June 2023 Newsletter
From the Senior Pastor
I hope that with all this May Gray we have paid our dues so June Gloom keeps away! I’m ready for more sunshine and opportunities to celebrate outside in Creation as the days linger longer. I know we have all appreciated the rain, but I’m waiting for our iconic So-Cal sunny days to kick in! What a month we shared together in May!
Even with all those gray days of May, we had our own sense of vibrancy! Our calendar was packed full with lots of opportunities to connect meaningfully with one another and our community. We did a lot of standing and connecting in solidarity, celebrating and deepening bonds within our faith community and beyond. In worship we celebrated Mother’s Day, uplifting women and holding the space for the pain and grief the day often holds. We reflected on our call as church as we worshiped together in preparation for our congregational meeting, electing new leaders among us. We celebrated Pentecost with its bold call for us to recognize the gifts of the Spirit among us: the greatest birthday gift of all - the very birth of the church and what that means to be in this together.
We participated in several events with and for the larger community. One of my favorite things to do is host
a worship service for Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers. Connie Jones played songs from the forties, and we sang some familiar favorites in our worship service. Several of us joined with the South Asian Network to hold an interfaith roundtable discussion on hate towards the Asian community. Gathered at table, we broke
bread (naan) together and shared stories about our faith communities and then received bystander training so we would know what to do if we witnessed a hate crime. Several of us gathered at the Irvine City Hall for a Pride Festival on Harvey Milk Day to raise the Progress Flag.
It was important that IUCC was represented, since we were the first Open and Affirming congregation in Orange County. And one of our most unique events was to gather with the Jewish Community HaNefesh at the Congregation Ale House in Santa Ana for “A Rabbi and A Pastor Walk into a Bar”! We had a lively Bible Study on the book of Ruth in celebration of Shavuot, the barley festival. It was a fun way to get to know members of their synagogue as we all learned together.
A packed May paves the way for a busy June as well, offering us many opportunities to connect with one another both through worship and throughout the month. We’re kicking off the first day of Pride month with a Pastor’s Potluck under the sails. Bring a dish to share and something to BBQ and we’ll enjoy an evening conversation as we break bread together. We’re kicking off the month and ending it celebrating Pride because on Saturday, June 24, we will be marching in the OC Pride Parade, then celebrating our own Pride Sunday here at IUCC. I’m looking forward to learning more this Pride Sunday as we invite our own Christine Roy to share in a panel with draq queen Cucu Chanel as we address the nationwide attacks on trans people and drag queens while learning more about what it means to be non-binary. I think having this holy conversation will deepen all of our understanding and commitment to the queer community as we live out our call to be an Open and Affirming church.
Additionally, June brings us Juneteenth, an opportunity to celebrate African-Americans as we observe Emancipation Day, a commemoration of when enslaved people in Texas were finally set free on June 19, 1865. Our sister church in Laguna Beach, Neighborhood Congregational Church, has invited us to a Juneteenth Jubilee, a celebration of history and culture as they partner with the Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center offering a number of activities on June 19 and throughout the week.
I hope you’ll feel the sunshine this month, even if it’s simply the light we share when we gather together. May you find moments where you can step outside, take advantage of the longer evenings, break bread, engage in conversation, and feed your spirit throughout the month. I invite you to intentionally join us as we continue to create a safe, inclusive, and welcoming space for you and everyone else to thrive and grow in their faith in community.
Hope to see you at IUCC!
Pastor
