September 2016 The Messenger 1

The Messenger September 2016

To uplift, inspire, inform, and motivate the congregation to participate in the ministry of the church and grow in their faith.

Carter Memorial United Methodist Church

Our mission is to seek, share, and serve God.

The Pumpkins are Coming!

This fall, Carter will once again be having a Pumpkin Patch in the church yard. The Patch is a core part of our Missions activities. The pumpkins are purchased from a farm in New Mexico that provides employment and financial support for the Navajo people. 100% of the remaining proceeds go to support our missions programs and charitable organizations. Last year, over 80 people from the congregation and local community helped with the Patch. We ask for your help this year in two ways: Helping to unload pumpkins from the trucks. Helping to greet visitors and sell pumpkins. This year our two pumpkin deliveries are scheduled for: First Delivery: Sunday, October 2 after worship Second Delivery: Sunday, October 16 after worship Please save the dates on your calendars.

Happy Birthday to US!

The 2016-17 programming year is a very exciting time in the life of

this congregation: IT’S OUR 150TH BIRTHDAY! That’s right, this congregation was formed on April 26, 1867! Milestones such as that are worthy of a year-long celebration, don’t you think? Millie Beane has already kicked off the celebrations by featuring a hymn each month that holds importance in the Methodist faith, and will continue to do so for the next 8 months. The write-ups in the bulletin that accompany the monthly hymns drive home how integral music has always been to worship in the Methodist tradition. Keep your eyes open for displays of historical artifacts and pictures in and around the narthex. There will also be “fun facts” and trivia questions featured during the opening slides prior to the service each week. How well do you know your Methodist/Carter history? Save the date: on November 12, 2016, the world-renowned Borromeo String Quartet (www.borromeoquartet.org) will be playing a FREE concert at Needham Town Hall, underwritten by this congregation in celebration of its 150-year history in Needham. You know the Borromeo String Quartet because our own Mai Motobuchi, violist extraordinaire and wife of Aaron Rosenthal, is one-quarter of the members. The rest of the world knows Borromeo because of its first-class musicianship: "I don’t think my ears are accustomed to the detailed musicianship that the Borromeos brought to the table. This performance could well fall under the discipline of eschatology — the metaphorical "end of ordinary reality and reunion with the Divine” “(San Diego Reader). Reservations for tickets will be

opened at the end of September on the church website, www.carterumc.org. Four hundred tickets will be available. We will need volunteers to help on the evening of November 12; there will need to be ushers and ticket people prior to the concert. More details will be forthcoming

The anniversary celebration culminates on April 30, 2017, with a very special service and celebration. Watch future Messengers and the weekly bulletins for more information!

September 2016 The Messenger 2

Pastor’s Letter

Dear Pilgrims, On Sunday I shared the story of the scallop shell. The shell is the traditional emblem of Saint James and is popular with pilgrims on the Way of St James, also known as

the El Camino. James was the son of Zebedee and Salome and often called "the Greater" to distinguish him from the Apostle James "the Less", who was probably shorter of stature. He was the older brother of John, the Zebedee, his father, was a fisherman of the Sea of Galilee, who probably lived in or near present Galilee. Salome, his mother, was one of the pious women who afterwards followed Christ and "ministered unto him of their substance." His brother ,John, was personally known to the high-priest.

The Synoptic Gospels state that James and John were with their father by the seashore when Jesus called them to follow, James was one of only three apostles whom Jesus selected to bear witness to his Transfiguration, and it was James and John who asked Jesus to grant them seats on his right and left in his glory. Jesus rebuked them, and the other ten apostles were annoyed with them.

The Acts of the Apostles records that Herod Agrippa had James executed by beheading. He is the only apostle whose martyrdom is recorded in the New Testament. He is, thus, traditionally believed to be the first of the twelve apostles martyred for his faith.

Legend has grown around St. James, and while it is without doubt that he was executed in Jerusalem, other accounts continued to grow. In the 12th century Bishop Diego Gelmírez provided a summary of the legend of St. James as it was believed at Compostela. Two propositions are central to it: first, that St. James preached the gospel in Iberia (Spain) as well as in the Holy Land; second, that after his martyrdom at the hands of Herod Agrippa, his disciples carried his body by sea to Iberia, where they landed at Padrón on the coast of Galicia, and took it inland for burial at Santiago de Compostela.

