November 2012 Newletter
CONGREGATIONAL CONNECTIONS
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Strawberry Hill Fair
November 10 9-2 pm
Help Needed – Sign-Up Today
The final push is on and we will need all kinds of help setting up on Friday and in so many areas on Saturday. There is a sign-up sheet in Russell Hall outlining specific tasks, so please take a look and see what block of time you might be able to give to an area. If you won’t be at the church before the fair, but would like to help out, please contact Marie Frascolla at 508-892-0038 and let her know when / how you can help.
Here is a reminder of the areas that need coverage: Kitchen / Cafe, Farmer’s Market, Baked Goods, Holiday Decorations, Silent Auction, Busy Fingers, Tickets for Gift Baskets, Toys and Games. We need people to staff these tables and to provide breaks to others staffing them. We need cooks and servers in the cafe. If you have items to donate, please contact Judy Ivel. Speak to Marie Frascolla about Gift Basket items. See you there!
Church Fair Raffles
For those of you who took solicitation letters for the Raffle Table to various businesses: Please turn in all donations to Judy Ivel as soon as you can. We want to cross those completed off the list and be ready to hand it all over to Sue Morowski in plenty of time for her to be organized for Fair Day. Thanks a bunch.
Halloween Candy
If you have Halloween candy left over from the holiday and you want it out of the house so you don’t eat it all yourself – why not donate it to the Country Store to be sold at the Fair. Please give those donations to Len Ivel or Ron Lapointe who will (consume! -no, no, no) sell the candy the day of the Fair.
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Woman’s Association Meeting:
Wed, November 7, 2012 at 12:00 noon
The Woman’s Association meeting will be held at the church. After a brief meeting we will be setting up for the fair. Please bring with you any finished products you have for the fair. Only baked goods will be accepted the day of the fair. We will be collecting hats, gloves, mittens, scarves and white socks for Worcester Fellowship. They may be brought to the meeting. Dessert will be provided.
We are looking for volunteers to help with the collations we provide to Church members after a family funeral. Please see Ann Orsi for details.
Our next meeting will be December 5th for our Christmas party. The party will be held at the parsonage. All are welcome. Marie Frascolla, President 508 892-0038
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Membership Explorations
Been coming to worship for a while? Are you already active in the church in other ways? Would you like to formalize or deepen your connection to FCC? Perhaps church membership is for you. If you are interested in learning more about what it means to be a member, Pastor Doreen will be holding Membership Exploration Session(s) at the parsonage. Please let her know if you are interested, and which time(s) work best for you: Sunday 12/2 after worship, and/or T, W, or Th evening (12/4-6). New members will be welcomed during worship on 12/9.
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Church Lunch and Family Games Fellowship – November 25
Please join us for this bi-monthly gathering of all ages to break bread and have some fun (maybe share some of your Thanksgiving leftovers).
Just as a suggestion for divvying up contributions, if your last name begins with A-J, please bring a main dish to share, and if it begins with K-Z, please bring a side dish, salad or dessert. We’ll switch next time we gather. Or if someone wants to start a sign-up sheet, go for it! And please join us even if you don’t bring something to share. There is always enough food, and we truly cherish each person’s presence.
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A Note from the Pastor
Grace and peace to you, friends. If all goes well with the newsletter preparation and mailing, it will be about a week after you get this that we will know who our President, Congress, Senate and other elected officials will be come January 2013. And you won’t have heard an election sermon from me. Now I’ve made general references to the campaign itself, such as when I likened the divisive tactics of the Pharisees trying to trap Jesus with the tone of divisive political campaigning. But I haven’t preached an election sermon, and our Conference minister the Reverend Jim Antal wonders why so few of the ministers he’s spoken to planned to preach on the election. He states, “The way I see it, God’s sovereignty does not end where politics begins. Our Reformed tradition has held this view for centuries. To put it another way: As people of faith, we acknowledge God as the Lord of every aspect of our lives, including even our politics. Engaging public life is as important as any purpose of the church. And engaging public life must include engaging our political life.”
I agree with his sentiments completely, and am delighted when I hear people talk about how their faith has shaped their political views. I was thrilled to receive from the Central Association a guide to issues surrounding Ballot Question 2, the “Death with Dignity” question, and to offer a guided discussion group to the community (hopefully many of you came). I enjoy the political discussions that arise from our bible and book study groups, and understand these activities as ways the First Congregational Church engages people in public and political life.
So as I read Rev. Antal’s thoughts, I had to ask myself why I chose not to do an election sermon. I can’t say I didn’t think about it. I was asked by my Community of Practice Group leader, and of course articles like Rev. Antal have brought it to my awareness. This is my first presidential election since becoming a minister, though the “mid-term” elections happened last year and promised a significant impact on public life. I tried to think of election sermons I’ve heard, and can recall only one. My former pastor preached on the religious lives of then-candidates George W. Bush and Barack Obama, emphasizing that they were both men of deeply held and felt religious convictions, both trying to act out of those convictions, and both to be respected for their beliefs and efforts. I was impressed at how balanced she was in her witness, and I left the service feeling more respectful and appreciative of the candidate I did not support. What a wonderful outcome when, for all those months and weeks, such respect and appreciation were discouraged by those who wanted “my” candidate elected. My hope is that people in the congregation who did not support “my” candidate for the presidency likewise left the service more respectful and appreciative of him.
When I thought of the question for myself – would I, or how would I, preach an election sermon, I was very uncertain whether I could do it well. It’s not that I don’t think I could present both President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney in ways that would encourage respect and appreciation. Both are intelligent and impressive men who have dedicated themselves to serving the public. I think it was a matter of looking at too large a picture. I felt overwhelmed – so many issues, so many lenses through which to look at them. But I can learn from the election sermon I heard – keep the focus small, on something that connects us all, on something that lifts up and calls forth the best from us. I wish I’d tried. I hope I do next time.
