MAY 2017 First Churches of Northampton, UCC/ABC

PASTOR’S PAGE Take a good look at this butterfly, with wings formed in its chrysalis. This is much like us, today, at First Churches. We are close to emerging time. In five weeks, we will hold our Annual Meeting on June 11, and we will be voting to move into a new church organization plan. Five weeks! Yes, we have been at this process for nearly two years, creating a church vision statement, an organizational plan and thinking about our future. And we have been growing, serving, ministering and changing all FAITH EMERGING along the way. We are not a caterpillar, nor just a cocoon full of promise, those wings are ready to fly! This is an important time and several things need to happen along the way. Just like the butterfly, we need to emerge in the right timing and the right way. How does the butterfly know it is time? The simplest answer is that when they can push their wings through the membrane of the cocoon, they are ready. This chrysalis is not just going to dry up and fall away and let the butterfly free. Pushing to get out is part of the process of strengthening wings for flying. The struggle is preparation! This is my challenge to all of us together as we near the final stages of our emerging to the next phase of church life. We have to push through the final plans and details, break out of the Venn diagrams and blueprints, and get these wings out of the planning cocoon so they can help us fly! So what needs to happen? Here is the outline of next steps: • We are forming new teams to fill out our three ministries - Administrative, Inward and Outward. Many of you have already expressed interest and we will have options available each week after church to see where your gifts will fit in. The major key here is to have a solid Administrative Team in place, that will function much like a non-profit board, guiding and overseeing all of our resources - our finances, facility, and personnel. Please prayerfully consider where you feel called to serve, and call us if you have questions. • On Sunday, May 7, we will share the asking budget and begin Stewardship season. Butterflies need nectar to make the next stage of the journey and churches need resources. The budget presentation is important for all participants and members, because budgets contain our hopes and values. • On Wednesday night, May 17 at 7:00 PM, we will host a forum with Q & A about the new church organization. It is critical we all understand what we are voting on, and the goals and purposes of each team in our new structure. This will be a time to iron out the kinks, then we will have a second opportunity after church on May 21 to give everyone a chance to review and offer feedback. • Finally, pray and encourage one another. This change is exciting and hopeful, and it is still change! As with the best of changes, there is anxiety, planning, hard work and fatigue. It is especially felt by staff and the people currently on standing committees who have been holding it all together. So lets get together and push. We can do this! The five week countdown to flight begins now! Pastor Todd

1 Important Dates COMMON GROUND May 2 ~ Valley Gives Day! MAY 4 ~ IS THERE SAFE SPACE AT THE OPEN TABLE? May 4 & 18 ~ Common Ground May 6 ~ PRIDE PARADE Since the earliest days of Christianity, those who sought to May 7 ~ FY 18 Budget Presentation follow Jesus have wrestled with the tensions, gifts, and May 17 ~ COUNCIL challenges that come with trying to create a May 29 ~ Memorial Day, Office Closed spiritual community that is both clearly defined and welcoming of all. Creating such a space has been at the heart Looking For… of our vision for Common Ground since it's very beginning. Come join the conversation as we explore what more we can Common Ground ………..………….. pg 2 do to live into our name and calling? Window Update ……………………… pg 3 Children & Youth ……………………. pg 4 MAY 18 ~ SAGE INSPIRED DINNER Missions ……….…..…………………… pg 5 We know from our experience at Common Ground that some Second Hour Schedule …………….. pg 6 of the richest conversations happen when people of different Calendar……………………………….… pg 7 ages meet together around a table, but we live in an age Birthdays segregated culture that often further isolates people who are already marginalized because of who they are or who they � 5/3 Lise Gray love. So we were thrilled to hear that Parity (the same folks � George Dole who bought us glitter ashes) have a plan to gather GLBTQ � 5/7 Todd Emrick people and their allies for dinners where they can build � 5/23 Sandy Hoover community across generational lines. These sage table � 5/24 Jaden Bent gatherings will take place around the country on May 18, which just happens to coincide with Common Ground. � 5/25 Ann Rasmussen Because we’ll be having church along with our dinner, we � Moira Chapman didn’t feel quite right about officially billing our gathering as a � 5/27 Phoebe Wondolowski sage table. But it’s such a beautiful idea that in honor and support of this effort we’d like to hold a sage inspired Common Ground where we’ll work with some of the same questions and do our best to listen deeply to the wisdom, experience, stories, and concerns of our GLBTQ members. Please join us and, if you can, bring a friend of another generation to join in the conversation. Join us at 5:00 to help cook; Join us at 6:00 for Worship. Come Cultivate a Peace

