The Messenger Volume 64 No. 2 First Congregational Church Fairhaven, Massachusetts March 2015 The First Congregational Church UCC LENTEN SOUP & FILM PROGRAM 34 Center Street Fairhaven, MA 02719 Thursdays, March 5, 12, 19 & 26 5:30 – 6:00 – soup and bread 6:00 – 8:00 – movie and discussion Tel: (508) 993-3368 e-mail: firstcongfairhaven@gmail.com facebook.com/ firstcongfairhaven www.firstcongfairhaven.com Pastor Rev. Bette McClure 508-951-1792 pastorfirstcong@gmail.com Administrative Assistant Sara Salem Music Director Mr. David Touchette Pianist Mrs. Isleila Rodrigues Office Hours Tues thru Thurs 9:00am - Noon God is Still Speaking, (Free will donation to help defray cost of meal and films - $2.00 suggested) While, as church-going folk, we often turn to our Bibles for guidance as we walk through life, there are also other places that can help us ponder our lives and get food for reflection. Movies can often deal with matters of faith – issues such as forgiveness, repentance, friendship, etc. – that help us grow and gain insight. We invite you to join us for this special movie series that will take place during the season of Lent. Those who wish will gather at 5:30 for a simple meal of soup and bread and then we will watch the movies and spend some time in discussion. Each of the movies chosen this year is 1.5 hours or shorter in length. That will give us time to view the film and share our reflections on it before we end at 8:00. Mary and Max (theme: friendship): In the mid-1970’s, a homely, friendless Australian girl of 8 picks a name out of a Manhattan phone book and writes to him; she includes a chocolate bar. She’s Mary Dinkle, the only child of an alcoholic mother and a distracted father. He’s Max Horowitz, an overweight man with Asperger’s, living alone in New York. He writes back, with chocolate. Thus begins a 20-year correspondence, interrupted by a stay in an asylum and a few misunderstandings. Mary falls in love with a neighbor, saves money to have a birthmark removed and deals with loss. Max has a friendship with a neighbor, tries to control his weight, and finally gets the dream job. Will the two ever meet face to face? The film is a bit unusual as it is done in Claymation a form of stop animation using clay. The term was coined by its creator, Will Vinton, owner of an animation studio that worked with clay artists to create clay animation. Claymation involves using objects or characters sculpted from clay or other moldable material, and then taking a series of still pictures that are replayed in rapid succession to create the illusion of movement. Continued page 4 2 44 All who believed were together and had all things in common; 45 they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds[j] to all, as any had need. 46 Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home[k] and ate their food with glad and generous[l] hearts, 47 praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. Acts 2:44-46. Dear Friends, They rushed into our building, small children in tow, eager to gather in the nursery for Mom’s Club. Most of them had been cooped up for days, snowbound during our unending storms and they hungered for adult companionship. After three weeks of not meeting, the folks in the bridge group I play with gathered around my dining room table. It seemed they were somewhat less interested in actually playing cards than being with other people. On a still cold and snowy day, any number of people trekked into Heavenly Treasures. Were they looking for the bargain of the year? Not necessarily; it seemed what they really wanted was companionship and to chat about any number of things Even school children who usually seem to love “snow days” and not having to go to school, longed to see their friends again. All of us, introverts and extroverts alike, seem to yearn for community – a place where, as the old Cheers TV show touted, “everybody knows your name.” Community is not a new, modern day phenomenon. As we can see in the passage from Acts quoted above, our ancient ancestors in faith built the developing Christian church with an emphasis on community. Continued next page 3 And that’s what I believe our church should strive for – to be a welcoming community to all who are in need of caring, compassion, acceptance, encouragement and love. I think we have really been trying to do a great job of building community among the folks who attend our church. Each Sunday we learn something about what is going on in each other’s lives when we share our joys and concerns and lift them to God in prayer. I see small groups of folks gathering together during coffee hour sharing bits of their stories with one another. Our pot-lucks, soup and conversation gatherings, Bible study group and other similar events are all places where community blossoms. And certainly, Heavenly Treasures has developed a vibrant community among the women who work there and many of the customers who come to visit as well as buy. Our challenge, I think, is how we can extend that community outside the four walls of our building for I know there are so many more folks who also yearn for community. In the past we have done such things as having a presence at the Farmer’s Market and Fall Harvest event, providing lemonade at the summer concerts, providing a blessing of animals in the fall, to name a few. Let’s come up with some new ways to reach out to everyone in a way that builds community and shares God’s love, hope and promises throughout our town and beyond. What ideas do you have? Share them with me and with others so that we can find ways to act on them. Blessings, Bette