November/December 2008

Eliot Oak
are more people right now for whom
material abundance seems out of
reach. Please remember that Eliot
Church will once again be providing
us all with the opportunity to help
people out this holiday season.
Please check for announcements and
contribute if and when you can. It is
a time of reflection as well as
celebration and I think we will all
find reasons to be thankful.
From the Minister
Candidating Week: an overview
What are you thankful for?
November/December 2008
Well, we are in it now! Halloween,
the gateway to the holiday season, is
behind us and now we are moving
on toward the big ones. Advent
begins on November 30th and will
usher in one of the busiest and most
festive times in the church.
However, we all know what comes
just before that! It is hard to miss.
More Americans celebrate
Thanksgiving than any other
holiday.
Mark your Calendar (see
inside for details…)
November 23, 10 AM
Family Thanksgiving
Service!
November 23, 11 AM
Thanksgiving Brunch!
This year it will be on the 27th,
which means that our family
“Thanksgiving Sunday” service will
be on the 23rd, complete with an
after church potluck brunch! I am
looking forward to it. Thanksgiving
has always been my favorite holiday
for a variety of reasons. First, it is
incredibly simple. All you have to
do is sit down to a meal with friends
or family. Another important reason
is that people of all (and no) faiths
celebrate it. It brings us together
and makes us think about where we
have been and where we are going.
This practice is a good one. It helps
us to be mindful of our many
connections and our relationships to
each other, to the earth, and to the
Divine. Thanks to Thanksgiving,
we all remember to do it at least
once a year!
December 7
Yuletide workshop &
craft day!
December 14, 11AM
Special Meeting of
the church
December 15, 12PM
Women’s Club
Yankee Swap
December 21, 10AM
Christmas Pageant!
December 24
Christmas Eve
Services 5PM & 7 PM
The Eliot Church
45 Eliot Street
Natick, MA 01760
Yours in Faith,
Adam
Now and then: Keeping
Eliot Church Vibrant
Last Children's Sunday, we
distributed a brief survey to the
congregation. The results confirmed
what I think we already know: That
community, and connection with
each other, is a primary reason why
we attend the Eliot Church. The
words "Community", along with
"Beliefs", were most often
mentioned by survey respondents.
For some folks, this year’s holiday
season is going to be a bit more
subdued than it may have been
previously. Thanksgiving is a
celebration of abundance and there
www.theeliotchurch.org
.
This leads me to the question that is
the title of my column this month.
What are you thankful for this
holiday season? I am grateful for a
lot of things in my life. My family,
my friends and this church, for
example, all rate pretty high on my
list. Feel free to let me know what
you folks are thinking about these
days. It is a special time worth
sharing.
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Within the Eliot Church community,
the worship service itself, religious
education, coffee hour and outreach
(not necessarily in that order) were
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identified as the most valued
congregational activities. Many
members expressed appreciation for
the Eliot Church's dual membership
in the Unitarian Universalist
Association (UUA) and the United
Church of Christ (UCC), saying that
this duality makes the Eliot Church,
and our services, richer. In the
realm of "Beliefs" the congregation's
commitment to being a community
of spiritual seekers, open to many
ideas about God and the meaning of
faith, was most often expressed.
Mission and Values statements, an
informal written recap of who we
are as a congregation. The second
level is “Strategic Objectives,” in
short, what we believe it is
important for us to accomplish as a
congregation, within the next one to
five years to keep the Eliot Church a
vibrant community.
justice/community issues), and
finally “Finances/Fiscal Health”.
Though the Parish Committee is
leading this effort, it is not a top
down exercise. Over the next few
months, we'll be reaching out to the
Eliot Church standing committees
and general membership to help us
determine those goals that are most
important to us as a congregation,
and to help as we continue figuring
out how best to accomplish them.
Simultaneous to this effort,
Reverend Adam and members of his
doctoral program preaching
committee will seek additional
feedback on Adam's sermons and
your experience of services.
Based on the survey and various
feedback from congregation
members, we're focusing this effort
on five areas of Eliot Church
congregation life: “Religious
Education”, “Eliot Community
Unity” (Strengthening members’
connection to each other),
“Membership Retention & Growth”,
“Eliot Church Community
Relations” (Strengthening the Eliot
Church’s involvement in social
Building on these results, the Parish
Committee began a strategic
planning process designed to help
ensure that the Church continues to
meet the needs of our community.
The process has two primary levels.
