Much more than a building — it's a place of fellowship, solace & contemplation!
Sunday, March 23, 2025 - Worship 10:00 AM
Sermon: Sunday Wages of Sin versus Labors of Love - Kathleen Reed, Pastor To join via ZOOM, please contact us at (617) 479-8778 or [email protected] |
Houghs Neck Congregational Church (UCC)
310 Manet Avenue Quincy, MA 02169 (617) 479-8778 Parking & Directions |
|
|
|
Are you searching for a spiritual home where all are welcome? Look no further. When our forefathers and mothers settled and formed a church in Houghs Neck 129 years ago, they did so to provide a Christian community that would affirm who they were, their histories, their families and their deep faith in a loving God and their unity in the spirit. It is this legacy that we continue to lift up.
We are an open Community of Faith serving the families and people of Houghs Neck, Quincy and surrounding communities. We seek to create a space for all believers who know their spiritual pilgrimage is one among many. We seek to honor each person’s walk with God and see others who seek the loving presence of God as brothers and sisters.
We are an open Community of Faith serving the families and people of Houghs Neck, Quincy and surrounding communities. We seek to create a space for all believers who know their spiritual pilgrimage is one among many. We seek to honor each person’s walk with God and see others who seek the loving presence of God as brothers and sisters.
Pastor’s Message - March 2025
“Blissig Lencten!” Between 700 and 1100 AD, that’s how the ancestors of those who came over on the Mayflower would have greeted one another as daffodils, hellebores, and primroses broke through the thawing earth heralding the end of winter and the beginning of…Lencten, aka Lent. Not Lent as a 50-day season of repentance with study, prayer and fasting. Lent meaning “Spring.” Back then, wishing others a Blissful Lent, a Happy Lent made perfect sense. And, I’d like to suggest, much church tradition to the contrary, it still does.
While I currently serve a Congregational church, I’m a cradle Roman Catholic who migrated to the Lutherans as a young adult. The comedian Dana Carvey known for his “Church Lady” character on Saturday Night Live once called Lutherans “Catholics Lite.” He’s not totally wrong. In many ways our faith practices are the same. For example, Lutherans also begin the season of Lent on a Wednesday with the marking of foreheads in the sign of a cross with the ashes of burned palm fronds saved from the Psalm Sunday prior. “Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return,” with these words spoken by the priest or pastor, as God’s children we are called to renewed mindfulness regarding the precious and often precarious brevity of the human lifespan.
As anyone who has buried a child knows, there are no more sobering words than “ashes to ashes and dust to dust.” It was early March when I stood at a small open grave with Linda’s mother and father. In her mid-thirties, Linda’s car skidded on black ice hard into a snowbank. Once a drug addict, Linda had not only gotten clean, but she dedicated her life to helping others conquer addiction. Much of that work happened online unbeknownst to her parents who were surprised when they got calls of condolence from as far away as Australia. Not only had her funeral been packed, but there had been an online celebration of her life at the same hour which covered the globe.
At the Sherborn cemetery it was just her mom and her dad and me laying her ashes to rest in a grove of maple trees. I remember her dad wore a Red Sox cap which he held in his hand as the urn was placed in the ground. When my last prayer had been spoken, no one was in a rush to move. The sun was bright, the snow mostly melted away. And from somewhere there came a sound, a rhythmic tapping, as regular as a heartbeat. Linda’s dad, a dairy farmer who could identify any sound associated with a bucket was quick to point to the source and smile—the maple tree above Linda’s grave, a sugar maple tapped and fitted with a bucket to collect the sap. The sap was running and the tree was singing a concerto of hope, an alleluia amid the graves proclaiming earth’s own song of Happy Lent.
Ever since that day, woven into my Lenten practices is the renewal of my commitment to listen for and wherever possible amplify messages of hope around me. Thereby I stretch winter-hardened muscles for full-throated expressions of joy come Easter.
Happy Lent!
Pastor Kathleen
“Blissig Lencten!” Between 700 and 1100 AD, that’s how the ancestors of those who came over on the Mayflower would have greeted one another as daffodils, hellebores, and primroses broke through the thawing earth heralding the end of winter and the beginning of…Lencten, aka Lent. Not Lent as a 50-day season of repentance with study, prayer and fasting. Lent meaning “Spring.” Back then, wishing others a Blissful Lent, a Happy Lent made perfect sense. And, I’d like to suggest, much church tradition to the contrary, it still does.
While I currently serve a Congregational church, I’m a cradle Roman Catholic who migrated to the Lutherans as a young adult. The comedian Dana Carvey known for his “Church Lady” character on Saturday Night Live once called Lutherans “Catholics Lite.” He’s not totally wrong. In many ways our faith practices are the same. For example, Lutherans also begin the season of Lent on a Wednesday with the marking of foreheads in the sign of a cross with the ashes of burned palm fronds saved from the Psalm Sunday prior. “Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return,” with these words spoken by the priest or pastor, as God’s children we are called to renewed mindfulness regarding the precious and often precarious brevity of the human lifespan.
