Pilgrimage Herald

garymarks@8townsquare.org
hmoody@8townsquare.org

February 26, 2006

Volume LXXVIII

No. 8

Dear Friends,

It really does seem to me that we've just been singing Christmas carols. Now it is nearly time to begin our Lenten preparations. March 1st is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. As many of you are aware, the Lenten season is 40 days long, excluding Sundays. It is in most Christian traditions a penitential period during which we ponder and wrestle with Jesus' sojourn in the wilderness during which, among other things, he dealt with quite ordinary temptations, being confronted by the evil one.

The word Lent is a derivative of a Latin word meaning "to Lengthen". That reference means that the season occurs during that period when the earth is allowing more sunlight to be exposed than during winter. Thus, the days are said to be "longer" than in the winter of nature's cycle. Of course, each day isn't longer than in winter; they simply have more light in than before.

In some ways, I don't like to think of Lent as only a time of the emergence from winter gloom to the brighter and warmer days of spring. Lent is a season of the spirit, a time in which we follow Jesus in confronting our own temptations and failures. It is a period set aside for us to prepare ourselves for the spiritual enlightenment which is at the center of our Christian faith. We find our model in Jesus and, like him, we are encouraged by the Spirit of God to face ourselves for who we are. It is a time of prayer and meditation, a period of honesty with God and ourselves in which we seek to examine ourselves in such a way as to allow our spirits to come into contact with God's grace and God's pure light. It is an effort to allow God's light to brighten our own and the world's darkness.

Heather and I are planning a Lenten series of spiritual enrichment opportunities on Wednesday evenings. It will be a time to be together for a simple supper and worship. Heather explains our plans elsewhere in this issue of the Herald. We hope that Many of you will join us in a Lenten pilgrimage in a fashion new to us, but as ancient as our faith.

Our faith is founded in, and continues to live by, the Resurrection of Jesus. But, we must not think of our preparations for Easter as a calendar date. We are making the way toward being spiritually enlightened during Lent accepting Jesus as our model and guide. Easter for us is more than a date on a spring calendar. It is the energizing and redemptive presence of God which keeps us headed toward hope. It keeps us from accepting darkness and evil as the determining realities of the human spirit.

Join us during Lent for a time of spiritual pilgrimage. It is neither post-modern nor sentimental to want to follow Jesus toward hope, renewal, redemption and light. For some of us, and I am surely an unabashedly one, it is the way to go toward hope and renewal.

Love,

Deacon in Charge: Helen Belcher

Greeters: The Trask Family: Robin, Doug, Justin, and Jacqueline

Flowers: In loving memory of Miriam L. Barnes, given by Tom Barnes

A Thought from Stewardship "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
-Jesus talking to his disciples in Luke 12:22-23, 33b-34.

Fob Use and Training: Please see Debby Porter or Larry Foster right after church regarding "Fob" use training and paperwork.

The Board of Trustees upcoming meeting dates to be held in the conference room in the Church House: March 7th: 7:30p.m., March 21st: 7:00p.m.

You Are Invited
to
A Tea Honoring New Members
after worship in
Allerton Hall
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Given by Membership and Evangelism

Ash Wednesday worship: The season of Lent will be arriving in just a few days. It begins with Ash Wednesday on March 1st. Please join us in marking the start of this important season in the life of our church by attending worship that evening at 7:00p.m. in the sanctuary. This service will include the imposition of ashes.

Committee Chairs should see David Kegel or Debby Porter after church to receive the budget timeline sheet.

THIS WEEK

Sun, Feb. 26: Morning Worship 10am, Rev. Heather Moody preaching; New Members will be received into the church during the service; There will be a special Coffee Hour to welcome recent new members of The Church of the Pilgrimage.

Mon, Feb. 27: Rev. Marks will be attending a Congregational Library Committee meeting at 14 Beacon Street in Boston; Aerobics, Allerton Hall, 9am; Monday Meals, 10:30-1pm, Allerton Hall;; Brownies, 4-5pm & Girl Scouts, 6-7, Church House, Stewart Room; Pilgrim Festival Choir Rehearsal, 7-10pm, Sanctuary.

