Table of Contents
Guest Preacher This Sunday
Pastor Shepherd will be away at an academic conference from March 12-16. This Sunday, we’ll welcome the Rev. Elaine Gaetani as our guest preacher.
Rev. Gaetani has over 25 years of experience as a pastor in the UCC, and has been specializing in bridge ministries in Massachusetts since 2019.
Art in Bloom
You are invited to Art in Bloom, presented by the Norwood Evening Garden Club at the Norwood Library on Saturday, March 21 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday March 22 from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. This event is free, and will feature floral designs by our own Shirley Booth and Whitney Shepherd!
Lenten Book Study: Friday Only This Week
This week, there will be no Thursday evening meeting. All are invited to gather in person in the Parlor at Church from 12:00-1:00 PM to discuss Chapter 3 of Meeting Jesus on the Road.
CHOWDAHFEST: Order Now!
The "Chowdahfest to Go" is scheduled for Friday night, March 27th. There are three areas where volunteers are needed. Volunteers will be needed to prep 30 lbs. of Red Potatoes on Thursday night, 3/26. This is a fairly easy task that involves washing and then dicing them into half inch cubes. The second area is baked desserts to go with the chowder. The third area is the donation of ingredients to prepare the chowders.
We are still in need of:
2 5 pound bags of red potatoes
13 12 oz cans of evaporated milk
4 quarts of heavy cream
You can now place orders for chowder using order forms at the church, or online (link below). Invite friends and neighbors to order chowder as well: for convenience, just send them to our website churchbythepark.org. A link to the order form is on the home page.
Easter Flowers
If you would like to order an Easter Lily or Blue Hydrangea, here is the order form:
Holy Week Events
Keep your eyes peeled for more details about the exciting plans for our Holy Week/Easter celebration!
Lent 2026: “Pray Like This”
As a congregation, our theme for the Lenten season this year is “Pray Like This.” Sunday’s sermons will walk through the words of the Lord’s Prayer, and members of the congregation are invited to take up the discipline of praying that prayer at least once a day throughout the Lenten season.
My 43rd Walk For Hunger
On Sunday, May 3rd I will be participating in and completing my 43rd Walk for Hunger. I dedicate my walk each year in memory of Kay Williams, long time member of Union Congregational Church.
While Boston has cut the walk to 3 miles to cut costs, I continue to complete my 20 miles here on Cape Cod each year.
I walk to raise funds to help feed families that are less fortunate than most of us, as they do not know where their next meal is coming from. I walk for the hungry children of this state, that due to no fault of their own, go hungry each and every day!
The need this year is even greater than ever with all the budget cuts to SNAP benefits and food assistance. 1 in 3 families is now food insecure!
I am asking you for your support again this year. Last year, with your financial support, I was able to raise over $13,800.00 for this great cause. I am hoping to raise at least $15,000.00 this year.
There are three ways to show your support:
1) Go to my direct link at https://give.projectbread.org/Horace43
2) Venmo me @Horace-Thayer (code is 1106 if needed)
3) Make a check payable to Project Bread and send it to me at
69 Warwick Way – Centerville, Ma. 02632
Thank you in advance for your support!
Horace Thayer
Sunday School Volunteers
Are needed for throughout the year. Please sign up here:
Holding in Prayer
This week, as a community of faith we pray:
For Dominique’s family, as they mourn the death of her cousin, Betty Madden.
For Laurie’s friend Val, who is having surgery to repair a broken patella
For Jim’s brother Mike, who was recently hospitalized, and for Jim
For Dick and Elsa Carlson, who are both recovering from back injuries
for Shirley/Judy/Nancy’s classmate Kathy Wiggins, who is being treated for multiple myeloma
for Shirley’s friend Anita, who is recovering from hernia surgery
for Barbara Carroll, as she recovers from hip surgery
for the Brown University community as students and professors return to campus
with joy for the Olympic athletes
for Laurie’s brother-in-law Jack, as he returns home from a vacation
for Ruth, who has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma
for the life of Jerry Powers, and all who mourn his passing
for Margie’s college roommate Mary, who has recently been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer
for the Howes Family, as they mourn the death of Richard Howes, Lew’s brother, who passed away, and especially for his wife Paula.
for Phyllis’s granddaughter’s boyfriend Tim, who was in a severe car accident and is recovering from his injuries at Mass General
for Ann Totten, who is recovering from injuries from another fall
for Chris Weylman’s dad Fred, as he continues to rehab from a fall
for Kerry’s friend Diane, who was recently hospitalized
for Jack, as he faces a cancer diagnosis alongside Alzheimers, and for his son, John and his wife Tammy.
for Padraig, as he heals from an injured hip
for Lew’s friend Dan, as he faces kidney disease
