The Congregator. From the Pastor s Heart, through His Keyboard

Transcription

1 Falmouth Congregational Church United Church of Christ An and Affirming Church Falmouth, Maine The Congregator October Edition 2017 Volume 54 Issue 10 From the Pastor s Heart, through His Keyboard Inside this issue: Pastor Michael 1 Council Corner 2 Pastoral Search Committee 2 Coffee House 3 Christian Education 4 Ministry of Missions Ministry of Community Life Faith Community Nurse Church Family News October Worship Attendants October Calendar Well, here we are in October it seems that it wasn t that long ago that we were all huddled around the windows looking out at the snow and wishing that summer would hurry up and come. Well, it did and has now gone, once again. For some, those who suffer from a seasonal disorder, they feel we are entering a period of death. While for others of us, we see the beautiful colors on the trees and can appreciate the beauty that is fleeting. I am surprised that the colors have been changing for a while now and in many areas they are now into the brown instead of the reds and golds. While it is true that it appears on the surface that things are dying, we know from experience, and science, that we are preparing for a period of dormancy and new growth. And so it is for the Christian, some people are finding the pressures around them to be stifling the life out of them, while others see the coming season as a time for new growth. Programs are starting up at the church, after a summer hiatus, and people have the opportunity to expand their horizons and grow. (Aren t you glad that God doesn t take the summer off and be unavailable while on vacation?) A new Bible Study will be starting on October 1 looking at the Book of Acts. Come along to the Parlor after worship, grab a cup of coffee and learn about the early church. What can we learn from their fears, their concerns and their joys. We meet on the first and third Sundays following worship for an hour. October is also a time when we stop and give thanks for all the blessings God has given us, especially a good harvest. On the 19 th we are hosting the Annual Harvest Supper which is supported by all the churches in Falmouth as well as our Jewish brothers and sisters. Come join us as we give thanks, eat a wonderful harvest meal and fellowship with our neighbors. It is also an opportunity for us to give back to the community as well. The meal is free but you are able to make a donation which goes 100% to the Falmouth Food Pantry. These donations are a major source of their yearly revenue. If you are a movie goer, you may have seen the new film that was released recently, Dunkirk based on the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from the beaches of the French town of Dunkirk during the early stage of World War II. Boats of all shapes and sizes made their way across the English Channel to ferry the troops to the waiting, larger ships that were unable to get into the shallower water and take them on board. Just after the evacuation a vicar (pastor) walked into his church one summer evening and was surprised to find a small boy on his knees. After a while the boy stood up and hurried toward the door. At the door the vicar smiled and asked the boy what he had been doing. Sir, was the reply, I ve been coming every evening this week. You see, I was afraid my Daddy might be left on the Dunkirk beaches, so I came to ask God to bring him home safely. He has: and so I came along this time just to say Thank you, God! Don t forget, at this time to take the time and say Thank you, God! for the blessings we have received from those whose labor makes it possible for us to enjoy good, plentiful food from the (Continued on page 2)

2 Page 2 (Continued from page 1) Congregator land and the sea. Yes, Thanksgiving comes next month, but why wait to give thanks to God! Take the time to stop, and say Thank you, God! COUNCIL CORNER FOR OCTOBER The church council will be looking into providing transportation for some senior members who cannot drive to church. Different options will be explored as to how we can assist getting folks back and forth. Our church received a $1,000 grant from the Falmouth Tercentennial Committee. We plan to produce a video on the history of the church and its connection to the Town of Falmouth for the 300th anniversary in A committee is being formed with volunteer members from the council under the direction of Paul Davis. The Holly Days Fair on November 18th is going to be held exclusively in Beinema Hall this year, with all tables primarily around the perimeter of the hall. The coffee station will be open in the Fellowship Hall, and folks will be directed to walk up into Beinema Hall for the fair itself. The fall stewardship campaign will follow the theme suggested by the UCC of The Way of Jesus. The text is: Lots of people; few who do the work." Changes for 2018 in the Church Council include Ted Vail moving off the council and Mark Horton stepping in as the Moderator. Paul Davis - Moderator nevis56@gmail.com Marilee Pillsbury - Vice Moderator bigmarilee@yahoo.com PASTORAL SEARCH COMMITTEE UPDATE Our Profile has been reviewed by the Maine UCC. It was great to get a different set of eyes to review and ask some of those questions in a few areas of What are you trying to say here? The best part is there isn t a lot to change and we ll be doing that over the next couple of weeks. In addition, we have begun work on the Prospectus. The Prospectus is a 2-3 page document that highlights the best we have to offer as a church. This is the first document that a prospective pastor would look at. If they are interested, they will make a request to see our Profile. We ll continue to update you as things progress. Steve Hendry, Pastor Search Committee Chair stevrunn@gmail.com

