News from the Pews "the voice of the congregation" First Congregational Church UCC Ashfield,MA01330 JUNE2019 - Ashfield ...
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News from the Pews
“the voice of the congregation”
First Congregational Church UCC
Ashfield, MA 01330 JUNE 2019
As The World Keeps Spinning
A poem by Ursula Snow
As the world keeps spinning
As time keeps moving
As the winners keep winning
As the losers keep losing
And everyone goes on
As if nothing’s ever changed
And everyone goes on
As if everything’s the same
As the dusk turns into dawn
As the world is filled with light
As everyone goes on
Through the pain and through the plight
They say it’s not their problem
They claim it’s for the best
They say it’s not their fight
Let the others do the rest
As if it doesn’t matter
The homes that are destroyed
The families they have scattered
As if power’s just a toy
But the rest of us are here
To hold each other high
Through the suffering and fear
And the treacherous goodbyes
And after all is said and done
Love surrounds us all
No matter which wars we won
Our friends will never fall
Ursula Snow
IN THIS ISSUE Ursula Marie Snow
died May 27, 2019
Ursula’s Poem! 1
Ursula!! ! 2
Love in Backpack! 2
Little Library! ! 2
Cathedral of Light! 3
Palestine! ! 3
Pride March! ! 4
Relay for Life! ! 4
Fill the Belly Bus! 5
Camperships! ! 5 There will be a Celebration of the Life of
Clean Up Buckets! 6 Ursula Snow at the First Congregational
Church of Ashfield, Sunday, June 9, at 2 p.m.
Trustees! ! 6 (tentative time), with Rev. Kate Stevens
Council on Aging! 6 officiating.
!!!!!!!! Photo by George Butler Cards of condolence may be sent to Pamela
Birthdays! ! 7 Snow, 94 Mechanic St., Shelburne Falls, MA
Church Calendar! 7 01370.
Our church, our community, is in mourning.
LOVE in a Backpack And in shock. But we know that Ursula is
ABOUT OUR CHURCH held by God and continues to be a beloved
Ministry - Interims and the Dear friends at the First Church, child of God. Our hearts go out to Pamela
congregation 628-4470 and John and their extended families.
Sunday morning Worship is at We were so glad to have you join us at St.
10: a.m. Children and Sunday John's for the March 31 Unity Service. The
School are concurrent with music was wonderful and we were glad to
Worship welcome you to our community once again.
The governing body of the
church is its members, who We were also happy to have you participate
traditionally gather the second in our LOVE in a Backpack project. We
Sunday of March, June, received many contributions from your
September and December at
congregation — sewing items, personal care
11:30 a.m. for the Monthly
Congregational Meeting.
items, snack foods, post-its and pens, journals,
several personal notes written to a woman
Call or email the church clerk, recipient, among other things. In addition, many
Wendy Pree (628-3875),
backpacks were Helen Boyden (right), a
of you gave financial support on Unity Sunday member of the First Congregational Church
wendypree@gmail.com:
or the church Moderator,
through our loose offering, and/or by check. helps Sue Craft (left),
Keith Obert (978-502-9166), Co-Warden at St. John’s, fill backpacks.
obert@aol.com with any issues/ Thank you for all of the ways that you delivered to Chicopee on May 7th and the rest
concerns you wish to include on supported the women being released from the will soon go to the Franklin County jail. A goal
the agenda by the Wednesday Chicopee Women's House of Correction and for this year is to increase the number of packs
preceding the meeting. Franklin County jail. These packs go to the by widening the involvement of more church
FRIENDS AND MEMBERS women who have the greatest need - many of partners. Your participation has boosted us to a
ARE WARMLY WELCOMED whom would otherwise be released with nothing great start for the year, helping to serve more
News from the Pews is but the clothes on their backs. We hear from the women. Thank you! We sometimes receive
published monthly by the women and from our partners at the jails that “thank you” notes from the recipients. If we do,
Ashfield Parish, First these packs - both the practical items and the we will share them with you.
Congregational Church, United cards expressing our caring and prayers - make
Church of Christ. P.O. Box 515, an enormous difference to the women at this In the meantime, know that we at St. John’s
Main Street, Ashfield, MA scary, fragile, challenging transition time in their are delighted to be continuing our long
01330, (413)-628-4470. lives. collaboration with First Church, and we look
Deadline for copy is the During the last week in April, Mary Link, our forward to participating in your mission project
24th day of the month and program’s coordinator, gathered all of the when we join you on June 30 for our next Unity
may be emailed to the donations and organized a backpack filling Service.
editor, Victoria Nelson at party. A great group of enthusiastic volunteers
nelsonvictoria173@gmail.com. from both of our churches and the wider Blessings and thanks from all of us at St.
community, filled 13 backpacks. Seven John’s.
