THE PEACE OFFERING. January In his Christmas 1939 broadcast to his subjects, these words spoken by King. A Word From Our Pastor

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1 THE PEACE OFFERING Church Staff Rev. Fred Hayes Interim Pastor Ann-Marie Illsley Ministry Student Acting Youth Director Diana Barnes Director of Music Sam Spencer Church Sexton Mary Vallas Office Administrator Worship Service Jan. 7 10:00 am - Communion Service of Worship Burke Baptism 11:30 Council Meeting Jan :00 am - Worship Service Ann-Marie Illsley Preaching Jan :00 am - Worship Service Hoey Family Baptism and New Membership Jan :00 am - Worship Service All are welcome! The Peace Offering A Word From Our Pastor And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown. And he replied: Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way. So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night. And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East. In his Christmas 1939 broadcast to his subjects, these words spoken by King George VI, resonated with a country facing war. They were the beginning to a poem, God Knows, written in The author was Minnie Louise Haskins. The poem was not widely known prior to being quoted by the King. We face some small and some large uncertainty now as a nation and a church. Not, perhaps, as grave as Yet the start of a year remains a proper time for reflection. May God bless you and keep you in this new year. God Knows by Minnie Louise Haskins ( ) And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown. And he replied: Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way. So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night. And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East. So heart be still: What need our little life Our human life to know, If God hath comprehension? In all the dizzy strife Of things both high and low, God hideth His intention. (continued ) North Community Church 72 Old Main Street / PO Box 2 Marshfield Hills, MA Tel: Web: northcommunitychurch.org rev.fwhayes@gmail.com Office office@northcommunitychurch.org Page 1

2 ( Continued) God knows. His will Is best. The stretch of years Which wind ahead, so dim To our imperfect vision, Are clear to God. Our fears Are premature; In Him, All time hath full provision. Then rest: until God moves to lift the veil From our impatient eyes, When, as the sweeter features Of Life s stern face we hail, Fair beyond all surmise God s thought around His creatures Our mind shall fill. O&A Update On the four Sundays in January, members of the Open and Affirming study group will answer the congregation s most frequently asked questions. Following worship you are invited to bring your coffee, questions and comments about the process to gatherings in the Friendship Room. Our next meeting is Tuesday, January 9, 2018 at 5 p.m. in. This is an open meeting for anyone in the congregation who wants to attend. There will be an educational webinar on Open and Affirming in the sanctuary Sunday, January 21st after worship. The same webinar will be shown on Tuesday evening, January 23rd at 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary. This webinar was shown in March of 2017 explaining the process. All are invited. The Peace Offering Page 2

3 Letter From the Moderator Susan Driscoll Optimism is essential to achievement and it is also the foundation of courage and true progress. - Nicholas M. Butler As we move into the new year, we can reflect on the year that has passed. Many things have changed for our church community. We said good-bye to Rev. Pam, as well as other members who were dear to us. We welcomed, or in some cases, welcomed back, members who had not been with us for some time. We welcomed our new Interim Pastor, Rev. Fred Hayes. Our church is moving forward. We established our goals through the Churches Alive visioning process last winter and we are implementing ways to meet them. The three goals of North Community Church are to be a safe place of Healing Ourselves and Others, Diversity and Inclusion, and Support of Youth and Children. We ve formed the Search Committee for a Settled Pastor. We appreciate the leadership of John Camp and Mary Price. They are joined by Nat Budd, Leo Banti, Eva Gilarde, Ken Grillo, Robert Kjellman, Carolyn Wind and Stephen-Halko Sheehan. We offer prayers and support to them as they embark on this search process. The Open and Affirming Study Group, has offered us opportunities to learn what it is to be Open and Affirming and why it is important. We have enjoyed guest preachers as well as opportunities to come together and discuss this issue. Our last brunch was everything a constructive conversation can be. There were differing points of view that were discussed in a respectful manner, with people choosing to listen, to understand, rather than just respond. We continue to work to re-build our Children and Youth program. It is not just a goal of the church, it is a deep and true commitment of our congregation. Anyone who watched this year s Christmas Pageant had an opportunity to see the gifts of our children. They were inspiring! So, let us be optimistic about our future. God has a path for us and it is up to us to listen and follow. I believe there are great things for us in this new year. Susan The Peace Offering Page 3

