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Dear Church Family,

I am part of a group of Interim Ministers who meet monthly at the office of the

Vermont Conference of the United Church of Christ. Interim ministry is an

evolving field, and every church situation is unique, so it is a fascinating and

exciting gathering. It also is deeply moving because the interim time is a

wilderness journey for every congregation, calling forth the kind of heroism on the

part of laity and clergy alike that I wrote about in my Epistle article last month.

This month I would like to share with you a description of the common agenda

churches share during a time of transition. It could be the interim between pastors

or a time of change in the makeup or setting of a congregation during the tenure of

a settled pastor. All churches benefit from undergoing a process like this every

four or five years because change happens around the congregation and within the

lives of its members, and after five years or so it is in a very different place, even if

they have done everything they could to remain the same. Members come and go,

the economic or political landscape changes around them, everyone is older and we

hope wiser, and the younger generations bring new gifts to offer or challenges that

they face.

The focus points in the description below are part of the covenant the church and I

have signed, so you may notice ways in which we are addressing them together.

You might reflect on them now and think about which ones we have already

engaged. We are well into the process!

I very much appreciate the dedication of this congregation’s lay leadership and

membership, and the obvious love you have for the church. I have been enjoying

getting to know you through board and council meetings and small group

gatherings and individual conversations. There is so much goodness here. I am so

thankful to be able to serve you.

Peace, joy and love,

Tom

Bradford Congregational Church-United Church of Christ Bradford, VT

See us on Facebook! (802) 222-4034 submit news to m3site@charter.net

EPISTLE Customer Name

Street Address City, ST ZIP Code

B R A D F O R DBRAD

FORD

CONGRE

GATIONA

L

CHURCH

-UNITED

CHURCH

OF

NOVEMBER,

2014

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The Work of the Congregation During the Interim Process: Focus Points

Each situation is unique and requires its

own navigation. During the Interim Process

the congregation strives to discern the tools

that are most appropriate for the specific

situation. One of these tools is reflection on

these five Focus Points developed by the

Center for Congregational Health. These

help a congregation to answer the questions, “Who are we?” and “Who are our

neighbors?” and “What is God calling us to do and be?”

Heritage: reviewing how the congregation has been shaped and formed

The congregation’s heritage, both corporate and individual, is the foundation upon

which the present rests. Paying attention to heritage means encouraging and

hearing all the stories about the congregation’s past, and embracing the rich variety

that makes up this particular congregation.

Leadership: reviewing the membership needs and its ways of organizing and

developing new and effective leadership

Transition time provides opportunity for individuals and the congregational

organizations to examine the types of leadership needed. New leaders will emerge,

while some seasoned leaders may re-commit or may decide to re-focus their gifts.

Mission: defining and redefining the sense of purpose and direction

The primary work in this area involves clarifying the faith community’s identity

and core values, working to develop mission and vision statements, and perhaps

even working out short-term tactical plans.

Connections: discovering all the relationships a faith community builds outside of

itself

Congregations connect to a network of communities around them, such as the

denomination and local caring organizations. These involve every member in

many ways, and can be part of faith formation. The Interim Process is an

appropriate time to reassess old links and to consider new ones.

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Future: developing congregational and pastoral profiles

Focusing on the future requires a healthy and honest assessment of the other focus

points so that the congregation can turn its energy toward proactive decision-

making for the future. The Intentional Interim Minister offers the congregation a

variety of possibilities to engage the five Focus Points.

Bazaar report

We had a good year and made

about $1620. Thank you so

much to everyone who brought

in collectibles food candy

Fudge crafts and kitted items

and thank you to all of the

ladies that helped make the

bazaar possible this year.

Donations will be given from this years proceeds and will be announced in next

months epistle. Due to timing of this letter and date of the bazaar the details have

not yet been decided.

In order for there to be a bazaar next year we need your items! Please start

planning now! Each time you go thru a closet or spare room think of the attic and

collectibles table. Start some winter craft projects such as knitting, sewing,

crocheting, woodworking etc. when u go through your holiday boxes this year,

donate any decorations that u no longer use. You can contact Maribeth or Erin

throughout the year when u have items available and they will arrange to get them

from you.

We will meet in June and assess the donated items and decide at that point if

there’s enough to hold the bazaar. It needs to be a group effort and we hope you

can help.

