FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 4 Mead Street Walton, NY 13856 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED THE CONNECTION November 2018 Connecting God s People Through Love Page 1 of 8
NOVEMBER 2018 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday If there are any additions or changes that you would like to 1 All Saints 2 3 submit after the 17 th please do so Day and I will do my best to get it in the The Gathering Newsletter. Information can be left Pricing Table 11-1 in the Secretary s mailbox or 10:00 emailed to the church at: waltonucc@frontiernet.net 4 (24th Sunday after Pentecost) 10:00 Worship/Communion 11:00 - Coffee Hour Committee Meeting after the service 11 (25th Sunday after Pentecost) STEWARDSHIP SUNDAY 10:00 Worship 11:00 - Coffee Hour Deacon s meeting- after the service 5 6 Trustee s Meeting 4:30 pm 7 8 Elijah s Closet Pricing 10:00 12 13 14 15 Elijah s Closet Pricing 10:00 9 Communion at Delhi Rehab 11:00 16 Prudential Mtg 3:30 pm 10 The Gathering Table 11-1 17 Newsletter Deadline The Gathering Table 11-1 18 (26 th Sunday after Pentecost) 10:00 Worship 11:00 - Coffee Hour Church in Society- after the service 19 20 21 Elijah s Closet Pricing 10:00 22 Thanksgiving Dinner 12:30-3:00 23 24 Cookie Sale/Drawing for Quilt 25 (Reign of Christ) 10:00 Worship 11:00 - Coffee Hour 26 27 28 29 Elijah s Closet Pricing 10:00 30 COFFEE HOUR HOST If you agree to be a host it will be your responsibility to find a second person to help you with Coffee Hour. The host will also supply Half n Half and Juice. Also if you agree to do a Sunday and are unable to do it after the fact then it would be your responsibility to find a replacement Coffee Hour Host. The Church will make Coffee and hot water for the host and provide paper products, sugar and sweet n low. The Church Secretary will call you with a reminder before the Sunday you are to host. COFFEE HOUR HOST FOR NOVEMBER November 4 Nadene Kopetz November 11 Jan Kilpatrick November 18 Charlene Gregory November 25 Lynn Allen COFFEE HOUR HOST FOR DECEMBER December 2 Judy Ogden December 9 Donna Thomson December 16 Ann LePinnet December 23 Merry Christmas! December 30 Dorothy Welch Page 2 of 8
A NOTE FROM Janet THE CONNECTION November 2018 First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ 4 Mead Street, Walton, NY 13856 Church Phone: (607) 865-4066 Email: waltonucc@frontiernet.net Church Website: www.uccwalton.com Thrift Shop Open Friday and Saturday 10am-3pm has a NEW Phone # 607-865-7935 FOR ALL THE SAINTS The last day of October has historically been referred to as All Hallow s Eve which is the night before all Saint s Day. This day has been converted from the vigil of remembering all the saints to a day we call Halloween with pranks and ghoulish outfits. It is also the day that the church reformer, Martin Luther, nailed the 95 Thesis to the church door since he knew the next day (All Saints Day) people were required to attend Mass. Today we still view All Saints Day (November 1) as a day in which we honor the memory of those who have gone before us. This past year we remember: Ellen Boecke, Frances Brooks, Charles Gregory, Viola Leuhmann, Charles O Dell, Jeri Ogden, Irene Sander, Destyni Twyan all of whom we were witnesses to their life and resurrection. The Book of Hebrews tells us: Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12: 1, 2 NRSV) For all the saints in our life we give thanks and praise and we eagerly follow Christ and await the day we will all be one in the heavenly kingdom! REVISED COMMON LECTIONARY The readings used at our weekly worship service and in most Mainline Protestant Churches and in Roman Catholic Churches are from a list of assigned readings known as The New Revised Common Lectionary. In our Congregational tradition, pastors are encouraged to use the assigned readings but it is not mandatory. I personally prefer to follow the readings and I mainly focus on the Gospel lessons for my meditation. It gives me and you a structure through which we can study and learn from the teachings of the scripture of the Word (Logos) of God in our midst. Page 3 of 8
