"All this hurrying soon will be over.
Only when we tarry do we touch the holy."
RAINER MARIA RILKE
I took this photo earlier this week in the sanctuary and love how the light shines on the pews. May you consider "tarrying" into the pews this Sunday and maybe find the holy place Rilke speaks of here.
Pipe Organ Restoration
The Worship and Music Ministry are forming a team of interested persons to come together, gather information, and create a working plan for the restoration of our church's pipe organ. If you are interested in being a part of this important team please give your contact information to the Director of Music, Eric Tuper-Giles. His email is ericinvt@yahoo.com and his phone number is (802)369-9205. Anyone is welcome and we would like a team of 5 to 7 interested persons. We are having our first meeting on April 2, after church in the conference room.
The Pastor is on Vacation
Rev. David will be away on vacation until April 4. If there is a pastoral emergency, Rev. Carl Hilton VanOsdall is available and can be reached by calling Nancy Fowler at the church office 476-3065 or on her cell phone 477-2715. Nancy Pope, our moderator, can also be reached at home. (476-8984).
Click on the image to watch the Lenten
discussion with some of the local clergy in Barre.
Theology on Tap will be held on
Friday, March 24
We will meet at 6 p.m. at Espresso Bueno. Hope to see you there!
~ Hollie and Sara
The Faith Community Prays and Praises
~ as you are able please hold in prayer ~
Brad Towle and his family, who are grieving the loss Lauren Towle, who passed away this past week
Maggie Sample's sister in law Bev and niece Kirsten who are both living with serious health issues
Chuck Cechini who is living with cancer
Walter Cooley who is at Woodridge
Cole who is seriously ill, the nephew of Polly Boothe
Lynn Reid Carpenter who is undergoing radiation treatments
Lowell Sanders, Sherry Singer's father, who is living with cancer
Dawn Borne who is living with cancer
For the homeless in Washington County
Homeless Prayer
Dear God, An open door, a roof above, safe homes for all, in the power of love. Amen!
We give thanks:. The SHS students, Nancy and Ed Fowler and Darlene Clark for serving the Tuesday breakfast, for Carole Martel and Diane Blodgett for preparing the Good Samaritan Haven Meal. We also give thanks for Marjorie and Ernie Wheeler for preparing our St. Patrick's Day themed coffee hour. We give thanks for all those supporting Laundry Love this past week. We Celebrate with Don Singer who completed another marathon in Atlanta, GA. Don is working on running a marathon in every state.
THANK All OF YOU FOR BEING PART OF OUR MISSION AND OUTREACH MINISTRY!
Please let us know if you have prayer requests or celebrations
for this section of the E-Window.
Help with our Lenten Coloring
We need colorers to complete the stations of the cross coloring sheets. A group coloring time is scheduled for Wednesday mornings and we have a table set up in the sanctuary for Sunday mornings. You are invited to color anytime the church office is open. It is a great Lenten activity! The hope is to have these completed by Palm Sunday for use during Holy Week.
Judy Safford Camp Scholarship
This camp scholarship is being given in memory of Judy Safford. Judy was a strong advocate for children throughout her life and had a strong faith in God and this church. She was a church school teacher and a member of the Christian Education Committee for many years. She enjoyed getting to know the children of the church and loved watching them grow in their devotion to God. This scholarship for children to attend a Christian camp is a way to continue her legacy of love and faith and will serve to help children continue to grow in the faith. If you would like to donate to this fund please make a a check to the church adding Judy Safford Scholarship in the memo line.
Summer Camp News-Campers and Counselors Needed
Nancy Fowler is part of the Vermont Conference Outdoor Ministries team helping promote summer camp experiences for children and youth. The brochure highlights camps for a variety of ages at Horton Center in NH (including Family Camp, Grandparents and Grandchildren Camp, Passin Time on the Mountain Camp for over 19 years and Trails and Passages Women’s Weekend Camp). There is also a week-long camp in Vermont for 5th-8th graders at Rock Point in Burlington. We are looking for volunteer counselors for the week of July 30-August 4 for the Rock Point Camp. Please talk to Nancy if you have questions about summer camp or if you can volunteer. Check out www.hortoncenter.org for the complete list of camps and for more information.
Senior High Camps
June 25th to July 1st, Sun to Sat
Campers Entering Grades 10-12 & New Graduates
High schoolers learn how to be community together in the beautiful White MountainsHigh schoolers learn how to be community together through hiking, games, Pinkham sleepouts, and life changing conversations
Best of Both WorldsJuly 23rd-29th, Sun to Sat - Full Week
Campers Entering Grades 10-12 & New Graduates
Spend half the week at the lake shore and half the week in the mountains of New HampshireStart the week at Pilgrim Lodge, our sister camp in Maine. Transfer by bus to Horton Center mid-week
Horton Center Goes to VERMONT at Rock Point Camp
July 30-August 4 Campers Entering Grades 5-8th grades
Getting Started Camp
July 5th-8th, Wed to Saturday, Campers Entering Grades 3-5
Horton Center New Things Camp
July 16-22, Campers entering Grades 4-6
Horton Center Middler Camp
July 9th-15th, Campers Entering Grades 7-9
Horton Center Middler Hike Week
July 9th-15th, Campers Entering Grades 7-9
This is one of the 40 acts from the past week that was a favorite of mine.
