A big THANK YOU…
…goes out to our dedicated Christian Education staff for their good, nurturing work during 2012-2013. A recognition service took place, followed by the annual CE cookout, on July 9. In the teachers’ honor, the Session gave a special donation to the Mission of Deeds.
…and likewise to all the folks who gave so much so that we might have a successful Yard Sale on June 22, especially co-coordinators Judy Brunner and Sally Morrison (an unbeatable team!). Many came on a hot Saturday to shop, and a good quantity of our former nursery school materials were sold to folks with other schools, day cares etc.
A NEWS FLASH!
Jane McIninch has accepted an offer from People Helping People to serve as a co-coordinator of the Burlington Food Pantry! This is such a natural and wonderful step for Jane, who has led our church’s hosting of Farmer Dave’s CSA, and a very good thing for the Burlington community. Congratulations, Jane – and let’s keep her in our prayers as she starts this important service.
Movies in the Good Ol’ Summertime…
There will be two Friday Nights at the Movies during August.
Family Movie on August 9, 6:30 p.m. (note earlier time!)
A wonderful family film set in Scotland.
August 23, 7:30 p.m. A 60s movie classic!
Both movies free of charge! Popcorn! Bring friends!
Deacons Corner
There have been so many tragedies in our country and around the world affecting children this year. The deacons have decided to do something for the children. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance runs a program called “Gift of the Heart”. It distributes kits to people in need. In the past, we have sent hygiene kits. We decided to make school kits and we need your help. Each kit will contain 1- pair of blunt scissors, 3- 70 count notebooks (like our “doodle” books our church provides for the children), 1- 12” ruler, 1- hand held pencil sharpener, 6- new pencils with erasers, 1- large eraser and 1- box of 24 crayons. Each of these items will be packed into a homemade cloth tote bag. In August, when you are doing your back to school shopping, please think of these children who have lost everything in storms, fires, and wars. These kits can give them a small sense of normalcy in their lives as they are relocated in strange homes or shelters. We could also use a few people to make the tote bags. They are very easy to make. There will be one on display in August. If you would like a copy of the pattern, see Kathleen. There is a processing fee for each bag, so monetary gifts would also be appreciated.
We are teaming up with Christian Education to have the children involved with the assembling of these kits on Rally Day. It’s a great way of teaching about God’s mission for us to help those in need!
Thank you for your anticipated help!
We served 24 guests at The Dwelling Place in June.
Church Picnic!
Our Church picnic is scheduled for July 14, after worship, at Springs Brook Park in Bedford. Meat will be provided, please bring a side dish, a salad, or a dessert to share. Please bring your own beverages…no alcohol allowed! There are grills available, and a snack bar. Activities include swimming and a playground. The park opens at 10:00 a.m. There is a fee of $8.00 per person as long as we have at least 20 people, children 1 and under admitted free. If you have folding lawn chairs or beach chairs you may want to bring them. If you have a fun outside game to share, please bring it!
Your Hospitality Committee at work!
Turn left out of church onto Route 62/3A towards Billerica. Turn left onto Francis Wyman/62. Continue to follow 62 into Bedford for about 4 miles at which point 62 is also Page Road. Turn right to continue on Page Road (departing 62) to 4 way stop at Springs Road. Turn right onto Springs Road for 0.1 mile to access road to Springs Brook Park.
New Mission Highlights
Following up on the Pentecost presentations and article in previous Crossroads, here are some updates:
The Food Justice Program will really get underway in August with the arrival of a Young Adult Volunteer who will work with our CSA program and congregation as well as with the Boston Faith and Justice Network. See Jane McIninch or Millie Wiegand for more info.
The Retreat Planning Group has set a date of October 19 for the next one-day retreat for church family and friends. Mark Vogel is contact person at this point.
Housing Ministry is looking at possible Saturdays in the fall for work days with Habitat for Humanity. Tom Hennings is working on this.
Friday Nights Live is beginning to schedule Friday night opportunities for the fall for crafters, movie watchers, game lovers, and live music! Tara Goss is currently the one to see.
Unfortunately, we have not yet confirmed a major new occupant for our facilities during the week (to replace our former nursery school). We continue to have interest parties contact us, so we are hopeful something will emerge soon.
So if you signed up as having interest in any of these areas on Pentecost Sunday – or if you missed that opportunity but want to be involved – get in touch with any of the folks above, or the church office, or stay tuned for further information!
Welcome Back, Farmer Dave
Summer shares have started!! Fruit shares start on July 15th!! Don’t miss out on the tasty fresh vegetables and fruit provided by Farmer Dave. Sign up for summer shares now and enjoy fresh vegetables and fruit all summer! For information, see brochures on church table.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!
Judy and Sally wish to thank all who helped with the yard sale on June 22. We had a lot of stuff to be sorted and priced but we made it happen. At last count proceeds were $1,827.71.
Sally & Judy
Table Gathering at Church of the Covenant
To support the Young Adult Volunteer Program
Join in for a seasonal cooking lesson and three course meal on August 11th and October 13th. Class size is limited to 25 so email bbjyavprogram@gmail.com to reserve your spot and ask for a registration form. Cost is $50 per individual and $80 per couple. See the flyer on the bulletin board for more information.
The Holy Spirit Lives!
