the-steeple January 2017

Transcription

1 the-steeple January 2017 Williston Federated Church United Methodist Church and United Church of Christ Federated 1899 An Open and Affirming, Reconciling Congregation Mission Statement ~ Our church is a community which seeks, welcomes and gathers people to share the Gospel of God s love, enables people to find fullness of life through Jesus Christ, goes into the world to live lovingly and justly as servants of Christ, and responds actively to human need. Inside this issue: Message from Pastor Barb Christmas Pageant Annual Conference 2 Help Wanted 2 Meet Pastor Staff Committee 3 Our Giving Tree and Alternative Gift Shop 4 Church Membership 4 A Note from Finance 5 News from the Search Committee 6-7 Work of Fellowship Hall attic 8 Kids4Peace 9 Note from Yvonne Alexander 9 The Vermont Islamic Society 10 Nostalgia Alley 11 Book Club 12 MLK Celebration 12 Silent Prayer 13 Reflections 13 Recipes 14 Recipes 15 Calendar 16 Just to be is a blessing. Just to live is holy. Abraham Joshua Heschel Epiphany means suddenly understanding the meaning of something. The day of Epiphany is January 6, the day that s traditionally associated with the Magi arriving to worship Jesus. The season of Epiphany lasts from January 6 to Ash Wednesday, in the weeks between Christmas and Lent. The season of Epiphany is the time between the celebration of Jesus birth and the preparations for his death and resurrection. During the weeks of Epiphany, we notice. We notice where God is alive and active in the world. We look for signs of Jesus life among and within us. We reflect on how the Holy Spirit breathes through our actions and our longings. We remember that while there is plenty in the world that needs redemption, there is also a current of life and love, of grace and hope that pulses in and through us. Epiphany reminds us that God is here, now. Always. May this Epiphany season to a time to say thanks, again and again, for all the ways God is hidden in plain sight, right here and now, right in the middle of our ordinary lives. Blessings Pastor Barb

2 Page 2 Interim Pastor Rev. Barb Lemmel Minister of Pastoral Care Rev, Paul Hoffman Emeritus Pastor ~ Rev. Charlie Magill Lay Leader ~ Ashley Dubois Ministers ~ The People of the Church Church Office Administrator ~ Sally Nowotarski Music Director ~ Martin Hain Organist ~ Carolyn Pillsbury Choir Accompanist ~ Cindy Thurston Nursery Caregiver ~ Michelle Davis Sunday School Coordinator ~ Karen Allen Youth Ministry ~ Ashley Dubois Address: 44 North Williston Road Williston, VT Church Office: (802) address: office@steeple.org, 2016 Christmas Pageant Dean Lewis recorded the Christmas pageant at church on December 18. It is no where near professional quality, but you can see the kids and hear the music. We posted it to YouTube so our parents could see the boys in the pageant. Below is a link to the video. If you think anyone would like to see it, you are welcome to share the link. The video is "unlisted" so you have to have the link to view it. It will not show up by a search. Merry Christmas. Heather 2017 Annual Conference Session Seeking a Lay Delegate to New England Annual Conference The Annual Meeting for the New England Conference UMC will be held June 15-17th at the Radisson Hotel Manchester Downtown, Manchester NH. The theme for this year's Annual Conference is: "Vital Conversations: Race." WFC has an opening for a Lay Delegate. Folks who attend annual conference experience a variety of meaningful experiences from great music and worship to inspirational speakers and informative workshops. Lay delegates to conference must have been members of the United Methodist Church for the 2 years preceding their election and have been active in the UMC for the preceding 4 years. The cost of attending the conference is paid for by the church. The deadline for WFC to submit a name is Feb. 1st. For more information, speak to Rev. Barb, Charlie Magill or Carol Bouchard.

