THE SPIRE. The Congregational Church of South Dartmouth United Church of Christ. December From Pastor Doug. O Come, All Ye Faithful

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1 From Pastor Doug December 2014 THE SPIRE The Congregational Church of South Dartmouth United Church of Christ O Come, All Ye Faithful The great Christmas carols of our faith have endured because of the way they distill our deepest feelings into unforgettable phrases. In just five words, O Come, All Ye Faithful, shouts the invitation to everyone to be uplifted, consoled, refreshed, and renewed through the variety of distinctive worship opportunities throughout the Christmas season. I know that among our readers of The Spire, are individuals who attend worship regularly, others who attend occasionally, and others who have a special place in their hearts for this church but who have not worshipped in our sanctuary recently. To everyone one who is reading this, I want to extend a warm and sincere personal invitation to attend worship during the Christmas season. This year our church is offering a wide range of worship opportunities that include both meditative and celebratory worship, worship with the shouts of children and other worship with the haunting beauty of medieval chants. We are offering worship in the morning, early evening, and of course the traditional late night service on Christmas Eve. We are offering worship on Sunday and on some weeknights as well There will be beautiful and meaningful worship opportunities to help everyone share in the tidings of great joy to address both your schedule and your deepest spiritual needs. On Sunday, December 21, during morning worship beginning at 10 A.M., the children of the church will present their Nativity Pageant. Let your spirits soar as our children recount the story of the babe in the manger with words and song. We are especially blessed this year because our returning pageant stars from last year are joined by children for whom this will be their very first time to be angels, sheep, and shepherds! This is a spirited worship guaranteed to help us all rediscover the child in each of us with a child s wonder and enjoyment of Christmas. This is a wonderfully child friendly service especially suited for inviting guests of all ages! On Christmas Eve, Wednesday, December 24, we are offering two candlelight services at different times to accommodate different family schedules and traditions. Both services will include the lessons and the beloved carols of the season and both services will end with singing of Silent Night to candlelight. The earlier service at 5 pm will be particularly family friendly and will even include the option of batteryoperated candles so children of all ages can participate in the beautiful candlelight service without parents having to worry about dripping wax or burned fingers. (Continued on Page 2)

2 Page 2 O Come, All Ye Faithful (Continued from page 1) For those who prefer the more traditional hour, we will also offer a candlelight service at 11 pm. We extend a special invitation to the children of the church family who are home from college. This service has always been a time for reunions as well as worship. In addition to these services, on Thursday evening, December 18 at 7 pm, we will also offer a more quiet and reflective service of simple prayers, Scripture readings, and meditative recorded music. Whether you need a half-hour island of calm in a frantic season, or if recent losses are keeping you from being comfortable with the more exuberant celebrations, this reflective service is for you. There will be no sermon and no offering will be taken. Throughout the entire Advent and Christmas season, the sanctuary is beautifully decorated. I invite everyone to join us at 10 a.m. on any Sunday morning to hear a word of hope, to be uplifted by song, and to enjoy the genuine fellowship that are the hallmarks of our church. Everyone member, former member, friend, and first-time-visitor is assured of a warm welcome at all of our services. There is no better time than this holiday season to come home to church. I hope to see you during this holy season. Douglas Stivison, Pastor SAVE THE DATE! Heather and Doug Stivison invite you to OPEN HOUSE AT THE PARSONAGE 15 Middle Street Saturday, December PM You may RSVP early to Heather hstivison@verizon.net Please Join Us Potluck and Ornament Exchange Sunday, December 14th 5:30 Lower Social Hall Bring wrapped ornament (spend no more than $5) Homemade ornaments are welcome. Potluck: A-I side dish J-R main dish S-Z salad Fellowship will provide desserts & refreshments. Sign up in the lower social hall.

