eChurchlight, June 2010 


Upcoming Events
June 10:  Coffee Circle, 10:30am, parlor
June 13:  Graduation Sunday, Annual Meeting
June 20:  All church potluck lunch to celebrate Larry and Bob

The deadline for the next edition of the Churchlight is Monday, June 28th

through the looking glass

Well, I guess this is it. I chose “through the looking glass” as the title for my column for a couple of reasons. One is the Alice in Wonderland connection which also is a reference to the treasures I have found in the best children’s literature but also because of Alice’s upside/down experience of “reality” which relates well to my own experience of the life of faith, more specifically, faith in Christ. It is not easy for us to see beyond our own expectations and assumptions and so it is essential in my mind that the Christian story turn upside down all our assumptions about what is real and what is possible. If we succumb to the common wisdom that measures only what we can see with our eyes and experience with what we already know or think we know then we are truly lost. And so the connection between Alice and the Church, perhaps nowhere more present than in the instance where Alice tells the Queen that she cannot believe impossible things and the Queen replying by saying something like, “Nonsense. You just need to practice. Why sometimes I have believed as many as five impossible things before breakfast!” 

The second reason I chose “through the looking glass” is the connection this word has with the one in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, chapter 13, where he says “for now we see through a glass darkly” and this word after having seen pretty clearly what love is just a few words before: “ Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful ; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, endures all things. Love never ends . . .”  Paul knows what love is but he admits that is much we do not know yet. We see only in part and yet what we cannot see is at least as real as what we can see.  When it comes to believing impossible things, Paul is well advanced in the practice and the thing about it when it comes to what does this have to do with us is that when we practice love things happen that we may have thought were impossible before. It is all about the love; the love of God lived out in the life of Jesus for the world and for us certainly turns all our ideas about success and achievement upside down.  For if we gain the whole world and have not love we have nothing. It is not easy to live for love in the world and we will fail often enough to go where love would take us but we will also go there because love is still possible and will, in fact, (or so I believe) save us all.

“For a long time they looked at the river beneath them, saying nothing, and the river said nothing too, for it felt very quiet and peaceful on this summer afternoon.
“Tigger is all right really,” said Piglet lazily.
“Of course he is,” said Christopher robin.
“Everybody is really,” said Pooh. “That’s what I think,” said Pooh. “But I don’t suppose I am right,” he said.
“Of course you are,” said Christopher Robin.

Everything is all right. Love will see us through. God is good. Bless your hearts.
Larry

From Barbara…
What’s Happening?

Coffee Circle – June 10th:  We meet in the Parlor on the second Thursday of the month at 10:30 in the morning for an informal get together.  It usually lasts about an hour, but everyone is welcome to come and go as needed. 

Graduation Sunday – June 13:  We’ll celebrate our high school graduates, and our confirmands, and see some of our little ones get their first Bibles.  We’ll also be recognizing the wonderful volunteers who make our Sunday School and Youth Group programs possible.  The last day of classes will be Sunday, June 6.

Annual Meeting – June 13:  Our annual meeting (also known as a Charge Conference) will be held after worship on Sunday.  Be there to vote on our 2010-2011 budget, and approve the list of committee members and chairs for the coming program year.

Celebrate Larry and Bob – June 20:  Potluck luncheon (vegetarian, of course!) immediately after worship on Sunday.  Bring a dish to share, and help us celebrate our time with both our pastors before they move on to new appointments. 

Hurry Less, Worry Less!  Summer is a perfect time to contemplate making changes to our hectic lives.  We are putting together some small groups to read the book “Hurry Less, Worry Less” by Judy Pace Christie, which provides some spiritual background, as well as practical suggestions, about how slow down.  Our small groups are intended to provide support and encouragement, or whatever you need as we progress on this journey together.  So far it looks as if we have interest in a weekday evening group and a daytime group -- see Barbara to sign up or to get more information, or call the church and leave a message for her (extension 103).

Vespers every Wednesday –  Every Wednesday evening from 7:00 to about 7:30 we gather in the chapel for an informal service using the Upper Room Worshipbook.  If you’re seeking a quiet moment in the midst of your busy week, this is the place!

Summer Worship Schedule – July and August:  Summer is here, and that means we are once again joining with our extended family at St. John’s United Methodist Church at 80 Mt. Auburn St. in Watertown (just east of Watertown Square).  We alternate each week between the two churches – please note our schedule is a little different this year, as we are starting at BUMC.

