First Congregational Church
of Ashfield
Creating Community, Welcoming All
Food Pantry Garden Potluck Canceled
Sadly, we’ve decided to cancel the potluck scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 24, at the Food Pantry Garden on Bug Hill Rd. The forecast is for a wet and cool weekend, plus all the rain this past week has raised concern about accessibility to the garden. We thank everyone who RSVP’d, and also for all the support for this ongoing project. We thank Sam and Charlotte Perkins for their continued dedication to this important project, creating a productive garden whose produce has been joyfully received by our Food Pantry clients. (Please note that volunteers are still welcome during the upcoming weeks.) Rev. David says, “We look for other ways to celebrate the project and connect congregants to this important, ongoing community ministry.” 
Sign up to help at Fall Festival! Sign up sheets will be available starting this Sunday, Sept. 3! We’re looking for about 100 people to fill all the slots! Times when help is needed: Thursday and Friday morning Oct. 5th and 6th as we prepare apple crisp. Friday late afternoon as we set up tents / tables, etc. (10/6). Help all day both days, Sat. Oct. 7th and Sun. Oct. 8th, starting at 9 am and going until 6pm. Most shifts will be 2 hr. And we really hope that people sign up to help at least a couple of shifts, preferably both days. (If not possible, there are plenty of opportunities to help ahead of time.) Inside places that need staffing: Caroline’s Soup Cafe (dining room staff and cashiers), and the sanctuary where we invite people to write prayer cards. Outside along the driveway and under tents will be Pumpkin Painting, the Farmer’s Market, Books, and Rada cutlery. We also need produce for the Farmer’s Market (What do you have to donate?), and will be selling dried flower bouquets as well. Bouquet making will take place Sat. Sept. 30, 10am, at Wendy Prée barn, 53 Williamsburg Rd., Ashfield. Cashiers and staff are needed for all venues. Out front under the big tent will be the Sweet Shoppe - selling our apple crisp, lots of baked goods, and popcorn! Help needed for the weekend of Fall Festival, and LOTS OF BAKERS are needed ahead of time to make pies, cookies, breads, muffins, scones, whoopie pies, fudge, candy - whatever kind of treats you can make. Gluten free offerings are a big hit. Please email wendypree@gmail.com with questions or offers of help. Despite Rainy Weather, the Food Pantry Garden Produced Ample Fresh Produce This Summer!
Want to get involved? Sign up here! The Food Pantry Garden is a collaboration among Bug Hill Farm, Hilltown Churches' Food Pantry, and First Congregational Church. Funded in part by the Mary Lyon Foundation.
|
“. . . in many indigenous ways of knowing, time is not a river, but a lake in which the past, the present, and the future exist. Creation, then, is an ongoing process and the story is not history alone - it is also prophesy.” — Robin Wall Kimmerer OF NOTE:
IN PERSON & ZOOM WORSHIP First Congregational Church continues in-person Sunday services at 10AM, masks optional. 
Black Voices Film Series Starting in September!
We will host a series of feature films this fall with FREE POPCORN! The first film will be on Thursday, September 28, 6:30 pm with Hidden Figures, an award winning movie that follows the true story of three African American women who worked at NASA as human “computers” before the use of electronic computers. See our Events page for more information. Massachusetts Farm Resiliency Fund Donate any time at: tinyurl.com/mafarmaid Thanks in advance for your partnership and support! COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD
Hilltown Churches Food Pantry Distributions: Tuesdays, 3-5, September 5, September 19, October 3, October 17 
Young Voices Speak Out About the Climate Crisis View a Zoom recording of this event from June 3, 2023 here. "It’s in that convergence of spiritual people becoming active and active people becoming spiritual that the hope of humanity now rests."
VAN JONES 
|
Creating Community, Welcoming All
Welcome
“Creating Community, Welcoming All” -- Those words sum up our aspirations for our Ashfield church. For over 250 years, we have been group of people who strive to know God — in each other, in our life together, in the wider community, and in ourselves. Read more. |
Worship
First Congregational Church of Ashfield is offering both in-person worship services and on-line access for those who wish to connect virtually. To receive information about online services, contact uccashfield@gmail.com. Read more. |
Spiritual Resources
|