Message from the Moderator

Message from the Moderator 

Rev. Nate Klug will return to the office on November 4 to resume his work with the Congregation. Recently he shared that he and Kit were able to take the little family to New England to meet the grandparents, and he looks forward to coming back among us.  As we are rounding the bend in preparation for his return, there has been one schedule change. Barry Cammer has graciously agreed to provide worship service for November 1st.

We are grateful to all the friends and members of the ACC Congregation who have stepped in to provide virtual worship services and pastoral care during Rev. Nate's paternity leave. Those have included: Rev. Barry Cammer, Rev. Julie Stokstad, Rev. Dennis Alger, Ruth Robinson, Rev. Dorothy Streutker, Lauren Hotchkiss, Dudley Thompson, and this week, Rev. Shirlee Bromley. We are also grateful for pastoral care provided by Rev. Julie Stokstad, and Rev. Barry Cammer.  ACC has been blessed with the spiritual presence these folks bring to us, as we navigate new ways of being together as a congregation.  

Gratefully, Linda Young, Moderator

Jubilee Weekend

Jubilee Weekend Coming Up : Curing Poverty, Inequality and the Coronavirus

This weekend, October 16-19 is Jubilee Weekend, the same weekend as the major IMF and World Bank meetings this year.  ACC is a Jubilee Congregation, supporting the work of Jubilee USA in its bi-partisan efforts to seek fair economic practices and policies for the most vulnerable nations. Director, Eric LaCompt speaks regularly to the United Nations, and strongly advises the World Bank and the IMF as they develop policies. Jubilee Weekend, a time when all the faith members join together in prayer for our brothers and sisters around the world.    

Eric Writes: 

We need your help to lift the voices of the faithful in defense of the world’s most vulnerable during this critical time. With your help, we can expand debt relief for the 73 poorest countries and move forward more aid for developing countries.

I encourage you to CLICK HERE to learn more.  Along with interesting reading, you will find a couple of lines down, a link to a petition to the G 20 that you can sign online. 

Linda Young -ACC Moderator – and contact for Jubilee USA Network

ACT NOW!

Kensington Polling Near the Church

Several people have asked if ACC will be used as a polling place this year. I talked with Erin Mendez in the Election Commission Office who is helping with the planning of polling places. She said that because of the Covid-19 Pandemic, all registered voters will be sent a vote-by-mail ballot for November 3, 2020 election. They are, therefore, reducing number of in-person polling places. ACC will not be used in November.

Most Important:

-      A new Drop Box will be set up at the library. 

-      The Kensington Community Center will be available for people who wish to do in-person voting.

-      She asked that we help get the word out. 

Linda Young, Moderator

linda.lapp.young@gmail.com 

Council Summary: September, 2020

Council Summary: September, 2020

 It is clear from our Council Meeting Sept. 10 that the church is still alive and well. We are performing our ministry among congregants as well as continuing with outreach mission and social justice work.  

Rev. Barry Cammer is our pastor on call this month.  He is visiting people – sometimes in person and sometimes virtually.  Examples of projects of the Boards are the following:  Building and Grounds Trustees are continuing to take care of repairs and plantings around the building, and have hired a new gardener.  They are supervising cleaning and sanitizing of the church including seeing to some “deep cleaning” that is difficult to do when we are all around.  Missions and Social Justice Board is looking ahead to special offerings, and a possible modification of our Christmas work with Neighborhood House.  Faith Formation’s “Wise Hearts” group will continue to meet quarterly.  Faith Formation  contributes inspirational pieces in the Parishscope and is sponsoring the next Virtual Pot Luck.   The Racists Anonymous group has evolved into “Becoming Anti-Racist:  A Mission of Arlington Community Church,” with Zoom meeting at 4:00 on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month.  Their discussions of how we live our faith values feels like combined work of the Faith Formation Board and the Missions and Social Justice Board – thanks to Helen’s leadership.  Newcomers are welcome.  Be sure to come to the Friday afternoon Zoom session Oct. 9 in which Rev. Dorothy Streutker will lead a discussion of local ballot issues, our values, and faith-filled voting.

