The Signpost NOVEMBER 2018 Volume 45, No. 10 The Bolton Congregational Church, United Church of Christ 228 Bolton Center Road, Bolton, CT 06043 ~ (860) 649-7077 ~ www.boltoncongregational.org The vision of the Bolton Congregational Church UCC is to be true to the model and example set by the early Church of the Apostles, in our own time. From Our Board of Missions Trees Our congregation will be putting together and delivering six Thanksgiving baskets to local families as we participate in the MACC Joy of Chuck EricsonCommunity Sharing Program! Beginning on Sunday, November 4th there will be tags in a basket on the table in the narthex for anyone who would like to help provide Thanksgiving food for the families. Each tag will list food items that can be brought to the Church on Sunday, November 11th or 18th and left in bins under or near the table in the narthex. All perishable food items should be brought only on November 18th and placed in bins on the steps outside of the front doors. The Thanksgiving baskets will be assembled after the 10:00 service on the 18th and delivered to the families in the early afternoon. For those individuals who prefer to donate money to allow the purchase of food for the baskets, contributions can be made via the Mission envelopes found in the pew racks. Volunteers are needed to work in the MACC Food Pantry during the weeks prior to Thanksgiving. Some families prefer to receive their Thanksgiving food basket during a scheduled pantry visit rather than having a home delivery. Volunteers will sort and select items from donated food to assemble Thanksgiving baskets. Please contact Shannon Baldassario, Manager, Community Outreach Services, MACC Charities @ (860) 647-8003 ext. 31; e-mail: sbaldassario@macc-ct.org to get involved. Thank you for supporting this work that enables local families to celebrate Thanksgiving with a bountiful gift from our church. Susan Schardt Board of Missions Chairperson Friday, November 30 Opening Night 6-9pm Saturday, December 1 Open House 4-9pm Sunday, December 2 Advent Workshop 11am 1pm For more information on Trees, see Page 4! The Bolton Ecumenical Council will host its annual Community Thanksgiving Service on Tuesday, November 20th at 7:00 p.m. at Bolton United Methodist Church, 1041 Boston Turnpike, Bolton. As part of the tradition, there will be participation from the clergy and the unified choir from all four churches. Our local Cub and Boy Scouts will provide assistance. In lieu of a food collection, the town director of social services has requested a donation of paper items (toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, feminine products) as these items are not covered by food stamps. A freewill offering will be used in sponsorship towards the Bolton Scholarship Fund. Refreshments will follow the service. Come and join in the spirit of Thanksgiving, offering worship and gratitude to God as a community of believers, and enjoy the singing of the combined church choir.
From the Pastor... I want. I need. So often we think about what we don t have, and how our lives would be better if we had it. Advertisers, social media, neighbors so many ways to showcase what could be ours. Though Christmas aisles are already set up and we are encouraged to think about what we want, as people of faith we set aside November to give thanks. Every time I have walked into the Education Building these last several weeks I have given thanks for the hours upon hours of labor, as well as the generosity of treasure, that have made our building more welcoming and accessible to all God s children. On Sunday mornings, we give thanks for the many ways that people give of their time, talent, and treasure to spread the word of God. As I ve thought about our November worship services, I ve thought about how we are invited to give thanks at each one. November 4 th we give thanks for the Saints of the church past and present whose generosity enables our ministry to grow and thrive and continue, and we give thanks for the music ministry of our church as we dedicate our new hymnals. November 11 th we give thanks for our Veterans whose lives are dedicated to service. November 15 th (Thursday) we give thanks for beauty and bounty in our Storytelling worship on the theme Harvest. November 18 th we give thanks for the resources that have been entrusted to our care as we offer our intentions to faithfully give in 2019, and welcome The Rev. Chuck Ericson to preach. November 20 th (Tuesday) we give thanks for our brothers and sisters in Christ as we celebrate our annual Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service (hosted by Bolton UMC, I will be preaching). November 25 th we give thanks for the Bolton community as we prepare Chandler Hall to welcome the non-profits and businesses that will participate in our Trees (November 30-Dec. 2). So many blessings, so many opportunities to bless others. Let us enter this month with thankful hearts and grateful spirits. Pastor Nicolette Worship Schedule