Volume 59, Issue 11
November 2009
Harbor 55 First Parish Road, Scituate, MA 02066
Marshfield 185 Plain Street, Marshfield, MA 02050
Reverend Rick McKinley is also available by appointment
Hey church, Let’s face it - church is odd, peculiar. Oh, it’s not so odd for those of us who have been part of “church” for a while, but for folks who haven’t been part of church for a while, or maybe never, church is odd. And if they attend a church like ours, it’s a little more peculiar. We all sit in rows (on hard benches, mind you) and from time to time we get up - then we sit down - and then we get up - and sit down. And we sing. I have to tell you, there’s not a lot of singing going on out there in the world - at least not in one big group. Most people just listen to music. If they sing, it’s usually when they are riding in their car alone. Or they’re at a Red Sox game (...Sweet Caroline, oh, oh, oh). Then there’s the reputation issue. We’ve talked about this before, but as we head into the “holiday” season, it’s good to be reminded. People who don’t regularly come to church resist coming because of what they are afraid they might encounter. Judgment. Awkwardness. You just don’t know where people are coming from and what their experience has been when it comes to church. And they think we’re odd. So how we respond when a visitor arrives is really, really important. Like the story I just read in a book called “Less clutter, less noise” about a man who regularly attends church. He sat down behind a family with a teenage boy playing his Game Boy. As the service started, he became irritated that the boy continued to play his game. The longer the service went on and the boy kept playing, the more agitated the man became. It was on mute but still distracting and unnerving. He was just about to lean forward to ask the boy to put the game away when something caused him to stop. He waited a few minutes, leaned forward, tapped the boy on the shoulder, and said, “I’ve got the guide with all the moves to beat that game if you want it.” How about that? What the man did not know was that the teenage boy in front of him was autistic. He also didn’t know that the family hadn’t been able to attend church for years because of their son’s inability to sit still. Imagine how differently things might have gone if the man had instead insisted the boy put the Game Boy away. Every week we see new faces in our worship gatherings. We don’t know their stories. We don’t know what they are carrying in with them, what kind of heartaches, what kind of dreams, what kind of hopes. And as the author of the book mentioned above says, as a church we seek to offer a message of hope and redemption. But before the people in our world ever encounter that message, they encounter you and me. So this fall and Advent season, take a moment to look around you. Look for the new faces. Take a moment to remember that they came for a reason; they are looking for something. Looking for hope. Looking for connection. They’ve gotten up their courage to walk through the doors and enter a strange place, with strange (or should I say “odd”) people. What kind of experience will they have? How will they be received? The answer is up to you. Grace and peace,
Rick
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Senior Youth Group News
The youth have spent the past few meetings constructing their activity calendar for the Fall and Winter. Their goal is to connect and grow in their personal faith and to boldly share God's love with others. On the calendar are events to help the homeless, raise awareness and money to stop poverty and AIDS, and interact with other youth in Scituate and around New England. In November the youth plan to help at the church's "Ye Olde Village Fair", the Thanksgiving Dinner, and will have a movie night/sleepover with other Christian youth from Harvard and Hudson, MA on Friday, 11/20. The Senior Youth Group meeting every Sunday at 4pm with the first hour devoted to learning, sharing, and fun and the second hour in worship together at "THE WAVE" service. Please contact leaders, Erin Banner or Bryan Pretzer with any questions.
Junior Youth Group News
Upcoming events.. Sunday November 29th.. Candy Making for Bake Sale on December 5th. We will be raising money to help support Flora , our Compassion International Child. Time to be announced. Donations for the bake table will be greatly appreciated. Please deliver to the church between 9 and 10 AM on Saturday, December 5. Bake Sale Saturday Dec 5th Santa Stroll - 10AM to 12noon. Laura O'Keefe, 781-544-6015
Compassion International Child
Flora Fransiska Pandiangan was born Sept 9, 1999. She is now 10 years old. She lives in Indonesia with her Mother, Father and 3 brothers and sisters. She often has to help care for the younger siblings. Her Dad is only sometimes employed as a Public Transportation bus driver and her mom helps maintain their home. The Junior Youth Group has been sponsoring Flora for the past 2 years. She writes us a few times a year and her letters center around the activities and trips she attends with the Anugerah Student Center or, the Project, as she refers to it. It is here that she learns about Jesus and his love, celebrates the holidays but most of all she loves to sing praise songs with her sister and their friends.