3 Volume 54 Issue 10 Page 3 Upcoming at the Side Door Coffee House! The Side Door Coffee House will be hosting local musicians for your listening pleasure. Paul Davis is in charge of scheduling the groups to entertain you, your family, friends and neighbors. A schedule is listed below. October 13 Putnam Smith & Ashley Storrow November 10 Rhonda Dale & Rob Babson December 8 Messengers of Hope / Katie Daggett katiedaggett.com Come enjoy a great cup of coffee; support the arts and your church! The doors open at 6:30 PM and ends around 9 PM. All Welcome! WOMEN S SPIRITUAL BOOK GROUP All are welcome as the Spiritual Book Group returns to its monthly meetings this fall. Our first gathering will be Wednesday, October 11 at 1:30 PM. Mollie Mason will host at 50 Ridgewood Drive in Falmouth. Our first book selection will be 'Miracles on My Watch' by Bianca Podesta. As described by Rev. Tilda Norberg, Founder of Gestalt Pastoral Care, "A gifted storyteller with long experience in ministry, Bianca Podesta has a heart that recognizes everyday holiness. Here you will read how ordinary events and people have been transformed into light-filled windows that reflect grace and Presence." Plan to come join the discussion, which is always insightful and lively. Contact Mollie Mason or Cathy Bowden with questions. The November Congregator deadline is Sunday, October 15, 2017 Please submit your articles, announcements, news items, pictures, etc. to: ginifcc@maine.rr.com. Thank you! To find out what s happening at Falmouth Congregational Church: 1. Visit the website: falmouthcongregationalchurch.org 2. Follow us on Facebook at: Follow us on Twitter: Falmouth Church

4 Page 4 Ministry of Christian Education Congregator KIDS CHURCH We started the school year off with Kick Off Sunday. There were balloons, fun music, and a make your own Sundae bar. This semester we will be focusing on the Old Testament, mostly the story of Moses. The activities for the fall include but are not limited to, scavenger hunts, Jeopardy, Man hunt, Bible Bound (the life size board game where the kids are the moving pieces) crafting our own Egyptian outfits, performing the play how of Moses freed his people from slavery, cooking yummy desserts, singing, and movies. We also want to reestablish our middle school and high school youth groups. If we have interest we will meet twice a month. The first meeting will be at the same time every month and will be a time where teens and pre teens can openly talk about religion and can learn more about Christianity. This is basically a more mature Sunday School. The second meeting will alternate each month between a fun activity and a volunteer activity. These activities include seeing movies, going out to eat, rock climbing, scavenger hunts, karaoke night, volunteering at the soup kitchen, Christmas Caroling, the Super Bowl Sunday chili fundraiser, volunteering at the food pantry, apple picking and more. The Soup Can Brigade is taking place on October 29th. So from now until then, bring any nonperishable items you have on hand to the church, and we will start a collection! If anyone is interested in any of these programs or has any questions, please feel free to contact me at kristen.coleman@maine.edu. ACOLYTES Children in the second grade and older who would like to light the candles on Sunday morning, serving as an acolyte, please have your parents contact Pam Carroll at pcarroll4@maine.rr.com. Your help on Sunday morning is needed and appreciated. ENVIRONMENTAL AND FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITY The Ministry of Facilities raises funds in many ways. We invite you to pick up a green plastic Clynk bag with the FCC logo and fill it with your returnable bottles and cans and then return it to Hannaford. Every dime counts! The bags are located on the table in Fellowship Hall or in the Church Office. CHANCEL FLOWERS Would you like to provide the chancel flowers for a Sunday? Please sign up on the poster in Fellowship Hall. Fill out the information on a Chancel Flower form and place it in the offering plate or leave it in the church office. The office will order the flowers from Skillins unless otherwise specified. You may also supply your own. Cost of chancel flowers from Skillins is $38.00.

