Happy Soltice, darkness and light

Today is the shortest day of the year.  Indeed, the light is about to prove more powerful than the darkness, as we move into celebrating the Incarnation. As we do, let's pause this day and not pass too quickly by the darkness. For here where it is hard to see, where we feel the weight of the world, where the path is unknown before us, it is right here where we can often best listen to the hunger deep within we have for the Divine.  May we have that hunger to seek God, and indeed, follow Mary's example of bearing God into the world through Christ. From here on, the light will grow stronger! peace on earth.

no watershed tonight / Christmas Eve 6pm

Happy Advent 4! What beautiful snow that is falling. Unfortunatley, due to Waltham's city ban on all parking, we can not have Watershed tonight. However, for those who are interested, we are having a small gathering & mini-service at Carol Mullen's apartment at 4:30pm today. 100 Warren Street, Apt. A104 if you want to join us. peace on earth - and see you at our Christmas Eve Service at 6pm at FPWC.

advent conspiracy

I found this helpful last year - so thought I would share it again. Thoughts? Indeed - let's be less consumptive and more relational this season. peace on earth. 

Copenhagen

Friends, let's keep those making decisions in Copenhagen about our planet's future related to climate change in prayer this week. And click here to keep posted on the latest from our fellow Presbyterian Bill S-J who is on the ground at these meetings. And please consider joining a 350.org vigil this weekend: friday 6pm in boston, Saturday 5pm newton, Sunday vigils and 350 bell ringing around the area - check 350.org
Check out the videos (1), (2)  of the COLD vigil we kept on Friday 12/11/09 (rob will buy you a fair trae coffee if you can find him, email him with what minute he is featured...:)

An Advent Journey: tuesdays

"I am about to do a new thing" ~Isaiah 43:19

Friends, be sure to join us each Tuesday from 7-8pm during this Advent season as we think, talk, pray, and sing together about how God is doing a new thing in our midst here in Waltham.

Changing World, Emerging Church

This weekend be sure to attend Presbytery Day at Needham Presbyterian Church where together we'll examine our "Changing World, Emerging Church". Former moderator of our denomination Rick Ufford Chase will be our keynote speaker. Rob will be leading a workshop as well. We'll be closing worship in Watershed-style - so please join us!Contact presbytery office to register.

"using religion to go green" & transcending boundaries

The Harvard Crimson just wrote a good article on some of the local religious response to climate change has been taking shape. Check it out here.

Also - let's remember to keep the Transcending Boundaries Conference in our prayers next weekend in Worcester. Our very own Vickie & Sammi will be leading a workshop.

Young activists begin sleep out at Boston Common

They plan to sleep out in tents in protest of dirty non-renewable energy that heats our homes and offices and churches UNTIL our state legislators make choice to make MA at state committed to renewable energy resouces. Go Leadership Campaign! And we were there as part of the voice for the religious community to help them out (Rob even prayed for them at their first "illegal" campout on the common) - and the wonderful Boston Globe wrote about it! Shall we hold Watershed one of these sundays with them on the Common and join them in an overnight???

350 a great success!!

Thanks to all who prayed and supported the 350 efforts today. A global success for sure! 5200 some actions in 182 countries worldwide. May earth-healing come. Here are some brave fpcers!

climate action day Oct. 24th 11:30am

Friends - we need you! God's planet earth needs you!!!! Please, come join us this Saturday, Oct. 24th for our local day for Climate Action in the spirit of Bill McKibben's www.350.org. We will gather at FPCW at 11:30am (donuts will be on hand!) to take up our "climate change is a moral issue" banner and march to the center of town commons gazebo to have a rally & vigil at noon. Legislators and folks from other faith communities and the farmer's market will gather and together we will raise our voices to say let's ACT regarding climate change. As people of faith we believe this is indeed an important moral issue and relates to our call to be good stewards of God's gift of creation. We will march RAIN or SHINE - please don't fret about the weather - for the climates sake! :) Please also sign up at: www.350.org/node/8161 Let Rob know if you'd like to help carry the banner! Feel free to bring some instruments/ drums/ bells. And take a moment to watch this great video clip on this movement. peace on earth!
The Sound of 350 from 350 Faith on Vimeo.