What the Pastor Is Reading
Unbinding the Gospel by Martha Reese Wicked Pleasures: Meditations on the 7 Deadly Sins by Robert Solomon
November Birthdays
Kiera Reidy Siobhan Reidy Warren McClanahan Tyler Shannon Tommy Lovering Diane Evans Rebecca Jane Hollis Christopher Dean Jackson Fitzgerald 5 5 7 17 19 20 22 27 28
Are you a…. New resident or Visitor or have a neighbor who is one of the above?
Then please call Ken Cerny, Lay Leader at 781.749.5862. Thank you.
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Financial Report as of September 30, 2009
Operating income for Sep Operating expense for Sept. Surplus/(Deficit) Beginning checkbook balance 9/1 Total income this month Total expense this month Ending checkbook balance 9/30 Less: Special Funds accounts Cash for Budget 12,149.73 12,768.61 (618,88) 36,545.62 16,853.73 15,737.53 37,661.82 14,717.71 22,944.11
Music Notes
HUMC choir will welcome new members for the "Advent Choir" this Christmas season. Rehearsals for Advent worship music offerings will begin Thursday Nov. 5 from 7:30 to 8:15 PM, continuing Nov. 12, 19 and Dec. 3, 10 and 17. If anyone from the congregation would like to make this short time commitment during the upcoming weeks, please see Ellen or any choir member after church. First Sunday in Advent is November 29!
The Star Bakery--Bread to Feed Young Minds
The heartbreaking reality for thousands of children in Managua, Nicaragua is that they will never be able to attend school because their families desperately need them to supplement the family income by selling goods on the streets. What if it were possible for some of these children not only to attend school, but to also receive health care, have after school tutoring, eat a healthy mid day meal, and have access to cultural programs including dance and art? What if it were possible for these little ones to have a future that will not force their children into street selling? A fully operational project called The Star Bakery (Panaderia Estrella) is being created by Foundation NITCA,a well established community based organization, located in Barrio Los Laureles Sur, one of the poorest neighborhoods in Managua, Nicaragua. The foundation has a 10 year record of providing very successful programs in the community- including preschool education (including healthy food), scholarships for secondary schools, health care, small scale community vegetable gardens, and cultural programs. The Star Bakery project is part of a new approach for supporting nonprofit foundations since consistent funding for charitable organizations is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain in third world countries. The goal is to provide affordable and needed services or products for the community through self sustaining businesses which produce profits that are rolled back into the nonprofit's programs. Sustainable programs like this one are key to the future of nonprofit foundations. Parents employed by the Star Bakery will no longer need to have their children selling on the streets and bakery profits will sustain NITCA programs for all children it serves. The mission of NITCA is to improve the quality of life for children by reducing the need for child labor. Detailed information about NITCA may be found on the NITCA website at http://www.NITCA.com
How will this be accomplished?
The total cost of this project will be $103,000, including land acquisition, construction of a new building, purchasing baking equipment, training personnel, marketing, and initial supplies for start up. These funds will produce a fully operational bakery. The land has already been purchased, and the business plan is in place. The next step is raising the required capital. Groundbreaking - Spring 2010.
How you can help
Every donation we receive is important to this grass roots project: Checks should be payable to : Harbor UMC, write Star Baker in the memo line Checks should be sent to: Contact: Harbor UMC, 55 First Parish Road, Scituate MA 02066
Kevin McNally kspnally@gmail.com
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Join us for our famous homemade luncheon featuring: Fresh Lobster Rolls ●Lobster Salad dinner
Homemade Clam Chowder, Chili, and Split Pea Soup Famous Dessert Selection – delicious cakes and pies!
Come visit our. . . . . . Bake Table – Homemade baked goods! Jewelry Corner – Vintage jewelry! Attic Treasures / Kids’ Corner – Toys, treasurers & more!! Craft Corner – Unique one-of-a-kind items!
TAKE OUT AVAILABLE!
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Scituate Interfaith Food Pantry - Thanksgiving Inn Gathering
November is an extremely busy month for the Food Pantry. The pantry served 31 families on a recent Tuesday in October. This is an unusually high number for one day so the shelves are getting low again. Some items needed include: creamed soups, stews, chowders, muffin mixes, crackers and cookies, dried and canned pasta, juices (any), paper towels and toothpaste. As for the inn gathering – you will be given a decorated bag (thanks to the Sunday School) for the inn gathering. Any of the above items would be fine plus the traditional Thanksgiving food i.e. boxed instant mashed potatoes, stuffing mix, turkey gravy (in packets), cranberry sauce, cake and brownie mix, canned frosting, bread and muffin mixes. Please no canned pumpkin. Please return the bags by November 15. Thank you, Alice Hamer Romans 12:13 - Share with God’s people who are in need.
