The Background of Pentecost

Pentecost was the second of the three great feasts in Hebrew society and was
originally referred to as the "Feast of Harvest" and later as the "Feast of Weeks." The
day was the culmination of a seven-week agricultural season that concluded with a
one-day festival held on the first day after the seventh Sabbath after Passover. In its
original setting (Num. 28:26), it was a sacrificial presentation of the first fruits of the
harvest. In Jesus' time, the holiday took on a more festive tone with a final communal
Bradford Congregational Church-United Church of Christ Bradford, VT

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EPISTLE
Customer Name
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BRADF ORDBRAD
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GATIONA
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CHURCH
-UNITED
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OF
As we move through this "in-between" time,
before an interim pastor (and eventually a
settled pastor) joins us, we get the rare
treat to enjoy a guest preacher each week.

We have already hosted a variety of ordained
and lay leaders, familiar faces and new ones.
All are sharing interesting perspectives and
ideas. We have a full slate of guest preachers
through the summer and we hope you all will
make an effort to come hear them and make
them welcome in our church!

June 8th is both Pentecost, and the Sunday
that the UCC's Strengthen Our Church
offering is collected. These gifts will help
plant new churches, awaken new ideas in
existing churches, and develop spiritual life
in our youth and young adults. All gifts are
directed to activities and programs within
our local Conference, as well as the UCC's
national ministries.

The diaconate is looking forward to an
exciting future in our church, and we look
forward to traveling that path with you!
-Bridget Peters

A note from your Diaconate
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Diaconate news 1
Prayers 4
ICC 5
Summer Events 6
Profile: Vida Perry Munson 7
Whos in the Pulpit 10
Lectionary 11
Note from Pam Lucas 12

JUNE, 2014



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EPISTLE JUNE 2014
meal to which the poor were invited.
Pentecost is often referred to as the forgotten holy day in the church's liturgical
calendar. Aside from preaching on the text (Acts 2:121) and singing songs
emphasizing the theme of the Holy Spirit, many churches go along with "worship as
usual." Yet, the celebration of Pentecost is rich with creative possibilities to enhance
the worship of your congregation. Consider all the aspects of the Pentecost story:
Expectant disciples are caught up in a cacophonous whirlwind of flames;
Filled with the Holy Spirit, they begin to praise God in a variety of languages;
The crowd of Jewish foreigners assembled for the Feast of Weeks hears these
Galileans speaking in their own tongues;
Some in the amazed crowd have a skeptical answer to this language riddle the
disciples must be drunk;
Peter, emboldened by the Holy Spirit, denies the charge and proclaims God's act of
salvation through Christ;
At the end of Peter's Pentecost sermon, three thousand people join the new
religious movement.
If ever there is a day for Christian churches to shout "Alleluia, Amen!" this is it.
Pentecost is, quite literally, the birthday of the Christian church. The following
resources are offered as seeds ideas to stimulate your thinking as you plan for your
church's Pentecost celebration. Use them or adapt them to your own particular
liturgical setting.



Trinity Sunday is primarily a commemoration of Western Christian liturgical churches,
commonly observed on the first Sunday after Pentecost. It is a celebration of the
doctrine of the Trinity, concerning the various interdependent aspects of God
commonly known as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is the beginning of Ordinary
Time of the Western Christian calendar.
The Trinity Doctrine
The doctrine of the Trinity, on which Trinity Sunday is based, holds God to be triune,
having the quality of three-in-oneness. In this view, God is a single being existing
always and forever as a perfect communion of three distinct persons, which are
Trinity Sunday Trinity Ordinary Time

Page 3
EPISTLE JUNE 2014

commonly called the Father (the Source of Eternal Majesty), the Son (the Eternal
Word or Logos), and the Holy Spirit.
Ordinary Time
In the context of the liturgical year the term "ordinary" does not mean "usual or
average." Ordinary here means "not seasonal." Ordinary Time is that part of the
Liturgical Year that lies outside the seasons of Lent-Easter and Advent-Christmas. In
Ordinary Time, the Church celebrates the mystery of Christ not in one specific aspect
but in all its aspects. The readings during the liturgies of Ordinary Time help to
instruct us on how to live out our Christian faith in our daily lives.














