September 2019 Steeplenotes - Foreside Community Church Volume 29 Issue 8 page
September 2019
THE FORESIDE COMMUNITY CHURCH
340 Foreside Road
Falmouth, Maine 04105-1428
Pastor: The Reverend Geoff Parker
Choir Director: Trevor Lavenbein
Organist/Accompanist: David Bartoletti
Sunday School Administrator: Laura Rodas
Sunday School Teacher: Beth Penrose
Office Manager/Parish Administrator: Christina Sklarz-Libby
Office: 207-781-5880 Fax: 207-781-9055
E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.foresidechurch.org
PASTOR’S COVER LETTER 3 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 SERVICE AND EVENTS OF THE DAY INCLUDING: Blessing of the Backpacks 4
Sunday School Kick-Off 4
Welcome Back Picnic 4
Clapboard Island Boat Trip 4
UPDATES, REPORT OUTS, & UPCOMING EVENTS FCC Book Club Updates 5
Stewardship Updates 5
Call for Coffee Hour Volunteers 5
Meditation Starts Back Up 5
CE & Youth Group Updates 5
Ladies’ September Breakfast Announcement 6
Men’s September Breakfast Announcement 6
SANCTUARY WINDOW PROJECT COMES TO A CLOSE 6
COMMUNITY EVENTS
2019 Community Supper Announcement 7
Volunteer Housing Coach Training Starts 7
FCC Coffee House Band Event 7
Morning with Friends September Event 7
SEPTEMBER 2019 CALENDAR-AT-A-GLANCE 8
SEPTEMBER 2019 LECTIONARY READINGS 9
Connecting to God
Nurturing Community
Discovering how our Lives
Make a Difference
(See page 6 for details on above photo.)
STEEPLENOTES
A Newsletter of
The Foreside Community Church
September 2019 Steeplenotes - Foreside Community Church Volume 29 Issue 8 page 2
September 2019 Steeplenotes - Foreside Community Church Volume 29 Issue 8 page 3
Notes from Reverend Geoff Parker
On the road and missing a sermon? Want to go back and revisit any one sermon? Want to
share a sermon with a friend or family member? Reverend Geoff’s sermons in both written
and audio form, from May 2019 to the present, can be viewed and/or heard on FCC’s website
at http://www.foresidechurch.org/index.php/category/sermons/
Dear Foreside Friends -
It’s a season of beginning again, as students return to
school, as some return from adventures of the summer,
and as we return to a new program year here at the
church. As the seasons shift, we find ourselves drawing
together as a community more.
We live in a time of deep spiritual seeking. More and
more, I find that individuals use language and practices of
faith and spiritual journey to describe their lives, and that
they feel spiritual practices are an important part of a
whole life.
What, in many cases, is declining is the practice and ex-
ploration of the life of faith in community…
[1] We seem
to be in an era of powerful questions in our lives, but
without anyone to ask or answer them with us.
This is a lonely trend. It is perhaps a challenge and invita-
tion to our tradition, which was not conceived as an indi-
vidual pursuit, but as a communal movement powered by
the Holy Spirit. I was recently reminded by UCC writer
and pastor, Tony Robinson, “most of our Scripture is ad-
dressed to a people, a people in community, with a shared
identity and with a life together.”
[2]
With our roots in both the Methodist and Congregational
traditions, our church has long been focused on how lives
may be transformed—our ancestors might say,
“sanctified”—through continuous relationship and prac-
tice in the way of Jesus as a community. We read our
scriptures and wrestle with them together. We sing songs
of praise together supporting one another’s voices, and
marveling at the harmony we can create. We wonder at
what God can do when we serve and care for others to-
gether. Above all, we share our lives: joy and sorrow, loss
and renewal… despair to hope.
Make no mistake, living in community together is a spir-
itual practice: one that challenges and stretches us to
grow and deepen our faith not just as individuals, but as a
gathered people.
This fall, our theme for worship and our annual appeal
will be “Growing Together,” exploring the ways in which
we as a unique part of the universal church are called to
grow, learn, and deepen our faith together… and how our
gifts to our collective life empowers that work and minis-
try.
