This is ‘Pride Season’ I · 2019-06-09 · Pride is about self-esteem, a sense of dignity, and...

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF PIONEER CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

JUNE 2019 VOLUME 19, ISSUE 6

This is ‘Pride Season’ Letter from the Pastor

I f you grew up like me, you may struggle with the idea of pride as a good

thing. I looked up the word recently in my old-fashioned dictionary. Five

out of six definitions described pride as a positive thing. The first one,

however, made it a synonym of arrogance, a false sense of superiority. For

too long the church has never gotten past that first definition.

Pride is about self-esteem, a sense of dignity, and the best of who you are. Equating pride with arrogance robs us of those other understandings of self. It is devastating. Over the next two months there will be several occasions for us to express our pride in good and healthy ways. On Sunday, June 9 we will express our pride in our graduates. Several people in our Pioneer family are transitioning. They are metamorphosing like butterflies, showing more of their potential as free and beautiful human beings. They are our pride and joy in a good way. In June, the LGBT community holds Pride Festivals. On June 8 and 9 the Sacramento Pride Festival will celebrate the 50

th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, the beginning of the LGBT equal

rights march. This year one of our local UCC ministers, Rev. Casey Tinnin of Loomis Basin Congregational UCC will be the Community Grand Marshall. We are proud of him. On June 23, Natomas will hold the Natomas Big Gay Celebration. Jessica Vroman, our Outreach Board Chair, has enrolled Pioneer in that event. We are the only church the organizers have accepted to participate, combatting the shaming and condemning rhetoric that other churches are spouting. Healthy pride is a proper sense of personal dignity and this is what we are celebrating in these festivals. Independence Day, July 4, we express our pride in our nation. Being aware of our imperfections should not keep us from celebrating the good that America has done in the world. We take pride in what is good about our country and use that as a template to correct our shortcomings. On July 21, United Church of Christ churches in Sacramento, Elk Grove and Loomis will host Linda Kay Klein. She is an author and noted speaker on the subject of overcoming the shame that is so often part of the message heard in fundamentalist churches. Hers is a message that we in the UCC want to share with the community. Being a follower of Jesus does not include feeling shame for who you are. We celebrate and take pride the best of who we are as human beings. We would be proud for you to join us in any of these celebrations.

Pioneer Congregational United Church of Christ 2700 L Street Sacramento, CA 95816 www.pioneerucc.org

Pioneer Congregational United Church of Christ 2700 L St. Sacramento, CA 95816 www.pioneerucc.org

PIONEER POST JUNE 2019 2

Pastor Casey Tinnin honored for Pride 2019

Rev. Casey Tinnin

A s noted in Pastor Phil’s column on page

1, fellow UCC minister Casey Tinnin

has been named one of three

Community Grand Marshals for the 2019

Sacramento Pride Celebration.

Rev. Tinnin, pastor of the Loomis Basin

Congregational United Church of Christ in

Loomis, Calif., since 2016, is the church’s first

openly gay pastor.

Tinnin says, “My role as pastor is to empower

people to take on the task of following Jesus; to

be the hands, feet and voice of God in the

world.”

Sacramento Pride organizers said more than

5,400 votes were received from community

members to select the three honorees. The

others honored are Ebony Harper, an activist

and philanthropist for transgender people, and

Tiffany Lorenz, producer of a gender

diversity and visibility effort in Sacramento, and

LGBTQ children’s advocate.

Tinnin is being recognized specifically for his

efforts to form a support group known as “The

Landing Spot” for LGBTQ identifying youth and

their adult caregivers in Placer County.

Born and raised in Manteca, Calif., Tinnin holds a B.A.

from Trinity Lutheran College of Washington, a Master’s in

Theological Studies from Pacific Lutheran Theological

Seminary, and a Master’s of Divinity from the Pacific

School of Religion. He was ordained by the United Church

of Christ in 2014.

Spring has sprung

We need help deadheading our beautiful plants that are growing by leaps and bounds! Please come Saturday, June 8 at 9 a.m. Bring gloves, clippers, and a shallow box for gathering the snippets. Sign-up sheet in Fellowship Hall. Questions? Contact Vi McNally via email at: [email protected] or 916-896-7766

mailto:[email protected]

T he Pioneer Church Family will take a few moments on Sunday, June 9 to honor our 2019 graduates.

