Summer Edition 2015 (June) - First Congregational Church of Billerica

Lantern
First Congregational Church in Billerica
Summer Edition 2015
Author of Creation
All nature praises the Lord.
For us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we
exist, and one Lord, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
~ 1 Corinthians 8:6
Brothers and sisters in Christ,
Mark Your
Calendar
July 20-24
Vacation Bible School
July 25
Food Pantry Distribution
July 24, 31, August 21, 28
Friday Evening Programs
(August 28 is the Blessing
of the Backpacks)
August 15
BBQ at Adams’
August 30
Spinners Game
Last week we received a sneak preview of summer and
now we have been thrown back into the cool wetness of
springtime. The earth and the wild things are celebrating
the much needed rain, and I am too. As the weather
changes I am mindful of the floods in the middle of the
country, the decades long drought west of the Rockies, and
the delicate balance of our earth. As we celebrate the joys
of summer, let’s tread lightly and lovingly on the earth.
I am praying that summer can be a time when we can
slow down a bit. Take stock in what we have, count our
blessings, and find a place to just be. It is easy to get caught
up in busyness. I am becoming more and more convinced
that busyness is one of the great sins of our current time.
We are so caught up in where we are going that we never
arrive. We are never here. They call it mindfulness. Being
present to the moment. Being present to the person who is
before you. Being present to the beauty that surrounds us.
Simply being. And letting that be enough.
Current buzz echoes Gandhi’s sage advice to “live
simply so others may simply live.” Topping the New York
Times Best Seller’s List is Marie Kondo’s book The LifeContinued on page 2...
Pastor’s thought continued …
Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of
Decluttering and Organizing. Kondo suggests that any item
that does not give one joy should be removed from the
house. Young women (there may be men too, but I haven’t
heard about them) everywhere are Kondoizing their closets
and their homes. The concept is nothing new. William
Morris, the famed English designer of the 19th century
urged to “have nothing in your house that you do not know
to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” And the ancient
Chinese philosophical system fēng shuĭ seeks to harmonize
one with the surrounding environment. In short, we can’t
breathe because we are drowning in all our stuff.
This fear of scarcity, the fear that we will not have
enough, and perhaps underlying it all, that we are not
enough, is another sin that clings so closely to this
generation. Our God is an abundant God. The world has
enough for all of us. And we are each enough to contribute
to God’s divine plan for creation. Let’s stop hoarding and
share from our abundance. Let’s slow down and be present
in the moment. Let’s breathe deeply as we stick our toes in
the sand. Let us exhale the stresses of life as we seek the
refreshing summer shade. Let us live as if this is the only
chance we get, and live as if each fleeting moment is a gift
not to be squandered.
…..Slow down, you move too fast. You got to make the
morning last. Just kicking down the cobble stones. Looking
for fun and feelin' groovy*…..
Summer joy!
Katherine
*The 59th Street Bridge Song, Simon and Garfunkel
Why’s the pastor in
Chicago anyway?
I’m so glad you asked. I will be leaving
for Chicago on June 21 after Children’s
Sunday and returning home July 15.
While I am away I will be completing
my second residency in the
Association of Chicago Theological
Schools, Doctorate of Ministry in
Preaching Program (ACTS DMin for
short.) I will take three, week long,
intensive classes and study with a
cohort of my peers.
The program is designed for working
pastors and requires commitment
from the church. I will attend three
residency programs (this is number 2)
and work according to a learning
contract with the help of a team from
church. This team is called the Parish
Project Group (or PPG, because we
don’t have enough acronyms already ;)
The PPG is central to my studies as
they help formulate sermon concepts
and critique sermons that are
preached as part of the program. The
exciting part for me is that I have a
group that are willing to debate the
message and merit of a sermon.
My class is international and the other
pastors are from many different
denominations. This diversity of
thought, style, race, and culture add
dimensions of richness that I would
not receive within the confines of a
single denomination. And yes, I’m the
crazy progressive east coast preacher,
because what you see is what you get.
Each voices adds to the mix. Great fun.
Amazing journey.
And I thank you. The congregation
commits both time and funding for my
studies. I am very grateful. It’s a
journey that I could not go on without
you. So here we go again. Pray for me
in Hyde Park and along the banks of
Lake Michigan.
lit, sed diam nonummy nibh
Sunday School News from Youth Ministry
Vacation Bible School 2015, “Walk with Jesus,” will be on July
20th –July 24th from 9am to 12pm. A look at what it was like
in the life of Jesus. Watch for registration forms and details in
the next coming months. Should you have questions or would
like to volunteer to help, please contact Sandy Galvin.
