Rejoice!
Good News from Church of the Good Shepherd, Watertown
Summer 2018
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Dear brothers and sisters at Good Shepherd,
It is my great pleasure and privilege to have begun my ministry among you as your interim priest, during this time of transition. I have received a very warm welcome, which has included your prayers for my ministry, invitations to meet you for coffee and meals, inclusion in many gatherings, and a giant “Welcome” billboard, made by one of our younger members, that greets me each time I enter the parish office. Thank you!
When thinking about how best to introduce myself in this article, I was reminded of a slip of paper posted on my family’s refrigerator. (My family has one of those refrigerators that is covered with memorabilia: playbills from Samantha and Emily’s high school shows, photos from vacations with our extended family in Oregon and South Dakota, art projects lovingly made by friends, and notes that reflect our views.)
One of my favorite pieces from that last category says, “We are not responsible for completing the work of perfecting the world, but neither are we free from persisting in it.” This very old quote is from the Jewish tradition. My husband, Mark, and I brought it home from Shabbat (Friday evening) services a few months ago, after someone offered a reflection on it. This quote always reminds me that, while I am responsible for participating in the good work that is to be done in the world, I am not meant to do it all--or to do it alone.
I think this quote offers good wisdom for us, at Good Shepherd this year, as well. My personal temptation (and perhaps some of yours’) is to jump, head-long, into all the worship and Christian formation and justice ministry work that we can get our hands on! But I imagine that, if we all do that, we will get really tired! The wardens, vestry, and search committee all have a lot on their plates right now. The rest of us all have additional responsibility, as well, holding those leaders up in prayer and taking on a bit more, ourselves, in order that the work and worship at CGS will continue to move along smoothly and well.
So I will be returning to my refrigerator regularly, in coming days, to remind all of us that we are not called to complete, or even participate, in every good thing that we could delve into this year. But rather, we are called to choose, wisely and intentionally, valuable and life-giving pieces of that work, trusting that God’s Holy Spirit will hold all of it with us, and bring us out on the other side, right where we should be.
I so look forward to being with you in the coming year. I hope to get to know as many of you as possible and to do my very best to support the many fine ministries here. If you would like to talk or pray with me, please be in touch either at
libbybermanCGS@gmail.com
or via my cell phone: 617-955-9523. I look forward to hearing from you!
Faithfully, Libby
May God bring a faithful, new pastor to Good Shepherd, to care for the people in this precious place, and meanwhile, may we walk together and enjoy the journey! Amen.
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On Friday, April 6th parishioners at the Church of the Good Shepherd gathered with friends and family to honor with immense gratitude the time Pastor Amy spent ministering to our community and also to proudly celebrate her new role as Ninth Dean of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston. The quality of pastoral care Amy devoted to the CGS community and beyond over the years was reflected in the large number of people who came to celebrate her time at the parish. The bountiful potluck dinner was filled with happy memories of Amy's time at CGS. The talented church choir delighted guests with some of Amy's favorite songs. The parish children and youths gifted her with a beautiful hand made stole. Photos of her time at CGS were collected for a memory book that she will keep as a reminder of her time spent ministering in Watertown.
On April 8 parishioners and guests gathered for a Sunday service to hear and heed Pastor Amy's final sermon as her time at the Church of the Good Shepherd drew to an end. Members of the Haitian Baptist Church, Perkins School for the Blind and many other Watertown institutions and groups that were fortunate enough to interact with Pastor Amy over the years were in attendance.
The very moving service concluded with another joyous celebration of song, dance and good food. Most importantly
parishioners carried with them Amy's final advice to the CGS congregation:
"
(1) Do not doubt one another. In times of transition or uncertainty, our fight or flight reflexes can kick in, causing us to withhold the peace of Christ from others. We can be tempted to assume the worst in others or assume motives where there are no motives. I know this congregation well and I can say without any hesitation there is no one here with a hidden agenda, no one who likes to play games. Everyone in this room is going to do the best they can to bring their best to the transition ahead. So if something comes up that causes you to feel upset or slighted, talk with that person directly – talk to one another rather than about one another – and extend forgiveness and Christ’s peace. As Jesus did not doubt Thomas, do not doubt one another.
