State of the Union
The Monthly Newsletter of Union Congregational Church
136 Rawson Road, Wollaston, MA 02170
Telephone: 617-479-6661 Email: [email protected]
Website: www.unioncongregational.org
Pastor: Rev. John C. Swanson
Moderator: Art Ferris Secretary: Martha Swanson
September 2016
From the Pastor’s Desk
LOSS OF AN OLD FRIEND
“There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the
heavens:
2
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather
them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from
embracing,
6
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.”
Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8
I couldn’t believe I bought her and the
first year she was overwhelming. When she was
gone I couldn’t imagine my life without her (I
still have trouble), and I could sail her in my
sleep. She was my “Freebird,” a 26’ Pearson
Ariel, and she was mine for over twenty years,
when I foolishly let her go for a bigger boat,
with which I was always uncomfortable, though
she too was a fine sailer.
I got her the same year I got my oldest
daughter. My wife Martha, always the font of
wisdom and far nicer to me than I deserve (!)
encouraged me to buy her before the baby was
born as we might not have the money afterward.
Freebird was a 1966 26’ Pearson Ariel,
a solid full keel sloop with a 9.9 outboard as an
auxiliary, which slept four, had a small galley,
an enclosed head (toilet) and handled
beautifully.
She was a very forgiving boat, she put
up with my foibles as I got used to her. A 26’
boat is a big boat for someone stepping up from
an 18.6’ open boat daysailer. It took a while to
get used to sailing a 6,000 pound boat with two
sails and a 3’6” keel.
As my family grew, Stephanie (1989)
and Cassie (1993), so did my love for and
appreciation of Freebird. In 1994, I was blessed
to meet our good friend Rev. John Odams, a cat
boat sailor from Cape Cod who helped me put
‘the bird’ back in the water after two years of
sitting in a boatyard due to lack of funds. John
and I got her sailing again and did she sail!
Freebird became an active part of my
ministry, so many parishioners and friends went
out on her during sailing season. My girls grew
up on her, sleeping aboard and taking long sails
to the harbor islands and Marblehead.
Parishioner Bob Boussy and I had a couple of
nail biting sails that we’ll always remember; a
fall night sail down to Scituate steering by
compass, and dead reckoning past Minot’s Light
in a 17 knot breeze; a tough ‘motor sail” from
Marblehead to Marina Bay in heavy seas into
the wind, a tough slog all the way back; and a
twenty five hour sail from Onset to Boston with
a dead motor, no wind and dense fog.
She was my sanity and tension buster.
On more than one occasion she restored my soul
during trying times. I remember one beautiful
sail on a crisp fall day in heavy wind on a cobalt
sea where she set me right after a child’s burial.
This past January I learned that she was
no more. I had sold her to a friend after I
acquired a bigger and newer boat. The new boat
was bigger, had a more substantial hull and a
powerful diesel inboard engine. A longer legged
boat (capable of greater distances), I had visions
of sailing Down East to the Maritimes with my
girls. Problem was, the girls, as children
inevitably do, had grown up and had other
interests. I never did get to sail the new boat to
Maine and recently sold her.
My friend did not keep my beloved Bird
and sold her. She eventually was broken up for
her valuable bronze fittings, aluminum mast and
her 2000 pound lead keel. When I found this out
I was devastated. And now, at the close of
another summer, I reflect on her loss.
The sage Solomon said, “To everything
there is a time and purpose under heaven.” I
will always treasure my time with Freebird and
am grateful for her ministry to me. She fulfilled
her purpose.
Until October, Pastor Jack.
September Birthdays – Happy Birthday!
5 – Susan Peguero
10 – Jean Weiss
13 – Steve Donahue
14 – Ben Osunsanya
17 – Joe Ruscio
20 – Jennifer Whalen
21 – Helen Roberts
22 – Laurie Curtis
23 – Merri McNeil
September Anniversaries – Happy
Anniversary!
