Reverend Douglas Stivison, Pastor September 2015 THE SPIRE The Congregational Church of South Dartmouth United Church of Christ Seek and Find For everyone who asks, receives, those who seek find, and to those who knock, the door will be opened. Mt 7:8 The theme for this year s Rally Day is Seek and Find. This is also a key concept that runs through the first half of this year s Sunday School program. Our Rally Day festivities will feature a special Seekand-Find activity springing from the collaboration of our church historians with the Religious Education ministry. Similar to a scavenger hunt, our children will roam around the church grounds hunting for a series of clues about our church history. As both a pastor and a Sherlock Holmes fan, I m truly looking forward to seeing our Sunday School children magnifying glasses in hand looking for clues! Come, Watson, the game s afoot! Seek and find is also a particularly timely and appropriate theme for this year s Rally Day and the start of the new academic and program year. Over the past several years, this congregation has done a tremendous amount of seeking and finding. With the insights and experience of interim ministers this congregation has seriously sought for a deeper understanding of its mission and a fuller understanding of what it does well. It has also sought to understand where, perhaps, it might do even better. After seeking for a deeper understanding of how it needs to govern itself, it found a new and empowering set of by-laws. Honoring its long-standing commitments to worship, music, education, fellowship, mutual care, and outreach; this congregation sought and found a new settled pastor, a new director of music, a new director of religious education, new members, new energy, and new volunteers. That s a lot of seeking! That s a lot of finding! So with all this recent experience with seeking and finding, the familiar passage from Matthew seems quite appropriate. And it also contains some aweinspiring promises reminding us about the rewards of all this seeking and finding. The Gospels proclaim the promise from our steadfast God that if we ask for God s guidance about what we need to do that we will find answers. Guaranteed. These are not fleeting campaign promises. This is God s promise that if we seek with open minds and hearts, we will find what we seek. Guaranteed. (Continued on Page Two)
Page 2 (Continued from page One) We see the abundant proof of this aweinspiring promise in so many different aspects of the day-to-day life of our church. We see the fruits today of the searches we ve undertaken in the past. We need to keep in mind, though, that seeking and finding are both ongoing processes rather than one-time-only tasks. We certainly hope and pray that we will not have to form any more search committees for many years to come. Yet the ongoing process of seeking God s guidance in how we are to be faithful in our worship, our fellowship, our service, and our outreach must always be brought to bear on all that we do here. Our response to every stewardship appeal, every invitation to teach Sunday School, and every decision to visit a shut-in is connected to the process of seeking to respond to God s will for us in our dayto-day activities. Our response to each choice, invitation, and decision stems from our deep down acknowledgement of God s own invitation to open our hearts and minds to God. We know that we are each blessed with our own unique collection of skills and talents. Each and every day, you and I decide, how we are going to use our personal gifts and talents in order to live more faithfully in this specific place and in each new situation. So many of you have shared with me over the past months your feeling a powerful sense of God s blessing this congregation with vitality, optimism, and energy. With Rally Day we officially begin the new Sunday School year and the new program year. Ministries that have taken the summer months off, meet again, while others that have been meeting all along are poised to hit-the-ground-running with an exciting array of activities for stewardship, education, fellowship, outreach, and worship. So on Rally Day, I know that we will all enjoy watching our children as they search energetically for the monuments and markers within our church. And I know that we will smile, and applaud, and celebrate each time that our young people find what they are seeking. Amidst all this youthful fun and exuberance, let each of us look to our Seek-and-Find Rally Day as a fresh opportunity to strengthen our own commitment to seeking prayerfully and optimistically, God s will for each of our lives and for the mission and life of this congregation. Grace and Peace, Doug
Page 3 Religious Education News A new Sunday school year is starting up! Once again we will offer a Crib Room for infants and toddlers, a pre-school and kindergarten class, classes for grades 1-8, and a high school class. We are presently recruiting teachers for these age groups, so please let me (Doug Cederberg) know if you have an interest in teaching -- whether for one Sunday, several, or the whole year. The relationships developed in Sunday school have been meaningful for so many children and teachers in the past, and I am sure this year will be as, or even more, special. Rally Day will be Sunday September 13. The RE people and I have met several times to plan a special day for children of all ages. Our theme for the year is Seek and Find based on Matthew 7:7-8, Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who seeks finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. On Rally Day we will be searching the church grounds and building to find memorials of the faithful people of generations past whose commitment to our church has provided us in the present day with so many blessings. Our lessons for the year will involve a search for the people of the Bible who knew the Living God and discovered God s faithfulness. I will write more about our year s theme in coming issues of the Spire. RALLY DAY will be Sunday, September 13th 10:00 AM On Sunday September 20 we will hold a luncheon for middle school and high school students. Our special guest will be Renate Hamer. She is a prolific hymn writer who has lived a rich and fascinating life. She will share her stories of her youth in Nazioccupied Austria and also of her work with Sunday schools in the New Bedford area. Please mark the date! In the coming months we will hold Adult RE discussions and presentations, as well. The dates will be announced when they have been selected. Again, don t miss out on all the good things in store for us in the year ahead! Yours in Christ, Doug Cederberg Rally Day All Church Picnic Join us after worship Sunday, September 13th, as we kick-off a new Sunday School year! Hamburgers, hot dogs and buns, as well as beverages, plates, cups, and plastic ware will be provided. We are asking individuals to provide the extras If your last name begins with: A-I, please bring a salad; J-Q, please bring a side dish; R-Z, please bring a dessert.
