FAITHFUL REFLECTIONS:
UPCOMING BIBLE STUDY CLASSES
Beginning in October, a weekly class for Bible study will begin. Led by Lael Atkinson, each session will focus on the gospel text selected for the upcoming worship service, allowing participants to contemplate the week’s theme in an extended manner. Each discussion will be self-contained, so members and friends of the church may attend weekly or as they are interested or able. Dates and times of these evening classes will be announced in the October issue of The Messenger.

BRING A FRIEND TO CHURCH SCHOOL UPCOMING EVENTS Sunday, October 2 Movie Afternoon showing, Soul Surfer at noon. Featuring an all-star cast, this movie is based on the inspirational true story of teen surfer Bethany Hamilton, who lost her arm in a shark attack and courageously overcame all odds to become a champion again, through her sheer determination and unwavering faith. Sunday, October 30 Special guest, STORYTELLER Elisa Pearmain visits God’s Garden, followed by the Annual All Saints Costume Party in the gymnasium with Mr. S. at noon. Please preregister by email. Sunday, November 6 Movie Afternoon showing Facing the Giants at noon. Pizza after! Sunday, December 4 Movie Afternoon showing Mrs. Miracle at noon. Pizza after! Sunday, December 11 Christmas Pageant at 10:30 Sunday, January 1 Movie Afternoon showing The Water Horse – Legend of the Deep at noon. Sunday, January 8 – Special guest, STORYTELLER Valerie Tutson visits God’s Garden. Sunday, February 5 Movie Afternoon showing Hand in Hand at noon. Pizza after! Sunday, February 12 Special guest, STORYTELLER Tony Toledo visits God’s Garden. Sunday, March 4 Movie Afternoon showing The Lost Medallion at noon. Pizza after! Sunday, March 11 Special guest, Ryan Lee, Pro-ject Bread visits God’s Garden. Sunday, April 1 Movie Afternoon showing Hachi, A Dog’s Tale, based on a true story Sunday, April 15 – Special guest, PUPPETEER Deborah Costine visits God’s Garden. Sunday, May 6 – Movie Afternoon Why is Payson Park Hosting a Movie Event? Twitter is temporary. Facebook may fade. MySpace is already a memory. In a world where the average person sees up to 3,000 marketing messages a day, life is too cluttered and noisy for any one technology to endure. Vehicles like these, the mediums that carry communication, will disappear. But there is one thing that will not. One thing that is as old as the parables and as new as "tweets." One thing that has the power to change countries, jump over emotional walls and reach the places where lives are transformed. What is this thing? It is a story. Join us Sunday afternoon for a movie and a story! A COMMUNITY IN ACTION WITH AN ACTIVE PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING: AN OFFERING TO OUR LOCAL FOOD PANTRY Please bring in new canned goods and dry food items on the first sunday of each month to continue with the mission project for our two local food pantries in Belmont and Watertown! The Active Prayer of Thanksgiving will take place during the children’s moment in worship and will be an offering of food (and/or money for food) to help feed God’s hungry children. There will be a procession to the altar steps where the donations will be delivered. After church the teen youth will gather the offering for the local food pantry. “...it did not fall because it had its foundation on the rock.” Matt 7:25 MARK YOUR CALENDAR: FIRST AID AND CPR CERTIFICATION COURSE Mark your calendars for Sunday, October 23, 2011, at noon for the annual certification course on CPR and first aid. This course is hosted and sponsored by the Christian Education Committee. Deacons, ushers and church school teachers are encouraged to participate; their fee is covered by the committees’ budget. Please note, preregistration is required; sign up on the bulletin board near the hall, or call the church office - 617/484-1571 THE GOOD AFTERNOONS: WEDNESDAY, September 21, 2:00 – 3:30 PM Join us as we start our sixth year of meeting each month! ―The Good Afternoons‖ is a group of supportive and inquisitive people who give thanks for the gift of life by sharing tips about caring for the mind, body, and spirit. This month, in addition to sharing our joys and concerns with one another, we’ll continue viewing Dr. Daniel Amen’s program, ―Change Your Brain, Change Your Body.‖ Refreshments will be provided, not to mention some excellent handouts. Please join us! SHARING & CARING: THE JOY OF EXTENDING OUR PRAYERS When prayer requests are shared by our pastor during worship each week, many of us may resolve to reach out to the individuals and families named, but then forget about it when we get home! Our Faith, Hope, & Love Fellowship group often sends notes for special occasions, and its members want to make it easy for YOU to do so, too. Each Sunday, a table will be set up in the parlor with a variety of cards to choose from so that notes of sympathy, congratulations, or simply ―thinking of you,‖ may be sent to members and friends of our congregation. Those who have been ill or through a hard time know what a morale booster it is to feel others are offering loving thoughts and prayers. Now, thanks to Faith, Hope, & Love, we can offer such care easily – together, we won’t forget! WORK DAYS CONTINUE: CHURCH WORK DAY: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23, NOON TO 1:00 PM The Church Work Day is continuing, but on a new day. You have the chance to keep “pitching in” around our church home, helping with cleaning and small repair projects. As specific projects will be coor-dinated, we ask that you let the Church Office know by Thursday, the 20th, if you will be coming. We thank you for pitching in! PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT: SUPPORTING FAMILIES OF THE CHURCH SAT., OCTOBER 22, 5:30—8:00 PM In support of strengthening relationships, the Christian Education committee is bringing back a new, expanded version of our Parents’ Night Out program. In an effort to be more inclusive, we will provide those with young children (i.e. those requir-ing childcare) an opportunity to have quality time with their partner or spouse or to build or strengthen their ties with other PPC parents by going out to an affordable restaurant together, adults only. Please call the Church Office by Tuesday, October 18, if you are interested in having some precious “alone-time” just the two of you, or enjoying a bit of “adult-time” with other parents. Teens and adults are needed to help watch the young children and youth. Please call the Church Office (617/484-1542) or Betsy Hay (617/620-8067) if you are interested in volunteering. Pizza, snacks and juice will be provided for participating children and volunteers.