3 Page 3 The Congregational Church of South Dartmouth, UCC Cornell Farm Hike 5th Annual Christmas Arts & Crafts Sale Saturday, December 6th 9:30 am to 3:00pm Congregational Church of South Dartmouth Join us for homemade breakfast and lunch favorites!! Lobster rolls, chowder, homemade meat pies and our famous meatball subs! Take a frozen meat pie home for a quick supper. Get a jump start on your Christmas shopping with returning favorites - Dartmoor Gifts, Island Pottery, Silverbrook Farm, wired jewelry by Christine Cummings and Kim Sevigny, Renate Hamer and her crochet items, cards and bookmarks, Apponagansett Maple Syrup, Wicked Kickin' savory cheesecakes, Linda Dahlberg and her lighted wine bottles. New vendors include Primtique Chic (check her out on Facebook), "Beauty Counter" by Susan Goodwin, Pink Box Desserts.

4 Page 4 Religious Education News RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Sunday School Christmas Pageant: December 21 during the worship service. We will enact the Story of the Nativity. On Sunday December 7 we will be rehearsing the carols after the worship service with our Director of Music, Gerald Dyck. More rehearsal news to come! Youth Fellowship: We have had several middle school (grades 6-8) gatherings so far this Fall. We normally have eight to ten students in attendance. The atmosphere is safe and enjoyable, with lots of laughter, energy, and tasty treats. I hope to see momentum gather for high school fellowship events in the coming months. Adult Faith Formation! In early 2015 I will lead adult religious education classes after the worship service. The topic will be What is the human being? Another way of saying this is What is the meaning of human existence? The topic may sound heavy but I hope to keep it light and interesting. There are countless authors on this subject, but for starters I will focus on three in three different sessions: Soren Kierkegaard, Gabriel Marcel, and Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik. Their dense and difficult writings scare most people away, but I will keep it simple and engaging. In short Kierkegaard staged an Attack on Christendom during the mid-1800s. He wrote tirelessly about how Christianity, as it was practiced in Denmark, was a far cry from true Christianity. Not known merely as an author, his whole life was marked by a radical commitment to living a unique existence. With humor and biting satire he took shots at Danish society and the Danish Lutheran Church. He remains influential in the circles of theology and philosophy to this day. Marcel is an underrated and mostly-unknown philosopher and playwright. His outlook on life was affected by his work with the French Red Cross during World War I. His task was to inform families that their loved one serving in the military was either killed or missing in action. Needless to say, this was a profound experience of human solidarity and hope. Soloveitchik wrote a powerful, short book entitled The Lonely Man of Faith in which he described the dilemma of being a faithful human being in the modern world. Stay tuned for dates and further information! Doug Cederberg

5 Page 5 Church Council News The Council met for their monthly meeting on Tuesday, November 18, We received a report from our Religious Education Director.. Sunday school has been organized into three age groups and planning for the Christmas pageant is under way. The Middle School youth group has been meeting and winter activities for the youth will be on the RE agenda for the next meeting. There was a Sunday school parent meeting held in November which was well attended. An adult education series is being planned for the new year, on existential philosophers, Kierkegaard and Nietzsche. There was a report from the Membership Ministry. Publicity in local papers has been successful. Membership will send out a letter to potential new members, welcoming them and letting them know about an upcoming prospective members meeting. Membership is looking into making the website more effective in communicating activities, which will require that each Ministry/Committee take on the responsibility for keeping their respective pages up to date. This fall the Massachusetts conference of the UCC sent information regarding a new funding method, named the United Church Mission, asking for a response by December 15th. Both Finance Ministry and Outreach Ministry reviewed the information and made a recommendation to the council to continue with our present funding method to the MAUCC. The memo and response will be shared with the congregation at the January Quarterly Meeting. The council voted unanimously to approve the proposal to not change our funding method in the coming year as our budget was approved at the October quarterly meeting and the UCC model would require that we reduce our local giving, which we are not willing to do. Planning for Stewardship is under way. Stewardship letters and promise cards will be mailed out in early December, "Promise Sunday" will be December 14th, and follow up phone calls made in January. Next Council meeting: Tuesday, December 16, 2014 Heifer Farm's Living Gift Market Heifer International, 216 Wachusett Street, Rutland, MA December 6, 7, 13 & 14, :00 am to 4:00 pm each day Creating memories, giving thoughtful gifts and enjoying good food are all part of our holiday seasons. For two weekends in December, Heifer International hosts their annual Living Gift Market celebration where the public is invited into the barns to meet the animals and learn about how Heifer International uses livestock and training around the globe to help families in poverty to become self-reliant. Purchase Alternative Gifts and take home a special gift card or photo to share. Take a wintery trip to China or Poland by hopping on Heifer's Global Village hay wagon where crackling woodstoves and old-fashioned craft-making await your family. Warm yourself with hot chestnuts at the bonfire or come inside for homemade soup and rolls, baked goods and hot cocoa. Before you go, decorate a gingerbread cookie or stop in the Shop@Heifer for fairly-traded gift items, books, jewelry, and Heifer items. No charge Donation of canned goods requested. All canned goods will be donated to the Worcester County Food Bank. For more information, call , heifer.farm@heifer.org.

