Announcements
Sunday Worship
We are following CDC guidelines as we reopen. If you have been vaccinated, you do not have to wear a mask, though you may of course choose to for as long as you wish. We ask that those who have not been vaccinated continue to wear a mask, and if you feel sick, stay home. See Mary's Weekly Greeting email for connection or call in information (or call anyone who receives the email for the information).
Dear Church Family,
As you know, I will be taking a one-month unpaid leave of absence from my duties as your pastor beginning on August 2. The idea of extended time away for pastors is grounded in the biblical teaching of the Sabbath, which God shared with Moses in the Ten Commandments. This is not an extended vacation, but rather, a time of rest and rejuvenation designed to support my physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. I will lead worship on Communion Sunday, August 1. Rev. Josh Gray will be leading worship on August 8, 15, and 29. Rev. Gray served churches in Westwood, Newmarket, N.H. and Whitman prior to becoming a firefighter/paramedic. He now works for the Town of Whitman where he also lives with his family. When not working Rev. Gray enjoys spending time with his family hiking, camping, and watching his kids play sports. I know that you will be blessed by his worship leadership. The Worship and Music Ministry Team will lead worship on August 22. My friend and colleague Rev. Carol Steinbrecher, who is also a member of our church, will be covering any pastoral emergencies that arise during this time. Please call Kay Giroux if you need assistance and she will contact Pastor Carol. I ask you to please keep our church a priority during my brief absence. I hope that you will remain faithful in attending, in serving, in giving, and in every other way God calls you to participate in the life of our faith community. I am praying that my time away will be beneficial for our congregation as a whole and for me personally.
In Faith, Pastor Mary
Welcome to Stoughton Extended Day
We are excited to welcome our new tenants, Stoughton Extended Day! Led by executive director, Alan Hoffman, SED is a comprehensive year-round support program for working families in the town of Stoughton. They are a private, non-profit organization providing a safe, fun, educational environment for children. While SED operates at multiple school sites, The Preschool at Stoughton Extended Day and their main office has moved from the Jones school to our church. Stoughton Extended Day lease began on July 1 and they have been gradually moving in as we have been working to clear out the furniture and office equipment left behind by our former tenant. They now lease the former Giggle n’ Grow preschool space and play area, five office spaces formerly occupied by NASDI, and the open area next to Pastor Mary’s office. They will also have access to all common areas on the lower level including the kitchen and rest rooms. We ask that you respect SED’s workspace and refrain from any unnecessary activity on the lower, especially while the preschool is in session, except to visit Pastor Mary or use the church office. In addition to the church office and the Pastor’s office, our church has retained the use of the 3 rooms at the end of the hall near the handicap entrance as well as the storage room in the back. The pastor of the Boston Renewal Church is now using the room just outside the Head Start classroom. We are delighted to be able to share our space with two organizations whose mission is to provide educational and care services to families in our community. Please reach out to any member of Trustees or Church Council if you have any questions. We are grateful to Leanne Kerman, Laura Kittery, and Ed Porter for all they have done to make this process move so smoothly. Be sure to give Alan and the SED team a very warm welcome!
We are following CDC guidelines as we reopen. If you have been vaccinated, you do not have to wear a mask, though you may of course choose to for as long as you wish. We ask that those who have not been vaccinated continue to wear a mask, and if you feel sick, stay home. See Mary's Weekly Greeting email for connection or call in information (or call anyone who receives the email for the information).
Dear Church Family,
As you know, I will be taking a one-month unpaid leave of absence from my duties as your pastor beginning on August 2. The idea of extended time away for pastors is grounded in the biblical teaching of the Sabbath, which God shared with Moses in the Ten Commandments. This is not an extended vacation, but rather, a time of rest and rejuvenation designed to support my physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. I will lead worship on Communion Sunday, August 1. Rev. Josh Gray will be leading worship on August 8, 15, and 29. Rev. Gray served churches in Westwood, Newmarket, N.H. and Whitman prior to becoming a firefighter/paramedic. He now works for the Town of Whitman where he also lives with his family. When not working Rev. Gray enjoys spending time with his family hiking, camping, and watching his kids play sports. I know that you will be blessed by his worship leadership. The Worship and Music Ministry Team will lead worship on August 22. My friend and colleague Rev. Carol Steinbrecher, who is also a member of our church, will be covering any pastoral emergencies that arise during this time. Please call Kay Giroux if you need assistance and she will contact Pastor Carol. I ask you to please keep our church a priority during my brief absence. I hope that you will remain faithful in attending, in serving, in giving, and in every other way God calls you to participate in the life of our faith community. I am praying that my time away will be beneficial for our congregation as a whole and for me personally.