Thanks to everyone for a wonderful bazaar this year!

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Lectionary Readings

This Lectionary Year A we’re completing now is also called the Year of

Matthew because that is the highlighted Gospel. Year B’s highlight will be Mark.

Year C will be Luke.

The Gospel of John is equally dispersed throughout the three years.

Each Sunday of the year there is an Old Testament reading, a Psalm,

a New Testament reading, and a Gospel reading.

NOV 1 All Saints Day

Matthew 5:1-12 Rev 7:9-17 Psalm 34 1 John 3:1-3

NOV 2 Joshua 3:7-17 Psalm 107:1-7,33-37 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 Matthew 23:1-12

NOV 9 Joshua 24:1-3a,14-25 Psalm 78:1-7 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Matthew 25:1-13

NOV 16 Judges 4:1-7 Psalm 123 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 Matthew 25:14-30

NOV 23 Ezekiel 34:11-16,20-24 Psalm 100 Ephesians 1:15-23 Matthew 25:31-46

NOV 27 Thanksgiving Day

Deut 8:7-18 Psalm 65 2 Cor 9:6-15 Luke 17:11-19

Advent – Year B begins

1st Sunday of Advent NOV 30

Isaiah 64:1-9 Psalm 80:1-7,17-19 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 Mark 13:24-37

2nd

Sunday of Advent DEC 7 Isaiah 40:1-11 Psalm 85:1-2,8-13 2 Peter 3:8-15a Mark 1:1-8

3rd

Sunday of Advent DEC 14 Isaiah 61:1-4,8-11 Psalm 126 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 John 1:6-8,19-28

4th

Sunday of Advent/Christmas Sunday DEC 21

2 Samuel 7:1-11,16 Luke 1:47-55 Romans 16:20-27 Luke 1:26-38

Christmas Eve Isaiah 9:2-7 Psalm 96 Titus 2:11-14 Luke 2:1-20

Christmas Day Isaiah 52:7-10 Psalm 98 Hebrews 1 John 1:1-14

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Advent

Advent begins on the Sunday nearest November 30, the feast day of St. Andrew

the Apostle, and covers four Sundays. Because the day it begins changes from year

to year, so does the length of each Advent season.

In 2014, Advent begins on November 30

THE HISTORY OF ADVENT

The word advent, from Latin, means “the coming” and has been observed in some

form since the fourth century. Originally, it was a time when converts to

Christianity readied themselves for baptism.

During the Middle Ages, Advent became associated with preparation for the

Second Coming. In early days it lasted from November 11, the feast of St. Martin,

until Christmas Day. Advent was considered a pre-Christmas season of Lent when

Christians devoted themselves to prayer and fasting.

Many Christians still view Advent as a season to prepare for the Second Coming of

Jesus. In the last fifty years, however, it has also come to be thought of as a time of

anticipating the Nativity, on Christmas Day.

ADVENT WREATHS

Advent wreaths have their origins in the folk traditions of northern Europe, where

in the deep of winter people lit candles on wheel-shaped bundles of evergreen.

Both the evergreen and the circular shape symbolized ongoing life. The candlelight

gave comfort at this darkest time of the year, as

people looked forward to the longer days of spring.

Later, Eastern European Christians adopted this

practice. By the sixteenth century, they were making

Advent wreaths much as we know them today. An

advent wreath traditionally contains four candles-

three purple and one rose. Purple dyes were one so

rare and costly that they were associated with royalty;

the Roman Catholic Church has long used this color

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around Christmas and Easter to honor Jesus. The three purple candles in the

Advent wreath symbolize hope, peace, and love. These candles are lit on the first,

second, and fourth Sundays of Advent. The rose candle, which symbolizes joy, is

usually lit on the third Advent Sunday.

We add a fifth candle. It is lit along with the other four on Christmas Eve, is white

and represents the birth of Jesus.

Christian Ed:

Here are a few photos from our

Sunday School field trip to Bob

& Kathy Munson's orchard. We

gathered apples, made cider, and

ate delicious treats. And what

glorious weather! We give a

huge thanks to the Munson’s for

their generosity and hospitality!

