STAYING CONNECTED TO YOUR CHURCH COMMUNITY
Thursday, November 25, 2021
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Hanging of the Greens
Saturday, November 27 at 11:00 am
Please join us for an afternoon of hanging of the Christmas greenery and decorating the tree at the church. Help us transform our building and worship space for the season of Advent. We will meet at 1:00 pm on Saturday, November 27th. All materials will be onsite, so just bring yourself! And dress warmly to hang the wreaths outside.Contact Elaine Vildzius with any questions.
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Advent Kick-off Celebration
Sunday, November 28, 3:00 to 5:00 pm
Family Ministries at the Hills Church invites you to join us for a special Advent Kick-off Celebration! This special event will be held outdoors and in the Wallace Chapel (windows and doors open). Let us gather around HOPE and enjoy this event for ALL AGES! Check out the SignUpGenius HERE for additional details!
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NAMING JESUS . . .
This Advent Season as we prepare our hearts for the arrival of the Christ child we will also reflect on the meaning and mystery behind the many names of Jesus.
Join us for in-person worship each Sunday and pick up an Advent Devotional. Each week we will have a new ornament engraved with a special name for Jesus and corresponding scripture for your reflection. Our church members will be invited to take an ornament home to hang on their tree (one per family) each Sunday throughout Advent.
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The Poetry of Advent Bible Study
WEEK 1: HOPE
Join the clergy after worship each week for an hour long Bible Study. The word “Advent” means coming or arrival. It’s the season of actively waiting and preparing for Jesus to be born, broadening our hearts and minds to welcome Jesus anew, and paying close attention to the ways Jesus is already coming into the world, God’s Word made flesh. The Christian year begins not with the lilies of Easter, or the poinsettias of Christmas, or the stirring winds of Pentecost – but rather with Advent, four weeks in the shadows of despair, conflict, sorrow, and hate. For it’s here, in the shadows, that the God of grace will arrive. Waiting, longing, and preparing for that arrival, we light candles of hope, peace, joy, and love. Poetry can help us as we wait. As Mary Oliver often emphasized, the best poems help us notice and feel things we might otherwise miss, both the depths of despair and the heights of hope. In this Advent devotional, we let scripture and Oliver’s poetry be our guides, together pointing us toward weekly practices that can help deepen and enrich our experience of the season – a perfect way to prepare for the hope, peace, joy, and love of Christmas day. So grab your favorite Bible and Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver (the poems can also be found online). Week by week, we’ll make our way to Bethlehem, attending with care to the lights and shadows as we go.
Bible Study Dates are:
- Sunday November 28th from 11:30-12:30 in the Reception Room with Rev. Judy Swahnberg/ Luke 21:25-36 (Hope)
- Sunday December 5th from 11:30-12:30 in the Reception Room with Rev. Jill Edens/Luke 3:1-6 (Peace)
- Sunday December 11th from 11:30-12:30 in the Reception Room with Rev. Anne Marie Holloway/Luke 3:7-18 (Joy)
- Sunday December 19th from 11:30-12:30 in the Reception Room with the Rev. Richard Edens/Luke 1: 39-45, 46-55 (Love)
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Lay Led Service on Decemer 1
I am pleased to announce that the Lay-Led Services are coming back to the Hills Church. On December 1,2021 we will hold the first of four services. Then in 2022, we will have services on February 2, March 23, and April 27.
Sadly, at least for the December service, covid restrictions prohibit us from offering dinner before the service. Please join us at 7pm on Wednesday, December 1 in the Wallace Chapel and mark your calendars for the other dates. I will keep you informed as soon as we are again able to enjoy a meal together.
Whether you have been a loyal member of the Lay-Led Service group for fifteen years, or would like to attend for the first time you will receive a warm welcome. I look forward to seeing you in December. ~ Jim McKinney
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for Low-Income Families
An Opportunity to Serve Others
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For many years members of this congregation have generously shopped for Christmas gifts for low-income families in Waltham that are identified by THOM Charles River Early Intervention clinicians. All the families on our list have at least one child under 3 years old who has developmental challenges due to identified delays or whose development is at risk due to certain birth or environmental circumstances. The need is great…you can help!
