Porches are great! You can sit and watch the world go by. If you get lucky, someone might just decide to join you and sit a spell.
We have a great Front Porch right at the crossroads of MetroWest. FCC Natick has been at its current location since 1799 (the current building since 1875).
We open our building whenever possible to community initiatives, and whenever there is a party downtown, we get in on the action.
The Boston Marathon route runs right by our church. Most years, members of a church program will staff a table selling hot dogs, snacks and drinks for marathon watchers
For several weeks in August, we turn over our front lawn to SOAR Natick (Supporting Outreach and Addiction Recovery) for their Opioid Overdose Memorial display. Each purple flag they plant in the lawn represents one opioid overdose death in Massachusetts in the past year. For many years, over two thousand flags have been planted. In recent years, there have also been red flags, with personal messages of remembrance from those who have lost a loved one to overdose.
The impact of this memorial is such that when our members mention the church to members of the community, a common response is “Oh, the one with the purple flags.”
On Natick Days (early September) community organizations gather on the common, share information, offer fun activities, and give away ice cream and other free stuff. One popular FCC Natick offering is the chance to ring our huge steeple bell. Most recently, we have hosted a “Natick Rocks!” tent on our porch. Visitors are encouraged to paint a rock with a word or symbol of what makes Natick a special place. The rocks then line the edge of our Pollinator Garden (just off the front entrance).
Each year around the official Earth Day, EcoNatick organizes a whole weekend of activities. The celebration includes kids’ stuff, live music, vendors, community representatives, nature walks, good food, and wildlife demonstrations. FCC Natick hosts an event at the church and several members are involved in the overall planning and/or make presentations.
Natick Artists Open Studios in October features 80+ artists who live, work or show in Natick. Open Studios offers the opportunity to see art, learn about how it is made, and buy it directly from the local artists. There are painters, photographers, creators of jewelry, ceramicists, sculptors, woodworkers, and more. FCC Natick is a sponsor and host of Natick Open Studios exhibits.
Our Living Creche has become a town tradition, held on our Front Porch during the Town Treelighting (the Sunday after Thanksgiving). The characters are limited only by the imagination (and good taste) of our cast. There are shepherd, wise travelers, animal puppets, angels, and a swaddled doll. or wise guy or even an angel. For half an hour, the ensemble sings Christmas carols, backed by the Strike Up the Band brass ensemble. Come listen and sign.
Every summer the town of Natick organizes a series of “Natick Nights” on Thursday evening (5-7 pm) on the town Common. FCC’s yard is an extension of the Common on these occasions. Our Welcome Team organizers various kid-friendly activities, such as the opportunity to make giant bubbles.
FCCN hosts this powerful community event in our Sanctuary every December. We remember those we love who struggle with addiction, and those who have lost their lives to substance use. Gathering in community, we give each other strength and support.