|
|
|
The Eliot Church of Newton
474 Centre Street, Newton MA 02458
617-244-3639
www.eliotchurch.org
No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you're welcome here. |
|
|
The Columns |
November, 2011 |
|
|
|
|
Greetings!
 Let us say a Prayer for the Widening Vision of Social Justice:
"O God of righteousness, we thank you for the faith we inherit. It gives us the vision of a world where children of God are not ground down in oppression but lifted up freedom. We thank you for the gift of your love. It demands that the human person must not be bound in misery but liberated in joy. We thank you for the abundance of the earth. It makes possible a society of persons not equal in poverty but diverse in wealth. We thank you for the pricking of conscience. It makes us lay the foundations for such a world, not tomorrow but today."
November deepens our preparation for the coming of winter, but more importantly, it offers us an opportunity to give thanks for all that we receive and to give thanks for the variety of ways at the Eliot Church that we can participate in making the world a better place for all people.
Join us for All Saints Day on Sunday, November 6th as we remember and celebrate the lives of those whom we have admired and loved. It is a time of remembrance, but also a day of regeneration and blessing.
Join us on Sunday, November 13th as the Eliot seminarian, Earl Rogers, shares his first sermon in this congregation.
Join us for Thanksgiving Dinner at the church on Sunday, November 20th after the Sunday Worship. What a wealth of love and care that creates this feast and festive celebration.
Join us on November 27th, the first Sunday in Advent, as we begin our preparation for the birth of the Christ child.
Because of our worship and beyond our worship, we have the opportunity to bless others by collecting the various food items in the beginning of the month for Mission I. Our goal at Eliot is 1101 items!
We are asking for each person to purchase a pair of cotton socks for Ecclesia Ministries (Men, Women and Children), as this will be our in-gathering of goods on Thanksgiving Sunday, Nov. 20th. It is not enough to know you are blessed; we must also be a blessing!
Be grateful, be generous, give thanks, and sing a new song of hope!
Rev. Debbi Carter |
|
| Greetings from Rev. Karla
On Loving My Neighbors
Every morning, I walk my dogs through my neighborhood. After hooking up the leashes, my dogs bound out the front porch and take a left to leave our quiet dead end street, taking a right into busy rush hour traffic. We walk along the block, and sometimes, the pit-bulls that belong to the scrap collector across the street, are out in their yard, and we "bark" hello. This neighbor drives me crazy, because at least twice a year, he has a huge sign propped up against his tiny house, at least 8ft high, spray painted with the words, "PiT bULl pUPpieS 4 sALE". My heart breaks for this momma dog that is overbred, but there are no laws to prevent this treatment of her. And my neighbor, obviously living hand to mouth, is doing anything he can to put food on the table. If I were in his place, would I do differently?
It doesn't matter.
I probably would never be in his place.
As we continue down the block, we round the corner to Pleasant Street. A Near Eastern family rents the three family home on the corner. The grandfather, usually dressed in a dhoti, is very sweet and says hello, not to me, but to my dogs. If his tiny granddaughter is outside sitting on the stairs, she will squeal "doggeeeeees" and point at my canines. I smile and share my good mornings, and continue our jaunt.
For a few blocks, we simply stop and sniff (well, I don't) the bushes and lawn ornaments.
We rush by one of the houses because the father of the house has some anger management issues. He once threatened to "kill" my spouse when the dogs ran up on his lawn to greet his dog. It was a little scary. But, it's the way my neighborhood rolls.
We continue, up one more block, past the Center for Tibetan Buddhist studies, where quite often run into a couple of monks, dressed in crimson robes. Many of my neighbors are from Tibet. I never have visited the center, in spite of my good intentions to do so.
After a brief playtime in the park, we head home. We pass Angel's house. Angel is a 205 pound spotted Great Dane. I stop to chat with the mom of the house, who, while telling me stories, chains smokes and cusses worse than a sailor. She tells me she feels like we are sisters. I smile.
We round the next corner, and I wave to my Haitian grandfather friend, and we amble towards our street, and wave to the Italian elders sitting on their stoop.
That's my neighborhood. It is rich and diverse, full of conflict and old stories of the past, crammed with immigrants and long timers. I know very few of them-with most of them I couldn't even have a conversation, because we lack a common language.--in more ways than one.