3 Page 3 The mission statement of the Church is summarized on the banner at the top of the Church Website: Come, Meet Christ, Go Serve With Us. It is the function of the committees of the church to support and carry out that mission. The role of the Pastor Staff Committee is to support our church employees so they can carry out the mission of our church. Each member of our committee is assigned a church staff person to act as a liaison to our committee and the congregation. This is important should our staff need additional funds, supplies, support, etc. so they can optimally perform their jobs. It is also the role of our committee to give feedback to our staff from our congregation should it be necessary; but in a impromptu format or during a performance evaluation. This past November our committee sat down with Pastors Barb and Paul to determine how they were settling into their positions at WFC. Our committee can report that all is well and we have gotten nothing but positive feedback from the congregation. Since the spirits are high amongst our staff and congregation we can better serve the mission of our church.

4 Page 4 OUR GIVING TREE 2016 Wow! We did it, thanks to the hard work of everyone on the committee and some wonderful spouses, too! The Giving Tree looked so beautiful the morning of December 18 with gifts piled high everywhere. In fact, there were too many gifts (including a bicycle!), to fit in the photo. What a big job it was for all of us to have taken on, but I'm sure the mountain of gifts will be appreciated by the children of Williston. The young mother who reached out to us for help, attended church today with her daughter and when she saw the piles of gifts for the two of them, she immediately started to cry. She was so touched by everyone's generosity. Alternative Gift Shop Donations to local and national charities through our Alternative Gift Shop totaled $3186 this year. The top recipients were Spectrum, COTS, and Heifer Project. We certainly have a generous and caring congregation willing to do God's work in our community and it wouldn't have happened without all of you on the Missions committee. A big thank you to all of you! Membership Opportunity Coming Soon All are welcome here at WFC. If you are new to the church community or have been worshipping with us for years and are interested in joining the church, there will be an invitation to make a formal commitment to WFC early in Look for more details to follow. In the mean time, if you have questions, please speak to Pastor Barb or a member of the Membership Committee: Carol Bouchard, Carol Burbank, Ruth Magil, Vicki Trueman

5 Page 5 Members and friends of WFC, We are all asked to give time, talent, and treasure in support of the church. Your Finance Committee wants you to understand how your offerings, through pledges and Sunday plate, support the many functions at Williston Federated Church. Each month the e-steeple will have a short article explaining Where do our financial commitments go? Earthquake-resistant homes & more Earthquakes in Ecuador Earthquake in Nepal West Virginia Floods Supporting the Wider Mission of the Church (Denominational Support): $9,364 Our congregation's work extends far beyond our own community. Through our support of our denominations we provide resources that enable missions throughout the world. Our federated church provides support for, and in turn is supported by, the United Methodist Church and the United Church of Christ. Denominational support from our church budget helps fund leadership at the denominational level, ministerial education, church agencies and denomination-wide efforts such as disaster relief, Black College Fund and Africa University in Zimbabwe. Gifts support ministry and work with seminaries, Conferences, associations, and local churches to nurture, train and call pastors. Also our denominations support causes such as eliminating hunger and injustice in the world. We take pride in our affiliation with two outstanding church denominations that are doing God s work in our world

