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Youth Sunday and Honoring Our Graduates Sunday, June 6 at 10 Am Communion Service in Carson Park

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Youth Sunday and Honoring Our Graduates Sunday, June 6 at 10 Am Communion Service in Carson Park CENTRAL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH United Church of Christ An Open and Affirming Congregation VOLUME 66 NUMBER 6 JUNE 2021 Youth Sunday and Honoring Our Graduates Sunday, June 6 at 10 am Communion Service in Carson Park June Dining to Donate – Bertucci’s Chelmsford Monday, June 7, 2021 from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm Bakery Day – Sunday, June 13 June Movie Group Discussions Monday, 6/14, at 7 pm – “Come Sunday” Monday, 6/28, at 7 pm – “Flywheel” Knight Lines As I said at Annual Meeting, I’m very grateful to our staff, our leaders, all our committees, all our members and friends who participated in the church and its ministries this past year. It was a year we’ll never forget. It’s easily been one of the most meaningful, challenging, and rewarding years of my entire ministry. I want to thank everyone for your involvement, your support, your encouragement, your hard work, and your faith. I’ll miss you this summer! My sabbatical starts Monday, June 7. I know that most professions do not have sabbaticals. It’s part of the standard contract for most Protestant pastors (including UCC pastors), mainly because as you know most pastors work long and crazy hours. So it is helpful to unplug for a bit, to rest and recharge. Visiting six National Parks out West this June will certainly be rejuvenating! We’re still pinching ourselves that this trip is entirely paid for by the sabbatical grant from the Lilly Foundation (This is the greatest financial windfall for a clergyman since the invention of TV evangelism!). The grant money will also pay for those filling in for me this summer. While I’m very excited and grateful for this opportunity, I’m also a little bummed at the timing – going away just when things are starting to open up. But I can’t wait for September when things should really be back to some semblance of normal. Picture Welcome Sunday with a full sanctuary, singing our hearts out to God. Hopefully that’ll be the case. Please know that you’ll all continue to be in my prayers and in my heart. In faith, hope, and love, Pastor Rich Enjoy your sabbatical, Pastor Rich! We will miss you, and we send you off with the blessings, love, and well-wishes of your entire CCC family. Have a wonderful adventure out west! Travel safely and we look forward to the photos, stories, and sermons you will share with us when you return! Introducing Vicki Keene, our June Interim Pastor! The Pastoral Sabbatical Search Committee is delighted to introduce Rev. Vicki Keene, our interim pastor for the month of June. Pastor Vicki is a retired ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. Specially trained as an intentional transitional minister, Vicki has served several churches in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, in both settled and interim capacities. Vicki Keene may be familiar to some members of our church family! About twenty years ago, as part of her education at Andover Newton Theological School, Vicki’s field education requirement brought her to CCC as a pastoral minister-in-training. With the support and guidance of CCC and Ginnie Hall, her supervisor, she lived into her calling and is delighted to have the opportunity to worship with us this June. Vicki will be preaching on June 13, 20, 1nd 27. Pastor Rich notes, “Vicki is known for her compassion, joy, and faith.” In addition to preaching on three Sundays, Pastor Vicki will also be available in pastoral emergencies. Much of Vicki’s free time is spent in support of the Ocean Park Association, a summer Chautauqua community in Ocean Park, Maine. Vicki resides in Andover, MA with her husband David and their two dogs, and enjoys music, reading, pickleball, all Boston sports teams, and the beach. Welcome (back), Pastor Vicki! Pastoral Sabbatical Search Committee: Val King, Lillian Beean, Lynn Horton, and Pastor Rich Knight NEW COVID PROTOCOLS - All Are Welcome, Just Mask It Up! Because the Governor of Massachusetts is lifting all Covid restrictions, the Diaconate feels it's time to welcome all folks (vaccinated and unvaccinated) back into the sanctuary. Masks are required and congregational singing will be allowed. We realize that not everyone will be ready to return to the sanctuary, so please remember that our services will continue to be livestreamed. UPCOMING WORSHIP SERVICES: May 30 Drive-In Church (and livestreamed on Facebook Live) June 6 Worship in Carson Park – Youth & Graduation Sunday, Holy Communion (and livestreamed on Facebook Live) June 13 Sanctuary Worship (and livestream), Rev. Vicki Keene June 20 Sanctuary Worship (and livestream), Rev. Vicki Keene June 27 Sanctuary Worship (and livestream), Rev. Vicki Keene SABBATICAL COVERAGE Pastor Rich will be off this summer from June 7 - August 16. Anyone in need of pastoral care during the month of June should contact the Diaconate Co-Chairs, Val King and Jay Hungate. Our June Guest Preacher, Rev. Vicki Keene will be available in emergencies. Our Ministry of Visitation will be available for visits and loving care. Our Sabbatical Pastor for July, Susan Clinkenbeard, will be available for pastoral care, beginning on Monday, June 28. Her contact information will be made available at that time. Class of 2021 Central Congregational Church offers joyous congratulations to our graduates and their families. Our Chelmsford High School Graduates: Nicholas Bottomley will be attending UCONN to study Molecular and Cell Biology. Jeremy Hargett will be attending Framingham State’s honor program to study psychology and business while playing for Framingham State soccer team. Jessica Hussey will attend Valley Collaborative in Billerica to study vocational training. Quintin Stuart will attend Valley Collaborative in Billerica to study vocational training. Josh Timmins will attend Northeastern University where he will study Behavioral Neuroscience. Brendan Viarella is going to go to UMASS Lowell. He is undecided about his course of study but is leaning toward science. Joshua Walsh will attend UMass Amherst to study Political Science. Our College Graduates Natalie Fay, the granddaughter of Brian and Linda Lis, is a graduate from Suffolk University, Boston. In August, Natalie is moving to Washington D.C. to work and attend American University/ Washington School of Law. Ben Knight, son of Pastor Rich, has graduated from Parsons School of Art and Design in New York City. He majored in photography. WHAT’S HAPPENING? JUNE MOVIE GROUP DISCUSSIONS Monday, 6/14 – “Come Sunday” Evangelist Carlton Pearson (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is ostracized by his church for preaching that there is no Hell. Based on a radio story from WBEZ's “This American Life.” Read Ira Glass’ promotion of the movie here: Our New Movie, "Come Sunday" - This American Life Monday, 6/28 – “Flywheel” Dishonest used car salesman Jay Austin’s lies and greed may line his pockets, but they are hurting his family. Can he open his heart and become a better salesman and family man by becoming a better Christian? The CCC Movie Group is open to all! Watch the movie(s) on your own, then join the group on Zoom at 7:00 pm on “Movie Mondays” to discuss. Zoom links to each Movie Night will be included in the weekly church-wide e-mails. Contact Lynn Horton if you have questions! CREATION CARE The Creation Care group tentatively plans to be showing a film on Climate Change in June, a talk in Carson Park about Native American earth care traditions in July, and a one session book discussion of the novel “The Overstory” in August. Exact dates have yet to be worked out. In the meantime, check out the new CCC Creation Care webpage under Make A Difference https://www.cccchelmsford.org/creation-care/. The page includes a link to Pastor Rich's April sermon "Stewards of God's Garden" and answers to Frequently Asked Questions about climate change for a quick overview of this complex subject. SUMMER CAMP: CLIMATE BUDDIES Looking for something for your kids to do this summer? Try an overnight summer camp held at The Horton Center on Pine Mountain in Gorham, NH. It is a faith based camp. A special session during Week 3 from July 18-25 is called “Climate Buddies” for children entering 3rd – 5th grades and it is being led by our own Rev. Judie Bryant and her colleague, Rev. Peter Lovett. Superheroes Save Our Planet! On our first day at camp you will choose your Superhero name, powers, and make your cape/costume for the week! We’ll spend the week using our different superpowers to investigate how our Superhero team can keep God’s creation – our beautiful planet – safe and healthy. Who and what are the supervillains that we need to defeat in order to do this? Let’s find out together while we explore the rock ledges, birds, trees, bees, streams and more at camp. Come join us as we work together to defeat the supervillains and save our planet! And here's the website for the camp itself: https://hortoncenter.org/ And if you would like more information, please contact Judie Bryant at 508-254-3982 or [email protected] GIANT YARD SALE The Friends of BSA Troop 74 will host their Annual Giant Yard Sale on Saturday, August 21. The yard sale will run from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. in the church parking lot. Come early for the best selection. MAKE A DIFFERENCE WEEK It’s almost that time of year again for Make a Difference Week! Central Congregational Church will be hosting Make a Difference Week for the 3rd year on July 26 – 30, 2021 from 9:00 am – noon every day with a Family Fun Day at Kimball Farms planned for Friday.
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