The Christian Education team hopes that your list for the new year includes attending church regularly, committing to mission activities, and deepening prayer time. On Sunday mornings in January, children and youth will be helping others by feeding the hungry and collecting donations for our Helpful Heifer Honeybees Drive. We will also be preparing for …
Read moreCE: Working together gives children a sense of shared purpose
Man’s capacity for justice makes democracy possible; but man’s inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary. Reinhold Niebuhr Dear Friends in Christ, Forgive the non-inclusive language. This was written in 1944. By a good guy, ahead of his time in Christian ethics, but not quite language. And you’ve heard this quote from me before, and of course …
Worshipers rang bells and sang “On This Day, Earth Shall Ring” for the final Sunday service of 2024 at Newton Highlands Congregational Church. The December 29 service included an invitation for congregants to wear pajamas, which several did. The Reverend Ken Baily spoke about questions he is sometimes asked by people who do not identify …
Members of the Building & Grounds Committee hosted fellowship time on December 22, 2024, at Newton Highlands Congregational Church. Children decorated Christmas tree ornaments. The altar was decorated with coloful poinsettias purchased by Melissa Dietrich and arranged by Kessely Hong. Several poinsettias were purchased to celebrate loved ones.
Newton Highlands Congregational Church held two services on December 24, 2024–one at 4:30 p.m. and one at 7:30 p.m. The shorter afternoon service was geared to children and families. At the evening service guest musicians Susanna Boberg (clarinet), Katie Chuang (cello), and Chloe Wang (violin), accompanied by organist Yevgenia Semeina, played Christmas preludes. The evening …
Read moreChristmas Eve services features readings, special music
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
DISH, a satellite TV provider, brought a crane on Friday, December 17, 2024, to install equipment in the Newton Highlands Congregational Church tower. Assistant Moderator Rich Bryden negotiated a lease with DISH over the past year. Altogether, NHCC has received more than $1.7 million from cell phone companies. About 56 percent of this income has …
Newton Highlands Congregational Church children and youth depicted the Christmas story during worship on Sunday, December 8, 2024. The pageant script was updated by the Reverend Ken Baily. Director of Christian Education Wendy Donnell managed casting and costumes, and members of the Christian Education Committee assisted in various ways.
Newton Highlands Congregational Church members and friends gathered at the sparkling Advent Market on Sunday, December 15, 2024, to purchase Christmas gifts, including handmade tags, handknitted scarves, crocheted afghans, and baked goods; assemble health kits for distribution by Church World Service; donate diapers and mittens; and buy animal shares from Heifer International. Proceeds from sales …
Pianist Enoch Hsiang, cellist Katie Chuang, and guest organist/pianist Christy Liao brought special music to the third Sunday in Advent at Newton Highlands Congregational Church on December 15, 2024. The Hill-Wallace family lighted the Advent candles, Director of Christian Education Wendy Donnell provided a message for children, and the Reverend Ken Baily spoke about the …