For the safety of everyone, sign-ups will be done on SignUpGenius and present drop off will be on specific days and times. You can sign-up to shop for a family (or individuals) using SignUpGenius. Here’s the LINK
Recipients are grouped by family with gift suggestions for each family member. Families do not expect you to purchase every item on their wish list. Each family has a unique Family Code #.
Presents should be wrapped and labeled with the recipient’s name and Family Code #. All the presents for the same family should be placed in a large plastic bag that is tied shut and securely labeled with the Family Code # and YOUR first name and last initial. If you need a bag there will be some in a bin inside the West Entrance door (by the choir room).
Presents are due by Sunday, December 5th. We will have scheduled days and times to bring your gifts to the church for curbside drop-off. More details with the times, dates, and location for these drop off windows will follow.
Can’t shop? We will gladly accept donations made by check (put EI Christmas Gifts on the memo line). Donations will be used to buy Gift Cards for families to purchase food, diapers and other necessities as the need arises.
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A GOOD WORD:
Thoughts on Racial Justice
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“As people of faith and followers of Jesus, filled with love, we seek a just world for all.”
Racial Justice Working Group Mission Statement
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“Oppressive language does more than represent violence, it is violence; does more than represent the limits of knowledge, it limits knowledge.” -Toni Morrison
REFLECTION QUESTIONS ??? ??? QUESTION REFLECTIONS
Words can have so many different meanings. In a stressful or unusual situation, how will you choose your words, and how will they impact those around you?
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It's Cookies with Santa!
Please join us on Saturday, December 11th at 9 am when Santa makes a visit to the Hills Church! He will hand out a packaged cookie to all children (even those young at heart!)
It's a Christmas Cookie Exchange!
Come join in the holiday fun and yummy goodness on Sunday, December 12th. The fun begins right after worship at 11am in the Assembly Room. Everyone bakes one type of cookie but goes home with a festive assortment of each other's favorite cookies! Please bring 3 dozen of your favorite Christmas cookie to share. Don't forget to bring copies of your cookie recipe and a container to bring home your Christmas cookie collection. Please sign up HERE and indicate which type of cookie you will bring. Brought to you by the Faith & Fun Ministry.
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Hills Church Weekly Calendar |
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November 25
November 26
7:30 pm
November 27
1:00 pm
November 28
9:45 am
10:00 am
10:00 am
11:00 am
11:30 am
3:00 pm
4:00 pm
4:15 pm
6:30 pm
6:30 pm
7:00 pm
7:30 pm
November 29
2:00 pm
3:30 pm
November 30
December 1
1:00 pm
7:00 pm
7:00 pm
8:00 pm
December 2
10:30 am
5:30 pm
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THURSDAY - THANKSGIVING - OFFICE CLOSED
FRIDAY - OFFICE CLOSED
AA Meeting (Board Room)
SATURDAY
Hanging of the Greens (Sanctuary)
SUNDAY - First Sunday of Advent - HOPE
Outdoor Church School (Wallace Chapel)
Middle School Faith & Fun (Upper Room)
Worship Service (Sanctuary)
Fellowship Time (outdoors)
Poetry of Advent Bible Study (Reception Room)
Advent Kickoff
Handbell Practice (Bell Room)
Tree Lighting (outdoors)
Boy Scouts (Assembly Room)
High School Youth Cafe (Upper Room)
High School Youth Conversation Circles (Upper Room)
AA Meeting (Board Room)
MONDAY - OFFICE CLOSED - SUSAN VACATION
Food Pantry (onsite)
Suzuki Violin (Assembly Room)
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
Review Meeting with Food Pantry (Library)
Confirmation Class (Upper Room)
Lay Led Service (Chapel)
Chancel Choir (Sanctuary)
THURSDAY
Staff Meeting (Library)
New Beginnings (AR, K, RR, L)
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"Events at the Hills" Newsletter Publications
Need to spread the word about an activity or event?
ARTICLES DUE MONDAY BY 5:00 PM
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