November 22, 2017

 
 
If you get tagged to offer the Thanksgiving grace, consider pulling out your phone and sharing these words by theologian Walter Rauschenbusch, particularly fitting for those of us in the northeast:
 
O God, we thank you for this earth, our home;
For the wide sky and the blessed sun,
For the salt sea and the running water,
For the everlasting hills
And the never-resting winds,
For trees and the common grass underfoot.
We thank you for our senses
By which we hear the songs of birds,
And see the splendor of the summer fields,
And taste of the autumn fruits,
And rejoice in the feel of the snow,
And smell the breath of the spring.
Give us a heart wide open to all this beauty; 
And save our souls from being so blind
That we pass unseeing
When even the common thornbush
Is aflame with your glory,
O God our creator,
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

Peace,

Rev. Cindy

 
Worship  

Sunday, November 26, 9:30 am

 
This Sunday in intergenerational worship we reflect on the story of 10 lepers who were healed, and figure out which one we're most like.
 
 
Sermons     Worship Bulletins  

Spiritual Nurture

This Sunday, Nursery care is available downstairs for the youngest members of our community.  All ages are welcome to join together for intergenerational worship in the sanctuary, where kids can also hang out in the Children's Corner.

 

Advent Christmas Cookie
Swap & Sale

Fellowship's annual Christmas cookie swap and sale will be held on December 10h, immediately following worship. An assortment of delicious home-made cookies will be offered for sale. Gift bags and boxes will be available if you would like to put together a sweet treat for someone special.
 
Participate as a "swapper" by donating a minimum of four dozen home-made cookies, and receive one dozen free cookies in return. If you're interested in being a swapper, please see the sign-up in the Gathering Room or contact Deb Simmons (978-365-9711 or [email protected]) for more information.

Hats for Homeless

Although the weather has been mild, the biting chill of winter is soon coming.  Let us remember those less fortunate who need our help to keep warm.  There is a great need for hats, scarves, heavy socks, and gloves/mittens for homeless adults and children.  The collection of these items will be ongoing until Sunday, December 3rd.  There is a plastic basket in the Gathering Room for this purpose.  Let us fill the basket to overflowing this year. Thank you for any help you are able to give.  Any questions, contact [email protected].

Care Packages!!!

After service on Sunday, December 3rd, we will be assembling care packages for the young adults who are recent high school graduates and are now away at college, in the military, working, or on any other path.

We would like to gather homemade treats, notes of inspiration, items of local interest, favorite energy snacks and any other great ideas to include in these packages.  Creative ideas welcome - we'd like the packages to include a fun assortment of delicious, reasonably healthy treats and for the packaging to be as "green" as possible.  We will be sending these packages of love, support, sustenance and inspiration to ~25 members of the UCCB community. 

Thank you for your contributions!  Please bring your contributions that day and join the merry assembly!  Please contact Kellie Senghas at  [email protected] or  (978) 621-9108 with any questions or suggestions.
 

Christmas Star Program

It's that time of the year again where we kick off the Christmas Stars Program. The Stars are all on the tree in the Vestry. Each Star lists the wishes of the children under the care of DFS.  If you would like to participate and make Christmas a little brighter for these children, please take a Star and write your name and phone# on the poster.  We need the gifts back by Sunday December 17th so I can deliver them.  Please tie the star on your packages.  If you have any questions please contact  Mary Ellen Sweeney at 508-954-2428  or [email protected].  Thank you!

QPR Suicide Prevention Training

Community-wide suicide prevention training, free and open to the public, on Tuesday, December 5, in the Gallery, 2nd Floor at Village Works in West Acton, 7-9 p.m. Eliot Community Human Services, with a Healthy Teen Initiative Grant from the Acton-Boxborough United Way, will conduct a suicide prevention workshop open to the community.  The community-wide program that teaches the warning signs of suicide and an effective emergency response called QPR, QUESTION, PERSUADE, AND REFER . QPR teaches 3 simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life.  Just as people trained in CPR and the Heimlich maneuver help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone for help.   
 
Join us in saying YES to saving the life of a friend, colleague, child, sibling or neighbor.
By taking QPR training you will learn to: 
 
Recognize the warning signs of suicide 
 
Know how to offer hope 
 
Know how to get help and save a life.
 

Want to learn more... click the links below!
  United Church of Christ Boxborough
An Open And Affirming Congregation
978-263-7387 | boxboroughucc.org