WOLLASTON CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, UCC 48 Winthrop Ave, Wollaston, MA 02170

Telephone 617-773-7432 website: www.wollastonucc.org Minister: Rev. Elizabeth Williams

Dear Wollaston Congregational Church Members and Friends, The season of Eastertide is almost over, and we are approaching the festival of Pentecost on Sunday June 4th. Pentecost is a celebration of the birth of the Church universal, and the gift of the Holy Spirit. I am delighted to announce that, on Pen-tecost, I will be installed as Pastor of Wollaston Congregational Church. You and your family and friends are warmly invited to join us on June 4th at 4 p.m. in the sanctuary, for a service of worship and for a reception in the social hall, following the service. It is hard to believe that we only have a few weeks remaining in our church pro-gram year. As I look back over our first 9 months together, my heart is filled with gratitude. These months have indeed been a journey of faith for all of us. We are required to continue in faith and trust while we await the outcome of our process with the City of Quincy, in obtaining an occupancy permit so that we may be able to return to hosting youth groups. I lift some of the many congregants I am thankful for …

All who have worked faithfully toward obtaining the occupancy permit, whether by making physical alterations to the building or by filling out forms, and meeting with city employees.

Those who secured a grant for repair work on the church tower, and for those who are meeting with contractors to arrange for the work to be done.

All who served coffee hour, over the past months, offering the gift of hospitali-ty to guests and regular attendees.

The very many of you who worked tirelessly and participated in social and fundraising events, including craft fairs, concerts, dinners, and other events.

All who worked on the exterior grounds and gardens, especially during the re-cent spring cleanup, to give our building a fresh and welcoming presenta-tion.

Those who prepare our sanctuary for worship, and our two volunteer adminis-trators, Kate Wylie and Marian Channon, who manage rentals and finances, produce the worship bulletin and Powerpoint, and take care of many other necessary tasks.

As we approach the Summer months, the book group that began during Lent has reconvened to read “Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal and Delight in Our Busy Lives” by Wayne Muller. We will be meeting from 11:30-12:15 most Sundays. This book has struck a nerve with members, as we look in depth at the notion of Sabbath, not only as a day to worship, but a concept that we can practice every day.

WOLLASTON CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, UCC 48 Winthrop Ave, Wollaston, MA 02170

Telephone 617-773-7432 website: www.wollastonucc.org Minister: Rev. Elizabeth Williams

In this way of thinking, Sabbath is a pause, a rest, a time of silence, and a time of listening for God. Sabbath is holy, and is actually prescribed by God for God’s people. Sabbath is counter to our culture of busy-ness. In fact, we learned from the book that “the Chinese pictograph for busy is composed of two characters: heart and killing.” (3) As I reflect on what we have been reading, I am reminded of Psalm 127:1-2

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord guards the city, the guard keeps watch in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for [God] gives sleep to [God’s] beloved.

These verses echo the sentiment that God truly desires rest and wellbeing for God’s people. While we might commit to work for our church, preserving the building and participating in its activities, our labor will be in vain if we do not return to prayer and discernment often. We humans are well aware that when we fill our lives with busy-ness and “anxious toil”, we begin to spin our wheels. And so I invite you to return to communal worship often, this Spring and these Summer months. I also invite you to seek out daily “Sabbath moments” to restore your soul. We would do well to remember that Sabbath cannot be pushed off until the weather is warm. Humans are not made for continual activity 9 months of the year. And so, please carry the Sabbath moments you find back into your daily life for the remaining seasons of the year. I look forward to seeing you during our Sab-bath worship hours for the remainder of the Spring (up until the end of June). Summer worship will continue with Sunday music and meditation through July and August, and I plan to return for mid-week evening communion once each of those months. Deep blessings on you and yours, Rev. Liz Williams

What a fellowship, what a joy divine WOLLASTON CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, UCC

WOLLASTON CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, UCC 48 Winthrop Ave, Wollaston, MA 02170 Telephone 617-773-7432 website: www.wollastonucc.org Minister: Rev. Elizabeth Williams

