From the Pastor:
There are bell-ringing "Santas" on every corner and all the Christmas decorations line the streets downtown and in the stores. The number of sale fliers in the newspaper has doubled and the toy manufacturers have taken over the "Seasonal" sections of the stores with all their wares.
"‘Tis the Season" as the old carol goes, but I don’t think all the tinsel and red suits was exactly what the writer had in mind. This season is also fraught with emotional potholes: not living up to expectations, trying to give just the right gift, getting through a family gathering with strained family dynamics, trying not to get caught up in the whirlwind of "getting and spending", trying to teach the children what Christmas is really all about when the world is teaching them to be desirous of things.
How do we "keep the Christ in Christmas?" One way is to set aside some time for the holy to be present in our lives- carve out some "sacred space". Maybe your family could have an Advent Wreath Lighting ceremony of its own each week. Maybe you have an Advent Calendar to count down the days until Christmas and you could add a way to be thoughtful of others along with opening each little door. Maybe you need some "down" time just to read the Christmas story again and think about the wonder of it all. Certainly, making worship part of this season is very important.
Come to Oldtown! Sing the carols with us. Listen to the chimes play those old songs we love to hear. Bring a bell on Bell Sunday and hear an Oldtown Tale that will lift your spirit. On Christmas Eve there will be 2 services. The 10 am morning worship will include the children's pageant. The 7 pm vesper service will be the traditional Lessons & Carols.
I'd like to add a personal invitation to visit our new home at 43 Grant St. in Attleboro. We're having an Open House & Blessing on Dec. 10th from 1-4 pm. We hope you'll stop by.
May the Joy of Angels be with you this most blessed of seasons!
Only by grace,
Pastor Katrina
Welcome to the Mission Corner: Dedicated to Serving Christ
The Missions Committee delivered the Thanksgiving Ingathering contributions to the North Attleborough Public Health Nurse on Monday, November 20th. For a church of our size, we are a very generous congregation and all donations are much appreciated.
Missions will again be sponsoring the Mitten Tree during the holiday season so if you spot a bargain on mittens, gloves or hats, or can donate a handmade item, please help us fill up our tree! We will also have decorations that request specific donations such as jackets and boots that will be distributed to children in need. And this Christmas we will be trying something new: giving small gifts to brighten the holiday for elderly residents.
A soup kitchen has been scheduled for Wednesday evening, December 27th at the Grace Episcopal Church in North Attleboro. We are planning a ham & bean supper (an Oldtown specialty) and will be looking for bean bakers, salad makers and all kinds of kitchen help. Dessert will be provided by an Attleboro youth group who will also be helping us serve the meal. Please consider helping for a few hours with meal preparation and keeping the Christmas spirit alive after the 25th.
Please note the collection box in Maxcy Hall for your soup labels and UPC symbols. Those items will be used to assist the children of St. Jude's Ranch in Boulder, Colorado. Extra copies of the accepted labels list are available if you want to involve others in collecting - it costs nothing but a few minutes of time!
Christine Pandozzi for Nora Roesser
Missions Committee
From Our Conference
Craigville Retreat:
The Art and Science of Being Single or Single Again Dec. 1-2 $90.
Mark your Calendar for Suitcase Seminars: Feb. 3 in Duxbury. Watch Bulletin Board for details on courses offered.
The Deacons Corner
A good cold New England nip in the air, snow flurries coming out of blustery gray clouds, the smell of wood smoke. Can the Holidays be far off? Not if you look at our calendar and see all the exciting and fulfilling events available to us this season. We will be having various church families lighting the Advent wreath candles as we progress towards Christmas and the traditional services to bring us together in fellowship and worship.
And there are a lot more of us to be brought together! A warm welcome to our newest members, Karen & Tom Marshall, Jennifer & David Morrison, Joe & Karen McLoughlin, Lori & Scott Brown and Jenifer DeBlois. It is with great pleasure and Oldtown hospitality that we now include you with us in the journeys of the Oldtown Spirit.
