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Friday, April 16, 2010

Volume XXXVII, Issue 29, April 14, 2010

Writing on the importance of Christian community, Dietrich Boenhoffer said, “I am God’s claim on you, you are God’s claim on me. The community itself is a form of God’s revelation. God is with us as long as there is community. This is the deepest meaning of our being bound to social life; that, through it, we are bound all the closer to God.”

I think the truth of this observation is borne out in our Hills Church Vision. Two of the four hallmarks of our next chapter are “Deepening Our Bond with Each Other” and “Encountering God.” If Bonehoeffer is right, these two are flip sides of the same coin, absolutely inseparable. We cannot have one without the other.

As we move into our Vision, one powerful and fun way to deepen our bonds with one another will be over the weekend of October 22-24, when the Hills Church goes on retreat! The aim of this spiritual retreat will be to relax together in a beautiful setting while drawing closer to God and to one another. The Retreat will take place at Pilgrim Pines Conference Center near Keene, NH, about a 2-hour drive from the Hills Church.

The Retreat will begin on the evening of Friday, October 22nd, and conclude after worship and lunch on Sunday, October 24th. The entire clergy team will attend, and our music will be led by John Finney. There will still be a worship service here in our Sanctuary for those who cannot attend, but we sincerely hope everyone will be able to be a part of this joyful, restful weekend.

Church members and friends are encouraged to arrive on Friday evening, but will be able to join in on Saturday, or even drive up for just the Sunday morning worship service. Carpools and rides will be available.

There will be programming aimed at our youth and children, as well as intergenerational events and programs aimed specifically at adults. Our hope is that if we take a break from our “church routine” and provide ourselves with a space and a place through which to see one another and God through “fresh eyes,” wonderful things might happen. In addition, rather than spending our time together focused on the work of the church, this retreat will offer plenty of room to simply
be with each other in a relaxing environment.

Anticipated cost for the entire weekend, including meals, will be: $100/adult, $75/6th-12th grade, and $50/child.

At this point, no deposit is needed. We do, however, need to begin reserving space and identifying the number of folks who will attend. Please call or email Cynthia at the church office to register (781-235-4424, cynthia@hillschurch.org). More details about the retreat will come soon. For now, please save the date!
God Bless You,

Matt

Day By Day Weekly Prayer

Everybody says Mel Gibson did a great job of realistically portraying the death of Jesus. Big deal. Even the Durham Morning Herald can do a good job on death. But to see life, to believe life wrenched from death, risen, triumphant - that takes more than a good movie. It takes a blindness-to-light miracle. Fortunately, we've got a God who loves to do that."

—William Willimon, Conversations with Barth on Preaching

Church Calendar

THURSDAY, April 15
9:00 a.m. Staff Meeting
6:30 p.m. New Beginnings
7:00 p.m. Caring for the Caregiver (with Bonnie Scott Jelinek in Matt Fitzgerald’s office)
7:30 p.m. Pastor Parish

FRIDAY, April 16
7:00 p.m. AA
7:30 p.m. Al-Anon

SATURDAY, April 17

SUNDAY, April 18
8:45 a.m. Lectionary Bible Study Worship
10:00a.m. Worship - Lauren Lorincz preaching
11:00 a.m. Community Hour
4:00 p.m. Hills Bells
7:30 p.m. AA Meeting

MONDAY, April 19 – Patriots Day
Church Office Closed

TUESDAY, April 20
7:00 p.m. Dance Class
7:00 p.m. Women’s Ministry

WEDNESDAY, April 21
8:00 p.m. Chancel Choir

Preaching next Sunday, April 25th: Matt Fitzgerald

HILLS CHURCH MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY, 2010-2011 They’re here! Copies of the 2010/2011 church directory will be available for you to pick up this Sunday. Look for them after the worship service in each narthex, and in the Assembly Room during Community Hour.

PARISH REGISTER


† The family of Chris Stowell, on the death of his father, Gifford Stowell.
† The family of Dana Mathews, on the death of his father Herb on March 19th.
† Jodi Baier, whose sister Carole Hull, died on March 14th.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

THE CHILDREN OF THE HILLS CHURCH NEED YOU . . . For the children of the Hills Church to have the best possible church experience, we need adults of all ages to help teach in the Church School. We need teens and twenty-somethings, but we also need our seniors, and everyone in between. We need men and women. We need young parents, experienced parents, grandparents, and great grandparents. We need experienced teachers, and we need rookies. We need people who want to lead a class and people who want to assist other teachers. In short, our children need many role models and mentors in their lives, and they benefit from having a variety of loving and caring adults in their lives.
Please don’t be afraid to try teaching for the first time. We will teach you everything you need to know, and we will pair you with experienced teachers.
Please don’t be afraid of the time commitment. You can make a difference by teaching just one month per year, and we will cover for you if you need to miss a week.
Teaching in the Church School is fun and rewarding. You will love it!
Jim and the Christian Education Committee need your help. Running the Church School is not a trivial undertaking. In order to staff our Church School, we need:
3 Nursery Room volunteers per Sunday 2 Toddler Room teachers per month 2 Pre-K teachers per month 2 Storytelling teachers per month
2 Brains & Games teachers per month 2 Arts & Crafts teachers per month 1 Music room assistant per month 1 1st and 2nd grade teaching assistant per month
Which one of those roles suits you?
When you enter the Sanctuary this Sunday, one of the children of the church will hand you a pamphlet about teaching in the Church School. Please take a moment to fill it out and leave it in the pew for the ushers to collect after the service.
If you have any questions, please come see Cindy Worrall, Jack Morgan, or Chris Guiffre at the CE table at Community Hour after the service. Thank you for being a part of a wonderful team effort.