6 Page 6 Advent & Christmas Worship Schedule November 30th, First Sunday in Advent 10am Worship Service Communion December 7th, Second Sunday in Advent 10am Worship Service December 14th, Third Sunday in Advent 10am Worship Service December 18th, Quiet Service 7:30pm Reflective Service December 21st, Fourth Sunday in Advent 10am Nativity Pageant December 24th, Christmas Eve Services 5 pm Lessons and Carols 11 pm Lessons and Carols Church Greenhouse We have been fortunate to have had the use of the greenhouse for many years as part of our Religious Education program but the time has come for the greenhouse to go to a new home! The greenhouse will be donated to the Gomes Elementary School and Renaissance Elementary School in New Bedford. These two schools recently joined the Grow Education Program, an initiative created to teach students about sustainable agriculture and increase parent and community involvement in the schools. The Grow Education Program is sponsored by the Marion Institute. The Gomes School and the Renaissance School have been hoping for a greenhouse and are delighted to be the recipients of ours. It's great that the greenhouse will continue it's life as part of an educational endeavor and finds a home where it will be well-used and well-loved.

7 The Congregational Church of South Dartmouth, UCC Sanctuary Decorated for Christmas Prayer Shawl Blessing Sunday Page 7 Gerry Dyck, Sarah and Alexandra Nichols

8 Page 8 Pastor Doug s Review Update The process for Pastor Doug s review is proceeding as planned. Step 1: Survey the congregation for input. We completed this process in November. Thanks to all who provided input. Step 2: Write the review. This will be done in December by Daphne Siegal, Moderator, David Wyss, Pastoral Relations Committee and Jim Forbush, Human Resource Ministry. Step 3: Give the review. This will happen in two meetings in mid- January. Step 4: Share the going forward plan with the congregation. We plan this for the beginning of February. Jim Forbush, Chair, Human Resources Ministry Prospective Members We would like to invite any potential new member to meet with Pastor Doug and the Membership Ministry for an informal gathering in the Church Library immediately following worship on Sunday, December 7. It will be an opportunity to ask questions about our church and denomination as well as learn about the fellowship, outreach, worship, and youth activities of our church. Holiday Hope Thanks to the overwhelming support of our congregation, all of the individuals from Child and Family Services have been adopted. Surely your generosity will help to make their Christmas a little brighter. WRAPPED gifts will be collected at 646 Dartmouth Street (old Gifford Marine), on Tuesday, 12/9 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Any questions please contact CBaldwin182@comcast.net. January Coat Drive This is a Save the Coat request. Outreach will be holding a January coat drive for outerwear of all sizes. As you purchase new coats for the coming season, please hang on to your old ones. The gently used items we collect will warm the hearts and bodies of recipients. Outreach Turkey Sale Outreach Turkey Sale: The Outreach Committee would like to thank all who supported the annual turkey sale. Thanks to your generosity, we donated over $800 to the Salvation Army's food mission. Our gifts are greatly appreciated, especially at this time of year, when the Salvation Army provides special food so more can share in the warmth of a Thanksgiving meal.

