vestry news...jennifer royce (978-263-0707 or [email protected]) teresa howie (978-266-1172 or...
TRANSCRIPT
O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9
I N T H I S I S S U E
Pastor’s Letter 2
Worship 3
Merrie Xmas Fair 4,5,6
Silent Auction info. 5,10,11
Pastor’s Office Hrs. Advent Planning
6
NIN Collection, Pie Social, Opening Doors Workshop
7
Open Doors Update 8
Book Group 10
Support UCCB Shop AmazonSmile
10, 11
Birthdays 11
Vestry News
Let the Silent Auction Open Doors to New Experiences
Preparations for this year’s Silent Auction at the Merrie Christmas Fair are already well under way. This
year, in addition to offering products you can bid on as gifts for your family or friends, we would like to
offer more experiences that will get people together, invite new people into our church family, and open
our doors to the community.
In the past, we’ve already enjoyed several of these: the Belgian waffle breakfast, the Greek dinner and
dancing, the pie-crust-making demonstration, guided walks in the woods, an afternoon tea and garden
walk, cross-country ski lessons, etc.
We’d like to offer even more of these events this year. Here are some ideas for what could be done:
Cooking lesson, followed by a tasting of the prepared food
Brunch after church
Bowling party for adults and children
Group ski trip to Mt. Wachusett
Valentine’s Day party
Mystery dinner
If any of these sounds like something you – or you and a friend – would like to sponsor, that would be
great! The Community Center, including the kitchen, is available for your use, and we will help you
make the arrangements and publicize your event. The events you plan can be done any time between
now and June 2020.
If you have suggestions for more events that will provide fun experiences people can enjoy together,
please share your ideas with one of these:
Jennifer Royce (978-263-0707 or [email protected])
Teresa Howie (978-266-1172 or [email protected])
Mary Anne Vogel (978-263-8957 or [email protected])
We’d like to have the ideas by October 6 so we can start publicizing the events and getting early bids.
Thank you!
Let’s get ready for the Merrie Christmas Fair! This edition is full of information on how you can help!
P A G E 2
Past
or’s
Let
ter
Pastor’s Letter
Greetings Friends,
You matter. Yes, you. You with your particular gifts – joining loudly on a hymn, supporting parents with
rambunctious kids, giving a few dollars anytime you pass someone on the sidewalk with a cup. You matter.
You matter. Yes, you. You with your personal burdens – the parent who always found the right words to
cut you down, the job that leaves you numb, the addiction you face every day. You matter.
You matter. Yes, you. When you compare yourself to people’s curated Facebook lives, when you wonder
what meaning your life could possibly have, when you feel inadequate and broken and invisible. You matter.
You were made by Love, of Love and for Love. You bring beautiful uniqueness to the world. There is noth-
ing you have to do to earn value and worth and grace. You matter.
From a young age we start internalizing messages about how we will be assessed based on how we look,
how we do in school, how popular we are, how much we are paid, how successful we are at work, how big
our house is, how new our car is… Even when we work on resisting these messages, they seem to creep in
and whisper at the back of our minds.
Too often faith communities only make it worse. Somehow people get messages that their worth is based
on frequency of church attendance, the volunteer duties they undertake, the money they donate, the virtue
they demonstrate. Yes, I believe coming to worship and getting involved and practicing generosity and seek-
ing to be our best selves blesses us and the world. But these things do not earn us the love of God or each
other. That love is just there, free for the taking.
Because you matter.
UCCB is a busy and vibrant church. We continue to move through a robust capital campaign, we’re about
to begin the annual pledge drive, sign-up sheets for the Merrie Christmas Fair will appear any second, the
weekly bulletin is stuffed full of announcements about programs you can attend. And I hope you’ll engage in
some of what we have to offer, again because I think it will bless you and the world. But not because you
“have to” in order to be part of this faith community, or to be approved of by church leadership, or to earn
worth in our eyes.
You are a beautiful and beloved child of God, just as you are. We’re glad you’re here; in this church, and in
this world. You matter.
