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Friday, December 6, 2024

Dear Friends,


This is quite an Advent Season for UCCB as you prepare for a new ministry in 2025! We hope that Talitha Arnold's Advent meditation, "Life-Giving Labor,"1 will ring true as you prepare for a new birth in ministry:

 

Now I will cry out like a woman in labor, I will gasp and pant. Isaiah 42:14b


"I have never given birth,” writes Rev. Arnold. “Moreover, I've never witnessed a birth. As a pastor, I generally show up in the maternity ward after the hard work is done, when the mother and baby are cleaned up and resting peacefully between spotless sheets. But I have it on good authority that giving birth to a new human being is a messy and arduous affair, filled with cries, gasps, pants, and an abundance of bodily fluids.

Given his time and culture, it's doubtful that Isaiah had ever seen a birth either. Yet, he knew that new life seldom comes without hard labor and struggle. The prophet also believed that was as true for almighty God as for any earthly woman. In Isaiah 42:9, God (through the prophet) declares, 'New things!' In response, Isaiah calls the people to 'Sing to the Lord a new song!' He praises God as a 'soldier' who shouts and 'shows himself mighty against his foes' (42:13), bringing new life to the people.

But then the prophet does a 180. He changes the image of God from a man of war to a woman in labor, who cries out not in the heat of battle but in the giving of birth. A woman who gasps and pants as much as any soldier going up against a foe. The only difference between the two is the purpose of their travail. For one, it is to take life. For the other, it's to give it."


Prayer: As we prepare for the One born of a woman, you ask us to consider who and what we are waiting for. Help us, Lord, to choose wisely. Amen.


May this body of God's people be fit and ready for the new birth that is coming!


Advent blessings, Jill and Richard Edens


1From the UCC Stillspeaking Writers’ Advent Devotional booklet for 2024: The Mess in the Messiah.

Worship

Sunday, December 8, 2024 at 9:30 am

In person at UCCB also via Zoom


Bulletin


Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88306753408?pwd=V1gwZUtYL05JeVU2WklHWGtUWExGdz09  

Meeting ID: 883 0675 3408 Passcode: 7387

 

Please note: our worship services are streamed live via Zoom and recorded for posting on Facebook and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh1ayswOH7Ta7LYVK-BcAyA).

 

SERMON SHAPING or TUESDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY RESUMES


SERMON SHAPING or TUESDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY

On Tuesdays at 10am, you are invited to a lively and

far-ranging conversation with the Pastors on the scripture for the coming Sunday.


On Tuesday, Dec 10, we will discuss the lessons for Sunday, December 15th.

3rd Sunday of Advent: Zephaniah 3:14-20, Isaiah 12:2-6; Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:7-1


On Tuesday, Dec 17, we will discuss the lessons for Sunday, December 22nd

4th Sunday of Advent: Micah 5:2-5a; Luke 1:46b – 55; Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-45 


Then we will take a break and not resume until Tuesday, Jan 14, 2025.


The meeting opens at 9:45 for visiting.


Please join us. The Zoom link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81402428901 Passcode: 7387

The Christmas Tree Sale has begun! Select a freshly cut tree from Nova Scotia for your home or a beautiful wreath to decorate for the holidays.


Saturday, Dec 7, 7:30pm – Bluegrass Christmas Concert


ADVENT BEGINS



Dec 08   Second Sunday of Advent  PEACE   Rev. Dr. Jill Edens preaching

After worship with Liz Rust from the Concord Prison Outreach


 Longest Night Service on Wednesday, December 11, 7pm   

    

Dec 15   Third Sunday of Advent  JOY            Rev. Richard Edens preaching

     Advent Music Sunday with the Senior Choir and the Ding-a-Ring Choir

    Cookie Swap after worship


Dec 22    Fourth Sunday of Advent LOVE        Rev. Dr. Jill Edens preaching

        Senior Choir and the Sounds of Peace


Dec 24   Christmas Eve, 7pm


Dec. 29  1st Sunday after Christmas


Jan 05    Epiphany observed this Sunday  Rev. Catherine Michael preaching

                                                 Magi arrive 

Please note:


The flowers on the alter today are in celebration of the Roe Family. Thank you! Happy Holidays!

