From the Minister
"Hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into
our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." ~Romans 5:5
Greetings friends,
Grace and peace to you as we prepare ourselves for the new program year of
the church. Come one, come all, and gather together in worship, service, and
fellowship so that we can discover what blessings God will bestow on us, and
through us, as we join together as Christ's church.
There is much excitement, and some nervousness, as summer drifts away and autumn-that
land of new beginnings-looms before us. Many will be off to school, learning
and teaching. Sunday School will begin with Rally Day on September 19, a cause
for much preparation and excitement. Bible studies, spirituality groups, and
a series of talks on Christian life will be happening. Opportunities to serve
and help those who are in need will be available. Let us approach all that we
do with a hope that won't disappoint because God's love is in us.
We have had a very exciting summer, and look forward to sharing all that has
happened. The Senior High Sunday School Class had a great experience on their
mission trip to Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. They will be sharing their
experience with us on Rally Day. Vacation Bible School was an exciting "first"
this summer. Twenty-six children learned, created, sang and played while learning
about Jesus. Our Wednesday Night Services were popular again, and gave us the
opportunity to worship in new and creative ways. We were very excited to have
the debut of our Praise Choir during our Contemporary Service. We hope that
they will join together again to lead us in song and praise!
Church is what happens when we weave together our many and varied gifts. Come
be a part of the fabric of the First Congregational Church!
Grace, hope, and love,
Katherine
Yankee
Doodle Weekend
|
|
Come Celebrate
Yankee Doodle Weekend
with our
NEW ENGLAND BOILED DINNER
Saturday, Sept.
18th, 5:00-7:00 PM
.
1st Congregational Church
Dale Hall
Adults
$10.00, Sr. Citizens $8,
Children $6.00.
Hotdogs
and chips also served
To
order Dinners to Go, call the church at 978-663-8433 Mon.-Fri.
(9:00a-1:00p). Dinners to Go may be picked up Sat. during the
dinner or Sun. Morning 11:15-11:45am.
Mark your calendars and plan to bring your friends to this delicious
supper.
|
Please Help!
We will be needing help Friday morning to prepare the vegetables and
throughout the day on Saturday for setting-up, hosting and/or serving.
Please contact MaryAnne @ 978-667-4239
Durand2@comcast.net) or Lynne @ 978-663-4727 (Hildreth4@
comcast.net) to offer your help or sign up on the Dale Hall bulletin
board.
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Rally Day
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Come one, come all-join us for our fall kick-off! Come back to church
this fall and celebrate a new year of promise! Our worship service will
feature Earth Harmony's own live music and a report from the High School
Sunday School class of their mission trip to Rosebud Reservation in
South Dakota. Following the service there will be a cookout, games for
all ages, live music featuring Earth Harmony, and much more! You and
your family will not want to miss it. Those who are able are encouraged
to park in either the O'Connor Hardware parking lot or in the lot next
to the professional building on Andover Road during the worship service
in order to leave space in our parking lot for the picnic. Carpooling
to church is also suggested.
Want to help us?
1. Please see sign-up sheets by the doors to Dale Hall!
2. Since this event is self-supporting, we invite you to help us offset
the cost by making a contribution following September 29's worship service
(and also the following Sundays). This first morning Jerry Simmons will
be accepting your donation to this fun event.
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Continuing
& Special Events with Katherine & Office Schedule:
Wednesday Morning Worship with Communion
Come and be uplifted as we gather in the Chapel to worship God, hear Scripture,
and celebrate Communion. The service will run from 7 to 7:30 am, followed by
a light breakfast (or at least a cup of coffee to go!) More
Info.
Bible Study
6-7 PM on Tuesday evenings
10:30 AM on Thursdays
Spirituality Groups
7-8:30 PM, 4th Wednesdays - Spirituality Group
Confirmation Class
Confirmation Class will resume September 26., 6 PM.
Book Table/Music
A book table will be available in Dale Hall each Sunday through June, where
a selection of Christian books and music are available for sale. Leather Bibles,
devotional aids, Christian nonfiction for men, women, and teens, Christian
fiction, kids' books, kids' music, worship music, hymns, and contemporary
music are all available. These items are available for your edification. This
is not a fund raiser. Free Bibles are also available outside Rev. Adam's office.
If you would like to volunteer to help run the table, please stop by the table.
