February 14, 2019
Newsletter of Barrington Congregational Church United Church of Christ
Calendar
Office open Mon - Fri, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm & 1:30 - 4:30 pm, unless otherwise noted

Thurs, Feb 14
3 - 5 pm Community Office Hours, The Coffee Depot in Warren

Fri, Feb 15
Dale on call for pastoral emergencies

Sat, Feb 16
9:30 - 11:30 am East Bay Kids Clothes Swap, Fellowship Hall

Sun, Feb 17 Contemporary Heroes and Heroines Sunday
10 am Worship Service for All Ages, Nursery Care only

Mon, Feb 18 Presidents' Day
Office Closed

Tues, Feb 19
11 am Memorial Service for Jean Stover, Sanctuary
11:30 am Book Group, The Coffee Depot in Warren
1:30 pm Staff meeting, Dale's office
6 - 8 pm Feasting at Fireside, Parsonage
7 pm Deacons' Meeting, Library

Wed, Feb 20
2 pm Communion Service at Atria Senior Living
7:30 - 9 pm Choir rehearsal, Vestry

Thurs, Feb 21
1:30 - 3 pm Women's Faith Group, Library
3 - 5 pm Community Office Hours, The Coffee Depot in Warren
7 pm Mission and Justice Team meeting, Library

Fri, Feb 22
Brendan on call for pastoral emergencies

Sun, Feb 24 Diversity of God's Creation
10 am Worship Service for All Ages, Nursery Care only
After Worship Mission Trip Bake Sale, Fellowship Hall
5 - 7 pm Youth Group meeting, Room 9

Mon, Feb 25
7 - 8 pm Mindful Monday, Meditation Room (Room 8)

Tues, Feb 26
11 am Staff meeting, Office
4 - 6 pm Youth Group make cookies for LFRI Truck run, Kitchen

Wed, Feb 27
Noon Deadline for eBridge
12:30 - 2:30 pm St. Andrew's students cook food for LFRI truck run, Kitchen
4:30 - 6 pm Youth Group help prepare for LFRI truck run, Kitchen
4:30 pm Loaves and Fishes RI prep and truck run, Kitchen
7:30 - 9 pm Choir rehearsal, Vestry

Thurs, Feb 28
10 am Endowment Team meeting, Room 6
3 - 5 pm Community Office Hours, The Coffee Depot in Warren

Fri, Mar 1
Dale on call for pastoral emergencies

Sat, Mar 2
2:45 pm BCCUCC volunteers leave for Soup Kitchen in Pawtucket

Sun, Mar 3 Holy Communion Sunday
8:30 am CEYM meeting, Library
10 am Worship Service with Communion, Church School
After Worship Mardi Gras Pancake and Renewal Celebration, Fellowship Hall


For the complete church calendar visit http://bccucc.view-events.com
Send calendar information to office@bccucc.org
The deadline for information to be included in the next eBridge is
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Happening soon
East Bay Kids Clothing and Toy Swap
Held on the 3rd Saturday of each month, the next one is Saturday, February 16th from 9:30 - 11:30 am in Fellowship Hall. The swap is a place to trade in clean (non-stained) clothes and shoes, and get clothes the next size up for newborn to age 12 years old.  They have also extended the swap to include toys! Open to the community, there’s a $3-$5 donation at the door but no one will be turned away. Learn more at https://www.facebook.com/EastBayKidsClothesSwap