for November Sunday, November 4-8:45 a.m. & 10:00 a.m. 24th Sunday after Pentecost Communion Sunday Message: Called to Live Obediently ~ Pastor Nicolette Sunday, November 11-8:45 a.m. & 10:00 a.m. 25th Sunday after Pentecost Message: Called to Live Humbly ~ Pastor Nicolette Sunday, November 18 8:45 a.m. & 10:00 a.m. 26th Sunday after Pentecost Thanksgiving Sunday Message: Called to Live Courageously ~ Rev. Chuck Ericson Sunday, November 25 8:45 a.m. & 10:00 a.m. Last Sunday of Pentecost Message: Called to Live Faithfully ~ Pastor Nicolette Pastor s Office Hours While Pastor Nicolette can usually be found in her office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9:30-2pm (in addition to other times), her schedule varies significantly from week to week. Thus, if you need to see her, it is best to CALL, TEXT, OR EMAIL TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT. Same day and next day appointments are almost always available, especially for urgent situations. Cell phone 517.927.8739; Email pastornicolette@gmail.com Storytellers Needed Our final storytelling night of the year will be November 15 th on the theme Harvest. We gather in beautiful Chandler Hall at 7pm for an hour of storytelling and live music http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0d4fa4a92ea7f f2-storytelling Our next storytelling workshop will be scheduled after the new year but Pastor Nicolette is always available for one-on-one storytelling coaching. DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ENDS Sunday, November 4 th Remember to turn back your clocks one hour on Saturday night!
Church School News The hard work in the Education Building is done and we now get to reap the rewards. What a beautiful space we have for the kids to learn in and for our entire congregation to enjoy. I would like to take a moment to thank Arlis and Randy Bobb and their many volunteers who were working everyday to get this finished. I would also like to thank Sharon Witham and volunteers who helped clean and organize the classrooms. Finally thank you to Bob Bagley for getting the classrooms sparkling and ready. We can now start Church School! October 28 th 2018 was our first day of our new Church School program. We will still be following the Spill the Beans curriculum, but now our Pre-K-3 rd grade students will be learning together with the help of our long time teacher Susan MacDonald. Our older students, in 4 th grade 7 th grade will be remaining in church for the entire service and we will be meeting for a discussion and activity after church in Chandler Hall. I am still looking for volunteers to lead the older kids each week. You can volunteer for one week or for multiple, it is completely up to you. I will have the discussion and activity all prepared you will just need to lead. Please let me know if you are interested in helping out. It is November, which means the holidays are fast approaching. This is a busy time in our church school. We will be having the Trees November 30 th December 2 nd and the children will be decorating their own tree on November 18 th. On December 2 nd, in conjunction with the Trees, we will have our annual Advent Workshop. The children will be making different Christmas ornaments while families will get to enjoy the final day of the Festival. On December 16 th we will have our Christmas Pageant in which all the children of the congregation are invited to participate. It is exciting to be back into the swing of church school and I look forward to seeing all of the children s smiling faces each Sunday. Jessica Romeo Christian Education Director Annual Fall Work Day Saturday, November 3 8:30am Noon (Rain Date: November 10) We will be tackling the usual fall tasks: raking, weed pulling, pruning, gutter cleaning, etc. Tools we usually need are rakes, loppers, leaf blowers, and tarps. Let the board know of any additional projects you would like us to consider for the fall work day. Coffee, tea, juice, and donuts will be available as an incentive! Looking forward to seeing you there! The Board of Stewardship Prayer Shawl Ministry We are a dedicated group of knitters meeting on the fourth Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. year round in the lower level of the meetinghouse. We have provided hundreds of handknitted shawls and mantles for friends and family members of our church. There is never a charge and anyone can make a request as a gift of caring, comfort, or for the joy of a celebration. We have some made ahead with a variety of colors and patterns, ready to fill any requests. We appreciate your generous support and donations of yarn, needles and money; this has enabled us to be self-supporting all these years. Visitors are always welcome at our meetings and we enjoy teaching new knitters. It is a social evening. You can come anytime come to learn, or share your patterns, or just to visit. Our next gathering is on November 26 th. Dot Lessard
