April 2010 Newsletter
Congregational Connections
Service of Installation
April 25, 2010
You are warmly invited to celebrate with us the installation of our called Pastor, the Reverend Doreen Cullen Oughton. The Service of Installation will be held on Sunday, April 25, 2010 at 4:00 p.m. The service will be followed by a turkey dinner. If you would like to stay for the dinner, please RSVP by Friday, April 16, by phone to 508-892-3274, or by e-mail to pastorfccleicester@verizon.net so that we have plenty of food for all. We hope you will come to share in this joyous event.
Easter Sunday Worship: April 4
Please come and rejoice, celebrate the resurrection – the new life that is given to us through Jesus Christ. Let us join together to sing praise and give thanks to the God who loves us so much to give us this gift. The service starts at 10:00 a.m. on Sun, April 4.
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Forgiveness Workshop: April 26
On Monday evening, April 26, from 6:30-8:45, the Reverend Eileen Epperson will hold a workshop on forgiveness in Russell Hall. Rev. Eileen will give the homily for the Service of Installation for Pastor Doreen, and is an experienced and gifted workshop presenter. Click Here to learn more about her message. Please see the enclosed flyer for details.
The workshop is free to members of FCC and those who worship with us regularly. Don’t miss this incredible opportunity that is one more blessing of the installation. You can fill out the attached registration form and mail it in, call the church office at 508-892-3274, or e-mail firstcongch@verizon.net to reserve your spot.
2010 Blanket Update
A heart felt thank you to all, near and far, who helped to make this year’s Blanket Drive a huge success once again. This year’s drive brought in $770 – or 152 blankets for CWS, a total of 26 more than the past 2 years. Check out the Blanket hanging in the back of the Sanctuary. It is pretty impressive. Thank you ONE and ALL!
Neighbors in Need
Think about how much you enjoyed your family Easter dinner and remember those who struggle to put food on the table every day of the week. Thank God for your blessings and the means to be able to do something to help others. Please donate to the food bank. All donations are taken to the food bank on a weekly basis now because the need is so great.
Click Here to learn more about the Neighbors in Need program
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Herb May’s Memorial Service
The May family treasures the memory of Herb’s memorial service. Our loss is great, but we are blessed to have shared his good long life. Many happy years we shared together in fellowship at this church. The love and friendliness we felt in the church on February 27 was very uplifting throughout the service and all that followed. The Women’s Association attained another outstanding success with their beautiful and delicious array of refreshments. We are grateful to ALL who participated in so many meaningful ways in the celebration of our beloved Herb’s life. God bless each of you.
With our love,
JoAnn and family
Sunday School Update
The Sunday School children have been learning about Prayer. They are exploring different ways to pray and what they should and should not pray about. They are learning the Lord’s Prayer and have been singing praises to God.
The Sunday School Teachers have been hard at work dissecting curriculum for next year. We are working hard to find a curriculum that is current but still teaches the core lessons that we feel the children need. Whatever choice is made we will be looking for people who would be willing to give a little of themselves to our children by volunteering in our Sunday School. I am not asking anyone to “teach”, I am asking you all to give me 1-2 weeks as a helper. Please give the future of our church the gift that everyone has to give – a small piece of yourself.
Chris Cathcart, Sunday School Director
Welcome New Members!
On Sunday, March 14, FC welcomed four new members to our church family: Quentin Lewis, Nicholas Orloff, Donna Spaulding and Pastor Doreen Oughton.
Doreen & Quentin
Quentin Lewis began attending FCC in August 2009 when his fiancée became pastor of the church. Quentin’s initial contact with the church came when he joined Doreen for her second interview with the search committee and he quickly fell in love with the town, the church and the people. He is employed as a sustaining engineer for Oracle Corporation in Burlington, MA, and has two daughters. Kimberly, age 24, is settled in NYC working as a designer for Clinique. Kristen, age 21, is serving in AmeriCorp. He is eager to stay involved in the life and events of the church, and is grateful for the friendships that have grown here.
