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Church Office Hours: Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Pastor’s Office Hours: Tuesday through Friday 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Church Office Phone: 413-569-6362; Pastor’s Study: 569-5630
Website: www. southwickucc.org
Office e-mail: [email protected]
Facebook: Southwick Congregational Church UCC
Staff: Minister Reverend Bart Cochran
Choir Director/Organist Roberta Kowal
Bell Choir Director Patti P. Wood
Office Administrator Lyn Casey
Custodians Matthew Kowal & Maria Lempke
VOLUME MMXVII No. 11
Buildings &
Grounds:
Craig Perras Dan Warriner
Christian
Education: Ashley Greco [email protected] 413-579-2110
Deacons: Rob Lempke [email protected]
Finance: Elaina Lempke [email protected]
Flowers: Roxanne Cook [email protected] 413-569-6364
Fundraising: / Nominating:
Patti Wood [email protected] 413-977-2524
Library: Joyce Arnold 413-569-0039
Memorial Gifts:
Karen Brzezinski 413-569-6816
Missions: Roxanne Cook Donna Sullivan
[email protected] 413-569-6364
413-569-3356
Music: Melanie Nitsch [email protected] 413-568-9722
Pastoral Relations:
Roxanne Cook [email protected] 413-569-6364
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Southwick Congregational Church
United Church of Christ 488 College Highway; P.O. Box 260
Southwick, MA 01077
The Good Newsletter of the
Southwick Congregational Church
United Church of Christ
Southwick, MA
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Minister: The Rev. Bart Cochran
Please join us Sundays for…
Worship Service— 10:00 AM
Mid-Week Service—Thursdays 6:30 PM
Website: www. SouthwickUCC.org
November 2017
Say Yes!
“The harvest is plentiful, but the
laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
See Matthew 9:35-10:23
What do you think of this gospel passage? How does it relate to Southwick Congregational Church UCC, and the wider church? What is the stewardship here?
I think that it focuses on the importance of making as clear a choice as possible in using resources in favor of the Kingdom of God. Our congregation becomes clearer and deeper in stewardship commitment when we say a deliberate “Yes!”
So, what am I asking you to “say yes” to? By making a strong pledge of time, talent, money, and other resources, we reinforce others who have already done so, and we encourage those who have not done as much to do the same. We let our lives speak!
Another virtue of the passage is that it underscores the fact that our choices have long-term consequences. Now, I don’t believe that failure to give to the church is going to keep any of us out of heaven! But I do know that investing money in the work of ministry and mission on behalf of others improves the quality
2
The Pastor’s Pages
3
Don’t forget, you can read the weekly sermon on our web-
site: www.southwickucc.org
on the page: “From the Pastor”
of life in our church and our broader community. It also directly benefits the people who do give - with a sense of purpose, overall well-being, and being a part of something that is larger than ourselves. It is good for all of us!
To accept the command of Jesus to engage in bringing wholeness to a fragmented world is to be on a mission that matters. Say “Yes” to our church – make a strong pledge this month. Act as if the entire mission of the church is upon your own shoulders; who knows, it might be.
Merciful God, give to us a generous spirit. In giving we receive so much. In the blessed name of Christ Jesus.
Amen
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Bart
Call for Pastoral Care:
If anyone in our church has a family member who is ill, hospital-ized, grieving or moving to a senior living facility, please be sure
to advise the church office. We want to respond with caring support. Call the church office at 413-569-6362 or email at
ADVENT BIBLE STUDY: Sundays 7 PM & Tuesdays 11 AM beginning November 26.
4
Ministry and Outreach
Worship Schedule Sunday Worship service at 10:00 AM
Thursdays Midweek Service with communion continue at 6:30 PM Ecumenical Service at The American Inn on the third Tuesday of the
month at 6:30 PM
Office Hours The Church office is open Monday thru Friday from
9:00 AM ~ 1:00 PM Pastor Bart’s Study is open Tuesday thru Friday from
10:00 AM ~ 2:00 PM
All Church Meeting Thursday, November 9, at 8:00 PM
All Church Committee Refreshment Schedule November—Finance Committee
December—Buildings & Grounds Committee January & February—Open
Adopt A Family Let's begin to think about Adopt A Family which will again be part of our Christmas outreach. This is an opportunity to provide assistance
to some local and needy families for the holiday season. As a participant, you'd be given a family's wish list to aid with some shopping for them. It is a wonderful opportunity to give back as we count our own blessings. If you, as an individual, a family, or a com-
mittee would like to participate, please contact me for details. Email - [email protected]; Phone - 413 569 3356
Mark Your Calendars
2nd Annual Turkey Dinner
Open Pantry Collection
Pizza & Pine Party
Adopt-A-Family
Holly Bazaar
Cookie Sale 8:30-1:00
November 11 ~
21 ~
27 ~
December ~
2 ~
16 ~
5
Stewardship Thoughts
1 Peter 4:10 - As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as faithful Stewards of God's grace.
As we age, how will the value of our life be measured? Living a life that matters is not a matter of circum-stance but of choice where each act of compassion or sacrifice enriches or encourages others.