So when I read in Matthew, where Jesus points out The Greatest Commandment, I linger on the words, "Love Shall Your Neighbor as Yourself," I wonder what that means in my neighborhood. How do I love my neighbors?
Indeed, I am friendly. That's my general affect. I used to visit at length with one elderly neighbor, until he tried to come into my house, and later I found out he was an ex-sex offender. How do I love him?
How do I love the family down the street, who is getting evicted because they haven't paid property taxes for the last twenty years? How do I love the family who let their small poodle walk around the streets, despite my urging to keep her safe in the yard?
The dog was killed by a speeding car. Sigh.
Jesus knew what a crazy hard commandment this is. Loving your neighbor as yourself, when taken literally, as I am today, is a deep and difficult command. Some of my neighbors I just plain don't like. Our diversity creates some conflict, and xenophobia abounds, not to mention those generation old grudges some of them carry against one another.
I have learned much, however, from my neighbors. Because, you know, neighbors are like family. You don't really get to choose them. You just get them, for better or worse.
I have learned that to love them is not to judge them (or at least I try not to) or reject them. I am helpful when I am able, and I work to not to carry my own grudges when they make choices that I think are, well, stupid. Indeed, I see Jesus in my neighbors, and when I remember to recognize him, oh, how much love fills my heart.
But seeing and remembering Who they are is the challenge. But one thing I know, if I can learn to love my neighbors, then I will know how to love the whole world.
Blessings,
Karla
|
| The Sundays of November
NOVEMBER 6 - All Saints SundayRev. Debbi Carter Preaching Congregational Forum and Meeting
November 13 - 22nd Sunday after Pentecost Seminary Intern, Earl Rogers Preaching "First Sunday" Spirituality Series featuring Earl Rogers' story NOVEMBER 20 - Christ the King Sunday/Thanksgiving Sunday Rev. Debbi Carter Preaching Thanksgiving Dinner NOVEMBER 27 - First Sunday in Advent Rev. Karla Miller Preaching
|
|
All Saints/Memorial Sunday
Sunday, November 6
On the first Sunday of November, it is our custom at Eliot Church to remember all members and friends who have died recently, especially within the past year, as well as those family members and friends who have died. We will collect names on Sunday morning and include them in the Communion Prayer.
If you would like to submit a name in advance that you would like remembered that day, please contact Terri WJ in the Church Office at 617-244-3639 or terriwj@eliotchurch.org or
|
|
Congregational Forum and Meeting
Sunday, November 6 - following worship
You are cordially invited to the Congregational Forum after church on November 6, 2011. The topic is: Making it Easy to Follow Your Passion: A Forum on:
Simplifying your church work at Eliot
Simplifying the work of Eliot Church
Please join Marge O'Reilly and Mary Anne Schoonover as they facilitate the discussion based on the insights collated from the Leader's Retreat. Your participation in the Forum will be beneficial to the work of the Interim Leadership Development Committee as the church prepares for the next settled minister.
See you on November 6th, after worship in the Church Parlor!
|
|
Help Fight Hunger - Mission 11-11-11
Fool Collection on Sunday, November 6
Join our youth in fighting hunger!
Two simple numbers. 1 in 6. Yes, 1 in 6 people in the United States does not have access to enough food to live a healthy life. We can help! On November 6th, we would like you to help the hungry by bringing in a non perishable food item. Our goal is to collect 1,111 items to donate to local food banks. Every little bit helps us to help the hungry. Remember, November 6th, and remember the 1 in 6 that you will be helping. The items most needed are:
Powdered milk, Pamelat, Meals and Stews in a can, Tuna,Ground coffee, crackers,
paper towels, Rice-a-Roni and Soups.
|
Gratitude Graffiti Board
Get your grateful on and share it on the bulletin board outside of the church office!
Tis' the season to remember all of the tiny and large moments of thankfulness to God
for the abundance in our lives. Markers are provided--be as creative as you wish! |
Show Up and Share!
"I can always offer my opinion!"
"I don't know what people do without an Eliot"
"It's a safe place to share my feelings"
"This is my community"
"I like doing stuff together, like MLK Day of Service"
The above are direct quotes from members of our Eliot congregation-young, and
older. There is no question that Eliot is a source of strength, love, service, and
community for many of us. But sometimes, it is hard to share this light with others.