Peace,
Rev. Cindy
P A G E 3
October Worship
Oct. 7 – World Communion. Churches around the world connect at the communion table
on this world communion Sunday. We will receive communion by intinction (traveling to the
table to receive a piece of bread and dip the bread in the cup). We will also take the annual
UCC offering, Neighbors in Need. See information about that collection on page 7 of the
newsletter. After worship, we will offer the Laying on of Hands, see information on that below.
Oct. 13 – Guest preacher Rev. Larry Iannetti. Rev. Cindy is off for the long weekend. We welcome guest preacher Rev.
Larry Iannetti, a retired UCC minister who most recently served as the pastor of the Federated Church of Ashland. He has had a
diverse professional career, having worked as a school psychologist, and was ordained as a Catholic priest in 1985. During a hiatus
from ministry in the 1990’s -2010, he worked as a program director/supervisor in the substance abuse treatment field and went on
to consult for an insurance company around mental health and substance abuse related disability claims. In 2010 he returned to full
time ministry in the UCC. Larry has a special passion for artisan bread baking and has done workshops on the Spirituality of Bread
Baking. Larry spends his time serving on the Board of Directors, after completing a six year term on Committee On Authorized
Ministry for the Central Association of the UCC, oil painting, and volunteering at the Community Harvest Project Farm in Grafton
which produces fresh vegetables which are freely distributed to food pantries throughout Worcester County. He is currently a
member of the First Congregational Church of Shrewsbury, UCC.
Oct. 20 – Marking The Way. So many people are looking for connection, support, meaning. At UCCB, we have experienced
these blessings and more. We can help other people discover these gifts. That’s the challenge laid out in this year’s annual pledge
campaign. We will begin by reflecting on the story of Jacob, who used a rock for a pillow. When Jacob woke from God-filled
dreams, the rock became an altar to show others the way.
Oct. 27 – On a Mission. Participants from UCCB’s 2019 Youth Mission Trip will share their reflections in worship, and we will
launch the 2020 Youth Mission Trip with a special offering. Future mission trippers in the junior choir will add their voices to wor-
ship. The Shareholders Brunch immediately after worship is open to all, an opportunity to learn more about the Youth Mission
Trip and see the slide show.
Laying On of Hands
October 6
After Worship
Sanctuary
So much of our worship is "from the neck up," words spoken and heard. Sometimes we yearn for more embodied worship, like a
labyrinth walk or coming forward for communion or making sandwiches for hungry neighbors. And sometimes we need worship
that is quiet, meditative, and gives us very personal care and support.
These needs come together in the laying on of hands, a prayer service we have typically offered in Lent. This year we are offering
it monthly, after worship, on the first Sunday of the month (Oct. 6). Those who would like to receive the laying on of hands simp-
ly sit down front in the sanctuary after worship. Once the rest of the congregation has left, Rev. Cindy will rest her hands on each
person, and offer a brief prayer. We will be done in time to enjoy coffee hour.
Any questions, see Rev. Cindy
P A G E 4
The Merrie Christmas Fair Saturday, November 23, 2019
9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Merrie Christmas Fair is the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Many weeks and ways to participate.
There are many ways to participate:
-Call or email individual chair persons to see how you might contribute
-Join one of the preparation workshops (ornaments, men’s table, etc.)
-Donate funds, create items or materials
-Prepare or buy items for Snack Bar or Baked Goods Table
-Volunteer for event support duties: Sign-Up Sheets will be in Community Center mid-October.
-Let your family, friends, and neighbors know about the Fair, mark calendars
-Gather your Treasures (from attic or basement) and drop off in Pod starting wk. of Nov. 10
-Watch the Church Bulletin and Flash for updates
Fair Tables Chairs -
Gifts and Knits Ann Marchmont
Attic Treasures (worthwhile, working items) Gregg and Karen Hamlin
Children’s Table Heidi Kidd
Men’s Table Paul DiPaolo
Christmas Wreaths Rob Warwick and Youth Group
Seasonal Greens Anne Spalding
Christmas Ornaments Gloria Roe, Linda Morse, and Connie Brown
Silent Auction Mary Anne Vogel
Jewelry Mary Rohwer and Denise Parkes
Baked Goods Suzanne Boyden & Kathie Schwarting
Sugar Plum Café Deb Simmons and Deb Turner
Santa Looking for a Santa or 2 – any suggestions ?