CHRISTMAS STARS 2024! Please drop off all gifts December 8th.


Christmas STAR gifts are due this Sunday December 8.

Please wrap, label and put by tree in Vestry

Any questions? Contact Darcy Sidwell darcysidwell@gmail.com

Thank you!

The Christmas Eve Service December 24, 2024


The Christmas Eve service at our church is a beautiful experience, filled with light and hope. We decorate the alter with poinsettias plants for the service.


If you would like to take a poinsettia home to enjoy on Christmas and the days after, please contact Laurel Dickson-Bull in person or at laureldave@verizon.net. The price is $15.

Cheryl Glynis and Lee assemble gift bags for the CPO Holiday Gift Bag Project

Concord Prison Outreach Board Member to Speak at UCCB


Please mark your calendars for Sunday, December 8 at 10:45am in the Sanctuary.

The Faith in Action team is delighted to announce that Liz Rust, a member of the Board of Directors at Concord Prison Outreach (CPO), will speak at UCCB after worship on Sunday, December 8. Liz will talk about CPO’s Holiday Gift Bag Project (which UCCB has supported for many years), as well as some of the other programs CPO provides for incarcerated people in Massachusetts. Hope to see you there!

Cheryl Glynis, and Lee assemble gift bags

for the CPO Holiday Gift Bag Project.

LONGEST NIGHT SERVICE, Wednesday, December 11, at 7:00pm


The early church chose to celebrate the birth of Jesus against the backdrop of the winter solstice when the darkness lengthens, and cold deepens. Even so, Christmas can feel like a projection of life perfected – brimming with satisfaction, bursting with more, and always teeming with promise. This is a service for those for whom this may not be “the most wonderful time of the year,” those for whom pain, loss, isolation, or grief is acute.


During this service, we acknowledge our sadness and the suffering of the world while affirming the dawning light of God’s love. Organist Joe Camara will be playing and Sounds of Peace, directed by Gloria Roe, will be singing. You will have an opportunity to light a candle against the dark and receive healing prayer. Following the service, you are invited to stay for cider and cookies                                            

Notes from the Keyboard


On Sunday, December 15th, at 2pm, I will be presenting an organ recital at the church. In the many years I've been here, I've never done this, and I decided that if I'm going to give a recital this is a good time as I'm not getting any younger. 


Although we're in the holiday season the recital is not a holiday program, although several pieces might fit the season. Included will be two pieces by JS. Bach. The first will be Vater unser im Himmelreich. That will be followed by his Prelude and Fugue in E Minor. The Emperor's Fanfare by Antonio Soler arranged by E. Power Biggs will be played. There will be an Advent piece entitled Toccata for Organ by Pietro Yon. 


There will be two pieces by Gordon Young. One is Noel which fits the season and that will be followed by his better known, piece Prelude in Classic Style. There will be a Fanfare in D by Joseph C. Bridge and Christmas Fantasy on a theme by J.S. Bach by G. Rebling. Fanfare by Jacques-Nicholas Lemmens will be included There will possibly be pieces by Andre Campra and George Frideric Handel. Toccata on "Amazing Grace" by J. Christopher Pardini will be the final piece.                                                   

Generosity 2025

 

Thank you to all who submitted your financial pledge for the 2025 program year on Celebration Sunday. Your commitment to this congregation and community helps fuel all we can imagine and accomplish together. Watch for the rainbows in the center stairwell on Sunday - thank you! 

 

For those who were unable to participate last Sunday, you are welcome to mail or email your pledge to Nikki at the church. Blank pledge forms are available at church if you are not locating a “2025 Generosity Pledge Campaign” email from the church ~November 1st.  If you would like to submit your pledge online, you may follow this link

 

The spiritual practice of generosity arises from imagining all that God calls us to do as a community. Our donations to our congregation make it possible to turn what we imagine into a reality. Through our annual commitments to our congregation, we imagine together all that we can do. Whether you are someone who has pledged annually in the past or are new to this practice, we invite you to consider how you may contribute financially to UCC Boxborough to keep our lights on in this corner of the world and continue to invest in our community. Thank you!