Rev. Doreen Oughton is delighted to be serving as pastor at FCC, and to be embraced by such a warm church family. She has two children and just moved to Carlisle, MA. Son Andrew is 18, a high school senior who plans to attend Fitchburg State College in the fall. Daughter Sarah is 15, and a high school junior. All regret that distance keeps the children from attending FCC regularly.
Nicholas Orloff has been attending FCC for about three years. His mother Gab Suk Eagle and her husband Brave Eagle are also members here. Nick is single and is a licensed construction supervisor. He currently works in security. Born in Korea, Nick moved to the U.S. over thirty years ago with his brother, sister and mother.
Nicolas Orloff holding nephew
Donna Spangenberg Spaulding was married (to Jay Spaulding) at FCC in 1994 and has been involved with the church since then. She has two sons attending the Christian Education program here, Ricky age 13 and Michael age 9. Donna’s mom Cathy accompanies the family to worship. Donna works as an accountant for Braley & Wellington Insurance company in Worcester. Donna is pleased to finally become a member, saying, “I should have done this a long time ago.”
A Note from the Pastor
Greetings of grace and peace to you. I am writing this fresh from bible study, where we have been exploring the Passion narratives of all four gospels. Last week we read about the trial, the beatings, and the walk to Calvary. This evening we read about Jesus’ crucifixion and death. It is painful stuff to read, to imagine being there, to remember what he went through. Still carrying some of this distress, I went to read the daily reflection I get via e-mail called Inward/Outward, a ministry of the Church of the Savior (I highly recommend signing up for this at www.inwardoutward.org if you have e-mail). It seemed to be speaking directly to me, and allowed me to go deeper into the feelings I carried. Though the Lenten journey ends early this month with the wonderful celebration of Easter the very first Sunday of the month, I thought many of you might enjoy this food for thought. The following is by Kayla McClurg, facilitator of Inward/Outward:
How are you doing at this point in your Lenten journey? I don’t mean, have you successfully stayed away from candy or caffeine or cigarettes, or whatever you “gave up for Jesus” this year. I don’t mean, have you prayed, rested, or helped others more; or worried, complained, or bought stuff less. I just mean, I wonder how you’re doing, feeling, being as we turn the corner to the week that leads up to Easter. Is excitement or dread becoming more predominant? Are you feeling bold and proud to be among Jesus’ friends, eager to see what happens, or are you already shrinking away into the crowd a bit? Are you glad to be taken again on this adventure of faith or ready to have a different adventure? There are no right answers; I’m just wondering how it is for you. At this point on the path that is inevitably winding its way to a cross, I find myself wishing that something different might (please, please, please) happen this year. I don’t want to watch him go through it all again. I don’t want to try to go through it with him. I’m so bad at it, this part of the story. All these slow hours leading up to the hours that lead up to his death. Another execution, like that isn’t our answer for everything we don’t know what else to do with. And do any of us know what to do with Jesus, really? What do we do with undeserved, lavish, scandalous love? Generally, we condemn it. We refuse it entry. Or we turn it into a revered treasure that gets hung on the walls of our inner and outer sanctuaries, but isn’t allowed to change our lives. In some immature way or another, we kill it. The days now grow stumbly and slow … and yet go all too fast. Will my failures and disappointments and good-intentions-but-ultimately-refusals to love go to my grave with me? If I could really let them die this time, might they become catalysts of resurrection? Will anything be different this year, Jesus? Will I?
So today the dread I feel about Holy Week, the time of reflecting on the suffering of Jesus, is predominant and I am shrinking from it. I am right there with Ms. McClurg wishing it could be different, could have been different somehow. And yet it is so clear that something has to die in order for there to be a resurrection. And I am wondering what has to die, what would God want to be reborn in me? What would God want reborn in FCC? How about you? How are you doing this Lent? What rebirth will we celebrate on April 4 and all through the fifty days of Eastertide?
Blessings, Pastor Doreen
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February Collection Totals
7th $2,736.00 (includes $1,600.00 from parsonage rent and oil payments)
14th $457.00
21st $921.37
28th $600.00
Total $4,714.37
