In This Months Issue

…….

On Fund Raising

Thanks to all coming forward to help with the Spring Craft Fair. It is almost here. I would like to have a 50/50 raffle to help boost income for the church, but I need someone willing to sell tickets. Any volunteers?

Please enjoy your summer. Remember we will need berries and fruit to make jams and jellies in October, so pick extra to share with the church. Also watch for sugar, Crisco and flour sales (our supply was used up last year).

We don’t have many joining us on Tuesdays to work on crafts and items to sell at the Bazaar. If you have an idea and need help, please join us. We would love to cut out pieces or help however we can. Think about bringing in your knitting, sewing or other project and join us for some fun and socialization. If I know a group is coming in, I might bake a cake.

Thanks, Diane

May 2013

(Some thoughts drawn from Joyce Rupp’s book, “Fresh Bread”)

As we enter the month of May, many of us are already turning over the soil in our gardens, pulling out winter’s left-over debris and sprucing things up with new mulch. We are eager to begin planting new seeds and transplants. Spring brings a new sense of new life and energy that is essential after winter months. The warmth and brilliance of the sun renew are being.

When I think of the refreshing gift of spring and our recent Easter celebration, I have to stop for a moment and ponder over how God has prepared the earth for another season of planting, growth, and harvests. During Lent my heart tossed and turned as I thought about God’s continued preparation of my heart to allow the Holy Spirit fertile ground to implant new seed. And maybe in this cultivation of body, mind and heart, there will be a renewed openness to the Word of God.

What we do with the seeds that God plants is up to us as individuals. When you think of a seed planted in the garden, dry and lifeless, it is really hard to imagine the beauty deep within. We know that unless the seed is planted, the wonder and splendor will never be realized. And yet we cannot forget Jesus’ parable of the sower in which we are given examples of a farmer scattering seed. Some fell on the path and the birds ate it up, some on rocky soil and withered up, some fell in the thorns and was smothered and some fell in fertile soil and grew well (Matthew 13).

Just as seeds need to be planted in good soil and nurtured through watering and weeding, so do the seeds planted in our hearts. We as God’s created children, have the potential for receiving the Word and with proper nurture, to grow and majestically bloom like the lilies of the field. We can become what God purposed us to be. Deep within us there are many gifts and qualities that have never been sown or cared for.

As spring is the time to plant, why not make it a time to allow those new seeds within your heart to grow? We may need to overcome fears associated with the tasks of cultivation. It is not easy to tend a garden; it takes discipline, consistent dedication and tender loving care. So does growing a Christian. May is a good time to face our fears, to be willing to recognize our potential for wholeness and love, which is attainable with proper nurture.

We have the opportunity in the life of the risen Christ to live healthy, productive and glorious lives because we are made in the image of our creator who made everything that is good. As you prepare for this new spring and summer, take some time to cultivate not only your own seeds, but also your neighbors’. Plant new thoughts of love and peace with prayer, reflection and nurture. Take time to appreciate and cultivate new friendships in the community. Remind people of their talents and gifts, so often taken for granted.

Remember the wondrous gift of Christ on the cross and bear witness of his salvation to those who have lost hope. Go forth into the world praising God’s goodness and love for all creation. Plant seeds of the kingdom, tend them and watch them grow. May God continue to bless you and care for you with tender nurturing love.

In Christ we serve,

Pastor Irv

Lectionary Readings for May 2014

May4th

1stReading – Acts 2:14a, 36-41

Psalter – Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19

2ndReading - Luke 24:13-35

Gospel Lesson – 1 Peter 1:17-23

May 11th

1stReading - Acts 2:42-47

Psalter – Psalm 23
2ndReading – 1 Peter 2:19-25

Gospel – John 10:1-10

May 18th

1stReading – Acts 7:55-60

Psalter – Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16

2ndReading – 1 Peter 2:2-10

Gospel Lesson – John 14:1-14

May 25th

1stReading – Acts 17:22-31

Psalter – Psalm 66:8-20

2ndReading – 1 Peter 3:13-22

Gospel Lesson – John 14:15-21

From the

Mothers and Daughters

An everlasting love; A mother loves her daughter right from the start, as she cradles the precious child close to her heart; two hearts bound as one by a divine plan,

Created by God’s own, very mighty hand. “Just be yourself” a Mother would say, and” I want you to be happy and find your own way.”

