Sanctuary United Church of Christ

World Communion Sunday Soul Circle
2025-10-05 08:30 - 09:30 (America/New_York) | https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82882360638?pwd=[REDACTED]
One Bread, Many Tables
On World Communion Sunday, Christians across the globe break bread in kitchens, cathedrals, fields, and prison chapels—becoming one body in Christ’s love. Sanctuary’s Soul Circle will join this vast, holy feast, remembering that no distance or difference can divide the table of Christ. Bring bread and cup from your home, and be nourished by God’s presence that binds us together.
All are welcome.
Come with your bread and cup, your longing for connection, your ache for a world made whole. Come ready to see faces near and far, to taste the mystery that makes us one, to speak words of peace across difference, and to discover in this shared meal the holy gift of God’s wide, unbreakable love.
Sanctuary UCC Sunday Spiritual Circle – for prayer, care, reflection, and connection.
~~~~
Wendy Miller Olapade – 617.592.5853 is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82882360638?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 828 8236 0638
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Dial by your location
• +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
• +1 305 224 1968 US
Meeting ID: 828 8236 0638
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kc1XnzubHD
──────────

Bread or Battle? Rev. Wendy Preaching - Shiloh Baptist Church
2025-10-05 11:30 - 13:00 | Shiloh Baptist Church, 1 Holton St, Medford, MA, United States
Sunday, October 04 (11:30 am)
World Communion Sunday
Would you Rather – Bread or Battle?
2 Timothy 2:8-15
Would you rather give up coffee or pizza?Would you rather live in a treehouse or a houseboat?Would you rather win the argument… or share the bread?
The game “Would You Rather?” makes us laugh, but it also makes us choose. Paul poses a version of the same question to young Timothy: Would you rather get caught up in endless arguments, or would you rather “rightly explain the word of truth” and trust God with the rest?
On World Communion Sunday, that question matters more than ever. Across the world, believers gather at Christ’s table — in different languages, with different breads and cups, shaped by different traditions. What unites us is not winning debates, but the grace we share in Christ. This Sunday at Shiloh, Rev. Wendy’s sermon reminds us that God doesn’t call us to be perfect or to win every debate — just to “do our best,” trust God’s grace, and share in the unity Christ has already made. So come – ready to play the game, wrestle with the question, and most of all — taste the unity that only Christ can give.
See the Shiloh Worship Page for Online Access to Worship.
Join Rev. Wendy and the Shiloh Baptist Church community for worship and song.

Weekly Vigil: Peace & Justice for Immigrants
2025-10-07 16:45 - 17:45, 2025-10-14 16:45 - 17:45, 2025-10-21 16:45 - 17:45, 2025-10-28 16:45 - 17:45, 2025-11-04 16:45 - 17:45, 2025-11-11 16:45 - 17:45, 2025-11-18 16:45 - 17:45, 2025-11-25 16:45 - 17:45 | Unitarian Universalist Church, 147 High St, Medford, MA, United States
As we witness our neighbors in the United States accosted by masked government agents, incarcerated, and in many cases deported without due process, we believe that we must as people of conscience stand up
against this violation of human rights and United States law and the cruel upending of countless people’s lives.
Please join this standout in front of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Medford, 147 High St., each Tuesday, 4:45-5:45.
This is a silent, peaceful demonstration.
Please bring a sign if you wish.
For more information, contact Steve Schmidt lesapeuruu@gmail.com or Liz
Ammons elizabeth.ammons@tufts.edu

Special Congregational Meeting
2025-10-07 19:00 - 20:15 | https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82581670394?pwd=[REDACTED]
Special Congregational Meeting
Call to Meeting: https://medfordchurch.org/congregational-documents/2025-10-07-call-to-special-congregational-meeting/──────────Join Zoom MeetingMeeting ID: 825 8167 0394Passcode: [REDACTED]
Dial by your location: +1 309 205 3325 USMeeting ID: 825 8167 0394Passcode: [REDACTED] your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/keFgMU7lKv──────────

Free, Fresh Veggie/Fruit Pop-Up Pantry
2025-10-10 17:00 - 18:00, 2025-10-17 17:00 - 18:00, 2025-10-24 17:00 - 18:00, 2025-10-31 17:00 - 18:00, 2025-11-07 17:00 - 18:00, 2025-11-14 17:00 - 18:00, 2025-11-21 17:00 - 18:00 | Shiloh Baptist Church, 1 Holton St, Medford, MA, United States
FREE FARM FRESH VEGGIES
@Shiloh Baptist Church, One Holton Street, Medford
Lower Level, entrance via parking lot
FRIDAYS (5—6 pm)
July 11 – Nov 21, 2025
First Come/First Served
BRING YOUR OWN BAGS

Sunday Soul Circle: Spirituality of Surrender
2025-10-12 18:00 - 20:00 | https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82882360638?pwd=[REDACTED]
🌿 The Spirituality of Surrender
Sunday Soul Circle — Sept 12 | 6:30 pm- 8:00 pm | Sanctuary UCC
🕯️ A 75-minute circle of reflection, release, and hope.