Tue, Feb. 28: The Plymouth Area Interfaith Clergy Association will meet at noon at First Parish Church Aerobics, 6:30pm, Allerton Hall; Advisory Board Meeting, 7-9pm, Church House Conference Room;

Wed, Mar. 1: Aerobics, Allerton Hall, 9am; Lent Begins/Ash Wednesday Service in the sanctuary, 7pm; Boy Scouts, 7-9pm, Great Hall.

Thurs, Mar. 2: Missions and Outreach Committee Meeting, 6:30p.m.; Christian Education Committee Meeting, 6:30pm,Church House Conference Room; Sunday School Teachers Gathering, 7:00p.m. in the Church House; Aerobics, Allerton Hall, 6:30pm

Fri., Mar. 3: Aerobics, Allerton Hall, 9am; Rev. Marks will be in the church office, 9:30pm.

Sat. Mar. 4: Pinewood Derby/Pack 47, 8am-4pm.

Coming Events:
March 1: Ash Wednesday, 7:00p.m.
March 5: The First Sunday in Lent.
March 8: Soup Supper, 6pm; Vespers Service in the sanctuary, 6:45-7:30pm.
March 9: The Stewardship Committee will meet in the Conference Room in Church House, 7:00pm.
March 12: Dan Spacek's Ordination, Nashusa, NH, 4pm.
March 25: Time and Talent Auction.

CHURCH RECORD

Hospitalized:
* Laura Curtin, Faulkner Hospital
* George Carter, Jordan Hospital

Baptism:
* On February 19, 2006, Patrick James Shaughnessy, son of Patrick and Jeanne Mackey Shaughnessy, was baptized during the morning worship service.

In Memoriam:
* On Febrary 19, 2006, Rev. Marks conducted a funeral service for Kevin Douglas Smith in the sanctuary.
* On Febrary 22, 2006, Rev. Marks conducted a funeral service for Thelma Tavernelli.
* On February 24, 2006, Rev. Marks conductyed a funeral service for Richard E. Hetherington.

Our sympathies and prayers are with those who have lost loved ones.

Special Lenten Opportunity: Mark your calendars for a wonderful opportunity for good food, delightful fellowship, and powerful worship during the season of Lent. Starting March 8th and continuing through April 5th, we will be offering a Wednesday night Soup Supper and Vespers series. Vespers is a term for a prayer service held in the early part of the evening; the word "vespers" comes from the Middle English and Latin words for the evening star. Our Lenten Vespers service will include sung prayers from the Taiz? community in France. Taiz? songs consist of one or two sentence prayers set to simple and easy to sing melodies. This music then becomes a form of centering, meditative prayer. Ever had difficulty concentrating while praying because your mind kept wandering? Come and worship with us during Lent and experience a form of prayer that both captivates your attention and opens the door to God. Beginning Wednesday, March 8th, we'll have a simple soup supper lovingly prepared by one of our Boards or Committees at 6:00p.m. followed by Vespers at 6:45p.m. We hope to see you there!

Time & Talent Auction/Dinner-Sat,.March 25th 6pm
Only 4 weeks left to sign up for the delicious beef stew dinner ($8/adult, $4/child, max. $20/family). We've begun to get some great time and talend donations: cookies, dinner, tutoring, weekend getaway, chimney cleaning, wedding singer, tortellini. Share your talent. Fill out a donation form in Allerton Hall after church, and plan to come for the bargains, the food, and the fun on the 25th. See you there! -Judy Mitchell 508-746-3959.

Attention Sunday School Teachers: You are invited to a special gathering hosted by the Christian Education Committee this Thursday, March 2nd at 7:00p.m. at the Church House. This is your opportunity to offer feedback, suggestions, and ideas as well as enjoy tasty food prepared by the members of the CE committee. There also will be time for spiritual enrichment.

MISSIONS AND OUTREACH NEWS-
Thank you to everyone who filled in one of the new Missions and Outreach cards last Sunday.
Next Meeting: The next Missions and Outreach Meeting will be held on Thursday, March 2nd at 6:30pm at the home of Meg Bross.
The Food Warehouse: For our weekly collection of non-perishables, we need: canned ham, tuna or chicken, cereal, pasta, canned fruit, peanut butter, jelly, jam, mayonnaise and ketchup. THANK YOU!