Other Key Fair Support Areas -
Let Teresa or I know if any of these areas interest you for involvement:
Advertising & Promotion: Flyer Placement, A-Frame Signs, and more
Finance Team: Credit card payment processing in the Sanctuary and support of fair tables
Join Dave Pavlik, Kellie Senghas, Paul Brookes and Team
Set Up: Includes Sanctuary prep on Sunday, Nov 17 and Table sets on Nov 21
Join Ralph DeMent, Greg Turner, Guy Marchmont, Ron Vogel, Walker Royce and others
Attic Treasures Set Up: Friday, November 22 – major sorting effort
Clean Up at end of Fair Day: Sanctuary reassembly is critical at 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm
Contact the Fair Chairs, Jennifer Royce or Teresa Howie if you have questions or want to find a way to assist at the Fair. Jennifer
Royce, [email protected] 978-793-0055 or Teresa Howie, [email protected] 978-266-1172.
P A G E 5
GIFTS AND KNITS TABLE would love your help, talent and time. Is there someone you know that would be willing to do-
nate one of their Gift or Knit projects to the church on your behalf? These could be such things as baby items, hostess gifts,
teacher gifts, placemats and napkins, aprons, hats, etc. Anything would be very welcome as variety makes for a more attractive
table. Feel free to contact Ann Marchmont at 978-266-1775 or email [email protected]
ATTIC TREASURES – have you found any? Is there something that is in good condition, a useful tool, or a decent piece of
sports equipment that you no longer need or want? Do you have clean and working children toys that you know someone else
would enjoy? Here is an opportunity where you can clean your home and help make someone else very happy. Any questions,
call Gregg or Karen Hamlin 978-263-9238.
BAKED GOODS TABLE Is baking your passion or do you just have a few favorite recipes? This table al-
ways sells out, so your help to fill it is greatly appreciated. Start thinking now of what you may be able to pro-
vide. Suzanne can be reached at 978-201-2368 with any questions.
MEN’S TABLE – Wednesday evening workshops will be starting soon. Let Paul DiPaolo know if you are interested. Limited
talent required, feel free to call Paul at 508-922-5160 with any questions.
Silent Auction The Silent Auction at the Merrie Christmas Fair is a great opportunity to find unique holiday gifts, tickets to sports or musical
events, delicious homemade food, original art and photography, and special services like massages, exercise classes, gardening les-
sons, etc. Here’s how the Auction works – Auction items are on display at the Fair, and beside each is a sheet of paper where you
write down what you are offering to pay for that item. You can see what others before you have bid, and others can see what you
bid. You can even submit a “best and final” secret bid. The highest bidder at the end of the Auction wins the item.
Where do the Auction items come from? They are donated by many local businesses and by Church members and friends just
like you! Items of all kinds are welcome: gifts you purchase, gifts that are hand-made, original art and photography, delicious
homemade food, Christmas-themed items, tickets to sports events or concerts, tools for the home or garden, collectibles, etc.
Some of the most popular items at the Auction are the things we can do for one another. Here are a few examples of what has
been done in the past to spark your imagination:
Cooking a food-of-the-month – cookie/soup/bread/pie
Preparing a meal
Sharing a skill – turning pens on a lathe, teaching singing, teaching people to cross-country ski, decorating boxwood
trees, hiking local trails, etc.