Diane Mahan, chair of the Christian Education Board, reports the following members of our church family are celebrating milestones in their lives this month: Leona Dotson will attend Folsom Lake College and then transfer to Sacramento State University to earn a degree in business.

Jakob Hinman graduated from Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla. with a bachelor of science in film. He is currently working at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico.

Monique Lonergan will be graduating from Sacramento Country Day School and will be attending the bachelor of fine arts degree program this fall in musical theatre at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee in Boston, Mass.

Jack Lonergan just graduated from the University of the Pacific with his a bachelor of science degree in physics (concentration in astrophysics) and applied math. He will continue to study and do research in physics this year, and he plans to apply to doctoral programs in astrophysics for fall of 2020 admission.

Sophia Mahan has been promoted to 6th grade and will be attending Leroy Greene Middle School in the fall. Rev. Dr. Bob McGrath has completed his doctorate degree at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, Calif. His dissertation was titled, “Pastoral Compensation in Today's World of Smaller Churches and the Need for Most Ministers to Find a Bi-vocational Solution to Following Their Calling Yet Managing to Survive.”

It’s graduation season at Pioneer!



Liam Murdock has graduated from El Camino Fundamental High School and will join the U.S. Navy in October to become a Naval Intelligence Specialist. Liam qualified for California State Seal of Biliteracy on his diploma.

Emilio Salas will attend Folsom Lake College and then transfer to Chico State University to earn a degree in law enforcement.

Dr. Andrew E. Stoner has been promoted to the rank of associate professor and granted tenure at Sacramento State University.

May He give you the

desire of your heart

and make

all your plans

succeed.

— Psalm 20:4

A total of $46,102 is in the Kitchen

Renovation Project Fund ($40,000 from

the SMUD grant) - and another $6,102

from member donations.

Committee members recently met with Craig

Hausman, an architect assisting with the

project. He has suggested Pioneer consider

listing the church building as an Historic

Landmark. Hausman believes there are certain

financial benefits associated with such a

designation and has promised to provide the

committee with more information for further

review.

The committee has voted to purchase

appliances for the new kitchen from Cullincini

Restaurant Supply of Sacramento. The

committee is working with the company’s

representative, Luis Castro.

Quotes, diagrams and product information

was reviewed for all of the items, and all of

them will be National Science Foundation

(NSF) certified. NSF certification means the

products have met strict standards on product

quality.

The committee has asked Castro to review

whether the existing stove and hood could be

cleaned and refurbished and used in the new

kitchen. A quote on that is expected later.

Committee member John Wallace was

designated to meet with Hausman; Joe

Estrada, electrical engineer; David Weston,

Kitchen renovation project moves along



LEED contractor; and Jeff Von Rotz, general

contractor. The committee was to ascertain from

them a layout a plan for the health and city

construction permits needed for the kitchen work

to begin.

As part of the meeting with the engineers, an

inspection of the church’s rooftop condenser

units was completed, as well as review of all

electrical boxes and services.

Hausman will coordinate the permitting

process—a process expected to take six to eight

weeks to complete. The permits required must be

paid by the church, and are not included in the

SMUD grant received for the project.

Current estimates are the health permit to

proceed with the work will cost $1,700 and the

city permit, $1,500. Engineering fees for the

entire project are estimated at $8,000.

Ponderable:

It’s often said, the kitchen is the heart of

every home.

If that is so, what could the kitchen of a

church be? Something to ponder as Pioneer

moves forward in upgrading the “kitchen

heart” of our church home.



Pioneer birthdays

T hroughout the year, Pioneer members

have the opportunity to join with fellow

UCC members across the globe in trying

to make a difference.

Sunday, June 9 we will be

collecting the “Strengthen the

Church” special offering for the

United Church of Christ.

The “Strengthen the Church”

offering supports the expansion

of ministry and growth of United

Church of Christ local

congregations. Your gifts help the church fulfill its

commitment to creating a just world by investing in

new ministries and practices that meet the

emerging needs of local communities.

In 2018, the offerings from this collection

supported:

Twelve grants totaling $350,000 for the New

and Renewing Spiritual Communities Program.

Ensured excellence in ministry through the

completion of the Habakkuk group and the

Manual on Ministry.

Special day offerings make a difference

JUNE BIRTHDAYS

June 2 — Trisha Wallace

June 11 — Jack Lonergan

June 17 — Margaret Griffin

June 18 — George Hinman

June 23 — Betsy Wilson

June 24 — Bernadette Wallace

June 26 — Diane Ryder

Worked to alleviate poverty through the

Adese Fellowship program for spiritual

entrepreneurship.