Crafters /Store On November 6th the Church Store will be open until 8:00p.m. in conjunction with another event that will be taking place in Chandler Hall. (*See Vote Local... on p. 6.) Anyone shopping between 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. will receive either a $1 off coupon or a 10% discount (whichever is of higher value). Please make plans to stop in. We look forward to seeing you. In the next few weeks we will be getting the Store setup for Christmas. If you have any items that you would like to donate for our Christmas offerings, please leave them at the Store or bring them in on any Tuesday when we are open from 10:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. As always, we would be happy to give you a donation receipt for your tax purposes if you are in need of one. Thank you to everyone who has made donations to the Store during the year. In the last few months we have received a large donation of a variety of yarns, Vera Bradley items, hand stamped and crafted greeting cards and much, much more. We are always amazed at the variety, quality and condition of the items that are donated. We appreciate your generosity and willingness to support the Church Store and the missions of our church. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Lynn Ralston For the Crafter/store volunteers Tom Mortimer is looking to start up the Men s Group meeting in November. The meetings take place once a month, at a time that will be convenient for all. If you are interested in joining the group, please contact Tom as soon as possible, at (860) 646-9692 or t.mortimer@comcast.net. Let him know what times/days work best for you. Trees Non-profits and local businesses have started to respond to our requests. Yes! They will submit a tree. Yes! They will give a donation. In addition to basket raffles, we'll also be raffling a few larger prizes (like a weekend away). We're so excited to welcome the community once again! Friday, November 30th Opening Night 6-9pm We ll welcome non-profit and business partners, as well as members of the community, for a music-filled night of voting with refreshments from local vendors. Saturday, December 1st Open House 4-9pm As people travel between the various Bolton events this day, we ll welcome them to come and see the trees, vote for their favorites, and buy a raffle ticket or two. Sunday, December 2nd Advent Workshop 11am-1pm Our annual Advent Workshop will happen after worship, and we ll close the voting on the trees and ticket sales for the teacup auction. We ll announce the winners and hand out prizes. We also need YOU! There are a variety of ways to help, including:! Set-up Sunday November 25th, Monday 26th, Tuesday 27th we will have people coming in throughout the week to set up their trees, and will need folks to help welcome them and direct them to their spot. We ll also need folks to set up our teacup auction table & literature table.! Decorating on Sunday November 25 th after church - we will get Chandler Hall ready for the festival, including decorating our front and rear entryway.! Musicians for November 30th - musicians will provide background music as people enjoy the trees.! Hosts we need people to welcome folks into Chandler Hall, hand out programs (Friday only), help with refreshments, sell raffle tickets, organize voting, help with crafts (Sunday only), count votes (Sunday only), hand out prizes (Sunday only).! Tear-down & Clean Up - Thursday January 3rd, Friday January 4th, Saturday January 5th. If you are interested in helping, please contact the Karen Freeman at 860-930-0023 or karenhfree@sbcglobal.net.
From Pastoral Relations... At the last meeting of the PRB it was decided to use the Appreciative Inquiry model to gather feedback and thoughts from the Congregation. Appreciative Inquiry is a research-based organizational development process that centers on the idea that organizations grow in the direction of the questions they ask and towards their imagined future. It assumes that in every organization, something is working, that what we focus on becomes our reality, that asking questions influences outcomes, and that carrying the parts of the past that we value most helps us to journey into and unknown future. The "Appreciative" part of the process is a strengths-based approach that highlights the opportunity to build off of what is going well. The "Inquiry" part of the process focuses on asking particular questions in a particular way. This method will be very interactive with opportunities to meet in small groups to share ideas and talk about the things we value and what our visions are. Because of some of the changes and activities that are happening now we have decided to wait until Spring 2019, between Lent and Easter, to hold these meetings instead of the traditional fall survey. If you have any questions or ideas about the process please speak to any of the board members, Amy Bahre, Sarah Davies, Steve Davies, Karen Freeman, Ernie Harris, Kathy Minicucci, Alan Potter, Wick Wickersham, and Sharon Witham. Respectfully