Imagine Together

Dear Church Family and Friends,



It was such a joy to see so many of you at our Stewardship Luncheon on November 17. A huge thank you to all the chefs, bakers, cleaners, washers, decorators, and set-up/break-down crews! Thank you also to our members who spoke about their connections to our church and why they pledge. I am happy to report we have received 81 pledges for a total of $237,077 towards our goal of $280,000. We are not there yet, but we are getting close! If you have not yet pledged, we ask for your support. It truly does take a village!

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: The Joy of Expecting

Join us at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 15 as we celebrate the season of Advent with the theme, The Joy of Expecting. Together, we’ll reflect on the anticipation of Christ’s birth and the deep joy that comes with trusting God’s promises. Through scripture, conversation, and a shared meal, we’ll explore how we can find joy even in the waiting. Come for community, good food, and the hope-filled spirit of the season! All are welcome! Sign-ups are not required but are helpful for numbers! Click HERE to sign up.

Poinsettia Order Forms Due December 11

This Christmas season, please consider purchasing a poinsettia in

honor of loved ones to be displayed in the sanctuary during the

Christmas season; or instead, donate in honor of loved ones to the Boothbay Schools Children’s Holiday Fund to help local families in need of assistance with holiday meals and gifts for their children. This program has existed for decades with the support of Boothbay Schools staff, but the need is more significant than ever, and they need our help.

The Poinsettia/Fuel Fund dedications list will be included in the Christmas Eve Service and printed in the January Newsletter.

Please complete the dedication form below and return it with your check for $20.00 (or greater) by Wednesday, December 11th. Checks payable to Congo Church BBH with "Poinsettias" in the memo line.

Thank you for keeping this honored tradition alive and ensuring local families in need have a joyous holiday season.

Click HERE to download and print the order form. Alternatively, forms will be available at church on Sundays and in the office.

News from the Deacons

Poinsettias – please consider purchasing a poinsettia in honor and/or memory of loved ones to be displayed in the sanctuary during the Christmas season. Instead of purchasing a poinsettia, you could make a donation to the Boothbay Schools Children’s Holiday Fund to help local families in need of assistance with holiday meals and gifts for their children. This program has existed for decades thanks to the Boothbay School Staff; however, the need is greater than ever, and they need our help. Whatever your choice, your name and those you choose to name will be listed in the church bulletins on December 22 and Christmas Eve. Please see the form in the newsletter and complete it by Wednesday, December 11. Thank you!

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

The first “Supper & Spirit” soup supper on November 3 was well received. The next one is scheduled for December 15.

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.

The Deacons wish you and your loved ones a joyous Christmas Season!

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.

Medical Equipment Needs and Donations

The Community Center, located in Boothbay Harbor's "small mall," provides durable medical equipment free of charge to Boothbay Region residents and guests.

Available Equipment:

• wheelchairs
• walkers
• crutches
• canes
• commodes
• hospital bed
• and so much more!

For assistance or to donate equipment, please call 207.478.5874.

Sunday School News

The Sunday School will have the Christmas Pageant on December 22.

There will be no Sunday School on December 29.

Magen

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. 🙏🙏🙏

Zoom Link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85848363676

Passcode: 1766

Nancy Adams – nancyroweadams@gmail.com

Barbara Fritz – bfritz105@gmail.com

Vicki Haugen – vicki.haugen@gmail.com

Marty Helman – martyrotary@gmail.com

Mary Neal – wjwmbn@gmail.com

Office News

The church office will be closed November 27, 28, and 29 for Thanksgiving break.

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 you please give any donations 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!

Soup Luncheon

Last year's Christmas Fair lunch brought in over $800 to benefit the Fuel Fund. It is such a worthy cause! We need to know if we have a critical mass available to have a sit-down or take-away lunch. We need volunteers to set up, cook, help in the kitchen, collect money, and clean up.

There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board in Fellowship Hall or click HERE to sign up online.

Please let me know how you can help make all of this work. It is very much appreciated.

Susan Reynolds

sreynolds.bbh@gmail.com

(207)441-8240

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.

Questions? Please contact Ginger Rickeman at (207) 350-5569 or visherick@yahoo.com.

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? Call Alice Mutch 410-353-3861.

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

Christmas Fund Special Offering

"And an angel of the Lord appeared to them,

and the glory of the Lord shone around them..."

Luke 2:9

The Christmas Fund has been caring for active and retired clergy and lay employees of the United Church of Christ for over 100 years, providing emergency grants, supplementation of small annuities and health premiums, and Christmas “Thank You” gift checks each December to our lower-income retirees.

For many years, United Church of Christ congregations and members have generously supported the Christmas Fund. This year, your care and compassion will be especially appreciated by the church's servants who are facing a time of need. Thank you!

We will collect The Christmas Fund Special Offering on Sunday, December 22, 2024. Please make checks payable to Congo Church BBH with "Christmas Fund" in the memo line. If you prefer to give electronically, click HERE.