Goods Reads

April 26, 2026 Order of Worship

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 23:17:49 GMT

April 26, 2026 Order of Worship

April 19, 2026 Order of Worship

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 17:17:47 GMT

April 19, 2026 Order of Worship

April 12, 2026 Order of Worship

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 19:34:36 GMT

April 12, 2026 Order of Worship & Hymns - Click Here

April 5, 2026 Order of Worship

Sat, 04 Apr 2026 20:01:17 GMT

April 5, 2026 Order of Worship & Hymns - Click Here

Lazarus Blessing by Jan Richardson

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 23:34:19 GMT

Lazarus Blessing by Jan Richardson

The secret

of this blessing

is that it is written

on the back

of what binds you.

To read

this blessing,

you must take hold

of the end

of what

confines you,

must begin to tug

at the edge

of what wraps

you round.

It may take long

and long

for its length

to fall away,

for the words

of this blessing

to unwind

in folds

about your feet.

By then

you will no longer

need them.

By then this blessing

will have pressed itself

into your waking flesh,

will have passed

into your bones,

will have traveled

every vein

until it comes to rest

inside the chambers

of your heart

that beats to

the rhythm

of benediction

and the cadence

of release.

—Jan Richardson

from Circle of Grace: A Book of

Blessings for the Season

March 29, 2026 Order of Worship

Sat, 28 Mar 2026 19:21:53 GMT

March 29, 2026 Order of Worship & Hymns - Click Here

March 15, 2026 Order of Worship

Sat, 14 Mar 2026 23:13:57 GMT

March 15, 2026 Order of Worship & Hymns - Click Here

March 8, 2026 Order of Worship

Sat, 07 Mar 2026 20:46:32 GMT

March 8, 2026 Order of Worship & Hymns - Click Here

March 1, 2026 Order of Worship

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 21:12:39 GMT

March 1, 2026 Order of Worship & Hymns - Click Here

Lenten Spiritual Practice Resources

Sat, 21 Feb 2026 18:56:57 GMT

Lenten Spiritual Practice Resources

Click the links below to access the Lentin Spiritual Practice Resources:

February 22, 2026 Order of Worship

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 16:08:51 GMT

February 22, 2026 Order of Worship & Hymns - Click Here

"The Mind of Christ (temptation story)" by Frank Wesley

February 15, 2026 Order of Worship

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 15:36:39 GMT

February 15, 2026 Order of Worship & Hymns - Click Here

"Transfiguration" block print by Cara B. Hochhalter (2019)

February 8, 2026 Order of Worship

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 16:33:31 GMT

February 8, 2026 Order of Worship & Hymns - Click Here

February 1, 2026 Order of Worship

Sat, 31 Jan 2026 16:43:12 GMT

February 1, 2026 Order of Worship & Hymns - Click Here

January 25, 2026 Order of Worship

Sun, 25 Jan 2026 00:23:33 GMT

January 25, 2026 Order of Worship & Hymns - Click Here

2026-01-18 - OOW

Sat, 17 Jan 2026 17:39:18 GMT

2026-01-18 OOW & Hymns Click Here

Winter Carnival Pancake Breakfast Flyer

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 23:05:03 GMT

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2026-01-11 - OOW

Sat, 10 Jan 2026 20:09:52 GMT

2026-01-04 - OOW

Sun, 04 Jan 2026 00:24:15 GMT

2025-12-28 OOW Blog

Sat, 27 Dec 2025 23:01:19 GMT

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2025-12-24OOW6-30service

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 01:17:36 GMT

2025-12-24OOW-6:30 p.m. Service

2025-12-24OOW4-15 service

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 01:01:42 GMT

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2025-12-21 - OOW Blog

Sun, 21 Dec 2025 00:03:02 GMT

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2025-12-24 Christmas Eve 645

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 01:19:54 GMT

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2025-12-14 OOW Blog

Sat, 13 Dec 2025 19:11:14 GMT

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Drive Thru Food Drive

Sat, 06 Dec 2025 23:49:58 GMT

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2025-12-07 - OOW Blog

Sat, 06 Dec 2025 00:05:51 GMT

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2025-11-30 OOW Blog

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 01:41:50 GMT

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2025-11-16 OOW - Blog

Sun, 23 Nov 2025 01:13:12 GMT

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2025 Memory Tree Order Form

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 18:54:06 GMT

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2025-11-16 - OOW - Blog

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 02:10:31 GMT

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2025-11-09 - OOW Blog

Sat, 08 Nov 2025 12:59:34 GMT

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2025-11-02 OOW Blog

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 23:52:28 GMT

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OOW - 10-26-25 Blog

Sun, 26 Oct 2025 00:45:19 GMT

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2025-10-19

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 00:07:13 GMT

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Sat, 11 Oct 2025 15:50:55 GMT