Sharing, Inc.
Close to 900 books by and about African American have been shipped to a state senator in Alabama who will distribute them among the 93 schools in his district. These books are part of the Christmas project sponsored by Sharing and supported by you who sponsor our walkers each Good Friday. Other gifts include basketballs, soccer balls, soft stuffed animals, baby blankets and some beautiful dolls, which are sent to the House of Joy Daycare in Okolona, MS. Thanks from Sharing for sharing!
Electronic Recycling Day
Date and location: November 14, 9am-3pm Harbor United Methodist Church Location: 55 First Parish Road, Scituate MA Recycling supports the environment and prevents hazardous waste! Computers monitors, televisions, miscellaneous electronics, computer parts, appliances, and car batteries. Bring items to church parking lot and look for a large trailer truck. Environmental Project Supporting Harbor United Methodist Church The following fees will be changed for each disposal: Keyboards Monitors, Computers, Stereos, Radios, Microwaves & DVD Players House clean out metal, such as doors and misc. Dishwashers, stoves, washer, dryers& hot water heaters Refrigerators, Freezers, Plastic , AC Units Tv’s 20 inches and under Tv’s over 20 inches and Wood Console TV’s No Charge for cell phones(they will be donated to the Soldiers Program) Car Batteries Jet ink cartridges (any make) Surrounding Communities are welcome All items should be empty and contain no gasoline, oil or water! No limit to amount of items for disposal! Please e-mail denwaynewood@yahoo.com with any questions or call Dennis Wood 508-277-7513 FREE $5.00 ea $5.00 ea $10.00 ea $10.00 ea $10.00 ea $15.00 ea FREE FREE FREE
N ove m b e r 20 0 9
Sunday Schedule 9:00 AM Communion Worship Marshfield 10:45 AM Communion Worship Scituate 5 PM Communion Worship Scituate Harbor and Marshfield Church 55 First Parish Road, Scituate, MA 02066 - Office 781.545.0818 185 Plain Street, Marshfield, MA 02050 - Office: 781.837.2746 Parsonage: 781.545.5114
Sun
1
Mon
2
Tue
3 9 AM to noon Pastor hours
Wed
4
Thu
5 School of Congregational Development
Fri
6 School of Congregational Development
Sat
7 School of Congregational Development
9 AM Marshfield 9 AM to noon Pastor hours 10:45 Scituate 6 PM WW 5 PM Scituate 7 to 9:30PM
Disciple 2
1 to 4 PM Pastor hours Marshfield 3:30 to 5:30 PM Brownies/Daisies 11 No Pastor hours, meeting in York, ME 3:30 to 5:30 PM Brownies
10 AM Weight Watchers
8
9
10 9 AM to noon Pastor hours
12 9 AM to noon Pastor hours 7:30 to 9 PM Choir rehearsal
13
14 Ye Olde Village Fair Electronic Recycling
9 AM Marshfield 9 AM to noon Pastor hours 10:45 Scituate 6 PM WW 5 PM Scituate 7 to 9:30PM
Disciple 2 Bible Study
10 AM Weight Watchers 17 9 AM to noon Pastor hours
15
16
18 No Pastor hours 1 to 7 PM Red Cross Blood Drive
19 9 AM to noon Pastor hours 7:30 to 9 PM Choir rehearsal
20
21
9 AM Marshfield 9 AM to noon Pastor hours 10:45 Scituate 5 PM Scituate
10 AM Weight Watchers 23 24 No Pastor hours
3:30 to 5:30 PM Brownies
22
25 No Pastor hours 3 to 5 PM
26 No Pastor hours
27
28
9 AM Marshfield No Pastor hours 10:45 Scituate 5 PM Scituate 6 PM WW
7 to 9:30PM Disciple 2 Bible Study
10 AM Weight Watchers
Scouts
Community Thanksgiving
29
30
South Shore Elder Services Serves lunches every M, W, F at 11:30 AM in Bruce Hall. Meals on Wheels Prepared in the kitchen Mon through Fri. Mary Ellen Ross, Liaison
9 AM Marshfield 9 AM to noon Pastor hours 10:45 Scituate 6 PM WW 5 PM Scituate 7 to 9:30PM
United Methodist Student Day
Disciple 2 Bible Study
Sunday Worship Servants
November Acolyte Liturgist Communion Servers
Pastor Rick, Steve Smith, Falon Sweeny, Mary Sheehan Pastor Rick, Linda Ross, Kelly O’Keefe, Melinda Cerny Pastor Rick, Paul Moura, Kelsey Lovering, Pam Pretzer Pastor Rick, Bill MCall, Julie O’Keefe, Nancy Thurson
Youth Liturgist/ Worship Assistant
Falon Sweeny
1
Ian Sincoski
Steve Smith
8
Madeline Ryan
Linda Ross
Kelly O’Keefe
15
Tommy Lovering
Paul Moura
Kelsey Lovering
22
Ben Pretzer
Bill McCall
Julie O’Keefe
29
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
Greeters for November are The Sincoski Family. Ushers are John and Mary Ellen Ross. Sunday Evening Small Group is providing coffee hour for the month of November. Please call to switch dates with the next person above, if you are not available to participate on your assigned day. Also kindly contact Lori McKinley at 545-5114 to tell her of the change. Thank you.
