Vol. 29 No. 1 January 2019

Dear Edwards Church Community,

Gathering at the crossroads of ancient faith and contemporary culture,

we are a Christian church asking God to show us a new way.

At our annual meeting on January 27th we will consider two matters that have grown out

of our shared commitment to be open to new ways of living our faith. One is how we are

organized to do the work of the church. The other is how we use the investment assets of the

church to live into the vision we have discerned as God’s vision or call for this community.

First, how we are organized. At the annual meeting we will consider a proposal to

suspend those parts of our bylaws that specify what boards and committees we should have,

what each of them do, how many members they should have, and so forth. The purpose – as I

understand it – of suspending this part of the bylaws is simply to allow us to experiment without

deliberately violating the rules on the books.

Finding strength in our diversity,

we call on all our talents to worship and serve.

We need to find better ways to make the best use of all the talents we have. This may

require smaller groups who organize the work, so that larger groups can do it together. It may

require trust and a willingness to try new ways that sometimes work and sometimes don’t, but

we cannot improve without being willing to try. Stay tuned for more details as they unfold.

At the annual meeting we will also consider the recommendation of the New Way

Committee, described in greater detail in this edition of the Spire and later in the booklet of

annual reports. Very few (if any) of us enjoy, as individuals, the level of financial security that

our church enjoys as an institution.

Encountering the world’s joys and suffering,

we offer ourselves as instruments of love and justice.

Once we give ourselves the opportunity to step back and consider the possibilities (which

we have done by consulting our financial advisor and forming the New Way Committee), we

can realize that we have not only the freedom but the responsibility to do more than we already

do in terms of caring for the wonderful building we have, caring for the community we have,

and caring for our neighbors.

This year, as always, we find ourselves standing at a crossroads. May we choose well and

wisely. And may we be guided by God’s vision for us.

Blessings,

Michael

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Edwards Church is an Open and Affirming Congregation: We embrace Christ’s command to love God with all our hearts and our neighbors as ourselves. Therefore, we welcome everyone regardless of ethnic background,

economic circumstance, sexual orientation, family configuration, or difference in ability.

All who seek the love of Christ are welcome to Edwards Church and to share fully in its life and ministry. In response to the Spirit of Christ in our midst, we glorify God and rejoice in the inherent worth, dignity, and gifts of every person as a child of God.

From the Minister of Faith Formation

Dear Beloved of God,

The season of Christmastide is now upon us…those twelve days from Christmas day to Epiphany. Did you know that the well know song The Twelve Days of Christmas was a teaching tool

about Christianity? Delia Halverson, in her book, Teaching and Celebrating the Christian Season, writes:

True Love God

Me Baptized Christian

Partridge in a pear tree Jesus (a partridge acts as decoy to save its babies)

Two turtle doves Old and New Testaments

Three French hens Faith, Hope, Love (1 Corinthians 13:13)

Four calling birds The Four Gospels

Five gold rings The Torah (first five books of the Hebrew

scriptures)

Six geese a-laying Six days of creation (Genesis 1)

Seven swans a-swimming Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (Romans 12:6-8;

1 Corinthians 12:8-11)

Eight maids a-milking Eight Beatitudes (Matthew 6:3-10)

Nine ladies dancing Nine fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22)

Ten lords a-leaping Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-7)

Eleven pipers piping Eleven faithful disciples

Twelve drummers drumming Twelve points in the Apostles Creed

Recently I came across 12 ideas for the 12 days of Christmas – A Sacred Journey in which the writer, having

embraced the invitation of waiting and keeping vigil that Advent brought her, wanted to mark each day

during the season of Christmastide with intentionality. If interest you can read more about this season and how the author marked each day at

www.asacredjourney.net/calendar.

Wishing you all a very blessed Christmas and a joyous New Year! Deb

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YOUTH GROUP Edwards Church Youth Group’s ministry is open to those in Grades 6 -12. We generally meet on the second and fourth Sunday of the month from 11:30-1:00 , with a few exceptions. Youth are always welcome to bring a friend!

