Imagine Together

Happy October, and Greetings from the Stewardship Committee!

By now, you should have received your Time & Talent card to fill out and send back to the church. If you have not completed the card, please do so to allow Heather enough time to collate all the responses, which will then be given to the Committee Chairs.

On October 18, the Stewardship Committee will hold another “party” to stuff envelopes with Pledge Cards that will be mailed that day. Our 2025 campaign theme is “Imagine Together. " The campaign will run from Sunday, October 20, until November 17, Stewardship Sunday. The Stewardship Committee will once again hold a celebratory luncheon after church service this day. We hope you plan to attend this festive event!

Why Make a Commitment?

Before the Stewardship Committee and Board of Trustees ask for any person in our congregation to make a financial commitment via a yearly pledge, we need to consider why this “ask” is made. 

Historically, there are many ways to support the work of a congregation. In the 1800s, many churches supported themselves by renting out pews – people paid for a seat as they might in a stadium, renting it out for the year. While that doesn’t happen today, many congregations use a variety of ways to raise financial support, including special fundraising events, such as our annual Christmas Fair for the fuel fund in December or, as we did many years ago, a Lobster Bake/Chicken Barbeque during the summer. A financial commitment or pledge is just one way to support the mission and ministry of congregations.

Typically, church leaders consider the reasons why we want people to make a pledge to our congregations, such as “it makes it easier to create a budget.” We can ask a better question—why would a person want to make a financial commitment for the future?

Please take time to reflect on the questions posed below and what your responses might be. During the upcoming Stewardship Campaign, we will be hearing from a few members of our congregation about their thoughts on these questions.

• Why do you make a financial commitment/pledge to your congregation?
• What motivates you to make this commitment/pledge?
• How does this commitment/pledge change your relationship with your local congregation?

When I attended a Stewardship Seminar last year, one of the presenters there was Reverand Andrew Warner. He shared with all of us his reasons for making a commitment/pledge that I would like to share with you: “When I make a pledge to my church, I’m doing four things. Jesus told us to love God with our heart, mind, soul, and strength; and to love our neighbors as ourselves. My pledge is an expression of love. In my heart, I feel my commitment to the congregation when I name what I intend to give. In my mind, I know the congregation needs to plan and budget for the future. In my soul, I experience the hope that comes from making a commitment to the future. And with my strength, I do what I can to help support my community. All of which connects me to the mission and ministry of the congregation – its work to engage me in loving neighbors.”

Understanding why making a financial commitment/pledge matters to us can then help us encourage others to join us in making their own commitment.

Blessings and Peace to All,

Lana Brandt

Chair, Stewardship Committee

Stewardship Committee Members: Joanne Annino, Richard Annino, Shawn Lewin, Ella Long, Holly Stover

Can We Become a Creation Justice Congregation?

United Church of Christ congregations across the country, alongside 100s of churches from other denominations and churches around the world, are uniting their voices to speak on behalf of sustaining the environment. They are finding common ground in working side-by-side locally, regionally, nationally, and globally on practices that will lead to a sustainable planet for everyone.

Your Long-Range Planning Committee has reviewed the material support available from the UCC and is now urging us to join this initiative. The committee sees this as an opportunity for us to further live into our statement of mission: “Rooted in God’s unconditional love, we welcome EVERYONE to grow with us, cultivating faith, justice, and joy.”

Todd’s sermon series this past month has drawn us deeper into understanding the ways our faith compels us to be partners and care advocates for our environment, how the misuse of resources, destruction of habitats, and ignoring the basic chain of life of all things is critical for the future of the only home we have. It also calls for confronting injustices that leave land uninhabitable, create “cancer zones,” raise water temperatures, and melt ice caps, threatening coastal cities, villages like ours, and island nations. The largest migration of humankind in history is driven largely by environmental changes that can’t be solved by telling people to stay where home once was.

We are ideally located. We are deeply rooted in our faith. We are known in the community as a congregation that has often initiated and generously supports transformative programs and projects for the wider community and area. We have a reputation for working alongside partners on our peninsula and across our region to impact change. The land and the waters that brought so many of us here and caused those whose families have called the region home for generations know why protecting this heritage for future generations must be part of our work as a community of God’s faithful ones. 

The first step on this journey, if we choose to take it, will be to form an exploratory team. There are helpful resources available to us from the UCC (and other communions) to guide us (not prescriptive but intended to help us find focus). Ideally, a small exploratory team will reflect the diversity of ideas we have and will include some of our youth. Those interested in being part of this initiative may click HERE to sign up.

These past weeks, we have listened to and learned much from Pastor Todd, as well as from other sources. We know much, and we can do much, along with others. Please consider if this is a place where you can use the gifts God has given you and put your name on the list. For those interested, there will be a meeting during coffee hour on October 20.

