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Weekly news & announcements
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We are mask friendly - masks are not required, but kindness is |
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Pastoral responses to the gun violence in Ulvalde, Texas on May 24, 2022 |
Greetings Siblings in Christ, from the Land of the Holy One,
One of the most powerful experiences I have had here in Israel/Palestine was a gathering of our small pilgrim group with Mina and Wa’il. Mina and Wa’il, an Israeli and Palestinian respectively, are committed to working together for a just and lasting peace in a land saturated with violence between Israelis and Palestinian (although one of the things that I have learned is that in this very complicated place one can be both a Palestinian and an Israeli…. ) A few days earlier at the Yad Vashem Memorial and Museum we contemplated the horrors of the Holocaust alongside hundreds of young Israeli soldiers, all in their late teens and early 20s. They weren’t carrying their weapons inside, but out on the streets and at checkpoints, in public places all over the country, they are carrying automatic weapons and wearing body armor. As the father of two teenagers, I was moved to tears by Mina’s and Wa’il’s task of raising their children to turn away from escalation and revenge, and towards seeing every individual as a human being worthy of respect.
The reality of gun violence has again pierced the suburban bubble that many of us inhabit. Being here has reminded me that much of the world lives with the threat of violence every day. Part of my own reaction to learning about the latest US gun atrocity has been to double down on my own visceral disgust with those whose idolatry (in my view) of gun rights threatens (in my view) our common good. My contempt helps no one and is a reminder that real peace must begin in our (my) human heart, as well as in popular, sensible legislation. This was a very important part of Mina and Wa’il’s witness to us – that peace must begin with nurturing our ability to see in each and every person another human being, even in those we imagine to be our enemies. Sounds like the Baptismal Covenant to me.
Our days continue to be packed with sites, sights, smells, sounds, reflection and prayer. I share a sampling of photographs from the past week including a photograph with the Rector of Christ Church, Nazareth. Abouna (Father in Arabic) Nael has met Bishop Harris on pre-Covid pilgrimages from the Diocese of Massachusetts led by her.
Please pray for me as I pray for you.
Faithfully,
Nick+
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Response from Lauren, our sabbatical priest, and Emily, our Family Ministry Consultant.
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Office is Closed on Monday, May 30 |
The office is closed Monday, May 30 in honor of Memorial Day. We will reopen with our usual hours the following day. |
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Click on the image to enlarge. |
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Life After Loss Grief Support Group |
Join us at Christ Church for a bereavement group that will follow an open spiritual path to process the loss of loved ones and other personal grief during the course of the pandemic.
Led by Nikki Stournaras, a Chaplain with West River Hospice, we will gather in the Memorial Room on Wednesday mornings in June.
Materials are provided at no charge. Registration capped at 10.
10am to 11:30am on
Wednesday, June 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29
To register, please contact Sue Barber (email // 781-449-5157) OR Nikki ( email // phone 508-667-8252). |
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The church’s solar system currently generates more electricity than the church uses. We are therefore generating credits that the church is currently unable to use. We are seeking a few parishioners (2 or 3 max) who would be willing to “purchase” electricity from the church.
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You would pay the church a certain amount of money (for example, $500) and then over time the credits the church generates would reduce your electric bill until that amount is exhausted, at which time you would pre-pay for more credits. For the parishioners, this would be a cash-neutral transaction. It wouldn’t cost you money or make you money. It would just enable the church to take full advantage of the benefits of our solar system. If you are interested, please email Kevin Ruddy at kruddy@ptc.com to talk about the details of the program. |
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Pentecost after-Church BBQ? We NEED YOU! |
Would you enjoy attending a fellowship lunch after church on June 5? We need someone to host it! I have the plans written out but we need at least two people to carry it out. Send Emily Garcia (our Children's Ministry consultant) a text (617 637 6489) or email (mtremilygarcia@gmail.com) |
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ONLY ONE SUNDAY LEFT TO SPONSER MUSIC THIS SUMMER |
Sunday, September 4 is the last Sunday available to sponsor music. Your gift of $150 may be in memory of a loved one, in honor of someone living, or in commemoration of an occasion.
Sign up online here or email or call Ali in the office (office@ccneedham.org / (781) 444-1469).
Gifts can be mailed to the office (please note “Summer Music” in the memo section) or made online (please select “Summer Music” from the drop down menu). |
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Bible Study Celebrates the End of the Year with an MFA Tour and Picnic |
Our Bible Study class, led by Tracy Rubin, has spent the past year studying Genesis. The final class was Wednesday, May 25; the class had a virtual tour of objects related to Genesis at the MFA. The class also met at DeFazio Field for an end-of-year BYO-brown bag lunch.
This fall, the Bible Study will read Acts of the Apostles. Further details to come over the summer. Please email Tracy if you are interested in joining.
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Please click on the images to enlarge. |
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Volunteers are Needed for MANNA Monday Lunch Program This Summer |
We need volunteers to provide food for the MANNA Monday Lunch Program this summer. Upcoming dates are: July 10, August 7, and September 11. If you are able to help, please use the SignUpGenius or get in touch with Joanna Starr or Barbara Hurley (617-610-4585).
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A BIG THANK YOU to those who have volunteered to teach Church School this summer: Patty Smith, Diane Gately, Amy Sweeney, Christina O'Connell, Alyssa Kenco and Abby Carr!
Questions? Send Emily Garcia (our Children's Ministry consultant) a text (617 637 6489) or email. |
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HELP UKRAINIAN FAMILIES
Your immediate support will help Episcopal Relief & Development and other Anglican partners provide humanitarian assistance to people fleeing the violence in Ukraine. Donate here today.
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If you or someone in your family is in the hospital or in need of pastoral care, please call the church office so that our clergy or the Pastoral Response Ministry team may be notified and tend to the need.
The office number is (781) 444-1469, and you can reach Nick at ext. 113.
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