East Corinth Congregational Church, Sunday Worship & Church School - 10:00 AM Rev. Dr. C. Michael Caldwell, Pastor & Teacher
United Church of Christ
645 Village Road
East Corinth, Vermont 05040
(802) 439-5417
Serving our community since 1840
"All are Welcome"
January – February, 2009
The Newsletter of the East Corinth Congregational Church, UCC
Sunday Worship Service – 10:00 a.m. Coffee Hour – 11:00 a.m.
(802)439-5417
Pastor’s Message: “Pilot Project”
Jesus’ call was not just to a new order but also to a new community (the Church). The community would be a pilot project for the new order… a demonstration of the coming (kingdom)… and an invitation to a new communal reality.
Jim Wallis, The Great Awakening (NY: Harper-Collins, 2008)
When I read these words in the slowed-down time of study leave last November in a Dartmouth Outing Club cabin in North Woodstock, NH, I was stopped in my tracks.
Something in Wallis’ interpretation of what the Church is and who we are as Christian people, his disciples for now, suddenly re-charged my batteries for preaching and worship.
In the new year of our Lord 2009, after three years preaching lectionary scripture texts (through the whole Bible every three years), I am inaugurating a non-lectionary based sermon series taking off on Wallis’ book. I will use what Wallis calls “the magna carta of the Christian life” – the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 – as the scriptural springboard for this project.
My hope?
First, in preaching and worship I hope we will find a new vigor for the common life of our congregation, demonstrating the love of God in practical ways as a pilot project for loving and serving the wider community.
Second, in our discipleship I hope we can find a new vitality which gives our individual lives an energetic sheen beyond the fatigue or over-work or aimlessness or boredom which dogs us – from whatever holds us back from discipleship with vitality.
Third, in our outreach and mission I hope we connect even more faithfully with the wider Church to feel a part of its demonstration of the ways of the coming kingdom – ways of justice, peace, and the integrity of creation.
Be a part of it! Make a new years’ resolution to be an active part of an exciting new chapter in our life together. I promise you one thing: you will leave worship on Sunday mornings with a lift in your step! And you will have new ideas and inspiration for how to live your life more fully. What new great awakening awaits us?
Remember the words of our Lord: “I give you life, and life abundant.”
God bless you and yours in the new year of our Lord - Rev Michael
Sunday Morning Live!!!
Two Months of Sundays with Lectionary verses!
Here are some lectionary readings for the coming two months. With the start of Advent last November, we are in Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary.
Epiphany Sunday - January 4
Jeremiah 31:7-14
Psalm 147:12-20
Ephesians 1:3-14
John 1:(1-9), 10-18
Baptism of Christ - January 11
First Sunday After Epiphany
Genesis 1:1-5
Psalm 29
Acts 19:1-7
Mark 1:4-11
Second Sunday after Epiphany
January 18 - Ecumenical Sunday -SAFELINE Sunday
I Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20)
Ps. 139:1-6, 13-18
I Corinthians 6:12-20
John 1:43-51
Third Sunday after Epiphany
January 25
OCWM Sunday (“Our Church’s Wider Mission
Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Psalm 62:5-12
I Corinthians 7:29-31
Mark 1:14-20
Fourth Sunday After Epiphany -
February 1
Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Psalm 111
I Corinthians 8:1-13
Mark 1:21-28
Fifth Sunday After Epiphany
February 8
Holy Communion
Annual Meeting
Isaiah 40:21-31
Psalm 147:1-11, 20c
I Corinthians 9:16-23
Mark 1:29-39
Sixth Sunday after Epiphany
February 15
II Kings 5:1-14
Psalm 30
I Corinthians 9:24-27
Mark 1:40-45
Last Sunday After Epiphany
February 22
Transfiguration Sunday
II Kings 2:1-12
Psalm 50:1-6
II Corinthians 4:3-6
Mark 9:2-9
Celebrating the Life Of John Byrne
Last month at a memorial service in our church included this quote from George Bernard Shaw:
Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.
We rejoice in the life of John Byrne, our brother now in the Communion of Saints.
A Word Of Thanks
Rev. Michael and Marlena would like to thank you for your kindness and thoughtfulness at Christmas. We rejoice in serving among you.
Memorial service for Bill Jefferson: Sunday, January 11 at 1:00 PM
Shirley Montaigne has requested that our church host this service celebrating the life of Bill Jefferson, known to many in the Topsham-Corinth communities. She and Polly Stryker, in cooperation with our Women’s Fellowship, will provide a fellowship hour following.