Providing a service – Remodeling advice, Christmas gift wrapping, Christmas tree “un-decorating” after the holidays,
rides to the airport, babysitting, pet-sitting
We also gladly accept money to buy articles for the Auction. Mail or bring your check to the church made out to “UCCB” with
“Silent Auction” in the memo line. You can also donate online using the church website (www.boxboroughucc.org). Access the
“Giving” pull-down menu at the top of the home page, then click on Give Online, then click the Donate button, then choose Spe-
cial Fundraiser (specifying “Silent Auction” next to the amount), then click Continue at the bottom of the page to finish the dona-
tion by filling in your name and credit card information.
The Silent Auction needs everyone’s participation to be successful! Please let us know what you can donate by either (1) signing up
on the Silent Auction poster in the Community Center during the coffee hour after church, or (2) contacting Mary Anne Vogel
(978-263-8957 or [email protected]). Thank you very much!
P A G E 6
Saturday Morning Coffee and Conversation
Please join us in the Community Center at 9 AM on the first and third Saturdays of the month
for (bring-your-own) coffee and conversation! We’re currently exploring spiritual practices such
as meditation, and telling our stories. New members are always welcome. Contact any of us to
find out more: Art Boyd, Chris DeLise, Jeff Vandegrift, Todd Waddington, or Larry Wellington.
Ornament Table Seeks People to Help Make Items for Fair
This is the busiest month for us to make Christmas items for the Fair. We’ve scheduled three of Ornament/Decorations-Making
workshops. This is a great time to make lovely and fun ornaments for the Fair. If you have a project that you are working on at
home, great! Bring it along to work on during the workshop. No experience required to make ornaments.
OCTOBER WORKSHOPS:
Thursday, Oct. 3 7:00-9:00 PM Gloria Roe’s House, 56 Osceola Dr. Boxboro
Sunday, Oct. 13 2:00-4:00 PM Gloria Roe’s House, 56 Osceola Dr., Boxboro
Sunday, Oct. 27 2:00-4”00 PM Linda Morse House, 269 Joseph Rd. Boxboro
There will be one more workshop in November to be announced. Monetary contributions or material donations are greatly ap-
preciated to defray expenses for materials. If you would like to help or have additional questions, please contact either Gloria Roe
978-264-0052, Linda Morse at 978-266-2836 or Connie Brown at 978-978-391-4854.
Pastor’s “Office” Hours Wednesdays, 10 am
With construction well underway, Rev. Cindy's office is now her car, her house, your house,
the church kitchen - wherever she finds a space. You can still reach her by email
([email protected]) and phone, leave messages with Jenn, and setup an in per-
son meeting. Cindy will also be at Legend Cafe (5 Spruce St.) on Wednesdays from 10 - 11 am
for anyone who wants to drop by. Before you know it, construction will be done and you can
visit her in the renewed pastor's office!
Advent Planning Help plan Advent and Christmas worship and activities! Join Rev. Cindy and the
Deacons on Thurs., Oct. 3 at 7:15 pm in the sanctuary to hear about this year’s theme
“(300th anniversary of Joy to the World). Together we will reflect on the theme and
possible visuals, prayers, interactive experiences, sermons, etc. Joining in on the plan-
ning does NOT obligate you for other tasks during Advent, but your further participa-
tion would certainly be welcome! For more information or to sign up, contact Rev.
Cindy at [email protected] or 978-263-7387.
P A G E 7
Opening Doors Workshop
Opening Doors in a Changing World
Oct. 6, 11:30 - 1:00PM
Community Center
Rev. Betsy Waters
We no longer live in a "build it and they will come" (to church) world. In order to adapt well, we need to see the reality of the
cultural changes, uncover the assumptions that pull us back to an old world view, and create innovative ways to be the church in
the 21st century. This 90 minute mini workshop will help us shift the stories we tell ourselves about reaching outside our walls.
We will have bagels and cream cheese, but feel free to pack a snack!
Neighbors In Need
We will be taking an offering for Neighbors In Need (NIN) on Oct 6. This is a special mission
offering of the United Church of Christ that supports ministries of justice and compassion
throughout the United States. One-third of NIN funds support the Council for American Indian
Ministry (CAIM). Two-thirds of the offering is used by the UCC's Justice and Witness Ministries
(JWM) to support a variety of justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects
through grants.