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2025 0 10-05 - OOS Blog

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 11:25:03 GMT

2025-09-28 OOW Blog

Sat, 27 Sep 2025 16:32:42 GMT

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2025-09-21 OOW

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 00:53:57 GMT

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2025-09-14 OOW Blog

Sat, 13 Sep 2025 16:41:39 GMT

2025-09-07 OOW

Sun, 07 Sep 2025 01:21:51 GMT

2025-08-31 OOW Blog

Sun, 31 Aug 2025 00:08:18 GMT

2025-07-27 Blog with Bulletin Insert

Sat, 26 Jul 2025 14:40:56 GMT

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2025-07-20 Blog

Sun, 20 Jul 2025 02:00:27 GMT

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Sun, 13 Jul 2025 00:51:18 GMT

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2025-06-29 Coffeehouse Blog

Sat, 28 Jun 2025 21:03:12 GMT

2025-06-29 Coffeehouse Blog -- Click Here

Summer Order of Worship 6-22-26

Sun, 22 Jun 2025 11:58:16 GMT

Summer Order of Worship - Click Here

2025-06-15 - OOW - New Members

Sun, 15 Jun 2025 00:48:46 GMT

2025-06-15 - OOW - New Members Click Here

2025-06-08 OOW Blog

Sun, 08 Jun 2025 10:29:28 GMT

2025-06-01 OOW Blog

Sun, 01 Jun 2025 00:08:08 GMT

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2025-05-25 OOW

Sun, 25 May 2025 11:46:51 GMT

2025-05-18 - OOW

Sun, 18 May 2025 01:43:55 GMT

2025-05-11 - OOW Blog

Sun, 11 May 2025 00:16:47 GMT

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2025-05-04 OOW Blog

Sun, 04 May 2025 01:07:28 GMT

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2025 - 04-27 OOW Blog

Sat, 26 Apr 2025 21:41:11 GMT

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2025-04-20 OOW Easter

Sun, 20 Apr 2025 01:48:18 GMT

2025-04-20 - OOW - Easter - Click Here

2025-04-13 Palm Sunday

Sun, 13 Apr 2025 00:21:42 GMT

2025-04-27 - Palm Sunday Blog - Click Here

2025-04-06 OOW

Sun, 06 Apr 2025 00:34:02 GMT

2025-03-30 OOW

Sun, 30 Mar 2025 00:54:53 GMT

2025-03-30 - OOW Click Here

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2025 -3-23 OOW

Sun, 23 Mar 2025 00:43:49 GMT

2025-03-09

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 20:37:33 GMT

2025-03-02 OOW

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2025-02-23-OOW

Sun, 23 Feb 2025 03:05:27 GMT

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2025-02-09 OOW

Sat, 08 Feb 2025 22:32:34 GMT

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Communion Booklet 2025

Sat, 01 Feb 2025 22:18:29 GMT

Communion Booklet - 2025 - Click Here

2025-2-2-OOW

Sat, 01 Feb 2025 22:03:31 GMT

2025-02-02 OOW-Blog - Click Here

Pancake Breakfast Flyer

Sun, 26 Jan 2025 00:41:12 GMT

Pancake Breakfast Flyer - Click Here

2025-01-26 OOW

Sat, 25 Jan 2025 23:43:54 GMT

Cookbook Flyer

Sat, 18 Jan 2025 22:12:08 GMT

2025-01-19 - OOW Blog

Sat, 18 Jan 2025 21:58:20 GMT

2025-01-05-OOW Blog

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 00:53:15 GMT

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12-29-24 - LastSunday2024

Sun, 29 Dec 2024 01:24:06 GMT

12-29-24 - CoffeeHouseService Click Here

Christmas Eve OOW

Sun, 29 Dec 2024 01:17:12 GMT

ChristmasEveServiceOOW-Click Here

Christmas Eve Flyer

Sat, 21 Dec 2024 18:08:23 GMT

Christmas Eve Flyer - 12-24-24

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2024-12-22 - Order of Worship

