Newsletter April/May 2020

April/May 2020 Issue

 

Lent / Holy Week / Easter in a Pandemic

Dear Friends, At the time I write, the “shelter in place” state mandate extends through April 7. I believe it will be extended even further and will not allow us to gather in person for worship until after Easter – perhaps several weeks after.
I want so much to offer something meaningful during this difficult but still sacred time, and our options are limited. Connecting or worshiping on-line requires you to participate in new ways, to try things that may be stressful or uncomfortable and thus detract from the meaning and value of whatever is offered. I am struggling, as I would bet many of you are, with how to be useful, how to share God’s love with others when I must be separated from others.
I have some ideas for Holy Week activities, and am still working the Deacons to develop these ideas. I also have a nice liturgical guide for Palm Sunday, which is also a Communion Sunday that will lead us in a different way of “breaking bread together.”
We live stream our worship on our Facebook page.
When I think about Easter, a day that symbolizes new life, a day that is often celebrated with our families – the feast that comes after the fasting of Lent – I feel sad that we can’t mark it in the way we usually do. The Easter finery, the flowers, the families. We may not be able to have all of that, and that is something to mourn, but I strive to let my sadness give way to curiosity. How CAN we mark Easter in a way that retains the hope and the joy of it? And let’s keep in mind that Easter is a season that lasts all the way to Pentecost – it’s not just one day. I don’t have an answer now, but I want to hear from YOU about what’s important to you in this time. Let us remember that God is working in us and through us, now and always, to bring us to new life. Jesus has already gone ahead, through loss and grief to resurrection. May we follow him.

Woman’s Association

The monthly meeting for April 1st has been canceled. Anyone wishing to donate items (wrapped candy, small toys or stuffed animals, etc.) to the food pantry for children’s Easter baskets can drop them off at the food pantry by April 7th. I am sure all donations will be gratefully received, especially during these uncertain times. Thank you to ALL who made our annual Blanket Drive a success with your donations. We raised $670 for Church World Service. The 2019 Fair total to date is $4,260.15!

Worcester Fellowship Lunch Providers

Pastor Doreen will be in contact with the Worcester Fellowship staff to find out if they plan to meet and are still accepting food donations. If so, and we are still in social distancing mode, we will figure out what and how to provide food safely. It is not likely that we will be able to have a lunch assembly line as we usually do, but Doreen will be in touch by e-mail. If you are not on her e-mail list, or have questions you would like to discuss, please contact Doreen at pastorfccleicester@verizon.net or 978-846-6498.

A Note from the Pastor

Grace and peace and love to you, dear Friends. In these days of separation from you, I keep thinking about the way the Apostle Paul wrote to the churches he founded after he left them, especially his letter to the Philippians: “I thank God every time I remember you. In all my prayer for all of you, I pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel… It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart.. all of you share in God’s grace with me.” Our separation has increased my awareness of how much your partnership in the gospel means to my own faith life. This is one of the blessings of this challenging time, a heart full of gratitude for you. What blessings have you encountered?

I thought I would write a bit about adaptive change – we have really been thrown into the deep end, haven’t we?! But maybe we should get our legs under us a little bit before getting too much into that. Instead, and on a related note, I will share a few things I came across in our book group meetings about Church. The West Side Group is reading Lies We Believe About God, by Wm. Paul Young, author of The Shack. He talks about the meaning of the word “Christian.” It started as an insult leveled at the followers of Jesus after his death and resurrection. Its meaning was basically “little Christs” or “mini-Messiahs” and was intended to demean this ragtag, persecuted group following the Way. I love Young’s imagined “litany of accusations” by the people who thought such mini-Messiah’s were dangerous. He writes: “Who do you think you are? You live your life without any real allegiances – not to Rome, not to politics, not to Moses; and you waste your time caring for the poor, the slave, the prisoner. Your relationships matter more to you than your country or culture. You are all about this turning the other cheek and going the extra mile nonsense – both impractical ways of living. That will never work in this world. Sure, you don’t return evil for evil, you work hard and tell the truth, but we can’t count on you to keep our systems going. You are just a bunch of idealistic losers who are under the delusion that death can be defeated and who think the world could possibly be changed by love: little-Christs, that is all you are.”