FEBRUARY IS "Gift of the Heart" month for Missions and Outreach. The Committee will be collecting items, all month, for health and school kits. There are baskets provided behind the Missions table for all contributions. Last fall, the 116 school kits we packaged were sent to Louisiana. Please see below for the items needed. Thank you for participating.

Health Kit
* 1 hand towel
* 1 washcloth
* 1 comb (not pocket comb)
* 1 metal nail file or nail clipper
* 1 bar of soap (bath size)
* 1 toothbrush
* 1 tube of toothpaste (4-7 oz.)
* 6 Band-Aids
Seal all items in a one-gallon bag with a zipper closure.

School Kit
* 1 pair blunt scissors
* pads or notebooks of ruled paper 81/2 x 11 containing 150-200 sheets of paper
* 1 30cm ruler (12")
* 1 pencil sharpener
* 6 new pencils with erasers
* 1 large eraser
* 12 sheets colored construction paper
* 1 box of 24 crayons
* 1 12" x 14" cloth bag with cloth handles and a closure (Velcro, snap or button)
Pack these items in the cloth bag and secure contents with the closure.

Last Sunday for Daffodil Days: The American Cancer Society sponsors an annual Daffodil Days campaign. With your donation of $7 you can enjoy a beautiful bouquet of fresh-cut daffodils while helping the American Cancer Society fund educational programs that teach people about the prevention and early detection of cancer, provide compassionate assistance for people who have been diagnosed and support cutting-edge cancer research. The Church of the Pilgrimage will be taking orders for daffodils on Sunday, February 26th. Please see Jane Burns, Jane Cole, Marge Sears or Alice Dunham during coffee hour.

Dan's Ordination: Dan Spacek will have his service of ordination on March 12, 2006 at 4:00pm with an ecclesiastical council to precede the service at 3:00pm. The ordination will be in Nashua, New Hampshire.

We have talked about the possibility of chartering a bus to New Hampshire from the church at a cost of $20 per person round trip. If you think you would be interested in taking a bus, please call the church office ASAP. We need to figure out if we have enough people before we book it.

Calling all Golfers and anyone else who loves a good time! The Golf Tournament is up and running, but we need your help! Please contact Jon Porter, 746-4109, if you are interested in working on the Golf Tournament Committee. All ages are welcome!

Meal/Visit Program
Many of you know that women's fellowship began a program last summer wherein we make and deliver meals to members of our church family who are in need. I wanted to let you know a few things about where the program is currently and how you can help.

First, at a recent advisory board meeting we decided that the deacons would take on the responsibility of organizing this program. It seems to fit in with the description of our responsibilities as is written in the bylaws. This will happen beginning in March.

Secondly, we have, of late, had many families in need in our congregation. We would like to add your name to the list of people willing to provide a meal for someone in need. For those of you intimidated by the prospect, you would not be asked to make a five-course gourmet meal. A simple pot of soup or casserole fills the belly and warms the heart. The times and dates are very flexible and can be negotiated with the deacon or deaconess who calls you.

I had the privilege of being on the receiving end of this program this week and can attest, as others have, of the great spiritual gift that it is, of the healing power of the fellowship and love that are an integral part of both the meal and the visit. Please see me after church or give me a call to volunteer or find out more about the program. And thank you from the very bottom of my heart to all who have been cooking away making this program a reality; you have brought much joy to many people. Jenny Healy (508-747-7168)

HARVEST FAIR 2006

ATTENTION, ATTENTION.. Can you believe the Harvest Fair is only 8 months away? It's time to start planning! I've recently had some time on my hands, and have been doing some thinking on new ideas for the fair. I would love to share them with you and in hopes that you may have ideas or suggestions to share. I am planning the first meeting for the fair on Monday, April 10Th, 2006 at 7pm at my house, 10 Kristin Rd., Plymouth. I would like to invite all to attend.

