November 2025 Steeple Sounds

Every year when November rolls around, I instantly think about Thanksgiving. It is my favorite holiday. Over the years I have come to welcome Thanksgiving as a day of rest, connection, and tradition. In a culture driven by opinions, power, and consumerism, Thanksgiving is a day when we can turn away from outside pressures and turn toward what is most important… giving thanks to God.

It can feel difficult to focus on gratitude when the world around us is filled with uncertainty, struggle, and division. Yet it is precisely in these times that giving thanks becomes most essential.

My husband used to roll his eyes at me when I would talk about gratitude. I even thanked him after our very first kiss. He thought that was kind of weird and I guess it is. To him the concept of consistent gratitude was a bit much.

But gratitude is not a denial of hardship — it is a faithful act of resistance against despair. When we pause to give thanks, we remember that God’s goodness persists even in the midst of conflict. We notice the small mercies that sustain us: a friend’s kindness, a meal shared, a sunrise that brings new light, a first kiss.

This season invites us to reclaim thankfulness as a spiritual practice. In giving thanks, we soften our hearts, strengthen our hope, and open ourselves to God’s renewing presence. As the Apostle Paul reminds us, “Give thanks in everything; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

May this Thanksgiving season draw us closer to one another, deepen our compassion, and renew our trust that even now — especially now — God is at work bringing healing and peace.

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.

CSCC Deacons
Deb Sorgman – debsorgman at gmail . com

Anne Malmquist - amalmquist at comcast . net

Cristi Ciaramitaro

Stephanie Holmgren, Altar Deacon

Savannah Wells, Jr. Deacon

Liam O'Connell, Jr. Deacon

Talinn Muurisepp, Jr. Deacon

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

Contact the church office if you need us!

The Bridgewater Food Pantry, hosted and supported by CSCC, is open Thursdays, 10am-1pm, and the first Mondays of the month, 6-7:30pm (except holidays). All Bridgewater residents who are in need of food are welcome.

If you are a Bridgewater resident unable to come to the food pantry, but are in need of food, please contact the church office by email (office@csccucc.com) or phone (508-697-6016) and arrangements will be made for you.

Please note the food pantry will be closed Thursday, Nov. 27.

November is certainly the time to gather. After worship Fellowship Time will happen on November 2, 9, 23, and 30 providing there are volunteeers to host a simple after worship time of coffee, water, and light refershments. Please sign up on the list located on the bulletin board near the kitchen by starting your own 2-3 member team or add your name to a team that needs another 1-2 members. This is an all-church volunteer opportunity, with little time requirement, that is enjoyed by many.
Thank you!
Connie Chandler

After a fabulous pot luck dinner for our season opener last month, the Women’s Guild and Fellowship will meet Wednesday evening, Nov. 5, at 6:30pm.

Our speakers for the program will be (AARP sponsored), Dennis Hogengasser and Andy Murry for the topic: "Protect Yourself from Fraud and Identity Theft". This is a most important topic to get the latest information updates to safeguard our personal and financial identities. All the women of the church and their friends are invited to attend! Hope to see you there!
Donna ONeil

All Saints’ Day Altar & Ofrenda Invitation for Sunday 11/2
On All Saints’ Day, we celebrate and give thanks for the saints who have gone before us, those whose lives, love, and faith have drawn us closer to God. This year, our altar will include an ofrenda, a special display of remembrance inspired by the tradition of honoring those who have passed on.

You are invited to bring a small item, photo, or symbol that represents something or someone who has helped shape your faith, a loved one, a teacher, a piece of music, a favorite book, or anything that reminds you of God’s presence in your life. Together, we will create a sacred space of gratitude and reflection, celebrating how God continues to work through the people, stories, and experiences that guide our spiritual journey.

As we honor the saints of our lives, may we be reminded of the great cloud of witnesses surrounding us and be encouraged to live our faith with joy and hope.

Please have your picture or item in by 10/31 and place it in the church office. You will be able to take your memento home with you following worship.

It is a gift to know and experience gratitude.
What is gratitude?

