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Haydenville Congregational Church Helps Out More Than Once In A Blue Moon
 Fifth Sunday of the Month Earmarked for Outreach Activities
Blue Moon, you saw me standing alone,
Without a dream in my heart,
Without a love of my own,
Blue moon, you knew just what I was there for,
You heard me saying a prayer for,
Someone I could care for ...*
The members of The Haydenville Congregational Church UCC have taken those lyrics to heart and have said prayers for, and cared for, many members of their community during their Blue Moon Sundays.
Blue Moon Sundays are those fifth Sundays of the month which occur only a few times a year. Haydenville members do mission and outreach all during the year, of course; but on those particular Sundays, the members forego their usual coffee hour, and instead, march out to the community to get refreshed in a different way. Members who participate choose from four to five different activities that will help someone in need. Some members may choose to visit shut-ins, do yardwork for the elderly, sing hymns at a nursing home, or fulfill any other need they see within their church or community.
Trish LaFreniere, a lifelong member of the church who works at the local hospital, was surprised one day to see a Blue Moon group come to her workplace. LaFreniere works in the Critical Care Unit and during a particularly busy and tense day, she unexpectedly heard a voice say 'oh hello, we have some things for the nurses.' Then she saw the people from her church, armed with big baskets and smiling faces.
"None of us had gotten to break or lunch that day," she said. "So imagine my surge of pride when a group of people from my church showed up with baskets of perfect little gift bags filled with candy, pens, writing pads, ornaments, trinkets, and, best of all, handwritten notes of gratitude about the job we do."
Each bag was different, but they all contained a note that read: Your work is fully appreciated and thanks for all you do. Every single nurse, doctor, housekeeper, and administrative person the group came across was given a bag. "We all stopped for a moment and looked at the gifts. It was like Christmas, but the best part was the handwritten note," she said. "Some got a little teary about it. I heard comments like 'What a special church,' and 'How great!' It really touched me to hear how truly grateful everyone was, and I was especially proud that these wonderful people were members of my church. It lifted our spirits so much knowing that someone thought to care for the caregivers."
According to LaFreniere, the Blue Moon Sunday idea started because of coffee hour. People would bring in great, wholesome treats, and members thought they should be less isolated, and spread that bounty and wholesomeness out into the world. The idea took hold and became a very strong part of the church.
It takes just a couple hours on a Sunday for groups to accomplish their tasks; and each group size is different. Some activities may need just two or three members; others may have a group of 15 participants. There are many deeds in which children can participate, like weeding gardens or clearing the community bike paths. Recipients do not need to be a member or the church. The group just needs to be aware of the need.
The Rev. Dr. Andrea Ayvazian, pastor of Haydenville, said: "I have heard the expression 'work is love made visible...' and that seems to be the case with our Blue Moon Sunday program. We are a diverse, loving, energetic congregation and on Blue Moon Sundays we fan out into the community and spread the love. We have a wonderful and rewarding time working side-by-side, and not only are we helping others and bringing cheer (and often strong backs) to tasks needing to be done in the community, but we are strengthening the connective tissue that develops between church members -- that lovely feeling of belonging, of doing work that brings hope and help, of seeing one's faith enacted in the wider community. Our Blue Moon Sunday program is a win-win for all involved!"
The Rev. Dr. Andrea Ayvazian can be reached at the church office at (413) 268-9344 or HaydenvilleChurch@gmail.com. You can follow Haydenville on Facebook (Haydenville Congregational Church) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/HaydenvilleUCC).
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*Blue Moon. Originally written by Rodgers and Hart (1934), Lyrics by Lorenz Hart, music by Richard Rodgers.
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