The translation of his relics from Judea to Galicia in the northwest of Iberia was effected, in legend, by a series of miraculous happenings: following his death, his body was taken up by angels, and sailed in a rudderless, unattended boat to Iria Flavia in Iberia,

where a massive rock closed around his relics, which were later removed to Compostela.

Another tradition has that on 2 January AD 40, Mary, the mother of Jesus appeared to James on the bank of the Ebro River at Caesaraugusta, while he was preaching the Gospel in Iberia. She appeared upon a pillar, and following that apparition, James returned to Judea, where he was then executed.

While executed, the life of the sea and as a fisherman followed James. To that end, medieval Christians making the pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint James in Spain often wore a scallop shell symbol on their hat or clothes. Pilgrims also carried a scallop shells and would present themselves at churches, castles, and abbeys etc., where one could expect to be given as much sustenance as could be picked up with one scoop; most likely oats, barley, and perhaps beer or wine, allowing even the poorest household to provide hospitality without being overburdened.

The scallop shell has also been traditionally used in baptism as a way to scoop water out of the font. There are several paintings of John baptizing Jesus with a scallop shell and many early Christian burial sites and catacombs also included scallop shells in their remains. There is little to say why this is, but there are some that have conjectured that since baptism often took place in rivers and bodies of water, a shell was most commonly used to pout water on the head.

What I get out of the symbolism is our understanding of enough; enough bread, enough, barley; enough wine…our daily bread, enough for today and a promise of tomorrow. From the perspective of baptism, it is not “enough water” but that God’s love and grace is enough, “sufficient” as Paul would say to cover even our deepest wounds.

I hope that over the summer you have had opportunities to experience enough of God’s grace and presence that you found ways to immerses yourself in God’s unfailing love for you. I also hope that we move into this new school and church school year, that we may find ourselves faithful to following Jesus and teaching our children that although there are many options in the world, and many wants, enough, is always enough.

See you in church! Gary

September 2016 The Messenger 3

What you felt? What you feared? We’ll take a look back at September 11, 2001 to remember together our own pain and how in the midst of that we could look forward.

The Chancel Choir will sing When Sudden

Terror Tears Apart the World we Thought was Ours; Rev. Shaw will bring the morning message.

September 18 Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost “Islam for Christians: 101” Luke 10: 25-27

Since September 11 there has been a tremendous

backlash against the Muslim community, born out in particular as we move toward a presidential election. We seem to know, or assume to know a great deal about “radical Islam” which in fact is a small minority, but what do we know about Islam in general. We’ll look at the five pillars of Islam and our relationship with the sons and daughter of Abraham.

The Chancel Choir will sing God, and God

Alone; Rev. Shaw will bring the morning message.

September 25 Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost “Courage to Be” Exodus 16:14-20 (NIV)

The title of this sermon is taken from a book by 20th century theologian Paul Tillich. Tillich is one of the giants of 20th century theology and this book is probably the work most accessible to people. In the book he addresses the world’s cultural anxiety in the face of meaninglessness and death. In the face of this, we find God who is beyond our notions of God; God is not a being among other beings but is the ground of being, Being itself. How do we keep moving forward in the midst of terror, tragedy, loss and uncertainty?

The Chancel Choir will sing We are Called;

Rev. Shaw will bring the morning message.

September Worship

As we kick off the school year and the church program year we will also be confronting the 15th anniversary of 9/11. This date brings back many vivid memories for each of us and has found equal footing with December 7th, the invasion of Pearl Harbor. How we address this anniversary as people of faith is critical to our understanding of God and who we are as community and as the body of Christ. Even in the midst of destruction, devastation, personal and national loss there is a “holy presence” that calls us to be “the city on the hill” to the world, and not to take on the hate filled rhetoric of the few. Join us for this four part sermon series ending on October 2nd as we look back fifteen years and forward to whom we are and who God wants us to be as people of faith.

