Warren United Church Newsletter Warren, Vermont 05674 July & August 2017 Worship and Church School: Sundays at 10:00 a.m. Church Office: (802) 496-2713 www.warrenchurch.org Kurt Shaffert, Interim Pastor ~ Chrissy Rivers, Pastoral Assistant

“Abide with me; fast falls the eventide; The darkness deepens, God, with me abide; When other helpers fail, and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me” (#636, Chalice Hymnal)

Dear Sisters and Brothers of Warren United Church,

I write this on a Saturday morning, days after of the Solstice, and on one of the longest days of sunlight of the year. It’s been a little over six months since I joined you in December as Intentional Interim Pastor, right as you were gathering to acknowledge the longest night of the beginning of winter when “fast falls the eventide” meant 4:30pm rather than 8:30pm! In all the seasons, we abide with each other, practicing “Being Church” together and being present to one another in our journeys of faith and discipleship.

I look forward to this summer season together, particularly to Vacation Bible School, which I remember well and with great affection from the Summer of 2004 when I was serving as the Relief Pastor for the summer in Waitsfield. For VBS 2004, I remember Heather Morehouse beginning each morning of VBS introducing the Hawaiian volcano theme for the day and then my being in charge of the skit for the day (while wearing a borrowed Hawaiian shirt, per the theme). VBS 2017 is a Cave Quest theme. Come join us in our explorations as we abide together with the One who abides with us.

Peace, Kurt

SUMMER WORSHIP TIME CHANGED TO 9:00 AM Beginning Sunday, July 9th, worship will change to 9:00 AM. This will allow people more time to enjoy the beautiful summer days. Many people and families have voiced their preference on the topic. We will return to the traditional 10:00 AM worship in the fall.

PASTORAL SEARCH UPDATE The Pastoral Search Committee has continued to meet weekly since our last update. We feel blessed and are excited to report that the Holy Spirit has move us to a unanimous decision. We have called a candidate pending Church Council approval & a congregational vote! We have had multiple interviews, checked references, spent time with the person and spent hours in prayerful deliberation. We recently experienced the candidate leading worship. With that being said, please stay tuned for the official warning of the “Candidating Weekend”, which is when we will all meet the candidate, experience worship together and have a congregational vote. That weekend will be August 5th & 6th; please save both of those dates on your calendar. Your prayers have been instrumental through this process and we ask for continued prayers for the coming weeks. SUNSHINE SUNDAYS! JULY 2 – AUGUST 13th (7 Sundays) Our church is hugely blessed and unusual in its commitment to offer children's programming through the summer. This is a place where children and their parents feel welcome and enriched year- round! At the same time, this is a ministry that takes a lot of energy and our committed Christian Education team really needs a break so that they too can be filled and re-charged in worship. Hence, the idea for SUNSHINE SUNDAYS. For Sundays July 2nd through August 13th, we are inviting two- person teams not normally involved in Church School to share their talents / interests/ specialties with our children for an hour. In a pinch, there are always Veggie Tale or Bible story videos or playground time. There are many ways in which you could enhance the lives of our children (not to mention your OWN life) on one of these SUNSHINE SUNDAYS and we hope you'll take the opportunity to do so. Sign up in the Emma Ford Room.

COMBINED OUTDOOR WORSHIP & PICNIC We will be worshipping with our Waitsfield UCC friends at Couples Club in Waitsfield on Sunday, July 30th – the time to be announced. We will enjoy a picnic luncheon and games. Because there is a covered shelter, this is a rain or shine event. (pray for sunshine!)

COLLECTING SACRED WATER Hold on to a small jar of water from that summer vacation at the ocean or the brook from your back yard! As we've done in years past, we will regather this fall and combine the water we've collected throughout the summer and be joined with our baptismal waters from last year for future use. Stay tuned for a date!

VACATION BIBLE CAMP JULY 10-13 Children ages preschool-grade 6 are invited to join in the fun of our annual camp. July 10-13, 9 am – noon. FREE! Sign up your child to secure their spot as this camp is close to full capacity. Breakfast and snack included. You can learn more about our annual camp and see pictures of previous years at our website: www.warrenchurch.org Volunteers are still needed! Please speak to Melodie Showacre 496-6802 if you can help; even one day is a help!

WOMEN AT THE WELL Women at the Well will continue to gather on the third Wednesday of the month (July 19th and August 16th). Women of all ages and abilities are welcome to enjoy gentle, restorative yoga at Valley Glow Yoga in Waitsfield at 7:00 PM on July 19th. Tyne Pike-Sprenger has graciously offered to host and lead this yoga. There will be a time of prayer. Absolutely no requirement of previous yoga experience. RVSP to Chrissy [email protected]. Do you have an idea for our August 16th gathering? Let Chrissy know.

ANNUAL CHURCH BBQ & SILENT AUCTION Mark your calendars for Saturday, August 12th and head down to the church between 5:00-7:00 PM for the most delicious barbeque of the summer! The menu will include pulled pork, chicken breasts, potato salad, green salad, pasta salad, coleslaw, baked beans, applesauce, veggie burgers and desserts. This is a wonderful community gathering and best of all, all proceeds benefit Central VT Home Health & Hospice. Prices remain the same $15 for adutls, $5 for kiddos 5 yrs and over. Children under 5 yrs are free. There is a sign- up sheet in the Emma Ford Room for dishes, set up, clean up, servers, etc… “many hands make light work”!

*The proceeds from the Silent Auction will go to the Community Fund. Contact Becky Robinson if you have an item to donate.