Living with the realities of war, we extend our prayers for the world from our Sunday worship services to our daily lives. As we pray for peace for all people, we hold especially close those serving overseas. Payson Park Church member Ben Mailhot and former member Clint Lawler are currently on tours in Afghanistan, and we receive word that they are doing well. Thank you for remembering them and their families in this turbulent time. Cards to Ben and Lynne Mailhot may be sent to 57 Gilbert Road, Belmont, MA 02478

GOOD AFTERNOONS:
WEDNESDAY'S MEETING AT 2:00

Join us as we start our sixth year of meeting each month! “The Good Afternoons” is a group of suppor-tive and inquisitive people who give thanks for the gift of life by sharing tips about caring for the mind, body, and spirit. This month we’ll hear about some of the latest findings in alternative health care in addition to sharing with each other a personal highlight or two from the summer months. Refreshments will be provided, not to mention a good joke or two! Please join us!

FAITH, HOPE, & LOVE FELLOWSHIP:
TUESDAYS IN SUMMER TIME, 2:00 - 4:00 P.M.
All women of the church are invited to join together Tuesday afternoons this summer in the parlor. Inspired by the knitting of prayer shawls, this is a time of “sharing and caring” in the spirit of “faith, hope, and love.” Whether you knit or not, please consider coming once or every week to get together with new and old-time friends of the church. On extremely hot days, we’ll find a cool place to gather!

Payson Park has youths who have been attending Camp Calumet for years and that is the camp they recommend! Camp Calumet, on the northern shore of Lake Ossipee, at the edge of New Hampshire’s magnificent Mount Washington Valley, Calumet is the camp! Throughout the entire year, Calumet hosts thousands and thousands of folks of all ages, from all backgrounds and all walks of life
But Summer At Calumet? Summer is the most exciting time of the year to be at Calumet! Whether it’s the Summer Camp for Kids or the Family & Adult Camp, the Thidemann girls recommend you check it out.
www.calumet.org

Are you considering summer camp for your Jr. High child? How about a Christian Camp located right here in the heart of New England. Grotonwood is one of the finest Christian retreat and conference facilities in Central Massachusetts. At the heart of their 300 wooded acres you can find a mile of shoreline on beautiful Lost Lake, delicious "home-cooked" food, and hospitality by their caring staff. Grotonwood offers 29 sessions of summer camp for youth. Campers live in cabins throughout the camp. They are under direct supervision of trained and caring camp counselors. Their day begins with worship in song and a message in the chapel and ends with vespers or devotions. The enthusiastic summer camp resource staff directs activities, recreation, crafts, and music. Certified lifeguards make the waterfront program very fun and exciting. A resident nurse is on staff at summer camp for sickness and emergencies. Cindy Lou & her children; Aby & Robert have attended Grotonwood for over 10 years. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask us any questions. www.Grotonwood.org.