3 – Audrey & Arthur Sullivan
SERMON TITLES FOR SEPTEMBER
Sunday, September 4th
The Rev. Rod Birnie Preaching
Pastor on Vacation
Sunday, September 11th
“Words of the Beloved Disciple”
Text: 1 John 1 & 2
The Word of Life
Sunday, September 18th
“Words of the Beloved Disciple”
Text: 1 John 3 & 4
Children of God
Sunday, September 25th
“Words of the Beloved Disciple”
Text: 1 John 5
Faith in the Son of God
September opens with my dear friend, colleague
and parishioner, the Rev. Rod Birnie, delivering
the message for me on Labor Day Sunday as
Martha, Cassie, Wikie and I will still be in
Maine. Rod is a missionary to Kenya and a
graduate of Gordon Conwell Seminary.
For the rest of the month I will be
preaching on 1 John. Over the past few months
each Sunday it has been my pleasure to
introduce you to a different book of the Bible in
total. That is, reading and preaching on an
entire book.
Since late May we have heard in their
entirely the books of Philippians, Colossians,
Philemon and Jude. 1 John was written by
John, the “beloved disciple,” one of Jesus’ inner
circle of disciples and apostle to the early
church. John has been called the apostle of love
and in 1 John we see why.
SCRIPTURE
“THE LORD IS MY ROCK, AND MY
FORTRESS, AND MY DELIVERER; MY
GOD, MY STRENGTH, IN WHOM I WILL
TRUST; MY BUCKLER, AND THE HORN
OF MY SALVATION, AND MY HIGH
TOWER.”
Psalm 18:2
PRAYER CORNER – Please
remember these folks in your
prayers and please feel free to visit
them or send them a card
Ruth Mathews, 25 Cobb Street, Apartment L
232, Mansfield, MA 02048; 617-650-3487
Rick Brady, 28 Toms Way, Apt #209,
Sandwich MA, 02563
Ottilie Scales, Eventide, 215 Adams Street,
Quincy, MA 02170
Barbara Fielding, Southwood Nursing Center,
501 Cordwainer Drive, Norwell, MA 02061
Betty Rideout, Grove Manor Assisted Living,
160 Grove Street, Braintree, MA 02184
*Bay State Community Services, Quincy
*The Quincy Crisis Center, Quincy
*Interfaith Social Services, Quincy
*Friends of the Unborn, Quincy
*Boston Seafarer’s Friend Society, Boston,
Portsmouth, NH, Portland ME
*Pilgrim Church, Dorchester
*Christ Evangelical Church, South Shore
*Derek Chitwood and Rural Development
Partners International, Kunming, China
*Eden Ministry, China
*Light of Christ Ministry, Kenya
*New Hope of the Plains, Kansas City MO
*Massasoit Community College
For All Missionaries, Evangelists, Church
Leaders and Workers and Others who seek to
spread the blessed Gospel of Jesus Christ
throughout the world.
For Our Service Men and Women Deployed
Throughout the World
For the Mentally Ill, the Addicted, the Lost, the
Homeless, the Unemployed or Under-Employed.
For our nation and all nations & For Peace in
the Middle East
For those whose lives have been devastated by
natural disasters, in locations around the world.
For the persecuted Church throughout the
world
And that we would all put Christ first in
our lives.

“Don’t let a day go by without praying a little!
Prayer is a duty, but it is also a joy because it is
a dialogue with God through Jesus Christ.”
Pope John Paul II
MEN’S COLUMN
Manly Men
Karl Alberg
Taken From Wikipedia
The Pastor’s second love of his life was his
26’ Pearson Ariel sailboat, an Alberg Design
by Karl Alberg.
“The Ariel was designed by naval
architect Carl Alberg in 1961 for Pearson Yachts
of Bristol, Rhode Island. The Ariel offered
Pearson's early 1960s customers a midsized boat
to fill the product line between the very
successful Pearson Triton and the smaller
Pearson Ensign/Electra. The Ariel shares many
of the amenities of the larger Triton including
standing headroom (5'10"), berths for four, sink,
ice box, freshwater tank and an enclosed head.
