Vestry News...Jennifer Royce (978-263-0707 or [email protected]) Teresa Howie (978-266-1172 or [email protected]) Mary Anne Vogel (978-263-8957 or [email protected]) We’d

O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9

I N T H I S I S S U E

Pastor’s Letter 2

Worship 3

Merrie Xmas Fair 4,5,6

Silent Auction info. 5,10,11

Pastor’s Office Hrs. Advent Planning

6

NIN Collection, Pie Social, Opening Doors Workshop

7

Open Doors Update 8

Book Group 10

Support UCCB Shop AmazonSmile

10, 11

Birthdays 11

Vestry News

Let the Silent Auction Open Doors to New Experiences

Preparations for this year’s Silent Auction at the Merrie Christmas Fair are already well under way. This

year, in addition to offering products you can bid on as gifts for your family or friends, we would like to

offer more experiences that will get people together, invite new people into our church family, and open

our doors to the community.

In the past, we’ve already enjoyed several of these: the Belgian waffle breakfast, the Greek dinner and

dancing, the pie-crust-making demonstration, guided walks in the woods, an afternoon tea and garden

walk, cross-country ski lessons, etc.

We’d like to offer even more of these events this year. Here are some ideas for what could be done:

Cooking lesson, followed by a tasting of the prepared food

Brunch after church

Bowling party for adults and children

Group ski trip to Mt. Wachusett

Valentine’s Day party

Mystery dinner

If any of these sounds like something you – or you and a friend – would like to sponsor, that would be

great! The Community Center, including the kitchen, is available for your use, and we will help you

make the arrangements and publicize your event. The events you plan can be done any time between

now and June 2020.

If you have suggestions for more events that will provide fun experiences people can enjoy together,

please share your ideas with one of these:

Jennifer Royce (978-263-0707 or [email protected])

Teresa Howie (978-266-1172 or [email protected])

Mary Anne Vogel (978-263-8957 or [email protected])

We’d like to have the ideas by October 6 so we can start publicizing the events and getting early bids.

Thank you!

Let’s get ready for the Merrie Christmas Fair! This edition is full of information on how you can help!

P A G E 2

Past

or’s

Let

ter

Pastor’s Letter

Greetings Friends,

You matter. Yes, you. You with your particular gifts – joining loudly on a hymn, supporting parents with

rambunctious kids, giving a few dollars anytime you pass someone on the sidewalk with a cup. You matter.

You matter. Yes, you. You with your personal burdens – the parent who always found the right words to

cut you down, the job that leaves you numb, the addiction you face every day. You matter.

You matter. Yes, you. When you compare yourself to people’s curated Facebook lives, when you wonder

what meaning your life could possibly have, when you feel inadequate and broken and invisible. You matter.

You were made by Love, of Love and for Love. You bring beautiful uniqueness to the world. There is noth-

ing you have to do to earn value and worth and grace. You matter.

From a young age we start internalizing messages about how we will be assessed based on how we look,

how we do in school, how popular we are, how much we are paid, how successful we are at work, how big

our house is, how new our car is… Even when we work on resisting these messages, they seem to creep in

and whisper at the back of our minds.

Too often faith communities only make it worse. Somehow people get messages that their worth is based

on frequency of church attendance, the volunteer duties they undertake, the money they donate, the virtue

they demonstrate. Yes, I believe coming to worship and getting involved and practicing generosity and seek-

ing to be our best selves blesses us and the world. But these things do not earn us the love of God or each

other. That love is just there, free for the taking.

Because you matter.

UCCB is a busy and vibrant church. We continue to move through a robust capital campaign, we’re about

to begin the annual pledge drive, sign-up sheets for the Merrie Christmas Fair will appear any second, the

weekly bulletin is stuffed full of announcements about programs you can attend. And I hope you’ll engage in

some of what we have to offer, again because I think it will bless you and the world. But not because you

“have to” in order to be part of this faith community, or to be approved of by church leadership, or to earn

worth in our eyes.

