Ken Baily
Universities and some corporations get the idea of a sabbatical from scripture, mostly Deuteronomy, as well as Genesis, where God rests on the seventh day of creation. Most UCC churches provide a sabbatical for their staff: some every five years and some every seven. These range from one to six months, depending on the parish …
Read moreSabbath, sabbatical, restoration: Events in January and August
For decades NHCC has enjoyed a pageant sometime during Advent, traditionally in the afternoon. Our Star Pageant has been a mixture of scripture, stories, poetry, and carols, where the children lead and the assembly sings along. And then we share cookies in the Parlor! For the past two years (2023 and 2024) we’ve moved the …
Read moreChildren lead our Christmas Story, from generation to generation: In 2020 it was on video
Good and bad, I define these terms,Quite clear, no doubt, somehow;Ah, but I was so much older thenI’m younger than that now. Bob Dylan Dear Friends in Christ, The Byrds may have made this lyric more famous than Dylan, and all six stanzas are worth attention, but it’s that final line that can/should call out …
If you notice our bulletin board, you’ll see a group of current “thank you” letters from our mission partners. These are thanks to you and your support of the parish. We set our outgoing gifts based on our pledges, so thanks for those pledges, too. Just now we have thanks from a hospital in Haiti …
Dear Friends in Christ, Annual Meeting, D-Day, Village Day, Circle of Blessings… well, it’s June and there is still a lot going on. If you were there for Annual Meeting you know, first, that our Moderator Sally Brickell organized it very well. Thanks to many others also, especially Rich Bryden who ran our visuals, and …
Dear Friends in Christ, You’ve heard this from me before (and it bears intermittent repetition). It’s an old church joke. How do you cause God to laugh? Make plans. But, what’s the difference between vision and plans? Or between prophecy and promise? What is the work of justice if not setting “the head of the …
Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity… Second Step, Alcoholics Anonymous Dear Friends in Christ, On Easter morning this year a disciple-sized group met for sunrise at Crystal Lake. (That means twelve people.) A party-sized assembly (about 80?) gobbled up about 800 eggs in under three minutes on …
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth… and I heard a loud voice from the throne say, “Behold, the dwelling of God is with humankind… (I) will wipe away every tear, and death shall be no more… Behold, I will make all things new.” Rev. 20:1-5 Dear Friends in Christ, There is a …
We have seen his star in the East, and we have come to worship him. Matthew 2:2 Dear Friends in Christ, Do you ever wonder about hot debates from the mid-300’s? Or what Tiffany has to do with Jesus? Please read on, even if you don’t wonder! Because the twelfth day of Christmas, January 6th, Epiphany, …
Rejoice with those who rejoice, and… Romans 12:15 Dear Friends in Christ, Let’s ponder some good news, worthy of rejoicing. We had our first infant baptism since before Covid in worship on Reformation Sunday. We have more to come! Due to gifts given graciously by folks like you (dear reader), our Council sent $2,250 to …