First Congregaonal Church Camden, Maine December 2017 Vol. 33, No. 12 Our 2017 Advent and Christmas Season Events Friday December 1 Noon Sanctuary Christmas By the Sea Concert Saturday December 2 9am-2pm Holiday Craft Fair 4 pm Ringing In the Season - Handbell Concert Sunday December 3 9:30am First Sunday of Advent Worship~HOPE 7pm 30th Annual Ann Dodson & Friends Concert Thursday December 7 6:30pm Faith & Public Issues Forum, Ira Mandel, Mid Coast Recovery Coalition Friday December 8 5pm Spaghetti Supper Fundraiser for Coastal Opportunities ~ Special Olympics Sunday December 10 9:30am 2nd Sunday of Advent Worship ~ PEACE Sunday December 17 9:30am 3rd Sunday of Advent Worship ~ JOY Sunday December 24 9:30am Fourth Sunday of Advent ~ LOVE Family Worship Service & Children’s Pageant 9:00pm Candlelight Worship Service NOTE: only 2 services Dec. 24 Pageant is part of morning service Sunday December 31 9:30am 1st Sunday after Christmas Worship Join us for a FREE SOUP LUNCH on Wednesdays December 6, 13 & 20. (No Soup Lunch Dec. 27) Serving AT NOON, ALL ARE WELCOME. For more information, call 236-4821.
Transcript
First Congregational Church Camden, Maine
December 2017 Vol. 33, No. 12
Our 2017 Advent and Christmas Season Events Friday December 1 Noon Sanctuary Christmas By the Sea Concert Saturday December 2 9am-2pm Holiday Craft Fair 4 pm Ringing In the Season - Handbell Concert Sunday December 3 9:30am First Sunday of Advent Worship~HOPE 7pm 30th Annual Ann Dodson & Friends Concert Thursday December 7 6:30pm Faith & Public Issues Forum, Ira Mandel, Mid Coast Recovery Coalition Friday December 8 5pm Spaghetti Supper Fundraiser for Coastal Opportunities ~ Special Olympics Sunday December 10 9:30am 2nd Sunday of Advent Worship ~ PEACE Sunday December 17 9:30am 3rd Sunday of Advent Worship ~ JOY Sunday December 24 9:30am Fourth Sunday of Advent ~ LOVE Family Worship Service & Children’s Pageant 9:00pm Candlelight Worship Service
NOTE: only 2 services Dec. 24 Pageant is part of morning service Sunday December 31 9:30am 1st Sunday after Christmas Worship Join us for a FREE SOUP LUNCH on Wednesdays December 6, 13 & 20. (No Soup Lunch Dec. 27) Serving AT NOON, ALL ARE WELCOME. For more information, call 236-4821.
“But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19)
This verse from Luke’s Gospel always fills my heart as I come into the Advent-Christmas season. They are the words of Mary, the mother of Jesus, in response to all the things that had happened – Angel Gabriel coming to her, the journey to Bethlehem, giving birth to Jesus, and the shepherds coming to the manger with tales of angels in the night. “But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.” For all of us this season of Advent-Christmas can be a time for ponder-ing, a time to contemplate light shining in the darkness. A time to look for signs of hope, peace, joy and love and rejoice that God is present, even when all may seem bleak. Such pondering is a kind of sacrament. Jean Vanier in his book, Befriending a Stranger, describes a sacrament as “a sign, a place that renders God present.” So my question to ponder this season is where do I see God present? Where do I see God’s Spirit moving in people, and in the world around me? What touches my heart, grabs my imagi-nation is what is small, what is fragile, what is precarious in this world. And how awed I am at the resilience and strength I see even in the smallness. In the midst of my pondering I came across this quote from the Jewish Talmud, a commentary on the scripture: Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly, now. Love mercy, now. Walk humbly, now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it. (cited by edgeofenclosure.org.) May this Advent-Christmas season bless you with time to ponder! In Grace & Peace, Pastor Deb
Thoughts from the Pastor’s Desk
Rev. Deb Jenks
From Elizabeth Lally
Director of Christian Education
As advent approaches, we are starting to gear up for our Christmas pageant. Because of Christmas Eve falling on a Sunday, we will have our pageant during the regular worship time on Sunday morning.