As anyone who has buried a child knows, there are no more sobering words than “ashes to ashes and dust to dust.” It was early March when I stood at a small open grave with Linda’s mother and father. In her mid-thirties, Linda’s car skidded on black ice hard into a snowbank. Once a drug addict, Linda had not only gotten clean, but she dedicated her life to helping others conquer addiction. Much of that work happened online unbeknownst to her parents who were surprised when they got calls of condolence from as far away as Australia. Not only had her funeral been packed, but there had been an online celebration of her life at the same hour which covered the globe.
At the Sherborn cemetery it was just her mom and her dad and me laying her ashes to rest in a grove of maple trees. I remember her dad wore a Red Sox cap which he held in his hand as the urn was placed in the ground. When my last prayer had been spoken, no one was in a rush to move. The sun was bright, the snow mostly melted away. And from somewhere there came a sound, a rhythmic tapping, as regular as a heartbeat. Linda’s dad, a dairy farmer who could identify any sound associated with a bucket was quick to point to the source and smile—the maple tree above Linda’s grave, a sugar maple tapped and fitted with a bucket to collect the sap. The sap was running and the tree was singing a concerto of hope, an alleluia amid the graves proclaiming earth’s own song of Happy Lent.
Ever since that day, woven into my Lenten practices is the renewal of my commitment to listen for and wherever possible amplify messages of hope around me. Thereby I stretch winter-hardened muscles for full-throated expressions of joy come Easter.
Happy Lent!
Pastor Kathleen
upcoming events in the life of our church
|
Calling All Who Love to Sing! |
|
Both the Merriam-Webster and Oxford English Dictionaries define a choir as an organized company of singers. Neither state that you have to be able to read music, have perfect pitch or an amazing voice. The Houghs Neck Congregational Church choir welcomes anyone who loves to sing. Each Wednesday evening from September through May, our talented director Steve Reed works with us going over individual parts until we are comfortable with them then magically combines our voices and voila - we have a four-part anthem for our Sunday service!
So, if you love to sing, give us a try. We meet at the Church (310 Manet Avenue, Quincy, MA 02169) Wednesday evenings from 6:00-7:30 PM then again at 9:30 AM Sunday mornings to prepare for the 10:00 AM Worship Service.
Bible, Brews & Qs - Wednesdays 10-11AM - Luke
|
Gather for a midweek pick me up. Bible for inspiration,
Brewed coffee and the Questions we all wrestle with. To join via ZOOM, please contact us at (617) 479-8778 or [email protected] Houghs Neck Congregational Church (Coffee Room) 310 Manet Avenue Quincy, MA 02169 |
|
Eldy’s Yoga
Houghs Neck Congregational Church – lower level
Tuesdays 1:00–2:00PM
Cost $5 per session
Let’s Get Moving – Even if you think you can’t
Eldy’s yoga was developed specifically for those over 50 or those with joint issues who might find other forms of exercise difficult. The sessions can be done entirely from a seated position or can be done standing and seated (no poses that require you to be on the floor). You will learn to coordinate your breath and movement. You will also increase your strength and flexibility. If this sounds right for you please join us with our certified yoga instructor, Linda Beck. Hope to see you there. Namaste.
Houghs Neck Congregational Church – lower level
Tuesdays 1:00–2:00PM
Cost $5 per session
Let’s Get Moving – Even if you think you can’t
Eldy’s yoga was developed specifically for those over 50 or those with joint issues who might find other forms of exercise difficult. The sessions can be done entirely from a seated position or can be done standing and seated (no poses that require you to be on the floor). You will learn to coordinate your breath and movement. You will also increase your strength and flexibility. If this sounds right for you please join us with our certified yoga instructor, Linda Beck. Hope to see you there. Namaste.
Pillows for Dove
Each February the Mission Committee selects a winter project. This year, we will collect new bed pillows for DOVE clients. When clients arrive, they receive new pillows and take the pillows with them when they leave. I am letting you know about this drive now since there are often white sales in January when pillows would be on sale. So stock up and be ready to bring new pillows to church in February. Thank you.
Each February the Mission Committee selects a winter project. This year, we will collect new bed pillows for DOVE clients. When clients arrive, they receive new pillows and take the pillows with them when they leave. I am letting you know about this drive now since there are often white sales in January when pillows would be on sale. So stock up and be ready to bring new pillows to church in February. Thank you.