5 Volume 54 Issue 10 Page 5 Ministry of Missions NEIGHBORS IN NEED This year October 1 has been chosen as our Neighbors-in-Need dedication Sunday. Donations received in the pew envelopes will be forwarded to this specific mission. Please consider making a contribution to this far-reaching ministry of the UCC. The Ministry of Missions has set a goal of being a "5 for 5 Church." This means that our congregation stands with many other Maine churches as a true advocate of selected national and worldwide United Church of Christ missions. Neighbors in Need (NIN) is a special mission offering of the UCC that supports ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. One-third of NIN funds support the Council for American Indian Ministries. Two-thirds of the offering is used by the UCC's Justice and Witness Ministries to support a variety of justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects. ONE MORE REMINDER ABOUT BACK-TO-SCHOOL SALES FOR OUR SCHOOL KITS! Please keep your eyes open for the last of the back-to-school sales if you are thinking of donating to our school kits for Church World Service next spring. Often, many of the items that we are asked to include in these kits are on sale at half price or better after school opens in the fall. Especially needed are: Blunt metal scissors (rounded tip) 70-count spiral notebooks or notebooks totaling pages. (No loose-leaf or filler paper, please!) Hand-held pencil sharpeners THE FALMOUTH FOOD PANTRY Days in October: Monday, October 2, 9:00-11:00 AM Tuesday, October 10, 9:30-11:30 AM Thursday, October 12, 4:30-6:30 PM Monday, October 23, 9:00-11:00 AM Tuesday, October 24, 9:30-11:30 AM Thursday, October 26, 4:30-6:30 PM Tuesday, October 31, 9:30-11:30 AM The following items are especially needed: Small bags of plain white rice (one-pound size, very plain with no herbs added) Cold Cereal Tuna fish FILL OUR BOX OF SOCKS FOR THE HOMELESS Please continue to fill the box in Fellowship Hall with white cotton socks! When we do, the socks will be given to people who benefit from the Preble Street Resource Center and who would like to have dry feet and prevent infections. Thank you!

6 Page 6 Ministry of Missions (continued) FREE COMMUNITY SUPPER IN SUPPORT OF THE FALMOUTH FOOD PANTRY Thursday, October 19 4:30-7:00 p.m. Beinema Hall Congregator The Falmouth Congregational Church is joining with the other churches and the Jewish community in Falmouth to serve a free roast turkey dinner on Thursday, October 19, from 4:30 to 7 PM in Beinema Hall. This TENTH (!!) annual Harvest Community Supper is an opportunity to bring Falmouth residents together to break bread as a community and also to ask for free-will donations to support the Falmouth Food Pantry, given the urgent and growing need of many families for assistance from the Food Pantry for both food and winter fuel. The supper is free and will include roast turkey and all the fixings, vegetables, and homemade apple crisp with ice cream! Please volunteer with your time, talent, or treasure! There are sign-up sheets in Fellowship Hall, or you may contact Nancy Lightbody. Thank you for your willingness to help those in need in our community this winter, and we look forward to having you join us for an evening of good food and fellowship. FAMILY PROMISE PROGRAM The first week in which our church served as a Host Congregation was a big success! With the help of the Congregational Church in Cumberland UCC, Foreside Community Church UCC, and the Emmaus Lutheran Church and the energetic leadership of Dolores Vail, our church provided overnight lodging, dinner, and breakfast for two homeless families who stayed in the parish house from 5:30 PM to 7:00 AM daily. Volunteers brought hot meals, arranged many different activities for children both inside and out, stayed overnight, and enthusiastically pitched in where help was needed. More details will follow, but the next time that our church will be a host congregation is from Sunday evening, November 26, through Sunday morning, December 3. Please consider being part of this uplifting experience. SOUP CAN BRIGADE Join us for the SOUP CAN BRIGADE on Sunday, October 29, as we help bridge the hunger gap for so many families in our town and neighboring communities. After worship, the children (and anyone else!) will form a line and pass cans of soup and other nutritious foods from one person to the next all the way from the church into the Falmouth Food Pantry on the other side of the Town Hall. Please consider contributing an item for this brief, hands-on, and fun activity.

