August 10, 2006 Volume 18, Number 15

…. ON THE BOARD WALK

The CAFÉ Committee (Site Selection) chaired by Hugh Crowder is continuing to search for property for a new building. The two properties that are being considered now are: The Brideun School located right off of Hwy 287 at the northwest corner of 287 and Hwy 42, and the First Baptist Church property on South Boulder Road just east of the junction with Via Appia. The committee and the Board have met with a representative from Church Design Concepts and are planning for a meeting with Church Extension. These meetings are for searching out help in creating a building design and project management.

The Sanctuary Renewal Committee is preparing the sanctuary for our move upstairs on August 13th. They have made and hung drapes, purchased chairs and a sound system and have ordered a digital organ to be delivered around the first of next year. They are nearing the end of their assignment and I want to thank them for all of their hard work and great ideas.

The All-Church retreat was a great success. We met at the beautiful Community United Church of Christ and were visited by a deer. Terry started the “Living The Questions” series and we will continue with the study after the Rummage Sale. (Which reminds me, have you signed up to help?)

The Board has lost 2 valued members in the past months. Echo McAfee, Secretary, moved to Kansas City. She was replaced by Martha Mason for the summer and we are now looking for someone to complete the year as secretary. If you are interested in helping us out please talk with Erik Mason or me. Kay Lowe-Wendling who was the co-chair of the Outreach and Christian Action Committee resigned because she is spending most of her time in Calgary with Bob. The Board voted to have Carol Ashmore, the other co-chair, take over as chair.

At the July meeting the Board voted unanimously to adopt two resolutions regarding issues that will be on the ballot in November. The first resolution is in support of Referendum F: The Colorado Domestic Partnership Act and the second resolution is in opposition to an amendment to the Colorado Constitution Banning Same-Sex Marriage. There was an editorial in the Daily Camera that you can read elsewhere in this newsletter.

Rosemary Campbell

LETTER TO EDITOR

The Board of Directors at First Christian Church in Boulder has unanimously approved two resolutions on issues that will appear on the ballot in November 2006. The first resolution supports Referendum F, the Colorado Domestic Partnership Act. The second resolution opposes a proposed amendment to the Colorado constitution banning same-sex marriage.

Because we are an open and affirming congregation and a New Testament church we believe that all people are created in the image of God. We also believe that the life of Jesus and his teachings direct us to love one another unconditionally. Because these are our moral standards based on our religious beliefs we cannot endorse discrimination against gay couples or any other group of people for that matter. We abhor the idea of adding discriminatory language to our state constitution. A constitution should protect the rights of a free people and not endorse discrimination against any of those people.

We support Referendum F because we believe that our gay friends deserve the same protections and responsibilities of every citizen; the right to visit a partner in the hospital, the right to direct his or her care, the right to adopt children, and the right to leave their property to whom they wish.

We urge you to join us in voting Yes on Referendum F, the Colorado Domestic Partnership Act, and No on the Constitutional ban on same-sex marriage at the General Election on November 7, 2006. This is where our moral responsibility has led us and we hope that you will join us.

Rosemary Campbell

President of the Congregation

First Christian Church, Boulder

HELLO / GOODBYE!

Music Staff Sees Changes

We are so grateful for the musical services of Rory Cowal who served as worship accompanist for us over the summer! In a short time Rory demonstrated his significant musical talents on the keyboard, both at the Golden West and church services. Sadly, this Sunday, August 13th will be his last Sunday with us before he travels to California to begin graduate studies in music. You will have an opportunity to wish Rory well following worship.

But…

The good news is that we have a new Director of Music! Rebecca (she prefers being called "Becca") Hirsch will soon begin her ministry with us. Becca is the full-time accompanist for a middle school in the St. Vrain school district and has a great deal of experience as both director and accompanist at several churches. Her duties include overseeing the music ministry at First Christian Church of Boulder, directing the vocal choir, and soon, a bell choir. Watch for greetings from Becca in our next issue of The Ram’s Horn.

LIFE AND NEWS OF THE CONGREGATION!

Marcie Geissinger traveled to Orlando, FL, for a week with her son and family, John, Karen,

Jordan, and Grant Geissinger. They had lots of fun watching Jordan and his teammates playing

in the USSSA Elite World Series Baseball Tournament for 13-year olds at the Disney Wide

World of Sports Arena. They also visited the Disney Theme Parks and Universal Studios.

Judy and Bob Dalton, accompanied by Pauline Matteson, will be attending the Matteson Family

reunion in Grand Junction later this month. They will also be celebrating the 50th wedding

anniversary of Pauline’s son and daughter-in-law, Gene and Norma Matteson.

It has been a busy summer for Barbara Johnson who shuttled back and forth between her home

and the homes of her son’s and daughter's families at Grand Lake.

Through the grapevine we’ve heard that Vincent Mirandi is currently working for a temp

service in Florida with a human resources department!

Through prayer, therapy and bedrest, it seems Kathleen Grooters is avoiding back surgery

following a recent fall.

Good news! John Stickle is having promising results from chemotherapy, although the treatments are causing him much fatigue.

Priscilla Gifford has been troubled with tendonitis but believes therapy and massage sessions

are proving to be very helpful.

More tests are being conducted to determine if Nelson Shepherd will have surgery in the near

future.

