This Week at Tabernacle

THIS WEEK AT TABERNACLE CHURCH, UCC
October 25th, 2026

 

 

S.O.S

HALLOWEEN PARKERS NEEDED FOR
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
OCTOBER 24th and OCTOBER 25th
REAL EASY JUST SHOW UP AT 9 AM AND YOU WILL BE PUT TO WORK.

PLEASE HELP TO MAKE THIS VERY IMPORTANT FUND RAISER A SUCCESS!!! 

SUNDAY IN PERSON SERVICE

 

Join us this Sunday, October 25thfor our in-person Service at 10 am in the Sanctuary followed by Fellowship Time in the Bigelow Room.

The Zilber Beatles will be providing our music.

 

A message from Reverend Joe……..

 

Dear Members and Friends,

 

Last week I preached that we are chosen because we responded to God’s call to follow in Christ’s path.  But now we take another step and discover that we are also tested, a tricky word, to say the least. We need to reflect on what Paul means by “God tests our hearts” (I Thess. 2:4 NRSV). Moving from “chosen” to “tested” is hard. People who have been harmed by the church hear “God tests our hearts…” and are likely plotting their escape. People who have been in the church a long time may hear the same words and assume they know what they mean, when in fact, we could all use a refresher on what Paul is and is not doing in this passage. How do we provide the safe space and the brave space to explore what Paul is talking about in today’s passage?

 

 

First, we create a safe space by reminding ourselves of the truth of who God is and who God calls and empowers us to be. We recall how God chooses us in the call to worship. We sing of God’s never-failing, always-active love. We pray for one another and our world in the context of God’s faithfulness to listen to our pain and to act for the flourishing of all creation. We prepare for the possibility that the scripture may hit a few buttons, but we’re going to wrestle with it, not just accept easy, surface-level readings.  Then we create a brave space by encouraging vulnerability with boundaries, critical thinking, and mindfulness.

We are fortunate here at Tabernacle because we have prepared ourselves, as a congregation, to deal with such weighty issues.  For those of you who are new to Tabernacle, you may not be aware that we have something called “Safe Church Handbook” which covers a multitude of issues.  In 2023, we amended the handbook to address the sensitive issue of what we would do if we know a person with a history of sexual misconduct wanted to attend our worship services.  The handbook includes forms, reports, applications for volunteers and suggestions for limited participation agreements.  We will have copies of this available in the Bigelow Room this Sunday so that you may acquaint yourself with this handbook, if you like. We’re also fortunate that after a time of conflict, we also adopted something called “Our Solemn Bond” as a tool to help us deal with difficult issues. We always start out every congregational and annual meeting with the reading of “Our Solemn Bond.”  There will be copies of that available as well.  We’ll explore more of all this in this Sunday’s sermon.

 

See you on zoom or in church (yes, there will be in person this Sunday for those who choose their way through the crowds!),

Reverend Joe

 

The title of Reverend Joe’s sermon is :   “Creating Safe Space”

 

 

The Deacons for the month of October and November are
“ The Deacons”, Brenda Lewis, Betsey Bennett, Jan Roberts-Breslin, Stephen Fisher and David Woolfenden.

 

The Lighting of the Steeple for the month of October is in loving memory of Marc Lemieux by Mom, Dad, Michelle and Mikey.

The Lighting of the Steeple for the month of November is provided by Jen and Bob Strom in loving memory of their Fathers, Carlton Lutts and Fred Strom.

 

STILL TIME TO JOIN
AND SHARE YOUR MUSICAL SKILLS….
COME SING!

 

I look forward to working with singers who would like to join our Christmas Eve Choir. Besides the carols we all love, I have a selection of pieces I hope the congregation will find meaningful and joyous. Our rehearsals will be after Sunday morning worship.

The schedule is:

Sunday, November 29
Sundays, December 6,13,20

 

Our last rehearsal will be Christmas Eve December 24, at 6:00pm followed by the service at 7:00pm.

If you would like to sing with us on Christmas Eve, please let me or Lorraine know.

 

Looking forward to singing with you.
Valerie Peterson
978.985.7987

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s Back to School

Missions is supporting The Clothing Connection.
(See poster below)

We are asking for sweatshirts or fleece tops.

Items may be new or gently used. Please no graphics.

We are targeting high school age students so Adult size S to XL.

Questions please reach out to Jean Karam:
Karamfour@ gmail.com  or 617-872-2041.

Donations due by November 8th.

 

 

 

NEW ITEMS FOR SALEM PANTRY

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.

 

 

LAST WEEK TO DONATE!!

 

 

 

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.

We appreciate you participating in this project.
Missions Group

 

 

 

WE NEED HELP SERVING LIFEBRIDGE MEALS

Sign-up Sheets are on the board in the Bigelow Room
or Call Martha Bagby:  508-932-0221

 

CHOOSE YOUR MONTH TO SERVE
4-6- P.M. the fourth Monday of the Month

WITHOUT VOLUNTEERS WE CANNOT MAKE THIS MOST IMPORTANT COMMUNITY SERVICE HAPPEN!!

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

Calendar

Sunday, October 25th,  2026
9:00 a.m. Halloween Parking
12 noon to 9 pm Magician in Emerson Hall
10:00 a.m. Worship Service in the Sanctuary and on Zoom
11:00 a.m. Fellowship Time in the Bigelow Room
Monday, October 26th, 2026   
7:00 p.m. Alanon Meeting downstairs in the dining room
Tuesday, October 27th, 2026
6:00 p.m. Zilber Beatles rehearsal downstairs classroom
7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  Jubilate Choir Rehearsal in the Bigelow Room
Wednesday, October 28th,  2026
7:00 p.m. Bible Study via Zoom
Friday, October 30th, 2026
All day – Magician in Emerson Hall
6:30 p.m. AA meeting downstairs in the dining room
Sunday, November 1st,2026
12 noon to 9 pm Magician in Emerson Hall
10:00 a.m. Worship Service in the Sanctuary with Communion and via Zoom
11:00 a.m. Fellowship Time in the Bigelow Room

 

 

BIBLE STUDY TONIGHT
October 21st, 2026
7:00 pm via Zoom

READINGS FOR TONIGH”S MEETING

Psalms Book One 1

1 Harmony and well-being rest on those who do not walk the path of the bad-hearted, the ones who do not stand with those who stir up disharmony, those who will not sit in a circle where others are spoken of with scorn and disrespect.

2 Instead, they take joy in Grandfather’s clear instructions. As the sun and the moon circle the sky, they think deeply about his ways.

3 The ones who walk this path will be like a tree whose roots reach deep into the banks of the river. When the harvest moon comes, they will bear much fruit. Their shoots and leaves will not turn brown and fall to the ground. All they put their hands to will go well for them.

4 But this is not so for the ones who follow their bad hearts. They are like dry corn husks blown about by the wind.

5 There will be no seat for them to speak in the council house. When the good-hearted gather, there will be no room for those who follow their bad-hearted ways.

6 For Grandfather walks with the ones who have good hearts and good minds. He turns his thoughts away from those on the wrong path, who will come to a bad end.

 

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8

The apostle’s concern

2:1 You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain,

2:2 but though we had already suffered and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition.

2:3 For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery,

2:4 but, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals but to please God, who tests our hearts.

2:5 As you know and as God is our witness, we never came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed,

2:6 nor did we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or from others,

2:7 though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children.

2:8 So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.