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The Union Church in Waban
Friday, March 2, 2018
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8:00 a.m.:
Bible Study in Stacy's study. All are welcome.
9:00 a.m.:
Choir Rehearsal
10:00 a.m.:
W
orship Service.
11:15 a.m.:
Bell Choir
11:30 a.m.:
Congregational
Conversation/ faith and the World
6:00 p.m.: Exploring Our Faith/Confirmation
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This Sunday! Congregational Conversation regarding Faith and the World:
After Service at 11:30 a.m.
Please join us after church for a congregational conversation as we consider
"How are we as people of faith to respond to the challenges of our time? How are we as followers of Jesus, to engage with the world and how can the church help us to do so?" These questions touch on all aspects of our life together - adult education and spiritual formation, CE for kids/youth, worship, fellowship and of course mission/outreach. These conversations will be broad and long but we hope also will be specific about what we as church are doing well in supporting you and giving you opportunities to put your faith into action, as well as surfacing what else we may need to think about. Like last year's congregational conversations regarding worship, these conversations are not in response to anything that is wrong or problematic but instead are a sign of our health and vitality as we continually lean into trying ever more faithfully to assure that we as a church are responding to the needs of our people and what the times are calling forth from us. Child care will be provided.
We may not know exactly who you are: but Thank You, Members of the Congregation ! for your generous contributions to our special Hurricane Relief for Nicaragua last fall.
We purchased a powerful pump with your donations. Wells were pumped and cleaned to eliminate dirty well water that the hurricane spilt into the wells. Many families now have clean water again. Gracias to each of you who contributed to the special collection.
Next Mission Meeting:
Tomorrow Evening: Monday, March 5th at 7:00 p.m.
Travelers Return:
Sunday, March 11
th
The Nica Travelers will share the news of all that was accomplished on the
recent Mission Trip to San Juan del Sur.
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Union Church participates in GBIO Delegate Assembly in Boston along with 34 other Congregations
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Children, Youth and Families
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This Sunsday: Exploring Our Faith/Confirmation, 6-8:00 p.m.
This Sunday, our 9th and 10th grade Exploring Our Faith students will gather for their monthly dinner and discussion. This month we will explore the meaning of Holy Week and Easter, and where God may be in suffering and hope. Mentors are welcome.
Next Sunday, March 11th:
Inter-generational Nicaragua Worship Service
Next Sunday, all ages are invited to share in an inter-generational service of reflections, prayer, songs and images from our time in Nicaragua. Many of our UCW kids and youth helped collect and prepare school and baseball equipment before the trip, and we will share photos and thanks from our friends in Nicaragua. We hope you can join us!
PALM SUNDAY:
Kids and Youth lead us in Worship and a Walk Through Holy Week!
March 24
th: Pizza and Prep from 4-7:00 p.m.
(come for all or part)
March 25th: Kids lead Morning Worship
This year, mirroring our telling of the Christmas story in Advent, our children and youth will lead the congregation in remembering the story of Palm Sunday and the week leading up to Easter - of how Jesus gathered with his friends at the last supper, and how God works in ways beyond our imagining in the darkest of places. It is a story of courage and doubt; forgiveness and hope; evil and the deep Love that overcomes it, and we hope you and your children and youth will be a part of our sharing of it this year. Today in Sunday School, kids will hear the story again and begin to choose their parts and costumes, as well as create art for use in the service. We will continue preparations on March 18th in Sunday School, and then gather on Saturday, March 24th for a fun time of pizza, prep and rehearsal!
Youth Ministry Events - Coming up:
Dinner Out & Youth Overnight!
Friday, March 9
th: Dinner Out on the Town
Friday, March 16th- Sat., March 17th: Lenten Sleepover at the Church
The Youth Group has great events coming up on the next two Fridays. Youth families should keep an eye out for Evites for our Dinner Out next Friday, Mar. 9th - as kids gather for dinner at a fun local restaurant - and for our wonderful Lenten Overnight, when the kids are invited to spend the night in the church, eating, playing games, working on art installations for youth-led service on March 25th, and maybe getting a bit of sleep! The kids love this time to be together and explore the church, and we hope you and/or your youth will be part of it! For a complete listing of Youth Ministry events, please see the calendar on the Youth and Children's table in the Crocker Chapel, or contact Amy (
[email protected]
).
