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The ChimesThe Chimes Church Hill United Methodist Church October, 2011 The Chimes: in transition "The Chimes" bids a fond farewell to ElizaBeth Cloutier who has been the editor for ten years. ElizaBeth's moving on to other places of ministry at Church Hill Church, and we are grateful for the creativity, attention to detail, and flexibility that she has shown in her times as editor. It seems like a good time rethink "The Chimes" and to get your input. What do you want or need from a monthly publication about the church? What are we doing well? What could we do better? The Communications Group will be taking stock of "The Chimes" in the weeks ahead and your input would be helpful.
For the time being, we'll send "The Chimes" by email in this format using our "Constant Contact" service. How do you like it this way? Those who receive "The Chimes" through the mail and read it on paper will receive a more simply formatted version (how do you folks like it?) So, here's a transitional issue. I am the interim editor. Send your thoughts to me. For November, the deadline will be October 26. In this format, it works best if articles are about 150 words - two or three paragraphs.
Let's see where the Spirit leads us. Stacey Lanier
Drop in Play-Group Forming
Our new Children and Family Ministries Group is sponsoring a Drop-in Playgroup on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month starting October 6th from 9:30-11:00am. Parents and children of all ages are welcome to join us in Fellowship Hall for playtime and snacks. Please contact Stacey Caplinger with any questions 781-803-2989 or smilley34@hotmail.com Church Hill Halloween Party October 22nd
5:30pm - 7:00pm
Fellowship Hall
A spectacular Haunted House, and lots of ghoulish fun and games . The youth group prepares the haunted house for the younger kids. Invite your friends and neighbors! We can always use donations of refreshments. Please contact Cyndi McAllister: mcallistercyndi@yahoo.com or 781-585-7969 Growing In Faith Sunday is Coming
During worship on Sundays in October, we'll be considering some important ways in which our faith grows. We'll be focusing on the practices of simplicity, gratitude and generosity. We'll talk about practical steps, big and small, that we can take to become more spiritually focused and aware of God in everyday, ordinary life. These considerations will include prayerful thought for each of us leading to one very important and meaningful step we will take in worship on October 30, Stewardship Sunday, when we will be asked to consider taking a "step" in faith and to make our financial pledge to Church Hill UMC for 2012.
We welcome all to this worship series during October, and ask you to plan on being in worship on October 30 to join with all our members and friends in taking this step in faith. Pastor Stacey, and your Finance Committee
The Breakfast Club The Breakfast Club is the group formerly known as the senior high Sunday School class. They meet Sunday mornings at 10:30 in the Fellowship Hall kitchen, except for the first Sunday, when they attend worship together. An important component of this group is - you guessed it - Breakfast. They are looking for breakfast cooks. Currently, they have regular cooks for the 2nd and 3rd Sundays of the month, so they're looking for cooks for October 22nd and October 29th. Any kind of breakfast food is great - for about 6 kids and 2 teachers. It's a good opportunity to meet some of our teens. And if you'd like to sign up to cook on every 4th Sunday of the month, they would be ecstatic. Contact Cyndi McAllister (mcallistercyndi@yahoo.com or 781-585-7969) or talk with one of the teachers: Leanne Drayton, Dan Mcallister, Stewart Lanier. SNOWFLAKE FESTIVAL
December 3rd 9-2 It's one of the biggest events of the year at Church Hill Church and it's just around the corner. Rena Lukoski is the co-chair and she is looking for a partner to help her with set up and clean-up and to assist at the fair on the 3rd. Would you partner with Rena on this? Jack Wahlberg is also looking for a co-chair to help him in Grandpa's basement. (the "yard sale" part of the fair) If anyone is willing to assist with either of these tasks, please email or call Rena: lrluko41@hotmail.com or 781-826-4667. Rena says: "This church fair brings everyone together for a wonderful day and I look forward to being a part of it once again”. Haiti House Summer Challenge This year's summer mission challenge was, by far, our most successful - both in terms of energy and enthusiasm and in financial results. Including the Touch-A-Truck proceeds, the grand total was (drum roll)... $3990.05. This is far beyond any previous summer, and it means 1 and 2/3 homes in Haiti through Habitat for Humanity. A gentle reminder from the Staff Parish Relations Committee At CHUMC our pastor sets office hours. These are the times that she is available for calls, appointments, questions, and discussion. Since Pastor Stacey lives right next door, it is very tempting to just drop in on her or call her with requests at other times. However, this infringes on both her privacy and family's personal time. Let's be respectful of her office hours, which are printed in the bulletin each week - usually Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings and an afternoon during the week. Friday is her day off. Of course, you can call her any time there is an emergency. Adult Sunday School
