November 2024 Newsletter

A Note from the Pastor

Our Stewardship theme, “Imagine Together,” may feel incongruous with our time of great division. These days, there is fear in many hearts, and so much feels at stake. It may seem that neither imagination nor togetherness are relevant words for the present moment. Amid the flow of words filled with anger, resentment, and hatred of others, a theme of “imagine together” can feel fragile or naïve. But I believe these are faithful words. We are in our current impasse from a failure of imagination and an inability to recognize we are in this world together, whether we like it or not. Faith calls us to ideals that may feel impossible, and yet we know what God wants from us, “To do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God.” (Micah 6:8)

Last Sunday, someone mentioned in the “Joys and Concerns” the hope that we would have free and fair elections this coming week. I do not know what will happen next week, but I hope people will vote in good faith and our poll workers, election officials, and law enforcement officers will conduct themselves with courage and integrity. I also hope all of us will renounce violence and stand for our nation’s long history of peaceful power transfer, whether we like all the results or not.

Trust in our democracy and one another is more essential than ever, and whatever the results, we will find our way forward together. Despite the controversy about the last presidential election, both Republican and Democratic election officials asserted the results were valid. No lawsuits found documented evidence of fraud. “The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history. … There is no evidence that any voting system deleted, lost, or changed votes, or was in any way compromised.” https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/news/joint-statement-elections-infrastructure-government-coordinating-council-election

I hope for nothing less this time around. I have faith that our democracy will hold and that we will begin the work of rebuilding trust in our nation and communities. As our nation navigates its divisions, we in our congregation can set an example of unity and hope by supporting each other and holding to our faith. Whatever happens in November, we will continue our journey together, and our faith calls us to imagine a world where God’s Beloved Community on earth reflects heavenly reality in some way.

And as a church community, we have meaningful ways to put these ideas into action, supporting each other and our community. Our planned events this month—including Supper and Spirit Dinner Church, Community Lunches, our Stewardship Campaign, Bible study, book groups, and the Church Fair for the Fuel Fund—are all part of building that Beloved Community, grounded in justice and kindness.

In all of these actions, big and small, we reflect the light of hope in the world. When I first came to this church in Boothbay Harbor, I loved the Benediction response you were singing based on Amanda Gorman’s poem, “There is always a light.” I often hum it to myself, and it seems a fitting hope for us:

In every known nook of our nation, in every corner called our country,

our people, diverse and beautiful, will emerge, battered and beautiful.

When day comes, we step out of the shade, aflame and unafraid.

The new dawn blooms as we free it.

For there is always light,

if only we’re brave enough to see it.

If only we’re brave enough to be it.

All Saints and the Remembrance Garden

This Sunday, we will ring chimes in remembrance of four beloved members of our church community who have passed away this past year: Doreen Dunn, Judy Pinkham, Marian Woodsome, and Warren Price, along with others who remain close to our hearts as family and friends.

We also take this opportunity to invite you to visit our Remembrance Garden, located on the north side of the church. This sacred, serene space is designed for moments of contemplation, prayer, and remembrance.

Within the garden, you will find three distinct areas:

The Founders’ Garden honoring those who established our church community.
The Pastors’ Garden, dedicated to former pastors who have led and nurtured our congregation.
The Memorial Garden, commemorating individuals who have been part of our church family.

We invite you to participate in honoring a loved one and preserving the beauty of our garden. For a contribution of $500, you can dedicate an engraving in their memory. These funds cover engraving costs and contribute to a fund that sustains the beauty and tranquility of the garden.

Join us in preserving this sanctuary for generations to come. To learn more about how you can be part of this legacy, please reach out to Heather at admin@congochurchbbh.org. Together, let’s keep memories blooming in this place of peace and reflection.

Pastor Todd

November Worship Schedule

November 3 | All Saints Sunday | Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

"Imagine a Table for Everyone"

I Corinthians 11:17-34

November 10 | Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

"Imagine a Sense of Wonder"

Matthew 6:26-30

November 17 | Stewardship Sunday | Twenty-Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

"Imagine a Church Resting in God"

Matthew 11:28-30

November 24 | Thanksgiving Sunday | Reign of Christ | Twenty-Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

Sarah Whitfield Preaching

News & Announcements

Imagine Together

Greetings Friends!

Our Stewardship Campaign is well underway. Thank you to those who have returned Time and Talent cards. We have received 35 so far, and hope to receive more. Committee Chairs have been given the names of those interested in serving on a particular committee.

Over the next several weeks, you will hear some compelling testimonies from church members about why they pledge to our church and how that commitment changes their relationship with the congregation. You will also receive a Pledge Packet in the mail. The Trustees have set our Pledge Goal at $280,000, a 3.7% increase over last year. The Stewardship Committee asks you to prayerfully consider what you can pledge to our church. It would be helpful to have pledge cards back as soon as possible, either by mail or by on-line response. If you have not already sent Time and Talent cards, you may return them with your pledge cards. Thank you to all who support this vibrant congregation with your time, talent, and treasure!

