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The Union Church in Waban
Friday, September 30, 2016
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SAVE the DATES
Saturday, Oct. 29
th for preparation,
Sunday, Oct 30th for the event.
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Bible Discussion Continues
We will gather at 8:00 a.m. in Stacy's study. Coffee and tea will be waiting you as well what is always a thoughtful and nourishing conversation. We will entering into the fifth book of the Hebrew Scriptures, the book of Deuteronomy. All are welcome!
Choir Rehearsal at 9:00 a.m.
Special Worship Service at 10:00 a.m.
October 2nd is World Communion Sunday. In celebration, we will be having a shared service with the Taiwan Presbyterian Church of Greater Boston (who worship in our sanctuary every Sunday at 1:00 p.m.) Rev. Chen will be preaching on text from 1 Corinthians. The children will depart after the Children's Time for a one room schoolhouse before returning to the sanctuary for communion.
Bell Choir Rehearsal at 11.15 a.m.
Reception at 11:45 a.m.
Please plan to join us for this special time of reception where we will have a delicious shared sit down meal with our friends from the Taiwan Presbyterian Church of Greater Boston.
Our regular reception will continue next Sunday the 9th. To sign up to host a reception please go
HERE.
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The Union Church in Waban hosted
The Concert Across America to End Gun Violence
on September 25
th
.
Thanks to the inspiration and leadership of our music director, Bill Merrill, and the talent and hard work of so many, the Union Church in Waban hosted The Concert Across America to End Gun Violence on Sunday, September 25th. This concert was part of a nation-wide event where musicians in over 350 venues across the country, (26 here in Massachusetts) created harmonies and beauty as an act of resistance against the gun violence that has shattered so many lives and has shook us all.
Our own Bethany Worrell, James Cooke, Lisa Crockett, Jandi Dennis, Courtney Jackson and the UCW choir were joined by the incredibly talented soloists Michael Calmes.- tenor, Roselin Oser- mezzo soprano, and Phil Lima -baritone and together they lifted and inspired us with both solo and full choir, violin and piano pieces.
The evening began with a beautiful and heart felt reflection by Priscilla Kelso (please go here to read her words) and then unfolded in three movements as we remembered the victims of gun violence, prayed comfort on those who mourn and found hope for us all as we do what we can to end this epidemic of violence.
Tom Vawter began the movement of comfort with "Maybe We Try Too Hard To Be Remembered" by Naomi Shihab Nye. And the movement of hope with "The Peace of Wild Things" by Wendell Berry
This event was the first mission outreach event of the year, organized for the entire community by our Mission Outreach/PACSS.* Included with the program bulletin was a small wallet sized card with hotline and helpline numbers for those who may be suffering violence and a pamphlet introducing the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization's letter writing campaign urging manufactures to make guns safer. Both the cards and the pamphlets are available in the Crocker Chapel.
We are grateful for such a beautiful and deeply moving evening and trust, that by the grace of God, more light has entered the world and that the shadows of hate and violence have been pushed back.
(*PACSS - Planning, Action, Coordination, Strategy/Support)
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ALL CHURCH RETREAT - FALL 2017
All Church Retreats have once again become a much beloved part of our life together. As such, your planning team is busy at work preparing for our next gathering which will be fall 2017. But before we confirm whether we will return to Toah Nipi in Rindge, NH or Rolling Ridge in North Andover, MA or pursue another location all together, we would like to hear from you!
Would you please take a moment to reply to Stacy with your preference based on what we have described below?
While Toah Nipi is less expensive than Rolling Ridge we have not listed the rates here because we are committed to not having cost be a barrier to anyone's participation. What is important is that we are all together. We will provide you with information on what the cost per person for the retreat at the time of registration, but we encourage all to pay what is affordable within your budget.
1)
What retreat site would you prefer?
Toah Nipi:
- Location: A wilderness setting in Rindge NH with hiking trails, lake and beautiful vistas.
- Accommodations: 10 suites with 6-8 beds per/suite (some bunk beds)
- Sharing the setting with other group(s) or having it to ourselves: We would be sharing the grounds and the cafeteria with other retreat group(s) (not meeting or sleeping areas). For those who were at Toah Nipi at our spring 2016 retreat, we would have available to us the middle building where the other retreat group that was present was staying.
or
Rolling Ridge
- Date: They have availability in October and November 2017
- Location: A rural setting on a lake in North Andover.
- Accommodations: A main house with 18 bedrooms that can accommodate up to 40 people in a variety of room types (single, double and multi-person) and a carriage house that has 10 guest bedrooms 9 that have 2 twin beds and that has a full size bed.
- Sharing the setting with other group(s) or having it to ourselves: We would be the only ones there and have the place to ourselves.
or
Either is fine, I don't have a preference
2. Would you prefer a one or two night retreat?
3. Toah Nipi is about 30-45 minutes farther away than Rolling Ridge.
Does that make a
difference to you?
Please email Stacy with your thoughts. It will be very helpful in our planning.
