May 2001

From the Pastor:   What a glorious Easter celebration we had! The flowers were so beautiful--I felt as if I was in a garden! The handchimes played and the choir had a special anthem for the 150+ worshipers. It was a wonderful day to share the Good news of the resurrection! Some have asked for a reprise of the poem that I shared in the sermon on Easter, so I include it here: The Shout is out! Good News! Good News! The stone is rolled away, And the tomb is empty! Our Lord has sprung forth To Dance with the angels And with us….. Redeemer and Liberator… And Jesus keeps the stones rolling… Away from our hearts, Away from our pockets, Away from our minds, Away from our souls. Keep opening me up Lord, Keep the stones rolling away and away And teach me to dance, to sway With you as Lord of the Dance To prance with the Holy Spirit; To fling my arms, frolic my feet Flutter my heart, wheel my chair… Whatever it takes, Lord, To Dance the Dance of Love…. May you dance this spring following the steps of the Lord of the Dance!     Only by grace, Pastor Katrina

Welcome to the Mission Corner: Dedicated to Serving Christ Thanks to all who donated so generously to UCC's One Great Hour of Sharing to benefit missions projects worldwide. The total we raised was $362.00! On April 8th the Missions Committee met after church to assemble Easter gift baskets to be distributed by the North Attleborough Public Health Nurse to children who would not otherwise enjoy such a treat. Twenty-four baskets plus sixteen hams and the non-perishable food donations were also delivered. Thanks to all who donated time, effort and FOOD! On Tuesday, April 10th our own Lori Mobley was presented with a plaque by the North Attleborough Council on Aging for her initiative at Christmastime in securing gifts for the elderly residents of the town. Her efforts were especially appreciated since most organizations focus on providing for children at that time of year. Food 'n Friends: Thanks to Ed Clavette and Jim Brinson for all their help in slicing up the 72 pounds of ham purchased for the April 14th soup kitchen at Centenary Methodist Church! More thanks to Frank & Debbie Nyskohus for the coffee and doughnuts and to Rick Hall of Holmes Food Service for the donated vegetables. A traditional Easter meal of ham, potatoes, vegetables and ice cream sandwiches (well, it's an Oldtown tradition) was served to 88 individuals and all went home with either takeout meals or leftovers. Blanket Sunday is coming up on Mother's Day, May 13th. Please consider purchasing a blanket for $5.00 to be used in disaster relief areas, war zones and shelters as a way to honor your own mother. And finally, don't forget to speak to Lynne Sias if you wish to support the American Cancer Society's "Relay for Life" to be held June 8th and 9th.   Christine Pandozzi For the Missions Committee

From Our Conference NEAUCE retreat May 8-10–a special retreat and set of workshops for educators. Valerie Tutson, Leslie Simonson and Campbell Lovett featured. See bulletin Board for more info. ******************************************** UCC Day at HPI for Junior Highs Come to Overlook Farm on Sat. June 2 Cost: $15. See Bulletin Board for Registration ******************************************** Brochures for Summer Camping program have arrived. There are camps for campers from 4th grade up.   Summer Camps: WHEN WHERE AGE July 29-Aug. 5 Grotonwood Grade 4-12 July 8-14 Oceanwood Grade 8&9 July 15-21 Oceanwood Grade 10-12 July 25-Aug 5 Craigville Grade 8-12 Music camp June 28-July 1 Craigville Adult Music Camp

A New Church Start in the Southeast Area The last time a new UCC church was started was 1966, in Norwell. Now we are beginning a new church in Provincetown with David Clarke as the organizing pastor. Many churches have donated money to help begin this new church in a rapidly growing area of Massachusetts. It is very exciting to think of our denomination as growing, when most mainline denominations have been losing members.

Baptisms Baptisms are scheduled for May 20 and June 3. Please speak to Pastor Katrina if you would like to be included or have your child baptized on either of those dates.

