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A
Word from the Pastor
This Little Light of Mine,
I’m gonna’ let it shine.
Arise,
shine; for your light has come,
And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
--Isaiah
60:1
Most
of the time, we can pick out persons who are related to each other in a group.
Persons who are related, can look alike, sound similar, or have the same
mannerisms. Ever hear the saying: “I don’t want to be like my mother”?
Well, most of us, if we are honest with ourselves, end up very close to our
parents. In our relationship with God, that is not a bad thing. In-fact the
prophet Isaiah encourages us to reflect the glory of the Lord-arise
and shine for your light has come. Can people pick us out as children of the
light; are we reflecting the light of God? The light of life has shone into our
lives (John 1:4).
The
New Year begins with Epiphany, observed
on
January 6th. In the
Christian worship calendar, Epiphany celebrates the coming of God into the world
as the coming of ‘a brilliant
light’. That light, the gift of God, has the power to transform the people of
God, so that we reflect God. The prophet Isaiah echoes that sentiment and
invites us to reflect the light of God as we arise & shine. That favorite spiritual, “This Little light of Mine”
captures that sentiment and prayer, in a powerful way (UMH 585).
In the year 2004, God is counting on us to reflect and bring God’s
glory to the world around us.
I
wish you and yours a blessed new year.
Pastor Dorothy
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Prayer
Circle
Fridays
from 1:30-2:30 pm
Resumes
January 9th, 2004
Please
come – prayer is powerful & effective.
James
5:16
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Snippet
From Disciple Bible Study:
Marks
of Obedient Community –
The
faith community looks and acts differently from the world. We are motivated by
grace….we care about the welfare of children and the strength of family life.
We perceive the human body to be a temple of the Holy Spirit and resist all that
would damage it.
Disciple
Bible Studies Continue:
Tuesday mornings, 10am – Resumes January 13, 2004
Thursday
evenings, 7:30pm – Resumes January 15, 2004
All
studies are held in the conference room in the education wing of the church. We
have extra books on hand. Please come, learn, share & fellowship. Previous
bible knowledge, not necessary!
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The
Link
We
welcome your comments and suggestions for future editions of The
Link. Please email any related articles or correspondence to our
address at andreahm@comcast.net
or leave them in the container behind the church office door by the 20th
of each month. The Link is
also posted on our church website at www.marlboroumc.com.
Visit the site to check out all the latest happenings at FUMC of
Marlborough.
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Spiritual Resolutions for the New Year
“This year, I (again) resolve to be more faithful to
my devotional life.”
Sound familiar? Try the following as you work on
your spiritual goals for the New Year:
Discern
which spiritual disciplines are most meaningful to you. Many
devotionals encourage setting aside time in the morning for Bible reading,
prayer and meditation. That so many don’t keep this daily discipline
suggests it may be incompatible with our personalities and lifestyles.
Try
a new spiritual regimen. Consider journaling. Some people sketch
during prayer, others sing their way into the presence of God, while some
experience God in nature, or pray and listen for God’s voice during
their daily chores.
Develop
a realistic routine. Listen to an audio book of Christian literature
during your morning commute, or listen to Christian music during your
morning walk.
Be
consistent and persistent. Commit
to observe daily spiritual disciplines. Periodically evaluate your
progress with a trusted friend or in a small group setting.