An Offering by our Denomination

Looking for a wonderful get-away for you and your family this summer? It’s not too early to start planning! In early August, the UCC offers a Family Camp at the Craigville Conference Center on the cape. The package includes 17 meals, 6 nights in a historic Inn with all private room accommodations; on site private beach privileges with club house amenities; on site playground and fishing pond; morning programs for children; free time all afternoon and evening program is optional. Morning children and teen program includes skits, singing, and arts & crafts. Evening program includes a movie, kite flying, a band concert, outdoor games and more. A great opportunity for parents who do not want to send a child to sleep away camp without them! The staff organizes all children's activities so adults or grandparents do not have to worry about finding things to do to entertain them and the time you spend together is quality. When was the last time you had time to look at the stars with your child? Busy parents need apply! Contact cedirector@paysonpark.org.

Horton Center – located in the northern White Mountains of NH – is where many of the NH Conference’s Outdoor Ministry programs occur, or start out. In addition to Horton Center other locations are also used, including Geneva Point, the AMC Huts and state parks. This summer we have a full schedule! Programs start for children who have completed Kindergarten (with parents in Big Feet/ Little Feet), up to our High School and Young Adult camps. For older campers our Hut to Hut and Canoe camps offer a once in a lifetime experience of spending time with other Christians in a weeklong trip. At Horton Center, we are surrounded by the White Mountain National Forest, with thousands of acres and miles of hiking trails. Opportunities for rock climbing, caving, and sleeping under the stars are available without leaving the site. For more information please visit www.hortoncenter.org, call Robert Vodra at 603-225-6647 ext 112 or e-mail rvodra@nhcucc.org

Pilgrim Lodge – located on the eastern shore of Lake Cobbosseecontee in West Gardiner, Maine– is a ministry of the Maine Conference, UCC. Just two hours over the New Hampshire border on I-95, Pilgrim Lodge (PL) offers week-long sessions for 3rd graders through senior high school students as well as weekend events for adults. Our mission and philosophy (please see the website) involve the healing power of nature and community. With high quality program, an experience at PL will strengthen faith development in an unbelievably gorgeous setting. Children and adults return charged and inspired. And we have a whole lot of fun. Maine is known for its summer camps and PL is a gem! Build lifelong memories with us. Pilgrim Lodge is accredited by the American Camp Association. To view a free video and more information visit us at www.pilgrimlodge.org or call (207) 724-3200.

Silver Lake – located in Sharon, CT – is a ministry of the Connecticut Conference, UCC. For over 50 years, Silver Lake has been claimed as the "Spiritual Home" for thousands of young people, ages 8-18 each summer for a week of Outdoor Ministry church camp. We welcome UCC and other denominations' children to experience the best week of their summer, with dedicated, trained, enthusiastic lay and clergy leadership and in-cabin counselors and summer staff. We offer amazing community-building, spirit-stretching, high and low ropes adventure and team-building 'mountaintop' experiences, swimming, singing, worshipping, campfires, friend-making, ceramics, nature, arts and crafts, hiking and so much more. Each conference has a different program theme, from creative expression (think Biblical High School Musical), through sports, radio show, wilderness exploration to being God's Heroes. Check out offerings for all ages, including one for Moms and 4th graders, at www.silverlakect.org. Instant, online registration! Most camps are $410. For the week.

Covenant Hills Christian Camp – located in Cabot, VT – is owned by the United Methodist Church and is jointly programmed by the United Methodists and the Vermont Conference, UCC. Does spending a week swimming, playing games, hiking, canoeing, making crafts, learning about God, singing songs, eating smores and much more sound like a lot fun? If yes, then join us this summer! Covenant Hills offers a wide variety of specialty camps for children in second grade through twelfth most of them being week long over night camps. Camps this summer include: soccer camp, just camp, great outdoors for boys, ultimate plus, up the coast, music, arts and drama camp, rock band camp, soulfest and many more. Please visit www.covenanthillsvt.com for a full camp schedule, descriptions of all the camps we offer and registration forms or contact us at chccdirector@gmail.com to receive more information about camp. Covenant Hills is accredited by the American Camp Association. We look forward to seeing you at camp this summer!

Star Island –located off the coast of Portsmouth, New Hampshire – is a site for ministry of the New Hampshire Conference, UCC during the Star Gathering conference weeks. It is also host to the Laity Conference (UCC) over Labor Day weekend. Offering programming for all ages – babies thru older adults as well as a concurrent Youth Conference for those entering 9th grade in fall of 2010 through 2010 hs graduates, the Star Gathering weeks are filled with chapel services, Bible Study, programming for adults and children, as well as the opportunity to see amazing sunsets, sit in a rocking chair, play softball, and more! General Star Island info can be found here: www.starisland.org , information specific to the Star Gathering Conferences, including the Youth Conference can be found here www.starisucc.com

Irons Homestead, RI. Site of the Rhode Island Conference of the United Church of Christ outdoor ministries program.

Geneva Point Center, NH. An independent Camp and Conference Center, offers a variety of camping experiences in partnership with other groups.