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First News
For
JUNE 2019
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BOARD MEETING SUMMARY
Monday, May 20, 2019
Committee reports were heard - a few highlights (full
reports posted on bulletin board):
·
Christian
Ed – The May 1 meeting immediately preceded Confirmation on June 5.
Committee members are making plans for Vacation Bible School in August, Children’s Sunday on June 9, and Sundae Sundays over the summer.
·
Deacons
have been very busy arranging for pulpit
supply and part-time organists. Pulpit supply is arranged for May through
July except for June 9 (Children’s Sunday) and July 28 which will be a Worship with Song.
Substitute organist coverage is set through June with a brunch
fellowship planned for the last Sunday of June, and arrangements are underway
for substitute coverage from July onward.
A memorial flower schedule
will be set up soon, and church members will be asked to read scripture each
week. Russ is Deacon of the Month in May, Ann in June.
·
The Trustees
are handling multiple projects at the parsonage,
including lawn maintenance and correction of water usage records with Whitman
DPW. Projects continue at the church – among them, arranging for
boiler inspection and ordering chair leg floor protectors for fellowship hall.
·
Ron
reported that April receipts exceeded expenses, and year-to-date is also ahead. Pulpit supply is currently funded from
minister’s salary line until the new pastor arrives. Current cash flow would not cover the full
ministerial salary at this time but should self-correct as major fundraisers
continue and expenses drop. In early
May, a $3,000 check was transferred
by the Board of Investment to the operating budget representing Quarter 1 interest on invested funds.
·
The Finance
Committee has made much progress in researching the origins and history of invested memorial funds. The committee is considering working with an
outside portfolio management firm. Five outside investment management firms have
been contacted and will be interviewed as we outline both short- and long-term
goals and cash flow needs. The committee
will recommend one firm to the Board. A survey of church members’ investment
preferences will be taken as part of this process, and if the congregation is
in favor of allowing an outside management firm to manage the portfolio, the
recommended firm will meet with the congregation, and a vote will be taken at a special All-Church meeting. Three CD’s
have just matured and are being
transferred into the money market account at Mutual Bank. The Board voted to accept the recommendation
to combine five individual memorial
funds held in one CD into a blended fund that supports music-related
expenses.
The
church has received the $500 UCC grant toward the cost of Rev. Bob
Naylor’s consulting work. By-law revision was put on hold last
year; a select few in need of major rewording or revision will soon be looked
at by a subcommittee and presented one at a time to the Board and voted on at
upcoming All-Church meetings.
The
Search Committee has now formed and
met three times. A separate email
account has been set up for messages related to the search process and the
candidates. The Board began the process
of completing the profile in an
effort to get it underway while enlisting search members. Now that the Search Committee is complete and
beginning their work, their profile recommendations have been incorporated, and
the profile is now ready for submission
to the UCC. Information contained in the
profile will be used for the UCC to incorporate into a job posting for a Designated Term Pastor.
An
organizational chart has been drawn
up to reflect the current operating structure.
It differs from last year due to the absence of an interim or settled
pastor and will change again once a new minister is hired.
Next meeting – Tuesday, June 18, 2019 – 7:00 p.m.
I would like to thank everyone for the love,
kindness and support that has been given to me and my family during my brother,
Ed Porter’s last weeks of life and after his passing. Although it has been a
difficult journey, it has been easier because of our church family’s support.
~Kathy and Mark Hall and family
Our prayers and sympathy are with the family
and friends of church member Phyllis
Titterington, wife of Robert and mother to Lisa
and her husband Matt. Phyllis was also Audrey and Anna’s grandmother. Phyllis died on Tuesday; May 7th peacefully
surrounded by her family. A celebration of life was held here on Monday, May 13th.
God Bless Our Confirmands
Trevor Dudis Michaela Happeny
Mark McPherson Merri
McPherson
Ava Osborne Jackson
Preskins
Search
Committee:
The Search Committee for finding a new
part-time Minister for our Church has been formed. In May we had three
meetings in which we reviewed and finalized the Profile which will go to
UCC. We voted to set up a meeting with the UCC Association Minister to find
out the process for securing a minister. The Profile was approved at the
last Board Meeting. We would like to thank Jeanne LeBlanc for helping our committee.
Members of the Committee are: Lauretta Boyce, Chairperson, Cheryl Clark, Mark Hall, Cheryl Happeny, Mark Iverson, Kelli McPherson and Erin
Smith.