Sat, 21 Dec 2024 18:04:18 GMT

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2024-12-15 OOWBlog

Sat, 14 Dec 2024 20:24:07 GMT

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Memory Tree List 2024

Sat, 14 Dec 2024 20:03:04 GMT

Memory Tree Booklet 2024 - Click Here

2024-12-08 - OOWBlog

Sun, 08 Dec 2024 02:23:34 GMT

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Steeple Lighting Form

Sat, 07 Dec 2024 19:34:48 GMT

Click Here to View the Steeple Lighting Form

2024-12-1 - OOW - Advent 1

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 01:53:51 GMT

2024-11-24 - OOW Blog

Sun, 24 Nov 2024 01:33:54 GMT

Order of Worship 11-17-24

Sat, 16 Nov 2024 22:20:54 GMT

2024-11-17 - Order of Worship click here

2024-11-10 OOW

Sun, 10 Nov 2024 00:55:40 GMT

2024-11-03 Order of Worship

Sun, 03 Nov 2024 01:12:08 GMT

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Memory Tree Bulb Order Form

Sun, 27 Oct 2024 11:38:32 GMT

Memory Tree Bulb Order Form 2024 Click Here

2024-10-27 Order of Worship

Sun, 27 Oct 2024 00:39:38 GMT

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2024-10-20 - OOW

Sat, 19 Oct 2024 22:02:37 GMT

2024-10-20 - Click here for Order of Worship

Fall Bazaar - 11/1 & 11/2

Sun, 13 Oct 2024 00:56:11 GMT

Fall Bazaar in the Social Hall - 11/1 & 11/2 Click Here

OOW 10-13-24

Sun, 13 Oct 2024 00:44:07 GMT

2024-10-06 - Blessing of the Animals

Sun, 06 Oct 2024 00:36:05 GMT

2024-10-06 - Blessing of the Animals see flyer here

2024 September 29 OOW Coffee House

Sun, 29 Sep 2024 00:43:22 GMT

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2024 September 22 - OOW

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 02:10:28 GMT

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2024 October 3 - Fall Foliage Meal

Sat, 14 Sep 2024 17:55:43 GMT

2024 October 3 - Fall Foliage Meal

2024 September 19 - Free Community Supper

Sat, 14 Sep 2024 17:46:57 GMT

2024 September 19 - Free Community Supper

2024 September 15 Order of Worship

Sat, 14 Sep 2024 17:18:22 GMT

2024 September 15 Order of Worship

2024 September 8 Order of Worship

Sat, 07 Sep 2024 12:32:08 GMT

2024 September 8 Order of Worship

2024 September 1 Order of Worship

Sat, 07 Sep 2024 12:21:19 GMT

Read the Order of Worship for Sept. 1, 2024

2024-8-25 OOW

Sat, 24 Aug 2024 15:34:39 GMT

Click to Read August 25, 2024 - Order of Worship

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2024-08-18Correct

Sun, 18 Aug 2024 11:30:41 GMT

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2024August18

Sun, 11 Aug 2024 11:56:25 GMT

Click here for Order of Worship Aug. 11, 2024

2024 August 4 OOW

Sun, 04 Aug 2024 02:39:06 GMT

Order of Worship August 4, 2024 Click Here

2024 July 28 OOW

Sun, 28 Jul 2024 00:39:40 GMT

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2024 July 21 OOW

Sat, 20 Jul 2024 17:10:11 GMT

Click the photo to read the Order of Worship July 21, 2024

July142024 - OOW

Sun, 14 Jul 2024 11:28:39 GMT

Read this weeks Order of Worship

July072024OOW-withCommunion

Sat, 06 Jul 2024 20:30:17 GMT

Read the Order of Worship for July 7, 2024 with Communion

June302024OOW

Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:15:21 GMT

Read the June 30, 2024 Pride Sunday OOW here

2024June23OOW

Sun, 23 Jun 2024 01:48:42 GMT

Read the Order of Worship for 6-23-24

June162024OOW

Sun, 16 Jun 2024 00:53:43 GMT

Read the June 16, 2024 Order of Worship here.

June-09-24OOW

Sat, 08 Jun 2024 15:00:22 GMT

Read the order of worship for June 9, 2024.

Timely Tidings June 2024

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 18:47:19 GMT

Read the June issue of our monthly newsletter Timely Tidings.

2024 January/February Timely Tidings

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 00:31:38 GMT

Read the 1st TimelyTidings of 2024

Timely Tidings - December 2021

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 18:13:53 GMT

Read the December 2021 issue of Timely Tidings.

Timely Tidings October 2021

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 11:12:45 GMT

Click here to read the October 2021 issue of our monthly newsletter Timely Tidings.

Timely Tidings - September 2021

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 12:22:50 GMT

Here is the September 2021 issue of our monthly newsletter Timely Tidings.

Peacham Congregational Church Celebrates 150th Anniversary of the Organ

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Thu, 26 Aug 2021 17:52:22 GMT

As part of a year-long celebration of key anniversaries at the Church, the Peacham Congregational Church is celebrating the 150th anniversary of its magnificent organ, dedicated in September of 1871. A special organ concert will take place on Friday, September 17th at 7:00 p.m. directed by organist Hal Parker, the music director for the Greensboro United Church of Christ. The concert will start with introductions by Rev. Sonia Dunbar who will discuss the history of the organ in the church and Johanna Branson, of the Peacham Historical Association who will highlight the history of the organ’s donor, Oliver Johnson. Oliver and his brother Leonard Johnson were avid abolitionists in Peacham.