You are a beautiful and beloved child of God, just as you are. We’re glad you’re here; in this church, and in

this world. You matter.

Peace,

Rev. Cindy

P A G E 3

October Worship

Oct. 7 – World Communion. Churches around the world connect at the communion table

on this world communion Sunday. We will receive communion by intinction (traveling to the

table to receive a piece of bread and dip the bread in the cup). We will also take the annual

UCC offering, Neighbors in Need. See information about that collection on page 7 of the

newsletter. After worship, we will offer the Laying on of Hands, see information on that below.

Oct. 13 – Guest preacher Rev. Larry Iannetti. Rev. Cindy is off for the long weekend. We welcome guest preacher Rev.

Larry Iannetti, a retired UCC minister who most recently served as the pastor of the Federated Church of Ashland. He has had a

diverse professional career, having worked as a school psychologist, and was ordained as a Catholic priest in 1985. During a hiatus

from ministry in the 1990’s -2010, he worked as a program director/supervisor in the substance abuse treatment field and went on

to consult for an insurance company around mental health and substance abuse related disability claims. In 2010 he returned to full

time ministry in the UCC. Larry has a special passion for artisan bread baking and has done workshops on the Spirituality of Bread

Baking. Larry spends his time serving on the Board of Directors, after completing a six year term on Committee On Authorized

Ministry for the Central Association of the UCC, oil painting, and volunteering at the Community Harvest Project Farm in Grafton

which produces fresh vegetables which are freely distributed to food pantries throughout Worcester County. He is currently a

member of the First Congregational Church of Shrewsbury, UCC.

Oct. 20 – Marking The Way. So many people are looking for connection, support, meaning. At UCCB, we have experienced

these blessings and more. We can help other people discover these gifts. That’s the challenge laid out in this year’s annual pledge

campaign. We will begin by reflecting on the story of Jacob, who used a rock for a pillow. When Jacob woke from God-filled

dreams, the rock became an altar to show others the way.

Oct. 27 – On a Mission. Participants from UCCB’s 2019 Youth Mission Trip will share their reflections in worship, and we will

launch the 2020 Youth Mission Trip with a special offering. Future mission trippers in the junior choir will add their voices to wor-

ship. The Shareholders Brunch immediately after worship is open to all, an opportunity to learn more about the Youth Mission

Trip and see the slide show.

Laying On of Hands

October 6

After Worship

Sanctuary

So much of our worship is "from the neck up," words spoken and heard. Sometimes we yearn for more embodied worship, like a

labyrinth walk or coming forward for communion or making sandwiches for hungry neighbors. And sometimes we need worship

that is quiet, meditative, and gives us very personal care and support.

These needs come together in the laying on of hands, a prayer service we have typically offered in Lent. This year we are offering

it monthly, after worship, on the first Sunday of the month (Oct. 6). Those who would like to receive the laying on of hands simp-

ly sit down front in the sanctuary after worship. Once the rest of the congregation has left, Rev. Cindy will rest her hands on each

person, and offer a brief prayer. We will be done in time to enjoy coffee hour.

Any questions, see Rev. Cindy

P A G E 4

The Merrie Christmas Fair Saturday, November 23, 2019

9:00 am – 2:00 pm

Merrie Christmas Fair is the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Many weeks and ways to participate.

There are many ways to participate:

-Call or email individual chair persons to see how you might contribute

-Join one of the preparation workshops (ornaments, men’s table, etc.)

-Donate funds, create items or materials

-Prepare or buy items for Snack Bar or Baked Goods Table

-Volunteer for event support duties: Sign-Up Sheets will be in Community Center mid-October.