The recurring computer/printer problems in the church office are in the process of being rectified

thanks to Dale Abel, Sandy Bish, Gary Howell, Tom Howell and Rosie Campbell, but we still

were unable to include news this week from Alan Bennett about his work in West Darfur. Watch

for it in the next issue of The Ram’s Horn.

We put Cliff Leighton of Wichita, Kansas to work folding The Ram’s Horn while he and his

wife Margaret were here to visit his sister, Hope Leighton. Thanks, Cliff!

The CAFÉ Committee has asked for and deserves our prayers as they do good work for us

regarding a new location for our congregation. CAFÉ Committee—not to be confused with

FCCafé and sometimes identified as the Site Selection Committee—is headed by Hugh

Crowder and also boasts Becky Campbell-Howe, Ray Crowder, Eleanor Hubbard, Barbara

Hutton and Chris Ford as members. Terry Zimmerman is ex officio.

Roy and Rachel Shepherd just returned from a vacation in Lake Tahoe where Roy and some of

his high school classmates got together to celebrate Roy’s 75th birthday. Has Rachel always

enjoyed playing blackjack?

WE REMEMBER IN PRAYER

Priscilla Gifford, Barbara Johnson, Charlene Scoggins (neighbor of Polly Warkentine), Nelson Shepherd, Site Selection Committee (CAFÉ), John Stickle, Claudia Tripp, Pam Ware.

FCC BOARD MEETING

The next FCC Board meeting is Sunday, August 13 at 11:30 a.m. in the Education Building, Room #5.

FCC – COMMUNITY TABLE

Thursday, August 17 is FCC’s night to serve at Community Table.

ANNUAL RUMMAGE SALE

Set up: August 23-24

Sale dates: August 25-26

Please contact Kay Norris at 303.442.5081 to volunteer.

GW SUMMER PATIO SALE

Golden West will hold their annual summer patio and bake sale on Friday, August 25 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

COMMUNITY TABLE BOARD

The next Community Table Board meeting is Thursday, August 31 at 6:15 p.m. in Riley Hall.

ELDERS

Following the 10:00 a.m. worship service on September 3, the elders will meet in the Education Building, Room #5.

DWCC

Thursday, September 7 at 9:30 a.m. the Disciple Women Coordinating Committee meets.

CRMR – WOMEN’S RENEWAL CONFERENCE

Save the date - September 8-10, 2006 at the YMCA in Estes Park. Susan Gonzales Dewey from California will be the main speaker and she will touch your hearts and minds!

DEBORAH-REBEKAH GROUP

The Deborah-Rebekah Group will resume for fall meetings on Thursday, September 21 at 9:30 a.m. in the Spruce Room at Golden West.

CRMR - MEN’S RENEWAL CONFERENCE

The Rocky Mountain Men’s Ministries 2006 Men’s Renewal Conference is September 22-24 in Estes Park at the YMCA of the Rockies.

Dog days of summer

RUMMAGE SALE 101, or THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

1.) What to bring (or “how to make the lives of the wonderful volunteers easier”): Bring only items that are clean and in good working condition. Please don’t bring torn or soiled clothing, worn out or run down shoes, soiled bedding, appliances that don’t work or have food left in them, toys or furniture with missing pieces. Please tie, tape, or bag together any items that have multiple parts. Bring useful treasures, not trash.

When possible, please box and label items left on the stage in Riley Hall. This will help those who unpack as well as making items less tempting to unauthorized browsers. While you’re making your stack of contributions, feel free to put prices on anything except clothing, shoes, and books, as those things have “standard” prices. Keep in mind that items kept at your home until right before the sale are probably more secure than those left at the church far ahead of time. Clothing contributed on August 23 and 24 can be brought on hangers ready to hang on our sales racks and will save many volunteer hours.

2.) What NOT to bring (or “how to make the lives of the wonderful volunteers easier”): Do not bring box springs or mattresses, waterbeds or bed frames, but other furniture in good to excellent condition is fine. No draperies and drapery rods, but curtains and curtain rods are fine. Child safety seats and safety helmets cannot be resold, so don’t bring them. We prefer not to have computer equipment but if you do decide to bring computer related items, put your name on all the components so that we can return them to you if they do not sell. If not sold, computer ware would cost the church to recycle.

3.) What you can do to help (or “how to make the lives of the wonderful volunteers easier”): Please mark your calendars now and plan to be a part of this major outreach endeavor.

Dates of sale: Friday and Saturday, August 25 and 26

Set up days: Wednesday and Thursday, August 23 and 24

Several people have signed up to help but more are needed. In the history of the rummage sale, we have never had too much help! We’ll need good steady workers throughout the four days. Opportunities abound to use or learn valuable skills: accounting, marketing, publicity, pricing, sorting, stocking, bagging, customer service, receiving, sales, shipping (packing up), security, greeting, delivery and all!

We’ll need lots of energy and some brawn and MANY people for set up Wednesday morning and at least twenty volunteers to help pack up the sale on Saturday afternoon. When the sale ends, we’ll also be putting away equipment and delivering leftovers to various local charities. Money earned from this sale all goes to the Disciple Mission Fund through our women’s group, Disciple Women. Leftover product stays in the Boulder County community and benefits many people.

Sign up sheets for volunteers will be available in the narthex on both August 13 and 20, but a call to Kay 303.442.5081 would be most welcome.

Kay Norris, for Disciple Women