Embedded Files
100 Years
Stories, sermons, music, and memories from the past 100 years
The life and times of Community United Church of Christ, Raleigh NC
Remembering Cally Rogers-Witte
Remembering Cally Rogers-Witte
Rev. Calvin Ann Rogers-Witte passed away on November 12, 2019. "Cally" was the longest serving pastor in the history of Community United Church of Christ (1977-1994).
On November 18, 2019, Pastor Carol Ripley-Moffitt led a conversation about the life of Cally during a meeting of the weekly Monday Lunch Group at the church. Others in the church were invited, and together with the visitors we had 22 people in attendance that day.
Here we have an edited 26-minute version of that conversation during which people reflected and shared stories about Cally's time at CUCC. The conversation is a bit chaotic at times with multiple people talking at the same time, but the love and respect for Cally is manifest in this dialog. Those sharing reflections include (more or less in order) ...
Nancy Newell
Carol Ripley-Moffitt
Judy Smallwood
John Little
Peg Hulslander
Lavon Page
Geraldine Bryan
Roger Manus
Carol Kepler
Bill Lamb
Betty Ann Ford
Vandy Bradow
Ruth Rickers Klemmer (1926-2018)
Ruth Rickers Klemmer (1926-2018)
A memorial service for Ruth was held at Community UCC on April 28, 2018. The service (complete except for hymns and transitions) is available in two parts.
___________________________Bob Hazel
Bob Hazel
Bob Hazel (1922-2013) joined the United Church of Raleigh, forerunner of Community UCC, in 1953 and remained a member for 60 years until his death in 2013. Bob's memorial service was held at CUCC on November 24, 2013. The complete service, shown in the video below, is slightly over an hour long and features a moving eulogy presented by Bob's son Dennis.
Paul Klemmer Memorial Service
Paul Klemmer Memorial Service
A memorial service for Paul Klemmer, son of Ed and Ruth Klemmer, was held at the church on January 9, 2016. The video shows the entire service (46 min.).
Kerma Hazel (1924-2014)
Kerma Hazel (1924-2014)
Kerma Hazel joined the forerunner of Community UCC with her husband Bob in 1953. Bob died in November 2013, and Kerma died only four and a half months later. Kerma was in ill health at the time of Bob's death, and Bob's memorial service effectively served as a memorial for both of them.
Kerma Hazel
Photo: Bob Hazel, NC Wildlife Commission
News and Observer , June 9, 1959
Geraldine Bryan Reads Scripture - 2019
Geraldine Bryan Reads Scripture - 2019
Geraldine Bryan has been a spiritual leader at Community UCC for more than 50 years. In this video Geraldine introduces and reads a scripture passage during the 10:30 worship service on July 14, 2019.
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Welcoming Sunday - 2016
Welcoming Sunday - 2016
Welcoming Sunday is held in early September each year. It's sort of a kick-off event for the beginning of fall and the end of summer. Susan Maleszweski, Nancy Stoddard, and Sue Cottle headed up a magnificent kitchen crew that supplied and coordinated the food for the event. And many of the church ministries staffed information and activity tables. More than 90 people attended the event.
These 48 photos are from September 11, 2016. You can click the little expander button at the bottom of the slideshow (4 arrows pointing outward) to view the slide show in full screen mode.
Celebrating Geraldine Bryan's 90th birthday - Monday Lunch Group
Geraldine Bryan's 90th birthday
Geraldine Bryan's 90th birthday
On October 27, 2014, Monday Lunch Group celebrated Geraldine's 90th birthday with cake and ice cream and a program that honored her years at CUCC and all the wisdom she has shared in so many different settings. The group viewed selections from Geraldine's Noah video produced in 2006 with help from Lavon Page. And folks shared anecdotes about Geraldine as varied as trips abroad and rides on a zip line. Mostly, however, it was a wonderful opportunity for friends of Geraldine (including Judy Smallwood and Sally Cook and Peggy Hoffmann's daughter Rosemary) to get together and enjoy celebrating this remarkable woman and spiritual leader.
