THE SPIRE. April How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord (Words from a hymn written in 1787)

Transcription

1 From Pastor Doug THE SPIRE The Congregational Church of South Dartmouth United Church of Christ April 2014 How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord (Words from a hymn written in 1787) The dictionary offers several related definitions for the simple little word firm. Firm means resistant to externally applied pressure. Firm can mean fixed solidly in place, or possessing determination and resolution. Firm also carries with it a strong sense of being steady, steadfast, strong, and sure. These are all very positive traits whether applied in the physical world or the world of faith. We want our homes to be built on a firm foundation that can withstand the harshest weather, and we want our faith to be built on a firm foundation that can withstand the harshest challenges of criticism and doubt. We want our muscles to be firm so they can do the physical heavy lifting of life. We want our faith to be capable of doing the heavy lifting of our spiritual life. We want to be firm in our beliefs and resolute in living out our convictions and values. We don t want to be weak or vacillating in what we believe about God, Jesus, and the purpose to our lives. It is little wonder that we in the United Church of Christ have invested so much time discussing the many nuances of the term affirmation and affirming in the wider context of proclaiming to the world that we are open and affirming to all people. Affirmation, like its root word firm, has many nuanced dimensions, but they all relate to supporting, validating, and upholding each other. Surely some of the most beautiful characteristics of church life are our genuine desire to support each other in our faith journey, validate each other s personhood, and uphold each other s dignity. These are, in fact, essential to our understanding of what it is to follow Jesus and to walk the Christian walk. This year s Confirmation class is well underway and as I pointed out in an earlier Spire essay, part of the process is to explore some of the words that have a special meaning in our church life. Two of the key words that we are exploring with our young people (and their wonderful adult mentors) are very closely related and they help shed light on all of our faith journeys not just our young people. Confirmation is another word from the same root firm that links together several closely related concepts. The dictionary definitions of confirmation include the concepts of supporting, validating, verifying, and strengthening. In fact one definition of confirm is to make firmer. (Continued on page 3)

2 Page 2 RE Ministry presents a Lenten Reflection: Choices The Religious Education Ministry invites the Congregation to join together for a light Lunch and Reflection following coffee on Sunday, 6 April Ridley Rhind will take us on a journey into the lives of two extraordinary young men, as told through their poetic prose, and the consequences of their choices that resulted in lives of service to their country, and their faith. We all make choices, and Lent provides a time for reflection. As we continue on our personal journeys through Lent, the RE Ministry invites you to come share a meal, experience poetry, and participate in a discussion amongst friends. Enjoy food, friends and fellowship. Be inspired, and join Ridley Rhind and the RE Ministry for this Lenten Reflection on Sunday, 6 April Please let the office know so the proper amount of food can be prepared. We look forward to seeing you then. Peace, Kathryn Duff April Anniversary Anthony & Kathy Egan (30 years) April 28, 1984 Wedding Anniversaries are listed in the Spire every five years for the first fifty, and then each year thereafter! From The Church Council Council News The Council met for their monthly meeting on Monday, March 17, The Council voted to approve the slate presented for the Religious Education Director Search Committee. The members of the committee are: Kathryn Duff, John Lawson, Gale Litchfield, Linda Mello, Andy Paradise, Lara Stone and Pastor Doug. The Music Committee presented a job description for the Music Director position which was approved by the Council, and the Music Search Committee will begin the search process. The Council reviewed the process for Pastor Doug's six-month review which will include input from the Council, PRC and the congregation. Finance Ministry reported that the outside locks to the church have been changed in an effort to make the church more secure which includes a limited number of keys signed out for better accountability. Next Council meeting, Tuesday, April 15, 2014

