November 2024 Steeple Sounds

I came across a meme on social media that said, “What do you think your pastor’s week looks like?” I was excited to see the answers. One person posted a taco, another Spongebob Squarepants throwing love around, a cat dancing, a hamster saying “You’re awesome!”, and a gif of Robert Downey Jr. doing a facepalm. It got me thinking… what if I took a day in my life and chronicled it so the congregation could see exactly what I do on a random day?! So here we go!

A Random Wednesday
7:00am: Woke up. Answered email from overnight. Showered and got ready for work. Signed Josephine’s homework and helped her get dressed and have breakfast.
8:15am: Text exchange for pastoral care with a congregant in crisis.
8:45am: Dropped Josephine off at school and headed to the office, picking up coffee and breakfast on the way.
9:15am: Arrived at the office. Checked email and church social media pages. Checked in with the Office Manager. Checked in with the Food Pantry staff as they unloaded a big shipment from Boston Food Bank. Said good morning to the Thrift Shop staff.
10am – 11:30am: Held Staff Meeting. Reviewed the church calendar through Christmas with staff. Talked about the Newsletter for November and what should be included. Discussed building use in November (we have a VERY busy November), the volunteer/stewardship fair, special worship services, and if we have all we need to properly serve this community of God’s people.
11:30am – 4:30pm: Planned upcoming Membership Information Session with the Congregational Engagement Team and emailed frequent worship attendees who are not members yet with our Membership Packet. Continued attempts to plan Thanksgiving Ecumenical Worship service with the rest of the Bridgewater clergy. Researched books for upcoming book study/discussions. Checked in on a congregant I haven’t heard from in awhile. Chose books for Nov., Dec., and Jan and created promotional materials for each. Emailed with Fair Chairperson about space use and setup of space for the fair. Secured childcare for the Membership Information Session. Worked on the flyer for the Mental Health First Aid we will be hosting in January and began distributing it. Created the first draft of the worship bulletin for Sunday worship. Emailed draft to staff for review.
5:00pm – 6:30pm: Grabbed a sandwich and took Josephine to dance class.
7pm-8:30pm: Attended the cabinet meeting.
9:00pm: Sat on the couch with my amazing husband watching Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.
10:30pm: Went to bed.

I do a bunch of different stuff throughout the week, but this Wednesday is pretty representative of the randomness of my calling. I often get interviewed by students at BSU in the communications department and they ask how I manage so much. I tell them that having ADD is actually a gift in my profession. I’m able to move from task to task pretty seamlessly. As long as I keep my to-do list on me to come back to, I’m good.

But here’s what I really want to know… what does a random day in your life look like?

Blessings in Christ,
Rev. Beth

CARING FOR OUR COMMUNITY

Do you need a meal, a call, spiritual care, or even just a prayer or a chat?

Contact the Pastor, a Deacon, or a member of our Care Team.

To contact Rev. Beth, call the church office at 508-697-6016 or email her at csccpastor at hotmail.com.

CSCC Deacons
Deb Sorgman – debsorgman at gmail . com

Anne Malmquist - amalmquist at comcast . net

Cristi Ciaramitaro

Savannah Wells, Jr. Deacon

CSCC Care Team
Carol Chaffee * Bev Mitchell * Rev. Beth Stotts * Nina Gabel-Jorgensen

Contact the church office if you need us!

Well folks, we've made the call -- to Forni Oil - the low bidder for our needed new heating furnace. It has to be installed soon, as the existing one is hanging on by a thread. The low bid was $21,000. We have a long relationship with Forni and we trust they will do the job right, and they quoted American made equipment - Peerless and Beckett.

We can hardly afford this, but it must be done. Would you please prayerfully consider making a one time donation to help defray this cost? Please?

THANK YOU to all who have already donated.
John and Dave,
Your Property and Finance Team

Donations gratefully accepted by check, Venmo, or online by clicking HERE.

Women’s Guild & Fellowship, Nov. 6

The first meeting of WG&F on October 2 was held with 32 women present! We enjoyed a wonderful pot luck supper, talked about our programs for the 24/25 year, made plans for our rummage sale and voted to give Rob Basler $500 to buy needed items to bring to the people devastated by the flood in and around Asheville, NC. Our women also collected personal care items, bandages, and flashlights/batteries to send with Rob.

The Rummage Sale took place on October 12. It took many hands to sort rummage, bake for the Bake Table and make soups and sandwiches “to go” but it was a time of wonderful fellowship. We made over $1800! All the monies we make on our fall and spring rummage sales go to local and worldwide charities.

All women of the church are invited to our meetings (always on the first Wednesday of the month) from 6:30-8:30pm. Our next meeting will be November 6 and the program will be presented by Chris Ventura on essential oils for pain and sleep! Also, each month our Material Aids girls tell us of some needed items for a charity and for November we are being asked to bring Thanksgiving-related food items for our Bridgewater Food Pantry.