Here’s what is coming up:

January 13 – 11:30-1:00 ~ We are going bowling at

Spare Time

January 27 – 11:30-1:00 We’ll attend Annual Meeting and then meet in the Edwards Room

Communion Table Flowers

The gift of flowers for the communion table in our

sanctuary is a revered custom. The flowers may be given to an ill or homebound member, or the donor may keep them

and give to whomever they wish. Persons who receive flowers from our communion table

are always so surprised, grateful, and appreciative. Please consider giving flowers as a wonderful way to express your love for the church and for each other.

Please call or email Janet Hemminger at (413) 584-1635 or chuck.hemminger@gmail.com to select a date in

November or December.

Many thanks,

Janet Hemminger

Thank You Thank you to all who participated in our Nativity Sunday’ Christmas Pageant. Continuing to engage

intergenerational participation in this annual retelling of Christ’s birth, it was wonderful not only to have the most recent baby born and his parents as the Holy Family, it was equally as wonderful to see

children, youth and two of our college students participate. Many thanks to Darleen Buttrick, director; Michelle and Dan Prindle, music directors; and Sandra Rossi and Shauneen Kroll, costumers, and to all the parents who made sure their children made it to rehearsal(s) in this very busy time of year.

Confirmation Class

On January 20 our topic is: How the

Bible came to be; we will explore

themes of the Bible; and how do we understand Scripture.

Church School

Church School will resume January 13th and our focus scriptures and themes for the month are:

January 13 (Jesus’ Baptism): Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 ~ Remembering God’s Promises

January 20: John 2:1-11 ~ Witnessing God’s New Way in the World

January 27: Luke 4:14-21 ~ Shaped by God’s Word

Level 2 Racial Justice

Training

A Level 2 Racial Justice

Training will be held on January 19 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. in the Edwards Room. Participants

need have previously completed a Level 1 training. Please let Deb

Moore know if you would like to attend this training.

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Make a Resolution to Join the Choir

By David Kidwell

If you've ever thought about singing with the Edwards Church choir, the beginning of the year is a great time to start. You can start slowly with us as we build towards Spirituals in February and Easter

music in April. No audition is required; just come on a Thursday evening at 7pm and see how you like it. If you have

other questions, check out the Join the Choir page on the church website or see me on any Sunday morning before or after worship.

New Way Committee Update “Gathering at the crossroads of ancient faith and contemporary culture, we are a Christian church asking God to open us to a new way.”

With considerable work, consultation, prayer and deliberation, members of the New Way Committee have created a process for the allocation of funds for new projects starting in 2019 that will support

outreach, in-reach and church capital improvements. We are looking forward to presenting and discussing the New Way Fund process with members of the congregation at Annual Meeting on

January 27. At the meeting, we will review the vision for the New Way Fund, the division and management of the funds, and the process for funding new projects. We will also distribute a survey to members asking for their outreach and in-reach priorities to aid in funding decision-making in 2019.

The members of the New Way Committee thank the many members, ministers, staff, friends and

outside consultants who have assisted us in our thinking.

The New Way Committee,

Paul Bertram

Floyd Cheung Jim Cope Elena Frogameni Ruth Griggs, chair

Jeanne Kocsis Shauneen Kroll Deb Moore (ex officio)

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Sue Anderson Carla Bee and Danny Shanahan Fumiko Brown Pat Cameron Nancy Lee and Don Carpenter Floyd and Sheri Cheung Debbie Davis and Grace Del Vecchio Lizzie Dixon Susan and Leon Drzewianowski Edwards Church Youth Group Nancy Flickinger Sandi & Gaston Gilbert Jim Green Jan Hemminger Beth Henneman Chris and Jack Hjelt Dianne Hobbs Lynda Kamik Barbara Kirchner Jeanne Kocsis Kathy Korza Laura, Christian, and J.J. Kroll

Shauneen Kroll Carole and David Laventure Melissa and Jack Mattison Morgan McKoy Michael McSherry Dorothy Molnar Deb Moore Peg O'Sullivan Ann Parker Judy Peck & Carla Wirzburger Sandra Rossi Harriet Smith Cynthia Stanton Ella Stocker Jim, Connelly, Keira, & Maren Stokes-Buckles Marj and Gene Tauer Phyllis Taylor Janie Thurber Janet Tucker Rachel Venator Hazel and Marc Waller Kimela Webb

Thank You Cathedral in the Night Volunteers!