Last year the Harvest Fair made $ 9211.70. Isn't that amazing? I want to thank everyone again who helped to make that possible. It was a wonderful day. A truly awesome sight to see our congregation working so hard together and also having a lot of fun! I would love to see this year our total be $ 10,000. I think we can do it!!

We are in need of a few good people who are willing to give a little of their time. As many of you know David and Diane Cowie have moved, so I am looking for someone to fill their shoes. David worked hard on the fund raising for the raffle. Last year he raised over $ 3000.00 with some help, in prizes to be won for the raffle! He kindly left me a notebook with all the instructions nicely mapped out for us for this year. I will also be looking for someone to help with the Bake Table to fill Diane's shoes.

A reminder for anyone cleaning out or planning on Spring cleaning in the upcoming months . Here is a list of our tables. Holiday Crafts, Bake Table, Attic Treasures ( small glassware or decorative items), Calico Corner ( any fabric items). The Knitting Nook, Country Store( anything you might find in a real one, including, jams, pickles, relishes, etc.). The Book Nook, Linens and Things, American Girl Doll Table, Bubbles and Bath, the Jewelry Table, Garden Shop, and The Kids Corner.

If anyone has any questions or thoughts please feel free to contact me at 508-746-7761. Thank you all again for your support.
. ~Laura Curtin

At the request of Christ Congregational Church, UCC Brockton, Massachusetts, the Pilgrim Association will gather for an ECCLESIASTICAL COUNCIL on
Sunday, March 12, 2006 at 2pm
At Christ Congregational Church, UCC
1350 Pleasant Street, Brockton, MA 02301-2840
to meet, review the credentials of and share the faith journey of
THE REVEREND PATRICIA HAYES
The Association will ten proceed with the church, at 3pm to install The Reverend Hayes as Pastor.

Clerk - Lois Post; Moderator - Steven Triffletti; Treasurer - David Kegel; Collector - Debra Richters
Music Director - William B Richter;
Secretary - Shellie McCormack; Sexton - Tony Nightingale; World Mission Emphasis - Heifer Project International;
Church Building Telephone - (508) 747-1341.