The organizers are looking for musicians for their events - learn more
Clergy away and Office Closing
Brendan will be away this weekend, February 15th - 17th , and Dale will be away next weekend, from February 21st – 27th .
The church office will be closed on Monday, February 18th for Presidents' Day.
Memorial Service for Jean Stover
Longtime church member Jean Stover passed away on Thursday, February 7th. A memorial service will be held at Barrington Congregational Church, UCC, on Tuesday, February 19th at 11 am. A reception will follow in Fellowship Hall.
The family asks that you wear something colorful to celebrate Jean's life. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Jean's honor to a charity of your choice. Obituary
Feasting at Fireside
Members and friends of the church are invited to dinners for six hosted by Elizabeth and Dale Azevedo at the parsonage. The next one is scheduled for Tuesday, February 19th and there’s currently room for one more. If you’d like to attend, please sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0d4eaba823a6f85-feasting .
Communion Service at Atria Senior Living
A communion service is held on the third Wednesday of every month at 2 pm, in the chapel of their facility at 147 Bay Spring Avenue, Barrington. The service is led by one of our ministers and includes communion and hymns. The next service is Wednesday, February 20th at 2 pm and will be led by Dale.
Altar flower donors needed in March
The flowers on the altar each Sunday are provided by The Greenery florist in Warren but are paid for by donors (payment is sent to the church). The flowers can be given in memory, celebration or thanksgiving for a person or event, and a dedication is included in the bulletin. We have two vases of altar flowers each week and donors may choose to pay for one or both (each is $30). Donors are needed to pay for the flowers on several Sundays in March. Contact Cindy Racinski of our Chancel Team at 401 345-9486 or wjcjarts@cox.net if interested. 
Information about all of the groups that meet regularly can be found later in this newsletter under "Regular Happenings"
Important Notice about our Email Addresses
Please update your email contacts/address book
We are upgrading the computer software in the office, and as a result are going to be changing to ONLY using our @bccucc.org email addresses.   We ask that you stop using our @fullchannel.com email addresses and instead just use the following addresses: 
Dale  dale@bccucc.org   Brendan  brendan@bccucc.org    Christine  office@bccucc.org    Pat  pat@bccucc.org    Andrea  andrea@bccucc.org
Should you forget, at least for the time being, we’ll still be receiving emails that are sent to our Full Channel addresses. Thank you for making these changes to your email contacts/address books.  
From the River's Edge
Back to Basics

by Rev. Brendan Curran, Assoc. Minister - Feb. 15, 2019 Back to basics: How we care for each other and care for the Earth. "What if Christ is the name of the transcendent within and of every 'thing' in the universe? What if Christ is the name for ...