(2) Keep doing your thing. Sing loudly. Make coffee. Bring a can for food for the food pantry every week. Go to Common Cathedral. Be a prayer partner. Ask for healing prayer. Volunteer for VGS. Welcome newcomers without apologizing for being in transition. Invite them to help make coffee and sing loudly and go to Common Cathedral. You don’t need a settled pastor to Do those things. This parish matters. Your work in the year ahead will be a gift to you and to the community, and it will be a testimony to the resurrection.
(3) Pay your pledge. You have worked so hard to get to the point where you can afford a full-time rector without support from the diocese. Give yourselves a round of applause for doing that! Now, show all those who are thinking about applying to become your next rector that you are ready to make a place for them, to receive them well, to support them in their ministry with you, by paying your pledge in this transition year. You might even consider topping it off."
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Julie Baggio
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Is Solar Power in Good Shepherd’s Future?
In 2010 the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by diocesan buildings by 50% by 2020. Through our efforts, facilitated by two grants from the diocese, we have made several energy efficiency upgrades to our buildings, significantly decreasing our CO
2
footprint. As part of this effort we also studied if our building would be a suitable candidate for solar power. Working through Massachusetts Interfaith Power and Light, an assessment found that our building was marginal and the suggestion was made for us to explore becoming part of a larger renewable energy purchase consortium.
The blue areas show where the solar panels would be mounted.
The large 120-year-old beech tree at bottom at Mt. Auburn St.
recently succombed to beech bark disease..
Recently, MIP&L recommended that we participate in a webinar sponsored by Resonant Energy and partners that are organizing such solar power efforts in the Boston area. Making contact with them, a new assessment was made, and a proposal was developed with a preferred solution that would use part of the church as a site for solar panels. Specifically, this would use a roof section of the Parish House that faces south together with the upper part of the east side of the Parish Hall roof. The picture shows the 39 panels that would provide ~17,000 kWh average, which is 94% of our electrical energy needs. (We expect additional planned energy efficiency measures will further reduce our usage, making us fully self-sufficient.) Resonant Energy has been working with the diocese, recently installing solar arrays on the Epiphany School, Dorchester, and on St. Martin and St. Augustine, Boston, (as well as on a cluster of churches in Dorchester). This was facilitated by the diocese providing a low-interest-rate loan at 2.5%, that in our case would cover the $43,000 cost of the solar panels, as part of the Green Initiative. Over the 25-year life of the array, there would be a net $78,000 savings returned to the parish, after the payback for the panels. We have discussed this proposal with the Watertown Energy Committee and the Historical District Commission; both encourage us to move forwarad. This is a proposal that deserves our serious consideration! --
Steve Steadman for the CGS Creation Care Committee
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Forming a Search Committee
The Vestry of a congregation has a lot of responsibilities. One of the most significant roles a vestry can undertake is creating a search committee. The very fact that this committee needs to be formed is reflective of a massive change in leadership. The current priest has departed (either under good terms, bad terms, or somewhere in-between) and a new one needs to be called. Naturally this is a stressful event for any congregation and dominates the vestry’s time for many months.
This is a lengthy document and covers many subjects in addition to search committee guidance.
Our vestry decided that the ideal number of people on the committee should be ten. At the time of writing this article we are still in the process of inviting people to participate. The nominees that our vestry put together resulted from much discussion, discernment, and reflection over the course of two vestry meetings. Once the search committee has been filled, per the diocese,
The Vestry commissions the members of the Search Committee, if they have not already done so in the context of self-study, with the responsibility of identifying the new priest and with the ultimate presentation of his or her name to the Vestry for consideration and approval. The “commissioning” appropriately may take place during Sunday worship and signals liturgically the significant responsibility and role Search Committee members are assuming in the life of the parish.