6 Page 6 Search Committee Begins Review of Candidate Profiles. The Search Committee has begun the next phase of the process of calling a settled Pastor. After we submitted the profile of our church, the denomination posted a cover letter we had written, together with two photos we submitted on their website. Prospective candidates can search the website for opportunities that they are interested in. If our church meets their search criteria, they read what in essence is a summary of our profile. If they have interest they can then request a copy of our full profile which is sent to them electronically. It they are still interested they can then request a copy of their own Pastoral Profile be forwarded to us. The conference reviews their profile first to be sure that it is complete. Up to this point we are not aware of names or number pastors expressing interest. Our profile was published in early December, and with the busy Christmas season we are very happy to have ten profiles to read. Going forward, each week the Conference will forward additional profiles as they come in. Pastoral Profiles are a form devised by the UCC for this process just as the Church profile is a form that must be followed. It contains the usual resume information, like education and work experience and names of references. (For a more complete description of what they contain, please refer to the guide How to Read a Pastoral Profile we have been provided with in the Search Committee section of the website.) However, they also include more complex information. There is a section labeled Ministerial Essays. The essay questions reference The Marks of Faithful and Effective Authorized Ministers at the United Church of Christ. The Marks are criterial for what the UCC believes makes for a successful UCC minister. While the process is relatively new, the goal is to use these criteria for evaluating and helping minsters have successful ministries. A copy of a more compete criteria is posted under the Search Committee section of the website. The first essay begins with standard language: My sense of being called by God and the church to authorized ministry (from the Spiritual Foundation for Ministry section of The Marks, followed by a quarter page personal essay. The second essay is similar and begins: My concept of Covenant and how it informs the nature, purpose and polity of the UCC. The third essay begins: I am passionate about.... The fourth essay is based on one of The Marks chosen by the candidate.

7 Page 7 Search Committee Begins Review of Candidate Profiles. In addition to the standard educational information the Profile also asks for relevant professional development taken by the candidate. Candidates are also asked to describe three of their key accomplishments. The names and addresses of three references are included. These folks provide answers to four questions. Those providing references are asked to 1. Describe their role and relationship to the Minister, 2. This mister s areas of strength in the practice of ministry as I experience them are, 3. Some areas of improvement in this minister s practice of ministry and in my experience of them are, 4. Describe a significant experience you have had of this person in ministry. There is also a place for additional comments. The Candidate then provides a Self-Appraisal answering the same questions. There is then a page labeled Self-Disclosure which in essence asks about black marks that might be found on their records-employment discipline and terminations, convictions etc. A criminal background check conducted by the UCC is attached. The profile is also certified as reviewed for accuracy by the Conference leader currently responsible for the candidate. The current plan is for each member of the Search Committee to read each profile and evaluate it against the criteria set out in our church profile. We, as a group, and working with consensus, will then put them into one of three categories: interested, not sure, and not interested. Those in whom we show interest will be asked to submit additional information, including sermons. Once that information is received the candidates status will again be reviewed and a decision made as to whether to move forward with interviews and reference checks for each candidate. We expect that groups of candidates will be progressing along different places in this process at the same time. We hope to keep you informed as we move along. We thank you for your continued prayers and support The Search Committee.

8 Page 8 Your Financial Contributions at Work The Trustees Work on the Fellowship Attic Most Wednesday and Saturday mornings, a group of folks are working to re-insulate the ceiling of the Fellowship Hall. Insulation comes in standard widths and is expected to fill the gap between beams that run the width of areas like the Fellowship Hall. Above the Fellowship Hall, engineered beams were used instead of standard with lumber. These beams look like the iron I-beams we are all familiar with. They tend to be stronger and cheaper than standard lumber. Unfortunately, their body is narrower than the standard beam and when placed at standard widths, and insulated with standard insulation, they leave a gap making it easier for heat to escape into the unheated attic. The Trustees solution to this is remove the existing fiber glass insulation and place a proper width of one inch foam board insulation between the beams. To add a two and half inch piece of foam board insulation along the side of the beam to fill the gap and then replace the fiberglass insulation. The result is a much better level of insulation. Over the years several uses for the space above the Fellowship Hall, which was originally engineered and built with future expansion in mind, have been proposed. One of the first was for a space for us to host Disaster Relief volunteers. Another was for new space for the Day Care. Yet another that was explored was for additional classroom space and a choir room. Trudi Anderson was kind enough to draw details for each of these plans. Certain constants in these designs suggested changes that have been incorporated into the present work, including location of a new electrical panel, and additional structural beams. In additional the location of possible shower, kitchen or bathroom facilities have been identified. This has allowed the scope of the present work to include the creation of a ramp for access, the installation of a new electrical panel and the placing of appropriate subflooring in the space. As future uses for the space become more concrete and funding becomes available a good deal of the preparatory work will have already taken place. To date roughly two thirds of the insulation is complete and one quarter of the subflooring is in place. Now that the time consuming early work is complete and we have areas to work off of in the attic, we expect the remainder of the work to go quickly. The Trustees recognize that this work and this investment in energy savings could not have taken place without your contributions during Lent 2016 to our project fund and we thank you. The Trustees are preparing to raise funds for the repair of the steeple. One of the tasks is to apply for grants from various governmental agencies and other organizations. The Trustees are looking for help in writing the applications for these grants. Me- If you are interested please contact the chair, Carolyn unier- cwm85@yahoo.com