More Info.
Church Office Hours
The church office is open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 1 PM.
Notes from the Diaconate
We hope the summer was a time to rejuvenate your spirits and
spend time with your family. The Deacons want to let you know that part of
our mission is to provide spiritual support for all of you. In that spirit,
we are available to help with fuel and food assistance applications. If you
are finding it hard to make ends meet, you may be eligible for one of these
two types of government assistance. We are here to help.
Please contact any of the Deacons for help:
Lynne Hildreth Cindy Tomlin
Barbara Daverin Jean Button
April Goss-Baker Jerry Simmons
Susan Mclay Ruth Boutilier
Church Directory Project
The Photo Directory project will be gearing up again this fall.
If you have not had your picture taken for the Directory, please keep your
eye out for dates this fall when we will be taking photos in church. This
is an endeavor that we are taking on ourselves as a church and we hope you
will support and help us out by appearing for your picture so that all of
us will have names with the friendly faces we see in our congregation
- Jean Button for the Diaconate -
The
Outreach Committee Report
Pantry
Thanks go out to all who kept the contributions coming through the summer
months. In total, 251 items were collected for the Billerica Pantry (June
132, July 74, August 45). Thank you for continuing to help feed the hungry!
Our next collection will take place on Sunday, September 5th.
Outdoor Church of Cambridge
On June 27th, 7 members represented the congregation when we worshipped with
members of that church. Through your generosity, We were able to bring 151
pairs of new, white socks, 86 sandwiches, 120 cookies and innumerable amounts
of toiletries. Our committee also voted to donate $100 to them. Your concern
and compassion for these homeless people and willingness to send representations
to worship side by side with them is enormously appreciated by all at the
Outdoor Church and is a moving experience to those of us who attend. If you'd
like to read more about The Outdoor Church, please visit their website at
www.theoutdoorchurch.net.
Other
We are now current with all of our previously pledged commitments and will
continue to review the requests that have been sent at our September meeting.
1-877-KARS for KIDS?
Heard this jingle? Just call the number, get a maximum deduction ,we handle
all the paper work, and you get a free 3-day, 2-night vacation. Please don't
be mislead. The organization behind this commercial has been sued by the Attorney
Generals in Pennsylvania and Oregon and found guilty of misappropriating funds.
They've been stopped and fined in both states and more suits are pending.
And those free vacations.... they turned out to be time-share presentations.
Charitable Giving Via Your Cell Phone
Following the Haitian earthquake, charitable giving by texting exploded and
is now being offered by many charities.
Be aware of the following:
This remarkably convenient method may indeed promote "impulse" rather
than thoughtful giving. Standard messaging fees usually apply that may add
to the cost of your donation. Some phone plans charge fees of .05-.25/text
message. Text campaigns involve fund raising costs. The charity must sign
a contract, pay a set up fee and a monthly service fee. Know that your Outreach
Committee never makes impulse or emotional donations. Our contributions are
the result of careful investigation, research, and deliberation that we believe
lead to the most productive decisions possible.
Thank you for all the ways you support our group.
-Ginny Carmichael - The Outreach Committee
Religious
Education
Sunday school resumes on September 19th. Registration
forms can be found on the church website. Please contact Pat Rogers with
any questions at 978-663-8121.
The RE Committee will be instituting the CORI Check Program
this fall based on the guidelines of the UCC. This program is a common practice
in the public school system and is intended to ensure the safety of the
children. Anyone working with children in the Congregation will be asked
to complete a CORI form. For more information, please contact Rev. Katherine
Adams or the RE Committee.
Teacher orientation will be on September 12th at 11:30a in
the Ladies Parlor. Curriculum and teaching information will be issued. If
you cannot attend the meeting, please contact Pat Rogers at 978-663-8121.
Letter to Congregation and Parents
Dear Congregation and Parents of Sunday school children,
The RE Committee hopes that you had a healthy, fun and restful
summer and welcomes you back for another great year of Christian
enrichment. We are committed to providing an encompassing Christian
education for our children that inspires learning and worship through
the assistance of dedicated individuals who volunteer to teach the
Word of God. We are thankful for all the past assistance we have
received in managing the Sunday school program. Without this support,
we would not have a Christian education program for our children.
As a Congregation, we have pledged to show our stewardship by
supporting the educational and spiritual growth of our children.
