Her is Rev. Acheson’s January message. Click here to see the entire January 2012 newsletter.

Dear Friends,

Although the shift from one year to another may be an arbitrary date on a calendar, the start of a new year is a powerful symbol to us of some of the most important things in our lives. Change, loss and the passing of time are among those elements. But so are hope and the emergence of new possibilities. Part of the offering of the spiritual life is to be proactive in learning how to frame change and impermanence through an attitudinal lens of seeing both as holding the potential for growth and opportunity.

As I think ahead about 2012 one of the major changes and opportunities for me – and I hope for the church as well – will be the sabbatical I am planning on taking for three months in the Spring. Late last summer I approached the Deacons with the request for a sabbatical in 2012. (Our denomination encourages its churches and pastors to arrange sabbaticals after five-year terms of service. My last sabbatical ended just five years ago, in December of 2006.) The Deacons and other church leaders have supported that proposal for which I am deeply grateful. I am particularly grateful to the Pleasants Fund for providing a grant of $2500 toward the part-time pastoral coverage that is an integral part of the plan for this time away.

The sabbatical will run from the 7^th of March through the 7^th of June. During my absence, our own Sonia Dunbar will be providing that part-time pastoral coverage I mentioned (on average for 10 hours per week.) Sonia will fill the pulpit for about half of the Sundays. The Rev. Alden Launer will lead worship for the three communion Sundays, and some of the other Sundays will be covered by members of the congregation. Sonia will also be available for emergency pastoral needs as well as overseeing the workings of the office and committees.

For myself, I am seeing this sabbatical as a chance, first, for some R&R. And I also look forward to being able to get some concentrated time on my next creative project, involving the publication of some of my sermons and other writing I have done since coming to the Greensboro Church.

We will be filling you in on more details as we get closer to the time. And may we all look forward to a rich and fulfilling year for ourselves and for the whole church in 2012.

Anthony

You can read the full text of our December newsletter by clicking here. Below you’ll find Rev. Anthony Acheson’s monthly message to our church community, which we post on the front page of every newsletter.

Dear Friends,

As we come upon a new holiday season, I bring two matters to your attention, which I hope will  enhance the sacred side; first, of the season itself, and also of our worship life more generally.

The first is that I invite you to join us for an Advent Reflection Group that will be taking place here at the church on each of the four Thursday nights during Advent. This group will include readings, litanies, beautiful music and hymns, time for stillness and silent reflection, and an opportunity to tell one another a little bit about our journeys, and about some of the things this season means to us. Beginning on December 1, these gatherings will take place in the Church Library at 7 pm. Each gathering will last about 40 or 45 minutes, and will be led by myself and/or Sonia Dunbar.  Our gatherings last year were most meaningful. We expect the same this year again, and hope that you will be among us to take advantage of this opportunity.

Secondly, I want to bring to your attention a change in our worship service that our Board of Deacons and I are asking us to make. In an attempt to make our worship services more focused on the spiritual matters that bring us here on Sunday mornings, it is our goal to shorten the greeting and announcement time at the beginning of the service. To this end, we are asking that when you greet your neighbor near the start of the service, you do so only in the immediate area where you are sitting. We are also asking that beginning with the service on December 4, if you have an announcement you would like made in the service that you put that announcement in writing before the service; and either place it on the lectern, or give it to me (or whoever is the worship leader that day) to actually make the announcement. We believe that these two changes will shorten the beginning of our service in such as way as to give us more time for - and an enhanced focus on - the prayer and praise, the music and the messages, that worship is more primarily about.

I hope that this season of Advent and Christmas will be one of rich blessing to you and all those you love - and to the larger world  as it moves through the considerable transitions that are upon us.

Anthony

Join us for our Advent Reflection Series every Thursday at 7 p.m. until December 22; it’s a time to be quiet, away from the fray, and reflect on what this season is really about.

On November 13, we welcome to the pulpit Ann Peck, the founder and Director of Help-Kids-India, a children’s assistance organization supported by our Mission Board.  All are welcome to join us, and ask Ann about her amazing mission after the service!

The meeting starts immediately following our refreshment and fellowship time, this Sunday, August 14.

Rev. Anthony Acheson’s annual 6-week book study concluded this Tuesday, August 9. Check back next year for the 2012 study!

This Sunday during worship Rev. Anthony Acheson will baptize Zoryan Irinei Rowan Ivakhiv-Gray. We hope to see you there!

The Diaconate Board will meet this Thursday, July 7, at 4 p.m. in the Church Library.

We Welcome Rev. John Teevan to the pulpit this Sunday. Rev. Teevan has just completed 5 years of prison ministry through Grace College in Indiana. He is now Executive Director of the Weber School at Grace College, serving remote locations in urban areas in the mid-west.

Tony will be away at the UCC VT Conference this weekend. Mrs. Judy Dales will be reading a sermon prepared by the UCC for all participating churches. Our communion Sunday will happen next Sunday, June 12.