-Let your family, friends, and neighbors know about the Fair, mark calendars

-Gather your Treasures (from attic or basement) and drop off in Pod starting wk. of Nov. 10

-Watch the Church Bulletin and Flash for updates

Fair Tables Chairs -

Gifts and Knits Ann Marchmont

Attic Treasures (worthwhile, working items) Gregg and Karen Hamlin

Children’s Table Heidi Kidd

Men’s Table Paul DiPaolo

Christmas Wreaths Rob Warwick and Youth Group

Seasonal Greens Anne Spalding

Christmas Ornaments Gloria Roe, Linda Morse, and Connie Brown

Silent Auction Mary Anne Vogel

Jewelry Mary Rohwer and Denise Parkes

Baked Goods Suzanne Boyden & Kathie Schwarting

Sugar Plum Café Deb Simmons and Deb Turner

Santa Looking for a Santa or 2 – any suggestions ?

Other Key Fair Support Areas -

Let Teresa or I know if any of these areas interest you for involvement:

Advertising & Promotion: Flyer Placement, A-Frame Signs, and more

Finance Team: Credit card payment processing in the Sanctuary and support of fair tables

Join Dave Pavlik, Kellie Senghas, Paul Brookes and Team

Set Up: Includes Sanctuary prep on Sunday, Nov 17 and Table sets on Nov 21

Join Ralph DeMent, Greg Turner, Guy Marchmont, Ron Vogel, Walker Royce and others

Attic Treasures Set Up: Friday, November 22 – major sorting effort

Clean Up at end of Fair Day: Sanctuary reassembly is critical at 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm

Contact the Fair Chairs, Jennifer Royce or Teresa Howie if you have questions or want to find a way to assist at the Fair. Jennifer

Royce, [email protected] 978-793-0055 or Teresa Howie, [email protected] 978-266-1172.

P A G E 5

GIFTS AND KNITS TABLE would love your help, talent and time. Is there someone you know that would be willing to do-

nate one of their Gift or Knit projects to the church on your behalf? These could be such things as baby items, hostess gifts,

teacher gifts, placemats and napkins, aprons, hats, etc. Anything would be very welcome as variety makes for a more attractive

table. Feel free to contact Ann Marchmont at 978-266-1775 or email [email protected]

ATTIC TREASURES – have you found any? Is there something that is in good condition, a useful tool, or a decent piece of

sports equipment that you no longer need or want? Do you have clean and working children toys that you know someone else

would enjoy? Here is an opportunity where you can clean your home and help make someone else very happy. Any questions,

call Gregg or Karen Hamlin 978-263-9238.

BAKED GOODS TABLE Is baking your passion or do you just have a few favorite recipes? This table al-

ways sells out, so your help to fill it is greatly appreciated. Start thinking now of what you may be able to pro-

vide. Suzanne can be reached at 978-201-2368 with any questions.

MEN’S TABLE – Wednesday evening workshops will be starting soon. Let Paul DiPaolo know if you are interested. Limited

talent required, feel free to call Paul at 508-922-5160 with any questions.

Silent Auction The Silent Auction at the Merrie Christmas Fair is a great opportunity to find unique holiday gifts, tickets to sports or musical

events, delicious homemade food, original art and photography, and special services like massages, exercise classes, gardening les-

sons, etc. Here’s how the Auction works – Auction items are on display at the Fair, and beside each is a sheet of paper where you

write down what you are offering to pay for that item. You can see what others before you have bid, and others can see what you

bid. You can even submit a “best and final” secret bid. The highest bidder at the end of the Auction wins the item.

Where do the Auction items come from? They are donated by many local businesses and by Church members and friends just

like you! Items of all kinds are welcome: gifts you purchase, gifts that are hand-made, original art and photography, delicious

homemade food, Christmas-themed items, tickets to sports events or concerts, tools for the home or garden, collectibles, etc.

Some of the most popular items at the Auction are the things we can do for one another. Here are a few examples of what has

been done in the past to spark your imagination:

Cooking a food-of-the-month – cookie/soup/bread/pie

Preparing a meal

Sharing a skill – turning pens on a lathe, teaching singing, teaching people to cross-country ski, decorating boxwood

trees, hiking local trails, etc.