Prayer Concerns
Please lift the following in prayer, that they may be strengthened, guided, and healed… Consider visiting or sending a card. Please contact Alice Hamer at 781.545.4112 if you know of anyone who is ill, a recent shut in, has had a tough go, or suffered a loss . If we can get this information, an appropriate card will be sent to them.
Mary Acker (health issues) Jack Gage (health issues) Helen and Maynard Huntley Michelle and Family Teri Hopkins Martin Terry McKinley (lung cancer) Ruth Cuneo Amaroso (Louise Proctor’s niece - brain tumor) Christine Colmen Trudy (sister of Peter Whitfield) Jimmie McCall (Bills’ brother - pray for strength) Joe Davies (nephew of Mary Voelger) Mattie Dillon (10 yo - leukemia) Rich Lynam (Shirley’s son) Ben (deployed to Iraq) and Linda Crovella Sally Haines (Shirley’s cousin - cancer) Pam Pretzer’s mother and father and brother Brad Ricky, Patsy, and Bill Hoffman Bruccoleri Family on loss of Michael’s mother Maria Jose - in orphanage in Nicaragua Star Bakery Project/NITCA Brad as he heals from hip surgery Donna Green and her Magic Moon foundation Wy Ainslie Edie Hall Lucy Morris Olga Finnie Ruth Roberts Skye McCall Harrison Collett Perley Griswold Becky and Jerry Fay Ruth Stevens Zylinski Family
Long Island Shelter
We are delivering over 200 bags of Halloween candy to the shelter this week. Marie is excited she is going to use them at Woods Mullen location. Christmas wrapping Party is all set for Sunday December 13th at 2:00 at the Long Island shelter. Save the date now if you would like to be part of the crew.
THE HARBOR & MARSHFIELD UMC
55 First Parish Road Scituate, MA 02066 185 Plain Street Marshfield, MA 02050
Pastor: Reverend Rick McKinley Church Office: 781.545.0818/781.837.2746 Office Email: harborumc@verizon.net
Office Hours: M, Tu, Th: 9 AM to noon Scituate Wed: 1 to 4 PM Marshfield Also available by appointment.
Connect - Grow - Serve
harbormarsh.org
Agape Scarf Ministry (ASM)
2009-2010 Goal: 525 hats, scarves and mittens for the Long Island Shelter. 2009-2010 Total-to-Date: 78 We will not have a service day in November. Instead, please drop off your scarves, hats and mittens in time for blessing at the 10:45am service at the Harbor Campus on November 8th. We will pack them up and get them to the shelter in time for Thanksgiving. (A plastic container, marked ASM can be found in Bruce Hall at the Harbor Campus for drop offs.) Don’t knit or crochet? That’s okay. Fleece scarves, hats and mittens are also a welcome gift to someone who is cold. “Got Yarn?” Our yarn stash in Bruce Hall is getting low. If you don’t knit or crochet but would like to help with this program, yarn in gender-neutral colors is always welcomed! Just look for the container with the sign “Got Yarn?” and drop off a skein or two. Spread the Word Information about the ASM can now be found on the “Service and Growth” page of the church web site. We also have a brochure (available in Bruce Hall). If you know people who would be interested in becoming part of this ministry, be sure to give them a brochure or send them the web site address. To view the web page, go to the church web site: http://www.harbormarsh.org/ and click on the “Service and Growth” link. For more information contact Melinda Cerny at melindacerny@gmail.com.