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JUNE,
2015

EPISTLE
Bradford Congregational
Church UCC
Bradford, VT (802) 222-4034

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Dear Church Family,

The Church Councils Ad Hoc Steering Committee is very excited to share a
new draft Identity and Aspiration Statement with you. You will find it here
at the end of my letter.
This is just a draft. We encourage you to respond to it. We want to make
sure the statement is as representative of the congregation as humanly
possible. You are invited to linger after refreshments on Sunday June 7th or
Sunday June 14th to share your feelings about it and suggestions for it with
members of the Committee.
You may also respond in writing to me by June 14th at
[email protected]

We assume that silence is assent to it as it is, so please speak up if you see

anything you would like us to change.
This statement is based on all the statements of Appreciations and Dreams
that the Committee sent out and posted on the Vestry walls earlier this year
for your response.
The Committee looked at the patterns of the dots and considered carefully
the written comments before attempting to capture the dominant vision of
the congregation in this unified statement.
After June 14th the Committee will consider revising the draft based on your
comments. We will then circulate it with another opportunity to respond

before we call a warned Congregational Meeting where we will ask you to

vote to endorse the statement.
It will then be used in two ways. The Search Committee will use it as it
prepares materials to represent the church to potential candidates for the new
settled pastor. It will also guide my work for the rest of my time here. In
addition, the Church Council could use it to chart a course of action to move
in the directions that the Statement shows that the congregation feels called
to go. We could start working on some aspects of it immediately in our
Committees and Boards and as a Council.
In other words, these are not just words. The Prophet Isaiah spoke on behalf
of God, For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not
return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and
sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be
that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall
accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace; the mountains and the
hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap
their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the
brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial, for
an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. (Isaiah 55:10-13)

I hope you feel that

much joy to read the
beautiful words of the
Identity and Aspiration
Statement, words that
sound like the word of
God to me, speaking
through the collective
voice of this
congregation. I hope
you will join in the
effort to bring them to
fruition by giving the Ad Hoc Steering Committee your response in writing
or in person on June 7th or 14th in the Vestry after refreshments.

These are exciting times!

Thank you!
Peace, joy and love,
Tom

Identity and Aspiration Statement

DRAFT May 24, 2015 DRAFT
The Congregational Church of the United Church of Christ, Bradford,
Vermont, strives to be a loving church family where everyone feels welcome
and at home, appreciated and supported. We want our faith community to
be a safe, comfortable place for worship and spiritual growth, providing
programs for children, youth and adults and offering high quality worship
services and sermons that feel personal and meaningful. We value our
music program, which draws from diverse traditions for worship and
provides a vibrant local center of musical performance. We honor the rich
history of contributions to the town of Bradford made by our church and its
members. We respond to the Christian message by coming together as a
united force to help in times of crisis, and by supporting local and global
missions, and by serving those in need. We cherish our church building not
only for its physical beauty and as a peaceful place to worship, but also as a
resource for serving the greater community.
We aspire to grow in numbers as we make this an increasingly welcoming,
loving, helpful congregation where we take the love we find here out into
the world around us, and where people want to participate because the
church makes a positive difference in their lives throughout the week. We
will seek to maintain healthy communication and a positive, hopeful attitude
as we face inevitable challenges. We want this to be a church where we feel
joy, peace and a steady deepening of Christ-like love and faithfulness among
us. We intend to continue being a congregation where children are
cherished, and where we offer encouragement, support and programs for
youth and young families as well as people of all ages. We dream of being a
church that shines like a lighted window into the community, a beacon for
social justice, increasingly engaged in works of mission and widely known
for generously serving those in need.

We always welcome new links in the prayer chain. If you would like to be on the
prayer email list, please let me know. You can also call or email any time with
prayer requests (222-9679 or [email protected])
-Bridget Peters
PRAYER CONCERNS
Among those who were lifted up in prayer in the past month:
Jill Nadeau Paige Sinclair Chris Nye Tim Cramer Lee Morin
Leia White John Jolene Linda Secord
Our sympathy and love to the family and friends of
Jack Gundy

CHURCH COUNCIL May 7th:

We had twelve members attend and listened to Committee Reports. Minutes and
Treasurers reports accepted with minor corrections. Rest Area for the 23 and 24th
need help and food. Annual Meeting will be on the 21st at 7 PM and hope everyone
will attend as 20 are needed. On the 25th we will be holding a Cook out in
connection with the Bradford Centennial and Civil War Muster.
Trustee reported that the work on the Steeple should star in June. Joe has the clock
numbers and hands done. Need food for the Baccalaureate on June 7. Discussed
mailing of hard copies of Epistle costing so much. Cut it shorter or what?
Suggested asking those who have them mailed if some could now receive them by
E-mail saving more than normal mailing fee.
Next meeting June 4th and no meeting in July.
Dan Perry Chairman