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October 27, 2014

Searching for Holy Ground

Richard L. Floyd

"Then God said to Moses, ‘Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on

which you are standing is holy ground.'" - Exodus 3:5

You can't find holy ground with your GPS. You won't even find it at famous holy places, though

you might. Ordinary places become holy ground only because we meet God there.

Our congregation calls our worship space the "sanctuary," which means "a container for the

holy." It is a lovely and historic room, but it is no more intrinsically holy than Mt. Horeb.

Holy ground is usually found in a crisis: Jacob running away from Esau, Moses hiding out, Paul

rushing to Damascus to persecute the church.

Without the presence of God, Jacob's pillow is just another rock, Horeb just another hill, the way

to Damascus just another road.

But anywhere can be holy ground if we meet God there. The Jesuit poet Gerard Manley Hopkins

wrote: "The world is charged with the grandeur of God . . ." and it is true, but too often we miss it

because we are preoccupied with the cares of the world.

And when we do recognize holy ground, we often want to camp out there, like Peter after the

Transfiguration. But God doesn't meet us just so we can have an experience; there is always a call

and a job to do.

prayer:

Bring us to your holy ground, O God, and then send us to live out your will

and way, in Jesus name.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Richard L. Floyd is Pastor Emeritus of First Church of Christ (UCC) in Pittsfield,

Massachusetts, and author of A Course In Basic Christianity. He blogs at

richardlfloyd.com.

Tear Open the Heavens: 2014 Advent Devotionals by the writers of the

Stillspeaking Daily Devotional is now available.

PRAYER CONCERNS

Among those who were lifted up in prayer this past month:

Shirley Barbe Jeremy Dickson Kathy Munson & family

Members of Gloria Fox’s family Leia White Gail Chase

Our sympathy and love to the family and friends of

Rocky Stimson

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE OCTOBER 2ND CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING

From the Historian:

Starting with the October Epistle and the next few issues, this report will

feature Captain William Trotter who built the Trotter House and gave us our

Communion Set even though he was not a member of our church.

From Sunday School

Hosting Coffee Hour after church November 30th; the children will also be

participating with the service – 1st Sunday in Advent.

From the Diaconate:

Questionnaires have been coming in; would like to see more. Small group

meetings will then be taking place in member’s homes during mid-October –

beginning of November.

Will be using wireless microphones during worship.

From Rev. Kinder:

Continuing with the questionnaire conversation, would like to see 25-35

questionnaires returned. The small group gatherings will run about 1-1/2

hours.

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He will analyze the information from the

questionnaires and small groups, and will submit the

information to the Vermont UCC Council.

From the Trustees:

The kitchen floor work has been postponed until after Christmas. We have

received a price from Valley Floors and want to get another estimate.

Read “acknowledgement” for IRS tax

deduction use. The church will use this

when thanking those who have made

donations to the church for all purposes.

Act ‘n Spire Capital Campaign:

Brochures are done and printed. Will be distributing around the area. A

brochure went out with the Game Supper mailing.

Doug McLam is welding ‘Roman Numerals’ for the clock face

and Joe Button is gold-leafing them. He would like a work

group formed to get some help with this. Danny Perry III

has volunteered to pick up the clock to save the church the

$600 shipping fee.

From Interchurch Council:

Our church members will be asked for donations of green/yellow beans for

the Thanksgiving baskets that the Bradford Food Shelf will put together.

The regular staple items are always needed.

The film “Hungry Heart” has been used at Woodsville

High School and Oxbow High School is expecting to use

the film this school year.

Little Rivers will be the fiscal agent for the Community

Nurse.

Upcoming events in our churches Holiday Bazaar at

OLOPH November 1st; and the Game Supper at UCC

November 22nd

.

This will be the last year that Linda and Gary Moore will

head up the Community Christmas Dinner. If you know

of anyone interested in chairing this event contact Pat

Benjamin at 802-222-4581.

Rev. Kinder and Pastor Jordan will be working out the

details for the upcoming holiday services between the

two churches.

Rob Elder recommends the book “A Practical Guide for

Saving Your Church from Extinction” – Lee K. Richer.

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Other Business:

Storme Odell does the Coffee Hour on the 3rd

Sunday of each month – she

will be able to take care of October, November and December, but will be

away January, February, and March and will need someone or a group to

take care of Coffee Hour on the 3rd

Sunday for those months.

