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Ainsworth United Church of Christ

A Multiracial, Multicultural, Open and Affirming Community

The Chronicle

Ainsworth United Church of Christ - - March 2016

President Obama Moves to Close Guantanamo

Advocates in the United Church of Christ and

other faith communities are lauding President

Barack Obama's long-awaited plan to close

down the detention facility at Guantanamo

Bay, Cuba. The president, who sent his

proposal to Congress on Tuesday, Feb. 23,

made it clear that keeping the prison open is

"contrary to our values."

"Today we celebrate this announcement of a

plan by President Obama to finally close the

prison at Guantanamo," said the Rev. Mike

Neuroth, international policy advocate for

UCC Justice and Witness Ministries. "After

14 years, it is past time to close this facility

that symbolizes to the world our use of

indefinite detention, torture, and failure to

honor basic human dignity."

The United Church of Christ has been calling

on the administration to close Guantanamo

for years, working with the National

Religious Campaign Against Torture on the

issue since NRCAT's creation in 2006. The

Rev. Ron Stief, UCC minister and executive

director of the National Religious Campaign

Against Torture said, "Keeping Guantanamo

open this long has never been a good idea,

from either a national security or a moral

perspective. The President's goal of

transferring or trying almost all of the

detainees can only improve our moral

standing in the world. However, an important

flaw in the President's plan is that it is

immoral and contrary to American values for

the U.S. to hold anyone without the

reasonable prospect of a trial."

Matt Hawthorne, NRCAT's policy director

added: "The President's plan will save over

$100 million per year, and it will improve our

reputation around the world. Closing

Guantanamo isn't just morally right, it's

practically sound — and it points to how

costly a mistake it was to open Guantanamo

as a prison in the first place."

"We have continued to call on the president to

continue this work by fulfilling his campaign

promise to close the prison at Guantanamo.

Members of the UCC have sent letters to the

president, to Congress, and even joined a fast

in solidarity with Guantanamo prisoners in

2013," Neuroth said. The plan to close the

prison in Cuba, which has been on Obama's

agenda since he took office in 2009, hinges on

the transfer of between 30-60 detainees to

U.S. soil, and suggests several possible

locations in South Carolina, Kansas and

Colorado. The rest of the 91 detainees at the

prison could be sent to other (continued pg 6) The Rev. Mike Neuroth, during a 2013 fast to

close the Guantanamo detention center

2 AUCC Chronicle online at www.ainsworthucc.com March 2016

* Worshiping God * Ministering to Each Other * Nurturing our Spiritual Journeys

* Promoting Justice * Serving the Local & Global Communities

During the season of Lent, as we continue on our

journey of repentance following Jesus to the cross,

we are reminded of suffering- the suffering so

many people go through because of the sins of our

society and world- racism, sexism, classism,

nationalism, imperialism, homophobia,… The

list goes on. Our Lenten series on the book

Enriquez’s Journey reminds us of the terrible toll

that is extracted because of economic and political

policies of the USA and other countries. Those

who pay, the most vulnerable, often pay with their

lives.

During this season, we are also called upon to

celebrate the life and legacy of one of our great

prophets Cesar Chavez whose birthday comes on

March 31st. Cesar’s life was one of discipleship

of Jesus Christ: “to bring good news to the

poor….proclaim release to the captives and

recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed

go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s

favor.” (Luke 4:18-19). We were often reminded

by the late Rev. Jack Takayanagi about that call to

discipleship, and I remember Rev. Jack’s story of

going with the group of United Church of Christ

folks from General Synod in Saint Louis to

California to stand with Cesar Chavez and

farmworkers in the face of violence from growers,

hired thugs and law enforcement.

On Sunday, March 13th, our guest preacher will

be Ramon Ramirez, long-serving president of

PCUN (Pineros & Campesinos Unidos del

Noreste/ Northwest Treeplanters & Farmworkers

United), recipient of CAUSA’s American

Dreamer award and community activist. I have

known Ramon throughout my twenty years

serving as your pastor. Throughout that time, we

stood in support of PCUN during the Norpac

boycott, witnessing at the fields, forums held here

at Ainsworth UCC and through support of the

fruits of contracts made with growers. We have

sold blueberries, strawberries and beautiful

Christmas wreaths, products sown, picked or

made by PCUN workers. Ramon is not a stranger

to Ainsworth UCC and in the last few years has

personally come to promote the sale of berries

picked by farmworkers who worked under a

contract that assured more just working

conditions.

