More than 20 families from St. Stephen Lutheran Church, Marlborough, participated in a recent outreach to the Northampton-based Cathedral in the Night, an outdoor community that offers Sunday evening worship followed by a free meal. In an effort spearheaded by youth group leader Sarah Maston, parishioners responded by donating and preparing food, bringing warm clothing, and/or purchasing needed items such as socks, sweats, and thermal underwear, through the CITN Amazon wish list.
    In previous years, church youth had attended worship, served hot meals, and dined with the guests, but Covid restrictions have meant that dinner is now prepared for takeout. The Maston family and six other volunteers dished out 80 hot meals for the to-go containers.
    Cathedral in the Night, www.cathedralinthenight.org, is an outdoor Christian community in downtown Northampton, MA which seeks to create a safe place for all people: the homeless, the housed, the church-less, the churched, the student and the resident to explore, question and live out their spiritual beliefs; to gather for a meal and to empower one another to engage in issues of social justice by working to fight the causes of inequality and homelessness. 
    For more information about St. Stephen Lutheran Church, visit the church’s Facebook page or website, www.saintstephenlutheran.com. Saint Stephen is a member of the New England Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (www.elca.org). The church is a Reconciling in Christ congregation, inviting people of every gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, ability, marital status, or class. Parishioners come from Marlborough, Hudson, Berlin, Northborough, Southborough, Westborough, Shrewsbury, Sudbury, Stow, and Bolton. 
    Worship is held each Sunday at 10 am, with those attending asked to wear masks.
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There was music, sacrament, and celebration at St. Stephen Lutheran Church last week, to mark not only Reformation Sunday, but also to baptize a child and confirm five youth.
    Confirmands met with pastor Joseph Graumann during a two-and-half year program of study of the Bible and the church, and addressed what it means to be a Christian. The five who celebrated their confirmation were: Alexander Bruno (of Hudson), Ross Gibson (Maynard), Emily Haley (Hudson) and Erin Kaye and Steven Kaye (Shrewsbury). The group also participated in church services as acolytes, readers and assistants, and took part in community outreach projects.
    Confirmation is also referred to as “affirmation of baptism,” and the service included a baptism of Theodore Franklin Broz Walters, infant son of Alissa and John Walters of Marlborough.
    “Even while the pandemic lingers, it is a joy to gather to celebrate life in our midst,” Pastor Graumann said. “We’re still here, and God is still here, gathering us and empowering us with His love.”
    Special music was provided by the handbell choir, as well as musicians Linda Hanson (violin), Tammy Kaye (viola) and Ron Kaye (clarinet).
    For more information about St. Stephen Lutheran Church, visit the church’s Facebook page or website, www.saintstephenlutheran.com. Saint Stephen is a member of the New England Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (www.elca.org). The church is a Reconciling in Christ congregation, inviting people of every gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, ability, marital status, or class. Parishioners come from Marlborough, Hudson, Berlin, Northborough, Southborough, Westborough, Shrewsbury, Sudbury, Stow, and Bolton. 
    Worship is held each Sunday at 10 am, with those attending asked to wear masks.
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Watch our slideshow video of Pastor Joe over the 5 yrs.