In Faith, Pastor Mary
Welcome to Stoughton Extended Day
We are excited to welcome our new tenants, Stoughton Extended Day! Led by executive director, Alan Hoffman, SED is a comprehensive year-round support program for working families in the town of Stoughton. They are a private, non-profit organization providing a safe, fun, educational environment for children. While SED operates at multiple school sites, The Preschool at Stoughton Extended Day and their main office has moved from the Jones school to our church. Stoughton Extended Day lease began on July 1 and they have been gradually moving in as we have been working to clear out the furniture and office equipment left behind by our former tenant. They now lease the former Giggle n’ Grow preschool space and play area, five office spaces formerly occupied by NASDI, and the open area next to Pastor Mary’s office. They will also have access to all common areas on the lower level including the kitchen and rest rooms. We ask that you respect SED’s workspace and refrain from any unnecessary activity on the lower, especially while the preschool is in session, except to visit Pastor Mary or use the church office. In addition to the church office and the Pastor’s office, our church has retained the use of the 3 rooms at the end of the hall near the handicap entrance as well as the storage room in the back. The pastor of the Boston Renewal Church is now using the room just outside the Head Start classroom. We are delighted to be able to share our space with two organizations whose mission is to provide educational and care services to families in our community. Please reach out to any member of Trustees or Church Council if you have any questions. We are grateful to Leanne Kerman, Laura Kittery, and Ed Porter for all they have done to make this process move so smoothly. Be sure to give Alan and the SED team a very warm welcome!
We Are Blessed
Thank you to Marcia Olson for coordinating the recent church yard sale, and all those who helped her. It was a huge undertaking and we appreciate the efforts of the many people who worked to make it a successful day. To date approximately $4500 has been raised for the 2021 Church Fair. We thank Joan Roan for her faithfulness and creativity in updating our church bulletin boards and Ed and Gale Porter for their maintenance of the church grounds. Thanks also go out to the crew who helped with the church yard cleanup last month: Kevin Monahan, Janet Clough, Caroline, Chris, and Drew Cesario, Ed and Gale Porter, Marcia Olson, Susan Hill, and Lori Saville. Thank you to Russ Clough, who has taken the lead in streaming our in- person worship services to Zoom for the benefit of those who cannot be with us. Finally, we are grateful for the two groups who have been working diligently these past few months: the Financial Viability Team and the Safe Church Reopening Team. We are very blessed!
Wednesday Phone Prayer Service
Pastor Mary will be hosting a brief prayer service by way of a conference call each Wednesday morning at 10:00 until we are able to resume our in-person gatherings. Dial 1-253-215-8782 and when prompted, enter meeting ID 862 2469 5175. There will be a scripture reading and time for the sharing of our prayer concerns.
ATTIC TREASURES ONLINE
Our Church Fair may have been postponed until spring 2021, but you can still shop for just that right gift, find that hidden gem, or snag a bargain. Don’t miss out! We have been regularly posting selected items from Attic Treasures on Facebook Marketplace - and you can shop now! Here’s how:
Pastor's Schedule
Over these past 7 months as we have tried to navigate in a virtual world, communicating mostly by email, text messages and Zoom meetings, it is easy to lose track of regular work schedules as one day blends into the next with no clear boundaries between work and home life. And that is certainly true of our pastor. Church Council would like to remind the congregation that Pastor Mary’s contract with the church calls for a 3/4 work schedule. Pastor Mary has gone above and beyond her contracted hours as she has worked to help our church stay together as a worshiping community in this “new normal.” We are, of course, very grateful for her dedication to our church and we encourage her to take the time off she has earned to rest, recharge and spend time with her family. And we must do our part by respecting her “off” time. Pastor Mary will continue to lead worship on Sundays, except when she is on vacation or study leave, and will attend board and committee meetings as needed. She will always be available in the event of an emergency but her response to non-urgent matters may not be immediate. We ask that you keep Pastor Mary in your prayers.
