United Church of Hinesburg P.O. Box 39 Hinesburg, VT 05461

APRIL 2017 NEWSLETTER

TO:

Pastor: Rev. Jared Hamilton

Pastor’s Email: revjared@gmavt.net

Church Office Hours: Monday – Thursday 9am – 12pm

Office Contacts: 482-3352 / unitedchurch@gmavt.net / www.ucofh.org

Please help keep our records current by contacting the UCH Office with changes to your e-mail or mailing address. Thank you!

Pastor’s Message:

Springtime Planning

But you are God’s chosen and special people. You are a group of spiritual leaders and a holy nation. God has

brought you out of the night and into the Lord’s marvelous day. Now is the time to tell all the wonderful things our

God has done. - adapted from the Contemporary English Version of 1 Peter 2:9

It’s hard to imagine that we are a full quarter of the way through 2017. The robins have come back and pretty soon – we all

hope – temperatures will climb and the snow will disappear. Individually, it’s a great time to begin planning for gardens and

hikes, and all the things we might do outside without coats and gloves.

We find ourselves getting ready at the church for spring events – Easter and spring cleaning day, the Plant Sale and Hearts

for Hunger 5K, youth events and new member programs. And we are also taking on a new endeavor – a visioning or

strategic planning process that will help focus the church’s work moving into the future.

On Sunday, March 12th, Rev. Jim Thomas from the Vermont Conference United Church of Christ worshipped with us and

led us in a conversation about a proper visioning process. We had a great crowd that stayed after church (I counted 26!) to

explore what this process might look like and why we would consider entering a formal Strategic Planning and Visioning

Process at UCH. Jim talked about every church’s need to have a clear mission statement and vision. The former states what

the church is about. The latter describes how the work gets done. A great deal of time was spent framing the work of the

visioning process as an extended listening session. Churches exist to serve God in a local community and congregations

must listen to both God and their communities to discern God’s will and the community’s needs.

But who does this work? In some churches, work like this is done behind closed doors by a select few. Given our history and

this church’s denominational connections, the entire congregation is responsible for this work. All of us are, in a very real

sense, spiritual leaders, able to do this and other good work at the church.

In 1982, the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches published a statement on Baptism, Eucharist

and Ministry. This statement represents one of the most inclusive and ecumenical works in Christendom with

representatives from virtually all the major Christian traditions. Writing on the role of individuals in local faith communities,

they state the following:

The Holy Spirit bestows on the community diverse and complementary gifts. These are for the common good of the

whole people and are manifested in acts of service within the community and to the world. They may be gifts of

communicating the Gospel in word and deed, gifts of healing, gifts of praying, gifts of teaching and learning, gifts of

serving, gifts of guiding and following, gifts of inspiration. All members are called to discover, with the help of the

community, the gifts they have received and to use them for the building up of the Church and for the service of

the world to which the Church is sent.”

As you begin setting plans for the warmer weather, consider the work of the church. There is much to be done and you

have a gift, a talent or a tool that would be useful in the work. If you are interested in learning more about the visioning

process or any other work of the church, please contact me or the church office.

Blessings,

Pastor Jared

Spiritual Formation Committee News

Spiritual Formation Committee: Sue Barden, Anne Carter Mahaffey, Danielle Pezzimenti, Rev. A. Wayne Schwab and David Sterrett

Practicing God-talk will meet during coffee hour on April 23rd. We will focus on a mission about education in

our community, using “Time To Resume Teaching Civics and Begin Teaching Media Literacy” by Bill Schubart

posted on schubart.com on 2/13/17 and broadcast that week on VPR. “. . . if participatory democracy is to

survive, we must get serious about the importance of civics and media literacy in the public-school

curriculum.” A related biblical theme: “. . . you will know the truth and the truth will make you free.” (John

8:32). Read it at http://bit.ly/2nFRHwR. Copies will be available on the back table in the church sanctuary as

you leave on April 16th and April 23rd.

Adult Programming

On Thursday, April 6th at 3:00pm, the Lenten Study Group concludes its exploration of

A Way Other Than Our Own by Walter Brueggemann at the UCH Parish Hall. This book

provides short daily readings for the season of Lent. We will meet to discuss new

insights, Lenten revelations and to hold one another in prayer. The book is available

online in paperback and Kindle formats.

Christian Education Committee News

Christian Education Committee: Eileen Ashe, Chair; Heather Roberts, CE Coordinator; Leah Hamilton, Mary Hong, Theron Main, Renate Parke, Howdy Russell and Sharonlee Trefry

Spring is a busy time in our Sunday School and youth programs!

Our Sunday School and youth are hosting the Open Table Diner free

community dinner this Friday, March 31st. We will be serving soups,

hearty bread, green salad and desserts. All donations will support the

youth service trip to Boston this June. If you’d like to contribute food

and/or help to setup, serve or cleanup, call the church office or visit

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c49adaa29aaf49-march. And please spread the word to your family

and friends. We'd like this to be a fun community event and a successful fundraiser for our youth.....so the

more the merrier!

