September Faith Formation. Hospitality Dinners. InSPIREation:

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1 September 2015 InSPIREation: Help, I need somebody Help, not just anybody Help, you know I need someone Help! When I was younger, so much younger than today I never needed anybody's help in any way But now these days are gone I'm not so self-assured Now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors. ~ John Lennon and Paul McCartney Greetings, Summer worship is not for the faint of heart or for those who find 9:00 am just too early. Still, the group that gathered each week in Fellowship Hall experienced an intimacy that is often difficult to achieve in the sanctuary. I am so appreciative of the folks who helped lead worship, provided beautiful flowers and tasty coffee hours. We were blessed to have Maggie Belculfini play and sing with us one Sunday but mostly we relied on downloaded hymns from the United Methodist Global Ministries website. The generosity of our brothers and sisters in faith made such sharing possible. We all agreed we wished the pianist on the recordings pitched the hymns a bit lower! It will be good to have live music beginning again this week but it has been a joyful thing to develop new ways of hearing the Good News. This past Sunday it was surprising and lovely to hear the response to the offertory which was a recording of the Beatles song, Help. When was the last time you heard the congregation singing the words of a hymn without looking at the words? Perhaps you have an idea for a song that is familiar to many and relates to our faith that could be used in worship. If so, let me know. As we move toward fall things begin to become more busy than in the lazy, hazy days of summer. The cooler days and crisp air can encourage thoughts of new ways to build up our faith community; I pray you will be a part of what is happening because, Help! We need somebody, not just anybody to help. Blessings, Linda Hospitality Dinners The First Congregational Church United Church of Christ Princeton, MA Organized 1764 Present building erected 1838 Faith Formation How do we help families develop faith in their children? One way is to continue to develop our own faith. This fall we will be trying a new way to help ourselves and families. On the first and third Sundays of the month our services will be focused on intergenerational worship. The first Sunday, as usual, will include Communion-sharing the sacrament as a family can be most meaningful. In October, we will be blessing animals, a way of including all members of the family. On the third Sunday, Rev. Linda will be gathering children and youth in Fellowship Hall to learn more about why we do the things we do in worship. As in the past, we will have nursery care for toddlers and under. This is not to say that families and children will not be welcome on the second and fourth and occasional fifth Sunday but we are hoping that by intentionally reaching out to families we might be better able to grow the faith of the whole congregation, including the pastor. Our first dinner of the season will be held Monday, October 5 at 5:30 pm. Anyone who would like to help prepare the meal should come at 5:00 pm. While the Junior Choir has been the majority of diners, anyone in the church is invited, just revlindamichel@gmail.com or call the church office: so we ll have enough food.