November is Stewardship month; a time to review the passing year and prepare for the year ahead. Treasure the opportunity before you. Consider your pledge relative to the data below. If 80 Stewardship pledges are received for 2018, each would need to average $1,875 to sustain a zero based budget next year.
~ Virgil
54 Average Sunday
Attendance
166 Members $150,000
2017 Budget
$104,078 Expenses through
September
$83,720 Income
through Sep-tember
78 Stewardship
Pledges
$1016 Avg. 2017
Pledge
Open Pantry Food Collection
The youth group needs to collect 150 boxes of stuffing and 150 reusable shopping bags for the Food Pantry to be given out in Thanksgiving dinner baskets. There are boxes in the Narthex and by the office to collect donations before November 21.
6
Music Notes
Continued on p. 11
HYMNS—How do we pick them?
I thought it might be interesting for some of you to learn how
I pick the hymns for Sunday morning worship.
The Sundays in each Lectionary Year run from the first Sun-
day in Advent through Christ the King, which is the Sunday after
Thanksgiving. There are three Lectionary Years – A, B, and C.
We are presently in Year A. Lectionary Year B will begin with Ad-
vent.
The Scripture readings each week include one reading from
the Old Testament, a Psalm, one reading from the New Testa-
ment, and one reading from the Gospel. If you were to attend
church every Sunday for three years, you would hear much of
the bible read. These readings are ecumenical and are read
each Sunday at Our Lady of the Lake.
We sing three hymns each week, with a fourth on Commun-
ion Sunday. The first hymn follows the Call to Worship. It is usu-
ally a hymn of praise and reflects the word set forth by that morn-
ing’s Call to Worship. For Instance, on Oct.22nd we heard, “We
Thanksgiving Time ~Elisabeth Weaver Winstead
November leaves come tumbling down, To Sweep the cloud-gray sky.
And from the empty cornfield rows, The bronze-tipped pheasants fly.
Gold pears adorn the orchard trees, And squash reflects the gold days.
Ripe apples gleam in shining bowls, Near hearth fires all ablaze.
Large pumpkins line the roadside patch, The barn holds fragrant hay.
We thank God for nature’s gifts, Given to us this day.
This treasured harvest feast we share With those we cherish best;
With happy hearts, we bow our heads In gratitude expressed.
“Cherish today.” ~Joyce Arnold From the Library
7
November 10 Karen Brzezinski
November 27 Sabine Prather
November 28 Julie Chase
If we’ve missed a birthday, please let the church office know!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
2nd Annual Turkey Dinner Saturday, November 11th, 2017 6:00 PM
Call for Reservations: 413-569-6362
Menu:
Turkey & Gravy
Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Green Peas & Butternut Squash
Cranberry Sauce, Rolls
Apple & Pumpkin Pie
Adults: $14.00 Kids 12 and under: $7.00
NOVEMBER
Advent Bible Study Please join Pastor Bart for an exciting 4 week Advent Bible study. Classes begin November 26 and end December 19. Sundays at 7 PM, Tuesdays at 11 AM
Pizza & Pine Party Monday November 27, 6:00 PM. Come join us as we make log boxes for the Holly Bazaar. Enjoy pizza and fellowship!
10
COMING MONTHS
Holiday Cookie Sale December 16, 2017 8:30-1:30
We Need Cookies, Hundreds of healthy, hardy and even gluten-free cookies! Bakers; dust off your cookie recipes, gather up your flour, sugar, butter, mixing bowls and cookie scoops, warm up your ovens; it’ll soon be time for another mouth-watering hol-iday Cookie Sale.
Check Costco for the best price on supplies; a 25 lb bag of King Arthur flour is $12.60. You say you can’t possibly use all 25 lbs, why not split a bag with another cookie baker? Plan Ahead! Nab butter at a great price and freeze it ‘til needed. Note that Big-Y offers seniors a 10% grocery discount every Tuesday through late December.
For questions, see Robin or Virgil.
Patti Wood is collecting recipes for cookies - in case you don't think you are a "baker." She
also has recipes for fudge, other candies, bark, peanut butter
balls, and the like..... Feel free to contact her if you want to
expand your culinary expertise.