Ways to stay connected:
Sunday Worship at 10:00 AM. We worship together each Sunday morning at 10:00 AM, in the Sanctuary.
On Wednesday mornings at 10:00 AM Pastor Mary leads a 30-minute conference call Prayer Service. Dial 1- 253-215-8782 and when prompted, enter conference code 862 2469 5175. There is a scripture reading and a time for the sharing of our prayer concerns. This weekly gathering is open to all, so if you have a friend who might find this opportunity helpful, please share the information.
Pastor Mary has set up a private Facebook group called UCC Stoughton Prayer. No one sees the posts except group members, so it is a safe place to share your prayer requests, pray for others in our community, or just vent. If you have a Facebook account and would like to join the group let Pastor Mary know.
Also remember to check our church Facebook page and church website (http://www.uccstoughton.org/).
Church Council has been meeting on the 2nd Monday of each month at 7:00 pm via Zoom. These meetings are open to everyone, not just Council members. If you would like to attend, please contact Pastor Mary and she will send you the link to the meeting. If you prefer to call in by telephone, dial 1-646-876-9923 and enter Meeting ID: 837 8927 2962
Food Pantry Collection
Stoughton Food Pantries Due to the pandemic, there are many people in our own community who are in need of food assistance. If you are looking for practical ways to help your neighbors, please consider making a monetary donation to the Stoughton Food Pantries.
To donate by credit card:
Food Pantry Foundation of Stoughton
To donate by check please mail to:
Food Pantry Foundation of Stoughton
Prayer Shawl Ministry
Although we cannot yet meet in person, we encourage you all to continue to knit prayer shawls for those who need to feel God’s loving care wrapped around them. You can also work on knit goods for the church fair.
June 16 (Wed): Mainspring House: This is this next date we are scheduled to provide dinner for Brockton’s homeless shelter. Although we cannot serve dinner due the pandemic, food donations are still needed. If you can make a casserole or make a monetary donation to defray the cost of salad and dessert, please contact Anita Keenan keenans21@gmail.com (781-244-7742). It’s a busy time of year so you can make your casserole early and pop it in the downstairs church freezer any time before Sunday, June 13. Contact Anita if you need a foil baking pan and recipe or to arrange drop off.
Bottles and Cans: Please donate your clean, redeemable bottles and cans. Monetary donations are also gratefully accepted and the money collected is used for various church ministries and operational needs. Cans and bottles can be left in the drop-off container at the bottom of the stairs just before the church office or contact Maurine Upton for more information.
Sunday Worship
10:00 AM in the Sanctuary
Wheelchair Accessible
Coffee Hour
After worship in the
Fellowship Hall
The Link
Download our latest newsletter
"The Link" Summer Edition
Church Bylaws
Current bylaws
Have a Prayer Request?
Let us know here.
Thank you to Marcia Olson for coordinating the recent church yard sale, and all those who helped her. It was a huge undertaking and we appreciate the efforts of the many people who worked to make it a successful day. To date approximately $4500 has been raised for the 2021 Church Fair. We thank Joan Roan for her faithfulness and creativity in updating our church bulletin boards and Ed and Gale Porter for their maintenance of the church grounds. Thanks also go out to the crew who helped with the church yard cleanup last month: Kevin Monahan, Janet Clough, Caroline, Chris, and Drew Cesario, Ed and Gale Porter, Marcia Olson, Susan Hill, and Lori Saville. Thank you to Russ Clough, who has taken the lead in streaming our in- person worship services to Zoom for the benefit of those who cannot be with us. Finally, we are grateful for the two groups who have been working diligently these past few months: the Financial Viability Team and the Safe Church Reopening Team. We are very blessed!
Wednesday Phone Prayer Service
Pastor Mary will be hosting a brief prayer service by way of a conference call each Wednesday morning at 10:00 until we are able to resume our in-person gatherings. Dial 1-253-215-8782 and when prompted, enter meeting ID 862 2469 5175. There will be a scripture reading and time for the sharing of our prayer concerns.
