Aug/Sept Newsletter
The First Congregational Church of Leicester
Congregational Connections
The last big mailing
Our bulk mail permit expires September 1, and we will not renew it. That means we are looking to whittle our newsletter mailing list down from its current 217. If we get it down to 75 or fewer, it will cost no more in postage to send it first class and gives us a savings in the permit fee and printing costs. So far only 6 people have contacted us to continue receiving a mailed copy, so there is still LOTS of room on our mailing list. Please let us know soon if you would like to continue receiving a copy by mail. If we don’t hear from you, but we have your e-mail address, you will receive the next issue (October/November) by e-mail. If you come to church even as much as once or twice a month and would like to pick up a hard copy on-site, it will help us to know that so we can make enough copies for everyone who wants one without making too many extras. We would love to stay Connected with YOU, so please let us know your preference by calling 508-892-3274 or e-mailing pastorfccleicester@verizon.net.
The Return of Children’s Church!
We are so excited to let you know of our plans to restart Children’s Church under the leadership of Sue Olivo. CC will once again meet in the Ladies parlor, just step
s away from the Sanctuary. Every other Sunday, beginning September 9, Sue will take as many as four children aged 4-10 for songs, story, prayer, conversation and engaging activities while their parents / guardians worship. Children under 4 are welcome to join in accompanied by a guardian. Children ages 11 and up are welcome to be helpers in Children’s Church. If the joyful surprise happens that we have more than four children for CC, we will call on one of our backup CC volunteers. The children will depart after the Word for All Ages, and must be picked up immediately after worship. On the weeks that CC coincides with Communion, the children (and leaders) will be invited back in to partake of the Sacrament. A parent or guardian must remain in worship or CC at all times in case the child needs to be accompanied to the restroom, or needs other attention. If you are interested in knowing more about the style and philosophy of our Children’s Church, please contact Pastor Doreen at pastorfccleicester@verizon.net. We would love to have your family join us.
Welcome Annie Arsenault!
We are thrilled to welcome Annie as our new music director / organist. She has many years of experience as a church musician and choir director, most recently at Hadwen Park Congregational Church in Worcester. She starts with us on Sunday, August 5. Annie hopes to bring her family to the church picnic on August 18, so that will bea great opportunity to show her our gift for hospitality and welcome.
The Music Committee promises to interview her for the next newsletter (Oct/Nov), so you can hear more about her experience and philosophy of music and its power to elevate our worship. Meanwhile, you can experience her musical gifts during regular Sunday worship beginning August 5. Hope to see you there!
A Note from the Pastor
Greetings, favored ones! I hope you are taking special delight in God’s good creation this summer, that you have been blessed by the waters of rain clouds and lakes, of rivers and oceans and swimming pools. I pray that and that each time you dip, you remember that you have been baptized into the family of God.
I have been finding so much inspiration in a Facebook group I recently discovered for pastors. There was a post from a pastor of a church on a main street who was thinking 
about how to show their welcome. She asked if anyone else had put a picnic table on the church lawn so that passersby to sit and rest, maybe bring a sandwich to enjoy. So many people shared their experiences doing something similar. Someone even referenced a movement of sorts called The Turquoise Table, based on a book by Kristen Schell of the same name and subtitled Finding Community and Connection in Your Own Front Yard. I thought about how we are right next to Town Hall which will soon be home to the public school administration. And we are right across the street from the library and the fire station. And though the Common is right outside our door, there is no table over there, no truly functional benches. I did notice a small picnic table behind Town Hall, but wondered if this area couldn’t use another one, whether painted turquoise or not. Could we set one up on our own lawn, or perhaps over on the Common, along with a trash barrel and a sign saying, “Sit. Enjoy.”
I also saw a cool way of engaging passersby up in Jackson, NH last spring. The church had a bit of freestanding wooden picket fencing painted a pale pastel with a bucket of chalk at its base. A prompt was written, and people could add their thoughts – prompts such as: Today I am grateful for.., or I hope in 5 years I….
