1. Art and Diseño

The First Congregational Church
Princeton, MA 01541
Organized 1764
Present building erected 1838
February 2015
InSPIREation:
Now there was a great wind, so
strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces
before the Lord, but the Lord was
not in the wind; and after the wind
an earthquake, but the Lord was
not in the earthquake; and after the
earthquake a fire, but the Lord was
not in the fire; and after the fire a
sound of sheer silence.
~ 1 Kings 19:11b-12
Greetings,
A friend had just arrived at
Logan Airport where we were
meeting him. At dinner in a noisy,
crowded restaurant, he showed
us a gift he had bought himself
pre-flight, a pair of noise canceling headphones. At first I wasn’t
terribly impressed as I never have
much luck with earphones, they
always fall out, but these were
different and to humor him I put
them on. Then he clicked the button that shut out all the noise
around us. It was disconcerting to
say the least! I couldn’t hear a
thing, including someone speaking directly to me.
Elijah ran away from Queen
Jezebel, fearing for his life after
he had defeated and killed her
prophets. He ran into the desert
for forty days until at last, he could
run no more. It was there, in that
silent, arid place that God was
able to move back into dialogue
with him. Elijah’s forty days in the
wilderness sounds a lot like Jesus’ experience, and it’s no coincidence that the season of Lent
is forty days long, not counting
Sundays. There is something
about being alone with one’s self
that can be disconcerting, it can
also lead us to new possibilities
of being.
Barbara
Brown
Taylor
says, “Silence has become
God’s final defense against our
idolatry. By limiting our speech,
God gets some relief from our
descriptive assaults. By hiding
inside a veil of glory, God deflects our attempts at control by
withdrawing into silence, knowing that nothing gets to us like
the failure of our speech. When
we run out of words, then and
perhaps only then can God be
God.” 1
I wonder what it would be
like for us to create opportunities
for silence in our own lives this
Lent. Could we limit the time we
spend listening/watching media
and social networking? Could
we find unexpected moments
where we are simply still, listening for God in the sound of
sheer silence?
Blessings,
Linda
_________________
1 Barbara
Brown Taylor, When God Is
Silent, 1997
Thank You!
We are blessed to live in this
community! When Bob took ill a
few weeks ago, the Princeton
EMT’s came promptly in the early
morning hours and made the correct call as to which hospital he
should be brought, a decision that
made a diagnosis of his bleeding
ulcer possible hours earlier than
had he gone to another. We are
thankful for the doctors, nurses
and other staff who were able to
get him back on the road to healing.
The caring support and prayers from our families, including
our church family have meant so
much--blessed be the tie that
binds!
Ash Wednesday Service
February 18
At 7:00pm we will once again
begin the season of Lent with a
service of prayerful
intention and the
imposition of ashes
as a reminder of
our need to let go
of what has kept us from a closer
relationship with God. Make this
the year you find time in your life
to join in the ancient practice of
faithful followers who recognize
that time in the wilderness and
silence can help us enter into the
joy of Easter more fully.
Happy Birthday
Open and Affirming
By Rev. Linda
At a recent gathering here
Rev. Nada Sellers brought insight
to what an Open and Affirming
statement might look like for First
Congregational Church of Princeton, United Church of Christ.
Such a statement should reflect
who we are and not be a
“boilerplate” design; it also should
be specific about whom we are
welcoming and affirming.
Church Council voted unanimously to bring a statement to
Annual Meeting to
see whether we will
be able to reach consensus on the wording. At their recent
meeting the Board of
Deacons unanimously approved the following to be
brought before the meeting:
The First Congregational Church
of Princeton, United Church of
Christ is a Welcoming, Open, and
Affirming Church to all people of
all races, genders, ages, sexual
orientations, professions, previous
religious affiliations, nationalities
or mental and physical conditions.
Challenging Conversations
Beginning in February--most likely
the third Tuesday, at 7:00 p.m.,
Rev. Linda will be hosting a time
of discussing challenging issues
at the Thirsty Lab in Post Office
Place. Building on the book study
on “The Sunflower,” the first topic
will be forgiveness, certainly a
continuing challenge for many.
The group will be open to the
community in the hope of finding
common ground for people to discuss important issues.
Living with Loss
We will meet on February 25 at
7:00pm in the Church Parlor. Anyone struggling with loss, especially the death of a loved one is
invited to attend as the group is
open-ended.
February 1, 2015
By Rev. Linda
We will meet following worship to hear reports, pass the
budget and conduct any other
business that shall come before
the body.
Once again we come to
Annual Meeting with a sizable
deficit budget. Last year we
were able to close the gap significantly despite what seemed
insurmountable odds. Our understanding of God’s abundance
has helped us move forward in
many ways and we continue to
pray for God’s guidance in this
new year. If you have not yet
indicated to Cindy O'Brien, our
financial secretary, the amount
you will be able to contribute to
our church’s well being, it is not
too late! You can email [email protected]
We will remember the too
many dear members who died
this past year, honor some folks
who have served and continue
to serve; we also have an opportunity to affirm our long standing
commitment to the Boy Scouts
and Girl Scouts.
