Context: Context refers to the set of circumstances or facts that surround a particular event or situation. Context is an important concept in our work together.
When we study scripture together, we research context—what was the world like when this passage was written? Who was the audience? How did this message compare to other messages of the time? Looking at scripture this way invites us to apply it to our own context—what current realities does this passage address?
Our own context shapes more than our understanding of scripture. It shapes our understanding of who we are and what we hope to be.
As we continue our journey of becoming a new church, we are exploring our context. We are reviewing demographic information to understand our communities at this time in history. We’re looking at who is in church, and at who is not. How do we reach those who are not in church? How do we invite them to have their lives transformed through the grace of Jesus Christ?
This understanding of our context is the lens through which we will identify God’s call to us as a church. It is how we will discern what God is calling us to do in this time and place. Our history is part of our context—the stories that shape us. We have a rich history. The North Adams church nurtured 18 calls to full time Christian ministry. The Williamstown church responded to community needs by opening its doors to a pre-school. This desire to nurture faith and to serve the community are embedded in your DNA as a church. How will this influence your future ministries?
What an exciting (and challenging) time this in the life of the church! By remembering the ways you have stepped out in faith in the past and assessing the reality of the present, you can plan for a future of vital ministry. Please continue to pray for the church leaders who are working on the details for your future. Come and join us we journey with God to birth this new church. Peace and Grace, Pastor Kim
Worship at Windsor Lake
Community Ministries
Against the backdrop of Windsor Lake and amidst the sounds of our Sunday worship service, there was yet another sound that made me smile this past Sunday morning. That was the sound of children playing in the background. If you turned around during worship, you saw kids who were playing with sticks pretending to be Jedi knights. Others were playing soccer or Frisbee. There was constant laughter.
I am reminded that one of the most important reasons we do church is for these children. As we start the new school year, we have Sunday school programs, youth group and confirmation classes for our children. Amidst all the business of these children’s programs, I pray that we remember to communicate our faith to our children in the simplest of ways. I pray that they see our hearts for God and for this community of faith through our commitment to working together as we cast a new vision for our church. I pray that they see the Spirit working in our lives and theirs.
We are going to have a good year for our children, filled with fun and faith. We are going to involve our children more in worship with the rest of our church family. Most of all, we are going to have laughter. Barb Toll
Hurricane Irene Update
The Spruces
Our community has responded to the flooding at the Spruces and the displacement of some 300 residents. Our congregation collected a special offering of $466 on September 4 for the Community Fund for the Spruces. The residents of the Spruces continue to need our help and our prayers.
Here’s what’s being done: The Interfaith Clergy of Northern Berkshire opened an Emergency Relief Office at the First Congregational Church offering general help. Coordinator Robin Lenz. Open weekdays 9-3. Area churches are also hosting Sunday evening suppers for residents to gather as a community.
The Hospitality House is open next to Community Bible Church 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily (laundry, showers, kitchen available) Also, clothing is available there.
The Food Pantry at St. Patrick's is open 1-3pm on Wednesday and some other afternoons .
Want to help? Please donate money.
The Community Fund for the Spruces at Williamstown Savings Bank, 795 Main Street, Williamstown is sponsored by: the Fund for Williamstown, the Williamstown Chamber of Commerce, the Williamstown Community Chest, and the Interfaith Clergy of Northern Berkshires.
The Spruces Tenants Association fund at South Adams Bank, 273 Main Street, Williamstown.
First Congregational Church --donations to meet immediate Spruces needs, especially for shelter. Checks payable to First Congregational Church. Write "Spruces" in the memo line. Mail to 906 Main St. Williamstown 01267 or drop off at the church office.
Berkshire Chapter of the American Red Cross, matching funds available if you donate to them through Berkshire Bank, Adams Co-Operative Bank, South Adams Savings Bank, The Pittsfield Cooperative Bank, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Williamstown Savings Bank, and Hoosac Bank.
You can also donate through our church, asking for your gift to be directed to one of these funds.
Donate food and supplies. The Food Pantry at St. Patrick's: especially needed are spaghetti sauce, pasta, peanut butter, jelly, bread, tuna, coffee (ground preferred, but also instant) and adult Depends.
Donate your time. People from the helping professions can volunteer time at the Emergency Relief Office at the First Congregational Church.
Donate your strength. People who are young and energetic are invited to help clean up and carry at the Spruces themselves, open every day. Find the Tenants' Association representative at the entrance to the Spruces and ask them who you can physically help.
Donate your expertise - as previous flood victims, as legal aid, as low-income-housing experts - to think about the big picture. How do we move forward? Contact Rachel Berenblat, interim rabbi at Congregation Beth Israel.
Students from Williams College helping to prepare Take and Eat Meals
What’s Happening With Our Church?
Get the information first hand by attending the Church Council Meeting. Our next meeting is Monday October 17 at 7 p.m. at the Williamstown church building, 777 Main Street, Williamstown.
On September 11, we met with Rev. Rick McKinley, New England Annual Conference Director of Congregational Development and our District Superintendent Rev. Heidi Chamberland. Rick shared suggestions for moving forward with our new church. These ideas were discussed and approved at our church council on September 19. We will be working with a Coach, Dirk Elliot, on our next steps as we develop a comprehensive Strategic Ministry Plan, which will include a Financial Plan and Building Plan based on demographic research of our communities. We have made some progress on this plan and are working through the steps to be able to purchase property so that we can build a new church building.