The art of invitation doesn't always come easy to us. However, it is fundamental to
our Christian faith. Did Jesus attract disciples? Not so much-he specifically invited
Peter, James, John and the others to follow him. As disciples, we are called to
invite those around us to check out our faith community-or another one.
So, the Membership Commission is asking each of you-children, youth, adults and
all-to invite at least two different guests to any Eliot sponsored event. It might be
the Thanksgiving Dinner, or one of the concerts in the Eliot Church Music series;
maybe it is Sunday School, or Christmas Caroling. Are you up for it? We hope so.
We have a lot of events that are amazing, and they beg to be shared!
|
Membership Commission Happenings
This Fall, your membership commission has been busy!
*We hosted the annual Community Ice Cream Social. Amy McMahon spent one
afternoon "flyer-ing" the neighborhood. It really paid off-many new guests joined
us.
*We spent the day at the Watertown Faire on the Square spreading Eliot cheer!
*We created an "Eliot in a Box"-a box of fliers and photos about the UCC and Eliot
for a ready to go display at any event at Eliot-or beyond.
*We provided publicity and animal snacks for the Pet Blessing service in early
October.
*With the help of Terri Whitney Jackson, bookmarks for the Books and Media part of
the fair were created, listing upcoming holiday events at Eliot.
*At the end of October, we will launch our "Show Up and Share" campaign!
*In November, we will be writing notes to folks we haven't seen in a few weeks,
inviting them to "Come on back!"
|
Christian Education Commission News
We still need teachers for the winter and spring quarter. Can you help?
We've kicked off a great Sunday School trimester with our new curriculum, "Spark" by Augsburg Press,
Also, the children are very excited about the hunger initiative, Mission 11.11. Check out all of the posters and banners around the church, encouraging Eliot friends and family to provide 1100 items of food for the Newton Food Pantry! Read the article above for the details.
|
Breaking News on Marriage Equality
Next month, the Senate Judiciary Committee will consider passage of the Respect
for Marriage Act, long overdue legislation that would finally repeal the discriminatory
Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). This is a momentous step forward for equal rights. Congress now has an opportunity to vote on whether the federal government will recognize state-sanctioned same- sex marriages. You are encouraged to tell your friends about the Respect for Marriage act: Share it on Facebook and pass along this link: www.WeRespectMarriage.com
The march for equality continues, and now is the time to ensure equality for gay and
lesbian Americans. The repeal of DOMA will guarantee legally wedded gay and
lesbian couples the same federal rights and protections as any other state-
sanctioned marriage. Thank you for your support!
|
| From the Finance Commission
First of all, thank you to all our members and friends for their financial support of Eliot
during the past fiscal year. As the result of everyone's good will in honoring their
pledges, Eliot received 96.65% of the amount pledged! Honoring your pledges
allowed Eliot to offer its missions and spiritual blessings to the community and
broader world by paying its bills and staying within budget. Thank you!
Need a new Eliot directory of members and friends? The supply has a new home in
Terri's office. Please look there to pick one up on a Sunday, or ask Terri for a copy
when you stop by during the week. The new location is to protect the privacy of our
personal, contact information.
FY12 First Quarter Statements. Mary Anne Schoonover, our Financial Secretary, has sent out first quarter statements to those households that have made pledge payments for their FY12 pledges since July 1st. If you have made a payment and did not receive a statement or if you find an error in the statement you received, please contact Mary Anne at church or at financial.secretary@eliotchurch.org
|
| Fall Fair Thanks!!