2 STAINED GLASS RESTORATION COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Stained Glass Window Restoration will Begin in May Be prepared for some excitement in our sanctuary as two of our historic stained glass windows begin their restoration in May. The Board of Trustees has been working on this project for several years, and we are excited that it will begin so soon. Scaffolding will go up the second week in May to remove the large Rose window on the Main Street side of the sanctuary. The Tiffany window on the Center Street side will also be removed for restoration. Removal is expected to be May 15-19. The windows will be dissembled and taken to the studio of Stained Glass Resources, Inc. in Hampden, MA to be meticulously restored by a highly skilled crew led by Fred Shea. This company previously restored the windows over the organ to exacting standards. We expect the restoration to take about 4 months, and the windows should be returned to the sanctuary by mid October. Our church building has an historic preservation restriction from the Massachusetts Historic Commission, so any work involved must meet with their approval. This project is being funded by a $213,000 CPA grant that was awarded to our church last spring by the Community Preservation Commission of Northampton as a project of historic importance. Since First Church was the founding institution of our city in 1656, it holds particular significance to the citizens of Northampton. We are awaiting notification about a possible second small grant from the National Daughters of the American Revolution to support the project, and we are grateful to the Northampton DAR chapter and Tracey Polachek for their support. Chuck Whitham is project manager for the restoration. Members of the window restoration committee and Board of Trustees are Marcia Kennick, Ned Judd, Bill McGhee, Manny Pintado, Margie Riddle and Gregory Wilson. Feel free to speak to any of us about this project.

Giving to First Churches on Valley Gives Day is a great way to leverage your contribution. It is helpful to give even a small amount because we become eligible for prizes for the more people who make donations to us. Many people give to a number of local organization at Valley Gives, and we hope you will keep First Churches on your list, even if you pledge. This year we can be eligible for a $4000 prize if we get two donors from every decade of ages; teenagers, 20s,30s, 40s and 50s. If you are on the younger side of those decades, please consider giving at least the $10 minimum so we can be eligible for the prize. And remember you are supporting over 25 other organizations who use our space when you give to First 3 Churches. YOUTH CALENDAR

SUMMER RELIGIOUS CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE May 7 Family Hike up Mt Sugarloaf Have you considered a UCC or ABC Summer 12:00pm Camp experience for your family or children this summer? There are many different places and programs available throughout the New England June 4 Area. Confirmation Some UCC Summer Camps are: Silver Lake, Sharon, CT June 16 Star Island, off the coast of Portsmouth, NH End of Year BBQ or Pilgrim Lodge, Gardiner, ME Scavenger Hunt for Youth

See http://www.uccnecamps.org/ for many June 18 more opportunities through New England. Children’s Sunday The New England ABC Summer Camps are: Grotonwood, Groton, MA GODLY PLAY SUMMER SESSION Oceanwood, Oceanpark, ME (including August 7-11, 2017 9am-1pm Horse Camp!) Age 3—12yrs campers, The Dot Swain Fund will make an amount of 12-15yrs Leaders in Training money available to partially subsidize any Join us for church camp camper/camper family who wishes to take this Summer. St. John's and First advantage of these wonderful summer Churches are teaming up once again to opportunities. The amount available will host a day camp, and you are invited. depend upon how many requests are received by We'll dance, sing, play, craft, cook and the deadline of MAY 14, 2017. go out into the city of After that date, the fund managers will decide if the program qualifies and the Northampton looking for how we can amount of money to be expended and split show God’s love and share our joy with between the qualified applicants. the city and the world. Please send a letter of request to the DOT SWAIN To register call 413.584.1757 FUND in care of the church office. or e-mail Olivia at If you have questions or concerns, please [email protected] contact Sue Stone by text or phone message at 413-230-7507. HAVE FUN THIS SUMMER! Now Go In Peace:

4 The last 5 carloads of donations for Syrian refugee camps were taken to the mosque in West Springfield following the church service April 23rd. Another 3 carloads were delivered there in March. Such a lot of wonderful supplies!

Thanks to all who helped provide so many needed items: - Barbara Parsons for extending donations Moulton, Kerry & Carol Murphy, by having George Naughton, and boxes at Stop & Shop, the Northampton our very helpful custodian, Ernie; Senior Center, - And to all of you who donated so much and the Unitarian and St. John's useful and churches; necessary merchandise for all ages and - Doryne Pederzanni-Dineen for her needs ~ attractive posters food, personal care items, new and gently and signs for the collection boxes; used clothing, - Drivers and loaders of bags and boxes of stuffies, crayons, puzzles, and donations: Harriet & Gregg Wilson, Marion medical equipment. VanArsdell, Jean Simmons, Donna O'Meally, Craig Zaehring, Sharon

The final 2 Communion offerings in this church year will be for the Pastor's Church Family Fund on May 7 and the Interfaith Help Fund on June 4.

NU DAY It looks like a “pile” of debris, but if one looks closely, one can see bags of warm clothes for children and adults, shoes, diapers, personal products, jugs of cooking oil, 5 lb bags of flour. All these items have been donated and collected by First Churches to be sent to Nu Day Syria. With the help of our community, boxes were placed at Northampton Senior Center, Stop & Shop, Violet’s Crossing at Rockridge Retirement Center, Williamsburg Congregational Church, St. John’s and the Unitarian Universalist Churches. More than six car loads of items were taken to the mosque in West Springfield and from there, monthly pickups are taken to NuDay Syria in Windham, NH. There shipments are prepared and then shipped to refugee camps in Syria, , , and . It’s more than just a “pile”, we are extending our love and caring across the world. ~ Barbara Parsons

5 SUNDAY SECOND HOURS IN MAY SPIRITUAL GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES

May 7 - Asking Budget Presentation Monday Noon Bible Study The finance team will present the 2018 fiscal year asking budget after worship in Lyman Hall. The Join us each week to reflect on the following “Asking Budget” is the “hope” budget based on Sunday’s scripture lesson. Feel free to bring meeting the goal of our May Stewardship campaign. your lunch to the Parlor. Here are the Bible We then prepare a final budget to vote on at the texts for May: June 11 All-Congregational meeting. May 1: Acts 2:14a, 22-32, Ps 116:1-4, May 14 - House Church Follow-Up Discussion 12-19, 1 Pet 1:17-23, Luke 24:13-35 At least 50 people read Brian McLaren’s book “The May 8: Acts 7:55-60, Ps 31:1-5, 15-16, Great Migration” during Lent, and several people 1 Pet 2:2-10, John 14:1-14 expressed interest in hearing from other groups. We invite anyone interested to join in the conversation May 15: Acts 17:22-31, Ps 66:8-20, in the Parlor from 11:30 to 12:15 after worship on 1 Pet 3:13-22, John 14:15-21 Sunday. Come and share your major takeaways May 22: Acts 1:6-14, Ps 68:1-10, 32-35, and remaining questions from the experience. 1 Pet 4:12-14; 5:6-11, John 17:1-11 May 29: No Bible Study, Memorial Day May 21 - Q & A on the New Church Organization We are nearing the final implementation stage of a Tuesday Peace Prayer Vigil new church organizational structure. You can learn more about the basics at our website here: The sanctuary is open for prayer every www.firstchurches.org/organization Tuesday noon. After a time of silent It is important to ask questions and hear feedback mediation the prayer groups shares their on any final concerns before the Annual Meeting on prayers and hopes for peace and justice in June 11. the world.