Other factory options included spinnaker gear
and the choice of auxiliary power (Universal
Atomic 4 inboard or an outboard in a well). The
Ariel and a later daysailing version, the
Commander share a common hull and rig (the
Commander has a smaller, more spartan cabin to
allow for a very spacious cockpit). Of the more
than 50 boat designs Carl Alberg produced after
leaving the John G. Alden firm to design on his
own, Alberg chose the Commander as his
personal boat (Hull #302). This boat was named
"ALMA" in honor of his wife and for many of
his later years was sailed out of Marblehead,
Ma. Although the Ariel was produced from
1962 to 1967 (for a total of 440 boats), the
majority remain in service today. While many
Ariels and Commanders are used for casual
daysailing, an active one design racing
community still operates in San Francisco.
Several ocean crossings have been made by
these boats including transpacific crossings and
some Newport-Bermuda runs.”
“God has not created us, nor does He preserve
our lives, that we may labor to acquire riches or
earthly honors, or that we may indulge in
amusements, but that we may love and serve
Him in this world, in order to love and enjoy
Him for eternity in the next.”
St. Alphonsus Liguori
BOOK REVIEW
The Book Review Column
Will Return Next Month
MARK'S MOVIES by Mark
Goodwin
This
Month's
movie
is
CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL
WAR starring Chris Evans and Robert
Downey Jr. I saw this movie at the Hingham
Cinema. In this third part of the Captain
America movie series, the Government
decides to take control of Super Heroes
actions meaning the Heroes use their powers
with the Government’s permission for the
safety of everybody. This decision causes a
rift between the Avengers. It's Team Captain
America against Team Iron Man. This was a
movie of Super Hero action.
FRED MOUSE
Hey everybody!
I
hope you have had a
great summer! I can’t believe it is now
September! I have an exciting announcement to
make. Do you like my new notebooks? I am
going back to school (of sorts) thanks to my
cousin Max who just moved to town! He is the
church mouse for our own Christ Church
Ministry to the Suffering, and since they have
moved to a new building right across the street
he has moved to town and he has started
teaching Bible Study. Welcome to town Max!
And the reason that he started attending Bible
Study is because I have been so inspired by
Pastor Jack’s sermons, when we have been
reading whole books of the Bible together. I had
started taking notes during his sermons and I
plan to fill lots of notebooks in our Bible Study
(we meet at the our Shepherd Shop store but
maybe we could also rent space at Union, after
all our all mouse Bible Study wouldn’t take up
too much room!
So make sure you read your Bible as
much as possible too, you will always be glad
you did! And thanks Pastor Jack, keep up the
good work! Until October, Fred Mouse
11 HAPPENINGS AT UNION
CHURCH
1. Xmas in July was celebrated at
Squantum Yacht Club on July 31st. with
a very relaxed and thin Santa (aka P.C.
Bruce Anderson) arriving by boat from
his vacation spot “somewhere in the
Caribbean.” His duties included
supervising a Yankee Swap!
2. Marjorie
Ciavardone
and
Mark
Goodwin
were
the
guests
of
Commodore John Swanson, P.C. (aka
Pastor Jack).
3. Bob Boussy and Carolyn Marks, are
long time members of SYC and
Union Cong has enjoyed a longtime
relationship with SYC well before the
Pastor’s arrival.
4. The late Carol and Dick Graf were
members and Dick was Rear
Commodore. The late Ed and Karen
Menz were also members.
5. When the Pastor had a boat Pastoral
Sailing was an annual Sunday afternoon
event. Cassie Swanson was a launch
operator during high school & college.
6. We were delighted to have Minister
Gerald Dowling preach at Union for two
weeks while Pastor Jack and Martha
were on vacation.
7. This vacation included Pastor Jack
serving as the Chaplain of the Antique
and Classic Boat Show, held annually in
Salem, MA.