Hello
again from ‘Ole Steve, or as the guys in my men’s group know me; “Chemosabe”. It
was in late March that I updated you on my “living with cancer” journey. For starters, I never got the “spring bounce
of renewed energy” that I had hoped for.
April turned out to be a very difficult month for me, as far as pain and
discomfort go. I had an ERCP procedure
that inserted two biliary stents in the common bile duct, which cleared up the
jaundice alright. Unfortunately, it was
followed by a very bad case of old-fashion pancreatitis, and two short
hospitalizations. Finally, my digestive
blood markers approached normal again, but I still felt awful.
Well, a CT
scan showed that my abdominal cavity was filling up with malignant ascites
(fluid), another archaic way the body tries to protect
itself. Now I needed a paracentesis
procedure to drain the fluid. I was so
bloated that they drained 3.3 liters the first time, and then 3.4 liters the
second time (which weighed about 7.3 pounds).
This wasn’t exactly the new bounce in my step that I had been praying
for! As I write this at the end of April, I find myself still in a lot of
discomfort, due to a few more common side effects of cancer, and of which, I
will spare you the details.
Recently,
I sent a link to my men’s support group about a little ditty called the “Chemo
Brain Blues”. It was recorded by a local
artist and chemo patient. Whenever you
feel like laughing and crying at the same time, just let me know, and I’ll send
you the link!
In more
uplifting news, my oncologist, Annie, and I have decided to try a pill form of
chemotherapy. It is drug that may be
helpful in targeting the specific mutations that I currently exhibit. Again, there are no promises as to what
therapeutic value it may have for me, but Chemosabe’s
horse seems to like it….just kidding!
Until next
time, thank you for all your cards and prayers. The Holy Spirit dwells in all
of us and in our Church!
A word, or two or three, from the 
:
The deacons wish to take a moment of your time
and update you on upcoming guest ministers and special services.
We were blessed to have Miriam from December
to April and we are filling our pulpit once again.
The pulpit will have a variety of guest
ministers ranging from one week to several weeks in a row.
There will be a variety of styles, since we
have a candidate in discernment, two retired ministers and also a minister who
grew up in South Carolina.
These gentlemen will fill the pulpit for us
through the end of July.
There are three very special services planned
for June and July.
June 9th is Children’s Sunday and
the Sunday school classes will be leading us as only they can with excitement
and enthusiasm!
June 30th we will learn more about
our community and mission programs as we join together for a potluck breakfast.
On Sunday, July 28th there will be a service
of songs that will lift our spirits high. Everyone will be asked to submit
their favorite hymns or songs. Linda will be playing our choices and share some
new tunes with us as well.
The deacons are very excited about the guest
ministers and the special services planned.
We understand it can be difficult not having the same person at the
pulpit each Sunday and we appreciate your patience. We know the ministers we
have chosen will share their own special blend of faith and prayer. This is a
time to look at what we want for worship, a time to experience something we
might not have had a chance to before. Please share your ideas with us using
the fellowship pads. Let us know how you liked the service or let us know what
you might want to add or remove. This time of transition is a chance to let us
know how you would like to make worship special. Invite a friend, relative or
neighbor to come to church to share this spirit of faith that is growing in our
church.
The deacons are available for any concerns or
requests for assistance. There is a deacon of the month posted, but any one of
us is available to help.
We do have access to area ministers and can
help with contacting one for you.
Please help by notifying us if you know of
anyone who is ill, has a special prayer request, needs a ride to church or
would like to be visited.
We want everyone to have access to pastoral
care if it is needed.
Yours in faith,
Ann DeGrechie – (617) 943-1629
Russ Greene -
(781) 447-5047
Gail Clement – (617) 838-2842
Guest
ministers:
May 26th – Winston Janusz (discernment)
June 2nd and 16th –
Reverend Richard Giragosian (retired)
June 23rd and July 7th,
14th and 21st – Reverend Gerald Dowling
Special
Services: June 9th – Children’s Sunday; June 30th – Mission Breakfast; July
28th – Service of Songs
This historical recollection was written for the Confirmation Class this
year and later read at the recognition of 80- and 75-year members. Some had missed the reading and requested it
be printed in the Newsletter.
Some of the things I remembered growing up in
our church in the 1930s.
