Jazz Quartet to Perform February 12 in Marlborough
 
            For an afternoon of light jazz, there is no need to “Take the A Train.” Just show up at Saint Stephen Lutheran Church, 537 Bolton Street, Marlborough on Sunday, February 12 at 3 p.m. The Rebecca Pagano quartet, a group of well-known area musicians, will entertain with jazz standards.

            The quartet will include Pagano, tenor sax/flute; Alexei Tsiganov, piano, John Hotchkiss, bass, and Charles Weller, drums. Although the final play list is not set, Rebecca indicated a working list includes Cheesecake, Ceora, There Will Never Be Another You, Alice in Wonderland, I Could Write a Book, Voce’ e Eu, Sunday Kind of Love, and I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart.

            “I'm very grateful for this opportunity to bring my music to St. Stephen Luterhan Church and the greater Marlborough community,” Pagano said. “This band is cooking! We can't wait to bring some joy into everyone's day, and leave everyone with hearts and minds full of songs.” 

            Music lovers are asked to bring a donation to the Fresh Start Furniture Bank as their admission fee. NEW kitchen gadgets, such as Pyrex baking dishes, cookie sheets, mixing bowls and cutting boards would be especially welcome along with “gently used” small appliances such as hand mixers and toasters. Cash donations for Fresh Start will also be accepted. With a Valentine’s Day theme, refreshments will be available from 2:45-3 pm, during intermission, and after the concert.

            All four jazz musicians not only perform locally and regionally but also teach their craft.

            Saxophonist and flutist Rebecca Pagano has performed in concert halls and jazz venues throughout New England, including Sanders Theatre, Jordan Hall, Berklee’s David Friend Recital Hall, the POST Underground jazz club, and New Hampshire’s Mount Washington Hotel. She is a founding member of the Boston-area District 5 Jazz Band.  Rebecca earned both an M.M. and an M.M.Ed from The Boston Conservatory, and a B.M.E. from Indiana University. She currently studies jazz in New England Conservatory’s Continuing Education Jazz Program, improvisation with Mike Tucker, and teaches band, jazz band, and music at Wayland Middle School.

            Alexei Tsiganov is a composer, pianist, vibraphonist and educator.  At age seventeen he began playing at St. Petersburg Jazz Philharmonic Hall, the largest jazz club in the Soviet Union. After winning several competitions, in 1991 he came to the United States to continue his career in the motherland of jazz. He has appeared on WERS-Boston radio and  WGBH-Boston. He studied with Gary Burton at Berklee College of Music, and at the New England Conservatory with Charlie Banacos and George Russell. Tsiganov  performed solo and with his group in and around  New England, well-known jazz clubs in New York City, and has toured throughout the United States, Europe, South America and Asia.

            John Hotchkiss grew up in a musical household outside Chicago where he learned to play both jazz and classical double bass. Moving to Boston to study at Berklee College of Music, he performed widely appearing with many jazz artists including Bruce Torff, Mark Kross, David Arteaga, Nat Simpkins, and Jennifer Hruska. He has performed in faculty recitals at the New England Conservatory and Berklee and with Rufus Reid of the Boston Bass Bash. John plays throughout New England as a member the District 5 Jazz Band.  In the classical domain, he has served as principal bass for the Concord Orchestra, the New Philharmonia Orchestra, and MassOpera.

            Charles Weller has worked extensively as a performer, composer and educator. He holds a B.M. from Berklee College of Music, and an M.M. from the New England Conservatory. A native Californian, Weller moved back west after college, where he shared the stage with such artists as Charles McPherson, Mike Wofford, Peter Sprague, Sinne Eeeg, and Gilbert Castellanos, and taught at San Diego State and Cal State San Marcos. Weller studied drums and percussion with Terri Lyne Carrington, Bob Moses, Billy Hart, and others. He currently resides in Boston, and is a faculty member for the New England Conservatory Jazz Prep and Continuing Education, where he teaches private lessons, ensembles, and jazz ear training.
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            The program is the second in a series of Performances at St. Stephen, with one concert offered each season. In the fall, a folk duo performed, and the spring program, still tentative, may feature piano, organ, and handbells.

Waiting until Christmas to open presents delivered weeks in advance can be a challenge, but a group of seafarers vowed to do just that when 31 packages of warm winter clothing and other gifts donated by St. Stephen Lutheran Church, Marlborough arrived in New Haven, CT where merchant marines were in port for a day.

Most people may not think about the shipment of such things as rebar and scrap metal, or even how home heating oil and imported wood get to their final destination, or the sailors whose efforts are a vital part of the process. Seafarers from all over the world are an integral part of bringing these, and other products for New Englanders into New Haven, CT. 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.

