"What Child is This?" Windows

On Christmas Eve we lit the “What Child is This?” windows, designed and created by the hands of the children of Broad Bay. Looking at the final installation, one of the leaders said, “God made those windows—not us.” This art is dedicated to the glory of God and embodies our belief that children are a vital part of the work & the ministry of Jesus Christ.

Broad Bay’s stained glass windows have stood for over 125 years. They are fragile, and two of the most vulnerable ones were removed for protection this fall, letting in the natural light for the first time in over a century. While some might have seen the window frame as a hole with something missing, our church school teachers and the children found an opportunity to make their own stained glass using clear vinyl and Sharpie markers.

As the church continues the work of building maintenance and dreams of future renovations, we wonder, “how can this building be used to bring more light and love, joy and hope into the Waldoboro community?”  Presently we host meetings of several groups and have three concerts scheduled for 2016. We want to do more and welcome others into this beautiful and sacred space.

What would you like to see this building able to do or become? Email us, call us, leave a comment below, or stop us on the street with your ideas.

Collection for Thanksgiving Baskets

Help Broad Bay share Thanksgiving foods (non-perishable) with a hungry Waldoboro family.  Bring food on Sunday.

Other news this week

Sunday, November 22 10 am, Worship

Jazz, Thanksgiving, and Hope: Mike Whitehead, trumpet, Jason Dean, percussion, and Tom Luther, piano. We will bid a sad farewell to Joan Ebbeson who is moving away.  The Madrigal group will sing.  Rev. Nancy Duncan will preach a short homily, "new life emerging from the destruction and death."

Adult book discussion

With Dorothy Petersen: Sundays at 11:30.  The Ten Commandments by Joan Chittister.

Stewardship

Broad Bay seeks your pledges for 2015 and will dedicate them as part of the worship service.  As part of a recent letter on stewardship, Nancy Duncan wrote: 

God is not confined to the church.

In the Bible, God shows up in the fields, at the mountain, in the bull rushes, at the well, on the road to Emmaus, at the cross and at the empty tomb.

Church is where we tell the story.

Church is where we share one another’s encounters with God. Church is where we question, worship, pray, laugh and cry.

Church is the place where we stand together  at the cross

with broken hearts only to be surprised

by the mysterious hope of resurrection.

Our shared stories of God’s mercy, our ministry, and our worship transforms lives.

Your gifts of prayers, money, encouragement enable this ministry. To make a pledge for 2016, email us. 

Checks may be mailed to Broad Bay Congregational United Church of Christ, 941 Main Street, PO Box 161, Waldoboro, ME 04572

Broad Bay raises $4211 for New Hope for Women!

The Broad Bay Congregational United Church of Christ (Waldoboro) presented a check for $4219.47 to New Hope for Women which was raised at the recent Fierce and Fragile Women Concert. Pictured left to right: Rev. Nancy Duncan, Pastor of the Broad Bay Church, Claire Riser, Co-moderator of the Broad Bay Church, Susanna Norword-Burns, Advocate for New Hope for Women, Karen Lilli Pax, soprano, and Kristi Braun, Development Director for New Hope for Women.

Other news this week

Sunday Nov. 8, 2015, 10 am Worship

Church School Available.  Rev. Nancy Duncan, preaching.  Scripture Reading:  1 Kings 18: 20-39. In this contest between false prophets of Baal, and the true prophets of God, Elijah the prophet is vindicated for a time.  Who are the false prophets of our day?  What does it look like to choose to follow the authentic prophets of God?  Sermon Preview: it's complicated.  There are false prophets who purport to be Christian.  There are true prophets who purport not to be Christian

Harvest Fair  

Saturday, November 14, 9-2 pm: Set up is on Friday afternoon.  Contact Ray and Cathy Anderson to help.

Día de Muertos

Thanks to Claire Riser, Carroll Smith and everyone who created the Day of the Dead Celebration. Worship is the work of the people and it took each of us to create a service where our joy and love and tears were brought to the living God. Read Nancy's reflections and see some photos at revnancyduncan.wordpress.com.