Just Checking
Kenneth L. Samuel
"I really don't need to write to you about this ministry of giving for the believers
in Jerusalem. . . . . I know how eager you are to help. But I am sending these
brothers to be sure you really are ready . . . and that your money is all collected."
- 2 Corinthians 9:1-3 (New Living Translation)
In my early years of ministry, I thought that charisma and the 'charismata' (gifts of
the Spirit) all operated through the spontaneous, unpredictable, unplanned
movement of the Holy Spirit.
I thought that the more spontaneous an event or an occurrence was, the more it
reflected God's presence and power. But after thirty plus years in pastoral
ministry, I've come to see things differently.
Spontaneity can be grossly overrated.
Serendipitous moments are exciting but hardly
sustaining. Sustained ministry requires a lot of
preparation and a lot of checks and balances.
Enthusiasm alone is not enough to balance a yearly
budget. Spiritual vision that is not logistically
executed is not much more than a pipe dream.
People rarely do what they should do just because they know they ought to do it.
In fact, people don't do what is expected; people do what is inspected.
The enthusiasm that the Christian believers at Corinth had shown for giving
financial support for their beleaguered brothers and sisters in Jerusalem greatly
inspired Paul and many other Christians throughout southeast Europe. Paul
boasted about the generosity of the Corinthian church throughout the region.
But when it was actually time for Paul to collect the Corinthian gift, he did not
rely on the spontaneous movement of the Spirit. Paul sent an Advance Team to
Corinth to make certain that what he expected and what he had announced would
be delivered.

Prayer
God, continue to rule and super rule. But help us to plan our work and work our
plans to your glory. Amen.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kenneth L. Samuel is Pastor of Victory for the World Church, Stone
Mountain, Georgia.

Lectionary Readings for JUNE

Proper 5 (10)
Second Sunday after Pentecost

June 7, 2015
1 Samuel 8:4-11, (12-15), 16-20,
(11:14-15)
Psalm 138
Genesis 3:8-15
Psalm 130
2 Corinthians
4:13-5:1
Mark 3:20-35
Proper 6 (11)
Third Sunday after Pentecost

June 14, 2015

1 Samuel 15:34 - 16:13
Psalm 92:1-4, 12-15
Mark 4:26-34
Proper 7 (12)

Psalm 20
Ezekiel 17:22-24
2 Corinthians 5:6-10, (11-13), 14-17

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

June 21, 2015

1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49
Psalm 9:9-20
or
1 Samuel 17:57-18:5, 18:10-16
Psalm 133
Job 38:1-11
Psalm 107:1-3, 23-32
2 Corinthians 6:1-13 Mark 4:35-41
Proper 8 (13)
Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

June 28, 2015

2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27
Psalm 130
or
Lamentations 3:22-33
Mark 5:21

Wisdom of Solomon 1:13-15, 2:23-24

Psalm 30

2 Corinthians 8:7-15

Church Families from Long Ago the Peters Family, cont.

(last issue ended with the story of the Peters strain of Morgan horses and the
President of the United States tipping his stovepipe hat to them when they passed
the reviewing stand)
In about 1913 a Mr. A. T. Phillips came to Bradford and built a long horse barn
which stretched from what is now Bartons Dental Office through what is the Post
Office on Federal Street. He kept about 25 horses, all descendants of the Peters
strain. He did much to keep this strain in existence. During this time, the slogan
Bradford the Beautiful Home of the Morgan Horses and the Bradford
Strawberry was used to advertise our town. (I have several envelopes of Bradford
businesses using this slogan and will copy them for the Epistle with other pictures
of the Peters Morgans when I return to Bradford. Josephs son, Arthur W. and his
grandson, J. Edward, continued to establish and maintain this breed.
Joseph H. also served the town in many official positions in 1868-1869 as Lister
and in 1870-71-72 as Chairman of the Board of Selectmen. When Rev. McKeen
wrote his History of Bradford in1874, Andrew was still living on the home farm
with Joseph H.
Joseph H. and Clarissas children were (a) Andrew Barnet who settled in
Fitchburg, Mass., (b) Mary Ann who died young, (c) Mary Ellen (Peters) Leavitt
who settled in Bradford, (d) Clara Emma who settled in Woburn, Mass., (e) Arthur
W. born July 31, 1851, married Velma L. Jenkins of Bradford on November 14,
1871, and lived on the family farm with his father, Joseph H. Peters and (f) Minnie
S. who stayed in Bradford and married Job Clement on March 17, 1872. Andrew
and Keziahs second son was Edmund Fanning Peters who lived in Charlestown,
Mass.
The Town Church (now the Old Church Theater) was built near Andrew Peters
farm in 1793-95, and he became a member. Except for two Sabbaths when he was
ill, he attended every Sunday service. In 1798 he was chosen as Clerk of Bradford,
a position he held for forty years out of the next forty-six years with two breaks
the first of five and the next of one year. In 1798 he was also chosen as State
Representative and served for five years though not continuously. He was Justice
of Peace for many years and was active in public service for fifty years. He died on
August 10, 1851 at the age of 87. He is buried with his three wives in the Upper
Plain Cemetery not far from his farm. His third wife Kezia died Sept. 2, 1872 at 88
years old.