Click HERE to pledge online.

Ella Long

Stewardship Committee

Stewardship Committee Members: Lana Brandt, Chair; Joanne Annino; Richard Annino; Shawn Lewin; Ella Long; Holly Stover

Supper and Spirit: A Gathering for Wisdom

Join us for a warm and welcoming Dinner Church experience where we’ll share a meal of soup and bread, reflecting on the theme of wisdom. Together, we’ll explore how God’s wisdom shapes our lives through scripture, discussion, and fellowship. Supper and Spirit is a space to nourish both body and soul as we come together around the table to grow in faith, share stories, and seek God’s guidance in everyday life. All are welcome! Sign-ups are not required but are helpful for numbers! Our first dinner will be on Sunday, November 3, at 5:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Click HERE to sign up.

Due to a building use conflict, the December 1 Dinner Church event will be rescheduled. Please stay tuned for more information.

Seekers Joining Together

Mondays from 5:00-6:00 PM via Zoom

beginning Monday, January 6, 2025

This is your personal invitation to join our book group at a new time, on a new day of the week, with a new name. The Book and Meditation Group has gathered together for over fifteen years on Tuesday mornings at 6:45 a.m. Originally, we met at the church in the teen beanbag room, then the old library, and after reconstruction in the new library until COVID. In 2020, we regrouped via Zoom. The time has always been a bit daunting for folks who do not enjoy getting up before sunrise. Meditation has been a daunting idea for others. So, we have changed the time and the name. Now is the perfect opportunity to join this group of dedicated seekers as we continue to explore how we personally can make a difference in our challenging world.

Our book group will be listed as Seekers Joining Together in the weekly church emails and monthly newsletters, which will include the Zoom link.

Beginning January 6, the book we will explore together is nonfiction, The Amen Effect: Ancient Wisdom to Mend Our Broken Hearts and World by Sharon Brous. She is the senior rabbi of a trail-blazing Jewish community in Los Angeles.

The Amen Effect reads as an extended philosophical and spiritual conversation about the perils of alienation and tribalization and the importance of the “true, heart-felt encounter.” While the book is rooted in religious teaching, one need not adhere to a religious tradition to appreciate its wisdom. In fact, one of Brous’s strengths as a writer is her seemingly effortless ability to bring together many voices, ancient and recent, Jewish and not, to weigh in on how to navigate sorrow — our own and others’ — and how to heal.”

There is never any homework or need to prepare for this group; as seekers, we take turns reading aloud, but no one ever has to read if they prefer just to listen. We frequently stop to discuss a passage whenever someone wants to share. Books generally take us several months to complete. Our discussions are loving, honest, sometimes funny, and sometimes sad, but we are always grateful for the time we have shared together. We hope you will join us in the new year to enrich your journey and share your wisdom with us. If you have any questions, please contact one of us. We would so welcome you to join us on Mondays at 5:00 p.m. via Zoom as we all journey together. 🙏🙏🙏

Please contact the church office for more information.

Sheepscot Valley Chorus Concert

December 1, 2024

3:00 - 5:00 PM

Church Sanctuary

Sheepscot Valley Chorus holiday concert, featuring Ralph Vaughan Williams’s “The First Nowell,” performed with professional soloists and chamber orchestra. The First Nowell” is a collection of carols written to accompany a nativity play, and in addition to the title carol it includes carols such as “God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen,” “The Cherry Tree Carol,” “The Sussex Carol,” and more. Vaughan Williams biographer Stephen Connock wrote about the appeal of the work: “Vaughan Williams’ Christmas music in its freshness and warmth speaks directly to the heart. It is music to be played and cherished on Christmas Eve, at home, near the fire, with children safe and all at heart’s-ease.”

Holiday pops favorites will round out the second half of the program. Co-director and accompanist Sean Fleming has a knack for bringing together top-notch musicians for our holiday pops orchestra, sure to set toes tapping!

For more information, email info@sheepscotvalleychorus.org, leave a message at 315-9740, or visit facebook.com/sheepscotchorus and sheepscotvalleychorus.org.

Sunday School News

There will be a Sunday School Thanksgiving Party November 24!

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

Men's Breakfast Cancelled

Men's Breakfast will no longer meet each month due to lack of participation. For questions and concerns, please contact Mike Fritz.

Volunteers Needed!

It is Community Lunch season once again. I am your new fearless leader! Many thanks to Sandra Seifert for her many years of leadership!

We will most likely change the name of this event, as Community Lunch is already being used. Stay tuned.

The dates are the first Wednesday of November to March: Nov 5, Dec 3, Jan 1, Feb 5, and Mar 5.

I am reaching out to current and potential volunteers to provide food, organizing, set-up, and clean-up contributions.

Many hands make light work! It really is a lot of fun. Come join us!

Please contact the church office for more information.

