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Welcome to the Belchertown
United Church of Christ!
As an Open and Affirming congregation, we welcome people of all colors;
people who are gay, lesbian, heterosexual, bisexual, or transgender; people
who are economically challenged; people of all marital status; people
of all nationalities; people of all ages; people who are living with mental,
emotional, and/or physical abilities other than what is considered "normal"
by our culture.
PASTOR'S LETTER
The early church used Lent as a time of preparation for new life. Members of the faith communicy dedicated themselves to intentional prayer and spiritual activity so that when Easter arrived, they would experience the newness of life that Jesus' resurrection signaled for the world and for themselves. It was not until the Middle Ages that Lent became equated with fasting and abnegation.
It has been said by the likes of modern day theologians (Brian McClaren, Tom Bandy, Bill Easum, Walter Bruggeman) that the latter part of the 20th Century and today is more like the first century than the middle ages.
May the coming days (beginning with Ash Wednesday on Febuary 17 at 7 pm) be a quiet reminder of the rich possibilities for faithful living that we have in Jesus Christ.
Peace,
Todd
To assit you in focusing on praying twice a day (morning and night) and in doing so , making an offering of thanksgiving to God for the blessings anticipated and received in your daily journey, we will be offering a list of Scripture readings, delivered daily through Twitter. The hope is, by making the text accessible, you will more likely engage them, reflect on them, allow them to shape you in the coming weeks as you prepare for the renewal that is Easter morning.
Tuesday, March 2nd † Christian Ed. Meeting
New board members needed soon!
See the newsletter for more details Sunday, March 7th † Annual Meeting w/ Potluck Brunch
(Committee reports due Feb. 8th!!) March 12-14, 2010 † United Church of Christ Women's Celebration VIII Women & Girls Together Building Bridges Burlington, VT
An intergenerational celebration for ages 14 and up! Gather with girls and women throughout New England to build bridges across the generations through the arts, awareness and action.
Visit http://www.uccwomenscelebration.org for more information.
Wednesday, March 24th † Loaves and Fishes
Volunteers needed
See the newsletter for more details April 4 † Sunrise Worship at Quabbin Tower 6:00 am
We will join the community in welcoming the risen Christ into our midst.
From Belchertown take Route 9 east. Enter at the second entrance.April 4 † Easter worship in the Santuary 9:30 am
Spoiler Alert: He is Risen! Jesus’ resurrection really makes a difference in our lives and in our relationships. Come sing a song of praise to that Good News!Second Saturday of Each Month † Buildings and Grounds Workday All Welcome to lend a hand!.Second Tuesday of Each Month † Christian Education Second Tuesday of Each Month † Home Dept. Location changes each monthSecond Monday of Each Month † Deacons Meeting Third Wednesday of Each Month † Finance Board
Please contact us for more information.
211 th Annual Meeting of the
Massachusetts Conference,
United Church of Christ
DCU Center, Worcester, MA
Dear Friends,
For the past few years the MACUCC Annual Meeting has taken place in October. This change from the traditional June date coincided with General Synod in 2007 in Hartford, and the decision to split the Annual Meeting so that more people might take the opportunity to participate in Synod when it was close to Massachusetts.
In response to the requests of many, and faced with the considerable challenges of staffing a fall meeting, we have decided to move the Annual Meeting back to the traditional June time frame. Since we just enjoyed an October 2009 2-day meeting in Worcester, we are planning a 1-day meeting on June 19, 2010 to help us get back on track. This upcoming meeting, although primarily business, will include inspirational worship and a compelling lunchtime presentation.
We have also heard a groundswell of interest in a 2-day meeting including multiple workshop opportunities. Because multiple workshops cannot be accommodated at the DCU Center, we are also exploring the possibility of moving the June 2011 Annual Meeting back to a college campus, if we can find one that meets our accessibility and facility needs.
Until then, I would ask you to please take our three-question survey, available at: www.macucc.org/AMsurvey.
Your responses are in no way a commitment, but we are looking to get a sense of likely participants for the 2010 Annual Meeting and it will help our planning.
Stay tuned to The Mailing and MACUCC website for more information.
If you have already taken the Spirit Seminars or would like to jump right into the deep end of the swimming pool, the Acts of Faith Series is made for you. Based on the Serendipity Bible Studies, Acts of Faith is a seven part series that looks at the book of Acts in the Bible and engages participants in a discussion of discovery about how our faith matters and influences our lives. You may attend one or all of the sessions.
7pm in the Art Room of the Parish house
The sessions will include:
October 19: Giddy or Gobsmacked? (How do we express our faith?)
November: Fellowship of the King (How do we gather around Jesus?)
January 20: Truth or Consequences (How do
we maintain spiritual integrity?)
February: That’s Saul Folks! (How has
the Spirit changed us?)
March: Pete’s Picnic (What are our prejudices and how do we address them spiritually?)
April: Breaking Out (What are the
prisons that hold us?)
May: A Gripping Tale (How to engage in faith conversations…revisited)
Like the Spirit Seminars, we need at least eight people signed up in advance to make this conversation possible. Sign up in the church hallway, or call the office today to let us know you want to be a part of this important conversation.
Our Services are now Televised
Our Sunday service is now shown Sundays at 2pm on Belchertown Community TV (channels 5 and 19).