Climate Convocation Sunday Oct. 18 at Harvard and NEW DEACONS & MEMBERS!

After celebrating the ordination of 2 new deacons (yeah Lauren & Jenn!) this sunday morning at 10:45 service, please join us at Memorial Church at 2pm for a Climate Convocation with Bill McKibben and local greater boston clergy as we talk specifically how climate action is a matter of Christian faith. And of course, finish off the day back at Watershed at 7pm at which we will welcome 3 new members to our church!

justice and peace shall kiss Oct. 4

Come join us this sunday for World Communion Sunday and our PCUSA Peacemaking sunday. Our theme comes from Psalm 85 - "justice and peace shall kiss each other." Check out this info on the peacemaking offering that will be taken the next 2 sundays. Peace be with you!!


Each congregation is encouraged to retain 25 percent of the Offering it receives to use for local ministries of peacemaking within the church and its community. Twenty-five percent is used by presbyteries and synods, and 50 percent is used by the General Assembly ministries through the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program.

Sunday Sept 13 Fall Beginning!

This coming sunday will see lots of buzz around FPC! Morning service at 10:45, followed by a congregational meeting to set up a board of deacons (11:45-noon), followed by an all church Fall Cookout/ Church Picnic (noon-1pm), followed by an hour of intentional community building (1-2pm), then a New Members class (3pm) - and finally - yes - WATERSHED at 7pm to finish off a Fall solid kick-off sunday!
Hope to see you sunday.

watershed at 6pm this sunday - Song-Sing

"Over my head, I hear music in the air!"
Warm up them vocal-chords and bring your favorite watershed-song/hymn requests. This sunday it's a simpler 6-7pm service of music n' prayer. Please keep the church leadership in prayer sunday as they have a planning retreat in the afternoon.

garden boxes!

Thanks to the wonderful campers at Camp Wilmot who stayed at our church as part of their Eco-Service Adventure Trip this past week, we have 2 new garden boxes out front! Special thanks to carpenter extraordinaire Sara as well - without whom we could not have functioned. We also had a wonderful time canoeing along the CT river in Vermont (and learning about the Connecticut river watershed thanks to becky!). Thanks for your prayers!

NEW CO-PASTOR LIZ!!!!!!!!!!!

We are super blessed and excited to have pastor Liz on-board with us here at FPCW! Here are some photos from her installation sunday end of June, 2009. Check out John's photos here.

Watershed MONDAY July 6 (not sunday July 5)

Just a friendly reminder that due to the long weekend of patriotic-fanfare, we have watershed on Monday July 6th 7pm, not Sunday July 5th. If you are around, come join us for sunday morning worship as it is our new co-pastor Liz Leavitt's first sunday!!! Morning services in July and August are at 10am. 

Faith and Climate Change

Come to watershed this sunday - the summer solstice - and hear Dr. Bryan Mark, glaciologist from Ohio State University, speak to us about what it means to be a Christ-follower in the midst of a rapidly changing climate. Bryan also happens to be a father - so we will celebrate him and all our fathers as well! Let's keep Bryan in our prayers as he is back in the Peruvian Alps doing his research.

trinity and pride

Today is trinity sunday - a day we celebrate the radical communion that is our God - and to which that relational God calls us all. Today is also More Light Sunday - and in that light, remember next week on Sat. June 13th, we will be taking part in the Boston Pride Parade. Talk to Alanna if you can join us at our table or in the parade. Peace be with you, in the name of the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer - Amen.

pentecost

This sunday at watershed we celebrate the mysterious Spirit at work in our midst as it is Pentecost sunday. We will also get a chance to give a special offering to to help youth. Check out this clip that explains specifically how the offering will help. See you sunday.

new co-pastor!! And next watersed MONDAY 5/25

Aleluia Amen! Our Presbytery of Boston last night voted to concur with the motion from COM to call Liz Leavitt to FPCW as our next co-pastor! We are graced to have Liz join our community of faith. Rob is very happy to have a fellow co-pastor to serve alongside in this collective ministry. There will be chances for Watershed to meet Liz once she begins at the church in July.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to Memorial Day, there is NO WATERSHED on Sunday 5/24 - it moved to MONDAY 5/25 at 7pm. We'll have a taize service together.

congregational meeting 5/10/09 12:30pm

Friends - come this sunday after the morning service to join in on the special called congregational meeting to vote on the report of the Transitional Committee and to meet the person they have nominated to call as next co-pastor. Please join in on this very exciting day!!