Beginning July 4, St. Stephen Lutheran Church will hold all weekly Sunday services on their property at 537 Bolton St., Marlborough. Throughout the summer, the setting for 10 am worship will be the partially shaded and unpaved back parking lot. In case of rain, the service will take place inside the sanctuary. Some worshipers have appreciated the option of online services over the past year, and that will also continue, with live-streaming on YouTube each week.
    For outdoor worship, please BYOC – Bring Your Own Chair. Although no preregistration will be necessary, please give your information to the greeter if you are a first-time visitor.  Fully vaccinated people may choose to worship without masks; masks are advised, but not mandated for those who are not fully vaccinated. Those attending are encouraged, but not required to keep social distance between household groups.
    “Everyone is welcome, both in person and online, “ said Pastor Joseph Graumann. “I am thankful for God’s grace and assurance throughout this difficult time.”
    On Saturday, September 11, parishioners will participate in an evening service of prayer and healing and a festival Eucharist on Sunday, September 12, at 10 am, to mark the return to the sanctuary for weekly indoor worship. The much-loved coffee hour that typically followed Sunday service before the pandemic will not return over the summer, but the church’s Covid task force, working with other church ministries, is looking into bringing back this institution safely in the fall.
    The new schedule replaces the alternating remote and outdoor Sundays that started on Easter Sunday. For the remainder of June, note that June 20 will be a Zoom service and June 27 will be outside. 
Cleanup Day
    With outdoor services bringing parishioners and friends back to live church in the spring, the property was in full view— and in need of sprucing up. Fourteen enthusiastic members came out for Cleanup Day in May. Raking, weeding, trimming and planting kept the crew busy, and worshipers were rewarded with an improved landscape. Participants included Frank and Marlea Dutt (Hudson), Dave Domke (Marlboro),  Pastor Joseph Graumann (Marlboro), Peg and Don Harbert (Shrewsbury), Doug Kellogg (Marlboro), Pam and Kyle Narahara (Marlboro), Todd Priess (Hudson), Deb and Bill Roberts (Marlboro), Dave Ross (Marlboro), and Ann Weston (Hudson).
    For more information about St. Stephen Lutheran Church, visit the church’s Facebook page or website, www.saintstephenlutheran.com. Saint Stephen is a member of the New England Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (www.elca.org). The church is a Reconciling in Christ congregation, inviting people of every gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, ability, marital status, or class. Parishioners come from Marlborough, Hudson, Berlin, Northborough, Southborough, Westborough, Shrewsbury, Sudbury, Stow, and Bolton. 
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Homeless veterans all over New England were gifted with sports team hoodies for Christmas, thanks to the efforts of Marlborough-based Sweat For Vets and about 40 local participating organizations, including the members of St. Stephen Lutheran Church, Marlborough, who wrapped nearly 300 of the approximately 2000 sweatshirts.
    Enveloped in Christmas paper, the sweatshirts were presented to Sweats For Vets organizer Mark Vital , noted Sarah Maston, youth group leader at St. Stephen Lutheran Church. While the initiative is typically an outreach of the teens, who gather at church for an afternoon of wrapping, 2020 pandemic issues made it practical to include other church families. Everyone picked up the shirts at church, distanced and masked, and wrapped them at home.
    Recent research indicates that with the global pandemic, homelessness for veterans could increase 45%, according to the Sweats for Vets website, www.sweats4vets.com. The sweatshirts bring warmth, pride, and hope to homeless veterans across New England by rallying many dedicated volunteers and generous donors.

The security and integrity of the vote-counting process has been a hot-button issue in 2020. Learn more on Wednesday, December 9 at 7PM, when the Micah Center for Social Justice Learning and Practice will host City Clerk Steven W. Kerrigan for a presentation on voting security and ballot counting. For information on how to access the event, go to saintstephenlutheran.com/micahcenter

    Mr. Kerrigan was the speaker at the Micah Center’s first-ever event this past January highlighting the importance of registering to vote and encouraging voter registration. After a hiatus due to COVID-19, the Micah Center is pleased to return to hosting events online. On the other side of a national election, Mr. Kerrigan is prepared to share information about the vote-counting process.

    The Micah Center for Social Justice Learning and Practice is a new initiative, formed a year ago, to connect people interested in making the Marlborough-Hudson community more just and equitable. The goal is to lift up the good work being done in the area and examine the ideas that drive that good work. 

    Deb Roberts of Marlborough chairs the committee, which includes Sandra Austin, Mary Patricia Bailey, Margaret Cardello, Chris Duane, Samantha Gogan, Peg Harbert, Pam Narahara, Marilyn Perry, Melanie Whapham, and St. Stephen Lutheran Church Pastor Joseph Graumann.