9 Page 9 Kids4Peace Summer Camp for 6th & 7th graders The Interfaith Camp will run from the evening of June 28 to July 9th and will be located at Plymouth State University, NH. Although this summer's camp will not have international kids joining us, during the first 5 days the K4P kids will join with other kids for a unique program 9:30-3:30 run by the Plymouth State Musical Theater director and a friend from Broadway. At the end of the 5 days, they will put on a musical theater production written from pre-selected stories from our K4P kids. They have done this kind of show before and are pros at it. It is open to Vermont and New Hampshire kids who are currently in 6th and 7th grades. To learn more and register, go to You can also talk with Nancy Stone, member of Williston Federated Church, who has been involved as art teacher for the past 8 years On Monday, January Ginger Isham received a letter from Yvonne Alexander. She is sharing it with our church family. Good Morning! It has been an eventful year for us. Alex finally got a birth certificate ( at age 85). Release was forced. Colorado had to agree with help of a group "Adoptees in Search." He learned that his mother was an 18 year old girl who surrendered him to a midwife/abortionist who o 9 more children and lived in good health and happiness to age 91. Seven of these siblings survive and we enjoyed meeting all of them, with their spouses, at a Carlson Family Reunion this past summer. It was a beautiful experience! They are lovely, warm people and they accepted Alex immediately as "Our big brother who has finally come home from a long journey." We are keeping in touch by phone, letters and visits from them. I lost the month of April to a deadly cellulitis which caused loss of the use of my legs. I spent a month in a wonderful rehab facility learning to walk again. With 4 physical therapy sessions a day I walked out to an applause in 17 days. More PT at home. Have hired some help. I am in a 5-month remission in my drug study for Macular Degeneration. I am in month 15 of 24 months study. When the study is completed the drug company will offer me an injection every month for the rest of my life FREE. I am so grateful for this opportunity. Things are fine at our church and we enjoy our senior community but we dislike the crime and corruption in Denver. Alex is slowed due to neuropathy in his feet and increasing dementia. Peace to each of you - Love, Yvonne Address : 9355 E. Ctr. Avenue, #7A, Denver, CO

10 Page 10 December 16, 2016 Visit to Vermont Islamic Society About 200 people from various faiths went to Friday Afternoon Prayers at the Vermont Islamic Society. The Society had received one of the hate letters being sent to Islamic groups around the United States. The response of Vermont Interfaith Action was to arrange for supporters of inclusion to visit and demonstrate their solidarity with the members of the Islamic Society. Space was at a premium for visitors to the society headquarters in Colchester. The bins for shoes were filling fast; one of the men invited us to come into the inner room to take our shoes off. It was complicated by the fact that it was a very cold and snowy day, everyone was wearing heavy shoes or winter boots. After the downstairs worship space was filled, men and women alike were directed to the women s worship center on the second floor, where a large screen television was connected to a camera downstairs. Chairs had been set up to allow for the overflow crowd, while the Muslim women sat, stood, and bowed in prayer on the floor in front of the TV. One of the women from the society, a convert to Islam, introduced us to the service before it began, explaining that we could expect anything said in Arabic to be repeated in English, that the service would begin with a chant of the call to prayer, and that there would be time for questions after the service. She told us the meanings of some of the Arabic words we would hear during the service. The Imman began the service with the usual prayers, then welcomed all visitors and gave his sermon in English. He spoke of the Islamic understanding of charity and told us that charity is the third pillar of Islam. He told us of all the requirement that each Muslim give 2.5% of their savings every year and that all are encouraged to give more. The lesson for today was about charity toward the wayfarer or the refugee and the requirement to provide support. We all are sharing faith in God. After the Imam's sermon, we heard talks of cooperation from three of the leaders of Vermont Interfaith Action. Good can come from bad. One hate letter was received. This has led to over 500 letters of support. The congregation prayed, and the service ended for us. As we worked our way down stairs, we were slowed waiting for people ahead of us to put on their shoes. When we got to the room where we had taken off our shoes, the floor was completely covered with shoes, an inspiration of its own. The service was continuing for its members with 20 more minutes of prayer. We were blessed to be in attendance and in solidarity with our Muslim brothers and sisters.

