Staying Connected to Your Church Community

STAYING CONNECTED TO YOUR CHURCH COMMUNITY

Thursday, April 1, 2021

Maundy Thursday Service on April 1 @ 7:30 pm

CLICK HERE for Printed Order of Worship

Good Friday Service on April 2 @ noon

CLICK HERE for Printed Order of Worship

Following the virtual Good Friday Service scheduled to premiere on Facebook Live at noon the Hills Church Ministers and Staff will be providing an opportunity for our church family to visit the Wallace Chapel in scheduled shifts for silent prayer and contemplative reflection. The Chapel will be open from 1:00 to 3:00 pm and from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. All are invited to walk the outdoor prayer walk and story walk on the front walkway and lawn following your designated chapel prayer times.

Please register for a prayer "time" and know that the following guidelines will be in place. This ensures that we can maintain safe social distancing:

Each prayer time slot will be 15 minutes in length
Only five people at a time will be invited into the Wallace Chapel
You must be registered for a time slot, and we must adhere to scheduled slots
Masks are required covering both nose and mouth
Seating will be marked to ensure proper safe distance
Seats and touchable surfaces will be wiped down between time slots

Please register for a time slot by clicking HERE for the Signup Genius!

Palm Sunday

Maundy Thursday

Good Friday

“Christ is Risen!” in many languages

It is an Easter tradition at the Hills Church to proclaim the good news of the Easter greeting, “Christ is Risen!” in many languages. You are invited to send in your video recordings of the Easter greeting in other languages, to be included in the virtual worship service for Easter Sunday. Please send your videos to Rev. Matt Wooster by Saturday morning, April 3. In the video, please name the language that you are using to share the Easter news.

Easter Sunday Service on April 4, 2021 @ 10 am

CLICK HERE for printed Order of Worship

Last in our sermon series "Love at the Center: Love Endures" -- 1 John 4:7-12

Easter Flower Dedications

With a grateful heart:

Jim Beck

In honor of:

Rev. Matt Wooster

Rev. Judy Swahnberg

Rev. Anne Marie Holloway

John Finney

Sally Tomasetti

Given by Kelley Ford

Dick Hartley

Given by Betty Gulesian

In memory of:

Norman and Isabel Pedersen, Jr.

Given by Pete, Sarah, Bill, Jess, Katie, & Brian Pedersen

Patricia Beswick; Cathy Cairns; Joe Brown; Gary Struckett

Given by Moyra & Bob Traupe

Martin & Louise Bennett; David & Videen McGaughey

Given by Chris & Deeny Bennett

Shirley A. Stehman, my mother

Given by Sharon A. Stehman

Keith & Isabel Muzzy, our parents

Ralph & Virginia Eastman, our parents

Given by Greg & Donna Muzzy

David Garland

Given by Natalie, Ted, Peter, and Dwight Garland

Jeanne & George Adzigian, Betty's parents

Given by Betty & Herb Ule

Marion & Wilbur Baker; Claire & Hugo Minetti

Given by Wendy Baker & Bob Minetti

Marguerite Pipes, my mother

Given by Elaine Pipes

Joseph Hinsey; Jack Raveret

Given by Sara & John Raveret, and family

Tom Kunz

Given by Pamela, David, and Margaret Kunz

Christina Dishman, daughter and mother

Given by Bruce, Harriet, and Patrick Dishman

Martin Schultz; Grandma & Grandpa Zauel

Given by Joanne & Tamara Schultz

Dexter and Ruth Hill, our parents

Given by Mary Canavan, Betsey Fitzgerald, and their families

Richard & Virginia Eisenhart

Given by Susan Alexander & Doug, Gilly, Annie, & Henry Eisenhart

Robert & Joan Lind

Given by Doug, Gilly, Annie, & Henry Eisenhart

Ed Wilkinson

Given by Harold & Alice Wilkinson

Hope & Ray Ely

Given by Carole and Chris Ely

Kari & Suzanne

Given by Elizabeth Bierbaum

Rev. Craig Bailey Adams and Rev. Ann Bamford Adams

William and Margaret Congleton

Florence and James Eaton

David Garland

Lois and Leo Krall

Hank Lysaght

Given by John Finney and James David Christie

Dear members, friends, and family of the Hills Church,

The Hills Church has many rich (and delicious!) brunch traditions associated with Palm Sunday and Easter. Since we will continue to "worship remotely," some of us thought it would be fun to share a "brunch remotely" as well. We hope that many of you will be celebrating brunch after worship on Easter Sunday with those in your immediate family or your closest “bubble.” With any luck, we will be sharing it outdoors in the driveway, on the patio, the porch, or the deck.

In the spirit of sharing the meal, we offer here two recipes for Strata that have been served for decades at either the Newton Neighborhood Palm Sunday Brunch (thank you, Susan Walton!) or between the two services on Easter Sunday in the Assembly Room for musicians and church school volunteers and their families (thank you, Myralee Wilson and others).

Both recipes are easy, can be prepared the night before if you wish, can be modified to be vegetarian, lactose-free, gluten-free, low-salt, low fat, or almost any other variation you can imagine. And it can bake while you worship on-line.

Happy Spring, Happy Easter, Happy baking, and Happy brunch!

Yours in faith, Past and present members of the diaconate, Parish Life Ministry Team, Music Ministry Team, clergy, and many others

A Blessing of a Shared Meal for Holy Week

Come Jesus, Come! Be our guest!

Let our gatherings around our tables be blessed!

Come Jesus, Come! Enter our hearts!

May this meal bring us close to those we love,

although we are apart!

Come Jesus, Come! Amen!

