Friday, December 15, 2024 | |
INVITE A FRIEND, NEIGHBOR, COLLEAGUE, NEWCOMER TO WORSHIP WITH YOU THIS CHRISTMAS
In a recent survey, there was a surprising response that many Americans who don't typically attend church at Christmas might do so if invited. “Among those who usually skip church, 56% said they would likely attend if someone they know invited them, including 17% who are very likely to go.” (Lifeway Research Executive Director, Scott McConnell)
Wow! More than half of our friends, neighbors, colleagues and newcomers, are waiting for an invitation to worship with you this Christmas. Most of us think “everyone knows you are welcome at church” but clearly 56% of people have not gotten that message and are waiting for an invitation. Be hospitable this Christmas and remind your friend, neighbor, colleague or newcomer that “wherever they are in life’s journey, they are welcome” at UCC Boxborough!
We have a music-filled Sunday coming this Sunday. The choir, the children, and the Ding-a-Rings will all be enriching our worship for this 3rd Sunday of Advent. Join us – and extend a welcome to another!
Grace and peace,
Richard & Jill Edens
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SERMON SHAPING or TUESDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY
SERMON SHAPING or TUESDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY:
The 10am Tuesday Bible study over Zoom is open to everyone. On Tuesdays at 10am, you are invited to a lively and far-ranging conversation with the Pastors on the scripture for the coming Sunday.
We enjoy a lively and far-ranging conversation with the Pastors on the scripture Sunday, December 15, Third Sunday of Advent: Zephaniah 3:14-20; Isaiah 12:2-6; Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:7-18
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
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The Christmas Tree Sale Continues!
Plenty of beautiful freshly cut trees or fragrant wreaths still available to purchase for the holiday season from Nova Scotia.
Advent Begins
Sunday Worship (9:30am) at UCC Boxborough
Dec 18 Longest Night Service
Dec 22 Fourth Sunday of Advent LOVE Rev. Dr. Jill Edens preaching
Senior Choir and the Sounds of Peace
Dec 24 Christmas Eve, 7pm Rev. Richard Edens preaching
Dec 29 1st Sunday after Christmas Carols, Carols, Carols
On Sunday, December 29, we will enjoy a Carol Sunday. You can help select the carols to be sung by going to this link for a Google Poll. Larry Wellington, Deacon Chairperson, will lead worship on the First Sunday after Christmas and offer a brief homily.
Jan 05 Epiphany (observed)–Candidate Sunday & Congregational Meeting
The Search Committee for a new settled Minister of UCCB has a candidate to present! The Candidate will lead worship on Sunday morning, January 5. Following worship, there will be a Congregational Meeting to vote on the recommendation of the Search Committee.
Jan 12 1st Sunday after Epiphany (Baptism of Jesus) Rev. Richard Edens preaching
Jan 19 2nd Sunday after Epiphany (MLK Jr. Weekend) Rev. Dr. Jill Edens preaching
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Pastoral Search Update
The Pastoral Search Team is delighted to announce that we have selected a candidate to be our next settled pastor. The candidate has verbally agreed to the terms of call, and Moderator Peter Senghas has called a special congregational meeting for January 5, 2025 to vote on whether to call our candidate to be our pastor.
Here are the plans for candidate weekend:
January 3: Candidate information will be released in the Friday Flash
January 4: A reception for our Zoom congregation will take place at 11 AM
January 4: An in-person reception will take place at 2 PM in the Gathering Room
January 5: The candidate will lead the congregation in worship at 9:30 AM
January 5: A special congregational meeting will convene immediately following the
worship service
Please plan to attend either in person or online January 5 to see our candidate and vote on whether that candidate should be our next settled pastor.
Susan Appleton, Brian Davis, Ellen Hickey, Kellie Senghas, Todd Waddington, and Larry Wellington (chair) Your Pastoral Search Team
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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
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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.
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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
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LONGEST NIGHT SERVICE, Wednesday, December 18, 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. The 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.
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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.
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Announcement of Congregational Meeting: January 5, 2025 (Sanctuary)
Following Sunday worship on January 5th, led by our Candidate, please remain in the Sanctuary for an important Congregational Meeting. At this time our Pastoral Search Committee (PSC) will answer questions about the candidate and how that candidate meets the criteria described in our Local Church Profile.
Please plan to attend either in person or online to see our candidate and vote to call our candidate to UCCB. Details are forthcoming about opportunities to meet the candidate prior to this Congregational Meeting.
This is an exciting moment in the history of this Church!
Peter Senghas, Moderator – UCC Boxborough
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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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Christmas Stars Success!
Thank you for your generosity to our Christmas Stars this year. Two SUV cars were fully packed and ready to deliver your 25 gifts this week.
Thank you to Dawn Parra, social worker for Framingham DFS for her coordination of this effort.
With gratitude, Darcy and Mary
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UCCB Relieves Over $420,000 of Medical Debt!
The Faith in Action team is happy to announce that UCCB will be sending a contribution in the amount of $4201 to Undue Medical Debt. The interest accrued from the Eleanor Voorhies endowment accounts for $3068 of this total, and the rest comes from the generous donations of members and friends of the congregation. Because each dollar donated buys approximately $100 of medical debt, our donation will result in $420,100 of forgiven medical debt.
As a result of our contribution, many people who are in the untenable position of choosing between paying the rent and grocery bill or paying off their medical debt will receive letters saying their debt has been forgiven.
Thank you for making this possible!
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Empowering the Girl Child in Uganda
Back in 2022, Anitta N. started an annual fundraiser to benefit young girls in Uganda. Her campaign supports girls from underprivileged backgrounds by providing them with sanitary products and school supplies. Now, nearly three years later and as a member of UCCB, Anitta shared her story with the Faith in Action team.
You can read more about Anitta’s campaign that helps to empower the girl child in Uganda by visiting this GoFundMe page. Faith in Action is proud to support Anitta’s efforts this year with a donation of $500, and we hope this will jumpstart additional donations by members of the congregation.
Thank you for your generosity!
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UCCB Glean Team Celebrates Third Anniversary
December 9 marked the 3-year anniversary of the UCCB Glean Team. This team has made hundreds of deliveries over the past three years, collecting produce, bakery, and prepared food items that are close to their sell-by dates from local grocery stores and delivering the food to area food pantries.
The Glean Team can always use new volunteers. One of the founding members of the Glean Team (the team that originated with the UU Church in Harvard, MA about 15 years ago) is moving away in the spring, and her departure will leave a big hole. Gleaning is a great way to do good, on your own schedule.
You can sign up to glean as little or as often as you like - once a week, once a month, or once a year - it’s up to you! If you’d like to learn more about the program, please see me (Glynis) during coffee hour, or email me at glynis.hamel@gmail.com. Thank you!
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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!
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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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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!
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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:
- It provides a weekly hot, healthy meal to anyone who shows up, no questions asked.
- It’s local.
- It fosters a sense of community. The “regulars” greet each other with waves and smiles. The room is noisy with conversations and laughter.
- 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.
- 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!
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