First Congregational Church
of Ashfield
Creating Community, Welcoming All
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COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD Hilltown Churches Food Pantry Distributions: Tuesdays, 3-5 April 29, May 13 & 27 
Ashfield Churches Together (First Congregational and St. John’s) will host a Sacred Stroll on Friday, April 25, at 4 pm to celebrate Earth Day 2025. The hike will be on the Boulder Trail section. Rain or shine. All are welcome. “Both Ashfield churches are working to encourage care for our planet,” said Rev. David Jones, minister at First Congregational. “For 55 years, Earth Day has been celebrated around the globe by religious and secular organizations. In Ashfield we have held Earth liturgies on the Town Common, tolled our church bells monthly as part of the national 11th Hour Initiative, and worked to make our church buildings more energy efficient. Ashfield has so many wonderful trails, and we look forward to walking together again to mark our commitment to climate awareness.” Susan Todd, Co-Warden at St. John’s, and members of the Ashfields Trail Committee suggest that participants meet at Sanderson Academy at 4 pm and carpool to the Boulder Trail. “Bring a poem or reading meaningful for Earth Day,” Susan said, “and we’ll have delicious cookies to share.” 
Ahmadi Family Update
From Ashfield Churches Together Like so many innocent people, the Ahmadi family has been caught up in the USAID and immigration turmoil in DC. Today the family is still in Red Hook, NY, where Jafar is a psychologist and research scholar at Bard College. Zeinab was working remotely with Afghan girls and women who escaped to Pakistan, but one of President Trump’s Executive Orders canceled funding for that program, so now she has no income. Work Situation Jafar’s position at Bard ends in July, so he must find work elsewhere, or remote work. He has applied for positions at academic and research institutions but has not received any responses. Jackie Baillargeon, the Deputy Director of the Threatened Scholars Initiative at Bard, sent us this message, “Jafar needs a job because he has to leave Bard in July. He is an amazing researcher so I imagine he could do research on many issues. A remote job would be great so the family can stay in Red Hook, and it is also possible he could travel for a hybrid position 3 days a week. Zeinab is also a good researcher and teacher, and she’s good at administrative tasks. She would really like to get into a psychology PhD program. If folks in your community have ideas, please reach out. July is not that far away.” Immigration Status Jafar said this about their immigration status: The new administration will affect our status. It will make the case processing very slow and rejections will increase. However, I have submitted two applications to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The first form for asylum was submitted in May 2023. The fingerprinting was completed, and we are waiting for the interview appointment. Additionally, I submitted the I-140 EB-2 NIW form to USCIS in May 2024. If we receive approval for that, we can obtain a green card or residency without having to go through the asylum process. So far, the attorney fees and filing costs have amounted to approximately $5,800. If this application is approved, medical expenses [$200-300 per family member] and the green card application [$2,000-3,000 for family] will be necessary. With new White House announcements, we expect the process to be delayed, but we trust God. How you can help this family 1. Send notes of support to 32 Old Rt. 199, Red Hook, NY 12571. Or email greetings. Jafar’s email is sjahmadi2002 at gmail.com. Zeinab’s email is zm.musavi2020 at gmail.com 2. Help them defray immigration costs. Send a check to St. John’s Episcopal Church with “For the Ahmadi Family” written on the Memo line (PO Box 253, Ashfield, MA 01330). Your donation will be tax deductible, and we will forward all of the funds to the family. 3. Make inquiries about PhD programs and research positions in your networks. On behalf of Jafar, Zeinab, and their children, thank you for your support over the past three years. Annie Cheatham and Sue Craft for Ashfield Churches Together
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If you are going to hold someone down, you’re going to have to hold onto the other end of the chain. You are confined by your own repression — Toni Morrison
OF NOTE:
IN PERSON & ZOOM WORSHIP First Congregational Church continues in-person Sunday services at 10AM, masks optional. Join the Sunday Zoom service here.
Meeting ID: 878 8863 1016 
Find previous recordings here.
Tom McChesney Memorial Service May 10, 1 p.m. The memorial service for Tom McChesney will be held at the First Congregational Church in Ashfield on Saturday, May 10, at 1 p.m., with a reception at Gloria Pacosa’s following the service. Margery Heins will direct our choir and Meg Reilly will accompany them. There will be time during the service when people will be invited to share. Share What You Love! The Ashfield UCC Transformation Team will be hosting three sessions* to give YOU a chance to share what you love about this church community. Sessions will occur directly following service on specific Sundays in the Green Room, so grab your coffee hour treats and join us upstairs. The members of the team who will be facilitating each of three sessions and the respective dates are listed below. Your voice is vital to us, please sign up! We aim to have up to 10 participants in each session. April 13: Kare Marshall & Vic Gravel, facilitators Please email [email protected] or [email protected] if you’d like to be included in this session, which is this Sunday, Palm Sunday. April 27: Lori Wyman, Alan Surprenant, & Leslie Fraser, facilitators If this is a better option, please email [email protected], [email protected], or [email protected] to sign up for this session. May 18: David Jones & Allen Gabriel, facilitators If this is the date that works best for you, please sign up by emailing [email protected] or [email protected] (Allen G.) *If you would like to participate in this small group conversation but are UNABLE to attend on any of the other three dates OR if those dates are ALREADY FULL, please add your name here. If there is enough interest, additional sessions will be scheduled. "It’s in that convergence of spiritual people becoming active and active people becoming spiritual that the hope of humanity now rests."
VAN JONES 
Recording of Sherrill Hogen’s talk about her most recent trip to Palestine From Traprock Center for Peace and Justice and Sherrill: Here is a link to the talk by Sherrill on July 24th: “Let’s Talk About Palestine."We are delighted to be able to offer it to you here, in full, courtesy of Greenfield Community TV: https://youtu.be/jBjQDSp2hmM |
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 [email protected]. Read more. |
Spiritual Resources
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