3 Page 3 Pastor Doug Continued from Page 1 We love our rich heritage of church traditions and the values we all share with each other in the church. At the same time, we treasure our personal independence and freedom of individual conscience. Our confirmation process provides our young people with a special, guided opportunity to truly explore their beliefs and to articulate, too, their honest doubts as well. We confirm their understanding of the faith they share with other people. At the same time, we affirm the value and validity of their uniquely personal understanding of God s place in their hearts and lives. We provide them with focused opportunities to explore the different aspects of church life worship, fellowship, service to others, personal deepening and to begin to find those aspects of church life that are most authentic for them and that will sustain them on their faith journey for the rest of their lives. I love the confirmation process and I love leading it. But I need help from every member of our church family. As I remind us all every Sunday morning during my pastoral prayer, we ask God to help each of us to embody the values and faith that we want our children to learn from our example and not just our words. As part of this year s Confirmation process, every adult member of this church has a priceless opportunity to be a part of our young people s confirmation journey as we demonstrate by our example what it means to have a strong, adult, Christian faith. And I know absolutely know that not only our young people, but each of us will find ourselves affirmed and confirmed in our own faith journeys as well. Holy Week Services April 13th - Palm Sunday - 10 am Children will be in the church for the Parade of Palms and the entire service. April 14th - April 18th Monday through Friday 7-7:15 am - Daily Devotional April 17th - Maundy Thursday - 7 pm Tenebrae Service with communion April 18th -12 noon - Good Friday April 20th - Easter - Sunrise service at Round Hill Beach at 5:40 am Family Service - 10 am (no Sunday school)

4 Page 4 Religious Education Lent is a transformational time to grow and change for Jesus April 6 th We will be planting seeds for Share the Harvest Farm. If we are as successful as last year, these will sprout and be planted at the farm on Saturday, May17th, the church s congregation work day at the farm. *April 13 th Palm Sunday celebratory Palm Procession children will remain in worship *April 20 th Easter Family Worship - NO Sunday School classes / EASTER EGG HUNT following worship *On both of these Sundays the Toddler/Nursery Room will be open/set-up for your use, but will not have an adult volunteer attendant. April 27 th during this Season of Easter (which is 50 days long, beginning with Easter Sunday) the children will explore stories from the gospels of John and Luke and the Book of Acts about the ways in which Jesus followers shared God s love through words and actions. LENTEN STEWARDSHIP = Are your Ark Banks filling up? Hopefully, you are enjoying the prompts provided in the Heifer International s Fill the Ark Giving Calendar. Banks should be returned on Palm Sunday or Easter Sunday. Blessings, Nancy Lawrence Acting Director of Religious Education

5 Page 5 Easter Memorial Flowers for April 20, 2014 Order Form Please return your order form and your check or cash (please make checks out to The Congregational Church ). Lilies are $10.00 each and Tulips are $8.00 each. Orders must be in by Sunday, April 13, The check and order form can be placed in the collection plate, turned in to the church office, or sent to: Nancy DeWolf, 24 Middle Street, South Dartmouth, MA OUR EASTER MEMORIAL ~ April 20, 2014 NAME IN MEMORY OF Flower Order: $10.00 per lily $8.00 per tulip Flower Distribution: I will pick up for Discretion of Flower Chairman Attention all high school seniors: Baccalaureate Sunday, June 1, 2014 We will be holding our Baccalaureate service on Sunday morning, June 1 st. Baccalaureate is the worship service we hold each year to honor our seniors who are graduating from high school. We invite all of you to participate in this special service as we celebrate your graduation and the time you have spent as a part of our church family. If you are a graduating senior and would like to be a part of this service, please contact Daphne Siegal at congochurchdaphne@comcast.net or call We hope you will join us for this meaningful service. Prayer Shawl Meeting Sunday, April 27th The Prayer Shawl Ministry will meet on Sunday, April 27, in the church library at 6:30 in the evening. All are welcome. We look forward to the Blessing of the Prayer Shawls on Mother's Day, May 11. ques- Please call Jane Rioux with any tions ( ).

