Friday, December 15, 2023 | |
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Dearly Beloved,
Grace and Peace to you.
Among you stands one whom you do not know,
the one who is coming after me. —John 1.3-4
The great paradox of Advent
is that we await the coming
of the One Who Is Among Us,
here already, profoundly present,
yet still coming, not done arriving.
Christ is not coming from a great distance,
inching closer to us from some far-off heaven,
but unfolding among us, within us.
We are pregnant with Christ,
who is here and yet who is coming,
whose presence is full and yet blossoming.
Jesus, silently gestating in us,
tender, innocent, dependent,
unknown, yet who loves us intimately
with infinite grace and wisdom.
Wait,
and give thanks,
and wait.
___________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net
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Greetings UCCB,
This Sunday we continue with the story about Zechariah and Elizabeth. John the Baptist is born and his father speaks prophetic praise to God. The joy of silence bursting open in speech! The promise of God’s light to shine on all people in all times! The joy of a new baby and all the expectation of what is to come. John the Baptist shall herald the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. And we wait with excited anticipation. We know the story to come of Jesus’ birth – but we still wait one more week. We savor each day. We bake and decorate and wrap gifts. We pray and listen and visit. We tick off items on our “to do” list and discover it’s too long for any one day. We hum along to Christmas music and tend to overly excited children. Keep on keeping on. What you are doing is being church. Pay attention. Watch for angels. Get ready…
--Rev. Cindy Maybeck,
Bridge Interim Minister
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Hybrid Worship
Sunday, December 17th at 9:30 am
In person at UCCB also via Zoom
Bulletin
Advent III Worship – Lighting the Candle of Joy
Luke 1:57-80 A Promise of Light in the Darkness (Story of the birth of John the Baptist)
The choir welcomes, any member of the congregation, friends, community members, any singers at all, who would like to join us, to sing the Hallelujah Chorus with us during the service.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88306753408?pwd=V1gwZUtYL05JeVU2WklHWGtUWExGdz09
Meeting ID: 883 0675 3408
Passcode: 7387
Please note: our worship services are streamed live via Zoom and Facebook, and recorded for posting on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh1ayswOH7Ta7LYVK-BcAyA). Facebook offers closed captioning (subtitles) for those who find that helpful.
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We invite you to celebrate Christmas Eve here at UCCB, both in person and online.
Advent IV Worship - Lighting the Candle of Love: Sunday, December 24th at 9:30 AM
Luke 1:26-56 My Soul Magnifies the Lord (Story of the angel Gabriel, Mary and Elizabeth)
Christmas Eve Service – Lighting the Christ Candle, December 24 at 7:00 PM
Isaiah 9:2-7, Luke 2:1-20
Emma’s Gift
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Christmas Fund Offering
Special Offering This Sunday
This Sunday we will take a special collection for The Christmas Fund. This offering helps clergy and denominational employees in financial need.
The Christmas Fund has been caring for active and retired clergy and lay employees of the United Church of Christ for over 100 years, providing emergency grants, supplementation of small annuities and health premiums, and Christmas “Thank You” gift checks each December to lower-income retirees in the UCC.
There are special offering envelopes at the back of the sanctuary, or you can donate through the website or by mailing a check to the church office, with “Christmas Fund” in the memo. As always, this offering is optional.
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Poinsettias for the Sanctuary
Help decorate the sanctuary for Christmas Eve! As usual, poinsettias will be available for purchase to take home after the evening service, for $15. To order in advance, please email boxborochurch@verizon.net and specify red, pink or white color for your poinsettia and how many you wish to take home.
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Concert Sunday December 17 at 4 pm
Rev. Maybeck will be singing with the Worcester Chorus Women’s Ensemble on Sunday, December 17 at 4:00 pm at Trinity Lutheran Church, 73 Lancaster St., Worcester. The program includes Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols and John Rutter’s Dancing Day, both accompanied by harp. Tickets are $25 Come to this beautiful Christmas concert to support our bridge interim minister. Plus, the audience will participate by singing Christmas carols! www.musicworcester.org.