I know we are somewhat off the main street, but maybe people would take a walk up to the Common to enjoy a table, to ponder a question, to remember that we are a community, and that the First Congregational Church is a vital part of it. There may well be good reasons we could not do these particular things, but hopefully these ideas will trigger your ideas about how we might better love our neighbors. Please don’t hesitate to share your ideas with me, or with the church Council which meets the third Sunday each month after worship and coffee hour.
Blessings, Pastor Doreen
P.S. I wanted to let you know that I purchased a brick for the renovated library in your honor. It will say: “From Pastor Doreen With Love To First Congregational Church ‘ and will be placed in the new, expanded Library.
Thanks for Lunch
We received a lovely thank you note from the Leicester School Department Director of Food Services, Laurie Cascione. You see, our Missions Committee rep and pastor met with Laurie, the school superintendent Marilyn Tencza, and director of facilities Jim Souza to let them know about our desire to help students cover their lunch costs when their parents are unable to keep up with payments. We believe no child should be denied lunch, and understand that the schools need to hold families accountable for the costs of providing the lunch.
We offered to fill the gap so that the school gets paid and the children get fed without worry about embarrassment or restrictions from other school activities. To cover unpaid lunch balances for the school year ending in June 2018, Missions donated about $75. Laurie was obviously moved by the gesture, commenting in her note on our generosity and thoughtfulness.
Your Missions pledging made this possible, so the thanks goes to you. We look forward to continuing to work with the schools, and remain open to other ways we might support the children and families of Leicester.
A Fresh Coat of Paint
If you haven’t been around the back of the building in the past few weeks, you might want to make it a point to wander back. The painting of the administrative wing of the church is completed and looks fabulous. It blends so beautifully with the stone work of the church building.
Special thanks to Ron LaPointe for hiring and overseeing the project, just of so many he constantly juggles.
Bible Study and Book Groups
Our adult faith formation groups typically start up in the fall. At the end of the spring, we had two groups going, and what happens next depends on the level of interest.
• The Monday Night Book Group has committed to resume beginning September 17. We meet at 7 p.m. in Leicester weekly except the second Monday. We usually break for the holidays in early November. We typically read and discuss non-fiction, spiritually-themed books, sometimes Christian in focus, sometimes not. Right now we are five women, and would love to welcome new members of any gender. A commitment to regular attendance is encouraged.
• If you are interested in bible study or a book group at a different time, please let me know of your interest, as well as the times and days you are available.
In Our Prayers
Never underestimate the power of prayer. You are invited, as you read this, to add your prayers for those listed. Take a moment to breathe in God’s Spirit, and channel your good will and hopes to each person or situation named. You might imagine them surrounded by a healing light or held in God’s hands. May this simple practice fill you with peace and hope.
– for the Casamassa family from Charlton as they continue to rise above the fire damage to their home.
– for families that are disconnected from each other.
– for people with addictions
– for people who misuse their power to tease or harass others, and for those who are harmed by such teasing or harassment.
– for Joan Clark
Pastoral Relations Committee, 2018-2019
Peace and Greetings Friends! We love starting a new year with new ideas! Don’t you?
Our primary job is “to serve as liaison between Pastor, church council and membership on job related issues and concerns and expectations”. The ‘new’ PRC Team; Bonnalee, Carol, and Ellie are excited and here for you, as well as Pastor Doreen.
In the past, this committee has done the Minister’s Evaluation, Hot Topics, and Pastoral Care Interviews to name a few. We recently met on July 23rd and Pastor Doreen asked for us to help her to maintain a schedule of keeping in touch with visitations and contacts. We plan to meet quarterly to see that she meets her goal.
We welcome your questions and comments at any time. While we encourage communication, we will also respect your confidentiality. We can be reached at the following:
Pastor Doreen 978-846-6498 or pastorfccleicester@verizon.net
Bonnalee Bohlman 508-755-6743 or bonnalee20@charter.net
Carol Mulrain 508-867-3741 or mulsey@charter.net
Ellie Latham 508-885-6021 or elliemay2222@gmail.com
Worcester Fellowship Lunch Providers August 26
The sign-up sheet for donations will be out in Russell Hall beginning August 12. Please join the lunch assembly line right after worship. All are welcome to join in lunch and worship behind Worcester City Hall beginning at 1 p.m.