“Finding strength in our diversity,

we call on all our talents to worship and serve.

Encountering the world’s joys and suffering, we offer ourselves as instruments of love and justice.”

These lines from the Edwards Church vision statement describe what we believe God is telling us to be about. Six times in 2018, the Edwards community embodied the beliefs in and commitment to the ideals expressed in these lines when we served as worship partners with our neighbors in the Cathedral in the

Night (CITN) congregation.

All members of the Edwards community, through the act of giving an offering at our weekly worship

services, support our CITN mission as well as many other important forms of outreach locally, regionally, and globally. A big THANK YOU goes out to all the Edwards Church volunteers listed below

who helped one or more times in 2018 to provide or cook food, and/or participate in the worship service and share a meal with our Cathedral neighbors.

Thank you for helping to actively share God’s word and love with our neighbors.

Cathedral in the Night is an outdoor Christian community in downtown Northampton which seeks to create a safe place for all people: the homeless, the housed, the church-less, the churched, the student and the resident to explore, question and live out their spiritual beliefs; to gather for a meal and to empower one another to engage in issues of social justice by working to fight the causes of inequality and homelessness. CITN offers an outdoor worship service every Sunday at 5 pm, no matter what the weather, on the sidewalk in front of First Churches. The service is followed by a hot meal as well as sandwiches and other food to take for additional meals. Learn more about CITN’s programs and services at www.cathedralinthenight.org

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Edwards' First Minister Has Transcontinental Railroad Ties

by David Kidwell

Bill Czelusniak has been tuning the pipe organ at Edwards Church for many

years. He and I are both train enthusiasts, and a few weeks ago, Bill sent me an

article about Edwards Church's first minister, Rev. Dr. John Todd. The article is

reprinted here with the permission of the author, Brian Hebert.

I hope you enjoy it!

Divine Intervention: New England and the Golden Spike By Brian Hebert

Eaton, New Hampshire.

The infamous “bottle photograph.” Somewhere in the crowd stands a pious man from Maine.

Union Pacific’s “Spike 150” celebration in Ogden Utah, featuring the restored Big Boy #4014, is going to

happen in May of 2019. It’s safe to say that all of us would like to be there. Imagine the awe of witnessing in

person the largest operating steam locomotive alive today, then also to be a part of the homage to the people

who made the original Golden Spike Ceremony happen. It will be unforgettable.

For those of us on the east coast, we can be proud to know that our own ties to that western heritage run deep. In

fact, several of the characters that played a role in the building of the transcontinental railroad came from New

England.

One particular story is that of a New England Pastor from Pittsfield, Massachusetts who, aboard a train bound

for California in May of 1869, became briefly famous by his unintended attendance at the original golden spike

ceremony. He joined railroad history by pure luck, or was it...divine intervention?

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The Reverend Doctor John Todd of Pittsfield, Massachusetts was born in Rutland, Vermont on Oct. 9th 1800,

the son of Dr. Timothy and Phoebe (Buel) Todd. Dr. Timothy Todd, a country physician, was in the battle of

Bennington and was a man of good standing in his state, at one time being a member of the general assembly

and later serving on the Governor’s Council. John Todd’s father passed away when he was ten. No information

is immediately available about his mother, but with Todd’s father’s passing, he was sent to live with an aunt in

North Killingsworth, Connecticut. Some years later he lived in the home of a Jeremiah Evarts in Charlestown,

Massachusetts, and it is recorded that he walked there from North Killingsworth, a distance of about 140 miles!

Later, he studied at Yale College, earning a degree in 1822, and also at the Andover Theological Seminary.

During vacation times, the student turned school teacher when he could, and this must have been the start of his

career as a public speaker.