A couple of new ideas from our most recent Deacons meeting. We will propose to the Church Committee the idea of a Fellowship Committee to organize the coffee hour each week and oversee other such functions. If that sounds like something you would like to do, speak to a Deacon or Pastor Katrina. We also would like to post the other "job opportunities" we have on the other committees and boards, along with a description of the work those groups do. We would like to include new members as much as possible and, in fact, will need to as we grow.
On our bulletin board will continue to be posted the "Vocation Statement" thoughts from our members and we hope more will be coming. We want to be sure everyone has a chance to put in their ideas about the central theme of our church today.
Well, I gotta go stir up the fire in the wood stove. That wood smoke you smell is probably mine and I intend to keep it going for a good while, along with warm wishes to you for a wonderful and meaningful holiday season and the hope to be in your good company as we celebrate with the guidance of our Oldtown Spirit.
Peace always be with you.
Dave Sias
Chair of Deacons
Christian Education
What an exciting time of year! While we are all awaiting the arrival of Baby Jesus we are also busy preparing for our Christmas Pageant. This year
our children will be presenting the church with a special pageant called THE BETHLEHEM ROAD on Christmas Sunday, December 24th at the 10am service. We are trying to find parts appropriate for everyone. If your child will NOT be in church on Christmas Sunday please let us know so we can plan accordingly. We will be holding 2 rehearsals. The first rehearsal will be on Friday, Dec.22 at 6PM during our Christmas party, and the second will be on Christmas Sunday, Dec.24 at 9am SHARP! We need to be ready to perform at 10am. We would love any help from adults who wish to lend a hand.
On Friday, Dec.22nd in addition to the rehearsal we will be gathering for a Christmas Party from 6-8pm. We will be sharing pizza, making crafts, decorating a Christmas Tree, enjoying dessert and remembering the true meaning of Christmas. Even if you won't be here for the pageant please join us for the party and share the fellowship and fun! Merry Christmas to you all!
Thank You and God Bless!
CE Committee
From the Southeast Area
A Southeast Area Senior High Youth Event will be held on Jan. 27 from 1-7 pm at Christ Congregational Church in Brockton, MA:
Who’s Out, Who’s In, in YOUR Hood?
Featured will be alternative band (e)Xnihilo.
The cost will be $7. Per person and includes T-Shirt and dinner.
FOOD 'N FRIENDS COORDINATOR
The Attleboro Area Council of Churches is currently seeking a Food 'n Friends Coordinator to administrate and coordinate the Food 'n Friends Program. If you are interested, Pastor Katrina has more details.
Trustee's Report
Ham and Bean Supper was another solid event. Over 80 dinners were served and the bake table did well too. Thanks Judy and Dale for showing me how to wash dishes the Oldtown way.
There are presently no leaks that we know of anywhere, thank God for small miracles.
The Ad Hoc Stewardship committee has done their job and given the pledge info to the Treasurer. The next step is for the trustees to use that info
to develop a budget for next year. Thanks to all who pledged; it makes the difficult job of budgeting much easier.
The Wish List:
Anyone who can provide these things or a good lead on how we can make them happen in a cost effective manner can contact any trustee.
- Replacement of railroad ties.
- More storage for the Historian(fire safe).
- Sturdy shelving for the storage closet in Maxcy Hall.
- Plastic Busboy Bins for the Suppers.
Dan Thibeault
Chairman of the Trustees
Women's Spirituality Group
We meet on the first Monday of each month at Pastor Katrina's house, 43 Grant St. in Attleboro, from 7- 8:30 pm. All women of the church are invited to attend this time of nurturing the sprit through exercises and reflection and prayer.
From the Attleboro Area
Council of Churches
Immanuel Lutheran Church is sponsoring a Christian Book Sale on Saturday, Dec. 2 from 10 am to 2 pm.