An Open and Affirming
statement will be presented by
the Board of Deacons for our
consideration. After much discussion that centered around
why we should be singling out
one group of people for affirmation, it seems the statement offered addresses those concerns.
As Congregationalists we
honor our tradition of self governance and our Annual Meeting
is an opportunity for each voice
to be heard. We pray there will
be many at this year’s meeting.
An anonymous source tells us that
Roger Vaughan turned 95 on
January 2nd! Be sure to wish Roger a belated happy birthday!
Remember to let us know of your
important dates so that we can include them in the birthday and anniversary lists.
Mark Canfield
Diane Hobbs
Lane Ware
Priscilla Genest
Janelle Utter
Tom Stafford
Connor Dow
Susan Stolberg
Paige Hoague
Lindsay Markel
Dave Nichols
Alma Trowbridge
2/1
2/1
2/1
2/11
2/14
2/15
2/17
2/19
2/22
2/25
2/25
2/25
Happy Anniversary
Jed & Susan Stolberg
2/3
Best Wishes
Alex Sivitskis, Jill Romer’s son
and one of our own, is now a senior
at Johns Hopkins University. He will
be running with a group of collegeaged students in the 4K For Cancer
Run from San Francisco to New
York City this summer in support of
young adults battling cancer. His run
is being dedicated in memory of his
dad, Tony who died of leukemia
when Alex was 10.
Alex said in an article in The
Landmark, “I experienced the
strength of community, revolving
around one person’s misfortune,
and everyone’s efforts to do whatever they can to help. I discovered the
importance of laughter to diffuse
situations and bring them back to
the reality of happiness. And most
prominently, I came to realize the
ability of an individual; how despite
being sick and barely able to move,
a simple gesture like giving a
‘thumbs up’ can denote so much
drive, determination, hope and
love.” His goal is to raise $10,000.
To make a donation to Alex, visit
4kforcancer.org/profiles/alexsivitskis or send a check to 4K for
Cancer, 921 E. Fort Ave., Ste 325,
Baltimore, MD 21230.
Interfaith Hospitality Network Host Week March 1-8, 2015
By Annette Markel
The Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) program unites religious congregations to assist families experiencing homelessness. Host churches and synagogues provide groceries, supplies, and evening and overnight supervision on a rotating basis. Our congregation and Prince of Peace parishioners have committed to provide hands-on and financial support to the IHN
program by hosting two weeks each year. Our week is approaching and we
need your help in any of the following ways:
IHN Evening Host Volunteer (6-8 pm) Meet coordinator at 91 June St. at
6 pm. Eat with the guests. Your meal will be provided. Spend time with the
guests, socializing, watching TV, reading to the children. Contact Annette
Markel (508-662-7473) with any questions
IHN Activity Host Volunteer (6:15-7:00 p.m.)
A week prior to host week you will be contacted with the number and ages
of the children. Your responsibility is to keep the children entertained so
that parents may have a break. Arts, crafts, games, books are all appropriate and welcome. Contact Bettyanne Hauver (H- 978-422-8407, C- 978660-0630) with any questions.
IHN Overnight Host Volunteer
(8 pm-6:30 am on weekdays, until 8:30 am on Saturday and Sunday)
A coordinator will be there to help you set up and fill you in on the routine
(where you sleep, wake up times...) Spend time with the guests. Families
know the bedtime policies. Make sure everyone is up in the morning. There
are breakfast provisions available for guests to prepare for themselves.
Contact Bob Sauer with any questions (H-978-464-2777, C- 978-660-0001)
IHN Donor (for Groceries) ~ Due by February 22nd
Families plan their menu, shop for the groceries and prepare their own
meals. We provide the money for this purpose and we ask for your donations of:
Money - Cash and checks made out to FCC may be placed in the offering
plate. Please make a note that the donation is for IHN. Checks may also be
made out to Annette Markel and mailed directly to her at 169 Beaman Rd.
However, if you want your donation recorded by the church, you must send
the donation to the church, not Annette.
Price Chopper gift cards - May also be placed in the offering plate with a
note designating it for IHN or mailed to Annette.
All donations must be received by February 22 so that they can be delivered to IHN prior to our host week. Contact Annette Markel (508-6627473) with any questions.
A volunteer sign-up sheet is hanging in Fellowship Hall. Please help out
with this essential and rewarding mission. So many lives will be enriched,
including your own!!
Save the Date!
Super Saturday
March 21, 2015
Ludlow High School
500 Chapin Street, Ludlow, MA
8:00 am-3:00 pm
A fruitful time of learning new
ways to strengthen our faith,
create opportunities for outreach
and mission while gaining a
sense of our connectedness to
brothers and sisters in faith.
