To celebrate the completion of the restoration and improvements of the 1959 building, we invite all to a “ribbon cutting” this Sunday, October 30 after church. We would like to acknowledge the vision and effort responsible for transforming the space. Gleaming floors, a new water cooler and filler, and the disappearance of that brown diamond wall are only part of the modifications. Pilgrim Hall looks like a completely refreshed space.
Please join us for cake and celebration after church this Sunday!…
Be prepared for holiday gatherings, meals, and community events to help save a life. Receive CPR training (including CPR and choke-saver aka “Heimlich”).
Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 6:45 PM Open to the community Cost is $50 (cash or check) Email office@churchofreading.org or call the office at 781-944-0205 to register or fill out the form below.
Pressing Pause is a once-per-month meditation prayer service on the 3rd Tuesday of the month. Each month we “press pause” and find a moment to recharge our spiritual needs in quiet in the middle of the month on a weeknight. Each service follows the same format. Come for 10 min of quiet or stay for the whole hour.
6:30 PM – the Sanctuary is open with quiet meditative music and candlelight for quiet meditation 7 – 7:30 PM – a brief meditation service is offered with a different theme each month
Upcoming Dates include: October 18 – Walking the Labyrinth November 15 – Lectio Divina
The box is beginning to be “fed” by your generosity of spirit. Thank you for thinking of those who are in need. School supplies seem like such a simple thing – something youngsters in our communities might not find exciting. Fresh paper, pencils, crayons, and related items will undoubtedly bring smiles to the faces of the children who receive our kits.
We are in need of the items listed here, or financial donations to off-set related expenses.
One pair of blunt scissors (rounded tip, only) Three 70-count bound notebooks or notebooks totaling 200-210 pages (no loose-leaf or filler paper) One 12” ruler One hand-held pencil sharpener One large eraser (no pencil cap erasers) Six new, unsharpened pencils with erasers One box of 24 crayons (only 24)…
On Sunday, August 14th, we continued our partnership with Common Cathedral. Together we supplied 164 sandwich bags filled with turkey, ham and cheese, or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and numerous snacks.
We distributed food receiving many thanks from recipients. We then listened to a heartfelt memorial service for one of their own Common Cathedral artistically gifted community members who passed recently of a heart attack.
Common Cathedral shares their gratitude for our community’s continued partnership and financial support, requests that we become storytellers sharing the power of the Common Cathedral experience, and invites us to be in prayer with their community as their team also prays for those participating in the previous week’s service at their Wednesday meeting.
With our commitment to support, storytell, and pray with the Common Cathedral Community, the Reading FCCR partnership continues.
Book Group resumes its monthly meetings on the first Tuesday of the month at 7:30 PM beginning Tuesday, September 6.
We will be discussing This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger. To be added to the email list to receive the Zoom link, please email office@churchofreading.org…
Despite it being a hot summer, volunteers across our church community have shown up to help out to make some BIG changes. News just too good to share, we couldn’t wait for another newsletter!
Downstairs… Operation clean-up from that fall water leak has continued thanks to the many hours of work from our Property Ministry, including the installation of a new drop-ceiling in Pilgrim Hall.
Sustainability work doesn’t stop in the summer! The teams have been meeting and working. Volunteers have been putting things in motion, including dipping our toes into our first two “pilot programs” of our arts initiatives.
When was the last time you went upstairs?
Volunteers have been cleaning up and clearing out upstairs rooms to make way for new potential! The first “pilot” of our Sustainability vision (a costume artist needing studio space) is moving in soon to use the old Youth Room.
Over the spring and summer months, this room has received a face-lift: moving out old couches, fixing plaster, and electrical work. Do you even recognize it?!
Volunteers have also dedicated time to cleaning and organizing all kinds of supplies, materials, and resources which had lived in the old CE room and the old Associate Minister’s office (which has become a storage space for the time being).
A preview of what’s to come The Chapel got a change, too! The Northeast School of Ballet held summer classes for three weeks in the Chapel. Looking for a more dedicated space, we are trying out a pilot of offering the Chapel as a temporary dance studio.
The Chapel has transformed back to it’s original worship set-up this past Sunday, and it will still be available for us to use in August.
But wait! There’s more! Remember the 1920s Philathea motto? “We do things” is alive and well here at First Congregational Church! In addition to all the above, we also have had volunteers helping to mow, weed, and garden this summer!
Our calendar may have slowed down for the summer, but our work certainly hasn’t! There’s still much more to come and more to do. We’re looking for volunteers who can help, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to the office for all projects big and small, much of which we hope to complete before the FAIRE! …
So far, we have volunteers signed up to make the following sandwiches:
PB&J: 50/50
Ham & Cheese: 30/50
Turkey (no cheese): 40/50
This year there is also an opportunity to serve lunch and attend Common Cathedral in Boston Common.
As Paula Ewenstein, Common Cathedral Lunch Coordinator says: “Hello, we are delighted and grateful that your congregation will be visiting common cathedral! First, thank you for your continued support of common cathedral. Your contribution is keeping people fed physically and spiritually throughout this global pandemic. For Summer 2022, we’ve made a few updates we’d like to share with you.
Click on the boxes below for more information:
Donating lunches: We are continuing to ask for pre-made lunches and are currently requesting the following supplies:
150 brown paper bag lunches
With sandwiches – We will prepare PB&J, turkey and cheese, ham and cheese, and tuna for some of our loyal sandwich makers
2-3 snacks inside (chips, fruit, cheese sticks, cookies) [Please put snacks in small zip locked bags if they aren’t already wrapped]
“Adding a tomato, pickles, lettuce, anything extra makes it a meal, not just a sandwich.” –John, community member
Donating Supplies: If you are looking to support us in other ways, check out our Amazon Wish list:
Click Here! It is updated monthly with seasonal items needed as indicated by our community. For example, ankle socks for these hot summer days!
Safely making sandwiches: Some people have expressed concern about making lunches during this COVID-time. Please *do* take extra precautions when making the food.
Have individuals make them at home and drop off with one central person who will be doing the delivery on Sunday. Remind lunch-makers to sanitize the surface on which they make the food, to wash hands often, and to wear gloves. The virus itself is *not* food-borne but rather the danger is in particles coming into contact with the food items being prepared.
Important note: People are hungry right now, as many meal programs have closed or simplified their operations. It’s harder to get food if you are homeless or income-insecure. This is why we are requesting these items.
