The newsletter of the Congregational Church of Bristol, Maine.
The newsletter of the Congregational Church of Bristol, Maine Fall 2024
Dear CCOB Family and Friends:
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Praise God that autumn, in all its brilliant glory, has arrived here in New England once again. The days are warm, the nights are cool, the air is crisp, the last of the vegetables are harvested, the taste of cider is on lips, and yes, it’s time for another football season!
Autumn 2024 also means that we Americans will go to the polls on November 5 to choose a new President and other candidates for public office. This sacred right will only be preserved if we fill out the ballot box with our choices for those who will serve the nation as our elected representatives. As you probably know by now, this is my annual pastoral pre-election appeal to GET OUT AND VOTE! Remember, democracy is not a spectator sport. “All hands on deck…” (Where have we heard that before?)
I’m looking forward to meeting with prospective new church members on Sunday, September 15, after worship in the library. Three sessions will be given to prepare people for the important decision of joining CCOB. With membership comes certain rights and responsibilities. We will discuss these and other issues on Sunday mornings in September. Those who choose to become new members will first meet with the Board of Deacons for a “celebration of ministry”, and then be given the option of receiving what we call the “right hand of fellowship” either in October or on Thanksgiving Sunday, November 24. We always rejoice in welcoming new members!
Please remember that CCOB has an active PRAYER CHAIN and a RIDESHARE LIST. We are blessed to have many volunteers who believe in the power of prayer. Do you, or someone you know, need prayer? Asking for prayer is as simple as calling or emailing myself (563-6610, jpdowse@gmail.com) or Dayle Strachan (653-1585). One of us will get the prayer chain started. Prayer changes lives!
We also have a number of kind people ready, willing, and able to drive folks to church or somewhere local. If you need a need, please call the church office (563-6843). The Ride Share List is posted outside the church office and on several bulletin boards throughout the building. Many thanks to our willing drivers!
By the grace of God and the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit, Christ’s ministry through His church here in “beautiful downtown” Bristol continues to impact lives, near and far. The apostle Paul prayed for the church in Ephesus, “that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe…” (Ephesians 1: 18+19)
May we, the members and friends of the Congregational Church of Bristol, Maine rejoice in our common endeavor to “proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” ( I Corinthians 11:26) Together in Christ, Jim Rev. James P. Dowse Women’s Circle Good morning, Ladies! (and those men who choose to read this, too…) Women’s Circle has been busy having fun this summer! We gathered at Holly Heidenreich’s home for a picnic and social time. It was a beautiful day in a gorgeous setting and was enjoyed by all! I must say that Chef Ted Cooks a mean burger! We also gathered to make some pies for the Annual Church Fair and had a great time getting to know one another over a baking project. Plus, we made 31 pies for the fair! Hopefully, we will do this again next year! Please join us on September 12th at 10 AM for our next Women’s Circle meeting to plan upcoming gathers. —Sandy Holmes
“God And Government” Following the Wisdom of the Bible As Election Day, November 5 approaches, the 2024 Presidential contest is on everyone’s mind. Many pundits of various political persuasions have been predicting that this could be the most consequential election since 1860, when Abraham Lincoln defeated three foes and the South began to secede from the Union. What kind of a relationship ought the Church have with the government? When a group of religious leaders asked Jesus if citizens should pay taxes to Caesar, Christ looked at two sides of a Roman coin and said: “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” What does that mean for us two thousand years later? Martin R. DeHaan II muses, “ Whether we live within the social order of a democracy, republic, monarchy, military dictatorship, or communistic system, how do we balance our duties as citizens with our accountability to Christ?” Beginning October 2, the Thursday Group Bible Study will tackle this “hot potato” topic for five sessions. We will read and discuss the pamphlet “God and Government: Following the Wisdom of the Bible,” published by Our Daily Bread Ministries, anondenominational nonprofit organization that distributes more than 60 million resources in 150 countries to encourage people to draw closer to God and grow in their faith. Please bear in mind that this Bible Study is nonpartisan! The pamphlets will be available in the back of the sanctuary in late September. Plan now to attend. Everyone is welcome! The Bible Study begins at 1:00 and meets in the Library.