The holiday season is here and our church is one busy place. We start November with our annual pie night, next day is the fair and our turkey supper. Later in the month we have a magical event happening. So will Central Closet Thrift Shop be open during the month of November? Yes! On most of our regular days we will be open. November 2 and November 16 are the only days we will be closed for our special events.

Come in and start your holiday shopping. We're sure you'll like our prices. And tell your friends! There are also gift certificates available. You will only be charged $9.00 for a $10.00 gift certificate.

We are accepting new and gently used fall/winter clothing, seasonal decorations, footwear, pocketbooks, jewelry, household items, glassware, linens, books, and toys. Please no electronics and limit donations to 20 items per visit. Donations are accepted during shop hours, Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10 - 1.

Thanks to all our customers, our donors, and our volunteers for supporting us in our mission to help the church.
Lynn, together with Connie, Sandy, Jane, and Gail

Community Engagement Team News

On September 28, Heather Ciaramitaro, Terry Reynolds, and Diane Glass had a canopy/booth at the BBA Autumn Fest to “advertise” our church, sell some pumpkins and fall door decorations made by our crafters, and give out bags of a few simple Halloween items along with inserts of upcoming activities of our church to children and adults walking by.

Our next big project will be Warmth in Cold Places in December. Be on the lookout in your closets for warm jackets, heavy hooded sweatshirts, hats, and gloves for the homeless in Taunton and/or start visiting Ocean State for these items! Also in early December we will be collecting items to send to our troops abroad.

Sunday, November 3

The Spiritual Engagement Team invites you to All Saints Worship on Sunday, November 3rd. We all have saints who have passed through our lives and in this time of worship, we will honor the God in them that lives on in us. Please bring a photo, memento, or other item that represents your saint with you to worship. We will have a special time in the service where you will be invited to place your item on the altar and share a story (if you're comfortable doing so). May the memory of our loved ones be a continued blessing.

Membership Info Session November 17

If you've been a visitor at Central Square Church, and are interested in knowing more about membership, I'm so happy you've found us! We love having you as a part of our beloved community.

We are planning on having new members join the church in December and we typically offer a Membership Information Session prior to Membership Sunday. This fall the meeting will be on November 17 during the all-church potluck lunch beginning after worship. (Childcare will be provided with crafts, activities, and games.)

If you haven't received a membership packet to review, please let me know or contact the church office. And let me know if you have any questions. I'm always here for you.
Peace,
Rev. Beth

Dress in your Halloween costumes, grab your broomsticks, and fly to the Witches and Wizards event on November 16 at Central Square Church. There is much to see and do! And with the elaborate decorations being planned, you may not even recognize the church when you arrive! There will be fun things to make, good food to eat, and stories to listen to. Don’t forget to visit the store before you leave!

Have we got you curious yet? To find out more about the Witches & Wizards event, or to buy your tickets, go to the church website events page. It’s going to be a Magical Event!

(And it’s a church fundraiser, so invite all your friends, neighbors, and family!) $15 per person age 5+, or $50 for a family ticket. 4 and under are free. Tickets are timed-entrance - pick a time that works for you (3-5:30, on the half-hour).

CLICK HERE TO BUY YOUR TICKETS!

We need your Halloween decor!

Witches and Wizards is a special fundraiser for the church. The church is a good size and the perfect place for a party. But it will take many decorations to create a magical look, and we are hoping you might like to help. When Halloween is over, don’t store your decorations away.

Would you be willing to lend some of your decorations to the event? Just put your name on each item and we will get them back to you. If you have decided you do not need your Halloween decorations anymore you can leave them with us. We will appreciate any items you are willing to let us use!

We need anything you have to offer by Wednesday, Nov. 13th at the latest, for we will be decorating the church Friday the 15th and Saturday the 16th. Thank you in advance.

Terry Reynolds

Last month in Kids Church we learned about James (one of my favorite books of the Bible) and how we live out our Christian faith not only in our beliefs, but by our actions. We made a "Wisdom Tree" where the kids came up with ways to not just say what their beliefs were, but how that could be practically applied in the world.

This coming month we're going to be doing 5 weeks on women in the Bible. It's a section I'm really looking forward to because despite the Bible being written in more patriarchal times, there are some amazing women in Bible whose stories should be learned, celebrated, and spotlighted. As a reminder there will be no Kids Church on November 10th, but I look forward to seeing everyone this final month leading up to Advent!