We have put a pause on our implementation of the new Godly Play curriculum. I have come to realize that it will take longer than we initially thought to bring it into our classrooms. Do you ever wonder what curriculum our classes use? Ursula Crosslin heads up the pre-K through 1st grade class and has been using her own lesson plans since September. She alter-nates between old and new testament figures and has been working on some verse memorization each week. Carol Spin-ney leads the 2-3rd graders and uses the Cokesbury curricu-lum. We have used this curriculum for many years. It leads with a story, has a verse to work on and also includes a craft. Terri Mackenzie, who works with the 4th through 6th grade (and sometimes older kids who drop in) works out of a book called Wild Truth. She uses that as a starting point and has some great discussions. Our classes are not big. The younger grades tend to have four kids per class. Some weeks it is one or two. Terri’s class can balloon to seven or eight but it all depends on the week. Recently we have had some kids visit and that has been nice to welcome new families. Even though we do not always have large classes, it is always nice to have an extra voice during the songs or an extra set of hands to help with a craft. Really—it is just about having another adult in-teract with the kids. These kids learn about Christ through relationships and having another face at church that they recognize makes a difference.
Blessings, Elizabeth
Shields Mission Project Committee A Ministry of
The First Congregational Church of Camden
Shelley Mills
We receive a lot of requests for rental assistance and utility bills but occasionally a request will be a bit out of the ordinary but the impact on the individual can be significant. One such request crossed my desk recently.
The client is a disabled man in his 50s who lives alone in a subsidized apartment. He used to be a master electrician and owned his own business until he had an aneurysm that resulted in left side paralysis. He uses a mobility scooter to access community resources and attend appointments, which have improved his ability to be independent. The scooter requires two batteries to make it run. As the batteries age they lose their ability to hold a charge. The batteries he is now using were funded by AIO last year but this year they denied him financial aid and the batteries are not covered by insurance. The client takes great pride in being independent and enjoys being able to be self-sufficient. He is currently enrolled in the Vocational Rehabilitation Program for support around vocational/employment needs and hopes to be able to find part-time work to supplement his income and improve his social interactions with others. The scooter provides him the ability to go “for a walk” and to get out of his home especially when he is feeling depressed. It was an easy decision for the Shields Mission Project to purchase two batteries for this individual.
Thank you for supporting us over the years! Our church can continue to offer this kind of financial outreach because of the support of the congre-gation and of the greater community. (None of our funding comes from the church’s budget.) We are a church that is willing to lend a hand to people we will never meet, and that commitment helps ensure that our church’s mission of reaching out to the community will continue in the years ahead.
Shields Committee: Deb Endl (Chair , Betty Bates, Jeanne Denny, Julianne Edmondson, Rich Stuart, Roberta Walker, Shelley Mills (Interim Administrator) Our mission as an outreach ministry of the church: “To help provide less fortunate citizens of Knox County warmth, shelter, food, clothing, transportation, education, childcare, health care etc. and to enable them to become more able to live a pro-ductive and self-sustaining life.
Personnel Committee As the light fades and the days grow shorter, this season presents us with the opportunity to to reflect on all we are grateful for. Your Personnel Committee is grateful for our wonderful staff! They keep our doors open and the lights on, for both our congregation and our community. They serve the face of the church when we are not here. They are church ambassadors in our absence, connecting community members with staff resources. In collaboration with committees, other volunteers and each other they bring us our beautiful and meaningful worship experience each week. They educate our children. They help us to feed the hungry. They keep our church home welcoming, clean and safe. They make our Heavenly Threads mission a successful reality. They nurture and teach and guide us in our spiritual life.
They make it possible for our church to be more than a Sunday church.
