Month: December 2014

Posted on

Dec 21, 2014 Announcements

Sermon: “Utter Trust”
Scripture: Luke 1:26-38
Second Samuel 7:1-11, 16
Comments: I have been struck in preparing for this week’s message about Mary’s utter trust in what was happening. Nothing reluctant is happening here. It would not have been lost on any listeners of this story in the ancient world that she was perhaps as young as 12 years old. But somehow she was struck by God’s Presence in a way that inspired a great trust in her about what was going to happen. An incredible experience of grace enshrouded her, and she knew something essential about God and how God relates to us. Let us explore this passage, and God’s transforming power for us, this coming Sunday.

Join us for worship on Sunday, October 12th at 10:30 a.m., and for coffee and fellowship after the service.

The Advent Meditations are here…
Pick up your copy in the narthex, or check our Facebook page to read them daily!

Advent/Epiphany Study
“An Exploration of Frederick Buechner’s Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy and Fairy Tale.”
uechner, a Presbyterian minister, has written many books that have influenced both lay and clergy over these last few decades. He has an engaging way of helping us to see the extraordinary aspects of our ordinary lives. In this volume, we can explore the gospel through the lenses of tragedy (of God’s seeming absence), comedy (of God’s unpredictability and unexpectedness), and of fairy tale (of God’s “too good to be true” truth). During the seasons of advent and epiphany, when we seek to be intentionally open to the ways that God’s Light is present for us, let us use Buechner’s offering here to deepen our ability to see God at work in our too often humdrum, humbug lives.
Book Availability: A few books will be ordered. Please let Allen know if you would like one of these books or will be finding your own copy.

Times: From 7 to 8:15 p.m. In the Green Room
Wednesday, December 3rd (focus on chapter 1)
Wednesday, Dec. 17th (focus on chapter 2 — tragedy)
Wednesday, Jan. 7th (focus on chapter 3 — comedy)
Wednesday, Jan. 21st (focus on chapter 4 — fairy tale)

The Christmas Joy Offering
Collecting on Sunday, December 21st. A gift to the Christmas Joy Offering helps provide financial assistance to current and former church workers and their families and also enables deserving students to attend Presbyterian-related racial ethnic colleges and schools. Please give as generously as you are able.

Christmas Eve Service
Wednesday, December 24th at 4:00 p.m. Child are welcome in the service, but childcare will be available as well. We invite you to join us for cookies, beverages, and fellowship in the Nave Gallery (next door to the sanctuary) right after the service.

Session Meeting
The Session will meet on Wednesday, January 14th in the Green Room at 7:30 p.m.

Posted on

Dec 14, 2014 Announcements

Sermon: “Shocked and __________ “
Scripture: Luke 1:46-555
In Mary’s song about God, she is shocked in so many ways by what God has promised to do through her, and what she sees about God’s actions and presence in the world. Many commentaries link this passage to the theme of Christianity and the “great reversal” scriptures that fill the pages of Luke’s gospel. Mary is overwhelmed, shocked by what is happening. I am realizing as I work on this passage this week that the term “shock” gets linked with all kinds of words in the press and in the general culture. One can think of “shock and awe” as a military strategy during the first Gulf War, for example. Mary’s shocked feeling is connected to joy and rejoicing at what she saw that God was doing with her and for her community, etc. Can we capture some of that sense of joy and rejoicing for ourselves this Christmas? What is it that would bring us to a state of rejoicing?

Join us for worship on Sunday, October 12th at 10:30 a.m., and for coffee and fellowship after the service.

The Advent Meditations are here…
Pick up your copy in the narthex, or check our Facebook page to read them daily!

Nomination Committee
The second meeting of the Nominating Committee will be on in the Green Room on Sunday, December 14th, after the coffee hour.

