August 2016 Newsletter
August 2016 Issue
The Harvest Fair Saturday, September 17 (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 (9/16), 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!
Christianity 201
We had some wonderful conversations about the basics of Christianity in our 101 level class last year. Our participants expressed interest in exploring more widely and deeply, and we’d love to have you join us. The group will meet 6-8 times over the course of the year, at the convenience of interested parties. Possible topics include more about sin, evil, judgment and salvation; the church in the world; sacraments; more about humanity; and some Christian history. Please let Doreen know if you are interested.
Children’s Ministry
Miss Bonnalee teaches preschoolers Drew, Zach and Ben.
Over the past few months I have heard from a few people who expressed interest in bringing children or grandchildren to worship, and asked about a Sunday school program. We have been in a bind for the past few years. Because families with school-aged children dropped away from the church, and we had no volunteers to teach or supervise a program, we have not offered religious education for children. In 2014/2015 we offered a Sunday evening, family friendly worship service, but that did not result in any regular attendance of families.
While it remains true that we do not have any school-aged children participating in the life of the church on a regular basis, and we still have no volunteers to teach or supervise a program, I believe we must step up to meet our commitment to nurture the faith of children. We must be prepared to welcome children and their families into the church. It is part of our mission statement: “Help others to grow in their faith. Inspire our youth by teaching and example.”
What if, instead of offering a Sunday school program, we offer a “Children’s Church”? As with the Sunday school, children would start off the worship service with their families, then after A Word for All Ages, would depart the Sanctuary for some child-friendly activity and worship. I suggest that they stay nearby – in the Ladies Parlor or around the conference table. I would work with a volunteers who would be willing to serve as either children’s worship leader or aide. We could have some activities / crafts / guided conversations that would work for a mixed-age group, and did not build on previous “lessons.”
Each Sunday we would, ideally, have a leader and aide “on call” for whoever might show up. When children show up, they would choose a pre-planned worship guide and go for it. The number of times a person would be on-call depends on how many people volunteer. The times you actually have a separate children’s worship would likely be infrequent.
What would help now: Finding out who might be willing to be a leader or aide, and who might bring their children / grandchildren to participate in Children’s Church. We don’t need to do anything so formal as registration, but it would help to know if there are any families interested, and what ages the children are. Also, please let me know if you would like to help put together the worship guides.
Once I get some volunteers, we can set a target date. It would be wonderful to be able to announce the start of Children’s Church for our October newsletter.
Thank you, Pastor Doreen
A Note from the Pastor
As a person who is committed to being an anti-racist ally, I have been quite heartsick over two more deaths of young black men at the hands of police in the course of two days in July. These deaths were quickly followed by two instances of intentional targeting of police officers by people enraged by such deaths and the lack of accountability for them. These ten deaths and multiple injuries have shined a spotlight on the tensions, the mistrust, the brokenness of the criminal justice system, which is meant to serve and protect ALL. As our Area Conference Minister Kelly Gallagher wrote in her blog, “Again the black and brown community is traumatized and re-entrenched in the reality that there is no way to be safe – no way to be actually legal in a world where doing things that white people do every day can get you killed if you are not white.” She goes on: “There is nothing to say that will change anything. There is much that we can – we must – do to begin to shift the stone of racism that threatens to destroy us. I confess to many words and little action these two years of the Black Lives Matter movement, to kind thoughts and little deed, to pride in my progressive thinking with little progressive doing. It is time to do.” I stand convicted with her in my many words and kind thoughts with little action and deed. Again quoting Rev. Gallagher: “As people of faith let us remember that Jesus himself boldly, blatantly named the worth of the lives the world had forgotten.”
What can we do? The first step is to learn. Those of us who are white must come to understand, identify and begin to surrender the unearned privileges we have. If you do not know what I am talking about, are you willing to suspend your disbelief, listen and consider this perspective? Surely I am not the only one heartsick and alarmed by what is going on with race relations in this country. In February 2015 we had a beginning conversation here at FCC where people shared their feelings and questions about race and racism. I would like to have more structured, education-focused gatherings. The UCC is offering a new curriculum called “White Privilege: Let’s Talk” 
beginning in September. Acting Conference Minister Wendy Vander Hart suggests that churches use the curriculum and invite town leaders, friends and neighbors to join the conversation. Perhaps we could partner with other churches in the area. The UCC partnered with the Center for Progressive Renewal for five webinars that ran in June. They continue to be available, and give an idea of what the curriculum holds. Each webinar was about one hour long, and the topics covered were: 1: The Big Picture; 2: Spiritual Autobiography through the Lens of Race; 3: Whiteness as the Norm; 4: Whiteness as Cash Value; 5: On Being an Ally. I would love to gather small groups to watch these together and discuss. Please let me know if you are interested. Even if it is just one person interested, we can watch together. But I hope and pray there are more of you who also hear a call to learn and to do. And I pray that God will shape us into the people that make our communities grateful for the ways we make God’s love and justice real in this world. Please, won’t you join me?
