widening our community service Ì deepening and sharing our faith investing in youth and children Ì attracting the next generation

Lerner & Loewe In Concert

The Redeemer Chancel Choir will present Lerner and Loewe in Concert featuring music from My Fair Lady, Camelot, Brigadoom, & Paint Your Wagon.

It all happens on Sunday, May 13th, starting at 3:00 p.m. in the sanctuary. You will hear familiar tunes presented by soloists, instrumentalists, ensembles, and of course the whole choir. It is followed by a reception, and promises to be a wonderful way to introduce your friends to our great music program, too!

Seeds of Friendship: A Women’s

Garden Party The women of Church of the Redeemer

and their treasured guests will gather on Saturday, May 12th, from 9:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. for Seeds of Friendship. A Women’s Garden Party. The event will nurture our spirits and grow our friendships as we engage in gardening crafts, inspirational activities and hear a special luncheon speaker.

The morning’s activities and discussions during lunch will help you blossom. And your takeaway items will give you the tools necessary to continue growing in spirit and reaping the rewards of friendship in your daily

lives. Details and a sign-up sheet can be found in the Gathering Room

Legacy Fund In addition to contributions to the Parish Nurse Program, the following were gifts given by the Legacy Fund in May:

Cleveland Christian Home $2,000

North Olmsted Oxcart Pantry $800

- John Bouhall

May Mission

Holy Joe’s Café May 27, 2012

The Mission Outreach Committee is inviting all military veterans to bring their memorabilia and stories to Holy Joe’s Café on Sunday, May 17, 2012. The Fellowship Hall will once again have the look of a canteen as we celebrate Memorial Day and raise funds to assist military chaplains who are serving all over the world. The money we raise will buy the coffee for the chaplains to serve, by offering a place to come and relax, the “Coffee

Hour and Café Ministries” provide our military chaplains a place to establish rapport with and minister to the needs of the troops.

In these safe spaces soldiers come to talk and develop perspective on their experiences in war.

May In-Gathering Fins, Feathers & Fur (canned protein foods)

Confirmation Sunday May 20, 2012

The congregation extends its blessings to those young adults completing their 2 year Confirmation Program. They are—

Claire Black Shaun Chapman

Austin Kinney Kyle Kinney

Keeley Williams Ryan Williams

Special thanks go to their Faith Partners who committed to being their companions on this Confirmation Journey. They are—

Donna Miller Bev Eckard Jill Negray

Marsha Kushner Ruth Michelich John Michelich

Support this important step in the lives of these youth by being present for worship and offering your own words of blessing at the fellowship hour to follow, or in a note or card sent in care of the church.

The Grapevine

Church of the Redeemer United Church of Christ 23500 Center Ridge Road Westlake, OH 44145

440-331-0834 www.corucc.org May 2012

Office Closed May 28th

Memorial Day

widening our community service Ì deepening and sharing our faith investing in youth and children Ì attracting the next generation

From the Pastor

Pastors are accustomed to a lot of head-shaking from their parishioners starting around Halloween: “Reverend, I just hink it’s awful

how they’ve commercialized Christmas, don’t

you?”

But Christmas can take care of itself. The “holiday” that has always irked me is Mother’s Day. A loving daughter spent years of her life persuading Congress to declare a day of recognition and remembrance, and before a decade had gone by she was back trying to have it un-declared, because it had been hijacked by the candy/flower/brunch/card industry. She died a frustrated woman.

Partly because of that, but mostly because it has no religious roots at all, Mother’s Day is not

on the liturgical calendar, any more than̶oh, how about National Model Railroading Month, for example?

But the second Sunday in May has had deep personal significance for me in the last quarter-century. It was my first Sunday of service in this church.

The few remaining Sundays I have before retirement are, I’m elated to report, filled with special celebrations: baptisms, confirmation, choir recognition, remembrance of the saints, and more (yes, I’ll shorten the sermons accordingly). My last Sunday, June 3rd, will

be given over to the leave-taking itself, with a farewell service led by our Association Minister, The Rev. Donna Brooks.

That leaves May 13th, “our anniversary,” as the appropriate time for me to make some summary remarks and reflections on our long ministry together. It won’t̶that is to say I

won’t̶go on and on. I’ll be doing what I was called to do an even longer time back, which is to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ.

I hope you’ll be there to remember and give thanks with me on that day.

From the Parish Nurse F.Y.I.

If you ever have a question or need medical advice, call the 24 hour, nurse-on-call line at the Cleveland Clinic. It is easy to use and you talk to a real person ‒ a registered nurse!

Call #1-800-801-2273

Our Parish Nurse, Jane, is available at the church every Tuesday from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. for an office visit. She will also make hospital calls and home visits. For more information, please call the church office at 440-331-0834.

Nurse Jane checks blood pressures before and after the morning worship on the second Sunday of each month.