Somerville families need our help – Christmas gifts for Early Head Start
For several years, CHPC has partnered with the Somerville Early Head Start to sponsor families for Christmas, purchasing presents for them. This year Early Head Start is experiencing a 25% increase in the number of local families requesting support, making our help vital for our neighbors to enjoy the holiday. Starting on November 23rd, please look for the mini-tree in the back of the sanctuary and choose one or more slips of paper with gift requests/suggestions. We will collect the gifts at church and have a wrapping party during coffee hour on December 14th. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Val (mabel312@aol.com) or Ruth (ruth.rhoads.allen@gmail.com)

Advent/Epiphany Study
“An Exploration of Frederick Buechner’s Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy and Fairy Tale.”
uechner, a Presbyterian minister, has written many books that have influenced both lay and clergy over these last few decades. He has an engaging way of helping us to see the extraordinary aspects of our ordinary lives. In this volume, we can explore the gospel through the lenses of tragedy (of God’s seeming absence), comedy (of God’s unpredictability and unexpectedness), and of fairy tale (of God’s “too good to be true” truth). During the seasons of advent and epiphany, when we seek to be intentionally open to the ways that God’s Light is present for us, let us use Buechner’s offering here to deepen our ability to see God at work in our too often humdrum, humbug lives.
Book Availability: A few books will be ordered. Please let Allen know if you would like one of these books or will be finding your own copy.

Times: From 7 to 8:15 p.m. In the Green Room
Wednesday, December 3rd (focus on chapter 1)
Wednesday, Dec. 17th (focus on chapter 2 — tragedy)
Wednesday, Jan. 7th (focus on chapter 3 — comedy)
Wednesday, Jan. 21st (focus on chapter 4 — fairy tale)

The Christmas Joy Offering
Collecting on Sunday, December 21st. A gift to the Christmas Joy Offering helps provide financial assistance to current and former church workers and their families and also enables deserving students to attend Presbyterian-related racial ethnic colleges and schools. Please give as generously as you are able.

Christmas Eve Service
Wednesday, December 24th 4:00 p.m.

Session Meeting
The Session will meet on Wednesday, January 14th in the Green Room at 7:30 p.m.

——————

NAVE GALLERY EVENTS

Illuminated: A Photographic Essay of Holiday Lights
EXHIBITION DATES: November 15, 2014-December 14, 2014 (Closed Thanksgiving weekend)
GALLERY HOURS: Saturday and Sunday, 1:00-5:00 pm (Closed Thanksgiving Weekend)
ARTISTS: Jim Baab Jr., Zsolt Bátori, Kelly Burgess, Greg Cook, Melissa Eder, Ileana Doble Hernandez, MaryAnne Hinkle, Bill Kouwenhoven, Rachel Mello, H.D. Motyl, Lenny Rigione, Robert Thurlow, V Van Sant, Jill Waterman

The Eighth Annual Good Cheer Festival
DATE & TIME: Sunday, December 14, 7 PM
LOCATION: Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church (Teele Square), 155 Powderhouse Blvd, Somerville, MA
ADMISSION FEE: Free ($5-$10 suggested donation benefits the Nave Gallery)
Now in its eighth year, the Good Cheer Festival returns to Boston. Hosted in the beautiful Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church, home to the Nave Gallery, this is a heartwarming event for the whole family. There will be carols, stories, cookies and nog. Come ready to sing, smile and, please, dress the part; there is a prize for the best holiday sweaters!

Posted on

Dec 07, 2014 Announcements

Sermon:”Living toward a Vision”
Scripture: First Peter 3:8-15a
It’s interesting that in Advent, the beginning of our church year, the scriptures tend to remind us of the last times — also called eschatological times –just when the beginning of Christ’s life is about to be celebrated. In other words, the Last Word is coming before the First Word….The Day of the Lord!! A time of judgment. First Peter reminds us that church that the heavens and the “elements” will be dissolved! For the early church, however, the day of the Lord was a reminder that all the evil in the world was not the last word, but that God had the last Word. We live toward a vision of shalom that can only be brought about by the all-powerful, all-loving God. When we await the day of the Lord, we are affirming our belief that God’s peace is bringing the “unfinished work of God to bear on an unfinished world” (T. Long).` How does this very important last word help to sustain us in our efforts for peace and justice, for maintaining a faithful, sustainable Christian life in the midst of all the brokenness that is all too evident in our world?

