"Light the Night" Lukemia & Lymphoma Society Fundraising Event

Jeannette Brown invites you to join her in walking for a cure at “Light the Night” on November 2nd in Mercer County Park.

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Light The Night Walk is The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's evening walk and fundraising event. It is the nation's night to pay tribute and bring hope to thousands of people battling blood cancers and to commemorate loved ones lost.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) funds lifesaving research that has contributed to major advances in the treatment of blood cancers and treatments for other types of cancer, such as chemotherapy and stem cell transplants. New targeted therapies that kill cancer cells without harming normal tissue are providing drugs and procedures that are improving quality of life.

In fact, in 2009 alone, LLS researchers were conducting more than 90 clinical trials, a critical step in the development of new treatments and cures that will help patients live better, longer lives.

  • A donation of $25 provides patients and their loved ones with FREE booklets that contain up-to-date information on their disease and help them make informed decisions about their treatment options.

  • A donation of $50 makes possible a Family Support group with a trained facilitator where comfort can be found and experiences can be shared among patients and family members.

  • A donation of $100 helps supply laboratory researchers with supplies and materials critical to carrying out their search for cures.

  • A donation of $1,000 makes possible one- on-one conversations with health care specialists who provide patients with information about their disease, treatment options, and helps prepare them with questions for their health care team.

Join me in bringing light to the darkness of cancer by donating towards my fundraising efforts in support of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light The Night.

Family Promise Service Opportunity

Grace UCC is a proud member of the Family Promise network.

Family Promise is a network of faith-based groups that provide shelter for temporarily homeless families in Hunterdon County as there are no homeless shelters in our county. Host congregations provide sleeping accommodations, dinner, breakfast & lunch (on weekends) and supplies. During the day, the families go to the day center at Family Promise, or off to work, and return to the host congregation around 5 pm.

Grace UCC does not have a building, so we cannot host. Instead, we serve as a support church for several other area congregations, meaning when they host guests in the Family Promise system, we provide volunteers to perform a variety of functions.

Our next opportunity to serve is coming up in August, at the Flemington Jewish Community Center.

You don’t need any special skills or abilities to participate, just a friendly smile and a loving heart.


Laity Sunday

Laity Sunday for July was well-worth braving the sultry summer weather. Keith Yowell led the service, Geoff Marsh gave the message, and Marianne Fimble offered communion.

Laity Sunday is one of the things that makes Grace UCC special. Once a month the congregation runs the entire service, giving our Pastor the chance to take a break.

We are always in need of folks to lead the service, or give the message. No prior experience is necessary! If you would like to participate please contact Laity Coordinator, Christine Syltevik, at Chris.Syltevik@graceuccnj.org.

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Liza and Robert Darmstadt were in charge of refreshments for the social hour on Laity Sunday. The vegetarian chili they made was super-yummy, and devoured by adults and kids alike. They tripled the recipe, and not a scrap was left over.

Thank you to Robert and Liza for kindly sharing the recipe for us all to enjoy at home:

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 medium red onion, chopped

  • 1 large red bell pepper, chopped

  • 2 medium carrots, chopped

  • 2 ribs celery, chopped

  • ½ teaspoon salt, divided

  • 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

  • 2 tablespoons chili powder*

  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika*

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1 large can (28 ounces) or 2 small cans (15 ounces each) diced tomatoes**, with their juices

  • 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained

  • 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained

  • 2 cups vegetable broth or water

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnishing

  • 1 to 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar or lime juice, to taste

  • Garnishes: chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, tortilla chips, sour cream or crème fraîche, grated cheddar cheese, etc.

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil until shimmering. Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, carrot, celery and ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Stir to combine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the onion is translucent, about 7 to 10 minutes.

  2. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika and oregano. Cook until fragrant while stirring constantly, about 1 minute.

  3. Add the diced tomatoes and their juices, the drained black beans and pinto beans, vegetable broth and bay leaf. Stir to combine and let the mixture come to a simmer. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally and reducing heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, for 30 minutes. Remove the chili from the heat.

  4. For the best texture and flavor, transfer 1 ½ cups of the chili to a blender, making sure to get some of the liquid portion. Securely fasten the lid and blend until smooth (watch out for hot steam), then pour the blended mixture back into the pot. (Or, you can blend the chili briefly with an immersion blender, or mash the chili with a potato masher until it reaches a thicker, more chili-like consistency.)

  5. Add the chopped cilantro, stir to blend, and then mix in the vinegar, to taste. Add salt to taste, too—I added ¼ teaspoon more at this point. Divide the mixture into individual bowls and serve with garnishes of your choice. This chili will keep well in the refrigerator for about 4 days or you can freeze it for longer-term storage.

View the original recipe here.

Liza notes that when she and Robert make the chili they also add two cups of frozen corn, cooked brown rice, and use “Two Alarm Chili” for the seasoning (add to taste depending on your heat preferences).