Recently, Ramon was at a table with me at the

Faith & Labor Breakfast organized by Jobs With

Justice. He & I were asked to speak for just a few

minutes. As I listened to Ramon, I thought, who

better to help us celebrate the life of Cesar

Chavez? Cesar Chavez was born near Yuma,

Arizona, on March 31, 1927. He employed

nonviolent means to bring attention to the plight

of farmworkers, and formed both the National

Farm Workers Association, which later became

United Farm Workers. As a labor leader, Chavez

led marches, called for boycotts and went on

several hunger strikes. It is believed that Chavez's

hunger strikes contributed to his death on April

23, 1993, in San Luis, Arizona. (from

www.biography.com/people/cesar-chavez-

9245781). Ramon is passionate about his work,

about human rights and about the legacy of non-

violence shared by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and

Cesar Chavez. He has followed the lead of

Chavez leading and participating in boycotts,

nonviolent demonstrations and yes, he was

arrested for civil disobedience. On March 13th

we will celebrate the life of Cesar Chavez and the

witness that he modeled for Ramon and so many

others to stand up for farmworkers’ rights.

I hope you will join me to hear from this special

leader in our midst. --Pastor Lynne

Cynthia’s Ainsworth Choir blog:

www.ainsworthucc.com/auccmusicblog




M

A

R

6

Sermon: “Beloved Community”

Scripture: Luke 15:1-3, 1-32

Liturgist: Rev. Teresa Holloway-

Nunn

Acolytes: AJ Brazille, Isaac Potter

Ushers: Eldon Potter, Don Parks,

Adelina Taylor, Mabel Johnson

M

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13

Sermon: “Doing a New Thing”

Scripture: Isaiah 43:16-21

Liturgist:

Acolytes: Olivia Putnam

Rhian Taylor

Ushers: Nick Putnam, Bruce

Poinsette, Willard Valentine,

and Beverly Perttu

M

A

R

20

Palm/Passion Sunday

Sermon: “The Doo-Dah Parade”

Scripture: Luke 19:28-40

Liturgist:

Acolytes: Ben McHarris

Malcolm Bunyoli

Ushers: Judi Pitre, Pearl Wilson

and Norma Godfrey.

M

A

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27

Easter Sunday

Gospel Mass, with Robert Ray

And the Ainsworth Choir

Scripture: John 20:1-18

Liturgist:

Ushers: Carolyn Hinton, Jean Scott,

Nadia Gutierrez, and Tim Loveless

March Bible Study Time

Remember, we gather for Bible Study in Cambric

Parlor, on Tuesdays at 10 am. All are welcome to

attend any and/or all sessions.

“Hold in Your

Prayers…”

Brian Crosby-Payne

Katie Ferris (Joene Pike’s daughter)

Leland Lundgren Elaine Ordal

Joe Craig Judi Pitre & Family

Lisa & Janine Gates Shirley Johnson

Anita Chimuku Helen Ellison

Elaine Bates Shelly Penix

Valeriana Bandwa Marceline Gearry

Jessie Godfrey Peter Chimuku

Verlin Byers Tom West

Willie Poinsette Mary Takayanagi

Kamil López Angie Harris

Nichole Smouse- López Margaret Wright

Colleen Davis Elvira Hudson

Teresa Holloway-Nunn Doug Trotter

Ellen Yarnell and her nephew, Jeremiah

And all of the UCC, in all settings.

If you want prayers said for yourself or others,

feel free to call on the Prayer Chain by

e-mailing Peggy West @ [email protected]

or call her at 503-659-7922.

Need an Item in the Sunday Bulletin?

Please, send it to the church office before

noon on the Wed before worship.

Ainsworth Directory Updates

Soon we will be sending a new directory out.

Please review your information in it and let us

know if there are corrections needed. If you

have any changes in your contact information,

please send that to the church office at

[email protected]




Cambric Scholarship Deadline

Because of your generosity, we can continuing

offering the Cambric Higher Education

Scholarship. For scholarship applications,

contact the church office. Please, feel free to

share this information with family or other

deserving students seeking a scholarship for

higher education. The application must be mailed

or emailed to the church by April 3rd.

As one activity in its mission and outreach to the

community, Ainsworth United Church of Christ

awards this scholarship in honor and memory of

Rev. Cortland Cambric. Rev. Cambric was active

in encouraging students towards continuing in

higher education. Rev. Cambric believed strongly

in showing support for students, which included

personal as well as financial support. He was a

man who exemplified the personal and

professional ethics as a Christian, which we hope

will inspire all applicants to strive for excellence

in their lives.

2016 Ainsworth Yard Sale…

The AUCC 2016 yard sale

team will begin accepting

donations - March 1st,

2016. Please place your

donations on the stage

found on the 2nd floor of the church. If you would

like a receipt for your taxes please contact Joslyn

Baker at [email protected] for a receipt.

Please keep in the mind the following guidelines

for donating items.