September 4th Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost Jeremiah 18:1-11; Psalm 139: 1-6, 13-18

Philemon 1-21; Luke 14:25-33

Spoken to a Greco-Roman world thoroughly divided by understandings of social status, today’s New Testament texts present an amazing vision of the family of Christ. Kinship and a system of patronage determined possibility in the ancient world. In Luke, Jesus presents two radical principles that energize his new family. First, this family is not determined by bloodline—it is founded in Jesus Christ. Second, being whole-heartedly, and single-mindedly, committed to Christ’s vision is what fleshes out this new family. In Philemon, we read a case study of this vision as it is put into practice. Choosing his words with utmost care, Paul argues lovingly for a new relationship between two men, owner and slave, by referring to the slave as “my own heart” and “beloved brother”.

PS 96 will provide the morning music and Rev

Shaw will deliver the message.

September 11 Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost “The Day the World Changed; 15 Years Later”

Deuteronomy 30: 19-30, John 15:12-13 Do you remember where you were 15 years ago?

September 2016 The Messenger 4

Congratulations!

Carrie DesRoches and Eric Harvey

married at Carter Memorial UMC on August 20

Our Deepest Sympathy

Ray Vincent August 29

Father of Bonnie, Peter, Ray and Suzanne

Paul Gardner

August 31 of the Christian Science Church

Music for September

As we all remember, September 11th is the fifteenth anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy. Soon after the tragedy in 2001, Carl P. Daw, Jr., a contemporary hymn author in Boston, wrote a poignant text that Brad Printz set to music for choirs: When Sudden Terror Tears Apart the World we Thought was Ours. The Chancel Choir will sing this memorable anthem, which encourages us not to let anger and distrust consume us, but to welcome God's love into our lives, no matter what happens. The anthem concludes with the prayer: "Help us to know your steadfast love, your presence near as breath; rekindle in our hearts the hope of life." God, and God Alone, by Joel Raney, is the Choir's anthem for September 18th; this anthem is a bold statement that we worship one God, and we sing praise to God, and God alone. The text is based on Psalm 100: "Make a joyful noise to the Lord and sing to God a joyful new song." The centerpiece of the anthem is a reflection on Beethoven's Hymn to Joy. This anthem of praise concludes with the Choir singing: We are God's own people, one with Jesus Christ, transformed by God's redeeming power, through love and sacrifice. For mercy, grace and truth, for love so freely shown, we lift our hearts in joyful praise, praise to God, and God alone. On September 25th, the Choir will sing a choral setting of We are Called, which is also hymn #2172 in The Faith We Sing. This energetic piece by David Haas references Micah 6:8, which issues this familiar call:

Come! Live in the light! Shine with the joy and the love of the Lord! We are called to be light for the kingdom, To live in the freedom of the city of God. We are called to act with justice; We are called to love tenderly. We are called to serve one another, To walk humbly with God.

The Joyful Ringers will play Day by Day, arranged by Anna Laura Page, on September 25th. This gentle piece contains the melody of the hymn that begins: "Day by day and with each passing moment, strength I find to meet my trials here." This piece uses the full five octaves of handbells plus just eleven melody chimes to play the beautiful melody.

Millie Beane, Director of Music

Anna Howard Shaw Circle

The Anna Howard Shaw Circle will be holding their September meeting on Monday, September 12th at 7:15. Place TBD. Please join us for our planning meeting for the com-ing year. If you cannot attend, but have ideas for meetings/activities, please contact Pam Hastings. If you are not on the AHS e-mail list and wish to be, let Pam know.

September 2016 The Messenger 5

Chancel Choir Welcomes New Members!

The Chancel Choir will begin the new choir

season on Thursday, September 8th, with rehearsal from 7:45 to 9:30 pm. The fall is a great time to welcome new members to the Choir, and we invite you to participate as we begin a new choir year. The Choir rehearses every Thursday evening from September through June with a break after Christmas. The Choir sings in worship every Sunday morning from September through June.

Prior to the first rehearsal, we will enjoy a time

of fellowship with refreshments in the narthex beginning at 7:00 pm. We invite you to come and greet fellow choir members, welcome new singers, and enjoy a time of re-connecting with our church family.

