Belleville Congregational Church An Open and Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Christ Dear Friends, June, 2017 News & Views 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 worship, fellowship, Scripture study and the sharing of our gifts. Strengthened by God s love and guidance, we strive to serve with compassion those in need, both near and far. Ponderings 1 Calendar 2 Men s Fellowship Dinner Children s Sunday & Annual Picnic 3 Happy Birthday 4 Adult choir & Children s choir 5 Service Club & Thrift Shop 6 Rummage Sale & Silent Auction Women s Coffee & Conversation 7 Ushers 8 Scripture Readers Summer Worship Schedule 9 Contacts 10 So much going on at the start of June! June 4 is Pentecost... the story about the Holy Spirit coming with power. It is also considered the "birthday" of the church, and lo and behold, we have quite a few new members joining Belleville this Sunday! Please come and wear something RED! Then June 11 is our celebration of children, confirmation students, and the annual picnic following worship. Please come to support our children and youth; truly "of such is the Kingdom of God," not to mention the future of the church. Over Memorial weekend, I had the privilege of hearing Geoffrey Canada speak at the graduation ceremonies at Bates College where a nephew was graduating. Canada, now about 65 years old, founded the Harlem's Children's Zone, whose goal is to increase high school and college graduation rates among students in Harlem. He made the very fitting reference to Martin Luther King's "I've Been to the Mountaintop" sermon: Since he is at retirement age, he knows his work is far from done, so he reminded us of those famous words that echoed Moses' experience: "I've seen the promised land... I might not get there with you... " It's a form of passing the torch. The church in every generation has passed a torch to the next generation. Pentecost is such a time, especially as we ponder the images of fire and wind, and prayer for the Holy Spirit of power and transformation. In my June 4 Pentecost sermon, I will say a bit about Praise, Prayer, and Purpose... three avenues of the power of the Spirit; On June 11 we will encourage the very young, and hear the Spirit in words from our 2017 Confirmation Class. Won't you make it a priority to be with us June 4 and June 11 as we celebrate new movements of the Spirit... by welcoming newcomers and by celebrating our children and youth? Every voice, every smile adds to the contagion of Spirit! Ross 1
2017 CALENDAR Sun Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 10am Worship 11:15 Youth choir rehearsal 5 7pm CODA 7pm Choir rehearsal 6 7 6pm Men s Fellowship Dinner 8 9 10 9-12 Thrift Shop 11 10AMm Worship 11:15 Youth choir rehearsal 18 10am Worship 12 7pm CODA 7pm Choir rehearsal 19 7pm CODA 13 1pm Service Club 14 9am Worship & Education 7:30pm Stewardship & Finance 20 21 9-12 Thrift Shop 7:00pm Executive Board 15 16 17 9-1 Indoor Rummage Sale & Silent Auction 22 23 24 25 10am Worship 26 27 28 29 30 2
Wednesday, June 7th Gather at 6pm, dinner at 6:30pm Children s Sunday and Annual Picnic! June 11th, 2017 Sunday June 11th, will be the last day of Sunday school before the summer break. The Children of Belleville Sunday School will be celebrating with a special Worship service. Confirmation Ceremony will also take place with the confirmands reading their statements as the Sermon. We will have our picnic on the lawn (weather permitting) or indoors in the stage room. Sunday school will provide the luncheon foods. We will also provide the lemonade and of course the Ice Cream Sunday bar! Great way to kick off the summer! Side dishes such as potato salad, cole slaw etc... will be welcome. Thank you to the congregation for all of your support throughout the year and have a great summer! The teachers and children of Belleville Sunday school. 3
June July August 3 Bill Silsby 1 Daniel Wilson 1 Audrey Clarkson 3 Judy Moore 11 William Webber, Sr. 8 Christopher Tyler NOTE DATE CHANGE 4 Taunya Till 16 Kelly Conway 8 Ron Schmidt 7 Shirley Locke 17 Piper Allard 17 Mary Lou Tyler 9 Karen Conway 20 Jo Bode 22 Betty Webber 10 Yvonne Cedras 23 Michelle Anderson 22 Mardee Beauparlant 11 Brad Cedolin 2 8 Steve Wiswell 29 Russell Peirce 13 Ben Tyler 17 Marcia Samuelson 20 Andrea Samuelson 25 Marcia Peirce 29 Rita Vreeland YOUTH CHOIR 4
Youth Choir rehearses Sunday mornings after the worship service. Last rehearsal is June 11. Come and make a joyful noise to the Lord! We ll resume rehearsals in September The adult choir rehearses Tuesday evenings at 7pm. Last rehearsal is June13. We ll resume rehearsals in September. New members always welcome! Come and lend your voice! 5
Service Club will meet on Tuesday, June 13 at 1pm. Everyone is welcome. Please join us. Belleville Church Thrift Shop Come by and see what s new! The thrift shop is open every Wednesday and Saturday 9am noon. 6
INDOOR RUMMAGE SALE & SILENT AUCTION Saturday, June 17 th 9am- 1pm Please join us for Women s coffee & conversation on Saturday, June 10 from 9am 10:30 in the Parlor. 7
June USHERS Communion is the first Sunday of each month July 4 The Dean Family 2 Gail Gandolfi & Kelly Burke-Anderson 11 Sue & Ben Heersink 9 Audrey Clarkson & Kathy Raywood 18 Jean Kirkpatrick & Dan Fay 16 Jean Kirkpatrick & Norma Dear 25 Mardee Beauparlant &Carol Beauparlant 23 Bob & Shirley Locke 30 Carolyn Kyle & Peggy Utterback July ushers, please remember to provide cookies and lemonade for light refreshment and fellowship. 8
June SCRIPTURE READERS July 4 Sue Heersink 2 Gail Gandolfi 11 Joe DeGiovanni 9 Peggy Utterback 18 Carolyn Kyle 16 Emery Rice 25 Lynn Varney 23 Bill Silsby 30 Kelly Burke-Anderson July and August services will be shared with First Parish in Newbury. July services will be held at Belleville at 9:30am in the Chapel. August services will be held at First Parish, Newbury at 9:30, 20 High Road, Route 1A Newbury Back to Belleville on September 3 th at 10am. July ushers, please remember to provide cookies and lemonade for light refreshment and fellowship. 9
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 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. Church Office 978-465-7734 Valerie Gates, Office Administrator Office hours: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Newsletter Submissions Do you have an article that you would like to include in the monthly newsletter? If so, please submit your article to the church office by the 25th of each month. Thank you! 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: Audrey Clarkson Board of Worship & Education: Gail Gandolfi Board of Stewardship & Finance: Hans Erwich UCC Delegate: 10 Sunday School Coordinator Flower Coordinator Hospitality Coordinator Audrey Clarkson