Do you have a picture from an event a
supper, a gathering, a fix-it session, a project
underway? Please give it to me to scan into
the Epistle, or of course you can email it.
Pictures are the *POP* to any newsletter
M3site@charter.net Marcia Tomlinson
PICTURES WANTED!
Submit articles to
m3site@charter.net
Put epistle in the subject line
Deadline: 25
th
of the month

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EPISTLE JUNE 2014
PRAYER CONCERNS
I have been very lax about this report these last few months! The list below
represents prayer requests from March, April & May. Thank you for your
understanding!
-Bridget Peters

Among those who were lifted up in prayer in recent months:
Mary Ann Holland Alexandria Coffin Tanner Coffin Deborah Bremer
Those living in Crimea, Ukraine, and Russia Betty Okrent Dennis Emerson
Karen Lipinczyk & Gary Respess Many unnamed dealing with health issues
Herbie Hodge Marcia Tomlinsons sister Judi & her brother-in-law Tommy
Margaret Staples sister Dotti Unkles Josie Gundys parents & brother
Janice Neubauers sister & brother-in-law Chuck Davis Lee Morin
Dan Perry's aunt Clark Stever Louise Allen Ditty Bean Kathy Munson
Chester Allen Judy & Jeff Slack Chet Allen Tito Guttierez Betty Richardson
Susan Barrett Betty Jimerson Marla (Martin) Randall & family JoAnne Pazzalia
Virginia Bednarski Peanut Gravelin

Our sympathy and love to the family and friends of:
Victims of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Robert Harris Dr. William Anderson
Joan & Dean Osgoods granddaughter Dotti Unkles stepfather
Becky Christians brother Jenna Andrews

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EPISTLE JUNE 2014







Some SUMMERTIME reminders from the
Interchurch Council

Our local food shelf continues to have
problem obtaining meat. They have been cut
in all ways from the state and federal
budgets. We would ask that each church
continue to solicit for food items or
donations each month.

Baccalaureate will be held at the Bradford
Congregational-UCC on Sunday June 8
th
at
7PM. All area churches are being asked to
help provide the cookies, bars etc. for the
reception. There will be a practice at the
church on Friday June 6
th
at 2:30 Bradford
Congregational-UCC will host the reception
downstairs in the vestry following the
service.


(photo is one UMA team in front of a lattice
porch insert they installed in 2013)


The United Methodist Army (UMA is a
national Methodist youth program) will be here again the first week of July (their 3
rd

year with us) helping with odd jobs, big and small, at homes in our area. If you know
of someone in the Bradford area who could use help with raking, painting a fence,
building a porch railing, fixing broken shutters, etc. please contact Grace Methodist
church.

The Hungry Heart movie was shown and was well attended. The local high
school/superintendent will continue to work with parents on this drug problem in our
towns.

Jordan Shaw will be the new part time minister at Grace Methodist church. He
graduated from Bangor Theological Seminary and will be living in the parsonage.
Kate Mavers is the new minister for the Newbury and Wells River churches. She will
be part time at each church.

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EPISTLE JUNE 2014


Summer programs and Events
Sizzling Chicken at Grace will be held each month

Vacation Bible Schools
July 21-24 Corinth Center Church grades 1-6.
Contact Nathan Old 603-667-0901
July 10-? Piermont Church grades 1-6.
Contact Mal Kircher 603-272-4842

May 31
st
- Potluck good bye for Mari Clark at Grace starting at 4PM

Summer lunches will again be at Bradford UCC
Bradford UCC yard sale: Friday and Saturday August 22 and 23 (see next).
The next ICC meeting will be in September.

Storme Odell- Interchurch Council rep


SEVENTH ANNUAL ALL-CHURCH YARD SALE

We are having our all-church yard sale and it will be held in the Church Vestry again
this year.

Most items will be by donation.

Friday August 22 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Saturday August 23 9:00 am to 1:00 pm

We are soliciting items to be delivered to
the church vestry (no clothing or bedding
please). Items may be brought to the
church any time after August 4. The Vestry
door will be open.

Items such as but not limited to:

Furniture Knick-Knacks China
Pewter Books Small Appliances
Silver Tools Collectibles
Kitchen Items Art/Crafts

Co-Chairs Dan Perry, Eris Eastman, Vida Perry-Munson,
Linda Gross, Sue Eastman, Maryjane Krepper

