Benefit Concert for Southern Cameroon
November 17, 3 – 5 pm
The Korean Church of Boston, 32 Harvard Street, Brookline MA
As the violence increases in Southern Cameroon and the refugee situation worsens, join us for a night of music to raise funds and awareness to help those in need.
Those who are interested in collaborating on efforts to help our sisters and brothers in Southern Cameroon are invited to stay for a conversation following the performances.
Worship
New Music Director, Susan Larson, has begun her service with BPC and after a bout with bronchitis was able to start playing and directing the choir in worship on Sunday, October 21. Please note that Susan will be using a corner of the back classroom as her ‘office’. She has a desk and file cabinet there and would appreciate that anyone using that room for a class or meeting respects her space and the items she keeps there. Be sure to welcome Susan and introduce yourselves. If you’ve thought about singing in the choir before, now is a great time to start – Advent and Christmas are a wonderful season for music in the church! If you’d like to ring handbells, see Judy Brunner for more information and rehearsal times.
Coming up in November, on Sunday November 18 is the annual Harvest of Offerings. You have the opportunity to bring non-perishable food items to help People Helping People provide Thanksgiving meals to families that are served by the Food Pantry in Burlington. There will be a list in the Bulletin of items to contribute. Deacons and Worship are coordinating this effort for BPC and we will need some folks, including youth, to help package up the donations to take to UCC for processing after worship on 11/18. It won’t take long if several people pitch in!
The next evening, November 19, we are hosting the annual Burlington Interfaith Thanksgiving service at 7:00 p.m. in our sanctuary. James McIninch is coordinating the refreshments following the service and asks the congregation to help provide the food. There will be a signup sheet in Fellowship Hall where you can indicate what you will bring. If you are not able to attend the service you can still help provide the food and bring it to church when you come on Sunday, 11/18. We expect a large number of our neighboring Burlington congregations to come for the service. Hospitality, Deacons and Worship are coordinating the plans and will need help with setting up, serving and cleaning up. Let us know if you can help with any of that.
Looking even farther ahead, the Worship Committee and Deacons will again coordinate the Hanging of the Greens to decorate the church for Advent on Saturday, December 1st, from 10 am to noon. Come and help us deck the halls and get in the spirit of the season!
Hanging of the Greens
Saturday, December 1
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Get in the holiday spirit with us! Join the Deacons on the first Saturday of December for the Hanging of the Greens! We will decorate the church for Advent and Christmas. Advent begins on Sunday, December 2!
Coffee & donuts will be provided.
THANKSGIVING IN-GATHERING
NOVEMBER 18TH
Each year, prior to Thanksgiving, UCC hosts a wonderful event at their church. On November 18th they will sort food, help families shop (adult volunteers only), deliver to shut-ins, vets, etc. and deliver remaining food to the Burlington Pantry.
What we need from you is the following, (no expired dates please!):
Gravy Chicken Broth Cornbread Mix
Stuffing Mix Cranberry Sauce Canned Corn
Mayonnaise
It’s only a few items, but we need many! Fresh produce and turkeys will also be purchased and given to the Burlington Families who would otherwise not have a Thanksgiving Dinner. If you would like to make a monetary donation, please make a check out to PHP (People Helping People) and bring to worship on or before November 18th.
Want to help! Call Bobbie Killilea at UCC 781-272-4547. Please note distribution to the families between 2-5pm, ADULT VOLUNTEERS ONLY! Children can help sort food noon-1:30pm.
Fair Trade Holiday Sale
Save the date and get your Christmas gift list ready! On Saturday, December 8th from 10 – 3, and after church on December 9th, you’ll have the opportunity to do your holiday shopping for a good cause. The Mission Group has invited nine not-for-profit vendors to bring their products for sale here at the church. Possible vendors include Equal Exchange, SERRV, Partners in Just Trade, Fair Trade Winds, and Mayan Hands and a range of products will be available including candles, jewelry, scarves, woodwork, embroidery, coffee, tea, and chocolate.
Proceeds will go to mission programs of the church, in addition to supporting the fair trade vendors and artisans who make the products.
Invite your friends and family, and spread the word! We’d love to see a good turnout for this event and will be looking for volunteers to help during the sale on Saturday. If you would like to help with the Holiday Sale, please contact Jane McIninch.
Deacon’s Corner
A note about the prayer chain: Part of the ministry of the deacons is to let the congregation know when there are special needs within our church family for which prayer has been requested. In an effort to ensure that those prayer requests are communicated to the wider church as quickly as possible, we have been working hard to create a digital directory that will allow us to send out one electronic communication to all who have opted to receive email notifications. We are also working on a system to notify people by telephone or text, if that is your preferred method of communication. You will receive a form requesting your preferred communication for receiving prayer chain messages. Please return this form to Kathleen in the church office to ensure that we have the most accurate and up-to-date contact information for you. Also, we encourage you to notify Pastor Trina, Jay Araujo, or Kathleen Stegall when you have a prayer concern that you would like to send out to the church-wide prayer chain. We ask that these prayer requests be used for urgent or imminent concerns, such as surgery, emergency hospitalizations, or a death in the family.
As we look toward celebrating the birth of our Lord, there are many activities coming up in the life of the church with which the Deacons will need your help!
Please join us for Hanging of the Greens on Saturday, December 1st, from 10 – noon. More information can be found later in the newsletter.
The Harvest of Offerings will be received on November 18th. A list of items is available in Crossroads and will be at church as well. We will need some volunteers to stay after church on the 18th to help sort and transport items collected to the UCC Church.
This year we will be using a sign-up website for the Wish Tree Schedule. For those that do not have access to a computer, you can let any one of the deacons, or Kathleen, know what shifts you are available and we will update the list. We will post updated lists each Sunday on the board in Fellowship Hall. We will also be sponsoring our annual Pajama and Underwear drive, cards will be available later this month.
Information about the Poinsettia Sale will also be coming soon!
As you can see your deacons are busy at work and we welcome any and all volunteers to help these events a success! Please see any deacon for more details.
Stewardship Report
Thanks to your generous contributions, our Peace and Global Witness Offering this year is $1044. Thank you one and all.
During this season of harvest and thanksgiving, we bring our offerings of time, talent, and treasure for the coming year. Stewardship packets will be available to pick up at church on Sunday, November 4th including your pledge card and your time and talent questionnaire. An online version of the time and talent form will also be available this year (thank you, Jane!). The mission and ministry of the church cannot happen without the support of all of us, from our youngest members and friends to our oldest. Your pledges help us plan our budget and mission priorities for the coming year and give us a sense of what is needed from other financial sources to meet our needs. Our annual Harvest of Offerings is on November 18th, when we will receive your pledges for the coming year along with donations of non-perishable food items for the People Helping People Burlington food pantry.
Presbyterian Church in Burlington 