Women’s Association
Next meeting will take place on Wednesday September 5th at 12 noon at the home of Linda Mandella on Thompson Pond in Spencer. Those wishing to car pool, which is recommended due to limited parking, will meet at the church at 11:30 am. We look forward to seeing everyone as we kick off the new 2018 -2019 year.
Open and Affirming Team Update
Over the summer we hosted two church-wide discussions. The first, on June 3, was a bible study. We were thrilled that so many attended. The meeting started with people sharing bible verses or stories that had the greatest impact on their lives, especially in challenging times. We talked about how the bible can be and has been used to ask and answer many questions over centuries and in many different contexts. As Christians we affirm that God is best revealed in Christ Jesus, the living Word of God, and that the bible reveals human understanding, often divinely inspired, of how God has been active in our world from the beginning. We are tasked with using this sacred book in discerning the questions and answers from the bible that reveal something about our time and context. We touched on several gospel passages that reveal essential characteristics of God as embodied by Jesus – loving, compassionate, healing, reconciling, and welcoming. And then we dove into the verses of scripture that are often used to condemn homosexual relationship (.02% of all scripture passages!). If you weren’t able to make it to the meeting and are curious about the passages and some of the discussion about them, please contact Pastor Doreen.
We also talked about what the bible says about marriage, which is a tricky endeavor, given the length and scope of the bible. I used information put out by a lay minister in the United Church of Canada, who found 800 references to marriage in the bible and distilled them into 12 general principles. This was also used in a sermon preached on November 7, 2010, which can be found on our church website – www.leicesterfcc.org.
It was decided at the end of that meeting that our next gathering should focus on what it means to welcome all people into all aspects of the church, and how to handle it if people step outside of our expectations and norms. We met on Sunday, July 29 for this discussion. After talking about “systems,” in which every living thing operates, we talked about how conflict in a system is inevitable, as it is comprised of individuals who see, hear and understand things in different ways. We then brainstormed about the things that could happen in a congregation that might create either internal or external conflict. We talked about how to handle things that bother us, sometimes deciding to let things go, sometimes talking to the pastor or pastoral relations committee, or to the person or people who triggered the upset. All affirmed the value of seeing conflict as no more than a problem to be solved. We also talked about the various activities that define church – worship, outreach, fellowship, faith formation, sacraments, service, etc., and how being Open and Affirming means that no one would be kept from those activities based on the age, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, race, nationality or disability.
Our next meeting will be in the fall, and will focus on how we might promote our Open and Affirming status IF the congregation affirms an ONA covenant. How will we phrase our welcome? How will we show it visually? Where will we show it – signs, website, letterhead? Stay tuned for the meeting date, and be sure to join us if you can. All input is welcome.
CHURCH PICNIC
WHEN: Saturday, Aug 18
RAIN DATE: Sunday, Aug 19
following church service
TIME: Noon until ???
COME…….share a fun afternoon at the lake!
“Fun in the sun” and shade, visiting with your church family, a boat ride around Stiles Lake and, as always, yummy food to eat. ALL ARE WELCOME!!!
WHAT TO BRING
* Something to Share… ( Ron & Cindy will provide hamburgers, hot dogs, lemonade & ice tea ).
You may choose from snacks, salads, casseroles, veggies, fruit, juice for the kids or desserts, etc.
OPTIONAL ITEMS
Swimsuits, swim shoes (or old sneakers for tender feet), life jackets (a must for boat rides) for children, swim toys, hats, sunglasses and your own comfy folding chair if you wish.
Parents must assume lifeguard duty for their children
*Please let Cindy know what you have decided you would like to bring for menu planning, and about how many will be coming.
For directions, or if you have questions
call Cindy & Ron at 508-885-9875.
Using GPS ……. 131 Wilson Ave., Spencer MA 01562
Carpooling would be very helpful. We will do our best to snug everyone into the driveway.
SURE HOPE YOU CAN MAKE IT !!!
To include an article in an upcoming newsletter, contact:
Brielle MacDonald at briellemacd@gmail.com