submitted, Kathy Minicucci, Chair Pastoral Relations Board Taize Service Sunday, November 11, 5:00pm First Church of West Hartford If you are interested in attending a West Taize worship service at the First Church of West Hartford on November 11th from 5-6pm, we are going to carpool from the BCC parking lot by 4pm to attend together and to enjoy the fellowship. Taize is a contemplative, reflective service which consists of scripture reading, prayer, song and silence. It offers "a time to center ourselves in the presence of God, to let go of the busy schedules of our lives, and be held in God s tender love and compassion." The address for First Church is 12 South Main Street, West Hartford, CT. If you would like to request pickup at your home in the Bolton area, please contact Jane Loda at 860.490.0098 by November 4. For more information on the service itself, please contact First Church at 860.233.9605. Caregiver Collective The life of a caregiver is often hectic not only are you taking care of your own needs (appointments and obligations), but as a caregiver you are also helping the person you care for meet theirs. Juggling calendars sometimes means that finding a regular time for caregivers to get together is difficult. Thus, we will be alternating Sunday afternoon and Tuesday evening meetings. Sunday November 18 th at 12:00pm There will be no meeting in December. Adult Bible Study Adult bible study has resumed at United Methodist Church in Bolton all are welcome. It still runs every Tuesday from 6pm to 7pm. There is also still a potluck meal at 5pm in the UMC church basement. Charitable IRA Distributions Did you know if you make a charitable gift to the church as a direct transfer from your IRA, that gift is not counted towards your Adjusted Gross Income? As the tax laws change, this is a great way to financially support the church while still receiving some tax benefits. Of course, to find out more about this and other ways to give, see your personal financial advisor.
Hymnal Update By unanimous vote of the congregation present in worship on September 16 th, we have chosen Glory to God as our church s new hymnal. We will have a celebration and decommissioning of the Pilgrim Hymnal (red), Great Hymns of the Faith (blue) and Hymns for the Family of God (green) on November 4 th, as well as a blessing and dedication of the Glory to God (Purple). After November 4 th, the decommissioned red, blue, and green hymnals will be: 1. Offered to the families of those in whose name they were given 2. 20 copies of each in the best condition will be kept in the music library 3. Offered to other individual interested in having a copy for their personal library 4. Offered to crafters for projects Our Joys and Concerns Birthdays Arlis B.; Greg W.; Alex B. (33 rd ); Amber M. (23 rd ); Garrett B. (36 th ); Jenna L. (24 th ). Anniversaries...Andy & Doug S. (39 th ). Other Joys...Arlis B. s mom visiting; Chandler Hall renovation; the autumn splendor; Jim F. has new apt.; Donna F. s dad s surgery successful; foliage ride through NH with Linda B. s mom & dad; Heidi P. s daughter Jenna, engaged; Bolton Land Trust dedication; MaryLou s A-fib resolved; John F. starting new job. Concerns Traveling mercies; friends and extended family members of BCC members in need of prayers; Debbie B. s mom s health issues; victims of Hurricane Michael; Gen Robb s daughter Joanne; Herb F. & Pea; Debbie B. having knee surgery; Deb K. s mother; Robbie K; flooding in European countries; MaryLou; teachers; Laura Ann W. s mother-in-law; Pam B. s mother; Jan F.; Jacob F. Bereaved The Maheu family, upon the death of Barbara s sister-in-law, Teresa; Linda & Dick Brown and family upon the death of Linda s mother, Shirley Snow; Helena Trey and family upon the death of her step-grandson. Other...MaryLou grateful for those who are willing to sing. Christmas Poinsettia Order Form It s time to place your orders for Christmas Poinsettias for the church altar again! A member of the Flower Committee will be in Chandler Hall after the 10:00am service most Sundays in November, however, on November 25 and December 2, please place your order in the offering plate. December 2 will be the last day to place orders. Please make checks payable to Bolton Congregational Church, UCC with flowers in the memo. Suggestions welcome of people who may benefit from receiving a gift from the Flower Ministry: 6 pot in Red, $15.00 each Quantity: Total: $ In Memory Of: In Honor Of: Given By: Please check here if you wish to have your flower donated to the Flower Ministry to help people in need of holiday cheer and the warmth and connection it brings. Vote Local, Support Local Tuesday, November 6th 3-8pm Come to Chandler Hall and support local home-run businesses including Michelle's New England, White Oak Candle, Thirty-One Gifts, Tupperware, Pampered Chef, PartyLite, Lularoe, and more! Come with your "I Voted" sticker for a special deal at our church store, and preview some of the baskets that will be raffled at the Trees.
