From the River's Edge
The Pastors' Blog
Behold
by Rev. Racquel Ray, Associate Minister of Congregational Life The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light has shined.~ Isaiah 9:2, Matthew 4:16 Behold. Behold, beloved, is a term often used in the scripture to announce the presence of the Divine or the work or word of the Divine. ‘Behold’ informs the biblical reader that...
ENGAGE: Impact
by Rev. Dr. Dale Azevedo, Sr. Minister Dear friends and members of BCCUCC, Did you hear Kim Fernandez share in church on Sunday? She did a wonderful job talking about the IMPACT BCCUCC has had on her and her family. From growing up in the church singing in the children’s choir, to attending mission trips with the youth group, to the tremendous support her family received following the death of...
Mental Wellness
by Rev. Racquel Ray, Associate Minister of Congregational Life Are you feeling particularly uneasy these past few years? We are in unstable and sometimes scary times. When we watch the news, we see images of natural disasters, violence, political discord, pandemic, and war. We are conditioned to be afraid of pending tragedy with commercials for life insurance, car insurance, home title...
What’s NOT in the Obituary
by Rev. Racquel Ray, Associate Minister of Congregational Life On September 7, 2024, my mother-in-law passed away. Irene Deanna Ray, affectionately known as Annie was the matriarch of the Ray clan. She was eight-five years old and had survived several previous rounds of breast cancer along with a stroke and a heart attack. The love of her life, Art (GySgt Arthur Ray, USMC, Retired),...
Come home!
by Rev. Dr. Dale Azevedo, Sr. Minister "Come home, come home. You who are weary, come home." Will L. Thompson Come Home September 8 is Open Doors Sunday. As many of you know, that is the official kickoff of our 2024-2025 program year. It comes at a time that our kids have gone back to school, our boaters lament the passing of summer, and our staff and lay leaders get busy. It is a really...
What is Christian Nationalism and why does it matter?
by Rev. Dr. Dale Azevedo, Sr. Minister A few weeks ago, during our first grab-bag sermon, I referred to Christian Nationalists adding the commentary that their ideals aren't particularly Christian or patriotic. This was my sermon on kindness and humility where I discussed the "fruits of the Spirit" (June 23) as the Biblical test of true faithfulness. Following that sermon, one of our members...