7 Volume 54 Issue 10 Page 7 Ministry of Community Life The ministry met on September 13 th. Appreciation is expressed to those who have served as greeters, distributed flyers for Coffee House, and manned the Hospitality Table over the summer months. Now fall is here and the freezer is empty! Won t you be a Friend of the Freezer and bake for the freezer? Help is needed if we are to continue to maintain a full Hospitality Table during fellowship after Sunday worship services. Goodies can be baked at leisure and brought to church for storage in the freezer. We also would welcome donations of fruit, cheese or crackers. Please let Judy Currier or Carol Kauffman know if you are able to answer our appeal. Thank you. Judy Currier and Carol Kauffman Co-chairs, MCL Prayer Shawl Ministry On a warm summer like afternoon three of us gathered for our Prayer Shawl meeting. After we shared some summer adventures and pictures I opened our meeting with a prayer written by Norman Vincent Peale entitled A Prayer to Become More Loving. I shared with the group some of the people who had received shawls this summer. I also reported I had tried to find places where we could share our shawls but replies are slow in coming back. I mentioned that Judy Currier had given me an old Guide Post article titled Knitting Hugs. The woman who wrote the article said her prayer shawl knitters were asked to knit mini shawls for two little girls whose father was deployed to Afghanistan and she volunteered. Her own daddy was in the Navy when she was their age and she remembered how much she missed him. She prayed that the girls would wrap the shawls around themselves and feel they were getting a hug from their dad. I reached out to a couple of people who might help with a connection on this project but haven t had a reply. While we were knitting I shared several relatable articles that I had read recently. We closed our meeting by blessing a newly knitted shawl. We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting on October 12th at 1:30 PM. Judy Nilsen Dear Judy, Thank you so much for the many thoughtful deeds you have done for Charlotte (Sinnett) and for all our family! The prayer shawl that you made from some of Charlotte's yarn made our niece so happy that she had tears of happiness. Thank you again for being so special! Kathie (Sinnett) Dear Judy, I was so surprised when you gave me the prayer shawl on Sunday. Thank you so much! I love the colors in it. We do not have a prayer shawl ministry in my church in RI and I think we should. I ll show the shawl to the girls in my knitting group when I get home. Hopefully they ll like the idea! Sometimes it is the unexpected things that brighten our lives. Your gift on Sunday really brightened mine. Thank you for your kindness! Joan Johnson

8 Page 8 THOUGHTS FROM THE FAITH COMMUNITY NURSE Congregator Signs like this are appearing in the windows of your local pharmacy. Now is the time to get immunized against the flu. It is recommended to have the flu vaccine in early autumn because it takes two for you to become immune. Vaccines are not limited to children but are for adults as well. Senior citizens are particularly vulnerable to disease. As we grow older our immune systems weaken. Aging is accompanied by a progressive decline in immune function. In short, immune cells called T-cells simply don t function as well. Another age-related factor which increases a senior citizen s ability to fight off infection is a slowing up of wound healing. Seniors never know when a fall might occur or they may sustain a break in the skin which allows for a port of entry for bacteria. Many seniors take antiinflammatory drugs for their arthritis. Inflammation is a natural part of the immune response. Thus they are at risk for slow wound healing. Currently several vaccines for seniors are on the market. One can become immunized for pneumonia. There are two pneumococcal vaccines: Prevnar and an older vaccine called Pneumovax. If you haven t had either one, Prevnar is usually given first and Pneumovax is given one year later. If you ve previously been given Pneumovax, you can get the Prevnar too, as long as it s been at least a year since you had the Pneumovax. The main difference between these vaccines is the amount of bacteria the vaccine can protect against; Pneumovax being the stronger. To be safe it is recommended to give both vaccines to persons over age 65. Another vaccine recommended is the shingles vaccine. One out of three adults age 60 or older will develop shingles, a painful rash. The vaccine is Zostavax and reduces the risk of getting shingles by half. Beyond vaccines as winter approaches it is important for all of us to practice a preventative lifestyle which includes eating sensibly, getting plenty of exercise, getting adequate sleep and frequent handwashing using soap and hot water. Carol I. Kauffman, MSN,RN Faith Community Nurse ENJOY THE CONVENIENCE OF ELECTRONIC GIVING Please check out the convenience of online giving. You can use the online giving portal to donate to special offerings, missions the church supports, pay for altar flowers, give a memorial gift, etc. Thanks! To set up a recurring giving schedule, visit us online at falmouthcongregationalchurch.org locate the button and set up your recurring giving schedule. The first time you give, you will select a password that will enable you to log in at any time and make changes to your giving or view your complete online giving history. Or if it s easier, complete a paper authorization form and return it to the church office.