July July 4 David Westcott July 5 Bill Robinson July 7 Dinsmore Fulton July 8 Nick Bartlett, Bella Potter July 12 Frankie Bennett, David Rothman July 18 Wendy Fuller July 20 Whitney (Jones) Doenges July 21 Stephen Blair July 22 Adam Fuller July 26 Marge Forbes July 28 Judy Phelon, Caryl Williamson, Daniel Robinson, Julie Pease July 31 Amanda Morse

August August 1 Karin Weston August 3 Savannah Morehouse, Tyne Pike-Sprenger August 4 Scott Barker August 5 Leo Cohen August 8 Gail Hietzker, Freddie Mahlmann, Katie Crosby August 10 Polly Gallagher, Quinn Salinder August 15 Finn Fleckenstien August 17 Donald Goff August 22 Connor Barker August 26 Doug Stoehr August 30 Barbara Elsbeth

Compilation of Reflections Regarding 6 Months of Interim Time By Congregants on June 11, 2017

“Gifts of Interim time/Challenges of Interim Time/Learnings from Interim Time/ Questions”

Gifts: church members stepping up – using their gifts to grow themselves and the church Challenges: anticipation of who will be our next leader and when it will happen Learnings: I have learned a bit more of the business or behind the scenes of the church

Gifts: congregation stays strong and united Learnings: the people really are the church

Gifts: so many – for my family in our time of difficulty – thank you Challenges: not being here to worship with everyone – not getting to know Kurt Learnings: Truly how much of a supportive, giving, loving community this is as personally received

Gifts: our Interim Pastor sharing his gifts with us Challenges: finding a new settled pastor; letting go Learnings: our beloved church can survive and thrive without our beloved pastor of 15 years

Gifts: The show of faith and commitment by our congregants as they showed up again and again. We were the church Challenges: Feeling spiritually fed thru a sermon/message Learnings: Praise music lifts my soul. Let’s keep working it into our services

Gifts: God’s leadership in my life – many, many friends and their help to me –a senior citizen Challenges: adjusting to the change that passing years have given me Learnings: how to live an older life

Gifts: A time to reset – fresh starts – journey down the path of trust Challenges: unknowns – what is next. How do we transition? How do we prepare? Learnings: Patience – all good things on God’s clock – not ours Questions: How do we leverage this time of pause to learn with open senses to accept & welcome what God has planned for us

Gifts: The incredible love and support of the church through a very difficult time Challenges: staying connected even while away. Living up to commitments Learnings: That people truly are generous. That I have a lot of strength left in becoming generous Questions: What is God beyond what is created right now, in the Present, through love?

Gifts: That so many have stepped up to keep this church functioning & moving forward Challenges: learning to communicate with other individuals and committees, when much of the communication was done for us previously Learnings: that we can survive Susan’s departure and that there are so many gifts in this church, and people willing to share them

Gifts: Kurt; direction; e.g. O&A, grieving, finances, more involvement of laity Challenges: continuing on our O&A journey; open to the gifts of a settled pastor; finances Learnings: We can do more than we think; change can be good; leadership emerges in new and unexpected ways – e.g. Chrissy

Gifts: Kurt’s way of empowering our church through the deacons and his love Challenges: initially missing Susan, but accepting the same faith through a new voice Learnings: our church is strong. Our faith is strong. We are all strong. Questions: Thankfulness for having the exact right person to be our interim & our friend

Gifts: church is responsible for itself… it’s not about the pastor Challenges: Same; Can we all work together despite differences Learnings: Same; not always a good place to practice forgiveness

Gifts: Pastor Kurt Challenges: small congregation, greater responsibility Learnings: to cherish time spent in prayer Questions: What’s next?

Gifts: the recognition/realization that we CAN go on Challenges: release from a long-term relationship (covenant) with a beloved pastor Learnings: With Kurt – that we are capable of moving on from a long-term relationship/covenant with a beloved pastor Questions: 1. How do we (I) inspired continued congregational participation & growth as we journey through change? 2. How do we/I establish a new relationship with Susan & Michael?

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu 2 3 4 5 6

10:00 NO OFFICE 6:00 6:30 9 AM Worship HOURS Search Deacons Prayer w/ 6:30 10-3 Communion Steward Office ship Hrs & 7:00 AA Mission 9 10 11 12 13 6:30 Search & Office Hrs 9:00 Worship Council Mtg 8:30-3 9 AM 6:30 PM Prayer Prayer & 11:30 10-3 VBS 9-Noon Worship VBS Office Finale & Hrs Potluck 7:00 AA

16 17 18 19 20 10:00 6:30 9:00 Worship Office Hrs MRVIC Church 9 AM 11:00-5:00 Women Council Prayer at Well Mtg 10-3 7 PM Office Tea @ Welch/ Hrs Valley Madden 7:00 AA Glow Concert Yoga

23 24 25 26 27 6:30 PM Office 9 AM 9:00 Worship Prayer & Hrs Prayer Worship 8:30-3 10-3 Office Hrs Wedding Rehearsa

7:00 AA 30 31

9:00 Worship @ Couple Club w/ Waitsfield UCC Lunch Picnic Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu 1 2 3

Office 6:30 Deacons 9 AM Hrs 6:30 Prayer 8:30-3 Stewardship 10-3 & Mission Office

7:00 AA

6 7 8 9 10 Congre Office gationa Hrs 9 AM l Vote 8:30-3 Prayer 9:00 6:30 10-3 Worshi PM Office p Prayer w/ & 7:00 AA Commu Worshi nion p

13 14 15 16 17

9:00 Office Women 6:30 Church 9 AM Worship Hrs at Well Council Mtg Prayer 8:30-3 6 PM 10-3 Office

7:00 AA

20 21 22 23 24 Office 9:00 Hrs 9 AM Worship 8:30-3 Prayer 6:30 10-3 PM Office Prayer & 7:00 AA Worshi p

27 28 29 30 31 9:00 Worship Office Blessing Hrs of the 8:30-3 Backpac ks