He was called to be a pastor of a church in Groton, CT. and there in 1827 he married Mary S. Brace (1806-

1889) daughter of a minister from Newington. In 1833 Todd accepted the pulpit of the Edwards Church of

Northampton, MA. And helped found the Mount Holyoke Ladies Seminary. Todd also ministered in

Philadelphia, PA, but found himself back in the northeast when he accepted the pulpit of the First

Congregational Church in Pittsfield, MA in 1842. Three years later he received a Doctor of Divinity degree

from Williams College and became one of its institution’s trustees.

Reverend Doctor John Todd became the 8th Pastor of the 1st Congregational, and soon had a large following of

worshipers that swelled the church’s patronage so that it could hold no more. Besides his work with the church,

Todd was an avid fisherman and hunter. He advocated for clean water, a local library, and good schools. His

personal hobbies included breeding flowers, specifically Alderneys, carpentry, and light machine work done in

his own well equipped and apparently well-known workshop that was in a shed out behind the church. One

time, the superintendent of buildings at Yale, upon meeting a freshman from Pittsfield asked him “Whatever

became of Dr. Todd’s lathe and his tools?”

He and his wife travelled long distances across America and Europe. Todd was a much sought-after lecturer. In

the winter of 1855 he made a lecture tour with his wife to the “far west,” speaking to 22 audiences in 26 days.

At one point in his trip, a sleigh in which he was crossing the Maumee River broke through the ice, and “only

with difficulty was he drawn out of the water.” He was well received wherever he went, and was often found on

his travels in conversation with great men: Lord Palmerstone (England’s Prime Minister) among them.

I think this is enough to establish that the Rev. Dr. John Todd was an interesting, intelligent, and kind fellow. A

sketch of Todd in his biography during his 50’s showed him to be a clean cut, rigid teacher of faith. He was a

well-known and respected member of his community. His parishioners and friends thought a lot of him, and to

show their appreciation, offered him a gift in early April of 1869.

Dr. Todd was offered a round trip tour overland from Pittsfield, MA to California. Even today, being offered a

vacation trip such as this would be expensive and exciting, but in early 1869 must have been nearly an

expedition.

At first, the Reverend was not really sure if he wanted to go. Being almost 70 years old, he stated in his

biography that “Now if I go to California, I shall most assuredly need, use, and consume your kindness (money),

and if I do not go, I shall put it into a little building lot which I have purchased on credit, in the possibility that I

may hereafter make a short home on Jubilee Hill before going to dwell on the higher hill, that of Zion.”

It should be noted here that Jubilee Hill in Pittsfield, MA is near the downtown area. At the time that John Todd

was making his decision, it afforded an overlook of the city, and the Boston and Albany railroad yard, passenger

depot, and ornate roundhouse. His home would have been situated in a position that would have been a railfan’s

dream, and would not have been far from the church, but Doctor Todd settled on the decision to go to

California. In the days following his decision, Todd would get more railroading than he would have ever

expected!

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In early 1869, a person could not yet purchase a train ticket from the east coast directly to the west coast because

the Transcontinental Railroad had not yet been completed. He and the people he was travelling with must have

planned to ride as far west as possible, and then take a stagecoach to California or to the nearest railhead going

west.

Todd’s biography states, “The journey to California was undertaken in early May, in the company of quite a

party from Pittsfield, the gifts of generous friends having made it possible.” Todd's journey from here is a bit

sketchy; however he had written some detailed descriptions about the landscape view out of the coach windows

as he was riding along.

That could have been the end of the story for Todd, but during the trip somewhere (possibly Omaha, Nebraska),

Dr. Todd stepped aboard an exclusive train heading west on the Union Pacific Railroad. On board that train was

the UP’s Vice president Thomas Durant, who just happened to be a native of Lee, Massachusetts, a town situated

just a few miles south of Dr. Todd’s home in Pittsfield. Also aboard was Grenville Dodge, the railroad’s chief

engineer, accompanied by John Duff, and a host of other railroad officials from various railroads and businesses

that were tied to the Transcontinental Railroad project in one way or another.

How the Reverend was able to secure passage aboard this very special train for himself, and his party, that was

on its way to Promontory Point, Utah, is a mystery. It surely must have seemed like divine intervention to Todd.

However, it could be guessed that John Todd simply bumped into Thomas Durant at some station along the way,

and since they were both from the same neighborhood, had something in common to talk about. Fortunately for

Todd, he was going the same way as Durant’s party and must have been invited to come along.

