Staying Connected to Your Church Community

STAYING CONNECTED TO YOUR CHURCH COMMUNITY

Thursday, September 23, 2021

OPPORTUNITIES FAIR 9/26

The Hills Church is actively and enthusiastically serving the cause of Christ here at home, in our community and around the world! Come be inspired. Find out more about the exciting things Hills church members and friends are doing and where God might be calling you next at The Hills Church Opportunities Fair THIS Sunday, September 26, right after worship on the church lawn.

Note: If you are the leader or co-leader of a ministry team, please send a representative to host a spot at the fair, answer questions about what God is doing through your ministry, and explain how people can sign-up. If possible, bring a poster!

Sunday Worship 9/26

We invite you to connect with us on Sunday in our sanctuary or from home.

LINK to live-stream worship

LINK to printed order of worship

Worship During Covid

Read updated information from the Re-Opening Task Force HERE.

SERMON SHAPING

Join the pastors in listening for God’s Word for Hills Church on Wednesday mornings at 10 am in the Boardroom. We will read through the lessons for the coming Sunday as designated by the Revised Common Lectionary and discuss them.

Next Wednesday (9/29) at 10 am we will read through the lessons for 19^th Sunday after Pentecost or October 3. The lessons are Job 1:1, 2:1-10; Psalm 26; Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12; and Mark 10:2-16. Anne Marie Holloway will be the preacher.

Join us as we listen for God’s Word in the words of the lectionary for this week. Please wear your mask and we will open the windows as we gather at 10 am in the Boardroom.

Naturally, your Ministers hope to see you in person and glean wisdom from your insights, but you may want to know about a resource provided by the United Church of Christ called Weekly Seeds. It can be found online at SERMON SEEDS or FACEBOOK.

Third Floor Church School Open House on 9/26!

You are invited to visit the third floor of our Parish House for a self guided church before or after worship. Families with babies, children and youth are invited to visit our well ventilated, newly decorated and updated third floor nursery, preschool classroom, chapel, service project room, and youth room! Our classrooms have air purifying systems. Staff continues to focus on provisions that help to create safe and sanitized spaces during this time.

Confirmation

This year, our confirmation program will be held at the Hills Church, with leaders and youth safely masked for all in person gatherings! All youth, ages 14 and up, are invited to participate in the confirmation program that runs from September to May. Classes are held weekly on Wednesday evenings at 7:15 pm beginning on September 29th. Join us as we explore our beliefs, our faith, and its traditions.

For more information, email:

Rev. Anne Marie Holloway

What might you take away from Morning Meditation on Tuesday mornings this fall?

. . . Being present to God’s grace in our lives through stillness, meditation, and prayer . . . Time spent talking about our experiences with our spiritual practices as well as the opportunity to talk a bit about whatever is on our hearts and minds . . . Peace.

Please join us via Zoom this fall on Tuesday mornings from 9:30 to 10:30 am when we will turn our hearts and minds to this ancient spiritual practice.

Meditation 101: An Introduction via Zoom

New to meditation and curious to know more? Sign up for one of the following dates where we will introduce the basics of this practice and answer any questions you may have:

Evening Session: 7:00 - 8:00 pm, Monday, September 27 via Zoom

Morning Session: 8:00 - 9:00 am, Thursday, September 30 via Zoom

RSVP to Tuesday Morning Meditation or Meditation 101: An Introduction by emailing Mary Hill Canavan or Rev. Judy Swahnberg. We will send you the Zoom link for the date you plan to attend. Come as you are able, just as you are . . . we look forward to seeing you this fall.

Wednesday Prayer

Tune into Facebook at 12 or 6 pm on Wednesdays for 5-15 minutes of reflection and prayer.

THE PUMPKIN PATCH RETURNS ON OCTOBER 9th!

Have you heard?

Will you volunteer to help!?

The pumpkins are coming! (video link)

The beloved Hills Church Pumpkin Patch is returning on October 9th! This year The Hills Church Pumpkin Patch Ministry Team, Youth Ministry Team and our Christian Service Support Board are partnering to support UCC emergency relief efforts in Haiti! Join us on October 9th at 9 am to unload pumpkins and volunteer to take a pumpkin patch shift or two!

Check out the Sign-up Genius HERE to find additional information regarding how your family might have the opportunity to safely participate in this special fundraiser!!

