OCT/NOV 2016 NEWSLETTER
Congregational Connections
The First Congregational Church of Leicester
October/November 2016 Issue
CROP Walk 2016:
Sunday, October 16
After a few years’ hiatus, I am back to coordinate the entire Leicester CROP Walk. With the holidays fast approaching, it is a good time to remember that for many, the holidays only highlight lack and increase isolation. It is estimated that 1 in 8 people are going hungry. Let’s show that we care.
Please join me for the Leicester Crop Walk on Oct.16th. This four- mile walk provides funds to send food to those in need, and 25% of monies raised stays right in town for the Leicester Food Bank.
If walking isn’t your thing and you would still like to help, you can donate by seeing me, or by going to Cropwalk.org.
Additional fundraising activities that day include a bake sale and Gift Basket Raffle. Contributions of baked goods and raffle items are appreciated. The Leicester Team is an ecumenical effort with people from several churches. The Walk begins and ends at Christ Episcopal Church. Registration is at 12:30, and the Walk starts at 1. Thanks for your support.
Chase Orsi (774-289-4660 / cjrorsi@yahoo.com)
A Note from the Pastor
Grace and peace, dear friends. It is only mid-September as I write, officially the last day of summer. Yet this newsletter carries information and, hopefully, inspiration to last you through November, so my mind is on Thanksgiving and thanks-giving. According to Wikipedia, the holiday originated as a harvest festival, and has been celebrated nationally on and off since 1789, after a proclamation by George Washington. It has been celebrated as a federal holiday every year since 1863, when, during the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens,” to be celebrated on the last Thursday in November. So though it is not a religious holiday, it can be a worshipful experience. Just as we do in church, people gather together to remember and reflect on the ways we have been blessed, and to let our hearts fill with gratitude for those blessings. Even those who doubt or disbelieve the existence of a “beneficent Father” God are asked to recognize that much of what we have is pure gift – not earned and not an entitlement. There are “angels” who help and guide us all the time, whether family member, friends, or kind strangers. The warm sun, beautiful trees and flowers, babbling brooks and roaring oceans – all gifts. Intelligence, creativity, physical strength, curiosity, inspiration – all gifts. We may work hard to be good stewards of these gifts, and share of ourselves so that we help gift others, but the source of all these is so much more than our individual selves. It is right and good that we gather with others to acknowledge and celebrate this truth.
In addition to the annual Thanksgiving celebrations, we can all celebrate thanks-giving on a regular basis, on our own or with others. On New Year’s Day 2016, I received an invitation from a friend on Facebook to participate in a Facebook “Gratitude Gathering.” The group committed to noting something to be grateful for every single day of 2016, and posting the week’s gratitudes every Saturday, or close to it. I would give myself a B+ grade on my progress so far. I don’t make a note every day, but I when I miss a few days I go back in my mind to recall something about the days I missed. I have posted nearly every week, though again had to catch up a few times by posting two weeks’ worth. I have been very moved by some of the postings, especially those from people who are in great pain, struggling with internal resistance to seeing anything positive in the midst of that pain. I have been reminded of more and more blessings as I read of the simple joys that others take time to notice. I found the pin-lights of gratitude piercing through my own cloud-cover of grief and loss as I sought to honor my commitment to the group and the practice. I know only a few people directly from this group. Most are strangers to me, connected only by one mutual Facebook friend and a desire to pay attention to our lives with an eye toward gratitude. Sometimes we offer supportive or comforting comments for one another, and someone will almost always “like” each post. There has been something very special about sharing regularly with others what I am grateful for, even when we cannot gather around a table laden with food. I recommend it.
If this is something you would be interested in, we could start an FCC e-mail or Facebook Gratitude Gathering. If we don’t want to go for a whole year, maybe we could do it for a season – Thanksgiving through New Year’s, or through Advent or Lent. Let me know at pastorfccleicester@verizon.net. God Bless, and Happy Thanksgiving. Pastor Doreen
Bring the Kids to Church!
If you’ve been worried about bringing the family to church because the little ones might get restless and bored during worship, it’s time to give us a chance. We now offer Children’s Church, running concurrently with regular worship, held in rooms close to the Sanctuary and staffed by two adult volunteers.
It is a child-friendly worship experience that includes music, simple prayer and sharing, stories from the bible, and an opportunity to go deeper into the stories through artistic or physical activities. They are not “lessons” that build upon each other, but distinct experiences that stand alone for children ages 3 to 12.
If you would like to know more about it, please contact Pastor Doreen at
978-846-6498 or
pastorfccleicester@ verizon.net.
Neighboring
I hope people have continued to think about and act upon the recommendation of our Church Consultant to live out Jesus’ commend to love our neighbors. People may be doing things individually, but I wonder if we have the opportunity to consider as a church how we can be good neighbors to those who will soon be entering our neighborhood.
The Leicester Public Library will be moving temporarily to 1 Paxton Street while their building is being renovated and expanded. The move is planned for March 2017. What would it mean for us to be good neighbors to the Library? The Town’s new fire station is being built at 3 Paxton St, and should be ready for move-in by June 2017.
Is there a way our church could be helpful and supportive to those moving in? If you are interested in brainstorming ideas, please let me know.
Pastor Doreen
Strawberry Hill Fair
November 12 from 9-2pm
The Women’s Association is busy planning this year’s fair, to be held on November 12. Many hands are needed to complete this task. Set up will start after our regular Nov. 2 meeting. Help with table set ups is also needed the day before the fair, and of course, help is needed for all kinds of things on the day of the fair. Please let Marie, Judy, or Cindy know when you are available to help.