Brenda Egbert’s “Member In Discernment” Status
Lois Sherwood and Rev. Michael comprise a support group for Brenda in her journey toward ordination with the Committee on Church and Ministry of the Grafton-Orange Association of UCC churches. Brenda reported this Fall to our Deacons on her progress. With her academic work now basically done at Andover Newton Theological School, she’ll be putting together her profile for ministry in the United Church of Christ. Since her membership is with us, her ordination will be here – when she obtains a “call.” In this exciting time, please support Brenda in her preparation.
See Brenda’s historical report, “Union Meeting House Society and Early East Corinth Congregational Church” on the back table of the sanctuary. You are welcome to borrow it, but please return it as it’s our only copy.
Pastor’s Discretionary Fund
A full confidential report on the value and impact of this fund will be printed in our annual report. Suffice it to say as a reminder: use the envelopes entitled “Discretionary Fund” in the pews for periodic donations. Nancy Frost and Rev. Michael administer this fund jointly. Requests we can’t accommodate come from places like Williamstown and White River in these trying times for families. We’re able, usually, to at least partly help most requests that come to us locally for basic needs.
Safeline Sunday With Judy Szeg: January 18
In October of 2007, Nika Graci represented “Safeline” in an annual outreach/educational visit on behalf of our regional shelter/advocacy center for abused women.
This year on the eve of Martin Luther King Day, Judy Szeg will be with us. She will share a five minute presentation in worship and be available with information and for discussion in the fellowship hour following worship. Bring a friend.
Ocwm Sunday: January 25 (Our Church’s Wider Mission)
We are remiss not to celebrate more what our annual commitment to OCWM does on our behalf in the VT Conference, United Church of Christ, and in national and international mission.
With this special Sunday, we’ll make up for that! In advance of annual meeting when we re-commit to OCWM, come and learn more what it does.
Our resource person will be our own Hal Drury, who serves on the VT Conference Mission Dept as well as on the United Church Board for Local Ministries at UCC national offices in Cleveland, Ohio.
Humankind must put an end to war or war will put an end to humankind…
It is no longer a choice, my friends, between violence and non-violence. It is either non-violence or nonexistence.
Martin Luther King, Jr., last sermon before his assassination, 40 years ago this April
February Visits with shut-ins Blakeney Bartlett
April 9 (5:30-7:00) Potluck at Church Louise Sandberg
May 23 (8-12) Bake Sale Lois Sherwood
June 11 (12-2) Annual Meeting at Carol Bergholm’s house Carol Bergholm
Stewardship Corner
The following are the current figures for 2009 pledges along with the totals from 2008. If you haven’t completed your pledge form, we urge you to do so. Thank you for your continued support of our wonderful church.
2009
Number of pledges: 24
General Fund dollars pledged: $17,853
2008
Number of pledges: 39
General Fund dollars pledged: $26,653
Pledging vs Stewardship Envelopes
We thought it might be helpful to explain the distinction between pledges to the ECCC and using stewardship envelopes for the weekly offering. Some of us make an annual pledge to the church with an amount we expect we will be able to give during the coming year. Pledging is helpful to the church for budgeting purposes in order to have an estimate of our anticipated income for the year. The Financial Secretary sends out quarterly statements showing the amount given to date versus the annual pledge to help pledgees keep track of where they are in their annual giving.
Stewardship envelopes have nothing to do with whether you pledge to the church or not. Anyone can use these envelopes and there are several reasons why you might choose to do so:
Though they are two different things, it’s never too late either to make an annual pledge to the East Corinth Congregational Church or to decide to use stewardship envelopes. Claire Porter is the Financial Secretary and she would be happy to accommodate you.
Money is like love: it kills slowly and painfully the one who withholds it…
And it enlivens the other who turns it upon his fellow human beings.
Kahlil Gibran, 1883-1931, Muslim (Sufi) poet
Peace Page
The following pieces from the 2006 Advent booklet published by Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Milwaukee, and from a prayer Sue and Bill Parmenter found, fittingly, in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Pondering Peace
People don't fight wars. They fight peace.
They fight themselves first. Lord knows why.
It's not enough for them, I guess. It must not be very interesting. It isn't very noisy. There are no sudden surges or passion. It lets people notice things like beauty. And nature. Love. Life. Humor. Joy.