Seafarers International House serves this population, and the people of St. Stephen Lutheran Church, Marlborough, have responded for the past seven years by providing Christmas gifts of satchels filled with hand-knit hats and scarves, hooded sweatshirts, shirts, socks, cans of nuts and Christmas cards. This year, church members Melanie Whapham and Judy Kellogg of Marlborough traveled to New Haven to meet with Port Chaplain Ruth Setaro and deliver 31 satchels.

The visitors had the opportunity to meet some of the seafarers. “A crew from the COSMOS was in port for the day, leaving for India,” Melanie said. “These merchant marines will be the best color coordinated sailors on the seas.” The hand knit items matched wonderfully with the purchased sweatshirts and shirts, she noted.  Chaplain Setaro said the sailors were very grateful for the packages. “They were so excited to get these gifts and promised they would wait until Christmas to open them.”

The need for additional warm, hand knit hats continues, and less than 2 weeks after an announcement in church, 30 more hand-knit hats had been donated.

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.

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.

For more information about the church, visit www.saintstephenlutheran.com  or the church’s Facebook page. 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.

​Challenged to collect 500 items for their local food pantry during the month of October, the people of St. Stephen Lutheran Church, Marlborough met and exceeded the goal, amassing 663 cans and packages donated to the Hudson Community Food Pantry.
            Their efforts had an additional benefit: as one of the first 100 participants to meet the “Feed the Northeast” goal of the Thrivent Northeast Member Network, St. Stephen was rewarded with a $500 donation from Thrivent to the food pantry. Frank Dutt of Hudson was the team leader who spearheaded the church project.
            Thrivent is a not-for-profit financial services organization headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Appleton, Wisconsin, and founded by Lutherans. Thrivent clients are part of regional member networks that sponsor generosity programs, financial workshops and social events. HCFP is a non-profit organization serving residents of Hudson, Berlin, and Bolton who struggle with food insecurity. 
            For more information about St. Stephen Lutheran Church, visit www.saintstephenlutheran.com  or the church’s Facebook page. 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.

​There could be an increase of new local voters at the polls, thanks to an initiative of the Marlborough-based Micah Center for Social Justice. To encourage more people to cast a ballot, the Center sponsored a campaign to send hand-written letters to area people eligible to vote. Penning their notes at home or at a recent gathering at the home of Jan and Beth Conlin, volunteers generated an impressive 205 missives. 
       Each letter had a personalized note from the writer indicating why they believed it was important to vote. The reasons were as varied as the baker’s dozen of volunteers.  Deb Roberts, Micah Center chair, recalls these statements: “Voting is powerful;” “Everyone is important and we must vote to share our vision of the country;” “My vote is a way to create a better future for all of us, with good jobs, good healthcare, and safe communities;” and “I feel that it's extra important to speak up, particularly when our country is faced with challenges.”
       In addition to Deb Roberts, Jan and Beth Conlin, letter writers included Bev Broz, Marlea Dutt, Beth Garner, Peg Harbert, Judy Kellogg, Pam Narahara, Anita Phelan, Jim and Joni Schalkhauser, and Melanie Whapham. 