My parents were church members before I was
born so it was inevitable that I would grow up in our church. It was depression times through much of my
childhood. Mom sang in the choir which
had 4 sections. Soprano
and Tenor on the left and Altos and Bass on the right. Dad kept track of me down back. I remember seeing mom in the choir and I
wanted to go to her and started up the aisle on hands and knees. Just about the time I reached the register (a
big grate that covered the duct where hot air heat come
upstairs), my dad caught me by the seat of my pants and back I went to sit
until church was over. No nursery in
those days.
Other early recollections were of
kindergarten. This was the room used for
nursery today. There was quite a group
of us, and we brought our pennies to church.
When the basket was passed, we all sang the song, - Dropping, dropping,
hear the pennies fall, everyone for Jesus, he will get them all. A special treat was at birthday time. We brought extra pennies, one for each year,
and the kids sang Happy Birthday and we got a card from the church.
By then I was aware of Children’s Sunday as
the Kindergarten participated. All the
classes did recitations or sang or in some way took part in that special
service. During the service a cradle was
brought forward. It was filled with tiny
bouquets of pansies and bridal wreath (which shed little white flowers all
along the carpet). The names of babies
and small children were called, and each was brought forward to receive one of
the bouquets. The stage
had pots of geraniums given by a Mrs. Abbie Jenkins and were for us
bigger children.
From kindergarten we went to the Primary
Depart. There were 6 classes for grades
1 – 3 with the boys and girls having their own teachers. (Later, when I was old enough to teach in the
Primary room, my class of girls totaled 30 in number and the boy’s class was
about 20. That was about 150 children
enrolled in that age group.) There were
no sports scheduled for Sunday morning, that is a more recent church problem
By then I was, of course, in school and was
given an allowance of 25 cents a week.
Now that sounds good, but I attended the church service before Sunday
school, and I had a box of church envelopes as well as ones for SS. The church ones had 2 sides and I was
expected to use my money to put 5 cents in each side and again for the SS I put
5 cents on the SS side and 1 cent for missions.
You can easily calculate what percentage was left for me to spend. 64% went to church and Sunday School.
There was a Sunday night worship service and a
mid-week one that I had the dubious privilege of attending. When we were about your age, we had Christian
Endeavor (Youth Fellowship). CE was in all the churches and we had rallies
during the year and met all together and there was an annual Sunrise Service
Easter Sunday where we all met in D W Field Park in Brockton. There was a junior choir. We filled the front 2 middle pews and turned
around to face the people when we sang.
Choir rehearsal was Friday nights before the senior choir practiced.
I expect the Sunday School
picnic had been going on for many years before I was in SS. At the end of the year on a Saturday in June
we had a Sunday school picnic. A couple
of buses arrived at 9 am and for 20 cents we could go. We brought a lunch and were off to Fieldston (Brant Rock) where there was a pavilion and place
to change clothes. By 3 we were well
burned and ready to head home. Later
during WW II when gas was rationed, we met at church and marched down to the
Whitman railroad station. That was a nice stone building with seats inside and
a wood stove to keep you warm in winter.
The down train came, and we were on our way to Plymouth where a town bus
took us to the beach. The same routine, by three we were mostly lobster colored and ready
to go home.
In 1939 I was old enough to be a church
member. We did not have a class, but we
did have to appear before the deacons.
Now that was scary as these old guys (they’d be young to me now) asked
us questions. Anyway, I guess they were
satisfied as I became a member along with Winnie Robinson at Eastertime in
1939, which is 80 years ago. At that time Easter attendance was usually in the
500 range. The regular attendance was probably
more like 300 or 350. Back then there
were no stores open, no Sunday work except for emergency people, drug stores
and such. Also, there was not much money
and people couldn’t afford a vacation home, boats and all the toys people have
today. Your I-phone
or whatever it’s called probably cost more than many families had for income
all year! Think about that.
Soon I graduated from high school and my Sunday
School days were over as a student, but I did teach
classes for several years. These 16
years of Sunday School memories were happy times. I made many friends and one in particular,
Winnie Robinson, was with me all the way.
~ Carol Seward
Easter Sunday
75 and 80 Years Ago
(1939 and 1944)
Coincidentally Easter was on April 9th
both of those years. Also, two pairs of
sisters who are also life-long friends, became church
members on those dates.
In 1939, Winnie Higgins (Robinson) and Carol
Tucker (Seward) joined and are the 80-year members. Joanne Higgins (Tucker) and Nancy Tucker
(McLaughlin), their younger sisters, are the 75-year members having joined our
church in 1944. The four still regularly
attend services and are active in church activities.