People often tell me that they know they will not

be able to attend every rehearsal and consequently are reluctant to make a commitment to the Choir. From the very first rehearsal, we will be reviewing music for the next six weeks at least, so when a singer has to miss a rehearsal, he/she will know what the anthems will be for the coming weeks. Singers are always welcome to take their music home for additional review, as long as you bring the music back with you the next time! There are over forty singers in the Choir, and every new singer will have lots of musical support from the other singers.

The Choir is first and foremost a musical

ensemble, but the Choir is also a wonderful group of dedicated Christians who choose to share their faith through music. There is lots of laughter in our rehearsals as well as lots of music along with discussions about the music we sing and why we are singing these particular anthems.

If you love music, enjoy singing, and would like

to share your faith through music, come and join the Choir on September 8th, at 7:00 pm. You'll be glad you did!

Millie Beane, Director of Music

Joyful Ringers Looking For Two New Members!

Our wonderful handbell choir is called the Joyful Ringers. As we prepare to begin a new season of bell ringing, we need two people who read music to play the bells and chimes with this group.

The Joyful Ringers meet on Sundays after

worship, beginning at 11:30 am and rehearsing in the sanctuary until 12:30 pm. We now have five full octaves of Schulmerich handbells and five octaves of Schulmerich melody chimes, and we need two more people to complete the group. You just need to know how to read music; prior bell ringing experience is not necessary.

The Joyful Ringers play the bells and chimes in

worship once each month. In addition, for the past three years, the group has participated in the Spring Ring, which takes place at Tewksbury High School; this year the date is April 1st, 2017. We play three or four selections with the other 200 bell ringers who participate, and we play one solo piece by ourselves.

The first rehearsal for the Joyful Ringers will

be on Sunday, September 18th, at 11:30 am in the sanctuary. If you are interested in ringing bells, please contact Millie at: milearl@verizon.net or 781-449-1340.

Fall Senior Luncheon

The next Senior Member lunch will be September 23rd.

Ashley Murphy, our Faith Formation Director will lead us in worship in the Chapel at 11:30am. Lunch will be served at 12:15pm

September 2016 The Messenger 6

Update from the Campaign for Carter

We are about two thirds the way through the

Campaign for Carter. Our fundraising has been excellent and everyone’s commitment to their pledges has been outstanding; thank you and thank you. We appreciate your faithfulness and pray that you will continue to your generosity for the remainder of the campaign.

There are still things that need to be completed and addressed, mostly related to handicapping conditions and miscellaneous costs that have been mandated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

For example, we need to make the sanctuary and the Fellowship Hall hearing accessible through a Williams Sound system or other vehicle. In doing this, we will also be looking to update the sound system at the church for better sound and production recording control. ($50-75K)

To use the stage in the Hall we need to have a ramp built for handicapped access. It might not sound like much, but this small addition could also generate more income from the Hall for performances and theater groups. (10K)

In the kitchen we need to drop some counters and sinks to make them handicapped accessible. (5K)

Lastly all of the single bathrooms in the classrooms as well as the 2nd floor bathrooms need to be updated to meet the ADA requirements or be closed down. (200K)

All of these things need to be completed by 2018 which is the end of the Campaign; however, the Trustees have been working with Maple Hill Architects to estimate costs which will help us prioritize needs.

The Carter Memorial 150th anniversary will be celebrated all this fall and culminating in April of 2017. At that time, we will have all of the donors who have participated in the Campaign for Carter entered into the Memorial Book which is on display in the Highland Ave. entrance. This book has the donors and gifts of previous renovations dating some seventy-five years.