Neighbors in Need grants are awarded to churches and organizations doing justice work in their communities. These grants fund
projects whose work ranges from direct service to community organizing and advocacy to address systemic injustice. Funding is
provided through donations to the Neighbors in Need offering.
Spiritual Nurture for Children Schedule Spiritual Nurture is available for youth in elementary through middle school almost every Sunday! This month, 10/13 is an inter-
generational worship service - all ages are welcome in worship. All other Sundays, interested youth leave for their programming
during the second hymn. Nursery care is also available every week, from the beginning of worship or anytime during the service.
Pie Social & Sale The Fellowship Ministry Team will host their annual Pie Social & Sale on Sunday, October 20. The event
will be held in the Community Center during Fellowship Hour and will feature a variety of home-made pies
donated by members of the church community. Both whole pies and slices will be available for sale.
If you’re interested in contributing a pie, please see the sign-up sheet at the Fellowship Table in the Community Center, contact
Deb Simmons at 978-365-9711 or [email protected], or just bring it in the day of the sale. Proceeds from the sale will be
used to support the Fellowship Ministry Team’s activities.
.
P A G E 8
Open Doors Project Update
Renovation of the historic building continues on schedule and within budget.
September saw the completion of the shear wall on the first floor, the framing of the first floor, insulation of the first floor walls,
and the installation of the beams, joists, and subfloor for the second floor. October’s plans include laying the floor on the second
floor, second floor framing, work on the belfry, and beginning construction of the porches.
First Floor Framing
With the completion of the framing on the first floor, we can begin to see
how it will look.
The picture on the left represents the view that a visitor would have upon
entering through the farmer’s porch. The Administrator’s office is on the
right. The framing for the window between the office and the lobby can be
seen. In center is the doorway that will lead back to the offices, work-
room, stairway, and rear exit.
Installation of the Second Floor The beams supporting the second floor are constructed by layers of
wood and steel as shown in the photograph on the right. The wood is
LVL (Laminated Veneer Lumber), a high-strength manufactured wood
product. The result is a beam capable of handling very large loads without
support.
The beams are 35 feet long and
weigh hundreds of pounds. They
were installed with the help of
jacks, as shown in the accompa-
nying picture.
Continued next page
P A G E 9
With the installation of the beams and joists, the stage is set for the installation of the second floor. The picture above was taken
from the north entrance between the pastor’s office and the stairwell, and shows the vaulted ceiling on the second floor be-
tween the joists.
On September 10, most of the subfloor was laid on the second floor, allowing team
members to walk on the second floor for the first time since June 16. In the picture
on the left, Site Superintendent Bruce Jaillet and Guy Marchmont are discussing the
reframing work that needs to be done on the south wall (behind them).
The stained-glass window in the south wall is covered with plywood, as recommend-
ed by our insurance company to protect it from damage during the renovation.
Continued from page 8—Open Doors Project Update
P A G E 1 0
Cont. on next page
Faith in Action Reading Group: How to Be an Antiracist
A Christian is one who is striving for liberation. – Dr. James Cone
Please join us this fall as we explore this theme, using the brand-new book by Ibram X. Kendi, How to Be an Antiracist, as our guide.
You are encouraged to participate if any of the following apply to you:
if you are uncertain what to say when people protest, “But I’m not racist!”
if you struggle with how to talk about racism with your friends and loved ones
if you want to take your antiracism commitment to the next level, but are not sure where to start
if you are scandalized by Christianity’s racist past and present, and want to work towards a new future
Meetings will be on Tuesday evenings 7p-8:30p, at rotating locations:
September 24 - UCC Boxborough
October 1 - UCC Boxborough
October 8 - UCC Boxborough
October 15 - South Acton Church
October 22 - South Acton Church
October 29 - South Acton Church
November 5 - St. Matthews
November 12 - St. Matthews
This is an open invitation; anyone who is willing to fully participate is welcome. The time commitment will be approximately 40-60
minutes of reading, plus meeting time, each week. We will also explore and discuss action steps throughout and at the conclusion
of our reading. Dr. Josh Lunde-Whitler, from South Acton Church, will be facilitating the discussions.
