The weekly news email of
First & Wesley United Methodist Churches
of Framingham, Massachusetts

October 15, 2021

Dear <<First Name>>,

Welcome to this week’s issue of Looking Ahead. Please read all the announcements to be sure you don’t miss anything.

Bulletin and Music for Sunday, October 17, 2021

Click here for a printable copy of this week’s bulletin.
(Includes Scripture readings and Hymns)

Click here for the updated Prayer List.

Weekly Schedule

Sundays

Worship Service
10:00am In-person & Live on Facebook
Recorded Services are posted later on YouTube

Wednesdays

New Book Study (See info below)
7-8 PM, Sept 29 through Nov 17
on Zoom

Prayer & Connections
is on hold.

Fridays

Prayer & Connections
is on hold.

Announcements

All reports for the Church Conference book are due no later than Friday, October 22. Please respect this deadline.
Pastor Heather will lead a film and discussion group on mental health beginning Friday, October 22 at 6pm. It will be in person at First. Please see the article below for the complete schedule.

The new book study (“not a fan”) will take place on Wednesday at 7 PM. Homework for this week's class is to read the prologue and chapters 6&7.
For more information about the study, see the article below.

Congregational singing on Sundays is welcomed, but those who sing MUST remain masked.

Annual Church Conference

Annual Church Conference Schedules for Saturday, November 13 at 2:15 PM

This year the Annual Church Conference will take place with the congregations of Wesley and First combined. There will be two report books. Judy will compile the one for Wesley and Sara will compile the one for First. Here are some important notes:

Saturday, November 13, 2:15pm - Church Conference held at First. It will be in-person.

For First UMC:

Friday, October 22 - All reports due. Please email reports to Sara at fumcfram@verizon.net. If you have to submit printed copy, please try to submit your report early so it can be converted for the report book.

For Wesley UMC:

Friday, October 22 - All reports due. Please email reports to Judy at wesumcfram@rcn.com.

A Note from Judy for the Wesley Family

Greetings Wesley families!

You are invited to attend a special service on Sunday, November 7 at 10:00 AM, which will be our last scheduled Worship Service at Wesley's 80 Beacon street, Framingham location. Please click here for the attached letter/invitation. Following the service there will be a potluck fellowship in the Fellowship Hall.

We also ask that you take a moment to complete and return the memory book form(s), so we can include some of your precious memories and celebrations at the Wesley building in our book!

We realize this may be a difficult time for many of you as you process saying good-bye to a building you have called "home" for many years. Let's make this final service one we will all remember and cherish.

In Christ,

Judy Bortolotti
Wesley Church Administrator

Discussion on "The Me You Can’t See"

As a church community, we continue to wrestle with the questions of mental health and how to care for each other. Mental illness, trauma, PTSD, abuse, addiction...these are all things that are a reality in our world. Join me as we continue the discussion using the recent program "The Me You Can’t See". You can join us to watch the episode or just for the subsequent discussion.

The dates and times are listed with each episode below. Please note that there are gaps due to holidays or special church events. You can join for any session that you would like. Previous participation is not necessary

1. Say It Out Loud
Viewing: Friday, October 22 @ 6:00PM (First Sanctuary)
Discussion: Sunday, October 24th After Worship (Parlor)

2. Asking for Help
Viewing: Friday, November 12 @ 6:00PM (First Sanctuary)
Discussion: Sunday, November 14th After Worship (Parlor)

3. Finding What Works
Viewing: Friday, December 3rd @ 6:00PM (First Sanctuary)
Discussion: Sunday, December 5th After Worship (Parlor

4. We Need Each Other
Viewing: Friday, December 10th @ 6:00PM (First Sanctuary)
Discussion: Sunday, December 12th After Worship (Parlor)

5. This Is Me
Viewing: Friday, January 14th @ 6:00PM (First Sanctuary)
Discussion: Sunday, January 16th After Worship (Parlor)

6. A Path Forward
Viewing: Friday, January 21st @ 6:00PM (First Sanctuary)
Discussion: Sunday, January 23rd After Worship (Parlor)

UMW Mini HOLIDAY MARKETPLACE

UMW is hosting a mini HOLIDAY MARKETPLACE at Community United Methodist Church (80 Main St, Wayland) on 2 Saturdays - Nov. 13 from 10am to 12pm and Nov. 20 from 10am to 12:30pm. This is a scaled down event from our traditional Fair due to continuing COVID concerns. Please wear masks and observe distancing protocols. A one-way traffic pattern will take you through Fellowship Hall, the Library, and adding the Sunday school classroom on Sat., Nov. 20. Both days will showcase the gift boutique, Christmas area, and gift baskets. The second Sat. will also offer take-out food and a bake sale.

Click on the blue link above for a printable flyer.

COVID Update

Due to the current rise and spread of the Delta variant, we are asking everyone to return to mask wearing in the church building. Not only can this variant break through vaccines, but as Christians we hold strongly to protecting the most vulnerable. Our children cannot receive the vaccine yet, and we can never know everyone’s health issues. We stand on the side of caution because we have been taught about love by Jesus and about sharing that love by caring for each other. We pray for the day when we can see the end of the pandemic.