The Annual Holly Bazaar will be taking place on Saturday, De-
cember 2 from 8:30-3:00 PM. Come shop and enjoy local
crafters, candy, baked goods, wreaths, cemetery boxes and
more!
We need baked goods to be sold at the Church Tables. Please
contact Roxanne Cook if you can help: 413-569-6364
Holly Bazaar! December 2, 2017 8:30-3:00
11
are summoned by One who is just and merciful. The Ruler of all
worlds expects us to respond.” The following hymn was “O Wor-
ship the King.” From vs 5 we sang “your mercies, how tender, how
firm to the end, Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer and Friend.”
The second hymn follows the Scripture Readings. In our
church there are usually two readings chosen by Pastor Bart from
the Lectionary for that particular Sunday. This hymn reinforces
those Scripture messages and invokes our
response. Forinstance, on Oct.22nd we heard
from Paul, Sylvanus, and Timothy’s letter
to the Thessalonians, “People tell us about
what sort of welcome we had from you and
how you turned to God from idols. As a result,
you are serving the living and true God, and
you are waiting for his Son from heaven.” Our
hymn was “Take My Life”. From vs.1 we sang “Take my Life and
let it be consecrated Lord to thee”, and from vs. 5 we sang “Take
my will and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine”, and finally
from vs. 6 we sang “Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for
thee.”
On Communion Sunday the hymn following the Offertory
Dedication and before the Service of Communion helps us to set-
tle down and open our hearts to the invitation of Christ our Lord.
For instance, “Be known to us in breaking bread, but do not then
depart; Savior, abide with us, and spread thy table in our heart.”
The final hymn is our response to the message of the Gospel
and to Rev. Bart’s sermon. It is a reaffirmation of the faith we
share and an acknowledgement that we are nurtured and
strengthened by God as we accept His commission to go forth into
the world loving and serving in the name of Jesus.
Next month we will learn about the resources the Church pro-
vides for picking hymns, and how the internet has also become a
useful tool. We’ll talk about why sometimes only the words are
printed in the bulletin and why occasionally we don’t sing all of the
verses of every hymn on a given Sunday. We will learn what those
small letters and numbers at the bottom right of every hymn in the
hymnal mean. And finally, I will try to answer any questions you
may have about the hymns between now and then.
~Roberta
Music Notes continued from page 6...
12
Moderator David Breton called the meeting to order at 8:10 pm followed by an opening prayer by Pastor Bart. A motion was made to accept the minutes of September’s All-Church Meeting which was seconded and passed unanimously.
Minister’s Report Pastor Bart met with the Church & Ministry Committee of the United
Church of Christ as they interviewed him for his annual review. October 21st is
Super Saturday and three of our members will be attending workshops that day at the UCC office in Framingham. More of our members are encouraged to attend as this is open to all UCC members. The church office has been informed that a former interim minister of this church, Rev. Tim Carlton, is now in a nursing facility and the church office has his contact information. The church office now has information available for the Boar’s Head Festival held each year at Trinity Methodist Church in Springfield each January. Please contact the church office for ticket information.
Buildings and Grounds Dan Warriner reported 2 members present. They replaced light bulbs
around the building. The church recently had a MassSave Energy Audit completed and a report is forthcoming on our lighting issues and how MassSave can help out with upgrades for the church – hopefully free of charge.
Christian Education Ashley Halacoglu reported 3 members present. The Youth Group is
holding a Harvest Bake Sale on Oct. 22 with proceeds to go towards hurricane relief aid. The annual Pumpkin Carving/Spaghetti Supper will be on Oct. 28. Please contact Ashley or the church office for reservations. The committee also discussed their Christmas program to be held in December.
Deacons Lee Zinnack reported 4 members present. The newly purchased
Communion set will be blessed on the first Sunday in November. The committee discussed Advent season plans.
Finance Committee Elaina Lempke reported 7 members present. The committee discussed
the Pastoral Survey handed out by the Pastoral Relations Committee. They also discussed the letter for the stewardship campaign.
Treasurer’s Report Ted Orson reported our expenses are currently on the low side now and
our income is about $12,000 less than budgeted at this point. Higher monthly expenses are coming with the heating season and snowplowing.
Flower Committee Roxanne Cook reported that the flowers are all set for the month of
October.
Fundraising Committee: No report.
Memorial Gifts Karen Brzezinski reported that the stonemason finished etching 3 stones
that will be picked up this weekend. Funds have been coming in for the
All Church Committee Meeting October 12, 2017
13 three recent funerals.
