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Join us in the celebration of Thanksgiving Worship and Dinner! |
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Thanksgiving Worship & Dinner
This Sunday, November 21, 2010
During worship. Pastor Tony will reflect on Philippians 4:4-9 and John 6:25-35 in his sermon, "With Thanksgiving in Everything." We will hear our Children's Choir offer the Greg Gilpin arrangement of "Every Time I Feel the Spirit". our Chancel Choir will offer pieces by John Rutter and G. F. Handel. This week we will have a special guest musician, trumpeter Jeff Popadic. He will accompany our Minister of Music, Charles Raines on the organ.
Sunday School on Thanksgiving Sunday:
The middle school students will join Rich, Peter, and Susan Nason in helping prepare dinners for our shut-ins
Everyone else will meet in their regular rooms, except:
Grades 2-3-4 will meet in the classroom ACROSS from the nursery.
Grades 5-6 will meet in the parlor.
Join us immediately following worship for our Annual Eliot Thanksgiving Dinner, this Sunday, November 21. Surround yourself with good food and good company! This event is open to all. If you'll have friends and relatives visiting for the holidays, please plan on bringing them along. We especially love to see our Eliot young people who have been away for work and school.
If you have signed up to help out in preparation or cleanup, and/or contribute cooked food for our Thanksgiving Sunday dinner, thanks!
If you are planning to attend and haven't signed up to bring something or help out, there is still time by contacting Martha Totten We need more veggies/side dishes, and desserts Also, we are in need of more help with Saturday late afternoon setup, and Sunday cleanup. At dinner, there will be a table for you to purchase Christmas cards and gifts from Ecclesia Ministries, the group that offers worship services, clothing and other social services for the homeless in Boston on the Boston Common ('The Common Cathedral'). The gifts include silver Ecclesia crosses, and Christmas cards and artwork made by made by homeless people in the common art program of Ecclesia community. This is a great opportunity to support services for the homeless in your Christmas giving. (Stay tuned for other opportunities as well.) back to top
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Next Sunday, November 28, 2010
Join us for the First Sunday of Advent! We will usher in Advent with our traditional Lighting of the Advent Candles. Pastor Tony will reflect on Isaiah 2:1-5 and Romans 13:11-14 in his sermon, "Put On the Armor of Light".
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Calendar for the Week of
November 21-28, 2010
Wednesday, November 24
Church office closed
Thursday, November 25 - Thanksgiving Day
Church office closed
Friday, November 26
Church office closed
Sunday, November 28
9:00 AM: Chancel Choir Rehearsal in the Sanctuary
10:00 AM: Worship for all
10:20 AM: Children dismissed for Sunday School
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Hanging of the Greens &
Christmas Caroling
Saturday, December 4
Everyone is invited to join the Spiritual Life Commission in Decorating the Sanctuary with evergreen wreaths, garlands, Christmas tree and window candles from 1:00 to 3:00 PM.
Also, everyone is invited to join the Parish Life Commission in a Christmas Caroling Tour. Christmas caroling to Eliot members and friends who are homebound is a wonderful Eliot tradition and a meaningful and fun way to start the Christmas season. This year we will carol at Chetwynde and Evans Park as well as in several homes. This is a great family event and no singing skills are required! Especially welcome are instrumentalists to accompany those singing. Do you have friends who like to sing? They are most welcome also. We will leave the church promptly at 3:00 PM with caroling completed by around 5:00 PM. For more info, contact Susan Nason at 617-965-1811 or send her an email.
Come be part of one of those events that helps to make Eliot a vibrant church.
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Various Rituals & Traditions Regarding Holy Communion:
Sunday, December 5
Last spring, the Spiritual Life Commission hosted a forum to discuss the various ways that Christians celebrate the Lord's Supper and receive the bread and cup: grape juice or wine? passing plates of bread and small cups of juice? coming forward individually to receive the bread and juice from a worship leader? gathering around the table and serving each other? dipping the bread, or drinking from the cup? We come from many different traditions, and each of these practices has a history with special significance for some of us. To honor those various traditions, we will experience Lord's supper in different ways. On Communion Sunday in December (the 5th), we will invite the congregation to come forward to receive the bread, and dip it in the cup (this is called communion by intinction).
