Three Ways to Make This Church

What You Long for It To Be

Transitions are exciting times in a congregation because anything is
possible. What the church will become is up to the people who stay
involved during the interim. You and the Holy Spirit moving through
you will shape this congregations future.
We cannot know where the church is going exactly but one thing we do
know is that the Holy Spirit has a use for the !radford "ongregational
"hurch in the cause of establishing #ods realm on earth. "hrist needs
this church to be here to help transform individual lives and the world
around us. This congregation has a calling for the future and its first
task during the transition is to ask $Who are we%& and $What is #od
calling us to be and do now%& and see what answer the Spirit reveals to
our collective hearts and minds. Then our 'ob will be to start bringing
that exciting future into being.
What long traditions and rich legacies from the !radford saints of old
will we carry forward into the future% What new traditions from the
recent past feel worth continuing% What course corrections or new
directions do we hear calling to us to make this congregation the church
of our dreams%
( big part of my role as a trained interim pastor is to help create
opportunities for you to discern and decide these things. Here are three
opportunities that are starting immediately.
Bradford Congregational Church-United Church of Christ Bradford, VT
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EPISTLE
Customer Name
Street Address
City, ST ZIP Code
September,
2014
). Worship* (ttending worship is the single most important way you
can help make this
church what you long for
it to be. Worship during
this interim will give the
congregation a common
vocabulary and set of
tools that will help it
shape its self+
understanding and e,uip
it to choose its future course. We will look for the light that the
scriptures and hymns shed on the path ahead or on how we can best
make the 'ourney together and we will find energy and enthusiasm to
move forward inspired by word and music and the Spirits presence
among us.
!ut the most important part of worship will be simply gathering as a
loving community walking together and finding comfort and meaning
in it. There will be no congregation in the future if we are not a
congregation now and that re,uires gathering regularly so that the Spirit
and love of #od can flow through us and lead and transform us.
This is an extremely important time to come to worship. #od is ready to
work miracles of grace among us but we have to be present and open or
we will miss them. What would the Holy Spirit have done at that first
-entecost if it had arrived and found an empty room% We are here today
because those first disciples simply showed up. The church will be here
tomorrow only if we keep showing up. .et us do so and re'oice in the
faith that "hrist will be with us every step of the way.
/. Questionnaire* The 0eacons are circulating a written ,uestionnaire
that 1 hope you will answer as fully as you can. The responses will
inform all the work that we do together. 1t is extremely important that
you make your voice heard. 1f you care enough about the church to have
read this far you in particular are someone whose perspective needs to
be part of shaping our understanding of the past and present and our
vision of where we need to go from here. There are only five ,uestions.
You can find them in this edition of the 2pistle. -lease take a few
minutes right now to reflect on them and let us hear from you. We hope
it will be rewarding for you as well as of great service to this
congregation and to our neighbors and to #od.
3. Face to face connections* We need your written response to the
survey in order to put it together with others and get a sense of the whole
congregation but in addition 1 hope you will take opportunities to share
more with me individually or in the small groups 1 will be meeting with
this fall. Shaping the future is the congregations responsibility. 1 am
here 'ust to help it do that work. !ut in order to be most useful 1 need to
hear as much as 1 can from as many of you as 1 can. So please call or
email me to set up a time to talk and be sure to sign up for one of the
small group meetings when they are announced.
"hrist said that where two or three are gathered he is present. Speaking
together creates the opportunity for synergy a combined effect that is
greater than the sum of the visible parts because the Spirit of "hrist
moves within and among us inspiring insights we could not have found
alone. 1 am excited to discover what comes of it4
Thank you so much for being a part of the past present and future of this
beloved congregation. !radford and the world and #ods realm need
this church to fulfill its potential for goodness. Your part in it is
essential. Thank you4
!lessings on the 'ourney4
Tom
555
-astor Tom 6inder will have office hours in the parsonage on Thursdays from
/*77+8*77 -9. He is available other times Thursday through Sunday by
appointment. His email is rev.thomas.cary.kinder:gmail.com or you may call the
parsonage ///+;8)7.
555
SEASONS (message delivered by
Martina Stever on Aug. 31, 201!
"a#$ in t%e s&ring, '%en ( 'as as$ed
to lead a 'ors%i& servi#e, it 'as
nearing t%e end o) t%e s#%ool year.