Strata Breakfast Casserole

6 slices of white bread trimmed

1 lb. sausage, browned and drained

1/2 cup butter or margarine melted

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

2 cups Half & Half

6 eggs

1 tsp. seasoning salt

1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

chopped green onions

Grease 9 X 13" baking dish. Place bread in bottom of dish, and pour melted butter on top. Sprinkle sausage on top of butter, then cheddar cheese. Combine eggs, cream, and salt in blender, mix well and pour over cheese. Top with onions and Monterey Jack cheese. Cover and place in refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until done.

A Little Tidbit . . .

Why does strata have to sit overnight?

Many stratas call for assembling the strata and allowing it to sit overnight, refrigerated, so the bread soaks up the egg mixture. (The overnight soak is what makes this an ideal make-ahead dish.) When the strata is baked, the soaked bread makes it puff up nicely, almost souffle-like.

Newton Neighborhood Brunch Casserole

1 pkg. (10 links) Brown ’N Serve breakfast sausage OR 1/2 lb. sweet chicken sausage, removed from casings and crumbled

2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 (5 to 5-1/2 oz.) pkg. seasoned croutons

8 eggs, slightly beaten

4 cup milk

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 3-quart casserole (9 x 13 inch Pyrex). Cook sausage. If using Brown ’N Serve links, follow package directions and cut into small pieces. If using crumbled chicken sausage, cook over medium heat in a frying pan until cooked through. Mix the sausage, cheese and croutons in the bottom of the casserole dish. Combine eggs, milk, salt and pepper in large bowl. Using mixer at low to medium speed, mix until blended. Pour over crouton mixture. Bake for 60 minutes. Casserole can be made ahead and reheated in the oven at 300-325 degrees until hot; bring to room temperature first if possible. (Also reheats in the microwave.)

NOTE: Vegetarian option: Instead of the sausage, use 2 cups sliced sautéed mushrooms; or 2 cups chopped and sautéed green and red peppers; or a mixture of the mushrooms and peppers.

FAMILY PROMISE

Easter Special Offering

The Christian Service Support Board has chosen City Mission and Family Promise to be the recipients of this year’s Easter Special Offering.

Welcome to our new feature Faith @Home -- a weekly roundup of goodness focused on links related to faith and family, inspired articles, books, and activities that might encourage your faith journey @ home. Whether you are 2 or 92, there is something for you.

@ Easter Moment with Children — Happy Holy Week! Here's a sweet little EASTER PRAYER from Prayers for Faithful Families to share with your family.

@ Beautiful Downloadable Art and Gifts from Silver Tree Art — If you are looking for a meaningful Easter gift, we love THIS piece and THIS one, also THIS sticker… Or just get yourself a prayerful gift this Holy Week. :)

@ Who doesn’t love Easter? — Whether you celebrate the resurrection of Jesus or just get together with family, it’s one of the brightest and most joyful holidays of the year. Easter activities for kids are so much fun, too. HERE are some ideas for your family this week.

@ The Sandbox Revolution — Happy Book Birthday to THE SANDBOX REVOLUTION: Raising Kids for a Just World. The back of the book description says this: “The Sandbox Revolution calls upon our collective wisdom to wrestle with the questions, navigate the challenges, offer concrete practices, and remind parents of the sacredness of the work. Written by parents who are also writers, pastors, teachers, organizers, artists, gardeners, and activists, this anthology offers a diversity of voices and experiences on topics that include education, money, anti-racism, resistance, spirituality, disability justice, and earth care.” I am particularly taken by the STUDY GUIDE which has thoughtful questions and activities for group discussion or individual reflection.

CHURCH MOUSE CHATTER

Shopping for our Shelter Families

Wellesley Hills Congregational Church is slated to “host” our shelter families the week of April 25. During COVID times, this means coordinating the shopping and delivery of groceries for our shelter families. If you would be interested in taking a partial shopping list and buying groceries or gift cards, please e-mail Tricia Frank and/or Neely Dodge. We should have the grocery lists by April 20 and will ask that the groceries be delivered to the church's big kitchen on the first floor, likely on April 23, before 2 pm (final details will be provided to you). Thank you!

Hills Church Weekly Calendar

MAUNDY THURSDAY - Printed Order of Worship HERE

Staff Meeting (Zoom)

Noonday Prayers with Rev. Judy (Facebook)

Practice/Record - John (Sanctuary)

Flower Delivery (Sanctuary)

Recording - Judy (Sanctuary)

New Beginnings (Virtual)

Maundy Thursday Service (Online)

GOOD FRIDAY - Printed Order of Worship HERE

Recording - Judy (Sanctuary)

Good Friday Service (Online)

AA Meeting (Reception Room)

HOLY SATURDAY

Brass Music Recording - John (outdoors)

EASTER SUNDAY - Printed Order of Worship HERE

Coffee Hour (Zoom)

Worship Service (Online)

AA Meeting (Reception Room)

EASTER MONDAY

Cup of Morning Prayer

Clergy Pastoral Care Meeting (Zoom)

Food Pantry (Assembly Room)

Deacon's Meeting (Zoom)

TUESDAY

Morning Meditation (Zoom)

Noonday Prayers with Rev. Holloway (Facebook)

Food Pantry (Assembly Room)

WEDNESDAY

Noonday Prayers with Rev. Matt (Facebook)

Food Pantry (Assembly Room)

Sandwich Making (Kitchen)

Confirmation Class (Zoom)

Choir Rehearsal (Zoom)

THURSDAY

Organ Pipe Removal (Sanctuary)

Staff Meeting (Zoom)

Noonday Prayers with Rev. Judy (Facebook)

New Beginnings (Virtual)

Safe Church Meeting (Zoom)

"Events at the Hills" Newsletter Publications

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