Yours in faith,


Generosity Ministry Team: Jeff Glidden, Kellie Senghas, Rev. Dr. Jill Edens and Rev. Richard Edens

Pastor’s Discretionary Fund

Here’s a great way to thank our interim pastors for their amazing ministry with us!

During Advent each year, the Deacons take a collection for the Pastor’s

Discretionary Fund. This is a fund that the pastors can use for any purpose to advance their ministry. In past year, the fund has been used to purchase books and worship materials, even a computer.


There are ways to donate:



·There will be an envelope in the bulletin each of the next 3 Sundays. You can place your offering in the envelope and place the envelope in the collection plate. If paying by check, please write “Pastor’s Discretionary Fund” in the memo line.

·You can mail a check (again with “Pastor’s Discretionary Fund” in the memo line) to:


Collector UCCB 723 Massachusetts Ave. Boxborough, MA 01719

Advent Christmas Cookie Swap & Sale – December 15

The Fellowship Ministry Team’s annual Christmas cookie swap and sale will be held on December 15th. Please join us and take home an assortment of delicious home-made cookies for the holidays! Participate, as a “swapper” by donating a minimum of four dozen home-made cookies and receive one dozen free cookies in return. The remaining cookies will be available for purchase by the congregation.


If you’re interested in being a swapper, please see the sign-up in the Gathering Room or contact Deb Simmons (508-439-2891 or dlrmcgrath@comcast.net) for more information. The sale will be held in the Gathering Room immediately following worship. Proceeds from the sale will be used to fund future Fellowship events.

The Faith in Action team

Our Little Food Pantry's Cupboards are Empty!


Please consider donating food to our Little Food Pantry. Items needed are: proteins, fruits, vegetables, crackers, non-perishable shelf stable milk, soups, beans, and more.

Thank you for all of your support! Happy Thanksgiving!

Rise Against Hunger – Meals have shipped!

On Sunday September 29, 2024, we packaged over 10,000 meals for distribution. That’s right - 47 boxes, each containing 36 meal packets, each meal packet serving 6 for a total of 10,152 meals!

On December 4th, we received word that at least a portion of those meals have been shipped to Ukraine. The conflict in Ukraine has caused one of the fastest forced population movements since World War II – millions of people have left the country or are internally displaced. As food production and supplies are disrupted by the conflict, many people do not have reliable access to sufficient nutritious food.

Prior to the conflict, which began in 2022, the Global Hunger Index, which assesses food insecurity based on indicators that measure undernourishment and undernutrition, categorized Ukraine as having a “low” level of hunger.

 

Thank you again for bringing your hearts and hands together to make an important difference to people facing hunger and displacement. Want to learn more about this organization and their work click here.

Thank you!

The Faith in Action team

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UCCB Transitions to Compostable Tableware


Over the next few weeks you may notice some changes on the Fellowship table during coffee hour. The Fellowship team, with the support of Faith in Action, will be transitioning to the use of compostable cups, plates, and cutlery. While we’ll surely miss the beautiful flowered napkins and seasonally-themed plates provided by our wonderfully creative Fellowship team, we can feel proud that UCCB is taking one more step toward living out our mission statement of “caring for the world”.

Purchasing compostable tableware is step one in this process. Step two is education; what goes in the compost bag, what goes in the recycling bin, what goes in the trash? Step three is completing the circle and disposing of the compostables at a commercial composting facility. Faith in Action is currently investigating the possibility of pickup by a commercial facility. In the meantime, we’ll start simply by putting only compostable cups in the compost bag. 

Signage will be there to remind us all that the compost bag is for cups only; please do not put anything else in the bag! A member of the Faith in Action team will be responsible for bringing the used cups to the transfer station to be composted in a commercial compost bin. (Of course, an even greener alternative is to bring your own coffee mug to coffee hour!)