OUTREACH PLEDGE CARDS The Outreach Committee is focusing its efforts in 2010 on expanding the number and types of service opportunities available to members. In order to make it easier to match volunteers with service projects, pledge cards describing the types of service opportunities available were distributed during worship the last two weeks. If you haven’t had time to fill out your pledge card, please bring it with you this Sunday and drop it in the collection plate.
METROWEST INTERFAITH HOSPITALITY NETWORK NEWS The Metrowest Interfaith Hospitality Network (MIHN) is a cooperative, interfaith partnership of houses of worship who offer transitional shelter to families with children as they seek permanent housing. Volunteers are needed to provide meals and act as dinner or overnight hosts, as well as to set-up and break down the guest rooms. Training is required for host volunteers, and the next training will be Thursday, April 15th, at the Federated Church (118 Main Street in Ashland). The next MIHN hosting week at the Hills Church begins Sunday, May 9th. Interested volunteers may sign up online at www.mysignup.com. Enter laurie.otten@verizon.net in the space provided, and click on “WHCC” for hosting or cooking, or “set-up_tear-down” You may also sign up at Community Hour. Please contact Laurie Otten, at 617-965-5875, or laurie.otten@verizon.net.

CARING FOR THE CAREGIVER The next Caring for the Caregiver meeting will be held on Thursday evening, April 15th, at 7:30 p.m. in Matt’s office. Bonnie Scott Jelinek will participate.
FRIDAY AFTER OURS All women of the church are invited on Friday, April 16th, at 7:30 p.m. for an evening of fellowship at the home of Dottie Laughlin at 135 Benvenue Street in Wellesley, 781-235-4348, dottielaughlin1@verizon.net. Friday After Ours is a fellowship of women, ministering to one another and sharing their celebrations and concerns related to family and/or careers. Rev. Bonnie Scott Jelinek, Minister-at-large to the Hills Church, provides spiritual guidance to this lay-led group. All women are welcome. No RSVP necessary. Directions: Turn right (west) out of the church parking lot and follow Washington St. (Route 16) for 1.7 miles until you come to the five-way intersection (Village Congregational Church in front of you). At the intersection, take a HARD left (i.e., neither of the forks) onto Grove St. Go .7 miles and take a left onto Benvenue St. Go .4 miles – and look for number “135” on the RIGHT. The driveway is between two stone pillars and is almost directly across from Lathrop St., which gives onto Benvenue on the left. Please park in the driveway.

QUILTING: SMALL GROUP MINISTRY OPPORTUNITY The Hills Church Quilters meet periodically, sharing ideas and fellowship. Our next meeting will be Sunday, April 18th, from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. at the home of Kindy Blatchford. We create beautiful quilts for use when the Hills Church hosts guests from the MIHN. Our potholders have been a yearly hit at the Advent Bake Sale. We have other projects along the way. Crafters of all abilities are welcome. Please contact Bev St. Clair, 781-237-0027 (stclair@massmed.org) or Tia Pinney, 781-431-7208 (Tpinney@massaudubon.org) with any questions.

PRAYER SHAWL KNITTING All knitters, crocheters, and those who would like to learn or teach others are welcome to our next gathering at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 24th, in the Reception Room. We have all the yarn for graduation scarves, and we always need prayer shawls. Now, we are using different types of yarn and some creative patterns. There is a lot of new wool and patterns to start on the hats for the children in India. We
made over 50 last year! Great summer projects to do while the Red Sox are playing. If you have any questions, please call Donna Kent at 781-449-2045, or email dekent@rcn.com.

SHAKE, RATTLE, AND ROLL FOR OUTREACH! Please save 7:30-11:30 p.m. on Saturday night, May 15th, for a genuine sock hop to support our church’s mission in southwest India. The DJ will spin golden hits from the 50’s and 60’s so young and old can swing, stroll, twist, jitterbug, and good old rock & roll the night away, or simply sit and enjoy the company while tapping your feet to the music. All proceeds will benefit the Hills Church Siddhi Mission in India.

