This Week at Tabernacle
THIS WEEK AT TABERNACLE CHURCH, UCC
August 9th, 2026
Join us this Sunday, August 9th,2026 at 10:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary for our Sunday Service followed by Fellowship Time in the Bigelow Room
BIBLE STUDY TONIGHT
7:00 pm via Zoom
Zoom link and Readings located at the end of “This Week”
The Deacons for the month of are Brenda Lewis and Betsey Bennett.
The lighting of the Steeple for the month of August is provided by
Brenda Lewis in honor of her brother, Walter H. Lewis.
URGENT
SHORT NOTICE!!!
Yes, it is July, but the Salem Public Schools is hard at work preparing for the start of a new school year. 1,000 backpacks have been donated to the children of Salem.
Missions is inviting you to participate in filling these backpacks.
We will be collecting the following items:
Wooden pencils (Ticonderoga brand preferred)
Crayola Crayons 24 pack
Crayola Colored Pencils
Composition notebook
One subject notebooks
Bic Pens
3 ring binders
Please deliver items to church by August 12th so they can be distributed at the Back to School party, which takes place later that week.
If you prefer, you can make a monetary donation. Checks should be made payable to Tabernacle Church. You may also donate at our web site: Tabernaclechurch.org. Use the donate button. Please be sure to note school supply donation on the memo line. You may also use the QR code printed below. Contact Jean Karem with questions: 617-872-2041
THANKING ALL IN ADVANCE…The Missions Group
A Special Thank-you from the Lemieux Family……
Dear Tabernacle Church members,
Thank you for donating, giving and /or participating on another wonderful day with The Mental Maker Over Walk for Our Marc, and to support all the people who suffer with depression.
Under blue and bright skies We were treated to a wonderful Sunday Service by Reverend Joe, and music from the BEST BAND EVER ( The Zilber Beatles)!
We are Grateful, Thankful and Blessed…..
Love to All…
Lyn, Paul and Michelle Lemieux
Team Tabernacle
A message from Reverend Joe……..
Dear Members and Friends,
The Lectionary readings for this Sunday include Psalm 105. When I turned to my usual source for planning worship, the author wrote: “In Psalm 105, singing is an act of faith and faith formation. But more than that, singing is an important way that we give God praise by remembering.” The author then suggested a hymn sing for this Sunday and I thought, “Yeah! We haven’t done a hymn sing in a long time.” It’s more than time! One of the churches I served did hymn sings at least quarterly and folks enjoyed them so much we began doing them monthly on a Sunday afternoon with a potluck!
Therefore, that will be our sermon this Sunday! We will sing the sermon, and you will choose the theme by shouting out your favorite hymns to sing. So come prepared this Sunday. Be thinking of what hymn you’d like to sing and if you’re willing, just let us know why you chose that hymn: either a favorite, or connected to a memory or special occasion, whatever your attachment is to that hymn. St. Augustine of Hippo (+430) is often quoted as having said “He who sings, prays twice.” You may choose hymns from either of our hymnals in the pews. If you know the hymn you’d like to sing isn’t in our hymnal, contact me ahead of time, I’ll look it up in another hymnal and have copies ready for us.
John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, wrote Directions for Singing in the preface of his Scared Melody, published in 1761. Those directions are in the front of every United Methodist Hymnal, and we used to read them at the beginning of our hymn sings. I especially like #3 which states “Sing all. See that you join with the congregation as frequently as you can. Let not a slight degree of weakness or weariness hinder you. If it is a cross to you, take it up, and you will find it a blessing.” The congregations I served always got a chuckle out of # 4 which states “Sing lustily and with a good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half asleep: but lift up your voice with strength. Be no more afraid of your voice now, nor more ashamed of its being heard, than when you sung the songs of Satan.”
And since we’re singing the hymns you choose as the sermon this Sunday, hear his last direction for singing: Above all sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every word you sing. Aim at pleasing him more than yourself, or any other creature. In order to do this attend strictly to the sense of what you sing, and see that your heart is not carried away with the sound, but offered to God continually; so shall your singing be such as the Lord will approve here, and reward you when he cometh in the clouds of heaven.”
So, come one and come all. Come sing your hearts out in praise of God and in celebration of the faith we share together as Tabernacle Church!
See you in church or on zoom (although IF you can be in person I heartily recommend it for this service!),
Reverend Joe
NEW ITEM FOR SALEM PANTRY
JULY, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER
“Reading is Fundamental”
To support the Salem Pantry during the months of July, August, and September, Missions is collecting donations of new or used (good condition only please) books for all ages (all languages welcome).
The growing literacy crisis is troubling and Missions is aware that our previous donations of reading materials were a great hit at the Pantry.
Books can be left at the church in the narthex. Missions has put together an amazon Wishlist & has provided amazon with a delivery address of a mission’s member that will be automatically supplied if you choose to use the wishlist. https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/8Z9UN68AM89K?ref_=wl_share
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, August 9th, 2026
10:00 a.m. Worship Service in the Sanctuary and via Zoom
11:00 a.m. Fellowship Time in the Bigelow Room
Monday, August 10th, 2026
7:00 p.m. Alanon Meeting downstairs in the dining room.
