What’s Going On
2024 Chili Cook-Off – Feb. 3
Crawford’s annual Chili Cook-Off, benefitting New England Justice For Our Neighbors! The cook-off will be held:
Saturday, February 3, 2024, 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
at Crawford Memorial United Methodist Church
34 Dix Street, Winchester, MA
Bring your family and friends, and your appetite! Good will offerings will be accepted at the door, and we will sell “ballots” for $1 each — tickets you can use to vote for your favorite chili(s).
Support an important cause.
There is no charge at the door, though good will offerings are welcome. The money we raise through this event helps support free legal counsel for immigrants, asylum seekers, and refugees in the area, provided by New England Justice For Our Neighbors, in their clinics located across Massachusetts (Lawrence, Lowell, Springfield, and Worcester). Visit newenglandjfon.org for more information.
Take the night off from cooking.
Taste as many chilis as you like and accompany them with extras including salad and corn bread to round out your meal!
Enter the competition!
Do you have a favorite chili recipe? We’re hoping for a wide variety of entries — from sweet and mild to flaming hot. To enter, sign up here, or contact the church office by calling 781-729-5056. On the 11th, plan to bring your chili in a slow cooker (Crock Pot) and serving spoon to Crawford by 5:15. Please also bring a description of your chili including all ingredients, for those who may have food allergies. Everything else (bowls, utensils, napkins, etc.) will be provided.
Christmas at Crawford
We hope you will make Crawford part of your Christmas celebration this year. We have three services planned on the day of Christmas Eve, and a community carol sing-along as well! Seeing that Christmas Eve is on a Sunday this year, we will hold our regular Sunday worship service celebrating the Fourth Sunday of Advent at 10:00am. Later that day, we will hold two Christmas Eve services of Lessons and Carols — at 5pm and 9pm. Both of our Christmas Eve services will feature music by Occasional Brass and Strings, and at the 9pm service, they’ll be joined by our chancel choir. In between, we invite the community to join us at 6:30pm in a carol sing-along accompanied by the brass quintet and led by choir member Kate Frisoli on the steps in front of the church. You won’t want to miss any of it. Join us as we listen again to the story of Jesus’ birth, and sing together the Christmas carols we love and know so well. Bring your friends and family — all are welcome!
Christmas Eve Day 10:00am
Worship service celebrating the fourth Sunday of Advent
Christmas Eve 5:00pm
Service of Lessons and Carols, Children’s Message, Occasional Brass Quintet
Christmas Caroling 6:30pm
Community Carol Sing-Along outdoors in front of the church
Christmas Eve 9:00pm
Service of Lessons and Carols, music by our Chancel Choir and Occasional Brass & Strings
Kindness Advent Calendar
Each day of Advent, this calendar will give you a suggestion for how to show kindness to strangers, loved ones, and even yourself. Click on the button below to open the calendar online. Each day will reveal a new photo, which when clicked on reveals a suggested act of kindness. Visit our Advent Calendar daily here, to reveal a new photo and suggested act of kindness. Or, click here to download a PDF of the calendar which you can print for easy reference. We hope you will find these ideas to be fun, easy, and meaningful ways to spread a little hope, peace, joy, and love during this holiday season.
Collecting Winter Gloves & Hats
This December Crawford is again collecting hats and gloves for the homeless. Donations may be brought to church on Sunday and left in the box outside of the parlor or can be left in the bin on our front steps, along with any donations of food for the Woburn Council of Social Concern. Hat and glove donations will be delivered to those in need in early January. This is our 10th year collecting winter wear for the homeless in Boston and we thank you in advance for your donations! If you have any questions, please reach out using our contact form.
Treats for Troops
Crawford is collecting extra or unwanted, unopened Halloween candy for “Treats for Troops.” If you have leftover candy following Halloween, bring it to Crawford and leave it in the bin marked “Treats for Troops” on the front steps. We will collect thru Sunday, November 12, before delivering it all to a nearby distribution site.
2023 Holiday Faire, Nov. 11
Our annual Holiday Faire is coming up soon! The members of Crawford Memorial United Methodist Church are hard at work preparing for this year’s Holiday Faire, to be held Saturday, November 11, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Our home-made apple pies fill our freezer. Our crafters have been knitting, crocheting, and sewing handmade treasures to sell all year. Our bakers and soup makers are getting ready to fill our baked goods table and snack bar, so you’ll have plenty of tasty options if you get hungry while shopping. Our White Elephant and Book Sale tables will soon be groaning with treasures. Plus the jewelry table and Christmas Room! See you on the 11th!
Sindy Skinless, “Live” in Concert 10/28
WHEN
Saturday, October 28, 7:00-8:00pm.
WHERE
Crawford Memorial United Methodist Church
34 Dix Street, Winchester, MA
This concert is being offered free of charge (donations welcome). No registration required. Refreshments will be available.
Life Line Screening coming Monday 10/30
On Monday, October 30, Life Line Screening will return to Crawford to hold another screening clinic. Life Line Screening offers a simple, convenient way to help anyone learn their risk for cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions. These painless screenings go beyond a regular checkup to identify dangerous plaque buildup or blockage, a major risk factor for stroke and heart disease. For more information, download this flyer describing the 5 screenings offered:
- Carotid Artery Disease
- Peripheral Arterial Disease
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
- Atrial Fibruillation
- Osteoperosis Risk
Life Line Screening will be on site on Monday, October 30th in Gifford Hall to conduct these valuable screenings. Schedule your appointment ASAP because this service is open to the general public and appointments are limited. To schedule, call 1-800-690-0323, or visit LLSA.SOCIAL/HS today!
Free School Meals Made Permanent
Late last year, Crawford’s church council voted in favor of signing on as supporters of a bill put forth by ProjectBread, that would make free school meals permanent. In doing so, we became part of the Feed Kids Coalition. Earlier this week (August 9, 2023), we received word that Governor Healey has signed the FY24 state budget, including the funds required to make “School Meals for All” permanent! Read more, here.
Porchfest 2023
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.