Trustee Committee The past two suppers have gone extremely well. Thank you to all who cooked, set up, served, cleaned up … and ate! The Spaghetti and Meatball Supper is scheduled for May 12. Please see Jenn Morrison or Dan Thibeault if you need tickets or would like to help. We have some summer projects coming up, including railroad tie replacement near the parking lot and additional handicap signs and spots. The parsonage may need some work on the cesspool so if any of you are engineers or septic installers, please contact Jenn Morrison. Although we know of very capable installers in the area, it is nice to help one another and keep the job in the "family". New tables for Maxcy Hall are scheduled for purchase, along with additional folding chairs. An exciting event is being scheduled for the fall with a tentative date of September 8. We are bringing back by popular demand the Antique Appraisal Day. I think the last time we had one was November 1992. At Antique Appraisal Day, persons bring items which they feel are of value and one of three or four appraisers evaluate their worth--for a fee. Part of the fee goes to the church, along with proceeds from a bake sale. We think it will be very successful with the interest in television shows like The Antique Roadshow. Keep the date open and start looking through your attic or basement. You may want to also use a keen eye at yard sales this summer – treasures are sometimes as easy to find as that! The Trustee Committee has changed its monthly meeting date to the second Wednesday of the month.   Jenn Morrison Trustee Committee Chair (508) 643-0667

From the Attleboro Council of Churches Caregivers are needed for the Adult Family Carte program of the Family Service Association Of Greater Fall River. If you can provide a room, meals, or transportation please call 508-822-11394. Income from this service is tax-free. The Attleboro Council on Aging is looking for volunteers to assist in the SHINE program, which helps elders understand their health insurance coverage. Call Lisa at 508-222-1399.

From the Old Colony Association The Annual Meeting of the Association will be held on Saturday, May 12, 2001 at the First Congregational Church of Marion, from 9 am- noon. Nominations for Standing Committees as well as the budget will be voted on. A special presentation on the Conference Vision for Renewal and Growth will be led by Conference staff. The Rev. Robert Rust will be ordained at 3 pm on Sun, May 20 at the Taunton West church. Congratulations to The Rev. Shawn Garvey, newly ordained and installed at the Lakeville church.

American Cancer Society's Relay for Life Many good Oldtown folks will be walking in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, June 8 & 9, to help raise awareness and funds. Members of the team who will appreciate your support are: Denise Achin, Lori Brown, Carolyn & Henry Chretien, Ed & June Clavette, the Santsaver family and Dave & Lynne Sias. Come and join us, 6 p.m. Friday to noon Saturday. Lynne Sias

Services on Tape We record our Sunday Services, so those who could not attend can share in our worship. Call the church office at 695-1713 if you'd like to borrow a tape

Mt. Hope Cemetery and Arboretum Mt. Hope Cemetery and Arboretum celebrates its 150th anniversary on its Annual "Family Planting Day" Sunday, May 20, 2001 from 1-4 pm. An opening Ceremony will include Pastor Katrina reading the original sermon written by J.M. Bailey in 1850 and the singing of a hymn written by C.M. Fuller for the opening of the cemetery.

Flower Committee   Thanks to all those who had flowers in church on Easter Sunday. What a beautiful garden we had with a total of 82 plants. Our poor pastor...sneezing season!! Please remember that if you would like to donate flowers at any time during the year in memory of loved ones or to the Glory of God please feel free to let a member of the Flower Committee (Perilene Twyman, Dottie Greene and Carolyn Chretien)know. They will be happy to help you. One more thing....if you have some beautiful bloomers in your yard and would like to share them some Sunday morning that would be great too. All the flowering trees will soon be bursting and our vases need filling.   Carolyn

The Deacon’s Corner What wonderful opportunities we had again this year to move through the Lenten season with meaning and learning. The Lenten tape series was especially helpful in examining all the aspects we need to consider at this time of the year. I am sure everyone who had a chance to listen came away with new insight into their spiritual life and discovered new ways to approach everyday life as well. There is a master copy of the tapes and they are available for listening at any time. Judy Harrop, Betty Grant and Pastor Katrina were able to attend the Deacons/Clergy Retreat held at Lakeville United Church of Christ on March 24th. The program was very well attended by area ministers and church members. Betty has given us a brief overview of the day. Area minister Dale Hempen opened the session with a welcome and meditation, followed by a lively hymn sing accompanied by a spiritual brass band. After lunch the participants broke up into four learning/ discussion groups. Judy attended one on the early history of deacons and Betty attended one on prayer. Both would be happy to share their experiences in those sessions if you would like to know more about them. It was an enriching experience for all and left a feeling of being part of a very alive, spiritual family within the UCC. Easter Sunday is always a special day in the life of the church and ours was well attended and very moving. Special flowers, special music, an inspirational message and wonderful fellowship. A day which lived up to its billing in every way. Many thanks to all who worked so hard to make it possible and special thanks to our Pastor for the guidance and inspiration to bring it all together. We look forward to many good happenings in the months ahead. We will bring in new members and celebrate baptisms in May and celebrate Pentecost in June. Hopefully we will see you and have a chance to be with you as we move along in the life of Oldtown. In Peace, Dave Sias Chair of Deacons