garymarks@8townsquare.org hmoody@8townsquare.org	February 26, 2006	office@8townsquare.org
Volume LXXVIII		No. 8
Dear Friends, It really does seem to me that we've just been singing Christmas carols. Now it is nearly time to begin our Lenten preparations. March 1st is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. As many of you are aware, the Lenten season is 40 days long, excluding Sundays. It is in most Christian traditions a penitential period during which we ponder and wrestle with Jesus' sojourn in the wilderness during which, among other things, he dealt with quite ordinary temptations, being confronted by the evil one. The word Lent is a derivative of a Latin word meaning "to Lengthen". That reference means that the season occurs during that period when the earth is allowing more sunlight to be exposed than during winter. Thus, the days are said to be "longer" than in the winter of nature's cycle. Of course, each day isn't longer than in winter; they simply have more light in than before. In some ways, I don't like to think of Lent as only a time of the emergence from winter gloom to the brighter and warmer days of spring. Lent is a season of the spirit, a time in which we follow Jesus in confronting our own temptations and failures. It is a period set aside for us to prepare ourselves for the spiritual enlightenment which is at the center of our Christian faith. We find our model in Jesus and, like him, we are encouraged by the Spirit of God to face ourselves for who we are. It is a time of prayer and meditation, a period of honesty with God and ourselves in which we seek to examine ourselves in such a way as to allow our spirits to come into contact with God's grace and God's pure light. It is an effort to allow God's light to brighten our own and the world's darkness. Heather and I are planning a Lenten series of spiritual enrichment opportunities on Wednesday evenings. It will be a time to be together for a simple supper and worship. Heather explains our plans elsewhere in this issue of the Herald. We hope that Many of you will join us in a Lenten pilgrimage in a fashion new to us, but as ancient as our faith. Our faith is founded in, and continues to live by, the Resurrection of Jesus. But, we must not think of our preparations for Easter as a calendar date. We are making the way toward being spiritually enlightened during Lent accepting Jesus as our model and guide. Easter for us is more than a date on a spring calendar. It is the energizing and redemptive presence of God which keeps us headed toward hope. It keeps us from accepting darkness and evil as the determining realities of the human spirit. Join us during Lent for a time of spiritual pilgrimage. It is neither post-modern nor sentimental to want to follow Jesus toward hope, renewal, redemption and light. For some of us, and I am surely an unabashedly one, it is the way to go toward hope and renewal. Love, © The Church of the Pilgrimage in Plymouth, MA Inc., all rights reserved.
Deacon in Charge: Helen Belcher Greeters: The Trask Family: Robin, Doug, Justin, and Jacqueline Flowers: In loving memory of Miriam L. Barnes, given by Tom Barnes A Thought from Stewardship "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." -Jesus talking to his disciples in Luke 12:22-23, 33b-34. Fob Use and Training: Please see Debby Porter or Larry Foster right after church regarding "Fob" use training and paperwork. The Board of Trustees upcoming meeting dates to be held in the conference room in the Church House: March 7th: 7:30p.m., March 21st: 7:00p.m. You Are Invited to A Tea Honoring New Members after worship in Allerton Hall Sunday, February 26, 2006 Given by Membership and Evangelism Ash Wednesday worship: The season of Lent will be arriving in just a few days. It begins with Ash Wednesday on March 1st. Please join us in marking the start of this important season in the life of our church by attending worship that evening at 7:00p.m. in the sanctuary. This service will include the imposition of ashes. Committee Chairs should see David Kegel or Debby Porter after church to receive the budget timeline sheet.
THIS WEEK Sun, Feb. 26: Morning Worship 10am, Rev. Heather Moody preaching; New Members will be received into the church during the service; There will be a special Coffee Hour to welcome recent new members of The Church of the Pilgrimage. Mon, Feb. 27: Rev. Marks will be attending a Congregational Library Committee meeting at 14 Beacon Street in Boston; Aerobics, Allerton Hall, 9am; Monday Meals, 10:30-1pm, Allerton Hall;; Brownies, 4-5pm & Girl Scouts, 6-7, Church House, Stewart Room; Pilgrim Festival Choir Rehearsal, 7-10pm, Sanctuary. Tue, Feb. 28: The Plymouth Area Interfaith Clergy Association will meet at noon at First Parish Church Aerobics, 6:30pm, Allerton Hall; Advisory Board Meeting, 7-9pm, Church House Conference Room; Wed, Mar. 1: Aerobics, Allerton Hall, 9am; Lent Begins/Ash Wednesday Service in the sanctuary, 7pm; Boy Scouts, 7-9pm, Great Hall. Thurs, Mar. 2: Missions and Outreach Committee Meeting, 6:30p.m.; Christian Education Committee Meeting, 6:30pm,Church House Conference Room; Sunday School Teachers Gathering, 7:00p.m. in the Church House; Aerobics, Allerton Hall, 6:30pm Fri., Mar. 3: Aerobics, Allerton Hall, 9am; Rev. Marks will be in the church office, 9:30pm. Sat. Mar. 4: Pinewood Derby/Pack 47, 8am-4pm. Coming Events: March 1: Ash Wednesday, 7:00p.m. March 5: The First Sunday in Lent. March 8: Soup Supper, 6pm; Vespers Service in the sanctuary, 6:45-7:30pm. March 9: The Stewardship Committee will meet in the Conference Room in Church House, 7:00pm. March 12: Dan Spacek's Ordination, Nashusa, NH, 4pm. March 25: Time and Talent Auction.
