West Newbury Congregational Church

Sue standing at the pulpit after the service.

Last winter I visited the West Newbury, Vermont Congregational Church because my best friend, Sue (and here) was preaching there. This is also her home church. It was so warm, friendly and beautiful. I have to go back more often this year. I thought I had posted these photos but obviously I hadn't. 

A view of the White Mountains from the road in front of the church.

I love the simplicity of New England Congregational churches.

Communion Table

West Newbury Town Clerk Office

Mount Moosilauke in the distance on the right.

West+Newbury+Congregational+Church Vermont UCC

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Mother's Day: Faith Lived Out in Love

A blossoming tree in the Victory Bog, Victory, Vermont

I hope you all had a pleasant Mother's Day. When we went to church this morning I read the bulletin cover as I always do and was impressed by the meaningful message for today. I decided to type it out in full so that I could remember the original meaning of Mother's Day. This article was written by Sara Webb Phillips on a bulletin cover that seems to be from the UMC. I have searched for over an hour but can't find a thing on the Internet.

In some churches Mother's Day is one of the big three religious holidays, as in Christmas, Easter, and Mother's Day, the closest thing Protestants have to a holy day of obligation. After all, we know that a mother's role is to deliver children – obstetrically once and by car forever after! Young children may honor mothers by serving them breakfast; adult children may return home to worship with their mothers. For some, however, Mother's day can be difficult because their mothers are dead. Others might remember mothers who weren't all that nice or who struggled with motherhood. Yet, the best intention of this cultural remembrance is for mothers to sit back for a change and be receivers instead of givers.

But it wasn't always so. Mother's Day was originally envisioned in the 1870s, not as a day of flowers and presents, but as a day for mothers to make their voices heard. Julia Ward Howe, the author of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic," was a mother in the days before women were allowed to vote. She asked, "Why don't the mothers of humankind interfere in these matters [of war], to prevent the waste of that human life of which they alone bear and know the cost?" thus encouraging a mother's day of working to eradicate war. It was not a day of rest for mothers, but a day of action for the cause of peace!

In today's Acts reading (see below), we remember the story of Lydia, with the genuineness of her conversion reflected in her hospitality. Her home had become a house-church, providing a new freedom for people of mixed classes, cultures, different gender and race. In her actions, she reflected Jesus' words from John's Gospel: "Those who love me will keep my word."

Today, in this season of Easter, we honor women who have nurtured us and lived out gracious hospitality.. May such action continue to stir us to faith lived out in love.

I have chosen The Message version of the text because it sounds so much like life today, making the reading meaningful to me: Lydia could be any of us.
Acts 16: 9-15

That night Paul had a dream: A Macedonian stood on the far shore and called across the sea, "Come over to Macedonia and help us!" The dream gave Paul his map. We went to work at once getting things ready to cross over to Macedonia. All the pieces had come together. We knew now for sure that God had called us to preach the good news to the Europeans.

Putting out from the harbor at Troas, we made a straight run for Samothrace. The next day we tied up at New City and walked from there to Philippi, the main city in that part of Macedonia and, even more importantly, a Roman colony. We lingered there several days.

On the Sabbath, we left the city and went down along the river where we had heard there was to be a prayer meeting. We took our place with the women who had gathered there and talked with them. One woman, Lydia, was from Thyatira and a dealer in expensive textiles, known to be a God-fearing woman. As she listened with intensity to what was being said, the Master gave her a trusting heart—and she believed!

After she was baptized, along with everyone in her household, she said in a surge of hospitality, "If you're confident that I'm in this with you and believe in the Master truly, come home with me and be my guests." We hesitated, but she wouldn't take no for an answer.

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Newbury, Vermont

I love Newbury. Not only does Sue live here, but the Atkinson Retreat Center of the United Church of Christ (above) is here. I have attended only one retreat the year that I attended the Vermont Academy of Spiritual Training in St. Johnsbury. The weekend I spent there was wonderful and the food was just outstanding. It was so hot when I was there but they provided a fan. There were hymns, prayers, discussions, and community. It all made me feel loved and part of a community I had always wanted to be a part of. The section between the house and the barn is like a dormitory with small cell-like rooms that make me think of a monastery.

I will be going to another retreat in April with the conference's Women's Fellowship. I can't wait! Perhaps this time I will see the ghost that they claim inhabits the house!

The Newbury store (above) is a great place for muffins, cookies, DVDs and gifts. It is one of the friendliest stores around.

Newbury has a more colonial-era type of atmosphere which is so familiar to me from Connecticut. It was established in the mid-1700s. Barton, where I live now, is younger, poorer and more remote. Hall's Lake is also in Newbury. Sue, Wingnut, and I went swimming and canoeing there last summer.


