Category Archives: Uncategorized

Sunday May 6, 2018

  Scripture: Philippians 1:1-18a

Sermon: “It Matters To Me”

For download: May 6 2018

We also had reception of New Members: Denis Backus, Patrick Cummings, Rebecca Eladala , and Mark Pitton. Patrick was also Baptized. 

And Communion! You can listen to the Communion Service.

For Download: communion may 6 2018

Here you can see our table all set to go. The shallow bowl on a stem we will use to Baptise Patrick. The rainbow documents in the center are the cetificates for the New Members: Denis Backus, Patrick Cummings, Rebecca Eladala, Mark Pitton. We also have communion all set to be served. Before worship everything looks nice and neat and orderly.

 

The choir sang the song “Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ“. It is a Jamaican song and the bread for communion was spiced like a Jamaican breakfast “Bun” and had raisins. It was also gluten free, because that is how we roll…

Sunday March 4, 2018

Scripture was John 18: 1-27
Sermon title: Confession and Testimony

The prayer:

Sometimes Lord, we are like Moses – unsure what words to use. Give us hope that you will supply our words, even as you did for Moses. We do not know what to say when friends surprise us us with a certain side of a political issue or when colleagues express ideas we thought were discredited and dead. Help us to find words when people tell jokes that are or should be offensive. Silence isn’t good and speaking doesn’t seem to do any good. We need you wisdom.

Lord, we need your wisdom too when others find a way to suggest they can NOT agree with us on a political issue, idea or joke. Remind us that sometimes we are wrong. Do not let our hearts be hardened- holding onto something well passed the point that is good – or even understandable to have. Prepare us to be wrong. Again. We need your wisdom.

And God, we want to know what to say to comfort the grieving, encourage the diagnosed, or lesson the pain of tragedy. We care more than standard platitudes express. We need your wisdom.

Send our love and what words we have to those who grieve, struggle with healing, or a diagnoses.

We also want the right words when we come to you in prayer. Whether it is the heights of praise for creation, the depths of our guilt and sorrow, or the wideness of our need – we find our words lacking. We want to say more than our skill allows. Our hearts are full. Our heads are filled with words and our hearts are bursting with sighs to deep for human expression. Maybe you could ignore our heads and listen to our heart’s eloquence. We need your wisdom and to trust it.

Lord, hear our prayers.

Amen

December Pastor Pen

Pastor’s Pen

So, it is that holiday season that runs from before Thanksgiving, through Advent and the 12 days of Christmas, and includes New Year’s Eve. About a tenth of the year is during this time!
And it is time a time of Ho Ho Ho, fa la la la la, and making merry for many people. But not all people. Or not for all of it. It can be a tough time of the year for many people.
There are a lot of reasons for this: holiday stress (family, finances, time), grief that someone is dead, (there is like a 1 in 12 chance that a loss or tragedy actually happened during this season so there is an anniversary of loss during this time), job loss seems to happen a lot, short days, and the cultural expectation of everyone being a Bob Cratchit and not a Scrooge just seems to highlight when we get the blues. The colored lights of the season might even make these blues a deeper shade.
So, if you find that you can not deal with all the merriment, don’t.
●        Do not fake happiness; it takes energy to put on the holiday face. Be honest that you have a case of the blues. You are allowed. Save the energy for living your life.
●        Do not hide from all the merriment. Maybe avoid some (especially when it seems forced like New Year’s Eve), but do interact with people who will let you be honest. Sunday Worship should be that. Helping at the Church Supper can too.
●        Balance that interaction with taking time for yourself. Balance your eating and exercise. If you drink, remember chemically it is a depressant. If you need a drink, don’t. If you have one, enjoy it.
●        Do not let yourself stew in your own thoughts. Talk with me, a counselor, or someone you know who will listen without judgement. It can help to simply tell someone that you miss a tradition, your kids, the way things use to be, or a person.
●        Be mindful of your management of time and finances. Don’t let our culture (family, neighbors, ‘them’) push you past what you decided to do. It won’t make you happy.
●        And yes, pray. Be contemplative. You do not need words. Watching the night sky thinking about God’s creation. Use your creativity being mindful of God. I will not say this will cure all things. But it helps and puts you in the hands that will hold you with love. Relax and enjoy it.
NOW, if you are like Buddy the elf, please remember that others are not. Don’t roll your eyes because someone does not act like they had extra sugar in their hot chocolate. Don’t try to jolly them into a round of Ho Ho Ho or poo poo their mood. Scrooge lost his love. It hurt and he was changed from that loss. Bob Cratchit had love in his life. Scrooge’s nephew, Fred, was able to love his uncle who was a scrooge. When Ebenezer was transformed, it was to these two that he turned. They had let him mutter bah humbug, and never let go of their relationship or hope for transformation. Steadfast loving kindness. You can allow others their scrooge mood while waiting for their Ebenezer to reappear. Actually, that is kinda Christian.
That is how I see Jesus acting and who I know God to be. And I feel the need to say this: Love everyone.
Especially love yourself, no matter the mood.  Let the Spirit transform us into someone even more loveable. ‘Tis the season.
Mark