Neighbors in Need Special Offering: Sunday, October 6

This year’s Neighbors in Need theme Mental Health Justice for All: Mental Health is a Universal Human Right highlights our God-given right to mental health. Everyone is created in God’s image, and everybody should receive quality mental health care. 

In 2015, the General Synod of the United Church of Christ passed a resolution to become WISE (Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive, and Engaged) for mental health. A just world for all is a world where the human rights and well-being of people with mental health challenges are respected, no matter who you are or where you are in life’s mental health journey. 

We believe we all have a God-given right to the following to support mental health: 

1. The right to be protected from known harm to mental health is a universal right that applies to the entire population, but especially the vulnerable, including children and oppressed peoples. 
2. The right to access quality and affordable care when a person is experiencing mental health challenges. 
3. The right to freedom and dignity, including the right of choice for mental health care. 

Did you know?

October 10th is World Mental Health Day. For more information visit: https://wmhdofficial.com/

This offering will be collected during the offering on October 6. Please make checks payable to Congo Church BBH with NIN in the memo. You can click HERE if you want to donate electronically.

Sunday School News

Sunday School Themes for October

10/13-Sharing God's Love

10/20-Adam and Eve

10/27-A Rich Man's Questions

Special Events

10/27-The Sunday School will be hosting our annual Sunday School Halloween Party! Dress as your favorite Bible character, animal, or theme! You can be as creative as you want just make sure you know where your costume is in the Bible. We have had some amazing Bible costumes over the years, and I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with this year! 

Sunday School Acolytes 

I have sent out the sign-up sheet for acolytes. If all our families choose a Sunday or two for their children to light the candles, that would be great! Being an acolyte is a wonderful way for the children to participate in the worship service. If you would like me to resend you a copy of the online sign-up sheet, please let me know.  

Jr/ Sr High Sunday School

We are excited to hold confirmation for students in grades 8-12 this year. If you have a student who is interested in joining, please contact Pastor Todd at pastor@congochurchbbh.org

Please reach out to Magen at congokids@gmail.com if you have any questions about our Sunday School programs!  

The Glenn Jenks Ragtime Revue

Saturday, October 12th at 7:30 PM

Church Sanctuary

The Glenn Jenks Ragtime Revue features the talents of three-time world champion jazz-ragtime pianist Brian Holland and Grammy-winning drummer Danny Coots performing Ragtime, Stride Piano, Boogie-Woogie, Blues and Early Jazz from the turn of the 20th Century. Ragtime pianist Corte Swearingen will perform 4-handed ragtime works by Jenks with host Aaron Robinson. Swearingen will also be on-hand to sign and talk about his latest recording project: “The Complete Ragtime Works for Piano - Vol I. by Glenn Jenks”. The song-and-dance team of Jones & Boyce will perform period dance pieces and songs from the Ragtime Era. Plus, much, much more!

General Admission $35

Students $20

For Ticket Reservations, call 207-882-6335. General Admission at the door. Doors open at 6:30 PM. The Glenn Jenks Ragtime Revue is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All proceeds benefit the Glenn Jenks FUTURE IN MUSIC Prize Scholarship. This year’s 2024 recipient of the Glenn Jenks FUTURE IN MUSIC award will be presented to Max Bostock, piano and composition.

News From the Deacons

We have welcomed Sarah Whitfield, a Pastoral Intern who will be with us from September 2024 to May 2025. The “Support Team” (Nancy Adams, Dan Lavitt, Peggy Pinkham, and Ginger Rickeman) have had our first meeting with Sarah, and she has begun integrating into church activities, meetings, etc. Sarah shared her goals, which include worship, pastoral care, and stewardship/planned giving. Please introduce yourself to Sarah. Sarah will preach on October 13 as Pastor Todd will be away from October 7-15.

It is time to update our photo directory. Please click HERE to download and print a form to update your information. Forms will also be available at the church. Completed forms can be mailed, emailed, or dropped off at the church by December 1, 2024. Note that you will be asked to submit a photo, coordinate with Heather a new photo, or indicate that you wish us to use your current photo. Thanks in advance for completing it!

We encourage anyone to sign up for the invocation/scripture reading on Sundays. This should be a short prayer and welcome. Our Pastor can provide an invocation and will share the scripture days before the Sunday.

Additionally, all are welcome to sign up to 1) provide flowers for Sunday service and 2) host coffee time after church. This can be done online, by signing up on the bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall, or by calling the church office at 633-4757.

Thank you to all who presently have volunteered for any of the above!!

We welcome your comments and thoughts – please reach out to any of the Deacons.