Eric Stotts
Director of Kids Church

Advanced Care Planning Drop-In
Led by Rev. Beth Stotts
Certified Five Wishes Facilitator

Bridgewater Senior Center
Nov. 12, Dec. 10
11am-noon

Five Wishes is an end of life planning document combining a living will and health care power of attorney in addition to addressing matters of comfort care and spirituality.
Wishes 1 and 2 are both legal documents. Once signed, they meet the legal requirements for an advance directive. Wishes 3, 4, and 5 address matters of comfort care, spirituality, forgiveness, and final wishes.

Rev. William McCoy

The Rev. William McCoy will be joining us as a guest preacher on Nov. 10. Rev. Bill is a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University and Andover Newton Theological School. He serves as the Chaplain of the Brockton Fire Department and is the Director of “Surviving Homicide’s Aftermath: Resources, Education, & Support” at South Shore Resources Advocacy Center. He currently lives in Plymouth with his wife and enjoys spending time with his grandchildren. He is looking forward to sharing in worship with CSCC.

In my mind, November has always been a month of dying things. The summer is over. Farmers are finishing harvest. Vacations are coming to a close and children have headed back to school to begin a new year of learning. The hurricane season is ending and people are trying to reassemble what was broken and gather what remains.

November is the month that my firstborn lived and died. He had ten brief days on this earth. Ten days of loving and being loved. This year marks what would have been his twenty-seventh year. I often wonder what he would have been doing now had he lived. Would he have finished college and moved on to a fulfilling career of some type? Maybe he would be an electrician or plumber…or maybe a carpenter?

Sometimes I feel alone when I think about these things. People get uncomfortable if I bring my firstborn up. They want me to forget…to move on. I never will though. I may not always talk about him, but I’m always thinking of him. Wondering what color his hair would be, or if he would have a girlfriend or boyfriend. Would we have been close?

See, I don’t want to forget him. Thomas introduced me to what it feels like to be a mother. He taught me what it really feels like to love someone so much you would do anything for them. He taught me how much a person can endure to be allowed the moniker “mother.” He also helped me to see just how close my husband and I are. He taught me how to watch someone grieve and know that no matter how much you want to, sometimes you just can’t take away the pain of someone you love. He taught me that sometimes silence is the best you can offer. Silence, and the warmth of touch. Listening to another share their pain is sometimes the best you can do. So you do it.

For many years I hated Thanksgiving. I did not grow up in a close family and Thanksgiving always felt stiff and formal. We were expected to wear our best and pretend to be thankful. I hated it even more after Thomas died. He was buried the day before Thanksgiving in 1997. Thanksgiving felt like a cruel joke. It took me a long time after Thomas’ death to be able to be thankful for anything.

Things have changed…a little. I am beginning to see the ways I can be thankful. I am thankful for my husband’s love. I am thankful for the many ways my in-laws have demonstrated their love and concern over the years. I am thankful for the friends I have who have tried and continue to try to understand and love me. I am thankful for being given five beautiful children to love. They teach me more every day what it truly means to be a mother. I am thankful for my church family who are open and affirming, inclusive and kind. I am thankful for the opportunities God has afforded me to develop as a person and reveal gifts I have to offer.

I still grieve. I think I always will. My grief does not prevent me from seeing good things though. I think it presses me to value the good I have even more. One day I hope to see Thomas again. When I do, I will thank him for opening my heart to so much.

It’s That Time of Year Again:
Inclement Weather Policy

The Senior Deacon in conjunction with the Senior Pastor will discuss the need and reason for cancellation of worship service. Upon the decision to cancel worship service, the following procedures shall be put into effect:

1. The Pastor will notify the Minister of Music no later than 6am the Sunday morning of the service in question. The Minister of Music will in turn notify the choir.
2. The Pastor will notify the Sexton and other staff, including the Office Manager and the Communications Coordinator.
3. The Office Manager will update the office answering machine with the cancellation announcement and notify the appropriate television media.
4. The Communications Coordinator will send a general church email and a text notification, and will update the website and Facebook page.
5. The Senior Deacon will notify the other members of the Spiritual Engagement Team.

The main factors used to decide a cancellation are:
1. Excessive amounts of snow
2. Parking availability (or parking ban)
3. Damage to the church
4. State of Emergency
5. Power Outage

To ensure you receive timely notification of weather issues, be sure you are on our email list as well as our cell phone text message notification list. You may opt-out at any time. Contact the office with questions.

Location: Fellowship hall, Church
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 by Anne Malmquist, Moderator.

Cabinet members in attendance:
Rev. Beth Stotts, Pastor
Anne Malmquist, Moderator
David Sheibley, Treasurer
Nina Gabel-Jorgensen, Clerk
John Sharland, Property and Finance Team
Terry Reynolds, Community Engagement Team
Carol Chaffee, Congregational and Spiritual Engagement Team

Others in Attendance:
Dave Hanson, Lynn Pietras, Gail Wright

Nina Gabel-Jorgensen took attendance. Quorum was met.

