A note from Health Ministry,
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I am spending way too much time in the kitchen these days. Cooking yummy treats is a type of pampering in my family, but it’s also a slippery slope to disaster. I have turned over a new leaf lately, and I want to share some thoughts on healthy eating, and maybe ways to shed those Pandemic Pounds!
I am enjoying a new cookbook called The Blue Zones Kitchen by Dan Buettner. It’s a beautiful book, worth a read for the photos alone. In conjunction with National Geographic, Dan travelled the world, identifying 5 places where folks live the longest, healthiest, happiest lives. He learned that this is not due to supplements, pills, work-out routines or any new diet craze. They do so because their environments nudge them into the right behaviors. The move naturally, every twenty minutes or so, they walk everywhere, they do work by hand, including grinding corn and kneading bread, and they grow a garden, no matter how small.
They are not lonely. If people don’t show up at church or the coffee bar, someone checks up on them. I am looking forward to getting back to the possibility of face to face talking instead of Facebook talking. They have a sense of purpose (not just hobbies or golf, he says), and it usually concerns community, family or the next generation.
90 to 100% of their diet consists of whole, plant-based foods. Their kitchens are set up so it’s easy to make them, and most importantly I think, they make it taste good. Taste is the most important ingredient. The stories and recipes come from Okinawa, Japan, Ikaria, Greece, Sardinia, Italy, The Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica, and Loma Linda, California.
Minestrone from Sardinia contains most characteristics of “longevity food”; healthy amino acids (protein), beans and veg for fiber, complex carbs which may help regulate metabolism, and flavor, flavor, flavor. In Okinawa flavor pairings like garlic, soy sauce and sesame oil enhance simple ingredients, like rice, tofu and vegetables. One of the traditions for Seventh Day Adventists in Loma Linda CA is the Sabbath Potluck, where congregants bring a vegetarian dish to share with other church members in a community meal. John and I loved our lunch of “Heavenly Grain Bowls”; simple ingredients (basically whatever I had in the pantry) of chopped vegetables, canned chickpeas and faro. The secret to yummy is the drizzle of Tai peanut butter sauce. (recipe page 262)
We all need a little pampering these days. I guess the secret is to pamper with the right stuff!
Happy cooking and love,
Kathryn Aubry-McAvoy, Faith Community Nurse
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TODAY at 5:30 pm
A Nerdy look at Ruth: The May meeting of Bible Study for Nerds will focus on the Book of Ruth. As always, we will takean in-depth look at the language and historical context of the text, and consider connections and relationships to other biblical passages, as well as discussing how they may speak to the issues and challenges of our own time. Please feel free to join us for a ZOOM conversation about this lively story that includes suspense, romance, drama, and faith!
Topic: Nerd Bible Study
Time: May 7, 2020 05:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/93777694857
Meeting ID: 937 7769 4857
One tap mobile+16465588656,,93777694857# US (New York)
Meeting ID: 937 7769 4857
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Sunday Sandwiches Program
On Sundays until at least May 4th a group of four people will be meeting at the church at 11am to prepare a bagged lunch which will be handed out from 12-12:30pm.
People who are "at risk" for exposure to Covid-19 should take this risk seriously. We will be practicing physical distancing during this time. Individuals who are experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough, chills, or cold symptoms should not sign up to help out. If you have signed up to help and develop any symptoms please let us know that you will be cancelling. Gloves and masks will be provided.
We are not accepting any food items that are made at home; this includes sandwiches and cookies. We will gladly accept individually wrapped granola bars, trail mix, plastic sandwich bags, and brown paper lunch bags. These can be dropped off at the parish hall on Sundays from 11-12:30. There will be a bin near the elevator to place these items in.
Please do not come into the parish hall unless you are signed up to help with the sandwich making.
Nancy Maleno has volunteered to organize the sign ups for this ministry. Please contact her if you can help. Thank you in advance for your assistance.