Providing a service – Remodeling advice, Christmas gift wrapping, Christmas tree “un-decorating” after the holidays,

rides to the airport, babysitting, pet-sitting

We also gladly accept money to buy articles for the Auction. Mail or bring your check to the church made out to “UCCB” with

“Silent Auction” in the memo line. You can also donate online using the church website (www.boxboroughucc.org). Access the

“Giving” pull-down menu at the top of the home page, then click on Give Online, then click the Donate button, then choose Spe-

cial Fundraiser (specifying “Silent Auction” next to the amount), then click Continue at the bottom of the page to finish the dona-

tion by filling in your name and credit card information.

The Silent Auction needs everyone’s participation to be successful! Please let us know what you can donate by either (1) signing up

on the Silent Auction poster in the Community Center during the coffee hour after church, or (2) contacting Mary Anne Vogel

(978-263-8957 or [email protected]). Thank you very much!

P A G E 6

Saturday Morning Coffee and Conversation

Please join us in the Community Center at 9 AM on the first and third Saturdays of the month

for (bring-your-own) coffee and conversation! We’re currently exploring spiritual practices such

as meditation, and telling our stories. New members are always welcome. Contact any of us to

find out more: Art Boyd, Chris DeLise, Jeff Vandegrift, Todd Waddington, or Larry Wellington.

Ornament Table Seeks People to Help Make Items for Fair

This is the busiest month for us to make Christmas items for the Fair. We’ve scheduled three of Ornament/Decorations-Making

workshops. This is a great time to make lovely and fun ornaments for the Fair. If you have a project that you are working on at

home, great! Bring it along to work on during the workshop. No experience required to make ornaments.

OCTOBER WORKSHOPS:

Thursday, Oct. 3 7:00-9:00 PM Gloria Roe’s House, 56 Osceola Dr. Boxboro

Sunday, Oct. 13 2:00-4:00 PM Gloria Roe’s House, 56 Osceola Dr., Boxboro

Sunday, Oct. 27 2:00-4”00 PM Linda Morse House, 269 Joseph Rd. Boxboro

There will be one more workshop in November to be announced. Monetary contributions or material donations are greatly ap-

preciated to defray expenses for materials. If you would like to help or have additional questions, please contact either Gloria Roe

978-264-0052, Linda Morse at 978-266-2836 or Connie Brown at 978-978-391-4854.

Pastor’s “Office” Hours Wednesdays, 10 am

With construction well underway, Rev. Cindy's office is now her car, her house, your house,

the church kitchen - wherever she finds a space. You can still reach her by email

([email protected]) and phone, leave messages with Jenn, and setup an in per-

son meeting. Cindy will also be at Legend Cafe (5 Spruce St.) on Wednesdays from 10 - 11 am

for anyone who wants to drop by. Before you know it, construction will be done and you can

visit her in the renewed pastor's office!

Advent Planning Help plan Advent and Christmas worship and activities! Join Rev. Cindy and the

Deacons on Thurs., Oct. 3 at 7:15 pm in the sanctuary to hear about this year’s theme

“(300th anniversary of Joy to the World). Together we will reflect on the theme and

possible visuals, prayers, interactive experiences, sermons, etc. Joining in on the plan-

ning does NOT obligate you for other tasks during Advent, but your further participa-

tion would certainly be welcome! For more information or to sign up, contact Rev.

Cindy at [email protected] or 978-263-7387.

P A G E 7

Opening Doors Workshop

Opening Doors in a Changing World

Oct. 6, 11:30 - 1:00PM

Community Center

Rev. Betsy Waters

We no longer live in a "build it and they will come" (to church) world. In order to adapt well, we need to see the reality of the

cultural changes, uncover the assumptions that pull us back to an old world view, and create innovative ways to be the church in

the 21st century. This 90 minute mini workshop will help us shift the stories we tell ourselves about reaching outside our walls.

We will have bagels and cream cheese, but feel free to pack a snack!

Neighbors In Need

We will be taking an offering for Neighbors In Need (NIN) on Oct 6. This is a special mission

offering of the United Church of Christ that supports ministries of justice and compassion

throughout the United States. One-third of NIN funds support the Council for American Indian

Ministry (CAIM). Two-thirds of the offering is used by the UCC's Justice and Witness Ministries

(JWM) to support a variety of justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects

through grants.