The organ, a substantial gift from Peacham resident Oliver Johnson, is an Odell organ, an extravagant gift at the time. In 1871, the Church spent $7,300 renovating the building to accommodate the gift.

Oliver Johnson was editor of the National Anti-Slavery Standard from 1863-1865. The Standard was the official weekly newspaper of the American Anti-Slavery Society, an abolitionist society founded in 1833 by William Lloyd Garrison and Arthur Tappan to spread their movement across the nation. Frederick Douglass was a key leader of this society, with members that also included Susan B. Anthony, and often addressed meetings at its New York City headquarters. William Lloyd Garrison visited Peacham on several occasions and, in partnership with Oliver Johnson, delivered inspiring speeches from the pulpit of the Peacham Congregational Church.

By 1871, the abolitionist movement caused a great divide in the Peacham Congregation and Oliver Johnson wrote a letter to ask the members of the Congregation to mend their ways or he would refuse to donate the organ.

“And now, dear friends, let me be perfectly frank with you. I could not have the heart to bestow such a gift upon a divided and distracted church and society,” said Johnson in 1871. “I offer my gift not to a party but to the whole congregation, old and young; and I must make it an inexorable condition that you shall bury all your differences, letting by-gones by by-gones, acting together in a spirit of mutual good will.”

This offer, with all its conditions, was accepted by the church and adopted September 18. 1871.

In 1957, a generous donation of $13,000 by Charles F. Brown provided the resources for a “rebuilding and enlarging” of the organ by The Estey Organ Company of Brattleboro, VT. The organ was moved from the back of the church to its current position, behind the pulpit.

Reflecting on the re-dedication of the organ, during his opening address, Brown expressed, “It is my great privilege and pleasure to be able to present to you today the electronic chimes which are sounding forth from the tower of this beautiful church, and this rebuilt and enlarged organ. The privilege lies in the fact that I have been permitted to wave a magic wand, so to say, over this organ to which you have been listening for nearly 90 years, transforming it from an instrument of limited possibilities, into one of many resources. It is my hope that in its present state it will give added satisfaction to organists and congregation alike, that it will encourage the love of fine music, and that all who hear it may be benefitted by its uplifting influence in the interpreting of the word of God.”

Admission to the concert is by donation and masks are respectfully required. Additional information on the concert can be found at www.peachamchurch.org.

Photo Caption: The Peacham Congregational Church organ is pictured after its installation in 1871 in its original location in the back of the church. The organ was relocated to its current location in 1903 and expanded and rebuilt in 1957 with help from a generous donation by Charles. F. Brown. A special concert to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the organ is planned for September 17th at 7:00 p.m.

Panel Discussion on the History of The Olde Meeting House

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Thu, 24 Jun 2021 11:02:44 GMT

The Olde Meeting House Celebrates its 215th Anniversary This Year.

The Peacham Congregational Church is pleased to invite the public to a panel discussion on Saturday, July 3 at 3:30 p.m. to celebrate and discuss the 215 ^th anniversary of the church building, The Olde Meeting House.

Built in 1806 and moved to its current location in 1844, The Olde Meeting House has enjoyed a vast history, not only as a church, but a community gathering place and historic structure. It was designed by Edward Clark, a timberframer and Revolutionary War veteran, who also designed the Congregational Church in Newbury.

The panel will consist of Jan Lewandoski, owner of Restoration and Traditional Building, a company specializing in the restoration and reconstruction of historic timber frame structures; Adam King, founder and director of Arcadia Restorations specializing in the faithful restoration, re-creation, and preservation of historic structures and timberframes; Susan Chandler, Collections and Research Manager for the Peacham Historical Association; and Rev. Sonia Dunbar, pastor of the Peacham Congregational Church.

“Adam King recently completed an extensive conditions assessment for us that included an architectural and preservation analysis of The Olde Meeting House. We are pleased to host him with Jan Lewandoski to discuss the unique construction methods and materials used when this structure was erected in 1806, up the hill, across from where the firehouse is today,” said Dunbar.

The panel discussion is the second of four events of a year-long celebration honoring significant anniversaries at the church. The congregation was founded in 1794; the organ, a valuable gift to the church, was installed 150 years ago, in 1871; and The Olde Meeting House was built 215 years ago, in 1806.

“The core of the mission of the Peacham Congregational Church is service to all, including to the greater Peacham community," said Dunbar. "We are committed to exploring the Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, including Risk-Taking Mission and Radical Hospitality. Members of our church walk together to serve our community, support its spiritual needs, and maintain The Olde Meeting House, a spiritual, civic, educational, and social gathering place. It is our hope that by offering this special celebration, other individuals and organizations will utilize the building to host existing and potential activities."