Imagine the incredible luck of being asked to attend the completion ceremonies of the greatest undertaking of the

time, the Transcontinental Railroad, along with the people who created it!

All must have been going very well for the Reverend Doctor and the rest of the passengers on board the special

train. That is, until it arrived in Piedmont, Wyoming, where the train just “stopped abruptly” and the office car

was swiftly detached by an angry mob, and pushed onto a siding track where the rails were immediately disabled

on both sides of it. An account of what transpired at Piedmont Station was printed in the Pittsfield Sun

newspaper dated May 13, 1869, three days after the golden spike ceremony:

“Mr. Durant Vice President of the Union Pacific Railroad, John Duff, and several other gentlemen were seized at

Piedmont Station, Nebraska (actually Wyoming) on Thursday morning while in the officer's car, by the laborers

on the railroad, who said that the car would not be allowed to proceed until their wages were paid. The men

numbered about 300, among who were several desperate fellows. They were all armed and seemed determined.

No violence was intended and the mail and other cars were allowed to precede, the officer's car, with its

prisoners alone being detained. The Rev. Dr. John Todd, and Mr. and Mrs. Thaddeus Clapp, of this town, were

passengers on board of this train.”

Back in Pittsfield, having read this in the newspaper, it must have been a shock to Mary Todd, who stayed

behind in Berkshire County, and the rest of the townsfolk who donated the money to send Doctor Todd off to

such a dismal situation!

The train was delayed a couple of days, apparently being chained to the rails until a payroll was received and

payed out to the angry workers. Afterward, it was allowed to proceed and it continued west into Utah, and finally

(after more delays due to washouts) arrived at Promontory Point.

Dr. Todd not only witnessed the Golden Spike ceremony on May 10th, but actually participated in it as his name

appears on the official program: “1. Prayer by Rev. Dr. Todd of Pittsfield, asking the favor of Heaven upon the

enterprise.”

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The scene that greeted Dr. Todd as he stepped off that famous train at Promontory is best left to his own words

from his biography:

“The day was clear and beautiful; and the little gathering of less than a thousand people representing all classes

of our people, from the humblest citizen to the highest civil and military authorities, met to enact the last scene

in a mighty drama of peace in a little grassy plain surrounded by green-clad hills, with the snowy summit of the

Wasatch Mountains looking down on the placid blue waters of the inland sea of America in the distance, formed

a scene which cannot be fitly described, but can never be forgotten by the beholder.”

Dr. Todd accompanied Thomas Durant during the ceremony as can be seen through the photographs that were

taken that day by Andrew J. Russell. Russell was the Union Pacific’s official photographer. If you can find

Durant in a photo, look closely, and you may see Rev. Dr. John Todd standing nearby.

Around noon on that Monday, May 10th, the ceremony began, and the final crosstie made from a California

laurel wood tree was placed on the ground. Holes were pre-drilled in the tie to accept the silver and gold spikes

that were made special for this occasion. One of the last spikes was made of 18 ounces of pure gold and was

inscribed with the originally scheduled date of May 8th, 1869, and the names of the Central Pacific’s officers. It

was made by David Hewes, a contractor from San Francisco and was presented to Leland Stanford. A rough

nugget of gold had been fixed to one end, which later Hewes would have broken off and melted down into finger

rings; Hewes presented these to Stanford, and Oakes Ames, and to President Ulysses S. Grant, Secretary of State

William Seward, and the Reverend Doctor John Todd. The rings would be inscribed “The Mountain Wedding,

May 10th, 1869.”

At 12:30 the telegraph operator Watson N. Shilling tapped out to the hushed and waiting country “Almost ready.