Women’s Group
We will be gathering for our
monthly potluck on Thursday,
February, 26th beginning at
6:30pm. All women of the
church and their friends are invited to share in a meal that always features unusual and delicious treats. Even if you don’t
have time to cook, come knowing there will be plenty to share!
Children's Program
Sunday, February 8th
By Judy Breen
We invite all children 3 years and
older to a special lesson about
the tribes of Israel. As we have
this Bible story during
Sunday school time, we
will be making pizzas
that will be served at
coffee hour. We hope
you will make a special effort to
attend and have fun. Child care
for infants and toddlers is always
available on Sunday mornings.
Hospitality Dinner
Our next Hospitality Dinner will be
on February 2. Since Chinese
New Year begins this month we
will feature Chinese dumplings, a
big favorite. Although this is the
Year of the Goat, we will not be
serving goat meat! Vegetarian
options always available. We
begin preparations at 5:00 pm
and plan to eat around 5:45. All
ages welcome to come to the
meal. Junior choir rehearsal begins at 6:15, following dinner.
Valentines for Vets
Due February 8th
We are seeking donations
to fill valentine bags with toiletry
articles and other small gifts to be
given to the veterans at the Central Mass Homeless Vets Shelter
in Worcester. We are collecting
full-size (no samples) packages
of shampoo, soap, deodorant,
toothpaste, toothbrushes, razors, shaving cream, combs
and packs of playing cards.
Since it is unknown whether any
recipients will be women, we ask
that items designed specifically for
ladies be avoided. Cash donations for purchasing these items
are also very welcome, and can
be given to Karen Grzyb, Jodi Utter or the office. Items can be
dropped off no later than February 8 in the Valentines for Vets
box in Fellowship Hall. Thanks!
Sunday
Monday
1
Tuesday
2
Wednesday
3
4
8:45am Choir
5:00pm
Hospitality
10:00am Worship Dinner
11:30am Annual
6:15pm
Meeting
Junior Choir
8
8:45am Choir
10:00am Worship
11:45am World
Ministries
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
5
5:00-6:00pm
Line Dancing
6
5:00-8:00pm
Girl Scouts
6:30-8:30pm
Girl Scouts
9
10
11
12
3-5pm
Girl Scouts
3-4:30pm
Girl Scouts
6:00-8:00pm
Girl Scouts
5:00-6:00pm
Line Dancing
7
9-11am
Preschool
Open House
13
14
9:30-11:30am
Spinning
6:15pm
Junior Choir
15
8:45am Choir
16
17
18
Office closed
19
5:00-6:00pm
Line Dancing
10:00am Worship
12pm Senior
Luncheon
11:45am Council
20
21
9:00am
Spire Deadline
5:00-8:00pm
Girl Scouts
7:00pm
Worship
22
8:45am Choir
10:00am Worship
1pm private party
in F. Hall
23
24
25
26
3-5pm
Girl Scouts
7:00pm Living
with Loss
6:15pm
Junior Choir
6:30pm
7:00pm Boy
Women’s
Scout Court of Group
Honor (F. Hall)
(Parlor)
5:00-6:00pm
Line Dancing
Princeton Community Preschool Enrollment
By Kathy Johnson, Director
We are now accepting enrollment for September 2015! Families from all
towns are welcome. We offer a developmentally appropriate open-ended
curriculum for children age 2 years, 9 months through age 5 (pre-k). Our
program fosters independent thinking, self-help skills and the socialemotional development of each child along with interesting and engaging
learning centers devoted to math, science, technology, early literacy and
the arts. Children also enjoy music and creative movement. Our hours of
operation are 7:30-4:30 Monday through Friday with your choice of days
and sessions to suit your schedule. We also offer programs
for children attending morning kindergarten who will arrive off
the TPS school bus at noon. Open House for new children: Saturday, February 7, 9-11am! Visit our website at
www.princetoncommunitypreschool.com and like us on facebook at Princeton Community Preschool. For more information and to schedule a tour please call Kathy at 978-464-5960.
27
28
9:30-11:30am
Spinning
Heifer Farm Event
216 Wachusett St., Rutland
Pancakes at the Farm
March 7 & 8; 14 & 15
9am-1pm
Tour the farm to see the maple
sugaring operation, animals and
unique Global Village. Enjoy a
hearty pancake breakfast with
local maple syrup and farmraised pork sausage.
Space is limited - reservations
required. Call 508-886-2221.
Adults $12; children $6; age 2
and under free.
Non-Profit Org.
Prsrt Std Ltd
U.S. Postage
PAID
Princeton, MA 01541
Permit No. 2
Rev. Linda Michel
Office Tel: 978/464-2837
[email protected]
www.firstchurchprinceton.com
RETURN SERVICE
REQUESTED
No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey,
you’re welcome here.
United Church of Christ
The First Congregational Church of Princeton