In October, the adult Sunday School class, which meets at 9:00 on the stage in the Fellowship Center, will be studying Phillip Yancey's book, The Jesus I Never Knew. Join this lively discussion group at any time. Call Susan Beckett (659-9410) or ElizaBeth Cloutier (659-4016) for more information. Fall Festival The Fall Festival was a time of fun, fellowship and fund raising. Ruthelyn Desmond, Susan Beckett and Deb Bailey, with helpers, served a delicious spaghetti and meatball dinner. The Men's Luncheon Group A group of Church Hill men meets monthly at a local restaurant (a different one each month) for informal conversation and fellowship. In October, the group will meet on Tuesday, October 25th at Stockholders Steakhouse, 1073 Main Street, Weymouth at 12:00pm. For more information, call Chuck Frary 781-659-7656, Pastor's Renewal Leave In August, the Church Council, with the support of the Staff-Parish Relations Committee and the District Superintendent, approved for Stacey to take a renewal leave next year, April 29-July29. Our United Methodist denomination encourages pastors to do this periodically so that they can return to their congregations spiritually refreshed and re-invigorated. Bishop Weaver's Day on the District "A Call to Action" October 8 10-12 Bishop Weaver will focus on the journey toward Vital Congregations - ways to recognize vital congregations, methods for advancing the goals of transformation and measures that lead to an extended celebration of our service to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Greenwood Memorial UMC Around the grounds
The Trustees are the folks who take care of the church property: the sanctuary building, the Fellowship Center and the parsonage, next door. Here is their up date: Two projects, for which Capital Funds were raised during this summer, have been completed: The parsonage barn support structure has been repaired by Jeff Morse and is now structurally sound. The interior walls of the Sanctuary were also painted. We continue to look for a volunteer to bring in the trash barrels every Friday. Eric Gustafson will put it out on the curb on Thursdays.
Lifetime Painting has touched up the Sanctuary exterior. The Maribou Dance School no longer uses our building due to the retirement of instructor, Jan Harold. A new dryer has been installed at the parsonage. It takes a lot of work to keep things in good repair: Jerry Titus replaced the rotted wood between the windows in the S. S. room. Jeff Morse repaired the Sanctuary roof hole. Jack Wahlberg installed a new, high gooseneck faucet in the kitchen. Bob Berry replaced rotted trim boards around the F. C. lower level entry doors United Methodism 101 is a free, basic online course designed anyone wanting to know more about the denomination. Each of the four modules in this course contains many interactive features and takes about one hour to complete at the participant's leisure. Bishop Weaver calls for renewed opposition to casino gambling The Norma Kent Pastoral Counseling Center, with offices in Abington and at Church Hill Church, is offering confidential, free consultations throughout the month of October in conjunction with National Depression Screening Day on October 7. If you would like to schedule a consultation with a Norma Kent Center counselor, please call the NKCC office at 781-871-2051, ext. 108. Dear friends:
We're Christians.
But we're also busy and overbooked. How can we be faithful to our truest selves and to God in the middle of it all? Worship during October will suggest three ways as we begin our stewardship sermon series on Growing in faith through simplicity, gratitude and generosity.
For those of us who follow Jesus, giving is about more than just budgets and programs and writing checks. Giving is a matter of faith. This is especially true in a culture like ours where money is so important, and yet it's treated with an embarrassed sort of secrecy. Money has a subtle, but firm hold on us. Think of all the hours we spend making it, spending it, thinking about it, juggling it, worrying about it, wishing for it. How easily money becomes a little god - getting a hold of more of us than it deserves to have. But we are spiritual people, too, and Jesus taught us a way out of this dilemma. Jesus knew the power that money can have. He talked about money more than any other single topic. Most of his parables had to do with money and possessions. Jesus taught us that we can force money to release its hold on us. We can be free of money's grip because God gives us the grace and freedom to give it away. And when we do, we may be surprised how our faith grows.
Give thanks for all that God has given you. Give thanks that you can be a generous giver as well. |
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