Our Prayers Are With... Ray Lawton, Jennifer Mimms, Rachel Joaquim, Marge Jones, Marj Blaha, Marvin Schell, Mabel Filipek, Steve Desimas, Mike Bobola, John Gage, Dot Gammans, Betty Monk, Dot Bungert, Pearl Huart, Bob Doucette, Peg Rogers, Julie Lawton, Marian Bastien, Jan Dawson, and Mark Bobola. Flowers... On February 15 flowers were ordered in loving memory of Mary Evelyn Rogers and Ellen Rogers by their family. Flowers are used to brighten up the sanctuary for Sunday worship. If you would like to have a bouquet placed in the sanctuary you can sign up on the sheet in the William Street entrance or call the church office. A small $30 basket arrangement will be ordered from Garlington Flower shop. You are also welcome to make or order the arrangements yourself, just let the office know ahead of time so we can print it in the bulletin. Flowers can be placed in memory or celebration of someone or something. 4 Church Membership Opportunity Have you ever wondered what it involves to become a member of this church? Have you been attending worship for a while but never gotten around to joining. Would you like to know more about our church and our denomination, the United Church of Christ? While everyone and anyone is always welcome to worship here and to take part in any of our programs and activities, we hope that at some point each of you will consider formally becoming a member. If this seems like the right time for you, please call Rev. Bette and she will set up a time to meet with you, either here at the church or at your home or even over coffee at Honey Dew! You can ask questions, express your concerns and learn more about what being a member of this particular United Church of Christ means. For anyone who decides they want to join the church, we will plan to welcome new members during worship on a Sunday in April or May. We hope you will consider becoming part of this community of faith. Continued from page 1 Ida (theme: guilt, identity, life choices): In Polish with English subtitles, this is a moving and intimate drama about a young novitiate nun in 1960s Poland who, on the verge of taking her vows, discovers a dark family secret dating from the terrible years of the Nazi occupation. 18-year old Anna, a sheltered orphan raised in a convent, is preparing to become a nun when the Mother Superior insists she first visit her sole living relative. Naïve, innocent Anna soon finds herself in the presence of her aunt Wanda, a worldly and cynical Communist Party insider, who shocks her with the declaration that her real name is Ida and her Jewish parents were murdered during the Nazi occupation. This revelation triggers a heart-wrenching journey into the countryside, to the family house and into the secrets of the repressed past, evoking the haunting legacy of the Holocaust and the realities of postwar Communism. Philomena (theme: forgiveness): Based on the 2009 investigative book by BBC correspondent Martin Sixsmith, The Lost Child of Philomena Lee, this film focuses on the efforts of Philomena Lee (Judi Dench), mother to a boy conceived out of wedlock - something her Irish-Catholic community didn’t have the highest opinion of - and given away for adoption in the United States. In following church doctrine, she was forced to sign a contract that wouldn’t allow for any sort of inquiry into the son’s whereabouts. After starting a family years later in England and, for the most part, moving on with her life, Lee meets a BBC reporter with whom she decides to discover her long-lost son. Wendy and Lucy (theme: “who is my neighbor”): Wendy & Lucy is a touching movie about an idealistic young drifter, her faithful dog and the wide-open spaces of the Pacific Northwest. Played by Academy Award-nominated actress Michelle Williams, Wendy is a down-on-her-luck girl who’s hoping to turn things around for herself with a summer job in Alaska. On route to her new life, Wendy’s car breaks down in Oregon and the thin fabric of her financial situation comes apart. Gorgeously filmed in stark, luminous imagery, Wendy & Lucy addresses issues of sympathy and generosity at the edges of American life, revealing the limits and depths of people’s duty to each other in our modern times. 5 The Train of Life Pantry News At birth we boarded the train and met our parents, and we believed they will always travel by our side. However, at some station our parents will step down from the train, leaving us on this journey alone. As time goes by, other people will board the train; they will be significant: our siblings, friends, children, and even grandchildren. Many will step down and leave a permanent vacuum. Others will go so unnoticed that we don't realize they vacated their seats. This train ride will be full of joy, sorrow, fantasy, expectations, hellos, goodbyes, and farewells. Success consists of having a good relationship with all passengers requiring that we give the best of ourselves. The mystery to everyone is: we do not know at which station we ourselves will step down. So, we must live in the best way, love, forgive, and offer the best of who we are. It is important to do this because when the time comes for us to step down and leave our seat empty, we should leave behind beautiful memories for those who will continue to travel on the train of life. I wish you a joyful journey on the train of life. Reap success and give lots of love.More importantly, thank God for the journey. Lastly, I thank you for being some of the passengers on my train. -Found and submitted by Betty Monk Thank you to all who continue to donate to the food pantry. We helped 6 families