Our Confirmation Group's collection for CityReach continues - for only 1 more week! Toiletries and durable, functional, clothing is needed (think of camping clothes: homeless survive the elements night after night.) The full list of items is found here. Please drop these items in the designated bins in Upper Parish Hall. If you are unable to drop at the church please contact Alyssa Kence to make alternate arrangements.  You can also help by directly ordering much-needed NEW items (i.e., socks, underwear, bras, personal hygiene items) via Amazon and have these items shipped directly to the Church. Click here to access the amazon wish list. To simply make a monetary donation to be spent on these items, you can Venmo Abby Carr directly at @abby-carr-3. Many thanks for your generosity.

I know that many families have been hoping for the return of Sunday School. Our intrepid leaders, Diane and Patty are available to teach Godly Play for a few weeks, which are listed below. But for more Sunday School to happen, we need more leaders! Not trained? No problem! We've purchased a really fun short curriculum for after Easter called Storymakers; unlike Godly Play it requires no training and is flexible to lead. And I will be here to talk through the lesson with you, think through questions or worries in advance, and debrief how it goes.

Right now we have two Sunday School teachers--the amazing Patty and Diane! I'm so grateful that they are willing to keep teaching. We have not yet set the schedule, but they are up for teaching once or twice a month.

-Ages: 4yo-2nd grade or so

-Location: From now until Pentecost (June 5th), the group will meet outside. From June 12th onward, they will meet on the patio.

-Timing: From now until Pentecost (June 5th), children will be dropped off with the group outside at the start of the service and will rejoin the congregation at the peace, before the Eucharist. From June 12th onward, this group will meet after the service, during Lemonade Time, with the rest of the church around.

-Frequency: Diane and Patty can teach once or twice a month. We will publish this schedule as soon as we have it.

-Rain Plan: Because we do not yet have a HEPA filter for the Chapel, there is currently no rain plan. If the Finance Committee/Vestry approve the purchase of an appropriate filter, the group will meet in the Chapel if it rains.

To make this part happen, we need you! You do not need to have children in your household--you just need to enjoy young people! Ali and I have also purchased for the church a new stop-gap curriculum that requires very little prep from volunteers.

-Ages: 1st-5th grade

-Location: same as above

-Timing: same as above

-Frequency: Whenever Godly Play is not happening and whenever we have 2 volunteers!

-Rain Plan: This depends on who is volunteering and what they would be comfortable with.

Rev. Nick, Diane, Patty, and I all hope that the parish will be able to build again a strong Godly Play program. It is an excellent curriculum that teaches our young people so many things--not just Biblical content but Biblical interpretation, not just liturgy details but the rhythm and sense of the liturgy, and so much more. (See below for a chance to learn more about Godly Play.)

Want to learn more about Godly Play? This is a 1.5hr virtual introduction to this magnificent curriculum. It will be on May 10th and taught by excellent instructors. Learn more and sign up here.

Once again, worshippers have an opportunity to select a favorite hymn to be sung during summer worship. For a suggested gift of $100-150, your hymn of choice will be sung on a Sunday that you choose beginning June 12^th. We will strive to honor all specific date requests. Due to online streaming restrictions, your hymn of choice may come from either Hymnal 1982 or Wonder, Love, and Praise. Both can be found in the pews. Summer worship extends through September 4^th. Won’t you help us ensure that every summer Sunday has music to offer? Your gift may be in memory of a loved one, in honor of someone living, in commemoration of an occasion, or another designation. Sign up online here. Please send your Summer Music Gift to Ali Heard in the church office, 1132 Highland Ave., Needham 02494 by May 15^th. Please indicate “Summer Music 2022” on the memo line.

How about making a joyful noise on Pentecost singing an anthem with our choir! Dust off those vocal cords and join us on two Thursday evenings for a brief 45-minute rehearsal beginning at 7 p.m. in the chancel. Two rehearsals will get you ready to sing: Thursday, May 19 and Thursday, June 2. You will have a chance to vocalize with the choir and learn your notes. Email Director of Music, Charles Raines, to receive the music and a recorded rehearsal track.