SOUPER BOWL Sunday is coming: Jan. 28
Did You Know?
It’s so interesting to look back at the years gone by and see how it was! When I was growing up here in Oldtown, most of the ladies who belonged to the Mutual Helpers (the ladies group) were stay at home mothers. They would meet at each other's homes having devotions, a business meeting, and refreshments. They always took up what they called a penny collection. If you were a child and you were on your best behavior you might be asked to pass the very small basket and believe me you sure did feel important. This was the time that most of them looked forward to…sharing fellowship, etc. At other times they would gather for an afternoon of working on sewing aprons or making other items for sale. They were very hard workers and without them I sometimes wonder if the church would still be here! Many a time their contributions saved the day!
They held many suppers downstairs and the whole main street of N. Attleboro merchants would see to it that they were able to get down to Oldtown for that delicious home cooking before returning to their stores for the usual Thursday evening busy shopping crowd. Early in December the Mutuals would have a Roast Pork and Sauerkraut Supper and also their Christmas Sale. All of this would be held down in the vestry and tables would be set up along the edges of the room to sell handmade items. At the north side of the room there was a raised wooden platform and you had to watch your step or you’d trip for sure. Tables were very close and waitresses had to rise up on their tippy toes to get down through the long wooden tables. Then there was the kitchen! Picture this folks…the kitchen in those days ended where the chimney is now. In the center were four large set tubs covered over by wooden counters. Along the back wall there was a large cook stove, some counter space, a couple of old fashioned single sinks and a hot water heater that had a habit of blowing off steam with a loud whistle which would scare everyone half to death! In order to prepare the desserts to serve it was sometimes necessary to dish them out in the boiler room and set them up on trays to be taken to the dining room. No dishwasher…the men would practically break their backs bending over those old sinks and the sweat would be just pouring off of them. Oh my and those were the good old days!!!
Just thought you might be interested to see how far we’ve come. Here’s a break down of the 1970 Bazaar…just thirty years ago!!!
Colonial Guild…..……………………….$27.25
Country Store…..…………………………89.85
White Elephant...………………………….38.26
Food Table…..……………………………68.45
Linens……..……………………………..116.65
Jewelry…..………………………………220.85
Grabs……..……………………………….36.22
Domestics.………………………………160.15
Plants….………………………………….30.05
Gift.………………………………………10.00
Miscellaneous….…………………………21.30
Total Receipts…………………………..819.03
Expenses………………………………….74.22
Total Profit………………………….…..744.81
Received during November and December from items for sale…………………………….139.00
GRAND TOTAL……………………….883.81
Carolyn Chretien
Bottles Needed!
Please continue to wash and save your empty glass salad dressing bottles for the next batch of Elsie’s Famous French Dressing. Both pint (16oz.) and half-pint (8oz.) are needed and please no plastic bottles…they just get too sticky. You can leave them on the seat out in the front hall and Carolyn will pick them up. Thanks!
Christmas Tree Needed
A new artificial Christmas tree is needed for use at the fair as well as other functions. Ours is pretty sad looking, so as you travel to yard sales, flea markets, or if you have one that you no longer need, please think of us. We will reimburse you for the cost!
To Whom It May Concern…Thank You
The coffee time after church each Sunday has certainly become a pleasant time to spend a few minutes chatting with friends or to "touch base" with them on church-related business. If you look at the room as a whole, you will see groups of all ages, smiling, chatting and sipping their coffee.
I recently extended an invitation to a friend to join us for worship at Oldtown whenever she felt she wanted to come…which she did a couple of weeks ago. I didn’t realize she was there and was delayed for quite some time upstairs with the choir. She had left by the time I came downstairs, but called me a few days later, telling me she had enjoyed coming to church and had stayed for the coffee time.
She mentioned that people were friendly and she felt comfortable, but she particularly mentioned one lady who was very pleasant and had chatted with her for quite some time.