And they are human too. Like all of us they juggle the needs of relationships, children, aging parents and friends with time for them-selves. They have health issues and unexpected home and car repairs. They have joys and disappointments. Yet, in spite of all these obstacles they come to work with a smile and open heart for this congregation and all that it serves. As we move through the coming weeks of Advent, let us be giving in spirit not only to our family, friends and wider community but also to our staff. Tell them thank you for a job well done! Let them know what you appreciate about the work they are doing. Ask them what you can do to help. Listen to their suggestions with an open mind and heart as they come from the dedicated people who are the day-to-day eyes and ears for our congregation. To our wonderful staff, Deb, Matt, Elizabeth, Shelley, Nan, Wayne, Becky, Melissa, Beth, Susan, Patty and Elaine: Thank you from all of us at First Congregational Church for your faithful service! May you enjoy the peace and magic of this Holy season!
From Matt Mainster Director of Music
Just one month left in this year! Both choirs are busy preparing for another festive holiday season, as are many special soloists who will be joining us throughout the coming weeks. We are especially excited to welcome back the Midcoast Brass Quintet for our Christmas Eve service! Additionally we will welcome Annie Brady, Kathleen Christie, Tom Gray and Rich Craft as section leaders for our singing of Handel's "For Unto Us a Child is Born" from The Messiah. Kim Murphy will also join us in the service on flute.
In the meantime, we still have two concerts coming your way.
The first one is our annual holiday concert on Friday, December 1st at noon, featuring piano, vocal solos, ukelele, violin, flute, cello, guitar, saxophone, and a sing-a-long-to-your-heart's-content of the "Hallelujah Chorus"!
Just after that, on Saturday, December 2nd at 4 p.m., we will have our 12th annual "Ringing in the Season" concert featur ing our own Choral Bells, the Penobscot Bay Ringers, and handbell solo by Deb Hall. This concert will also feature the Windfern Ensemble, a fantastic local flute and violin duo. We hope everyone will join us in heralding in the season!
And since we just had Thanksgiving, I'd like to close with a few things I'm thankful for ... the choirs for volunteering their time and talent, Amy Rollins for all her work advertising our concerts throughout the year, Mike Fletcher for helping me with every single one of those concerts, and Donna Crane and Pastor Deb for always having the staff's back. A big thank you also to the congregation for your kind words of appreciation––you make this a very happy, fulfilling place to work.
Looking forward to a new year full of new possibilities thanks to everyone's efforts with the sanctuary update! Happy Holidays!
Matt
A Message From the Moderator It’s Nominating Time!
You’re probably going to hear a lot about this from the Nominating Committee soon but I thought I would take this time to put in my own plug. If you’ve never volunteered before or haven’t volunteered for a while please think about joining a committee. If you’re happy with the way things are going, get involved. If you’re not happy with the way things are going, get involved. I have had the privilege of working with many of you – but not all of you – over the last several years and it has been rewarding indeed. Sometimes it’s just plain fun and sometimes it’s hard work but at the end of the day, it’s re-warding. There’s a real sense of fellowship as we continue to build this con-gregation together. Now, you may be saying to yourself, I’ve done this committee work before and I really don’t want to do it again. Well, over the last few years we’ve worked hard to make sure that committee meetings are action oriented. Sure, there’s still time to connect with your friends and talk about the weather but the meetings really are all about decisions and results. We’ve tried to stream-line them to make them more productive and to be more sensitive of every-one’s time. So, what’s going on around the church that we need more volunteers? I can’t even keep up with it all. Start with the revival of the Board of Christian Education. We need ideas and thoughts about Sunday School, youth educa-tion as well as adult education. Then you may have noticed that we have a new door about to be built in the Memory Garden. Then we have new carpet. Then the Deacons have been hard at work at planning for Advent. Don’t for-get the Search Committee is still working hard. Then the Finance Committee has been hard at work at developing processes and procedures. Then the Out-reach Committee is constantly busy. Don’t forget the Faith and Public Issues Forum. Then there’s also Soup’s On. That’s only scratching the surface. And if there’s something that you are particularly interested in doing that maybe doesn’t quite fit into the normal committee structure, let’s find a way to get it done. When an individual or small group of people is passionate about getting something done we can usually find a way. That’s how the chancel project came to fruition. Do you want to design a children’s chapel to use the pews that are coming out of the chancel? Talk to me and let’s find a way to get it done. So, as we approach the Annual Meeting, think about ways that you might want to get involved. Don’t view it as committee “work” but rather fellow-ship in continuing to build this congregation. Faithfully,
“63 WASHINGTON STREET”
HOME FOR SENIORS
Thanks to all who came to the November Open House and making it quite successful. We now have folks signed up for Adult Day Programs beginning after Thanksgiving, and some new residents and Respite Care candidates as we head into the new year. We appreciate all who continue to sup-port our efforts to remain a viable source of services to area seniors.
Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree ! But now we need a new Christmas tree! Does anyone have a gently used, full size, stable artificial tree that they no longer want? If so, please speak to Jan Kelsey, call her at 975-7644 or email at [email protected].
The Dove Tree is up in the Mayflower Room. Please
take a Dove or two, to fulfill a Christmas wish. All gifts must be back here by Monday Dec. 11.
LITURGISTS NEEDED. Would you like to par ticipate in the service by becoming a Liturgist? Sign up on the opportunities table! COFFEE HOUR VOLUNTEERS NEEDED. The coffee hour teams are in need of extra members to help make our fellowship time run smoothly. If you are willing to join a team, please contact Gail Palmer at 236-4121 or 691-8438. We will also have a sign up sheet on the table in the Mayflower Room during fellowship time.
CHRISTMAS BY THE SEA
WEEKEND EVENTS—for your calendar
Friday, December 1 NOON Holiday Concert, Sanctuary Music for everyone, and a Hallelujah Chorus sing-a-long
More details on Matt’s Music Page
Saturday, December 2 from 9-2
in the Pilgrim & Mayflower Rooms
Please be sure to come by this awesome fair. The rooms will be full of quality crafts from local artisans: jewelry stained glass, decora-tive painting on glass and wood, holiday decorations, soap and lo-
tions, candles, quilted and felted items, wreaths, hats & mittens.
Ringing in the Season
12th Annual Handbell Concert Saturday, December 2
in the Sanctuary at 4:00 pm Seating begins at 3:00 pm, Pre-concert music
by Windfern Ensemble begins at 3:40 pm
Anne Dodson Concert in our Sanctuary
Sunday, Dec. 3, 7:00 pm
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Heavenly Threads Thrift Shop! We have the most beautiful ornaments and decora-tions for your home. We have Christmas dishes, tablecloths and napkins for your family get-togethers. Our toys, scarves, jewelry & books make wonderful gifts. And you will find Christmas bags, boxes & paper to do your wrapping. As we approach this holiday season and the new year, we would like to thank everyone who helps support Heavenly Threads Thrift Shop. It really does take a village to keep this mission of the church going. If you have not joined our "village" yet, please think about it! There are 3 major ways you can do this. 1. Donate: We appreciate donations of good quality, gently used
items & clothing. We take great pride in the quality of things we sell in our shop. Everything is clean, neat and never stained or broken. Our customers have learned to expect that of us and it is what keeps them coming back for more! If you have any questions about donating give us a call at 236- 3203.
2. Volunteer: We are always looking for new volunteers, especially in these winter months. Many of our faithful volunteers are snow-birds so if you have a few hours a week to
give it would be greatly appreciated! Call or stop by the shop and lets talk!
3. Shop: If you haven't shopped with us before, you are missing
out! Between the large variety of amazing merchandise & our friendly staff and volunteers, we guarantee you will have a great experience and you too will become a regular visitor!
We are open Monday-Saturday 10-4. After Christmas the shop will be closed on Mondays until spring. Hope to see you soon! Any questions: 236-3203.