Thank you to all who contributed to this year’s Pentecost Offering and proved once again that the Holy Spirit abides with us in Burlington. We raised $1,203 for projects that invest in the future of the church by supporting ministries that encourage, develop and support its young people as well as provide assistance to at-risk children. This is one of the newer special offerings that we have each year and is especially meaningful to us this year because we as a congregation are going to be able to benefit from one of the programs sponsored: the Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) program. (See separate article in the Crossroads for more information about this exciting venture). THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!
IMPORTANT:
We are making the Crossroads available through emailing. We will continue to send it by U.S. Post to those who do not use email, or would prefer to receive it this way. The savings in office time and postage will be significant for the church. If you did not receive this issue also by email, it means we do not have your email address. Would you like to provide it?
Thanks!
Sarah Parker is Peace
Scholarship Award Winner
Burlington High School graduate Sarah Parker received the annual Peace Scholarship award at the June awards night at Burlington High School. This is the thirteenth year of this scholarship sponsored by the Interreligious Group of Burlington, an association of congregations and clergy. Starting with the year following the Columbine High School shootings, these congregations began and funded the scholarship to recognize and encourage actions by students which resolve conflict and nurture tolerance for differences. It is given without regard to religious affiliation or financial need.
Sarah Parker was nominated by the BHS Music Coordinator, John Middleton-Cox. She has been the Stage Manager at BHS and co-president of the Stage Crew Club. She was nominated because of her work, which has included not only managing productions. She has also mediated and intervened in many high-tension and stressful situations related to backstage anxieties and the personal lives of crew and cast. She was praised for her maturity and knack of bringing calm to those in tense conditions. The scholarship selection committee, which interviewed Sarah, was impressed with the clarity of her thoughts on the nature of peace, both inner and outer, including conflict resolution. She will be attending Clark University in Worcester, and has already reached out to a program that mentors and provides safe after-school programs for area youth.
Congregations involved in the Interreligious Group are the Presbyterian Church, St. Malachy’s Church, St. Margaret’s Church, St. Mark’s Church, Temple Shalom Emeth, and the United Church of Christ, Congregational. For more information, contact Rev. Rod MacDonald, 781-272-9190.
Boston Food Justice Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) Program
The Presbyterian Church USA provides opportunities for young adults between the ages of 18 and 30 to spend a year in service with a local organization working in a partnership with a Presbyterian church. This is one of the endeavors that our Pentecost Offering helps support.
This year, the Boston Presbytery is sponsoring four YAVS to engage in the mission of four churches to provide healthy and sustainable food for all people. Burlington Presbyterian Church applied and was selected to be a part of this innovative program. Throughout the year, we will be sharing more information about our particular projects. In the next Crossroads, we hope to introduce the young person who will become a member of our congregation for the year (Sept – Aug). For more information about this exciting YAV program, see Jane McIninch or Millie Wiegand.
Each Host Placement Site in the Boston Food Justice YAV Program is a collaboration between a Presbyterian congregation and a local organization working on issues of food justice. These are the four programs planned for the 2013-2014 year.
(1) Burlington Presbyterian Church & The Boston Faith & Justice Network
The Boston Faith & Justice Network (BFJN) , a community of Christians committed to alleviating poverty and promoting just stewardship partners with Burlington Presbyterian Church, a dynamic congregation located in the Boston metro area, as a YAV host site. The YAV placed at this site will work on a variety of projects including but not limited to development and implementation of food justice educational programming, expansion of the Farmer Dave CSA program, youth engagement in food systems work, a set of recommendations for shifting food consumption towards more just patterns, and leadership of an economic discipleship curriculum.
(2) Church of the Covenant & The Women’s Lunch Place
The Women’s Lunch Place (WLP) provides a safe, comfortable daytime shelter, nutritious food, and services for women who are homeless or poor. They share a facility space with their YAV partner, Church of the Covenant (COTC), a faith community striving for peace, compassion, justice and love while journeying in the light of Christ led by God’s grace-filled Spirit. The YAV placed with COTC+WLP will work to improve operations of COTC’s emergency food pantry, seek local food sourcing options for WLP, and work on a demonstration vegetable garden on the church’s land, as well as enter into the life of both of these unique communities through worship and relationship building.
(3) The Hartford Street Church & A Place to Turn
A Place to Turn is an emergency food pantry that offers food access with dignity to residents of the greater Natick area. Located on the same property as the Hartford Street Church, this organization and congregation are looking forward to catalyzing new opportunities to work together out of what has been for many years an exciting partnership. The YAV placed at this site will work with the church to finalize and roll out plans for building a large community garden on Hartford Street Church’s land. This effort is a partnership with the City of Natick and an ecumenical group of churches in the city. The YAV will also work regularly in a support role with A Place to Turn and work on fresh food production strategies for supplying food grown in the community garden to the food pantry.
(4) First United Presbyterian Church of Cambridge & Bread for the World
Bread for the World works to advocate with a Christian voice for political change to end hunger both domestically and globally. Partnering with First United Presbyterian Church of Cambridge (FUPC), the YAV working in this site placement will get the opportunity to be trained as a community organizer and collaborate with FUPC and Bread for the World to develop a local strategy for political organizing. Through engaging with both the greater Presbytery community as well as the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization and other groups in the city, new opportunities will be catalyzed for activism on issues of hunger.
Presbyterian Church in Burlington 