The first is the creation of Vision,
This strategic planning effort is not
an end in itself, but rather a starting
point. Ideally, each year the Parish
Committee, with our standing
committees and the congregation,
will confirm that these goals are still
the ones we want to accomplish, and
will make the real-time adjustments
to help keep the Eliot Church the
engaging, caring and, equally
important, fiscally independent
congregation we now know and
value. Here's to the effort!
The Eliot Church is a community church in
the Christian tradition, with ties to
both the Unitarian Universalist Association
and the United Church of Christ.
Visitors of all faiths are always welcome.
Further information on the Eliot Church
can be found at www.theeliotchurch.org
Minister: The Rev. Adam Tierney-Eliot
Music Director: Dr. Stephen James (508) 620-1626
Worship Services: Sundays at 10:00 AM
Communion: First Sunday of the Month at 10:00 AM
Church School Classes: Sundays at 10:00 AM
Minister's Office Hours: By appointment - call
Church Office/Study at (508) 653-2244
Memorial Hall (508) 652-9010
With warm wishes for the Holidays,
Fred Pasche
Moderator
Moderator and Parish Committee Chair: Fred Pasche 508/405-2632
Treasurer: Elaine Hayes 508/653-9098 Asst. Treasurer: Regina Wolf-Fritz 508/653-3237
Clerk: Victoria Pasche 508/405-2632
Nominated Committees
Deacons: Elaine Early 508/655-0503
Nominating: Jacqueline Brodnitzki 508/6532195
Appointed Committees
Buildings and Grounds: Rich Miche 508/3081712
Canvass: Rosemary Driscoll 508-653-0615
Endowment: Ben Bailey 508/655-6914
Ministry: Deb Streeter 508-650-1467
Finance: Bill Brodnitzki 508/653-2195
Dr. Ross Publishes!
Parish Committee: Fred Pasche 508/405-2632
Religious Education: Molly Campbell
508-655-3017
Our own past interim Minister
Robert R. N. Ross, and Deanne E.
B. Ross have published
Walking to New Orleans:
Ethics and the Concept of
Participatory Design in PostDisaster Reconstruction
has just been published, and can be
found at www.wipfandstock.com
Housekeeping: Aileen Zogby 508-655-6279
Membership: Jacqueline Brodnitzki 653-2195
Music and Arts: Randy Glidden 508-653-7624
Outreach: Barbara Bailey 508-655-6914
Strategic Planning: Bill Seymour 650-0720
Women's Club: Mary Ellen Ames 653-7066
Doss Frazee 781/237-9519
The Eliot Oak
Editor: Tod Dimmick [email protected]
Circulation: Felicia Nadel
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Eliot Oak
The Eliot Church's "Open and
Affirming" process has now
officially moved into its second
phase. On October 26 the ONA
committee posted the first draft of
the Eliot Church's Open and
Affirming Statement in the Ladies'
Parlor (and on this page). This
statement, if approved by the
members of the church, will make
explicit our commitment to
welcome all people into our
congregation. Since this is a "first
draft", the ONA committee invites
any comments, questions, or
suggestions regarding the
statement's wording or meaning.
After appropriate discussion and
revisions (if any), the statement will
be voted upon by the church
membership at a special meeting to
be held Sunday December 14.
Please feel free to contact any of the
ONA committee members between
now and then should you feel the
need to do so.
We, the members of The Eliot
Church of South Natick, long
committed to the belief in the dignity
and equality of all people, do hereby
declare ourselves to be an Open and
Affirming Congregation. As such
we welcome into our church
community people of every family
structure, sexual orientation, and
gender identity and expression. We
also welcome people of all ages,
genders, abilities, races,
nationalities, faith backgrounds, and
of every economic and social status.
No matter who you are, or where
you are on life’s journey, you are
welcome in this church. We invite
all people to attend our services and
to actively participate in the life and
vision of our Church, as expressed
in our Covenant:
In the love of Truth and in the
Spirit of Jesus, we unite for the
worship of God and the service of
All.
The Eliot Church ONA Committee,
Molly Campbell, Donna Tetreault,
Randy Glidden, and Sue Kennedy.
Women’s Club
NOTICE OF A SPECIAL MEETING
OF THE ELIOT CHURCH OF
SOUTH NATICK, INC.
Pursuant to the bylaws of the Eliot
Church, this is notice that there will
be a Special Meeting of the Eliot
Church of South Natick, Inc. to be
held in the church sanctuary
immediately following the morning
worship service on Sunday,
December 14, 2008.
The Membership Committee will
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A memorial service was held for
Andrew Meyer on November 8 at
the Pilgrim Church in Sherborn. A
member of our church, and long
time friend to many here, we have
often seen him in our sanctuary.
