This Sunday!
We will begin a new church year with our Gathering Sunday service at 10:00 a.m.
During Sunday’s service, you will be invited (though certainly not obligated), to take a strip of paper at the center aisle end of the pew and write, with the markers provided, your name and something that you are bringing into our life this year. This could be a hope, a talent, a prayer or a particular gift. The children will collect these strips when they leave the sanctuary for Sunday School and will weave them into tapestries that will hang in the sanctuary as a reminder to us all of the texture and richness of our life together.
Bible Study, Sunday School classes, and Children’s Choir rehearsal begin next Sunday, September 15.
This week:
Prayer Group will meet Wednesday morning at 7:30 a.m.
Council will hold its first meeting of the church year this Wednesday evening, September 11, at 6:30 and will include a potluck supper.
The Zambia Committee will meet Thursday evening, September 12, at 6:00 p.m. in the Reception Room.
There will be choir rehearsal Thursday evening at 7:30 p.m.
Coming Up:
Bible Study resumes Sunday morning, September 15, at 8:00 a.m. in Stacy’s office. We will be reading the book of Exodus.
There will be a meeting of the NICA committee after church on Sunday, September 15.
Living Waters Prayer Group meets each Wednesday morning at 7:30 a.m. in the side chapel.
Wellspring, the Union Church’s women’s group, will meet Wednesday evening, September 18 at 6:30 p.m. in the Reception Room for a light supper and time of discussion. Please let Luisa in the office know if you can attend.
This month’s visit to Waban Health will be on Thursday morning, September 19, at 10:30 a.m. Please let Stacy know if you would like to join her.
Java Gents will resume on Friday morning, September 20, at 7:00 a.m. Join Jay O’Beirne leading the men of Union Church for breakfast and fellowship.
A new meditation group will start up on September 21, at 10:00 a.m. in Stacy’s office, and will meet on the first and third Saturdays throughout the year. Larry Phillips (with Sandra DaDalt starting in November) will be leading the group if people have any questions. All are welcome. Come every time or just when your schedule allows.
Book Group will meet on Tuesday evening, September 24, at 7:30 p.m. We will be discussing Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver.
The year’s first Game Night will be held on Friday evening, September 27. Stay tuned for more details.
News and Announcements
Nametags:
As a welcoming community, and to be sure we know each other’s name, we will be using name tags this year!
Look for your name tag, filed alphabetically, in the racks in the side chapel. If you are new to us, please fill out a blank name tag.
Before leaving, please leave your name tag in any of the baskets at the front door, side chapel, or reception room.
UCW Retreat:
We are looking for a few people to help plan an all church UCW retreat. This was a beloved tradition within the church whose time has come to revive. If you are interested in helping in planning (either with the logistics or content or both!), please let Stacy know . We like to gather in early October to begin the planning.
Reception sign up:
We are in need of several more hosts for reception this year.
Please check for openings on the schedule posted here and in the side chapel and the small kitchen, or contact Judy Nagle or Luisa in the office directly. If you have never done reception before, how about starting with a “Bagel Sunday” where duties are a bit lighter?
Read reception guidelines here.
C.E. News:
For Gathering Sunday this week, our youth (6th graders and up) will join us for worship in its entirety. Elementary-aged children will depart following the Time for Children to attend a brief one-room church school, then return for Communion. Sunday School classes begin next Sunday, September 15. Our classes are:
| Grades | Room | September Teacher |
| PreK – 1st grades | Muse | Sue Hadley |
| 2nd – 3rd grades | Littlehale | Cindy Spertner |
| 4th – 5th grades | Meeting Room | Kathy Malone |
| 6th Plus | Choir Room | Katheryn DeRogatis |
Upcoming Events:
Sunday, September 15: Children’s Choir rehearsals begin.
Sunday, September 22: Apple Picking for the Newton Food Pantry following church.
Sunday, September 22: Summit Experience for Parents of Youth: come get an understanding of the new all-Newton, weekly drop-in group being coordinated by Newton’s UCC churches, including UCW. 7:00 p.m.at Andover Newton.
Wednesday, October 2: First weekly youth Summit meeting, 3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Friday, October 4: Youth Group, 6 pm.
Sunday School registration time: Registration forms are available here.
Our New Intern!
A special welcome to our new student intern, Tori Jameson!
Tori is a second year masters of divinity student at Andover Newton who hails from Raleigh, North Carolina.
Russell School:
It’s back-to-school time at Russell School! Help is needed on the following dates:
* Monday, September 9. 7:45 to 9:00 a.m. On this first day of kindergarten, we will greet parents, help children to their classrooms, and help the teachers serve breakfast to the students.
* Wednesday, September 18 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. During the school’s Open House, we will be on site assisting with the school’s Open House.
Please rsvp to Luisa in the office if you help out.