Camp Wilmot this summer!

Charles River Earth Day Clean Up 2009

Thanks to all who helped out in this year's clean-up! Watershed certainly was well represented! It was especially meaningful to all pray together after we got our hands dirty for the health and recovery of our beloved Charles River watershed.

Ministry for Earth Community - harvard 4/24

Come join us and hear our friend Prof. Willis Jenkins speak at this Harvard Divinity School & Memorial Church of Harvard sponsored event on Friday 4/24, 8am-5pm, come for any portion if you can.  

halle, halle, halle-luiah!

Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed!
What a powerful set of services we took part in at FPWC this past week - ending in that ancient creedal crescendo of the church - Christ is risen indeed, alleluia! Thanks to all who took part in these services. And let's remember Wendell Berry's words spoken at our agape-seder meal before our Easter Vigil - let us indeed "practise ressurection" the rest of this year together!

holy saturday - holy silence

On this day when we keep a special silence, this icon seems to speak profoundly. Details below. Please join us at 7pm for our "in the spirit of agape-seder" tonight, followed by the great vigil of easter, the service of the light.
Title: The Holy Silence (Byzantine-style icon)
Medium: Egg tempera and gold leaf on gessoed board
Size: 11" x 14" x one inch thick
Date Created: 2006

Statement: This type of icon, also known as "The Silence of God," is a symbolic depiction of Christ as an eternally youthful angel - or even, as in this example, a female angel. The image was developed in 18th and 19th century Russia, and is associated with the Prayer of the Heart (the Jesus Prayer = "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, sinner that I am").

The upturned hands are folded in a prayerful gesture of receptive silence, and the gaze turned to the side in contemplation. An 8-pointed star in the halo indicates divinity.

a celtic blessing for the holy triduum (3 days before easter)

Holy Week

Here is the link to the entire Palm Sunday service.
Please join us this holy week - a week we get to walk the journey of Christ, day by day, step by step - together. Here are the details:

• Thursday, April 9: Maundy Thursday Service, 7:00pm. Join us for this service of tenebrae where we'll hear from scripture and share in communion together while the candles are gradually extinguished, and we leave in darkness.


• Friday, April 10: Good Friday Service, 7:00pm. Join us for this simple, contemplative, and commemorative service as we remember Jesus together.


• Saturday, April 11: Easter Vigil Service, 7:00pm Agape-Seder, 8:00pm service. Join us for our Agape-Seder Meal - a simple, intentional, and symbolic meal we share, remembering together God's grace and mystery as we break fast together (while fasting is not required, you may consider trying it on Saturday - or even skipping one meal, or eating less that day). Vigil begins at 8pm with a bonfire outside the church where we light the new Christ Candle for the year. A moving service we hope you can join us for!


• Sunday, April 12: Easter joint Service, 10:45 AM. No evening service. Christ is Risen! Join us for one joint service this day at 10:45am (there will be no Watershed service on Easter). This is another chance to give to the One Great Hour of Sharing offering.

Eco-Palm Sunday! HOLY WEEK BEGINS

Come join us this sunday for Palm Sunday to begin the powerful journey of Holy Week. We will have our PCUSA-sponsored eco-palms again this year. We are also hosting all three services during the week: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Vigil (with Agape-Seder meal preceding). All services begin at 7pm. May we walk this week together in solidarity and hope. 

Earth Hour - turn of thy lights!!

Let's remember to turn off our lights this saturday from 8:30-9:30pm to raise awareness around global warming and cast our "vote" as stewards of God's planet. (and as such, don't forget to help support those in need by attending the Community Day Center spaghetti dinner and raffle at 5:30-7:30pm that same night!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd1BsNvEXqo

Bed of Branches - Andrew Mudge

Friends - keep track of our friend Andrew Mudge's snowshoe tracks as he treks across Labrador with the Innu. Click here and let's keep him and them in our prayers.

