This Week at Tabernacle
THIS WEEK AT TABERNACLE CHURCH, UCC
October 19th, 2025
Reminder
SUNDAY’S SERVICE BEGINS AT 9:00 A.M.
A message from Reverend Joe….
Dear Members and Friends,
I realize that the traffic and crowd issues in Salem are making it difficult for folks who drive to church. I also realize that we’ve been having some issues with zoom. Both the Zoom Team and the Deacons are working diligently to make our worship experiences more convenient and to meet worshippers’ expectations. Not everyone seemed to have gotten the message that we moved our worship time to 9 am starting last Sunday! Sorry about that. We did send out an email blast, and it was in This Week. We will continue to worship at 9 am these last two Sundays in October due to the early road closings by the Salem Police department. We thought about cancelling in person altogether, but several folks said, “I can walk to church” so we figured we’d keep worshipping both in person and on zoom. Those who can be here in person, great, but if you’re reluctant to come downtown, please join us on zoom.
We had quite a bit of feedback about what folks want/need on the zoom screen! So, after much discussion among the Zoom Team and Deacons we’ve come up with a plan that we hope keeps the most worshippers satisfied. We plan to put up the responsive Call to Worship and the Unison Prayers on the screen. We will not be putting up the full order of worship or the scriptures. The scriptures appear every Wednesday in This Week at the bottom of the email. You can refer to that, keep your own Bible handy, or just listen to the reader. We’re experimenting with scanning the hymns and putting those on the screen for those who want to follow along or even sing in the privacy of your own home! To that end, the Deacons came up with an additional idea: for our shut ins and anyone else who attend regularly via zoom, we will provide both the Pilgrim Hymnal and the New Century Hymnal for you to have in your home! That will help when we read the Psalm responsively or use the communion liturgy in the hymnal. If you would like hymnals for your use in your home, please let one of the Deacons or the church office know. If you need us to deliver them to you, please let us know. Otherwise, if you are able to pick them up yourself, please let us know so we know who has them and where they are located. We believe we have enough for those who need them at home.
We’re always listening to feedback so if you have other ideas or want to let us know whether you like these changes, please let us know. Again, we want the best possible worship experience for everyone, and we’d like to have the most people participating both in person and on zoom.
See you in church or on zoom!
Reverend Joe
HAVE YOU PLACE YOUR POINSETTIA ORDER YET!
CHRISTMAS IN OCTOBER!!!
WE ARE TAKING ORDERS FOR POINSETTIAS !!!
Many of you know that Kanes Flower World in Peabody no longer exists. They were our supplier for many years. Due to this fact we have a new supplier, Nunan Florist and Greenhouses in Georgetown. They are requesting that we place our Christmas order no later than
October 21st.
So yes, we are taking orders for poinsettias in October!
Order Yours Now!
Plants will be available in red or white and will cost 12.00 apiece.
Orders may be placed by either filling out a form that will be available each Sunday during our in-person services. You may order by sending an email to the office. (office @tabernaclechurch.org) Please include your name, the amounts and colors of the plants, and the memorials you would like published. Payments may be made by check and mailed to the office. Make checks payable to Tabernacle Church and mail to Tabernacle Church, 50 Washington Street, Salem, Ma. 01970 You may also pay for them by using the donate button on our website. Please be sure to write poinsettia order on the memo line, and send the office an email with your name, amount of poinsettias, color and the memorials. Also indicate that you paid online at our website.
It’s That Wonderful Time of the Year…
Halloween in Salem…
We are still looking for a few more volunteers for our Halloween Parking.
Saturday and Sunday, October 25th and 26th at 9:30 A.M.
Sign- up sheets are in the Bigelow Room or contact Betsey Bennett via text at 508-843-5780 to volunteer
NEW MISSIONS COLLECTION
Missions is joining the Coat Collection at St Peter’s-San Pedro Episcopal Church in Salem. We are asking our church community to consider donating gently used items as you change from your summer to winter clothing. We are collecting coats, jackets, scarves, gloves, and hats for adults and children. Please place your donations in the baskets in the narthex.
This collection is now until the end of October.
Also, Saint Peters is looking for Volunteers to help out on November 1st.
Contact Deb Barber at ST Peters seniorwarden280@gmail.com
We appreciate you participating in this project.
Missions Group
UP COMING EVENT
Too many of Salem’s children are hurting. Too many lack housing or don’t have enough to eat.
Too many are having trouble learning or perhaps can’t even go to school because they have no clean clothes.
Their families are stressed. Their physical and mental health is at risk.
What can we do? We hope you will join us for an informal community discussion about the devasting and far-reaching impact of poverty on children and what we can do to mitigate it.
We’ve asked four professionals who work directly with Salem children to guide the conversation
Join US on Thursday, November 13th at 6:30 p.m..
“Childhood in the Shadow of Poverty”
6:30 pm, Thursday, November 13, 2025
The House of the Seven Gables
115 Derby Street, Salem
MODERATOR
Sue Gabriel, CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Salem
PANELISTS
Sarah Roy, Director of the Salem Children’s Alliance
Eric Mitchell, Executive Director, Pathways for Children
Agnes Misigah, Director of Housing, Centerboard, Inc.