6 Page 6 The Spring Rummage Sale will be held: May 2nd and 3rd Please begin to gather items to donate. Below is a list of items we would love for you to donate and also a list of items we cannot accept. Please contact Linda Paradise or Cecelia Roberts if you can help with the rummage sale, before to help sort and set up, during either as a worker or cashier or after to help clean up. Rummage Wish List Clothing Shoes Toys Household Items Furniture Linens, Bicycles Books Glassware Finer Items for Heritage Room (jewelry etc.) Thank you!! Drop off will begin April 21st Items we cannot accept: Skis Ski Boots Bindings Cribs Car Seats TV s Computers Monitors Printers Fish Tanks Please do not drop these at church as they add additional expense for us to dispose of. If you have car seats or cribs to donate, please contact PAACA at They can accept these items and distribute them to those in need. Computer monitors and old televisions can also be brought to Best Buy in Dartmouth and donated at no cost to you. The Flowers for March were given by: March 2nd - The Niemiec and Oliver Families in memory of their grandmother, Claire Ellis. March 9th - In memory of Nicholas Wayne Fernandes from his loving friends and family. March 16th - Elizabeth Nichols in celebration of life. March 23rd - Beth and Herb Howe in loving memory of family. March 30th - Sally Lemelin and Martha Shuster ~ in memory of our parents, Joan and Tom Cary.

7 Page 7 Outreach Ministry News Coat Drive: In January and February, we collected a large quantity warm clothing and delivered it to Gifts to Give in New Bedford. Many thanks to everyone who donated coats, hats, scarves, gloves and other outwear. The gift of warmth for those in need was greatly appreciated during this frigid winter! of Food Drive: Our food collection for the Council on Aging food pantry is an ongoing initiative that needs our support all year long. Please remember to buy a little extra for the COA whenever you go grocery shopping, and bring your donations to church on Sunday. Non-perishable food items can be placed in the wicker basket in the Narthex. Many thanks for helping the hungry in our community! Upcoming Events: Please mark your calendars now and plan to participate in these two important events: Saturday, May 17, 9-noon -- Our church will work at Sharing the Harvest in Dartmouth to help them prepare for the growing season. This is a great activity for the whole family...followed by a pizza lunch. Sunday, June 1 -- A blood drive will be held at the Congo Church from 8:00-2:00. Many donors are needed to make this successful, so encourage your friends to give, too. Look for more information and sign-up sheets in coming weeks. Church Directories Expected Soon! Youth Group In April, youth should be working on their church photographs for our church photo contest! Photos can be taken inside or outside, day or night. They can have all or part of the church. Have fun and be creative! The congregation will view and judge the photos on April 27th. All photos must be submitted by April 17. Photos can be submitted via . Youth group is open to all youth in grades Please contact Lisa Tufano at or lisatufano@comcast.net for more information. Lifetouch is expected to deliver our 2014 church pictorial directories sometime in mid-april. Please look in the church bulletin for news that they are here and ready to be picked up. For those that had their pictures taken by Lifetouch in our November and December sessions, there is no charge for a directory. For those who did not have their portrait taken by Lifetouch, the cost of a directory is five dollars, our charge from Lifetouch for extra directories. Directories will be available for pickup after the church service on Sundays in the lower social hall.

8 Page 8 April 2014 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat AA Meeting 6 10am Worship Communion Lenten Reflection Luncheon 7 Boy Scouts 8 7 pm Ministry Meeting 9 Girl Scouts AA Meeting Palm Sunday 10am Worship 14 Daily Devotional 7-7:15 am 15 Daily Devotional 7-7:15 am 16 Daily Devotional 7-7:15 am 17 Daily Devotional 7-7:15 am 18 Daily Devotional 7-7:15 am 19 Deadline for Easter Flower Orders Boy Scouts 7pm Council Meeting Girl Scouts Maundy Thursday 7 pm Tenebrae w/ Communion Good Friday 12 pm Service 20 Easter Sunday 5:40 Sunrise Service 10am Worship 21 Boy Scouts Rummage Sale Drop Off Begins Girl Scouts AA Meeting am Worship Prayer Shawl Meeting 6:30 pm 28 Boy Scouts 29 30