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Christmas Stars - THANK YOU! | |
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Community Support Fund
The Community Support Fund (formerly known as the Deacons Fund) is an important UCCB ministry, providing help to folks in our community facing financial difficulties. In response to the Swanson Road fire in 2021, the church raised over $100,000 for the fund from church members and the community. As a result of your generosity, folks who were made homeless by the fire have found new permanent housing. But the need for help is ongoing. Food insecurity, a layoff, an unexpected care repair, all place extras burdens on families already stretched to the limit to meet their day-to-day needs. The Community Support Fund is down to a few hundred dollars now and could use your help. Please give generously, using the envelope included in the Sunday bulletin, at the UCCB web site, or be sending a check (with “Community Support Fund” in the Memo Line) to UCCB Collector, 723 Massachusetts Avenue, Boxborough, MA 01719. Thank you for all that you do!
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Generosity 2024 – Because of YOU our church changes lives.
As we plan for 2024, we look forward to:
·Continuing to Open Doors and hearts faithfully in the community as we grow God’s love in the world
·Engaging discussions with our bridge pastor, future interim pastor, conference staff, and each other to discern what comes next for the ministry of UCCB
·Worshipping and growing together spiritually
·Collaborating with and caring for our neighbors in all ways
Would you like to renew your financial pledge to UCCB for the 2024 year after worship for added convenience? Or, would you like to check on the status of your 2023 pledge? Or, have no idea what this pledging is all about? Kellie Senghas, a member of the Generosity Team, will be in the Gathering Room after worship on December 17th to answer any questions you may have.
Pledging is a key pillar of annual giving at UCCB, as it provides over 50% of our annual budget. We invite you to participate in the practice of gratitude by making a yearly pledge of financial support to our daily life and ministries. Your commitment in response to God’s blessings makes a tangible impact on our worship, community life, and outreach to our neighbors. Thank you!
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Concord Prison Outreach Holiday Gift Bag Project
For many years now, UCCB has supported the Concord Prison Outreach Holiday Gift Bag Project. This program provides a bag of toiletries, writing materials, a pocket calendar, and a greeting card to people incarcerated in Massachusetts prisons. For some of the men and women who will be served by the project, the gift bag will be the only gift they receive this Christmas.
Until a few years ago we used to support the project by buying the toiletry items ourselves. But because the program has expanded in recent years to serve more than 3000 incarcerated people, CPO now buys the items in bulk and asks for monetary donations. This year, the cost to fill each gift bag is $14, but donations in any amount are greatly appreciated. If you would like to contribute, we will be collecting during the month of December. Checks may be sent to the church, payable to UCCB. Please put “Holiday Gift Bag” in the memo line. Alternatively, visit UCCB’s Giving page. Click the “Donate” button, and in the Special Collections section indicate the amount and put “Holiday Gift Bag” in the memo. Thank you!
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Advent Reflection
Come together one time or several times for an hour on zoom to reflect on Hope, Peace, and Love. We will prayer together, watch short videos with theological reflections, listen to music – particularly from Carrie Newcomer, have time to write and to share some personal reflections as we consider the gifts of this special season in the darkest time of the year. Contact Betsy Waters at melizabethwaters@gmail.com if you have questions.
Here is the zoom link:
Topic: Advent - Hope, Peace, Love
Time: Dec 4, 2023 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Every week on Mon, until Dec 18, 2023, 3 occurrence(s)
Dec 4, 2023 07:00 PM
Dec 11, 2023 07:00 PM
Dec 18, 2023 07:00 PM
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Weekly: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZUkfuqupzMuHNGAngOTHk6ij1-jb-mXssbb/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGppzIpHN2dtB-CRpwcHYr4b-7xmFxbgo16vRHiLBR7aVX_PLMPOLAyHeDD
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81993698465?pwd=OS9FSHRybWFTQzVRQ1Z4aGFHd0pXUT09
Meeting ID: 819 9369 8465
Passcode: ADVENT
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One tap mobile
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Hats for the Homeless
Just a reminder that we are still collecting hats, socks, scarves, gloves and mittens for the homeless. The need increases as the weather gets colder, so we will end the collection on Sunday, December 17.
For information contact the Marchmonts at marchmont922@gmail.com or at 978-266-1775.
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Faith in Action Donation - Caring for the World
The Faith in Action ministry team recently approved a donation in the amount of $500 to Earthjustice, a public interest nonprofit environmental law organization. Our donation is taking advantage of the fact that all donations received by Earthjustice before December 31 will be matched, doubling the impact of our gift. As is the case with all donations made by Faith in Action, it was made possible by the generous support of the UCCB community. Thank you!