Volunteers Needed for Annual Church Christmas Fair

This year, the Church Christmas Fair will be on Saturday, December 7, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM in Fellowship Hall. All proceeds from the fair will be donated to the Community Resource Council's Community Fuel Fund. This fund helps our neighbors with home heating fuel costs. Fuel assistance applications are available through the CRC Community Navigator from November 15 to April 15. If you know anyone who needs help heating their homes, please have them contact Hannah Corkum at (207) 633-6272.

Admission is free, but there are lots of ways you can contribute! Please spread the word to family and friends that folks can get great homemade goodies and gifts! The church Choir hosts the Cookie Walk. There will be dozens of varieties of homemade Christmas Cookies available for $10 for a baker's dozen. The Deacons will have a table of baked goods for sale. We never know what our talented church bakers will bring, but in the past, cakes, brownies, jams, pies, pickles, banana bread, quiche, and lemon bars have been available. Back this year, the Jewelry & Scarf Table! Costume and fine jewelry, knit and silk scarves of different colors and patterns, all sorted and separated for easy shopping, will be available for purchase. The Hospitality Committee will host a Soup Luncheon with hot soups, chowders, and chilis with rolls and beverages. The cost will be $8.00 per person.

The Mission Committee will be accepting donations to the CRC Fuel Fund at the fair again this year. With a donation, donors may request any number of honorary "A Gift of Warmth" notecards to give to friends, family, co-workers, etc., acknowledging a donation of heating fuel was made in their honor. These make great gifts and stocking stuffers!

There will be NO TRUSTEE SALE TABLE THIS YEAR. We ask that any donations be given to the two local thrift stores or the Rotary Barn when they begin accepting donations again in the spring. The Trustees have offered to be available for set-up and clean-up.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHURCH CHRISTMAS FAIR

As always, we need volunteers to bake, make soups, set up, clean up, etc. Below is a list of ways you can volunteer!

Famous Choir Cookie Walk

Cookies, Cookies, Cookies! What's Christmas without cookies?

The church choirs again sponsor the famous Congregational Church Cookie Walk at our Christmas fair. Success depends on your donation of special holiday cookies, all to benefit the community fuel fund.

We ask for frosted, shortbread, snowball, candy kissed, cut-out cookies, etc. You know what I mean — the kind you only bake this time of year, the kind that you'd love to give or receive as a gift, the kind that treats the eye as well as the palate!

If you prefer everyday sorts of cookies — chocolate chip, ginger crinkles, snickerdoodles — please make them larger than "normal" so we can ask a good price for them! $10.00 for a dozen.

Very special cookies will be put in separate wax paper envelopes and sold for $1 each.

Please contact the church office for more information.

Click HERE to sign up to make cookies.

Deacon's Baked Good Table

The Deacons Need Your Help! We request contributions for the Deacon's Table at the Fair: Cakes, brownies, jams, pies, pickles, sweet breads, quiche, lemon bars – whatever you like to make and share with your church family. Your contribution may be dropped off in the Fellowship Hall on Friday, December 1, AFTER 2:30 PM or before the fair on Saturday morning. Please label your item. Thank you for your help!

Click HERE to sign up to make baked goods.

Jewelry and Scarves Table

It’s time to clean out your closets and jewelry boxes! Please ask your friends and neighbors to donate jewelry or scarves. You may leave them with Heather in the church office or with any team member: Cathy Shepard, Sarah Logan, Annette Stormont, Vicki Haugn, Cathy Bugby, or Sue Hochstein.

Would you like to work with this short-term project? Please contact the church office for more information.

It’s FUN to bring affordable accessories to our friends in our community.

Soup Luncheon

The Hospitality Committee needs volunteers to make soup, chili, chowder, and rolls for the soup luncheon, as well as people to help set up, clean up, and assist in the kitchen. To sign up to volunteer, there is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board in Fellowship Hall. If you are signing up to make soup, please include what kind you will make.

Click HERE to sign up to make something for the luncheon.

News From the Deacons

It is time to update our photo directory. Please complete the form by December 1, 2024. Click HERE to download and print the form. Note that you will be asked to submit a photo or coordinate with Heather to create a new photo or indicate that you wish us to use your current photo. Thanks in advance for completing it!

Saturday, December 7, is the church's annual Christmas Fair. The Deacons coordinate a “Baked Goods” table. Donations of baked goods, such as pies, cakes, fudge, small casseroles, etc., would be greatly appreciated. Items should be brought to the church on Friday, December 6, late afternoon or by 8:30 a.m. on December 7. A sign-up sheet can be found in the Fellowship Hall, and a link for the online sign-up is above in the Christmas Fair article. Thanks in advance for your support!

The Learning Committee for the pastoral intern meets monthly with Sarah Whitfield. Sarah has been busy attending multiple church committees and meetings, providing Sunday worship, scheduling time to meet with individuals, etc., all while having a full-time position and being active in Wiscasset town government. Amazing!

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 service and 2) host coffee hour after church. You can sign up online, 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.