Foster Memorial Church Volume 64, Issue 11 December 2015 December 2015

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1 Foster Memorial Church 1791 Wilbraham Road Springfield, Massachusetts Mailing Address: 36 Puritan Road Springfield, MA TIME VALUED MATERIAL MAILED 11/24/15 Office Telephone (413) Pastor s Study (413) Office hours: M,W,F 9a.m.-2p.m. fostermemorial@msn.com Web: Non-Profit Org U.S. POSTAGE PAID Springfield, MA Permit No. 367 Foster Memorial Church Volume 64, Issue 11 December 2015 December 2015 As I write this letter, the seasons of the Christian church year are changing. The Season of Pentecost is ending, which also marks the end of the church year. The new year begins with the season of Advent, which starts on November 29. The season of Advent coincides for us with the longest nights. Anne Lamott quotes Wendell Berry who said, It gets darker and darker and darker and then Jesus is born. Born once again, into this imperfect, troubled world of ours. Born to give us life- and born to give us joy. This year, our Advent Devotional that will be distributed before worship beginning on November 29 is entitled Wake Up to Joy, with relfections on scripture passages written by Mark Neilson. We will be focusing on this Devotional during our Tuesday morning Bible Study at 10 AM beginning on December 1 st. All are welcome. Minister Rev. Barbara Schenk Choir Director & Organist Frank Jackson The deadline for submitting information Sexton & Housekeeper or announcements for the Linda & David Peck January Chronicle is December 16 Secretary Lorraine Ahladas May this holy season of Advent fill us with Hope, Peace, Love and Joy, as we anticipate the birth of our Savior, Jesus, once again. A candle is burning, a candle of joy. A candle to welcome brave Mary's new boy. Our hearts fill with wonder, and eyes light and glow as joy brightens winter like sunshine on snow. --Sandra Dean Blessings, Barbara

2 GIFTS FOR GRAY HOUSE Poinsettia plants will be sold after church on Sunday November 29 th and December 6 th. Flowers must be paid for at the time the order is placed. Pot size is 7 inches and will come wrapped in gold foil. Cost is $ Please see Anne Cesan or Evelyn Sambolin. The poinsettias will be on the altar for worship on December 20. TENZIN BRUNCH The Christian Education Board would like to thank all those involved with the Pancake Brunch for Tenzin. Nearly $300 was raised to support his care at school. Special thanks to Charlene Corris for her coordination of the event, along with the cooks and servers, including our God Time students and youth. A heartfelt thank you and Blessing to all of the parishioners and friends who attended the luncheon. MITTEN TREE Each year we are invited to donate new gifts for children and youth receiving services from Gray House, which is located in the North End of Springfield. Gray House s motto: A place where peace is lived & learned & hope is shared. For more information, you can go to Gray House page on Facebook or on the web at grayhouse.org Please bring gifts UNWRAPPED to worship on December 13 or bring to the church office during office hours before the 13 th. The gifts will be delivered on December 14. Dena Calvanese, Executive Director of Gray House, suggests the following as ideas for our donations. Thanks to all! Newborn - 2 yrs: Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Puppy, Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Storybook Rhyme Book 3-4 yrs: Duplo Legos or other building blocks, any Magna or Aqua Doodle drawing set 5-7 yrs: any Play Doh kit, anything Hot Wheels, anything Disney Princess 8-11 yrs: any Crayola art kit, any Lego or Lego Friends set yrs: Twister Moves Hip Hop Spots, Bop It Beats or movie passes Everyone is invited to bring new mittens, hats, scarves and gloves for all ages, for our Mitten Tree in the sanctuary. Donations will be distributed to Gray House, guests at Loaves and Fishes and Rebecca M. Johnson School. Thank you!! Page 5 Page 10

3 HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PARTNERSHIP We just completed seven months of providing lunches for Habitat volunteers for this year. Grateful thanks to Gerri Thompson, who prepared our lunches and delivered them with help from our Missions Team (including homemade cookies baked by Joanne Wells). We ll resume this ministry next spring. CHRISTMAS PAGEANT Our God Time presentation of our annual Christmas Pageant will be held on Sunday, December 20, during our morning worship. Our God Time children and youth will be the readers and participants for the pageant, supported by our Adult God Time Guides. We ask that the children and youth try to be present the three Sundays prior to the 20 th so that we may be able to prepare for the pageant. QUARTER AUCTION We had a wonderful fundraising event on November 13. Thanks so much to Lori LaTaille who chaired this event with help from Connie Gumlaw and many Foster folks. Great teamwork! Thanks to our youth helpers: Andrew, Zach, Sara and Naomi. And thanks to everyone who came to support this event. We raised over $1300 for the church s operating expenses! GOD TIME THEME Page 11 The theme for the Advent unit is Birthing a Blessing. In this unit we reflect on the many ways in which our biblical ancestors birthed a blessing. During Advent, we think of Mary pregnant, young, poor giving birth to a song of praise and faith as well as to God s anointed one. We read about John the Baptist and the prophets of the Hebrew Bible, who challenged people to give birth to justice even in the midst of their own experience of oppression. At Christmas, we celebrate the wondrous birth of Jesus. On Epiphany Sunday we read of the magi, the first Gentiles to witness the Messiah, and the birthing of a new way of understanding the breadth of God s inclusive love. Then we experience Jesus baptism and celebrate the birth of a new liturgical season the Season after Epiphany. Page 4

