index.html

Annex Building Moving Ahead:
Plans for the new church annex building are progressing. The
new building is intended to house our growing Sunday school
and to serve as a meeting hall for functions. The church building
commitee has been moving forward with design plans, however
has been held up in its progress due to difficulty in verifying
property lines. We hope to have this resolved soon and will be
submitting our building plans to the Town of Chesterfield for
review and approval.

A survey was sent to congregation members in the summer and
their thoughts and concerns will be accommodated into the final
proposal by the building committee. The temporary construction
trailer which has been housing our religious education program
will be removed this December to make way for construction next
spring.

The 2009 Candlelight Service –
A Luminous Evening
After an initial postponement due to
one of our many early snow storms,
a cold, crisp and clear winter evening
set the stage as over 50 individuals
gathered for our annual Candlelight
Service. The warm glow from over
135 holiday luminaria reflected on the fresh
snow and lit the way along Main Street in West Chesterfield and
into the church’s parking lot.

Donated in memory, honor or appreciation of loved ones, the
names of all those who were honored by a luminaria appeared in
the Candlelight Service program. A heartfelt thank you to all
those who so generously supported the Holiday Luminaria
Display during which $730 in donations was raised. If you
would like to keep your loved ones’ luminaria bag and candle as
a keepsake, please contact Nancy Brooks at 256-6346.

After Rev. Arthur Reublinger warmly welcomed everyone,
traditional Christmas carols and hymns, including “O Come All
Ye Faithful”, and “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” resonated
within the plastered walls of the church between readings of The
Christmas Story from the Scriptures. Then Rev. Reublinger
performed the Service of Baptism for Zachary Elliot Marston,
son of Stephanie Sargent and Bud Marston. The water used for
the baptism service had been gathered earlier in the year by
members of our church family during the annual Water
Ceremony in September, giving yet more meaning to this special
event.
At the conclusion of the service, the lights were dimmed as
everyone stood and formed a circle around the church
sanctuary. A flame passed from candle to candle, symbolizing
how one person’s life can affect another and how spiritual belief
can affect us all. After all the candles were lit, “Silent Night”
and “Let there be Peace on Earth” were sung in an earnest and
unified voice.

As the evening concluded in celebration and refreshments, the
glow of fellowship, faith and love lingered well after the last
flame was extinguished. To be sure, the “circle of light and life”
continues within the First Universalist Church of West
Chesterfield .

A special thank you to Rev. Reublinger, our organist Sylvia
Fairbanks, and the many volunteers who decorated the church,
set up the luminaria and prepared the wonderful treats we all
enjoyed.

The Hymn to Creation

In his sermon, Mr. Penniman will
continue to explore the Book of
Genesis with a look at the "Hymn to
Creation" found at the beginning of
the Bible. Instead of a "literal"
interpretation of this creation story,
he will offer a "literary"
interpretation, and suggest that the
latter affords the greater insight.

Keith Penniman is a freelance
video producer and guitarist. He
received a Master of Theological
Studies degree from Boston
University in 1980, and is a
frequent guest speaker and
musician for Unitarian
Universalist worship services.

The community is invited to attend
this Thanksgiving service. A
children's religious education class
for ages 5 and up will be offered.
Coffee and refreshments will follow
the service. Further information
and directions please call
(603) 256-6193.