Page 7
EPISTLE JUNE 2014

Profile #8 Vida (Metcalf) Perry Munson

Vida joined our church by Confession of Faith on October 2, 1949. Previously she
was a member of the East Corinth Congregational Church.
She has served on the Nominating Committee, Church-At-Large, Ushers,
Interchurch Council, and the Diaconate. She has the most information on the years
she was on the Diaconate, so I will quote some of her thoughts and feelings of
responsibility of these times. Here is what Vida says:
I feel this is the most rewarding and challenging committee I have been on. The
first term on the Diaconate was in the late 70s and early 80s. John Knight was our
Pastor. We had two Bible Study groups one led by John and one led by his wife,
Jean.
Mr. & Mrs. Club was very active with a variety of activities each month. It was a
lot of fun, but the Diaconate realized the singles were being left out. After much
thought and discussion we organized a group called Pairs and Spares. We had 57
people sign on for small dinner parties to be held three times a year. That was
organized with John but I think it came about after Hank Campbell was here.
It is always a busy time for the Diaconate when a minister retires as John did. I
think we all hated to see him retire. One more memory of John, remember how he
made calls and ran about town on his motor scooter?
Its the Diaconates duty to fill the pulpit until an interim pastor is hired. We were
fortunate to have Pastor Phil Cookson who drove each Sunday from Barre. He came
early on Sunday and lead a Bible Study group before church. A Diaconate member or a
willing church member invited him for lunch, and he made calls in the afternoon to
members who were ill or needed a pastoral call. It was nine months when Henry
(Hank) Campbell arrived as our Settled Pastor, and Rev. Cookson was with us most
of that interim time.
As a member of the Diaconate, one gets more involved with the spiritual side of
the church, helping those in need, experiencing Jesus words, It is more blessed to
give than receive.
It was during this time that we installed the card holders on the back of the pews.
They are still being used.
It was interesting to note that the Deaconesses were the only ones who prepared
the communion, although both served. If I remember correctly, it was Larry Coffin
who said that there was no reason why the men could not participate in the
preparation, and so they did. It was appreciated as we only had three women on the
Diaconate of nine.
It was exciting to welcome Hank as our full time minister. He occupied the
parsonage as a single man and probably received more help and advice than he
wanted! In his words, after being here his first year, he had experienced for the first
time wedding, funeral, baptism, communion, confirmation, game supper, and so on.
He soon had a bride and started a family to fill the parsonage.
This year the Diaconate started taping the church service and sharing it with the
shut-ins. The Diaconate continued the usual services plus assisting in Sunday worship
services, held a retreat at Atkinson and it was the year the Covenant Players were
here.

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EPISTLE JUNE 2014
My second term on the Diaconate was almost 20 years later. Of course the same
duties listed in the By-Laws and Constitution were the same duties as before.
However, times had changed and the church had different objectives. Over the years
our church attendance had declined and our Sunday School attendance was very low.
We felt a great responsibility to strive to improve this.
We read and shared several books suggested by Harvey. Some of the ideas we
tried was with Harvey inviting the Praise Band to be at the church services. We
started the Roll of Homecoming Sunday as an annual event. Im happy to say that is
still continuing. A new answering and message machine was installed in the church as
the parsonage was being renovated. I was the representative from the Diaconate to
Church Council. As instructed, I encouraged and pushed the Council to appoint a
committee to develop a long-range plan for our churchs future, which would be
made up of members from the various committees of the church. We were busy
planning to do a video/DVD to promote the church. It would include many pictures of
various events and activities of the church. Rick Foster had agreed to help with the
project. He did take pictures of some of the church functions and planned to edit the
tape which could be on the town website and other websites. We planned to do a
church or town brochure. It was developing nicely and exciting. I felt we were
accomplishing something worthwhile. We were also calling people and offering them a
ride to church.
We received a report from the Long Range Planning Committee dated 8/09/07.
Our enthusiasm soon ended. On 9/05/07 a special Diaconate meeting was called as
Harvey had announced in church that he was retiring and resigning as Pastor and
teacher of the Bradford UCC.
Shortly after we received the sad news of Rick Fosters arrest. We did hold a
Community Worship Service of healing/comfort/fellowship due to the sad news of
Rick Fosters charge!
Our hopes and dreams were put on hold. Harvey had accumulated several weeks
of vacation so he was with us for the rest of 2007. On 12/30/07. Deaconess Martina
Stever conceived and organized a farewell reception for the Bartletts. This event was
filled with fun and laughter and enjoyed by an overflowing crowd in the vestry.
Marcia Tomlinson was chairman of the Diaconate, and she was very successful in
finding interim/supply pastors to fill the pulpit during Harveys vacation time. It
turned out to be most fortunate that David Pruitt was one of these ministers. He was
interested in filling the position even though he knew there were some tough issues to
solve. We felt he was the right pastor to guide, heal, and unify our congregation. I
dont think he knew and we certainly didnt know he would be our interim pastor for
nearly three years. He became like a settled pastor and we were so grateful. He
covered all of the usual duties of a settled pastor plus being innovative in trying new
things like signing people up to ride a school bus to Hanover for a hockey game. It was
time consuming to organize this, but we hoped it might bring in some of our young
people. His wife, Annalisa, also was involved and made a very attractive stained glass
container filled with sand and candles to light for Joys & Concerns. I really liked it
and thought it conveyed the message of joy or sorrow! It was a bit large to move to
the vestry for winter services. My term ended in May 2010.