(If your birthday isn’t listed, please contact the church office with your information: 207-563-6843.)
Greetings from the Ellingtons Excerpts from their newsletter from August 28, 2024
Dear Friends, In our twenty or so years of mission service, we’ve seen that, sooner or later, the problems of a particular place where we serve can affect us. The issues were different in Egypt and Zambia, but at times we were impacted. Lebanon faces instability and disruption caused by groups and nations who fail to work together and make peace. Wars move people around. We’re currently facing that reality, even as we faced it last October. Tomorrow, as planned, we ar flying to Beirut after having spent seven weeks this summer in the USA. We realize there is a slight level of risk in going back. But our seminary is having its faculty retreat next week, which was cancelled last October due to war, and it seems right for me (Dustin) to be present. Sherri and I should also be able to renew our residence permits, which are due. However, because of war and instability, and concerns about safety for Americans, the U.S. State Department has designated Lebanon as “Level 4—Do Not Travel.” This places it among countries the U.S. government says Americans should see as off limits at the present time. We have discerned that we should not be living full-time in Lebanon right now, so have decided to leave temporarily and establish ourselves for a while in Amman, Jordan. It’s 150 miles away as the crow flies, but Jordan is a stable and safe country. We can keep doing almost all of the work we normally do in Lebanon. We’ve taken inspiration from passages of Scripture saying that God’s sheep hear the Shepherd’s voice, and that God will instruct us and teach us in the way we should go. We trust this is the case. We pray it will be true in our life also. We would very much appreciate your prayers . . . 1. For our ongoing sensitivity to God’s voice and direction, and for wisdom for the seminary’s leadership team. 2. For God’s protection on us and our family members until we all meet again, and for God’s preace and rest in our minds, hearts, and bodies. 3. For the Middle east region, that all parties would take real steps toward peace, toward understanding “The other,” and toward not resorting to violence to get their way. Thank you so much, all of you, for your prayers. We are also thankful to be wrapping up some meaningful ventures, including Sherri completing a preaching course she’s been taking this summer and Dustin finishing teaching a course on I Corinthians to students from Morocco, Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon. May God’s grace and peace be upon you all! We appreciate your prayers, care, and support. In Christ, Dustin (and Sherri) ellingtondustin@gmail.com (Dustin) so.ellington@gmail.com (Sherri) September 2024 4th-AA, 6:30 PM, FH 5th-Deacons, 2:30 PM, Library 11th-AA, 6:30 PM, FH 12th-Women’s Circle, 10 AM, FH Trustees, 4:30 PM, Library 17th-Daisy Scouts, 5:30 PM, Community Room 18th-AA, 6:30 PM, FH 20th-Men’s Breakfast, 8 AM, FH 22nd-OBHS Program, 7 PM, FH 25th-AA, 6:30 PM, FH October 2024 1st-Daisy Scouts, 5:30 PM, Community Room 2nd-AA, 6:30 PM, FH 3rd-Deacons, 2:30, Library 5th-Private Party, 12-4, FH 9th-AA, 6:30 PM, FH 10th-Women’s Circle, 10 AM, FH Trustees, 4:30 PM, Library 15th-Daisy Scouts, 5:30 PM, Community Room 16th-AA, 6:30 PM, FH 18th-Men’s Breakfast, 8 AM, FH Bake Sale Set-Up, 3 PM, FH or outside 19th-Bake Sale, 9 AM, Parking Lot OR FH 29th-Daisy Scouts, 5:30 PM, Community Room Church Cancellation Policy
In the event that an emergency situation results in having to cancel worship, the following procedure is put into place: the Pastor and Chair of the Deacons decide to cancel worship. Trisha Demers, Music Director, and John Couch, Sexton/Custodian, are then notified. The Pastor sends out a “Blast” email to the church and the Deacons call everyone on their telephone tree. In case of inclement weather on Sunday mornings, stay turned for all the details. Thank you!