9 Volume 54 Issue 10 Page 9 Church Family News... Hi, Dear FCC Family, Thank you so much for your steady cards, prayers and support for me since my diagnoses in June. I am so blessed to be a part of the FCC family. You may have heard I am home now recovering. I'm not sure what the future holds as far as my recovery, but I do know that God is still at work. Peace and my blessings, Heidi Gage To: Michael Richards, Gini Medford, Brian Wilson and all church staff and volunteers Thank You - Thank You! For your hospitality and graciousness September 1st. We are deeply indebted to you all for welcoming our non-church family. Gladys Rothwell and Jean Twitchell first suggested we call you - long time friends at OceanView. With Many Thanks, The Armstrong & Cram Families Beth and I wanted to report some happy news. We have a new granddaughter, Marie Rose Webb, born August 17 to our daughter Kate Webb and her husband Pete. Marie is now the little sister of 4 year old Will Webb. All are healthy and happy. We will be finally settled in our new house in Southport, NC by Labor Day and will continue to spend the summers in Maine. It's been a busy summer this year but we were delighted to enjoy a nice visit with Ted and Dolores Vail. We miss our FCC family and enjoy reading about the exciting things happening there. Love to all, Russ and Beth Anderson Kirsten Mazur 296 Turner Street #1 Auburn, ME Judith Schneider P.O. Box 182 Norway, ME Carolyn McCauley PMB Box US Route 1 Falmouth, ME Lorrie & Ben Gage 7 Outlook Lane Brunswick, ME October Birthdays 1 Maureen Grubb 1 Janet Christopher 2 Linda Gouws 2 Michael Richards 2 Greg Sinnett 2 Lydia Stegemann 4 Amber Hess 6 Donald Olen, Jr. 6 Connor Mullen 8 Nick Gagne 9 Laurie Davis 12 Sam Lundquist 15 Jillaine Geary 15 Morgan Allen 18 Barry Lundquist 20 Diane Mathieu 20 Luke Velas 21 David Harmon 21 Colby Howland 29 Andy Jones 29 Arran Horton White 30 Rae Fasulo

10 Page 10 October Worship Attendants Congregator 1 - Marilee Pillsbury 8 - Judy Currier 15 - Laurie Davis 22 - Jim Parr 29 - Marilee Pillsbury Liturgists We are currently in need of liturgists for Please contact Jim Parr at jparr2@maine.rr.com or Larry Perry if you would like to serve the church by participating in the morning worship service. Thank you. Ushers 1 - Rodney & Anne Coleman; John Boothby, Michel Kanyambo 8 - Paul Davis, Steve Hendry, Mark & Peggy Horton 15 - Joe & Jo Blinick; Kim & Mollie Mason 22 - Larry & Sue Perry; Tyler Henderson 29 - Judy Currier, Pam Carroll, Judy Nilsen, Lorraine Bergen There are several openings for ushers on the schedule. Please contact Mark Horton, if you would like to be added to the rotation. It isn t a huge commitment of time and is a very much appreciated service to your church. Greeters 1 - Judy Nilsen 8 - Lorraine Bergen 15 - Don and Marion Olen 22 - Nancy Merrill 29 - Mary Hart Job opening! Greeters, no long term commitment, once or twice per year! We are looking for a few good people or families to represent our warm and welcoming church on Sunday mornings! This could be you! Please contact a member of the Ministry of Community Life, Carol Kaufman (co-chair) or the church office. Communion Preparers Sunday, October 1 Mollie Mason - Wafers/Bread Jim Parr - Juice Virginia Eddy and Jo Blinick Communion given by Intinction Chancel Flowers 1 - Jim & Meredith Mazur 8 - Matthew Strobel 15 - Bob Stakel Please find a substitute if you are not available on your scheduled Sunday. Contact the church office by Wednesday morning with the name of your replacement. Thanks!