Thank you! Tom Vawter, Diane Tillotson, Bart Kelso, Mark Smith,
Amy Clark Feldman and Stacy Swain
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Reception Sign-up
Please consider signing up to host our time of reception after Sunday service. To learn more about what hosting reception entails, have any questions you may have answered and to sign up, please go
HERE
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C
hildren,Youth, and
Family
Ministries
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Sunday School Registration
Thank you so much to the many families who have turned in their Sunday School registrations! Registration helps us learn about your children and youth - including any health and other information we need to be sure your child has a safe and great experience. If you have not yet turned in your registrations, please find forms and a box in the Crocker Chapel, as well as online (including a PayPal option) at
www.ucw.org
, under the Youth and Children's Ministry tab. Thank you!
Coming Up for Kids, Youth and Families -SAVE the DATES!
There are many ways for kids and families to come together for fellowship, fun and service. For details about these events and more, please see Children, Youth and Families Fall Calendar, or contact Amy at
amy@ucw.org
.
Sun., Oct. 16
th:
Fall Clean-up
Sat., Oct 29th:
Youth Preparation for Common Cathedral
Middle and high school youth are invited on Saturday afternoon (time TBD) to help prepare food and learn about Common Cathedral and its work with Boston's unhoused men, women and families.
Sun., Oct 30th:
Common Cathedral
Come at 9am to help finish food prep; and then plan to worship with the Common Cathedral congregation at 1pm on Boston Common. See Amy (
amy@ucw.org
) for permission forms for any youth planning to carpool to the worship service.
Fri-Sat., Nov. 11th-12th:
Heifer Farm Overnight
This event is always a favorite! Youth are invited to an unforgettable overnight learning about poverty, hunger, and how Heifer Int'l addresses these problems by giving animals to families around the world. Please let Amy (
amy@ucw.org
) know by Oct. 16th if you are able to join us.
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Adult Education, Fellowship, and Spiritual Formation
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October Book Club Selection
Friends, seven of us had a lively discussion on "Lab Girl" by Hope Jahren this past Tuesday,comparing the human journey to the wondrous lives of trees and
Tom has suggested that we read TRIBE by Sebastian Junger for
our next gathering
on
OCT. 25th
(last Tuesday of the month).
This may be relevant to the unity and/or divisiveness of the United States just days before the elections -- or just plain good reading on the human need to belong.
Priscilla and Tom
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More Opportunities for Learning, Sharing and Growing
There are many opportunities for learning, sharing
and growing in our faith together at the UnoinChurch.
Please go
here to learn about them, and to get involved.
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Mission
Matters
"Let us love not in word or deed, but in truth and action"
(1 John 3:18)
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Russell School Students are getting ready to run.
Will you get ready to help them?
The Russell School 5K to raise money for arts and wellness programs at the school is October 15th. What the student runners need most are people to support their efforts through financial contributions. Immediately after worship October 9th, information will be available in the chapel about the runners, their backgrounds, and the importance of this cause to them. Bring a check book if you'd like to contribute. You can also support the 5K fundraiser by staffing a water station, just coming out to cheer the runners on, or run with the runners.
Contact Kevin Johnson 617-794-4383 for more information.
Faith and Justice/deepening our connection with the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO), after church
As the prophet Micah reminds us, doing justice is an integral part of the life of faith. Please plan on joining us after church on the 16th to engage in a conversation about how we experience injustice and to learn about how we are being invited to deepen our connection with GBIO.
Sunday, October 23
rd
Guest Speaker on the Syrian Crisis
.
Ala'a El-Shaar has been involved and advocating for the Syrian cause since the uprising in 2011, having embarked on four psychosocial missions to the Syrian border with the Syrian American Medical Society and recently accepted a position with SAMS New England as their Chapter Coordinator. She currently serves as a Researcher and Clinical Assistant in the Department of Neurology at the VA Boston Healthcare System, specializing in memory disorders. Ala'a El-Shaar will provide an overview of the Syrian crisis, the current medical and humanitarian conditions within Syria and its surrounding countries, as well as firsthand accounts from interactions and psychosocial missions with refugees and orphaned children and families on the border.
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WIDER CHURCH MISSION OUTREACH
Crop Walk-Eliot Church
10/02/2016, 12:30 PM
Songs of Syria
Fundraiser for the Syrian American Medical Society
11/13/2016 3:00PM - Old South Church, Boston
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Sun., Oct. 2
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11:45 a.m.
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Luncheon in Vestry
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Mon., Oct. 3
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4:00 p.m.
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Retreat Planning Team Conference Call
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7:00 p.m.
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Choir
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7:00 p.m.
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Moderator Team meeting
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Tue., Oct. 4
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6:00 p.m.
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Deacons
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Wed., Oct. 5
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7:30 a.m.
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Prayer Group
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9:00 a.m.
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Coffee w/Stacy at Starbucks
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10:30 a.m.
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Wednesday Morning Bible Study
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Thurs., Oct 6
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6:30 p.m.
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Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO) Planning Meeting
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Sun., Oct. 9
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8:00 a.m.
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Bible Study
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9:00 a.m.
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Choir Rehearsal
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10:00 a.m.
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Worship and Sunday School
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11:15 a.m.
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Bell Choir Rehearsal
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