by Stacey Hilliard | Nov 5, 2024 | Uncategorized
In addition to the weekly Adult Study with Laura Myers, Crawford will offer an “At Home” personal Advent Devotion.
Using the book Low: An Honest Advent Devotional by John Pavlovitz. Participants will be partnered and encouraged to text, talk, email, or meet daily with their partners to discuss the simple, poignant, and practical day’s reading. Partners can be randomly chosen for you or you may join the Devotion with a friend.
Although you can join with a partner or even choose to participate alone, I encourage you to consider sharing the days of Advent with someone you may not know well or at all. I have done similar Devotions and although it was a little scary to be vulnerable with a woman I didn’t know well, I can tell you that I certainly knew her and myself better by the end of Advent! I found it both an enriching and joyful experience.
Participants will be offered discussion topics and questions to facilitate their devotion. We are hoping for new connections, new ideas, and new ways to connect with ourselves, others, and our God as we wait in joyful hope for our dear Savior’s birth.
Books are available for $5.99,
HERE, on Amazon. If you are unable to purchase the book on your own — either from Amazon or your local independent book seller — let Stacey know in the church office (
office@crawfordumc.org or 781-729-5056) and she will order one for you (in which case, we hope you will consider making a donation to cover the cost of the book and/or shipping).
If you plan to participate or have questions, please contact me via talk or text at 617-947-3161 or grab me at church so I can pair you up with a discussion partner! Please join in…it won’t be the same without you!”
– Bernadette
by Stacey Hilliard | Mar 25, 2024 | News, Uncategorized
Last Hope K-9 is a non-profit all-breed dog rescue based in Massachusetts. They save abandoned, neglected, and abused dogs from high-kill shelters in Central Arkansas and beyond. The dogs are fostered by families here in Massachusetts until they can be adopted through individual inquiries or events like the ones Crawford has hosted over the years. Learn more about the adoption process at lasthopek9.org. If you’re interested in adopting, get your application in right away, and meet the dogs awaiting their furever homes at Crawford on Saturday, April 6, between noon and 2:00pm.
by Stacey Hilliard | Feb 20, 2024 | Uncategorized
2024 promises to be an “historic” year–wars around the globe; consequential national election at home; strife and division; and individuals, families, companies, and churches trying to figure out how to be in the next stage after a global pandemic. Sometimes it may be hard to feel hope in the midst of all this turmoil.
During the seven Saturdays of Lent, we will meet at Horn Pond (Sturgis Street parking lot – see map) at 9am. for a reflection — we’ll consider how hope has sustained us in the past, and how we might remain hopeful in the face of today’s challenges. Then will walk as long or as little as each of us wants, solo or with another member of the community.
Bring your coffee and join us for one or all of our walks!
by Stacey Hilliard | Feb 16, 2024 | Uncategorized
2024 promises to be an “historic” year–wars around the globe; consequential national election at home; strife and division; and individuals, families, companies, and churches trying to figure out how to be in the next stage after a global pandemic. Sometimes it may be hard to feel hope in the midst of all this turmoil.
During the seven Saturdays of Lent, we will meet at Horn Pond (Sturgis Street parking lot – see map) at 9am. for a reflection — we’ll consider how hope has sustained us in the past, and how we might remain hopeful in the face of today’s challenges. Then will walk as long or as little as each of us wants, solo or with another member of the community.
Bring your coffee and join us Saturday February 17 at 9am for our first walk! If you have any questions, ask Pam Reeve.
by Stacey Hilliard | Jun 1, 2023 | News, Uncategorized
Porchfest is returning to Winchester and to Crawford on June 10, from 12:00 noon to 5:30 pm. Crawford is happy to host the following acts:
- 12pm – The Morningside Messengers – Jazz sextet playing bop, swing, Latin standards (and some rarities) – John MacRae – drums, Jeff Bates – bass, Michael Rosen – keys, Bob Salitzky – guitar, Jefferson Xu – trombone, Bruce Raisner – trumpet”
- 1:30pm – Randall Kromm – (pictured here performing at Crawford during Porchfest 2021) Singer-songwriter playing original acoustic music.
- 3pm – Mark Hastings – Solo performing songwriter on keyboards with vocals. I play a variety of covers and originals in the genres of Classical, Swing, Boogie, Pop, Folk, Blues.
- 4:30pm – Gaia Mobilij – A sophisticated loop sensation that brings different travel experiences into her work. Istanbul, Mexico City, Barcelona, Mumbai: Gaia has been at home in many places and processes the influences of these cultures directly in her performance. Armed with vocals, an accordion, electronics and a variety of small instruments, audiences quickly wonder what a single person is musically capable of.
We hope you’ll join us under our tent to enjoy one or more of our musical guests! The full Porchfest schedule can be found
here.
by Stacey Hilliard | Nov 16, 2022 | News, Uncategorized
In the early months of 2022, Crawford Memorial United Methodist Church joined with other members of the Winchester community to form the Winchester Interfaith Resettlement Partnership. Our goal was to provide support to a family of Afghan refugees – two parents and five children – resettling in the area. One of the Partnership’s co-leaders provided this heart-warming update in mid-November.
“Many wonderful things have happened with this lovely family including improving their medical and dental care, providing childhood healthcare immunizations and assessments (including in one case physical therapy and adaptive equipment), moving forward with advanced immigration status which will enable them to more easily integrate into American society, educational and language opportunities for the children and parents, recreational and social programs in the community, two jobs for Ihsanullah to contribute to the household and friendship from our over 70 volunteers.
“Your financial support of the family has allowed us to continue in reasonable housing, managing educational, food and household purchases and working toward self-sufficiency as the family begins to stand on their own over the next several months.
“One of the greatest miracles of this whole journey from Afghanistan to America has been the arrival on Monday, November 14 of a baby girl to the proud parents. Aisha Rawan has just now returned home to the embrace of her five siblings with lots of kisses and hugs. She is the first US citizen of the family with hopefully more of them to follow.
“We invite your faith community to offer prayers of thanksgiving and safe delivery for Aisha and Zahida. We look forward to continuing our Interfaith partnership with each of your communities in the next critical months of transition and self-reliance for the Rawan family.
“Betty Stone and I as the co-leads of our Winchester Interfaith Resettlement Partnership give thanks for God’s many blessings during this season of Thanksgiving,”
– Bob Davidson