So, read on for all the news and events of this gathered
people of God! I welcome you back to this community:
same as it has been, and totally unique and made new by
your presence in this time and place together. I invite you
into this new season of our spiritual practice of communi-
ty, in worship, in prayer, in singing, and in service. I hope
that you will find yourselves fed here, and will find joy in
feeding the spirit and growth of others. May we be
blessed to be a blessing: to each other and the world.
God’s Peace,
Geoff
[1] Pew Research Center - Americans More Spiritual but
Not Religious, 2017
[2] UCC Daily Devotional - To the Churches, Tony Rob-inson, August 2019
September 2019 Steeplenotes - Foreside Community Church Volume 29 Issue 8 page 4
Sunday’s Service will include…Sunday’s Service will include…Sunday’s Service will include…Sunday’s Service will include…
...Blessing of the Backpacks! ...Blessing of the Backpacks! ...Blessing of the Backpacks! ...Blessing of the Backpacks!
&&&&
Kick off the Start of Sunday SchoolKick off the Start of Sunday SchoolKick off the Start of Sunday SchoolKick off the Start of Sunday School
Immediately following serviceImmediately following serviceImmediately following serviceImmediately following service
everyone will gather for the everyone will gather for the everyone will gather for the everyone will gather for the
“WELCOME BACK PICNIC!˝“WELCOME BACK PICNIC!˝“WELCOME BACK PICNIC!˝“WELCOME BACK PICNIC!˝
Weather permitting, we will gather outside after service (will gather in Fellowship Hall if weather does not permit) for our traditional picnic with sandwiches, hot dogs, salads and des-serts. It is going to be a great day to see everyone after a very busy summer. Fellowship will be providing the sand-wiches and beverages and attendees are encouraged to con-sider going online to the sign-up sheet for salads and des-serts, this site is located at www.PerfectPotluck.com/PEAK5275; Coordinator Last Name = Libby - Event Name = Welcome Back Picnic! As always, do not hesitate to call the office if you have any questions or experience any troubles accessing the website.
AND, to finish off a beautiful day…AND, to finish off a beautiful day…AND, to finish off a beautiful day…AND, to finish off a beautiful day…
...at approximately 3:30 p.m. (time will be confirmed short-
ly) after the gathering/picnic, the Boat Trip to Clapboard Island will take place! Stay tuned for more
details. Pre-registration will be required in order to ensure space on the boats for everyone.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2019
IS FULL OF JOYOUS RETURNS AND GATHERINGS
SO BE SURE TO NOTE ALL OF THE FOLLOWING!
September 2019 Steeplenotes - Foreside Community Church Volume 29 Issue 8 page 5
UPDATES, REPORT OUTS, AND UPCOMING EVENTS AT FCC
FCC Book Club UpdatesFCC Book Club UpdatesFCC Book Club UpdatesFCC Book Club Updates It's hard to believe another summer has almost flown by. I hope you all had time to relax, refresh, and read. We will be resuming our book club on Tuesday, September 17 at 3:00 p.m. in the parlor when we will be discussing the timeless To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Please join us to share your thoughts on this classic book. Before the discussion we invite you to share some of the favorites you read this summer and select a few for future meetings. As
always everyone is welcome for friendly, non-judgmental conversation. Hope to see you then. FMI: [email protected]
Stewardship UpdatesStewardship UpdatesStewardship UpdatesStewardship Updates The state of the church accounts and building is healthy. We don’t live beyond our means, and we just barely meet our budget every year. Of course, if we built in future building and maintenance needs (elevator, kitchen, fel-lowship hall), we would need to ask for more yearly mon-ey instead of holding capital campaigns.
This year the pledge campaign will be in the fall, and will end at the champagne preview (Dec 6th) the night before the Christmas Fair. Eric Tracy is the chairman of the pledge campaign this year, and you will be hearing from him shortly, as well as a number of folks giving testimo-nials in church about the importance of FCC in their lives.
Thanks to Peter Cinelli and a small group of donors, our new window should be in-stalled by now. We are looking forward to being more open and welcoming to all passing by on Fore-side Road. Serendipitously, the ratio between the case-ments of the windows pro-vides a perfect cross within the window, that will show up nicely when the church is lit at night. Of course, we’ll have to come up with a whole new Christmas
wreath arrangement for the front of the church……
Stay tuned for
the fall cleanup day for late October….