In March, we completed our final classroom days, exploring the topic of Praying and Making Ritual. We

concluded the unit on March 19th with a cooking project - making pretzels (a traditional Lenten food

shaped like arms folded in prayer) to share with the congregation during coffee hour. The kids did such a

great job that we were asked for the recipe by more than one person!

We also enjoyed a visit with local yoga instructor Ashley Williams-Wenschhof during Sunday School on

March 26th. We did some stretches, balances, partner poses, and deep breathing. It’s always such a treat to

have the opportunity to worship with our bodies as well as our minds!

Our Sunday School schedule in April is as follows:

2nd – One Room Schoolhouse – Easter craft to include in Palm Sunday Easter baskets

9th – Assembling Easter baskets for the church’s “sunshine list”**

16th – Easter Sunday- No Sunday School, Children’s Choir Performance of “Jesus Is Alive”

23rd – One Room Schoolhouse – Fun Run project (details to follow)

30th – No Sunday School

**Sign up to contribute fruit or candy to the Easter baskets by calling the church office or at:

www.SignUpGenius.com/go/10C0C49ADAA29AAF49-easter1.

And….Don’t miss an opportunity to enjoy a night out while supporting our youth as they fundraise for their

trip to Boston in June! The youth will be offering a babysitting night in the Parish Hall on Friday, April 14th

from 5:30-9:00pm. Drop your children off for dinner and Easter-themed activities. The suggested donation

is $20/child or $50/family.

Sunday, April 30th from 6-8:30pm, “Merchants of Doubt” Screening at the UCH

Parish Hall. Merchants of Doubt is a 2014 film that traces the use of public

relations tactics developed by the tobacco industry to forestall appropriate

governmental response to the risk of global climate change. The film will be

facilitated by Betsy Hardy of Vermont Interfaith Power and Light. Dinner will be

provided with gluten free options available. A time for discussion will take place

after the screening.

For the Youth

The United Church of Hinesburg offers a wide range of events, programs and activities for the young people of the

church and the wider community. As our programs continue to grow, we have created two groups for young

people in grades 4-7 and 8-12. If you have questions about the differences between the groups or want to explore

the best group for your child, feel free to contact Pastor Jared.

April events for grades 8-12

First Sunday Choral Singing – Come sing with the adult choir on the first Sunday of each month. Arrive at 9:00am on Sunday, April 2nd for rehearsal. Continental breakfast will be available in the choir room.

Christian Faith & Practices w/ Pastor Jared on Sundays (April 2nd and April 9th) from 6:00- 7:30pm. This five-week class will explore the histories, beliefs, rituals, and practices of the Christian Church from a progressive, interdisciplinary perspective. This group will learn about a still-speaking faith and develop a group project to share with the community. This class will serve as the second part of a two-part confirmation program for those who have not been confirmed.

Monthly Church Volunteer Opportunity: Friday, April 14th from 5:30-9:00pm, Babysitting Night & Easter Activities. This activity is a fundraiser for the 2017 Summer Youth Trip to Boston. The evening will include dinner, Easter egg decorating, egg races and other Easter themed crafts and activities. The suggested donation is $20/child or $50/family. Please RSVP at: www.SignUpGenius.com/go/10C0C49ADAA29AAF49-babysitting2.

Planned Giving

If you would like to help to ensure that the United Church of Hinesburg continues to thrive for generations to

come, consider making the United Church of Hinesburg a beneficiary in your will or living trust. Another

option to consider would be the gift of an appreciated stock instead of cash. This option of donating shares of

stock can have tax benefits for you and allow a larger contribution to our church. If you have questions about

gifting stock, contact your accountant or contact Damon Kinzie, our Morgan Stanley financial advisor (658-

2424). All calls and conversations with Damon will be strictly confidential.

Finance Committee News

Finance Committee: Yvonne Whitaker (Treasurer), Sandy Milbank (Financial Secretary), JP Hong, Phil Pouech, Keith Roberts, Mary Eddy Stewart

Financial Update

Our 2017 budget includes an offering goal of $107,000. It is important that we achieve it in order to cover our expenses this year. We’re off to a good start! The progress bar below will be published monthly to show how we are doing. If you have any questions, please contact me.

Plate offering received as of February 28, 2017 ($19,045 18% of offering budget)

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 107

In thousands

Yvonne Whitaker, Treasurer

2017 Summer Youth Trip to Boston, Massachusetts

As our troupe of tired kids and adults pulled into the Albany train station at the end of the 2016 youth trip to New

York City, the kids could not help but ask, “So, where are we going next year?”

