From the Pastor

A remembrance of tragedy and hope

In 1981, I was newly graduated from college, working in a church in Southeast Connecticut. As I got to know people in New London area, I started hearing about a disease that seemed to only affect young, healthy men. Later, I learned that most of them were gay. I clearly remember a conversation with a doctor who was running a community health clinic. He was puzzled by this illness, so different from what he had been treating previously. It had a bunch of different symptoms, all of them painful and unusual. We speculated on all sorts of causes; but it was infectious, and he worried that we all might be spreading it without knowing it. By the end of that year, 120 people had died from what would eventually be called HIV/AIDS. Even now, 13,000 people a year die from HIV/AIDS in the United States.

In seminary, I was blessed to know a fellow student who was, like me, a Caucasian intern serving a mostly African-American congregation. Steve and I had some great laughs over our blunders and missteps as we learned about ministry. When he was diagnosed, I was gutted, both by his health concerns and the uncaring reactions of people who blamed him for his illness. But surprisingly, the congregation that he was serving stepped up. Even though they were conservative. Even though he had not been out to them. Even though most of them thought his sexuality was sinful. They gave him love and support, and eventually, they gave him a homegoing (funeral) that moved us all. That was the first sign of hope.

Fast forward another fifteen years. The downtown churches of Waterbury Connecticut had a tradition of holding a service each year to remember those who had died of AIDS in our community. The complexion of the epidemic had changed; now those deceased were mostly intravenous drug users and poor folks who had acquired the disease years before. AIDS wasn’t quite the death sentence it had been; some people had been living with the illness for years. It was sad, of course. So many lives lost, so many sad stories. But in an odd way, it was also hopeful. The stigma of the disease was beginning to be erased by education and conversation. There was a treatment, though not a cure. (There still isn’t.) But as we laid hands on survivors and loved ones and prayed together, the power of the community was amazing. These people who had so many health problems, taught me about sustaining hope.

On this World AIDS Day, in the shadow of the pandemic, I see progress. The treatments have improved. AIDS is no longer a diagnosis that can only be whispered. The lessons learned from it have benefitted public health practice for everyone. The activists who fought so hard to get the government to recognize this disease set off a chain reaction of organizing and advocacy. AIDS is still a tragedy. But the progress made in fighting it is a sign of hope.

This week, the Scripture talks about a tree stump being a sign of hope. God is always surprising us! May you see God’s hope in your own life this week.

Blessings,

Pastor Leigh

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News From the Parish Nurse

First, the better news: COVID-19 cases are reported by the CDC as low in all but one county. The more troublesome news is the large increase in cases of RSV (which primarily effects infants and children), has been overwhelming hospitals across the country and has had high rates of hospitalization in Vermont as well. 

My suggestion as noted in this article is to be mindful of families who have young children; admire new babies from a safe distance this holiday season to avoid spreading this virus. It doesn’t typically affect adults in the same way so you may not be aware of it. Again, if you are feeling unwell please stay home.  

Nearby states have reported a rise in new Omicron subvariants.

What's The Story

From your friendly podcaster, Cary Friberg.

I do a podcast called “What’s the Story?” every Wednesday morning at 11 at the Fly on the Wall Studio right here on Main St in Barre. I have interviewed all sorts of people and so far we have discussed love, addiction, recovery, redemption, relationships, grief, regrets, and work. These topics mean something. These topics lend themselves to discussing faith too.

I would be honored to interview you. Bring your partner, a family member or a dear friend or neighbor if you choose, or come alone. We all have stories. They don’t have to be neat and tidy or have a happy ending. When we tell our stories we come together with our listener and for a brief hour that reverberates far and wide, we shine a light in the darkness of this beautiful world. God is near.

You can find the podcasts on YouTube if you type “What’s the Story?” Barre Congregational Church in the search bar. You can also find them on the BCC Facebook page.