11 Page 11 NOSTALGIA ALLEY Here is an article from a 1969 WFC Newsletter.50 years and it s still very interesting and thought provoking!!! Tragic Sense of Life Missing At Princeton University, the Episcopal chaplain recently noted a sign hanging in the campus boathouse, and to him, it offered a clue to the basic angers of the modern students. The sign said, Show Me a Good Loser and I ll Show You a Loser. It expresses an insistence on immediate satisfaction of goals, say the Rev. John H. Snow and also refuses to accept a conditioning fact of human reality that even the noblest efforts often go down in defeat. Knowing how to be a good loser used to be recognized as a mark of maturity, he says. It s the nature of life we have to cope, to deal with difficulty and enjoy the trying, to go through misfortune and to do the best we can. This tragic sense of life is a central truth of Judeo-Christianity, he adds, but modern youth people haven t got the message, and the lack of it has left them with an almost paranoid vision of the world. They demand quick-fix solutions, everything from building takeovers to maintaining speed, he says. When it doesn t work, they see the failure as a result of a conspiracy on our part we are inhuman, we put them in hail, we harass them. But actually, he adds, the trouble stems from a superficial view of life itself and a blindness to human frailibility. He blames the illusion on a pervasive tendency to assume all problems are subject to scientific solutions. This diagnosis cam up repeatedly, both from religious and psychiatric interpreters, at a conference in Pittsburgh of the Academy of Religion and Mental Health on the subject of youth....it is highly idealistic, they said, but also crudely arbitrary and shallow in its outlook, gauging human possibilities in the narrow perspective of a technologically orientated environment. There s an almost total intellectualizing in the universities, said Father Snow, 45. We have taught the young to organize life empirically, to size up every situation as a problem to be solved, rather than as part of a dynamic process with too many variables to be trapped and dragged into the laboratory. This limited approach, the said, ignores the most important value of Western Judeo-Christianity society, the tragic sense of life, the knowledge that the best intentions, and most dedicated and loving people can make the most dreadful mistakes and suffer the most terrible consequences. (excerpt from FREE PRESS, AP, Princeton, New Jersey.) DOES TIME REALLY MARCH ON???

12 Page 12 Book Club and Pot Luck Dinner. The choice for January is Bryan Stevenson's Just Mercy. Bryan Stevenson was a young lawyer when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal practice dedicated to defending those most desperate and in need: the poor, the wrongly condemned, and women and children trapped in the farthest reaches of our criminal justice system. Just Mercy is at once an unforgettable account of an idealistic, gifted young lawyer s coming of age, a moving window into the lives of those he has defended, and an inspiring argument for compassion in the pursuit of true justice. The group meets on January 17, at 5:30. The evening will be hosted by Sally Metro in the Fellowship Hall. please join us.