At the Council meeting, we affirmed the following small task groups to work on the plan—
Demographics: Barb Toll, Hanne Booth, Corinne Case, (awaiting confirmation of 4th member of committee)—this group will research who lives in our communities, who our members, what needs there are in our communities, especially needs that are not being met.
Building: Ron Turbin, John Carvalho, Bruce Dean, Brad Berridge—this group will work with the District Committee on Building and Location and will draft the needs for the building (i.e. what kinds of spaces are needed)
Finance: Our regular finance committee—Lisa Allen and Ashley Berridge, co-chairs, Criss Laidlaw, Judy Turbin, Herb Rice, Cheryl Chalmers—this group will develop a comprehensive five year income and expense plan including fundraising for the new building
Strategic Ministry Plan: Janean Laidlaw, Bob Scott, Shenna Santelli, (awaiting confirmation of 4th member of committee)—this group will review demographic information and consider opportunities for ministry that reflect our mission of transforming lives through the grace of Jesus Christ.
Pastor Kim is ex officio on all committees. Please note that these committees replace the Permanent Site, Interim Site and Visioning Committees.
Smaller committees will allow for tasks to be completed more efficiently. These committees will communicate with one another to accomplish their goals and will report to the congregation at Council meetings. If you have thoughts related to these areas, please share them with a member of the appropriate committee.
First Day of Sunday School
Charge Conference October 30
Our annual Charge Conference is scheduled for Sunday October 30. DS Heidi Chamberland will meet with SPRC at 9 am, worship is at 10 am, then our charge conference with a light lunch. All meetings will be at the Youth Center. Charge Conferences have changed over the last few years. Committees do not submit reports. We will review year to date financial statements, vote on the pastor’s salary for 2012 and discuss our goals for 2012. All are welcome!
Church World Service
We’re off to a great start!
Dear friends,
I am pleased to report we have 300 notebooks, nearly 100 scissors, 600 pencils, 81 erasers, and nearly 100 boxes of crayons for our school kits. We are well on track to fill 100 school bags. Our most needed item for the school kits: pencil sharpeners (we still need 90).
We have always found the items for the Baby Kits the most difficult to collect. Be on the lookout for baby slip-on undershirts, size 6-9 mos. (Sorry: no onesies). We also need baby washcloths. We will again order diapers, diaper pins, and sleepers. We will be looking for cash donations to cover this expense and to purchase Snuggle flannel for the receiving blankets.
We are trying to fill Pat Austin’s shoes (and they are big to fill) -- if any of you are willing to sew baby receiving blankets, let me know. I’ll supply the flannel and a sample for you. As always, I am more than happy to do the shopping for you, so any cash donations for the above items are most welcome. Let me know if you could help with a contribution.
Thank you for keeping CWS in mind, Barbara Kourajian, 458-2798
Thanks Received—
From Pastor Christa Levesque and the Cheshire UMC for our gifts of time, talent and treasure to the Cheshire Mission Project.
To my church family from Ray Moulthrop: Thank you all for your prayers, calls, concerns and offers of help over the past few months during my treatments, hospitalizations and recovery, especially the prayers. It has been a long summer, but you have made the journey much easier and I am truly grateful.
Thanks Given—
To Ron Turbin for his leadership of the permanent site committee and work with the District Committee.
To Sally Ottman for continuing to serve as church secretary while Diane recovers from her fall.
To Priscilla Northup for scheduling worship volunteers each week.
To Karen Marino, Karen Dean, Sally Ottman, Ruby Scott, and Shenna Santelli for leading Sunday School.
To Robin Kibler and our choir (Shirley Mullen, Marilyn Rice, Anne Singelton, Corinne Case, Hanne Booth) for enhancing our worship.
Memorial Hymnals
We have more United Methodist Hymnals than we can use at any one time. At our August Church Council meeting, we voted to donate 35 UM hymnals to the Pownal VT United Methodist Church. Bob and Ruby Scott are sorting through hymnals to make sure we do not give away hymnals given as memorial gifts. If you gave a hymnal in memory of a loved one (to either former church) and would like it, please contact Bob and Ruby at 346 1018 and they will locate it so you may have it. (We have just enough The Faith We Sing hymnals which we use in worship.)
Holiday Bazaar, November 19
Watch for news about the Annual Holiday Bazaar in next month’s newsletter. In the meantime, you might be thinking about items that you could make for the Craft tables, or you could be setting aside gently used articles that could be donated for the Attic Treasures tables. You may also have an antique that’s just in the way or other new items that were gifts that you’ll never be able to use, but that might be do well at the Silent Auction tables.
We also will be having grab bags for adults and children, selling maple products from Ioka Farm and putting on a fantastic lunch. --- not to mention our baked goods tables, everyone’s favorite.
Aside from donations, we’ll need people to work at various tables, others to solicit items from merchants for the Silent Auction (gift certificates and/or merchandise) and people to distribute flyers around the area. Let me know how you would like to help out. Call Jeanne Moulthrop at 663-3630.
Blessing of the Backpacks