The panel discussion is preceded by an old-fashioned hymn sing and celebration of the importance of music in the early church. “We are lucky to have a surviving copy of the program from the Church’s 1894 centennial celebration. Thanks to that and the internet, we can recreate some of the music people would have sung in the late 18 ^th and early 19 ^th centuries,” said Dunbar. The hymn sing starts outside of the church at 1:30 p.m.

Both events are open to the public and are free. Following Covid guidelines, if you have not been vaccinated, please keep a social distance, and wear a mask.

215th Anniversary of "The Olde Meeting House"

Sun, 06 Jun 2021 13:51:15 GMT

Join us on Saturday, July 3rd for a day filled with music, history, and fun!

All events are free (except for the pulled pork dinner) and everyone is welcome. If you are not vaccinated, we ask that you attend with a mask and respect social distance. Thank you.

June Timely Tidings

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Sun, 06 Jun 2021 13:38:21 GMT

Here is the link to read the Timely Tidings for June.

May 2021 Timely Tidings

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Mon, 10 May 2021 17:49:43 GMT

Click here to read the May 2021 issue of Timely Tidings.

Food Drive - May 15th

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Tue, 04 May 2021 14:36:03 GMT

Peacham Congregational Church Celebrates Legacy With Year-long Celebration

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 16:42:12 GMT

The majestic spire of The Olde Meeting House of the Peacham Congregational Church is a visual icon in the heart of Peacham and one of the most photographed buildings in New England. In 2021, the church building, built in 1806, celebrates its 215 ^th anniversary. This significant milestone is joined by the 150 ^th anniversary of the church’s organ, and the 227 ^th anniversary of the founding of the church’s congregation on April 14 ^th , 1794. The church is planning four key events during 2021 to create a year-long celebration to honor its legacy.

A committee for the year-long celebration was created in September 2020, led by Rev. Sonia Dunbar, who was recently called as settled pastor for the Peacham Congregational Church.

The Congregation Celebrates its 227 ^th Anniversary

On April 10 ^th at 4:30 p.m., an online lecture (via Zoom) is planned to host “Olden Day,” recollecting the history of the church when it was founded in 1794. The last “Olden Day” was held at the church in 1994 when the church celebrated its congregations’ bicentennial.

Documents from church founders have been discovered in the archives of the Peacham Historical Association, some of which predate the formal founding of the church. These also include letters from the first settled pastor, Rev. Leonard Worchester.

“We are bringing the past to life and highlighting what times were like in Peacham in the late 18 ^th century. In 1794, Peacham was in the “wilderness” so to speak and our journey as a church began with 12 pioneer men and women. We are excited to discover the original church charter survives, handwritten and signed in 1794,” said Dunbar.

The Olde Meeting House Has Stood for 215 Years

The historic building, The Olde Meeting House, has a vast history, not only as a church, but a community gathering place and historic structure. Plans are underway for a panel of preservation, spiritual, and historic professionals offering a discussion on the history of the building on July 3 ^rd in Peacham. The panel will consist of Jan Lewandoski, owner of Restoration and Traditional Building, a company specializing in the restoration and reconstruction of historic timber frame structures; Adam King, founder and director of Arcadia Restorations specializing in the faithful restoration, re-creation, and preservation of historic structures and timber frames; Susan Chandler, Collections and Research Manager for the Peacham Historical Association; and Rev. Sonia Dunbar.

“Adam King recently completed an extensive conditions assessment that includes an architectural and preservation analysis of The Olde Meeting House. We are pleased to host him with Jan Lewandoski to discuss the unique construction methods and materials used when this structure was erected in 1806. The original site of the church was up on the hill near where the firehouse is today and they actually moved the building across the fields to its current location.”

The Organ is 150 Years Old

On Friday, September 17 ^th at 5 p.m. organist Hal Parker, the music director for the Greensboro United Church of Christ, will perform selections for the organ that date to the time when the organ was “exhibited” 150 years ago in September 1871. During the original exhibition, organist Edward Howe and soloist Sabrina H. Dow presented a selection of sacred music. The organ was a gift from Peacham resident Oliver Johnson who offered the church an Odell organ costing $1,300, an extravagant gift at the time. The church spent $7,300 renovating the building to accommodate the gift. In 1957, a generous donation of $13,000 by Charles F. Brown provided the resources for a “rebuilding and enlarging” of the organ by The Estey Organ Company of Brattleboro, VT.

Reflections from the entire year of events will be celebrated with a special service on December 4 ^th with expressions of gratitude for the church, their service, their ministry, and commitment to community. All are welcome to join in the celebration and information on the four events will be posted to the church website www.peachamchurch.org.

