Belleville Congregational Church An Open and Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Christ MISSION OF BELLEVILLE CHURCH Centered in the inclusive love of Jesus Christ, we seek to be a welcoming, affirming, and healing congregation. Led by the Holy Spirit, we are inspired to grow and be renewed through our sharing of our gifts. Strengthened by God s love and guidance, we strive to serve with compassion those in need, both near and far. Please join us for worship, Sundays at 10am in the Fiske Chapel. Rev. Ross Varney leads worship. Children experience a mixture of worship with family and classroom time. Refreshments and fellowship follow after the service. Whoever you are, wherever you are on life's journey, you are welcome here! Visit our website at http://bellevillechurch.org Our new e-mail address office@belleville-church.org 1
CONTENTS Calendar 3 Pastoral Ponderings 4 New Year s Eve Speakeasy 5 Bible Exploration & Service Club 6 Men s Fellowship Dinner and Women s Coffee & Conversation 7 Happy Birthday 8 Adult and Youth Choir 9 Thrift Shop 10 Ushers & Scripture Readers 11 Coffee hour 12 Contacts 13 2
2019 CALENDAR Sun Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Sat 1 2 9-12 Thrift Shop 6:30pm Choir 3 1pm Bible Exploration 4 5 6 10am Worship in the Chapel 11:15 Youth choir 12 10am Worship in the Chapel 11:15 Youth choir rehearsa 19 10am Worship in the Chapel 11:15am Youth choir 26 10am Worship in the Chapel 11:15am Youth choir 7 7pm CODA 13 7pm CODA 20 7pm CODA 27 7pm CODA 8 7pm NCS 14 7pm NCS 21 7pm NCS 28 7pm NCS 9 9-12 Thrift Shop 6pm Men s Fellowship Dinner 6:30pm Choir 7:30pm Stewardship &Finance 15 9-12 Thrift Shop 6:30pm Choir 7pm Executive Board 22 9-12 Thrift Shop 6:30pm Choir 29 9-12 Thrift Shop 6:30pm Choir 10 1pm Bible Exploration 16 1pm Bible Exploration 23 1pm Bible Exploration 30 1pm Bible Exploration 7 11 17 18 9am Women s Coffee & Conversation 24 25 31 3
Pastoral Ponderings by Rev. Ross Varney Dear Friends, For those of you who did not make Christmas Eve, lots of good reports. We hope Jesus was happy! We would be assuming he loves good music, and is not offended by stories of Santa Claus and Rudolph! Part of my pitch in the sermon message was that there are deeper meanings to many of the so-called secular Christmas stories. Rudolph can easily become a story of choosing the least of these, unique gifts, courage, redemption, etc.. all things that Jesus lived out and emphasized in his teachings! From Jesus birth, our Sunday stories jump to his childhood (very little to go on if we were reporters). The few stories do let us know that he "grew in wisdom which is a real comfort for the rest of us! No instant perfection and all-knowing for Jesus the toddler. Whew! We all keep learning and growing and can find the sacred in the secular, the extraordinary in the ordinary. May we all find new LIGHT and LOVE in surprising and new places. Moving right along. please come and invite friends to our Speakeasy eve of Swing music, 4-6pm on New Year s Eve. The singers, Tom, Norah, and Amanda are from the folks that brought us Godspell... sensational, truly gifted voices! We add piano, drums, and clarinet, with yours truly and Ryan on piano, to give the feel of that Swing era. Bill, Martha and Lynn are working on refreshments for the cabaret tables, speak to them if you wish to help. See the flyer in this newsletter. or in an all-church email and spread the word to friends. We are urged to clothe ourselves with Christ and one way to do that is to attend fun fellowship gatherings.. such as a Swing cabaret with small tables for eating and mingling with open hearts. We recall Jesus said he came that our JOY would be full. Hope to see you soon, Ross 4
Swing into the New Year at High Street Speakeasy For One Night only, December 31 Kick-start you New Year s night out with Live Music, Mocktails & Grub at Belleville Congregational Church. 18+ 4-6pm $10 includes plate & drink 5
Thursday afternoons at 1pm in the parlor. Service Club will resume in march 6
Men s Fellowship Dinner Wednesday, January 9 th Gather at 6pm, dinner at 6:30pm Women s Coffee and Conversation Saturday, January 19 th from 9 10:30am, in the parlor 7
January February 1 Bob Locke 2 Rory Schmidt 5 Kip Tyler 2 Deb Moore 10 Caden Allard 3 Peggy Utterback 12 James Guyette 4 Robert Gould 16 Jennifer (Locke) Donovan 12 E.J. Dean 23 Robert Crofts 13 Emery Rice 23 Nicole Samuelson 14 Dorothy Williamson 26 Jim Samuelson 15 Marion Spark 26 Andrea DeGiovanni 22 George Beauparlant 26 Joe DeGiovanni 24 Luke Gandolfi 27 Anna May Guyette 28 Jamie Gandolfi 8
Wednesday evenings at 6:30pm Youth choir rehearses Sunday mornings after the 10am Worship service. 9
The thrift shop is Closed for the month of January to reorganize. 10
USHERS January February 6 The DeGiovanni Family no communion 3 The Gorman Family no communion 13 James & Tracy Gorman 10 Ron Schmidt & Hans Erwich 20 Jean Kirkpatrick & Kathy Raywood 17 Jean Kirkpatrick & Mike Conaway 27 Mardee Beauparlant & Carol Beauparlant 24 Shirley & Bob Locke January February 6 Joe DeGiovanni 3 Barbara Colten 13 Lynn Varney 10 Ron Schmidt 20 Carolyn Kyle 17 Nancy Smith 27 Peggy Utterback 24 Bill Tomlinson 11
January 6 Ben Heersink, Gail Gandolfi & Carolyn Kyle 13 Nancy Canali, Dorothy Williamson & Sean Goguen 20 Shirley Locke, Karen Conway & Marcia Samuelson 27 Mardee Beauparlant, Diane Crofts & Jennifer Allard 12
Belleville Congregational Church An Open and Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Christ 300 High Street Newburyport, MA 01950 978-465-7734 bcchurch@worldpath.net bellevillechurch.org Newsletter Submissions Do you have an article that you would like to include in the monthly newsletter? Church Staff & Contact Information Pastor Ross Varney 978-462-4899 Office hours: Tuesday 11 AM 12:30 Wednesday & Thursday 10:30 AM - Noon; or by appointment. If so, please submit your article to the church office by the 20th of each month. Thank you! Church Office 978-465-7734 Valerie Gates, Office Administrator Office hours: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Church Email: bcchurch@worldpath.net Website: www.bellevillechurch.org Andrea DeGiovanni, Organist & Music Director James Gorman, Sexton Church Officers Moderator: Kelly Burke-Anderson Clerk: Kathy Raywood Treasurer: Jim Samuelson Collector: Norma Dean Memorial Fund Treasurer: Auditor: Members-at-Large (Ex. Board) Shirley Locke & Ben Heersink Contact Persons Board of Fellowship & Outreach: Martha Kelleher Board of Worship & Education: Gail Gandolfi Board of Stewardship & Finance: Bob Locke, Acting chair UCC Delegate: 13 Sunday School Coordinator Flower Coordinator Hospitality Coordinator Audrey Clarkson