We need your help!!! Do you have an interest in teaching, or
might like to teach once in a while, or would like to help with
Sunday school projects? If you do, we are looking for you!!
The Religious Education Committee will soon be busy
recruiting volunteers to assist with the Sunday school program
for the upcoming fall. We need teachers (weekly or every
other week), substitute teachers, classroom helpers, and hall
monitors. Anyone who is interested, please contact Sandy
Galvin or any member of the Youth Ministry.
Blessing of the Backpacks! During our Friday August 28
program we will bless the backpacks. Come join us food, fun,
fellowship, and worship. A simple family friendly supper will be
served from 5-6:30 pm. At 6:30 pm we will gather in the
sanctuary to bless our children and their backpacks as they
prepare for another school year. We will also be collecting
backpacks and school supplies all summer, to help families in
need. If you or someone you know would benefit from a
backpack please let Rev Katherine or Sandy Galvin know.
Rally Day and the Beginning of Sunday School is September
20! The plans are already being made for a program that will
educate and engage our children as disciples of Christ.
Notes on Stewardship
Your commitment to supporting this congregation is critical to
our community. We don’t ask for money because the church
has needs, we ask because the church meets needs.
We are at an odd juncture this year where we have changed
our fiscal year to match our programming year, and we are
preparing to raise capital to repair our building and update our
accessibility. In lieu of an official stewardship campaign this
spring we are asking you to watch for pledge renewal requests
that will extend your commitment from December 31 until
June 30 of 2016. You will also be seeing the role out of our
capital campaign. This is an exciting time in the life of our
church as we expand our role in being good news for our
neighbors and community.
Friday Fun, Food, Faith,
and Fellowship 5-8 pm
Join in the fun on select Friday evenings this
summer. We’ve created a tradition of having
alternative times to worship in the summer
so folks can enjoy the weekends for
recreation. This is our 7th summer of evening
worship services in addition to our
traditional 10 am Sunday morning worship.
If you have never experienced evening
worship come, we’re sure you will enjoy
yourself and your spirit will be refreshed.
We will gather for supper from 5-6:30 pm.
It’ll be something simple and family friendly.
All are welcome so it’s a great time invite
neighbors, friends, and family. Then we will
come together for joy filled worship. Time
Jenkins, our o so talented music director, will
gather us in worship with music that might
range from Celtic to contemporary, gospel to
bluegrass. Whatever it is, it is guaranteed to
send you forth with a spring in your step, a
song on your lips, and a heart drawn closer
to God.
Mark your calendars for Friday nights July
17, July 24, August 21 and 28. Food, worship,
fellowship will be on the docket.
August 28 will include the blessing of
backpacks as the children get ready for a
new year of daycare and school.
Community Conversation on Race
As a congregation that is committed to faith, family and community we need to be intentional about deepening the
conversation on race in our community so that we can work towards eliminating racism. While it is easy to be prideful about
how the northeast is less racist, the truth is any form or amount of racism is too much. This past year we have faced horrible
deaths from Ferguson to New York, Baltimore to Charleston, that have made it clear that racism continues to rear its ugly head
in our communities. Let us join together in prayer for the nine lives lost at Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston. And let us use
the anger we feel from violence permeating the sacred to work for justice for all people.
We will gather on three Fridays this fall for community conversations on race: September 25, October 16, and November 20. We
will host a Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast on January 18, 2016 for a community celebration of diversity. A lot of work will be
required to get the word out and plan these events. If you would like to work on the Community Conversation on Race please
speak with Rev Katherine or any Deacon.
Whoever says they are in the light and hates their brother or sister is still in darkness.
-1 John 2:9
From Pastor William H. Lamar IV, Metropolitan
African Methodist Episcopal Church
A Prayer for Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal
Church:
Ancient and Holy One, our illusion of security has been
pierced again by bullets. Children are not safe in schools.
Elders are not safe in convalescent homes. Worshipers are not
safe in sanctuaries.
Our world needs a new narrative. This nation needs a new
narrative. The myth of redemptive violence controls our
politics, our economics, and our theology. War never results in
peace. Acts of violence, whether perpetuated by nations or
individuals, unleash demonic forces upon humankind. And the
poorest among us suffer most.
The myth of redemptive violence is soaked in American soil
like blood. The violence unleashed by imperialists and
colonialists and slave traders marches on. We wrap this
history in flags and speeches about freedom, but it is violence.
