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May, 2017
News & Views
Dear Friends,
What do we do after a triumphant Easter? What
do we do after 5 FULL-HOUSE amazing performances
of GODSPELL? How can we top this? Well, the truth is
that we can’t, and that there are red-letter days of much
celebration, and then necessary days of hard work and
preparation! The truth is that the world and our lives
have plenty of problems and sorrow. So we have to pray
diligently to keep a good focus and a good heart. We
need to open our eyes and ears attentively to discern
where God may be leading. And we need to work
diligently on planting God’s seeds wherever we can, and
being the best soil we can be.
The parable of the SOWER (SOIL) was creatively
done in our Godspell play; actors withered or sprung to
life in memorable ways!.....It is one of Jesus’ great
lessons…. especially relevant for us as many start some
gardening! If we are hard or rocky soil, the “good word”
can wither in us, negativity can take over. But if we
“work” on our soil, we have a better chance of letting
seeds of goodness and patience and compassion grow.
I’m amazed at how much we wither or thrive based
merely on attitudes, our own and those around us! Let’s
keep the soil of our hearts open and watered, regularly.
We are very blessed to have newcomers and new
members in our midst, which we will celebrate soon. The
church of Christ has always been renewed by
newcomers, just as some people begin to tire of the
“work” of ministry. For those who continue with
leadership work, we pay and hope for steady and
renewed energy. For those who need to take a back seat,
we wish them some good rest and the grace to let others
take over with their own style.
April and May are probably the busiest months in
community and church life, a last sprint before summer
vacations. I pray for all members to keep the faith, keep
hearts open and keep up efforts for a fruitful springtime
of cultivating God’s seeds of love and harmony. Hope to
see you soon and feel free to call for a cup of something
somewhere!
Ross
Belleville Congregational Church An Open and Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Christ
MISSION OF BELLEVILLE CHURCH
Centered in the inclusive love of Jesus Christ, we
seek to be a welcoming, affirming, and healing
congregation. Led by the Holy Spirit, we are
inspired to grow and be renewed through our
worship, fellowship, Scripture study and the
sharing of our gifts. Strengthened by God’s love
and guidance, we strive to serve with compassion
those in need, both near and far.
Ponderings 1 Calendar 2 May Day Celebration and upcoming Events 3 Men’s Fellowship Dinner and Roots Fundraiser at Flatbread Pizza 4 The Prisoner of 2nd Avenue 5 Newburyport Choral Society Concert 6 Happy Birthdays 7 Adult and Youth Choir 8 Service Club, Thrift Shop and Women’s Coffee & Conversation 9 Coffee Hour 10 Ushers & Scripture Readers 11 Contacts 12
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2017 CALENDAR
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Sat
1
NCS rehearsal
7 – 10
Meetinghouse
2 3
9-12 Thrift Shop
6pm Men’s
Fellowship Dinner
7:30pm
Stewardship &
Finance Special
Meeting
4
2pm Chair Yoga
6pm Bible
Exploration
7:15pm Choir
7;30 NCS orchestra
rehearsal
7pm dress
rehearsal
5 6
9-12 Thrift Shop
8pm NCS Concert
& reception
7
4pm NCS Concert
& reception
May Day
Celebration
8
7pm CODA
9
1pm Service Club
10
9-12 Thrift Shop
11
2pm Chair Yoga
6pm Bible
Exploration
7:15pm Choir
12
13
9- 12 Thrift Shop
9am Women’s
Coffee &
Conversation
7pm Steve
Blackwood,
Prisoner of 2nd
Avenue
14
MOTHER’S DAY
10AMm Worship
11:15 Youth choir
rehearsal
15
7pm CODA
16
17
9-12 Thrift Shop
7:00pm Executive
Board
7:30pm
Stewardship &
Finance
18
2pm Chair Yoga
6pm Bible
Exploration
7:15pm Choir
practice
19 20
9-12 Thrift Shop
21
10am Worship
11:15 Youth Choir
rehearsal
Annual Meeting
Part II
22
7pm CODA
23
24
9- 12 Thrift Shop
25
2pm Chair Yoga
6pm Bible
Exploration
7:15pm Choir
practice
26
9am
Worship &
Education
27
9-12 Thrift Shop
28
10am Worship
11:15 Youth choir
rehearsal
29
MEMORIAL
DAY
7pm CODA
30
31
9-12 Thrift Shop
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May Day celebration
Sunday May 7th
Join the festivities as we celebrate May Day by dancing around the May pole, eating strawberry
shortcake and delivering may baskets to friends.
This fun event will take place during coffee hour on May 7th
. If you are scheduled for Coffee
Hour please come to give the Sunday school teachers a hand(also be in charge of making the
punch by bringing ginger ale, vanilla ice cream and sherbet).
If your last name begins with:
A-J bring prepared strawberries.
K-S bring angel food cake or shortcake
T-Z bring whipped cream
May Day baskets will also be made that day. If you would like to deliver a basket to any of our
friends and neighbors, that would be appreciated.
Thank You,
Belleville Sunday School
Annual Meeting Part II scheduled for Sunday May 21st after worship. Boards please submit
reports by May 9th
.
Shirley Locke is resigning as flower coordinator after 20+ years! We need someone to fill her
place for at least a year. Shirley will train you. Basically only needed 2 times a year, Christmas
& Easter! Please see a board member or Shirley.
2 Dates in June to Keep Open!
June 4th
– Children’s Sunday and annual picnic/luncheon
June 11th – Confirmation Sunday.