For Sunday worship services, Congregational singing is welcomed, but those who sing must remain masked.

A note from your Collaborative Ministries Team

We have had some feedback from the survey that was sent out in the early summer regarding an Enlarged Charge. Below, we have included a list of Team members and their emails. Please feel free to contact any of us with any questions or concerns you may have about an Enlarged Charge. We hope to keep the lines of communication open and clear with the Collaborative Ministries Team. It is hard to address issues if we do not hear them directly. So again, please contact us if you need information. Church phone numbers are also included below.

Heater Kattan: hknowlto@hotmail.com
Julie Rundlett: jlorundlett@yahoo.com
Laney Bruner-Canhoto: lanes@aol.com
Lin Olsen: bluemouselin@yahoo.com
Leslie Walseman: lwalseman@rcn.com
Mary Hackett: hackett.mary43@gmail.com
Mike Rowe: mrowe@wolfandco.com
Dini Palmer: jajeb1@hotmail.com

Wesley: 508-875-3850
First: 508-877-2151

Prayer & Connections

Both the Wednesday night and the Friday night Prayer and
Connections Zoom meetings are on hold for now.
But you can join the Wednesday Book Study, and Pastor Heather has a discussion group on mental health that will start Friday, October 22. See the details below.

Our next Book Study!

“not a fan.”

by Kyle Idleman

We will be reading “not a fan.”, by Kyle Idleman.
We will meet for 8 weeks, Wednesdays, Sept 29 through November 17th.
7:00 to 8:00 PM

See the description and links to order below, as well as the link to join.

Hope to see you there!

ow about you: Are you a fan or a follower? Go ahead, think honestly about your relationship with God . . . but don't answer too quickly. In fact, you may want to read this book before you answer at all. Not a Fan is your DTR with God--a "define the relationship" conversation to determine exactly where you stand.

You may indeed be a passionate, fully devoted follower of Jesus. Or, you may be just a fan who admires Jesus but isn't ready to let him cramp your style. Then again, maybe you’re not into Jesus, period.

Not a Fan calls you to consider the demands and rewards of being a true disciple. With frankness sprinkled with humor, Idleman invites you to live the way Jesus lived, love the way he loved, pray the way he prayed, and never give up living for the One who gave his all for you.

Plus, this expanded and updated version of Not a Fan adds a new introduction and an entirely new chapter about how to practically live out the message of this mega bestseller.

Homework for this week's class is to read the prologue and chapters 6&7.

There is a slightly older version (without the red band on top) that is probably okay, except it's missing the last chapter. If anyone needs financial assistance getting the book, please let me know - there is money available for that. (Bjmrowe@verizon.net)

Zoom link to join:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82265778207

Here are links for the book:

Amazon - $13.57 paperback, $9.99 kindle.
https://smile.amazon.com/Not-Fan-Updated-Expanded-Completely-ebook/dp/B010R1AZ2E/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3MTSKSDQNLQTM&dchild=1&keywords=not+a+fan+kyle+idleman&qid=1631146196&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble - $16.99 paperback, $9.99 nook.
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/not-a-fan-updated-and-expanded-kyle-idleman/1122293337?ean=9780310344704

Faith in Food Needs the Following Items

NEEDED

This week's list is:

Paper Towels (Singles)
Toilet Paper (singles)
White Rice
Flour
Sugar
Small Oils
Monetary donations

Dropoff bins are located outside
the Fellowship Hall doors at First UMC.
They are picked up on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Tuesdays
Fresh produce pickup in the First UMC parking lot.
4:30pm to 6:00pm

Fridays
Faith in Food is open from 4:00pm to 6:00pm
in the First UMC Fellowship Hall.

Attention all men! Join us the last Sunday of each month at 8:00 AM at the IHOP in Framingham Centre for a time of food and fellowship. Our next meeting is Sunday, October 31. Hope to see you there!

The November/ December Upper Room Is Here

The November/ December issue of
The Upper Room is here.
This is an excellent tool to
help guide you in your daily devotions. Pick up your copy
on the table in the Narthex
this Sunday.

Pastor’s Office Hours for this Week

Pastor Heather Kattan

Monday: at Wesley 10am to 1pm
Wednesday: at First 10am to 1pm
Thursday: available by appointment

Church Administrators’ Hours

Judy Bortolotti at Wesley
Office Hours:
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 7am to 11am
Judy’s email address: wesumcfram@rcn.com

Sara Herwig at First
Office Hours:
Monday through Friday, 1:30pm to 5:30pm
Sara’s email address: fumcfram@verizon.net

NOTE: Please note that submissions for the “Looking Ahead” weekly email are due by the end of the Wednesday before that Friday’s issue. Please email submissions to Sara Herwig, editor, at fumcfram@verizon.net.