July 2024 Newsletter

Barbara Schenk • July 4, 2024

Dear friends,


Reminder: Our worship service time shifts to 9:30 AM from

July 7 through August.

 

Everyone’s Help is Welcome!

The events and ongoing ministries listed- and others not listed - in this newsletter are OPEN to anyone who would like to get involved. Please speak to the contacts below or to me for more information:

(Apologies for any omissions)

 

Craft Fair/Vendor Fairs/Raffles: Lori LaTaille

July Pancake Brunch: Pastor Barbara & Keith Walker

Prep for Loaves and Fishes: Joanne & Peter Wells

Serving Loaves and Fishes: Joe Rosati

Choir: Frank Jackson

CROP Hunger Walk and Drive Through: Jeanie Marsh

Finance Board: Kevin Withers

Foster Softball: Matt Kobjack & Wilberth Condega Ortiz

Garden Angels and Altar Design: Judy Milano & Gerri Thompson

Cutting Edge (help with lawn and gardens): Keith Walker

Bun Run – delivering baked goods to Loaves & Fishes: Sandy Moore

International Peace Day/Just Peace Group: Bob Loesch

Deacons (support for worship & care:) Mary Caron

Trustees (buildings and grounds): Jim Cummings

Christian Ed, God Time, readers for worship, Coffee Hour, Filmed Worship Service & Nursery Volunteers: Pastor Barbara

Fosterians Women’s Group: Lori LaTaille & Judy Milano

Men’s Group: Biff Simpson

Delegates: Susan Tarantino & Bob Loesch

 

Blessings in this summer season,





July Calendar


July-August 11: Collection of school supplies for Rebecca Johnson

 

Saturday, July 13 1-3 PM:

Drive Through Collection of Food for Open Pantry

 

Sunday, July 28 at 10:30 AM:

Pancake Brunch with performance and singalong by Keith Walker Fundraiser for our church's Sprinkler System


August Calendar

 

Sunday, August 4 at 10:30 AM:

10th Anniversary of Waving for Peace

(Rain date: August 11):

 

Saturday, August 10 1-3 PM:

Drive Through Collection of Food for Open Pantry

And School Supplies for Rebecca Johnson

 

Sunday, August 11 during worship:

Blessing of School Supplies

 

Tuesday, August 27:

Hosting Distribution of Crop Hunger Walk materials

 

September:

 

Sunday, September 1:

Worship Service time resumes at 10 AM

 

Saturday, September 7:

Craft Fair: 9-3 Vendors asked to provide tables and set up

 

Sunday, September 8 during worship:

Rally Sunday: First Day of the Church School Program Year

 

Saturday, September 14:1-3 PM

Drive Through Collection of Food for Open Pantry

 

Sunday, September 22:

Hosting International Peace Day:


Ongoing:


Sunday mornings:     

God Time and Nursery Care

Coffee Hour after worship


Monday afternoons:

Waving for Peace from 3:30-4 PM


Wednesdays 5-6PM 

Cutting Edge Group


Third Thursday:       

Prep for Loaves and Fishes Dinner


Third Friday:           

Serving Dinner at Loaves and Fishes


Last week:                 

Delivering baked goods to Loaves & Fishes




SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR REBECCA JOHNSON


We will be collecting school supplies through August 11. Needed: Everything from pencils to backpacks, notebooks, glue sticks, crayons, colored pencils, and two and four pocket folders and more! Thanks to everyone for your support!



PANCAKE BRUNCH & PERFORMANCE/SINGALONG WITH KEITH WALKER


Sunday, July 28 at 10:30 AM

This is a Fundraiser to help with expenses for our church's sprinkler system. Please speak to Pastor Barbara if you are able to help in the kitchen or hosting.



MONTHLY DRIVE THROUGH: July 13 from 1-3 PM


Collection of Food for Open Pantry

We also collect food for Open Pantry each Sunday during our worship services. This summer, we will also be collecting school supplies.



WAVING FOR PEACE ANNIVERSARY


Sunday, August 4, following worship

All are welcome to help us celebrate TEN years of Waving for Peace on Monday afternoons. We will wave for a half hour. Chairs are provided. All ages welcome!



