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Edwards Church

United Church of Christ | Saxonville, Massachusetts

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Pastor

The following is an extract from Pastor Debbie's most recent annual report. Current posts by Debbie appear at the bottom of this page.

As our grace at a recent dinner with friends, each of us shared something we are grateful for and something for which we hope. “I am grateful,” I began, “that almost every day I get to do something that makes a difference. I hope that somehow all our individual efforts can come together to make a bigger difference.”

It was the first thought that came to mind. In the days that followed, I realized how much my gratitude and hope emerge from being part of Edwards Church. Through our church, I get to do things that make the world a better place—in small ways and large. Through our church, I find hope that all our individual efforts really can come together to transform and heal our world.

From the time I started as pastor here, almost 22 years ago, I have known that what we do as a church matters deeply—to the individuals who are part of the church, to the wider community, and to our world. This past year, it has felt especially true. We need Edwards Church. The city of Framingham needs Edwards Church. The world needs Edwards Church. In this troubled and divided world, Edwards Church offers sanctuary, healing and comfort, opportunities to live out our passion and compassion, and new models for being church.

There are so many reasons to be grateful and hopeful. I am grateful for the sanctuary we offer, and hopeful for the ways we will continue to widen the circle. I am grateful for all the ways we offer comfort and healing, and hopeful that God’s healing spirit works through and beyond us. I am grateful for the opportunities we have to make a difference, and hopeful that we can find new ways to work together with other communities. I am grateful for our openness to new ways, and hopeful that we can be a model to inspire others.

I am grateful for each person in our congregation: for our gifted and dedicated staff, for our officers and board and committee and team members, for people who usher and greet and welcome and bake, for people who crochet and drive and pray and sing. I am hopeful that in the coming year we will deepen our faithfulness, our caring for one another, and our compassion and passion for justice.

Peace,
Rev. Dr. Deborah L. Clark

Ordinary People

July 1, 2020 by Rev. Debbie Clark

Dear friends,    I recently read a book entitled Why We Act: Turning Bystanders into Moral Rebels, by Catherine A. Sanderson, a professor at Amherst College. Dr. Sanderson reviews a wide range of sociological studies as she pursues the question of why some people step forward to help when they see harm being done. Are […]

Filed Under: Pastor, Steeple Tagged With: Steeple July 2020

A Letter from your Pastors

June 2, 2020 by Rev. Debbie Clark

Dear friends, Ahmaud Arberry. Breanna Taylor. George Floyd. Three beloved children of God. Ahmaud loved to jog. Breanna was an EMT. George was a father. Each of them loved and was loved. Each brought gifts to offer our world. The world is poorer because of their deaths. We grieve the loss of these our sister […]

Filed Under: Pastor

Pentecost Sunday

June 1, 2020 by Rev. Debbie Clark

Dear friends,    This coming Sunday, May 31, is Pentecost, the birthday of the church. The church finds itself in a similar position to those of us who have had birthdays during this “stay-at-home” time. We are challenged to rethink our usual ways of celebrating, to dive deeper into the intention behind our traditions, to […]

Filed Under: Pastor, Steeple Tagged With: Steeple June 2020

Planning for the Future

May 2, 2020 by Rev. Debbie Clark

Dear friends,    “When can we go back to the way it used to be?“ That question has been on my mind since mid-March. It’s a question for which we don’t have an answer. And I’m beginning to realize that it’s not even the right question to ask. Our lives have changed drastically in the […]

Filed Under: Pastor, Steeple Tagged With: Steeple May 2020

A Quiet Easter

April 3, 2020 by Rev. Debbie Clark

Dear friends, Trumpets! Organ! Introits! Lilies and daffodils and tulips! Easter eggs half-hidden in the pews! Throw-back bonnets! Smoky clothing from standing near the fire-pit at sunrise! A flowering cross carried in by Nils Arnheim! When I think of Easter at Edwards Church, I think of all these things. Mostly, I think about all the […]

Filed Under: Pastor, Steeple

Important Changes in Worship

March 12, 2020 by Rev. Debbie Clark

Dear Friends, What a week this has been! Every day, we have heard more news about the spread of COVID-19, and more advice about how to prevent getting sick and spreading germs to others. We have been advised to practice “social distancing.” In a community of people who care about one another and rejoice in […]

Filed Under: Pastor, Worship

Epiphany

January 1, 2020 by Rev. Debbie Clark

Dear friends, By the first weekend in January, the decorations have begun to come down, dried-up Christmas trees are on the front curb awaiting trash pick-up, and the post-Christmas sale rush is over. Just when we think things are getting back to normal, it’s time for another joyous celebration! On Sunday, January 5th, we will […]

Filed Under: Pastor, Steeple Tagged With: Steeple January 2020

Miraculous Giving

November 1, 2019 by Rev. Debbie Clark

Dear friends, A few weeks ago, in worship, Karen Nell told our young people the story of Jesus changing water into wine. One girl asked, “Was it magic?” “No,” Karen Nell replied. “It’s not magic. It’s a miracle—God working through Jesus with the power of love.” And then she turned their attention from the biblical […]

Filed Under: Pastor, Spiritual Reflections from our Community, Steeple Tagged With: Steeple November 2019

A Fourth of July Reflection

July 4, 2019 by Rev. Debbie Clark

Dear friends, One of my most vivid memories of the Fourth of July is an evening spent on the National Mall in Washington DC. It was 1987, and I was doing a summer internship at First Congregational Church in Washington, D.C. The church was deeply committed to living out our faith in the wider world.  […]

Filed Under: Pastor, Spiritual Reflections from our Community

Anniversary Thanks

July 1, 2019 by Rev. Debbie Clark

Dear friends, What a glorious surprise! Thank you for the very special celebration of the thirtieth anniversary of my ordination. It means so much to me. The litany the deacons led was beautiful. It was especially powerful to have the entire congregation offer me the blessing that I am privileged to offer you as the […]

Filed Under: Pastor, Steeple Tagged With: Steeple July 2019

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Set your GPS for 39 Edwards Street, Framingham. We have plenty of parking!

We’d love to welcome you for worship Sundays at 10 am in our sanctuary (39 Edwards Street, Framingham) or on livestream. We’d also love to talk with you about weekday programs, our congregation, and your hopes (email Rev. Clark at pastor@edwardschurch.org or call 508-877-2050).

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