30 Nov

Posted at 15:19h in Upcoming Events

Sunday worship at 10:00am in the Sanctuary

Services are live streamed on the CHANNING YOU TUBE CHANNEL and available for viewing afterwards.

Sunday, December 1: The Kingdom of Heaven in a Vineyard

Rev. Paul Sprecher

The parable of the Workers in the Vineyard challenges our ideas of what is fair in life and work in the world as we know it.  Jesus tells a story about a different kind of world where everyone gets enough for their needs — the Kingdom of Heaven, a Blessed Community.

 Rev. Paul Sprecher retired from his seven-year ministry at First Parish in Bridgewater in 2021. Since then, he has become a climate activist at Linden Ponds, his Senior Living Community in Hingham and in Hingham.  Previously, he was minister at Second Parish in Hingham.  He also served as the sabbatical minister at the Murray Church in Attleboro during the first three months of 2022.  In other lifetimes, he was a middle school teacher at a boys’ prep school in New York City and Vice President for Technology at the American Stock Exchange.

Sunday, December 8: To Pause, To Center Down

Rev. Bill Zelazny

In some Buddhist cultures, today, December 8th, is known as Bodhi Day, the day Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, experienced enlightenment. Bodhi Day is not observed with parades and festivities.  Rather, it is a day for reflection and meditation remembering that amid all the hustle and bustle of this season we should pause and reconnect with our inner wisdom. This Sunday Bill will explore Buddhism and this idea of connecting with joy and our inner wisdom.

 We collect nonperishable foods for local pantries during the worship service the 2nd Sunday of each month.

Sunday, December 15: The Hidden Message of Chanukah

Rev. Bill Zelazny

In a little over a week Jews around the world will observe Hanukkah (December 25, 2024, to January 2, 2025). This religious holiday annually celebrates the storied miracle of one day’s worth of holy oil for the temple menorah burning for seven days.  The festival has evolved into 8 days of family gatherings and present giving in many Jewish households. But there is a deeper meaning to Hanukkah than just celebrating this the burning oil, which Bill will ask us to consider that makes Hanukkah applicable to both Jew and Gentile.

 We will have special music for this service. Channing Church friend, Irene Glasser, has arranged for a Klezmer band to provide some Jewish music for the service.  Klezmer is an instrumental musical tradition coming from the Ashkenazi Jews of Central and Eastern Europe. The music included elements of the traditional dance tunes, mixed with ritual melodies. Come to this special musical performance.

 Sunday, December 22: The Gift of Offering Our Presence to Another

Rev. Bill Zelazny

Thick Nhat Hahn has said, ‘When you love someone, the best thing you can offer is your presence. How can you love them if you are not there”?   How can we mindfully embrace those we love? This Sunday Bill will ask us to think about Hahn”s comment and what it may mean for us.

Share the Plate

The 4th Sunday of the month is “Share the Plate Sunday” when all cash and checks with a memo “Share the Plate” or “STP” collected during the offering are donated to a nonprofit organization chosen by the Social Action Team and approved by the Board of Trustees. In November & December we will collect funds for bus transportation which will be donated to TAM, Housing hotline, McKinney Shelter and Lucy’s Hearth. 

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

Tuesday, December 24, 5:00pm, In the Sanctuary   

To Perceive a World Shot Through with Divine Presence

Rev. Bill Zelazny

Middle Ages mystic, Angela of Foligno, wrote , “The world is pregnant with God.”   Meaning the entire universe is filled with the potential for divine presence and new life. For his Christmas Eve homily, Rev. Zelazny will reflect on this thought as a Unitarian Universalist.   Join him for his Christmas message, the reading of the nativity story, congregation carol singing, candle lighting, musical anthems sung by an augmented  Channing Choir and the traditional singing of Silent Night in the darkened sanctuary.  The service starts 5:00 p.m. with a procession of the choir.

 Sunday, December 29th:  Holiday break – no Sunday service.  Spend the day relaxing with family and friends