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- October 16, 2025
October 16, 2025
"There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind." -- Mr. Rogers
In This Edition:
Clean Up This Saturday Morning
Join fellow church members to help clean up the area around the parking lot on Polley Lane (across from the south end of Bird Park) this Saturday as part of the townwide clean-up event! Come out any time between 8-10 and lend a hand; if we finish the parking lot quickly, we’ll head down Washington Street to do cleanup near the old clock tower.
Cookout This Sunday
Feel free to bring a side to share!
CIA Articles
If anyone would like something included in the next CIA, please forward your information to the office ([email protected]). Thank you!
Neighbors in Need
Outreach is collecting for the UCC Neighbors In Need fund that is a special mission supporting justice initiatives throughout the United States. Feel free to visit UCC.org for more information.
Neighbors in Need (NIN) is a special mission offering of the United Church of Christ that supports ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. One-third of NIN funds support the Council for American Indian Ministry (CAIM). Two-thirds of this offering is used by the UCC’s Justice and Witness Ministries (JWM) to support a variety of justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects through grants. Neighbors in Need grants are awarded to UCC churches and organizations doing justice work in their communities. These grants fund projects whose work ranges from direct service to community organizing and advocacy to address systemic injustice.
Voices United Community Night
Sanctuary Cleanup
Diaconate cordially invites you to spend 1-2 hours spiffing and sprucing up our sanctuary after church Nov 9. You know working with friends is more fun and the time passes more quickly...
Wear your grungy cleaning clothes (headwraps acceptable!) to worship and bring your
enthusiasm for washing, polishing, and attacking cobwebs. Let's make our sanctuary sparkle for Thanksgiving, Advent (11/30) and the Winter Concert (12/6).
Remember to mark your calendar for Sun, Nov 9 after worship!
Music Notes
Happy Autumn to all! Our music program is in full swing. If you're passionate about choir or handbells feel free to contact Jim. You don't have to read music, but you do need to be able to count to 4. 😆
Mark your calendars now: our FIFTH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CONCERT is Saturday, December 6 at 2:00pm. We'll celebrate at our own Union Congregational, and will be joined by sisters and brothers from neighboring communities. It features our choir and handbells, jazz vocalist Victoria Eggleston from NYC, 7 local professional singers, harp, trombone, cello, accordion, organ, piano, and dynamic selections from Band Together. Let's all celebrate the season together through festive music of all styles!
One housekeeping note: we'd encourage the community to refrain from talking during preludes. The prelude is an integral part of worship, is carefully selected and prepared, and helps eyes and hearts turn heavenward.
Thank you from the Music Team!
Sunday School Volunteers
Thanks to those who have already volunteered for this important ministry of our church. This year, we are using a new one-room-schoolhouse style curriculum called Whirl, which introduces kids to biblical stories and themes through videos, songs, and fun activities. Our CE Committee (Joanne Grant and Deidre Donaldson) is ready and willing to help train teachers and familiarize folks with this new curriculum. We will also be able to provide materials in advance through our new online digital subscription (hard copies can also be made available from the church office), which will make preparation even simpler.
You can see the schedule of lessons for the Fall/Winter of 2025 and sign up to be a leader or helper by clicking here.
Bible Study
Weekly Bible Study with Pastor Shepherd is off and running! Each week we meet on Zoom on Fridays from 9:30-10:30 am. This Fall, to accompany the sermon series on the Fruit of the Spirit, we will be reading an accompanying text, Tending the Wild Garden, by Rev. Eugenia Gamble. If you’d like to participate and would like a copy of the book, please see Pastor Shepherd. This week, we’ll be discussing “Tending the Shoots of Joy” and “Tending the Shoots of Peace.”
Here is the Zoom Meeting link:
Holding in Prayer
This week, as a community of faith we pray:
for Laurie’s niece and nephew-in-law, as they move from Austin back to Massachusetts, and for her dad and his friend as they travel to Boston this weekend.
with joy, for Noah conquering his fear on a hike
with joy, for Pastor Shepherd’s brother Alex and his family, in their move to Memphis as he begins a new job at University of Memphis.
for Jack, as he faces a cancer diagnosis alongside Alzheimers, and for his son, John and his wife Tammy.
for Phyllis’s friend Paula, as she enters hospice care
with joy, that Margie’s sister’s eyes were used to help restore vision for two people
for Padraig, as he heals from an injured hip
for Charleen’s family, as they mourn the death of her uncle, and for her mom, recently diagnoses with Parkinson’s disease
with joy, for Lauren’s friend’s daughter Liddy having a son, Jonah, and for Jonah as he is being treated at Children’s
for Shirley’s niece Karen, who passed away after a long battle with cancer, and for all who mourn.
for Lew’s brother Richard and his wife Paula, for health.
for Barbara Carroll, for healing after a couple of falls
for Kerry’s friend Diane, who is undergoing a difficult course of treatment for cancer
for Pam’s friend Cookie, as she battles cancer
for Lew’s friend Dan, as he faces kidney disease