MAINSPRING BAG LUNCH PROGRAM AND CONWAY HOUSE (Our
Room!) June’s
Special Offering 
Once
a month bag lunches are made for Mainspring residents. Food costs have
increased as you all know. It now costs us approximately $150 each month to
prepare these lunches so your financial support is needed more than ever if we
are to keep this project going! We also
take care of re-supplying towels and linens in a room that we have sponsored
for many years at the Conway House in Middleborough. Your generous help with this Special
Offering, which will be taken up on Sunday, June 9th, is needed and
sincerely appreciated.
FOOD PANTRY
UPDATE 
The Food Pantry is often asked
"what items are most needed" to help supply and stock the shelves.
Here are some helpful items, listed below, that are
not covered by client's food stamps and are a blessing to the pantry.
They are items that are needed on a regular basis, so donations of these items
are always welcomed: All toiletry items, including soap, shampoo, men’s and
ladies’ deodorants, tampons and pads, shaving cream, razors, hair spray, tin
foil, sandwich bags, plastic wrap, napkins, toothpaste, cleaning supplies and
laundry detergent. In addition, the backpacks with school supplies are always a
huge help for the client's kids every fall when school is back in session.
Daily Lectionary Scripture References June 2019 (Year C)
Sat., June 1
Psalm 97 Exodus 33:18-23 John 1:14-18
Sun., June 2
Seventh Sunday of Easter: Acts 16:16-34 Psalm 97 Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17,
20-21 John
17:20-26
Mon., June 3
Psalm 29 Exodus 40:16-38 Acts 16:35-40 Tues., June 4 Psalm 29 2 Chronicles
5:2-14 Acts 26:19-29 Wed., June 5 Psalm 29 Ezekiel 3:12-21
Luke 9:18-27 Thurs., June 6 Psalm 104:24-34, 35b
Isaiah 32:11-17 Galatians 5:16-25
Fri., June 7 Psalm 104:24-34, 35b Isaiah 44:1-4 Galatians 6:7-10 Sat., June 8 Psalm 104:24-34, 35b 2 Kings 2:1-15a Luke 1:5-17 Sun., June 9 Day of Pentecost Acts 2:1-21 or Genesis 11:1-9 Psalm
104:24-34, 35b Romans 8:14-17 or Acts 2:1-21 John 14:8-17 [25-27]
Mon., June 10
Psalm 48 Joel 2:18-29 1 Corinthians 2:1-1
Tues., June 11
Psalm 48 Ezekiel 11:14-25 1 Corinthians 2:12-16
Wed., June 12
Psalm 48 Numbers 24:1-14 Luke 1:26-38
Thurs., June 13
Psalm 8 Proverbs 3:13-18 Ephesians 1:17-19
Fri., June 14
Psalm 8 Proverbs 3:19-26 Ephesians 4:1-6
Sat., June 15
Psalm 8 Proverbs 4:1-9 Luke 2:41-52
Sun., June 16
Trinity Sunday Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31 Psalm 8 Romans 5:1-5 John 16:12-15
Mon., June 17
Psalm 124 Proverbs 7:1-4 Ephesians 4:7-16
Tues., June 18
Psalm 124 Proverbs 8:4-21 Ephesians 5:15-20
Wed., June 19
Psalm 124 Daniel 1:1-21 Luke 1:46b-55
Thurs., June 20
Psalm 42 and 43 Genesis 24:1-21 Romans 2:17-29
Fri., June 21
Psalm 42 and 43 Job 6:14-30 Galatians 3:15-22
Sat., June 22
Psalm 42 and 43 Proverbs 11:3-13 Matthew 9:27-34
Sun., June 23
Second Sunday after Pentecost 1 Kings 19:1-4 [5-7] 8-15a
Psalm 42 and 43 Galatians 3:23-29 Luke 8:26-39
Mon., June 24
Psalm 59 2 Kings 9:1-13 1 Corinthians 1:18-31
Tues., June 25 Psalm
59 2 Kings 9:14-26 Ephesians 2:11-22
Wed., June 26
Psalm 59 2 Kings 9:30-37 Luke 9:37-43a
Thurs., June 27
Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20 1 Kings 22:29-40, 51-53 2 Corinthians 13:5-10
Fri., June 28
Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20 2 Kings 1:1-12 Galatians 4:8-20
Sat., June 29
Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20 2 Kings 1:13-18; 2:3-5 Luke 9:21-27
Sun., June 30
Third Sunday after Pentecost 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14 Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20 Galatians
5:1, 13-25 Luke 9:51-62