Neighbors in Need grants are awarded to churches and organizations doing justice work in their communities. These grants fund

projects whose work ranges from direct service to community organizing and advocacy to address systemic injustice. Funding is

provided through donations to the Neighbors in Need offering.

Spiritual Nurture for Children Schedule Spiritual Nurture is available for youth in elementary through middle school almost every Sunday! This month, 10/13 is an inter-

generational worship service - all ages are welcome in worship. All other Sundays, interested youth leave for their programming

during the second hymn. Nursery care is also available every week, from the beginning of worship or anytime during the service.

Pie Social & Sale The Fellowship Ministry Team will host their annual Pie Social & Sale on Sunday, October 20. The event

will be held in the Community Center during Fellowship Hour and will feature a variety of home-made pies

donated by members of the church community. Both whole pies and slices will be available for sale.

If you’re interested in contributing a pie, please see the sign-up sheet at the Fellowship Table in the Community Center, contact

Deb Simmons at 978-365-9711 or [email protected], or just bring it in the day of the sale. Proceeds from the sale will be

used to support the Fellowship Ministry Team’s activities.

.

P A G E 8

Open Doors Project Update

Renovation of the historic building continues on schedule and within budget.

September saw the completion of the shear wall on the first floor, the framing of the first floor, insulation of the first floor walls,

and the installation of the beams, joists, and subfloor for the second floor. October’s plans include laying the floor on the second

floor, second floor framing, work on the belfry, and beginning construction of the porches.

First Floor Framing

With the completion of the framing on the first floor, we can begin to see

how it will look.

The picture on the left represents the view that a visitor would have upon

entering through the farmer’s porch. The Administrator’s office is on the

right. The framing for the window between the office and the lobby can be

seen. In center is the doorway that will lead back to the offices, work-

room, stairway, and rear exit.

Installation of the Second Floor The beams supporting the second floor are constructed by layers of

wood and steel as shown in the photograph on the right. The wood is

LVL (Laminated Veneer Lumber), a high-strength manufactured wood

product. The result is a beam capable of handling very large loads without

support.

The beams are 35 feet long and

weigh hundreds of pounds. They

were installed with the help of

jacks, as shown in the accompa-

nying picture.

Continued next page

P A G E 9

With the installation of the beams and joists, the stage is set for the installation of the second floor. The picture above was taken

from the north entrance between the pastor’s office and the stairwell, and shows the vaulted ceiling on the second floor be-

tween the joists.

On September 10, most of the subfloor was laid on the second floor, allowing team

members to walk on the second floor for the first time since June 16. In the picture

on the left, Site Superintendent Bruce Jaillet and Guy Marchmont are discussing the

reframing work that needs to be done on the south wall (behind them).

The stained-glass window in the south wall is covered with plywood, as recommend-

ed by our insurance company to protect it from damage during the renovation.

Continued from page 8—Open Doors Project Update

P A G E 1 0

Cont. on next page

Faith in Action Reading Group: How to Be an Antiracist

A Christian is one who is striving for liberation. – Dr. James Cone

Please join us this fall as we explore this theme, using the brand-new book by Ibram X. Kendi, How to Be an Antiracist, as our guide.

You are encouraged to participate if any of the following apply to you:

if you are uncertain what to say when people protest, “But I’m not racist!”

if you struggle with how to talk about racism with your friends and loved ones

if you want to take your antiracism commitment to the next level, but are not sure where to start

if you are scandalized by Christianity’s racist past and present, and want to work towards a new future

Meetings will be on Tuesday evenings 7p-8:30p, at rotating locations:

September 24 - UCC Boxborough

October 1 - UCC Boxborough

October 8 - UCC Boxborough

October 15 - South Acton Church

October 22 - South Acton Church

October 29 - South Acton Church

November 5 - St. Matthews

November 12 - St. Matthews

This is an open invitation; anyone who is willing to fully participate is welcome. The time commitment will be approximately 40-60

minutes of reading, plus meeting time, each week. We will also explore and discuss action steps throughout and at the conclusion

of our reading. Dr. Josh Lunde-Whitler, from South Acton Church, will be facilitating the discussions.