Page 9
EPISTLE JUNE 2014

The most challenging job I was asked to do was being a Sunday School teacher for
Grade II when P.V. George was our minister. I had a wonderful group but it was
challenging.
My most disappointing event was when Rev. Bartlett felt it necessary to resign. He
was a wonderful, inspiring minister for the Perry family for fourteen years. He was
involved in weddings for my children, grandkids, and then ME. Harvey was
compassionate and comforting during sickness and deaths. He was calm and helpful
during FAST Squad calls, even obliged when he wasnt on the FAST Squad. It was also
difficult because I was a member of the Diaconate and the Pastoral Committee, and it
seemed like I should be able to persuade him to stay, but I couldnt! I was smart
enough to move right next door to the Bartletts! I think he also showed Jimmy how to
cook bear with CHEAP WINE!
Vida also was active in the Womens Fellowship, serving on the Parsonage
Committee and later the Steering Committee. She worked on many of their fund-
raising events, i.e. Rummage Sales, Chicken Pie Suppers, Bazaars, etc. She was active
in our Service Club (a group of mothers who got together once a month for a Pot Luck
Supper and to work on things for the Sunday School). The Service Club put on a
Christmas Party for the S. S. children with gifts and Santa Claus! We made and
painted crche figures for all the kids. I bet most of them are still being used!
Vida was also a regular at the Friendship Club suppers and programs. This was an
ecumenical group of men and women from Bradford and surrounding towns who
joined in fellowship in our vestry once a month for a prepared meal and program.
Then, of course, she was a charter member of the Mr. & Mrs. Club, a group of
married couples from our church who joined together once a month for a social time.
We usually met in individual homes. However, the group got too large for most homes
so we met in the vestry.
Last, but not least, theres the Game Supper. I will quote from Vida on this: Im
not a lover of game meat so it was a joy to work and co-chair a few years on the
vegetable detail for Game Supper with Nancy Perry, then Jim, and now I can still de-
eye potatoes for Paul and Amy.
I love this church and this church family. Whenever you are in sorrow, they are
with you. We are the Friendly Church With the Lighted Window.



Eris, Historian


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EPISTLE JUNE 2014





















Icons

Have you heard about the orthodox
Christian tradition of icons? I'm sure you
have seen them. Icons have been used
since the earliest days of the Christian
faith. They are painted images, sometimes
with silver or gold. And they are images of
religious figures, of biblical stories. Icons
are mostly of Jesus and of course his
mother, Mary.

Christians who use these do not worship
the wood itself or the paint or the gold.
Instead they pray with their eyes wide
open so they can take in the mysteries of God revealed in the icon. Icons are called
"windows into heaven" and "windows into the divine." The hope is that praying with
icons might provide just a glimpse of the throne of heaven, just the tiniest sound bite
of the choirs of angels.

Praying with images might seem uncomfortable, different or weird. But go ahead and
open your eyes. See what beauty God is revealing herself in.
Pulpit Supply: this is the
list of this summers
worship leaders.

Included are those
services already past in
case you would like to
contact them with your
reflections on what they
said. Pulpit Supply
speakers really
appreciate feedback on
content they have
labored over!


MAY
4 Jay Sprout
11 Marcia Tomlinson
18 Hal Drury
25 Cass Poulos

JUNE
1 Heidi Hoskin
8 David Pruitt
15 Cass Poulos
22 Margaret Flad
29 Margaret Flad
JULY
6 Heidi Hoskin
13 David Pruitt
20 Margaret Flad
27 Margaret Flad

AUGUST
3 Mel Bridge
10 Elisa Lucozzi or lay leader
17 Elisa Lucozzi or lay leader
24 Marcia Tomlinson

Page 11
EPISTLE JUNE 2014


LECTIONARY June - July 2014

June 1
Acts 1:614
Psalm 68:110,
3235
1 Peter 4:1214;
5:611
John 17:111



June 8
Acts 2:121
or Numbers 11:2430
Psalm 104:2434, 35b
1 Corinthians 12:3b13
or Acts 2:121
John 20:1923
or John 7:3739