ATTIC TREASURES ONLINE
Our Church Fair may have been postponed until spring 2021, but you can still shop for just that right gift, find that hidden gem, or snag a bargain. Don’t miss out! We have been regularly posting selected items from Attic Treasures on Facebook Marketplace - and you can shop now! Here’s how:
- Go to Facebook Marketplace (https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/109554902404443/).
- Type “Online Church Fair” in the Search Marketplace box.
- Most items that pop up at the top of this search have Stoughton MA listed as the location of the seller.
- Click on one of those items, scroll down to Seller Information and click on Marcia Olson. You can also scroll down that post and see all the treasures currently for sale that day.
Pastor's Schedule
Over these past 7 months as we have tried to navigate in a virtual world, communicating mostly by email, text messages and Zoom meetings, it is easy to lose track of regular work schedules as one day blends into the next with no clear boundaries between work and home life. And that is certainly true of our pastor. Church Council would like to remind the congregation that Pastor Mary’s contract with the church calls for a 3/4 work schedule. Pastor Mary has gone above and beyond her contracted hours as she has worked to help our church stay together as a worshiping community in this “new normal.” We are, of course, very grateful for her dedication to our church and we encourage her to take the time off she has earned to rest, recharge and spend time with her family. And we must do our part by respecting her “off” time. Pastor Mary will continue to lead worship on Sundays, except when she is on vacation or study leave, and will attend board and committee meetings as needed. She will always be available in the event of an emergency but her response to non-urgent matters may not be immediate. We ask that you keep Pastor Mary in your prayers.
Ways to stay connected:
Sunday Worship at 10:00 AM. We worship together each Sunday morning at 10:00 AM, in the Sanctuary.
On Wednesday mornings at 10:00 AM Pastor Mary leads a 30-minute conference call Prayer Service. Dial 1- 253-215-8782 and when prompted, enter conference code 862 2469 5175. There is a scripture reading and a time for the sharing of our prayer concerns. This weekly gathering is open to all, so if you have a friend who might find this opportunity helpful, please share the information.
Pastor Mary has set up a private Facebook group called UCC Stoughton Prayer. No one sees the posts except group members, so it is a safe place to share your prayer requests, pray for others in our community, or just vent. If you have a Facebook account and would like to join the group let Pastor Mary know.
Also remember to check our church Facebook page and church website (http://www.uccstoughton.org/).
Church Council has been meeting on the 2nd Monday of each month at 7:00 pm via Zoom. These meetings are open to everyone, not just Council members. If you would like to attend, please contact Pastor Mary and she will send you the link to the meeting. If you prefer to call in by telephone, dial 1-646-876-9923 and enter Meeting ID: 837 8927 2962
Food Pantry Collection
Stoughton Food Pantries Due to the pandemic, there are many people in our own community who are in need of food assistance. If you are looking for practical ways to help your neighbors, please consider making a monetary donation to the Stoughton Food Pantries.
To donate by credit card:
Food Pantry Foundation of Stoughton
To donate by check please mail to:
Food Pantry Foundation of Stoughton
- Box 757 Stoughton, MA 02072
Prayer Shawl Ministry
Although we cannot yet meet in person, we encourage you all to continue to knit prayer shawls for those who need to feel God’s loving care wrapped around them. You can also work on knit goods for the church fair.
June 16 (Wed): Mainspring House: This is this next date we are scheduled to provide dinner for Brockton’s homeless shelter. Although we cannot serve dinner due the pandemic, food donations are still needed. If you can make a casserole or make a monetary donation to defray the cost of salad and dessert, please contact Anita Keenan keenans21@gmail.com (781-244-7742). It’s a busy time of year so you can make your casserole early and pop it in the downstairs church freezer any time before Sunday, June 13. Contact Anita if you need a foil baking pan and recipe or to arrange drop off.
Bottles and Cans: Please donate your clean, redeemable bottles and cans. Monetary donations are also gratefully accepted and the money collected is used for various church ministries and operational needs. Cans and bottles can be left in the drop-off container at the bottom of the stairs just before the church office or contact Maurine Upton for more information.
Sunday Worship
10:00 AM in the Sanctuary
Wheelchair Accessible
Coffee Hour
After worship in the
Fellowship Hall
The Link
Download our latest newsletter
"The Link" Summer Edition
Church Bylaws
Current bylaws
Have a Prayer Request?
Let us know here.