If you haven’t given to the Campaign, or if you may be one of those families who are able to give more, we would be grateful. The last gifts for the Campaign for Carter to be entered into the Memorial Book can be received on January 15, 2017. Please

Update on Christ Church Adoption Over the summer the Transition Team has been busy looking at various financial and operating are-as. The team has arranged for an audit of all of the

Christ Church financials The Carter Trustees have toured the building

and parsonage A rental price has been attained as well as po-

tential tax implication for renting the parsonage Rev. Shaw has met with the Director or the

Christ Church Nursery School (and will be at-tending nursery school Board of Directors meetings) and Cindy Wright the Administrative Assistant at Christ Church

Financial reports have been updated and will continue to be examined for best case invest-ment and use

We are currently reviewing the rental policy and rates of Christ Church and will notify all renters of potential changes in structure in the fall

Gary and Ashley have met with some of the church folk and will be reaching out to others as fall begins inviting them to worship and con-tinued pastoral care

About five people have worshiped at the Carter facility and we are hopeful that others will come during the fall

Dave Embree has been named treasurer of the Christ Church accounts until the end of Decem-ber and through the current audit

The steering committee at Christ Church (Church Council) has been asked to nominate people to the Church Council, Finance, Trustees and SPRC, and to nominate 4-5 five people who would represent Christ Church on the Mission/Vision Team. Carter Memorial is also seeking people who are interested in representing Carter on the Mission/Vision Team. If you have an interest in doing this please contact Gary or any of the lay leaders (Nancy Frantz, Steve Earheart, Samantha Clark) Transition Team: Christ Church: David Embree, Tom Taylor and Leanne Cowley Carter Memorial: Dick Petrie, David Murphy, Mi-cheal McCollister, and Micheal Crackower

September 2016 The Messenger 7

Library Question 1:

Why is there green and blue tape on the church library

books?

The blue tape indicates a children’s or youth book or DVD, a green tape represents a young adult and adult book or DVD. Red tape are reference books that don’t leave the library.

Library Question 2: Is this helpful in any other way?

Yes! It helps you find church library materials on your shelves, under beds, inside toy boxes, and in kitchen drawers.

It also helped your church librarian find a missing

book at the dump’s swap shop. Laurie Perkins recently went through overdue

book cards and found one that had been new and never returned.

Then she visited the swap shop book cart at the

dump and there was a green tape on a book that no other book had. When she looked closely there was the missing book for which she was looking. It had been taken out in 2015.

Please check your home for blue and green tape

items. They may be things we’ve been missing for years.

Library Question 3: Where is the

church library?

Since the renovations at Carter, the church library has shrunk in size. This does not mean it’s any less in great reading material and new Christian DVD’s for children and adults.

The church library is across the hall from the

parlor and next door to the serving kitchen. Come browse the shelves or visit the volunteer office for some featured items.

The Chapel also has meditative material available

for use.

Library Question 4: How can I find out what is in the church library?

This past year, several volunteers have been electronically cataloging the church library through several programs so you can access the collection through The Library Thing website.

To do this, click on this website: www.librarything.com/catalog/library.carterumc Or come visit your church library and spend an

enjoyable time browsing the shelves.