It is with great pleasure that I announce the 2017 Summer Youth Trip to Boston, Massachusetts. This year we will

explore “Key Issues of Social Justice.” Youth will work with and learn from Boston-area non-profit organizations that

focus on ability rights, animal protection, environmental issues, LGBTQ rights, urban poverty and other important

ways people care for one another, for animals and for the environment.

At this time, we have 14 young people and 4 adults signed up to go. And we need your support! Here are four ways to

help us provide this life-changing experience for our young people:

1. Participate in an upcoming Fundraiser: Drop your kids off for babysitting night on Friday, April 14th for Easter egg decorating, egg races and more. The event will go from 5:30-9:00pm and the suggested donation of $20/child or $50/family will support the youth trip.

2. Hire spring clean up assistance: If you have need for assistance around your house (yard/house clean up), our youth (grades 7-12) will be working in pairs to assist! Contact Kristi Johnson (kristijohnson@gmavt.net or 482-3366) to schedule your April & May clean up.

3. Help with the May tag sale: We will be holding a tag sale on the front lawn of the church the same day as the Plant Sale – Saturday, May 13th. Donations to the tag sale can be dropped off in the church library during office hours or on Sundays starting immediately. Items must be in clean, working order. We cannot accept clothing, computers or electronics.

4. Sponsor a youth: Some of our youth require additional sponsorship to make this trip possible. Full sponsorship for one youth is $225. Partial sponsorships are also greatly appreciated. Talk to Pastor Jared about sponsoring a youth for the summer trip (802-310-2631 or revjared@gmavt.net).

We will be again be purchasing spring plants to be displayed on Easter Sunday. Forms will

be available in the Sunday bulletins for the next two weeks to provide the name of the

donor & memorial person(s). You can also contact the church office (482-3352 or

unitedchurch@gmavt.net) to provide this information. The suggested donations is $6/plant

and multiple memorial persons can be listed for a single plant. Checks should be made

payable to the United Church of Hinesburg with "flowers" on the memo line.

Worship in the Home – April 2017

We are still in the season of Lent as we begin our fourth month of the year. It is still chilly outside and there is snow on the

ground. We are anxious to be done with winter and to experience the newness that spring offers. This month’s prayer

service explores the idea of “waiting.” Commonly explored in Advent, this idea is no less important for these dull, muddy,

not-quite-springtime days. This service is put together to be a resource for those that wish to pray and reflect throughout

the month on their own away from church and can be performed daily or when time permits.

Opening Prayer

O God, put your Spirit within me, and let me be a blessing

to those I encounter this day. Amen.

Scripture Reading Psalm 130 1Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. 2Lord, hear my voice!

Let your ears be attentive to the

voice of my supplications! 3If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who

could stand? 4But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may

be revered. 5I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,

and in his word I hope; 6my soul waits for the Lord

more than those who watch for the morning,

more than those who watch for the morning. 7Hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is

steadfast love and great power to redeem. 8It is he who will redeem Israel from all its

iniquities.

Prayer for the Month

Loving God, source of all life and all goodness, you call

new things into being and transform all creation for your

good and perfect will.

We eagerly wait on you to re-create our world once again

– to bring back the green buds in our surroundings and

the budding things in our lives that are aching to emerge.

Call out from us a creative talent, a healthier presence, a

new cause that sparks with the fire of your of Spirit. In

the way of Jesus we pray, the same prayer he taught us

to pray saying…

Lord’s Prayer

Our Father (Mother/Creator/God) who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be

done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily

bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those

who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the

power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Scripture Reading James 5:7-8 7Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the

Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the

earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and

the late rains. 8You also must be patient. Strengthen your

hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.

Question to Consider

What are you waiting for or anxious about today?

Silence and Personal Prayers

Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

To be consoled as to console,

To be understood as to understand,

To be loved as to love;

For it is in giving that we receive;

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

It is in dying to self that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

A Prayer for Mealtime

Loving God, bless this food and my body which needs it.

Bless this meal and all who prepared it. Bless this time

and all who share it. Amen.

April 2017 Happenings at UCH {All meetings/events are held in Osborne Parish House unless otherwise noted.}