I wonder what we might take away from this for ourselves in this time of change. Could we be mini-Messiahs without real allegiances to country or culture, to politics or denominations, or even to our own church buildings and established rites and rituals? Could we learn to focus primarily on relationships, on self-giving love, on turning the other cheek and going the extra mile? Can we do this even when we are “sheltering in place?” Can we move past our own stress and disorientation to consider how we might help others who are being harmed more than we are?
I know, you know, we all know on some level that Church is not about the institution, even though it is an institution. But we all need to be reminded that our call as Christians is to follow the Way of Jesus, not to “keep the system going.” Let us be those fools for Christ who truly believe that the world could be changed by love.
Blessings, Pastor Doreen

Pastoral Relations

At the January meeting of the church Council, the Pastoral Relations Committee presented a request by Pastor Doreen for a significant raise in her salary for the 2020-21 year. The request is approximately 17% over her current cash salary, and about 10% over cash + value of the parsonage. Pastor Doreen believes this increased amount better reflects the value of her ten years of experience and her skills, and is also more in line with UCC compensation guidelines. Doreen was not present at the time the request was shared with the Council, and it was planned that there would be further discussions of the proposal, both with the Council and with the wider church. The entire budget, including the pastor’s compensation, is voted on by the whole congregation at the church’s annual meeting, with the Council’s recommendations developed at their mid-May meeting. Restrictions on our in-person gatherings delayed these discussion plans. But we want to hear from you none-the-less. Pastor Doreen is happy to share her thoughts and answer your questions in more detail. Please call her if you would like to discuss this directly with her. If you want to ask questions, give input or share your thoughts with members of the Pastoral Relations Committee, please call any one of us (numbers below). We feel phone conversation is the safest, most
confidential way to process this somewhat private information until we can gather again in person.
Ellie Latham – 508-885-6021 Carol Mulrain – 508-344-2752 Bonnalee Bohlman 508-755-6743

2020 UCC Membership Dues

Each church in the United Church of Christ is asked to contribute to the support of the Associations and Conferences of the denomination. Churches benefit from these connections in numerous ways, which are often highlighted in our newsletter in the UCC Connections section. This year we are part of a new Conference – the Southern New England Conference. The SNE has implemented a new way of determining and collecting church contributions, and as they/we transition to this new way, they ask that local churches contribute to the Conference the same amount as they did last year. We paid $20 per member last year. Previously, the Conference dues and Association dues were collected together, but this year they will be sent to different places. The Association amount we paid last year was $1.65 per member.

Our skilled and trusty treasurer Deb A will be able to sort out where to send what check from the church, and the bottom line is that church members can help us out by contributing their dues – $21.65 each. FCC commits to paying this amount whether or not we are reimbursed by individual members, and we have a line item for it in the budget. But your contribution helps a great deal and is in indication of your appreciation of our denominational connection. Please make checks payable to “First Congregational Church of Leicester”. Checks can be mailed to the church with note “membership dues.” If this poses a hardship for anyone, please contact Pastor Doreen. Perhaps you can make a partial contribution toward the dues, with the church subsidizing the rest. Also, people may want to contribute extra to help subsidize the dues for those who cannot pay. All contributions are tax deductible.

Stewardship Committee

“Wherever your treasure is, there your hearts and thoughts will be also.” – Matthew 6:21

Our church is a significant part of the lives of so many people, and our ministries play such an important role in our community and the world. We know this is as important to you and your family as it is to so many others.

Once again, we are extending our challenge to make a commitment – on paper – to pledge. The monetary amount is not as important as the commitment to pledge. In this time of uncertainty, it is easy to let our fears dominate our minds. Making a pledge is one concrete act you can take to demonstrate that love can triumph over fear, that we don’t need to cling, that we can trust that God provides.

We hope that you will give serious consideration this year to pledging, and that whatever you decide will be right for you on your spiritual path. A pledge of any amount will be very much appreciated, but is not a condition of your participation in the church, nor for our affection, care and esteem for you. Whether you pledge or not, you are a beloved child of God, and you matter to this church, this Body of Christ.

We understand that for some the financial picture is unclear due to the coronavirus and distancing guidelines. It may take a few months before you can comfortably make a commitment to giving a certain amount. Our budget process is not dependent upon knowing the amount of congregational pledging, so there is no urgency for completing a pledge card. We will delay the blessing of pledges until we are able to gather in person. If you pledge before that, the card will be held until the day of blessing. Cards can be mailed to P.O. Box 122, Leicester, MA 10524-0122. All pledges and donations are confidential! Please feel free to call me or Pastor Doreen with any questions you may have or if you would like to talk about your decision. May God bless you for all that you are and all that you do!

Blessings, Ellie Latham 508-885-6021 Pastor Doreen 978-846-6498

April / May 2020