 

The Council continues to function as stewards of the church.  We are carefully considering our expenditures, considering lost income from room rentals and reduced rental income from the schools.  The schools are operating at low enrollment as staff carefully navigate the Covid-19 prevention protocols.  Since income is down, the Council is beginning to consider changes we will need to make in the budget for 2021.  Randy Laferte, our Treasurer, anticipates lost room-rental income of about $20,000 and lost school rental income of about $20,000 total for the year.  Our expenditure priority remains salaries for our valued employees.  Given these numbers, it is not too early to ask you to consider whether you are able to increase your pledge for 2021.

 

Linda Young: Moderator, ACC.

Local Food Drive October 1 - November 3

Local Food Drive

Food insecurity exists for thousands in our local community.  The Richmond Emergency Food Pantry provides free food to over 45,000 individuals each year.  The need is even greater during the pandemic and these hard economic times.  Needy individuals and families are permitted one visit per month at the Food Pantry to pick up provisions.  Their website site provides more information:  www.refp.org. 

Arlington Community Church, 52 Arlington Avenue, Kensington, is promoting and sponsoring a local food drive.  Canned and packaged items may be dropped off at the front door of the church now through Election Day, November 3rd.  Collected items will go to the Richmond Emergency Food Pantry.  In addition, donations of checks in any amount made out to Arlington Community Church, Food Drive, or directly to the Richmond Emergency Food Pantry may be dropped off at the church in the mail drop in the Office door.

Council Summary August 13, 2020

Council meeting highlights include the following:

·        Approved of a set of Covid Prevention Plans for ACC members and renters who wish to use our building for Small Group meetings.  We extend our huge thanks to the members of the committee who put this together:  Eleanor Crump, Susan Russell, Faith Abel, Nina Harmon,  Linda Young, Nate Klug.  The only spaces approved for use, so far, are the patio, and large social hall. (The kitchen is being used only by the monthly team making sandwiches for the Souper Center).  We’ve had a few small opportunities to test out the protocols.  If you wish your small group to meet, please contact Eleanor, Nate, Linda or Jacob and we’ll get you the portions of the plan you will need.  These plans will serve as a base for expanding to larger groups using our spaces.

·        Reviewed scheduled pastoral coverage and events planned while Nate will be on his Parental leave during September and October.  Along with continued with our regularly scheduled activities and worship, Joe Pratt has agreed to chair/coordinate the plans that have begun for our virtual “BAZAAR” in December.  Please send your “pledges” of home made offerings to Joe or to Nate (while he is still here). 

·        Learned that based on a survey conducted by Sara, we now have a list of options for “memorial gifts” if a person wishes to gift to the church in memory of a loved one. We will also encourage gifts that benefit the general fund. 

·        Learned the progress of our new ACC Sign for the front steps. We’ve since learned that on  Friday, Aug 21.  It will arrive!   

·        Noted: Capital Campaign projects remain officially on hold during the Covid-19 Pandemic until we reach a clear conclusion about the financial impact the pandemic has on the Church community and the schools that are housed on our site. 

July, 2020 Council Summary

Council Summary - Linda Young, Moderator

Council met via Zoom on July 16th. 

·     Nate’s return from vacation was warmly welcomed, and he reported on his ministry including arrangements for the two months of paternity leave coming up in September and October.

·     Elena recommended the Online Donation System be adjusted for clarity. Council encourages large donations to continue to come to the church via mail to avoid the percentage charged by the online system.

·     Randy’s financial status report showed ACC is still fairly stable in spite of the Pandemic, however a long time without rents, and precarious school attendance, could hurt both the schools and the church.

·     The new sign that will hang over the steps on the balcony is paid for and is “in the works”.

·     The Face Mask project has received a boost from a several large donations of fabric. Donations of both money and fabric are still very welcome. Face masks recently have been donated to YEAH (a drop-in center for homeless youth in Berkeley), Punks With Lunch (volunteers who deliver meals to homeless in West Oakland), and the Zuni Pueblo.

