After being forced to cancel our Pentecost event due to predicted storms (which never materialized), Sunday Fellowship was determined to gather together on June 6th despite the record heat. Once we consulted with Minute Man Arc’s nurse, packed coolers full of cold drinks and set-up in the shade, it was party-time! Enjoy these photos of Sunday Fellowship’s first in-person gathering since March 2020.
The Youth Group ventured out last weekend to Groton for some amazing kayaking on the Nashua River. We basked in the glory of water, trees, bridges, turtles, birds, lily pads and more! We hope you enjoy these pictures and we encourage you to try out family owned and operated Nashoba Paddler’s this summer.
It may have been a bit cold but the sun was shining and the fire was roaring, and that was enough to give the Youth Group time for a little fresh air and a glimpse of spring. Lent feels especially long this year, after so many months of pandemic living. So it’s good to come together and be reminded of the gifts of nature, laughter, and friendship as we prepare for Easter – a new beginning full of hope and possibility.
The youth group took advantage of the sunshine and snow last weekend with a gathering for some outdoor fun. We enjoyed some sledding (and a few friendly snowball fights) and then warmed up by the fire with hot cocoa and s’mores. We might have to make this an annual tradition!
Thank you to everyone who donated items to Share the Love, a game and craft drive, by West Concord Union Church to benefit Minute Man Arc! We asked and you delivered! Enjoy these awesome photos of the process and the smiles they have producing.
On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, the WCUC staff lined up in front of our church to wave and bless a steady stream of cars as we kick off our fall season together. It was wonderful to see so many smiling (we could tell under the masks!) faces. Enjoy the pictures of our reverse parade!
Thank you for your presence, prayers, and labor to bring this service and fellowship together! It was a wonderful day!
Meet Jennifer Keelan, the second grader from Phoenix who, along 60 other activists with disabilities, left behind her wheelchair and crawled 83 steps in 90 degree weather to reach the door of the Capitol building. This demonstration, now known as the “Capitol Crawl,” is credited with finally convincing Congress to pass the ADA (American with Disabilities Act). It was the brainchild of Rev. Wade Blank, founder ADAPT, the political arm of the Atlantis community, a community where young people with disabilities could live independently without having to forgo all support. It was Wade Blank who encouraged Jennifer to crawl that day.
While many Americans are aware of the ADA, comparatively few have ever heard of the Capitol Crawl or the 504 Sit-in led by Judith Heumann, despite the fact that it continues holds the record for the longest running occupation of a federal building in history (The 1977 Disability Rights Protest that Broke Records and Changed Laws). The video below gives an introductory glance to the movement in less than 2 minutes.
If we wouldn’t want our children to grow up ignorant of women’s suffrage, civil rights or any other historic fight for justice, then disability rights should be no different. People of all ages and abilities at West Concord Union Church are now learning about the heroes of disability rights. We call them “disability saints” and we’re making art in the style of religious icons to honor them. Take a look below. You just might see a disability saint you recognize.
The youth kicked off the new year with their annual game night complete with pizza, board games, ice cream sundaes, ping-pong, and of course, flashlight sardines. *A huge thank you to Jane Epstein for the ping pong table and to David Sedlock for helping to transport it to the church!
More night time fun was shared at the Davis Farmland Mega Maze where we played a variety of lawn games, jumped on inflatables, pet and fed farm animals, braved the corn maze with flashlights, and enjoyed food and company around the campfires.
Faith exploration has also begun again. Our traditional “Sink a Worry, Float a Hope” ritual helps to set the stage for a year of self-reflection in light of God’s promise to walk with us always. And the beautiful weather has allowed us to experiment with different kinds of centering prayer, including a walk through the labyrinth in our Welcome Garden.
Thanks be to God for the lives of these amazing teenagers, for the adults who walk with them every day, and for the world which is blessed by their voices and visions.
On an absolutely gorgeous first Sunday of Pentecost, we celebrated our graduating seniors, thanked our talented teaching staff and Children’s Ministries members moving onto different roles, welcomed the Rev. Dr. Jim Antal as our guest preacher calling us to action on climate change, had a ridiculously fun time playing games in Sunday school, and enjoyed the sunshine outside with watermelon and ice cream. Such a perfect way to end our programming year at WCUC. Enjoy the pics!
Playing Up Cup Down Cup!