Reverend Beth opened the meeting with a devotion and a prayer.

August and September Minutes
The meeting minutes from the August and September meeting were presented and reviewed. Anne Malmquist motioned to accept the minutes as written. Reverend Beth and Carol Chaffee seconded. The minutes were approved as written.

Pastor’s Report – Rev. Beth Stotts
1. Continued working with a clergy coach. Researching alternative models of ministry for a ¾ time pastorate.
2. Organized a Paint Nite Fundraiser. Ms. Jenn Paints will teach and is only charging us ½ of her regular fee.
3. Met with the co-directors of the Plymouth County Suicide Prevention Coalition. We will be hosting a Mental Health First Aid course on January 11 from 10am-5pm. We will be providing lunch.
4. Organized a taco lunch for National Taco Day.
5. Organized an all-church outing to the Providence Bruins on January 26.

Treasurer’s Report – Dave Sheibley
1. September was better $14k!! Year over Year on par with last year
2. No extraordinary expenses. 13k property bill.
3. Rev. Beth - clergy need to have a certain number of trainings. She has one this month and another in February. They are required. They cost money to attend.
4. Approximately $4500 so far for the Boiler Fund.

Community Engagement Team – Diane Glass
1. Put together 100 bags for Autumn Fest. Gave them all out. Was a good day.
2. Food Pantry - Connie got two people to help out with Food Pantry to give her a break. It’s going well. They have a need for a translator to assist with communicating with some of the clients.
3. The Rummage sale made approximately $1.8k. Attendance appeared lower than last year. St. Thomas also had their Rummage sale on the same day. They were very busy (anecdotally).
4. Extending Neighbors in Need deadline.
5. Paint night is almost sold out :)
6. The “Swinger sign” needs to be upgraded. Letters don’t stick.
7. There is a need for an easel as well. Need a substantial one that doesn’t tip over.
8. Enchantment night is coming along well. Some of the events will include:
   a. Shields
   b. Magic Wand
   c. Fortune telling with ice cream cones
   d. Story telling
   e. herbology
   f. Potions
   g. Food - three long tables with floating candles.
Donations from Congregation will be requested.

Congregational and Spiritual Engagement Team – Carol Chaffee
1. There are a good amount of new kids in Kid’s church. Kid’s church is going well.
2. Sign up for Lentil soup with Reverend Beth.
3. Church Fair - Diane S. has been very helpful. Is coming together. Carol is working hard getting all the moving pieces together.
4. New Member info session 11/17 during potluck lunch. Childcare will be available. They have a big group!
5. Thanksgiving service re: ecumenical Tuesday service. Hard to get the clergy together to do this. UU and Meth ministers don’t want to do it. Maybe take a break this year.
6. Julia wants to do a concert one of the weekends in January.

Property & Finance Team – John Sharland
1. North River Collaborative - sign being put out. NRC didn’t communicate to the Team about the implementation of the sign. No one at church made a unilateral decision to do this. The decision was made by the NRC and they took the initiative.
2. Flat roof to be repaired. Matter of when Todd is available.
3. Sidewalk is on hold.
4. Boilers are on. When the little boiler is on, a little bit of steam comes out. Big boilers have three switches to turn on. No time is set yet for the new boiler installation. No call to the office yet to say when they’re going to be in. Need to follow-up with Forni to see when they are coming and if the equipment is available. Sheri Turner is learning how to
write grants and needs assistance. No new sexton yet.

New Business
Opportunity Fair - Sunday afternoon 10/20. This event will explore all the many ways a congregant can volunteer in Church life. Example: Food Pantry, Thrift Shop, Usher, Fair.
Wish list - what are some skill sets that the Church needs? Grant Writing, Painting. John will make a Poster explaining funding and how the Church “runs”.

Closing prayer by Reverend Beth.

Anne Malmquist moved we adjourn. Nina Gabel-Jorgensen and Carol Chaffee seconded. All were in favor.

Meeting adjourned at 8:00 pm
Next meeting November 20th, 2024.

Church Administration
Pastor: Rev. Elizabeth Stotts, csccpastor at hotmail.com

Office Manager: Jenne Foronjy, office@csccucc.com
Minister of Music: Julia Scott Carey

Director of Video Evangelism: Paul Holmes
Treasurer: David Sheibley

Communications Coordinator: Diane Sheibley

Kids Church Director: Eric Stotts

Office email: office@csccucc.com
Office telephone: (508) 697-6016
Website: www.csccucc.org
Facebook pages: facebook.com/csccuccbridgewaterma (main page), facebook.com/groups/801550253194149 (youth page)

Instagram: @centralsquarechurch

Venmo: @cscc-ucc

Steeple Sounds submissions deadline is the 15th of the month prior to publication.