-Marie Paquette, for the Mission Team
Questions about the program:
Marie Paquette 772-2213 paqman3@comcast.net
To volunteer to help with the program:
Nancy Maleno 772-0678 nkmaleno@gmail.com
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Weekly Bible Study:
Join us on Mondays from 6:30 p.m. to whenever we finish, usually 7:45 p.m.
Via Zoom.
Call Charlie at 413-522-7914 to get on the notification list.
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Weekly Spiritual Reflection:
Join us on Fridays from 6:30 p.m. to around 7:45 p.m.
Via Zoom.
Call Charlie at 413-522-7914 to get on the notification list.
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Forward Day by Day is a booklet of daily inspirational meditations reflecting on a specific Bible passage, chosen from the daily lectionary readings. We typically have these booklets available for free at church. During this time of social distancing, here are some ways you can still access this rich resource.
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Fundraising for Mission: There are three ways we can continue to support our fundraising for mission during this time of social distancing.
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If you shop on Amazon, use Amazon Smile and we will receive .05% donation from Amazon of your qualifying order: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/83-3210345
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If you shop at Big Y or Stop and Shop, purchase a prepaid grocery card from us and we will receive 5% of the sale.
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Contact the office at (413) 773-3925 or office@saintsjamesandandrew.org
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Let us know whether you want a prepaid grocery card to Big Y and/or Stop & Shop and the dollar amount for each card.
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Mail in payment by check with grocery card in the memo line or pay electronically using the give/donate buttons on our website. In the give to drop box select grocery cards. We ask that you pay the processing fee.
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Upon receipt of payment, your prepaid grocery card will be stuck in the mail.
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You can also make a direct donation to the mission fund, by writing mission in the memo line or on our website in the give to drop box select mission.
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We pray for those who have died.
- Ed Blatchford
- Lucy Melnick
May their souls, and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen
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The Vestry discussed worship changes at length, asked questions, and the vestry supports the path outlined by our clergy in Thursday’s letter.
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Ministry is continuing as strongly as ever--Sunday Sandwiches, Second Helpings, Whitney’s Pantry, Emmaus Companions, and St. Andrew’s Guild.
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Mission remains a priority, even as we live into new financial realities. The diocese is being as supportive as they can be in guiding leadership.
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Bishop Fisher’s visitation will be postponed until a later date in time.
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| Announcement from the Communications Office |
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| Online Contemplative Prayer Group Continues |
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- Feeling overwhelmed and wishing for some inner calm in the midst of this crisis?
- Yearning to connect with God, but just spinning instead?
- Wondering if the Church offers something like"meditation" or "mindfulness?"
- Looking for a grounded Christian community, shaped by holy silence?
If any of these describe you, then Contemplative Prayer Group is for you. |
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Hosted by: Fr. Dave Woessner
St. Michael's-on-the-Heights, Worcester
In addition to serving as a parish priest, Fr. Dave has many years of practice and teaching in both Centering Prayer (in Fr. Thomas Keating's method), as well as Samatha meditation (originating out of Theravāda Buddhism). He has offered many classes and retreats, as well as Spiritual Direction. |
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| Announcement from the Communications Office |
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| Beloved Community Commission Offers "Holy Conversation with Howard Thurman" |
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The Beloved Community Team of the Diocese of Western MA invites all people and parishes in the Diocese to read and discuss Howard Thurman’s Jesus and the Disinherited in 2020.
A mentor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Howard Thurman anticipated many of the themes of liberation theology, including Black Theology. But Thurman’s focus was not direct activism so much as cultivating a liberated spirit. The result is a short, inspiring work of pastoral theology.