One Great Hour of Sharing

We have the chance on Palm sunday and Easter to give to this important offering. It suports the work of our church in mission in many real ways. Check out the video clip.

Watershed service 3/22/09

Click here for link to last night's Lent 4 watershed service. Let's keep the Presbytery of Boston meeting tonight in our prayers.

six years of war in iraq

Let us not forget, we are a people at war.
Let us not forget, to repent of war.
Let us not forget, to work to turn swords into plowshares.
Let us not forget, the young on all sides we put in harms way.
May the refrain we sing so often, "I ain't gonna study war no more" be actualized...now.
Prince of peace, come.
Our Lady of Peace for Iraq: currently 99,452 civilian deaths, 4258 confirmed US deaths.

spring clean & potluck

Friends! Tomorrow, March 20, we experience vernal equinox - the beginning of Spring. SO, besides taking in the beautiful change New England seasons afford us (have you seen any buds peeking out yet??), let's get together to tiddy up our church. Sunday March 29 at 2pm, we'll all gather to do what we can to clean and spruce up the building. Then, if you can, stay for an all-church potluck at 5pm prior to Watershed.
BYO gloves... :)

wendell and protest

Thank you for your prayers. I had the privilege of going down to DC on my "day off" this past monday to join in the Capitol Climate Action day where we gathered, rallied, marched, and protested the coal fired power plant that powers the Capitol and many surrounding buildings. It was an inspiring experience joining some 2500 predominately young adults committed to help change our country and move away from dirty coal that pollutes, destroys mountains, and changes our climate - to more sustainable ways of living. It was my honor to shake Wendell Berry's hand and tell him how much he has inspired our community of faith here at Watershed in Waltham. His humilty was felt as he thanked me for my words - and I thanked him for his witness. The police did not arrest anyone of us in this massive civil disobedience (no permits were obtained for this march, as it was intended to symbolically shut down the coal plant for the day) - as there were too many to arrest - a success indeed. Bill McKibben (www.350.org) and James Hansen (NASA) were also there. Photos are of some fellow Waltham activists I ran into, Wendell Berry, and others. May there be eco-peace soon!

Carbon Fast for Lent

Thanks to the wonderful organization Tearfund ("Christians passionate about the local church bringing justice and transforming lives - overcoming global poverty") - we have a great link that gives us daily ACTIONS this Lent that relate to healing our planet, and reducing poverty. Check it out - click here.

Ashes

Come join us for an Ash Wednesday service this Weds. 2/25/09 at the Presbyterian Church at Burlington, MA at 7:30pm. There will be a meditation, singing, the imposition of ashes, and communion. A meaningful way to begin our Lenten journey together. Hope to see you there.

Gratitude and Creation

Friends - come join us today in this event. I'll be helping lead the gathered in sharing our eco-testimonies (yes, PCC inspired!)

MONDAY 2/16 (not sunday 2/15) / God and Global Warming

Enjoy the long weekend (if you have it) - and come to church on Monday 2/16 instead of sunday for watershed - same time and place, 7pm.
I just went to a talk called "God and Global Warming" at harvard yesterday - hearing from Rev. Richard Cizik & Dr. Eric Chivian who are working to close the gap b/w evangelicals and scientists. Cizik was formerly with the National Association of Evangelicals, but was recently fired for his more "progressive" views (including voting for obama...)?!! A good talk, and hopeful alliances and progress in the ways of Earth Stewardship - here's some info if interested.

fellowship & Spirit

This week we begin Church Life: Fellowship & Spirit - this all-church gathering takes place on Wednesday evenings 7-8:30pm (2/4, 2/18 - and then each Weds. in Lent). Please come join us as we take a look at some songs, poetry, biographies and guided issue discussions (i.e. environmental racism, poverty, economic transformation, etc.) together. Prayer, fellowship and a sampling of some spiritual disciplines will also be explored. peace!

Let us SERVE!

"Everyone can be great, because everyone can serve" MLKjr.
In the spirit of MLKjr., and with the added emphasis on service that our new president is calling our nation to, we got the chance to bring a wonderful group of Harvard students (grad and undergrads) to serve lunch on Martin Luther King Day to our guests at the Community Day Center. Carol also faithfully joined us! Here are some photos.