The Federated Church of East Arlington

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1 The Federated Church of East Arlington Meditation, Meanderings and Musings from Pastor Kathy Cell Parsonage phone: January 2017 Inside This Issue And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been. Rainer Maria Rilke Throughout history since at least 700 BCE, the new year has been celebrated in some way, shape or form. It wasn t always at the beginning of January and still isn t in some parts of the world. Various religious traditions have sometimes been tied to it and a fairly big deal is still made of the idea of out with the old and in with the new. Much has been said of how awful a year 2016 was in many circles both here in the U.S. and around the globe. One would have to be holed up in a cave and cut off from the rest of the world to not have witnessed or heard about the devastation and loss of so many lives as well as political upheaval and the continuing drumbeat of war in multiple sites. There continues to be large differences not only in income and access to life s necessities but also in whom we place our trust, what motivates us and the sources of our dearest hopes and dreams. And yet, we begin anew when the clock strikes twelve with prayers lifted that this will be the year of lasting peace and well-being for God s people. One thing we know for sure is that 2017 will bring change to our world as each new year before it has. To aspire that our better angels would prevail is to commit to treating each other more kindly and generously, affording others the forgiveness that we receive daily and listening hard and long, following the wisdom that says there is a reason we were given two ears and only one mouth. To work at understanding those who differ from us and trying to figure out what we can do to bring about peace is a wonderful goal for the new year, making a plan rather than a resolution that will stand a good chance of having been shelved by the end of January. Race is not something we in rural Vermont spend much time talking about with each other but the challenges we face in this country around differences is something we can t ignore. The next book that I would invite us to read and discuss together is Waking Up White and Finding Myself in the Story of Race by Debby Irving. I will order copies of the book in January for anyone interested in participating. Please look for the sign-up sheet on the Do Something table in Bailey Hall and then consider joining the discussion on four Wednesdays from :0 to 4:0 p.m. in the Parsonage on January 2, February 1, 8 and 1. Finding ourselves in the story is at the heart of our lives as followers of Jesus. I hope as many of you as possible will read and share this book. Together may we continue to build up God s beloved community with our actions that strengthen the ties that bind us, one to another. Let us find hope in the words of the prophet Isaiah, Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Happy New Year! Peace and blessings, Kathy Financial Secretary s Report Church Attendance Church Council Mission Trip to Costa Rica Birthdays & Anniversaries Helping Hands Fellowship/Coffee hour Sunday School Teachers Lectionary Readings SW Assoc. Prays for churches Adventures in Reading Prayer Shawl Ministry Annual Reports Due Electronic Giving Website News From the Office Bible Study Clipboards Need Names T Offering envelopes/statements Jesse Tree Advent Candlelighters Calendar Page Annual Meeting Warning Grange Breakfast Please submit your articles for the February 2017 issue of the newsletter by January 20 Thank you for your anticipated cooperation!

2 Page 2 The Federated Church of East Arlington Report of the Financial Secretary, Sandra Grover 2016 Congregational Giving Budgeted: $ 6, Congregational Giving Received 1/1-12/1 $ 2,07.42 Fundraising 1/1-12/1 $ 1,0.00 Thank You! Church attendance (including children) 12/ Children 12/ Children 12/ Children 12/ Children 12/2 9 Children Church Council It has been a very busy year for the church council. Many thanks to ur council members for all the time you have put in along with your assistances. We have a great Sunday School and remember that Anne Marie always needs help and it is a joy to give to the kids. What fun! We now are warm and have hot water. With a new heating system and hot water heater we will save a lot of energy. Plans are in the works for a new bathroom in the Methodist building with approval from the church members. On January 22nd following worship our annual meeting will take place. We will vote on the proposed budget (which will be reviewed the Sunday before), new by-laws to reflect the new council format and a bathroom for the Methodist Building. Please join us for this vote and, if you cannot make it, we will take absentee ballots until Sunday, January 14th. Peace to all and pray for a wonderful fruitful Sue Congdon, interim chair & Finance; Karen Tibbetts, Worship & Ministry; Joel Tibbetts, Outreach & Missions; Anne Marie Webber, Christian Education; Alyson Grzyb, Treasurer; Sandy Grover, Clerk; Pastor Kathy Clark 2017 Mission Trip to Parceles, Costa Rica Build a house for the Pastor and his wife. This is the pastor whose church Fred Kerner helped build. There will be different time frames. 2 weeks 17 Feb - 6 Mar 2017 $ week 17 Feb - 27 Feb 2017 $ week 24 Feb - 6 Mar 2017 $ The 1 week slots are so that youth (High School) could go. These trips are being led by Tim Hickey of New Hampshire. Any questions please contact Fred Kerner (cell) leave a message.