With a Mother’s guidance, heartfelt dreams can be achieved, when a daughter earnestly tries and faithfully believes.

A Mother and Daughter’s love grows stronger each year, through the joy, tears, laughter and hopes they share as the years unfold,

Whether together on this earth or apart, Mothers and Daughter’s love will be joined forever in our hearts.

Happy Mothers Day to all Mothers, Daughters, Aunts, Nieces and Cousins.

God’s blessings

Our Church's Wider Fellowship, a.k.a. OCWF

If you have a box of offering envelopes, you will findtwo May 18 envelopes. Thepurple edged envelopethat says SPECIAL OFFERINGis your envelope for "Our Church's Wider Fellowship." This special offering is to support the three associations to which our church belongs: the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches, the FNCCC (Connecticut Fellowship) and the Mountain Association. There are no dues per member assessed by these associations, as is the casewith some denominations. We receive many benefits from them, and they are worthy of our support. You may know, for example, that the FNCCC loaned us the funds to paint our church exterior and put on the new roof. The Cabinet will decide the division of your gifts among the three organizations. Please respond as generously as you are able. If you do not have offering envelopes and would like to contribute, you can make out your check to the church, and note OCWF on the memo line. Thank you.

The Parish Visitor is a publication of the Florence Congregational Church, issued monthly.

To submit articles for future issues, please contact the church office at 584-1325,

Tues - Thurs 9am-1pm or email the church at

Church Record

Death: Mildred Hendricks April 5, 2014 Member

Prayer Group

We always welcome a follow up for concerns expressed in worship service. Please let Pastor Irv

know if the situation has changed. We meet weekly on Thursdays at 1:00 pm.

Please remember these people in your

Prayers and consider visiting or

sending a card this month.

Marion Foster, 29 Rust Ave.

Northampton, MA01060

Ruth Harrington

237 Spring Grove, Florence, MA01062

Helen Huntington c/o Linda Manor Rm 100

349 Haydenville Rd, Leeds MA 01053

Sharon Kellstrom (Marion Foster’s daughter)

9794 Westchester Dr., OmahaNE68114-3875

Edna Murphy - Rm 214 - Hadley at Elaine,

20 N. Maple St., Hadley MA 01035

Rev. Dr. Arvel M. Steece

49 Dragon Hill Rd, Shelburne MA 01370

Lucille Temple

27 Grandview St., FlorenceMA01062

Reminder: Please notify the church office if you have a friend or family member who would like a visit from an FCC representative (Pastor Irv, Diane, etc.). Thank you

Anniversaries

05/09/1998 Erik& Heidi Matakanski

05/22/2010 Jeff & Michelle Fournier

05/24 Art AngelaWright

05/26 StephenTammy Berube

05/31 WilliamKristineBissell

Birthdays

05/01 BrynnStott-Cohen

05/05 JonathanDecker

05/07 MeganBurns

05/07 StevenAllen

05/08 LilaFindlay

05/09 KianaMatakanski

05/11 VJMoors

05/12 GeorgeGriess

05/16 DerekPerez

05/18 Wayne Peereboom

05/19 VanessaLang

05/25 TimMathewson

05/25 DustinCulver

05/26 LisaDembkowski

05/27 TheodoreRoss

05/28 CourtneyFappiano

05/30 DonaldUpham

Women of valor

In A Year of Biblical Womanhood (Thomas Nelson), Rachel Held Evans explores the concept of the Proverbs 31 woman, whose character is described as noble or virtuous. Many scholars say the most accurate translation of the Hebrew phrase eshet chayil is actually the “valorous woman.”
To many modern-day women, Proverbs 31 seems like an impossible-to-meet job description. But Evans says that shouldn’t be the case. “The woman of Proverbs 31 is not some ideal that exists out there; she is present in each one of us when we do even the smallest things with valor,” she writes. “Like any good poem, the purpose of this one is to draw attention to the often-overlooked glory of the everyday.”
To affirm the females in her life, Evans started calling them “women of valor.” What an honoring way to bless someone’s day!

Bible Quiz

Complete the following Bible verse: “A gentle answer turns away _____, but

a harsh word stirs up _____.”
A. an argument; obedience
B. wrath; anger
C. jealousy; resentment
D. falsehood; truth