9 Page 9 Betsy & Norman Silcox 56 Years December 13, 1958 ~~~~~~ Susan & Anthony Fera 15 Years December 21, 1999 Wedding Anniversaries are listed in the Spire every five years for the first 50, and then each year thereafter! We would like to keep the following people in our thoughts and prayers - Terri DaSilva Ruby Ormonde Bob Pappas Bob Pappas Belen Sullivan Ken Zimmerman Please remember if you would like us to add someone to the list, we would be more than happy to - just let us know! "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1 Dear Members and Friends: We would like to keep the Kuphal Family in our Prayers Every year at this time we talk about stewardship and what that means to us as members and friends of the church. Stewardship is the act of overseeing and protecting something considered worth caring for and preserving. As a church family, we have the opportunity to work together on the mission of caring for Our Church and to share our blessings through outreach and mission work both near and far. The annual stewardship mailing went out December 1. Please fill out your Promise Card and bring it to the morning worship service on Promise Sunday, December 14, 2014, or drop it off at the Church office. For Our Church to have the future we hope for, all members need to support it with our time and resources. With heartfelt appreciation, The Finance Ministry We would like to congratulate Frances Pettengill and Peter Gauthier on their marriage in our sanctuary on Saturday, November 22 nd. We wish them all the best! Pastoral Concerns Please don t forget to call or the church office with information on any hospital admissions or pastoral concerns. Thank you for helping us

10 Page 10 The Congregational Church Monthly Calendar December 2014 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Choir 7-8:30 pm Girl Scouts Christmas Fair 7 Second Sunday in Advent 10am Worship New Member Mtg 11:00 Choir 9:15 8 Boy Scouts 9 7 pm Ministry Meeting Holiday Hope Drop Off Choir 7-8:30 pm Girl Scouts Parsonage Open House 3-5pm 14 Third Sunday in Advent 10am Worship Poinsettias Order Deadline Potluck/Ornament Exchange 5:30pm 15 Boy Scouts 16 7pm Council Meeting 17 Choir 7-8:30 pm Girl Scouts 18 Quiet Service 7:30 pm Choir 9:15 21 Fourth Sunday in Advent 10am Nativity Pageant Choir 9:15 22 Boy Scouts Christmas Eve 5 pm & 11 pm Lessons & Carols Worship 25 Christmas Day am Family Worship (No Church School) Boy Scouts Choir 9:15

11 Page 11 IT IS TIME TO ORDER YOUR CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS November Flowers Were Given By: November 2nd - Steve, Cecelia and Stephanie Roberts in loving memory of our parents Mitchell and Alice Kut, Henry and Irene Roberts. November 9th - Jack and Linda Paradise in honor of our military service members, past and present. November 16th - Jim and Margaret Forbush in celebration of what our church accomplishes when we come together as a community. November 23rd - David and Kate Fentress in memory of Jeanne and Wendel Fentress and Gretchen Fentress and Richard Needham. Christmas Poinsettias are $9.00. Please return your order form and check or cash (please make checks out to The Congregational Church ). And send to: Nancy DeWolf 24 Middle Street South Dartmouth, MA Or place it in the collection plate at worship on Sunday mornings, or bring to the church office. Orders MUST BE IN by December 14th. OUR CHRISTMAS MEMORIAL Sunday, December 21, 2014 NAME IN MEMORY OF FLOWER DISTRIBTUION: I will pick-up Discretion of the Chairman COLOR: Marble Red White If you would like to become a member of the prayer chain, please contact Marcia Hathaway either by phone (508) or mkhathaway@comcast.net or call the church office. As "members of the Prayer Chain," you would receive a copy of the prayer your only responsibility is to read it, thus you too are "praying" for the requests put forth. I never put anyone "in" the prayer without a request, and I only disclose what has been shared. Since we all know that prayer is a powerful healing tool, the more members we have praying, the more power we concentrate on a request. Marcia K. Hathaway, Breathe Deeply. Namaste.

12 Rev. Douglas Stivison Church Telephone: Robin Lake, Office Administrator The Congregational Church of South Dartmouth United Church of Christ 17 Middle St., PO Box South Dartmouth, MA RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Christmas Worship Services December 18th 7:30 pm Quiet Service December 21st - Fourth Sunday in Advent 10 am Nativity Pageant December 24th - Christmas Eve Services 5 pm and 11 pm The Spire Newsletter is available in paper form. If you would like a copy mailed to your home please let us know at 508/ or at congochurch@comcast.net or leave a note in the church office.