“After a year under the dark shadow of this pandemic, we are eager to celebrate life and three significant milestones for our church,” said Rev. Sonia Dunbar. “We are encouraged with the support we have received from members of our own church and community and key partners across the state. These events will help us honor those who supported us in difficult times. The stories and history of our church and building are incredible and we are looking forward to sharing them with friends near and far.”

Photo by Timm Judas

March 20 Food Drive - Almost a Ton of Fun

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 16:48:25 GMT

Thanks again to our worker bees and those who participated in our March 20th food drive. We received 141 lbs of donations from Peacham Elementary School for a combined total of 1,100 pounds! Thank you to our team of volunteers who are pictured: Rev. Sonia, Mary Daly, Marilyn Magnus, Wynne Brown, Allie Webster, Sharon Jones, Charis Holbrook, and Leryda Vazquez.

We also thank those outside coordinating food deliveries, Rick Witt and Bruce MacLean.

Lots of Love Shared for Valentine's Day

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 14:53:09 GMT

Our Valentine's Cheer Gifts Were Sent to Over 70 Peacham Elders

Thank you to all those who participated in our Valentine's Cheer Gifts for our elderly Peacham friends and neighbors. Students from the Peacham Elementary School made cards, The Peacham Cafe made delicious frozen meals (donated by three generous Peacham couples), and church volunteers baked cookies, purchased candy, made the Cheer Gifts, and helped to deliver them. Thanks for sending all the love to over 70 friends!

Know You Are Loved - A Letter from Rev. Sonia

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Wed, 23 Dec 2020 17:15:49 GMT

December 23, 2020

Dear Ones,

I have a friend who typically ends his message exchanges with, “Know you are loved.” That reminder hits home this holiday season, perhaps more than in prior ones.

For those of us in the ministry, we have been “on-call” 24/7 since the Covid-19

pandemic began, doing our best to hold sacred space for those who are in emotional, psychological, spiritual, economic, and physical turmoil. Serving others in this capacity is both exhausting and rewarding beyond imagining. Common to all the expressions of turmoil I have held space for this year is a sense of devaluation, a sense of being unloved.

In my native faith tradition, this is a season dedicated to the birth of profound love. We may not recognize it in this moment, but I feel in the core of my being that we have come face-to-face with the greatest gift, that of knowing we are indeed, loved. Attached to this gift, however, is the cosmic equivalent of the disclaimer, “batteries not included.” True love – deep, abiding, evolutionary, revolutionary love – isn’t static. It requires a source of energy. Us.

Every one of us knows another who is in despair and feeling alone right now. I

believe it is our obligation to install our batteries and begin operating to dispel that sense of isolation and sorrow. It may sound trite to you, that old reminder that love is the only gift that never diminishes when you give it away, but that doesn’t make it untrue.

Please, this year more than any other, reach out to someone who lives alone or is

separated from loved ones. Let them know you are thinking of them and they matter to you. You don’t need to use the language of love, you can simply ask, “how are you?” But, make the commitment to truly wanting to know the answer. Then listen whole-heartedly when it comes. Don’t expect to provide a person in turmoil with specific solutions to their problem. If they are in deep crisis, guide them toward professional support. Be open, however, to the possibility that you are working sacred magic simply by reaching out.

Know you are loved ... then, let others know they are loved as well.

With blessings and love,

Rev. Sonia

Thank you Friends of Peacham

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 14:42:39 GMT

December Drive Through Food Drive

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 12:45:22 GMT

December Timely Tidings

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 12:41:32 GMT

We wish you blessings during the holiday season. Happy Holidays!

To read the December Timely Tidings, click here.

A Gathering for Gratitude

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Wed, 11 Nov 2020 18:53:24 GMT

A Gathering for Gratitude

You are invited to an interfaith Gathering for Gratitude on Tuesday evening, November 17, at 6:30 p.m. We will meet in the sanctuary of the Peacham Congregational Church to seek out and give voice to those things for which we are grateful as we near the end of an unsettling year. All are welcome to join us in person or via live stream for an evening of music, meditation and prayer. The evening’s facilitators are Dave Edwards, Charlie Brown, Kalanani Gallas and Rev. Sonia Dunbar.

Please abide by CDC/St. of VT guidelines (masks, hand-washing and physical-distancing) if you wish to join us in person. You can connect to our live stream on the Church website .

Drive Through Food Drive

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Fri, 02 Oct 2020 23:53:01 GMT

Thank you in advance for supporting our community.

