The Congregational Church of South Dartmouth United Church of Christ

Search Committee Update

2012-02-21T10:43:00.001-05:00

Search Committee Update. A committee has been formed to select members of the congregation for nomination to the Search Committee for our new pastor. The committee includes Mike Gouveia, Jane Rioux and Steve Roberts from the Church Council and Jeanne Paradise and Anne Whitney from the Interim Minister Liaison Committee. Criteria have been established to ensure a balanced representation from our diverse congregation. The process is underway. When the candidates for the Search Committee have been identified, they will be asked if they can/will serve. The names of those agreeing to serve will be sent to the Church Council, and then the Congregation, for approval.

Prayer Shawl Ministry

2012-02-15T08:58:00.000-05:00

The Prayer Shawl Ministry will meet on Sunday evening, February 25, at seven in the evening in the library. New members are always welcome. Please call Jane Rioux with any questions (508-994-4672).

Ash Wednesday Service - February 22nd

2012-02-09T12:41:00.000-05:00

For those planning to attend the service on Ash Wednesday but not the chowder supper, please note that the service will be held in the lower social hall at 6:45PM, immediately following the chowder supper.

Outreach Ministry - Hunger Commission

2012-02-06T12:36:00.000-05:00

Outreach would like to thank all those who contributed non-perishable food items to The Hunger Commission. A rough tally suggests we collected about $250 worth of much needed canned goods, pasta and cereal. A conversation with the head of The Hunger Commission revealed that recently, for the first time in his 19 years in operation, he experienced two food pantries running out of food. Our donation was very much appreciated.

Adult Ed Program Volunteers

2012-02-06T12:34:00.000-05:00

Our church is a member of the Inter-church Council (ICC) of Greater New Bedford and our Outreach Ministry receives regular updates. The most recent ICC newsletter included an appeal on behalf of the New Bedford Public Schools. We are sharing it in the event anyone in the congregation is interested in this type of volunteer opportunity.

ADULT ED PROGRAM NEEDS LITERACY VOLUNTEERS

If you have a minimum of a high school diploma and a maximum amount of interest in helping others learn and improve their lives, you could be a perfect candidate to become an adult literacy volunteer.

The New Bedford Public Schools Division of Adult and Continuing Education is currently seeking volunteers to help teach adult learners. Volunteers are needed to assist in Adult Basic Education as well as English for Speakers of Other Languages classes.

If you decide to sign on, you'll likely be spending one morning or evening per week helping out teachers in the classroom or tutoring students in small groups or one on one.

Classroom teachers and a volunteer facilitator are there to provide tutors with whatever is needed in the way of direction, guidance, and training.

Want to know more? Call Dr. Michael Gauthier at (508) 997-4511, ext. 2419.

Junior Youth Group News

2012-02-06T09:02:00.001-05:00

Junior Youth Fellowship would like to thank everyone that participated in the Super Bowl Subs charitable fundraiser. Between the youth’s hard work, our congregation’s generosity and a little help from Shaw’s Supermarket in Dartmouth, we are thrilled to be able to make a donation of $526 to the Hunger Commission in New Bedford in association with the Outreach Ministry!

Annual Ash Wednesday Chowder Supper

2012-01-25T12:58:00.003-05:00

Fellowship/Membership Ministry is Hosting the Annual Ash Wednesday Chowder Supper February 22nd at 6:00PM.

Please join the Fellowship/Membership Ministry once again for an evening observance of Ash Wednesday. We will be serving our popular Legal Seafoods fish chowder dinner followed by a brief service conducted by Rev. Baldwin in the Lower Social Hall.

We will have a free will offering instead of selling tickets to this event. Please sign up after church in the Lower Social Hall, or you may reserve a spot by calling the church office. Dinner will include fish chowder, salad, dinner roll, desert and assorted drinks. We hope that you will join us for this special opportunity to dine and worship together as a church family.

Musical Instrument Donations

2012-01-24T09:38:00.004-05:00

Thanks and appreciation to the eight families who donated usable musical instruments for the day and after-school band programs at Normandin Middle School in New Bedford. We received three trumpets, two clarinets, a trombone, a piccolo, and a violin. If even one of these instruments keeps a child off the streets and out of trouble, it will be worth it ... and odds are that these gifts will accomplish a great deal more than that!