Not enough of that in downtown Baghdad. Nor nearly enough of it within ourselves. We fight it, too.
We fight battles in our hearts, mulling options, knowing that some doors must be closed to open others. Peace cannot enter there, either, until the conflicts have been settled.
Angels with trumpets aren't for me. Peace doesn't come with a parade; they're too difficult to organize.
It comes at that moment when no silence can be improved.
No wonder those people panicked when they saw Gabriel. He was just sitting there, quietly. "Got some good news for you...Hey, relax, will you? This is so good, somebody sent me to tell you."
Would that we could listen. But the rest of the noise, in our hearts and elsewhere, must disappear, along with our battles against peace.
Merry Christmas.
Mark Cebulski
Prayer for Peace
God of many names
lover of all peoples;
we pray for peace in our nations
and in our world.
We pray for all who have the awesome responsibility
of power and decision-making.
We pray for the innocent victims of violence and war.
Lead us and all the peoples of the world
from death to life, from falsehood to truth.
Lead us from despair to hope, from fear to trust.
Lead us from hate to love, from war to peace.
Let peace with justice fill our hearts,
our world,
our universe.
ChristChurch Cathedral
New Zealand
Prayer for the New President and New Congress
O God, we pray this day for all of our newly elected leaders. Grant wisdom and courage to out new President and the Congress as they grapple with the many challenges facing our nation. May our country begin a new era of compassion and partnership that will create hope and opportunity for those in thie country and around the world who live in hunger and poverty. Inspire all of us to ecercise our citizenghip on behalf of all those in need. Amen.
Bread for the World newsletter, November/December 2008
The East Corinth Congregational Church has a "food pantry" that it runs to help those in need. This is not a replacement for the West Topsham Food Shelf. This is a complement to it, as they are to us. This year has been an extremely difficult one for many with the cost of food rising, gas and oil prices soaring. One of our missions is to reach out and help our community. If you have a need for food, please go to our church and help yourself to the food there. There are signs showing you the way. There are no hours and no income guidelines, you know if you have a true need or may know of someone else who does. If you need emergency assistance, contact Nancy Frost (East Corinth Post Office) or Barbara Clark . We will attempt to assist you or refer you to what you need. We have an open door Food Pantry. Please don't go hungry. Rev. Michael Caldwell is available Sunday, and either Wed or Thurs in the village.
Start roasting those peppers to get ready for a different kind of church supper – a chili contest!
Join us for the seventh Annual East Corinth Congregational Church Chili Contest, a competition for the title of ECCCCCC (East Corinth Congregational Church Chili Contest Champion) and win the coveted Chili Champion’s Apron. This may be the only place you can hear Willie Nelson and Johann Sebastian Bach in the same evening.
Here’s how it will work. Chili Cooks from far and wide will bring their special chili to the Church vestry on January 24th. Diners will sample and vote on their favorite chili. In addition they’ll be able to chow down with a bowl of your favorite recipe. We’ll provide beverages, salad, corn bread and dessert. Price is by donation. Preschoolers eat for free.
We’ll need cooks and, most importantly, diners. Call or email Hal Drury 439-6931 or hdvt_79@hotmail.com if you plan to compete or if you have any questions.
You may have noticed if you’ve been online, our web site, while not unattractive, looks like it was designed by an old guy with a white beard – NOT Santa. Your Webmaster would like some help to modernize it a little. We don’t want blinking Apostles or dancing Prophets, but could use some advice and hands-on help with photos, links, and transcripts of sermons. If you’d like to help, please contact Hal Drury, hdvt_79@hotmail.com or call at 439-6931.
As this is written (December 24), the snow is falling again and the drifts are about “February height”. That means that the road crews are again working long, cold hours. There’s a very good chance that your local general store or convenience mart is providing them with coffee and food (both general stores in Corinth are) at their expense. The next time you are in a store, ask if they are doing this sort of thing and, if you can, give a little money to help defray the expenses. If you really want to be nice, drop off some brownies at the town garage.
In anticipation of our annual meeting on February 8, the Echo staff will be producing the church annual report. If committee chairs – or their designate – could get their reports to Hal Drury by February 1, he’ll have the time to get the report ready for the 8th.
We give thanks to the Trustees and Church Administrator Hal Drury for all the behind-the-scenes work that went into the design, production, and installation of the new sign on the front of our church.