June 15
Genesis 1:12:4a
Psalm 8
2 Corinthians 13:1113
Matthew 28:1620

June 22
Genesis 21:821 and
Psalm 86:110 1617
or Jeremiah 20:713 and
Psalm 69:710, (1115), 1618
Romans 6:1b11
Matthew 10:2439

June 29
Genesis 22:114 and
Psalm 13
or Jeremiah 28:59 and
Psalm 89:14, 1518
Romans 6:1223
Matthew 10:4042


July 6, 2014
Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67
Psalm 45:10-17
Or Song of Solomon 2:8-13
Zechariah 9:9-12
Psalm 145:8-14 Romans 7:15-25a
Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

July 13, 2014
Genesis 25:19-34
Psalm 119:105-112 Isaiah 55:10-13
Psalm 65:(1-8), 9-13 Romans 8:1-11
Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23





July 20, 2014
Genesis 28:10-19a
Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24 Wisdom of
Solomon 12:13, 16-19
Or Isaiah 44:6-8
Psalm 86:11-17 Romans 8:12-25
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

July 27, 2014
Genesis 29:15-28
Psalm 105:1-11, 45b
Or Psalm 128 1 Kings 3:5-12
Psalm 119:129-136 Romans 8:26-39
Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

Greetings Members & Friends,
There is a season for every matter under heaven. And right now
it appears that it is a season for resignations and retirements in
the Vermont Conference. Over the years a congregation
remains rooted in a physical place. A congregation evolves and
changes over time - shaped by the membership, the surrounding
community, and what is emerging socially and economically in
the larger culture. But pastors come and go in that same time -
some for shorter times and some for longer - but their time of
ministry has a beginning and an end.

This moment in time between pastors is a gift! It is an opportunity to - as we teach
our children at an intersection - Stop - Look - Listen. It is very common for a
congregation to fall into routines. To assume that so and so will do this and so and so
knows where everything goes. Well loved traditions are reenacted on an annual basis
without ever asking "why do we do this and why do we do it this way?" Sometimes we
only notice how deeply entrenched we are in the ways we have always done
something when a person moves away or cannot participate any more. No one else
has a clue to how to make something come together.

This time in between pastors offers the opportunity to STOP. To ask foundational
questions. Who are we? Why are we here? Who do we belong to? What makes us
distinct and unique from all other groups of people?

We are invited to LOOK. To look at one another as though for the first time. How
have we changed over the years? What needs have been growing but left untended?
How has the neighborhood around us been changing. What shape is our building in?
Does it serve our needs and the needs of those around us?

But most of all we are invited to LISTEN. To listen for the still speaking God who
continues to call us forward into God's future - to listen for what this still speaking
God is calling us to do and be in this particular time and place in history - to listen for
what captures the hearts and minds of your congregation with such clarity that it
feels like the Holy Spirit has blown open the possibilities!

Of course we know that church is not on the top of most people's lists of priorities -
even among some of our members. In many ways that has always been so. The
Hebrews were called out of Egypt to become a new people - God's people - to remain
distinct from the nations around them. They spent a stint in exile in Babylon.
Sometimes they were faithful at maintaining their faithful attention to the things of
God and one another - and sometimes they were not. The Christian Church was born
into a time of Roman oppression. As the Gospel spread it was taken into many places
were it was a alien concept.

Again we are in a time when what we proclaim is an alien concept - a way of life

Page 13
EPISTLE JUNE 2014

directly opposed to the ways the world operates. As I have been reading the First
Letter of Peter this month I have heard the call to those Christian exiles spread
abroad. Peter seems to be saying that exile is a good time to be working on our
homework! Practice the basics of loving one another 'deeply from the heart'. 'Be
holy' - live a life consistent with Jesus' life. Be shaped by God - not by the world.
And then be ready to go out to love and serve in God's world. Don't lose the ability to
love others through lack of practice. Stay on top of your game for just that moment
when God calls you to speak a word of justice.

There are lots of intersections on our lives - as individuals and as communities of
faith. Too often we plow through them without noticing that we could have taken a
moment to ponder the choices it offered. To ponder the direction God wants us to
take. And perhaps that would make all the difference in our world.


Pam
Rev. Pam Lucas
Associate Conference Minister for
Search and Call and Small Church Ministry


Covenant Hills Christian Camp News - May Newsletter. Click
here to read.
(http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs159/1104039006695/archive/1
117252184240.html)

Covenant Hills Needs Books - we are in need of some books for
our camp library! Please help fill our shelves! And mail the books to
camp: 246 Covenant Hills Road, Cabot, VT 05647! See our Amazon
wish list. (http://www.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/1O5NR3POJG7I0/)