The Rev. Safiyah Fosua
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| 14
Diana & George Murphy |
| 18
Oye & Ola Ajayi-Obe
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| 25
Su-Ann & Hock Teh
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| 4 Brandi Swett
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17
Bess Cowan |
| 5 Steve White |
23
Effie Beals
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| 10
Rick Bramwell
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23
Donna Mehaffey
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| 10
Faye Dorchester |
25
Olivia Teh
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| 11
Oye Ajayi-Obe |
26
Karen Searles |
| 11
Peter Garrison- Desany |
26
Tom Swett |
| 11
Louis Papile |
29
Jan Racca |
| 13
Noah White |
30
Owen Teh
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| 14
Ginny Murtagh
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Please Pray for
Cheryl Allen
Sophie Arodi
Effie Beals
Corrine Bradley
Edith Capestany
Jean Dorchester
Nydia Eliassen
Donna Erlandson
Bill & Evie Golan
Joshua Hyden
Alysia Kattany
The Kearney Family
Kay Little
Joyce Locklin
Marge Magruder
Matilda Mayers
Joses Montumer
Mary Morin
Steve Mulrey
Ginny Murtagh
Matthew Nolan
Marion Paton
George Prehatin
Olga Racca
Kathy Ricciuti
Barbara Schleicher
Eric Searles
Karen Searles
Sally Williams
Stu Yerbury
Jane & short-term mission team to Jamaica
What a
wonderful thing it is to be sure of one's faith!
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Note of Gratitude to My
Church Family
For your warm wishes, gifts and love throughout another year, I thank you so much. My family and I appreciate our Marlborough church family.
Love,
Pastor Dorothy |
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Boy’s
Brigade, camp grace
Dear
Lord, do not make us like porridge, which is difficult to stir and slow to
serve, but, make us more like corn flakes,
crisp, fresh and ready to serve.
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To-do
list...
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Choir
practice Every Tuesday evening at 7:00pm; we need
more voices! Please join to make a joyful
noise to the Lord!
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Prayer
Circle:
Fridays 1:30- 2:30 pm;
For healing, wholeness, our
community and the world
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Board
of Trustees meet Wednesday, January 7th at 7pm
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Homeless
Shelter Meal:
Saturday,
January 17th
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Church
Family Christmas Dinner
The
church Family Christmas dinner was held on Saturday, December 20th, 2003.
Our guests included our friends from the Homeless Shelter.
It was a wonderful evening; we had singing, good food, fellowship and
entertainment by The New England Women of Note.
We have so many people to thank for making this event possible:
We
thank Zelda Garrison- Desany for arranging the entertainment for
the evening and our thanks to Rev. Dorothy for arranging
transportation for our guests and leading the Church Family Christmas
Carol Sing Along.
Thanks
to Barbara Schleicher and Micela Desany for providing
piano accompaniment.
Thanks
to Didi, Stanley and Isabelle Capestany-Murkland,
who beautifully decorated the hall.
Our
thanks to the Driscoll Family for helping in the kitchen: Emily and
Jeffery helped peel potatoes and set up the tables; Tom was
our man Friday—he helped wherever he was needed.
The
food was prepared by: Zelda Garrison-Desany, Donna MeHaffey,
the Driscoll Family, the Bertram-Morin family, Edith
Murkland and Sharon Mayers; thanks to all of you.
The
desserts were as beautiful to behold as they were delicious; thanks to: Ann
Edelman, Evie Golan, Ann Halliday, Alyson Cox, Sharon
Mayers, Cindy Hyden, Jan Racca, Edith Murkland, Barbara
Schleicher and Donna Mehaffey.
A
big thanks to everyone who attended the dinner and to all who brought
Christmas gifts for the shelter – they were deeply appreciated.
Lastly,
thanks to Jane Rieglar for transporting our guests and to Weedon
Parris, Amanda Mayers, Pania Montumer, Zelda Desany,
Sharon Mayers, Donna Mehaffey, and Jan Racca for
cleaning up after dinner.
I
need volunteers for the Homeless meals in the New Year. You can sign up as
a family, a group or an individual. Please contact me after Church on
Sundays or call me at home at 978-562-3632.
My
thanks to Zelda for her help and encouragement – she made my job
easy.
With
God’s help, we are planning another family supper in the spring; I will
provide details later.
Joan
Parris
Homeless
Meal Coordinator
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Link
Editor:
Andrea Hammond-Mason
Logo
designed by
Tami
White
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