THE BEACON
Woodfords
Congregational Church
September 2021
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Happy Thanksgiving...
Ahh, September. ‘Tis the season for corn mazes and apple-picking – and Thanksgiving? These days, we officially celebrate Thanksgiving as a nation in November, but the earliest European settlers of the United States most likely celebrated it earlier in the year. In his acclaimed book Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War, Nathaniel Philbrick writes, “We do not know the exact date of the celebration we now call the First Thanksgiving, but it was probably in late September or early October, soon after [the Pilgrims’] crop of corn, squash, beans, barley, and peas had first been harvested. It was also a time during which Plymouth Harbor played host to a tremendous number of migrating birds.”
Philbrick then goes on to note that “the term Thanksgiving was not used by the Pilgrims themselves. For the Pilgrims, a thanksgiving was a time of spiritual devotion” during which they thanked God for providing for them. But days of giving thanks weren’t all seriousness and prayer. As Philbrick notes, “there was also much about the gathering that was similar to a traditional English harvest festival – a celebration that dated back to the Middle Ages in which villagers ate, drank, and played games.” And from what historians can tell, “it soon became an overwhelmingly Native celebration when Massasoit [the leader of the local Native American community] and a hundred Pokanets (more than twice the entire English population of Plymouth) arrived at the settlement with five freshly killed deer.”
As the above quote indicates, celebrating the harvest and giving thanks were never only “Pilgrim” or “Christian” or even “European” things. Hardly! Thousands of years before the Pilgrims’ arrival in 1620, our Hebrew ancestors were celebrating Sukkot, also known as the Feast of Tabernacles, the Feast of the Ingathering, the Feast of the Harvest, or the Feast of Booths. The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) mentions this festival in Exodus 23:16 and Leviticus 23:34.
This year, Sukkot will begin on Tuesday, September 21 and last for multiple days. The event commemorates the protection that God offered the Hebrews as they travelled to the Promised Land after fleeing slavery in Egypt (chabad.org). According to reformjudaism.com, “Sukkot is one of the most joyful festivals on the Jewish calendar.” During Sukkot, Jewish communities and families celebrate the bounty of the fall harvest by building foliage-covered huts or booths called sukkahs, which are used “for eating, entertaining, and even for sleeping.” The huts often have open walls and doors, to extend a warm welcome to all.
All over the world, religions and wisdom traditions include practices and festivals that encourage gratitude. This September let’s pay special attention to acknowledging and offering thanks for the Holy’s generosity and goodness, as individuals and a faith community. As a sign of our thanks, let’s labor to expand the circle of God’s love and compassion out into our community and the wider world. Happy thanksgiving, all!
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"Rally the Spirit Sunday" - September 12
An Intergenerational Welcome Back
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On Sunday, September 12, Woodfords will celebrate “Rally the Spirit Sunday,” as we welcome the members of our faith community back after summer vacation and kick off a new program year. We are excited to bring back our intergenerational service with this service! Part of the service will include recognition of back-to-school for the children in our lives and for the children in the community at large.
This enlivening morning will feature:
· intergenerational worship designed for people of all ages
· a blessing ritual for backpacks, briefcases, and car keys as summer winds down and
people head back to school and work
· special music
· a celebration of Woodfords Scholarship recipients
· Sunday School registration
We hope you’ll make plans to join us for this special morning.
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Spurwink School Supply Drive
As mentioned above, Rally the Spirit Sunday will be an intergenerational service, including a special focus on back-to-school. In recognizing back-to-school time, we will be collecting school supplies for the greater Portland area. We are partnering with Spurwink's school supply drive. PLEASE CLICK HERE for the brochure with all the different supplies that we and Spurwink are collecting. Bring your school supply donations to service on the morning on Sunday, September 12!
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Women's Retreat 2021!
Sep 17-19, Marie Joseph Spiritual Center
Exciting things will be happening!
Our weekend will begin on Friday after supper with altar building, ice breakers and general check-ins with each other. Our altar offering this year is to bring something or a symbol of something that has helped you through the past 18 months as we have learned to deal with COVID-19.
Saturday morning is "lay led" yoga and stretching, hopefully on the beach!
After breakfast, Fran Seeley will lead us through a meditation and mask making event that will focus on the "Masks We Wear." In Fran's words... "Masks worn in drama were used to express emotion. Masks worn during the pandemic often concealed emotions. Joseph Campbell writes that 'the privilege of a lifetime is being who you are' and Carl Jung takes that one step further in saying that it is 'to become who you truly are.' We will decorate blank masks to illustrate masks we’ve worn, masks we now wear, and how we see our true selves becoming."
Saturday afternoon will be social time, alone time, beach walking time or crafting time. One activity we we will offer is making a protestant "rosary" to use in personal prayer and meditation.