Best,
Carol Ward
Coffee HourCoffee HourCoffee HourCoffee Hour
Fellowship is requesting help with Sunday’s coffee hour.
If you would like to host coffee hour, please see the sign-
up sheet in the reception area or contact Colleen
Hutchinson at [email protected] or 781-3874.
Meditation Group Is BackMeditation Group Is BackMeditation Group Is BackMeditation Group Is Back
Are you looking for a quiet time during the week for rest and reflection? Please consider joining the Meditation
Group which meets weekly on Thursdays in the parlor from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. We listen to a reading, a poem or perhaps some music, sit quietly for 20 minutes or so and
leave time for sharing any thoughts or reflections which may arise. No prior experience as a meditator is neces-sary. We shall begin meeting on September 5 after our
summer break and would be pleased to have you join us once, occasionally or every week. Please call Judy Co-burn, 846-9611, with any questions.
CE & Youth Group UpdatesCE & Youth Group UpdatesCE & Youth Group UpdatesCE & Youth Group Updates A formal agenda of events is just days away from being completed and distributed. The one-page handout will outline a very enjoyable and engaging schedule for church youth, right to the first of next year. In the mean-time, please make note of the Welcome Back events planned for Sunday, September 8, including the Bless-ing of the Backpacks and the fall kick-off of Sunday School (and the picnic and the boat trip!) Please also make note that the Youth Group meetings will start back up on the 1st and 3rd Sundays starting September 15 and will be held between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. Please connect with Wendy Tracy with any questions 329-0791 [email protected].
September 2019 Steeplenotes - Foreside Community Church Volume 29 Issue 8 page 6
FCC’s Men’s Monthly Breakfast Group
cordially invites all gents to join them
in the FCC coffee area
Saturday, September 7, 2019
7:15 to 9:00 a.m.
for great morning fare &
an energizing thought exchange
for more information
please contact John Bischof
@ [email protected] / 781-2391
Let’s do Breakfast Ladies!
Women of the church---members and friends---
are invited to breakfast on
Friday, September 20 @ 8:30 a.m.
in the fellowship room at FCC.
We’ll provide the food,
you bring your appetite.
Good food, good conversation---
it’s a great way to start your day!
Please RSVP to Christina ([email protected])
by September 16 so we can plan accordingly.
UPDATES, REPORT OUTS, AND UPCOMING EVENTS AT FCC
(pictured on the cover) Peter Cinelli (right) brought both supervision, and super
strength to the window project, pictured here with contractor Tim Barnard of Barnard
Woodworks, Falmouth.
As of the release of this September newsletter, the three new windows are completely installed on the front of the
sanctuary, outside lamps have been repositioned, and the trim is all but complete. This improvement project was
made possible by the private donations of several members, and an incredible amount of volunteer time and physi-
cal effort by Peter Cinelli who facilitated the work from beginning to cleaning up end. We are all waiting for that
first night when the glow of the sanctuary will be evident to all who pass by our church, inviting them in...
September 2019 Steeplenotes - Foreside Community Church Volume 29 Issue 8 page 7
COMMUNITY EVENTS
2019 Community Supper What can be more fun than joining hundreds of family and friends for a delicious turkey dinner with all the fixings? If you agree, then join the Fal-mouth Food Pantry and members of the community on Thursday, October 24 from 4:30-7:00 p.m. at the Falmouth Congregational Church for a won-derful evening of socializing and food. The annual Community Supper helps raise much needed funds for the Falmouth Food Pantry and is an evening to share fellowship. There are already more than two dozen members of the Foreside Community Church who volunteer at the Pantry and this is an oppor-tunity to become part of this endeavor. We need not only donors and gourmets but also volunteers willing to cook, serve, and clean- all for an im-portant cause! The Community Supper is the only fund raiser for the Pantry and you are needed! The volunteer sign-up sheets will be posted in the narthex starting on September 15. The Pantry is very grateful for all the help so many members of our church donate to help those facing hunger and we hope that you will once again extend a helping hand. If you need more information, please talk with Jill Fox, Carrie Penrose, or Dorothy Blanchette.
