TCC News

On July 15th, 31 people gathered at the Mulligan Room for a wonderfully relaxing time of conversation and great food.  A special thank you to Laurie Betts for organizing this event each year.

by Laurie Betts

No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here. . . .  

That spirit of welcome was on display for Tehachapi’s First Annual LGBTQ+ Walk on a windy, cool day on June 27th, as many members of TCC gathered on the corner in front of the sanctuary to welcome the walkers.  Cameryn Stein and I were among the walkers, having gathered in front of the Tehachapi Adult Day Care Center at 11:00.  The spokesperson announced before we departed that there would be refreshments handed out at the Tehachapi Community Church.  As I realized the route that we would be walking, I feared that those refreshments and TCC’ers who were gathered to welcome the crowd of over a hundred might be out of sight in the courtyard, as it appeared that the walkers would not be stopping to enjoy the snacks, but simply walking past TCC.  So I was delighted to see in the distance as we approached the intersection, that all of our TCC friends were on the corner, ready to welcome the crowd and hand them bottles of water, frozen pops, cookies and even a few savory nibbles.  It was a great sight!!

by Phyllis Belcher

Tehachapi Community Church held a successful rummage sale on April 11th.  Church members and friends responded generously, donating a wide variety of quality items.  Shoppers were eager to browse—some even lined up at the door by 7:30 a.m., well ahead of the scheduled 9:00 opening.  Once everything was set up, we welcomed them in around 8:30.

Many people came simply to look, but most ended up finding something worth taking home.  By noon, much of the “good stuff” had been sold, and we began wrapping up for the day.

On Sunday, the congregation was invited to take anything they wished and offer a donation.  Remaining items were then passed along to Sharing and Caring.

The church deeply appreciated the community’s support.  It was a good day for Tehachapi overall—the library, the museum, and the church, all within a block of one another, held sales at the same time, and each benefited from the shared activity and cooperation.

A Joyful Day of Worship was had by all as we gathered to celebrate the father and son baptisms of Keenan and Fox Colditz.  Baptism is always joyful, but there is something extra special about baptizing a baby. One day, Fox will hear the story about sleeping through his baptism.  Thank you Keenan and Alex for sharing Fox with us.

Sixteen  of us gathered on January 18th at the Prime Bar and Grill for a lively session of Women Who Wine, including Wayne and Robyn!  Actually, Wayne and the guys sat at a separate table, but we enjoyed his company.  WWW welcomes all women of Tehachapi.

Last Sunday was a truly amazing day for Tehachapi Community Church, United Church of Christ. We began with the celebration of Peace as the theme for the second Sunday of Advent. We then welcomed four new members into the life and mission of TCC through covenantal promises to work and care for one another as we seek to care for the world at large — Paul Dluzak, Alex Cline, Janet Lowery, and Terry Papac. And through the sacrament of baptism, Paul expressed his desire to follow in the way of Jesus as made known through the Gospels. The voices of the congregation rang out as we closed worship with Let There Be Peace On Earth. If you have not already done so, please take time to get to know each of our new members.

The benediction was not the end of the day. A large crowd gathered around the new Blessing Box as we blessed the box and the surrounding community and dedicated this new ministry to the service of anyone who may be hungry. The Called to Care team added the first cans of food before the children eagerly lined up to finish filling it. Thank you again to everyone who helped to bring this ministry to life. Called to Care will be distributing a list of suggested food donations for those who want to support this effort.

I look forward with enthusiasm, expectation, and much hope for what this congregation is yet to do on this beautiful mountain. Today, I describe TCC as 105 years young!

Blessings on your continued journey,

Pastor Keslinn

by Phyllis Belcher

Tehachapi Community Church members are grateful to all who donated towards the fund to repair and upgrade the oldest sanctuary in this area. TCC was established in 1920 and the sanctuary was built in 1928. People who have benefited in any way from TCC or appreciated its historic significance were willing to contribute.

It all began when Lynne Bauer offered to donate one of the quilts she had made as the momentum for giving. The quilt selected was a “Bee Quilt,” and it created quite a buzz with its message of love and kindness. The winner of the quilt, Kalah Kohfeld-Stout, was revealed when the ticket she purchased was drawn at a special Friendsgiving meal after the Sunday service.

An additional quilt was donated by Joanne Childress who had attended TCC during her youth. It was an old-fashioned tied quilt. The winner of it was Anne Pear. The congregation applauded the winners and all those who supported the fundraising event.

The church, located at the corner of Green and E Streets, has the motto “No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.” Services are held Sundays at 10:30.

Picture: Hannah helps Phyllis Belcher draw the winning name for the Bee quilt.

Our annual lake service was held last Sunday at 4-Island Lake in Bear Valley Springs.  A large gathering of both members and visitors alike attended the inspirational waterfront service that included a baptism (in the lake,) a potluck, and picnic games.

Planning the redesign and refresh of the narthex,  stairways, and the stained glass window wall began in July 2024.  After many generous contributions to the Capital Campaign, a beautiful, safe, and welcoming worship space became reality exactly one year later.  Our church leadership and all those who helped to bring about this transformation thank everyone for their support and appreciation.

Now, on to the next exciting project–Phase 2, the sanctuary itself.