Special Open and Affirming Panel Discussion – RESCHEDULED FOR THIS SUNDAY! February 1st!

Due to the snowstorm last week and the cancellation of church, our ONA panel discussion has been rescheduled for Sunday, February 1, following our worship service.

Please note: Communion has been moved to Sunday, February 15th due to this change.

Please join your Open and Affirming Committee members as they present an informal panel discussion where they will share why they are on the Open and Affirming Committee, why it is important to them and why they believe that our church should proclaim itself an open, affirming and welcoming church. This discussion will begin during coffee time, so plan to grab a bite, a drink, a chair and join the discussion. All are strongly encouraged to attend, to bring questions and your comments.

Upcoming Worship Services

As a result of having to cancel two consecutive Sunday worship services, we will be adjusting the service content for the first three Sundays of February:

February 1 – A Service of Inclusivity related to the process of becoming an Open and Affirming congregation, followed by a panel discussion in conjunction with coffee hour (originally scheduled for January 18); Choir will sing during the offering time.

February 8 – A worship service using the bulletin that would have been used on January 25th; communion will be postponed until February 15

February 15 – Transfiguration Sunday, the final Sunday before the beginning of Lent; this service will include communion.

Announcements from Pastor Doug

I have had long discussions with several groups regarding a possible Ash Wednesday service.  The suggestion of holding the service at 5 p.m. sounded good until we remembered that we have the winter farmers’ market in the building from 3-6 p.m. on Wednesdays.  No other time seemed to work well for our congregation at this time of year, so we have come up with a creative plan that we hope may be meaningful for a number of folks.  On the First Sunday of Lent, February 22, immediately following our regular worship service, we will invite whoever would like to stay for a short service of imposition of ashes (likely 10 minutes or so) to come to the front of the church.  We will share a brief responsive litany and reading, and then impose ashes on those who wish to do so. I will offer the option of placing ashes on one’s forehead, or on the back of one’s hand, as many churches did during COVID.  Lent and Easter come very early this year, so we are hoping that this option will be helpful in this winter of snow and icy roads.

I have also been discussing the logistics of a possible Bible study group for our church in the near future.  Once again, finding a good time in Lent has been exceptionally difficult.  Several folks suggested that we wait until after Easter, when the weather is warmer and we have longer times of daylight.  I would like to do a six-week study using Professor Amy-Jill Levine’s book Sermon on the Mount: A Beginner’s Guide to the Kingdom of Heaven, beginning on Wednesday, April 8 and meeting on Wednesdays a 5 or 5:15 and lasting until 6:15 or 6:30 p.m. when we will still have plenty of daylight.  If we order books as a group, we will not have to pay shipping and they will likely cost $13.50-$14 each.  If this study sounds like something in which you would be interested , please e-mail me (djwnscaa@gmail.com) or text me (913-387-9947) and let me know if you would like to be part of a group book order or rather order your book individually.

Pastor Doug’s Office Hours:

Friday, January 30^th  – 9:30am – 12:30pm

Wednesday, February 4^th  – 12:30pm – 3:00pm

Friday, February 6^th  – 9:30am – 12:30pm

Please feel free to call me at 913-387-9947 if you need to schedule other times to meet.

Snow Cancellations:

We will make decisions about snow cancellations by 8:30 and if we decide the safest decision is to cancel the service we will send out an e-mail message announcing the cancellation.  If you would prefer to receive a telephone call regarding such cancellations, please let Karen Murphy know.

Sharing Cupboard Needs:

The Sharing Cupboard always needs mayo, mustard, ketchup, canned carrots, cookies, crackers cereal and coffee. Thanks to the wonderful community outreach, our shelves are well stocked with other items. Please leave all donations in the donation box at the church entry.  Thank you.

1. Brookfield Farmer’s Market

Did you know?

….Our church is host to a fabulous farmer’s market each Wednesday afternoon from 3 – 6 in our Fellowship Hall!

Some of the fresh and delicious fare at the market include a wide variety of mushrooms, micro greens, fresh eggs, incredible bread, beautiful bulbs and flowers, a plethora of vegetables, fresh baked goodies, imported coffee, kombucha, honey, maple syrup, ice cream, grass-fed meat, hand-crafted jewelry, wooden bowls and cutting boards and even more!  Stop in sometime and enjoy one of West Brookfield’s hidden treasures! (Hidden right inside of our church!)