For more information please contact Rev. Amy Lunde-Whitler at [email protected].

Shop Online Using AmazonSmile and Earn Money for UCCB Do you shop online using Amazon.com? Did you know that you can earn money for our church, at no cost to you, when you pur-

chase products through Amazon? Here’s how it works.

Instead of logging in to www.Amazon.com you simply log in to www.Smile.Amazon.com using the same credentials (username and

password) as you do with Amazon.com. When you make purchases through Smile.Amazon.com, the AmazonSmile Foundation

donates 0.5% of the purchase price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the 501c(3) charity you select. The purchase price

for any item is the sale price, excluding shipping, handling, gift-wrapping fees, taxes, service charges, rebates, and returns. There is

no cost to you or to the charity you select.

Here’s how to shop AmazonSmile:

1. Log in. Log in to Smile.Amazon.com with your usual Amazon.com credentials (username and password).

2. Choose a charity. When you first log in to Smile.Amazon.com, you will see a page welcoming you to AmazonSmile and inviting

you to choose a charity to receive donations. You can select one of Amazon’s spotlight charities, but we hope you will choose our

church to receive donations generated by your purchases. Simply enter United Church of Christ Boxborough into the entry box

and then click on Search. When the church name is found, click the Select button, then click on the check box that says you real-

ize you must log in to smile.amazon.com to support the charity you’ve chosen. You only need to select a charity the first time you

log in to Smile.Amazon.com.

3. Start shopping. You’ll see the message “Supporting: United Church of Christ Boxborough” at the top of the page under the pull-

down list of categories of items for sale.

P A G E 1 1

Bits

and

Pie

ces

“If your birthday doesn't appear in the appropriate edition of the Vestry News, please

inform the church office of your birth month and day. We'd love to celebrate you!"

October Birthday Blessings

The shopping experience on Smile.Amazon.com is identical to that using Amazon.com. Tens of millions of

products are eligible for donations, and you will see “Eligible for AmazonSmile donation” on their product

detail pages. Some items (subscription renewals, for example) are not eligible for donations.

Approximately 45 days after the end of each calendar quarter, the AmazonSmile Foundation makes its dona-

tion to the church by electronic funds transfer.

An important note about privacy:

No information will be disclosed that identifies which customers have chosen to support the church through

AmazonSmile or that ties donations made to the church with individual Amazon customers.

Remember, the church benefits only if you log in to smile.amazon.com not just Amazon.com when you shop.

Any questions? Contact Mary Anne Vogel (978-263-8957 or [email protected]) for more information.

Cont. from page 10—Shop Online using AmazonSmile

Joanne Davis 10/02

William Robertson 10/02

Kathie Schwarting 10/02

Heather Moir 10/07

Alexander Pieri 10/11

Andrew Bull 10/13

Steve Griffin 10/17

Beth Pavlik 10/17

Jill Elenbaas 10/20

Guy Marchmont 10/20

Nancy Russell 10/20

Alexander Boyd 10/21

Cindy Warwick 10/21

Suzanne Boyden 10/22

Gregg Hamlin 10/22

Anthony Pacy 10/23

Douglas Simmons 10/24

Paul DiPaolo 10/26

Gregory Hodgman 10/27

David Mayo 10/27

Amanda Sidwell 10/27

Barbara Szostak 10/28

Kyle Bond 10/29

Bob Bond 10/31

www.boxboroughucc.org

978-263-7387

[email protected]

Vestry News articles, ideas and

submissions are welcome and due the

third Sunday of each month. The Vestry

News is published prior to the first

Sunday of each month.

Please submit to:

[email protected]

October 2019

United Church of Christ, Congregational

723 Massachusetts Avenue

Boxborough, Massachusetts 01719

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