The program included a prayer by Pastor Steve Halsted which is reprinted below.______________
Prayer/Poem in Celebration of Geraldine’s 90th Birthday
Most High, All Powerful, Ever-present Spirit of “All that Is”, we humbly bow before your loving presence. You have blessed us with the gift of life and established an altar of praise in our hearts. We are thankful beyond measure for all the goodness that you have shared with us; for family and friends, for freedom and expression in our faith, for food, clothing, shelter, and good health that provide for our every need; for all this and so much more we are eternally grateful.
Today we are moved to lift up one of your saintly souls among us, our friend and fellow spiritual pilgrim, Geraldine Bryan. Bless Geraldine as she turns 90 years of age. She blesses us each week at our Monday lunch group with her wit and her wisdom and her heart of gold which is forever young. In the spirit of the biblical proverbs, we proclaim:
“A good crone, who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The hearts of her friends trust in her and we will have no lack of gain. She opens her doors sharing Kabbalah wisdom, nurturing the hearts of the spiritually hungry. Strength and dignity are her clothing and she laughs at the time to come. Her family and friends rise up and call her blessed; many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who reveres the Lord is to be praised.”
O Great Spirit, give her the fruit of her vast experiences in life, and let Geraldine’s works praise her in your eternal now! All this we pray in humble reverence. AMEN
Prayer/Poem in Celebration of Geraldine’s 90th Birthday
Most High, All Powerful, Ever-present Spirit of “All that Is”, we humbly bow before your loving presence. You have blessed us with the gift of life and established an altar of praise in our hearts. We are thankful beyond measure for all the goodness that you have shared with us; for family and friends, for freedom and expression in our faith, for food, clothing, shelter, and good health that provide for our every need; for all this and so much more we are eternally grateful.
Today we are moved to lift up one of your saintly souls among us, our friend and fellow spiritual pilgrim, Geraldine Bryan. Bless Geraldine as she turns 90 years of age. She blesses us each week at our Monday lunch group with her wit and her wisdom and her heart of gold which is forever young. In the spirit of the biblical proverbs, we proclaim:
“A good crone, who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The hearts of her friends trust in her and we will have no lack of gain. She opens her doors sharing Kabbalah wisdom, nurturing the hearts of the spiritually hungry. Strength and dignity are her clothing and she laughs at the time to come. Her family and friends rise up and call her blessed; many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who reveres the Lord is to be praised.”
O Great Spirit, give her the fruit of her vast experiences in life, and let Geraldine’s works praise her in your eternal now! All this we pray in humble reverence. AMEN
Marge Eckels Memorial
June 5, 2013
Marge Eckels Memorial
June 5, 2013
Marjorie Mills Robinson Eckels died June 5, 2013, at age 91. She died peacefully at home in the loving care of her daughters Marilyn and Christine. Marjorie was born in Hartford, CT, where she grew up the cherished only child of William and Violet Robinson. She attended U of Conn where she met her husband and life partner Arthur Raymond Eckels. They were married for over 50 years. Marjorie completed a Master of Social Work degree at the U of Chicago. Between 1949 and 1953, Art and Marjorie's four children were born, Alan in Mt. Carmel, CT, and Peter, Marilyn, and Christine in Raleigh, NC, where Art taught at NC State.
The family moved to Burlington, VT, where they lived for five wonderful years in a countryside home with a spectacular view of Lake Champlain. Following their move back to Raleigh for Art's professorship at NC State, Marjorie worked for years in her chosen field of social work. Despite busy lives working and raising four children, Marjorie and Art opened their home to minority students and students from other countries. In their retirement years, they welcomed the Angar family, friends from Afghanistan, into their home. Marjorie also maintained a close relationship with her Aunt Margaret of Manchester, CT, her father's youngest sister.
Marjorie lived among the trees, flowers, and birds she loved in the family home in Raleigh for 52 years. On Feb. 1, 2013, Marjorie moved to the Oaks at Whitaker Glen where she joined many longtime friends, including many church members. She was happy and comfortable there in her new home, being, as she said, a woman who adjusted easily to many circumstances. Marjorie was a transplanted New Englander who surprised herself by her deep affinity for her adopted home in the South.