Tuesday, August 11th, 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, August 12th, 2026
7:00 p.m. Bible Study via Zoom
Friday, August 14th, ,2026
6:30 p.m. AA Meeting downstairs in the dining room
Sunday, August 16th, 2026
10:00 a.m. Worship Service in the Sanctuary and via Zoom
11:00 a.m. Fellowship Time in the Bigelow Room
BIBLE STUDY TONIGHT
August 5th, 2026
7:00 pm via Zoom
TONIGHTS READINGS
Psalm 105 from First Nations Version for This Week/Bible Study
1 Give thanks to Grandfather, make his name known, and tell the nations about the
good things he has done.
2 Sing loudly to him, all you singers on the drum. Tell stories of the powerful things
he has done.
3 Honor his holy name and all he represents. Let all who look to Grandfather for help
do so with glad hearts.
4 Look to Grandfather for the strength that comes from him. Seek him again and
again, and never give up.
5 Call to mind all the wonders he has done, the powerful signs he performed and the
justice spoken from his mouth.
6 You who are sons and daughters of Creator’s servant Father of Many Nations
(Abraham), you who are descendants of Heel Grabber (Jacob),
7 Know that Grandfather is our Great Spirit. His just decisions are known throughout
the land.
8 He will always stand by his sacred treaty, a solemn oath he has made good for a
thousand generations to come.
9 This is the sacred treaty he made with Father of Many Nations (Abraham) and his
solemn promise to He Made Us Laugh (Isaac).
10 He then set it firmly in place with Heel Grabber (Jacob) as an ongoing sacred
treaty with the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel).
11 He told them, “I will give you the territory of Lowland (Canaan), a land that
belongs only to you.”
12 This was when they were strangers to the land and small in number.
13 They wandered about from tribe to tribe, from one nation to another.
14 Creator permitted no one to walk over them, and for their sake, he warned the
chiefs of the land,
15 “Do not touch my chosen ones and do no harm to my prophets.”
16 He called down hunger on Lowland (Canaan) and made food scarce in the land.
17 He sent a man ahead of them—Creator Gives More (Joseph), who was sold as a
slave by his brothers.
18 They wrapped his feet with chains and placed an iron choker around his neck.
19 He remained a slave until the word Creator had spoken came to pass.
Grandfather’s word had tested and purified him.
20 The ruler of Black Land (Egypt), who ruled over many peoples, sent for him and
set him free.
21 He put Creator Gives More (Joseph) in charge of all his possessions and made him
grand chief over all the land.
22 He was given the right to instruct the rulers under him anytime he wanted and to
teach wisdom to the elders.
23 After that, Wrestles with Creator (Israel) came into Black Land (Egypt). Yes, Heel
Grabber (Jacob) now walked the land of Hot Headed One (Ham).
24 There the Great Spirit blessed his people with many children and made them
stronger than their enemies.
25 He turned the hearts of the people of Black Land (Egypt) against his people so
they would deal treacherously with them.
26 He sent his servant Drawn from the Water (Moses) and chose Light Bearer
(Aaron) to stand with him.
27 Together they performed many powerful deeds among the people of Black Land
(Egypt) and miracles in the land of Hot Headed One (Ham).
28 Creator covered the land with darkness like a blanket, yet they still stood against
his words.
29 He turned their rivers into streams of blood and killed their fish.
30 Frogs swarmed across the land and into the sleeping rooms of their rulers.
31 The Great Spirit spoke, and clouds of flying insects invaded their territory.
32 Hailstones rained down, and lightning flashes burst into flames across their land.
33 He flattened their grapevines and fig trees and tore apart many of the other trees in
their territory.
34 He spoke, and the locusts and grasshoppers came, too many to number.
35 They ate the green plants and devoured all the crops in their fields.
36 He struck down the firstborn of Black Land (Egypt), their strength and hope for
future generations.
37 Then the Great Spirit led the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel) out carrying
bundles of silver and gold. Not one of them stumbled along the way.
38 The people of Black Land (Egypt) were glad they were gone, for they feared them
greatly.
39 Creator spread a cloud over his people as a covering and gave them fire at night so
they could see the way.
40 They asked for food, and he gave them quail to eat and filled their bellies with
mysterious bread from the sky.
41 He split open a rock, and the water flowed into the dry places in the land like a
river.
42 For the Most Holy One had not forgotten his sacred promise to Father of Many
Nations (Abraham).
43 Like a headman dancer, he led his chosen people out as they sang and danced for
joy and shouted with all their hearts.
44 He gave the lands of other nations over to them, and what others had worked
hard for they made their own,
45 So they would keep his instructions and walk in his ways. Dance for joy before
Grandfather!
Romans 10:5-15 The word of faith
10:5 Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that “the
person who does these things will live by them.”
10:6 But the righteousness that comes from faith says, “Do not say in your heart,
‘Who will ascend into heaven?'” (that is, to bring Christ down)
10:7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?'” (that is, to bring Christ up from the
dead).
10:8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”
(that is, the word of faith that we proclaim),
10:9 because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your
heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10:10 For one believes with the heart, leading to righteousness, and so is justified, and
one confesses with the mouth, leading to salvation and so is saved.
10:11 The scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.”
10:12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all
and is generous to all who call on him.
10:13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
10:14 But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are
they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to
hear without someone to proclaim him?
10:15 And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, “How
beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!