I have an opening on Wednesday December 7 that I really want to fill. I also have some spots in January. Let me know. We can do this. Thank you. caryfriberg@comcast.net

Advent Project

Greetings, Fellow Congregants—

Advent, the beginning of the church year, always starts the 4th Sunday before Christmas Day. This year, that is Sunday, November 27th. Kate Bowler is a Christian writer, podcaster, and Duke Divinity School professor; she is also a person living with Stage 4 cancer. It is perhaps this latest attribute that shapes her recent no-nonsense description of Advent as a time “when we practice seeing the world as it has always been—as some of us know it to be too well. Time and again, we are reminded of how precious life is. One moment, we are on the upswing—buoyed by our self-reliance and our success. The next moment, the foundations of our lives are shaken—by divorce or disease, natural disaster or a global pandemic…And still, in the midst of the chaos swirling in our inboxes and our hearts, the long dawn of Advent begins, the time when we prepare for the great inversion: God coming to Earth in the form of a human baby.” 

Indeed, this is an important season for us as Christians—both individually and collectively. The Faith Formation Team has put together a gift bag for your household that we hope will deepen and enrich your experience of Advent this year. We thought a word of explanation on its contents may be helpful.

--Tissue paper. Purple is the traditional liturgical color of this season symbolizing preparation, penitence and royalty to welcome the new King. In more recent times, many churches have started using dark blue –also representing royalty but also holiness.

--The 2022 Advent devotional, “What’s Left of the Night?” is a collection of daily readings by UCC writers that help us to recognize the importance of darkness as a balance to light. The writings are a reminder that light and dark, joy and sorrow, beauty and suffering are all necessary as part and parcel of our human life as individuals and as a species.

--Some information on the importance of angels in the stories leading up to, during and after Jesus’s birth, and an opportunity to create an origami angel. Inside the front cover of the devotional booklet you will find a small paper with 2 YouTube links that offer visual instruction on making an origami angel, as well as 3 sheets of paper—in case you want to create more than one. If you prefer written instructions, they’re on a separate sheet, along with some information on angels relevant to this season.

--A different kind of Advent calendar offering a chance to give out of our abundance –so often taken for granted—as one way to love the people Christ came to love.

--Some Evergreen sprigs. Evergreen symbolizes everlasting life; when placed in a wreath, it reminds us of the never-ending love of God.

--A candle. Jesus is proclaimed in the Gospels as the Light of the World.

--2 sticks of incense remind us of frankincense, one of the gifts of the Magi to the child Jesus.

--2 cinnamon sticks. Long before Jesus’ birth, cinnamon was valued for its healing/medicinal properties. Its delicious aroma and taste are now also associated with Christmas.

--Chocolate! Chocolate is included with many commercial Advent calendars. We think it’s yet another opportunity to “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8).

--Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. While these may not be visible to your eye, it is our prayer that these gifts offered so powerfully to the world through the coming of Emmanuel (God-with-Us) will be very real in your life during this season and beyond.

In Christ’s love,

Your Faith Formation Team

P.S. We are doing our very best to ensure that a gift bag will be handed or delivered to every BCC household in Barre and surrounding regions before Advent begins this Sunday. Unfortunately, “surrounding regions” does not include Florida, where some of our beloved members are currently residing. To you we send our love and God’s blessing!!

BCC Angel Tree

This year, we will be working with Good Beginnings to help families with small children have a happier holiday. Please

take one of the angel ornaments for a gift card from the store indicated. Once you have purchased the gift card, please

write your name on the ornament and put it with the gift card in the envelopes below the tree. We will forward these gift cards to Good Beginnings on December 12th, so that

families can use them for the holiday. If you would prefer to give money, please put it in an envelope under the tree, and the Mission & Outreach Ministry will purchase some gift

cards. You may also give online; just put Angel Tree in the memo line.

Thank you for giving hope and help to young families this year!

2023 Reiki Classes Announcement

Reiki I, $250

Jan. 10 – Feb. 14

Reiki II, $300

Feb. 21 – Mar. 28

Advanced Reiki Training, $350

April 4 – April 25

Reiki Master Teacher Training, $350

May 2 – May 23

The Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki certification courses are offered and taught by me. Classes will be held at Barre Congregational Church. For more details and to sign up, please contact me at ritvareiki@gmail.com.

Namaste,

Ritva

She/Her

"We will be more successful in all our endeavors if we can let go of the habit of running all the time, and take little pauses to relax and re-center ourselves. And we'll also have a lot more joy in living."

 ~ Thich Nhat Hahn ~

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