Aug/Sept Newsletter 2017
The Harvest Fair:
Saturday, September 16 (rain or shine)
We will be selling Apple Crisp and Ice Cream again this year on the Common, and perhaps some other treat from the church lawn.
Friday afternoon / evening (9/15), we will be making the apple crisp in the church kitchen with the anticipation of that wonderful aroma that fill up the whole church on the day of the fair.
If you can help out either day (or both) or if you can spend just an hour or two at one of our sales/prep areas, we would be extremely grateful.
If the weather is as wonderful as it has been for the past few years, we will need many hands to get through the day. It is a great event – you don’t want to miss it!
Pastoral Relations Committee
The New Pastoral Relations Committee will be focusing on evaluating the Pastor and her duties. This has not been done in over two years. Pastoral Care includes funerals, weddings, baptisms, hospital and home visits, crisis situations, counseling and conflicts. We will be meeting once a month for a couple of months and will be downstairs in Russell Hall starting on Aug. 13th after coffee hour if you have any concerns. We greatly would like your input.
The Pastoral Relations Committee welcomes your questions, concerns and comments at any time. While we encourage open communications with Pastor Doreen and with us, we also respect confidentiality. We can be reached: Jackie Henderson at 508-637-1040; Sue Olivo at 508-892-8013; or Ellie Latham at 508-885-6021.
Worcester Fellowship:
August 27
We are scheduled lunch providers for August 27. Please look for the food donation sign-up sheet beginning 8/13, and please, please come help assemble lunches on the 27th.
Thanks so much for your support of this wonderful ministry. As always, people are welcome to join in lunch and worship on Worcester Common beginning at 1 p.m.
Open and Affirming (ONA) Follow Up
Charlene & Maura’s wedding – family love and support
Over a year ago I wrote the article below for our newsletter. We meant not to rush but I have to admit this is long overdue. Doreen, Deb Entwistle and Bonnalee Bohlman have volunteered to help me move forward in this process. If anyone else would like to join us, let us know. We will be reaching out to you to hear your thoughts. There is no wrong or right answer. We want to know how you feel. This is about exploring the possibility. In the fall we plan to hold some meetings to discuss how we would like to proceed. All thoughts and opinions will be welcomed without judgment. This is your church, this is your decision. The outcome is not predetermined. We know we cannot agree on everything but with God’s guidance I am sure we can reach an outcome that most will feel comfortable with.
Here is the original article:
Many of us at our congregation feel that is it time to explore option of becoming an Open and Affirming church. At times I wondered why we need this. Don’t we welcome all to our worship? In the ONA toolkit I received from the UCC this paragraph really stood out to me:
“Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people of faith often experience emotional and spiritual injury in churches that condemn their capacity to love and seek love. Because they’ve learned that “All Are Welcome” usually doesn’t apply to them, they can’t assume that any church will be safe for them and their families”
We aren’t the first church to enter on this journey so we reap the benefits of other’s experience. I have a starter tool kit from the UCC, a person who will mentor and provide more materials from the UCC and of course our wonderful pastor Doreen. I don’t know where this path will lead us but I know we need to do this together. That means I need your help. My prayer is that we can form a core group that can put together a program of open dialogue and study, one that will make all in the people in our congregation feel that their voice is heard without judgment. This doesn’t need to be done in a hurry; I would not want anyone to feel we rushed into a decision, whatever that may be. The UCC states:
“a successful ONA process is an extended time of prayer, dialogue, study, and discernment. Don’t rush to a decision. Be thorough and give the congregation enough time to assimilate and discuss new information”
A Note from the Pastor
Grace and peace to you, my friends. For my annual report this year, I outlined some of my responsibilities as pastor and teacher at FCC, and I set goals connected to many of the tasks. I though over the course of the year I
Monday Night Book Group
could talk about some of these goals, what they are and why I set them, and invite your feedback / input. You can comment to me when you see me, we can set up a meeting, or you can send me an e-mail. For this column, I will focus on my responsibilities for faith formation, including children’s church, and for worship. We have three on-going adult faith formation groups, with a total of 9 -13 regular participants, which is really wonderful for a church our size. With an average worship attendance of about 25, that’s a high percentage of engagement. So why did I set a goal of increasing participation in these groups? Part of my motivation is that participation has been declining. Between scheduling, health issues and moves, some people who used to attend no longer do. But the most important reason I want to increase engagement is because of the impact these groups have had on the spiritual lives of participants. We want to share this good thing. There are opportunities to wonder with others about the Christian faith, to share ideas and questions, to learn a variety of perspectives of scripture, theology, church, and life in general. I have seen it make a difference in people’s relationships with God, with their families, within themselves and with each other. Small groups have played a vital role throughout the history of the Church, ever since Jesus gathered the twelve. There are other types of small group ministry in addition to faith formation, but I believe there is much to be gained by even a brief experience in one of our groups. What would inspire you to try one of these groups? What is holding you back? Some people are reluctant to sign up for anything at church, worried they are committing to monthly meetings or more for years on end. This fall, none of our groups asks for any commitment. Come to one session of bible study, one Old Testament video lecture, read one book and come discuss it. I offer a morning group, an evening group and a group that schedules around participants’ needs. We would love for you to join us.