~ Thanks for your generosity! ~

Pew Pads

2012-01-23T10:42:00.000-05:00

A Reminder From The Fellowship/Membership Ministry

Please remember to sign your pew pads each and every Sunday. The pew pads are more important than many of us may may realize. In addition to providing the names of our neighbors sitting next to us, they also provide the Membership/Fellowship Ministry with information relative attendance patterns , requests for membership information, visits by the pastor or a ministry member etc. We thank you for your cooperation in this effort, which is a vitally important component to improved communications and becoming a more cohesive and defined church family as we approach the imminent search for our next settled pastor.

Offering Envelopes for 2012

2012-01-19T13:02:00.000-05:00

Offering envelopes have arrived and will be in the narthex for you to pick up. If you would like offering envelopes, please just let the office know.

Help the Hungry - Sister Rose's Soup Kitchen

2012-01-18T11:45:00.000-05:00

Our church needs people to volunteer to serve at Sister Rose’s Soup Kitchen one morning each month from 9:30a.m. – 12:30p.m. This program serves approximately 100-150 clients who depend on the daily lunch at the Pilgrim United Church in New Bedford. Outreach was given the responsibility for overseeing this program when the new Ministry structure was implemented three years ago. We have had an increasingly difficult time getting volunteers to signup. This is an obligation made by our entire church and more volunteers are needed. You can sign up as an individual or form a group to volunteer together. Those who have volunteered can attest to the sense of satisfaction that comes from serving those who rely upon this important program. The sign up sheet is located in the lower social hall. Please consider giving a morning of your time to a very appreciative group of hungry people.

Voice Class

2012-01-11T10:21:00.002-05:00

Come Learn to Read Music

There will be voice class at 6:30 pm on Wednesday evenings in the choir loft.

Joys and Concerns

2011-11-16T09:04:00.000-05:00

The Worship Ministry, along with Reverend Baldwin, is proposing a new way to bring the joys and concerns to the minister to be lifted up in prayer during the service. A book will be placed on the podium in the Narthex for people to write down their joys or concerns. A temporary book is in place until a permanent one can be purchased. A deacon will bring the book to the minister once the service has begun, thereby giving him an opportunity to read them before the time for sharing. This method will also provide us with a permanent record. Those who prefer to voice their joys and concerns may continue to do so. We hope this will allow the service to flow more smoothly.

Outreach Nominations

2011-10-03T13:16:00.001-04:00

Outreach Seeks Donation Nominations

Do you know any worthy organizations which could benefit from our church’s financial assistance? As we do each year, the Outreach Ministry seeks suggestions for organizations to aid. You may leave a note in the Outreach mailbox in the church office. Please include information as to how you would like to be contacted if we need to get further information. Or be on the lookout for nomination forms which will appear in the church bulletin. Our congregation’s pledges and offerings fund these donations, so we welcome your input.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Calendar for the Week of February 20, 2012

2011-08-29T08:53:00.030-04:00

Monday February 20, 2012
Presidents Day
6:30 Boy Scouts

Tuesday February 21, 2012
4:00pm Brownie Meeting
7:00pm Ministry Meetings

Wednesday February 22, 2012
6:00 Ash Wednesday Chowder Supper
Ash Wednesday Service After Supper in LSH
3:30 Girl Scouts
7:00pm AA Rm 10

Thursday February 23, 2012
6:30 Bylaw Meeting
7:30pm AA LSH

Friday February 24, 2012
7:30pm Al-Anon Rm 10
7:30pm AA LSH

Sunday, February 26, 2012
8:00am Worship Service
10:00am Worship Service
Adult Dialogue After Service
11:00am Bell Choir Rehearsal

Join us on Facebook

2011-06-30T10:51:00.000-04:00

Join us on Facebook... search for us at Congregational Church of South Dartmouth. Friend us and we will friend you back! Any questions, please call Maureen at 508/993-7194 or the church office.