June 2026 Newsletter

Barbara Schenk • May 26, 2026

Dear friends,

June is here, with several special activities and events,

including our Vendor Fair, Children and Youth Sunday, Special

Offering for Cancer Care and more. Please see the articles and

calendar in this newsletter for more information.



Blessings,

Barbara


Friday, June 5: 5 PM

Set up for Vendor Fair


Saturday, June 6: 9 AM-3 PM

Vendor Fair/Yard Sale


Sunday, June 7: 11:30 AM – 3 PM

Texas Roadhouse Fundraiser


Saturday, June 13: 1-3 PM

Food Drive for Open Pantry


Sunday, June 14:

Children and Youth Sunday & Ice Cream Social


Sunday, June 14:

Just Peace Team meeting after worship


Sunday, June 21:

Cancer Care Special Offering


Saturday, June 27 (Change of date)

Men’s Breakfast: meet at 8:20 AM


Sunday, June 28: 4 PM

Prayers for the Nation


Waving for Peace every Monday from 3:30-4 PM


Please note that our worship time will change from 10 AM

to 9:30 AM beginning July 5. Worship resumes at 10 AM

on September 6. Childcare and church school will continue

to be provided.


VENDOR FAIR & YARD SALE: Saturday, June 6, 2026: 9AM-3 PM Rain or shine!!

Foster Memorial Church, UCC: 1791 Wilbraham Road, Springfield, MA


New and gently used items for sale! Something for everyone! Bake Sale, lunch for purchase and a fun Gift Basket Raffle!


Would you be able to volunteer? Please speak to Lori, Judy or Pastor Barbara.




TEXAS ROADHOUSE FUNDRAISER: Sunday, June 7: 11:30 AM – 3 PM


Show this graphic to your server for our fundraiser


WAVING FOR PEACE ON SUNDAY MORNINGS


All are invited to participate in waving for peace on Sunday

mornings at about 11:45 AM. All are welcome to participate! We

will also continue waving on Mondays from 3:30 – 4:00 PM.


MONTHLY FOOD DRIVE FOR FOOD: Saturday, June 13, 1-3 PM in the back parking lot


All non-perishable food donations are appreciated and will be donated to The Open Pantry.


CHILDREN AND YOUTH SUNDAY: June 14


There will be special activities for our God Time (church school).

Following our worship, everyone is invited to an “ice cream social”

on the lawn or inside, as weather permits.


SPECIAL OFFERING FOR CANCER CARE: Sun, June 21


We are going to collect a special CANCER CARE offering on

Sunday, June 21 during worship. The money from this offering

will be donated to The D’Amour Cancer Care Center and The

Sister Caritas Cancer Center at Mercy Medical Center. After

worship, everyone is invited to decorate a luminary bag in honor

or memory of loved ones who have experienced cancer. We will

place the luminaries on the front steps of the church. Thank

you for your support. Donations can also be mailed to our

church office.


MEN’S BREAKFAST: Saturday, June 27


PLEASE NOTE DATE CHANGE

All men of the church are invited to join on June 27 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!

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 April 29, 2026
Dear friends, The joyful season of Easter continues this month. This season lasts 50 days and ends on Pentecost Sunday, celebrated this year on May 24. During this season, we focus on Jesus’ appearances to his followers after his death and resurrection. One of my favorite hymns for this season is In The Bulb There is a Flower by Natalie Sleeth. In the bulb there is a flower; in the seed, an apple tree; in cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free! In the cold and snow of winter there’s a spring that waits to be, unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see. There’s a song in every silence, seeking word and melody. There’s a dawn in every darkness, bringing hope to you and me. From the past will come the future; what it holds, a mystery, unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see. Blessings, Barbara