13 Page 13 This Little Light of Mine, I'm Going to Let it Shine The folks at WFC are actively involved in the community and beyond in so many ways. We recently supported 20 families with Thanksgiving baskets and food to supplement their cupboards while the children were on vacation from school. Our Giving Tree provides gifts for 30 children in our community, bringing a little light to their Christmas. We do our small part in this world to fill the cracks with light. Serving on a church committee is one way to let your light shine in our community. We invite you to consider filling in for the remainder of the fiscal year, ending June 30 th, on one of our church committees. There are openings on all committees, but we do have a more urgent need for the following: Education, Membership and Music & Worship. Membership committee was highlighted in the October Steeple. Education is highlighted this month. For more information about each committee, visit the church website Steeple.org and click on resources to read more about each committee. If you feel called to serve, please contact a member of the Nominating Committee: Rebecca Dubois, Donna Goodheart, Sylvia Maloney or Carol Bouchard Listen, Silent Prayer and Bible Reflection ~ A time of silent prayer and reflection may offer an opportunity to experience that warming and potential growth in a new way; therefore the following group extends a special invitation to join the gathering. The group meets on Thursday mornings from 8-9am. The group joins together in silent prayer, followed by the sharing of responses to a few Bible verses. Silent prayer is practiced during the first 20 minutes. The method called Centering Prayer will be practiced by some in the group, others will practice whatever form of silent prayer or meditation they choose. Anyone is welcome to come once a month, once a year or once. If you would like to join the group and are not on the list, or you are interested in joining the Listening/silent prayer group. please contact Donna Fellinger so you can be informed of any changes in schedule: donnafellingervt@gmail.org or

14 Page 14 TASTEE RECIPE IDEA S Light Alfredo Sauce 1 pound fettuccine or linguine ( cook as directed) 1 and 1/2 tablespoons butter (unsalted) 3 cloves garlic (chopped) 1 and 1/2 tablespoon flour 2 cups skim milk 3 tablespoons light cream cheese 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons fresh parsley Melt butter in saucepan and add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Stir in flour and gradually whisk in milk. Cook until mixture comes to boil and thickens. Remove from heat and add the cheeses and parsley. Toss with pasta and serve. May double recipe easily and can also add cooked cubes of chicken and/or chopped, cooked broccoli or other veggies. Asian Salmon Burgers with Dilled Yogurt Sauce 1 14-ounce can salmon ( or steam fresh salmon steaks) 1 medium boiled potato 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce 1 and 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1/2 teaspoon black pepper Mash salmon and potato; mix in soy sauce, ginger and garlic. Form into 4 patties. Sprinkle with pepper. Spray with olive oil and grill on each side for 4 minutes. Can fry in hot skillet or use oven broiler. Make a sauce of 1 cup fat-free yogurt mixed with fresh dill and salt to taste.

15 Page 15 TASTEE RECIPE IDEA S Zucchini Fries 2 zucchini 1 egg white 1/4 cup milk 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs Vegetable cooking spray Preheat oven to 425. Cut zucchini into 3-inch sticks. Whisk an egg white in a small bowl, and add milk. Combine Parmesan and seasoned breadcrumbs in a separate bowl. Dip zucchini sticks into egg mixture, and then roll in breadcrumb mixture. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray, and place zucchini on sheet. Bake for minutes or until golden brown. Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes 2 medium sweet potatoes (8 to 10 ounces each) 3 ounces Canadian bacon, diced 2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream Coupons 3 teaspoons chopped fresh chives 2 tablespoons shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese Pierce potatoes with a fork, and arrange on paper towels. Microwave on high 8 minutes; turn potatoes over after 4 minutes. Cut each potato in half lengthwise, and scoop out the pulp, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shells. Mash pulp with 3 ounces Canadian bacon, 2 tablespoons sour cream, and 2 teaspoons chives in a bowl. Spoon mixture into shells. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese over tops of potatoes. Microwave on high 2 minutes, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon chives.

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