S&ringtime, t%e beginning o)
summer. *%ile graduation is an
ending o) %ig% s#%ool or #ollege years it is truly t%e beginning o) so many
di))erent o&&ortunities. A sad time+ ,eaving )riends. An an-ious time+ .%e
un$no'n a%ead. An e-#iting time+ /%anges. /%allenges. (nde&enden#e. A
%a&&y time+ Summertime. 0ride in a#%ievements. Eagerly loo$ing
)or'ard. All o) t%ese
.%en, on t%is ,abor 1ay 'ee$end, %ere 'e are at t%e beginning o) a
ne' s#%ool year, but t%e end o) summer va#ation. .%e beginning o) )all.
.%e same )eelings 2 A sad time, an an-ious time, an e-#iting time, a
%a&&y time.
As a /%ur#%, 'e %ave been in a di))i#ult time o) transition. A time
'it%out a &astor sin#e t%e end o) 3aren4s ministry. No', 'e loo$ )or'ard
to t%e beginning o) t%e ministry o) our interim &astor. 5ev. .om 3inder
'%o 'ill be leading us in 'ors%i& ne-t Sunday.
1uring t%e #%ildren4s time, ( tal$ed about seasons in t%e #%ur#% year.
.%ere are seasons in t%e 'orld t%at 6od #reated. .%ere are seasons in our
lives. Every season %as its o'n distin#t #%ara#ter and &ur&ose. Ea#% one
%as a beginning and an end t%at is but a ne' beginning 2 a #y#le 2 a
#ir#le.
.%e boo$ o) E##lesiastes '%i#% ( #%ose )or my message today %as been
labeled by some, as one o) t%e most unusual, #on)ounding boo$s o) t%e
"ible. (t is t%e t%ird se#tion o) '%at are $no'n as *isdom literature,
'%i#% in#ludes t%e boo$s o) 7ob and 0roverbs. (t is uni8ue in t%at it is not
%istory, not &ro&%e#y or not &arables. (t %as been des#ribed by some as
9t%in$ing out loud,: and being more &%iloso&%i#al t%an religious. (t %as
been attributed to 3ing Solomon, but #ertain 0ersian 'ords in t%e original
te-t ma$e t%at seem 8uestionable. (t also s%o's in)luen#e o) 6ree$
&%iloso&%ers o) t%e time; So#rates, 0lato and Aristotle.
.%e verses #%osen )or today are )ull o) o&&osites times and a#tions;
born<die = &lant<&lu#$ u& = brea$ do'n<build u& = 'ee&<laug% =
mourn<dan#e = t%ro' a'ay<gat%er u& = embra#e<re)rain )rom
embra#ing =
see$<lose = $ee&<t%ro' a'ay = tear<se' = $ee& silen#e<s&ea$ =
love<%ate 'ar<&ea#e.
*e4ll begin by loo$ing at a day. .%e day begins 'it% sun rise 2 and don4t
'e
'itness some beauti)ul ones. .%is is t%e beginning o) t%e day. *%en t%e
sun sets, it may be t%e end o) t%e day. >o'ever, it is t%e beginning o) t%e
evening, '%i#% brings rest )rom our labors and a time o) 8uiet. .%en t%e
#y#le re&eats.
Ea#% year %as its seasons. >o' )ortunate 'e are to live in t%is #orner o)
t%e 'orld '%ere 'e #an en?oy t%e #%anging seasons. A##ording to t%e
#alendar
Se&tember 22nd mar$s t%e 1st day o) autumn or )all. Summer )lo'ers
begin to )ade and 'it%er a'ay. @et, t%e #ir#le o) li)e #ontinues, as seeds
o) ne' li)e are being )ormed. *%at %as seemed to be an end is t%e
&re&aration )or a ne' beginning in t%e s&ring. *e 'at#% 'it% a'e and
'onder as t%e de#reased %ours o) sunlig%t lead to '%at 'ere green leaves
o) t%e de#iduous trees #%anging to yello', orange and red. .%en t%ey are
released and )all to t%e ground, leaving t%e bran#%es bare. Autumn is a
time o) %arvest o) all t%at %as been &lanted in t%e s&ring and gro'ing
t%roug%out t%e summer. *inter arrives 'it% t%e &ure '%ite beauty o) t%e
sno' #overing t%e eart%. A 8uiet time. A rest)ul time. A &ea#e)ul time.
.%en #omes S&ringtime '%en t%e eart% a'a$ens. (t is t%e beginning o)
so many t%ings. .rees t%at %ave seemed dead all 'inter are bursting 'it%
ne' li)e. .%ey 'ere not dead, only dormant. "lades o) grass are
s&reading a green #ar&et. Alo'ers are 'a$ing u& and brig%tening t%e
lands#a&e. .%e air is )illed 'it% bird song. (t4s a time o) birt% )or &lants
and animals.
