Brecksville

On Sunday December 16 at our 10 AM service, the adult choir will present Christmas Seekers by John Purifoy. The dynamic piece features a combination of contemporary and traditional numbers. The choir will be accompanied by flutes, trumpets, trombone, violin, percussion, and narrators. Please plan on joining us Sunday December 16 to enjoy this BUCC holiday tradition!

The Christmas Pageant this year will be A Charlie Brown Christmas and will be presented on Sunday, December 9th during the service. Every year the children and Christian Education volunteers get us in the Christmas spirit! We hope you will be able to join us for this very special, meaningful, and fun tradition!

On Sunday, December 16th (during coffee hour after the Cantata), we invite those who have crafts or gifts to sell to bring them to BUCC! For a suggested donation of only $25, you can set up a table in Pilgrim Hall to offer items to sell to support your small business, crafty habit, baking, or charity efforts. The rest of us can then enjoy shopping for Christmas presents with the knowledge we are supporting each other and also a great cause! To sign up for table space, please contact Kate Klonowski at (216) 534-3498, keightykay@gmail.com  or during coffee hour. All proceeds will benefit the Pastor’s Fund

Each year, members of our congregation share thoughts and memories of the holidays, together with prayers inspired by the daily readings of the season.

It covers the period from the First Sunday of Advent through Epiphany.

Hard copies are available at the office, or you can download your own copy: ADVENT-BOOK-2018-2019

The Membership and Stewardship Ministries are putting on the dinner with the help of Cliff and Sue Stenzel making the delicious turkey and mashed potatoes.

Visitors are welcome.

Dinner will be served shortly after church service……so bring a big appetite. Please get your name on the signup sheet for a side dish or dessert. If you have any questions, please contact Kathy Smith 440 343 6354 or David Pastor 440 552 4403.

Brecksville UCC will host the Yiddishe Cup Klezmer Band on SUNDAY NOVEMBER 4 AT 4:00 PM. Formed in 1988, Yiddishe Cup is one of the top Klezmer Bands in America. Klezmer music is a hybrid of Eastern European Jewish folk music, American swing, Yiddish theater tunes and Israeli horas. Yiddishe Cup — also known as Funk A Deli — has broadened its musical palette to include rock ‘n’ roll, Motown, and R&B. A free-will offering will be received, and a light reception will follow the program. Plan on joining us on Nov. 4 for some toe-tapping ethnic music. Bring a friend, and your dancing shoes!

For more information: Click here for flyer

It’s not too late to join seasonal choir as we prepare for this year’s Christmas Cantata, scheduled for December 16. Rehearsals run weekly on Thursday evenings from 7:00-8:00. If you enjoy singing in a group setting, but cannot commit to regular choir, seasonal choir provides an excellent opportunity for choral singing, fellowship, and spiritual preparation for the Feast of the Nativity. Listening CDs are provided to make the learning process easier. If you have any questions, contact Dave Debick.

is this Wednesday, Oct. 17th at the Islamic Center of Cleveland, 6055 W. 130th Street, Parma. Registration begins at 6:30 pm, with the program starting at 7:15. You can RSVP to Isam Zaiem, 216-337-7928 or isamz@sbcglobal.net

On September 12^th, the Southern Hills Interfaith Association and CAIR [Council on America-Islamic Relations] Ohio will be hosting an event called Teatime for Peace. This will be an opportunity to deepen the understanding and relationship between our Muslim neighbors and ourselves, through guided conversations over tea and treats.

Teatime for Peace is an initiative that grew out of the desire to counterbalance the  political rhetoric of divisiveness and fear directed against American Muslims. The idea is to break through misinformed stereotypes by building bridges, focusing on our similarities, and celebrating our delightful differences! With approximately 70% of Americans not knowing anyone who is Muslim, or having little accurate information about Islam, it can be easy to listen to the voices of negativity, prejudice and fear. This gathering offers an excellent opportunity for people of diverse communities to get to know one another, and to recognize and celebrate our shared humanity and common aspirations.

The topics of our table conversations will include sharing our family history in the U.S., ways in which our faith traditions inspire us to improve our community, and things we can do to promote mutual respect and understanding. Ideally, we will all get to know someone from a different background or faith tradition, which may lead to further conversations and contact.

This event will be held at Brecksville United Church of Christ, 23 Public Sq. in Brecksville [Rt. 82, east of Central School].

Registration/Sign-in begins at 6:30 pm, with the program starting at 7:00.

On three Monday evenings in August, we will show three TED Talks, each serving as a springboard for some timely discussions. The speakers and topics are:

• August 6 – Jonathan Haidt – Can a Divided America Heal?
• August 13 – Verna Myers – How to Overcome our Biases? Walk Boldly Toward Them!
• August 20 – Karen Armstrong – My Wish: The Charter for Compassion

These events will begin at 7:00 PM in Pilgrim Hall. In addition to viewing the approximately 20 minute-long video, we will also share some light refreshments and some lively conversations. Each evening and topic can “stand alone” – so feel free to attend any or all of them.

Please invite a friend to join you! All are welcome!