The Vestry is deeply grateful for the support, patience, and thoughtfulness of the congregation as we navigate this important and critical moment in our parish life.
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Brad Parsons
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The Women’s Spiritual Memoir Drop-in Book Group
In September of 2017 the women of CGS and some good friends met in the sanctuary to discuss Mary Oliver’s life and work and to read her luminous poetry aloud to each other. We enjoyed a magical and sacred evening. This was the first meeting of the new Women’s Spiritual Memoir (WSM) Book Group, convened by Carol Roberts and Beth Zwick, which included the women of the former Seasoned Sisters group and many more.
We met monthly for the next nine months to discuss the life, work, and faith of Sabeeha Rehman, Courtney Coward, Joan Chittister, Terry Tempest Williams, Dorothy Day, Etty Hillesum, Karen Armstrong, and Dr. Margaret Lawrence. Teams of two women researched and co-led the discussions and prayers at each meeting. Discussion leaders included Carol Roberts, Pat Ahern, Sandy Lampert, Angelita Caceda, Marylin Eastwood, Rev. Amy McCreath, Ann Gilman, Mary Skinner, Susan Brown, Connie Holmes, Heath Missner, Janet Rohler, Jean Ann Schulte, and Laurie Garden. An average of a dozen women attended each meeting. Many of us agreed that we found the books and discussions illuminating, inspiring, and challenging to our personal faith and spirituality. We particularly appreciated these opportunities to grow in relation to each other.
The WSM Google group allows us to communicate about meetings and share online articles, interviews, and videos about the books we are reading. Any woman is welcome to join the email list whether or not she attends meetings, and all women are warmly welcome to join us at meetings regardless of congregation or denomination. Because it is a drop-in group, women are free to attend as frequently or infrequently as they would like.
The group was on hiatus for the summer; we used the time to select books and plan our 2018-2019 schedule. The first meeting of our second year will be on September 23, 2018 from 3 to 5 pm at the Watertown library, when we will discuss Sister Simone Campbell’s
A Nun on the Bus.
Carol Roberts and Mary Skinner will co-lead the meeting. Our second meeting will be on November 4, when Janet Rohler and Jean Ann Schulte will lead us in a discussion of Lauren Winner’s
Girl Meets God
. Additional books and dates have been announced to the WSM email group; fliers will be posted at church.
Any woman who wants more information about the WSM Book Group, or to sign up for the email list, is warmly invited to contact Beth Zwick at
bethzwick02472@gmail.com
. We look forward to another wonderful year of reading, contemplation, and sisterly fellowship. ---
Beth Zwick
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Hear What the Spirit is Saying to God's People
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Church of the Good Shepherd and Watertown Families Together have partnered to host a weekly toddler story time at CGS. Each week toddlers and their caregivers gather for gentle playtime, stories, songs and crafts. Our June themes have included sharing, kindness and equality and have been well loved by attendees. We have also been blessed to have CGS Seminarian Will Harron, who brings hospitality, friendship, ministry and prayer to each gathering
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All toddlers and their caregivers are welcome to join in this fun and enriching event!
MONDAYS AT 10AM at CGS.
Up: Story time articipants create crafts exploring kindness and equality.
Right: Arlene Smith
reads a book about sharing to her young audience. (right)
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Hidden Brook Changes This Fall
We are excited to announce that starting in September
Hidden Brook
will institute a new rotation of services including the familiar format on the first Thursday of each month and new formats on the other Thursdays of each month. Services will still be held at 7 pm on Thursday evenings.
The first Thursday of each month (starting with Sept. 6) will continue the existing Hidden Brook format with candlelight, taize chant, silence, prayer, poetry and music. Each service will have a theme such as celebration of a historic event, person, or season. Refreshments and conversation follow each service.