Read more
www.bccucc.org
If you missed reading any earlier posts you can find them all on the church website at this link. There are also links to the most recent ones from the homepage of our church website www.bccucc.org 
Outreach Opportunities
Loaves and Fishes RI Truck Run
We will be taking out the Loaves and Fishes RI truck to Trinity Methodist Church and Crossroads in Providence on Wednesday, February 27th .   Specific food and clothing items are needed – find out which from the online sign-up sheet at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050a4aacae2aa75-mobile3 . Please remember to indicate the quantity of a food item you are able to donate. Prep starts in the kitchen around 4:30 pm to prepare food and load the truck. All ages are welcome to help with food prep, but those going out on the truck must be at least age 16. For more information, questions, or if you are unable to sign up on line to donate items or help with prep etc, please contact Liz White (401-245-0285 or lizzyw2@aol.com ) or Phyllis Buckley (401-742-7320 or pbuckley6@cox.net ) .  
Soup Kitchen - change in date
There have been more changes in the churches doing the Soup Kitchen in Pawtucket, so BCCUCC is now next scheduled for Saturday, March 2nd.  Anyone willing to help the teams responsible this time (Buildings and Grounds, and Stewardship), should contact a member of either team, or our Soup Kitchen Coordinator Diane Todd (245-4681 diane.todd15@gmail.com ). 
The church calendar has been updated to show the new dates and teams responsible each time through March 2020!
Youth Group
Youth Group meeting
The youth group will meet on Sunday, February 24 th from 5-7 pm in Room 9. The meeting will focus on planning for the mission trip. Youth who aren’t going on the trip are still invited to attend for a game, pizza, and an opportunity to learn about this year’s trip and how they can support it. All youth in grades 6-12 are welcome. 
Youth Group to bake cookies for LFRI
The youth group will meet on Tuesday, February 26th from 4 - 6 pm in the kitchen at the church to make cookies for the Loaves and Fishes RI truck run. For those of you who may not know, the Loaves and Fishes truck is a ministry that provides food and clothing to our low-income and homeless neighbors. The truck will go out on Thursday, February 27th. Phyllis Buckley, who helps coordinate the Loaves and Fishes effort, suggested that making cookies for the truck would be a great way for the youth group to support this effort. 
Youth are still invited to come help pack the truck from 4:30 – 6 pm on Wednesday, February 27th if they would like, but your help could really be used making cookies the day before, on Tuesday, February 26th. Youth from grades 6-12 are welcome to participate on either or both days.  
Save the date!
Mardi Gras Pancakes and Renewal Celebration!
You are invited to kick off the season of Lent, celebrate the culmination of our Renewal Process, and support the mission trip all at the same time this year with a Fat-Tuesday Mardi Gras Renewal Pancake Breakfast! 
After worship on Sunday, March 3rd the mission trip participants, with support from the CEYM team, will serve pancakes during coffee hour. This festive pancake breakfast is a fundraiser for the mission trip. Congregation members and friends are asked to donate generously. Look for a collection basket for donations in Fellowship Hall. 
At the same time our Renewal Team will have a special presentation sharing all our learning and success over the past year and half. 
Wear your green, gold, and purple colors! Come and enjoy!  
Lenten Opportunities
Ash Wednesday Service
Ash Wednesday, March 6th, marks the beginning of Lent. There will be an Ash Wednesday service at 7 pm in the sanctuary to which all are welcome.
Soul Talk: Leaning to Listen to the Divine Soul Within
One of our growth offerings this Lent is an adult series exploring Soul Talk , a new book by Dr. Kirk Byron Jones. Dr. Jones has written numerous faith-based books on rest, joy, and play. In his latest book he discusses the need and benefit of listening to our inner voice and God’s presence in that listening. Each week through Lent we will discuss a portion of the book and take time to experience soul talk for ourselves. No experience or background is necessary, just a desire to explore the Sacred within. Rev. Dale will be leading this five week group on Wednesday evenings from 7 - 8:15 pm beginning Wednesday, March 13th.  The book should be purchased ahead of time and is available through Amazon and other retailers. Come and join us! For planning purposes, please RSVP to Dale by Ash Wednesday, March 6th at dale@bccucc.org or 246-0111 x 103.  
Wondrous Encounters
On Monday evenings beginning Monday, March 11th from 7-8 pm, Brendan invites you to participate in a special Lenten meditation series centering on the reflections of the contemplative Christian writer, and founder of the center for action and contemplation, Richard Rohr. This series is offered during Lent as a space for us to explore together how we “encounter” and experience the divine in our daily lives. Our contemplative practice together should nicely compliment the “soul talk” discussions also taking place (see above). All are welcome to come for the full six weeks of the meditation series or on a drop-in basis! Questions? Contact Brendan at brendan@bccucc.org or 246-0111 x 104.
Come to the water
A Lenten book/bible study exploring the theme of God in creation and how our faith moves us to act as stewards and sustainers of the natural world that makes life possible. We will be reading the “Read Across RI” book, What The Eyes Don’t See, by Mona Hanna-Attisha. Every Thursday, Brendan hosts community office hours at The Coffee Depot, 501 Main St, Warren, from 3-5 pm. During Lent ( beginning Thursday, March 7th), from 4 - 5 pm, he will host weekly discussions on sections of the book and provide eco-themed scripture passages to expand the discussion. All who wish to participate in this book/bible study can purchase the book on Amazon. If you have any questions about the study contact Brendan at brendan@bccucc.org or 246-0111 x 104.
Regular happenings
Community Office Hours
They happen every Thursday from 3 - 5 pm at The Coffee Depot, 501 Main Street, Warren (unless otherwise noted). Community Office Hours are for anyone in the church or community who would like to stop by and visit with Brendan in this more informal setting. All are welcome.
Book Group
Book Gro up next meets Tuesday, February 19th at 11:30 am at the Coffee Depot, 501 Main St, Warren, to discuss Need to Know by Karen Cleveland: “ Former CIA analyst Cleveland's debut novel is premised on a big "what if." What if you found out after a decade that the person you married and built a life and a family with was not only keeping a huge secret but actually had entered your life just to learn the secrets of your job? This is exactly what CIA counterintelligence analyst Vivian Miller learns when she uncovers the identities of five Russian sleeper agents and one of them is her husband. By mixing the action of a spy thriller and the internal dialog of a loving wife and mother, Cleveland sends listeners on a journey into the private hell that Vivian's life becomes. ” For more information about the group, please contact Helen Schall at helenschall@hotmail.com or 245-4724. All are welcome!   
Women's Faith Group
The group meets on Thursday, February 21st from 1:30 - 3 pm in the library. The group welcomes women of all ages from BCCUCC as well as from other churches and faith traditions. They will be starting a new book The Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri and copies will be available for purchase from the church office at a discounted price.   For more information contact Jane Tonn at 289-2349 or jtonn2@cox.net ,
Mindful Mondays
No Mindful Monday on February 19th as it's a holiday. Mindful Mondays resume on February 25th . Led by Brendan, there is a 20-25 minute guided meditation, a contemplative reading or poem, then tea and discussion. The sessions are designed to be inclusive for people of all faiths and are open to the public.  All are welcome.
Bereavement Group
The group will next meet in the library on Monday, March 4th at 11 am. The group is open to anyone who has lost a loved one at any time, and is open to the community. For more info, contact the f acilitator, Betsy Brenner at jsbeeb@aol.com  or 245-8031.  
Knitting for Others Group
The group next meets on Tuesday, March 5th from 7-9 pm at the home of Liz Rosenholm, 18 Bagy Wrinkle Cove, Warren. The group meets monthly, makes a variety of different items to be given away (prayer shawls, preemie hats, etc), and can provide patterns and help. All knitters/crocheters are welcome, especially new faces!  Please RSVP to Liz to let her know if you'll be attending at lizozzier@fullchannel.net. To learn more about the group, c ontact Mary Lou Slicker at 245-0085 or rislick@fullchannel.net.
NAMI RI Family Support Group
NAMI RI ( National Alliance on Mental Illness ) holds a monthly support group at our church for family members of people with mental illness. Open to anyone in the community the next meeting is Thursday, March 7th from 6 – 7:30 pm in Room 6. For more info contact info@namirhodeisland.org or call (401) 331-3060.
Thank you!
Superbowl Sunday
Thank you to everyone who joined in the celebration of Superbowl Sunday by coming to church dressed in support of their favorite football team. A special big THANK YOU goes to Pat Stoddard who did an amazing job of decorating Fellowship Hall with some of her football (ie Patriots) memorabilia. Thank you, Pat, for sharing your passion with the congregation!
Mission Trip Bake Sale
Many thanks to everyone who baked or purchased (or both) items for the Mission Trip Bake Sale held after church on February 10th. Thanks to your generosity, over $700 was raised for the Mission Trip!
Goals Met - Goals Set at Irons Homestead
2018 was a great year at Irons Homestead and BCCUCC was one of several churches who made a financial contribution to Irons in support of their 2018 programs. Read more about Goals Met - Goals Set and everything planned at Irons in the future.
From the Missions and Justice Team
Partnership with East Bay Citizens for Peace
Save the date! Our Mission and Justice Team are joining with the East Bay Citizens for Peace to bring you a talk by journalist Ed Fitzpatrick on First Amendment Rights on Thursday, April 11th at 7 pm in Fellowship Hall. Details to follow.