.%ere are seasons in our lives. Our lives are measured in years, as is
t%e #y#le o) t%e natural 'orld. Our gestation &eriod is our 'inter or
dorman#y. .%en #omes our &%ysi#al birt%, our s&ring. Our time o)
#%ild%ood, adoles#en#e and adult%ood , our summer and autumn, as 'e
rea#% maturity. As ea#% stage ends, a ne' one begins. Our lives begin
'it% birt% and some say end 'it% deat%. As /%ristians, 'e believe t%at
deat% is not t%e end o) li)e, but t%e beginning o) a ne' and eternal li)e in
our %eavenly %ome.
Our s&iritual li)e also %as seasons. Sometimes 2 '%en 'e get %urt, '%en
li)e seems un)air B di))i#ult 2 it4s %ard to remember t%at 6od #aresC .%ere
are times '%en our )ait% is strong and at ot%er times it is 'ea$, and 'e
8uestion
and as$ '%y.
"ut '%en 'e #ry, so does 6od. *%en 'e smile, so does >e. *e don4t
al'ays understand, but 'e trust in %is love and #are )or us.
(n any season 'e e-&erien#e various seasonings 2 .%ey may be salty,
s'eet, bitter, sour, tangy, mild or strong. *%atever our #urrent season,
it 'ill not last. *e #an no more remain in one season o) li)e t%an one $ind
o) 'eat%er #an last t%roug%out t%e year. ,i)e brings seasons o) bot%
mourning and dan#ing, times o) 'ee&ing and times o) laug%ing.
.%e $ey, o) #ourse is to remember t%at 6od is 'it% us t%roug%out all
t%e seasons o) our lives. *e are not al'ays a'are o) '%at 6od may be
doing. O)ten ea#% season brings #%ange and gro't%. .%ere may be times
'%en 'e 'ould li$e to %it t%e re'ind button as 'e 'is% 'e 'ere young
again. "ut, do 'e really 'ant to be stu#$ in any one age+ As 'e go
t%roug% t%e seasons o) our lives, may 'e remember t%at every ending is a
ne' beginning. .oday is t%e )irst day o) t%e rest o) your li)e. Ma$e t%e
most o) itC
,et us turn to 6od in &rayer;
1ear ,ord, *e give you &raise and t%an$s )or t%e beauty o) t%is valley
'%ere 'e live.
*%ile 'e are blessed 'it% t%e #%anging o) seasons, 'e are reminded o)
t%e )ait%)ulness o) your un#%anging nature and un#onditional love )or us.
*e are grate)ul )or ea#% and every season o) our lives. *e &ray t%at 'e
may gro' and serve in 'ays t%at are &leasing to you. >el& us to s%o'
your love t%roug% our 'ords and a#tions.
*e li)t u& our /%ur#% )amily and as$ you to lead us in t%is time o)
transition. *e need one anot%er. >el& us to resolve our di))eren#es and
be#ome united as /%ristians '%o %ave been #alled to serve you.
1ra' us ba#$ toget%er.
*e li)t u& in &rayer t%ose '%o are ill and su))ering, t%ose '%o are
troubled, lonely or an-ious, t%ose
'%o are grieving. *e as$ your love and &resen#e )or t%ose '%ose names
%ave been s&o$en aloud, as 'ell as t%ose '%om 'e name in our %earts.
May t%ey be li)ted u& and #om)orted. AMEN
,e#tionary )or Se&tember and into O#tober
September 7, 2014 [Green]
Thirteenth Sunday after Pentec!t
The Season of Creation Begins (Sundays
of September)
Exodus 12:114
Psalm 149 or Psalm 148 (UMH 861)
Romans 13:814
Matthe 18:1!2"
September 14, 2014 [Green]
"urteenth Sunday after Pentec!t
Exodus 14:1931
Exodus 1!:1#$11% 2"21 (UMH 13!)
Romans 14:112
Matthe 18:213!
September 21, 2014 [Green]
"ifteenth Sunday after Pentec!t
Exodus 16:21!
Psalm 1"!:16% 3&4! or Psalm &8 (UMH
&99)
Ph'l'(('ans 1:213"
Matthe 2":116
September 2#, 2014 [Green]
Si$teenth Sunday after Pentec!t
Exodus 1&:1&
Psalm &8:14% 1216 (UMH &99)
Ph'l'(('ans 2:113
Matthe 21:2332


%ctber &, 2014 [Green]
Se'enteenth Sunday after Pentec!t
(r)d *mmunin Sunday
A Season of Saints Begins (through All
Saints Day or Sunday)
Exodus 2":14% &9% 122"
Psalm 19 (UMH &!")