November Pastor’s Pen

Pastor’s Pen

I took two years off from pastoral leadership before arriving here in Sharon. It allowed several good things to happen. After a respectful time, I attended church again at Bethany. I cannot tell you why or what was different, but I found it inwardly satisfying to be in worship. It stabilized my whole day. Sometimes a couple of days.

One of the things I discovered was how much I like giving an offering. The plate never goes to a minister leading worship. Giving money in worship is a very different thing than giving money to the church. It could truly be called an act of worship. It transformed the money giving thing from something that could be done with Rotary, medical research, or shopping from catalogue. The money wasn’t sent, it was given and blessed and dedicated to God. After nearly 30 years of envelopes given in the office or sent at the end of the year, my money again became an offering. Same money, but completely different.

And I liked it.

Years before during a pledge/stewardship effort at my church, Amy and I decided to significantly increase our pledge. I am not sure now that we even had a reason for doing it. But I gotta tell ya’, it was really cool. I would get a smile on my face just thinking about it. I still do. I stretched my neck/wallet out there and trusted it would be okay. It was okay. It gave me a real thrill to be that courageous and faithful.

And I liked it.

So, try something new with this year’s pledge. Find some way of reminding yourself that your pledge is an act of worship or an expression of faith. Figure out what might help you remember that this money is not dues paid to a club or a donation to a charitable organization. Remember that this is not giving so you get something in return. This is some glorious expression of thanks, honor, or tribute to who God is in your life. This is something awesome!

I will pray that find that awesomeness. But work with me here. Try anythingnew that makes sense to you. Sure, a real jump in your giving could do that. Writing a few word prayer (thanks for-, sorry about-, help with- ) or just a message to God on the check or envelope might be cool. Giving an offering before you pay any bills is a classic reminder. If you need to give outside of worship time, try just touching the offering plate and saying, “thanks” to God. But SOMETHING to make sure that this is a part of your spiritual life.

Next year at this time let me know what you did and what it was like. I will be praying that you say,

“I like it!”

Yours,

Mark

New Minister!

Let us introduce you to our new minister and his wife.

Duane and Amy Brown

 

Rev. Dr. Duane Brown

 

 

Amy Brown

In their own words:

Duane and Amy met at Bates College in a class on contemporary religious thought.  Amy’s a Vermont Yankee and Duane’s a Connecticut Yankee.  Somehow they’ve managed to make that unlikely alliance work – maybe because they both come from small towns and have in common a passion for reading.  They recently celebrated their 42nd wedding anniversary.

Duane grew up in North Canaan, Connecticut, a little town that hasn’t changed much over the years.  During his late teens, he got a part-time job cleaning buildings at the Silver Lake Conference Center, a United Church of Christ camp in Sharon, Connecticut – an experience that profoundly influenced his spiritual journey.  He became a member of the permanent summer staff there and over the next three years formed relationships that deepened and broadened his awareness of Christ’s presence and love.  Unfortunately, both his parents died while he was in his early twenties, and he has no siblings, but he still enjoys going back and visiting from time to time.  He was baptized, married and ordained in his home church, so it holds a special place in the hearts of both Duane and Amy.

Amy grew up in Vermont.  Starting in Saxtons River, and then Montpelier, where her father was a high school math teacher, her family moved to Poultney and then to Proctor, where he became a high school principal.   Shortly before his death he was appointed assistant headmaster to St. Johnsbury Academy.  Amy’s mother, Eleanor Belding, still lives in St. Johnsbury, where she was an elementary school teacher in North Danville for many years and very active in the Vermont Conference UCC.  Her aunt, uncle and cousin are long-time residents of Barre.  Amy has two younger brothers, one who lives in Lebanon, New Hampshire, and one in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York.