    “After moving very consciously, the Micah center committee met virtually to share our community and personal challenges since our last event in early January,” Ms. Roberts said. “We agreed that it is time to reactivate the Micah Center. We are in the process of identifying other topics and speakers that will allow us to commit to our goal of offering regular education and learning on important social justice issues.” Additional committee members are very welcome. If you would like to become involved, send an email to micahcenter@saintstephenlutheran.com. 
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    The Micah Center was begun as an initiative of St. Stephen Lutheran Church, but has attracted community members as individuals and from other organizations, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metrowest, and the Marlborough Public Library.
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PHOTO: Melanie Whapham assembles one of 20 kits that went to the Christmas-at-Sea initiative of Seafarers International House, and will be distributed to merchant marines at sea on Christmas.

While the members of St. Stephen Lutheran Church, Marlborough, could not gather this year in person to knit as a group or assemble gift packages, they worked together – while apart – to make sure that a group of merchant marines will have presents for Christmas. This is the fifth year the church has participated in the Christmas-at-Sea initiative of Seafarers International House, collecting and knitting items for those who will be out to sea over the holidays.

In the first year of participation, Saint Stephen sent five kits; the second year they doubled their efforts and sent ten; the third year they put together 15 kits. Last year and this year they collected and packaged 20 kits that will be Christmas gifts.

Members of the Knit Wits group created warm hats with coordinating scarves, while the Greeting Card ministry made Christmas cards. Others donated items and money for the 20 satchels that were packed with heavy, hooded sweatshirts, thermal socks, chocolate bars and nuts. Coordinating the project was Melanie Whapham of Marlborough. When all items were collected, Melanie and Jane Woolsey assembled the final satchels, which were shipped to the Seafarers ministry in Connecticut for distribution. This was also a Thrivent Action Team project. The seed money awarded by Thrivent, a financial services company, was used to purchase some of the sweatshirts.

The Knit Wits enthusiastic activity yielded 35 hats, with the extras donated to the Hudson Food Pantry. Knitters included Jane Woolsey, Marlea Dutt, Elaine Recklet, and Norma DuBois of Hudson, Jan Conlin of Southboro, Peg Harbert of Shrewsbury, and Ann Gibson of Maynard.

Seafarers are often isolated and lonely, sometimes without the means to contact family frequently, or purchase needed items while in port. Typical contracts put most at sea for 10 months a year, and they remain a largely forgotten population at the holidays.

Seven Lutheran chaplains support the Seafarers Port Mission. When requested, they will board merchant marine ships to provide pastoral care and counseling. During the holidays, chaplains distribute the packages to ships that port in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, Philadelphia and southern New England that will be out at sea for Christmas.
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This past holiday season, a record 2601 crew members regardless of faith or nationality, received satchels. Seafarers International House is an ecumenical mission of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to seafarers and sojourners, as well as people who are distressed, disadvantaged, and displaced. For more information, check out https:/www.sihnyc.org

It isn’t too late to sign up for “Sunday School Reimagined,” the 2020 version of a Christian Education program for children, offered by St. Stephen Lutheran Church, Marlborough. An online program, it is open to anyone, not just church members or people who live in the greater Marlborough area. 
    
The program provides online resources for families to share stories of faith in the home at their convenience, and not just on Sunday. Rather than add another mandatory Zoom hour to your schedule, this program allows you to take the lead and learn at your own pace.
    
​While some of the materials are provided by a published program, each weekly lesson includes an introductory video made by members of St. Stephen. Adults who register receive a weekly email with access to the videos and activities on that week’s Bible story and theme. To sign up, go to www.saintstephenlutheran.com/education and fill out the form. Learn how Sunday School equips children and families to take the lessons they’ve learned and live in faith and hope for a world in need.
  
 Saint Stephen Lutheran Church is a member of the New England Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (www.elca.org) . The church is a Reconciling in Christ congregation, inviting people of every gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, ability, marital status, or class. Parishioners come from Marlborough, Hudson, Berlin, Northborough, Southborough, Westborough, Shrewsbury, Sudbury, Stow, and Bolton. Sunday services at 10 am alternate between live worship in the back parking lot (October 18, November 1, 15, 29) and worship on Zoom (October 25, November 8 and 22).
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