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Order Your Poinsettias!
The Deadline is Sunday, December 5
This is a time to honor those we love during this season of Advent. Make your choice of White, Marble or Red. Each plant is $10.00. Either see the sign up sheet in the hallway to place your order or email Terri WJ with it.
We would appreciate your payment when you order. Please:
- Place it in the offering plate or
- In the envelope on the sign up sheet in the hall or
- Mail your check directly to the church office.
If you pay with cash, please be sure to put your name on it!
Please do not hand your check to anyone in person!
You may take your plants after the Christmas Eve service, or you may donate them to one of our not-so-out-and-about folks (we hope to have some left to deliver to them). See the signup sheet in the hallway, please make your check payable to "The Eliot Church of Newton" and write "Christmas Flowers" in the memo space. Speak to Elizabeth Woodbridge (617) 924-2048 would like to donate them or take them home sooner.
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Christmas Pageant Rehearsals
Begin Sunday, December 5
We will present our Intergenerational Christmas Pageant during worship on Sunday, December 19 at 10:00 am.. It is the story of an Eliot church family whose children require a bit of divine intervention before they come to understand what Christmas is, and what it is not. All ages will be touched by this story. For more info or to sign up to participate, contact Jon Bassett.
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Cuisine, Crafts and Carols!
Sunday, December 5 at 12:30 pm
Following Christmas Pageant Rehearsal, join the CE
Commission for a pizza lunch and enjoy crafting for kids and adults until 2:00 pm. We'll make ornaments, and other holiday crafts that you can use for gifts and decorations in your home. It's free and all are welcome!
For more info, contact Pastor Karla.
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The CE Commission is looking for people to volunteer to teach both Winter and Spring terms. In order to fulfill our commitment to Safe Church, and to provide a supportive environment for our teachers and children, we are committed to having two teachers in each classroom.
This winter, beginning December 5 through March 13, we need one teacher for the 2-3 grade class, and one teacher for the middle school group. In the spring we need one teacher for the 2-3 grades, and two teachers for the 4-5-6 grade.
Please consider this thoughtfully as we fulfill our baptismal vows to our children.
Contact Sue Maraventano, Laura Seoane, or Karla Miller if you can help
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CMS Christmas Shops
Gift Collection Sunday, December 12
Once again, Eliot Church will be participating in the City Mission Society's Christmas Shop, which brings the joys of giving and receiving to many people in the Greater Boston Metropolitan area annually. In 2007, over 2000 people benefitted!
Gift Suggestions: NEW Items Only! (listed by priority)
- Winter coats, sweaters and sweatshirts. (large sizes especially)
- Hats, mittens, gloves and scarves.
- Socks and underwear.
- Blankets and backpacks.
- Toys, games, and books for all ages.
- Gift cards from Target, Walgreen's, CVS, Kohl's or other merchants.
We will collect our gifts on Sunday, December 12 and transport them to first Church in Winchester. For more info, contact the church office 617-244-3639 or office@eliotchurch.org or Patrick O'Reilly 617-964-4593 or patevan@aol.com. If you would like to volunteer time to this project see the flier on the Mission & Social Justice bulletin board or contact CMS directly at (617) 742-6830.
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Winter Coat & Clothing Collection
The Eliot congregation has been wonderfully generous in donating good used winter coats and other clothing for the homeless and disadvantaged over the past several years. This year, working in collaboration with Alex Kern and Cooperative Metropolitan Ministries, we will collect winter clothing for clients of the Community Day Center, an service center in Waltham, (www.communitydaycenter.org) and the Haley House, a soup kitchen and service center in Boston (www.haleyhouse.org). The Haley House needs mens' clothing and shoes, as well as blankets, backpacks, toiletries, etc. The Community Day Center can use adult mens' and womens' coats, especially large and extra large. Children's clothes are also welcome. Please bring in clean clothes at any time over the next few weeks. We will have a table in the entrance to the sanctuary for your contributions.
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Christmas Music Sunday, December 12
This year's Christmas Music Sunday will feature several of the perky carol arrangements for choir with instruments by John Rutter. The repertoire for the morning is sure to delight both performers and listeners. Please join us at 10:00 am.