throught the month of February. Your donations are the backbone fo this well used program. Thank you for all your continued support! Souper Bowl of Caring Results A heartfelt thank you goes to our Confirmation Class for presenting an awesome and informative slide show about hunger during worship on February 1st. We raised more money than we ever have before and because it was matched by Action for Christ funds we were able to send $902 to Mercy Meals and More, a breakfast program for the hungry in New Bedford. Everyone who contributed can be assured they have made a difference in many people’s lives. Way to go, everyone! Easter Flowers Sign up sheets will soon be available for purchasing memorial/celebration Easter flowers. Sign up sheets will be in the William Street foyer or you can phone the church office. Please pay for flowers when ordering. The prices are: Lilies Hyacinths Tulips Daffodils $8.50 $6.75 $6.75 $6.75 4-5 bud 6" pot (blue, white, or pink) 6" pot (pink, white, red, purple, or yellow) 6" pot 6 Join us for a St. Patrick’s Day Luncheon Wednesday, March 18, 2015 12:30 p.m. Join us for a simple lunch of soup and sandwiches and relax as you share conversation with other church members and friends. The only cost is something for our food pantry and wearing something green! Please RSVP to the church office by Join our ongoing Activities: Adult Bible Study in the library, most Wednesdays from 12:30 to 2:00 Choir Practice 8:30 am Sunday Mornings in the sanctuary before worship Soup & Conversation in Maddaford, usually the fourth Wednesday of each month from 12:30 to 2:00 Morning Prayer Time in the library, most Thursday mornings from 7:30 to 8:30 Sunday March 15th. Erin Go Bragh! Check our weekly calendar in your bulletin or your weekly emails for more specific information. HOLY WEEK & EASTER EVENTS (more details forthcoming in the April edition) Sunday, March 29th 10:00 a.m. Palm Sunday Service & Soup Brunch Tuesday & Thursday March 31st & April 2nd 7:30 a.m. Holy Week Prayer Time on the Harbor Thursday, April 2nd 7:00 p.m. Maundy Thursday Service Friday, April 3rd 12:00 – 3:00 p.m. Meditation time in Sanctuary Sunday, April 5th 5:30 a.m. Ecumenical Sunrise Service – Fort Phoenix Sunday, April 5th 10:00 a.m. Easter Sunday Service 7 May and John Dampman Scholarship Fund Through the generosity of May and John Dampman we are able to give scholarships to high school graduates affiliated with our church to help offset college costs. Applications have gone out to youth who we know are graduating this year. If you are graduating but have not received an application please let the church office know. Scholarships are awarded late May/early June when we invite the recipients to attend church and be recognized. Funds are then distributed when one semester of college has been completed successfully. Upcoming Graduations – Let Us Know! If you have someone in your family who will be graduating this spring – from high school, college, or receiving an advanced degree – please let the office know so that we can offer our congratulations in an upcoming Messenger. One Great Hour of Sharing, March 15th One Great Hour of Sharing provides support for health, education, refugee, agricultural, and emergency relief initiatives in 138 countries by working with local, national, and global partners. This special offering reaches those near and far, sometimes changing the life of someone in distress in your own community, while at other times impacting the lives of those we may never meet. Administered in the national UCC setting by Wider Church Ministries, Global Sharing Resources, this program has a long history of helping poeple in dire circumstances from Typhoon Haiyan in the Phillipines, to a flood in Colorado, from a tornado in Kansas, to escaping the ravages of war in the Congo. "I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be a fair balance. As it is written, 'The one who had much did not have too much, and the one who had little did not have too little.'" 2 Corinthians 8:13-15 Dunkin Donut Gift Card Drive Recently Susan Smith, aka “Homeless Hattie” spoke in church about the circumstances of the homeless and the way people perceive them. She is the program director at Homes with a Heart, a 14 bed shelter where they can come in from the cold until 7:00 a.m. and then they return to the streets. When the shelter has Dunkin Donut gift cards, some homeless are lucky enough to have something to eat, however they are not always available. Action for Christ would like to challenge the congregation to donate as many $5.00 Dunkin Donut gift cards as possible. There is a container at the front of the church for donations. As of the date this is being written we have collected 51 $5.00 gift cards to donate to Homes with a Heart. 8 NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID New Bedford, MASS. Permit No. 630 The Messenger First Congregational Church 34 Center Street Fairhaven MA 02719-2931 EST 1794 Please do not delay Time value - dated material RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED This newsletter has been published on recycled paper. 3/201 5 Next Messenger Deadline: March 20th Sue Burr for decorating our coffee hour area so wonderfully and for designing displays for our communion table many weeks – also for making the awesome candy bibles given out on February 22nd. The Confirmation Class for leading worship on February 22nd. This year’s class includes Jenna Desrochers, Rhianna Dimock, Reagan Morton and Steven Scott. Bill Bixby from South Coast Community Church for all his help with shoveling the never-ending snow ��