Stewardship Moments -- Finding God in Unexpected Places

Yesterday, I offered a blessing and took the stack of stewardship letters with pledge cards to the Post Office. I am so grateful for the love, creativity, courage and wisdom of the people of God who are gathered in this church. The Trustees invite everyone, whether you simply read this email, or have a key to the building to share in the support of this ministry by making a financial pledge for 2016. The ministries of the Broad Bay Church are transforming lives--not just the lives of the people who gather on Sunday morning but also those we don't even know--the people we encounter at work and in the community, the children who wait for the bus outside the church, those who stood in front of the memorial we placed after the shooting in Emanuel  AME Church.  Our money, our time, our prayers, and God's grace keep the ministry of the Broad Bay Church vibrant and relevant.   Please make a pledge or send a check.  You may also make a pledge, simply by emailing our treasurer, Evelyn Clowes.

Adult Education with Joan Chittister and Dorothy Petersen starts Sunday Nov. 15 at 11:30

Joan Chittister, in her book, The Ten Commandments considers the Commandments as Laws of the Heart.  She challenges the reader to expand our understanding of these commandments in deep heartfelt ways. Come and join the conversation. FMI contact Dorothy.

Concert Tonight

Fierce and Fragile Women: Songs of Many Heroines

Friday, Oct 23:  7 pm  Karen Pax, soloist and Mark Howard, pianist

The piano is tuned. The sanctuary is vacuumed.  A display for New Hope for Women has been set up.  All we are waiting for is for you and your friends to come to the Broad Bay Church tonight at 7 pm to enjoy the music of Purcell, Puccini, Debussy Fats Waller and more.   Marilyn Andrews has a reception planned following the concert. No charge. Donations will be accepted to support New Hope for Women as they support fierce and fragile women and their families in our midst.

Other news this week

Sunday, October 25 10 am worship

Fierce and Fragile Women Continued: Stories of Biblical Heroines. Think Ruth, Deborah, the midwifes, Miriam, Syrophoenician woman, the woman with the hemorrhage, the woman at the well, the woman caught in adultery, Mary Magdalene, Priscilla, Mary mother of Jesus...  Jesus reached out to women who were both fierce and fragile and often they were the ones who told the story. Rev. Nancy Duncan, preaching.  April Reed-Cox, cellist.

Women Touched by Grace Reunion

From April 2012--April 2014, Reverend Nancy Duncan participated in a program called Women Touched by Grace, a pastoral excellence program offered by Our Lady of Grace Monastery in Beech Grove, Indiana.  The formal training, the collegiality and friendship between the 19 women clergy from around the country, and the influence of a Benedictine community of nuns strengthened and transformed Nancy's life and ministry.  Nancy is returning for a reunion and additional workshops on prayer.  She is presently reading Thoughts Matter by Sister Mary Margaret Funk, one of the presenters. It is challenging! She will be away from Monday Oct 26--Saturday, October 31. In case of a pastoral emergency contact Deacons, Claire Riser 832-2017 or Dorothy Petersen 563-3206. Pastor Karen Lilli Pax is available for pastoral emergencies at 319-6620.

November 1: All Saints Day/All Souls Day.

Day of the Dead--A New England Anglo Adaptation. In Mexico, families spend several days to a week creating small altars (a table top display) to remember love ones who have died.  They gather pictures and symbols of things the deceased enjoyed--favorite foods, drinks, a golf ball, knitting needles, a book. to remember loved ones..."   Favorite things can also include item (s) of clothing and work-related objects. Usually a glass of water is also placed on the altar. Flowers, candles (not lighted here), and crosses are also typical. They gather playful and serious reminders. Everyone of all ages is invited to create an altar to display during the service on Nov. 1.   Both people and pets may be remembered in this way.

During the service, Claire Riser will tell stories of specific Mexican traditions which include sugar skulls, marigolds and picnics at the graveyard. 

Carroll Smith will play good solid anglo traditional organ and funeral music.

Rev. Nancy Duncan will serve communion--a tradition that binds many of us to both ancestors and descendants.  We will remember the living and the dead with prayer and in taking time to silently view the altars our friends have created. 

Please contact Claire Riser (832-2017) to reserve a space for your altar. We hope to set up on Saturday, Oct 31.   

Finding God in Unexpected Places: Notes from Nancy

God is not confined to the church. In the Bible, God shows up in the fields, at the mountain, in the bullrushes, at the well, on the Road to Emmaus, at the Cross and at the empty tomb.  Where is God showing up in your life?

Church is where we tell the story. Church is where we hear one another's encounters with God. Church is where we share our questions and come together to worship and pray and laugh and cry.