This Sunday we’ll be revisiting the story of Exodus that is remembered during Passover, albeit a week after Passover has ended. The retelling of the story each year during the Seder meal is a reminder of the importance of telling stories of our resilience. After a year that has contained so much heartbreak, we’ll reflect on the importance of remembering our capacity to make it through hard times.

To join online, go to zoom.us/j/89214621289

We are excited to bring you our annual auction in an online format this year, complete with a great goodie bag (with purchase of a ticket) and a fun Zoom experience! The "Good in the 'hood" Auction will be held on Saturday, May 15th, time TBD. Because we are virtual this year, you DON’T have to be present to donate or bid on items! There will be both live bidding and silent bidding for many items, so you can participate in many ways.

This year’s theme is "Good in the 'hood", as we are focusing on supporting local businesses during this time of Covid. We are asking for donations (see sign-up genius link for specifics) to some local businesses. The auction committee has put together themed packages which will be put into the live bidding segment, and your donations will help fill out those packages.  

If you’ve not had a chance to donate to the auction before, we hope you will take this opportunity to do so! If you’ve donated in the past, we welcome you to wait at least a week or two before choosing something so that new donors might have the best range of choices. We are asking for all gift card donations to be mailed to the church or given to an auction committee person by May 1st.

More details about the auction will follow, but in the meantime, enjoy this opportunity to shop local, support Westborough and surrounding town businesses and help make "Good in the 'hood" a great event.

Here’s the link to sign up to donate. Thank you for your contributions! - Amy MacDougall, Pauline Sciarappa, Ben and Erin Gold, Lisa Shumway and Laurel Gray

We have had some great recipes submitted for our pandemic cookbook! About 10 people have sent them in. Can we get 10 more people to send one (or more!) by April 14th? We are looking for all sorts of things: desserts, snacks, dinner, sandwiches, beverages, etc. Submit your recipes using this form or email directly to Erin Gold at KentuckyBlueRose@gmail.com. Direct any questions about the project to Erin.

The recipe doesn’t have to be fancy. My recipe is Chicken Salad with 4 ingredients you probably have already. Not fancy! We stocked up on a lot of canned goods in the beginning of the stay-at-home craziness and had canned chicken in the cupboard. And we were tired of pasta marinara! More to the story in the book…

Please consider sharing your recipes from the year of COVID and your stories with them. Then buy the cookbook at the auction to read everyone’s stories! This is another way we can share our lives with each other. - Erin Gold, cookbook coordinator

For April, we are reading A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende. Please join us. The group is open to all. You are welcome to attend.

Book Group will be online. If you are planning to attend for the first time, please email Judith at Judithteacake@gmail.com.

The Membership Team is planning an Online Game Night for April 10th at 7:00 pm. We look forward to seeing you there!

Join us on Zoom at zoom.us/j/82346789598

RSVP for The Hidden Cost of Racism, Sunday, April 18th, from noon to 2:00 pm. Outside facilitator Mary Hettinger will return and help us as we listen to a 30-minute NPR interview with Heather McGhee, a Black economist who recently published The Sum of Us. The topic was selected based on feedback from participants at the February Lunch & Learn who said they wanted to learn more about economic impacts from racism. For all the details and to RSVP, click here.

Please consider participating in a food drive to benefit the South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC). They are especially in need of: 6-8 ounce juice boxes; fresh fruit, especially apples and clementines; 16 oz. packages of bologna; and soft granola bars. There will be a collection on Thursday, April 29th between 4:30 and 5:45 pm at the Ruggles Street door. Please reach out to Libba Moore at libbamoore13@gmail.com ahead of time if there’s a better time for you. Thank you for help. - Your friends on the Social Justice Committee

This month we explore what it means to be a people of Becoming.