This past year we’ve been introduced to “Fair Trade” coffee at fellowship hours, breakfasts, and suppers. This is quality coffee from farmers who are paid a living wage, mostly shade-grown rather than with industrialized agricultural practices which aren’t good for the land. “Equal Exchange” is the church-based brand that removes unscrupulous middlemen who exploit coffee farmers. Here’s where the rubber hits the road in the church’s activist mission. Here’s where we transcend charity and do justice.
This coffee is more expensive, and donations aren’t keeping up. Even fifty cents a cup helps, and you can feel good about your justice-making with every sip!
In October, the Vermont Conference auctioned the contents of the Atkinson Retreat Center. Many of the beds and bedding were going to be thrown away. Ever the penurious New Englander, Hal Drury couldn’t let that happen so he brought as many as his truck could hold – and his back could handle – to his barn to await a need. After a fire in Lebanon, NH, the need was evident and on December 18, one week before Christmas, Listen, the Lebanon, NH, shelter picked up the beds for distribution to the fire victims. We rejoice in this behind-the-scenes outreach.
Dear Senator McCain:
As General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ, I write to express the gratitude of many in our church for your willingness to offer yourself for public service in the highest office of our land. As a church that has historically been committed to the role of faith for the shaping of public life, we honor all those who seek to serve the common good as public officials.
Entering a campaign for public office inevitably places one in a vulnerable position. After many months of a strenuous campaign that exposed you to intense public scrutiny, these are days that are undoubtedly marked by deep disappointment. From many in our church I have heard words of appreciation for the gracious and generous tone of your concession speech, and for the way you have encouraged us all to join together in solving the profound challenges facing our country and the world. Thank you for calling us to the shared tasks that lie beyond this historic election.
Please know that you will be in my prayers as you continue in your office as a United States Senator, offering your strong and principled perspectives on how we can live out our best values as a nation committed to justice and freedom for all.
Sincerely, John H. Thomas General Minister and President
Dear President-Elect Obama:
As General Minister and President of your United Church of Christ, I write to congratulate you on your election as the next President of the United States. As a church that celebrates the vocation of public service as an honored way to express and embody one's faith, we are grateful for your willingness to take on the demands of this unique office and pledge our prayers as you seek to use that office for the common good. The agenda before us is daunting. Among them are poverty, the environment, and a just and peaceful global community.
The global economic crisis presents you with an immediate and urgent challenge. While needing to address the problems of financial institutions as well as the deep anxieties on Main Street, members of our church would also urge you to give attention to the needs of poor people who have suffered long before the present crisis and whose circumstances are now even more desperate. Your church is eager to be a strong partner with you in long term strategies to ensure that all Americans have access to adequate housing, nutrition, health care, and education. Poverty is not just an economic or political problem. It is at its core a moral issue demanding our commitment to God's justice and compassion.
Equally urgent is the future of God's fragile creation, long abused by our indifference and greed. Your presidency comes at a critical moment for people around the world facing the devastations of climate change. Today our stewardship of the earth demands sacrifice and political decisions that are difficult. The God who calls the worlds into being and who grants us dominion over the earth bestows on persons and nations an enormous responsibility. May your presidency reflect a relationship to the earth in which dominion is exercised as servanthood for the sake of future generations.
During the days preceding the election I was in South Africa meeting with church leaders from around the world. Interest in your candidacy was dramatic, reminding us both of the historic nature of your election as a man who is, in part, a son of Africa, but also of the reality that America has a remarkable capacity to shape the world for good or ill. Two hundred years ago your forebears in the United Church of Christ established the first foreign mission agency in the United States and, since that time, we have nurtured a global perspective that listens with deep respect and care to the hopes and concerns of church partners around the world. Shortly before his death Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote that we live in a "world house," and warned us that we face the daunting choice between chaos and community. On behalf of our church and its global partners, I urge you to attend quickly to the peace process between Israel and Palestine, to the AIDS pandemic, to the crushing poverty faced by so many in the world, and to the establishment of a respectful and collaborative foreign policy that sees U.S. interests inextricably linked to the interests of the entire global family.
Because of your membership in the United Church of Christ we have watched you with pride and hope, grateful for the role Trinity United Church of Christ has played in your faith journey. We are also aware that this office involves an enormous burden for you, Michelle, and your daughters. Let me reiterate a commitment made to you last spring, offering the hospitality of our congregations in Washington as places of nurture, sanctuary, and encouragement, congregations where in the midst of all you face can remind you that "God is still speaking." Above all, know that my prayers, and the prayers of your fellow members, will surround you.