2 The Adult Choir resumes on Sunday, October 4 with rehearsal at 8:45am. The Junior Choir begins rehearsals on Monday, October 5 at 6:15pm, following the Hospitality Dinner at 5:00pm. Join us! New members are always welcome in both choirs. Contact Choir Director Faith Pistrang for more information. Confirmation There will be a potluck supper on September 20th at 5:00pm for potential confirmation candidates and their families. Youth who will be turning 14 by June of 2016 are invited to enter into this journey of faith exploration that will culminate with a Service of Affirmation of Baptism. The overall theme of this year s class will be on the ancient and still much needed practice of hospitality. from a Boy Scout Rev. Linda received permission to share this from Teddy Lindberg regarding the decision by The Boy Scouts of America to accept gay leaders: Finally the Boy Scouts are moving into the 21st century! Thanks for sharing this Mr. Bass. As the church and organization we are chartered to (First Congregational and United Church of Christ, respectfully) are open and affirming, this amendment means that we can now accept gay leaders into our troop. This is a significant step on the Boy Scouts' road to universal tolerance and acceptance, and hopefully the momentum will keep us going towards the acceptance of other groups, like trans and other queer groups. Heifer Global Harvest Festival Heifer Farm 216 Wachusett St., Rutland October 3 & 4, 10AM-4PM Rain or Shine Enjoy a festive celebration that features Heifer s Global Village where you can tour international homesteads, taste food from other countries and meet the farm animals. Hands-on activities like churning butter, roasting coffee and digging potatoes will be on-going throughout the day. You can hop on a hay ride to the pumpkin patch, eat a delicious, farm-fresh lunch or bring your own picnic. Face painting, potato sack races, scavenger hunts and more family fun activities and crafts will be offered. Admission is $10 per vehicle. Blessing of the Animals Once again this year we will include a Blessing of the Animals in our service on October 4. All animals are welcome though not all animal behaviors are. In the past we have had cats and dogs amicably being blessed together but if your pet is apt to "act out" in crowds you might wish to bring a picture or other representation. We will be observing World Wide Communion Sunday as well, a fitting reminder of our connection to all living creatures. Food for Thought Luncheon Luncheons will resume on September 16 at noon. Anyone eligible for an AARP card is welcome to attend for a superb meal and welcome fellowship. Help in the kitchen and for setup is also warmly welcomed. Thanks to Jane Weisman for organizing these meaningful meals. Happy Birthday O Neill Mazyck 9/7 Paul Belculfini 9/9 Michael Milenski 9/9 Robert Michel 9/10 Anthony Belculfini 9/12 Benjamin Sigler 9/16 Mary Bisbee 9/17 Connor Hoague 9/20 Frederick Abbott 9/21 Bruce Rollins 9/23 Suzanne Wiggins 9/24 Bethany Gove 9/27 Claudia DeLaRoche 9/28 Chris Nichols 9/29 Happy Anniversary Brian & Diane Hobbs 9/8 Tom & Peggy Meyers 9/22 O Neill & Beth Mazyck 9/29 Do we have your birthday and anniversary information? Let the office know of your special dates so that they will appear in the Spire! Neighbors in Need Special Mission Offering On October 4 we will be collecting donations for the Neighbors in Need Fund. Neighbors in Need (NIN) is a special mission offering of the UCC that supports ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. One-third of NIN funds support the Council for American Indian Ministry (CAIM). Two-thirds of the offering is used by the UCC's Justice and Witness Ministries to support a variety of justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects through grants. Neighbors in Need grants are awarded to churches and organizations doing justice work in their communities. These grants fund projects whose work ranges from direct service to community organizing and advocacy to address systemic injustice. Funding is provided through donations to the Neighbors in Need offering.