Strengthened local churches

through services provided by the

UCC conferences across the

nation.

Upcoming special day offerings

for the rest of 2019 are listed

below:

July 28 — UCC Christmas Fund/

Veterans of the Cross

Oct. 6 — UCC Neighbors in Need

Oct. 20-Nov. 10 — 2020 Pioneer Pledge

Campaign

Dec. 22 — Pioneer Christmas Offering

Please note, donations for the “Compassion

Fund” are collected on the last Sunday of every

month. Easter and Christmas offerings benefit

Pioneer ministries exclusively.



Upcoming Performances

at Pioneer

Performances at Pioneer highlights —

P ioneer members and community guests enjoyed two outstanding performances in May,

including the Cosumnes River College and the Velocity handbell choir. The choir from

Cosumnes offered their “Spring Sing” while Velocity performed their “Vintage and Vogue II”

concert. Photos from both events are pictured below.



Pioneer ‘Book Club’ wraps up its season

P ioneer’s Book Club is wrapping up its year with its final meeting

(including a potluck) on June 18.

Claire Chase has coordinated the club for this year and

reports one more book remains on the calendar this year:

The Charm Bracelet: A Novel (2016: Thomas Dunne Books, 336

pages) by Viola Shipman

Shipman’s novel explores how an heirloom charm bracelet allows

three women to rediscover the importance of family and a passion for

living as each charm changes their lives. On her birthday each year,

Lolly’s mother gave her a charm, along with the advice that there is

nothing more important than keeping family memories alive, and so

Lolly’s charm bracelet would be a constant reminder of that love.

Now 70 years old and starting to forget things, Lolly knows time is

running out to reconnect with a daughter and granddaughter whose lives

have become too busy for Lolly or her family stories.

Reviewers noted the book provides “A compelling story of three women and a beautiful reminder

of the preciousness of family. The Charm Bracelet is a keepsake you’ll cherish long after the final

page. “



Meet ‘Viola Shipman’

W ade Rouse didn’t set out to be a

novelist.

Trained as a journalist, he worked as a

reporter and then in public relations. Along the

way, he wrote four best-selling humorous memoirs,

and contributed to People and Good Housekeeping

magazines.

But memoirs, under his pen name “Viola

Shipman,” stirred other memories of his childhood,

leading to the novels “The Charm Bracelet” and

“The Hope Chest.” Both were inspired by heirlooms of his maternal grandmother—whose name is

Viola Shipman.

Rouse said writing has been a lifelong ambition and that he wrote “The Charm Bracelet” with his

grandmother’s actual charm bracelets in mind. The Library of Michigan named his work a 2017

Michigan Notable Book—a high honor for the author who splits his time between Saugatuck,

Michigan along the shore of Lake Michigan, and Palm Springs, California.

Why did he choose to write under a female pseudonym? “It was a total Victor/Victoria thing, the

opposite of JK Rowling. I write women’s novels under my grandma’s name.”

O ur volunteer schedule for June is listed below. An empty space is only empty until you

decide to sign up and help out! The sign-up sheet is located in the

Fellowship Hall.



DATE WORSHIP

READER

USHERS FELLOWSHIP

HOST

FLOWERS ACOLYTE TELLERS

June 2 Randy

Triezenberg

Philip Jackman &

Karen Shipman

Mahan Family Sophia

Mahan

Crystal Taylor

& Mark Viviano

June 9 Elizabeth

Rios

Andy Balog

& Mack Forrest

Vi McNally John & Bernadette

Wallace

Lauren

Taylor-Piazza

Robyn Taylor

& Heidi Munoz

June 16 Bernadette

Wallace

Pat Houge &

Marge Watson

Elizabeth Kordahl

& Diane Ryder

Claire Chase George Hinman

& Mary Kay Rose

June 23 Mack

Forrest

Pat Houge &

Marge Watson

Jeannene Ward-

Lonergan

& George Lonergan

Caryl Butcher

& Marietta Jackman

June 30 Randy

Triezenberg

Lidia & Angie

Barbosa

Karen Shipman

& Fay Grundel

Another busy month of events at Pioneer

H ere is our June 2019 calendar of

events at Pioneer:

June 1 Women’s Breakfast, 9 a.m.

June 2 Kitchen Committee, 11:30 a.m.