November 2018 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Every Sunday: Dedication of New Hymnals 6 5 OFFICE CLOSED Church Store Open: 10am-8pm Vote Local/Support Local 3-8pm OFFICE CLOSED 13 Finance Team 6:30pm 25th Sunday after Pentecost 19 Dedicate Intentions to Faithfully Give 20 Crafters/Time to Socialize 10:00am Church Store Open: 10am-3pm Board of Christian Education 11:30am Trees Planning 6-7pm Refuge Recovery 15 Choir 6:30pm Refuge Recovery Church Council 21 10 Al-Anon 26th Sunday after Pentecost 26 OFFICE CLOSED Prayer Shawl Gathering 7:00 p.m. Trees Set Up 4-7pm 27 17 Al-Anon Storytelling: Harvest 23 24 Office Closed Refuge Recovery Al-Anon Office Closed 28 29 Choir 6:30pm Crafters/Time to Socialize 10:00am Refuge Recovery Church Store Open: 10am-3pm Board of Deacons Trees Set Up 10am-3pm 16 Trees Planning 6-7pm 22 BEC Thanksgiving Service @ United Methodist Church *Pastor Nicolette Preaching* Caregiver Collective 12pm Girl Scouts 1-4pm Trees Set Up 11:30am-6pm Choir 6:30pm 14 Crafters/Time to Socialize 10:00am Church Store Open: 10am-3pm Set up Tea Cup Raffle Items 12-3pm 25 9 Election Day 12 Guest Preacher: Rev. Chuck Ericson 8 Board of Stewardship 6:30pm 24th Sunday after Pentecost 18 7 Crafters/Time to Socialize 10am-3pm Girl Scouts - 2pm Board of Pastoral Relations 11:15am Fall Work Day 8:30am Noon Daylight Saving Time Ends Tomorrow (Turn clocks back) Trees Planning 6-7pm Board of Missions 11:30am 11 Saturday 3 Al-Anon 10am Family (Unless otherwise noted) Church School at 10:00am service (Unless otherwise noted) Communion Sunday Friday 2 All Saints Day Worship Services: 8:45am Traditional 4 Thursday 1 30 Trees: Opening Night 6-9pm 1 Trees: Open House 4-9pm [Set Up 3-6pm] Al-Anon Last Sunday of Pentecost The Bolton Congregational Church UCC ~ 228 Bolton Center Road, Bolton, CT 06043
Let us come into God s presence with thanksgiving; Let us make a joyful noise to God! ~ Psalm 95:2 Make a Joyful Noise! As an Easter people, we remain committed to faith, hope, and joy, even when everything seems hard and the world tells us to despair. We remember that God s love, expressed through Jesus, led to the cross. Yet, God s love triumphed then and will triumph again. This radical hope encourages us to faithfully persist, to rejoice in the Lord always. Over this last year, we have expressed our joy in many ways see the enclosed tri-fold brochure Make a Joyful Noise for more information on how your time, your talent, and your treasure continue to build and strengthen our ministry in Bolton and beyond. Joyful generosity, by you and others in this vibrant faith community, insures that we will continue doing God s work long into the future. As we near the end of 2018, we celebrate that we have received over $5000 beyond people s planned annual giving with the hope of reducing our projected year-end deficit. This is on top of the $25K in special offerings (not to mention countless volunteer hours) that made the renovations in the Education Building possible. In this season of celebrating God s abundant gifts, we rejoice in all we have and together give above and beyond to close the projected 2018 gap. Please take the time to reflect on how you are called to partner in our mutual ministries through offering your time, talent, and treasure. In particular, letting us know of your intentions to faithfully give in 2019 will help us create an accurate budget and plan for the future. Please return your completed intention card (below) on or before November 18 th (Thanksgiving Sunday). We will welcome The Rev. Chuck Ericson to worship with us that day at 8:45 and 10:00 am as we give thanks for all we have joyfully received through the love of God in Christ. In the spirit of faithful giving and support, I/we plan to give to the Bolton Congregational Church, UCC in 2019! Name(s) Address City State Zip Code Phone1 Phone2 Email1 Email2 I/we authorize the above information to be shared in a church directory. I/we intend to give $ weekly monthly annually for an annual total of $ in 2019. Signed: I understand that this commitment can be changed at any time by giving notice to one of the Financial Secretaries. I/we would like information on making a legacy gift to the church, whether now or later through a will. I/we would like information on opportunities to become more involved with the church. I/we would like envelopes for 2019.