Benedictine monk Br. David Steindl-Rast suggests that two qualities belong in our basic definition of gratitude. The first is appreciation: You recognize that something is valuable to you, without consideration of its monetary worth. The second quality Br. David mentions is that gratitude is a response to something freely given to you — gratis.

I have a friend who has a unique gift of gratitude. We have taken long walks, worked in the garden, cleaned grapes, chatted about paint colors, enjoyed coffee, enjoyed laughs and smiles. Though my appreciation of the surrounding world and its beauty is above par, hers is at a grand level. She sees the beauty of a tiny leaf in the fall, a clump of grapes still on the vine, the fluff of milkweed in blossom as it invades her yard. She so aptly expresses her gratitude, shares it with me and redirects and empowers me to that grand level of gratitude.
Care Team ~ Carol Chaffee

We are still looking for Christmas clothing for Attic Treasures.

We also hope we get donations of items like:
candles • notepaper • dishes • toys in good condition
perfume/hand lotion, etc.

Please drop off at the church on11/6 and 11/7. Call Bev Mitchell or the church office if you have any questions.

We mentioned this before -- B/R High School students come at the end of the sale. A program was started a few years ago that students before Christmas could pick out presents to give to family members. Hopefully we will be able to help them again.
Thanks so much!

Debbie Golob and Bev Mitchell

The holiday season is here once again. Lots of fall and winter merchandise has arrived to the shop. Plenty of special prices and sales to take advantage of! Stop in and start your holiday shopping - we're sure you'll like our prices and our goods. Central Closet Thrift Shop also has $10.00 gift certificates for only $9.00. Fun gift for the right person.
We welcome new or gently used clothing and accessories for adults and children, seasonal decorations, household items, books, and toys. Please no electronics, broken items, torn or stained clothing. We do limit donations up to twenty items per visit. Donations are only accepted during shop hours, Wednesday 10-2 and Saturday 10-2. Thank you for your generosity.

Special dates for November
November 8th - Central Closet Thrift Shop will be closed for the annual Fall Fair of the Central Square Congregational Church.

November 26th and 29th - special prices and sales to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday.

Stay tuned for more sale announcements! Thanks again to all our customers, donors, and volunteers for helping us help our church,

Connie, Sandy, Jane, Lynn and Gail

Need Turkey Supper Reservations?

Our annual traditional turkey supper will be served on Saturday, November 8 at 5:30pm. Reservations are highly recommended as we are capping the tickets at 80. Reservations can be made online (CLICK HERE), calling the church office prior to November 6, or at the fair on Nov. 7 & 8.

Ticket prices are as follows:
Adults, 18-59: $20 per person
Veterans, Seniors 60+, College students: $15pp
Children 4-17: $10pp
Under 4 free

Supper includes turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, vegetable, gravy, cranberry sauce, dessert, and a beverage.

Open to the public! All are welcome!

Brrr, we didn’t want to remind you, but winter is on the way. Along with it comes the cold, windy, and oh yes snowy weather. It is time to think about Warmth in Cold Places, a favorite project of CSCC. Once again, we will be collecting warm clothes to give to the homeless people of Taunton. As a matter of fact, we have already begun to fill the storage bin located in the back hall. If you would like to be a part of this favorite project, look for gently used hooded sweatshirts, sweaters, coats, and jackets to donate. While you are shopping this fall, t-shirts, socks, gloves, and mittens are much needed. Long underwear is much appreciated.

Oh, did I mention SOCKS? It doesn’t take long for socks to become wet and no place to dry them, so socks are very popular. Whatever you would like to donate would be much appreciated. Let’s see how many times we can fill the bin in the back hall and shower the homeless of Taunton with wonderful warm gifts. We will be collecting from now until the middle of December. Look for the box in the front entry or the bin in the back hall.

The Community Engagement Team

Five Wishes Workshop on All Saints!

As we gather on All Saints (Nov.2) for worship to reflect on and honor the lives of those who have gone before us, you are invited to take a moment to plan for your own legacy. Join Rev. Beth for a special Five Wishes Workshop, where we'll explore how thoughtful end-of-life planning can reflect your values, wishes, and faith.