Reminder, the item must:

Work without fixes/exceptions and needs

no work/repair

be clean

be in very good to excellent/ new

condition

be smaller than a microwave

The AUCC 2016 yard sale team will meet Friday,

April 8th from 9am to 12pm at the church to sort

and price items, Please feel welcome to join us or

to drop off items at this time.

Will Ainsworth Host Boy Scout Troops?

Our church has been asked by the Cascade Pacific

Council of the Boy Scouts of America to consider

sponsoring a new troop in NE Portland. The Rev.

Cecil Prescod introduced this possibility at the

January 24th Congregational Meeting, and

volunteers Brenda Lefebvre and Frank Baldwin,

together with Pastor Cecil, were asked to meet

with scouting representatives to gather more

information. The Boy Scout movement has

changed dramatically in recent years, with the

ending of discrimination against LGBTQ

participants. As a result, the UCC has renewed its

historic sponsoring relationship with scouting,

and the Scouts are actively seeking to start troops

that reflect Ainsworth’s Open and Affirming and

racially inclusive values.

It has been a number of years since there has been

a Boy Scout Troop or a Cub Scout Pack in our part

of Northeast Portland, and the regional council

feels that throughout the neighborhood there

would be a great deal of interest in a troop-and-

pack partnership sponsored by Ainsworth

UCC. Preliminary meetings with council leaders

have assured us that our facilities could readily

accommodate a pack and troop that meet on the

same night. A Cub Scout Pack serves boys in the

1st through 5th grade; A Scout Troop serves older

boys and young men ages 11 through

17. Sponsorship on our part would involve a

commitment to reach out to the community

through this program, some adult leadership,

some modest assistance with fund raising, and at

least a few families interested in helping the pack

and the troop get established here.

An expanded exploratory committee is being

gathered to broaden our understanding of this

opportunity and its appropriateness for Ainsworth

UCC. Please be in touch with Pastor Cecil

([email protected]) if you’re

willing to take part in this discernment

process. We’d like to consider bringing at least a

preliminary proposal to the next meeting of our

Church Council. We’ll try to keep everyone

informed.

Thanks, from Cecil, Brenda and Frank.




Special Appeals from our Church Family

Tom West: If you have cans &/or bottles for

Tom West or yard work, or need help with

moving, please call him on his cell phone. The

correct number is 503-719-3941.

Please, Note when Giving to the Church…

We thank you for all of your giving that makes

possible ministry that transforms lives.

Please, generous people, when you put money in

the offering plate, check or cash, please write your

name on the offering envelope and the amount. If

you wish to designate the money for a specific use

(ie. capital campaign, scholarship fund, etc.)

please write that in special gift. Otherwise put the

amount on the ‘Tithes’ line. The cashiers must

know whether the money is for regular giving

(Tithes) or other use, so that they can record the

income in the proper place on their report.

Thank you,

Pastor Lynne

Become a NAACP member – The Portland NAACP is actively seeking new

members. Monthly meetings are the 4th Saturday

of each month, 12-2pm at the Red Cross 3131 N

Vancouver Ave Portland, OR. If you are

interested in joining, or want more information,

you can see their website at:

https://www.naacp.org/pages/membership

Memberships are $30/year or $75/lifetime. If you

apply, type in that you are affiliated with Unit

#1120 once you've submitted your application.

2015 Annual Total Giving Statements…

These popular statements are ready. Many have

been given, but if you do not have yours yet,

contact us. If you have any questions, contact

Judy Eichler at 503 287-8084 or [email protected]

Jubilee Oregon

For latest updates on Jubilee Oregon:

http://jubileeoregon.org/

Thinking about the coming Summer?

How About Summer Camp?

It is that time of the year when

our heads are full of thought

of getting into our gardens,

planting flowers and making

summer vacation plans. But,

it is also time to think about

summer camps. It is time to

register for summer camp!

Outdoor Ministries of the Central Pacific

Conference of the United Church of Christ

is planning another summer of great camp

experiences. Many of Ainsworth UCC members

have had wonderful times at Camp Adams as

campers, counselors, directors, and chaplain.

The dates of the camps are:

Exodus (9th- 12th grade): July 3- 9

Sojourners (6th- 8th grade): July 10- 16

Discoverers (4th- 5th grade): July 17- 23

Genesis/Seekers (2nd- 3rd grade): July 24- 30

Taller & Smaller (K- 1st grade w/adult):

July 31- Aug 3 or August 3- Aug 6

The cost of each camp is $365.00.

There is an online registration. To register go to

cpcucc.org and click on “Register Now” in the

right hand column. Families can now use

credit/debit cards for CPC camping registrations.

The conference and Ainsworth UCC offer

scholarships. To apply for financial assistance

please feel out the attached forms and return them

to me. Scholarship forms are also available in the

narthex (lobby) of the church on the west wall. If

you have any questions about scholarships please

contact me.