The second Thursday of each month will include contemplation and discussion motivated by brief excerpts from the works of Thomas Merton.
The third Thursday of each month will feature centering prayer. A period of sharing and instruction will precede the centering prayer.
The fourth and fifth Thursdays of each month will be some combination of Compline, Evening Prayer, healing liturgy, and freeform liturgy.
We hope you will make a commitment to contemplative prayer at the Church of the Good Shepherd by planning to attend one or more of these Hidden Brook formats regularly. ---
Jim Donna
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News from the Alewife Deanery
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The CGS Deanery representatives-Pat Ahern, Kim Bryant, Sally Hajjar, Charlie Kitts, and Steve Steadman, attended meetings in May and June. In May the annual Sending/Serving and House of Mercy grants were awarded to the member parishes, where they will help with congregational services and programs for persons in need in the community. CGS received a matching grant to cover expenses for Vacation Garden School. We also received a House of Mercy grant, which will enable us to further support the work of Eva House, a safe house for women and their children. At the June meeting we shared parish news, reported on special events, and discussed how the Deanery’s asset mapping tool can connect churches to one another. Several churches are in rector and leadership transition, as is the Deanery itself, so our prayerful gathering was assuring and positive.
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Pat Ahern
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Gardens at CGS
We have many gardens surrounding our buildings and each one of them holds an important space in our congregation and the community. We have a memorial garden that contain ashes of the dearly departed, we have space dedicated to our Vacation Gardening School, and we have ‘pleasure’ gardens that great anyone who passes by.
One particular plot that holds a special place in my heart is the section we refer to as the ‘pot luck garden’ which was started in 2017. This plot is the rectangular one to the right of our apple tree when facing the sanctuary entrance from the street. We call it the pot luck garden because everyone is invited to put a flower or two in it. Annuals or perennials, it doesn’t matter. If the plant has a special meaning to you and you want to share it you’re invited to plant it and let it grow. Part of the excitement is that this area will be different every year.
Last year I needed to thin the bleeding hearts in my own garden. I brought some of the root clumps to CGS and added it to the garden. It survived and this year even provided some blooms. This is very meaningful to me because the plant now growing in CGS comes from the original plant that my mother gave me years ago. When my mother died in 2013 this congregation was an instrumental support network for me and my family. The addition of this plant to the garden is her way of saying ‘thank you’ to anyone who walks by.
Everyone is invited to add to this space! Please keep in mind that timing is very important. If you want to plant bulbs these are generally planted in the fall. Iris clumps are generally planted in July and annuals in the spring. If you have any questions please reach out to me.
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Brad Parsons
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On May 5
th
more than 20 men, women and children came to CGS with their gardening equipment as part of Watertown Helps Out. Under the direction of our team captain and Master Gardener, Louise Forrest, volunteers prepared Vacation Garden School plots, cared for flower gardens and “helped out” the church landscaping.
Volunteer activities included: expanding the size of the Vacation Garden School plot near the church ramp; clipping bushes; pulling up dandelions in the day care play area; weeding out black swallow wort, morning glories and other invading plants from all the garden areas; and replanting the pot luck garden flowers. In addition to all that work, volunteers also spread four yards of leaf mulch around all the church plantings. The leaf mulch will keep down the weeds, keep in moisture and decompose proving nutrients to our gardens for next year.
We are grateful for all the energy and talent provided by our volunteers and the generous donation, used toward the leaf mulch, from St. Barnabas Memorial church in Falmouth. This was our fifth year being part of Watertown Helps Out.
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Stewardship Corner
A substantial portion of Good Shepherd’s operating income comes from the pledge payments that parishioners make during the year. We currently have pledges from 64 parishioners totaling $140,000. Our experience in recent years has been that some parishioners actually overfulfill their pledges and additional pledges come in from new members during the year. We budgeted $175,000 of pledge income this year and we are on track to meet that budget.