Parishes could use Jesus and the Disinherited as the basis for one or more ZOOM conversations about Christian formation, spirituality, and racial justice. To prepare for these conversations, you may stream a 57 min. video about Thurman called “Backs Against the Wall”. Diocesan Clergy watched this video together at the 2019 Clergy Conference. A preview of this documentary appears below. |
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| Announcement from the Communications Office |
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The Rev. Pam Mott offers three classes in May
When you click the link to register, you will get an e-mail form. Please be sure to include your full name and which class you are registering for! In response, you will receive a ZOOM link for the class. |
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Finding a Life of Prayer
in This New Time
Wednesdays
May 6,13, 20, 27
1-2:15 pm OR 6:30 pm – 7:45 pm
Please specify which time slot you would like to join; register by May 5th |
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| A four week class to join with partners from around the diocese to reflect on prayer: How can we find ways to pray for ourselves and others? How might we build a “trellis” of prayer around which new life can grow? Each class will have some information and reflections, discussion and some time to pray together. If you have always wanted to explore a deeper life of prayer, this may be a fruitful opportunity for you! Group size will be limited to 12 for each section, and no new people will be added to either section after the first week. |
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A second chance to listen in on this class, since we had several people say they missed it!
For lay people, vestry members and other who are encountering discouraged friends and relatives, as they call people to check in. We will talk about active listening, and listening as a spiritual practice. |
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| An open forum for people to reflect on what they are learning as our lives have changed, possibly to brainstorm things they want to hold on to when this is over, a place for deep listening, support and inspiration. |
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email Pam
The Reverend Pamela J. Mott
Missioner for Congregational Vitality |
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| Announcement from the Communications Office |
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| We're forming a Virtual Choir for Pentecost |
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| We're singing, "Come down, O Love Divine" |
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Our diocese is forming a virtual choir to sing one hymn as part of our celebration of Pentecost. We are recruiting voices from every congregation. We're also exploring the possibility of a Diocesan Pentecost Liturgy online. Conversation has begun with the deans and there is much to consider, but for now, we begin with the most challenging component.
If you're interested in singing, please fill out the form below, and we'll send you access info for the interest meeting on Thursday, May 7 at 3:00 PM. You'll learn how All Saints' Episcopal Church, Worcester has been enhancing online worship with their own virtual choir, and meet the technical and musical experts who will create the final video. We'll provide sheet music, the instrumental track and detailed instruction for filming and sending your file. The many parts will become one body, by grace and technology. Are you in? |
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| Filling out this form is not a commitment to sing, but gets you into the info meeting. |
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Did you experience the churchwide virtual choir on Easter Sunday?
If not, check out this video and see what we are hoping to achieve. |
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| The Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts | 413-737-4786 |
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The following events are postponed until further notice:
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Instructions for Phoning into a Zoom Video Meeting.
You should receive an invitation in advance with the information you will need to join your meeting. This will have some important details you will need to copy down so that you have them handy when you call. These details that you will need to enter on your phone include:
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Phone number to call (one tap mobile number for New York which, if you have a smartphone, you may simply click. Otherwise, you will need to dial or enter it manually.)
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Meeting ID (You will first be asked to the enter the nine or ten digit number that identifies the meeting followed by #)
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Personal ID (you will not need this. Just press #.)
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Password (you may need to enter this six digit number to enter the meeting followed by #. If there is no password in the invitation, you will not need one).
With these four steps, you should be entered into the meeting and can hear the participants in the “meeting room” and speak to the participants, as well.
When you are finished and the meeting is over, just hang up.
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Prayer List: Names are on the list for 4 weeks, then removed. Feel free to re-add a name at any time.
James, Terry, Fiona, Wyatt, Alex, Susan, Chris, Richard, Jeff, Phil, Eva, Cortney, Claire & her daughters, Nancy, Ryan, Timothy and Johanna.
Contribute to The Newsletter: by emailing the office by Monday, May 18, 2020. Published on the first and third Thursdays of the month.
Our Mission: We believe God is calling us to cultivate a community of love, joy, hope, and healing. Jesus is our model for a life of faith, compassion, hospitality, and service. We strive to be affirming and accessible, welcoming and inclusive; we seek to promote reconciliation, exercise responsible stewardship, and embrace ancient traditions for modern lives.
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Vestry Contact Information
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