4 From Dick Pond I found the following poem in one of grandmother s bird books, of which she had many. She loved to collect and save poems and short stories found in the newspapers (early to mid 1900 s). This is one of my favorites. Awareness By Miriam Teichner God let me be aware. Let me not stumble blindly down the ways, Just getting somehow safely through the days, Not ever groping for another hand, Not even wondering why it all was planned, Eyes to the ground unseeking for the light, Soul never aching for a wild-winged flight, Please, keep me eager just to do my share. God let me be aware. God let me be aware. Stab my soul fiercely with others pain, Let me walk seeing horror and stain. Let my hands, groping, find other hands. Give me the heart that divines, understands. Give me the courage, wounded, to fight. Flood me with knowledge, drench me in light. Please keep me eager just to do my share. God let me be aware. I am certainly aware of all the wonderful people at Foster who ARE aware, and reach out to help and support others. Thank you all so much for your cards, thoughts and prayers following my surgery. I missed you all so much while I was away from Foster, in body, but not away in spirit. In Peace, Dick Page 3 Happy Birthday to all of our members and friends who were born in December 12/3 Charles Rososky 12/3 Norman Maagero 12/10 Frank Jackson 12/11 Holly LaTaille 12/14 Pastor Barbara 12/18 Mike Naglieri 12/31 Donna Griffith 12/31 Keith Walker Please contact the church office if your birthday or anniversary does not appear in the Chronicle. PLEASE REMEMBER IN PRAYER Please help us to keep our printed prayer list as current as possible. If you have information about someone on the list whose name could be removed, or someone who needs to be added, please call Lorraine at the church office. Thank you for your help. Our Church, Bruce Breuer, Marilyn Breuer, Lynda Kinney, Lester Leonard, Rob Marinello, Adell Kenyon, Ken Padden, Bonnie Flynn, Joseph Bevard, Malala Yousafzai, Mary Veraneau, Katherine Kelb, Karen Kelb, Marcia Iwanicki, Donna Martine, Joe Leas, Susan Kowinski. Enid Miller, Shirley Kane, Mary Silva Page 12

5 SPECIAL SERVICES AND EVENTS FOR THE ADVENT/CHRISTMAS SEASON Sunday, December 6 Christmas Fun for all ages 12 noon 1:30 PM Free fun and light refreshments provided Sunday, December 13 Collection of unwrapped gifts for Gray House All Church Caroling: 11:30 AM 12:30 PM Service of Light, Peace and Hope 3:00 PM Co-sponsored by Tapestry Health Uplifting Worship Service followed by refreshments and conversation Sunday, December 20 Christmas Pageant during 10 AM worship Thursday, December 24 Christmas Eve Worship service 7 PM Lessons and Carols Candelight with Silent Night Sunday, December 28 Worship Service for All Ages Children and Youth stay in worship Afternoon Fosterians will meet on Wednesday, December 16, at 12:00 noon for their annual gift exchange. Hostesses are Pam Corey, Vivian George, Dorothy Kenyon and Marilyn Flynn. Devotions will be led by Joan Kretschmar. Evening Fosterians will meet on Wednesday, December 9, at 7:00 p.m. for their annual Christmas Party. Leaders are Sally Hawley and Becky Fleming. Hostesses are Barbara Hamill and Gay Owczarski. SUMMARY FINANCIAL REPORT In an effort to keep everyone informed as the year progresses, the Executive Board voted to publish a summary financial report in each edition of the Chronicle based on the Treasurer s most recent report. The summary report of Income and Expenses as of October 31, 2015 is as follows: % of INCOME: 10/31/2015 YTD Budget Budget TOTAL RECEIPTS $9, $114, $162, % TOTAL EXPENDITURES $9, $137, $171, % YTD DEFICIT/SURPLUS -$22, $8, % Page 14 Page 1

6 Please join us for a Service of Light, Hope and Peace An uplifting service for the Christmas season which includes quiet reflection, prayer, and songs of the season, followed by refreshments and fellowship. Sunday, December 13 at 3:00p.m. Foster Memorial Church, UCC 1791 Wilbraham Road, Sixteen Acres, Springfield This service is being held in partnership with ** This is our fourth year of partnering with Tapestry Health for this special service where prayers are shared and we gain inspiration and hope for being together. Tapestry Health is bringing youth this year and our friend Bob Reardon, Program Director, will help to lead the service. Please join us!