Since 2015, The Diaper Project at A Place To Turn has provided diapers and other basic necessities that children need to thrive. In 2020, it distributed 90,876 diapers to 1100 Metrowest families. This year between January and July, it has already distributed 60,540 diapers to 1055 low income families to keep their babies and toddlers clean, dry, and healthy! Children go through 6 to 12 diapers each day during the two to three years they wear diapers. According to the National Diaper Bank Network, one in three families in the United States struggle to provide an adequate supply of diapers for their children. With our help, families in financial stress will obtain the diapers they need to keep their babies clean, dry and healthy.

A GOOD WORD:

Thoughts on Racial Justice

“As people of faith and followers of Jesus, filled with love, we seek a just world for all.”

Racial Justice Working Group Mission Statement

“I have come to see white privilege as "an invisible package of unearned assets that I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I was "meant" to remain oblivious. White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools and blank checks." If we do not pay attention to our privilege, to pause and ask what needs to be done to acknowledge and address it, privilege perpetuates inequities in our culture and in society.” From the essay "Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack" by Peggy McIntosh, 1989; from the National SEED Project on Inclusive Curriculum of Wellesley College.

Reflection Question

How might we reflect on these patterns of privilege in conversation with those considered "other" in order to understand and build relationships of respect and shared humanity?

Comments and Questions? Please email us at hillsrjwg@gmail.com

A Hills Church Cheer!

Three cheers for this wonderful crew! On Sunday, John Finney and Tina Andersson led our youth in signing (NOT SINGING!) "Jesus Loves Me" using American Sign Language. Simultaneously, while our youth signed this beloved hymn in the Sanctuary, our younger children were signing this beloved hymn in the Wallace Chapel! Connected together by the love of Jesus and music!!!

Faithful Fun Ministry

Are you looking to make connections with others in our community? Let's get together for some fun and connect with friends with shared interests! The Faith Formation Support Board is excited to introduce the Faithful Fun Ministry for endless opportunities of fun for all ages, abilities, interests and talents!

Do you like to walk, hike, paint, play cards, fish or stargaze? These are just some of the ideas that could be fun to do together! Send us your ideas and let's create a group that shares your interest! Groups can meet indoors, outdoors, monthly, weekly, quarterly or whatever! We are seeking activity ideas as well as leaders to help get a new group off the ground.

If you have a special interest, hobby or talent that you would like to do or share with others, please email KC Kranker.

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Chancel Flower Memorials

If you wish to contribute to the weekly chancel flowers “In Honor of” or “In Memory of” a loved one, please contact Susan MacDonald in the church office. Your gift will be noted in the order of worship. Any amount of donation is welcome. Following the service, chancel flowers are delivered to members of the congregation who need our love and support, or are celebrating a particular joy, so if your wish is to bring home some of the chancel bouquet, please let a Deacon or one of the Ministers know.

Email Susan, our Administrator

CHURCH MOUSE REMINDER, PLEASE?

"Events at the Hills" Newsletter Publications

Need to spread the word about an activity or event?

ARTICLES DUE MONDAY BY 5:00 PM

"Order of Worship" Information

DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY BY NOON

Hills Church Weekly Calendar (picture below is link)

THURSDAY

Staff Meeting (onsite)

Office Angel training (church office)

New Beginnings (AR, K, RR, L, BR)

FRIDAY

AA Meeting (Board Room)

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Outdoor Church School (Wallace Chapel)

Middle School Youth Group (Upper Room)

Worship Service (Sanctuary)

Fellowship Time (outdoors)

Self-guided church school tours (3rd floor)

Goss Baptism (Sanctuary)

Communion Class (Chapel)

Handbell Practice (Bell Room)

Boy Scouts (Assembly Room)

Upper Room Cafe (Upper Room)

High School Youth Group (Upper Room)

AA Meeting (Board Room)

MONDAY

Food Pantry (Pantry Room)

Suzuki Violin (Assembly Room)

Meditation 101 (Zoom)

TUESDAY

Morning Meditation (Zoom)

Food Pantry (Pantry Room)

ARCH check-in (Virtual)

WEDNESDAY

Bible Study (Boardroom)

Noonday Prayers (Facebook)

Evening Prayers (Facebook)

Confirmation (Upper Room)

Chancel Choir (Sanctuary)