I know we are all a little discouraged the coronavirus pandemic is lingering so long and safety precautions are still necessary to love one another. Please say extra prayers for our preschool and early learning center staff, especially our director, Angie Lopez. Angie is navigating a very difficult situation. The Delta variant is attacking children much more than did the earlier variants, and of course, the children are not eligible to be vaccinated yet.

We have had two more cases of COVID in the preschool recently, a student and a teacher. The teacher was vaccinated and always masked around the unmasked students, yet she still contracted it after the student had gotten infected from an outside source. This has resulted in several rooms being shut down for 10 days, at a loss of income for us and a loss of childcare for the families affected. (We have, however, continued to pay the affected staff.) Please pray also for the sick student and teacher, that they will recover with no lingering side effects as has happened to so many.

I also want you all to know I feel strongly that I should personally err on the side of caution when it comes to masks, distancing, and limiting the amount of time I am in an inside space with unmasked people. Even if we are distancing, we are breathing the same air, which the HVAC system is circulating to all parts of the room. (This is one reason why many, many congregations have returned to not meeting for worship together inside again.)

In February of 2020, I was very sick with another respiratory virus, RSV, which is very common among children. It is a rite of childhood that nearly 100% of us catch this virus before we are two years old. It is very contagious, and when adults get it, the symptoms are usually so mild that one does not even realize it is not just a common cold. However, for those who are elderly or whose resistance is down, it can be much more serious, even deadly. My experience was bad enough that my doctor felt an expensive test was worth it for a definitive diagnosis, and that’s how we found out it was RSV.

It really “took the wind out of my sails” and exhausted me both physically and mentally, so that my ability to work was greatly compromised, and I was out of commission for several weeks. I am not really worried about dying from COVID-19, although I realize it is always a possibility. I am, however, somewhat concerned about catching the virus, despite being vaccinated, and being incapacitated to some degree for months as a result, leaving me unable to serve you in the way God has called me to do.

Because my resistance to RSV was so low, I think it is only logical to assume my resistance to COVID-19 could also be low. I really do not want to take unnecessary chances – not just for myself, but also for all of you and for our shared ministry together. I have a strong call to be a good steward of my resources, and that includes my health and well-being.

This pandemic has forced me to adjust my “norms,” as it has for so many of you as well, and it is hard! It is hard to limit my activity in the larger community and to not eat at restaurants. It was hard to cancel our vacation plans that included flying and being around unvaccinated extended family members. It is hard to not see your full faces and smiles, and for you not to see mine, when we are masked on Sundays. There are a lot of hard things to deal with, but I am grateful God is with me in the struggles! I can pray continually, and I can strive to love like Jesus.

The Spirit of God empowers me to think and to act in ways that are for the good of all, including myself, despite it being hard. Please bear with me as I may not always feel that it is everyone’s best interest to enact for myself your personal preferences during the worship service. I remain hopeful that this time of hardship, too, shall pass – sooner rather than later! And I will remind you as I often remind myself, the hardships most of us are experiencing pale in comparison to those of our healthcare workers; please continue to hold them in prayer as well!

Shalom, Rev. Pamela

While Disciples celebrate communion every week in our faith tradition, many of our siblings in Christ in other faith communities do not. But on this one Sunday a year, we are joined by Christ followers from around the globe in observing this sacred meal. We have some special things planned for worship to mark this special day that you won’t want to miss! Be sure to attend, either in person or online!

If you are attending online, we now have a digital bulletin available for you! Click HERE and look for the box that says This Week’s Bulletin, click that box and there you have it! This is updated each Friday, so if you click it before then, it will be last week’s bulletin!

If you are attending in-person, you are also invited to wear any clothing you may have from other countries where you have traveled or lived, or from which you have been gifted articles of clothing by others who have lived or traveled outside the U.S., as a way to honor the unity we have with people from around the world.

Bread & Juice Fellowship After Worship in Honor of World Communion Sunday

If you are attending in person, you are invited to stay after worship to enjoy some yummy international breads from Africa, Afghanistan, and the Middle East. We will also have some toppings for the bread, as well as juice and water as beverages.