All tables are accepting donations. Don’t wait until the last minute: bring any finished items in as soon as they are completed. All donations except for Baked Goods and Country Store are expected in by Nov. 2. Your talent and time is greatly appreciated. Working together, we can make this year’s fair exceptional!
For more information, please contact Marie Frascolla (508 892-0038), Judy Ivel (508 892 3321), or Cindy LaPointe (508 885 9875)
Below are listed the tables, along with the person
coordinating donations to that table.
GIFT BASKETS (Marie Frascolla):
Marie puts together themed gift baskets from donated new items. A completed basket is welcome and appreciated. Here are some ideas to inspire the creative shopper in you: Holiday, Special Dinner, Party, Sports, Children’s Toys, Baby Care, Pets, Coffee / Tea, Chocolate, Beauty, Cleaning, Car Needs, Winter Fun, Kitchen, Bath, Exercise, Home Décor, Games, Fishing, Tools, Sewing, Gardening, Family Entertainment, or something of your own creation.
BUSY FINGERS (Ellen & Ann Orsi, Cynthia Rizzo):
Anything handmade: hats, mittens, scarves, head bands, afghans, table runners, pot holders, placemats, dish towels, etc.
HOLIDAY DECORATIONS (Cindy LaPointe, Nancy Desautels, June Kelley):
Put your talent to work! Fall, Thanksgiving, Christmas – handmade ornaments, table decorations, centerpieces, door décor, and some creative surprises. Remember our Holiday Décor table – donate or purchase gently loved and used wonderful old treasures.
SECOND-HAND TREASURES (Judy Ivel and Robyn Desautels):
We invite donations of high quality items such as antiques, sports memorabilia, luxury services, fine art and quality collectables. No white elephant-type donations please.
RAFFLES (Sue Ann Morowski):
Businesses are solicited for items or gift vouchers to be raffled the day of the fair.
BAKED GOODS (Nancy Tashjian, Mary Simmons):
Take out those old and new recipes and let’s get baking! We need cookies, cakes, pies, brownies, fudge, barks, breads and sweet surprises. Baked goods can be dropped off the evening before or the morning of the fair.
COUNTRY STORE (Len Ivel, Ron LaPointe):
Welcomes donations of jams and jellies, pickles, relishes, beans and winter vegetables such as potatoes, onions, squash and pumpkins. Store-bought candy is also welcome. We know you’ll want to get rid of left-over Halloween treats!
CAFE (Quentin Lewis & crew):
Enjoy some great lunch specials and apple crisp and ice cream for dessert!
UCC Connections
Super Saturday:
October 15
The Massachusetts Conference is hosting a day of workshops and worship on Saturday, October 15 at the Keefe Technical School, 750 Winter St., Framingham. There are workshops on planning processes for church buildings, children’s ministry, sharing faith stories, spiritual practices, stewardship and so much more! It would be great to have a team of people attending. Registration begins at 8 a.m., and the welcome and worship start at 9. The program ends at 3:45 p.m. Please check out the Conference website for information on the workshops being offered (www.macucc.org) or see Doreen for information or to register.
Worcester Fellowship Lunch providers:
October 30
Preparing lunches for Worcester Fellowship
Please see the sign-up sheet for donations beginning October 16. Many helping hands are needed to prepare the lunches in Russell Hall after worship on the 30th, so please join us if you can. All are welcome to join us for lunch and worship behind Worcester City Hall beginning at 1 p.m. Also, with the weather getting colder, donations of hats, gloves, mittens, scarves and clean white socks are most appreciated.
Bible Study / Book Group
Interested in expanding your spiritual horizons? Two of our adult spiritual formation groups welcome new participants. The Wednesday morning group meets on the 1st and 3rd Wed each month at 10:30 a.m. at the parsonage. We explore the scripture readings that will be preached the upcoming Sunday. No advance reading is necessary, and people are welcome to come when they can. The West Side Group meets once a month to discuss a book that has been read over the course of the month. We schedule meetings to accommodate anyone interested in attending. Meetings are usually held in North Brookfield. If interested, contact Doreen about the book selection.
Advent readers needed
The first Sunday in Advent is November 27. Each Sunday during Advent we light a candle in the Advent wreath and reflect on a particular theme. I am looking for volunteers for each of the 4 weeks of Advent, plus Christmas Day, to come forward as a family, individual, or friends to light the candle and say a few words about a particular theme. I warn you that it involves more than reading something pre-written, but I am excited to work with you in adding your own thoughts – a few sentences – to the ritual. Participants will be given a book of Advent devotionals by the Still Speaking writers to share (1 book for each week). Please contact me, Pastor Doreen, if you are interested.
Our Music Ministry
FCC’s organist / music minister has been sidelined by bad knees. As of publication date, we have been unable to find a substitute organist. For now, we are using music and songs from CD’s and other digital resources. We appreciate your patience while we go through this transition. If you have any contacts or ideas for dealing with this issue, please contact any of the music committee members (Cindy LaPointe, Jackie Henderson and Bonnalee Bohlman). Meanwhile, please keep Bob and this church in your prayers. Thank you.
In Our Prayers
Never underestimate the power of prayer. You are invited, as you read this, to add your prayers for those listed. Take a moment to breathe in God’s Spirit, and channel your good will and hopes to each person or situation named. You might imagine them surrounded by a healing light, or held in God’s hand. May this simple practice fill you with peace and hope.
– For our music minister Bob as he deals with bad knees.
Robert Shauris – Organist & Choir Director
– For FCC’s new Children’s Church, that it fills a need and rejuvenates the faith of all who participate.
– For Ann Cutting, hoping to return home from rehab in time for her 103rd birthday.