Another major source of income is fees from renting our property. Large spaces that we rent include the rectory and the basement under the sanctuary. Various groups also use the parish halls and sanctuary for meetings and rehearsals. A complete list of organizations that rent space appears in the parish directory. We budgeted $64,000 in property income this year.
Last fall we introduced a major innovation that permits pledges to be paid automatically by regular charges to a credit card or bank account. We selected Tithely as our provider for this service. If you would like to set up a regular donation go to the parish website
www.goodshepherdwatertown.org
. Under GETTING INVOLVED select the GIVING page. Click on the green Give button and fill in the Tithely giving information. And THANKS as always for your generosity! ---
Jim Donna
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A couple of her prayer partner helpers (Pentecost 2018) with Angelita outside of Angelita’s sister Vicki’s house. There were two more very important assistants, Sylvia and Eve, who distributed all the envelopes on Pentecost Sunday. -- Marylin Eastwood
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Angelita and Jeff preparing for the annual meeting on February 4th. Thank you to the 70+ people who attended!
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Bishop Gayle preached a power sermon on embracing change when she visited on February 11.
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The parish hall was full of fellowship, learning, and great food on February 2 for a presentation by those who went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Talk with Steve Steadman (pictured above) if you could not make it but would like to be a part of a second opportunity to hear about the journey.
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Wednesdays, September 5 & 19 (Tentative) -
Youngish Adult Group, 6:30-8:30 pm, at Rand House (the rectory).
Sunday, September 9 -
End summer schedule, return to two services,
8 am and 10 am.
Thursday, September 13 - First
Hidden Brook
fall
service at 7 pm, with different formats on a rotating basis.
Sunday, September 16 -
Youngish Adult Group
meets at noon for potluck lunch.
Sunday, September 23 -
Women’s Spiritual Memoir Group
, 3 to 5 pm, at the Watertown Public Library.
Saturday, September 29 -
Installation of
Amy McCreath as
Dean of the Cathedral
at 10:30 am at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, 138 Tremont Street, Boston.
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The Last Word: A Reflection on Giving
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Ever since I started coming to Good Shepherd, I've read in the Weekly Dispatch that parishioners are asked to bring cans for the Food Pantry on Sunday mornings, and that the goal is to have at least one can per person attending. This seemed like a wonderful idea, but felt like it was one thing too many for me to deal with on a Sunday morning. And I'd actually have to think about it twice – remembering to buy the cans, then remembering to bring them to church. I decided I was already doing enough and I didn't have to try to do everything.
Then the young people in the church took over the coordination of the Food Pantry donations. I wanted, at least for the first few weeks, for the kids to feel they were being successful at their new project, so I determined to bring a can or two to church. And what did I discover? It's easy! The first week I tried it, the local supermarket had a gigantic sale on tuna fish (one of the Food Pantry's most sought-after items), and since I have my groceries delivered, I didn't even have to carry the tuna home, so I bought twenty cans. I put the cans in a cabinet by the door and now I grab a couple on my way out on Sunday mornings. After only a few weeks, it got so I didn't feel right without the weight of the cans in my pocket when I set out for church.
On the day one of the young people announced that there were more cans than parishioners in the congregation, I was really glad that I got to be a part of it rather than sitting there wishing I had been a part of it. In these times of trial and desperate need, the Food Pantry is more important than ever, and it is a direct and powerful force for good in our own neighborhood. Giving to the Food Pantry every week is a real and tangible way to live into our Mission here at CGS. And it's easy! --
Jeff Lyons
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Keep in Touch
The Rev. Libby Berman, Interim Priest - 617- 955 - 9523
The Rev. Ken Schmidt, Deacon - 508-735-1019
Linda Lyster, Organist/Choirmaster - 617-734-3072
Kate Gyllensvard, Warden - 617-661-9859
Brad Parsons, Warden - 617-501-4539
The parish office is open on Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons.
Church of the Good Shepherd | 9 Russell Ave., Watertown MA 02472 | 617-924-9420
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