9 Page 9 Please note, we have large print bulletins, as well as, large print hymns available for you every Sunday in the narthex. Please feel free to pick up a copy as you enter church worship or ask for one. Pastoral Concerns Please don t forget to call or the church office with information on any hospital admissions or pastoral concerns. We do not receive notification from the hospital so the only way we can be informed of anyone that may need a visit is if you let us know. Please let us know if you have someone you would like added to our Prayer List in the Spire. Thank you for helping us stay in tune to the needs of our church family. Our E-Prayer Group 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. Amy Wendel, Founder and Managing Director of Project ME- MA (Making Education in Moshi Accessible), spent the morning of March 23 rd with the Sunday School children/youth. She shared pictures and stories from her trip in September 2013 to Moshi, Tanzania. The children presented her with three bags full of school supplies, collected as their Christmas stewardship project, and three boxes of books, which Amy will take to Moshi in July. Pictured here they are busy making enough bracelets for Amy to take to the children of the school(s) ME- MA supports. See photo below

10 Page 10 Pastor Doug s Six Month Performance Review Time flies! Pastor Doug has already begun his six month at the Congregational Church of South Dartmouth. At the time of his hiring, our congregation promised Pastor Doug a six-month review. Six months in a new minister s tenure is a perfect time for a more in-depth communication between congregation and pastor. Daphne Siegal, Moderator, and Jim Forbush, Chair of the Search Committee and future Chair of Human Resources will be giving the review. And we need your help! We need to know what you think and feel. Please fill out the attached survey, sign it and if you wish confidentiality, put it in a sealed envelope and deliver it to Daphne, Jim or Robin Lake. You may also it to Jim Forbush at jsforbush@comcast.net or Robin Lake at robin@congochurchsd.org. Confidentiality will be maintained. And thank you for your help. Daphne and Jim Pastor Doug Six Month Review Survey I have heard Pastor Doug lead worship service More than ten times Five to nine times Two to four times Five to nine times One Time Zero Times I have had interaction with Pastor Doug outside of Worship Service Yes No I found those interactions to be helpful or useful Yes No I would like to see Pastor Doug continue to do: I would like to see Pastor Doug do more of: I would like to see Pastor Doug do less of: I am happy with the current direction of the church Yes No I think a course correction is needed Yes No (If yes, please describe:) Signed (Your review will be kept confidential.)

11 Page 11 New Members from March 2014 Linda Shwartz Gratitude is one of the sweet shortcuts to finding peace of mind and happiness inside. No matter what is going on outside of us, there's always something we could be grateful for. Heather Stivison Leslie DeGroot The Congregational Church of South Dartmouth 2014 Scholarship Application Form Information The Congregational Church of South Dartmouth is excited once again to award scholarships to one or more qualified high school seniors. Students graduating from high school this year and planning to continue their education are encouraged to apply. Eligible students are members and non-members who have had a close and active association with the Church. Through this application process, students will demonstrate their involvement in and service to the Church and the community. They will also write an essay that illustrates their faith journey. Finally, they will be asked to provide letters of recommendation. Applications will be available through the Church office beginning on April 1, 2014 and will be due back to the office no later than May 16th. Scholarship recipient(s) will be announced on Baccalaureate Sunday, June 1, The Scholarship Committee will review applications during the month of May. The Committee reserves the right to reject any and all applications. It is important for applicants to read the instructions on the application form carefully, and fully comply with the requirements. Incomplete applications may not be considered. Should the Committee require further information, a Committee member may be in contact with the applicant. The deadline for submitting the application is absolute. Completed applications need to be returned to the Church office by 1 pm on May 16, It is up to the applicant to confirm the office closing time for that day. APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED AFTER THAT TIME WILL ABSOLUTELY NOT BE CONSIDERED. We wish all of our scholars luck and look forward to seeing them on June 1. Stephen C. Roberts, Chairman Congregational Church of South Dartmouth Scholarship Committee

12 Reverend Douglas Stivison Church Telephone: Robin E. Lake, Office Administrator The Congregational Church of South Dartmouth United Church of Christ 17 Middle St., PO Box South Dartmouth, MA RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Holy Week Services April 13th - Palm Sunday - 10 am Children will be in the church for the Parade of Palms and the entire service. April 14th-April 18th Monday through Friday 7-7:15 am - Daily Devotional April 17th-Maundy Thursday, 7 pm Tenebrae Service with communion April 18th-12 noon- Good Friday April 20th Easter - Sunrise service at Round Hill Beach at 5:40 am Family Service - 10 am (no Sunday school)