An open and affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ August 12, 2018 10:00 a.m. Welcome to our summer worship service. This summer the hymns are printed in the summer hymn book located outside the Chapel. Please take one when you come in and please return them when the service is over. Please join us for refreshments and time for fellowship immediately following the service. PRELUDE Allegretto from Suite No. 1 Allesandro Scarlatti (1660-1725) Eric Slosser - Cello HYMN (pages 36, 37) Here I Am to Worship WELCOME & PEACE HYMN (pages 4, 5) All Are Welcome CANDLES AND PRAYER You are welcome to come forward to light a candle. You may share I light this candle for...:, I light this candle to celebrate, I light this candle in memory of or you may just light the candle and return to your seat. COMMUNITY PRAYERS Please use whatever form is comforting to you. Mother/Father, or Our Father/Our Creator...trespasses or debts. Here is an ecumenical version in contemporary language: Our Father and Mother in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your reign come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen. PRAISE (pages 15, 16) Sanctuary SERMON & SCRIPTURE Based on John 6: 35, 41-51 Rev. Heike Werder OFFERING & ANTHEM Allegro from Suite No. 7 George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) Tillie Slosser - viola, Eric Slosser - cello WELCOME TABLE EVERYONE is welcome to receive the Bread and Cup. You don't need to be a member of this church or any church. Pick up a piece of gluten-free bread, dip it in the cup, and hold it. We will receive all at once, following the pastor s direction. If you are not sure what to do, ask, and we are glad to explain. The cup contains grape juice. Communion Prayer Rev. Heike and Maddie As communion concludes we will sing God is Here! (see insert) Post communion Prayer The hands of God are engraved with our names, The heart of god holds us in an unbreakable embrace The compassion of God frees is from the power of hatred, selfishness and death. We thank you, God of Love That You never abandon or neglect us. In our moments of rebellion, God is patient, In our quest for independence, God is faithful, In our ignorance and pride, God is kind and gentle - We thank you, God of Love, and in our doings we long to imitate You. Forgive us when we rob others of safety and care. 2
We find wholeness in You, O God. You became as we are in flesh and experience; You shared our suffering in body, mind and spirit; You rescued us from death and gifted us with life. We believe in You, O God. In our hearts we celebrate You, and in our relationships we long to give as You do. Forgive us when we ignore the pain of others and when we make it harder for them to love You. Because of Your extravagant generosity, We find abundance in You, O God. You made us - each one and together - a home for Your Spirit. You filled us with a vision of hope and community which helps us make sense of life. You cause each moment to be pregnant with the potential for love and healing. We believe in You, O God. In all that we are we seek to please You, and in all that we do we seek to mirror You. Forgive us when life in this world causes us to forget the life and love we find in You; When we isolate ourselves and others, and when we let our brokenness have the last word. Enable us to make one what we believe, what we say and what we do. For the sake of the One who is our life. Amen. HYMN & BLESSING (pages 27, 28) POSTLUDE Will You Come and Follow Me Apres un Reve Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) Eric Slosser - Cello, Soomi Lee Lowry - Piano Deacons: K.M. Abraham, Phil Gotwals Altar Guild: Diana Conroy Flower Delivery: Marth Lamb Ushers: Nancy Lane, David Libby, Scott Lively, Jeanie Martin The flowers on the altar are given to the glory of God and in loving memory of Betty and John Wyeth by their children, Amy and John, Jr. and their families. 3
Church Covenant We strive to be a joyful, welcoming Christian Community. We seek to be faithful in a world torn by suffering, injustice, oppression, and war. We are inspired by God, Christ s Ministry, and the examples of other faithful people. We join together in worship and song, fellowship, study, and mission to embrace the risks and challenges of continuing Christ s ministry We struggle to live out our faith in the world by furthering justice and peace, witnessing to the truth, and proclaiming God s love and mercy for all people. Open and Affirming Statement As a covenant community we are committed to the belief that all people are created equal before God. In affirmation of the inclusive love of Christ Jesus, we welcome persons of any race, gender, age, sexual orientation, ability and economic circumstance to full participation in our community life and ministry. We strive to reflect these beliefs in the language and content of our worship and in our lives together. (This statement adopted in 2000, reflects the welcome of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender people and their friends an d families.) 4