Rt 5, Newbury, VT:

JACOB BAYLEY
Founder of Newbury and Revolutionary General
-•••-

Veteran of the Indian wars, Bayley led a migration of settlers from Newbury, Mass. to the rich lands of the Coos here at the Great Ox-Bow. A staunch patriot, he bitterly opposed the "Haldimand Negotiations" carried on with Canada by Ethan & Ira Allen, during the Revolution.

VERMONT HISTORIC SITES COMMISSION

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Sue's Rabbits

I went to church in West Newbury again this week. But I was very late because of snow squalls. I-91 was reduced to two tracks. Not one lane: just two snowy tracks. It was Communion Sunday and for the first time in ages I felt part of a communion. Pastor Cindy Batten was so welcoming. I have enjoyed her Bible Study in the past and today I enjoyed her sermon and readings. A downer: no carrot cake! Coffee Hour is only on the last Sunday of the month.

After church Debbie, Bob, Sue, and I went to the Bradford Diner for lunch. Sue had to get her car at church, so I went on to her house taking photos along the way. At her place, I filled up Sue's iPod, she messed with Photo Booth, I took rabbit pictures and we had a nice time.

No serious snow problems on the way home. But now it is "blizzarding" outside again and all traffic is gone again. The rest of my vacation plans have just been scrapped because of this weather! Now that just isn't fair! And now we have thunder snow for goodness sakes! I hate thunder snow!

Honey Bunny (above) bites. Sue calls biting a "defensive posture."

Petey Petunia, above, is so black that without adjusting the brightness and contrast, all you would see would be a shiny black lump on the chair!

This is not all that rabbits do (although I joke with Sue that they are boring). Honey Bunny above again. One time we took them outside. But they were pretty skittish about the big birds that flew overhead. Sue and I know that hawks would not be too shy to grab a rabbit from next to us on the ground! Poor things! So much to be afraid of.

Petey Petunia's big feet. Lucky rabbit feet.

Here is Sue playing with Photo Booth on my MacBook:


And here is the finished product that she e-mailed to her neice (the solid blue tortoise is a bobble-head):

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Ejector

Remember that award-winning "bouncer" ad from the United Church of Christ? The spot showed several bouncers stationed at a velvet rope outside of a church who refused to admit undesirables. Now, the UCC expands that concept with its latest television commercial: "Ejector." The 30 second-spot takes place inside a church where we see a single black mother and child. But they're not wanted here. The church elders push the ejector button. Mom and child fly into the air, Goldfinger style. Same things happens to a gay couple and a senior with a walker. If you thought the last spot was controversial, this one is already creating more buzz. "Ejector" has been rejected by ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox and the WB. It will only be seen on cable.

UCC Synod

Click on Let It Shine above to open a new window to the UCC Synod site.

Confirmed Guests as of today:

Bill Moyers, Voice of the Pacific, Marian Wright Edelman, Ricardo Esquievia, Rabbi Naameh Kelman, Ingrid Mattson, Rachel Barton Pine, Still Paint Theatre Collective, Chung Hyun Kyung, Davey D, He Qi, Kim and Reggie Harris, Valerie Jutson, Leonard Pitts Jr, John Hockenberry, Maria Otero, Ray Kurzwell, Susan Brooks Thistlewhite, Kevin Phillips, Marilyn Robinson, Walter Brueggemann, Phil Porter, The Children's Orchestra Society, Harry Knox

See You In Hartford!
click on the headline to open a new window to the UCC synod info page

Welcome and we are delighted that you may be joining us in Hartford for The Twenty-sixth General Synod which will be part of the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the United Church of Christ. Our members in the Connecticut Conference are working hard to make our 50th anniversary Synod one we will all long remember. Given this anniversary Synod, those who have attended Synods before will find some changes as part of our time together will be devoted to celebration activities as we both look forward to who we are as the United Church of Christ and explore who God is calling us to be and to become in the next 50 years. So come prepared to worship, to study, to fellowship, to celebrate and to Let It Shine!!

When and Where Is General Synod?
General Synod will officially convene on Friday afternoon, June 22nd and will adjourn on Tuesday evening, June 26th following the closing worship. Synod is in downtown Hartford, Connecticut at the Hartford Civic Center. It's an arena designed primarily for sporting for events, but it will be our home for five days and we'll have the usual exhibits, worship, music and workshops. The good news is that the Civic Center seats over 14,000 people , so we have plenty of room to make this the biggest Synod ever.