SPECIAL MUSIC SCHEDULE:

 

6/30              Pickup Choir

7/7                 Women’s Choral Group

7/14               Roxy & Steve Bailey, Vocalists &

Instrumentalists

7/21               Sue Mcnary, Soprano

7/28              Barbara Schenk & Keith Walker

Vocalists & Instrumentalists

8/4                 Men’s Choral Group

8/11               Frank P. Jackson, Pianist

8/18               Pickup Choir

8/25              Kathy Schoeck, Violinist

9/1                 Pickup Choir

 

Everyone is invited to join the Pickup Choir. Women are invited to join the Women’s Choral Group and men invited to join Men’s Choral Group. Rehearsals will be held in the sanctuary on Sunday at 8:45 AM. Please speak to Frank Jackson for more information.


CRAFT FAIR


Saturday, September 7th: 9 AM-3PM

Vendors Welcome!

Outside and Inside Spaces Available

Cost: $30.00 per vendor

We request that vendors supply their own tables

 

Speak to Lori LaTaille for more information!

413-626-9040 or lorilhi@aol.com

There will also be lunch items for purchase

and Gift Basket Raffles.



FOSTER SOFTBALL SEASON IS HERE!

https://www.interchurchsoftball.com/fields/

 

There are three weeks left to the season!

Tuesdays: July 9, 16 and 23 beginning at 5:30 PM.

Please contact Pastor Barbara for game locations, because there might be changes. The games on the 9th are scheduled to be played at Bethany Assembly Church in Agawam.

The locations for July 16 and 23: TBD

 

Everyone is always welcome and encouraged to come!

Go, Foster team!


By Foster Memorial Church July 31, 2026
August 2026 – Foster Memorial Church, UCC Interim Search Update The Interim Search Team (Amy Pawle, Alice Kempf, Bruce Moore, Mary Caron, Kevin Withers & Rev. Bob Loesch) has completed our church profile, and it is now active with the UCC. This is the first step in finding an intentional interim pastor to guide us through the search for our next settled pastor. The profile introduces the church to pastors nationwide who are searching themselves, similar to a job posting. Any candidate who is interested in our profile will send their profile to us through the UCC, and the Interim Search Team will decide whether to interview them. The interim pastor will serve for around two years, working ¾ time, between 30 and 35 hours per week. Since it is unlikely that we will find an interim pastor by the end of August, the Executive Board is now working to find people to lead worship for the next few months. We met with our new Area Minister, Rev. David Jones, on Monday, July 20; he will be assisting us with this and the interim search. Rev. Bob Loesch is providing pastoral care starting September 1st. Please contact Amy Pawle, our moderator, with any questions. She can be reached at amy.pawle@gmail.com. Special Invitation Please join us for the retirement and final worship service of Rev. Barbara Schenk on Sunday, August 30 at 9:30 AM , followed by a special coffee hour at 10:30 AM. Calendar of Events August Saturday, August 1 — Men’s Breakfast, 8:20 AM Sunday, August 2 — Texas Roadhouse Fundraiser, 11:30 AM – 3 PM Saturday, August 8 — Food Drive, 1 – 3 PM Sunday, August 9 — 12th Anniversary of Waving for Peace Sunday, August 9 — Blessing of School Supplies Sunday, August 30 — Pastor Barbara’s final worship service / farewell September Reminder: Worship changes back to 10 AM. Friday, September 4 — Quarter Auction, 7 PM Saturday, September 5 — Men’s Breakfast, 8:20 AM Sunday, September 6 — Texas Roadhouse Fundraiser, 11:30 AM – 3 PM Saturday, September 12 — Food Drive, 1 – 3 PM Sunday, September 13 — Rally Sunday Sunday, September 13 — Just Peace Team Ongoing Sunday mornings — Church School and Nursery Care; Coffee Hour after worship; Waving for Peace Mondays — Waving for Peace, 3:30 – 4 PM Wednesdays — Cutting Edge Group, 5 – 6 PM Thursday before the 3rd Friday — Prep for Loaves and Fishes Dinner Third Friday — Serve Dinner at Loaves and Fishes Last week of the month — Deliver baked goods to Loaves & Fishes (Bun Runners) Save the Dates Sunday, October 4 — CROP Walk for Hunger Men’s Breakfast: Saturday, August 1 All men of the church are invited to join on the first Saturday of the month for breakfast at a local restaurant. We meet at 8:20 AM in the front parking lot. All are welcome and invited to bring friends! Texas Roadhouse Fundraiser Sunday, August 2: 11:30 AM – 3 PM Show this to your server for our fundraising benefit.
By Foster Memorial Church June 29, 2026
Dear friends, 
By Barbara Schenk May 26, 2026
Dear friends,