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- March 20, 2025
March 20, 2025
"When you forgive, you love. And when you love, God’s light shines upon you" -Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild
In This Edition:
ONA Congregational Conversation This Sunday
Open and Affirming (ONA) Task Force invites you to join us for a Congregational Conversation Sunday 3/23 11:45am-1:00pm, meeting in the Parlor.
These are an opportunity to share your questions, comments and thoughts in a faithful space about being an Open and Affirming church to our community. If you are unable to attend, there will be another conversation held next month (4/27).
Deidre Donaldson, Lauren Durso, Jacob Golden, Joanne Grant, Michael Keimig, Kerry Ryan
Chowdahfest is Coming!
Volunteers Needed
We will need people to help with prep on Thursday, April 3rd, as well as servers and sellers. You can also donate some of the items needed to make our delicious Fish and Corn Chowders. Questions or comments, please contact Laurie Kerns to volunteer ([email protected]). Please reply to Rich Keen ([email protected]) if you can donate any of the items listed below:
25 lbs Red Potatoes
4 qts. Heavy Cream
Spring Concert Tickets On Sale Now
Save the date and spread the word! The talented musicians of Union Congregational and Band Together (and some of our favorite special guests!) will join us for a wonderful program celebrating the coming of Spring.
Significant Other Sunday - March 30
Pastor Shepherd has challenged everyone in the congregation to invite their “significant other” (spouse, partner, friend, child, sibling, etc.) who does not regularly attend worship to come to church with you on Sunday March 30th. As a church we agree: (1) Everyone will extend at least one invitation (2) No one will ask attendees to do anything else while they’re there; (3) Pastor Shepherd will keep the sermon and the service short (under 1 hour total!)
Blood Drive 3/26 - Call for Volunteers
There will be a blood drive Wednesday, March 26th, from 1 to 6 p.m. If you would like to help out, please get in touch with Rich Keen ([email protected]).
Sunday School Registration
In an effort to increase both transparency in our policies and visibility to our programs, we've created a simple online registration form for children who participate in Sunday School. The form allows us to keep records of who is in Sunday School (including birthdays, so we can send cards!), ensure accurate contact information for parents, verify that parents are aware of/have read our church's "Safe Church Policy," and consent for use of images and videos of children in our church publications and social media. Any parents whose children are at all involved with Sunday School are encouraged to visit www.churchbythepark.org/growingdisciples and fill out the online registration as soon as possible.
Music Notes
Last Sunday, Laura McHugh shared a lovely rendition of “The Deer’s Cry” in worship, which you can relive here:
This Sunday is our annual Bach Sunday! Our choir will sing Sicut locutus est from the Magnificat, the Handbell Choir will present a beautiful beloved offering, and we'll be joined by a brass duo and guest vocal artist in celebration of “The Fifth Evangelist,” J.S. Bach’s birthday!
Gif by musicnotes on Giphy
Sunday Sermon Snippet
Jon Krakauer’s book Into the Wild tells the story of Chris McCandless (aka Alexander Supertramp), a young man who (*spoiler alert*) died in the Alaskan wilderness after mistaking a poisonous plant for an edible one. In the wilderness, one wrong move can be the end for you. But this Sunday, we’ll hear Jesus’s “Parable of the Fig Tree,” which is all about getting one more chance to turn things around. Have you ever needed just one more chance? Has there been a time when you got a “second bite at the apple,” and something amazing came out of it?
“King of Kings” Coming Out April 11
Nancy Farris is wondering if there might be an interest in getting a group together to watch it. Please get in touch with her ([email protected]) or reply to this email, and I will let her know.
Holding in Prayer
This week, as a community of faith we pray:
for the Whittier family, as they celebrate the life and mourn the death of Winslow “Red” Whittier Jr.
for comfort, at the death of Dick Grant
for those affected by severe storms over the weekend in the south and midwest
for Peter Nixon, who’s going through a bad spell right now
for Joe Maiewski Jr., who is facing difficult health challenges
for Lauren, and for those searching for employment, and for health
for Jane’s friend Diane, whose husband was recently hospitalized
with joy, for Lew’s recovery from the Flu, and for continued improvement.
with joy, for Pastor Shepherd’s cousin Rachel and her husband Adam, who were able to bring home their baby daughter from the NICU last week
for comfort, at the death of Lew’s cousin Richard
for healing for Lew’s brother Richard, and his wife Paula