4 O&A Questions Answered The O&A Study Group would like to share with you all some of the questions we ve been receiving. Here are three of the most common ones. If you have other questions you d like to ask, please don t hesitate to seek one of us out or leave a question in the question/comment boxes found in and the Parish House. Question: Why is NCC doing this now instead of waiting for a settled pastor? Answer: In 2016 during The Churches Alive discussions NCC expressed the desire for diversity. Churches don t lag or stall during the interim period. In addition, candidates who will be interviewed will be looking for a church which is Open & Affirming or one that is in the process. The interim period is a time for self-reflection by the congregation. One of the things to reflect on, is how we can truly, faithfully, live out our covenant that we say every month. The O&A process helps us look at how we can truly welcome all, excluding none. It is really a faith journey that we are on, as individuals & as a congregation. And faith journeys continue whether we have an interim or a settler pastor. Question: Is O&A being forced on churches as part of UCC's liberal agenda? Answer: It is quite the opposite! UCC asks that a church considering Open and Affirming go through this process of learning and discerning. We are now in that process. Congregationalists have no hierarchy, that is, chain of command. There will be a congregational vote on O&A as is NCC's usual procedure with most decisions. Each of us will determine how we will vote of this subject. Your decision is between you and God. Question: Do other Protestant denominations have an Open and Affirming process? What UCC churches on the South Shore are Open and Affirming. Answer: Yes! The Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopal, and Baptist churches have a similar Open and Affirming process. Some call it "Open and Affirming", while others call it "Reconciling" or "Welcome and Affirming. UCC Churches on the South Shore who are Open and Affirming are Norwell, Pembroke, Hanover, and Scituate. Duxbury UCC is in the process like we are. The Peace Offering Page 4

5 Calendar of Events Sun Mon Tue Wed am Bible Study Thu Fri Sat :00 - Staff 5pm Community Dinner - Parish House :00 am Communion Service of Worship 7:00 am Men s Bible Study Baptism of Andrew Burke 3:00 pm Namaste 11:30 - Council Meeting 14 10:00 am Service of Worship Ann-Marie Illsley Preaching 15 5:00 pm O&A Meeting Gilmore Hall 16 7:00 am Men s Bible Study 10:00 am Service of Worship 22 7:00 am Men s Bible Study Baptism and New Membership of the Hoey Family 3:00 pm Namaste O&A Webinar- after services am Bible Study 17 11am Bible Study 3:00 pm Namaste 21 10:00 am Service of Worship pm O&A 11am Bible Study Webinar - Sanctuary am Bible Study The Peace Offering Page 5

6 Calendar of Birthdays Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Jen Banti Michael Sullivan Jean Hughes Neil Brunswick David Harlow 16 Connie Fraser Leo Banti Nat Budd 28 Paul Maier Tammy Budd If we are missing your birthday, please let us know! The Peace Offering Page 6

7 NORTH COMMUNITY CHURCH Announcements COMMUNITY DINNER Jan. 3 Monthly Community Dinners are held at the Parish House on the first Wednesday of every month from 5-6pm. This well attended event is an opportunity for church and community members to gather for a meal and sense of community. There is no charge; any donations help support the Marshfield Food Pantry. For more information contact: Carolyn Wind - carolynwind@yahoo.com or Mary Price - maryprice888@gmail.com COUNCIL MEETING Jan. 7 Monthly Council Meeting will be on December 3rd at 11:30 in the Parish House. All are welcome. O&A Jan.9 - Meeting at 5 pm in Jan Educational Webinar after Services WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY Join us as we move through the text, story by story. Hear the background, the context, the supporting texts, and help shape Rev. Fred s sermon. 11:00 AM in. Jan. 3 Gen 1:1-5 Mk 1:4-11 Jan Sam 3:1-10 Jn 1:43-51 Jan. 17 Jonah :1-5,10 Mk 1:14-20 Jan. 24 Duet 15:15-20 Mk 1:21-28 Jan. 31 Isa 41:21-31 Mk 1:29-39 Jan Second showing of Educational Webinar at 7 pm in the Sanctuary Every Sunday In January - Questions answered in the Friendship room after services. Everyone Welcome! Church Office Hours Tuesday - Friday 10:00 am to 2:00pm office@northcommunitychurch.org The Peace Offering Page 7

8 Serving You on Sunday Mornings, Volunteer Opportunities Sunday Servers... Deacons Deacons are needed! Please contact Michael Sullivan (chair) at: or Rev. Fred at at: ext. 101 any time. Ushers Wanted! Have you ever attended Sunday service and wondered, Wow! Those people handing out bulletins and participating in the service seem really great; I wish I could do that! Well, here s your opportunity. If you re interested in serving as an usher, contact Ken Grillo at or kennyg3les@comcast.net More opportunities to help Coffee Servers Needed! Sign up at the Parish House or call the office at Thank you! Sunday School Sunday School helpers wanted. Rev. Fred at: at: ext. 101 Flowers All year long, volunteers are needed to arrange or donate flowers on a Sunday morning. Please call Lainie Grable at: or wgrable@comcast.net for more information. Children s Sermons Provide a Children s Sermon during service. Contact Rev. Fred at: ext. 101 North Community Church 72 Old Main Street / PO Box 2 Marshfield Hills, MA Tel: Web: northcommunitychurch.org rev.fwhayes@gmail.com Office office@northcommunitychurch.org The Peace Offering Page 8