CHURCH RECORD Hospitalized: * Laura Curtin, Faulkner Hospital * George Carter, Jordan Hospital Baptism: * On February 19, 2006, Patrick James Shaughnessy, son of Patrick and Jeanne Mackey Shaughnessy, was baptized during the morning worship service. In Memoriam: * On Febrary 19, 2006, Rev. Marks conducted a funeral service for Kevin Douglas Smith in the sanctuary. * On Febrary 22, 2006, Rev. Marks conducted a funeral service for Thelma Tavernelli. * On February 24, 2006, Rev. Marks conductyed a funeral service for Richard E. Hetherington. Our sympathies and prayers are with those who have lost loved ones.
Special Lenten Opportunity: Mark your calendars for a wonderful opportunity for good food, delightful fellowship, and powerful worship during the season of Lent. Starting March 8th and continuing through April 5th, we will be offering a Wednesday night Soup Supper and Vespers series. Vespers is a term for a prayer service held in the early part of the evening; the word "vespers" comes from the Middle English and Latin words for the evening star. Our Lenten Vespers service will include sung prayers from the Taiz? community in France. Taiz? songs consist of one or two sentence prayers set to simple and easy to sing melodies. This music then becomes a form of centering, meditative prayer. Ever had difficulty concentrating while praying because your mind kept wandering? Come and worship with us during Lent and experience a form of prayer that both captivates your attention and opens the door to God. Beginning Wednesday, March 8th, we'll have a simple soup supper lovingly prepared by one of our Boards or Committees at 6:00p.m. followed by Vespers at 6:45p.m. We hope to see you there! Time & Talent Auction/Dinner-Sat,.March 25th 6pm Only 4 weeks left to sign up for the delicious beef stew dinner ($8/adult, $4/child, max. $20/family). We've begun to get some great time and talend donations: cookies, dinner, tutoring, weekend getaway, chimney cleaning, wedding singer, tortellini. Share your talent. Fill out a donation form in Allerton Hall after church, and plan to come for the bargains, the food, and the fun on the 25th. See you there! -Judy Mitchell 508-746-3959. Attention Sunday School Teachers: You are invited to a special gathering hosted by the Christian Education Committee this Thursday, March 2nd at 7:00p.m. at the Church House. This is your opportunity to offer feedback, suggestions, and ideas as well as enjoy tasty food prepared by the members of the CE committee. There also will be time for spiritual enrichment. MISSIONS AND OUTREACH NEWS- Thank you to everyone who filled in one of the new Missions and Outreach cards last Sunday. Next Meeting: The next Missions and Outreach Meeting will be held on Thursday, March 2nd at 6:30pm at the home of Meg Bross. The Food Warehouse: For our weekly collection of non-perishables, we need: canned ham, tuna or chicken, cereal, pasta, canned fruit, peanut butter, jelly, jam, mayonnaise and ketchup. THANK YOU! FEBRUARY IS "Gift of the Heart" month for Missions and Outreach. The Committee will be collecting items, all month, for health and school kits. There are baskets provided behind the Missions table for all contributions. Last fall, the 116 school kits we packaged were sent to Louisiana. Please see below for the items needed. Thank you for participating. Health Kit * 1 hand towel * 1 washcloth * 1 comb (not pocket comb) * 1 metal nail file or nail clipper * 1 bar of soap (bath size) * 1 toothbrush * 1 tube of toothpaste (4-7 oz.) * 6 Band-Aids Seal all items in a one-gallon bag with a zipper closure. School Kit * 1 pair blunt scissors * pads or notebooks of ruled paper 81/2 x 11 containing 150-200 sheets of paper * 1 30cm ruler (12") * 1 pencil sharpener * 6 new pencils with erasers * 1 large eraser * 12 sheets colored construction paper * 1 box of 24 crayons * 1 12" x 14" cloth bag with cloth handles and a closure (Velcro, snap or button) Pack these items in the cloth bag and secure contents with the closure. Last Sunday for Daffodil Days: The American Cancer Society sponsors an annual Daffodil Days campaign. With your donation of $7 you can enjoy a beautiful bouquet of fresh-cut daffodils while helping the American Cancer Society fund educational programs that teach people about the prevention and early detection of cancer, provide compassionate assistance for people who have been diagnosed and support cutting-edge cancer research. The Church of the