September 2019 Steeplenotes - Foreside Community Church Volume 29 Issue 8 page 8
Be
sure
to c
heck
th
e ca
len
dar
at
Fores
ide
Co
mm
un
ity C
hu
rch
’s w
ebsi
te
ww
.fore
sid
ech
urc
h.o
rg f
or
an
y u
pd
ate
s or
chan
ges
.
Sep
tem
ber
2019
Su
nd
ay
Mo
nd
ay
Tu
esd
ay
Wed
nes
day
Th
urs
day
Fri
day
Sa
turd
ay
1
9:3
0 a
m W
ors
hip
&
Co
mm
unio
n
2
3
6:2
0 p
m C
ho
ir R
ehea
rsal
6:4
5 p
m L
rg A
A M
tg
7:2
0 p
m B
ell
Reh
ears
al
4
1:3
0 p
m P
ain
tin
g w
/ M
ura
d
5:0
0 p
m W
om
en
’s M
tg
5
4:3
0 p
m M
edit
atio
n
6
7
7:1
5 a
m
Men
’s M
onth
ly
Bre
akfa
st
(see
pg.
6 f
or
det
ails
)
8
9:3
0 a
m W
ors
hip
,
Ble
ssin
g o
f B
ackp
acks,
Su
nd
ay S
cho
ol
Sta
rt,
Wel
com
e B
ack P
icn
ic,
Cla
pb
oar
d I
sle
Bo
at T
rip
9
4:1
5 p
m J
&O
Min
istr
y
Mtg
. 6
:30
pm
Ste
war
dsh
ip
Min
istr
y M
tg.
10
1:0
0 p
m K
nit
ters
5:0
0 p
m A
ll S
taff
Mtg
.
6:2
0 p
m C
ho
ir R
ehea
rsal
6:4
5 p
m L
rg A
A M
tg
7:2
0 p
m B
ell
Reh
ears
al
11
11
:30
am
Fel
low
ship
Min
istr
y M
tg.
1:3
0 p
m P
ain
tin
g w
/ M
ura
d
5:0
0 p
m W
om
en
’s M
tg
12
4:3
0 p
m M
edit
atio
n
13
4to
6:0
0 p
m
Guid
ing E
yes
fo
r th
e
Bli
nd
Pup
py T
rain
ing
14
SIT
Tra
inin
g
(see
pg.
7 f
or
det
ails
)
15
9:3
0 a
m W
ors
hip
4:0
0 p
.m.
Yo
uth
Gro
up
16
7:0
0 p
m G
over
nin
g
Bo
ard
Mee
ting
17
10:3
0 a
m O
ffic
e S
taff
Mtg
.
1:0
0 p
m K
nit
ters
3:0
0 p
m B
oo
k C
lub
(se
e p
g.
4)
6:2
0 p
m C
ho
ir R
ehea
rsal
6:4
5 p
m L
rg A
A M
tg
7:2
0 p
m B
ell
Reh
ears
al
18
9 t
o 1
2 R
ug G
roup
1:3
0 p
m P
ain
tin
g w
/ M
ura
d
5:0
0 p
m W
om
en
’s M
tg
19
4:3
0 p
m M
edit
atio
n
20
8:3
0 a
m W
om
en’s
Mo
nth
ly B
reak
fast
(see
pg.
6 f
or
det
ails
)
21
22
9:3
0 a
m W
ors
hip
&
Mis
sio
n M
om
ent
w/
Kri
s F
arn
ha
m
re:
Sp
urw
ink
23
First D
ay o
fF
irst D
ay o
fF
irst D
ay o
fF
irst D
ay o
f
Fal
lF
all
Fal
lF
all
24
1:0
0 p
m K
nit
ters
6:2
0 p
m C
ho
ir R
ehea
rsal
6:4
5 p
m L
rg A
A M
tg
7:2
0 p
m B
ell
Reh
ears
al
25
9 t
o 1
2 R
ug G
roup
1:3
0 p
m P
ain
tin
g w
/ M
ura
d
5:0
0 p
m W
om
en
’s M
tg
26
4:3
0 p
m M
edit
atio
n
27
28
29
9:3
0 a
m W
ors
hip
w/
Rev
Kel
li W
hit
man i
n
the
pulp
it
2020 P
ledg
e
Kic
k-O
ff!