As is always the case, this weekend is for you. If you need to sleep, sleep! If you need to be alone, that’s fine too. The program will be there for those who want to participate. We have all had to be apart for too long, and it will be lovely to be together again.
Saturday is our late afternoon marathon snack fest with adult beverages if desired, followed by dinner and a movie with popcorn.
Sunday will be a wrap up of the weekend and worship led by Rev. Alyssa.
The cost of the retreat is $235 which includes a beach front room, 5 meals and all activities. If you need help with cost, there are scholarships available. And as always, if you are so called to do so, you may send funds over and above the $235 to help others.
More specific information about the logistics will be sent out a week or so ahead of time.
As we all know, COVID restrictions vary from day to day and we will comply with whatever the CDC and Marie Joseph Spiritual Center request. (Unvaccinated attendees are required to wear a mask at all times.)
We are hoping for lovely weather so that we can do a big part of our program outside on the lawn or beach!
In the meantime, sign up with Teri at the office (info@woodfordschurch.org). Please let her know if you have any dietary restrictions or any special requests. The fee is due by September 10. Please send a check to the church with a note in the memo line "Women's Retreat."
I am so excited about this retreat and hope you all are too!!
Suzanne D’Bourget
For the committee
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Sunday School and Tri-Church Christian Education
Kids and families, we are excited to announce that Sunday School is coming back this Fall. Preschool and elementary aged students are invited to join us on September 26 and October 24 for Sunday School during our Sunday morning worship service. Once a month, we will also have an intergenerational worship service on Sunday mornings. On other Sundays, we invite our kids to utilize our kid worship resources at the playground in the back of the sanctuary. We also have special activities for kids and families to participate in with Williston-Immanuel and State Street throughout the fall.
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Music Notes
Join in the fun and fellowship on Thursday night with MUSIC at Woodfords Church!
We are so blessed with many talented musicians within our congregation community... and there is always room for more in our church ensembles.
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We have openings this Fall in our Handbell Choir, and plenty of seats available in the Chancel Choir loft. Beginners are always welcome!
The Woodfords Ringers meets on Thursdays at 6:00 pm & The Chancel Choir practices at 7:10 pm.
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Save the Dates: Upcoming Special Sundays
Please mark your calendars for the following special Sundays at Woodfords:
· September 12: Rally the Spirit Sunday – Intergenerational Worship (2nd Sunday of Each Month)
· September 26: Annual meeting, after worship with the Portland String Quartet
· October 11: Intergenerational Worship Service (2nd Sunday of Each Month)
· October 17: Homecoming/New Member Sunday
· November 14: Monthly Intergenerational Worship Service (2nd Sunday of Each Month)
· December 5: Tri-Church St. Nicholas Service with State Street Church and Williston-Immanuel United Church. Location TBA. This intergenerational service will take place in the early evening. It will be in addition to the regular Communion worship service at Woodfords. More information forthcoming.
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Caregivers Circle to Start Up in October
This October, Woodfords Congregational Church will start up a mutual support group for caregivers called “Caregivers Circle.” The first meeting with be October 13. For this group, caregivers are defined as people who provide support, assistance, or physical care for a family member, friend, or neighbor who resides with the caregiver, in their own home, in a care facility, or in another state. The person receiving care might be an older adult, a young adult with a disability, a spouse, sibling, or a parent. The needs may vary … but whatever the exact need, caregiving brings its own set of concerns and responsibilities.
The Rev. Charlotte Bell will be facilitating this free monthly meeting at Woodfords Church. Rev. Bell is an ordained UCC minister and medical social worker. Her work experience has spanned a variety of medical settings including long-term care facilities, independent/assisted living facilities, and a community hospital. Through the years, Charlotte has facilitated many support groups and received Train the Trainer certification with the Alzheimer’s Association.
There is no cost affiliated with attending this support group.
The group will be held in the Lounge on the second Wednesday of the month from 10:30 – 11:30 am. Light refreshments will be provided.
Caregivers Circle
Meeting the second Wednesday of every Month
For more information contact Rev. Bell at:
or phone 774-8243 x107
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Bibles for Young People
Woodfords has a historic tradition of giving Bibles to the church’s young people. If you know of a young person (second grade through college) associated with Woodfords who would like an age-appropriate Bible and has never received this gift from the church, the church would be happy to provide them with one.
Please send the young person’s name and age/reading level to our tri-church Christian Education and Spiritual Formation Director, Emory Burke (emory@williston-immanuel.org).
Additional details about “Bible Sunday” – which will take place later this autumn – and Bible distribution will be forthcoming. (Please note that this offer extends to grandchildren and other friends/relatives who periodically attend church with Woodfords community members.)