Youth Ministry Team Meeting - March 18th
The Youth Ministry Team will gather on the evening of March 18th from 6-8:00 p.m. in the home of Erika and Kyle Pond. If you would like to join us as we look over the fall, and ahead to the spring and coming year, please connect with Kyle Pond or Susan Hunt-Stevens, or Pastor Amy (
[email protected]
).
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Faith Formation and Education
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Java Gents:
Friday Morning, March 16th at 7:00 a.m.
JAVA Gents is our informal monthly breakfast hour for the men of the UCW congregation (and community). The group aims to provide friendly fellowship and mutual support to the men. We meet the third Friday of each month in the church reception room at 7:00 a.m. We will have snacks, fruits, lots of hot coffee, etc. Along with good food and coffee, we share a lively and supportive discussion of timely topics as well as personal goings on in our lives.
Newcomers and non-Union Church members are always welcome!
If you can spend the whole hour with us that is great, however if it's only for a few minutes we truly understand and would love to see you. Hopefully we get a good combination of regulars, part timers, and new guys.
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Cairns are piles of rocks laid down over the years by passersby on mountainous trails or paths, and used as way-finders when weather is bad or darkness falls, or on trails above tree line. Often years in the making, hikers leave stones on the piles left by others;insome areas of the world they are also known as
prayer towers, as the stones and rocks left by hikers and pilgrims represent a prayer or petition. Cairns help us find our way in difficult conditions and difficult times; they also remind us that we are not lost as we navigate through darkness or barren landscapes.
This Lenten season, stone by stone together, we will build a cairn in Memorial Chapel. We will build a cairn to help us find our way as we journey through Lent, seeking to walk in the way of Jesus. Stone by stone, prayer by prayer it will grow throughout the six weeks of Lent. We will have stones available in Memorial Chapel but you are also invited to bring stones from your travel whether that be in your own back yard or as far away as Nicaragua.
We are building a cairn during Lent to help us find our way, but also because a cairn is what we hope this church is and will continue to be into the future for people out in the community and in the world. Build stone upon prayer-filled stone, we hope that this church on the corner of Collins Road and Beacon Street will be a signpost for all who are trying to find their way. A signpost leading to a welcoming community of healing, servant-hood, truth telling, witness, trust and new life.
Photo by Mark Smith
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Sun., March. 4
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8:00 a.m.
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Bible Study
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9:00 a.m.
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Choir Rehearsal
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10:00 a.m.
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Worship
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11:15 a.m.
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Bell Choir Rehearsal
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11:30 a.m.
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Congregational Conversations/
Faith in the World
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6:00 p.m.
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Exploring Our Faith/Confirmation
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Mon., March 5
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7:30 a.m.
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Living Waters Prayer in Memorial Chapel
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7:00 p.m.
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Mission Team Meeting
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7:00 p.m.
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Choir Rehearsal
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Tue., March 6
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6:00 p.m.
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Deacons
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Wed., March 7
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6:30 p.m.
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Leadership Circle
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Fri., March 9
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6:00 p.m.
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Youth Dinner Out on the Town
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Sun., March. 11
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8:00 a.m.
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Bible Study
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9:00 a.m.
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Choir Rehearsal
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10:00 a.m.
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Worship (Led by Nica Travelers)
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11:15 a.m.
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Bell Choir Rehearsal
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11:30 a.m.
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Congregational Conversations/
Faith in the World
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5:00 p.m.
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Capital Campaign
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For a complete listing, and details of all upcoming events,
please
Note
: Material for inclusion in the Friday e-Blast newsletter or our Sunday Announcements insert should be e-mailed to the office at
[email protected]
, by 9:00 a.m. on the previous Wednesday morning. Please specify whether for e-Blast, Sunday Announcements, or both. Thank you!
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