This week in worship we also continue our sermon series, Where We Came From: Old Stories for a New Day. This series draws on materials from theologian Brian McLaren, as well as others. This week, we continue following the story of Abram and Sarai, including their name change to Sarah and Abraham, and how it took a long time for God’s promise to come true.

We hope you will take advantage of the Engage prompts in the bulletin to help you engage your heart and minds, and perhaps share with others in rich discussion, around these prompts connected to the sermon.

Sunday, October 3 Sermon Title: It’s Not Too Late; Scripture: Genesis 18: 2-12 & Genesis 22:2-18

To watch past services, you may go to Youtube by clicking HERE.
To see just the scripture and sermons from each week, click HERE.

Reconciliation Ministry Special Offering

The Reconciliation Ministry Special Offering will be received this Sunday and October 10 during worship. The theme this year is “Revealing God’s Justice: The Time is Always Ripe to Do What is Right.”

Reconciliation Ministry is the church wide-mission fund which supports programs and program partners that enable full human flourishing for everyone in every community. As followers of Christ, we believe every life is precious and valued in God’s beloved community. We believe the Christian Church (Disciple of Christ) is uniquely equipped to encourage racial equity and justice in the communities where we worship and serve. Your generosity supports our denominational AND regional efforts to become the anti-racist/pro-reconciliation body of Christ we long to be.

Next week, our congregation will celebrate Reconciliation Sunday with a special emphasis during worship.

Help Our Afghan Refugees

Can you imagine having to leave your home with only what you could carry and flying to a completely new country to start all over again? That is the situation in which many Afghans find themselves, as they have fled their homes during the recent crisis.

Disciples of Christ have a long history of helping refugees and are now partnering with Team Rubicon to help provide much-needed essential items for those coming to Camp Atterbury, which is south of Indy. There are two ways you could help this effort:

1) Make purchases for clothing and baby items from the Amazon Wish List to be sent directly to the Team Rubicon Warehouse by clicking HERE. (The address for this warehouse is not being disclosed for safety reasons.)

2) Bring feminine pads and/or baby diapers and wipes to Hazelwood, which Rev. Pamela will deliver to another Disciples minister who has permission to deliver to the warehouse. She will take donations on Tuesday, October 5. And, if still needed, on Sunday, October 17 and Tuesday, October 26. (You may also make monetary donations which will be used to purchase these items.)

Memorial Service for Helen Tyler

Services for Helen Tyler will be held on Tuesday, October 5 at Elm Ridge Funeral Home & Memorial Park. The service will begin at 2 p.m. with calling hours 12-2 p.m.

Nominate Someone for a 2022 Hazelwood Leadership Position by Sunday, Oct 10

The 2021 Nominating Committee is charged with identifying nominees for the Church Board Officers, Elders, Deacons, and Trustees to be elected for 2022, to be presented at the Congregational Meeting in November 2021. If you have a candidate to nominate, you may submit names by clicking HERE, or contact members of the committee directly: Shirley Bookout, Glen Sulanke, Cheryl McCoy, Marcia Miller, and Amy Stuckey, through Suday, October 10.

Where do you see yourself contributing to the ministry of Hazelwood Christian?

Thank You!

Search Committee Update

The Search Committee met with Rev. Dean Phelps (interim regional minister, Kentucky) on September 1^st via Zoom. He encouraged us to remain visible to the congregation with periodic updates. He also suggested to:

• Consider a Sunday morning commissioning of the Search Committee, identifying ourselves to onsite and virtual worshipers.
• At every opportunity, ask the congregation to be in prayer for us.
• Share openly about the process, but remain confidential concerning people.

We are now working on the Congregational Profile. We are using already available information from the Epiphany Process (2018) and the resulting “Future Story” that put into narrative form our five-year plan (2019-2023). We want to include current input as well, involving onsite and virtual worshipers.