As a committee, we have been faced with challenges in finding teachers
and assistants for the fall and will not be able to carry out our
commitment to educate our children without your support. We are
in great need of help and are asking you to show your stewardship
for our children by assisting the Sunday school program. We are
presently in need of 6 teachers and 4 assistant teachers. An every
other week commitment is expected. The curriculum is easy to follow
and user friendly.
Your assistance with our children is greatly appreciated and we
look forward to hearing from you. Please contact Pat Rogers (978-663-8121),
Katie Verrocchio (603-505-7263) or Dawn Salter (978-262-9927) to
confirm your support and stewardship for our children.
Blessings,
Dawn Salter
The RE Committee
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Confirmation
Confirmation Class will resume September 26. We will
meet at 6 PM in the parlor for a pot luck dinner.
Mission
Trip to Rosebud Reservation
From
the Senior High Sunday School Class
We've
returned from a wonderful trip to Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota and
have each gone back to our busy lives but not without some wonderful memories,
and new friends, a better understanding of this piece of our world, new
songs to sing, and a new appreciation for the way God works in each of us
regardless of who we are and where we come from.
Join us on September 19th on Rally Day - during worship and
after - to learn about our trip and the many ways we were able to share
the love you have helped us to understand right here in FCCB with those
we met during our trip to Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota.
Thank you all for helping us make this special trip to meet
and support some very special people.
"He must become greater, I must become Less."
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Rosebud Sioux Reservation
Tribal Headquarters: Rosebud
Number of enrolled members: 15,438
Reservation Population: 12,763
Total Area: 922,759 Acres
The Rosebud Sioux Reservation is located in south central South
Dakota and borders the Pine Ridge Reservation on its northwest corner
and the State of Nebraska border to the south.
The reservation consists of rolling hills, timberland and breathtaking
canyons. It is located in Todd County; however, the Rosebud Service
Unit includes Gregory, Mellette, Todd, Lyman and Tripp Counties
in South Dakota. There are 20 communities within the reservation.
Rosebud Reservation is home to Sicangu Sioux, one of the seven
tribes of the Lakota nation. The Lakota were traditionally the ultimate
representative of the Plains Indian culture, with organized bands,
dependence on the buffalo for food, clothing, etc. and emphasis
on warring and raiding.
Under terms of the Ft. Laramie Treaty of 1868, the Lakota were
placed on one large reservation that encompassed parts of North
and South Dakota and four other states. After defeating the Indian
tribes in the Plains Wars of the 1870s, the United States confiscated
7.7 million acres of the Sioux's sacred Black Hills and created
several smaller reservations. The Sicangu were assigned to live
on the Rosebud Reservation.
The Tribal governments maintain jurisdiction within the boundaries
of the reservation including all rights-of-way, waterways, watercourses
and streams running through any part of the reservation and to such
others lands as may hereafter be added to the reservation under
the laws of the United States. The Tribal Council consists of a
President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, a Sgt-At-Arms and
20 additional Council members ... all of which are elected by the
Tribal members.
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Aim
Hi
Meetings:
Third Thursdays in except January, 12:30 pm
Aim-Hi will be meeting on Thursday, September
16. Please join us for lunch at noon. We always welcome new members.
Our meetings are held in the church parlor from September through June on
the third Thursday of the month, except for January, due to the uncertainty
of weather. Members share hostess duties.
Aim-Hi continues to contribute to the church and community in a positive
way. Our ongoing efforts include:
-
Helping
with the Lenten lunches.
-
Sending
"thank you" packages to our military men and women since 2002.
-
Contributing
Sunday bulletins annually to honor our past members and those who serve/served
in the military.
-
Sending
greeting cards to maintain connection with our members who are homebound
or in rest homes.
-
Providing
fruit baskets for those home bound during the holiday season.
We encourage
the congregation to use the addresses below and send a short note or greeting
card to these young people while they are away from home. It means so much
to them and their families. - Donna Ricarte
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The current addresses of the service personnel
overseas are:
PFC James Adams
FB Lilley (SHKIN)
APO AE 09311
Ryan Allen
25 FS
PSC 3 Box 4308
APO AP 96266 - 0043
PFC Eric Emmott
Lima Co 2nd MARDIV
3rd BN, 6th Regiment
Unit 73305
FPO AE 09510-3305
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If anyone in the congregation knows of other young people who are serving
our country overseas and feels comfortable providing us with their addresses,
please contact Aim Hi through June Orne at 603-883-6732, (june62123@aol.com,
or call the church office at 978-663-8433.