We hope you will support this effort to work toward a healthier planet. 

Please, if you have any questions or comments, talk to a member of the Faith in Action team: Janet G., Glynis H., Susan A., Lee B., Joe C, Kellie

S., Linda S.

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Honoring Eleanor Voorhies with Donation to Undue Medical Debt

For the sixth year in a row, the Faith in Action Ministry Team will be directing the proceeds from the Eleanor Voorhies endowment to support the efforts of

Undue Medical Debt (formerly RIP Medical Debt). We make this contribution to honor Eleanor each November on her birthday, November 17. We’re sure that Eleanor would approve of this use of her bequest. Undue Medical Debt was founded by two former debt collection executives. Their idea was to use donations to buy large bundles of medical debt at a steep discount from collection agencies, then forgive the debt. Recipients receive letters that their debt has been canceled, with no tax consequences or penalties. Since its inception in 2014, the organization has erased more than $14 billion of medical debt.

Eleanor Voorhies was a longtime member of UCCB with a long and distinguished career in nursing and public health. More information about Eleanor’s life and work is available in the November issue of the Vestry News.

If you would like to contribute to Undue Medical Debt in honor of this remarkable woman, we will be accepting contributions throughout the month of November. Each dollar you donate buys approximately $100 of medical debt! Checks may be sent to the church, payable to UCCB. Please put “Undue Medical Debt” in the memo line. Alternatively, visit UCCB’s Giving page . Click the “Donate” button, and in the Special Collections section indicate the amount and put “Undue Medical Debt” in the memo.

Thank you for your generosity! 

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 Please Support CPO Holiday Gift Bag Project

 

“My name is [...] and I’m locked up in Shirley Max. Doing time is very hard during the holidays…but receiving this Christmas bag made my day…I’ve been locked up since 18, I’m about to be 25 and my family disappeared slowly so receiving this gift was a blessing. Thank you and everyone who had a part [in] giving us a good Christmas. God Bless.”

 

Concord Prison Outreach (CPO) maintains a binder filled with thank you notes like this one from grateful recipients of CPO’s Holiday Gift Bags. This year, more than 2300 incarcerated people in Shirley, Framingham, Concord, and Gardner will receive gift bags containing toiletry and other items; CPO relies solely on contributions to cover the $35,000 cost. If you are able, would you consider, making a donation, to CPO this Christmas?


A contribution of $14 would cover the cost of one gift bag, but donations in any amount would be greatly appreciated. Faith in Action will be collecting donations throughout the month of December. Checks may be sent to the church, payable to UCCB. Please put “CPO” in the memo line. 

Alternatively, visit UCCB’s Giving page . Click the “Donate” button, and in the Special Collections section indicate the amount and put “CPO” in the memo. Thank you for your generosity!

Community Supper Volunteers Needed, Wednesday, January 8, 4:30 - 6pm



I can quickly think of five reasons why UCCB continues to support the Mt. Calvary Community Supper:


  1.  It provides a weekly hot, healthy meal to anyone who shows up, no questions asked.
  2. It’s local.
  3. It fosters a sense of community. The “regulars” greet each other with waves and smiles. The room is noisy with conversations and laughter.
  4. It runs like a well-oiled machine. The kitchen and support staff, many of whom give of their time and talents on a weekly basis, are amazing. Volunteers are given a quick orientation and someone is always there to answer questions and to provide help where needed.
  5. It’s the embodiment of UCCB’s Mission Statement and Open Doors policy.


Because of the generous pledges of the UCCB community, Faith in Action will once again be able to contribute $350 to underwrite the cost of an entire meal. We’ll also be sending a team of volunteers to help serve the supper on January 8. We need a few more people to round out the team. Please contact glynis.hamel@gmail.com if you can help out. Thank you!

Want to learn more... click the links below!

 

Vestry Newsletters    Church Calendar

Visit Our Website    Join Our Mailing List


Or send us an email:


Revs. Jill & Richard Edens - uccbpastor@gmail.com

Church office - boxborochurch@verizon.net

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