How the world rewards your labor Throughout the course of your relationship with Bolton Congregational Church, UCC, you may have intervals when you can give of your time more than your treasure, and other times when the reverse is true. This is why we ask about your intention to give on an annual basis, because your circumstances this year may be different from last. How much should I give? As a church, we do not make demands on how much someone needs to give in order to be a part of the congregation. When prayerfully considering your intention to give, take into account the treasure entrusted to your care, as well as your commitment to the present and future of the church. We offer the following guideposts as a starting point in your discernment: How you value your contribution to the congregation SUPPORTER The church is a significant part of my life and promotes my spiritual growth SUSTAINER The church is central to my life and I am committed to sustaining our programs VISIONARY The church is essential and I am committed to our present and future growth TITHER I designate 10% of my income to God and the church as a spiritual practice Giving Guidepost Giving Guidepost Giving Guidepost Giving Guidepost AGI % Monthly Annual % Monthly Annual % Monthly Annual % Monthly Annual $10,000 2 $17 $200 3 $25 $300 4 $33 $400 10 $83 $1000 $20,000 2 33 400 3 50 600 4 66 800 10 166 2000 $30,000 2 50 600 3 75 900 5 125 1500 10 250 3000 $50,000 3 125 1500 4 167 2000 5 208 2500 10 417 5000 $75,000 3 188 2250 4 250 3000 6 375 4500 10 625 7500 $100,000 3 250 3000 4 334 4000 6 500 6000 10 833 10,000 $125,000 4 417 5000 5 521 6250 7 730 8750 10 1042 12,500 $150,000 4 500 6000 5 625 7500 7 875 10,500 10 1250 15,000 $200,000 4 667 8000 6 1000 12,000 8 1,333 16,000 10 1667 20,000 $250,000 5 1042 12,500 6 1250 15,000 8 1,667 20,000 10 2083 25,000 By what methods can I give? You may give by cash, check, stock donation, or by IRA distribution, and put your offering in the plate on Sunday morning, or have it sent automatically to the church office in another way. The practice of receiving an offering during worship is a reminder that generosity is a significant component of living a spiritually robust life, however we do not expect that all offerings are given during that time. I volunteer my time. Isn t that enough? If all congregants volunteered time and donated no money, we wouldn t be able to meet our financial obligations. Likewise, if all congregants donated money and volunteered no time, we wouldn t be able to carry out our ministries. Both kinds of giving are important to create and sustain a vibrant and thriving faith community. Adapted from Church 101: Giving Money http://sharonwylie.com/2015/01/church-101-giving-money-part-2
The Bolton Congregational Church UCC 228 Bolton Center Road Bolton, CT 06043-7636 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED The Signpost ~ NOVEMBER 2018 The Signpost is a publication of the Bolton Congregational Church UCC, Bolton, CT. The Rev. Nicolette L. Siragusa, Pastor; MaryLou Prescher, Organist and Choir Director; Jessica Romeo, Director of Children & Youth Programming; Melanie Brazdzionis, Office Manager/Signpost Editor; Bob Bagley, Custodial Services; Lisa Catanese, Webmaster; The Rev. Dr. Chris Davies, Minister in Mission; The Rev. Charles H. Ericson, Pastor Emeritus The Church Office Hours are: Tuesday - Friday from 9:30am 1:30pm. The office is closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays. Routine calls should be made through the office at (860) 649-7077 (mornings are best). Pastor Nicolette is available via phone (517) 927-8739 or email pastornicolette@gmail.com, Sunday Thursday by appointment, or 24/7 in case of pastoral emergency. SEE CALENDAR FOR WORSHIP TIMES. *SIGNPOST articles are due on the 15 th of the month prior to publication.