July 4:  at BUMC (with communion)        August 1:   at BUMC (with communion)   
July 11:  at St. John’s                             August 8:   at St. John’s
July 18:  at BUMC                                   August 15: at BUMC
July 25:  at St. John’s                             August 22: at St. John’s (Ice Cream Social!)
                                                              August 29: at BUMC

The Women’s Book Group will not meet during the summer – stay tuned for information on what book they will be discussing at their September meeting.

*Check out the calendar section for other meetings of committees and groups.

Coffee Hour Schedule for June 2010
June 6       Group VWXYZ, coordinated by Terry Grimm
June 13     Group ABC, coordinated by Carolyn Backus
June 20     Groups DEFG & HIJKL, coordinated by Terry Grimm
June 27     Group MNOPQ, coordinated by Linda Rodi

Missions News

Fourth annual May Fair  -  Thank You!!!
Thank you to everyone who helped with the May Fair.  Despite the rain we had an enjoyable time that day.  Many of the vendors want to return next year so please plan on joining us next year.
        Louise

Continuing Missions
Bristol Kitchen -  BUMC continues to provide a nutritious, evening meal to the men and women at Bristol Kitchen on the first Saturday of each month.  Volunteers gather in the church kitchen at 1:30 to prepare casserole, salad, bread, and dessert for the soup kitchen located in Waltham, MA.  Those transporting and serving the meal meet at 4:30.   We provide a meal for approximately 50 men and women, for some it is their only meal of the day.  Upcoming meal dates are June 5th and July 3rd and August 7th.   If you would like to volunteer, please talk to Terri Kolenbrander.

BUMC encourages our members to participate in mission.  Here are some missions you can perform at home during your daily schedulable.

Shopping at Amazon? Go to www.umcbelmont.org – (our website) and link to Amazon from the Amazon icon.  The church receives a percentage of sales when you link through our site.

Do you use a computer?  Go to www.freerice.com – There you can practice vocabulary, math, geography…. And more.  At the same time you are feeding the poor through the United Nations World Food Program.  Take a look and explore the web site.

Make a baby blanket while you watch TV (by crocheting, knitting, or sewing) and leave it in the office to be taken to Children’s Hospital for newborns.  The blanket can be any size but 30 to 36 inches square are good sizes.  It takes about 2 skeins to knit one blanket.  There is yarn in the church office or you can use your own left over yarn – the blankets may have as many colors as you like.  Yes, any kind of baby blanket works so you are welcome to make them from fleece or to make small quilts.

While grocery shopping, pick up one or two items to donate to the Belmont Food Pantry.  Drop the cans and boxes in the cart in the Narthex.

June Sunshine Page

Please contact the church office with any additions, corrections, and items for Transitions section.  Thank you!

Birthdays
1:    Ross Matson
       Nancy Kneiss
2:    Eunice Yost
3:    Liz Wimmer
4:    Joanne LeCount
6:    Sharon Hamilton
       Abigail Touzjian
8:    Stephanie White
9:    Calista Reagan
12:    Emily Hamilton
13:    Carmen Rodi
         David Sullivan
14:    Lynda Schuler
15:    Rachel Wimmer
18:    Steve Savarese
20:    Linda French
21:    Everett Wicks
22:    Jane Marchetta
23:    Greg Diehl
24:    Caroline Albert
         Richard Halstead

Anniversaries
5:    Ann & Aram Koumjian
6:    Ros & Paula Paine
14:   Judy & Kerry Wilson
20:   Francis & Linda French
21:   Bob & Sandra Pohlman
        Iris & Brenton Canning
22:    Alan & Stephanie White
24:    Dick & Janet Coombs
30:    Jim & Janet Muirhead

Lectionary for June 2010

June 6
Second Sunday After Pentecost
1 Kings 17:8-24
Psalm 146 (UMH 858)
Galatians 1:11-24
Luke 7:11-17

June 13
Third Sunday After Pentecost
1 Kings 21:1-21a
Psalm 5:1-8 (UMH 742)
Galatians 2:15-21
Luke 7:36–8:3

June 20
Fourth Sunday After Pentecost
1 Kings 19:1-15a
Psalm 42 (UMH 777)
Galatians 3:23-29
Luke 8:26-39

June 27
Fifth Sunday After Pentecost
2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14
Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20 (UMH 798)
Galatians 5:1, 13-25
Luke 9:51-62