FamilyNotes - The First Federated Church

FIRST FEDERATED FAMILY NOTES

978-562-9207

Summer Email: June 22, 2008

Celebrating our 90^th!

Psalm 24:1 The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it.

Give thanks to the Lord as you enjoy the gifts of summer and vacation. Encounter Him at all times and in all places with those you love. And give Him praise!

Dear Church Family:

Thank you to Barbara, Amy and the Deacons, Marge, youth choir, adult choir and leaders, Barb Donovan, participants, set-up, take-down! Thanks to Megan for the bookmarks! Thanks to those who shared memories and prepared for historical displays! Thanks to those who wrote in! Thanks to you who prayed for us! Thanks to you who attended! Thanks to the fathers! Thanks to all who made last Sunday’s 90^th Celebration such a blessed time! And thank you God!

If you loaned any pictures, books or clippings for the 90^th celebration please call the church office to retrieve them. And thanks!

This Sunday (6/22) we will continue the 90^th theme. My sermon: “Holy Hospitality.” Don’t forget morning worship begins at 9:30! We return to 10:30am worship on Rally Day, September 14.

I will consider this our Summer Email Newsletter. You won’t be receiving a new email each week, but I will send updates periodically.

We still have some beautiful commemorative pewter ornaments of the church. They are truly a work of art and you can display them all year long. Don’t forget to pick up yours for $20. We have a limited number and they are going fast. Please see Marge.

Please remember that we will receive the One Great Hour of Sharing offering throughout June and July. Consider your part in helping those in need around the world. We will bring our mission offering “fruit” forward to place on our mission tree on July 13 and 20. Please see attached mission letter.

Youth Sunday School classes will be held during worship time in the summer.

For pastoral care needs while Jay is on vacation please contact the church office or Barbara Diggs, Chair of the Diaconate. Jay is only going to be away a week at a time, the weeks preceding a guest speaker. He will also attempt to take Mondays and Tuesdays (or equivalents), his two weekly days off, in the summer. We are blessed with many clergy with ties to the church, and many from the local area who would be happy to be of help.

Saturday, Oct. 4, 9am-3pm, Jim Griffith Church Growth Workshop. If you were thinking of giving one big gift to your church this year, attendance at this workshop would be it. Those who attended last year will attest to the tips, but more, the new way of thinking that leads to church growth.

“This workshop will focus on how to understand and connect with the community around our church so that we might grow our congregation. This is a very practical “how-to” workshop that has generated great response from those who came in January.

At the last offering there was such a response that we ran out of space and we had to turn many congregations away. I hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to help grow your congregation.”

With grace and peace,

Paul Nickerson

Associate UCC Conference Minister for Evangelism, Vitality and New Church Starts”

Please reserve through the church office NOW! Do it this week before summer takes you away! We had to turn away many interested folk last year. We need a team of pastor and at least four laypersons to attend. Let us make sure you are included. If in doubt, better to reserve. We can always cancel later, and I am sure there would be someone waiting to take your spot.

We will continue to remember our Field of Flags at the Unitarian Church through the final 11am closing interfaith service on July 4. A flag has been placed for each fallen American soldier from the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. Unfortunately, there will be additions of flags each Sunday through July 4. Thanks for the many who have volunteered to help. The Field of Flags is not meant to be a political statement; it is a silent, patriotic and poignant reminder of the cost of war. Each flag represents not simply one casualty, but all the family members and friends who have been touched by the life now gone. They represent our respect for those who have served and are currently serving in the military and our hope for peace in the future, for a time when no one is called upon by our country to give the greatest sacrifice. We ask that you keep all of these families in your prayers.

Although there isn’t a formal fellowship gathering after the service during the summer you are welcome to stay and chat a bit. We do ask that you save your socializing for that time and not during the prelude. Sometimes the talking gets very loud and it is distracting to the musicians and worshippers.

Vacation Bible Club is coming: Tuesday and Wednesday, July 29 & 30 from 6-8pm. The Theme is: REFLECTING JESUS’ LOVE. LET GOD BE THE LIGHT OF YOUR LIFE. Please call the church office to register.

Greeters and Readers: There are many opportunities for you to be one of the smiling faces that greet our members as they enter the church during the summer. There are also many open dates for someone to read the Scripture. Jay usually has only one Scripture to be read each Sunday from now until September. Won't you please volunteer? People are going to get pretty tired of me reading most of the summer, as I do it when no one else comes forward. The sign up sheet will be on the podium, with the "Thinking of You" cards. And also, don't forget to sign the cards!!! Thanks, Marge

Please send any announcements or articles to this email address. Believe it or not, there are still two candy bars left. If you’ve read this contact Rev. MuIligan for yours. People would like to read your appropriate newsy items.

Summer Worship Schedule (9:30am):

June 22: Pastor Jay. “Holy Hospitality.” Mt. 10:40-42.

29: Pastor Jay.“From Those Greatly Blessed.” Ro5:6-8, Mt 9:35-10:8.