WHAT’S UP IN PALESTINE -2
This is my second try at updating you about what
is happening in faraway Palestine.
WORKI May is a big month there because May 15 is
NG “Nakba Day”. In Arabic, “nakba” means
TO G E T H catastrophe, and thus it was in 1948 when Israel
declared itself a state and systematically
ER expelled or scared into leaving almost the entire
native Palestinian population. This was the start
of the refugee situation that still exists today.
The number of refugees then was about
750,000. Today it is about seven million, many of
whom live in crowded refugee “camps” (really
urban ghettos). It is these very refugees who
have been claiming their right to return to their
Cathedral of the Light original homes and villages with the Great March
for Return in Gaza, now in its 15th month of
On Sunday, May 18, at 2 pm, members of the First Church and weekly protests. 57% of the 2 million people of
St. John’s joined together to worship with and serve at the Gaza are officially refugees. 100% of Gazans
Cathedral of the Light on the Greenfield Common. The live in an open-air prison, unable to leave without
eucharist service is open to all people and is attended by Israeli permission, which is not often granted.
homeless and people who have residences but who want to be
in an outdoor worship service with others. It happens every While on the subject of Gaza, let’s look at the
Sunday. People from local churches provide food which is water crisis there. 98% of the water is unfit for
served after worship ends. About 25 people were in attendance drinking, which is causing infant deaths from
for the church service. dehydration, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, kidney
disease, cancer, anemia and stunted growth.
Most of this is caused by Israel’s bombing of the
As part of our commitment to work together with St. John’s, our sewage treatment system.
church agreed to help with food. St. John’s provided lasagna,
salad, bread, and cookies, and we provided sandwiches. Bruce Here in the States, people are beginning to see
Bennett, Caroline Mack, Kare Marshall, and Diana Bennett that U.S. support for Israel is misguided. One of
made many turkey/cheese, ham/cheese, baloney/cheese, and the bright lights helping in that process is the
peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, individually wrapped. new Palestine Museum in Woodbridge, CT. I had
Bruce brought them to Greenfield Common the next day, where the pleasure of visiting it in May and was
he was joined by Annie Cheatham and Ann Gibson from our impressed by its size, beautiful use of space, and
church, and by Sue Craft and Jane Wagener from St. John’s. variety of art, photography and embroidery. Look
Between 50 and 75 people come for food since it is the only it up online and see if you can go.
place in Greenfield where people
Prepare yourself for the Trump/Kushner plan for
who are food insecure can get a
Israel/Palestine. It will not favor Palestinians
prepared meal on Sunday. Many because they cannot be bought. One possible
people thanked us for the outcome will be to allow Israel to annex all of the
sandwiches which they said they Palestinian West Bank and East Jerusalem. As
could eat later, for dinner that day, the plan unfolds, I will try to explain how it will
or take to a friend. affect our friends there.
It was a beautiful day and a Meanwhile, please come hear the news directly
beautiful experience for all of us. from Mohammed Sawalha, director of the
We hope others from our church will Palestinian House of Friendship. We are hosting
join with St. John’s when we get a potluck for him on June 16 at 6:00 p.m. at the
another chance to serve the church.
Cathedral in the Light. Sherrill Hogen
! ! ! ! Submitted by Annie Cheatham
Third Annual Franklin County RELAY FOR LIFE for the American
PRIDE March - Saturday, June Cancer Society - Please join us
15, 2019 Please join A.C.T. (Ashfield Congregational Team) on
We were just at NOHO PRIDE, where we've been for June 7th and 8th at the Franklin County Fairgrounds
some twenty years with other churches, and now we're in Greenfield.
heading to Greenfield for our new hometown PRIDE,
Franklin County. It's already the third year, and we wish for Come at 6 p.m. on Friday to cheer on cancer survivors
many more! who start the Relay with the first lap (vehicles are
What are these PRIDE gatherings? Some people call provided for those unable to walk the lap) If you are a
them 'parades,' but a PRIDE walk is really a 'march,' survivor and wish to do this lap, please let Stein know so
because we walk together to achieve a purpose. We she can provide you with further information:
march together to support the rights of, and in joyful 413-387-9085
celebration with, all gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender,
and gender-nonconforming (LGBTQIA) people throughout An A.C.T. potluck will follow at our tent site - D11
this country and the world. Until everyone has freedom, no across from the grandstand. Bring a chair if you
one is really free. wish to sit.