Join us for worship on Sunday, October 12th at 10:30 a.m., and for coffee and fellowship after the service.

The Advent Meditations are here…
Pick up your copy in the narthex, or check our Facebook page to read them daily!

Nomination Committee
The first meeting of the Nomination Committee will be on in the Green Room on Sunday, December 7th, after the coffee hour.

Session Meeting
The Session will meet on Wednesday, December 10th in the Green Room at 7:30 p.m.

Somerville families need our help – Christmas gifts for Early Head Start
For several years, CHPC has partnered with the Somerville Early Head Start to sponsor families for Christmas, purchasing presents for them. This year Early Head Start is experiencing a 25% increase in the number of local families requesting support, making our help vital for our neighbors to enjoy the holiday. Starting on November 23rd, please look for the mini-tree in the back of the sanctuary and choose one or more slips of paper with gift requests/suggestions. We will collect the gifts at church and have a wrapping party during coffee hour on December 14th. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Val (mabel312@aol.com) or Ruth (ruth.rhoads.allen@gmail.com)

Advent/Epiphany Study
“An Exploration of Frederick Buechner’s Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy and Fairy Tale.”
uechner, a Presbyterian minister, has written many books that have influenced both lay and clergy over these last few decades. He has an engaging way of helping us to see the extraordinary aspects of our ordinary lives. In this volume, we can explore the gospel through the lenses of tragedy (of God’s seeming absence), comedy (of God’s unpredictability and unexpectedness), and of fairy tale (of God’s “too good to be true” truth). During the seasons of advent and epiphany, when we seek to be intentionally open to the ways that God’s Light is present for us, let us use Buechner’s offering here to deepen our ability to see God at work in our too often humdrum, humbug lives.
Book Availability: A few books will be ordered. Please let Allen know if you would like one of these books or will be finding your own copy.

Times: From 7 to 8:15 p.m. In the Green Room
Wednesday, December 3rd (focus on chapter 1)
Wednesday, Dec. 17th (focus on chapter 2 — tragedy)
Wednesday, Jan. 7th (focus on chapter 3 — comedy)
Wednesday, Jan. 21st (focus on chapter 4 — fairy tale)

The Christmas Joy Offering
Collecting on Sunday, December 21st. A gift to the Christmas Joy Offering helps provide financial assistance to current and former church workers and their families and also enables deserving students to attend Presbyterian-related racial ethnic colleges and schools. Please give as generously as you are able.

Christmas Eve Service
Wednesday, December 24th 4:00 p.m.

——————

NAVE GALLERY EVENTS

Illuminated: A Photographic Essay of Holiday Lights
EXHIBITION DATES: November 15, 2014-December 14, 2014 (Closed Thanksgiving weekend)
GALLERY HOURS: Saturday and Sunday, 1:00-5:00 pm (Closed Thanksgiving Weekend)
ARTISTS: Jim Baab Jr., Zsolt Bátori, Kelly Burgess, Greg Cook, Melissa Eder, Ileana Doble Hernandez, MaryAnne Hinkle, Bill Kouwenhoven, Rachel Mello, H.D. Motyl, Lenny Rigione, Robert Thurlow, V Van Sant, Jill Waterman

The Eighth Annual Good Cheer Festival
DATE & TIME: Sunday, December 14, 7 PM
LOCATION: Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church (Teele Square), 155 Powderhouse Blvd, Somerville, MA
ADMISSION FEE: Free ($5-$10 suggested donation benefits the Nave Gallery)
Now in its eighth year, the Good Cheer Festival returns to Boston. Hosted in the beautiful Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church, home to the Nave Gallery, this is a heartwarming event for the whole family. There will be carols, stories, cookies and nog. Come ready to sing, smile and, please, dress the part; there is a prize for the best holiday sweaters!