July 6: Pastor Jay. “If You Want to Walk on Water.” Mt. 14:22-33.

13: Rev. Ken Raynor.

20: Pastor Jay. “Planting Seeds.” Mt. 13:1-9.

27: Pat Patrick.

Aug. 3: Pastor Jay. “Pulling Weeds.” Mt. 13:1-9,18-23.

10: Area Minister Rev. Dr. E. Darlene Williams.

17: Pastor Jay. “The Compassion of Christ.” Mt. 14:13-21.

24: Mario DiMare.

31: Pastor Jay. “Easing Burdens.” Mt. 11:16-19, 25-30.

Sept. 7: Pastor Jay. “Forgiveness Is a Choice.” Mt.18:21-22.

Fall Worship Schedule (10:30am):

Sept 14: Rally Day. Pastor Jay. “Our Choice About Jesus.” Mt. 16:21-25

Highlight Summary of Upcoming Events:

Friday, July 4, 11am. Field of Flags Closing Interfaith Service.

Tuesday/Wednesday, July 29/30 6-8pm. Vacation Bible Club.

Monday, August 11, 4pm. Our Father’s Table at First Baptist Church, Marl.

Thursday, September 4, 7pm. Choir Rehearsal resumes.

Saturday, September 6, 5pm. Block Party at 4 Glen.

Sunday, September 14, 10:30am Worship. Rally Day. Fall Schedule resumes. Cookout.

Friday, September 19. Jonathan Martin Concert.

Sunday, September 21, 11:45am. Brief Board of Directors meeting.

Sun., Sept. 21, 9am. Adult Class concludes study of Jeremiah and begins study of Acts.

Wednesday, September 24, 9:30am. Morning Study begins Book of Romans.

Thursday, September 25, 6:15pm. Evening Study begins Book of Romans.

Saturday, October 4, 9am-3pm, Jim Griffith Church Growth Workshop.

Sun., Oct. 12, 10:30am Blessing of Stuffed Animals.11:30am Blessing of the Animals. Cookout.

Sunday, October 19, 3-6pm. ABC Central Association Mtg. at 1^st Federated.

Saturday, Nov. 8. Jim Sinclair presents “Got Style” evangelism and church growth workshop at FFC.

Sunday, November 16, First Federated’s Annual Meeting and Pot Luck Brunch.

In grateful service,

Pastor Jay

One Great Hour of Sharing Mission Letter.

First Federated Church of Hudson

Missions Committee
200 Central St.
Hudson, MA 01749

Dear Friends:

The call to give comes regularly in church life: annual stewardship drives and capital campaigns, work trips to the Gulf Coast or another hurting place, special holiday events, youth mission trips and local projects. Each giving opportunity challenges us anew to comprehend the importance of our participation, and to see past numbers and amounts to the practice of praise inherent in the act of giving.

“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have,” says the writer of Hebrews to the community of faith. The call was personal, a reminder that our actions as Christians speak more loudly than our words and worship services. God desires our participation in the lives of others, an expectation made even more pointedly by Jesus when he tells his followers,

“Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who remembers of my family, you did it to me.” (Matt 25:40, NRSV)

Of course, the ‘least of these’ don’t just live in our community anymore. As our world grows smaller, our lives intersect with so many more lives than they once did — and God’s call to share what we have encompasses more people. The people fleeing violence in Sudan, suffering from AIDS in sub-
Saharan Africa, reeling from devastation in Indonesia, starving in poverty in India, suffering from the ravages of tornadoes — we are called to make a difference in these lives, too. One Great Hour of Sharing makes that possible.

Your Gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing support programs that help families and villages around the world; build lives and communities that are healthy, safe and sustainable; changing the lives of millions of God’s children. One Great Hour of Sharing

. helps rebuild communities ravaged by natural disasters;
. creates sustainable sources of income for rural villages;
. provides micro-credit to women to start poverty-escaping businesses;
. teaches trades and job skills;
. offers children a chance to survive past the age of 5 and go to school,
. and much more.

One Great Hour of Sharing gives each of us an opportunity to respond to God’s call: to share what we have, showing the kindness, compassion and mercy of Jesus in every part of the globe. Doing good and sharing what we have gladdens the heart of God, who promises that those who respond,

“shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water,
whose waters never fail.” (Isa 58:11, NRSV)

By participating in One Great Hour of Sharing, our congregation can experience the joy of showing and sharing God’s love — offering a hand to that stranger in need, and making a difference in the lives of God’s children around the world.

Yours in Christ's love,

Mario DiMare, Missions chairperson

Pastor Jay

P.S. Take the enclosed handout and envelope, place it on your refrigerator to remind you of your fruitful blessing, and share your goodness. Bring the envelope to worship on July 13th or 20th and place your fruit upon the tree.
P.P.S. Think your contribution too small? The church will match ALL contributions - $1 becomes $2,$10 becomes $20 and so on. Together we can achieve anything! PRAISE TO GOD!