Pilgrimage will be taking orders for daffodils on Sunday, February 26th. Please see Jane Burns, Jane Cole, Marge Sears or Alice Dunham during coffee hour. Dan's Ordination: Dan Spacek will have his service of ordination on March 12, 2006 at 4:00pm with an ecclesiastical council to precede the service at 3:00pm. The ordination will be in Nashua, New Hampshire. We have talked about the possibility of chartering a bus to New Hampshire from the church at a cost of $20 per person round trip. If you think you would be interested in taking a bus, please call the church office ASAP. We need to figure out if we have enough people before we book it. Calling all Golfers and anyone else who loves a good time! The Golf Tournament is up and running, but we need your help! Please contact Jon Porter, 746-4109, if you are interested in working on the Golf Tournament Committee. All ages are welcome! Meal/Visit Program Many of you know that women's fellowship began a program last summer wherein we make and deliver meals to members of our church family who are in need. I wanted to let you know a few things about where the program is currently and how you can help. First, at a recent advisory board meeting we decided that the deacons would take on the responsibility of organizing this program. It seems to fit in with the description of our responsibilities as is written in the bylaws. This will happen beginning in March. Secondly, we have, of late, had many families in need in our congregation. We would like to add your name to the list of people willing to provide a meal for someone in need. For those of you intimidated by the prospect, you would not be asked to make a five-course gourmet meal. A simple pot of soup or casserole fills the belly and warms the heart. The times and dates are very flexible and can be negotiated with the deacon or deaconess who calls you. I had the privilege of being on the receiving end of this program this week and can attest, as others have, of the great spiritual gift that it is, of the healing power of the fellowship and love that are an integral part of both the meal and the visit. Please see me after church or give me a call to volunteer or find out more about the program. And thank you from the very bottom of my heart to all who have been cooking away making this program a reality; you have brought much joy to many people. Jenny Healy (508-747-7168) HARVEST FAIR 2006 ATTENTION, ATTENTION.. Can you believe the Harvest Fair is only 8 months away? It's time to start planning! I've recently had some time on my hands, and have been doing some thinking on new ideas for the fair. I would love to share them with you and in hopes that you may have ideas or suggestions to share. I am planning the first meeting for the fair on Monday, April 10Th, 2006 at 7pm at my house, 10 Kristin Rd., Plymouth. I would like to invite all to attend. Last year the Harvest Fair made $ 9211.70. Isn't that amazing? I want to thank everyone again who helped to make that possible. It was a wonderful day. A truly awesome sight to see our congregation working so hard together and also having a lot of fun! I would love to see this year our total be $ 10,000. I think we can do it!! We are in need of a few good people who are willing to give a little of their time. As many of you know David and Diane Cowie have moved, so I am looking for someone to fill their shoes. David worked hard on the fund raising for the raffle. Last year he raised over $ 3000.00 with some help, in prizes to be won for the raffle! He kindly left me a notebook with all the instructions nicely mapped out for us for this year. I will also be looking for someone to help with the Bake Table to fill Diane's shoes. A reminder for anyone cleaning out or planning on Spring cleaning in the upcoming months . Here is a list of our tables. Holiday Crafts, Bake Table, Attic Treasures ( small glassware or decorative items), Calico Corner ( any fabric items). The Knitting Nook, Country Store( anything you might find in a real one, including, jams, pickles, relishes, etc.). The Book Nook, Linens and Things, American Girl Doll Table, Bubbles and Bath, the Jewelry Table, Garden Shop, and The Kids Corner. If anyone has any questions or thoughts please feel free to contact me at 508-746-7761. Thank you all again for your support. . ~Laura Curtin At the request of Christ Congregational Church, UCC Brockton, Massachusetts, the Pilgrim Association will gather for an ECCLESIASTICAL COUNCIL on Sunday, March 12, 2006 at 2pm At Christ Congregational Church, UCC 1350 Pleasant Street, Brockton, MA 02301-2840 to meet, review the credentials of and share the faith journey of THE REVEREND PATRICIA HAYES The Association will ten proceed with the church, at 3pm to install The Reverend Hayes as Pastor.



Clerk - Lois Post; Moderator - Steven Triffletti; Treasurer - David Kegel; Collector - Debra Richters Music Director - William B Richter; Secretary - Shellie McCormack; Sexton - Tony Nightingale; World Mission Emphasis - Heifer Project International; Church Building Telephone - (508) 747-1341.