11 1 Communion Neighbors in Need 9 AM Choir Practice 10 AM Worship & Kids Church 11:15 AM Coffee Hour 11:30 AM Bible Study AM Food Pantry 6 PM Fiddle-icious 7 PM Ministry of Worship & Covenant 9 Falmouth Congregational Church Calendar Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 3 10 AM Bible Study at OceanView AM Aerobics 7:30 PM Choir Rehearsal :30 PM Ministry of Missions 7 PM Ministry of Facilities 7 PM Boy Scouts AM Choir Practice 10 AM Worship & Kids Church 11:15 AM Coffee Hour 11:30 AM Council of Ministries 15 9 AM Choir Practice 10 AM Worship & Kids Church 11:15 AM Coffee Hour 11:30 AM Bible Study 2 PM Warrior Song Concert Fundraiser Deadline for November Congregator Submissions 22 Global Awareness Sunday 9 AM Choir Practice 10 AM Worship & Kids Church 11:15 Coffee Hour 11:30 AM Ministry of Christian Education 6 PM Fiddle-icious 16 6 PM Fiddle-icious 23 9 AM Food Pantry 9:30 AM Food Pantry 10 AM Bible Study at OceanView 6:30 PM Cub Scouts Pack Meeting AM Bible Study at OceanView 24 9:30 AM Food Pantry 10 AM Bible Study at OceanView 8 AM Aerobics 1:30 PM Woemn s Spiritual Book Group 2 PM Called to Care 7:30 PM Choir Rehearsal 18 8 AM Aerobics 7 PM Community Supper Set-up 7:30 PM Choir Rehearsal 25 8 AM Aerobics 7:30 PM Choir Rehearsal 1:30 PM Prayer Shawl Ministry 4:30 PM Food Pantry 7 PM Boy Scouts 19 4:30 PM Harvest Community Supper AM Collators 4:30 PM Food Pantry 7 PM Boy Scouts 20 6:30 PM Side Door Coffee House Music by: Putnam Smith & Ashley Storrow Maine UCC Annual Conference meeting AM Choir Practice 10 AM Worship & Kids Church 11:15 AM Coffee Hour 11:30 AM Soup Can Brigade 5 PM Reformation 500 Jubilee Service (St. Mary s) :30 AM Food Pantry 10 AM Bible Study at OceanView

12 Falmouth Congregational Church United Church of Christ 267 Falmouth Road Falmouth, ME Office phone: Office Web site: Non-profit Org U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 95 Portland ME Return Service Requested, God is Still Speaking! Falmouth Congregational Church United Church of Christ MINISTRIES Paul Davis Chair, Council of Ministries TBD Chair, Ministry of Christian Education Carol Kauffman & Judy Currier Co-Chairs, Ministry of Community Life TBD Ministry of Facility Stewardship Steve Hendry Chair, Ministry of Missions Larry Perry & Jim Parr Co-Chairs, Ministry of Worship & Covenant CHURCH STAFF Rev. Michael H. Richards Pastor and Teacher Doris Krueger Minister of Music Kristen Coleman Christian Education Administrator Gini Medford Office Manager, Newsletter Editor Laurie Logan Office Assistant Matthew Strobel Sexton OFFICERS Paul Davis, Moderator Marilee Pillsbury, Vice Moderator Laurie Davis, Clerk Pam Carroll, Treasurer Meredith Mazur, Financial Secretary Carol Kauffman MSN, RN, Faith Community Nurse