Pride March May 6 Memorial Day Parade Florence Center Please join us for the Pride March the May 29, 2017 first Saturday in May. We’ll gather behind the Northampton Brewery Join your friends from First Churches around 11:30 and march behind our in honoring our veterans at the church banner. Given the current parade. Many current and past political climate, this seems to be a members of our church have particularly important year for our served. Come to this family-friendly church to make a big showing and let event and show your support for those the wider community know that First who have sacrificed for our country. We Churches is a strong, vital, open, and plan to meet in front of Valley Medical affirming church. Also, please note Center on Main St, Florence at 9am that this is a very family friendly event. since the parade starts at 10am Talk to Pastor Sarah will be leading our group Ginny Wahl if you have any questions and plans to have Genevieve along for (413-527-5512 or the march. We’d love company of all [email protected]) ages. Bring water, sunscreen, props, Hope to see you there! fun affirming signs, and don’t be afraid Ginny Wahl to dress up and look fabulous. See you there. 6 May 2017

5/1 ~ 10:30 Align the Spine Yoga 5/18 ~ 6:00 Common Ground 12:00 Bible Study 1:15 March to support Immigrants 5/19 ~ 5:00 Benefit dance & Panel for 5/2 ~ VALLEY GIVES DAY!!! Standing Rock 12:00 Peace Vigil, in Sanctuary 7:00 Choir Practice; in Sanctuary 5/3 ~ 6:00 Sanctuary Meeting 5/20 ~ Iglesia Bautista Nueva Vida Anniversary Celebration 5/4 ~ 6:00 Common Ground 5/21 ~ 10:00 Worship & Sunday 5/5 ~ 5:00 Hilltown Charter School Chorus School 7:00 Choir Practice 11:30 Church Structure Q & A 5/6 ~ 12:00 Hamp Pride Parade 11:30 Youth Choir 5/7 ~ 10:00 Worship & Sunday 5:00 Cathedral in the Night School 5/22 ~ 10:30 Align the Spine 11:30 Youth Choir 12:00 Bible Study 11:30 All Church Meeting; JUNE MESSENGER ITEMS DUE Asking Budget Presentation 5/23 ~ 12:00 Peace Vigil, in Sanctuary 12:00 Youth Hike up Sugarloaf 5:00 Cathedral in the Night 5/24 ~ 6:30 Art & Soul Arts Sanctuary 5/25 ~ 6:30 Social Change Leadership 5/8 ~ 10:30 Align the Spine Yoga Program 12:00 Bible Study 6:30 Vision Team 5/26 ~ 7:00 Choir Practice 5/9 ~ 12:00 Peace Vigil, in Sanctuary 5/28 ~ 10:00 Worship & Sunday School 5/10 ~ 6:30 Trustees 11:30 Youth Choir 5/11 ~ 12:30 Dorcas Luncheon & Meeting @ 5:00 Cathedral in the Night Brewmaster’s Tavern 5/29 ~ 10:30 Align the Spine Yoga 5/12 ~ 7:00 Choir Practice 12:00 Bible Study 5/14 ~ 10:00 Worship & Sunday 5/30 ~ 12:00 Peace Vigil, in Sanctuary School 11:30 Book Group Feedback 5:00 Cathedral in the Night Future Dates: 5/15 ~ 10:30 Align the Spine Yoga June 4 ~ Confirmation Sunday 12:00 Bible Study June 11 ~ Annual Meeting 5/16 ~ 12:00 Peace Vigil, in Sanctuary 5/17 ~ 7:00 Council

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