Hats off. Prayer is being offered.” Every head was uncovered in reverential silence. Rev. Dr. Todd stepped

forward and gave the following prayer:

“Our Heavenly father, and our God, God of the creation, of the waters, and of the Earth, in whom we live, and

move, and have our being, we acknowledge thee to be the God of the creation of the human mind, with its power

and its successes. Now, on this beautiful day, in the presence of these lonely hills and golden summits, we render

thanks that thou hast by this means brought together the east and the west, and bound them together by this

strong band of union. We implore thee that thou wilt bless this work of our hands which we have now

completed, this monument of our labor; and that thy blessing may rest upon it, so long as the hills remain among

which the ends have been bound together. We thank thee for the blessings thou hast conferred on us and other

nations; bless our future, and those whom thou hast appointed to conduct us in it. We again acknowledge thy

power, and beseech thee to bless the waters that wash the shores of our land, the Atlantic of thy strength and the

Pacific of thy love. And to thee and thy son Jesus Christ, shall all honor and glory be ascribed, world without

end, Amen.”

The true final spike was made of ordinary iron, and was pounded into the tie next to the laurel wood tie. The

spike was rigged up with wire to the telegraph pole, and when it was hammered down it made a “click” on the

wire that was heard all across the nation. People all over America celebrated. Bells were rung, cannons were

fired, and at Promontory Point the track workers that had built the two roads celebrated with what was called

“Substantial liquid refreshment!”

Afterwards, the good Reverend climbed the steps back up onto the train and travelled on to California. His was

the first train that went through from the east on the Transcontinental Railroad. Rev. Dr. Todd became a

celebrity and wrote back to his wife on May 23rd:

“To Mrs. Todd, I cannot begin to tell you how kind everybody is to me, receiving me as a kind of holy fossil, to

be handled with care. I am getting the hang of things here, and they hang very queerly.....I am honored far above

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Fellowship Time is Busy!

Hello Edwards Church! Here’s another friendly reminder about the after-church

fellowship hour, which has been well-attended this spring. Everything is there: Good

company, a watchful deacon, hot coffee and tea, and – well, usually tasty snacks. But not

always. Once in a while we have a pretty lean Sunday, hence this appeal. Please, when

you get that gentle reminder that your alphabet group

comes up, consider bringing a little something. Lots of

littles add up to a generous and welcoming table.

Thank you, from the Deacons,

Tom Derr

January 6 - Last names with A-D January 13 - Last names with E-K

January 20 - Last names with L-P

January 27 - Last names with R-Z

SNOW/INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY

When storms of any kind occur it can raise the question whether we will be having our customary Sunday service or other events at that church. In the absence of a cancellation announcement, one should assume that the service or other event is being held. Cancellation announcements would typically include listing the cancellation with local news outlets (e.g., ABC 40 / FOX 6 or WWLP), and posting to the church web site and Facebook page. When in doubt, try calling the church to ask. Concern for personal safety should always come first, so even if there is no cancellation announcement, please stay home if you have any doubt.

all my deserts, as well as my expectations. I have become ‘Very remarkable,’ ‘Very gifted,’ ‘Of long

experience,’ ‘Of national reputation,’ ‘One of the most eminent,’ etc., etc. What would they say, if they only

knew you, the creator of all these wonders?”

One large church went so far as to offer him a call with a great salary; but he was wise enough to decline it.

John Todd returned to his wife and Pittsfield, MA after touring the west. He lived for only a few more years,

and passed away in Pittsfield on August 24, 1873.

Much could be written of the Reverend Doctor John Todd as a man of faith, and other interests, however it was

his invocation, that happened by chance at the golden spike ceremony, which made him nationally famous.

Today, his name doesn’t stand out as other well-known railroad names do, but the Rev. Dr. John Todd has

made a contribution to American railroading history, and should not be forgotten. Amen.

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DRAFT Edwards Church Council Minutes December 12, 2018

Council Members Attending: Leon Drzewianowski (Moderator), Jim Stokes-Buckles (Outreach),

Janet Tucker (Deacons), Nancy Flickinger (Music), Carl Erickson (At-Large), Jon Dietrich (Trustees), MaryAnn Bankman (At-Large), Jeanne Kocsis (Outreach), Debbie Davis (Stewardship)

Staff Attending: Deb Moore (Commissioned Minister of Faith Formation), Michael McSherry (Senior

Minister), David Kidwell (Minister of Music), Marc Waller (Treasurer)

Leon called the meeting to order at 7:05pm and led an opening prayer.