Children in Worship
My other goal in the area of faith formation is in regards to Children’s Church. Last year, the first for CC, I asked that everyone attending worship (except deacon/choir) be available to serve as an aide for Children’s Church. I numbered the worship orders and drew a number. There were several unnumbered orders set aside for deacons, choir and guests / newcomers. More and more people began to request unnumbered worship orders, not wanting to be called upon that particular day, or at all. It is now clear to me that my method of aide selection felt to many people to be more of an imposition than a shared sense of responsibility. I do not wish to impose on people. The good news is that we still have two committed leaders for Children’s Church – Sue Olivo and Gloria Besse! They have offered to take full responsibility, alternating leadership and assistance whenever possible. This would not happen more than twice a month, and sometimes less than that. This makes it difficult for families with children to know when CC will be meeting, and the likely result is that we will lose the children that had started to come. My personal opinion is that it also puts too much pressure on the two leaders. This is a sore spot for me, as our church mission statement includes, “inspire our youth by teaching and example.” People say they want our church to be a place for young families, but there is very little interest in providing anything for them. If all we have to offer families with young children is an opportunity for them to teach their own children, I don’t think we are really fulfilling our mission. My goal regarding Children’s Church is simply to find a better way to get assistance for the program. Right now, there is a calendar posted in Russell Hall where people can sign up for a particular date, as they do for coffee hour. Perhaps we will continue that method. I am open to your suggestions, as well as any thoughts you might have about how we can be truly open to families in our community.
Blessings, Pastor Doreen
Bible Study
Wednesday morning bible study resumes September 20 at 10:30 a.m., at the parsonage. We will cover the lectionary passages for the following Sunday, then will discuss whether we want to switch to a different type of study. New members / drop-ins are always welcome. We meet the first and third Wednesdays each month.
The Old Testament Video Series 
The Monday night Bible study group will be hosting a video series on the Old Testament. Presenter, Amy-Jill Levine, PH.D of Vanderbilt University thoughtfully explores selected passages from the Old Testament. She provides clear examples of how various approaches to biblical research and interpretation can enrich your understanding of this inexhaustibly fruitful and powerful text. Reviewers of the course say Levine is dynamic, exciting to listen to and her knowledge of her subject is organized and well conveyed.
Please join us on Monday nights, beginning September 18th at 7:00 p.m. We will meet in Russell Hall and view the series on the wonderful new large screen TV, provided by our trustees. No commitment is necessary. Attend any Monday that you are able. Bring friends. We serve snacks!
Click here to see more about this series
Note From The Collector
I would like to ask that anyone who donates to missions by check, along with their pledge, to please use cash for the missions amount. This money has to be separated from the regular collection and given to the missions treasurer in cash. There are more people putting checks in the collection plate now and some weeks I am unable to exchange the donations into cash for this purpose
Women’s Association: September 6
12 noon, brown bag lunch at the LaPointe home in Spencer. Contact Cindy at 508-885-9875 for address or directions.
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 hand. May this simple practice fill you with peace and hope.
– Prayer of thanks and blessing to the Besse’s on the arrival of Christa Gloria.
– For speedy recovery and smooth adjustment for Neil Mulrain following his surgery.
– For Dean St. Laurent that he gets back to good health soon.
– For Lou, neighbor of the Mulrains, for relief of his arthritis pain.
– For Ellie, for relief of her pain.
– For Doreen’s daughter Sarah who will be traveling and working in Europe and Asia for a few months, that she be kept safe and experience traveling mercies.
– For FCC, that she thrives in her ministry, drawing people in and sending them out with the good news.
– For Children’s Church, that it nurtures the faith of our youngest, that it grows.