Notes from the Music Committee
We have been blessed with a wonderful variety
of music this summer in the Sunday and
Wednesday services. Thank you to all the
musicians.
Choir will be back in full force in September. Regular Friday rehearsal
schedule will be posted on the music bulletin board. Come try singing!
Children's Choir will also resume after the first few weeks
of school. All young people who like to sing are invited.
A special Christmas concert is in the planning stages for the afternoon
of December 5. Save the date and consider participating in this program.
A special rehearsal schedule will also be posted on the music bulletin board.
Phyllis Jennings
NEXT
MEETING
WEDNESDAY
September 8, 2010
12:30 P.M.
Members:
Dennis & Betty Blanchette, Helen Carroll, Andrew Jennings, Pat Hefler,
Glenda Lovegrove, Wanda Lorden, Audrey Schwartz & Barbara George
We hope that you were able to enjoy our "good old fashioned
summer." --and that you are now rested and ready for new challenges!
How about sharing a little time with some of our homebound members? Yes, you
are needed, and the joy that you can bring to others is so rewarding. All
that is required is a little time, a sympathetic, human spirit and an openess
to helping others.
We were saddened by the loss of some of our members but we were able to celebrate
birthdays with some of our members and that was a joy.
If anyone who is homebound, and/or would like a visit from one
of our Shepherds, please don't hesitate to contact one or our members. Just
speak to any of our current Shepherds or call Barbara George 978-667-7335.
United Church
of Christ News
All leaders of the church and those who think they might like to try something
if they had more resources should plan to attend the Super Saturday,
October 2 in Franklin. Registration is due by September 20. There are
31 workshops for stewardship, missions, deacons, religious education, trustees,
treasurers, hospitality and more. A brochure is posted and more information
can be found at www.macucc.org.
Phyllis Jennings, delegate
From Your Go-Green Task
Force
GO GREEN IDEAS FROM BLOOM AND OTHER SOURCES
Love
is a renewable resource
Plant a tree. Leave a legacy.
When you nurture nature, it returns the favor.
Walk more. Breathe better.
Use it up, wear it out, make it work, or do without.
Your mind is a gift you can open again and again.
Litter means "I don't care" in every language.
A walk in the woods is better than any TV show. It also is healthier
& costs only a few cents for gas.
Use less energy. Have more power.
Don't throw away what you can pass on.
Using a little less can make a BIG difference.
Every ton of paper we recycle saves 17 trees and removes 3.3 cu. yds.
from landfills.
Buy recycled copy paper.
- Linda Miner on behalf of your Go Green Task Force
Recycling Guidelines
|
Material
|
What
to Recycle
|
How
to Prepare
|
Do
Not Include
|
| Paper |
Newspaper
& Inserts
Magazines
Junk Mail
Catalogs
Office paper
Glossy paper, etc.
|
Place
in paper bag or place in recycle bin. |
DON'T
use plastic bags to hold any recycling
NO soiled paper |
| Cardboard |
Corrugated |
Flatten
& cut no larger than 30"x30" & no thicker than
8"
Tie or tape
Remove all packing & liners. |
NO
pizza boxes
NO soiled material
NO milk or juice cartons |
|
Paper
& Cardboard go together
|
| Plastic |
Containers
1-7
Food & beverage containers
Detergent bottles
|
Rinse
clean & remove lids
Labels OK |
NO
plastic bags or shrink wrap
NO styrofoam |
| Glass |
Jars
& bottles (all colors) |
Rinse
clean & remove lids
Labels OK
|
NO
broken glass
NO Pyrex/ceramics
NO window glass |
| Metal |
Aluminum,
steel & tin cans |
Rinse
clean
Labels OK |
NO
other metal items
NO aerosol or paint cans
NO aluminum foil or pans |
|
Plastic
- Glass - Metal go together
|
Thank you to all who supplied me with egg cartons that were used in
the Marshall Middle School library. All of the shelves now have books
that are easy to reach. Our Pastor and her family got the award for
eating the most eggs over the past 2 months.