The readings for November: (You are encouraged to read them as well) NOVEMBER 1 ALL SAINTS DAY Wis of Sol 3:1-9 or Isa 25:6-9; Ps 24; Rev 21:1-6a; Jn 11:32-44 NOVEMBER 4 THIRTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME/24TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST Ruth 1:1-8; Ps 146 or Deut 6:1-9; Ps 119:1-8; Heb 9:11-14; Mk 12:28-34 NOVEMBER 11 THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME/25TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17; Ps 127 or 1 Kings 17:8-16; Ps 146; Heb 9:24-28; Mk 12:38-44 NOVEMBER 18 THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME /26TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 1 Sam 1:4-20; 1 Sam 2:1-10 or Daniel 12:1-3; Ps 16; Heb 10:11-14, (15-18), 19-25; Mk 13:1-8 NOVEMBER 22 THANKSGIVING DAY Joel 2:21-27; Ps 126; 1 Tim 2:1-7; Mt 6:25-33 NOVEMBER 25 REIGN OF CHRIST 2 Sam 23:1-7; Ps 132:1-12, (13-18) or Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14; Ps 93; Rev 1:4b-8; Jn 18:33-37 Deacon s Dialogue The Deacons assisted Pastor Janet in conducting the Pentecostal service to commemorate the 225 Anniversary of our church. The service included a processional of artifacts from the church representing our faith. Marc Evans held high the cross as the Evans and Clark children carried in a model of our church, the peace candle, an old Bible, communion chalice and plate as well as an old baptismal font. Many beautiful hymns were sung and prayers of rededication, thanksgiving, the Eucharist and baptism were offered. Our celebration continues next month. Watch for upcoming events. Crumbs From The Gathering Table With winter approaching, we need you to be aware of possible cancellations due to weather. We also have to close due to funerals. So be sure to listen to the radio, WDLA, to keep you informed. Ron Galley and Frank Ward are great at keeping you informed. You may have noticed some young people working at The Gathering Table at the end of each month. The young people belong to a 4-H Club led by Loraine Richards. The club s focus is community service. We thank them for their help their smiles and for their civic mindedness, Thanks, kids! We are always in need of volunteers. If you can help in any way, please call Nadene Kopetz. Page 4 of 8
If you would like someone on the prayer list, please contact Mary Carroll. If an address is provided, a card will be sent. If anybody is interested in receiving the newsletter by e-mail please leave a message with your e-mail address in the Secretary s mailbox, or email the church at: waltonucc@frontiernet.net There is always a need for donations, so please bring in your donation for the Walton Food Bank. ITEMS NEEDED: Spaghetti and Spaghetti Sauce Hot and Cold Cereal Pasta (Elbows, ziti, shells, etc.) Canned vegetables (corn, peas, green beans, spinach, etc.) Tuna Fish (chunk lite or solid white in water) Noodles Macaroni and Cheese Soups (chicken noodle, tomato, vegetable, cream of mushroom or chicken) Canned fruit Peanut Butter and Jelly Rice Jell-O, pudding, Ramen noodles are a plus Cake mixes for Christmas Please don t donate out-of-date items. We can t use them. We are collecting Household and Personal items to donate to the Walton Food Bank. Such items include: Laundry soap, Bath Soap, Toilet Paper, Shampoo, Deodorant and so on. The Duty Church in Society member for November is Dorothy Welch. The Duty Deacon for the month of November is Nadene Kopetz. Karen Inglis is the Duty Member for November. The Trustee for the month of November is Charlene Gregory. Page 5 of 8
These are the Birthdays and Anniversaries of members and friends of our church family. If you know someone on the list who s having a birthday or anniversary, feel free to send that person a card. Even if you don t know anyone on the list, feel free to send any celebrant a card. More importantly, strive to hold each of these people up in prayer on the anniversary of their birth. Please call the Church Office with additions or corrections 607-865-4066. 