Mission-Outreach Roxanne Cook reported 3 members present. The committee is working
on the Adopt-a-Family program for the holidays. If you know of a family to be considered please contact the church office or a committee member. The mitten tree and sock box once again will be out for the holiday season.
Music Committee Melanie Nitsch reported 5 members present. The October Calendar
Raffle fundraiser is in process and going very well thanks to all the hard work by the committee members – especially Brittany Perras and Lynn Coach. Lyn Casey in the church office has been supporting the raffle immensely and working hard notifying winners and we wish to thank her very much! The fundraiser has raised a little over $1,600 for the church’s general fund.
Roberta Kowal, our organist/choir director, will be back playing and leading the choir Sunday, 10/15, after her recent surgery. A big thank you to Sean Uliasz for filling in on the keyboards in Roberta’s absence and for the bell choir and Mike & Steve Pitoniak for playing during this time when the choir was off.
Pastoral Relations Committee Roxanne Cook reported the committee met last Tuesday, 10/3, and
discussed Pastor Bart’s 3 year contract renewal negotiations. The committee has passed out a questionnaire/comment sheet to each committee to fill out and also a short questionnaire will be in the Sunday bulletin for two weeks in a row. They are asking everyone to fill them out and place them in the boxes that are displayed by the end of October.
Nominating Committee: No report.
Library Committee: No report.
New Business Roxanne Cook reported that the Town of Southwick’s Historical Society
has requested that their annual meeting/dinner be hosted by our church next year on April 19, 2018. Patty Banasik has volunteered to organize this.*
The Holly Bazaar spaces/tables are now for sale at $30 each or $25 if you bring your own table. It is the 1
st Saturday in December (12/2/17) and
baked goodies are needed for the church’s bake sale table. The Holly Inn will again be organized by Roberta Kowal and friends.
Ted Orson spoke about the United Church of Christ newsletter that he has been receiving by email lately and his concerns about the UCC’s political tendencies. He is asking church members to do some research on the NACCC (National Association of Congregational Christian Churches) and check out their website (naccc.org) and perhaps the All-Church members could have a discussion on this at a future date.
After a motion was made, seconded, and passed unanimously to forego the Executive Board Meeting, the All-Church meeting was adjourned at 8:35 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Melanie Nitsch, Clerk
*Note: the date for the Historical Supper will be April 26, 2018. LCasey
14
#11
Hello fellow church members!
Forgive this short article this month but I am coming to you
from Disney World! I wanted to set the stage for my next article
which will be based on the present church building. This article I'll
be doing a short tour of the Southwick center in 1823. It was a bit
different than it looks today! The Southwick Inn was in the same
spot as it is currently but in a different building which burned down
in 1905. The inn was owned by Charles Bingham. The Southwick
library was on the south west corner of the center and the house
was owned by Mr. Thaddeus Foote. He lived with the brother to
Mr. Enos Foote. The building that is now the colonial gift shop was
another residential home and lawyer's office. From that house
there was an open field that went all the way past where the
church parsonage currently stands. The open land was all owned
by Enos Foote. All the owners that I have just discussed plus one
other resident gave 1/2 an acre of land to the church for a total
cost of $1660. I will talk about the building of the meeting house in
my next article.
~Martha Johnson
Southwick Historical Corner
The Church offices will be closed
Thursday and Friday, November 23 and 24,
for Thanksgiving.
Thank you to the Music Committee members for putting together the October Calendar Raffle, it was a big success. And a big thank you to all those that bought tickets, and to all the businesses & people that donated prizes! ~Brittany
Thank You
15
“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” ~Psalm 118:24
Some days I find it very difficult to “be glad;” how, Lord, do I
turn my attitude around? What about the days when I am simply
not in a good mood?
I was taught that when I am not feeling blessed, to write a
gratitude list. Yet, when I am not feeling blessed, I am besieged
by the “yabuts” (yeah, buts). Yabuts are the nasty critters that tag
on to the gratitudes and eat at them to turn them into complaints.
Let me give you an example: I am grateful for my home;
yabut… I have to pay the mortgage, fix the roof, mow the lawn,
what if the furnace goes, woodpeckers are ruining the siding, it
needs a new roof… etc. Get the idea?
I have tried to not listen to the yabuts, but they have a way of
getting themselves noticed. So, I came up with a method to list
my gratitudes, let the yabuts have their voice, and still end up
feeling blessed. Let me show you.
On a blank piece of paper I draw a line down the middle. On
one side of the line I write what I am grateful for, on the other I
write the yabut. When I am finished I can fold the paper over and
look only at my gratitude list! My whiny little voice has had her
chance to be heard, and I feel satisfied. In this month of thanks
giving, I dare you to try it and see if you don’t feel better.