On Sunday, November 13, there will be music and more at St. Stephen Lutheran Church, 537 Bolton Street, Marlboro as the inaugural “Performance at St. Stephen” takes place with a concert by Pastor Ed and Ruth Voosen.  The presenters predict a “casual and relaxing” afternoon for the whole family, offering mostly familiar folk songs, show tunes, country favorites, and possibly a sing-along to engage the audience.
     Some of the audience will undoubtedly be engaged by the pre concert activity — the afternoon program begins at 3 pm with an Ice Cream Buffet.
    The Voosens bring not only their voices — he is a baritone and she is a soprano — but also a variety of instruments, from flute to banjo to traditional guitar to a 12-string guitar, as well as interesting history. 
    There is no fee for the concert, but donations are welcome.  A free will offering will be taken to help fund St. Stephen teens who will attend the 2024 ELCA Youth Gathering in New Orleans.
    This versatile couple has been making beautiful music together for decades. Ed and Ruth  met at Wagner College, each coming in with a love of music, and married two years later. 
— As a member of the band, The Capitals, as a teen, Ed appeared twice on TV on the Ted Mack Amateur Hour.
— Ruth played the flute in bands and orchestras including All State Band, and sang first soprano in the Wagner College Choir.
— Ed founded and directed the Pinecrest Folk Choir, which recorded two albums and toured the eastern US.  Ruth sang in the choir.
— Together, they have gone on more than 100 cruises, with Pastor Ed as the Protestant chaplain. During those trips, Ruth enjoys playing hymns on flute with Ed on guitar. In addition to cruises, the Voosens have organized and led trips to Israel, Scandinavia, and Germany.
    Ed Voosen was educated at Princeton University and the New York Theological Seminary. Ordained by the Lutheran Church, he served congregations in Brooklyn, NY and Auburn, MA, and retired in 2010. Ruth earned a BS in nursing at Wagner College and is a registered nurse. She has worked in a psychiatric unit in Brooklyn, has been a college health nurse at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and served as a nursery school teacher. The Voosens have three children and seven grandchildren.
    For more information about St. Stephen Lutheran Church, visit www.saintstephenlutheran.com  or the church’s Facebook page. 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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Sunday School for all ages – from pre-school through adult – will begin this Sunday, October 9 at St. Stephen Lutheran Church, 537 Bolton St., Marlborough, MA. While the youngest disciples, pre-school through grade 1, will meet during the 10 am church service, other ages will begin their programs at 9 am.
    Using the “Echo the Story” curriculum from Sparkhouse, students in grades 2 and up will go on a Biblical narrative journey using a collection of learning styles, with a six part sequence that includes videos, listening skills, hearing a story read, using sketch journals to capture interesting aspects of the story, retelling the story, and sharing observations with the group. Arts and crafts will also be incorporated, with the creation of a banner, environmental photography, painting and sculpture all on the program. Melanie Whapham will lead the group.
    Adults will meet with Pastor Greg Mileski, also in the 9-9:45 time slot, for a discussion of the week’s lectionary readings, with a comparative study of religions and a book study also on the agenda.
    The youngest students, pre-school through grade 1, will come to the 10 am church service, then leave before the sermon to hear Bible stories, engage in a related craft and play, and return in time for communion. Heidi Richard, Dianne Bruno, and Stephanie and Lily Ruggiere will interact with this group.
    There is no registration requirement, and all are welcome to engage in this Christian Education program.
    For more information about St. Stephen Lutheran Church, visit www.saintstephenlutheran.com  or the church’s Facebook page. 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

We did not have a camera operator for Sunday Service on August 21st so if you were looking for the You Tube stream it was obviously not there. Our operator was home tending to a child who came down sick on Sunday morning.  We did not have any backups available or time to work something out.   Sorry for any inconvenience this caused.

On September 11, St. Stephen Lutheran Church, Marlboro, will welcome Pastor Greg Mileski, who will serve as the church’s “regular supply pastor” until a new full-time pastor is called.  St. Stephen is in a transitional time between pastors.  In the Lutheran tradition, an interim pastor is assigned while the New England Synod looks for a new pastor to match the needs and goals of the congregation.
    Pr. Joseph Graumann, who served  St. Stephen from 2016 until the last Sunday in June of this year, accepted a new call to a church in his home state of New Jersey. Over the summer, parishioners have had the opportunity to meet and hear a variety of preachers.
    Greg Mileski grew up in the Pittsburgh area and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in Religious Studies. “In college I enjoyed classes in biology and chemistry,” he said, “but really gravitated toward my classes in religion and literature.” After college and before seminary, he spent three years as a first grade teacher in Henderson, NC, through the service organization, Teach for America, that sends college graduates to places that have difficulty attracting teachers, 
    Although he attended Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio, another seminary he visited, in South Carolina, was significant because it was there that  he met his wife, Jenny, who was the admissions director. They married after seminary and moved  to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for his first call, where “ I enjoyed four years of parish ministry at United Lutheran Church in  L’Anse, Michigan,” Pr. Mileski said. During this time, the Mileskis’ two children, Leo, now 9, and Lena, 8, were born.
    More religious studies were to be next in his journey. “During these parish years,” he said, “ I realized that my love of studying religious traditions wasn’t going away and I came to wonder if I might be of best service to the Church by teaching about the traditions other children of God enjoy and helping us to think about how Christianity is related to them, how a world of multiple religions might be exactly what God has intended all along.” 
    The Mileskis moved to Boulder, Colorado, where Greg studied Buddhism at the University of Colorado and Naropa University, one of the very few Buddhist-affiliated universities in the country.  Interested in pursuing a doctorate, he was drawn to Boston College, as one of the world’s leading institutions in Comparative Theology. Pr. Mileski notes this field asks: “If we deeply study another religious tradition, how does our understanding of Christianity change and become enriched by that study?” He hopes to earn his doctorate sometime in 2023, with a topic generally defined as “How Can We Be More Christ-like?”
    Today the family lives in Brighton where they like to spend time with friends and occasionally go  hiking. Greg and Jenny enjoy cooking vegetarian together.
    “I am very excited to spend some time walking with St. Stephen Lutheran Church,” Pr. Mileski said, “helping all of us to grow our roots more deeply in this tradition that is centered around this truth: God Loves Us, and because of that we are free to love one another, exactly as much as we’ve always deep-down wanted to!”