EBCP is a grassroots organization committed to peaceful solutions to conflict, and social and economic justice through open, respectful dialogue. 
For more information contact 401-247-9738, info@eastbaycitizens4peace.org
Opportunities to get involved
Join the choir - it's good for you!
Numerous studies have shown the health benefits of singing in a choir. So why not join the BCCUCC church choir? No audition is needed and all voice parts are welcome. Rehearsals are on Wednesday evenings from 7:30 - 9 pm in the vestry (the room below the sanctuary). To learn more speak with our organist/choir director Marina Zabinski after church on a Sunday, or contact her at 726-5118 or marina@bccucc.org - or just come along to a Wednesday evening rehearsal. We'd love to have you join us.......plus you'd be doing something that's good for your body, mind and soul!
Volunteers needed to help with Church School
We don’t need a long-term commitment, just your willingness to teach or assist in one of the classrooms for one or two Sundays during the program year. We provide all the information and resources you’ll need to enjoy the experience and grow in faith. For more information or to volunteer, speak with or contact our Christian Education Coordinator, Andrea Bullard at andrea@bccucc.org or 246-0111 x 107.  
Community Notices
Chamber Orchester Concert
The Chamber Orchestra of Barrington at St John’s will be giving a concert on Sunday, February 17th at 3 pm at St John’s Episcopal Church, 191 County Rd, Barrington. The orchestra is a mix of professional and talented amateur musicians, conducted by Edward Markward. The concert includes music by Mozart, Wagner and Stravinski. FREE admission, donations welcome! Flier
Providence Singers Concert "What Sweeter Music: Songs of the Spirit"
Music for chorus a cappella, and chorus with organ, including works of Johannes Brahms, Edward Elgar, Julian Wachner and others. The major work on the program is the Mass in C by Josef Rheinberger, a prolific late-19th century composer now known mainly for his contributions to the organ repertoire. John Black is the guest organist.
Saturday, March 9th at 7:30 pm in Cranston, Sunday, March 10th at 3 pm in Bristol. More information
Church member Beth Zarlengo and office administrator Christine Wallis both sing with the Providence Singers. This is a concert of some really beautiful music including a wonderful setting of 'Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing' and some spirituals.
Reminders.....
Help us stay visible on Facebook by 'Liking' our posts
Hopefully you’ve already ‘Liked’ our church’s Facebook page and see our posts in your newsfeed – if not, you can find us at www.facebook.com/bccucc . The way Facebook works, for our page to keep showing up in your newsfeed and for it also to be seen by the wider community, you also need to ‘Like’ individual posts from the church that you see. So please help us keep getting our message out about who we are and what’s happening at BCCUCC by hitting that ‘Like’ button for the posts that you see and like. Thank you.  
Sermons available on line
If you miss church on Sunday or want to hear the sermon again, you can do so at the following link  Sermon Archive.