When Amy graduated from Proctor High School and went off to college, she always assumed she’d return to Vermont; she couldn’t really imagine any other place feeling like home to her.  But things happen – love happens – and she married Duane.  He’d attended Bates with plans to become a math teacher.  But God – and a remarkable Old Testament professor – intervened.

They started their married life in the Boston area, where Duane attended seminary, and then he was called to a small church in western Massachusetts, where their first two children were born. From there they’ve followed God’s call to southern New Jersey, central Pennsylvania, Maine, and Massachusetts.

Amy had dreams of becoming a professional writer from the age of nine.  In high school, she edited both the school newspaper and literary magazine and won several state writing contests.  She held onto this dream despite life’s ups and downs and began to have moderate success publishing some short stories in the 1980s.  She discovered her writing passion – historical fiction – in the mid 1990’s and is the author of Mr. Emerson’s Wife, which came out in 2005.  She’s currently finishing a revision of a new novel set in Massachusetts during King Philip’s War

Amy received her MFA from Vermont College in 2000 and has held a number of part time and temporary jobs over the years, including a delightful three-year stint as a tour guide at Orchard House, home of Louisa May Alcott.  For the last six years, she’s been teaching writing to college freshmen in Massachusetts.  Perhaps it’s in the blood – she comes from a long line of educators – but she enjoys the challenges of teaching more than she expected.  When she’s not writing, teaching, reading, or spending time with her family, Amy enjoys photography, amateur painting and quilting.

Duane and Amy share their living space (and hearts) with a mixed breed dog, Angel, who seems to be under the illusion that she chose them rather than the other way around.  They’re the proud parents of four grown children – all redheads.  Daryl, the oldest, lives and works in the Boston area.  Nathan, next in line, lives in Los Angeles and works for Warner Brothers.  He married his wife, Lisa, (also a redhead), in January of 2010 at an outdoor wedding at which Duane was honored to officiate.  Their only daughter, Samara, works in New York City at a genetics research lab.  A couple of years ago she became a dog owner – and she’s now companioned by an energetic cairn terrier.  Their youngest, Matthew, is a high school history teacher in central Massachusetts.  Though he was last born, he was first to be married – to Melissa – in October, 2009.  The service was held in the Congregational Church of Grafton, with Duane proudly officiating.

And now Duane and Amy look forward to continuing their joint adventure in Vermont.

From his present Church’s website:

Rev. Dr. Duane R. Brown

Born and raised in northwestern Connecticut, Duane received his B.A. from Bates College and his M.Div. from Andover Newton Theological School. He later returned to ANTS and received his D.Min. in Psychology and Counseling. He began his ministry in Western Massachusetts in 1972, and has served churches in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maine before returning to Massachusetts.

Duane is an avid reader and an equally avid sports fan who enjoys keeping a close eye on the adventures of the Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics. He brings a passionate intensity to his efforts to deepen and strengthen the spiritual vitality of individuals and church organizations, and a gentle, self-deprecating good humor to his relationships. He and his wife, Amy, are the proud, empty-nest parents of four children.

Reactions from the Search Committee:

Pam Brackett:  I find Rev. Brown to have a very calming presence and his focus on God  is unwavering.

Tony Perkins: I admire Rev. Brown’s humor, Godliness, and his comment to not lose the true meaning of Church!

Paula Howes: I like his sense of humor and his teaching, spiritual manner.

Pat Densmore: His is very personable and brings God with him!

Mary Ayer: Rev. Brown made me very comfortable and I find him  to be down to earth.

Francene  Ellis: I like his interaction with children.

Come hear our Pastoral Candidate!

Come hear our Pastoral Candidate, Rev. Dr. Duane Brown preach on June 19th at 9:30 a.m.  There will be a continental breakfast starting at 8:00 a.m. and a light pot luck lunch after the service so Dr. Brown will be able to meet members of the congregation.

Warning

Notice
To all members and friends of Sharon Congregational Church, UCC
Sharon, Vermont:
You are hereby warned
That on June 19, 2011 at 9:30 a.m. our worship service will be led by the candidate out Search Committee has selected for our settled pastor.
Following the worship service, there will be a meeting to discuss and vote on said candidate.
Joe S. Willis
Moderator