What about Registration?
Registration will open for visitors on December 1st. and everyone must register. The Civic Center staff will be on hand each day to check registrations and they will only allow those who are registered in the facility. We have convinced them that Sunday worship must be open to any and all who wish to attend and they have agreed to allow this for our community wide worship on Sunday afternoon only. Other than Sunday afternoon, registration is required for all. There are a variety of registration options depending on how long you plan to be at Synod; they are listed below:

• General Synod registrants delegates, associate delegates, and visitors attending all five days: $150
• Seminarians and Youth attending all 5 days, $100
• Those attending only Friday, Saturday, Sunday, $100
• Those attending Saturday only, $50
• No registration required for children under 12 (note: child care is available, there is a cost for child care, see other needs form, pre registration is required for child care)

You will register online by visiting ucc.org, clicking on General Synod registration and following the instructions. If you are a voting delegate or associate conference delegate, your conference will have registered you, so if you have questions, give them a call. DO NOT re-register.

If you are planning on coming just for Saturday, note that there's a registration amount for you too!! We suggest that everyone register in advance, but if you don't decide until the last minute to come, there will be onsite registration in the Civic Center, so don't let that stop you from coming to the party!

Where Do I Stay?
There are a number of housing options and a wide range of costs, including University Housing which we are holding exclusively for youth until March 15th. If the beds are not filled by youth by March 15th, we will open it to others. After you register, you will be able to go into the link for the UCC Housing Bureau where you will see all of the hotels designated as General Synod hotels. We have negotiated special rates for these hotels and the General Synod shuttle will service these hotels. A description of all of the hotels as well as the room rates is included in this document. Please DO NOT call the hotels directly, if you do you may not receive the negotiated rate and your stay will not be included in our room block. Please help us manage our budget by using the hotels contracted for Synod. If you choose to go outside the Synod block (good luck as we have about every hotel in Hartford) but if you find one that is not on our list, you will be on your own for transportation to and from the Civic Center. We have significantly increased our room block, so there should be enough hotel space for all. We will monitor this carefully and if it looks like our rooms are filling up, we'll contract for more, so don't panic?but also please don't wait until April or May to register and select housing. Again, registration and housing opens December 1st. You won't be able to get housing without first registering. Voting Delegates: your conference will have already made housing arrangements for you, so please do not make additional housing arrangements. If you have questions about this, call your conference office.

What's the Schedule
The schedule isn't complete, but here's a thumbnail sketch:

Friday afternoon, opening hearings and organization of Synod
Friday evening, opening worship
Saturday, Synod in the City (see description below)
Sunday morning, (planning still in progress)
Sunday afternoon Community Worship
Sunday evening, Delegates in Committees, visitors welcome
Monday Morning, Delegates in Committees, Visitors welcome
Monday afternoon, plenary, keynote and business
Monday evening, plenary and worship
Tuesday morning and afternoon, plenary and business
Tuesday evening, Closing worship

Synod in the City
This is after all, not just any Synod ,it's our 50th Anniversary Synod, so we're going to dispense a bit with business as usual and a good deal of Friday, Saturday and Sunday has been set aside for the celebration of our past and a conversation about our future. The opening worship on Friday evening will kick off the celebration. On Saturday, delegates and visitors will all have a chance to be a part of Synod in the City. It's a day long festival of worship, Bible Study, workshops, lectures, concerts, etc. There will be a number of simultaneous events, so you won't be able to see or hear everything, you'll have to make choices, but we expect to have something for everyone. We'll begin Saturday morning with worship in the Civic Center and a keynote address, then we will fan out in the downtown area for a host of other events; you choose what you want to go to, space will be available on a first come, first serve basis, but there will always be something happening in the Civic Center and there's plenty of room there!! We'll end the day back together in the Civic Center for a grand celebration.

What about..FOOD!!
As exciting as we think the program will be; you still gotta eat!! There will be a lot of people to feed, so we have alerted the hotels and restaurants to be prepared. There will also be vendors in the downtown area during Synod in the City and we have asked the Hilton Hotel (the headquarters hotel) to be prepared to sell boxed lunches for Saturday. There will be the usual sponsored meals on Friday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday; these are meals sponsored by a Covenanted Ministry or other group. The list of sponsored meals will be posted at registration and you can purchase tickets for these in advance. Remember, tickets for sponsored meals must be purchased in advance and they are non refundable. There are only tickets available on site if the sponsor has purchased additional ones to sell at their booth; tickets for sponsored meals will not be sold at on site registration.

Youth Program
50 4 50 1000 Strong!! We hope you are planning on bringing a group of youth to Synod!! Check the General Synod website for the 50 4 50, each conference is encouraged to bring at least 50 youth to Synod in celebration of the 50th Anniversary. DaVita Carter McAlister in Local Church Ministries and Ken Brown in Justice and Witness Ministries are working on a program that will be geared for youth, but will overlap with the General Synod program as well. Check the website and click on 50 for 50 for more details.

New and Updated Information
We'll post information as we have it available, but we suggest that you check the website after the 15th of each month for updated information, including more details on preparing for Synod, where to pick up registration materials when you arrive in Hartford, detailed schedules for Synod in the City, business to be considered by Synod, information on keynotes, worship and ongoing program details.