Raise money for the church when you shop at Amazon
You can raise money for the church every time you shop at Amazon by going through AmazonSmile. Learn more at this link and choose 'Barrington Congregational Church' as your charitable organization. Every eligible purchase raises 0.5% of the purchase price for our church, and we receive a quarterly deposit from Amazon! Thanks to everyone who already does this.
In the event of bad weather....
In the event of bad weather....
We will always do our best to notify you of cancellations, especially if we ever need to cancel Sunday worship. Be sure to check your email, Facebook, and the TV and radio stations. There's also a link to the RI Broadcasters list of cancellations on our church website www.bccucc.org under What's Happening>Snow and Event Cancellations, or click here
However, in the event that we lose power and/or internet connection we will be unable to post these notifications. Also please note that if there is bad weather during office hours, the office may need to close without notice.
From the church office
Do you need a nametag?
Wearing a nametag helps everyone get to know each other, and is also welcoming to newcomers. Please wear your nametag for worship and coffee hour on Sundays. If you need a nametag you can sign up for one in the vestry hallway or at the Welcome Table in Fellowship Hall or email the church office. Newly made nametags are placed in the specially labeled basket on the sideboard in the vestry hallway for you to pick up on a Sunday morning.
Church Calendar is available anytime on-line.
The church calendar is kept up to date and you can find it at http://bccucc.view-events.com  If you have any meetings or activities planned, please send them to office@bccucc.org so that they can be added to the calendar. Also please notify the office or any errors or changes. Thank you.  
Follow the church on Social Media
On Instagram at BarringtonUCC On Facebook at www.facebook.co/bccucc. Please 'Like' our page as well as 'Like' our individual posts so that our posts continue to be visible both to you and to the wider community. Thank you.
Useful Links
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