Staying Connected to Your Church Community

STAYING CONNECTED TO YOUR CHURCH COMMUNITY

Thursday, December 9, 2021

NAMING JESUS . . .

This Advent Season as we prepare our hearts for the arrival of the Christ child we will also reflect on the meaning and mystery behind the many names of Jesus.

Join us for in-person worship each Sunday and pick up an Advent Devotional. Each week we will have a new ornament engraved with a special name for Jesus and corresponding scripture for your reflection. Our church members will be invited to take an ornament home to hang on their tree (one per family) each Sunday throughout Advent.

The Poetry of Advent Bible Study

Week 3: JOY: Luke 3:7-18

Sunday, December 11, 11:30am to 12:30pm

Join Rev. Anne Marie Holloway in the Reception Room

Join the clergy after worship each week for an hour long Bible Study. The word “Advent” means coming or arrival. It’s the season of actively waiting and preparing for Jesus to be born, broadening our hearts and minds to welcome Jesus anew, and paying close attention to the ways Jesus is already coming into the world, God’s Word made flesh. The Christian year begins not with the lilies of Easter, or the poinsettias of Christmas, or the stirring winds of Pentecost – but rather with Advent, four weeks in the shadows of despair, conflict, sorrow, and hate. For it’s here, in the shadows, that the God of grace will arrive. Waiting, longing, and preparing for that arrival, we light candles of hope, peace, joy, and love. Poetry can help us as we wait. As Mary Oliver often emphasized, the best poems help us notice and feel things we might otherwise miss, both the depths of despair and the heights of hope. In this Advent devotional, we let scripture and Oliver’s poetry be our guides, together pointing us toward weekly practices that can help deepen and enrich our experience of the season – a perfect way to prepare for the hope, peace, joy, and love of Christmas day. So grab your favorite Bible and Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver (the poems can also be found online). Week by week, we’ll make our way to Bethlehem, attending with care to the lights and shadows as we go.

Come visit! Invite friends! Write Santa a letter! Bring a camera to take your own photos or we can take them for you! Please join us on Saturday, December 11, 9-11 am when Santa makes a visit to the Hills Church! He will hand out a packaged cookie!

Santa will be in an open sided canopy tent and outdoors, as long as weather permits! A portion of the event will be indoors, so everyone is required to wear a mask and remain socially distanced when indoors. Our Wallace Chapel has windows and doors open and is well ventilated. We encourage families to use their best judgement regarding the safety of their families during this complicated time!

Christmas Cookie Swap

Sunday, December 12th

following worship

Come join in the holiday fun and yummy goodness beginning right after worship at 11am in the Assembly Room. Everyone bakes one type of cookie but goes home with a festive assortment of each other's favorite cookies! Please bring 3 dozen of your favorite Christmas cookie to share. Don't forget to bring copies of your cookie recipe and a container to bring home your Christmas cookie collection. Please sign up HERE and indicate which type of cookie you will bring. Brought to you by the Faith & Fun Ministry.

Wednesday, December 15 at 11 o'clock in the morning

Come and enjoy the music of Christmas with a recital by Laurie Stewart Otten & John Finney in the Sanctuary of the Wellesley Hills Congregational Church. Event is sponsored by the Seniors Ministry Team.

Due to Covid precautions, there will be no festive luncheon, but all attendees will go home with a special Christmas treat. This event will also be livestreamed. If you require a ride to church: please email Susan Walton or call (617-965-3323).

Do you like my new necklace?

Making festive wreaths

Busy baking holiday cookies

Hot chocolate reward by the fire

Please complete this simple survey. We deeply value your feedback regarding ways Faith Formation at the Hills Church can provide comfort and joy this Advent Season. CLICK HERE FOR LINK. Peace, Rev. Anne Marie, Suzanne Bossert, and KC Kranker

This past Tuesday evening, the Racial Justice Working Group (RJWG) hosted a book talk for 17 friends on ZOOM! The talk was led by led by Emma Weiler and Jackie Winsky from the Wellesley Free Library and our own Sally Tomasetti. Emma and Jackie presented books about racial justice for both adults and children. Hills Church's Director of Children's Ministry, Sally Tomasetti, presented books for children (that we have here at the Hills in our Church School Classrooms) that were faith-based and visually diverse! Many wonderful books on racial justice. It is our hope that you will take a look at the two lists attached below for book recommendations on Racial Justice!

Racial Justice Book Recommendation List 1

Racial Justice Book Recommendation List 2

Comments & Questions?Please email us HERE!

“As people of faith and followers of Jesus, filled with love, we seek a just world for all.”

Racial Justice Working Group Mission Statement

Thank you to everyone at Wellesley Hills Congregational Church, for being part of our generous community! Your clothing drive in November collected 1,533 pounds of clothing that will positively impact the lives of hundreds of community members as they navigate life-changing transitions by providing them with free, empowering clothing, shoes, and accessories.

With gratitude,

Andrea Shapiro and Jessica Callagha

Hills Church Weekly Calendar

THURSDAY

Staff Meeting (Library)

New Beginnings (AR, K, RR, L)

FRIDAY

AA Meeting (Board Room)

SATURDAY

Cookies with Santa (Assembly Room)

Recital Rehearsal (Sanctuary)

Food Pantry delivery (pantry)

SUNDAY - Third Sunday of Advent - JOY

Church School (3rd floor)

Worship Service/Fellowship (Sanctuary)

MS Youth Faith & Fun (Upper Room)

Cookie Exchange (Assembly Room)

Poetry of Advent Bible Study (Reception Room)

Handbell Practice (Bell Room)

Boy Scouts (Assembly Room)

Youth Cafe (Upper Room)

Youth Conversation Circles (Upper Room)

AA Meeting (Board Room)

MONDAY - Susan vacation

Food Pantry (onsite)

Suzuki Violin (Assembly Room)

Cub Scouts (Assembly Room)

TUESDAY

Food Pantry (Pantry)

Food Pantry (Assembly Room)

Church Council (Zoom)

WEDNESDAY

Christmas Recital (Sanctuary)

Food Pantry (pantry)

Confirmation Class (Upper Room)

NAMI (Zoom)

Chancel Choir (Sanctuary)

THURSDAY

Staff Christmas Party/Meeting (Reception Room)

New Beginnings (AR, K, RR, L)

CSSB Meeting (Board Room)

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