I am focusing on the members of the Peters family who stayed in Bradford. Rev.
McKeen notes in his 1874 book that Mr. and Mrs. Joseph H. Peters and their two
daughters, Mrs. Leavitt and Mrs. Clement were all members of the Bradford
Congregational Church. Just to make it clearer: Andrew B. Peters, son of Col. John
and Ann Barnet Peters, came first to Mooretown (later Bradford) when he was
seven years old before his parents took him to Canada. He returned alone around
1784. Andrews son by his 3rd wife, Keziah, Joseph Howard married Clarissa
Culver Washburn, and their son Arthur W. married Velma Jenkins. This Arthur
was the father of J. Edward Peters and grandfather pf J. Arthur and Frank, etc. The
first Peters I remember is J. Edward, so the rest of this will be primarily from my
memory, so bear with me.
Arthur W. Peters was born July
31, 1851 and married Velma L.
Jenkins on November 14, 1871
and lived on the family farm. He
carried on his fathers love of the
Peters Morgans. He died in 1936.
His wife was born in 1851 and
died in 1934. They are buried in
the Upper Plain Cemetery. Their
son who carried on the family
farm and love of horses was J.
(Joseph) Edward Peters who was
born in 1890, BA Class of 1908, and married Sarah Annie Robinson born in 1889,
BA Class of 1908. Annie died June 29, 1972 and Ed died January 11, 1977 and
are buried in the Bradford Upper Plain Cemetery. They sold the family farm to
their son Frank and moved to the Village on Pleasant Street where they lived until
their death. Ed served in many town offices. I remember him sitting and visiting
with my grandfather and later my Dad about farming and sulky horse racing which
they attended not only in Vermont but also in Maine. The Peters farm was
extensive both sides of Route 5 at the top of Peters Hill, on the Meadow on the
Connecticut River and on Fairground Road (both sides) where houses are now as
well as across the road where the Vermont State Garage, Armory and Elementary
School are now. Before the buildings were built in the mid 1900s there was the
Bradford Fairgrounds, a racetrack and bleachers on the hill behind the Peters
barn facing what is now Fairground Road.
Cont. Next month

Board of Deacons
The diaconate is beginning a
challenging and exciting journey! We
have begun to study some of the
responses from the questionnaires and
small group meetings last fall.
Specifically, we are focusing on the
feedback to the questions, What three
things do you like least about this church?, What has changed or happened over
your time in this congregation that has made you disappointed, angry, or sad?,
and What do you feel is important to change now?
As we reflect on the congregations hurts and disappointments, we are carefully
and prayerfully considering how the congregation can heal from these wounds, as
well as learn and grow from them. The other part of our mission is to work with
the congregation to develop new strategies and skills to work through future
conflicts, controversies, and challenges with love and respect, in a way that leaves
all parties feeling good about the outcome. We will be researching models of
healing and healthy communication and looking for organizations that can help
educate or guide us in our efforts.
This is a tall order! And though at times we feel overwhelmed by this task, we also
feel enormous hope, as we can feel in this congregation that there is a huge amount
of good will and love, and a willingness to work hard and try new and challenging
things, especially when its in the service of building a bright future for our church.

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Sunday School
It has been a joy to
see the growth of
our little Sunday
School group!
They are well
settled into the
church routines:
Childrens Time
with Tom upstairs,
rush downstairs
and set up the little
chairs all around
our table for
Sunday School.
Even though they
are very young and sometimes a little antsy, they are paying close attention to what
Tom is teaching them, and to the stories and lessons they have during Sunday
School time. They remember what they heard last week and last month, and are
making connections between these pieces of information that can be challenging
for such young minds. Most of all, these kids are so proud and excited to be an
important part of our congregation!
Even though we dont have formal curriculum during the summer, we hope to keep
meeting each week during Sunday School time to enjoy each others company and
work on projects, until we restart our official curriculum in September.
If your or anyone you know would like to help as an adult leader, or if you know of
children who might like to join us, please contact me at 222-9679 or
[email protected], or just show up on Sunday!
With gratitude,
Bridget Peters

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