Greetings, Siblings in Christ,

"It's not fair!"

Those of us with children in the house, or who have worked with children in some capacity, know that they have a particularly finely tuned sensitivity for what is fair or not fair.

Jesus tells a story this Sunday that strikes at the heart of the question of "fair." But it is set squarely in the realm of grown up work, touching on deep questions of economic justice, deserving vs. undeserving, and self-worth.

A landowner hires workers to harvest his grapes. Everyone gets paid what they were promised. But some worked a lot more than others. And they grumbled.

If we conclude that God stands for the landowner, then God doesn't seem concerned about human conceptions of fair or unfair. God does, however, seem concerned with everyone having enough, and with preserving the dignity of labor.

One of the important takeaways is that when God organizes things, there is always enough for everyone. Striving for that seems like a good way to love our neighbor.

Faithfully yours,

Nick+

Wednesday Bible Study Has Resumed

It's not too late!

Join as we embark on a journey of nation building reading the Old Testament books of Joshua and Judges. We will learn about the campaign to claim the land of Canaan, led by Joshua (think of the “walls of Jericho tumbling down” song). Be prepared for spies and espionage. The book of Judges explores how the Israelites devised a plan to govern their new nation. You just might find some overlap with our world today as nations struggle for effective self-governance.

Classes meet Wednesday mornings in the Memorial Room and on Zoom at 10-11:30 and again in the evenings 7-8:30.

Led by Tracy Rubin, the format is discussion style and attendance is not taken, so come and go as your schedule permits. Companion texts are provided from the Scripture Study Fund.

Contact the church office to sign up. office@ccneedham.org

Braver Angels Sunday School Workshop Returns

In this fraught election season, Nick will again lead Braver Angels Dipolarization workshops to be held on September 27, October 4, October 11 and October 18 at 11:45am in the Memorial Room. Come to one or all to learn and practice skills based on our call to love our neighbor as followers of Jesus and to live as courageous citizens. Connect with the Braver Faith caucus at Braver Angels here

American Composers Past and Present

On September 27 at 3pm in the Main Church, our Minister of Music Mary-Katherine Fletcher will offer a program featuring a wide variety of American pieces composed for organ, including works historically and prejudicially excluded from the traditional American composer repertoire. Come enjoy what will prove to be a delightful afternoon with our talented player and wonderful organ. Invite a friend!

Election Integrity

Our neighbors at Temple Beth Shalom have gathered a Voter Integrity Initiative in this election season. To learn more about their work and to join in, click here. And remember–VOTE!

Monthly Solar Panel Update

The solar system continues to generate savings for the Church and carbon-free energy for our power needs. The system generated about 6,107 kWh of electricity last month and has saved the Church about $9,314  so far this year. Furthermore, this month (September), the loan that the Church took out to buy the second solar installation is ending, so we now own that system outright and all of the power from the system is effectively free for us. The monthly payment was around $450, so this will be a significant saving for the Church going forward.

Community Art Gallery - Language of Color



The Community Art Gallery has a spectacular new exhibit of paintings by artist Carol Patch. Come see these vibrant landscapes, florals and abstract works of art! If you are interested in displaying your art, please reach out to parishioner and expressive art therapist Lucy Nims-LaFleche: lucylafleche@aol.com.

"Nautilus News" from our Cathedral

To learn more about what's going on at our Cathedral, sign up here for the weekly "Nautilus News" eBlast. Nick has been appointed a member of the Cathedral Chapter, something akin to a Vestry.

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