Marjorie had an abiding faith in God's mysterious presence in all people and creatures of this earth, and in the earth itself. She loved her church community at the Community United Church of Christ, where she and Art were committed members throughout their adult lives. Marjorie expressed her faith actively in her commitments to people and causes that mattered to her deeply. These included many years engaged in this country's Civil Rights Movement and the Women's Rights and Gay Rights Movements. Community action was important to her. For years, Marjorie delivered meals for the Meals-on-Wheels program, collected food bags for the Urban Ministries Food Pantry, and participated on the Rich Park Board. She was proud to participate faithfully in the Raleigh Peace Vigil as a “Grandma for Peace!” Recently she was honored with the Carolyn and Cy King Peace and Justice Award, a tribute she treasured.Marjorie enjoyed so many experiences in her good, long life, but simple pleasures meant the most to her: cooking and sharing meals with family and friends, playing games at her dining room table, watching birds from her breakfast table, picnics on the back deck, evenings by fireside, reading, sewing, knitting, and tending her garden. She also enjoyed tent camping with her family; establishing a Christmas Tree Farm at Art’s family home in CT; and lifelong learning through the CUCC forum, Elderhostel, and college courses at Meredith College and elsewhere. She loved visiting art museums, attending ballet and symphony performances, and going to the theater. She always focused on the positive and accepted life's imperfections and minor disappointments philosophically.
Marjorie lived among the trees, flowers, and birds she loved in the family home in Raleigh for 52 years. On Feb. 1, 2013, Marjorie moved to the Oaks at Whitaker Glen where she joined many longtime friends, including many church members. She was happy and comfortable there in her new home, being, as she said, a woman who adjusted easily to many circumstances. Marjorie was a transplanted New Englander who surprised herself by her deep affinity for her adopted home in the South.
Marjorie had an abiding faith in God's mysterious presence in all people and creatures of this earth, and in the earth itself. She loved her church community at the Community United Church of Christ, where she and Art were committed members throughout their adult lives. Marjorie expressed her faith actively in her commitments to people and causes that mattered to her deeply. These included many years engaged in this country's Civil Rights Movement and the Women's Rights and Gay Rights Movements. Community action was important to her. For years, Marjorie delivered meals for the Meals-on-Wheels program, collected food bags for the Urban Ministries Food Pantry, and participated on the Rich Park Board. She was proud to participate faithfully in the Raleigh Peace Vigil as a “Grandma for Peace!” Recently she was honored with the Carolyn and Cy King Peace and Justice Award, a tribute she treasured.Marjorie enjoyed so many experiences in her good, long life, but simple pleasures meant the most to her: cooking and sharing meals with family and friends, playing games at her dining room table, watching birds from her breakfast table, picnics on the back deck, evenings by fireside, reading, sewing, knitting, and tending her garden. She also enjoyed tent camping with her family; establishing a Christmas Tree Farm at Art’s family home in CT; and lifelong learning through the CUCC forum, Elderhostel, and college courses at Meredith College and elsewhere. She loved visiting art museums, attending ballet and symphony performances, and going to the theater. She always focused on the positive and accepted life's imperfections and minor disappointments philosophically.
Marjorie and Art shared a love of travel, both visiting other countries and living in them. With their children they lived in Taiwan, Japan, and Afghanistan, while Art taught Electrical Engineering at local universities. One experience of which Marjorie herself was incredulous in her later years was bringing her four young children home from Taiwan solo. While Art finished his work in Taiwan, Marjorie shepherded her children home to Vermont aboard a Danish cargo ship. Those who knew Art as well will understand that this was, in fact, his idea! Marjorie and Art were active in SERVAS and Friendship Force in their retirement years. A highlight for Marjorie, her daughters, and Christine’s husband Michael in recent years was a small boat cruise from Croatia to Greece on the Adriatic Sea. Marjorie and her daughters also enjoyed retreats to the NC mountains, the NC and Oregon coasts, and one exceptional trip to the English Lake District and Scotland. Marjorie enjoyed many special times with her son Alan who died in 2005, and her son Peter who lives in Raleigh.