Library Media Available

DVD The Last Sin Eater DVD My Search for Messiah

221.6 The Bible From Scratch: The Old Testament

for Beginners by Donald Griggs

230 Christianity for Dummies by Richard Wagner

230 Living God’s Story by Bryan Wilkerson

230.9 The Challenge of Old Testament Women by

Sara Buswell

232.9 Simply Jesus by NT Wright

234 Healing Prayer by Reginald Cherry

248 Embowered by Praise by Michael Youssef

248.3 Responding to God: A guide to Daily Prayer

248.4 Living the Cross Centered Life by C.J.

Mahaney

248.4 Shiny Gods by Mike Slaughter

252 Unfinished Business: Sermons by Ziegler

Award Preachers

261.8 Why Not Women? By Loren Cunningham

266 Jungle Pilot by Russell Hitt

296.3 America’s Real War by Rabbi Daniel Lapin

808.87 Between Heaven and Mirth by James Martin

September 2016 The Messenger 8

Faith Formation @Carter

DCE Dabbles Welcome back! In many ways, it seems like the sum-mer has flown by; in many others, it is so wonderful to be together again as a Carter family. The newly formed Faith Formation Teams have been hard at work in recent weeks planning a full calendar of programming for all ages and stages. I hope that you will take time to participate in some of these enriching experiences, especially those that are outside your usual comfort zones. As United Methodists, we believe that our faith is not a one-time gift, but an ongoing journey on which we are constantly moving. It is our hope that these classes, small groups, and events will be a place where you can find traveling companions, ask for direc-tions, and even rest. Our fall programming for all ages begins on Sunday, September 11. That morning at 9:00am we welcome Belinda Forbes, a UM missionary in Nicaragua. She will be leading a discussion of her life and work in the Parlor, and all are welcome to attend. For those with children, the nursery will be available beginning at 9:00am and will welcome children of all ages during the discussion. Belinda will be with us throughout the morning and our fellowship picnic for further discus-sion. I hope you have all had a wonderful summer of rest and renewal and I am excited to journey with you in this new year. Blessings, Ashley M Murphy, DCE

Fall Program Guide Curious about the opportunities for learning and spiritual growth at Carter? Our Fall Program Guide contains descriptions of all of the programming cur-rently planned. From Sunday School to movie nights, spiritual growth groups to book clubs, there is something for everyone. Pick up a copy in the narthex beginning September 11. In search of something not yet offered? Contact Ashley Murphy, DCE, or Beth Henrich, chair of the Adult Faith Formation Team.

Fourth Sunday Faith Focus Sunday, September 25

We come to church, read Scripture, pray, and even attend the occasional study; but figuring out how our faith fits in to and affects our everyday lives can be challenging. Fourth Sunday Faith Focus is a chance to discuss real-world issues and current events in light of our faith. Dovetailing on im-portant themes from both worship services and the world around us, these moderated discussions give folks from many ages, stages, and walks of life a chance to come together and evaluate important questions. On the fourth Sunday of each month we will gather in the parlor following worship. All are invited, in-cluding youth! Childcare will be provided in the nursery for those who wish to attend without their little ones. Our fall topics for Fourth Sunday Faith Focus are:

Sunday, Sept. 25 – Understanding Islam Sunday, Oct 23 – Religion and Politics Sunday, Nov 27 – Hunger & Homelessness

September 2016 The Messenger 9

Faith in Action Book of the Month Each month, the Faith Formation Team will sug-gest a Faith in Action Book of the Month. These titles coincide with the Fourth Sunday Faith Focus themes and are a wonderful way to push your per-sonal faith development on your own time. This month’s Faith in Action title is Infidel: My Life, the autobiography of Ayaan Hirsi Ali. A copy of the book is available for check-out in the church library. If you are interested in joining an in-the-works book discussion group around these monthly Faith in Action pieces, please contact Ashley Murphy at dce@carterumc.org.

Wednesday Morning Book Group Wednesday, September 28

The Wednesday morning book group invites you to join them! This diverse group meets the last Wednesday of each month to discuss a book. Titles range from a book of the Bible to NY Times top sellers – the sky is the limit! The group is always looking for new voices and fresh ideas.

The September book is American Gospel by Jon Meacham. A copy of the book is available for check-out in the church library.

Senior Small Group Senior Small Group is a wonderful venue for our older members to connect, share stories, explore Scripture, and learn about important, relevant life topics. Open to anyone who considers him/herself a “senior,” we are always happy to welcome new faces. Find support, share ideas, and ask hard ques-tions while building meaningful relationships with your peers. This month we will gather on Septem-ber 13 and 27. Senior Small Group meets the second and fourth Tuesday of each month in the Chapel. PLEASE NOTE: this is a change in days from previous years. All are warmly wel-come.

September 20, Special Election Every vote is important, be it local or national and votes do count! So, as a student of Minuteman Re-gional High School I would like to encourage you to vote on the special election on Tuesday, September 20 from noon- 8PM on the district wide referendum on bonding the new Minuteman High School. Minuteman offers alternatives to the traditional high school experience, and over 70% of graduating stu-dents from Minuteman also pursue secondary college education or additional training in their vocation. Polling will take place at the following areas:

Needham-“The Center at the Heights” (Senior Center) 300 Hillside Ave.