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Help Shape Woodfords’ Future Worship
Woodfords recently voted to upgrade its audio-visual systems in ways that will enable the church to offer hybrid, live-streamed worship services. Once the new equipment is installed, worship will be accessible to people in the sanctuary, as well as people who wish to participate remotely.
With live-streaming opportunities on the horizon, Rev. Alyssa would like to bring together community members who are interested in helping shape Woodfords’ future worship services (live-streamed and non-live-streamed alike). If you’d like to learn more about worship design and help make Woodfords’ worship services as rich as possible, please be in touch with Alyssa (alodewick@woodfordschurch.org). Once she has gathered the names of interested parties, she will schedule an initial conversation. Thank you!
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New Member Sunday Scheduled for October 17
If you’re not already a member of Woodfords, have you ever thought about becoming one? If you or someone you know might like to learn more about officially joining our church community, Rev. Alyssa would love to hear from you (alodewick@woodfordschurch.org). Through low-key, no-pressure conversation, she can tell you more about what “membership” means and answer any questions you might have. New to religion? Just getting to know Christianity? Never been a member of a church before? Have no worries! You may be a cradle-born member of the UCC, or you may be discerning how you feel about organized religion. Either way, we value you and understand that our community would be at a loss without you. No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey, Woodfords welcomes you!
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Did You Know? WCC'S Pastor-Parish
Relations Committee...
... has been revitalized and rededicated to supporting effective ministry at Woodfords through attending to the important relationship between our church’s pastor and people. Whether a church is large, small, or historically peaceful (not given to conflict), history has shown that the health of this relationship should not be taken for granted. Therefore, our PPRC wants to do what we can to facilitate a sharing of the congregation’s ideas—dreams, hopes, expectations, and concerns—with Pastor Alyssa. Likewise, we hope to learn from Alyssa (and share with the congregation) her experience of pastoral function and needs she may have here at WCC.
Whereas the church’s Personnel Committee deals with policy matters, job descriptions, and salary and benefits for all members of the church staff, the PPRC has a different, more deeply relational focus. The PPRC’s purpose is to support the personal and professional well-being of the pastor, as well as to provide a means of communication to the congregation, through constructive and caring two-way dialog. In this way, our PPRC can be thought of as a support group for the effective ministry of the church, rather than just “the pastor’s support group” or merely a channel for congregational complaints.
In addition to Pastor Alyssa, current PPRC members are: Mitch Rosengarten (chair), Suzanne D’Bourget, Pete Sampson, and Elaine Armstrong. Feedback for the committee is welcome by contacting any committee member. (Consult the church directory or the church office for email addresses or phone numbers in this time of COVID). The invitation is that we all take an interest in the health of our pastoral/congregational relationship by supporting in constructive ways that which is rewarding and satisfying while heading off the potential for tension as we move through our church’s future together.
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Have Something on Your Mind?
Want to Talk about a Joy or Concern?
Have a Prayer Request?
If you would like to schedule time for a pastoral care conversation with Rev. Alyssa, do not hesitate to be in touch (alodewick@woodfordschurch.org). She would be happy to set up a visit.
Also, Alyssa is always open to receiving prayer requests. Drop her a line with a description of what you’d like her to pray for – and don’t forget to indicate if you would also like your prayer request to be added to the Woodfords prayer list. (Alyssa’s default is to consider all prayer requests she receives confidential, unless the requestor explicitly says otherwise.)
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Submitting an article for the October Beacon?
The deadline is September 20. Please send proofed text with title and photos (if available) to Teri at info@woodfordschurch.org.
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HAPPY SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAY
Charlotte Cuzner 9/01
Molly Johnson 9/03
Nancy Meiners 9/05
Ellen Snyder 9/05
Stacey Dand 9/05
Deb Smith 9/08
Elizabeth Johnson 9/09
Constance Cushman 9/11
James F Brown MD 9/11
Samuel Fries 9/11
Thomas Campbell 9/12
Grace Wolfe 9/12
Mary Anne MacMath 9/14
Linda Nye 9/14
Andrea Schmearer 9/16
Margo Halverson 9/16
Jessica Wolfe 9/16
Lillian Porter 9/19
Willa Morales 9/20
Lucas Morales 9/22
Gail Pentheny 9/24
Philip Lucas 9/27
Thomas Smith 9/27
HAPPY SEPTEMBER ANNIVERSARY
Edward & Phyllis Campbell 09/04 67 years
Thomas & Constance Smith 09/14 53 years
Thomas & Renee Newman 09/13 52 years
James & Kathleen Helming 09/15 37 years
Gregg Ritter & Carolyn Bird 09/05 28 years
Maret Freeman & Edmund Ashley 09/21 25 years
Michael & Rochelle Hale 09/28 24 years
Catriona Shepherd & Jim Haller 09/13 13 years
Kevin & Colleen McKee 09/12 12 years
Sue Ann & Peter Lord 09/28 8 years
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