·     The ACC Knitting Ministry, which is not currently active, was pleased to donate about 4 dozen skeins of yarn to a local group who crochet ear-savers for people who have difficulty wearing behind-the-ear masks. The crocheted piece is a rectangle with a button on each end. It fits across the back of the head, and the elastic from the mask wraps around the buttons instead of the ear, preventing damage to skin and hearing aids.

·     Eleanor reported and we reviewed the Reopening Committee’s work on protocols for small group gatherings up to 18 using the large social hall, deck and patio. Sanctuary use is still a way off.

·     Faith’s team is reviving pot luck plans to begin No-Food Potlucks via Zoom coming up on FIRST THURSDAYS - including programs on the Labyrinth, Voting Guides, Ashby Village and others. 

·     A Memorial team was formed to draw up a list of potential memorial gifts since the church has learned that a donor wishes some options. The team is already busy generating ideas.

Re-Opening Committee Update: Thursday July 9, 2020

Re-Opening Committee Update: Thursday July 9, 2020

ACC’s Re-opening Committee has met twice.  We’ve reviewed State guidelines for Covid-19 safety measures, both broad ones for workplaces and specifics for places of worship. In addition to studying the guidelines, we’ve learned about what other organizations have been considering in their re-opening (such as the Albany Y).  We agreed that a high priority for our work is keeping an open line of communication between this committee and the Congregation.  Members include: Eleanor Crump, Faith Abel, Susan Russell, Nina Harmon, Linda Young, and Rev. Nate Klug.   Please feel free to ask questions or share ideas. 

The work is now focusing on developing ACC guidelines for small groups.  These guidelines will govern both ACC small groups, and small groups that rent our spaces.  We will have a comprehensive draft of these guidelines completed in about 2 weeks, and then will present to Council for approval and communication with the Congregation.  When opening for small groups does begin, it will most likely be limited to outdoor spaces, and the large social hall where people can spread out.  All groups using our space will be required to have a monitor who has people sign in, does temperature checks, , documents attendance, and monitors compliance with Social Distancing protocols. We are also working on the guidelines for the “behind the scenes” extra cleaning that will need to be done. 

A Little Update on the Work of Jubilee USA During the Covid-19 Pandemic

A little update on the work of Jubilee USA during the Covid-19 Pandemic

ACC Supports Jubilee USA

By Linda Young

A couple of weeks ago,  I had the opportunity to sit in on a live international discussion lead by Eric LeCompte, Executive Director, Jubilee USA Network. Panelists discussed  a real solution for helping developing low and middle income countries reeling under the economic effects of Covid-19.  In the past, solutions have been austerity, or loans from the World Bank or the IMF.  Under current circumstances, more debt is the last thing these countries need.  How could they ever gain the funds to pay back the debt?

The proposal:  Appealing to the G20 and the IMF to allow these countries to draw on the Global emergency funds which exist – and have been expressly set up for a crisis just such as this.  That would mean the use of SDR’s, Special Drawing Rights. SDR’s are international reserve assets – in practice, a global currency created by the IMF.  SDR’s can be exchanged for Currency such as dollars.  The fee for their use: 5 hundredths of 1%. The SDR is neither a currency nor a claim on the IMF. Rather, it is a potential claim on the freely usable currencies of IMF members. SDR’s can be exchanged for currencies.

For further reading

The panel consisted of:   Andres Arauz, former Director of the Central Bank of Ecuador,

Patricia Miranda, Global Advocacy Director, Latindadd

Jean Saldanha, Executive Director, Eurodad

Matthew Martin, Advisor of OIF Finance Ministers and Director of Development Finance International

 

Info on SDR’s

https://www.imf.org/en/About/Factsheets/Sheets/2016/08/01/14/51/Special-Drawing-Right-SDR

G20 meetings

https://www.jubileeusa.org/pr_world_leaders_meet_to_tackle_covid_debt_and_development_crises

Eric LeCompte from Jubilee USA speaks to the UN

https://www.jubileeusa.org/lecompte_remarks_un_financing_covid