Page 4 Church Council News The Council met for their monthly meeting on Tuesday, August 25, 2015. There was no meeting held in July. The August meeting had a very full agenda; some of the highlights include: The council accepted with regret Steve Starrett s resignation as Treasurer due to the fact that demands on his time from my company and family have greatly increased; and I feel I cannot perform the duties required. The council is grateful for the wonderful service Steve has given to the church over the years and hopes to welcome him back to a leadership position in the future. The council heard about the six baptisms and two weddings that took place during the summer months. Our church family is growing by leaps and bounds! As a result of this growth, the number of infants in the crib room is increasing. Council discussed the need for once again having a Crib Room in a location that will be in compliance with safe church regulations and Fire Department regulations. Council agreed to move the crib room back downstairs, with a class meeting in the library across the hall from the nursery to provide another adult presence. Council is looking for assistance from the church family to furnish the room and create a welcoming, safe environment for infants and toddlers. Margaret Forbush reported that the Children s Circle Nursery School made a $1,000 donation to the church. Pastor Doug reported that Per Lofberg has approached him with a request to use Hay Hall for a professionally facilitated meeting to discuss the future of Padanaram. This group will rent Hay Hall for the meeting and handle all expenses. Pastor Doug will work on finding a mutually convenient date. Rally Day planning is underway. Doug Cederberg and Kathy Pappas have organized registration and activities for Rally Day, Sunday, September 13, 2015 including a special Seek and Find scavenger hunt. A banner, designed by Pastor Doug, will be hung on the outside of the church to let everyone know about Rally Day and the council will once again host the annual Rally Day picnic. We hope all will join us and bring their appetites. Yes, we will have enough hot dogs this time! Kathy Pappas has spent a significant amount of time on curricula for Sunday School, hopefully to make it easier for those who prepare the lessons, as well as more compelling for the students. Doug Cederberg feels that church school will be a little more organized than last year. He is trying to induce more people to teach by shortening the number of weeks required of volunteers. Doug Cederberg is going to be speaking about his job as a mediator at the men's lunch group at the Wamsutta Club on September 2nd. Doug Stivison offered an invitation to any of the men of the church that would like to attend. Ray Lantz gave a report on preliminary planning for this year s stewardship campaign. More will be forthcoming about this next month. Linda Paradise showed council a framed piece of work by Renate Hamer s husband that will hang near the handicapped entrance. Linda Paradise reported that painting of the lower social hall will be completed and the floors will be in place by Rally Day. A discussion of the Rides program was held and it was decided that Caregiving will develop a policy for council to review in October. (Continued on Page Five)
Page 5 Council Meeting Notes Continued (Continued from Page Five) The council voiced its appreciation of Marcia Hathaway s ten years of facilitating the e-prayer chain; earlier in the year Marcia resigned from e-prayer. Council discussed the future of the Prayer Chain. Pastor Doug wants to find a good way to communicate with people we don't see on Sunday. He has been considering how our church uses technology. Additionally, people are contacting him directly with prayer requests, so he feels immediate prayer concerns are being met. Gale Litchfield suggested finding a way that the protected part of our website can be used for the church community. Council agreed to suspend any form of an e-prayer chain until the technology and communication issues are resolved. Gale Litchfield reported there is an ongoing need for volunteers at Sister Rose s Soup Kitchen for all months in the autumn. If it continues to be difficult to find people to work there, Gale suggested maybe our church could no longer support the program. Outreach has been researching an organization called Sole Hope, which addresses disease