The March starts at the Greenfield Middle School, 195
Federal St (opposite the Bank of America branch office). We are near the dance stage and it’s always fun to
We are asked to assemble there, ready to march, by watch KD’s School of Dance perform, so if we’re not at
11:30 am. the tent site come look for us there.
The march starts at 12 noon and heads down Federal St.
to the Greenfield Energy Park, at 50 Miles St., (off Main Come walk, honor
St, down beyond the Mesa Verde restaurant). someone you know,
enjoy the music (on
a different stage
further along the
track). It’s great to
see how various
teams decorate
At the Energy Park, a Rally & Festival will take place from their tent site and the Baby Barnyard building holds
1 to 3 pm. Some people might want to stay for the Festival many Raffle baskets (this continues to raise funds for
after the March and others may need to get back home education, research and cancer patient support.)
right away. We might possibly arrange carpooling for either
situation, if we plan ahead. At 9 p.m. the luminaria are lit. These line the track and
are made in honor of survivors or in memory of those
In addition, there will be other PRIDE benefit events in who have lost their battle with cancer. If you wish to
Greenfield, starting Thursday evening 6/13 and running
make a luminaria, please let Stein know.
through Saturday evening 6/15. See the Franklin County
PRIDE website link below, or their FB page, for details. The Relay continues throughout the night and into
Contact Bruce Bennett (bennettb1792@gmail.com or Saturday afternoon. Last year Bill and Wayne Wickland
628-4523) if you are interested in marching or even just spent the night and continued on for the entire 21-hour
curious about the Franklin County PRIDE event. By the event! Stop by anytime. Leave us a note to say you
way, our church is an official sponsor of Franklin County were there if you don't find us.
PRIDE. Check out their website: https://
www.franklincountypride.org or find them on Facebook. The Relay ends at 3 p.m. on Saturday and I'll be
Stay tuned to Wendy Pree's weekly emails and weekly there to pack up our tent.
bulletin announcements for more details. Thanks! Stein Feick
! ! ! ! ! Bruce Bennett
Dear Friends,
Late summer means fun for many Franklin County children and families. Yet for many of our neighbors, it’s a time of missing meals and
going hungry between summer youth meal programs ending and the start of the school year. That’s why Franklin County
communities of faith, businesses, and organizations are working together for the
15th year on the Fill The Belly Bus Community Food Drive to gather food and
funds to support area food pantries and meal programs. Last year, over sixty
community partners and individuals raised almost $3,800 in cash donations and
over 6400 lbs. of non-perishable food! They recognized that close to half of local
public school students live in economically disadvantaged families that depend on
school and summer meal programs. 15 Annua
l
th
This summer, we hope YOUR community of faith will join us again in
FILL THE BELLY BUS
COMMUNITY FOOD DRIVE
supporting Franklin County emergency food programs that serve low-income
families by conducting a food/funds drive among your congregation.
REQUESTED ITEMS:
In partnership with Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, we can leverage cash Canned Fruits • Peanut Butter & Jelly
Canned Meat & Tuna • Pasta & Pasta Sauces
donations to purchase a higher yield of nutritious food. Fruit Juice • Canned Soup • Macaroni & Cheese
Canned & Dry Beans • Canned Vegetables • Cereal
Many faith communities conduct an internal food drive during the spring and early Beef Ravioli • Oatmeal • Canola & Corn Oil • Flour
summer. All of the food and funds will be gathered on the Greenfield Common on
the afternoon of Friday, August 2. Food donations accepted on August 2 by the Franklin County Hunger Task Force
Cash donations welcome. For questions, to volunteer or
Make checks to: organize a drive, contact
To join the effort to eliminate food insecurity in Franklin County, and receive a Community Action Pioneer Valley
Note ‘Belly Bus’ on memo line.
Justin at jcosta@communityaction.us
or 413-773-5029
collection box, and informational fliers and posters, please contact Reverend tinyurl.com/BellyBus2019
Michael Penn-Strah at mpennstrah@yahoo.com.
Thank you for all that you do for our community!