Thursday December 7, 7:00pm in the Pilgrim Room FAITH & PUBLIC ISSUES TASK FORCE is sponsoring a
Forum with Mid Coast Recovery Coalition. Ira Mandel, Director and Founder, spoke to our congregation nearly 18
months ago. He, along with staff and those involved with MCRC will update us on the current status of the opiate
addiction in Knox County and what the Recovery Coalition
is currently doing. They have grown, adding staff members and recovery coaches.
THE OUTREACH COMMITTEE announces their
SECOND REACH OUT Potluck Dinner
Thursday, January 11, 6:00pm in the Pilgrim Room
These dinners are open to the community and highlight the many non-profit organizations benefited by Outreach funds.
The featured group in January will be Knox County Health
Clinic. Executive Director Meredith Batley will give a ten minute presentation, introduce some Health Clinic volun-
teers, and then we will dine together.
Look for the signup sheet in the hallway table outside the
Office during the week, and on the Mayflower Room table on Sundays.
Please bring a main dish, side dish or dessert to share.
Hope to see you there on January 11th!
NEW BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT GROUP IN ROCKPORT MEETS MONTHLY
Coastal Family Hospice Volunteers and Maine Health Care at
Home have formed a new bereavement support group that meets monthly for anyone coping with the loss of a loved one. The group is open to the community at large as well as families of
Hospice patients.
The group meets on the First Wednesday of every month from 3-4:30pm at Pen Bay Medical Center’s Picker Family
Resource Center, 756 Commercial St. on Rt. 1 in Rockport.
(White farmhouse between Offshore Restaurant and
Oakland Park Bowling)
OUR VOLUNTEERS For every month, in every Beacon, we will be printing the names of
our very wonderful volunteers who have signed up for the tasks below. Check your calendars. If Ushers & Fellowship Team Members are unable to assume the duties on that day, please find a substitute and alert Nan so she can make the correction for the Sunday Bulletin. Many thanks!
DATE LITURGISTS USHERS FELLOWSHIP COFFEE HOUR TEAMS
Dec 3 Joey Dowd Rita Elliott, Deb Endl, Mimi Benedict, Skip Hoblin
Team TBA
Dec 10 Tba Will be updated in “This Week at Church” email
Ann Rafferty, Chase & Nan Lasbury, Ann Bex
Team #11: Amy Rollins, Jean Silva, Bob Garcia & Kim Young, Linda Strout, Flora Shorey
Dec 17
Tba Will be updated in “This Week at Church” email
Elaine Davis, Nan Haid, Joey & Alisa Dowd
Team #12: John & Jinx Hufnagel, Craig & Mary Wells, Janet Kelsey, Ann Smart, Nan Haid
Dec 24 Dec 31
Tba Will be updated in “This Week at Church” Email Tba Will be updated in “This Week at Church” Email
Dave Jackson, Melvin Acorn, Scott Achorn, Louis Regnier
Marti & Andi Hamalainen, Ken & Carolyn McCollister
Team #13: Jean Forest, June Fryer, Gary & Rob-erta Walker, Loel Kline, Sharon Walker-Spencer Team TBA
DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS
December 1 Ann Cole December 4 Carrick Lally December 5 Brian Lamb David Walker December 6 Roy Hitchings December 7 John Hufnagel December 11 Erin Rollins Judy Flock December 13 Mary Kendall Dan Pease December 16 Cheryl Roberts December 19 Peter Lowry December 20 Beryl Charlton Claudia Williamson December 28 Pam Currier December 31 Rebecca Laliberte
Next Blood Drive Monday, February 26, 2018
12:30-5:30 In our Pilgrim Room
December Activities Bring Dove Tree Gifts to church by Monday, Dec. 11
1 Friday CHRISTMAS BY THE SEA EVENTS 12:00 Annual Christmas Concert, Sanctuary 2 Saturday CHRISTMAS BY THE SEA EVENTS 9-2 Craft Fair in Pilgrim & Mayflower Rooms 4pm RINGING IN THE BELLS , Sanctuary
3 SUNDAY, 9:30am, Worship & Communion, 1st Sunday of Advent
