TCC Flash - Weekly News

One year, while working in the church office, the late Eleanor Corey arrived in a huff telling me that if anyone cut down the trees in front of TCC, she would strap herself to one of the trees and forbid the tree folks from cutting it down.  I’m sure that if Eleanor could duplicate herself, she’d be attached to both trees.  Luckily, the Trustees decided to have the trees trimmed rather than removed.  We can all rejoice in that decision as we enjoy lemonade Sunday mornings through the efforts of Bob and Rita Masters.  One cannot help but see the power of prayer in that couple. Rita suffered an extreme case of Guillain-Barré Syndrome that most of us visiting Rita felt she would not overcome.  But through the miracle of Rita’s determination, Bob’s support, the help of various doctors, and of course, the power of God’s healing grace, we see the results. 

It has been a summertime tradition at TCC to enjoy lemonade outside under the trees. Rita and Bob took up that challenge this year mostly through a decision made in faith—would Rita be able to cook all those wonderful goodies she supplies every Sunday and would the weather hold out so we could enjoy this event?  Rita’s baking skills have not diminished since her illness—she’s made some wonderful treats, often highlighting the season—to celebrate July 4th, cookies made to represent slices of watermelon, the following week, a cake decorated in colorful red, white and blue sprinkles.  Fresh fruit is supplied for those who don’t want to eat baked goods. 

Natalie Thistle, our poet in residence, would be proud of the Masters as in her poem ‘A Special Place’ rejoices in ‘There’s a little brick church in the village—with a message of peace to impart—and where we leave with a song in (my) our hearts—”

Thanks to the Sunday messages of hope provided by our Rev. Chism from the pulpit, and the gift of a cool beverage on a Sunday morning, our special place remains just that!

Please join the congregation on the front lawn of the church for Summer refreshments and homemade treats, courtesy of Rita and Bob Masters!

Here it is! The event of the summer! TCC’s “Bring a Friend to the Spinners” night on August 10th! Bring a friend to the baseball game and watch our own Pastor Baxter throw out the first pitch!

Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased via the web at https://www.ticketreturn.com/prod2/youraccount.asp?&submit=Continue&Cookies=yes&HoldID=21282 (user ID: tewksburycc, password: outing) or by calling the box office at 978-459-1702 and mentioning Tewksbury Congregational Church.

If you have any questions, please contact Erin Anderson or the church office. We hope to see you and your friends at the game!

Please note that the church office will be open Tuesday-Thursday, July 16th-July 18th, 2019, from 11:00 am-4:00 pm.  This revised schedule is for one more week.  The church will resume its Summer Hours schedule the week of July 22nd-26th, 2019.

The church office will be closed on Mondays and Fridays and will be open Tuesday-Thursday, 9:00 am-2:00 pm during the months of June, July and August.

The office will resume its normal schedule of Monday-Friday, 9:00 am-2:00 pm right after Labor Day weekend, and will be open on Friday, September 6th, 2019.

Have a wonderful Summer!

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The beauty of New England summers is that we have an opportunity to kick back, put our toes in the cool Atlantic waters, grill our world famous rib eye steaks, and camp with our families in deep, cool, woods. (Along with bugs, Poison Ivy and sweltering heat.)

The trouble is that we often only do that during the summer. We cram the rest we should have been taking throughout the year into three months. It’s a uniquely American habit. Unlike most European countries American workers get only two weeks of vacation per year and a bump to three or four after many years of service. That’s because we live in a materialistic, consumer-driven society. “I owe, I owe, so off to work we go,” as the riff on the Disney tune from Snow White goes.

The Jewish and Christian faiths have a radically different approach to time and work. Moses commanded the people of Israel to "remember" the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8-11) as he reminded them of their distinctiveness as the people of God. It is rooted in the Creation story where God created the earth and the cosmos in six days and then rested admiring the wondrous universe. Can we as finite creatures who get tired, wear out and need downtime do anything less than the Sovereign of the Universe?

Dorothy C. Bass in her book Receiving the Day: Christian Practices for Opening the Gift of Time) writes, “To act as if the world cannot get along without our work for one day in seven is a startling display of pride that denies the sufficiency of our generous Maker.”

Spiritual theologian Eugene Peterson (author of the biblical translation The Message) reminds us that the morning is not when a day begins, but in the evening. "And there was evening and there was morning-the first day” (Gen. 1). While we are lost in our slumbers God is restoring tired bodies, knitting together broken bones, and tending to the cosmos. Before we wake God has already been busy working through the night through the agency of the laws of nature.

Deuteronomy (5:12-15) fleshes out the commandment to “observe” the Sabbath by insisting that no one, not even animals, shall work without respite. This practice was to remind the Israelites that they once were slaves to Pharaoh who forced them to labor seven days a week without rest. 

So how might we do this?

Taking a nap on a Sunday afternoon (or at other times) is a wonderful way to respect your body’s need.

Taking care of yourself by drinking enough water, taking a vitamin, or brushing your teeth are good practices even as you help others.

Getting out into nature either by taking a walk with the dog or a friend, bicycling, or gardening can be good Sabbath activities.

Having lunch with a close friend can be restorative.

Keep a spiritual memoir or devotional guide by your bed to read before you retire.

Write in a journal regularly about your thoughts, life activities, wonderings, and emotions. Gather them up in a prayer you write at the end.

What are some of your own ideas?

As Dorothy Bass reminds us, "Sabbath keeping is not about taking a day off but about being recalled to our knowledge of and gratitude for God's activity in creating the world, giving liberty to captives, and overcoming the powers of death."

The first step in keeping a Sabbath is to put it into your calendar.

Blessings!