Ph'l'(('ans 3:4#$14
Matthe 21:3346
%ctber 12, 2014 [Green]
Ei+hteenth Sunday after Pentec!t
*hi)dren,! Sabbath
Exodus 32:114
Psalm 1"6:16% 1923 (UMH 829)
Ph'l'(('ans 4:19
Matthe 22:114
%ctber 1-, 2014 [Green]
.ineteenth Sunday after Pentec!t
Laity Sunday
Exodus 33:1223
Psalm 99 (UMH 819)
1 )hessalon'ans 1:11"
Matthe 22:1!22
%ctber 2/, 2014 [Green]
T0entieth Sunday after Pentec!t
*euteronom+ 34:112
Psalm 9":16% 131& (UMH &89)
1 )hessalon'ans 2:18
Matthe 22:3446
Thank you for making a commitment to peace--
Our children will see an estimated 100,000 acts of
violence on television in the next 10 years.
There is a stronger connection between violence on television and
aggressive behavior than the connection between lead exposure and
lower IQs in children.
hildren spend more time !" 1#$ hours per day% in front of computer,
television and game screens than any other activity except sleeping.
And did you kno!
Fast from media violence Sept. !"#$ #%&
)he Un'ted ,hur-h o. ,hr'st/s h'stor'- med'a 0ust'-e m'n'str+ 's
s(onsor'n1 a med'a 2'olen-e .ast3 4n -on0un-t'on 'th Pea-e *a+%
mem#ers are en-oura1ed to pu)) the p)u+ as mu-h as (oss'#le on
2'olent (ro1ramm'n1 .rom tele2's'on% -om(uters% smart(hones% and
2'deo 1ames3
5'1n u( on l'ne at
3med'a$.ast3or1
Summer &i#tures travel moments
.%e O#tober E0(S.,E 'ould still be a great time to s%are our )avorite s%ots o) summer
&ast. Submit your )avorite (sunset, sunrise, &i#ni#, landmar$, et#! to
m3siteD#%arter.net or m##mar#iam3Dgmail.#om to %ave it s%ared ne-t issueC
.%e (=E1 rest area )or t%e #%ur#% 'ill be O#t.3rd,t%, BFt%.
Aood and 'or$ers are needed.
/all 7ani#e ,arabee 222=G0 () you
'ould li$e to 'or$ a s%i)t. (t is an
en?oyable time visiting 'it% &eo&le
)rom di))erent &la#es. /oo$ies, bars,
breads, mu))ins, doug%nuts and a&&les
are needed.
(t is a good money raiser )or t%e #%ur#%C
/%arlotte *el#%
"#AY$# C%&C$#&'
Among those who were lifted up in prayer in recent months:
"etty 7imerson Hirginia "ednars$i 1ave 0ruitt E=year=old 3ate
Hi#tims o) ebola .%ose a))e#ted by t%e violen#e in 6aIa B (srael
/aleb Nelson
.%ose a))e#ted by t%e violen#e in J$raine .%e .omlinson )amily Hida
Munson
5ev. .om 3inder Mary7ane and >elmet 3re&&er
%ur sympathy and (o)e to the fami(y and friends of
7essi#a ,am&%ere 7ames Aoley
From the diaconate and "astor Tom *inder
The interim period can be one of the most dynamic exciting times in a
congregations life. 1t is an opportunity to remember and learn from the
past to redefine the congregations sense of purpose and direction and to
set out on a new stage of its 'ourney.
(n 1nterim 9inister needs to get to know a congregation as ,uickly as
possible in order to help it focus on what is most important for its future.
To that end we are inviting you to help set our direction and let Tom get
to know us by answering some ,uestions he is posing. We hope
e)eryone ho cares a+out the future of this church i(( respond both
in writing and by attending one of the small group gatherings we will
have in various homes this fall <well let you know details about that
next month=. Here are the ,uestions Tom is asking*
). What three things do you appreciate most about this church%
/. What three things do you like least about this church%
3. What has changed or happened over your time in this congregation
that has made you disappointed angry or sad%
;. What do you feel is important to change now%
>. What three things do you dream this church will do or become%
Your name <optional=*
You may email your responses to +radford)tucc,gmai(-com
-aper responses to the ,uestions may be put in the designated box in the
vestry. (dditional paper copies of the ,uestionnaire will be available in
both the sanctuary and the vestry. 1f you can think of anyone in our
church community who might be willing to share their thoughts please
encourage them to complete a ,uestionnaire.
Thank you4