Minutes of the last meeting were accepted without correction.

Joys and concerns:

Advent worship, dinner, and tree trimming was well-attended and joyful. Some people joined us

from the street (it was the Northampton Downtown Stroll evening).

Scott has ordered a ladder as a gift for the church, to be used to decorate the tree in future years.

Folks appreciated using china plates, instead of disposable plates, at the Advent dinner.

Suggestion that next year we order a little more food for the Advent dinner.

Marc’s granddaughter’s dance performance went well, and another young person from our church goes to the same school. Small world!

Team Edwards, the Hot Chocolate Run team, had good turnout and appreciated the very generous support of the congregation.

David’s Holyoke symphony concert this past weekend was wonderful and much appreciated.

MaryAnn and Tom were married here in the church 15 years ago tomorrow. Happy Anniversary!

Concern that some are still drinking coffee or other drinks in the sanctuary. It’s requested that we have signs asking for no food or beverages in the sanctuary. Michael will follow up on this.

Committee Minutes

Deb shared more information about a woman who is homeless and has lately spent time sleeping

on the front steps of the church. A friend of hers reported that she loved spending time in our community on Sunday.

Nominating Committee for 2019

As discussed at the last council meeting, Leon drafted a motion for Annual Meeting, which reads: “A motion is made to suspend the Edwards Church Bylaws, Article 10, Sections 1-14, relating to

committees, their structure, responsibilities, size and frequency of meeting for a period of one year so as to allow a process review of how the needs of the church could be managed by a smaller and more efficient committee structure.”

Council affirmed that this motion will be brought to Annual Meeting. If it passes 2019 can be seen as a year of exploring a new structure for doing church business.

Committees are asked to communicate to Carl who their members for 2019 will be. We are not asking for a 2-year committment from these members.

Committees are encouraged to recruit members for whatever length of time the members are willing to serve, even if it is shorter than the traditional two-year term.

New Way Committee

Jeanne reported that the committee has completed a draft process for disbursing investment funds.

This draft will be forthcoming shortly. The committee plans to put this information out to the congregation prior to the Annual Meeting.

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Status of Building Projects

Jon provided some updates about building projects. Refer to Trustees minutes for more

information.

All electrical panels are complete. An electrician is coming this Friday to replace the light above the

back door and address some other small electrical issues.

Renovation of the sacristy, and the hall downstairs outside the kitchen, are also being considered.

The railing up to the lectern is being fabricated right now and should be installed within the next two weeks.

The concrete on the ramp in the back courtyard is crumbling. It will have to wait to be addressed until better weather.

Sponsorships and Pledges

Outreach Committee or its successor group will continue to be the group that agrees to

sponsorships or co-sponsorships in the church’s name. However, before signing onto a pledge or statement, or if there are significant questions, the committee will defer the question to Council.

Council considered a request for placing a sign in the front window of the church promoting a new

initiative called “Hug Out Hate.” There was expression of support for the initiative’s values, and council decided not to place the signage on the window, but a request will be made for more

information to post on the inside bulletin board. Michael’s sabbatical will be coming up in May and then summer of 2019. Details were in his report for

this meeting.

The next council meeting will be held on January 9, 2019, at 7:00pm.

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS

Note: In an effort to protect the digital identities of our community members, we will no longer publish dates of birth in the

newsletter. Please contact the church office directly if you would like to obtain this information.

Is your birthday missing? We’d like to include everyone, so please call the church office and let us know your bir thday!

Gerald Krywicki

Linda Smith

Julie Abel

James Cope

Marjorie Tauer

Nathan Korza

Laura Frogameni

Jean Koester

Sharon Carlson

Jillian Grant

Todd Rossi

Susan Canning

Paul Voss

Lawrence Mattison

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mm

. 6

pm

MA

NN

A

6:3

0 F

ait

h F

orm

ati

on

Mtg

.

6:3

0p

m M

AN

NA

Bo

ard

of

Dir

ecto

rs M

tg.

