crier, our monthly newsletter, is now available.

Click here to download.

The Rev. Dr. Patricia Ross Will Preach June 7 at Parkrose

The Rev. Dr.Patricia Ross, who retired last summer after twenty years as the senior minister of downtown Portland's First Congregational United Church of Christ, will preach at Parkrose Community United Church of Christ on Sunday, June 7th.  The services begins at 10 am.  Dr. Ross was the first woman to hold the senior minister position at Portland's First Congregational United Church of Christ.  During her tenure membership grew, the church operated for seven years a shelter for homeless youth, and voted to become the first UCC congregation in the Portland-area to declare itself "Open and Affirming."  She earned both her Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees at UCC-related Chicago Theological Seminary.  Dr. Ross will be preaching in place of The Rev. Chuck Currie who will be on vacation.   

“Offering of Letters” Campaign at Parkrose Community UCC Brings Message To Congress

A few weeks ago at Parkrose Community United Church of Christ we took part in Bread of the World’s “Offering of Letters” and wrote to our Congressional representatives asking that they support bi-partisan legislation - The Initiating Foreign Assistance Reform Act of 2009 – that is now being debated in Congress.

I am pleased to announce that U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-3rd District OR) and U.S. Representative David Wu (D-1st District OR) have now become co-sponsors of the legislation. Parkrose Community United Church of Christ was among several churches in Oregon to participate in the “Offering of Letters” campaign and our combined efforts have resulted in added momentum for legislation that will help reduce global poverty.

The legislation:

1. Requires the president to develop and implement a comprehensive National Strategy for Global Development

2. Requires the president to develop and implement a rigorous system to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of U.S. foreign assistance

3. Requires that both American taxpayers and recipients of U.S. foreign assistance have full access to information on U.S. foreign assistance

4. Repeals several outdated provisions of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961

We read in Isaiah 58.10:

"...if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday."

Bread for the World reports that:

“Every day, 26,000 children under the age of 5 die from preventable causes such as undernutrition, diarrhea, unsafe water, or diseases easily prevented by vaccines. That’s 18 children every minute.”

Let us keep these children and our members of Congress in our prayers with the hope that one day poverty and hunger will end and God’s justice will reign.

Finally, let us offer a special thank you to the Board of Mission and Outreach at Parkrose Community United Church of Christ for organizing our involvement in this effort.

Weekly Podcast From Parkrose Community United Church of Christ For April 15, 2009

Use the below link to download the podcast of this message from Rev. Chuck Currie for your iPod or personal computer.

Download 041509

(click with the RIGHT mouse button on the hyperlink and choose “Save Target As” and save to your desktop or other folder – once downloaded click on the file to listen).

Now On ITunes

You can now subscribe to Rev. Currie's podcasts on ITunes by clicking here.

You can download a PDF copy of this message by clicking here.

Related Link:  Portland Health Care Panel Discussion on Thursday, April 16th

"When the people are the church"

 

The Sunday Oregonian profiled our church on Easter.  Click here to read their story.

 

Photo credit:  Camie and Clayton Pugsley sing during Sunday service at Parkrose Community Church of Christ with Rev. Chuck Currie. Randy L. Rasmussen/The Oregonian

 

 

Photo credit: Parker Griffin, 7 with his mother, Wendy, during Sunday service at Parkrose Community Church of Christ with Rev. Chuck Currie. Randy L. Rasmussen/The Oregonian

Holy Week at Parkrose Community United Church of Christ

 

Photo: Easter 2008

Sunday, April 5th * 10 AM Palm Sunday Worship (and Easter Egg Hunt for children)

Thursday, April 9th* 6:30 PM Maundy Thursday (Potluck Dinner & Worship)

Sunday, April 12th * 10 AM Easter Sunday Worship

"No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome at Parkrose Community United Church of Christ."

Read more about our church in the Easter edition of The Sunday Oregonian.  Click here.

EASTER IN PORTLAND

Northeast Portland’s Parkrose Community United Church of Christ (NE 105th and Wygant) will celebrate Easter this year with a special service highlighting the church’s Chancel Choir and a sermon from The Rev. Chuck Currie touching on the promise of hope born out of the Resurrection. The service begins at 10 am on Easter Sunday, April 12th.

Rev. Currie’s sermon will directly address the controversies and crisis we face in this moment of history.

 “We live in uncertain times – a time of wars, terrorism, extremism, manmade climate change and global economic crisis – and these times offer us a stark choice: we can respond with fear, a most natural reaction if there ever was one to the times we face, or we can live out our lives in the hope born in the Resurrection. God’s steadfast love endures forever says the Psalmist. Even in times when humanity has walked away from God the reality is that God has never abandoned God’s creation, with which at the beginning God declared to be “well-pleased.” The moment of the crucifixion of Jesus stands in history as the most profound example of God saying to the powers and the principalities of the day that not even death can silence God’s call for us to be a people of reconciliation, compassion and mercy,” Rev. Currie plans to tell the congregation. “Even today we experience the Risen Jesus in worship, in prayer, and sometimes even in personal moments of revelation. Jesus is still calling to us, like he did to those frightened first disciples, to spread the good news that the Kingdom of God is already here and that hope born out of our experiences with God demands that we seek a create a world where justice, kindness and love of God (Micah 6:8) overcomes evil and turns the darkness around us into the brightness of noon. This is not a time to cower but to blossom.“

Parkrose Community United Church of Christ Chancel Choir will perform six pieces, including “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” and “Go Rest High On That Mountain.” The choir is directed by A.J. Wong.

Parkrose Community United Church of Christ was founded in 1913 and has been for nearly 100 years a leader in the community. Members are involved in a number of projects to reduce hunger and poverty, including Snow-Cap in East Multnomah County and Bread for the World, a national organization that seeks to end hunger through systemic change. The congregation is an Open and Affirming church whose doors are open to all.

To learn more about the national United Church of Christ please visit www.ucc.org.

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Photos from our Easter Egg Hunt on Palm Sunday.

The Crier - April 2009

The April 2009 issue of The Crier, our monthly newsletter, is now available.

Click here to download.

Weekly Podcast From Parkrose Community United Church of Christ For March 5, 2009

Use the below link to download the podcast of this message from Rev. Chuck Currie for your iPod or personal computer. 

Download 03-05-09

(click with the RIGHT mouse button on the hyperlink and choose “Save Target As” and save to your desktop or other folder – once downloaded click on the file to listen).

Now On ITunes

You can now subscribe to Rev. Currie's podcasts on ITunes by clicking here.

You can download a PDF copy of this message by clicking here.

Related Link:  Portland Health Care Panel Discussion on Thursday, April 16th