In this session, we will guide you through the Five Wishes advance directive, helping you express your personal and spiritual desires regarding healthcare and end-of-life decisions. By aligning this important planning with the season of remembrance, we hope to empower you to make decisions that honor both your life and the lives of your loved ones.

Date & Time: November 2nd, 11am
Location: Fireplace Room of Central Square Church, UCC

Join us for a spirit-filled Ecumenical Thanksgiving Worship Service as we come together across faith traditions to give thanks for God’s abundant blessings. Through prayer, song, and community, we’ll celebrate gratitude, unity, and hope for the season ahead. All are welcome — come as you are and bring your thankful heart!

The service will take place at First Parish UU Church, 50 School St., Bridgewater.

Participating clergy from Bridgewater UMC, Christian Science Society, Central Square Congregational Church UCC, Trinity Episcopal, St. Thomas, New Jerusalem Church, First Parish UU, and Reimagine Community Inc.

This month we are continuing our 6-week exploration of The Lord's Prayer! The goal is to not just learn the words of The Lord's Prayer, but to understand what we are saying when we say those words and why. We are also exploring concepts of forgiveness both to ourselves and others, and how we pray when things are difficult. Each week is essentially a deep dive into one specific line of The Lord's Prayer... but we make it fun!

When we complete this curriculum we'll jump right into our Advent curriculum on the last Sunday of the month. The kids are excited about presenting the Christmas pageant in worship (December 21), so we will talk about the story of Jesus and explore what it must have been like to be the people in the story of Christ's birth. And, while we would encourage parents/guardians to have their kids there every week to be ready for the pageant, it is not required, and every child that wants to participate will be included.

Kids Church is an important part of the life of the church and, as always, we thank the congregation for their support and encouragement for the spiritual growth of the youngest members of our community. If you have a gift or calling you'd like to share with Kids Church, please reach out to me.

Enjoy the Fall and hope to see everyone soon!

Eric Stotts
Kids Church Director

Cookies & Community:
Cocoa & Carols
Friday, December 5

Join us for a festive evening of holiday cheer at Central Square Congregational Church! Bring your family and neighbors to share cookies, enjoy holiday movies, and sing carols.

What’s Happening
Community Cookie Exchange – Bring 3 dozen cookies to share and take home some new favorites.
Kids’ Christmas Movies – Cozy holiday films for all ages.
Hot Cocoa & Treats – Warm up with festive drinks and snacks.
Singing Christmas Carols – At 7:00pm, we’ll bundle up and head outside to the brightly lit Common to spread holiday cheer together.

$5 Donation – Help support our church and its mission while enjoying a fun evening with your community.

Date & Time: Friday, December 5th, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Location: Central Square Congregational Church

Come for the cookies and cocoa, stay for the carols, and leave with your heart full of holiday spirit!

Calling all past confirmands and youth group members!

Yes, you 20-, 30-, and even 40-somethings. We would like to open a channel of communication with you by email. We want to celebrate your milestones with you. We want to keep you in prayer at times of need. You became an adult and we DO like to think that we, the church, played an important role in your journey. So let us in, stop by the church, check out our website, come to worship anytime but especially during the Advent and Christmas season. Sign up for our newsletter to keep informed about what might be of interest to you. Please send an email to the church office (office@csccucc.com) so we can connect with you. Thank you!

The Congregational Engagement Team
Carol Chaffee and Natalie Muurisepp

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

By Barbara Robinson
$4.49 paperback on Amazon.com

The six Herdman children are “absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world”. They lie and steal and smoke cigars. They even burned down Fred Shoemaker’s old toolhouse. Now they’re taking over the Christmas pageant.

The Herdmans have never heard the Christmas story before, and they don’t know anything about shepherds or wise men. When Imogene hears about the swaddling clothes, she demands to know why anyone would tie up a baby and put him in a feedbox. Leroy, Claude, and Ollie are planning on a gift that means much more than gold, frankincense, and myrrh - the ham from their Christmas basket.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever has been a favorite of children and their parents since 1972. Readers of all ages will delight in this unusual and refreshing interpretation of Christmas

Location: Fellowship hall, Church
Pastor Beth Devotional 7:05 p.m.
The meeting was called to order at 7:06 by Anne Malmquist, Moderator.

Cabinet members in attendance:
Anne Malmquist, Moderator; Nina Gabel-Jorgensen, Clerk; Natalie Muurisepp and Carol Chaffee, Congregational Engagement; Terry Reynolds, Community Engagement; John Sharland, Property and Finance; Eric Stotts, Spiritual Engagement; Pastor Beth Stotts

Guests
Ms Josephine Stotts

September minutes
Minutes approved with these amendments - separate the discussion about World Communion from the discussion about reaching out to older youth. Carol Chaffee asked a question about Neighbors in Need - which prompted a discussion about 5 offerings.

Spiritual Engagement Team
Kids church will be working on the Lord’s Prayer for the next six weeks. Carol asks whether the discussion includes ASL (American Sign Language)? Carol suggests learning the Lord’s Prayer in ASL. Eric Stotts agreed this was a good idea. A discussion followed about different versions of the Lord’s Prayer depending on denomination. Terry suggested bracelet/bookmark beads for reciting the different portions of the LP.

Child Protection Policy Update:
The CPP updates include the “Rule of Three”. This is the current Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ’s guidance for child safety procedures. Carol Chaffee questioned the definition of “3 people” and asked Eric Stotts for clarification.
Carol also suggested a few edits regarding typos. John Sharland provided context for our attention to boundary training. Boundary training is very important for Pastors and children in church.

Eric made motion to accept Child Protection Policy Update; Carol seconded. All “Aye”. No opposition or abstentions.

Josephine Stott loves Kids church and the Pastor.

Pastor Report
Lots of clergy meetings. Bridgewater clergy worked on ecumenical Thanksgiving service. It will be happening and the other churches are working on the service. Reverend Beth is working on All Saints worship. The children will be participating in the building of the altar. There will be a Holiday open-mic December 12, 6-7:30pm, 7:30 to 8 will be cookie and cocoa time and Mr. Grinch will come to take pictures. There is a need for assistance with making cookies for the event.

Food Pantry discussion - Reverend Beth spoke to Bridgewater Town Manager. The biggest concern is transportation. Clients getting food back to their homes is problematic. Town Manager and new director to Senior Center working on a transportation grant. They will attempt to dovetail these needs with the grant. Patrick Donahue will be preaching on October 26th.

Nina - reached out and found translation resources for the Food Pantry pamphlet. She will reach out to the translator for pricing and process.

Community Engagement Team Report - Terry Reynolds
Attendance for the community dinner was larger than last month. Terry is grateful for Angelina providing Italian music for the event. Autumnfest was at the end of September. The Ciaramitaro family ran the booth. Terry attended the BBA meeting. BBA Christmas on the Common changed from 12:00 to 10:00 last year. Terry negotiated that they change time to 11:00. There will be a parking barrier at the end of Church Street. There will be a sign indicating that churchgoers can park on Church Street. We have the right to ask vendors to move until 11am. It might be a good idea to let folks know to come earlier if they need assistance. RB asks if we can put cones for members who need accessibility access.

Warmth in cold places - bring donations.

December - Cookies, Cocoa, and Carols. December 5th. Cookie swap. “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” is the movie suggested by Reverend Beth.

Postponed Magical Event until January.

Congregational Engagement Team - Natalie Muurisepp
1.   World Communion Sunday 10/5. Went wonderfully. Did well.
2.   Younger generation outreach coming up for the winter.
3.   Opportunity to ask questions about the Fair at this Sunday’s potluck.

Property and Finance Team - John Sharland
Might not get to repair the main sidewalk this Fall. Main sidewalk repair to happen next Spring.

Treasurer report
Spending more than taking in. Rummage sale was not announced but was on Facebook. Lots of stuff came in regardless. $130 a week short on average. Annual shortage $6600. No earnings had to come out of investments for the first quarter!

The meeting was adjourned at 8:40 pm.

Next meeting November 19th. No December cabinet meeting.

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.