After all that Sanctuary has been through, our hearts are heavy. The decision to pursue the Legacy and Closure process carries both pain and deep meaning — and for those who’ve shared this Soul Circle space, the loss feels personal.
This week we’ll gather as companions on the journey — to name what hurts, to honor what was, and to open our hearts to what may yet be revealed when we surrender. Together, we’ll reflect on the spirituality of letting go — not as defeat, but as trust; not as absence, but as spaciousness for grace.
We’ll draw on words from Jesus and wisdom from modern spiritual teachers, and each of us will pull a card from The Power of Surrender Deck by Judith Orloff, M.D., as a personal guide for the days ahead.
🕯️ Plan for a 75-minute circle to allow time for reflection, story, and sacred pause.
All are welcome — come as you are, with whatever you’re holding.
And take heart: endings are never the whole story.
Even here, in the letting go, God is already stirring new life —
within us, among us, and beyond what we can yet see. 🌱
Sanctuary UCC Sunday Spiritual Circle – for prayer, care, reflection, and connection.
~~~~
Wendy Miller Olapade – 617.592.5853 is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82882360638?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 828 8236 0638
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Dial by your location
• +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
• +1 305 224 1968 US
Meeting ID: 828 8236 0638
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kc1XnzubHD
──────────

Sunday Soul Circle
2025-10-19 08:30 - 09:30, 2025-10-26 08:30 - 09:30, 2025-11-09 08:30 - 09:30 | https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82882360638?pwd=[REDACTED]
Sanctuary UCC Sunday Spiritual Circle – for prayer, care, reflection, and connection.
~~~~
Wendy Miller Olapade – 617.592.5853 is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Join Zoom Meetinghttps://us02web.zoom.us/j/82882360638?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 828 8236 0638Passcode: [REDACTED]
Dial by your location• +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)• +1 305 224 1968 US
Meeting ID: 828 8236 0638Passcode: [REDACTED]
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kc1XnzubHD
──────────

Rev. Wendy Preaching - Shiloh Baptist Church
2025-10-19 11:30 - 13:00 | Shiloh Baptist Church, 1 Holton St, Medford, MA, United States
Join Rev. Wendy and the Shiloh Baptist Church community for worship and song.
All the details are here, including Zoom access to worship virtually
Topic to be determined.

Go to WOW
2025-11-05 13:30 - 14:30

Cancelled!! Reel Conversations: Wicked
2025-11-07 18:30 - 20:30 | Arts Collaborative Medford, 162 Mystic Ave, Medford, MA, United States
🧹 Witch, Please! Let’s Talk Power, Prejudice, and Defying Gravity. What if the “wicked” one wasn’t wicked at all? In Wicked, the misunderstood Elphaba doesn’t just ride a broomstick—she flips the whole script. She challenges the system, calls out propaganda, and still makes time for a show-stopping duet or two.
✨ She’s green. She’s gifted. She’s done playing nice with fascist wizards. And we’re here for it.
Join us for Reel Conversations*, a night of popcorn, powerful scenes, and meaningful discussion about Wicked, the story behind the story behind The Wizard of Oz. Together, we’ll explore what happens when someone dares to speak truth to power—even when it means standing alone.
We’ll talk about:

Who gets labeled “dangerous” and why
Why complicity is comfortable but costly
What it takes to defy gravity—and injustice

🎥 Watch the movie ahead of time (streaming info below), use this Viewers Guide to look for the themes we will discuss, then come ready to rewatch the big moments together, talk back to the narrative, and celebrate the courage it takes to be too much for the status quo. #TeamElphaba #NoWizardsAllowed #ReelConversations #DefyGravity
P.S. 👠 If you’ve ever been called too loud, too bold, too much, or just too green — this night is for you. Come as you are, bring your broom, and let’s fly into some Wicked good trouble together. 💚🖤🧹🔥
*Reel Conversations – the Circle previously known as Faith & Film!
Participant Instructions
🎥 WATCH BEFORE YOU COME USING THIS VIEWER’S GUIDE
Please watch Wicked ahead of our event. It’s currently available for rent or purchase on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, and other streaming platforms. Included on HBO/Max.
📝 USE THE VIEWER’S GUIDE & TAKE NOTES!
As you watch, jot down a few thoughts in response to the Viewer’s Guide questions above—or anything that moves you. If you’ve already seen it, consider rewatching with these new lenses in mind.
📅 JOIN US IN PERSON
🗓 Friday, November 07
🕡 6:30–8:30 PM
📍 Arts Collaborative Medford, 162 Mystic Ave, Medford, MA

🍿 We’ll gather, watch a few powerful scenes together, and discuss the deeper truths, tensions, and hope that Wicked stirs in us.