CareGiving Meeting Sunday, May 20th following the Worship Service.

All About Us Congratulations to Jim Stone, proud

grandfather of newborn Calliope (Callie) Sara Stone.

Please keep the following members and friends in your thoughts and prayers: Denise Nelson, Bud Hurst, Dorothy Graab, Eleanor Wishnosky, and Pat Forbes.

These and others are dealing with life changes and issues of physical, emotional, or spiritual health. Knowing that they are supported in prayer can help bring them to wholeness.

Baptism Alexis Mackenzie Cross was received into

the church through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism on April 22, 2012. Parents are Philip Patzwahl & Kristy Cross. Grandparents are Dave & Leslie Patzwahl. Great Grandparent, Bob Patzwahl.

Kaylee Elizabeth Toreky will be baptized Sunday, May 27.

Welcome New

Members John Forristal & Kelly Burd

Children: Samuel & Grace Forristal

Geoffrey Gens & Chelli Ulli Martori

Joel & Christine Foote Children: Nola & Graham Dinner with Pastor Michael

Escargot and Eschatology

We have already had Burgers & Beliefs, Pizza, Pasta & Piety, and Soup, Salads & Salvation. This time we are calling it Escargot and Eschatology. Don’t let the title scare you off. It is just the last time we will be able to gather with Michael before his retirement to ask your questions of faith. So

Our next healing prayer service will be

Sunday, May 13th.

widening our community service Ì deepening and sharing our faith investing in youth and children Ì attracting the next generation

mark your calendar for Tuesday, May 22nd at 6:30 p.m. We will be meeting at Le Bistro du Beaujolais at 8134 Columbia Road in Olmsted Falls. We do need to let the restaurant know how many are coming, so it is essential that you sign up on the bulletin board in the Gathering Room or call the office to make your reservation.

From the Interim search team:

Our pastor’s retirement is right around the corner. You may be wondering what is being done to prepare for this event that feels so unsettling to many of us.

The Consistory has designated our

Renewal Plan Implementation Team as the group that will be interviewing candidates for the position of Interim Minister. The person selected will serve until a “settled” minister (as it’s termed today) is called by the congregation. There will be a separate Search and Call Committee appointed later during the interim period to seek a settled minister.

The Renewal Plan Implementation Team

consists of Julie Barnes, Kevin Bracy, Madeline Brookshire, Janet Kramer, Marcia Powles, Debbie Shank, and Alex Tomoff. Dave Patzwahl, from the Human Resources Committee, has been added to the group for the interview process.

The group met in April with Kurt Schaller

Blaufuss, who helps with the interim process on behalf of our Western Reserve Association.

The group has reviewed Association processes and procedures, and now the resumes of potential candidates are being reviewed and initial interviews have been held. Updates will be given to Consistory and the congregation as the process unfolds. The goal is to have an interim minister selected by July 1st. For most of June, there will be supply preaching and pastoral care available through several neighboring churches and Michael’s colleagues, so that there is no lapse in Sunday services or care to our members.

If you have specific questions or wish to

offer suggestions to the team, please contact Julie Barnes or Janet Kramer.

Lend-a-Hand Workday

Saturday, May 26th

Need hours

It is time to brighten the church yard with flowers!

This will be a big day for planting annuals, trimming bushes, and spreading mulch.

Please join us.

From the Program Coordinator

We are the church!

I’m finding it hard to believe May 1 was my one year anniversary as Program Coordinator at Church of the Redeemer. So much has happened over the last twelve months and I am grateful to the patience, support, and encouragement received from the church.

It has been wonderful getting to know everyone and an honor assisting with the development of opportunities to grow in spirit. I look forward being with all of you during the upcoming year and would like to share a letter from Paul sent to the People of Ephesus. This passage expresses my thoughts as I reflect on the past twelve months and look forward to the my next anniversary.

I, too, have heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people. For this reason I never stop thanking God for you. I always remember you in my prayers. I pray that the glorious Father, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, would give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know Christ better. Then you will have deeper insight. You will know the confidence that he calls you to have and the glorious wealth that God’s people will inherit. You will also know the unlimited greatness of his power as it works with might and strength for us, the believers. He worked with that same power in Christ when he brought him back to life and gave him the highest position in heaven. His is

far above all rulers, authorities, powers, lords, and all other names that can be named, not only in this present world bust also in the world to come. God has put everything under the control of Christ. He has made Christ the head of everything for the good of the church.

The church is Christ’s body and completes him as he fills everything in every way.

Ephesians 15 ‒ 23 GWT

Julie

In Memoriam Bob and Katharine Allen went to be with

the Lord April 29, 2012 and May 3, 2012 respectively. Please keep their family in your thoughts and prayers.

Join in the celebration of

Michaelʼs retirement,

Sunday June 3 immediately following the

worship service.