To be free we must call it what it is.
This myth teaches lone gunmen that violence solves problems.
Our history books, our television shows, our movies, our
sermons, and our politics reinforce this lie. We must stop and
ask why this happens so much in the United States. It happens
because the myth of redemptive violence has colonized
our imaginations.
The one who pulled the trigger in Mother Emanuel African
Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina,
had a mind that was made in America.
Creation groans. Reveal your sons and daughters, those who
will not rest until freedom and justice come. Amen.
And the second is like
unto it, Thou shalt love
thy neighbor as thyself.
– Romans 8:30
From Rev. Dr. Nancy Taylor...
Dear “Mother Emanuel” (the Historic Emanuel
African Methodist Episcopal Church of Charleston
SC):
You, who authored courageous slave rebellions,
who suffered and survived wretched bigotry,
burnings and earthquake,
You, you who worshipped underground when your
church was outlawed …
Dear Mother Emanuel, in this day of grievous
heartache we wrap you in bands of prayer.
We pour out upon your broken hearts the healing
balm of Gilead.
You, whose shepherd has been taken from you,
whose building has become a tomb,
whose children are terrified:
We stand with you.
We weep with you.
We rage for you.
We keep vigil with you for your beloved dead.
May the God of Moses and Miriam, of Jesus and
the Mary’s,
anoint you with healing, furnish you with hope
and,
one day, some day, mend your torn hearts and
wipe the tears from your swollen eyes.
God help us.
Amen.
Notes from the Go Green Task Force
Garden Freebies: Old Garden Hoses
“Set 4 wooden posts in a square and weave
the hose around them to make a simple
compost bin.
“Make a doormat by cutting your hose into
lengths, putting corks in the cut ends and
gluing the pieces to a worn out mat. For
step-by-step
instruction,
visit
maskkintzel.com.
The flowers that decorate our sanctuary
are a ministry of remembrance.
June 7: The flowers in the altar are in
loving memory of Desiree from her
grandparents Isabella and Bill Anstey
June 14: The flowers on the altar are in
loving memory of her daughter Laura and
her husband Ed and her brothers from
Dottie Linton
Place hose segments around swing-set
chains to protect tiny finger. Or put small
lengths of hose around bucket handles for a
more comfortable grip.”
June 21: The flowers on the altar are in
loving memory of Richard and Marjorie
George from their son Richard George,
Barbara and family.
*The above information was taken from the
August/September issue of Birds & Blooms
The lectern flowers are provided
by the Youth Ministry in honor of Sunday
School students and recent graduates
Rules to Recycle By (part #1)
“Ninety-two percent of Americans think
recycling is good for the environment,
according to a new Consumer Reports
survey. But that doesn’t mean we always like
to so it. Here’s what we hate, and tips to
make it easier.
1 in 10 Americans doesn’t know what the
local laws are.
33% of recyclers are irked when they see
others who aren’t recycling in public places.
24% of American recyclers dislike not being
able to recycle certain types of materials
(e.g. plastics or paper).
TIP: You can recycle films and wraps along
with plastic grocery bags, says Patty Moore,
a recycling consultant. Dry-cleaning film, the
wrap your toilet paper came in, even Ziploc
bags – if it’s clean and dry, it can be recycled
at many major grocery chains.
16% of Americans say they recycle only
because it’s required by law.”
*This information was taken from the May
2015 Consumer Reports.
June 28: The altar flowers are given as a
sign of their love for Barbara Slack from
Bob Slack, their children Beau and
Bethany and grandchildren Westley and
Sara.
July 5: The flowers on the altar are given
in honor of all past and present ministers
from Ruthie Elliot.
July 12: The flowers placed on the altar
today are given in loving memory of her
grandparents, aunts and uncles from
Susan Brown.
July 19: The flowers placed on the altar
are in memory of their son Dennis
Blanchette, Jr. from Betty and Dennis
Blanchette.
July 26: The flowers on the altar are in
memory of Andy Jennings, Jr. from his
family.
July 20-24
Vacation Bible School
July 25
Food Pantry Distribution
May all the blessings
of summer be yours!
July 24, 31, August 21, 28
Friday Evening Programs
(August 28 is the Blessing of
the Backpacks)
August 15
BBQ at Adams’
August 30
Spinners Game
First Congregational Church
18 Andover Road
Billerica, MA 01821
Return Service Requested
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Permit #10
Non-Profit Organization