Search Committee members: Tony Gill, Joanna Hahn, Winnie Muhiga, Jason Ratts, Ann Wolfe

Hazelwood Calendar

Thurs, Sept 30: Stewardship Team, 7pm via Zoom
Fri, October 1, and Mon-Tues, Oct 4-5: Stefanie out of the office
Wed-Thurs, Oct 6-7: Rev Pamela’s Days Off, except for previously scheduled Zoom meetings
Wed, Oct 6: Elders, 5:30pm via Zoom
Thurs, Oct 7: Preschool Ministry Team, 2:30pm via Zoom
Sat. Oct 9: Community Health Screening Event by Life Line, Cartwright Hall. Informtion Flyers are available in the Rotunda area; you may also click HERE for more information or to sign up for a screening.
Sun, Oct 10: Reconciliation Sunday, including the Reconciliation Special Offering
Sun, Oct 24: Halloween Treats in the Parking Lot – no Tricks! (AKA Trunk-R-Treat) Bring treats to pass out to the children in celebration of Halloween, All Hallowed’s Eve, which is the following Sunday. All Hallowed’s Eve is the evening before All Saints Day!

We hope you will take advantage of the Engage prompts in the bulletin to help you engage your heart and minds, and perhaps share with others in rich discussion, around these prompts connected to the sermon.

Sunday, September 26 Sermon Title: Plotting Goodness; Scripture: Genesis 12:1-5; Galatians 3:6-9; Mark 11:15-19

To watch past services, you may go to Youtube by clicking HERE.
To see just the scripture and sermons from each week, click HERE.

Help Our Afghan Refugees

Can you imagine having to leave your home with only what you could carry and flying to a completely new country to start all over again? That is the situation in which many Afghans find themselves, as they have fled their homes during the recent crisis.

Disciples of Christ have a long history of helping refugees and are now partnering with Team Rubicon to help provide much-needed essential items for those coming to Camp Atterbury, which is south of Indy. There are two ways you could help this effort:

1) Make purchases for clothing and baby items from the Amazon Wish List to be sent directly to the Team Rubicon Warehouse by clicking HERE. (The address for this warehouse is not being disclosed for safety reasons.)

2) Bring feminine pads and/or baby diapers and wipes to Hazelwood, which Rev. Pamela will deliver to another Disciples minister who has permission to deliver to the warehouse. She will take donations on this Sunday, September 26, and again on Tuesday, October 5. And, if still needed, on Sunday, October 17 and Tuesday, October 26. (You may also make monetary donations which will be used to purchase these items.)

Hazelwood Angels

Thank you to the following volunteers, who served either September 15, 16, or 17 at the Christian Ministries’ Food Pantry: Cheryll Crose, Jay Matchett, Mary Ann Matchett, Dick Miller, Marcia Miller, and Elaine Wulff.

Search Committee Update

The Search Committee met with Rev. Dean Phelps (interim regional minister, Kentucky) on September 1^st via Zoom. He encouraged us to remain visible to the congregation with periodic updates. He also suggested to:

• Consider a Sunday morning commissioning of the Search Committee, identifying ourselves to onsite and virtual worshipers.
• At every opportunity, ask the congregation to be in prayer for us.
• Share openly about the process, but remain confidential concerning people.

We are now working on the Congregational Profile. We are using already available information from the Epiphany Process (2018) and the resulting “Future Story” that put into narrative form our five-year plan (2019-2023). We want to include current input as well, involving onsite and virtual worshipers.

Search Committee members: Tony Gill, Joanna Hahn, Winnie Muhiga, Jason Ratts, Ann Wolfe

Open Nominations

The 2021 Nominating Committee has been formed and is ready to start the task of finding candidates among the active participants in the Hazelwood congregation to serve as Officers, Elders, and Deacons to our church. The list of committee members are: Shirley Bookout and Glen Sulanke (Co-Chair),  Cheryl McCoy, Marcia Miller, and Amy Stucky.
Open nominations will begin September 26 and go through October 10. If you have any questions, or would like to nominate someone from the congregation for a position, you can contact any member of the Nominating Committee.

World Communion Sunday

World Communion Sunday, October 3, is a chance for Hazelwood to join with their Christian family around the world in celebrating the Lord’s Table. As a part of the Disciples of Christ denomination, we partake of communion every week, to remember the sacrifice that was made for our salvation. There are several different ways that you can help us in celebrating this year:

Where do you see yourself contributing to the ministry of Hazelwood Christian?