3 January 2017 Page January Birthdays 2 Harriet Welther Jeanne Brumaghim 8 Dan Barber 11 Karen Tibbetts 14 Emily Lampron 1 Richard Maddaloni 16 Janet Clayton 18 Kaylee Bushee 26 Alyson Grzyb 28 Evelyn Pierce 29 Laura Farrington January Anniversaries 6 Michelanne and Bill Sylvester January Helping Hands Lay Reader: Council Member: Sandy Grover January 1: Ushers: Susan Congdon Communion Servers: Olavi Wirkki, Joel Tibbetts, Sandy Grover Greeter: Michelanne Sylvester January 8: Ushers: Greeter: Karen Underhill January 1: Usher: Alyson Grzyb Greeter: Ginny Wilkins January 22: Usher: Ginny Wikins Greeter: January 29: Ushers: Janet and Ward Wilson Greeter: Fred Kerner Altar: Marie Davies and Linda McDevitt Jan. 1: Jan. 8: Jan. 1: Jan. 22: Jan. 29: Fellowship/Coffee Hour John and Kathy Frost Janet and Ward Wilson Jan. 1: Jan. 8: Jan. 1: Jan. 22: Jan. 29: Sunday School Southwest Association, UCC Prays for their Churches Each week one of the churches in the Southwest Association, UCC, will be prayed for by the other churches in the association. Jan. 1: Jan. 8: Jan. 1: Jan. 22: Federated Church of East Arlington First Congregational Church of Fair Haven First Congregational Church of Hubbordton First Congregational Church of Manchester Lectionary Readings for January Jan. 1: Ecclesiastes :1-1; Psalm 8 Revelations a; Matthew 2:1-46 Jan. 8: Isaiah 42:1-9; Psalm 29 Acts 10:4-4; Matthew :1-17 Jan. 1: Isaiah 49:1-7; Psalm 40:1-11 I Corinthians 1:1-9; John 1:29-42 Jan. 22: Isaiah 9:1-4; Psalm 27:1, Corinthians 1:10-18; Matthew 4;12-2 Jan. 29: Micah 6:1-8; Psalm 1 1 Corinthians 1:18-1; Matthew :1-12 Jan. 29: Congregational Church of North Bennington

4 Page 4 The Federated Church of East Arlington Adventures in Reading Finally! I took some of the books gathered at the Library Shelf in Bailey Hall labeled A.I.R. Several were from past years and had no name on them, so I donated them to the Martha Canfield Library. I returned to the shelf 2 books on the current list: Ordinary Grace (Group IV) and The Samurai s Garden (Group IV). Retained for distribution at our next get-together are 4 books by authors read in the past but these books have recent publishing dates. Yes, our next get-together is January 7, 2017 at 10:1 a.m. at my home, 11 Dunlap Farm Road, in Sunderland. Looking forward to seeing you and hearing about the books you have read. HAPPY NEW YEAR Janet Wilson, Coordinator Prayer Shawl Ministry Saturday, January 21, :0 a.m. Bring your knitting, crocheting, other handwork. Bring your lunch the coffee pot and tea kettle will be on. Annual Reports Are due to the office By January 1st If you have reports or information to be included in the Annual Report for 2016, please be sure the office has it by January 1st. Thank you, Sandy