8/5/2018 Collections* = $7,041 8/5/2018 Worship Attendance = 41 people July Electronic Pledge Amount: $14,274.43 Please contact the church office 781-444-2510 or office@needhamucc.org to find out how you can give electronically. *Collection amount does not include additional pledges received electronically. The Board is responsible for the overall administrative life of the church including buildings, finances, personnel and the overall health of the church. Moderator: Jackie Allen Clerk: Jane Brand Term Ends 2019: Jim Conroy, Diane Rees, Kristin Mollerus Term Ends 2020: Howard Sesso, Barbra Morton, Amanda Angel Term Ends 2021: Craig Morrison, Scott Lively, Amy Hurley Note: We have a vacant position in the class of 2020. The Deacons are responsible for the spiritual life and well-being of the church. Term Ends 2019: Rick Devereux, Dibby Moder, Scott Stewart, Carol Miller, Jean Veigas Term Ends 2020: Kevin Blume, Paul Brown, Sue Cotton, Lucy Slosser Term Ends 2021: Jim Ruetenik, Phil Gotwals, KM Abraham, Patty Morrison, Janet Rubenstein The Outreach Committee advocates to the church and its members about important issues relating to social justice in our church, community, city state and the world. They provide opportunities to volunteer and guide us in financial giving. We aim to give 15% of our income from pledges to the church to Outreach financial giving. Term Ends 2019: Bill Rees, Fred Moder, Hiroko Hardebeck, Lynn Gotwals, Term Ends 2020: Carol Brown, Mi Herzog, Tom Mollerus Term Ends 2021: Connie Kaufman The PRC is an independent group that supports and maintains an open and healthy relationship between the Minister(s) and Members of the Congregation. The PRC does not take the place of communications between the Members and the Minister(s), but rather helps those who need advice and assistance with such communications. Members: Tom Mollerus, Fred Moder, Martha Lamb 5
Welcome to all who are new or here for the first time! If you are interested in learning more about our church, please email Rev. Jim at revjim@needhamucc.org, Rev Heike at revheike@needhamucc.org or call the office at 781-444-2510 to set up a conversation. For updates on church life, our family ministries, Christian Education and Youth Ministries follow us at: @NeedhamUCC on Instagram Congregational Church of Needham UCC on Facebook @needhamucc on Twitter www.needhamucc.org Please silence your cell phone before attending the service. You can Check In on Facebook and let people know you are here. Feel free to Tweet, Snapchat, or Instagram during the service. If you would like or need a hearing device an usher will be able to assist you. Children s Childcare is offered for infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers in the Nursery located downstairs during the service. Rev. Jim Mitulski s Office Hours Please contact the church office to schedule an appointment during his office hours of Tuesday & Wednesday 2 6pm; Thursday 2 5pm Evening hours are also available by appointment. *If these mes do not work for you please contact the office for alternate availability. Interim Senior Minister The Rev. Jim Mitulski RevJim@needhamucc.org 781 444 2510, ext. 106 Associate Minister The Rev. Heike Werder RevHeike@needhamucc.org 781 444 2510, ext. 105 Director of Children &Youth Ministries Madelyn Downer Youth@needhamucc.org 781 444 2510, ext. 104 Organist/Accompanist Sangyoung Kim Housekeeper Sanira Alchaar Staff Church Administrator Danielle Jurdan Office@needhamucc.org 781 444 2510, ext. 101 Office Assistant & Bookkeeper Cindy Sullivan Office2@needhamucc.org 781 444 2510, ext. 100 Music Director Valerie Becker musicdirector@needhamucc.org Handyman Bill Donovan The Congregational Church of Needham 1154 Great Plain Avenue Needham, Massachusetts 02492 www.needhamucc.org Facebook: Congrega onal Church of Needham UCC Twi er @needhamucc Instagram: needhamucc 781 444 2510 of ice@needhamucc.org The Rev. Dr. Paul Clayton, Pastor Emeritus 6
ANNOUNCEMENTS & EVENTS August 12, 2018 NEWS FROM THE SEARCH COMMITTEE As your Search Committee, we continue to review candidate profiles and refine our sense of potential matches for our church. Prior to face -to-face interviews, we have begun a series of screening interviews by Zoom Teleconference (similar to Skype) for those candidates whose qualifications, faith, passions and outlook particularly speak to us. You can follow the overall progress of the search on the poster on the bulletin board in the church hallway just outside the sanctuary. The poster shows each step of the process from surveying the congregation and writing the Church Profile, through the reading of candidate profiles, the interviewing of candidates, to the calling of a new pastor. As each step is completed, we will indicate that by a checkmark on the poster. The process continues to challenge us and fill us with excitement. The work requires our careful and prayerful attention, so we ask your patience, knowing that we will share news with you when we can. We respectfully ask that you refrain from approaching us individually with questions. As always, we appreciate your continued prayers. Altar Flower Donations wanted for August 19th & September (2nd & 30th)Whether to honor a loved one or celebrate a special occasion, an opportunity awaits to accommodate your wishes. We have a vacancies in the month of August and September. Anyone interested may contact the church office at 781-444-2510 or office@needhamucc.org Additionally, an altar flower donation form can be found in the circular rack in the Narthex. Yummy snacks for Coffee Hour! Let s transform our oreo cookie coffee hour into something a little more fun, delicious and delightful. Our church committees and teams will be hosting one coffee hour each month with yummy treats. We invite you to host or co-host a Sunday as well! Families and individuals are invited to