October 2023 Newsletter

Barbara Schenk • October 9, 2023


Dear friends,

 

October looks to be another active month of outreach ministries for the church, including Trick or Treat for UNICEF, our 11th (!) Annual Blessing of the Animals, our monthly Drive Through for Donation of Food, Pasta Fundraising Dinner and the Greater Springfield CROP Hunger Walk.

 

The CROP Walk started 46 years ago in Springfield and is the “oldest” walk of its kind in the city. Donations help our neighbors around the world through global and national partnerships and locally through the Open Pantry, Lorraine’s Kitchen and Western MA Food Bank.  

 

The walk will be held on Sunday, October 15 at Trinity UMC on Sumner Ave. Registration begins at 1 PM with some fun music and a pre-walk presentation by Meteorologist Brian Lapis. The walk begins at 2 PM. Judy Milano, Jeanie Marsh, Vivian Gonzalez and I serve on this year’s Planning team.

 

We need walkers, sponsors, and help once again with volunteers at the walk and with our “Welcome Back Team!”  Please speak to me if you can help. Please see Ted Owczarski for walker sheets. Everyone’s support is much appreciated. Checks should be made out to: CWS/CROP.


You can also donate on-line to our Foster team. It’s easy!

Just use this link:


https://events.crophungerwalk.org/2023/team/foster-memorial-church-ucc

 

Blessings,

Pastor Barbara

 




Calendar


Sunday, October 8th Just Peace hosts Open Conversation after worship
Saturday, October 14th Monthly Drive Through 1-3 PM Collection of Food for OP and Jackets
Sunday, October 15th CROP Hunger Walk of Greater Springfield
Wednesday, October 18th Church Use for CPN retreat
Sunday, October, 22nd Blessing of the Animals 2 PM
Saturday, October 29th Fundraising Pasta Dinner
Sunday, October 29th Trick or Treat for UNICEF During worship, donations collected for UNICEF Children & Youth invited to wear Halloween costumes


Meetings of boards and teams and groups:


Just Peace Team: Sunday, October 8 after worship

Exec Team/Finance Team: Wednesday, October 11 at 6>30/7:157 PM



Ongoing:


Worship Sundays at 10 AM

God Time (church school) and childcare provided each Sunday

Filmed worship services filmed on Wednesday afternoon and posted each week on our church Facebook page and website

Waving for Peace: Mondays 3:30 – 4:00 PM

Monthly prep for Fishes and Loaves dinner: Thursday before the Third Friday of each month



SEPTEMBER DRIVE THROUGH: Saturday, Sept 9th


Time: 1-3 PM in our church parking lot. We will be collecting food for the Open Pantry. REMINDER: We collect non-perishable food for Open Pantry every Sunday. All donations are so appreciated.



October Drive Through: Saturday, October 14: 1-3pm

We’ll be collecting food for Open Pantry. Just a reminder: We collect nonperishable food every Sunday during worship. Thanks for your support.



Food for Open Pantry: Food Items Needed


We asked Jonathan, staff member at Open Pantry, what foods most needed: His response:

Please note: all foods are to be non-perishable.


Needed: canned tuna, vegetables and fruit, cereal, peanut butter and jelly, rice and beans and soup. He asked to please make sure food is not expired. Thank you to everyone for your donations to help our neighbors who experience food insecurity. Reminder: We collect non-perishable food each Sunday during worship for Open Pantry.



Loaves and Fishes: Needed: Delivery of our Monthly Meal


Our grateful thanks to Peter and Joanne Wells, who continue to do the shopping and organize the cooking of our monthly meal and to our team who do the food prep.



We are in need of someone to deliver the meal to South Congregational Church in Springfield, either on the Thursday afternoon we prepare the meal or on Friday morning (always the third Friday). Please speak to Joanne or Peter if you can help. Thanks!



Annual Blessing of the Animals. Sunday, October 22, 2023 at 2pm


Join us for this special event! All animals must be on a leash or in a carrier. Photos of pets also welcome! Everyone is also invited to bring pet food, toys and supplies to be donated to Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center. New or gently used towels are especially needed. Everyone welcome, no matter if you bring animals or just want to enjoy the event.



Trick or Treat for UNICEF. Sunday, October 30th


During worship on Sunday, October 30, everyone will be invited to bring donations (coins or bills) to be donated to UNICEF. All children and youth are invited to dress in Halloween costumes on this day. There will also be special God Time activities on this day!