If you have questions, you may call or email

Registration
Denise Shimell
shimelld@ucc.org
216-736-2133

Destiny Shellhammer
shellhad@ucc.org
216-736-2149

Housing
GSHousing@ucc.org

Sponsored Meals
Heather Iriye
iriyeh@ucc.org
216-736-2105

Exhibits
Valerie Smith
smithv@ucc.org
216-736-2104

Synod Business
Lee Foley
foleyl@ucc.org
216-736-2192

Youth Programs
DaVita Carter McAlister
mccalld@ucc.org
216-736-3871
Ken Brown
brownk@ucc.org
216-736-3727

Lectio divina

I have read a bit about this. We used it once in Bible Study and it was very, very powerful. It requires a lot of discussion and time, though. I feel it is worth the effort to meditate like this at least once a month if you can. There is a UCC group in central Vermont that uses this method weekly.

Lectio Divina-- Upper Room Daily Reflections

Lectio Divina
November 8th, 2006

Use lectio divina in your daily reading of scripture or as you read the quote for the week.

One of the most central and ancient practices of Christian prayer is lectio divina, or divine reading. In lectio divina, we begin by reading a few verses of the Bible. We read unhurriedly so that we can listen for the message God has for us there. We stay alert to connections the Spirit may reveal between the passage and what is going on in our lives. We ask, “What are you saying to me today, Lord? What am I to hear in this story, parable, or prophecy?” Listening in this way requires patience and a willingness to let go of our own agendas and open ourselves to God’s shaping.

Once we have heard a word that we know is meant for us, we are naturally drawn to prayer. From listening we move to speaking — perhaps in anguish, confession or sorrow; perhaps in joy, praise, thanksgiving or adoration; perhaps in anger, confusion or hurt; perhaps in quiet confidence, trust or surrender. Finally, after pouring out our heart to God, we come to rest simply and deeply in that wonderful, loving presence of God. Reading, reflecting, responding and resting — this is the basic rhythm of divine reading.

1. Read the scripture slowly. Watch for a key phrase or word that jumps out at you or promises to have special meaning for you. It is better to dwell profoundly on one word or phrase than to skim the surface of several chapters. Read with your own life and choices in mind.

2. Reflect on a word or phrase. Let the special word or phrase that you discovered in the first phase sink into your heart. Bring mind, will and emotions to the task. Be like Mary, Jesus’ mother, who heard of the angel’s announcement and “treasured” and “pondered” what she had heard (Luke 2:19).

3. Respond to what you have read. Form a prayer that expresses your response to the idea, then “pray it back to God.” What you have read is woven through what you tell God.

4. Rest in God’s word. Let the text soak into your deepest being, savoring an encounter with God and truth. When ready, move toward the moment in which you ask God to show you how to live out what you have experienced.

Learn more about or experience lectio divina in MethodX.

Bad Things, Good Things

Interior of Barton United Church (UCC and UMC), Barton, Vermont

It's been a very sad few days. My life has changed again. It was pretty scary there. But my daughters, son and friends have helped me through it. I hope I can help them as well when they need it. I cannot dwell on the deep sadness. I have gone through worse and remade my life before: and this time the supports and networks are in place for me so that I can do it again.

Before I knew it, good things began to happen.

I have been asked to serve a term on the parish council! I think it is a three year term. I will be back in society again and I haven't been for months. Meetings are one Monday night a month. I'm sure there will be committee work or something, but that'll keep me busy and involved in the community. I love this town. I need to be back in it.

Today the music teacher asked a bunch of us teachers to perform with the students in the Spring Concert. I am so excited! The art teacher plays flute, I play piano, one of the kindergarten teachers plays alto sax (who knew??), one of our paras plays trumpet. The music is the Masterpiece Theater song from PBS, and it's a simple transposition so I won't embarrass myself and I will need minimal rehearsal time at the church. Years ago the church gave me a key so I could go in and practice and I have not taken advantage of it too much. This is going to be one great concert!

I returned to Bible Study tonight! I have not gone for ages because I worked the afterschool program on Wednesdays and was too worn out to go to church on Wednesday night. Then people at church were sick, and then the snow would fall at night so the minister could not make it. But tonight everything fell into place and I went. The minister had a more pressing meeting in West Glover but we had a meeting. It was good to be back and smell the old church and hymnals.

I am going to pick up my Marcus Borg books again. Download The Life of Buddha (free and legally free) and get back into my studies.

One of the most exciting things is the Women's Retreat all day Saturday at church. Just women. A Muslim woman is going to talk to us in the morning. The only drawback: a bag lunch! But they have a microwave. I could take a frozen dinner. But I'll probably stop at the Pharmacy and pick something up.

It is 8:04 PM and 3°. It's going to be very very cold tonight. They say the "coldest of the season." There goes my oil! Just when I finally paid for my last delivery!

The stairway to the meeting house and bell tower.