Christian Education Wow, was April a busy month. We finished up with our Lenten Series tapes and met as a group to discuss our reflections. Thanks to all that participated, we hope the tapes were a positive addition to your Lenten journey. A BIG thanks to Pastor Katrina for all the extra time and effort she put into making the tapes. Our Communion Class also finished up this month with a beautiful sharing of stories, fresh baked bread and communion. Well done kids! The Easter Egg hunt was a big success with LOTS of children sharing in the fun. We sang songs, hunted for eggs and decorated our own cookies with frosting and sprinkles. The Ark has landed and we would like to take a minute to thank all of the families that helped us in our CE mission project to support the Heifer Project. We’ve collected $206.94 so far and we still have a few arks drifting in. If you still have your ark and want to bring it in, we will be sending the money to Heifer on May 7th so you still have a chance. Money raised at April’s Muffin Moment will also be added. Speaking of the Heifer Project 32 people from Oldtown made the trip to the Heifer Project Farm in Rutland, MA on Youth Sunday. It was a beautiful day and we all learned a lot about how the Heifer Project helps others and how cute little baby animals are! We watched a movie, toured the farm and went on a horse drawn hayride. We even got to bottle feed a little lamb. Thanks to all who made the day so enjoyable! In honor of Mother’s day I’d like to take a minute to thank all the Mothers at Oldtown. No matter what your age or the age of your children, thank you for all that you do and all that you have done! Now we are preparing for Children’s Day on June 10th, Vacation Bible school on August 10th, 11th and 12th, and trying to plan next year’s classes for our ever-growing Sunday School. We are ALWAYS looking for people interested in working with the children of our church especially at this time of year when we are planning for new classes in the Fall. We are hoping to get enough help that we can have two adults in each classroom. If you don’t like the idea of being a "teacher", how about being a "helper"? We are planning some teacher/helper training and teacher/helper fellowship time over the next few months so if you think you might interested in helping out please talk to Kelly or Christine. No experience is needed, just an enjoyment working with kids. Don’t forget, "Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves." Thanks for all the support you have to our programs. Thanks for your continued love and support! Kelly

šË› In our prayers: Tim Harrop, Jo, Edith, Brandon, Jeannie Sheraton, Eric Beith, Jordan DelRicci, David Thibeault, Ann & Don Botsford, Bill Peterson, Dean Ricker, Bill Wright, Miranda Berkley, Chessie, The Rev. Steve Bachelder, Alice & Gus, Doug Fontaine, Marion Sanders, Lynne Pittard, Gail Johnson, Mark Sullivan, Lois Blaise, Mike Lamarr, Gina Woodrum, John Gray, Andrea, Donna Humphrey, Roger Pelletier, Mark & Ruth, Maggie, Shawn, Ann Boyd, Fran, Mimi, Harold Liston, Kelsey, Mary Kapochia, Alvin Taylor, Mary Aruggio, Paul Gaouette, Rose Coty, Alice Roberge. And our shut-ins: Elsie Morris, Marion Horman, Esther Angus (Please help us keep this list up-to-date. Let us know when names can be removed) {

Thank You Notes Dear Oldtown family, What a surprise on Sunday with that wonderful Birthday cake. I had thought the celebration over, only to find a room full of singing folks and candle blowing children. What a delight. Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness and generosity. I am truly blessed to be here at Oldtown. In faith, Pastor Katrina Dear folks at Oldtown, Thank you all so very much for remembering mother in your prayers and for your thoughtfulness at each holiday by remembering her with a beautiful plant. You are all so kind. Most sincerely, Barbara Boynton & Esther Angus   Thank you to all those who made sweets or rolls for the noontime Lenten luncheon we served during Holy Week. Our homemade turkey soup, thanks to Judy, was a big hit as well as turkey salad, tuna salad, ham & pickle salad, egg salad rolls, chips, olives, pickles, stuffed eggs, coffee and punch and then our assorted sweets! Our Monday lunch started the week off in great shape. It seems as if we have called on you an awful lot lately and we do appreciate all of you who came through. Oldtown is family and that's what families are all about...loving and serving each other when the need is there. Carolyn

Women's Spirituality Group Will meet for the last time this season on Monday, May 7, 7 pm at 43 Grant St. Attleboro.