Justin Costa and Mary McClintock
Co-Chairs, Franklin County Hunger Task Force Franklin County Hunger Task Force, Community Action, 393
jcosta@communityaction.us, mmcclintock@communityaction.us Main Street, Greenfield, MA 01301
jcosta@communityaction.us·(413)773-5029 ·
mmcclintock@communityaction.us · (413) 376-1108
SUMMER CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS If this sounds like something that could help your family,
please email Diana or Bruce Bennett
Summer is almost upon us and with it the season
at bennettb1792@gmail.com or call us at 628-4523 (h)
of summer camp!
with the following information:
For our church's families who could use some
• Your Name and Child's/Children's Name(s).
help with camp fees, the church will again be able
to provide some “campership” funds for church • Your Phone number and/or email address.
children. We are able to do this because of a • The Camp Name, Dates of Camp Session, and
generous anonymous donation to our Mission & Camp Fee for each child.
Social Justice Committee.
• The amount, if any, you are able to contribute
We may not always be able to fulfill every request yourself, toward the cost. (optional)
or to contribute the full requested amount. That
depends on the number and size of the requests We hope to hear by Monday, June 10th, at the latest, from
we receive. However, we will do what we can. everyone who needs help with camp scholarships. Please
contact us if you have any questions about this program
Campership checks are written to the children's too.
parents, so they may be used to help pay camp
costs or to help reimburse camp costs which Blessings, Diana & Bruce Bennett, on behalf of the
parents may have already paid. Mission & Social Justice Committee
St. John’s will be our guest at worship June
30, and together we are collecting items for
CWS Emergency Cleanup Buckets
On Sunday, June 30,j St. John’s will be joining us for our 10 a.m.
unity worship service, led by Rev. Ann Hallstein. And as part of this
service, our two churches will be supporting a Mission project
chosen by our Mission and Social Justice Committee (M&SJ), just
like we joined St. John’s and were involved in their Backpack
project.) This time will be donating items to Church World Service All items must be new. All liquid items must be capped and
(CWS) Emergency Cleanup Buckets. There is great need for these securely tightened.
supplies. M&SJ will purchase the needed 5 gal. buckets but we’re
looking for people to donate specific items to go in these buckets. Also needed: money for processing ($3 per kit) and/or for
See the website for more information: http://cwskits.org/wp- buying items not otherwise donated.
content/uploads/dlm_uploads/2017/11/CWS-Emergency-Cleanup-
Buckets.pdf Items may be brought to the church and left in the narthex
during the months of June and July. They will be put together
Needed for each bucket: four scouring pads; seven sponges - (date to be announced) and brought to their CT pick up
including one large; one scrub brush; 18 reusable cleaning towels station in August for distribution through CWS. Just in time
(Handi Wipes/Easy Wipes); one 50 oz. or two 25 oz. bottles of for hurricane season….
liquid laundry detergent; one 16-28 oz. bottle of liquid disinfectant
dish soap; one 12-16 oz. bottle of household cleaner that can be All loose offering collected Sunday, June 30 will go towards
mixed with water (NO spray bottles); one pkg. 48-50 clothespins; this project.
clothesline - two 50‘ or one 100’; five dust masks; two pair heavy- Any questions? Speak with someone in M&SJ.
duty, waterproof dishwashing gloves (latex free, non-surgical); one
pr. work gloves - cotton with leather palm or all leather; 24-28 Thanks in advance for your generous help with this
heavy duty or contractor type 30-45 gal. trash bags on a roll and important project.
removed from carton; one 6-9 ox. bottle of non-aerosol insect
repellent. M&SJ (Richard Prée, chair)
From the Trustees COUNCIL ON AGING
JUNE 6TH 12 NOON
At our May 5 Congregational Meeting, we briefly reviewed the
options available to us if we chose to decorate the façade pipes of PIZZA & SALAD
our restored organ differently than called for in our contract (i.e.,
re-paint them with gold paint). After a short discussion, the PROVIDED
congregation voted overwhelmingly to paint pipes a pastel color by
stripping the pipes back to base metal, painting the pipe bodies
with primer, and then finishing with a solid coat of a low-luster, Ashfield's Pauline Productions
pastel color. The “lips,” or “mouths,” of the pipes also would be
polished. In addition, the solid-colored pastel pipes would be BREASTLESS by Laurel Turk
embellished with simple straight bands at the tops of the façade kicks off The Majestic Theater’s
pipes. This would enhance the uniform appearance of the solid
body of color. 2019 Summer Season
June 15 & 16 for 3 shows only.
The total incremental cost of this would be $19,000, so the
Trustees were authorized to release up to $9,000 of Capital The Majestic Theater, 131 Elm St., West
Campaign funds to augment an expected $10,000 that the Pipe Springfield, www.majestictheater.com
Study Group thought they could secure via written pledges. And June 15 at 2pm and 8pm,
we are pleased to report that, as of this writing, those additional
June 16 at 2pm only
pledges have been secured!