Many thanks to all of you who volunteered to help with the Eliot Church Fall Fair. We had a beautiful day and there was a superb community effort to make it happen. First, I'd like to thank the many volunteers who spread the word about the Fair, made and baked pies, set up and cleaned up, priced the thousands of items, cashiered (a verb?) and provided on-the-ground support in all the areas, took pictures, painted faces, transported a tree, assembled a telescope, played games, music and danced. Second, I'd like to thank the many donors of books and media, food, raffle items, baked goods, pumpkins and flea market items. Last, but not least, I'd like to thank Reverends Debbi Carter and Karla Miller plus Terri Whitney-Jackson for their unstinting support; Liz Thurston, my Co-Chair; the financial team of Joe Kelleher and Maryanne Schoonover, Caroline Clark, for publicity; Diane Pullen for her gourmet soups and pies; our kitchen and café crew: Josephine McNeil, Susan Nason, Liz Flanagan, Margaret Shue, John Clark, and the High School Youth Group; the Books team, Terry Hackford, Leslie Creedy, Barbara Couturier, and Carol Brown, the Baked Goods and Raffle Room cashiers, Siu Wai Stroshane and Shondora Scott; the Kids' Games team of Amy McMahon and the Youth Group, and our intrepid Flea Market sellers led by Ann Sharp, Connie Stubbs, Pat Hunt, Maryanne Schoonover, and Brenda Mason. My special appreciation to Bill Powers and Blue Pearl for their music, and to Nancy Lob who led an hour of folk dancing. If your name isn't on the list, it's in our hearts.
All of your hard work combined to make this year's Fair a smashing success!
Blessings,
Rich Stroshane
|
Youth Mission Trip-April Vacation-Stock Options!
Our youth will be headed to our nations' capital during April vacation week to volunteer with Youth Service Opportunities Project, an organization founded by the Quakers to provide volunteer opportunities for youth around hunger and homelessness issues. We will be having a number of fun-raising events, but please consider buying stock in our trip beginning Thanksgiving Sunday!
Stocks are great stocking stuffers!
|
|
Annual Thanksgiving Dinner
Sunday, November 20
Surround yourself with good food and good company at the Eliot annual Thanksgiving Sunday Dinner immediately after worship on Sunday, November 20. This event is open to all. If you'll have friends and relatives visiting for the holidays, please plan on bringing them along. We'd especially love to see our Eliot young people who have been away for work and school. Look for the sign-up sheets posted in the hallway (on the Parish Life bulletin board) where you can volunteer to make a turkey, side dish, bread or dessert or join in with set up, kitchen help or clean up. See you there! For more info, contact Martha Totten 617-965-3939 or tottmarth@gmail.com
|
|
Church Family News
Happy November Birthday!
4 Barbara Avery
4 Jane Leighton
4 Diane Pullen
4 Rich Stroshane
7 Brenda Mason
7 Gabriela Mata
7 Mary Gwen Scott
7 Arline Weyler
10 Kevin Smith
10 Alex Stroshane
15 Susanna Peyser
16 George Lennihan
18 Ryan Byrne
18 Marcy Johnson
20 Lillie Rundlett
21 Mary Gomes
21 Kyle Pond
22 Chris Stuart
25 Virginia Schock
29 Richard McCann
30 Donna Rombauer
Happy November Anniversary 3 Terri Whitney-Jackson & John Jackson.
If we've missed your birthday or anniversary, let us know! Email terriwj@eliotchurch.org or call her at 617-244-3639 ext. 201 Come Celebrate Arline Weyler's 100th Birthday! Sunday, November 6 from 2:00 - 4:00 PM in Fellowship Hall Arline will be 100 years young on November 7 this year. Come celebrate with Arline and her family. For more information, email Mary Anne Schoonover or call her at 617-332-8118. Our Condolences with the Dyer-Colglazier Family It is with mixed regret and wonder that I report to you that one of our extended Eliot Church community, Joan Dyer Colglazier, 66, unexpectedly passed away in Connecticut on September 30, 2011, from acute respiratory failure following surgery. Joan was an active and beloved member of Eliot Church. She lived in Newton from 1989 to 1999.
Her brother, Tim Dyer, recalls with gratitude that Joan was supported by Eliot during this tough time in her life not only spiritually but with transportation, shopping, etc. Tim reports that Joan was asked by her family in 1999 to return home to live with her mother (who was living alone at that time in the house in which Joan grew up) in Canton, CT. Over time, this move further enhanced the quality of both of their lives. Near the end, Joan became the caregiver for her mother, the faithful daughter whose loving care allowed Joan's mother to continue living in her own house, until her death in 2005.
After that, Joan found a condominium for herself, nearby in Farmington, CT. During all her time in this area, Joan was active in her church, the First Congregational Church of Canton, working on many church committees -- including the pastor search team!!