30
Pa
sto
r G
eo
� w
ill b
e a
wa
y t
he
se d
ay
s a
tte
nd
ing
pro
fess
ion
al d
ev
elo
pm
en
t se
ssio
ns
- d
eta
ils
on
co
ve
rag
e t
o f
oll
ow
September 2019 Steeplenotes - Foreside Community Church Volume 29 Issue 8 page 9
Sun., Sept. 1
Jeremiah 2:4-13
Psalm 81:1, 10-16
Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16
Luke 14:1, 7-14
Mon., Sept. 2
Psalm 58
Jeremiah 2:23-37
Hebrews 13:7-21
Tues., Sept. 3
Psalm 58
Jeremiah 3:1-14
Titus 1:1-9
Wed., Sept. 4
Psalm 58
Jeremiah 3:15-25
Luke 14:15-24
Thurs., Sept. 5
Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
Jeremiah 15:10-21
Philippians 2:25-30
Fri., Sept. 6
Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
Jeremiah 16:14—17:4
Colossians 4:7-17
Sat., Sept. 7
Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
Jeremiah 17:14-27
Matthew 10:34-42
Sun., Sept. 8
Jeremiah 18:1-11
Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
Philemon 1-21
Luke 14:25-33
Mon., Sept. 9
Psalm 2
Jeremiah 18:12-23
1 Timothy 3:14—4:5
Tues., Sept. 10
Psalm 2
Jeremiah 19:1-15
1 Timothy 4:6-16
Wed., Sept. 11
Psalm 2
Jeremiah 20:1-18
Luke 18:18-30
Thurs., Sept. 12
Psalm 14
Jeremiah 13:20-27
1 Timothy 1:1-11
Fri., Sept. 13
Psalm 14
Jeremiah 4:1-10
2 Peter 2:1-10a
Sat., Sept. 14
Psalm 14
Jeremiah 4:13-21, 29-31
John 10:11-21
Sun., Sept. 15
Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28
Psalm 14
1 Timothy 1:12-17
Luke 15:1-10
Mon., Sept. 16
Psalm 94
Jeremiah 5:1-17
1 Timothy 1:18-20
Tues., Sept. 17
Psalm 94
Jeremiah 5:18-31
2 Peter 3:8-13
Wed., Sept. 18
Psalm 94
Jeremiah 14:1-10, 17-22
Luke 22:31-33, 54-62
Thurs., Sept. 19
Psalm 79:1-9
Jeremiah 12:14—13:11
Romans 3:1-8
Fri., Sept. 20
Psalm 79:1-9
Jeremiah 8:1-13
Romans 8:31-39
Sat., Sept. 21
Psalm 79:1-9
Jeremiah 8:14-17; 9:2-11
Mark 12:41-44
Sun., Sept. 22
Jeremiah 8:18—9:1
Psalm 79:1-9
1 Timothy 2:1-7
Luke 16:1-13
Mon., Sept. 23
Psalm 106:40-48
Jeremiah 9:12-26
Acts 4:1-12
Tues., Sept. 24
Psalm 106:40-48
Jeremiah 10:1-16
1 Corinthians 9:19-23
Wed., Sept. 25
Psalm 106:40-48
Jeremiah 10:17-25
Luke 20:45—21:4
Thurs., Sept. 26
Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16
Jeremiah 23:9-22
2 Corinthians 8:8-15
Fri., Sept. 27
Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16
Jeremiah 23:23-32
Ephesians 2:1-10
Sat., Sept. 28
Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16
Jeremiah 24:1-10
Luke 9:43b-48
Sun., Sept. 29
Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15
Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16
1 Timothy 6:6-19
Luke 16:19-31
Mon., Sept. 30
Psalm 119:49-56
Jeremiah 32:16-35
Revelation 3:14-22
DAILY LECTIONARY READINGS FOR SEPTEMBER 2019
September 2019 Steeplenotes - Foreside Community Church Volume 29 Issue 8 page 10
THE FORESIDE COMMUNITY CHURCH
340 Foreside Road
Falmouth, Maine 04105-1428
STEEPLENOTES
A Newsletter of
The Foreside Community Church