Welcome to Christ Lutheran e-news, a weekly electronic newsletter which highlights programs and activities of our congregation. Feel free to .
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The building is closed, but the church is open, at work in the world. Where have you seen the Spirit animating our lives? Members have been at work seeking partners in the holy work of dismantling racism, accompanying refugees and migrants, and tending to our gardens and grounds. Where else have you seen God at work among us?
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Tom Berryman, Music Director
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Last November, singers and players from CLC visited the residents at MCI Framingham for some singing and playing in the Land and Seasons style.
In reply to my recent inquiry about how things are going, Rev. Lucy Marshall, Protestant Chaplain at MCI Framingham responded with this message:
How nice to hear from you! Thank you for thinking of the ministry to the women in the Framingham prisons. All chaplains are working from home. I send sermons, song lyrics, prayers, Bible Crosswords and encouraging messages each week. Talk about front line; In my opinion - though no one is posting signs in their yards, buying coffee or flying Blue Angels over the prisons - the men and women who are caring for prisoners' needs deserve highaccolades. When the chaplains send their materials, the COs walk them to each inmate. Consider: There are Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Chaplains in all the prisons and we are all sending materials. I am thankful for the COs who print the materials and distribute them.
So: here is how you can help:.... Continued Prayer! Focused Prayer! That the Lord will comfort the women in their isolation. That the Lord will open the eyes of their hearts to see His love. That they will really understand and believe the He, the Lord Jesus will never leave them or forsake them. Pray that their families and loved ones are safe and well. Pray that when the Chaplains return, they will find that the church of Christ has grown and is stronger than before.
In His service,
Rev. Lucy Marshall
Let's keep the MCI Framingham residents, chaplains and employees in our prayers.
Tom Berryman
Music Director
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The CLC Book Group will meet next Monday, June 29, at 7:30. The group decided to once again choose books from our shelves, focusing on either historical books or historical fiction; some are choosing books with a WWII theme.
Please note that the day of the week is Monday, as previously announced, but the DATE is June 29 (not the 30th, as erroneously indicated in earlier announcements). If you would like an invitation, please contact Marianne Swenson:
mswenson10@comcast.net
.
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Family Promise Metrowest (FPM) continues to help our homeless neighbors and
those at risk of becoming homeless because of hardships such as job loss, wage
reduction, or illness due to COVID-19, and they need our help now more than ever!
Under normal circumstances Christ Lutheran would be preparing for our host week, but
instead families are being sheltered in a local hotel. FPM is requesting the donation of
gift cards to offset the increased costs associated with this temporary model.
Old-fashioned gift cards (not electronic gift cards) in smaller denominations ($10, 20,
25) to any local grocery, pharmacy or general store are appreciated and can be sent to
Family Promise Metrowest at 6 Mulligan St., Natick 01760. Or you can donate directly
to FPM (https://www.familypromisemetrowest.org/donate/), who will purchase the gift
cards for the families. Please indicate that you are a member of Christ Lutheran when
you make your donation so we can track our contributions.
Two of the four families who were in shelter at the beginning of March have moved into their own apartments, and the remaining two families are ready to join them as soon as they can locate affordable housing. Both of the mothers of the two remaining families are pregnant, due later this summer, and it would be such a blessing to have the babies come home to their own homes. If you know of any landlords with units available, please reach out to FPM! Family Promise is committed to continuing to provide assistance to four shelter families at a time and is interviewing new families to join the program as others graduate.
Sam Gloyd, former sexton at CLC and current driver for Family Promise, is embarking
on a cross-country bike tour to reconnect with family and raise money for Family
Promise. To see a clip of a news story on Channel 5, click here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLmZykPs7ok.
Thrivent Request
As we anticipate the possibility of outdoor worship, it would be useful to have a couple of canopies to protect worshipers from the sun. Are you a
 Thrivent member?
Please contact Pr. Bourret if you are willing to apply for a Thrivent Action Team grant to purchase canopies. (They would certainly be handy for other activities as well, such as church picnics and participation in Natick Days.)
MISN/Canasta Solidaria
continues to be an essential support to the immigrant communities in Framingham and Milford during the pandemic. We provide culturally appropriate food staples and grocery cards to 400 families in Framingham and 125 families in Milford.
We are so grateful to be now based at
Amazing Things Arts Center,
who has generously given us use of their indoor and outdoor space for free. We are also immensely grateful to Foundation for Metrowest for a generous grant and the Boston Immigrant Covid Collaborative for inviting us to be a new partner.
This week, we begin to prepare for the next distribution on 6/27. If you would like to help, please use this sign up link. A huge thank you to everyone who has volunteered in the past; we couldn't do this without you!
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Joyce Simon, with assistance from Gail Weston- Roberts, Pr. Bourret and Gigi, has been working on redeveloping our website in partnership with Worship Times, a company specializing in web design for churches.
Watch for a fresh look, coming soon!
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READINGS FOR THIS WEEK - 4th Sunday after Pentecost
June 28, 2020
This coming Sunday is "a cup of cold water" Sunday. Come to worship, to remember the cold water of your baptism and to be strengthened to offer water to a very thirsty world.
First Reading Psalm Second Reading Gospel
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Sing For Joy
Enhance your understanding of the weekly scripture readings by listening to Sing For Joy
from St. Olaf College. The Sing For Joy radio program, produced by
St. Olaf College
, has a simple mission: to explore the weekly themes of Christian worship by providing the best in sacred choral music and thoughtful commentary. The musical performances eloquently "do the talking," while the concise remarks from host
Pastor Bruce Benson
illuminate the meaning of the texts.
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