7 Remembering our Confined Members and Friends During this Holy Season WAVING FOR PEACE MINISTRY We re waving for peace every Monday from 5:30 6:00 PM. All are welcome! Ms. Enid Miller Mrs. Merle Davis 942 Grayson Drive, #318B 10 Onondaga Street Springfield, MA Springfield, MA Mrs. Marcia Roode Mrs. Jean Caldwell 936 Grayson Drive, # Ashland Avenue Springfield, MA Springfield, MA Mrs. Mary Jerome Mr. Donald Scott 215 Bicentennial Highway Wingate East Longmeadow Springfield, MA Chestnut Street East Longmeadow, MA The Rev. Dr. Bruce and Marilyn Breuer 1505 Parker Street Mrs. Mary Scott Springfield, MA Wingate East Longmeadow 32 Chestnut Street Mrs. Nina Yates East Longmeadow, MA c/o Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Yee 86 Fenton Road Mrs. Beatrice Rancore Monson, MA Rosedale Street Springfield, MA SURPRISE FOR FRANK JACKSON On November 15, we surprised Frank with a celebration on the occasion of his 20 th anniversary as our Choir Director/Organist. We had a special cake rolled into the sanctuary, and gifted Frank with roses, Love Gift and cards from the congregation. The full choir (22 members!) sang a song with original words set to the tune of the Broadway hit Mame. We are so grateful to you, Frank! Thank you!! Page 9 Page 6

8 YOUTH GROUP Thank you to all youth who helped with our Pancake Brunch in November. Our December activity will be to go caroling on Sunday, December 13. We will be going to Keystone, leaving at 11:30 AM and returning at 12:30 PM. Familes welcome! EYE TO THE SKY If we have to cancel worship or another special event during the winter season, we will post on Channel 3 and Channel 22. If in doubt, please call the church office, which will have correct information on our ougoing message at You can also check with the Chair of the Event or with Pastor Barbara. Thank you! STEWARDSHIP APPEAL FOR 2016 SAVE YOUR CARDS FOR ST. JUDE S RANCH FOR CHILDREN Once again, we will be collecting the fronts of greeting cards. The youth at St. Jude s Ranch recycle our cards and form new cards to sell, teaching them a good work ethic and entrepreneurship skills as well! Card Donating Tips: - All types of greeting cards, including Christmas are accepted. - Only the card front can be used (please check to be sure the backside of the front of the card is clear of any writing, etc.) - They do not accept Hallmark, Disney or American Greeting cards - 5 x 7 size or smaller is preferred After Christmas, we ll have a box in the narthex of the sanctuary for collection of the cards. Thanks to everyone for your support! Page 7 Stewardship Letters and Pledge Cards for the coming year were mailed out this past month. If you did not receive this mailing and would like to make a pledge to the church, please call our church office at Our grateful thanks to everyone who has already made a pledge for ANNUAL REPORTS Please mark your calendars: The date for annual meeting is Sunday, January 24, 2016.Please reports to the church office at fostermemorial@msn.com by Monday, January 4, Thanks! SUNDAY EVENING SPIRITUALITY We will be taking a break through the winter months. We ll hopefully resume in the spring. Page 8

9 PRAYER VIGIL Pastor Barbara and Rev. Dr. Peter Wells led a Prayer Vigil on November 14 in our sanctuary, following our Waving for Peace Ministry. Our focus was to lift up those affected by violence and terror in Paris, Beirut, Syria, around the world and here at home. Mayor Dominic Sarno joined us for our vigil and thanked us for our weekly witness for peace. We lifted up prayers for God s people near and far and ended with this Closing Prayer: O God, we ask that you would wrap all and each of these, your people in your love. Let them hear: Come to me you who suffer and are burdened and I will give you rest. Move us all beyond outrage and revenge. When it is hard to see your face because of tears and confusion, may our eyes be opened to the sight of your grace. May past gifts of love from you be remembered and shared. We pray, in the name of Jesus, our Savior, for peace, understanding and justice for our relationships, our homes, our city streets and for our world. AMEN IN SYMPATHY Two former members of our church died this past month. Robert (Bob) Bartels died at the Soldier s Home in Holyoke on November 13. Pastor Barbara officiated for his service held on November 18 at Byron Keenan Funeral Home and Cremation Tribute Center. Let us hold all Bob s loved ones in prayer. Shirley (Penny) Seip died at East Longmeadow Skilled Nursing Center on November 13. Pastor Barbara officiated for her service at the Massachusetts Veteran s Memorial Cemetery in Agawam on November 18. Let us hold Penny s three children and loved ones in prayer. Page 13 Page 2