We are blessed to have Eliana Canas Parra with us this summer! What a joy to have her lead us in worship, interpret God's Word, and lead us in a Bible study. Our church does not have to pay Eliana or Yale Divinity School for her time with us, but we are responsible for finding and paying for her housing. Eliana was able to secure her own housing, so our church will make a contribution to the Internship program at Yale Divinity School. A special offering will be collected on Sunday, August 9. Envelopes will be available. You can also make a donation now through our website, midducc.org. At the top of the home page of the website, select "Giving". Then select VANCO. Under "Contributions to Specific Funds" choose "Yale Divinity School internship". Thank you!

Last year’s first Midd UCC All-Church Retreat was a wonderful time of relaxation, renewal, and connection, and we are excited to begin planning for year two!

Please mark your calendar for October 16-17 for the All-Church Retreat and start thinking now about making the trip to Silver Bay YMCA on the beautiful shores of Lake George. Whether you came last year or would be joining us for the first time, this retreat is a special opportunity to step away from our usual routines and spend time together as a church family.

The retreat will include shared meals, comfortable accommodations, recreation activities, and programming for both adults and children. There will be time to relax, play, connect, and enjoy the peaceful lakeside setting, along with opportunities for meaningful conversation and fellowship across generations.

More details will be shared in the coming months, but for now, we hope you will save the date and begin making plans to be part of this meaningful time together!

At a special meeting this past spring, the congregation approved moving

forward with the church roofing project. We are grateful that this important work is now preparing to begin. The start date for the project is Monday, August 3. The project is expected to take approximately three months to complete.

During this time, the Fellowship Hall entrance (South Side of the Hall, near the Youth Room) will not be available for use. Also the Red Clover play compound will be relocating to temporary location to the North of the classrooms. As work begins, please plan to use alternate entrances and allow a little extra time when arriving for worship, meetings, programs, or office visits.

We will continue to share updates as the project gets underway, including any additional changes to parking, access, or building use. Thank you for your patience, flexibility, and care as this necessary work is completed!

Thanks to all your generous summer giving (and some wonderfully heavy jars of pickles), we’re only a few pounds short of Ton #1 on our way to this year’s 3-ton goal!

For August, our focus turns to something a little quieter but just as essential: Personal Paper Products. These are the kinds of items that often can’t be purchased with food assistance—and they go fast on HOPE’s shelves.

We’re collecting:

• Toilet paper
• Menstrual pads (these items are always in serious need)
• Baby wipes & diapers
• Tissues
• Paper towels

These aren’t glamorous items, but they matter—deeply. Your donations help restore dignity and ease the strain for families across Addison County.

Thank you for showing up in quiet, meaningful ways. Let’s keep the momentum going throughout August!

Here in the office we have the pleasure of receiving notes of gratitude in the mail, over the phone, and in person. We thought it would be nice to have a place to collect these little gestures of gratitude and share them with our wider community...what better place than our monthly Church Matters publication?!  Welcome to The Gratitude Collection!

This month: A anonymous note dropped in the newly installed "Gratitude Jar" outside the church reception window:

"While not always easy, I am grateful to get the human experience. The balance of love & loss, joy & grief, comfort & pain. It means I am living, I am loved, and I am part of something bigger than myself."

Gratitude for all those moments that make life and community so beautiful, and those who stop and take time to notice them. Thank you. heart

We love collecting and amplifying the gratitude you feel for our Church community and beyond! Have some gratitude you'd like to pass on? Email it to office@midducc.org OR drop a note in the "Gratitude Jar" outside the church reception window and we'll add it to the gratitude collection for a future Church Matters!

This summer, Junior Youth Group (JYG) of the combined Congregational, St. Stephen's and St. Mary's churches, met and participated in four weeks of activities of service, learning and fun! One project was building two cedar Adirondack chairs and stools that we made together. All proceeds will be donated to the local not-for profits, HOPE and Homeward Bound. By participating in our auction, you're not just acquiring a remarkable item; you're also affirming the work of our youth and supporting our county's important social service providers. If you are interested in bidding on our chairs, please visit https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/jyg-adirondak-chair-silent-auction. Thank you for your support, and happy bidding!

The JYG crew

Dear Church,                                                  

The Nominating Committee has begun its work early this year, asking each church board to consider who will be its next chair, as well as making a plan for succession so that a vice chair is prepared to step into the leadership role when the time comes. This year, the Nominating Committee will also be searching for a Vice-Moderator, to serve on Church Council alongside Moderator Leanna Maglienti for the 2027 calendar year, in preparation for Leanna to conclude her service (for now) as Moderator at the 2028 Annual Meeting.

After much discernment, Leanna has decided that a break in her Council service would be helpful for her personal and professional life. She will not be leaving the church or the community, and is looking forward to serving this family of faith in new ways. Having more than one person familiar with the role of Moderator is a sign of a healthy church, and Leanna is looking forward to sharing the opportunity with others in the years to come.

To that end, we welcome and encourage nominations for the position of Vice Moderator for the 2027 calendar year, with the intention of being nominated to become Moderator in 2028. You may nominate a fellow church member or yourself by contacting Robin Bentley or the church office (office@midducc.org).

While the Vice-Moderator will be an At-Large Member of Council for the 2027 calendar year, the Moderator’s job description currently includes:

• Serving as Chair of Church Council, an ex-officio member of the Budget and Stewardship Committee, and a member of the Gift Acceptance Committee.
• Presiding over all warned congregational meetings.
• Leading the monthly All Boards meetings. 
• Meeting regularly with the pastors.

This position also requires excellent communication skills and comfort with online communication platforms. Knowledge of or a willingness to learn about institutional finances is also important. If you would like more information about this position, please reach out to Leanna or Pastor Andy.

Thank you, Church.

Sincerely,

Rev. Dr. Andy Nagy-Benson, Senior Pastor

Robin Bentley, Nominating Committee Chair