 from the March 2007 issue of The Spire
InSPIREd Dear Friends,
Another fountain, a little more modern, sits in the vestibule at the rear of the Sanctuary. Every Sunday morning I try to drink from it before the service begins but the pressure is too low, and the water itself usually looks a little cloudy to me. I always make a mental note to have somebody take a look at it. Somehow I always forget. I've noticed that people are not only thirsty; sometimes they're lonely, sad, overwhelmed, weak, confused, anxious, lost, or worried. A church should have good fountains! Sincerely,
Thanks to everyone who came to the "Update Sunday." We were given basic update information about the restoration work, such as:
[Web editor's note: See also Fire Update] The important thing is – we are blessed as a congregation to have the cleaning done and be able to make repairs that we had planned in the Next Steps Report. Thanks be to God we still have our beautiful church and can open it to Operation Safety Net on cold nights when about 120 people can find a warm place to sleep. We are an inclusive congregation, committed to oneness in Christ across all boundaries of race, social class, culture, gender, sexual identity, and disability. Thanks be to God that in this time of big change we are remembering who we are. Respectfully submitted,
When a major disaster strikes, it is natural to want to help in any way we can. After the great tsunami hit in December, 2004, members of the United Church of Christ gave more than $5 million for the church to help survivors. When the Gulf Coast was devastated by hurricanes last summer, our members gave more than $4 million to support relief and recovery efforts. This great generosity was in addition to the annual One Great Hour of Sharing offering. Major disasters make the national news and are on everyone's minds – for a time. Every day, however, there are smaller disasters that don't make the headlines but devastate the people affected. Every day, lives are threatened by malnutrition, thirst, disease, and infant mortality. Every day, children suffer the effects of war and refugees are forced to leave their homes. These are the personal and community "disasters" that we respond to with our annual gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing every year, year after year. Because of our gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing, some disastrous situations are prevented and others receive an immediate response well before a major funding appeal can be organized. All over the world – from Mississippi to Moldavia, from Cameroon to California – people receive help, hope and life through our gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing. (The above is a "Mission Moment" from the United Church of Christ)At Smithfield, the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering will be collected on Palm Sunday, April 1st. Look for more information in the weeks to come. Are You Ready for a Challenge? Members of Smithfield United Church of Christ have been strong people of faith for over 225 years, and we have faced many challenges over these years. On New Year's Day, we faced a large challenge when the Social Hall was destroyed by the fire. The stewardship committee has been working diligently during the past several weeks, and we will be unveiling a challenge for the entire Smithfield Church community. Details will be forthcoming on this. So stay tuned. Faithfully, Message from the Women's Fellowship During the months of March and April, the Women's Fellowship is going to sell the following items (in their meeting room):
Coffee for a Good Cause
Drum Circle
We Get Letters
I trust this will find you and your family and fellow Smithfield United congregants well and on the mend after the recent fire at your church. Your friends at Rodef Shalom are thinking of you and send you all our best thoughts – but even more than that, the members of our congregation gladly share with you some of the monies contributed to our Philanthropic Fund. We send you this gift of tzedakah in the hope that it will help to defray the cost of repairing your organ that was damaged in the fire. Please know you are in our hearts and thoughts and prayers. You have our every best wish.
Yours sincerely and in friendship [Web editor's note: Tzedakah means righteousness – doing the right thing; making the right response for the situation.]
This letter is written in appreciation from the Gulf Annuitants Club for allowing us to use your facilities for our quarterly meetings. Your people are most helpful and the room is always clean and unlocked on our meeting day. We were all saddened by your loss in the fire that engulfed your church, but I am sure with God's help and your congregation, you will find strength to carry on your mission. God bless you and your congregation. Sincerely,
On behalf of the individuals we serve, the staff and the Board of Directors of Bethlehem Haven, I'd like to thank the Smithfield United Church for its generous donation of January 25, 2007. As we reflect on the last 25 years at the Haven, we are so thankful to have been able to rely on the generosity of donors like you who reflect the organization's core values of compassion, integrity, and hospitality. Your contribution will be used to provide shelter, supportive housing, medical and dental care, drug and alcohol treatment, mental health assistance, and employment and training services to homeless women in our community. Gratefully,
3/30/07 |
We need new water fountains in our church. The one right outside my office door is quite beautiful. It's made of marble and is, I'm sure, an original fixture in the building. Above it is a bronze plaque which contains a reading from the scriptures, Isaiah 55:1, and it says, "Everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters." Several people try to use it every day, but it no longer works, a victim of worn out plumbing and being too far down on the "to do" list.
From the President's Pen: 
– through you and me!