Minister's Message

If you have not already heard, I am passionate about rowing. I started the sport in 2004 in the shadow of an illness. I felt so confounded by my body not working that I wondered whether I should give up or do something outrageous to make my body work. For years, I wanted to learn to row. I often watched the scullers on the Charles River in Cambridge when I was a seminarian at the Episcopal Divinity School.

I discovered that there was a boat club in Providence—the Narragansett Boat Club. I arrived for an early morning class, threw the cane I was using in the back seat of the car, and entered a world that has had enormous meaning for me physically and spiritually. Somehow I got through that first barge class and then sculling classes and then sweeps classes (the big boats with eight people), and now 17 years later, I am still rowing.

Rivers like the Seekonk and the Barrington, as well as others around New England, have taught me much about spirituality. Rivers, especially those that are estuaries, are so unpredictable. No matter how much I have prepared for my row by reading the temperatures, the tides, and wind speeds, a current will go against me. The wind will come up with lots of chop. And I have to adapt to get back to the dock.

Similarly rowing has taught me much about my expectations for myself. Rowing looks easy when observing from the riverside. Yet, once in the boat, many factors are involved in not flipping my boat and me into the water. It requires training my muscle memory to do things that seem to defy my personal gravity—balance and nerve.

Perhaps my greatest gain from rowing all these years has been my prayer life. When engaged with a stroke, I find I am doing a meditation in time and space. When I take a rest, I see wildlife completely unknown to me if I just drove past the river. Then there is the rowing backwards in a skinny boat that requires a certain quality of faith and trust that is hard to experience on dry land.

This sport is my “river in the wilderness,” which is the theme for two Sundays this month. In times of trouble, how are rivers of hope and renewal being forged through our lives? Are we so caught up on the anxieties of the day that we cannot take time to sit by the river and watch its currents, see its teeming wildlife, and feel the wind that blows across its surface? This month, I invite you to join me for a row on a river in the wilderness.

Worship Themes

July 4: “The Ground upon Which We Stand”: This Sunday, we celebrate the 245th anniversary of our nation’s Declaration of Independence. As we recall this past, let us also reflect on the history of the “ground upon which we stand” at Amicable, which was significant in the relationship between Indigenous Peoples and Europeans. Later, Rhode Island was the first colony to call for religious freedom and the separation of church and state. In our UCC “God is still speaking” voice, we hear the words of those who forged this unique path for Rhode Island and our nation.

July 11: Beach Sunday at Fogland: A special service celebrating our Creator’s gift of water and sand and kick off our annual bleach clean up and picnic event. The beach is about 6 minutes from the church down Rt. 77, turn left on Pond Bridge Rd., and then a quick left onto Fogland Rd.

July 18: “A River through the Wilderness, Part I”: Last month’s service ended with Isaiah 43:19a: “I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” This Sunday, we pick up with 43:19b: “I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Rivers were a powerful motif for our spiritual ancestors offering images of abundant life as well as profound sorrow. What did that mean for them and for us?

July 25: “A River through the Wilderness, Part II”: As we move through the enormous challenges our world faces today (pandemic, political upheaval, economic inequity, and environmental degradation), how can rivers of life inspire hope in us? Just as those who entered the Jordan River for baptism two millennia ago, where can we find our own spiritual river(s) for renewal?

Summer Festival 

We are pleased to announce that Amicable Church’s Summer Fair is back this year! Mark your calendars for Saturday, August 21st, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. This year we will have our yard sale, book table, silent auction, coffee café, and baked goods table.  Great food, the sundae bar and activities for the kids! Don’t forget the Thrift Shop will be open! We are so excited to be open and see our friends in the greater Tiverton community.

Employment Opportunity

There is a Church Secretary position available, which is a part-time 10 hour per week role. If anyone is interested please send an email to office@amicablechurch.org or call the church office at 401-624-4611. We are looking for an individual who has experience with MS Word, Excel and Google document management.

Garey Scholarships

On Sunday, June 13, the 2021 Garey Scholarships were awarded to nine very deserving Amicable youth. 

The Garey Scholarship Fund was initiated in 1982 by church educator Carl Garey in memory of his sister Doris. The purpose of the scholarship is to support the higher education of members and friends who support Amicable's many missions. 

This year's recipients along with what grade they will be in their respective schools in the Fall are:

Justin Durfee- Freshman at Merrimac College

Cede Rashleigh McNally- Freshman at Colorado College

Shelby Hibbert- Sophomore at Salve Regina University

Cris Medeiros- Sophomore at Bristol Community College

Camden Pyne- Sophomore at New York University

Brianna Crain- Junior at Bridgewater State University

Jillian Goncalo- Junior at University of Rhode Island

Sarah Mello - Senior at Dean College

Aubrey Messenger- Senior at Colby-Sawyer College

Congratulations to all!

Garey Scholarship Thank you

I would like to thank the Garey Scholarship Committee for choosing me as one of the recipients of the scholarship. This will be very helpful for purchasing materials for school. It's nice to know that the members of the church had me in mind when considering who to choose for the scholarship, it is greatly appreciated.

Thank you and God bless,

Cristopher Medeiros

Volunteer Opportunities

The Summer Festival will be held on August 21st. We need volunteers to make this event successful! Please consider donating your time and/or talent. We are in need of volunteers to run the tables, for setup, and for cleanup. We are also looking for donations of books, baked goods, silent auction items, and yard sale items (no electronics or upholstered furniture please). Click here https://volunteersignup.org/WLBQY to sign up, and someone from the Summer Festival committee will contact you to confirm. You do not need to sign up for the entire day, any time you can give is appreciated! If you have any questions, please email Pat Campion at pjcamp53@aol.com.

The Christian Ed Team is in need of  Sunday School volunteers for the 2021-2022 year. If you enjoy working with children and youth and can share your time and talents with us at least one Sunday per month, please reach out to Sarah Martin at smartinrdn@gmail.com. 

We are in need of a freezer for storage for the Thanksgiving baskets. If you know of anyone looking to get rid of a freezer (upright or chest) please call or e-mail the church office.

Sale of South Lake Road Property

The Trustees are pleased to share the news that the South Lake Road parcel has sold for $201,000. The closing was June 24th. The net proceeds of the sale after taxes and expenses are $188,028.97.

A big thank you goes to Roger Gauthier for his tireless efforts in showing the property for years and to Sue Cory for her real-estate experience and acumen in supporting the Real Estate Trustee team.

The Board of Trustees during a Trustee Special Meeting held on June 14 decided that the entire net proceeds of the sale will be used to reduce our Accessibility Loan balance.

Financial Notes of Interest - June 2021

• At-Church Worship Services started in June, with some Covid-restrictions, but was good to see people back at church again and pledged & donated collections picked up accordingly.
• Cleaning, maintenance, and utility expenses started up as well, as the church was spruced up for in-church services, along with overall cleaning and maintenance activities.
• We are still operating without a Secretary so that these normal expenses are not accumulating at present.  
• Our new Custodian is working out well and has been performing the majority of the clean-up activities, so those related expenses picked up accordingly, and should start to settle down to a more normal pace going forward.
• A late-August Summer Festival is now being planned – cut back of course from a full event.
• The Thrift Shop continued having greater than budgeted receipts, ending June already achieving 95% of its budgeted 2021 income.
• No big expense surprises occurred in June.
• With our new Interim Minister, Rev. Nancy Hamlin Soukup, now with us and jumping right into activities and meetings, typical ministerial expenses started back up in June.  Accordingly, Guest Minister expenses started to return to their more typical amounts.

Respectfully Submitted:  Treasurer, Roger Gauthier

Milestones