Flowers:
September, 2010
September 5 - Given in loving memory of Leonard J. Brown from
his wife Barbara.
September 12 - Given in loving memory of Arthur and Gladys Barnard
by Richard and Barbara George and family.
September 19 - Given by June Orne in loving memory of her husband
Laurence and in honor of the brave servicemen and women serving in the
armed forces.
September 26 - On the altar: Given in memory
of Bruce and Mary Bates, Minnie Altman, Kenneth Bates, and Jessica Bates
by Sandy Bates and family.
On the piano: given by J. P. and Mary Anne Durand in
loving memory of Paul and Madeleine Durand.
On the lectern: given in loving memory of Leonard Barrett
from his loving daughter Edna and family.
If you would like to donate flowers any Sunday, please
call Jeannette at 978-663-6804.
PASSAGES: Births, Baptisms, New
Members, Weddings and Memorial Services
Baptisms
Bianca
Wilhelmina Greenan, June 20, 2010.
Gavin
Scott Rosa & Livia Lynne Barsoum, , June 27, 2010
Zachary
Shostak, August 8, 2010
Funerals
Mabel
Rogers, July 11, 2010
David
L. Ames, August 21, 2010
HELP WANTED
|
Help!
We
are looking for a few good men and women who might like to help
with one-time or occasional tasks. We know that some people are
unable to commit to a committee, but that they understand the need
for many hands. See if you have some time to offer for one or another
of the tasks below.
- Telephone
duty on Sunday mornings from 9:00-10:00 am to answer any questions
or take messages. Please sign up on Bulletin Board across from
Pastor's office.
- Volunteers
to assist our station leaders
in Vacation Bible School, July 26-30, 9am-12noon. If you are available
to help, please contact Nicole Toner or Rev. Katherine.
- Nursery
room aides during church service.
If you love little ones, the sign-up list is near the nursery.
- Volunteers
to assist with the Sunday school program for next fall.
We are looking for teachers (weekly or every other week),
substitute teachers, classroom helpers, hall
monitors and nursery coverage. Anyone who would be
interested, please contact Pat Rogers 978-663-8121 or the RE Committee.
- Volunteers
for disaster recovery work needed because of Flood. Training
June 10,2010. See Rev. Katherine.
- Someone
with an SLR digital camera
who is willing to work on the photo directory? Please contact
Susan McLay if you are willing to help.
- Organizational
tasks involving books,cabinets, shelves, bulletin boards, etc.
There is no time limit. This could be done on your own schedule.
See Rev. Katherine for suggestions.
- Providing
coffee/tea/cold drinks for Sunday morning coffee hour. (See
Bob Miner if you'd like to help..)
- Providing
a snack for Sunday morning coffee hour. Sign up on the list
beside the kitchen door for a specific week. Suggestions /directions
are posted.
- Posting
newspaper notices of upcoming events and sometimes articles
in the Religious section of the Lowell Sun and Billerica Minuteman.
This is a job that can be done from home via the Internet. Speak
to Rev. Katherine.
- Membership
Database help. A lot of work is needed to maintain our database
and keep the data current. If you have simple computer skills
and some time to help out, speak to Lynne Hildreth.
Please help.
Alas, there is no monetary reward, but you will have our heartfelt
appreciation and, of course, many stars in your crown.
|
Thank
You's and Notes
FROM ALISON
Thank you to Audrey Schwartz and Edna McDewell for their help
in the delivery of the Summer issue of The Lantern!
Thank you from Bonnie and Don Eidens
We would like to thank everyone for their prayers and concerns for
our son, Dwayne Eidens and his family. His daughter, Chloe was born
emergently and prematurely April 7 and her Mom, Kristen, underwent emergent
open heart surgery 11 days later. They are both now doing well. We are
very appreciative of all of your prayers.
Are you Missing any Dishes?
Have you brought a dish/plate/or whatever over to church for some
dinner or event and then left it/them at the church? If so, please check
the supply room. There are many "orphan dishes" waiting to
be found!
Lantern on the Web
The Lantern is on the web each month in its entirety. To reduce our
mailing costs, if you would like to read it on line at http://www.firstcongo.org
instead of having the newsletter mailed, please let me know.
Next Lantern
Deadline: Sunday, September 19, 2010
The newsletter written and mailed the week of August 22nd will include
the news for the last week in September and the entire months of October.
