Kenilworth United Church of Christ

"Life is not what you alone make it. Life is the input of everyone who touched your life and every experience that entered it. We are all part of one another." Yuri Kochiyama

Loving God, we give thanks for our right to vote and know that the outcome of this and all elections affect our lives. We pray for healing for the divisions among us, patience as some of us wait hours to vote, and calm as we wait for the results of the election. Give us wisdom to make choices that benefit the least among us, and let us unite around the common good, mercy, and justice. May your love sustain us. Amen.

If we in fact owe one another love, then we owe one another justice, which includes repairing the damages done, individually and collectively, in community. - Valerie Bridgeman

if you have lost a loved one in the last twelve months, and you would like to add their name to our celebration of life on All Saints Day (Sunday, November 1), please contact the church office by email ([email protected]), FB message or call (716-835-4120) by Wednesday.

Difficult times are often an opportunity for deep reflection, and this election season has certainly been a difficult time for many of us. At Kenilworth UCC, we live our motto as our mission: "Because of you are and because of where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here." ... That welcome is extended, not only regardless of our race, gender, orientation, identity, or age, but also regardless of our personal creed and our political affiliation. It seems only right, therefore, to open our doors during this election season. Therefore, the sanctuary and the narthex at Kenilworth United Church of Christ will be open for personal reflection and prayer: Monday, November 2 from 2 pm until 8 pm Tuesday, November 3 from 9 am until 8 pm Wednesday, November 4 from 9 am until 2 pm Candles representing the Light of Hope will be lit and soft music will be played throughout the time, creating a peaceful and non-judgmental oasis in which you can clear your mind, consider your decisions, cleanse your heart, and receive God's grace. A resource of prayers and readings will be made available; you may use them during your time in the church and take them home with you for further reflection. To preserve the atmosphere, we ask that all conversations be mindfully quiet and take place only in the offices, in the sacristy, or outside on our grounds. Please enter in the front door (by the office) and check in (required for contact tracing), then proceed directly to the sanctuary and/or narthex. We require that you wear a mask when in the building; if you do not have a mask, one will be given to you. Please maintain the standard 6-foot social distancing at all times; hand sanitizer is also available. Bathrooms are for single use only; please disinfect the area before and after your use. A complete list of our COVID procedures is posted on the front door. If you have any questions or need assistance, please let us know.

This Sunday begins our OCTOBER FOOD DRIVE (and personal care items)! This collection will last all week long. If you would like to make a donation, we will be open Sunday (after services) from 11:30a-2p. Call the office for hours for drop off times, Monday-Friday- Oct. 25-30. 716/835-4120

Since posting this meme we have learned that it is actually from A Four-Fold Blessing" by Sister Ruth Fox who is Benedictine, not Franciscan. We will post the corrected version tomorrow.

Food insecurity is pervasive in our own community. Kenilworth United Church of Christ will hold a FOOD DRIVE next week beginning Sunday, October 25th from 11:30 to 2:00 and then the rest of week during regular office hours. Please note we will only be collecting shelf stable food, paper goods, toiletries, household products, etc. Don't forget our vegetarian, vegan and gluten free friends as well. This activity also coincides with our "last Sunday" noisy coin collection with the proceeds going to our traditional Thanksgiving Day luncheon (which will be a pick-up/ to go option). If you are aware of a home that may need a bag of groceries please contact the office ([email protected]).

Fallscape continues....