SATURDAY, MARCH 11 at 6

Wollaston Congregational Church Events

Spring/Summer, 2017

Join us Sundays at 10:00 A.M. for worship service

in our beautiful sanctuary 617.773.7432 www.wollastonucc.org You can also find us on Facebook

Date Event Details

May 6 Spring Cleanup Cleaner Greener Quincy

May 14 New Member Sunday

June 4 Pentecost Sunday—Installation of Rev. Wil-liams—4 pm

Installation of Rev. Williams as pastor at Wol-laston Congregational Church by the Pilgrim Association of the MAC-UCC

Tba Education Sunday Watch for information about our annual cele-bration of High School and College graduates.

Sundays May 4 - June 25

Book Discussion “Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal and Delight in Our Busy Lives” by Wayne Muller

Sundays July —August

Music and Meditation Each Sunday from 10—11 am, music and meditation focusing on the Psalms—a series of music, videos. readings and quiet time

Mid-week worship tbd

Celebration of Holy Communion and mid-week worship

Once a month in July and August (dates and times to be announced), Rev. will lead us in

Greener Cleaner Quincy—photo by Kim Kroeger

WOLLASTON CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, UCC 48 Winthrop Ave, Wollaston, MA 02170 Telephone 617-773-7432 website: www.wollastonucc.org Minister: Rev. Elizabeth Williams

On May 6. Cub Scout Pack 42 made Wollaston Con-gregational Church its project for a Greener Cleaner Quincy.. Along with some church members, the scouts, racked and filled 22 bags of yard waste and trimmed the trees and bushes that were trying to block our ramp access to the sanctuary. Some of the trimmings from the dogwood tree made a beautiful display in the sanctuary the next day. (photo by Liz Williams)

New Members, May 14 On May 14, the members and congregation of Wollaston Congregational church accepted two special people into full membership with our church family. At the start of worship that day, the congregatiom held a brief special ecclesiastical meeting to allow the congregation to receive Rev. Elizabeth Williams into full mem-bership of the church. She would automatically be made a member by terms of the church bylaws at her installation in June. The members voted to allow this to happen earli-er to make May 14 a spe-cial day for new members. Rhea Ranno, a relatively recent addition to our church family also joined the church in full membership.. She was baptized and received into the Christian life on Easter Sunday (above photo courtesy of Mary Tracey)

June 4 at 4 pm—Installation of the Rev. Elizabeth Williams as our minister—a special service of installation led in part by the clergy pf the Pilgrim Association of the United Church of Christ.. This Sunday is also the celebration of the Day of Pentecost . The service begins at 4 pm in the sanctuary and will be followed by a reception downstairs—in deference to the Eng-lish roots of Liz Williams, it will be a “proper English tea”. To assist in preparing for this recep-tion, contact Becky Lampert-Egan at brjznab@aol.com

WHY DO WE SING AND/OR READ THE PSALMS?

Someone asked the other day why the Psalms are important. The short answer was that they are the centered in the Bible and because these were the songs and hymns of the Hebrew worshippers. At Wollaston Congregational Church, the Psalms are integral to our worship. Sometimes we sing the Psalm as a hymn, sometimes we read it responsively or in unison, sometimes we watch a video or listen to a special choral version of the Psalm. Why? Be-cause the Bible instructs us to do so. In Ephesians 5: 19, Paul tells his readers to “Speak to one another with Psalms, Hymns and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.” And because these were the songs and hymns that Jesus knew and used and sang as part of his daily life.

SUMMER WORSHIP AT WOLLASTON

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH Join us Sunday mornings from July 2 through September 3 each week at 10 am for an hour of peace and tranquility dur-ing your busy life. This summer we will focus on the Book of Psalms through mu-sic, readings, video interpretations and time for personal prayer and mediation. The Deacons will supply cold drink in the Narthex. There will also be two weeknight oppor-tunities for worship and the Service of Holy Communion (watch for more infor-mation).