I used this last month when I celebrated my
20 year anniversary with my husband. My
yabuts went right into niggling me about what
HE wasn’t going to do for me and all the things
wrong with HIM. I stopped and started to write
down all the things about him that I loved. For
our anniversary gift, I gave him a deck of cards
with 1 thing I loved about him stuck on the face
of each card. (Honesty forces me to admit I
found the idea on Pinterest.) Creating a list of
52 reasons I loved my husband was the best
thing I have done in a long time; and it makes
me much nicer to be around.
~Evelyn Dean Casey
The Secretary @ Southwick
Sun Mon Tue Wed
1
Office Open 9
Bart’s Hours 10
Cub Scouts 6:30
Voice Choir 7:00
5
Communion
Service 10 AM
Coffee Hour 10:30
OA 3:30 PM
6
Office open 9-1
Music Together 10
7
Office Open 9-1
Bart’s Hours 10-2
Bell Choir 6:30
Boy Scouts 6:30
OA Step Study 7-9
8
Office Open 9
Bart’s Hours 10
Cub Scouts 6:30
Voice Choir 7:00
12
Worship
Service 10 AM
Youth Group 10:15 AM
Coffee Hour 11
Durocher Wedding
OA 3:30 PM
13
Office open 9-1
Music Together 10
14
Office Open 9-1
Bart’s Hours 10-2
Bell Choir 6:30
Boy Scouts 6:30
Girl Scouts 7:00
OA Step Study 7-9
15
Office Open 9
Bart’s Hours 10
Cub Scouts 6:30
Voice Choir 7:00
19
Worship
Service 10 AM
Coffee Hour 11
OA 3:30 PM
20
Office open 9-1
Music Together 10
21 Open Pantry due
Office Open 9-1
Bart’s Hours 10-2
American Inn 6:30
Bell Choir 6:30
Boy Scouts 6:30
22
Office Open 9
Bart’s Hours 10
Cub Scouts 6:30
Voice Choir 7:00
26
Worship
Service 10 AM
Youth Group 10:15 AM
Coffee Hour 11
OA 3:30 PM
Advent Bible Study 7
27
Office open 9-1
Music Together 10
Pizza & Pine Party 6
28
Office Open 9-1
Bart’s Hours 10-2
Advent Bible Study 11
Bell Choir 6:30
Boy Scouts 6:30
29
Office Open 9
Bart’s Hours 10
Cub Scouts 6:30
Voice Choir 7:00
Don’t forget to bring stuffing and bags for the Open
Pantry Food Collection—due by November 21!
Wed Thu Fri Sat
Office Open 9-1
Bart’s Hours 10-2
Cub Scouts 6:30
Voice Choir 7:00
2
Office Open 9-1
Bart’s Hours 10-2
Midweek Service
6:30 PM
3
Office Open 9-1
Henrietta’s Open
Bart’s Hours 10-2
OA Meeting 6-7
AA Meeting 7:30
4
Henrietta’s Open
9-1
Office Open 9-1
Bart’s Hours 10-2
Cub Scouts 6:30
Voice Choir 7:00
9
Office Open 9-1
Bart’s Hours 10-2
Midweek Service
6:30 PM All Church Mtg 8:00
(Finance)
10 Veteran’s Day
Office Open 9-1
Henrietta’s Open
Bart’s Hours 10-2
OA Meeting 6-7
AA Meeting 7:30
11
Henrietta’s Open
9-1
Wedding Rehearsal
2nd Annual Turkey
Dinner
Office Open 9-1
Bart’s Hours 10-2
Cub Scouts 6:30
Voice Choir 7:00
16
Office Open 9-1
Bart’s Hours 10-2
Midweek Service
6:30 PM
17
GOLD DOME
ARTICLES DUE
Office Open 9-1
Henrietta’s Open
Bart’s Hours 10-2
OA Meeting 6-7
AA Meeting 7:30
18
Henrietta’s Open
9-1
Office Open 9-1
Bart’s Hours 10-2
Cub Scouts 6:30
Voice Choir 7:00
23 THANKSGIVING
Office Closed
24
Office Closed
Henrietta’s Open
OA Gratitude
Gathering 6 NFH
AA Meeting 7:30
25
Henrietta’s Open
9-1
Office Open 9-1
Bart’s Hours 10-2
Cub Scouts 6:30
Voice Choir 7:00
30
Office Open 9-1
Bart’s Hours 10-2
Fair Share Co-op
Midweek
Service 6:30 PM