The deadline for scholarship applications is May

1st. The deadline for camp registration is May 31st.

Questions?? Contact me or or email Co-Director

of Outdoor Ministries Natalie Becker

at [email protected] or call her at 503-

829-2118.

Grace and peace,




Rev. Cecil Prescod

Guantanamo Bay Closure (from front page)…

countries.

The President said he had spent "countless hours"

over the past several years working to close the

prison, and that he fielded phone calls from many

close allies criticizing its existence.

"I don't want to pass this problem on to the next

president, whoever it is," President Obama said.

"And if, as a nation, we don't deal with this now,

when will we deal with it?"

The White House has not ruled out the possibility

that Obama might try to use his executive

authority to shut down the prison if his efforts to

reach agreement with Congress on the issue

continue to fall short.

"The plan is reasonable, will save money, and

ultimately will make us more secure by restoring

our nation's reputation as a country that upholds

human rights," Neuroth added. "We call on

members of Congress to support the president's

plan and work expeditiously with the

administration to help implement it. Each day the

prison at Guantanamo remains open, and

detainees are held without trial, we perpetuate a

moral wound for our nation that will only be

healed when Guantanamo is permanently closed.

As people of faith, we believe now is the time to

close the prison at Guantanamo."

Written by Connie Larkman

Taken from the UCC website.

Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice:

http://www.imirj.org Because Love Has No Borders

March Birthdays…

6 Maya Stephens

10 Frank Baldwin

10 David Lomnicki

10 Amarilis Garcia-McMillian

11 Eldon Potter

12 Michelle Puggarana

13 Byron Hagman

13 Louise McHarris

14 Christine Putnam

15 Myrna Rattle

15 Nichole Smouse-López

16 Morrine Osborne

17 Shelly Penix

17 Norma Godfrey

18 Emily Stephens

25 Ellen Hansen

26 Linda Forbes

27 Jean Scott

27 Tim Bealer

27 Chelyn Joseph

28 Kristine Bryan

29 Tiffany Kirkpatrick

29 Kamil López

30 Shannon Hillis

31 Teddy Singleton




Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Abbreviations CP Cambric Parlor MH Michel Hall S Sanctuary

March 2016

1 10 am

Bible Study (CP)

7 pm Women’s Support Group

2

3 6:30-8 pm Adult Choir

Rehearsal (S)

4

5

6 10 am Worship

Noon Commissions

Meet

7 6:30 pm

Lenten Soup Supper

8 10 am

Bible Study (CP)


9

10 11 am

Thursday Fellowship

6:30-8 pm Adult Choir

Rehearsal (S)

11 Middle School

Mid-Winter Retreat at

Camp Adams

12 Middle School

Mid-Winter Retreat at

Camp Adams

13 10 am Worship

With Ramon Ramirez

(PCUN), guest preacher

11:45 am Mental Health

Meeting

12-2 Confirmation

14 6:30 pm

Lenten Soup Supper

15 10 am

Bible Study (CP)

6:30 Church

Council

7 pm Women’s

Support Group

16

17

Saint Patrick’s Day

6:30-8 pm Adult Choir

Rehearsal (S)

18

19

20 10 am Worship

Palm Sunday

21

22 10 am

Bible Study

11:15 am MWOA (CP)


23

24 6:30 pm Maundy

Thursday Meal & Service

25

26

27 10 am Worship Gospel Mass

Easter Sunday

28

29 10 am

Bible Study


30

31 6:30-8 pm Adult Choir

Rehearsal (S)




Ainsworth UCC is online, at www.ainsworthucc.com

Ainsworth United Church of Christ

2941 NE Ainsworth St.

Portland, OR 97211

The Chronicle is a publication of Ainsworth United Church of Christ, a

multiracial, multicultural, open & affirming congregation.

Mark your Calendars.

Next Submission Deadline:

Monday, March 21

(almost always the next to last Monday)

Submission is easy! Place in the Chronicle box in Gooding Library.

e-mail to Clinton at: [email protected]

Please include your name and phone number on all submissions.

Ainsworth

United Church of Christ

2941 NE Ainsworth St.

Portland, OR 97211

503-284-8767

Church Business E-mail

[email protected]

Pastor

Lynne Smouse López [email protected]

Minister of Faith Formation

Rev. Cecil Prescod [email protected]

Office Administrator

Shawn Burchfield

Minister of Music

Cynthia Butts

Accompanist

Dan Gaynor

Custodian

Doug Trotter

AUCC Webmaster

Ellen Yarnell

Chronicle Editor

Clinton Rockey

Health Ministries

Coordinator

Margaret-Ann Jones

Church Website www.ainsworthucc.com

Requested in

Home by:

6 Mar

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Also online at: www.ainsworthucc.com

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