3 MACUCC Super Saturday October 17, 2015 Keefe Regional Technical High School 750 Winter Street Framingham, MA Schedule 8:00 9:00 AM Registration, refreshments 9:00 10:15 AM Opening worship with Marcia McFee 10:30 11:45 AM Morning workshops 12:00 12:45 PM Lunch A (Lunch or conversation or forum) 12:45 1:30 PM Lunch B (Lunch or conversation or forum) 1:45-3:15 PM Afternoon workshops 3:25-3:45 PM Closing worship together Attendees will be assigned to one lunch period for eating and visiting the marketplace, and the other lunch period for attending the forum with Marcia McFee or a 30 minute table conversation if they so choose. Can we get a group of at least 5 people to attend? There are many terrific workshops and Marcia McFee is a highly creative worship leader who is sure to inspire. Speak to Rev. Linda so we can get our registration in early. 19th Annual Town-Wide Yard Sale Saturday, September 26, :00am-2:00pm Decluttering? Downsizing? Remember the Town-wide Yard Sale as you are cleaning out your closets, attic, basement or garage! Download a registration form from the church s website: We will be having a sale here at the church as well if you would like to donate some items in good condition. Please note: we do not accept electronics or VHS tapes to sell at the church. Help needed! Please contact Rev. Linda or Jane Rudman if you can help on the day of the sale. This is an important fundraiser for the church - are you willing to commit an hour or 2 to help out? Don t miss the coffee and muffins (starting at 8:30am) and the delicious lunch (11am-1pm) being offered for sale here at the church! Living with Loss On Wednesday, September 23 at 7:00pm, we will gather in Fellowship Hall to make despachos, packets modeled after the Andean practice of making offerings to the mountains, earth and other aspects of nature in reciprocity, reverence, and thanksgiving. A despacho is an act of love and a reminder of the connections we share with all of creation. It is a way of honoring loved ones who are no longer physically in our midst but who remain with us through the love we have shared. Anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one recently or in the past is invited to take part in this time of remembrance. After the despachos are created, participants will be invited to burn them in the fire or to take them home to burn at a later time. Items to enclose will be provided but each person is welcome to bring items that represent letting go or healing for them. Women s Group Our first potluck of the season will be held Thursday, September 24 at 6:30pm. After catching up on summer events over a delicious meal, we will start setting up for the Town Wide Yard Sale. Hope to see many of you there to share in this time of good food and conversation. Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Worcester Where people of faith work together to support Interfaith Hospitality Network Our Host Week: October 11-18, 2015 The Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) program unites religious congregations to assist families experiencing homelessness. families that are Host homeless. churches and synagogues provide groceries, supplies, and evening and overnight supervision on a rotating basis. Our congregation and Prince of Peace parishioners have committed to provide hands-on and financial support to the IHN program by hosting two weeks each year. We need your help in any of the following ways: IHN Evening Host Volunteer (6-8 pm) Contact Annette Markel ( ) with any questions IHN Activity Host Volunteer (6:15-7:00 p.m.) Contact Bettyanne Hauver (H , C ) IHN Overnight Host Volunteer (8 pm-6:30 am on weekdays, until 8:30 am on Saturday and Sunday) Contact Bob Sauer with any questions (H , C ) IHN Donor (for Groceries) Due by October 4: Price Chopper gift cards or money. Families plan their menu, shop for the groceries and prepare their own meals. We provide the money for this purpose. All donations must be received by October 4th so that they can be delivered to IHN prior to our host week. Contact Annette Markel ( ) with any questions. A volunteer sign-up sheet is hanging in Fellowship Hall. Please help out with this essential and rewarding mission. So many lives will be enriched, including your own!!

4 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday :00-9:00pm Princeton Youth Soccer coaches Preschool begins - welcome back! 6 9:00am Worship Labor Day :45am Council 5:00pm Confirmation pot-luck 27 Office closed pm Senior Luncheon Autumn begins 7:00pm Living with Loss :00pm Deacons 17 7:00pm World Ministries 24 6:30pm Women s Group 18 9:00am Spire Deadline 25 6:00pm Yard Sale set-up am-2pm Yard Sale For the most up-to-date church calendar go to and click on Calendar of Events on the left side of the home page. Church Council Church Council will be meeting on September 20th at 11:45am. As we move into the budget making process, we may be faced with even more challenges to find creative ways to stay financially viable. Deacons Meeting The Deacons will meet on September 10 at 7:00pm in the Church Parlor. We will be looking at upcoming worship services for the next few months. Anyone having suggestions should speak to Rev. Linda, Debbie Cox or any of the Deacons. The First Congregational Church of Princeton, United Church of Christ, is a Welcoming, Open and Affirming church. We believe that all people are precious children of God, equal and loved by God. Here you will find acceptance of all people of all races, ages, genders, gender identities, sexual orientations, previous religious affiliations, professions, nationalities, mental conditions and physical capabilities. You will be warmly welcomed and you will find the freedom to worship with caring people who take joy in both our shared commonalities and our differences.

5 Rev. Linda Michel Office Tel: 978/ RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Non-Profit Org. Prsrt Std Ltd U.S. Postage PAID Princeton, MA Permit No. 2 The First Congregational Church of Princeton United Church of Christ No matter who you are, or where you are on life s journey, you re welcome here.