MALLORY JACOBS AWARDED GIRL SCOUTINGS' MEDAL OF HONOR
Mallory Jacobs, age 13, who has been a Quincy Girl Scout for 9 years (and a member of our church) has been formally recognized by Girl Scouts USA with one of the highest honors in Girl Scouting, The Medal of Honor, for her actions on August 12, 2024 that helped save her cousin’s life in an emergency.
Girl Scout Lifesaving awards are given to registered Girl Scouts who have saved a human life or attempted to save it under circumstances that indicate heroism and sound judgment beyond the degree of maturity and training to be expected at their age. The Medal of Honor is one of Girl Scouts USA’s rarest awards and is an achievement only a select few have ever gotten. Mallory is the first in Quincy Scouting to receive this honor.
This past August, Mallory and her family were exploring a system of natural caves in New Hampshire. Mallory’s 5 year old cousin Emily was having the best day ever exploring and was first of the group to enter a cave that narrows to only 14 inches wide. The rest of the family followed Emily single file into the cave. Emily unknowingly strayed from the public path and squeezed through a small opening, disappearing from view. Emily rather quickly became aware that she had gone the wrong way and suddenly her sense of fun turned to fear when she realized she was alone on the wrong side of the rocks, in the dark, and essentially trapped. It was too tight to turn around and come back, and she was not able to crawl out feet first due to an angle in the rocks that would cause her to fall. There were 6 adults present, all squished in a 14 inch wide crack in single file, but due to their size, no one could actually get to Emily. Mallory was 7th in line from Emily and had no way to see what was going on but she could hear a very scared Emily screaming out for help and yelling that she was going to fall. Despite not being able to see what was going on, Mallory had situational awareness that she was small enough and fast enough to go get help. Mallory decisively and quickly solo climbed backwards out of the entrance of the cave and went off by herself to get a park employee to help. When she returned with the park employee, she pointed him to the general area where her cousin was trapped. She followed the employee through the exit of the cave and reached the area where Emily was stuck. With help, Emily was able to get out unharmed and everyone was safe. But it was only because of Mallory’s quick actions that professional help arrived.
To be recognized with a Medal of Honor, the act of heroism is first brought to the attention of the regional Girl Scout Council, and then, if the regional council finds that the act meets the criteria, the application is sent to Girl Scouts USA for final approval. Less than 200 girls have received the award since 2017 and The Medal of Honor only goes out to less than 1% of the 1.7 million registered Girl Scouts across the country.
Mallory Jacobs, age 13, who has been a Quincy Girl Scout for 9 years (and a member of our church) has been formally recognized by Girl Scouts USA with one of the highest honors in Girl Scouting, The Medal of Honor, for her actions on August 12, 2024 that helped save her cousin’s life in an emergency.
Girl Scout Lifesaving awards are given to registered Girl Scouts who have saved a human life or attempted to save it under circumstances that indicate heroism and sound judgment beyond the degree of maturity and training to be expected at their age. The Medal of Honor is one of Girl Scouts USA’s rarest awards and is an achievement only a select few have ever gotten. Mallory is the first in Quincy Scouting to receive this honor.
This past August, Mallory and her family were exploring a system of natural caves in New Hampshire. Mallory’s 5 year old cousin Emily was having the best day ever exploring and was first of the group to enter a cave that narrows to only 14 inches wide. The rest of the family followed Emily single file into the cave. Emily unknowingly strayed from the public path and squeezed through a small opening, disappearing from view. Emily rather quickly became aware that she had gone the wrong way and suddenly her sense of fun turned to fear when she realized she was alone on the wrong side of the rocks, in the dark, and essentially trapped. It was too tight to turn around and come back, and she was not able to crawl out feet first due to an angle in the rocks that would cause her to fall. There were 6 adults present, all squished in a 14 inch wide crack in single file, but due to their size, no one could actually get to Emily. Mallory was 7th in line from Emily and had no way to see what was going on but she could hear a very scared Emily screaming out for help and yelling that she was going to fall. Despite not being able to see what was going on, Mallory had situational awareness that she was small enough and fast enough to go get help. Mallory decisively and quickly solo climbed backwards out of the entrance of the cave and went off by herself to get a park employee to help. When she returned with the park employee, she pointed him to the general area where her cousin was trapped. She followed the employee through the exit of the cave and reached the area where Emily was stuck. With help, Emily was able to get out unharmed and everyone was safe. But it was only because of Mallory’s quick actions that professional help arrived.
To be recognized with a Medal of Honor, the act of heroism is first brought to the attention of the regional Girl Scout Council, and then, if the regional council finds that the act meets the criteria, the application is sent to Girl Scouts USA for final approval. Less than 200 girls have received the award since 2017 and The Medal of Honor only goes out to less than 1% of the 1.7 million registered Girl Scouts across the country.