Tickets: Majestic Theater Box Office:
We are exceedingly grateful for the efforts of the Façade Pipe (413) 747-7797(M-F 10-5, Sat 10-1) $24-$26
Study Committee for all their fine work in researching and
publicizing the various options available to us. Many thanks to Liz JeannineHaas, Paulinelive@gmail.com,
Van Guilder (Chair), Margery Hines, Phil Schuster, Brenda and 413-588-1534
Gerard McGovern, Stein Feick, Hetty Startup, and Shirley Scott. !
June 2019 calendar
United Church of Christ, UCC
Ashfield, MA
Sat. June 1: Walking the Path with Mariel, St. John’s Corner 2-4 p.m. (Pre-
registration required; arrive 1:45 p.m.)
Sun. June 2: Worship 10 a.m. led by Rev. Ann Hallstein. Communion
JUNE Sunday. Ashtones to sing (Arrive at 9:15 for rehearsal.) Sunday
School with Ms. Sue Fuller and Mae Rice Lesure.
1 Josie O’Shea
Tues. June 4: Food Pantry distribution 3-6 p.m. Deacons Mtg. 7 p.m.;
2 Amy Roberts-Crawford Trustees Mtg. 7 p.m.
3 Wed. June 5: TaiChi 9:30 a.m., a COA sponsored event
Thurs. June 6: COA luncheon at the church, pizza and salad provided.
4 Trevor Bell-Rogers
Fri. June 7: Relay for Life / Greenfield Fairgrounds. Team ACT (Ashfield
5 Sue Tracy Congregational Team): Arrive in time to cheer on the Survivor’s
(Opening Lap 6 p.m.), followed by a potluck meal.
6
Sat. June 8: Relay for LIfe at Greenfield Fairgrounds continues.
7 Sun. June 9: Worship 10 a.m. led by Pastor Nancy Sykes. Celebration
8 Diana Bennett and thanks to Mae Rice-Lesure on this, her last day with us as
Sunday School teacher. We wish her well as she heads off to
9 college this Fall.
10 Bev LaBelle Wed. June 12: TaiChi 9:30 a.m., a COA sponsored event. Ashfield
Lions Mtg. 6 p.m.
Diane Lizotte
Thurs. June 13: Mission and Social Justice Mtg. 3-5 p.m.
11 Sat. June 15: Franklin Cty. Pride Parade & Rally 12-1, starts at the
12 Greenfield Middle School
Sun. June 16: Worship 10 a.m. led by Rev. Ann Hallstein, music
13 provided by Amy Roberts-Crawford; Ms. Sue Fuller to teach our
14 Sunday School on this, the last day of Sunday School for the
season. At 6 p.m. that evening, we will have a Potluck dinner with
15 Leslie Fraser Mohammed Sawalha, our friend from Palestine and the Director
16 of the Palestine House of Friendship.
Tues. June 18: Food Pantry distribution 3-6 p.m.
17 Carolyn Wallace
Wed. June 19: TaiChi 9:30 a.m., a COA sponsored event
18 Grace Ahrensdorf Sat. June 22: ANTS Free Clothing Swap 9-1 (set up 6 p.m. Fri. 6/21)
19 Sun. June 23: Worship 10 a.m. led by Joe Osterman. Amy Roberts-
Crawford to provide music.
20 Richard Pree Wed. June 26: TaiChi 9:30 a.m., a COA sponsored event
21 Sun. June 30: Worship 10 a.m. led by Rev. Ann Hallstein with St. John’s
22 joining us in worship. Amy Roberts-Crawford to provide our music.
Please bring your items for the Church World Service (CWS)
23 Emergency Cleanup Buckets: sponges, leather work gloves, 30-45
gal. contractor-type trash bags, insect repellent, scrub brush, dust
24 masks, liquid laundry detergent…
25
26 Barbara Schauer CONGRATULATIONS TO:
27 ADISON CRAWFORD: Graduating from 6th grade,
28 Buckland/Shelburne Elementary School, heading to
Mohawk Regional in the Fall.
29
MAE RICE-LESURE: Graduating from Mohawk High
30
School and heading to Lesley University in the Fall.
OCTAVIA and MAE: Recipients of the Peace Keeper
Awards!
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH UCC
P.O. BOX 519
ASHFIELD, MA 01330
.! ! ! " " "
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