For more information please contact Rev. Amy Lunde-Whitler at [email protected].
Shop Online Using AmazonSmile and Earn Money for UCCB Do you shop online using Amazon.com? Did you know that you can earn money for our church, at no cost to you, when you pur-
chase products through Amazon? Here’s how it works.
Instead of logging in to www.Amazon.com you simply log in to www.Smile.Amazon.com using the same credentials (username and
password) as you do with Amazon.com. When you make purchases through Smile.Amazon.com, the AmazonSmile Foundation
donates 0.5% of the purchase price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the 501c(3) charity you select. The purchase price
for any item is the sale price, excluding shipping, handling, gift-wrapping fees, taxes, service charges, rebates, and returns. There is
no cost to you or to the charity you select.
Here’s how to shop AmazonSmile:
1. Log in. Log in to Smile.Amazon.com with your usual Amazon.com credentials (username and password).
2. Choose a charity. When you first log in to Smile.Amazon.com, you will see a page welcoming you to AmazonSmile and inviting
you to choose a charity to receive donations. You can select one of Amazon’s spotlight charities, but we hope you will choose our
church to receive donations generated by your purchases. Simply enter United Church of Christ Boxborough into the entry box
and then click on Search. When the church name is found, click the Select button, then click on the check box that says you real-
ize you must log in to smile.amazon.com to support the charity you’ve chosen. You only need to select a charity the first time you
log in to Smile.Amazon.com.
3. Start shopping. You’ll see the message “Supporting: United Church of Christ Boxborough” at the top of the page under the pull-
down list of categories of items for sale.
P A G E 1 1
Bits
and
Pie
ces
“If your birthday doesn't appear in the appropriate edition of the Vestry News, please
inform the church office of your birth month and day. We'd love to celebrate you!"
October Birthday Blessings
The shopping experience on Smile.Amazon.com is identical to that using Amazon.com. Tens of millions of
products are eligible for donations, and you will see “Eligible for AmazonSmile donation” on their product
detail pages. Some items (subscription renewals, for example) are not eligible for donations.
Approximately 45 days after the end of each calendar quarter, the AmazonSmile Foundation makes its dona-
tion to the church by electronic funds transfer.
An important note about privacy:
No information will be disclosed that identifies which customers have chosen to support the church through
AmazonSmile or that ties donations made to the church with individual Amazon customers.
Remember, the church benefits only if you log in to smile.amazon.com not just Amazon.com when you shop.
Any questions? Contact Mary Anne Vogel (978-263-8957 or [email protected]) for more information.
Cont. from page 10—Shop Online using AmazonSmile
Joanne Davis 10/02
William Robertson 10/02
Kathie Schwarting 10/02
Heather Moir 10/07
Alexander Pieri 10/11
Andrew Bull 10/13
Steve Griffin 10/17
Beth Pavlik 10/17
Jill Elenbaas 10/20
Guy Marchmont 10/20
Nancy Russell 10/20
Alexander Boyd 10/21
Cindy Warwick 10/21
Suzanne Boyden 10/22
Gregg Hamlin 10/22
Anthony Pacy 10/23
Douglas Simmons 10/24
Paul DiPaolo 10/26
Gregory Hodgman 10/27
David Mayo 10/27
Amanda Sidwell 10/27
Barbara Szostak 10/28
Kyle Bond 10/29
Bob Bond 10/31
www.boxboroughucc.org
978-263-7387
Vestry News articles, ideas and
submissions are welcome and due the
third Sunday of each month. The Vestry
News is published prior to the first
Sunday of each month.
Please submit to:
October 2019
United Church of Christ, Congregational
723 Massachusetts Avenue
Boxborough, Massachusetts 01719
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED