Sunday School programming begins in September.
For more info, reach out to the church office at office@churchofreading.org or 781-944-0205.
At the moment, we have supplies for 14 complete kid kits!
We also have lots of supplies for additional kits. In order to complete the extras, we could use more of the following:
- pencil sharpeners
- kid size blunt tip scissors
- colored pencils (12 pks)
- rulers (inch/cent. variety)
These are the items in the shortest supply at this time.
If you have already purchased other items to donate, fear not. We can still use them as well.
Thank you for all of your generosity!
Here’s a complete list of kit items:
Our list of needed items has changed a bit this year. Please note that specific sizes are requested for uniformity.
- Box of 12 colored pencils
- Two pocket folder
- Glue stick
- Blunt-tip scissors (packaging removed)
- 1-70 page wide spiral-bound notebook
- 30-cm/12” ruler
- Hand-held pencil sharpener (packaging removed)
- Large eraser (not pencil top)
- Six new, unsharpened pencils (bundled with a rubber band)
- Box of 24 crayons
- Optional: handmade or store bought pencil pouch.
Not a shopper? Funds to cover costs of items (approximately $15 per bag at full price) and shipping (over $100) can also be donated by check, or using the link below and choosing CWS Kits from the dropdown menu.
https://www.churchofreading.org/donate/
Staples has great sales on many of the needed items through Sat. Other summer back-to-school sales will follow in July and August.
Donations can be dropped off at the church office during the week or on Sundays in the sanctuary collection area.
We plan to assemble the kits in church in early Sept.
Thank you for joining this worthy project.…
It’s time to start getting ready for our Annual Church Faire, and we need YOUR help!
Our Annual Church Faire is just around the corner, on September 27th, 2025. We’ll be celebrating a day of community, connection, and fun! The faire doesn’t just happen on its own – it’s powered by the incredible spirit and dedication of our wonderful volunteers.
Click the button below to sign up today!
August 3 at 10 AM
This service will be hands-on living the gospel of Jesus as we make and pack lunches during 10 AM worship. Join us as we celebrate Communion and bless lunches to be served at Common Cathedral – a ministry for the homeless on Boston Common.
We still need volunteers to provide essentials for lunches (turkey, cheese, egg salad) and to volunteer to go into Boston (about 11 AM to 3 PM). Use the link below to sign up.
Breakfast is crucial for children’s physical and cognitive development. Unfortunately, too many children don’t get breakfast in the summer months when they’re out of school. The local St. Vincent de Paul Society is working to change that by providing both breakfast and lunch foods for Reading families. We’re collecting maple syrup for them – 100 containers! We have a good start but ask you to add it to your list this week – and maybe next week too! Thank you.
Interested in learning about our audio visual and live stream systems?
One of my favorite things in the world is biting into a fresh tomato, picked on a sunny day, still warm from the garden. It brings me immediately home to our Connecticut kitchen on a hot summer evening. I can still picture my dad cutting baseball bat sized zucchinis into slices, breading them, then frying them in a big electric skillet. The delicious treats would be gobbled up before he could get the next batch into the pan.
As the summer progressed, my father used to have bowls of fresh vegetables covering his countertop, too many to keep up with. We worked and laughed side by side making jars and jars of bread and butter pickles. I have to be honest, the attempt at dill pickles was not nearly as successful, but we still had fun making them. He and my mom canned “Garden Special” with the tomatoes, zucchini, and peppers. All winter long we had those gleaming red jars on the basement shelves, just waiting for us to make spaghetti sauce full of the taste of summer.
I have never had the gardening success that my dad had, but I try every year. I have some snap peas and cucumbers growing in the back yard, and I’m hoping for a good crop of tomatoes and green beans from my plot at the Mattera Conservation Community Garden.
Spend a little time this summer reveling in the sweet taste of a fresh tomato, shucking butter and sugar corn, or snapping fresh green beans.
Do you have a garden? A great way to share your abundance is to bring it to the Reading Food Pantry. You can drop off your produce (and other donations) at 6 Salem Street on Wednesday afternoons between 4:30 and 6:00, Thursday mornings 10:00 to 12:00, or Monday evenings 5:00 to 5:30.
Additionally, their July needs list is:
- Laundry detergent
- Paper towels
- Solid white tuna in water
- Mayonnaise
- Kids’ snacks
Watch for an exclusive interview with Simone Payment from the Reading Food Pantry in August.
Stay cool! Jeannie
July 2025
- Specialized Roofing, the contractor for the Chapel and 1959 Roof repairs, has ordered supplies and applied for permits. Work on these projects will begin in August, starting with the Chapel roof.
- We have submitted RFQs and are awaiting quotes on the Woburn Street exterior, lintels, and mortar repairs on the 1911 building. It’s not easy working on a vintage/antique building. Vinyl siding, anyone?
- The Property Committee is researching new contractors to enlarge our pool of prospects for future projects. Having relationships with multiple vendors increases our knowledge and options, and enables us to make better decisions.
- During the late summer or early fall, the Capital Campaign team will be reviewing where our campaign income stands regarding commitments. Again, thanks to all who have been able to stay current with their commitments.
Thank you,
The Capital Campaign Project Management Team
…
Mission Ministry is ramping up to assemble kits for Church World Service to distribute to children in the US and beyond. Last year we filled 40 bags. Thank you to all who donated!
Our list of needed items has changed a bit this year. Please note that specific sizes are requested for uniformity.
- Box of 12 colored pencils
- Two pocket folder
- Glue stick
- Blunt-tip scissors (packaging removed)
- 1-70 page wide spiral-bound notebook
- 30-cm/12” ruler
- Hand-held pencil sharpener (packaging removed)
- Large eraser (not pencil top)
- Six new, unsharpened pencils (bundled with a rubber band)
- Box of 24 crayons
- Optional: handmade or store bought pencil pouch.
The sewing group is making needed cloth bags to augment supplies
You can provide all items for a kit or any quantity of individual components.
Shopping for items can be a fun way to feel like you are providing resources for a child.
Not a shopper? Funds to cover costs of items (approximately $15 per bag at full price) and shipping (over $100) can also be donated by check, or using the link below and choosing CWS Kits from the dropdown menu.
https://www.churchofreading.org/donate/
Staples has great sales on many of the needed items through Sat. Other summer back-to-school sales will follow in July and August.
Donations can be dropped off at the church office during the week or on Sundays in the sanctuary collection area.
We plan to assemble the kits in church in early Sept.
Thank you for joining this worthy project.…
Get ready! 🎉 The Olde Redding Faire is celebrating its 68th anniversary on September 27th, 2025!
This isn’t just our biggest fundraiser of the year, it’s a true celebration of community!
Join us for delicious food, fun games, amazing treasures, and a thrilling Silent Auction. Mark your calendars – you won’t want to miss it!
Sign up to get involved at https://tinyurl.com/Olde-Redding-Faire-2025
Reach out out the church office with any questions at 781-944-0205 of office@churchofreading.org.
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