Blessing of the Animals

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 16:34:32 GMT

Sunday, October 4, 2020

Join us for our 2 ^nd annual Blessing of the Animals service! Properly restrained animal companions, stuffed animals and/or photographs of animal companions may join us in the sanctuary at 9:30 for our regular service, followed by large animal blessings in the parking lot around 10:30 and a Zoom blessing starting around 11:00.

Click here for the Zoom invite. Thank you.

A "Wee" Fall Foliage Day

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Sun, 27 Sep 2020 15:21:50 GMT

Saturday, October 10th from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

We hope you can join us for a "Wee" Fall Foliage Day! Activities include a car trunk/flea/tag sale, apple pie and apple crisp, and lasagne and garlic bread. To order, please click here to use the online form.

Peacham Congregational Church Launches New Website

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Wed, 16 Sep 2020 11:00:16 GMT

The Peacham Congregational Church is pleased to announce the launch of its new website designed to serve as an informative communications tool for its Congregation and with friends throughout the Northeast Kingdom and beyond. The new website is www.peachamchurch.org .

The website features expanded content including, photos, a Sunday service video archive, a master events calendar, a comprehensive worship resources section, mission section, philanthropic and volunteer information, music and choir section, membership information, history, and news blog. It also features a “live stream” option for Sunday services with a digital weekly bulletin for download.

“It is hard to put into words the history of all that has occurred over the years at the Peacham Congregational Church,” said Rev. Sonia Dunbar. “In 2021, the Congregation celebrates its 227 ^th anniversary, the church building celebrates its 215 ^th anniversary, and the organ celebrates its 150 ^th . We have a lot to celebrate at the Peacham Congregational Church and we are thrilled that we have a new tool to connect with friends here in Peacham and throughout the world.”

For the development of the website, the Church turned to Mel Reis, a marketing consultant in Peacham and Northeast Kingdom Online, a marketing and branding agency located in Lyndonville, VT. Using a proprietary content management system “NEKO360”, the Church can make changes to the website easily and quickly via the internet. With responsive design, the new website can be viewed across many different devices (PC, tablet, and smartphone).

To accompany the new website, the Church has also introduced a new logo and tagline “Faith Through Spirit and Action.”

“Our Church has a unique relationship with our community,” said Dunbar. “Our Congregation is comprised of members and non-members who provide activities and events to support the greater community. In addition, our church building provides a gathering space for numerous Peacham organizations for meetings and performances. We welcome visitors and members who are interested in joining us on Sundays, both near and far, and those who are simply interested in learning more about the history and the preservation of the building and organ. Our new website will help us to inform, educate, inspire, and connect.”

“As Rev. Sonia describes, the Church has a wonderful legacy, one that is currently encapsulated in books, ephemera, letters, stories, and pictures,” said Reis. “We are pulling together information to celebrate three major anniversaries next year and the website will be a valuable tool to promote the planning leading up to the year-long celebration.”

International Day of Peace Service

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Wed, 16 Sep 2020 10:50:04 GMT

Join your friends at the Peacham Congregational Church for an interfaith gathering in honor of the United Nations International Day of Peace.

Wednesday, September 23, at 6:30 p.m.

Peacham Congregational Church

It will be an evening of meditation, music, prayer, and practices to bring more peace into our lives. All are welcome. (Masks, social distancing, and handwashing/sanitizing are required). The event will be streamed live at this link .

Here is a link to the event program.

"You can't have peace if you are in pieces." - Swami Satchitananda

Artwork created by Max Judas.

September 2020 Timely Tidings

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Mon, 14 Sep 2020 17:52:22 GMT

This issue provides a thank you to Patty for her dedication to the production of Timely Tidings--Timm and Max Judas are taking that on (thank you Timm and Max). it also features reflections on the Pie Sale, a terrific recipe for Oak Bannock Bread, and highlights of upcoming events.

Reverend Sonia Dunbar Called as Settled Pastor

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Mon, 31 Aug 2020 19:01:10 GMT

With a history extending over 225 years, the members of the Peacham Congregational Church voted to call Reverend Sonia Dunbar as its permanent or “settled” Pastor at a special meeting held on Sunday, August 16th. She was previously serving as interim Pastor since January of 2019.

Reverend Dunbar is the 31st settled Pastor in the history of the congregation, which celebrated its 225th anniversary in 2019. The historic church building celebrates its 215th anniversary in 2021.

“In June 2017, standing in the presence of my Creator, I vowed to live my life and ministry as a “Celtic Wise One” – a healer, historian, artist, and Guide Between the Worlds,” said Dunbar, who is an interfaith-interspiritual minister. “If you think about it, that sounds remarkably Christian, doesn’t it? Christianity in fact is my native religious background and spiritual language. My aspiration is to live as Jesus taught, possessed by the Holy Spirit, and profoundly in love with my Creator, the Sovereign of Mysteries.”