Dover-Dover Town Hall, 5 Springdale Ave. You can see the ballot for this election at www.minuteman.org. Thank you, Steven Shaw Minuteman Class of 2017 Gary and Melanie Shaw

Sunday, September 11 Come and meet Belinda Forbes a New England Mis-sionary who is stationed in Nicaragua as a dentist with Acción Médica Cristiana and Christian based NGO that provides medical, dental and environmen-tal help and education throughout Nicaragua. Carter Memorial has been supporting Belinda and Acción Médica Cristiana for five years now. Belinda will be leading the Adult class at 9 AM, and then giving the children’s message in worship. She will also be present at the church picnic. You are encouraged to join her on Sunday, she is a gentle, loving, funny and Christ filled person of faith; you will learn something and deepen your heart to those in need. http://www.umcmission.org/Explore-Our-Work/Missionaries-in-Service/Missionary-Profiles/Belinda-Forbes

September 2016 The Messenger 10

WELCOME BACK

The 2016-2017 Church Year Begins Sunday, September 11, 2016

The classrooms are ready, the supplies are laid out, and we are all excited to welcome you to a brand new year of Children’s Ministry at Carter. Registra-tion packets have been mailed to all returning fami-lies. Please take time to fill out a registration form for each of your children and bring it with you to church on the 11th. Additional copies are available in the narthex at our new registration table!

September Sunday School Our Jewish Heritage

It is a new year, and with it comes a new theme for our Sunday School program. As we journey toward our celebration of Carter’s 150th anniversary in April, we are focusing on the theme of legacy. Who are we, where did we come from, and where are we going? We will ask these and many other tough questions as we journey from our earliest Jewish an-cestors through the rise of Christianity, the develop-ment of Methodism, and on in to our own future im-pact on the world. We kick off the year with an exploration of our Jew-ish heritage. This month’s workshops include learn-ing to write in Hebrew, creating our own Torah scrolls, and baking and sharing challah bread in a celebratory feast. Please note: Learning is hard work, and isn’t al-ways neat and tidy. Children should come to Sunday School dressed to get messy. All children in grades 3-5 should bring their Bible with them each Sunday.

Family Immersion Day Friday, September 23

New this year, we will be offering monthly Family Immersion Days. These events are a chance for fami-lies (and others who may be interested) to dive deep-er into the monthly Sunday School curriculum and to share in a learning experience together. These hands-on, application-based experiences are designed to introduce new ideas and give families avenues to thinking and talking about their faith together. On September 23, we have been invited to wrap up our study on Jewish heritage by sharing a Shabbat service with our neighbors at Temple Beth Shalom. This is a great opportunity to witness what worship is like in another faith as well as to participate in a tradition that would have been very central to Jesus’ own faith life. Shabbat is a sundown service that marks the beginning of the Sabbath day. If you are able to join us, please let Ashley know. While an RSVP isn’t necessary, it would be nice to give a heads up to the rabbi.

Family Faith Reads Book of the Month

Each month, the Faith Formation Team will suggest a Family Faith Reads Book of the Month. These ti-tles are designed to be easy to read (or read aloud) and give families a chance to talk about faith issues in their own living rooms. This month’s Family Faith Reads title is Yahweh Calls by Judith Dunlap. A copy of the book is availa-ble for check-out in the church library.

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6

September 2016 The Messenger 12

Carter Memorial United Methodist Church 800 Highland Avenue Needham, MA 02494

Church Office 781-444-2460 office@carterumc.org

9:00 Christian Education 10:15 worship

Rev. Gary Shaw, Senior Pastor pastor@carterumc.org Laurie Perkins, Editor 781-444-0155

www.carterumc.org

Return Service Requested

Renewal Sunday Cookout

The Fellowship Committee invites you to a Renewal Sunday Cookout on Sunday September 11th! We will have classic cookout fare, lawn games and of course fellowship following the service. We hope you enjoyed your summer and look forward to seeing everyone again

in the fall. The main meal will be on the grill; hamburgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers/dogs and grilled chicken.

Feel free to bring a favorite side, salad, case of drinks or dessert! With respect to common

allergens, we ask that anything you bring does NOT contain nuts. You are welcome to bring a dish that you/your family members with allergies can eat! We

hope to see you there!