Charity Lezama, Executive Director, YMCA of the North Shore
While the event is free, attendees are encouraged to bring diapers of any size for distribution by Mamás Unidas of Salem.
Gift cards for purchase will also be available and will support local families with basic items like gas, laundry, and other needs.
| Please register to attend HERE. Registration is strongly encouraged as capacity is limited to 80 people. For that reason, please do not register if you are not sure you can attend.Our 2023 symposium “The Many Faces of Homelessness” was thought provoking, informative and inspirational. We hope “Childhood in the Shadow of Poverty” will be so as well. Salem’s kids deserve it! Never underestimate the difference a donation of any size can make in someone’s life. PLEASE DONATE Rachel Lutts, President, Board of Directors |
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COMFORT FOOD SUPPLIES FOR THE SALEM PANTRY
Missions Action Group has designated September, October, November, and December as comfort food months for the Salem Pantry so others can enjoy yummy treats for the holidays of Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.We are asking for donations of spices, flour, cooking oil, sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar, molasses, dried milk, evaporated milk, and cans of pumpkin.
Reasonably priced spices can be found at Walgreens, Market Basket, and Ocean State Job Lot. You will find baskets in the Narthex to place your contributions.
Thank you as always for your support.
Missions Action Group
WE are also collecting gently used sweatshirts and hoodies for
The Clothing Connection which serves adolescents in the
Salem Public Schools. These items may also be placed in the nartex.
AND WE ARE STILL COLLECTING …..
Missions is collecting plastic tabs from bread and fruit bags, and the pull tabs from cans. Collection Jars are in the Bigelow Room.
The Deacons for the month of October are
Sara and Dave Woolfenden.
The Lighting of the Steeple for the month of October is provided by Sarah and Tom Davin in loving memory of their parents,
Tom and Mary Davin, and Richard and Janet King.
Calendar
Sunday, October 19th, 2025
9:00:00 a.m. Worship service in the Sanctuary and via Zoom
9:00 a.m. Halloween parking
10:00 a.m. Fellowship Time in the Bigelow Room
12:00 noon till 11:00 p.m. Magic show in Emerson Hall and the Bigelow Room
Monday, October 20th, 2025
6:00 p.m. Threshold Singers rehearsal in the Bigelow Room
7:00 p.m. Alanon Meeting downstairs in the dining room
Tuesday, October 21st, 2025
6:00 p.m. Zilber Beatles rehearsal downstairs classroom
7:00 p.m. Council meeting via Zoom
7:30 to 9:00 p.m.. Jubilate Choir rehearsal in the Bigelow Room
Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025
7:00 p.m. Bible Study via Zoom
Friday, October 24th, 2025
Afternoon and Evening Magic Show in Emerson Hall and Bigelow room
6:30 p.m. AA meeting downstairs in the dining room
Saturday, October 25th, 2025
9:00 a.m. Halloween parking
Magic Show all day Emerson Hall and Bigelow room
Sunday, October 26th, 2025
9:00:00 a.m. Worship service in the Sanctuary and via Zoom
9:00 a.m. Halloween parking
10:00 a.m. Fellowship Time in the Bigelow Room
12:00 noon till 11:00 p.m. Magic show in Emerson Hall and the Bigelow Room
S.O.S
WE NEED HELP SERVING LIFEBRIDGE MEALS
CHOOSE YOUR MONTH TO SERVE
4-6- P.M. the fourth Monday of the Month
Sign up Sheets are on the board in the Bigelow Room
or
CONTACT MARTHA BAGBY (mhbagby@gmail.com)
WITH OUT VOLUNTEERS WE CANNOT MAKE THIS MOST IMPORTANT COMMUNITY SERVICE HAPPEN!!
Bible Study tonight
October 15th, 2025
7:00 pm via Zoom
Tonight’s Readings are:
Jeremiah 31:27-34
Promise of a new covenant
31:27 The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will sow the house of Israel
and the house of Judah with the seed of humans and the seed of animals.
31:28 And just as I have watched over them to pluck up and break down, to
overthrow, destroy, and bring evil, so I will watch over them to build and to
plant, says the LORD.
31:29 In those days they shall no longer say: “The parents have eaten sour grapes, and
the children’s teeth are set on edge.”
31:30 But all shall die for their own sins; the teeth of the one who eats sour grapes
shall be set on edge.
31:31 The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.
31:32 It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took
them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt–a covenant that they
broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD.
31:33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those
days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their
hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
31:34 No longer shall they teach one another or say to each other, “Know the
LORD,” for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says
the LORD, for I will forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more.
Luke 18:1-8
A widow begs for justice
18:1 Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose
heart.
18:2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had
respect for people.
18:3 In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me
justice against my accuser.’
18:4 For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of
God and no respect for anyone,
18:5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she
may not wear me out by continually coming.'”
18:6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says.
18:7 And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night?
Will he delay long in helping them?
18:8 I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man
comes, will he find faith on earth?”