Before she was called as interim Pastor, church leaders held personal meetings with members of the congregation and the Peacham community to inquire about the qualities they were interested in for a new Pastor and the role of the church in the community’s future. Two themes emerged--that the church continue with the Congregational tradition and introduce elements of other faiths.

Reverend Dunbar was helpful in creating opportunities for new programs such as lay participation in Sunday services, working with church and community leaders to host a new childcare program at the church, the introduction of weekly interfaith services, redirecting the focus of mission work, and increasing outreach in the community with her “Loving Your Neighbor – Interfaith Moments.” And then in March 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

“With a pandemic, pastoral care and outreach needed to look radically different and the role of technology in supporting care cannot be understated, said Dunbar. “Distance pastoral care will continue for many months and lay involvement will expand, where possible, beyond our walls. We are establishing a food pantry at the Peacham Congregational Church in response to needs by our community during this pandemic.”

As a result of dedicated efforts during the pandemic, the church has welcomed new members and has seen an increase in the support for church missions. The number of messages of gratitude for the church’s presence in the community has also grown.

“We are thrilled that Sonia has been called by our members as the church’s settled Pastor. She is committed to mission. She is a Biblical, interfaith, and even Celtic scholar. She is most important an inspiration and friend to all,” said John Marshall, Chair of the Church Council. “Leading a church community through a pandemic requires, as Sonia has said, pastoral care and outreach that is radically different. Her leadership during this time of transition for the church and now pandemic has shown that she is the one to lead the next chapter of our church’s 225-year history.”

Reverend Dunbar was an active member of the Greensboro United Church of Christ (UCC) for many years, serving as Church School and Youth Group Coordinator, and on the Mission and Diaconate and the Church Council at various times, as well as singing in the choir and providing special music.

In 2014 she completed a Congregational-United Church of Christ (UCC) lay ministry training program and went on to become an ordained interfaith-interspiritual minister in 2017. She has a variety of skills and interests that include a degree in early music, work at the state level on church vitality and growth, and several years of pulpit supply, including sabbatical coverage and ‘bridge’ coverage (the period between the exit of a prior minister and an incoming interim minister).

She was raised on a dairy farm in East Craftsbury, VT. Her grandfather was born on Walden Mountain and her great-grandparents are buried in North Danville. Her hobbies include reading, watching professional bull riding, and gardening. She also was a licensed attorney for about 15 years, working primarily with children in high-conflict divorces. She resides in East Craftsbury.

August 1st Food Drive

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 17:57:19 GMT

Thanks go out to our Peacham neighbors for their efforts to donate shelf stable food and healthcare supplies during our August 1st "drive-through" food drive. This is the third food drive our church has conducted during the COVID crisis to help needy families. Most of the food on this drive went to the Danville Food Shelf.

Drive-Through Food Drive

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 17:22:55 GMT

This is our third drive-thru food drive. Thank you everyone for your support!

Drive-Through Food Drive a Success

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Tue, 05 May 2020 13:50:25 GMT

We were pleased to host a drive-through food drive on Saturday, May 9th. We were able to dedicate four large bins of food for Peacham needy families and the remaining food was donated to the Danville Food Shelf. Thank you to our generous donors!

Our monthly newsletter Timely Tidings for March 2020

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Mon, 02 Mar 2020 15:08:37 GMT

This issue features our schedule for our Lenten Film Series and Easter Service plans (prior to the stay home/stay safe order from the VT Governor due to COVID-19). Thanks Max for another great artistic rendering of Max the Cat! Click here to read the issue.

Our monthly newsletter Timely Tidings for February 2020

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 15:01:28 GMT

We were pleased with the turnout for our Souper Saturday fundraiser. To read the February 2020 issue of Timely Tidings, click here .

Maggie The Cat

Tue, 28 Jan 2020 17:06:30 GMT

The adventures of Maggie the Cat continue. Thanks Max!

Our talented friend, Max Judas, creates a new cartoon of Maggie the Cat for every issue of Timely Tidings.

Souper Saturday

Tue, 28 Jan 2020 16:57:04 GMT

Thank you to all who joined us for a tasty afternoon.

We welcomed friends and neighbors to our annual Souper Saturday on January 25th. Thank you to our volunteers who assisted with cooking and set up and clean up. We raised $700.

January Timely Tidings

mel@melreis.com (Mel Reis) — Wed, 15 Jan 2020 20:09:26 GMT

Our monthly newsletter for January 2020

Happy New Year! We were pleased to celebrate a wonderful holiday season. Thank you to all who supported our Annual Fund and Memorial Tree. Your generosity makes a difference in the life of church. Click here to read the next edition of January 2020 Timely Tidings. If you have any news to share, please contact us!