May Birthdays May 1 Sue Belinsky May 2 Robert Daniel May 6 Joellen Daniel May 8 Fred Achin May 14 Travis Beckwith May 15 Hollie Badger May 17 Esther Angus May 23 Mathew DeLisle May 25 Tony Pandozzi May 26 Lillian Hillman

May Anniversaries May 7: Henry and Carolyn Chretien May 8: Jenn & Dave Morrison

New Members Class A New Members Class will be held after Worship on May 6th. New Members will be received at the 10 am worship on May 20th Please speak to pastor Katrina or a deacon if you are interested in becoming a full member of the church.

DID YOU KNOW??? There's an old song with a line that goes "Ding dong the bells are going to chime" and then goes on to say "Get me to the church on time." Did you ever wonder how people in the old days got to the church on time? In the very early days they might beat a drum or blow some kind of horn or even raise a flag so those at a distance would hear or see that it was time for church. Some people had no timepieces so that was how they knew. We have a wonderful old bell that hangs in our bell tower, which was cast at the Holbrook Bell Foundry in Medway, Mass. The inscription cast into the bell reads,"By George Handel Holbrook, Medway, Mass. 1828. Mr. Holbrook's father was an apprentice to Paul Revere as a machinist and clockmaker. He learned the art of bell casting from an old English encyclopedia and established his foundry in 1816. His son, George Handel Holbrook, succeeded to the entire business in 1820 and carried on until 1871. At that time he had cast over ten thousand church bells and other bells as well. Our bell weighs about 1000 pounds and is cast of Ingot Copper and Straits Block Tin in the proportions of 80% copper and 20% tin. According to the Kehn Bell Service of Troy, N.Y., these metals in this approximate proportion have for years produced the best results for durability and tonal quality in cast bells. In a letter that was recently given to me, it states that a swinger for swinging the bell electrically from a toggle switch would cost $445.00 and did not include wiring, which it states should not cost too much. So in December 1958 a letter was sent out to parishioners asking for donations to electrify the bell. The Sunday School donated $100 and by the annual meeting in January they had collected $324.00 and hoped to get more during Lent. Their goal was accomplished and in 1959 the old bell became electrically operated. In the early days the bell was tolled by hand from up in the bell tower although we think at one time the rope came down into the upper room and perhaps even into the lower front hall. I can remember going up there as a youngster with my father and getting a ride on the rope. It took a lot of muscle to get the wheel turning that the bell was attached to but once it got swinging the weight of the bell just kept it going very easily so the person ringing would just keep their hand on the rope. That was when the fun began! You would grab hold of the rope with both hands and when it went up you went up too and when it came down, likewise!! So you rode the rope until you got tired and jumped off. According to Kehn's Bell Service, the bell we have would cost about $3000 to replace in 1958. Wonder what it's worth today? It might interest you to know that during World War II there was an air raid siren up in the bell tower and the wardens in the neighborhood would spend time up there during the "black-outs" on alert for attack by the enemy. I can remember as a little girl being terrified when the siren would go off and we would all be in our homes in complete darkness, until the all clear sounded. I still have my Dad's helmet. Carolyn

Spaghetti Supper A Spaghetti and Meatball Supper is scheduled for May 12. Please see Jenn Morrison or Dan Thibeault if you need tickets or would like to help.

Upcoming Church Events at Oldtown! May 6 Good Shepherd Sunday New members class after worship May 7 Women’s Spirituality Group at 7 pm, 43 Grant St. Attleboro (last of season) May 9 Trustees May 12 Old Colony Association annual meeting 9-noon; Marion Spaghetti Supper, 6 pm. Reservations required. Adults $7.50 - Seniors $7.00 - Children under 12 $4.00 Call Jenn Morrison (508) 643-0667 or Dan Thibeault (508) 222-9507 May 13 Mother’s Day Mission Committee meets after worship. Blanket Sunday Day. Please consider purchasing a blanket for $5.00 May 16 Board of Deacons, 7 pm May 20 Baptism Sunday; New members Bob Rust ordination, 3 pm, Taunton Mt. Hope Cemetery and Arboretum 150th anniversary 1-4 pm May 21 Christian Education Committee, 7pm May 23 Deadline for submissions to the Oldtown Newsletter May 27 Ascension Sunday