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (ESV)
PRAY
I have to admit that, like many of us, I sometimes struggle to pray. Most of us if we are honest would love to have a better ‘prayer life’. Even with the best intentions, we can be distracted. Here are some things that have helped me to pray more in all kinds of situations.
Writing to God: In difficult times, I have found it hard to pray, so I have written to God about how I have been feeling. I have felt the presence of God powerfully at these times and felt God’s tender loving care.
The Ironing Prayer: I’m not a fan of ironing, but I almost look forward to it since I turned it into an opportunity to pray for my family. As I iron their clothes, I pray about situations facing them and sometimes feel God prompting me to think differently.
The Fridge List: In the past I have written a list of people’s names on my fridge to remind me to pray for them every time I open the fridge. You would be surprised how many times you end up praying each day!
The Prayer Room: I have just moved house and I am decorating a ‘prayer space’ with family and friend photos, to remind me to pray for God to intervene in their lives. Over time, praying in this place becomes a place of refuge, as the peace of God can be felt. For several years I have been praying for a friend to become a Christian: she has in recent weeks!
A Mile with Jesus: You ask Jesus to travel with you by car, by train, walking or at home with a map. When I have done this, God has shown me the love He has for EVERYONE and has led me to pray for complete strangers in ways I would never have considered.
For all of us, we will find it sometimes easier to connect with God than at other times. The secret to prayer is to persevere, to keep praying on all occasions and with thanksgiving. Whatever you face today, I am certain that inviting God into the situation will transform it.
Here are the suggestions for the next 10 days of Lent:
Thursday
20. Pray in new ways- (see article above)
Friday
21. Support the youth who are participating in the 24 hour fast to raise money for Doctors without Borders.
Saturday
22. Put a bar of chocolate into someone's bag with a note saying '#40acts'. Or leave a bar or two in your local library, or on a park bench.
Sunday Attend Fourth Sunday of Lent
Monday
23. I Matter You Matter Day, Tell several people they matter!
Tuesday
24. At a drive through fast food restaurant or cafe, pay for the person behind you an leave a note.
Wednesday
25. Take a day fast from social media and or tv.
Thursday
26. Send a letter or card to someone you haven't talked to or seen in a while.
Friday
27. Today is the last day of March. Make a list of ten things you were grateful for in the past month.
Lenten Collection Items
We will be collecting these items through Lent to have available for those homeless people living outside.
Items for Those living Outside
5 Gallon Buckets
Bungee Cords
Tarp
Small inexpensive swiss army knives on key chains
Wet wipes
Packets of condiments and Peanut butter
Flashlights
Batter operated candles (with batteries)
Playing cards
Need a Lenten 40 ACTS idea??
This is a suggested list of items that you can put together to have in your car to give away to the homeless.
Quart Sized bags filled with:
Vitamin C packets
Band-Aids
Hot chocolate Packets
Earplugs
Cough drops
Candy
Kleenex
Hand warmers (winter)
Batteries
Tampons
Crackers
Toothbrush/paste
Mouthwash
Combs
Small notebooks/pen
Shampoo
Body lotion
Bug repellent
Wet wipes
Socks, gloves, hats
A great family project for any age!
Need a Toilet?
There are two good toilets that anyone could have for free.
Please contact Gary Isham at 476-5036 .
Easter Memorial Plants-April 16, 2017
These forms will be available at the church office and in the narthex of the church sanctuary.
I would like to order ___ Easter plant/s @ $15 each
In memory of (or in honor of)
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Given by:
_____________________________________
____________________________________
$15.00 per plant
Total enclosed $________
Checks should be written to Barre Congregational Church
Deadline: April 9, 2017 Call Kate Duffy (476-5879) or church office (476-3065).
If you have a preference as to the type of plant, I willtry to fulfill
that wish. For example, lily, flowering bulbs, azalea, etc. Plan on taking that variety home after Easter services.
HOME SHARE INFORMATION
Join our Program Support Provider Aaron Guman at the coop from 11:30-1:30 if you have questions, want to learn more, or simply want to pick up a brochure to pass along to a friend or family member
Please help out our Vermont Conference by completing a brief survey
As a companion piece to Listening Sessions taking place in each Association this Spring we are inviting you to take this brief survey. It will take only 5-10 minutes of your time and will provide your Conference Board of Directors and Conference Staff valuable information so we can better support our churches in their mission and ministry.
If you are a pastor, please send the survey link to your members and friends. Our promise to you is to share the results for the surveys completed by your congregants.
Questions may be directed either to the Conference Minister, Lynn Bujnak (bujnakl@vtcucc.org) or our Chair of the Board of Directors, Andy Nage Benson (revajnb@gmail.com).
You can also find Public, Educational, and Governmental (PEG) stations on a ROKU under free channels and view any PEG station across the country (including our local CVTV).
Your pledge dollars and contributions to the Barre Congregational Church, UCC make the ministries of our church possible.
Have you considered remembering the Barre Congregational Church, UCC in your will? You would leave a lasting legacy which would support the good works of our church.
The per capita contribution for each active member to the Vermont Conference and Washington Association of the United Church of Christ, for 2016 is $12.99. It is very much appreciated when members