7p

m C

ho

ir R

ehea

rsal

12

pm

Al-

An

on

6:3

0p

m A

A

11

:30

am

MA

NN

A

3p

m C

ircl

e o

f C

are

6

7

8

9

10

1

1

12

9am

Ch

oir

Reh

ears

al

10

am C

om

mu

nio

n

W

ors

hip

1

1:1

5 F

ello

wsh

ip (

A-D

) 1

1:3

0 M

usi

c C

om

mit

tee

5p

m W

om

en o

f C

han

ge

7p

m C

oD

A

2p

m P

VIR

AG

6

pm

RV

S

7p

m V

MS

G

12

pm

Al-

An

on

4p

m P

rayer

Sh

awl

M

inis

try

7p

m V

MS

G

7p

m T

rust

ees

Mee

tin

g

10

am A

A W

om

en’s

Gro

up

12

pm

Bib

le S

tud

y

5p

m B

oar

d o

f F

rien

ds

of

the

Ho

mel

ess

6p

m M

AN

NA

7

pm

Co

un

cil

Mee

tin

g

7p

m C

ho

ir R

ehea

rsal

12

pm

Al-

An

on

6:3

0p

m A

A

8am

CE

Cer

tifi

cati

on

11

:30

am

MA

NN

A

13

1

4

15

1

6

17

1

8

19

9am

Ch

oir

Reh

ears

al

10

am W

ors

hip

1

1:1

5 F

ello

wsh

ip (

E-K

) 1

1:3

0 Y

ou

th G

rou

p

5p

m W

om

en o

f C

han

ge

7p

m C

oD

a

6p

m R

VS

7p

m V

MS

G

12

pm

Al-

An

on

7p

m C

E C

om

mu

nit

y o

f

P

ract

ice

10

am A

A W

om

en’s

Gro

up

12

pm

Bib

le S

tud

y

6p

m M

AN

NA

7p

m C

ho

ir R

ehea

rsal

1

2p

m A

l-A

no

n

6p

m C

ot

Sh

elte

r 6

:30

pm

AA

9am

Rac

ial

Just

ice

Tra

inin

g

11

:30

am

MA

NN

A

M

LK

Da

y

21

2

2

23

2

4

25

2

6

9am

Ch

oir

Reh

ears

al

10

am W

ors

hip

1

1:1

5 F

ello

wsh

ip (

L-P

) 5

pm

Wo

men

of

Ch

ange

7p

m C

oD

A

1p

m M

LK

Day

Cel

ebra

tio

n

6p

m R

VS

7p

m V

MS

G

12

pm

Al-

An

on

4p

m P

rayer

Sh

awl

M

inis

try

7p

m V

MS

G

10

am A

A W

om

en’s

Gro

up

12

pm

Bib

le S

tud

y

6p

m M

AN

NA

7p

m C

ho

ir R

ehea

rsal

1

2p

m A

l-A

no

n

6:3

0p

m A

A

11

:30

am

MA

NN

A

27

2

8

29

3

0

31

9

am C

ho

ir R

ehea

rsal

1

0am

Wo

rsh

ip

11

:30

An

nu

al M

eeti

ng

& S

oup

Lu

nch

eon

11

:30 Y

outh

Gro

up

5p

m W

om

en o

f C

han

ge

7p

m C

oD

A

6p

m R

VS

6:3

0 D

eaco

ns

Mtg

. 7

pm

VM

SG

12

pm

Al-

An

on

10

am A

A W

om

en’s

Gro

up

12

pm

Bib

le S

tud

y

6p

m M

AN

NA

7

pm

Ou

trea

ch C

om

mit

tee

7p

m C

ho

ir R

ehea

rsal

Ab

bre

via

tio

ns:

A

A =

Alc

oh

oli

cs A

no

nym

ou

s

Co

DA

= C

o-D

ep

en

den

ts A

no

ny

mo

us

N

PC

= N

ort

ham

pto

n P

are

nts

Cen

ter

FF

= F

ait

h F

orm

ati

on

P

VIR

AG

= P

ion

eer

Vall

ey I

nte

rfait

h

Ref

ugee

Act

ion

Gro

up

R

VS

= R

iver

Vall

ey S

an

gh

a

VM

SG

= V

all

ey

Men

’s S

up

po

rt

Gro

up