Fundraising Pasta Dinner. Saturday, October 28th at 6pm


Please support our dinner! All proceeds will go to our church’s ministries. And please invite family and friends. We would like to make this as successful a fundraising event as possible.

 

There will be a sign-up sheet at church for those who are able to attend.

 

On the menu: Pasta with meat sauce (option: non-gluten pasta with meatless sauce) Also rolls, salad, beverages and dessert.

 

Tickets: $15.oo for adults; $10.00 for kids under 12.

 

We also need help with set up, serving and clean-up. There will be a separate sign up for volunteers. You can also speak to Judy Milano if you are able to help.

 

Hope to see you there!



Just Peace Open Conversation


The Just Peace Team will meet Sunday, October 8 after coffee hour, with an open discussion about Indigenous Peoples’ Day (Mon, October 9). This discussion will be similar to our open discussion about Gun Violence. The Indigenous Peoples Agenda in the MA state legislature (supporting five bills) has been one of the issues we have been following this past year. 



Garden Tour Video


If you haven’t watched our Garden Tour Video for 2023, here’s the link for You Tube! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAMzRCfUcAE&t=4s


Our thanks to our Garden Angels, Judy and Gerri, and angel helpers!


If you would like to help with yard work, please speak to Mark Coughlin or Keith Walker. Thanks to all who are helping!

April 2026 Newsletter

By Barbara Schenk • March 27, 2026
April 2026

March 2026 Newsletter

By Barbara Schenk • March 2, 2026
Dear friends, The season of Lent began on February 18 and continues until Easter Sunday, celebrated this year on April 5. (See the schedule for Holy Week included in this newsletter) During this season, we’re asked to devote time for inner reflection, taking stock of our lives. And we are called to reach out, in Christian service, to neighbors, near and far. One of the ways we do that each year in March is through our One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) special offering. This year, the offering will be collected on March 15. The money from this offering is utilized through Wider Church Ministries of the UCC, to respond to a variety of global and local concerns by providing advocacy, sustainable development resources, long-term disaster recovery support, and assistance for refugees and asylum seekers, working in collaboration with our partners locally and globally Our generosity ensures that the transforming power of love will continue to support our neighbors in need, here in our country and around the world. Attached to this newsletter is an activity calendar for Feb. 22- March 15 to help us gain deeper understanding about the work of this offering. Thank you to Sharon Gormbley for designing this calendar. Blessings, Barbara FUNDRAISING BY GROCERY SHOPPING: BIG Y GIFT CARDS Thank you to everyone who has purchased Big Y gift cards for our fundraising program. For each card purchased, the church will get a benefit of 5%. It doesn’t sound like much, but together, we are raising almost $200 per month for the church—just by our regular shopping. It’s handy to keep a card in your wallet to be used at Big Y or Fresh Acres or the Big Y gas pumps. See Jeanie Marsh if you would like to order any cards for yourself or for others. PRE-RECORDED FILMED SERVICES We continue to offer recorded worship services for each Sunday, and special holy days, posted on You Tube, on our website at http://www.fostermemorial.org/videos/ and on our Facebook page. through to the end. Thank you to all who gave their time, talent and treasure throughout the year. The amount entered for Receipts does not include unplanned transfers from our savings or other accounts needed to pay  bills from month-to-month.

February 2026 Newsletter

By Barbara Schenk • January 22, 2026
Dear friends, The season of Epiphany, a season to focus on the beginnings of Jesus’ earthly ministry, continues through mid-February this year.On Sunday, February 15, we will hold our annual Pancake Brunch, marking the end of the Epiphany Season. We combine this with a fun Mardi Gras theme! Our free-will offering for the brunch will go to help support the Afghan family with whom it is our blessing to walk alongside. They are doing very well; this month marks the fourth year since their arrival to Chicopee and the beginning of our very blessed relationship! The season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on February 18. We will have an in-person worship service that evening at 7 PM. This service sets the tone for the season of Lent, inviting us to follow Jesus on his journey to Jerusalem, while being invited to embark on an inward journey of our own self-reflection. We celebrate Holy Communion during this service, as well as “Experiencing the Ashes.” Please join us if you are able; we will also have a recorded Ash Wednesday service on our website at fostermemorial.org and on our Foster Memorial Church Facebook page. Blessings, Barbara Throughout these Lenten days and nights we turn to walk the inward way, where, meeting Christ, our guide and light, we live in hope till Easter day. -James Gertmenian