An open and affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ August 26, 2018 14th Sunday After Pentecost 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 *HYMN (pages 36-37) WELCOME & PEACE *HYMN (pages 20-21) Prelude and Fugue in e flat minor J.S. Bach (1685-1750) Soomi Lee, piano Here I am to Worship Rev. Heike, Maddie Downer, MDiv Longing for Light 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 (page 15) Sanctuary SCRIPTURE John 6, 56-69 SERMON Does This Disturb You? Nathan Wood-House, guest preacher OFFERING & ANTHEM Song without words in E Major F. Mendelssohn (1809-1847) 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. As communion concludes we will sing Can Bread and Wine Transform Our Minds? (see insert) Post communion Prayer Nurturing God, ground of our being, by whom our roots are nourished and our life is sustained, we praise you for your presence that never fails, even when we have failed you. We give thanks that by your love we know love and are empowered to love; That by your justice we are able to know what justice requires of us; That by your peace we learn what we must do to become peacemakers; that by your forgiveness we know both how to give and how to receive the forgiveness that can bind up this world s wounds and heal our divisions. Confirm in us a never-failing trust in your love, your justice, your forgiveness, which were - and are - patterned for us in our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. 2
*HYMN & BLESSING (see insert) POSTLUDE Let Our Earth Be Peaceful Prelude in D flat Major ( Raindrops ) F. Chopin (1810-1849) Deacons: Philip Gotwals, Lucy Slosser Altar Guild: Jean Veigas Flower Delivery: Jean Veigas Ushers: Craig Morrison, Eric Slosser, Valerie Kistler The flowers on the altar are given to the glory of God and in loving honor by Christine and Rich Weitzel and their children, Nicole and Ryan, in honor of Joan M. Wagger (Christine s mother), Grandma / Nana Joan has been missed every day this past year. Welcoming our guest preacher: Rev. Nathan D. Wood-House Nathan is a native of Nashville, TN and a lifelong southerner. He grew up Southern Baptist. He attended Samford University (Birmingham, AL) for undergraduate studies, where he majored in Philosophy and Religion. On graduating, he attended Duke University Divinity School where he read liberation theology for the first time. After this, Nathan never turned back. In divinity school, he continued to focus on black theologies of liberation, with emphasis in womanist theological approaches to the fields of Christology and Theological Anthropology. As a doctoral student at Boston College, Nathan is working toward a dissertation that places Johann Baptist Metz s political theology in conversation with the work of Kelly Brown Douglas in the neocolonial context of U.S. American white racist supremacy in the era of the alt-right. His emphasis is on the role of memory as it used both in the construction and deconstruction of racial-religious myth. When he s not hopping between dissertation topics, Nathan runs half-marathons and marathons, plays with his two dogs, Sadie and Cash, and watches Parks and Rec with his spouse, Emily, who grew up south of Atlanta, GA and is an English teacher in Lawrence, MA. They currently attend Old Cambridge Baptist Church and are otherwise happily denominationally unaffiliated. He and Emily live and Brighton, MA. 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.) Warrant for Special Meeting Sunday, September 9, 2018 This Special Meeting of The Congregational Church of Needham will be held in the Sanctuary on Sunday, September 9, 2018 at 11:30 a.m., immediately following the 10:00 a.m. worship service. Childcare will be provided during the meeting. The warrant of articles for the meeting is as follows: Warrant Article I - To vote on a proposal to reclassify Maddie Downer s position, Director of Youth and Children s Ministries, from a lay position to an ordained position, and to call her to serve our church in that capacity. 4
8/19/2018 Collections* = $4,781 8/19/2018 Worship Attendance = No Count 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 26, 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 September (2nd & 30th)Whether to honor a loved one or celebrate a special occasion, an opportunity awaits to accommodate your wishes. We have vacancies in the month 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. 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. The meditation/mindfulness group will again be meeting twice each month after the church service. The group is open to everyone, no prior experience needed. We will meet together and explore various types of meditation practice, including mindfulness. If you ve ever been curious about meditation or mindfulness come and see what it s all about and find what works for you. In September we will meet on the 16th and 30th at 11:30 in the chapel. Beginning in October we will meet on the second and fourth Sunday of each month. If you have any questions feel free to call or email Sue Findlay, 781-455-8056; sgfindlay1@gmail.com 7
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. The Village Fair will be held on November 17 from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm. We are having most of the same favorites from years past: Timeless Treasures, Bake Sale, Garden Fence, Silent Auction, Used Books, Elf Shop, Vintage Jewelry, the Handcrafts Boutique, and our beloved Café. Many hands will be needed to help make this fair a success- it remains a solid fundraiser for the church. Part of our proceeds will go into our general operating budget, and part will go to a meaningful and lasting donation to the church. In the past few years, the hardworking Village Fair Team have contributed a new water bottle filling station/bubbler and a beautiful native garden to enhance our church sign. If you would like to help out or contribute to our efforts, please call or email Diana Conroy (781-449-3350 or conroyjd@rcn.com) If you have Attic Treasures or books to donate please let me know that you are putting them on the stage so that they can be appropriately stored. The stage is a shared space with paying tenants, so organization is a must! Help and a heaping of generosity wanted! Who doesn't like to dine out? We are looking for people willing to donate restaurant gift certificates of $75 or more. Maybe share the cost of one with a friend. Or, do you know a restaurant owner whom you could ask to donate a gift certificate? Perhaps there's a new restaurant in the area that would make a donation for some inexpensive publicity. Please send your information to either carylgjohnson@gmail.com or suegturner1@comcast.net and we'll coordinate getting the gift card from you. Thanks for help with the leg work! Start thinking about pies breads cookies bars jams or jelly to make for bake goods table. Please let Carol Miller know (millerc291@verizon.net) 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 8
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 9
Sunday August 26th Tuesday August 28th Friday August 31st Sunday September 2nd Monday September 3rd Labor Day Tuesday September 4th Thursday September 6th Sunday September 9th Welcome Back Sunday! Tuesday September 11th Wednesday September 12th Sunday September 16th 10:00 am 11:30 am Worship Rev. Nathan Wood-House Guest Preacher, Chapel Coffee Hour, Front Courtyard) 6:00 pm Sunday School Open House 7:30 pm 8:30 am 10:00 am 11:30 am Office Closed Friday Night Family Movies Chancel Choir Rehearsal, Chapel Worship, Chapel Guatemala Partnership Meeting, Library Office Closed 6:00 pm Community Dinner, Linden Hall 12:00 pm 7:30 pm 8:30 am 10:00 am 11:00 am 11:30 am 3:00 pm 4:30 pm 5:45 pm Lunch w/ Heike, Library Choir Rehearsal, Linden AB Choir Rehearsal, Sanctuary Worship Blessing the Backpacks, Sanctuary Congregational Meeting, Sanctuary Welcome Back Brunch, Fellowship Hall Jr High Welcome Meeting All Youth Mystery Dinner Rehearsal Sr High Welcome Meeting 7:00 pm Board Meeting, Library 7:00 pm Deacon s Meeting, Library 8:15 am 8:30 am 10:00 am 11:30 am 3:00 pm 4:30 pm 5:45 pm Men s Breakfast, Library Chancel Choir Rehearsal, Sanctuary Worship, Sanctuary Guatemala Report Back, Linden Hall Mindful Meditation w/ Sue Findlay, Chapel Junior High Youth Group All Youth Mystery Dinner Rehearsal Senior High Youth Group N 10
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