Sanctuary UCC All Hands Meeting - W. Chris Mereschuk
2025-11-13 18:30 - 20:00 | https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82581670394?pwd=[REDACTED]
Committee of the Whole/Leadership Circle Meeting
All are welcome! Gather online!
Did you miss last month’s meeting? Here’s where you can find minutes from previous meetings. (https://medfordchurch.org/minutes/)
Agenda:

Recruit Note Taker
Meet with Chris Meruschuk, Director, SNEUCC Church Legacy Corp. to review Legacy and Closure Process Overview, clarify where we are, Q&A, & next steps.
Recruit Leadership Team for Legacy Process
Vote on proposal for Tuesday, Dec. 2 (All Hands Mtg) for Special Congregational Meeting to serve as 2025 Annual Meeting, delayed from June 2025. Review the Agenda for that Meeting.
Vote on Proposal for Upgrade to Electrical Work for Shiloh Rental Space, needed for safety of equipment and HVAC.

──────────
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 825 8167 0394
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Dial by your location: +1 309 205 3325 US
Meeting ID: 825 8167 0394
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/keFgMU7lKv
──────────

Sunday Soul Circle
2025-11-16 08:30 - 09:30 | https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82882360638?pwd=[REDACTED]
Sanctuary UCC Sunday Spiritual Circle – for prayer, care, reflection, and connection.
~~~~
Wendy Miller Olapade – 617.592.5853 is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82882360638?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 828 8236 0638
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Dial by your location
• +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
• +1 305 224 1968 US
Meeting ID: 828 8236 0638
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kc1XnzubHD
──────────

Sunday Soul Circle: Blessed in the Dark
2025-11-23 08:30 - 09:30 | https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82882360638?pwd=[REDACTED]
Blessed in the Dark: A Thanksgiving Soul Circle
We live in a world obsessed with looking “#blessed” — curated joy, perfect tables, gratitude that never seems to leave room for pain. But Zechariah’s Benedictus in Luke 1 is a very different kind of blessing. It rises after doubt, after months of silence, after waiting on a promise that felt impossible. His first word back is “Blessed,” even while empire still rules and many prayers seem unanswered.
In this Soul Circle, we’ll sit with Zechariah’s song and our own. We’ll draw on scripture, breath prayer, and contemporary voices like Valarie Kaur, Brené Brown, Cole Arthur Riley, and Howard Thurman as we explore blessings that don’t always look like blessings — the ones hidden inside grief, change, and the not-yet. There will be time for quiet reflection, small-group sharing, and a simple practice of naming “dawn-moments” in the middle of our dark places.
Bring your gratitude and your questions, your joy and your heaviness. You don’t have to tidy your life up to step into this circle. The God of tender mercy is already rising to meet you in the shadows.
Sanctuary UCC Sunday Spiritual Circle – for prayer, care, reflection, and connection.
~~~~
Wendy Miller Olapade – 617.592.5853 is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82882360638?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 828 8236 0638
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Dial by your location
• +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
• +1 305 224 1968 US
Meeting ID: 828 8236 0638
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kc1XnzubHD
──────────

Rev. Wendy Preaching @ Shiloh Baptist
2025-11-23 11:30 - 13:00 | Shiloh Baptist Church, 1 Holton St, Medford, MA, United States
For more about this service: https://sbcofmedford.org/what-if-the-next-word-is-blessed-rev-wendy-miller-olapade/

Sunday Soul Circle: Ache & Anticipation
2025-11-30 08:30 - 09:30 | https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82882360638?pwd=[REDACTED]
The week after Thanksgiving often feels like a soft exhale—too soon for tinsel, too soon for frenzy, not quite ready for the turning of the liturgical wheel. And yet Advent arrives anyway, quiet as a breath, asking us to notice the shimmer beneath the numbness, the tremble beneath the familiar.
This season begins in the half-light: where the sky feels unsteady, where our hearts do too, where waiting holds both ache and anticipation. The gospel imagines trembling stars and roaring seas, but our own lives hum with smaller signs—unspoken longings, tender hopes, the subtle glow of something about to change.
This Sunday’s Soul Circle invites you into that thin place between what is and what might be. We’ll breathe, listen, and reflect together as we sit with the slop and the shimmer—the griefs we carry and the hopes that flicker in the quiet. Come experience a spacious circle of poetry, scripture, honest sharing, and gentle wisdom as we open ourselves to the possibility that God’s almost-presence is drawing near, even now.

Sanctuary UCC Sunday Spiritual Circle – for prayer, care, reflection, and connection.
~~~~
Wendy Miller Olapade – 617.592.5853 is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82882360638?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 828 8236 0638
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Dial by your location
• +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
• +1 305 224 1968 US
Meeting ID: 828 8236 0638
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kc1XnzubHD
──────────