5 January 2017 Page We, the members of the Federated Church of East Arlington, declare ourselves to be an Open and Affirming and Reconciling congregation. With God s help, we include all persons in our fellowship, embracing and celebrating differences of gender identity, marital status, age, mental and physical ability, and sexual orientation, as well as racial, ethnic and socio-economic background. We welcome into our community everyone who seeks to share in the work and worship of the church of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Consider automating your regular donations with our new electronic giving program. The Federated Church of East Arlington relies on the financial support of the congregation and donations electronic giving offers an easy way to give on a recurring basis. Visit the church office for more information or go to our webpage at or scan the qr code. Thank you! THURSDAY MORNINGS Join us from 9 to 10:0 a.m. in Bailey Hall as we read and discuss the books of the Bible. If you have any questions, speak with Joel Tibbetts or call the church office. CLIPBOARDS NEED NAMES Choir Ushers Communion Servers Fellowship/Coffee Hour Altar Sunshine Flowers Ride Share Sunday School Share the Love We are a family, we love each other, we need each other, we are loved by God. WEBSITE NEWS federatedchurchofeastarlington.org If you would like to add anything (pictures, articles) to the website or have suggestions, contact Sue Wirkki, ; sue@wirkki.org Like the Federated Church of East Arlington on Facebook. FROM THE OFFICE If you know of a prayer request to add or change in the bulletin, please let the office know by Thursday.

6 Page 6 The Federated Church of East Arlington Christmas Morning at The Federated Church of East Arlington Isaiah 11:1 A green Shoot will sprout from Jesse s stump, from his roots a budding branch. At the Christmas morning service, twenty-six of us gathered in a circle in front of the altar to celebrate the Jesse Tree tradition. There was a bare branch in a flower pot. Each person was given a reading and an ornament representing the reading in some way. We were directed to read in order and hang the ornament on the branch. Pastor Kathy had carefully chosen the readings to trace the tradition of our faith from the beginning to the birth of Christ. Time was an issue, so the readings had to be short, as did all explanations. What we may have missed is that the Jesse tree is a tradition that goes back to medieval times. It was begun so that people who couldn't read could see the symbols and remember the tradition they celebrated each year. The branch itself represents hope. (They used a live one, mine was dead.) The Jesse tree is often used to mark Advent and the symbols are varied in our culture. It seemed to me that this would be an appropriate time to remind ourselves of the whole story, the wonderful tradition that is our heritage, binds our community and church family. Shalom, Karen Tibbetts Worship & Music Offering Envelopes/ Contribution Statements Offering envelopes for 2017 will be available in Bailey Hall by the end of December. Please take a box and write your name on the numbered list. Please let me know how you would like your contribution statement for 2016 delivered to you: , Bailey Hall, or mailed. You can contact me any time to get an update for your giving. Sandy Grover, Federated Church of East Arlington Financial Secretary, sandragrover@gmail.com, Nov. 27 Dec. 4 Dec. 11 Dec. 18 Dec. 24 Advent Candlelighters Stephanie, Ariana, Ezra Barrios Lit by Aula Evans Gina Shaler and Charlie Jenks Lit by Virginia Mattison Darryl and Bek Davis Lit by Charlotte Galusha Kim, Brent, Marley, Shelly, Trevor Clark Lit by Vi Day Joel and Karen Tibbetts

7 January 2017 Page 7 Calendar Page

8 The Federated Church of East Arlington 102 Ice Pond Arlington, Vermont Visit us on Facebook The mission of The Federated Church of East Arlington is to welcome all, follow Jesus Christ together, and live God s Word with compassionate service. January 2017 Newsletter WARNING 2016 ANNUAL MEETING To Discuss the Business of the church * Acceptance of Reports * Vote on Proposed 2016 Budget * Vote on Nominations In Bailey Hall immediately following worship over soup and bread. Please plan to attend. We need everyone s input. January 22, 2017 Snow date: January 28, 2017 Grange Breakfast Sunday, January 1th 7:0 to 9:0 a.m. The Federated Church of East Arlington