OUTREACH OPPORTUNITY...VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Serving one meal a month to residents of the Woods-Mullen Shelter in Boston has been a longstanding activity of the Hills Church Outreach Committee, whose members, coordinated by Jim Conlin, handle most of the cooking and serving duties. But, for one Saturday each month, we need from 2 to 4 additional volunteers (1 or 2 adults or youth in the afternoon to help prepare the food in our church kitchen, and 1 or 2 adults later to help transport the food and serve it). Anyone interested in giving something of themselves for the good of others should contact Jim Conlin, John Worral (Committee Chair), or call the church office at 781-235-4424.
BONNIE IN INDIA From June 7th to June 18th, Bonnie Scott Jelinek will travel to southwest India to experience firsthand our church’s mission to the Siddhis. While there, she will also spend several days touring Goa and Hubli, well-known coastal regions, to visit temples and other areas of interest. During this time there will be a documentary film made on the Hills Church outreach mission there. If you are interested in joining Bonnie on this trip, please email her at bonnie@hillschurch.org.
Did you know? The Gabra women of Kenya spend up to 5 hours each day carrying heavy jugs of murky water to drink. Girls in Ethiopia drop out of school at age 8 to help carry water up and down the mountain to the Toiro River three times a day for their families to have drinking water. In Tanzania, there are 2 doctors for every 100,000 people.
If you’re interested in making a difference in the lives of these people, please join us on Sunday, May 16th, from 12:15-3:00 p.m., for a 4-mile walk through Wellesley. We’re seeking people of all ages from the Church to participate. Last year, we raised $10K, and we hope to make this year even bigger with your help. If you’re interested, pick up a sponsor form in the Assembly Room or download from the website. There will be food, music, and prizes for walkers. RSVP to Rev. Jim Brommers Bergquist, jim@hillschurch.org, 781-235-4425, x216, and bring your form and donations on May 16th.



Youth News and Events at Hills Church

SUNDAY
APRIL 18th No youth group or Confirmation evening programming.
SPRING/SUMMER EVENTS REGISTRATIONS DUE SOON! Middle school and high school kids are encouraged to get all their registration materials in ASAP! (Deadline for most forms is April 28th).


HILLS CHURCH WELCOMES SALLY TOMASETTI
This week, the Hills Church welcomes Sally Tomasetti to the staff. Sally will be assisting Jim and the Christian Education Committee to create the best Church School and Children’s Ministry possible. Raised in England, Sally’s parents ran a school for underprivileged boys. Hence, a passion for mission and service are part of what she brings to us. She is also an artist, and looks for ways to bring creativity to what she does. She and her husband have three kids. She has worked and volunteered in several churches, and is currently beginning studies at Andover/Newton. Her tasks here will be many, and she will help with everything from coordinating and training teachers, to enhancing our curriculum and classrooms, to leading Big Adventure (Half) Day Camp.

The Kid’s Club For K-5th Graders & their friends
Growing, sharing, and doing together. And dinner for the family too!
Wednesday, May 5th, in the Assembly Room ∗ 4:30 to 6 p.m. - games, music & more by age group ∗ 6 to 6:45 - family style dinner (fried chicken, cole
slaw, biscuits, chicken nuggets, fruit)
Everyone in the family is welcome to dinner – just $3 per person. Let us know at 4:30 drop-off how many will be coming or drop a note to Betsy at
mykamio@msn.com by Tuesday, May 4th. Kids can’t make the club portion? Just come for dinner!
Last Kid’s Club: Wednesday, June 2nd. The kids will be hosting a dinner for the senior members of our congregation.
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PASTOR PARISH RELATIONS COMMITTEE WELCOMES YOUR INPUT

In the congregational tradition, ministries within the church are work that the congregation and the ministers do together. The minister and all the members of the congregation are integral to each ministry, both as receivers and as shapers of the ministry, working to develop and to expand a mutual ministry. The role of the Pastor Parish Relations Committee is to enhance ministries by facilitating communication between the congregation and the ministers. One of the ways in which we fulfill this role is to conduct ministerial reviews.
During the month of April, our committee will be conducting a review of the ministries of Pash by asking a representative sampling of the congregation to participate either in a phone interview or in a reflection/ feedback group. Members will be asked to provide their personal experiences with the ministries in which Pash is involved and “how a particular ministry affects me.” In the group meeting, the minister will be present to ask clarifying questions and to learn from both praise and criticism.
Feedback from both the group reflection and phone interviews will be used with Pash to assess the goals of our shared ministry, how well goals have been met in the past, and how they might be shaped in the future to enhance and strengthen these ministries. Pash and Matt will then work together to design goals going forward.
As part of this process, we invite all members to share their thoughts as well. Please feel free to contact any member of our committee. We look forward to working with the congregation and Pash to facilitate this important process.
Pastor Parish Relations Committee: Meg Sweeting, Co-Chair (megsweeting@verizon.net) Mary Hill Canavan, Co-Chair (Mhill73@aol.com) Marbo Hansen (marbo@hansenlink.com) Gene Lindsey (gene_lindsey@vmed.org) Jim McKinney (jimjomckinney@verizon.net) Clare O’Connell (oc.clare@gmail.com) Pete Pedersen (ppedersen@renovapartners.com) Bill Spencer (bill@p2software.com) Larry St. Clair (stclair@massmed.org)