Julie Porter, speaking very emotionally, said that she

and David McLam would co-chair through next year’s

game supper, our 60th! They have not been able to

find two people to train with them to take over as co-

chairs. Also stressing how hard it is to get the help

needed to do all the work leading up to the supper,

they felt that it might be a good time to end the supper

– on a good note (the supper started with a Perry and a

McLam – let’s end it with a Perry and a McLam),

rather than having the supper go downhill. There was,

of course, some very emotional discussion about this:

the history, the culture, the financial support that the

supper has given us over the years. We ended the

discussion asking the clerk to put the following

statement into the October Epistle:

"At the October 2, 2014 Church Council meeting, the Game

Supper Committee brought forth the proposal to celebrate

the 60th Anniversary of the game supper in 2015 when at

that time, Julie Perry Porter and David McLam will be

retiring as Co-Chairs. The Church Council supports this

proposal, recognizing that this might be the last game

supper and sees the 60th Anniversary as a fitting

celebration."

Thank you,

Barbara Joslyn, Clerk

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Note from the Interchurch Council

The churches are once again assisting the

Bradford Food Shelf with the Thanksgiving

Baskets for needy families in the Bradford

area.

Our church is responsible for bringing

yellow or green canned vegetables. Please

bring them to church and put in the food shelf basket in the entry of the church by

Sunday November 23rd.

If you know of any family that would like a Thanksgiving Basket please contact

Storme Odell at 222-9655 by Nov 20th.

Thank you again for helping in this community outreach.

Storme Odell

Save the Date

Saturday, December 13 for the

Help Kids India

Fundraising Supper at the church.

If anyone would like to attend

an Indian cooking class as

well as help to prepare enough

food for the Indian dinner that

day please contact Lora

Chatfield 222-4029

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The Christmas Market with a Difference at the Hanover

"White" Church on Thursday and Friday, November 6 and 7 from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Saturday, November 8 from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Lucia Button, Holly Young and I (and others) will be at the Help Kids India table with sewing center wares. Come by and say hello!

Community Nurse Sought

The Bradford Community Nurse Project is seeking a part time Registered Nurse with an active nursing license in the state of Vermont. Preferred qualifications include a minimum of five (5) years experience in clinical nursing with home health care/community health nursing preferred, professional flexibility and maturity, strong nursing assessment skills, health counseling skills and experience and a knowledge of resources available to Bradford residents.

The Community Nurse will act as a free resource person to all Bradford residents. This is not a “hands on” nursing role but involves home visiting, needs assessment, assisting clients in accessing desired services, and health education. The primary, although not the sole, focus of the project is to assist Bradford elders who wish to remain independent in their own homes.

For more information or to apply please contact Lora Chatfield 802-222-4029/lorachatfield@hotmail.com

Diaconate Announcements:

Rev. Kinder will be taking the week of Nov. 8-15 off. Except for an emergency

please refer any Pastoral Concerns to our Deacon of the Month, Dottie Unkles at

222-5643. For use of the church building contact Trustee Joe Button at 222-4586.

Deacon Marcia Tomlinson will fill the pulpit November 9th

.

Please remember that announcements for the bulletin should be submitted to Rev.

Kinder in time for the bulletin’s printing. Submitting them on Wednesdays should

do the trick. Getting them into the bulletin will shorten the amount of time now

being spent on them during the worship service. If you can’t get an announcement

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to Rev. Kinder you can send it along to Marcia Tomlinson as a last resort

m3site@charter.net but please only as a last resort.

CVS Kits I would like to remind everyone that I am collecting items once again for the CWS

health, school and layettes kits.

I have been lucky enough to have some very talented women knit or crochet 30

baby blankets for this coming year. Before I go and buy the remaining items

needed, I am asking you all to please let me know if you are interested in donating

any of the following items for the kits. I do not expect you to donate the total

amount. Please let me know what you are able to give.

Items needed to complete the kits I have:

27 receiving blankets

56 wash cloths

10 hand towels

10 wide combs

10 nail clippers

10 bars of soap

Big box of bandaids

55 baby sleepers(newborn to 1 yr)

60 undershirts

12 hand knit sweaters

17 big spiral note books

7 rulers

7 hand held pencil sharpeners

30 #2 pencils

7 boxes of 24 count crayons

Please call me at 222-9655 or email me at rsodell71@gmail.com by December 1

2014

Thanks so much. If you would just like to make a monetary donate, i would be

happy to purchase the items. I hope we can help those in need throughout the

world.