What do you think? Would you like to hear an election sermon? Would you like to help FCC find other ways to engage in the public and political lives of its members? What do you see as the risks of doing this? Is there a way the church can help post-election, knowing that some people will be disappointed and worried about the same or a new administration? How can we stay united as the Body of Christ through our different political perspectives? I would love to hear your thoughts. Call and we’ll have a cuppa at the parsonage, or e-mail me.
Blessings, Pastor Doreen
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Advent Readers Needed
The first Sunday in Advent is December 2. Each Sunday during Advent we light a candle in the Advent wreath and reflect on a particular theme. I am looking for volunteers for each of the 4 weeks of Advent to come forward as a family, individual, or friends to light the candle and say a few words about a particular theme. I warn you that it involves more than reading something pre-written, but I am excited to work with you in adding your own thoughts – a few sentences – to the ritual. Participants will be given a book of Advent devotionals by the Still Speaking writers to share (1 book for each week). Please contact me, Pastor Doreen, if you are interested.
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Christmas On The Common – December 1st
Tree/Bandstand Lighting 6:30p.m. ~ Christmas Concert 7p.m.
Tree/Bandstand Lighting 6:00p.m. ~ Carol Sing-Along 6:30 p.m. in Russell Hall
Once again our church will be an integral part of this festivity. This is a collaboration between the Bandstand Com-mittee, the Historical Society and the FCC Music Committee. The Historical Society provides refreshments.
Christmas Concert 7p.m. – “Everlasting Light” by the Christian Community Choir in the Sanctuary
Bring your family and friends for a very special musical performance conducted by Linda Cross of the East Brookfield Baptist Church. The performance will be held at 7p.m. Following the performance the collation will be provided by First Congregational Church (help needed!). You do not want to miss this free performance of beautiful choir of over 40 people from a variety of churches. What a wonderful way to start the Christmas Season. Seating can be tight, so come early! If you would like to help in any capacity, such as passing out programs, setting up chairs, or helping to decorate our sanctuary the night before, etc. please let Judy Ivel or Cindy LaPointe know.
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A Moment for Missions: by Chris Cathcart
As many of you know, I am an active participant in the Central South County Relay for Life which benefits the American Cancer Society. For those of you who are not familiar with this charity event, it is an 18 hour relay walk around a track. Before the event, teams run various fundraising events and the relay is the culmination and celebration of all of their efforts. Many teams run fundraisers at the event itself such as raffles, food, games and many other things. There is usually a band that plays as well as a DJ. They host a Survivor Dinner (which is very nice, I’m told) which is put on in honor of everyone who has faced a battle with cancer and their caregivers. There is also a luminaria lap in remembrance and honor of those who have battled this terrible disease.
The relay is the weekend following Labor Day and usually runs from 6:00pm on Friday until noon on Saturday. Throughout the night there are various themed “laps” (each hour is a lap) that are typically sponsored by the various teams. The entire event is full of camaraderie, love, and tons of fun!
I got involved in this charity through my parents. They began walking in the relay 9 years ago. I have been walking for 8 years. I began walking in honor of my Aunt Kathy Stevens who lost her battle with ovarian cancer in September 2000. Since then, I learned that my Grandpa Gallant had battled prostate cancer years ago. His cancer returned in his neck and after radiation therapy he was left with no sense of taste for many years. We lost him of natural causes last spring. My father-in-law also developed prostate cancer and after treatment he is cancer free. My father had his own small battle with skin cancer – which he won so far. As you can see, my life has been touched by this awful disease and I am certain that most of you have similar stories. This is a disease that knows no boundaries and does not discriminate. It attacks people young, old and in the middle. It is after people of all colors, nationalities, religions, sexual persuasions and gender.
I have now been walking for 8 years (I was pregnant with Liam the 1st year I walked) and my children are also very active as you know. This has had a profound effect on us all, knowing that we are part of an effort to find a cure for this awful disease. This year our relay raised about $100,000 to help with research, education, and support services.
Next year is our relay’s 10th anniversary and we are making it a good one! If you would like to be part of our team “the Hat Squad” (for over 18 year olds) or “Kids Curing Cancer” (for youth) or if you are a Survivor and would like to attend the dinner or you would like to make a donation, please speak with myself, Ben, Andrew, Liam or one of the Shea kids. Do you hear a call to join me in this ministry?
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Sunday School News
by Chris Cathcart
Sunday School has begun wonderfully! The kids are having lots of fun and our new teachers are feeling blessed!
We are beginning preparations for our Christmas play. Auditions and Rehearsals will begin on November 11th from 11:30 until 1:30. I will be looking for volunteers to provide healthy snacks (no Peanuts please) for the kids to munch on during down times at rehearsals as well as to help with rehearsals and costumes. Kids may be left with us so that parents can enjoy a little free time!
We also are considering starting up a youth group again. This would be geared towards kids in grades 4-8 but we would welcome older kids as well! We would most likely have the meetings on Friday evenings. Please speak to Angie Shea or myself if this is something your child would be interested in – we need to know if kids other than our own are interested in being part of this program. We would be doing community outreach, music and movie studies, field trips and just plain having fun! This would NOT be a Sunday School class but a place for the kids to hang out and have fun in a safe, Christian environment.
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Daylight Savings
ends Nov 4
Don’t forget to “Fall Back” by setting your clocks back one hour before going to bed Saturday night, November 3.
