The Foster Community Post

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Glad Tidings Community Church and Chepachet Union Church will jointly present the fourth annual "Living Nativity" beginning Friday, Dec. 4 through Sunday, Dec. 6.  This is a live reenactment of the events surrounding the birth of Christ and will be performed on Friday and Saturday at 6:15 PM, 7:00 PM, and 7:45 PM and on Sunday at 5:45 PM and 6:30 PM on the front lawn of Chepachet Union Church, 1138 Putnam Pike, in the center of Chepachet village.  There will be live animals for the children to pet and free cider and cookies will be served throughout the evening.  "Invite your friends and neighbors to come and hear the true meaning of Christmas," organizers said.

The Sunday performances will be preceded by the annual "Lighting of the Greens" at 5:00 PM on the front steps of Chepachet Union Church, featuring hayrides, singing, and free refreshments provided by Dunkin Donuts and Dino's Park 'N Shop. This community event is sponsored in part by the
Glocester Business Association.  

All performances and refreshments are free and plenty of parking is available behind the church.

For more information or directions, contact Pastor John Teeter at 401-568-0060, Pastor Roger Stafford at 401-568-2518, or visit the Glad Tidings website at www.gladtidingsri.org.

Contact:
Rev. John R. Teeter
Glad Tidings Community Church
111 Victory Highway
Chepachet, RI  02814
401-568-0060 or 401-255-4912

December 20   Candlelight Service will be held at 7 PM, with scripture readings, carol singing,                                   and prayers to prepare for Christmas.  Special music will accompany church                                         organist Martha Safstrom. The offering will be given to the Department of Social                                        Services in Foster.

December 24   The Living Crèche will be held at the Moosup Valley Grange, 5 PM. *See Below*

Every Christmas Eve, Moosup Valley Church re-enacts a family tradition. According to the Gospel of Luke, the tradition began one night in the town of Bethlehem.  Joseph and Mary had come to this town to register for the poll tax.  Mary gave birth to her first born son and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

      In Moosup Valley, this tradition, concerning the birth of Jesus Christ, has been passed on by three generations of the Phil and Jane DeMerchant family.  Phil DeMerchant, with the assistance of Clive, transported the bales of hay and props that his son Brook needed to transform a barn in Moosup Valley into the Crèche.  The costumes, made by Brook, were first ironed by Jane and then by Laila.  Since 1984, the location has changed from the Miriam Pretat barn (now owned by Rick and Alicia McCormick), then Bruce Campbell’s barn, and now it is held at the Moosup Valley Grange.

      Phil and Jane DeMerchant’s grandson Ian continues the family tradition. The Holy Family, first portrayed by Robert Barton, Donna Konicki, and her son Ben, will be portrayed by Ian, his wife Brittany, and their son Oliver. The oldest Wise Man, Robert Salisbury, hopes that those who have portrayed the Holy Family since its beginning in Moosup Valley will come and gather for a group picture following the service that begins at 5 pm.

      Make this a part of your family’s tradition this Christmas Eve.  Come to the Moosup Valley Grange, hear the Gospel story, sing Christmas Carols, and as you leave, please give a donation that will support the work of the Department of Social Services in Foster.

*Editors Note: Zach Farnum from the Foster Community Post will be narrating the Crèche*

 Peace be with you,

Rev. Connie Young, Pastor

Meeting House erected 1864
Church established 1868
The Moosup Valley Meeting House was erected in 1864 in response to a community desire for a “suitable place for divine services, lectures, and Sabbath School”. Previously, re-ligious services and community meetings were held in the Moosup Valley School. Services in the new building soon led to the formal organization of Moosup Valley Chris-tian Church in 1868. Traditionally, small country churches shared pastors and the Moosup Valley Church followed this pattern having informal arrangements with other churches in the area until 1943 when the Mount Vernon Larger Parish was established to provide partial support for the pastor while allowing the church to be autonomous.
In 1968, during its 100th Anniversary, Moosup Valley Church celebrated its lively past and moved on to new challenges by calling to the pulpit the first woman pastor in its history. A renewed congregation now hosts an annual crèche on Christmas Eve. As part of our outreach the pastor conducts a Bible Study Class at Hemlock Village, the town’s elderly housing complex on Tuesday mornings.
Our church has adopted a Safe Church Pol-icy which is important to the safety of our children and its parishioners.
The church has an active Sunday School with children ranging in ages from 3 to 15 years of age.
A youth fellowship meets quarterly and plans some awesome trips.
A women’s fellowship group is very active planning yearly for their weekend retreat and discussing the concerns and joys of the community.
A Bible Study group meets twice a month; on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 7:00pm in the church.
It is our hope that a young adult group will be formed in the near future.
Our history is the story of a small country church committed to traditional values and activities that are in tune with the present.

Who are We?
We are a gathered community of individuals...young and maturing..families...singles...realists and dreamers...ordinary and extraordinary.
We are people coming together for communion with God and one another. We are Christians seeking to integrate God’s vision into our lives.
We are informal in style and dress...joyful and generous…hopeful and humorous.
ALL ONE IN CHRIST

What are our commitments?
We gather together to...worship God and participate in the sacraments...celebrate God’s love and love others and ourselves so that we can grow spiritually...share our joys and sorrows...educate ourselves and our children in matters of spiritual value and Christian experience...give a share of our time, talents, and money for the work of the church...discover to-gether God’s vision for peace and justice