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Guidance for the New Year: Working with Soul Questions
Sunday, January 21 2-3:30pm in the Gathering Room
In this workshop we will use simple collage materials, our own questions, and a touch of whimsy and serendipity to create our own wisdom cards that will offer guidance on our journey into the new year of 2024. Important: Absolutely no artistic background is necessary, just curiosity and a sense of play! Attention will be given to building community, and guiding participants into discerning the questions that are presently emerging for them. The leader will guide the creative experience each step of the way. Participants will leave this gathering with a unique set of questions and collages that they can continue to work with at home for guidance and affirmation in the new year. If you have any questions, please feel free to email Sarah directly at sarahhmaker@gmail.com.
In order to plan for the necessary materials for this workshop, registration is strongly urged, though not required. There is no cost for this gathering. Please email or call the church office at 978-263-7387 to register. Note: Please feel free to bring any magazines or old calendars to share for collage making purposes.
A word about the leader: Sarah Maker is a long time member of UCCB. Once a reluctant creator herself, one of Sarah’s passions has become introducing folks to creative endeavors that bring healing, play, connection and a sense of competency. She has a small private practice in counseling and spiritual direction in Boxborough, MA where she lives with her husband, two daughters, and three cats.
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Little Free Pantry – Inside Storage!
Have you wondered what the food storage area on the first floor by the elevator is all about? Well, a few months after we dedicated the Little Free Pantry, we decided that a small area to store donated non-perishables made sense. We don’t intend to store a lot of food here, but some storage is helpful after a food drive to support the Little Free Pantry stewardship effort.
Speaking of the stewardship effort, here’s how it works when you sign up to be a steward:
- First, you do NOT need to personally buy items to contribute to the LFP. If you decide to buy some items to contribute during the week, awesome, but you do not have to.
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Ideally, check the pantry at the beginning of the week and then a few times during the week. Demand may outpace supply, so the LFP may empty during your week. That is okay! Irregular supply can moderate consumption and help manage traffic.
- Please stock from the previously donated items found on the shelving units inside the church first so those items get into circulation and we keep our contributions from passing the expiry date.
- About those expiration dates - please check them and dispose of expired items or take them home if you are comfortable using them. Thank you!
- What to place in the pantry?
- Try to provide a good cross section of items with varying nutrition facts
- When in doubt, err on the side of providing shelf-stable protein options
- If you do bring donations, they can go directly into the pantry or onto the inside storage area.
We and our neighbors would benefit from additional stewards so please sign up if you are able for a week or two. Perhaps team up with some neighbors, or with a group you are a part of – book group, scouts, athletic team. You can sign-up by contacting Jenn in the church office. Dates currently available through the end of December 2023.
Many folks in our community are benefiting from its presence – following the motto “Give What You Can. Take What You Need.” Thank you for showing your love for neighbor in this specific and caring way!
Questions? Contact Kellie Senghas (ktsenghas@gmail.com), the church office (boxborochurch@verizon.net), or the church’s website for more info: https://www.boxboroughucc.org/little-free-pantry/.
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Weekly Bible Study
This Tuesday, December 19 at 10:00 am, Rev. Cindy Maybeck will lead our Bible study about Luke 1:26-56, the story of the annunciation in which the angel Gabriel offers Mary the opportunity to bear the son of God. What an amazing story of a miracle: the angel Gabriel comes to Mary to offer the opportunity for her to bear the son of God. God incarnated in human flesh. Never before in God’s history has this happened. It’s a single unique incredible event. God’s love for us is so tremendous and powerful that God becomes one of us in the person of God’s son Jesus Christ.
This virtual class on Zoom is open to everyone. No experience necessary, but laughter and friendship are encouraged.
10:00 a.m. via Zoom (meeting opens at 9:45 for visiting)
Zoom link (cut and paste if necessary):
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81402428901
Meeting ID: 814 0242 8901
Passcode: 7387
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Do you have something you want to share in the weekly Flash?
Submissions for the weekly newsletter are due on Thursday morning at 9:00am. Please submit your camera ready announcement and the dates which you would like it run to boxborochurch@verizon.net. Any questions, please contact Jenn in the church office at 978.263.7387.
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