2nd Monday 8:00am-3:00pm WIC Monday nights 5:00pm-9:30pm Parish House reserved by private group 2nd Tuesday night 6:30pm-8:00pm 4-H meeting Most Wednesday nights 6:30pm-9:00pm Boy Scouts Thursday mornings 10:00am-11:30am Hinesburg Friends of Families baby playgroup 1st Thursday night 7:30pm-8:30pm Cub Scout parents meeting Most Fridays 9:00am-1:00pm Hinesburg Senior Meal site Sunday afternoons 2:00pm-5:00pm Tiger Monkey Dragon theater/improv group Sunday, April 2nd One Room Schoolhouse Sunday School Sunday, April 2nd 6:00pm-7:30pm Christian Faith & Practices for youth (grades 7+) Tuesday, April 4th 10:30am Membership Care Committee meeting Wednesday, April 5th 1:00pm-2:30pm Knitting/Crocheting group gathering in the Parish Hall Thursday, April 6th 3:00pm-4:00pm Lenten book group discussion of A Way Other Than Our Own Saturday, April 8th 7:30pm Social Band Concert (“Jewel of the Night”) in the sanctuary Sunday, April 9th Palm Sunday; Special Music Sunday – Margaret Roddy Sunday, April 9th Sunday School project – Easter baskets Sunday, April 9th 11:15am Church Council meeting Sunday, April 9th 6:00pm-7:30pm Christian Faith & Practices for youth (grades 7+) Thursday, April 13th 7:00pm Service of Tenebrae (preceded by a light meal @6:00pm) Friday, April 14th 3:00pm Ecumenical Good Friday Service @ UCH Friday, April 14th 5:30pm-9:00pm Babysitting Night fundraiser for youth trip Sunday, April 16th 6:30am Easter Sunrise service Sunday, April 16th 10:00am Easter Service with Children’s Choir & brass; No Sunday School Monday, April 17th May newsletter deadline – NOTE this is earlier than usual! Wednesday, April 19th 1:00pm-2:30pm Knitting/Crocheting group gathering in the Parish Hall Sunday, April 23rd 8:30am Staff Parish Relations Committee meeting Sunday, April 23rd One Room Schoolhouse Sunday School Sunday, April 23rd 11:15am Practicing God-talk meets during coffee hour Tuesday, April 25th 9:45am Worship Committee meeting Friday, April 28th 5:30pm-7:00pm Open Table Diner free community meal Sunday, April 30th No Sunday School

We will be holding our annual Plant and Baked Goods Sale on Saturday, May 13th from 9:00am – 2:00pm.

We are celebrating more than 40 years of this spring tradition. We will have hardy perennials, annuals in full bloom

and home-made baked goods for sale, all with the small-town hospitality you would expect in Hinesburg. The

perennials are dug from gardens in and around Hinesburg and potted for transplanting. We have traditional and

unusual selections at very reasonable prices - well below what you would find at local garden nurseries. Our baked

goods include pies, breads, cookies, baked beans and other delicious ready-to-serve fare.

We are looking for donations from local gardens - especially unusual varieties. Do you have any to donate? We’d

love to talk to you!

If you’d like to volunteer, please contact Mary Eddy Stewart at maryeddystewart@gmavt.net or 802-777-8288. We

have many volunteer activities starting on Friday, May 5th and running through the day of the plant sale, Saturday,

May 13th. Many hands make light work – even an hour or two would help!

Looking for news regarding specific denominations?

Check these websites… www.neumc.org | www.vtcucc.org | www.abcvnh.org

Distributing the monthly newsletter by email saves the church a considerable amount of money in postage expenses. If you currently receive a mailed hard copy of the church newsletter, please consider contacting the church office with an updated email address to which future issues can be sent. Thank you!

April 2017

April 2nd

Greeters: Kieran & Kristi Kilbride

Ushers: Kate Schubart & Sandy Milbank

Reader: George Severance

April 9th

Greeters: Sandy & Reggie Robinson

Ushers: Phil Pouech & Lia Cravedi

Reader: Howdy Russell

April 16th

Greeters: The Foutz family

Ushers: Jack & Sandy Milbank

Reader: Renate Parke & Fabien Achinda

April 23rd

Greeter: Don Lynaugh

Ushers: TBD

Reader: Sharonlee Trefry

April 30th

Greeters: The Ashe family

Ushers: Marie & David Eddy

Reader: Dianne Hall

April Coffee Hour Hosts —

Sally Mead – Chair; Alice Cobb, Michelle

Fischer, Anne Carter Mahaffey, Danielle

Pezzimenti, Rhonda Ploof, Erin Walker

Thank you for your service!

April Birthdays & Anniversaries

01 Cole Cummings

02 Phil Pouech

03 Connor Brien

04 Bill Doe

06 Steve Utter

07 Reggie Robinson

08 Taylor Cummings

08 Ellen Dooley

08 David Sterrett

10 Fadhili Achinda

10 Faraja Achinda

10 David Newton

10 Meg Patrick

13 Jacob Ashe

14 Amelie Lepple

14 Yvonne & Tod Whitaker

17 Miles Hamilton

18 Anita (Sam) & Jim Collins

19 Marie Eddy

19 Ed Sengle

24 Eleonora Cudney

24 Mike & Linda Quinn

25 Fahari Achinda

25 Lana Benoit Ouimet

28 Daniel & Valerie Spadaccini

29 Brian Hanlon

29 Bella Seeholzer

If you don’t see your birthday or anniversary listed,

please call the Church Office so we may include you!