Tim recalls with love how -- true to our Eliot spirit -- Joan became stronger as she actively reached out and helped others. Joan did a lot of structured volunteer work in Connecticut but as Tim relates, "more importantly if she felt a friend or family member was struggling, or even despondent she was always there to help them with their problems or even just take them to a concert or a dinner." Tim believes that the kindness that Joan experienced as a member of our Eliot Church community "was translated by Joan to others tenfold."
Joan was a fiercely loyal friend. As some of you know well, if Joan decided to be your friend, "there was nothing you could do about it." At the end, Joan had a tough time -- she was in hospital for about 5 weeks -- but her faith and trust in God never wavered.
Please keep Joan and her family in your prayers.
|
|
Where Did All Those Books Left Over from the Fair Go??
Thanks to tremendous effort from the clean-up team, all the books the remained after the fair--including many from the huge, one-time library donation--are continuing to move out to where they are needed.
--23 boxes of children's picture books and chapter books have been stored behind the stage for sale at our fair in 2012
--Over 25 boxes were selected by Rev. Karen Fritz for sale at the Brighton/Allston UCC Church thrift shop.
--3 boxes of hand-picked books in top condition for resale are being delivered to More Than Words bookstore in Waltham, a non-profit used book store that empowers young people. Learn more at: www.mtwyouth.org
--The remaining books were donated to an organization based in Foxboro called Big Hearted Books. They serve as a clearing-house to get books into the hands of those who need them. Through the Girl Scouts they deliver books to preschools and kindergartens. They donate books to prisons and senior centers. They respond to requests from schools throughout the greater Boston area that need books for children and youth of all ages. They donate books to churches and libraries--for their fund-raising sales. You can learn more at www.bigheartedbooks.com.
|
|
Another Opportunity to Help Feed the Hungry:
30th Annual Newton CROP Fundraiser
A group of Eliot folks is participating in the 30th Annual Newton CROP Fundraiser sponsored by Church World Service (CWS) from now through November 11
Church World Service feeds the hungry locally and worldwide both routinely and through disaster relief programs.
Right now, CWS is responding to catastrophic damage caused by tornadoes and floods here in the U. S. and to increasing famine in the Horn of Africa.
This year, the local organizations Newton Food Pantry, City Mission Society (CMS) and CAN-DO will receive a 25% portion of the funds raised. These are all among Eliot's core mission causes, so please help if you can.
You may give in one of three ways: - Support a Team Eliot volunteer with your contribution. Our volunteers this year are Josephine McNeil, Chris and Doug Stuart and Mary Anne Schoonover.
- Donate on-line to Team Eliot: Go to www.churchworldservice.org. At the top select, "CROP Hunger Walk." On the left-hand side, click on "Find a Walk," then, "Massachusetts;" scroll down to find, "Newton," then click on, "Donate."
- Send your check directly to Church World Service: CWS, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515. Be sure to designate, "CROP" and "Eliot Newton" on the memo line.
Thanks in advance for your support! |
|
Looking Ahead to December
"Hanging of the Greens" and Christmas Caroling
Saturday afternoon, December 3
Everyone is invited to join the Spiritual Life Commission in decorating the sanctuary with evergreen wreaths, garlands, Christmas tree and window candles from 12:30 to 3:00 PM
AND everyone is invited to join the Eliot Care Team on a Christmas Caroling tour to local nursing homes and to homes of Eliot shut-ins from 3:00 to 5:00. These visits are always very much appreciated, and are a great family activity for all ages. You are encouraged to come to either event, or join in both on December 6. Both events are great fun, and wonderful ways to get to know other Eliot members and friends.
Crafts & Carols Workshop Sunday, December 4
CMS Christmas gifts collection Sunday, December 11
Christmas Music Sunday December 11 at 10:00 AM
Christmas Pageant Sunday December 18 at 10:00 AM
Christmas Eve Services at 5:30 and 7:30 December
|
|
CMS Christmas Shops Collection
Sunday, December 11
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 2010, over 2,000 people benefitted!
Gift Suggestions: NEW UNWRAPPED Items Only!
(listed by priority...you may bring wrapping paper)
- 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 11 and transport them to first Church in Winchester. We know you will be as generous as you have been in the past. For more info, contact Patrick O'Reilly at patevan@aol.com or 617-964-4593 or contact CMS directly at (617) 742-6830.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