caused by insect infestation. The organization promotes foot health, finds shoes for people, and trains them to make shoes. Outreach is exploring ways to raise funds for Sole Hope. Lee Murray reported that Fellowship is planning an outing to Buzzards Bay Brewery on September 12th. A dine around is scheduled for October. Peter Frampton is appearing at the Zeiterion on Thursday, October 13 and this is a potential group outing Next council meeting: Tuesday, September 15, 2015 From Mission and Outreach Mission and Outreach are looking forward to an exciting Fall with a new service program which we will be partnering with Fellowship and Religious Education. Look for more details in September and October. Sister Rose s Lunch Program is covered for August and September. There will be opportunities to sign up for the remainder of 2015, October 29, November 30, and December 29. Signup sheet is in the lower social hall. Thank you to all of you who helped out over the summer. Stay Informed! Find us at: Congo Church Website http://congochurchsd.org Provides a link to general information about the church, calendar events, church happenings, Spire Newsletters, and more And the best way to stay informed join us for worship on Sunday mornings! Please note, we have large print bulletins, as well as, large print hymns available for you every Sunday in the narthex. Please feel free to pick up a copy as you enter church worship or ask for one.
Choir Rehearsal Wednesday 7:00 to 8:30 pm Sunday 9:00 am Page 6 Our Music Director, Gerry Dyck, welcomes singers to join the choir. Rehearsals are on Wednesday nights - 7:00-8:30. There is also a rehearsal at 9:00 on Sundays before the service. All voice parts are welcome. The first rehearsal is on Wednesday, September 9th. Just a reminder starting Sunday, September 13th Worship Service will return to 10:00 am Special dates Labor Day, September 7th Patriot Day, September 11th National Grandparents Day, September 13th Hispanic Heritage Month, Starts September 15th First Day of Autumn, September 23, 2015 Dear Congo Church Thank you for sharing in the very special day of baptism for Jacob and Alex Smith. We truly are blessed to have such a wonderful church family that shares in the love and spiritual growth for our children. Peace and Blessings The Smith Family
Page 7 Children's Circle Nursery School September is here, and with it starts another fun-filled year of learning, exploring and growing at Children's Circle Nursery School! Teachers Scarlett Lintner and Jennifer Sullivan have been preparing the bright and sunny classroom throughout the summer for the upcoming school-year's theme, 'Luminosity. Some highlights of the upcoming school year include a field trip to the Patchet Tree Farm, the Halloween parade, the Thanksgiving feast, a reading of the Polar Express at the Bridge Street fire station, this year's holiday performance, the Valentine's Day tea, the annual Arts Show at Gallery X., the Mother's Day brunch and the annual Graduation play. Come join us on our journey! Call Scarlett at 508-993-6531 for registration and enrollment forms. Gerry Dyck had an impromptu astro-event during the summer.
Page 8 The Fall Rummage Sale will be held: Friday, October 2nd - 5 pm to 7 pm Saturday, October 3rd - 9 am to 1 pm Please begin to gather items to donate. Below is a list of items we would love for you to donate and also a list of items we cannot accept. Please contact Linda Paradise if you can help with the rummage sale, before to help sort and set up, during either as a worker or cashier or after to help clean up. Rummage Wish List Clothing Shoes Toys Household Items Furniture Linens Bicycles Books Glassware Finer Items for Heritage Room (jewelry etc.) Drop off will begin September 21st Items we cannot accept: Skis Ski Boots Bindings Cribs Car Seats TV s Computers Monitors Printers Fish Tanks Thanks for your consideration and generous donations to our Rummage Sale. Deadlines for our Communication Tools The deadline for our monthly Spire Newsletter is the 20th of each month. The deadline for our Sunday Bulletin is Wednesday at 9:00am. Happy Grandparent s Day When it comes to family heritage, grandparents are worth their weight in gold. They serve as storehouses of history and wisdom, helping children see how they fit into a family s legacy. Christian grandparents also provide a faith heritage that passes from generation to generation.