Marjorie and Art took great pleasure in their grandsons- Peter's son Jonathan, Marilyn's son Daniel, and Christine's son Damian. Visits with Grandma and Grandpa were much- anticipated by all. Art and Marjorie had many adventures with Jonathan at their CT Christmas Tree farm. With Daniel, they explored the parks and enjoyed campfires and s'mores in Bellingham, WA. With Damian, they enjoyed outdoor activities in Fort Collins, CO, and Corvallis, OR. Despite all living at a considerable distance from NC, Marjorie and Art were a strong, caring presence in their grandsons' lives.
In recent years Marjorie was happy to see her grandson Jonathan, who lives on Long Island, marry and have a son of his own, Daniel. She was proud to see her grandson Daniel complete an MBA degree and accept a position as a Management Consultant in DC. She was thrilled that her grandson Damian was selected for NOAA Corps where he worked aboard a hydrographic research vessel and is soon to enter graduate school at U of NH. Marjorie was proud of her grandsons' accomplishments, but what made her happiest was that they were embarked on meaningful, satisfying lives.
Love, humility, and compassionate acceptance of differences were the threads that ran through Marjorie's life. She never waivered from her belief that we are ALL God's children, equally beautiful and deserving in God's eyes. Marjorie was an inspiration to all who knew her. She was a beautiful and much loved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. We will miss her everyday, but we are so thankful, family and friends alike, for her loving and faithful presence in our lives.
Marjorie and Art took great pleasure in their grandsons- Peter's son Jonathan, Marilyn's son Daniel, and Christine's son Damian. Visits with Grandma and Grandpa were much- anticipated by all. Art and Marjorie had many adventures with Jonathan at their CT Christmas Tree farm. With Daniel, they explored the parks and enjoyed campfires and s'mores in Bellingham, WA. With Damian, they enjoyed outdoor activities in Fort Collins, CO, and Corvallis, OR. Despite all living at a considerable distance from NC, Marjorie and Art were a strong, caring presence in their grandsons' lives.
In recent years Marjorie was happy to see her grandson Jonathan, who lives on Long Island, marry and have a son of his own, Daniel. She was proud to see her grandson Daniel complete an MBA degree and accept a position as a Management Consultant in DC. She was thrilled that her grandson Damian was selected for NOAA Corps where he worked aboard a hydrographic research vessel and is soon to enter graduate school at U of NH. Marjorie was proud of her grandsons' accomplishments, but what made her happiest was that they were embarked on meaningful, satisfying lives.
Love, humility, and compassionate acceptance of differences were the threads that ran through Marjorie's life. She never waivered from her belief that we are ALL God's children, equally beautiful and deserving in God's eyes. Marjorie was an inspiration to all who knew her. She was a beautiful and much loved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. We will miss her everyday, but we are so thankful, family and friends alike, for her loving and faithful presence in our lives.
Marge Eckels - Dedicated Activist
Marge Eckels - Dedicated Activist
Coverage in Raleigh News & Observer
Howard Miller at the Forum
Howard Miller at the Forum
Keith Petersen Poetry
Keith Petersen Poetry
Keith Petersen was an active member of CUCC who died in 2001. His poetry, written mostly in the 1990s following his retirement from the History Department at NCSU, became his passion during his retirement years. The poems in this rare little booklet entitled Lectionary Poems (only two copies exist) were written by Keith in response to a Bible Study class held at Community UCC during the winter and spring of 1989-1990. In 2000, Lavon Page recorded Keith at his kitchen table reading a specially selected group of poems that Keith thought were his best. These recordings are available elsewhere in this archive. In the fall of 2000, Keith prepared a small booklet that included the poems he had selected for the recording session. This booklet was called Selected Poems by Keith Petersen.
Arnold and Peggy Hoffmann family - 1958
Arnold and Peggy Hoffmann family - 1958
Peggy Hoffmann obituary
Peggy Hoffmann obituary
Peggy Hoffmann - Inst. of Religion (1955)
Peggy Hoffmann - Inst. of Religion (1955)
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