4 th Cookie Richards 15 th Nolan Evans 18 th Emily Richards 18 th Gerry Ruestow 25 th Dave Carroll 26 th Chris Ogden 18 th Rosemarie & Roy Tiesler 26 th Debbie & Roger Bowker If you have any updates to your address, phone number or if you want to add a cell phone number to our records, or if you would like to add your Birthday or Anniversary to our list please submit to the Church Secretary through email, placing in the offering plate or putting it into the Secretary s box. Thanks! October 21, 2018 CHURCH IN SOCIETY COMMITTEE REPORT The Anniversary Celebration went very well and we thank all who brought a dish-to-pass for the delicious luncheon and otherwise participated. It was nice to see the children so excited when they received their Bible. Elijah's Closet will hold its Christmas Bizarre on November 3. Church in Society will be selling tickets for the quilt from 10:00 to 3:00. We will be setting up a card table in the Fellowship Hall so that the quilt can be displayed. We have already received $200.00 in ticket sales. Elijah's Closet would also like our help with checkout on this day. November 24, during "Spend the Day in Walton" Church in Society will host a Cookie Sale in the Fellowship Hall. The congregation will be asked to bring cookies for sale. Elijah's Closet will make arrangements for Page 6 of 8
Santa for the children and will set up "Festival of Lights." The drawing for the quilt will also take place that day. Our month for the Food Bank is April 2019. We will be posting a sign-up sheet after the Holidays. We need two people for each week in April. We are in the process of purchasing a banner for the Church to celebrate our 225th year Anniversary. It will be put on poles at the driveway side of the Church. The Prudential Board has agreed to give us $500.00 for this and additional celebratory items. Dorothy Welch has volunteered to be Duty member for the month of November. Janet Brienza will do it for December. Diane Meredith and Dorothy Welch are scheduled to go off the Committee in 2019. Dorothy has agreed to stay on. Minutes respectfully submitted by Janet Brienza. A letter to the UCC Family of Faith: We can t let evil prevail This call to action comes from the Conference Minister of the Penn Northeast Conference UCC, with the affirmation of the denomination s National Officers and the Rev. David Ackerman, Conference Minister of the Penn West Conference UCC. The news over the past weeks has revealed an undercurrent of hate within our culture and our country. Between the assumption that immigrants walking nearly 2,000 miles seeking asylum are seen as a threat to our security; the pipe bombs mailed to those who oppose our current political administration; the massacre of 11 Jewish citizens during services at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh; and the shooting of an African American man and woman in a grocery store after a failed attempt to enter a church of Black worshippers, it is hard to find cause for hope in our nation. The rhetoric of hate and divisiveness calls for a response from the faith community. While we should not advocate for candidates or political parties, we must advocate for justice, humanitarian treatment of our neighbors, and for safety in our places of worship. We are a diverse nation and until recently that diversity has been seen as a strength. We, in the Church, must stand as moral authorities proclaiming peace and hope, compassion and justice. Wherever and whenever you have the opportunity to provide wisdom and comfort, inspiration and compassion, I urge you to do so. To be silent is to let evil prevail and we, as people of faith, cannot do that, any more than Jesus could do it in his time and culture. Find a way to bring peace and hope to your faith communities, your communities, our state and our nations. Today we are asking our members to write prayer notes or notes of compassion to our siblings at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. Mail them from your local church to them at 5898 Wilkins Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217. Page 7 of 8
Participate in a vigil or a peaceful worship process in any one of your communities and if there isn t one, please plan one. If you are able, this would be a wonderful way to demonstrate solidarity with our Jewish siblings. By all means pray but above all do not fail to speak out or to act. As Martin Niemöller wrote: First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me. [1] We are called to be people of prayer, but we are also called to remember that The Spirit of the LORD is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free (Luke 4:18). May we each and all do our part to make our communities, state and nation places of hope and peace. Faithfully, The Rev. Bonnie Bates Conference Minister Penn. Northeast Conference United Church of Christ [1] https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/first-they-came-for-the-jews/ Page 8 of 8