Blessings, Pastor Doreen
Bible/Book Study
All groups are on summer hiatus, and will resume in mid-September and new members are welcome. We offer lectionary bible study twice a month on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m., exploring the passages that will be included in the coming Sunday’s worship. A Monday evening group meets three times a month at 7 p.m. and studies a wide variety of spiritual books, videos and scripture. The West Side Book Group (usually in N. Brookfield) meets once a month to discuss a book that was read by all participants. We will start the year with video lectures on the New Testament. The meeting schedule varies, so please contact Doreen for specific information on time and location.
Women’s Association
Our first meeting for the program year is Wednesday, September 7 at noon at Nancy D’s summer home in Rutland. Carpools will leave from the church around 11:30. You may want to bring a bag lunch to eat before diving in to Nancy’s blueberry buckle! Contact Nancy, Cindy L, or Marie F. for more information.
Report on the Massachusetts Conference Annual Meeting
On Friday, June 17
th and Saturday, June 18th, I attended the 217th Annual Meeting of the Mass. Conference, UCC in Amherst, MA. The motto for the Conference was “Be Bold”. The Connecticut and Rhode Island Conferences were also present. This is because the three conferences are considering consolidating into one conference. There was only discussion on this and no action was taken.
The music for worship was provided by Ken Medema. Though Ken is blind, he enthralled all in attendance with his beautiful playing, singing, and ability to improvise whole songs to fit the mood at the time.
The keynote speaker and preacher was the Reverend Otis Moss, III, pastor at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, an “unashamedly unapologetically Christian” congregation of over 8,000 members. His question to us was how can we teach our children to love and not to hate.
The 2017 budget was passed and once again, faith based, on percentage giving was brought up. At some time, dues per member will be phased out and churches will be asked to give as they feel their fellowship can give in a faith-based, more biblical style of giving. This is called United Church Mission:
It is percentage based. This is Biblical and fair to churches of all sizes.
It is simple and easy to understand because it mirrors the way we as members give.
It invites generosity.
It allows all settings of the church to rise or decline together.
All giving to and in the church is affirmed as mission giving.
It maintains a reasonable minimum expectation with allowance for hardships.
In the meantime, Conference dues were set at $19.00 per member; this does not include Association dues. The Budget was passed with 50% of OCWM Basic Support retained by the Conference. Also 30 of United Church Mission support was designated to the National UCC. The only other vote was on a resolution calling for all UCC members’ congregations, associations, and conferences to adopt a covenant as immigrant welcoming people. This passed unanimously. I always enjoy going to these conferences. It is a time to reflect, to learn, to hear what others have to say, and be in solidarity with fellow Christians. Plus it is just a heck of a lot of fun! So, think about coming next year.
Yours in Christ, Ken Latham, Delegate 2016
Worcester Fellowship Lunch Providers Sunday, August 28
Lots of supplies and helping hands needed to assemble lunches for the Worcester Fellowship ministry of food and worship for housed and homeless people of Worcester. There will be a sign-up sheet beginning August 14 for food donations, and we will gather in Russell Hall right after worship on August 28 to assemble bag lunches. All are welcome to join in lunch and worship behind Worcester City Hall beginning at 1 p.m.
Meet Your New PR Committee!
What is the function of a pastoral relations committee? It acts as an important link between the minister and congregation by organizing and conducting periodic evaluations of all the ministries of our church. It is also an impartial and confidential “sounding board” for both the minister and congregation. If you have a problem or complaint, you can speak to any PRC member to request a meeting. During this new church year, (June 1, 2016 through May 31, 2017) your PRC members are Norma Dodge, Jackie Henderson, and Sue Olivo.
Prayer Concerns
Never underestimate the power of prayer. Instead of simply reading the list, you are invited to add your prayers for those mentioned. Take a moment to ground yourself in the breath of the Holy Spirit. 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.
To include an article in an upcoming newsletter, contact:
Brielle MacDonald at
508-353-3338 or briellemacd@gmail.com