Page 9 Bob & Robin Lake (30 years) September 7, 1985 Jerry and Nancy Scherer (54 years) September 2, 1961 Laurence & Barbara Bedell (61 years) September 5, 1954 Mark & Laurie O Neil (35 years) September 20, 1980 Dale & Jennifer Lynch (30 years) September 21, 1985 Wedding Anniversaries are listed in the Spire every five years for the first 50, and then each year thereafter! Dear Members of the Church, and friends of Doris Isaksen My family and I thank you sincerely for your gifts of flowers and prayers over the past few years. Mom always enjoyed flowers and we tried to keep some within her view as often as possible. She greatly appreciated the visits, most especially from Linda Gouveia, whom Mom always loved to converse with. Every little bit of care and thoughtfulness made a positive difference for Mom, and for that, we are so grateful. Sincerely, Marit, Eric, Bill We would like to keep the family of Doris Isaksen in our prayers. Church Life Events Baptisms (June August): Charlotte Evan Miller Gillis Olivia Marie Silva Emma Paige Braga Jacob Howland Smith Alexander Jeremy Smith Weddings (June August) Megan Stivison/Harold Sipe (Douglas Stivison Officiated) Kendra Browne/John Lacey (Jeffrey Larsen Officiated) Weddings (September October) Emberto Aviles/Juan Ortiz Deaths Doris Isaksen We would like to thank the following for leading worship during Rev. Doug s Vacation: Rev. Robert Lawrence Rev. Robert Naylor
Page 10 September 2015 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6-7 Beg 7:30 pm 6 9 am Worship 7 Boy Scouts 8 7 pm Ministry Meeting 9 Choir 7-8:30 pm Girl Scouts CCNS Ocean Splash 10 CCNS Open House 9-10 11 CCNS Open House 9-10 6-7 Beg 7:30 pm 12 13 10am Worship Rally Day All Church Picnic 14 CCNS First Day Three Day Boy Scouts 15 CCNS First Day Two Day 7pm Council Meeting 16 Choir 7-8:30 pm Girl Scouts 17 18 6-7 Beg 7:30 pm 19 20 10am Worship Sunday School Luncheon 21 Boy Scouts Rummage Sale Drop Off Begins 22 23 Choir 7-8:30 pm Girl Scouts 24 25 6-7 Beg 7:30 pm 26 27 10am Worship 28 Boy Scouts 29 30 Choir 7-8:30 pm Girl Scouts
Page 11 June Flowers Given By: June 7th - Cyndi and Brian Mikkelson in honor of the graduates. June 14th - In celebration of the life of Nicholas Wayne Fernandes from his family and friends. June 21st - Heather and Doug Stivison in celebration of Megan and Harold s Wedding. June 28th - Jack and Linda Paradise in celebration of our 45 th Wedding Anniversary. July Flowers Given By: July 5th - Sally Lemelin and family in joint celebration of Kendra Browne s wedding to John Lacey this afternoon in our sanctuary on what is also her beloved mother Barbara s birthday. July 12th - Margo Moore in loving memory of my mother. July 19th - Lillian Henriksen in loving memory of my two sisters, Elsa and Irene.. July 26th - Daphne Fogg Siegal in celebration of summer and of church family. August Flowers Given By: August 2nd - Marianna Harkins in memory of loved ones. August 9th - Betsy and Bob Dubiel in gratitude of life and family. August 16th - Barbara & Larry Bedell in memory of our Mothers and Fathers. August 23rd - Robin, Bob, Todd and Sarah Lake in memory and celebration of their loved ones. August 30th - Marcia and Warren Hathaway in honor of their granddaughter, Riley and all of the other students headed off to college for their first time! Enjoy the last burst of summer!.
Reverend Douglas Stivison, Pastor stivison@earthlink.net Church Telephone: 508-993-6676 Robin Lake, Office Administrator Robin@congochurchsd.org The Congregational Church of South Dartmouth United Church of Christ 17 Middle St., PO Box 80608 South Dartmouth, MA 02748-0608 http://congochurchsd.org RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Starting Sunday, September 13th Worship Service Will Begin At 10:00 am Rally Day and Church Picnic will be Sunday September 13th! The Spire Newsletter is available in paper form. If you would like a copy mailed to your home please let us know at 508/993-6676 or at congochurch@comcast.net or leave a note in the church office.