June 5 Hand Bell Choir Rehearsal, 6 p.m.

June 5 Chancel Choir Rehearsal, 7:30 p.m.

June 8 Spring Garden Clean-Up, 9 a.m.

June 8 Country-Western Fundraising Dance,

6:30-11 p.m.

June 8-9 Sacramento Pride Festival,

California State Capitol Park

June 9 Graduate Recognition, during

morning worship service

June 12 Hand Bell Choir Rehearsal, 6 p.m.

June 12 Chancel Choir rehearsal, 7:30 p.m.

June 13-15 NCNC Annual Gathering

June 15 Men’s Breakfast, 9 a.m.

June 16 New Member Sunday

June 18 Book Club Potluck Year-End Meeting,

6:30 p.m.

June 23 Performance: Sakurako Kanemitsu,

3 p.m.

June 23 Natomas Big Gay Pride Event,

11 a.m. to 3 p.m., North Natomas

Regional Park, 4689 Natomas Blvd.,

Sacramento.

Mark your calendars, the Annual Church Picnic

is set for Sunday, Sept.15 across the street at

historic Fort Sutter. More details forthcoming in

future issues of the Pioneer Post.

W henever a disaster,

natural or human-caused befalls us

or our neighbors, the United Church

of Christ stands ready to help those in need.

“If you are moved to write a check or use

Givelify to donate, you can be a part of the aid

in many parts of the world,” said Rev. Dr. Bob

McGrath, stewardship chair.

UCC Disaster Ministries are assisting with:

Aid to countries in Africa ravaged by

typhoon;

Help for the people of Puerto Rico still trying

to recover from last year’s hurricane; or,

Efforts to rebuild after the devastating fires in

Northern California.

Both the Regional and National settings of

the UCC are ready to direct your finds to the



Your gifts can make a world of difference

D uring the regular school year, children

from low-income families in need get

important help in accessing regular

meals.

But once

school dismiss-

es for the

summer, many

students lose

access to free

or reduced

school– or

community-

based break-

fast and lunch

programs. The result is what some have called

a “hungry summer” where meal insecurity

grows.

As former U.S. Secretary of State Warren

Christopher (1925-2011) reminded world

leaders—one of the greatest exports the United

States ever came up with was the idea of nutrition

programs for schools that have been successfully

copied the world over—reducing hunger (and

increasing education) in the world.

Pioneer has three baskets at the front of our

worship sanctuary space are in support of two of

our ongoing outreach endeavors.

The two smaller ones are for food items that are

delivered regularly to River City Food Bank. Our

goal this year is to collect 1,000 pounds of food for

the hungry. River City Food Bank is one answer to

how to avoid a “hungry summer.”

The larger basket is for items that are needed by

WIND Youth Services. WIND has a mission to help

support homeless youth and young adults.

Personal care items help these young people who

have often been driven out of their homes know

that they are still loved.

greatest need. In the memo on your

check or with your donation, just include a

notation of where you would like your help to go.

UCC Disaster Ministries donations can be

placed in the offering plate any week, turned into

the church office, or as noted, through Givelify.

Finally, a reminder, if you are an Amazon user

please consider using Amazon Smile. It is a way

to support Pioneer Congregational UCC every

time you shop at no cost to you.

How to avoid a ‘hungry summer’

Warren Christopher

WHO WE ARE PIONEER POST JUNE 2019

Join us for Sunday Service,

all are welcome!

N o matter who, no matter what, no

matter where you are on the journey

of life, you’re welcome in this place.”

There is a great diversity of beliefs held by

our members. We find that united in Jesus

Christ and our differences add to the richness

and strength of our life together. We are an

open and affirming congregation that

proclaims the love of Jesus Christ, the

compassion that His love services, and the

humanity His love seeks to embrace.

Pioneer Congregational

United Church of Christ

Office Hours:

8 a.m. to 1 p.m.—Monday-Thursday

(916) 443-3727

[email protected]

Visit us online at:

www.pioneerucc.org

Please send any questions, comments or updates you have for the Pioneer Post

to [email protected]. If you are subscribed, please remember to add this address

as an approved email so it doesn’t go to your “spam” folder.

2700 L Street

Sacramento, CA 95816

This is ‘Pride Season’ I · 2019-06-09 · Pride is about self-esteem, a sense of dignity, and...

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Transcript of This is ‘Pride Season’ I · 2019-06-09 · Pride is about self-esteem, a sense of dignity, and...