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Wednesday, May 3
rd
Gather at 6pm, dinner at 6:30pm
Flatbread Pizza Fundraiser to Benefit Belleville Roots Music
Join friends of Belleville Roots Music on Tuesday evening, May 9, at Flatbread Pizza Company in
Amesbury between 5 and 9 pm. Purchase any pizza to eat in or take out, and Flatbread will donate a
portion of that purchase to Belleville Roots. You can also purchase tickets for our 50-50 raffle the
evening of the event.
All proceeds from the event will be used to support Belleville Roots Music's efforts to bring high
quality roots music to the greater Newburyport area and to provide funding to maintain and restore
Belleville Church’s historical buildings. With an aim to building community through music, Belleville
Roots, since its beginnings in 2011, has presented concerts featuring a wide variety of musical styles,
including blues, bluegrass, Cajun, Celtic, country, folk, gospel, Irish, jazz, and world music.
Flatbread Pizza is located at 5 Market Square, Amesbury. Call 978-834-9800 for takeout orders or to
place your name on the restaurant's seating list.
5
6
Newburyport Choral Society Spring Concert: Annelies
Saturday, May 6 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, May 7 at 4pm
Belleville Congregational Church – 300 High Street, Newburyport
The125-voice Newburyport Choral Society will perform James Whitbourn’s powerful oratorio
Annelies, based on Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl. Through its “hauntingly beautiful”
score, Annelies commemorates Anne Frank’s courage and spirit of hope under the horrors of
oppression, and teaches the lesson of valuing and protecting our shared humanity. This
unifying concert ends with a healing anthem All Shall be Amen and Alleluia. For tickets and
information visit newburyportchoralsociety.org.
Cost: Adults $22; Seniors/Students $20
Tickets can also be purchased in Newburyport at the Chamber of Commerce, Jabberwocky
Bookshop, The Book Rack, and The Natural Grocer; in Ipswich at Conley's Drug Store; and in
Amesbury at Starbird Jewelers.
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NOTE DATE CHANGE
YOUTH CHOIR
May June
8 Robert Gandolfi 3 Bill Silsby
8 Chapel Allard 3 Judy Moore
9 Hans Erwich 4 Taunya Till (Beauparlant)
12 Jean Mantarian 7 Shirley Locke
12 Talya Ipbuken 9 Karen Conway
12 Alexa Cedolin 10 Yvonne Cedras
13 Daryl Fay 11 Brad Cedolin
14 Martha Kelleher 13 Ben Tyler
16 Jen Lovejoy Gandolfi 17 Marcia Samuelson
22 Carol Beauparlant 20 Andrea Samuelson
26 Tess Schmidt 25 Marcia Peirce
30 Norma Dean 29 Rita Vreeland
31 Amy Schmidt
8
Youth Choir rehearses Sunday mornings after the worship service. Come and make a
joyful noise to the Lord!
The adult choir rehearses Thursday evenings at 7:15pm. New members always welcome!
Come and lend your voice!
9
Service Club will meet on Tuesday, May 9 at 1pm. Everyone is welcome. Please join us.
Belleville Church Thrift Shop
Come by and see what’s new! The thrift shop is
open every Wednesday and Saturday 9am – noon.
Please join us for Women’s coffee & conversation on
Saturday, May 13 from 9am – 10:30 in the Parlor.
10
COFFEE HOUR
May
7 Audrey Clarkson, Amy Schmidt & Pam Ellis
14 MOTHER’S DAY Bill Silsby, Bob Locke & Ben Heersink
21 Audrey Clarkson, Peggy Utterback & Kelly Burke-Anderson
28 Memorial Day Weekend – no coffee hour
11
USHERS Communion is the first Sunday of each month
May June
7 Kelly Burke-Anderson & Peggy Utterback 4 The Dean Family
14 Gail Gandolfi & Shirley Locke 11 Sue & Ben Heersink
21 Hans Erwich & Jean Kirkpatrick 18 Jean Kirkpatrick & Dan Fay
28 Carolyn Kyle & Audrey Clarkson 25 Mardee Beauparlant &
Carol Beauparlant
SCRIPTURE READERS May June
7 Peggy Utterback 4 Sue Heersink
14 Gail Gandolfi 11 Joe DeGiovanni
21 Barbara Colten 18 Carolyn Kyle
28 Bill Silsby 25 Lynn Varney
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Church Staff & Contact Information
Pastor Ross Varney 978-462-4899
Office hours: Tuesday 11 AM – 12:30
Wednesday & Thursday 10:30 AM - Noon;
or by appointment.
Church Office 978-465-7734
Valerie Gates, Office Administrator
Office hours: Tuesday, Thursday and
Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Church Email: [email protected]
Website: www.bellevillechurch.org
Andrea DeGiovanni, Organist & Music
Director
Bob Locke, Sexton
Newsletter Submissions
Do you have an article that you would like to include in
the monthly newsletter?
If so, please submit your article to the church office by the
25th of each month.
Thank you!
Church Officers
Moderator: Kelly Burke-Anderson
Clerk: Kathy Raywood
Treasurer: Jim Samuelson
Collector: Norma Dean
Memorial Fund Treasurer:
Auditor:
Members-at-Large (Ex. Board)
Shirley Locke & Ben Heersink
Contact Persons
Board of Fellowship & Outreach:
Audrey Clarkson
Board of Worship & Education:
Gail Gandolfi
Board of Stewardship &
Finance: Hans Erwich
UCC Delegate:
Sunday School Coordinator
Flower Coordinator
Hospitality Coordinator
Audrey Clarkson
Belleville Congregational Church
An Open and Affirming Congregation
of the United Church of Christ
300 High Street
Newburyport, MA 01950
978-465-7734
bellevillechurch.org