sign up for a Sunday to provide the food. You can use this opportunity to celebrate someone s birthday, anniversary or honor a person in your family or an occasion by providing goodies for coffee hour. Your sponsorship will be mentioned in the bulletin just like the families and individuals who give flowers for the altar. The office has set up an online sign-up form at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0844a8aa23a2fd0-coffee or you can simply call the office to do so. Please call the office if you have any questions at 781-444-2510. Calling All Partner Families! The September 9th Welcome Back Brunch is fast approaching. If you see Val Kistler after worship, please let her know what food item you may be able to contribute to this wonderful event. And thank you so much for helping out. NOTE: For safety's sake we ask this year that there be NO NUTS. 7
Update on Guatemala Delegation: Following 2 activity-filled days in Guatemala City, including dinner with professionals from our partner village, travelers on the Guatemala delegation have spent 6 wonderful days in Santa Maria Tzeja and will be returning to Needham tonight! They will have many stories to share, so welcome them back as you see them, and plan on joining them for the Delegation ReportBack on Sunday, Sept. 16th, at 11:30 am, in Fellowship Hall following worship. February 2019 Delegation Sign-Up: It s not too early to sign up for the February 13-24, 2019 delegation, since the delegation will be finalized and airline tickets will be purchased in late September. Please contact co-leaders Brenda Metzler or Fred Moder with your interest or questions: bmetzler7@verizon.net; or fmoder@verizon.net. Have a ball with inter-faith bowling! UU Wellesley would like to challenge your church to join us for some inter-faith bowling. We currently have two teams and would like to get some more teams to meet people from all the local houses of worship. If you are interested, please contact Marianne Laffitte at MarianneLaffitte1975@gmail.com. The details: Date/time: Sunday nights - 7 to 9 pm Start Date: September 16, 2018 Location: Kings Dedham Legacy Place Duration: 6 weeks (with a break for Columbus Day) Cost: $324 for a team of six people ($54 per person) If we get 10 teams: $270 for a team ($45 per person) Price includes 6 nights of bowling and shoe rental Note: Must be 21 years of age, as Kings serves adult beverages Each team needs one captain to coordinate and collect fees Volunteer Opportunity for Baby Basics We are looking for a person who can host the distribution table on the first Tuesday of every month. This entails giving families diapers from 6-7 pm, dinner provided for you and your family. Contact Jennifer Haggerty at jenniferhaggerty@hotmail.com for more information or to volunteer. 8
GOD S BIG BACKYARD: Mon. 8/20 Fri. 8/24 Kids are invited to join us as we explore God's Big Backyard! Children will learn about God's love through arts and crafts, science, cooking, and games workshops. Each day we will learn about a Bible story that teaches us about caring for the earth and all of our friends who call this place home! During the week we will be collecting donations of school supplies and Spanish-language children's books for our Guatemala Partnership and the ministry they do in Santa Maria Tzeja, Guatemala. A gluten-free, nut-free snack is provided each day. Students should bring a bagged lunch (please, no nut products). Program Ages: Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 5 Program Dates & Times: Monday, August 20, 2018 - Friday, August 24, 2018 Drop-off is between 9:00 and 9:15 AM. Pickup is between 12:45 and 1:00 PM. Sign up online http://tinyurl.com/bigbackyarducc All students take home crafts and activities. Students who participate for the full week will receive a VBS t-shirt! Wednesday is Water Day! Our activities include water toys and shaving cream races. Bathing suits, towels, and a dry change of clothes are encouraged. If you are registering more than 3 children, please submit two forms. Questions? Get in touch with Maddie, our Director of Christian Education and Youth Ministries by emailing youth@needhamucc.org or calling 781-444-2510. 9
Sunday August 12th Monday August 13th Thursday August 16th Friday August 17th Sunday August 19th Monday August 20th Tuesday August 21st Wednesday August 22st Thursday August 23rd Friday August 24th Saturday August 25th Sunday August 26th Tuesday August 28th Friday August 31st 10:00 am 11:30 am 9:15 am 7:00 pm Worship, Chapel Coffee Hour, Front Courtyard) Cancer Support, Reception Room Finance Team Meeting, Conference Room 7:00 pm CE/Youth Meeting, Conference Room 7:30 pm 10:00 am 11:30 am Office Closed Friday Night Family Movies(Clue: Flying away in an old house w/ balloons.) Worship, Chapel Coffee Hour, Front Courtyard) 9:00 am Vacation Bible School 9:00 am Vacation Bible School 9:00 am Vacation Bible School 9:00 am Vacation Bible School 9:00 am 1:00 pm 7:00 pm Office Closed Vacation Bible School Sunday School Open House Friday Night Family Movies(Clue: A tale about a princess with really looooong hair!.) 11:00 am Sunday School Open House 10:00 am 11:30 am Worship, Chapel Coffee Hour, Front Courtyard) 6:00 pm Sunday School Open House 7:30 pm Office Closed Friday Night Family Movies Sunday September 2nd 8:30 am 10:00 am 11:30 am Chancel Choir Rehearsal, Chapel Worship, Chapel Guatemala Partnership Meeting, Library N 10
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