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Advent Open House Sunday, December 12
All Eliot Members and Friends are invited to Pastor Tony's home for an Advent Open House on December 12th from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. (182 Tremont Street in Newton Corner).
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Winter Coat & Clothing Collection
The Eliot congregation has been wonderfully generous in donating good used winter coats and other clothing for the homeless and disadvantaged over the past several years. This year, working in collaboration with Alex Kern and Cooperative Metropolitan Ministries, we will collect winter clothing for clients of the Community Day Center, an service center in Waltham, (www.communitydaycenter.org) and the Haley House, a soup kitchen and service center in Boston (www.haleyhouse.org). The Haley House needs mens' clothing and shoes, as well as blankets, backpacks, toiletries, etc. The Community Day Center can use adult mens' and womens' coats, especially large and extra large. Children's clothes are also welcome. Please bring in clean clothes at any time over the next few weeks. We will have a table in the entrance to the sanctuary for your contributions.
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Kurt Walker to be Ordained
Sunday, November 28
Kurt Walker has been called as pastor of Faith United Church of Christ in Indianapolis, Indiana. He and Jen and their twins, Ben and Maddy, moved to the Hoosier State in late September, and he began his ministry in October. Kurt will be ordained at Central Square Congregational Church in Bridgewater MA (his home church) on November 28. Pastor Tony will participate in the ordination service. Kurt and his family became active at Eliot Church when they first came to Andover Newton Theological School, and during the program year of 2007-2008, Kurt was our field education intern at Eliot. Congratulations, Kurt!
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Delivering and Distributing Clothes to the Homeless. The couple who has been collecting coats from Eliot and several other places, transporting them to Boston, and helping distribute them to those in need for the past several years would like to pass this volunteer opportunity on to others to take over. In addition to collecting clothes from churches, rummage sales, etc, they have gone to St Paul's Cathedral near the Boston Common on two Mondays per month, where they spend about three hours sorting and distributing the clothes. This would be a great volunteer ministry opportunity for two to four (or more) people to share. If you're interested in learning more, please contact Pastor Tony, who will put you in touch with the couple to answer your questions.
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Friends of Communities without Borders - Eliot Church. Over the past few months, and particularly following Dick Bail's presentation, a number of folks have come forward expressing an interest in Communities without Borders and our support of the Women in the Linda Compound in Zambia. MSJ feels that there is enough interest to consider bringing folks interested in CWB together on an ongoing basis to stay more informed. Please note: this is not a commission, or task force, or interim anything. MSJ's hope is that the group will function informally, meeting a few times a year to get to know the work of CWB, the work of the New Chipego Women of Hope in the Linda Compound, and encourage and support members of Eliot who would like to go to Zambia. Most communications can be electronic. This group is open to anyone in the Eliot community interested in strengthening our relationship with CWB and the Chipego Women of Hope.
Currently, Connie Stubbs sits on CWB's Council, Fred Balfour is working with Dick Bail, helping to identify an accounting resource for the organization, and Patrick O'Reilly has been working with Brita Gill-Austern on developing a handbook for the summer travelers. Also, a several teens and one adult have indicated an interest in traveling this summer.
Contact Connie Stubbs or Patrick O'Reilly for more info
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Cabaret Workshop
Sat & Sun December 11 & 12
Do You Love Singing the Great American Show Tunes?
Learn How the Pros Do It at a 2-Day Cabaret Workshop & Performance to be held at Eliot Church on December 11 & 12. Saturday 9:30 am- 8:30pm; Sunday 2:00pm - 9:30 pm. Sponsored by Boston Musical Theartre. All Abilities Welcome!! Includes: Choosing songs, learning your music, how to combat performance anxiety, movement onstage, working with an accompanist, relating to the audience, what to wear, microphone techniques etc. Performance by the Participants Sunday evening, December 12. Limited to 15 participants for individual coaching and an unlimited group of auditors. Fee: $200 per participant (Eliot member discount 10% for up to 5 participants); $75 for auditors (Eliot member discount 10%) Auditors will perform in one group number. Tickets for Sunday evening event for non-participants, non-auditors $10.For more information e-mail Boston Musical Theater at BosMusThtr@aol.com or call 617 323-2766 - All calls will be returned.
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