Andy served in many capacities
during his life, including in both the
Army and the Air Force during
WWII, as a middle school teacher,
in a furniture factory, as a mail
carrier, and ultimately as Justice of
the Superior Court of
Massachusetts. He loved
Shakespeare, Latin, Kayaking,
visiting prisons, chopping wood,
and spending time with his family.
He will be sorely missed.
privileges…
Your attendance is earnestly requested.
Victoria Pasche, Clerk of the Church
.
July 9, 1923 – October 30, 2008
Membership has its
The purpose of this meeting is to
consider and vote on the statement
affirming intent to become an Open
and Affirming church.
.
Andrew Gill Meyer
Our Christmas Holiday Party with a
Yankee Gift Swap will be held on
December 15th at Noon, A light
lunch will be served including
dessert. All the women from the
church are very welcome to join us
on this happy occasion.
Our Fall New Member Ceremony and
Thanksgiving Brunch will be held on
November 23rd. If you are interested in
joining the church, please contact Adam
Tierney-Eliot at 508-653-2244 or
Jacqueline Brodnitzki at 508-6532195.
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serve quiche at the brunch and
we always look forward to
sharing in the wonderful goodies
our congregation brings. Please
sign up to make an item in the
Ladies' Parlor or contact Wendy
Magnan at 781-431 -1386. We
look forward to seeing you at the
Thanksgiving Brunch!
First Draft
Eliot Church Open and Affirming
Statement
ONA Drafts Open and
Affirming Statement
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What’s more interesting, photographs
or bake sale cupcakes? Hmm…
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the project. You can order yours at
www.oldtowncalendar.org, look for
the calendar orders link at top left of
home page!
Oldtown Photo
Competition Results!
Fall Fair Recap
Thanks to all for being part of our
terrific Oldtown Community Fall
Fair last month. Many friends and
members helped to make the fair a
success for the 200 people who
came to the fair. The fair is an
important public “face” for our
church, in addition to a way to raise
money. Speaking of dollars… after
expenses, we raised:
Bake Sale $510.75
Calendar table $770.00
Mum Table $185.25
Grill $140.00
Total:
$1606
By all accounts, the show was a
tremendous success, with 68
photographs, and 27
photographers. 189 visitors cast
ballots (which doesn't count quite a
few folks who just came to enjoy the
show, so attendance was certainly
over 200!) The 2010 Calendar will
include seven first time winners.
Congratulations especially to Elaine
Early for her photograph
titled Currier & Ives presents Elm
Bank, voted "Best of Show" (the
photograph that receives the most
votes)!
That’s a great result! Special thanks
to Andy Frankenfield who
coordinated the grill and other
outside activities, to Virginia Seery,
who piloted the bake sale, and to
musicians Italo DeMasi and the
band Suburban Child (Mike
Collins, Dick Stoner, Steve Wilson
and Tom Gutermuth) for donating
their great music to our fair.
The 2009 Oldtown
Calendar is here!
Jay Ball Child on the Charles
Dan Gee Haystacks during a Winter
Blizzard
Elaine Early Currier & Ives
Presents Elm Bank
Tod Dimmick Always Open
Ron Mura Indian Farm Dogs
David Parish Natick's Wild Side 1
Eileen Nelson Lookout Farm
Sunflowers
Renee Bender-Cohn Barn Cat
Maureen Sullivan A Midsummer
Manor's Dream
Denise Harney Next Stop Natick
Rebecca Hunnewell Fall on the
Charles
Audrey Lawrence Three and One
Half Domes Dennis Brown Winter Lights on the
Common
The new 2009 Oldtown
Calendar has just been published,
and features the work of many
photographers from Natick and
surrounding communities. The
calendar is a fundraiser for our
church, and other local nonprofit
organizations, including the Bacon
Free Library, Mass Audubon's
Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary,
The Morse Institute Library, The
Center for Arts in Natick (TCAN),
The Natick Historical Society,
the Natick Community Organic
Farm, and the West Virginia Work
Camp.
The 2009 Calendar has been
sponsored by two local businesses,
Faith Casler Associates and Belkin
Family Lookout Farm. Please use
the order form enclosed with this
issue of the Oak, or go to
www.oldtowncalendar.org.
Lots of old and new friends came
out to see the exhibit and the
calendar, and we are accomplishing
the broader show objectives beyond
fundraising - to build appreciation
for our local photographers, and
foster a sense of community.
Over 40 Oldtown Calendars
(featuring winning images from last
year's competition) were sold on the
day of the show alone! They are
going fast - there's a real buzz about
The Grill Meister at work.
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