Blessings to all,

Storme

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Captain Trotter …. Continued

Capt. Trotter engaged in fur trading on the Northwest Coast of North America and

the China trade in Canton on Honan Island and

Whampon. He landed in Port Jackson (Sydney,

Australia) on April 19, 1796 on the “Susan.” He

finally reached the Hawaiian Islands on November

30, 1796 when he sailed from Tonga into

Kealakekua Bay seventeen years after Capt. Cook.

He did not miss the Hawaiian Island this time! He

traded goods with the natives and was very

respectful of them. Rev. McKeen says that their

King Tomahamaha the first gave Capt. Trotter the

spear “made of very hard heavy wood curiously

wrought” which was at that time at the home of

Colonel Barron of Hartford, CT (see photos of

this spear). Maryanne Force says it was probably “on of the curiosities” given to

him by the King of the Friendly Islands in

1796 – King Kamehameha. In a letter

attached to the minutes of the Bradford

Library Board meeting on October 7,

1931 from Mary Grey Barron of West

Hartford, CT, it says, “I have a spear of

carved teakwood, which was given to

Captain Trotter by Kamehameha the

first, King of the Sandwich Islands,

many years ago. It is mentioned on one

of the Captain’s Log books which my

mother sent some years ago to

Bradford.” “It seems most suitable that

the spear should be with the other relics

there in the library, so I am taking the

liberty of having it boxed and sent to

you.”

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The library also has

a handkerchief

box/purse of

Captain Trotter’s

(see photo). These

items were in the

Reading Room for

many years. Now

they are stored

archivally at

Merchant’s Bank of Bradford.

On the Northwest Coast Capt. Trotter traveled primarily between the Queen

Charlotte and Admiralty Island, trading with the natives for furs. Violent episodes

were not uncommon. It appears that he sailed from the Northwest Coast to the

Hawaiian Island and then to Canton where he sold or traded the furs.

At the end of the Eighteenth Century trading with China and the East Indies

became secondary to trading with South and Central America. The Spanish

controlled the gold and silver markets but the Americans found ways around this.

Trotter was now on the ship “Palmyra.” He bought goods on the East Coast of

America, sailed on the dangerous crossing of the Atlantic to England, Hamburg,

Germany, England and France were considered enemies in the late 1790’s. He

would buy velvets, silk and lace goods in England and sail back to South America

for trading for silver, gold and other precious metals.

Capt. Trotter relates one experience when the “Viper,” an English cutter, boards

the “Palmyra.” The tension on board the “Palmyra” while the British were there

must have been palpable. Trotter says that several letters and papers were

“committed to the deep.” The account goes on to say that “Trotter no doubt was a

smiling genial merchant captain, offering drinks to the boarders as they searched

his vessel. Since Deborah Trotter, a well-dressed pretty woman in her late twenties

was probably aboard, she would have added to the seemingly relaxed social

atmosphere.” These were hazardous times as the Spanish also boarded his ship on

its way to South America.

In the post-revolutionary period, the British shut many ports to the Americas.

Many historians believe the years from 1780-1789 were the most uncertain ones in

American history. Smuggling was not considered a dirty word. If they had to

become smugglers, they did. It helped pay the bills. Finally, Trotter’s South

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American ventures were smuggling operations. While trading with South

Americans, he formed intimate friendships with officials and merchants who were

ready to help him attain his purposes. At times they would invite him and his wife,

who always traveled with him, to provate entertainments at their homes. Forbidden

goods were carried in a clandestine manner on belts beneath their clothes. On one

occasion, Mrs. Trotter had her pockets so heavily laden that, as she was about to go

on board, her pocket string brole and she instantly fell, apparently in a faint! When

the Captain with some of his men understood what was happening, immediately

gathered her up, keeping her skirts carefully wrapped about her. They carried her

on board without anyone becoming suspicious. In this contraband trade, Capt.

Trotter was so successful that in a few years he accumulated enough money for a

handsome support for the remaining years of his life.

(to be continued in next Epistle)