8. His duties included visiting and blessing
39 boats individually, and then
collectively from the harbormaster’s
boat. The boat Luna, from SYC, won a
prize.
9. A group of Union folk attended the very
inspirational Franklin Graham Prayer
Rally on Boston Common on the 30th.
10. Senior Coffee Shop will resume on
Thursday, September 15th at 11:00 a.m.
Note the new start time. It is being
renamed The Joy Club (Just Older
Youth!)
11. Our Shepherd’s Shop is enjoying
settling into its new location kitty-corner
from the church at 133 Beach Street.
Come on by!
EVENTS AT UNION
CONGREGATIONAL
CHURCH!
Beach Church at 8:00 a.m.
Between the Yacht Clubs
Worship at 10:00 a.m. with
Coffee Hour Afterward
Sunday School Beginning
September 18th
Choir Rehearsal Beginning
Thursday, September 8th at
7:00 p.m.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
THIS MONTH!
Monthly Spaghetti Supper
Saturday September 10th at
6:00 p.m. $5.00 per person.
The Joy Club
(Senior Coffee Shop)
Beginning September 15th
at 11:00 a.m.
Note the New Time
Union Congregational Church
136 Rawson Road
Wollaston, MA 02170
In God We Trust
A.A. Groups Take Place
Every Monday, Friday and
Saturday at 6:00 p.m.
Eventide Worship Service
& Hancock Park Worship
Service are on the Second
Sunday at 12:15 p.m.
Prayer Groups
Tuesday at 12:00 noon
.
Jesus Is Lord!
Praise His Name!
Have a Blessed
Month!
September 2016
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
1
At Union Church It is All About
Belonging—To Jesus Christ and
To One Another
4
10:00 a.m. Worship
11:00 a.m. Coffee Hour
11
8:00 a.m. Beach Church
10:00 a.m. Worship
11:00 a.m. Coffee Hour
12:15 p.m. Eventide,
Hancock Park Service
18
8:00 a.m. Beach Church
10:00 a.m. Worship/
Sunday School
11:00 a.m. Coffee Hour
25
88:00 a.m. Beach
Church
10:00 a.m. Worship/
Sunday School
Address
136 Rawson Road
Wollaston, MA 02170
5
LABOR DAY -
Office Closed
6:00 p.m.
AA Meeting
12
12:15 p.m.
Clay Street Bible Study
6:00 p.m.
AA Meeting
19
12:15 p.m.
Clay Street Bible Study
6:00 p.m.
AA Meeting
26
12:15 p.m.
Clay Street Bible Study
6:00 p.m.
AA Meeting
Thu
6
7
12:00 Noon
Noonday Prayer
Our Shepherd’s Shop
Opens New Location
133 Beach Street
13
14
12:00 Noon
Noonday Prayer
20
21
12:00 Noon
Noonday Prayer
7:30 p.m.
Church Council Meeting
27
28
12:00 Noon
Noonday Prayer
8
7:00 p.m.
Choir Rehearsal
15
11:00 a.m.
Senior Coffee Shop
(Now the Joy Club)
7:00 p.m.
Choir Rehearsal
22
11:00 a.m.
The Joy Club
7:00 p.m.
Choir Rehearsal
29
11:00 a.m.
The Joy Club
7:00 p.m.
Choir Rehearsal
Union Congregational Church
Fri
Sat
2
6:00 p.m.
AA Meeting
9
6:00 p.m.
AA Meeting
16
6:00 p.m.
AA Meeting
23
6:00 p.m.
AA Meeting
3
6:00 p.m.
AA Meeting
10
6:00 p.m.
Spaghetti Supper
6:00 p.m.
AA Meeting
17
6:00 p.m.
AA Meeting
24
6:00 p.m.
AA Meeting
30
6:00 p.m.
AA Meeting
Phone: 617-479-6661
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site: www.unioncongregational.org