What a nice feeling to be part of a church family who is not so self-involved that they noticed a stranger and took the time to make her feel welcome.
A special thank you to the lady who spent so much time talking with her and showing that we do care and are interested in her as a person
Betty Grant
Birth Dates Wanted!
We're collecting Birth dates so we can make a parish list to include the monthly birthdays in the Spirit. Please call the office, or hand in the birth date slips so that we can share these celebrations with one another. No, you don't have to put the year of your birth- just the day and month.
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.
PASTORAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE
Our church has a Pastoral Relations Committee. It was formed to fulfill the covenant to conduct an annual review/evaluation of the mutual performance of Pastor and Congregation, in accordance with the Call Agreement with Pastor Katrina. The other purpose of a pastoral relations committee is to support and maintain an open relationship between the pastor and members of the congregation. It helps the pastor and members of the church share ideas, hopes, dreams and interpretations of mission, and provides another way of letting the pastor know what people in the church are thinking.
The current members of our committee are: Edmund Clavette, Robert Greene, Judy Harrop, David Sias, and Daniel Thibeault. We have scheduled four meetings for 2001, Feb 7, May 2, Aug 1, and Nov 7 (annual review).
You are all invited to share with Pastor Katrina, or any member of the pastoral relations committee your ideas, hopes, concerns and feelings about how Oldtown is doing anytime.
Peace,
Edmund Clavette
Moderator
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In our prayers:
Miranda Berkley, Marjorie Brown, Chessie, Charlie&Lottie Scott, The Rev. Steve Bachelder, Alice & Gus, Jeannie Sheraton, Doug Fontaine, Marion Sanders, Robert & Kathy Kennedy, Lynne Pittard, Lillian, Marion Thompson, Gail Johnson, Linda & Jimmy Smith, Mark Sullivan, Lois Blaise, Carol &Artie, Dorothy Lightfoot, Mike Lamarr, Frank, Bill, Mary K., Pat Porter, Deb Lieberman, John Gray, Andrea, Donna Humphrey, Ernie Sears, Brenda Lee Pouliet, Gina Woodrum, Elsie Morris, Margaret Kindberg, Marion Hormon, Esther Angus.
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Upcoming Church Events at Oldtown!
December Birthdays & Anniversaries
Dec. 4: Norm Johnstone, Dorothy Greene
Dec. 6: Michaela Coombs
Dec. 9: Mary O’Neill
Dec. 10: Mitchell Dyer
Dec. 12: Billy Rice, Greene Anniversary
Dec. 17: Dana Brown
Dec. 18: Leo Thibeault
Dec. 19: Merrilee Fontaine, David Kingman, Dominic DiGirolamo
Dec. 20: Christine Pandozzi
Dec. 21: Irene Muir, James Brinson
Dec. 22: Conrad Morel
Dec. 23: Robert Greene
Dec. 25: DJ Dyer
Advent at Oldtown
Dec. 3: Advent 1: HOPE
Sacrament of Communion
Advent Wreath and
Music by our Handchime Choir
Dec. 10: Advent 2: PEACE
Advent Wreath
Open House at Pastor’s House 1-4 pm
Dec. 17: Advent 3: JOY
BELL SUNDAY- Bring a bell to Worship
Carol sing; Advent Wreath; Handchime choir
Dec. 24: Advent 4: LOVE
Christmas Sunday
Children & Youth Pageant during morning worship
Advent Wreath; Handchimes; Special Music
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Christmas Eve Lessons & Carols
7 pm; Voice & Handchime Choir
Time to order Christmas Poinsettias!
Plants are $8 each. Please give this form, with check or money attached to Dottie Greene, Carolyn Chretien, or Perilene Twyman by Dec. 17th
(Please Circle One)
- In Loving memory of___________________
- In Celebration of ______________________
- To the Glory of God
Given by:____________________________
Number of plants:______
Amount enclosed:_____