All Are Invited! Pastor Christa s Installation We gather to remember our commitments. We celebrate a new season of ministry.

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1 The Anchor Imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. ~ Hebrews 6:12, 19 Mystic Congregational Church 43 East Main Street Mystic, CT An Open and Affirming Church Gathered on January 20, 1852 November 2018 Vol. 59 Issue 10 and water. What shall we bring? It turns out is a holy question because God will take the ordinary things that you offer and transform them into holy offerings. Together let us consider What Shall We Bring to the ministries of Mystic Congregational Church. Dear Good People of Mystic Congregational Church! What Shall We Bring? This is not an extraordinary or holy question. It is in fact, quite ordinary. The question rolls off our tongue with ease. We rarely accept an invitation to one s home without asking it. Before the Advent Potluck we inquire, What shall we bring? When our youth are packing for our mission trip, they ask What shall we bring? Looking ahead to the allchurch birthday party we wonder, What shall we bring? Throughout our faith journey, our life in a community of faith is full of invitations: from the invitation to become a member to the invitation to be confirmed, from the invitation to care for a neighbor in need to the invitation to bring food to the next church event. At each invitation we are prompted to ask, What shall we bring? Jesus invites us to bring all that we are and all that we have. Our life of faith is a sojourn that is meant both to form us more into the image of Christ through worship, study, prayer, service and generosity as well as to strengthen us in becoming powerful agents for the good that God is doing in our world. Stewardship season is another invitation and another time to consider: What Shall We Bring? Since our last Stewardship Campaign we have navigated the transition from Pastor Ann s successful tenure as Senior Pastor, a period of Bridge Ministry, and a time of welcome to new leadership. We are also now settling into the search and call process for a new Associate Pastor. Throughout the year, all around us there have been challenges and hardships but the church remains a beacon of light, a place of rest and restoration. In the midst of our transitions, we continue to be called to be a movement of wholeness. During the first week in November you will receive the Stewardship Committee s annual request to pledge a portion of your gifts to the work of Mystic Congregational Church in Yes, we need pledges to pay salaries and maintain the building and fund important programs, but more importantly, we need our pledges to maintain and grow the holy work that takes place in the building and through the people. What shall we bring? This is an ordinary question but God, through Christ, has a history of taking the ordinary things of life and making them holy: bread and wine (Continued in next column) In Faith, Pastor Christa THINKING of JOINING the CHURCH? We will be receiving new members into our congregation on Sunday, December 2, 2018 (brunch social will follow in the Parish Hall). In preparation for this, there was an information session in the library on October 28 and there will be an MCC history and facility tour on November 11. We hope that those interested will contact Pastor Christa or any Deacon to make their desire known. All Are Invited! Pastor Christa s Installation We gather to remember our commitments. We celebrate a new season of ministry. March 17 th, :00 pm at Mystic Congregational Church Are you wondering, What is an Installation? One step in formalizing our covenantal agreements as Pastor and Congregation and to celebrate this new season of ministry is through an Installation. In the United Church of Christ (and most Christian traditions), we have an Installation when a new minister is called to serve. The purpose of the Installation is to install the new minister, celebrate the covenants we share with each other and the wider church, and provide an opportunity to reflect on who we are and a vision for our shared future.

2 We have a full year of activities ahead. Come, join us! We made meals for the WARM Shelter, participated in the CROP Hunger Walk, had a fun-filled cookout at Pastor Christa s home, and a night of games, campfire, and songs at the Dempseys. Here s what s coming up: November 5 Dog Watch Fundraiser Go to the Dog Watch restaurant for dinner on November 5th, mention MCC Youth Ministries, and enjoy your meal while helping to raise money for the Youth Mission Trip. November 17 We ll be participating with the church in the Not Your Grandmother s Dinner Party at 1:00-7:00 pm. Mission Trip 2019 We ve chosen to help the Pittsburgh Project this year. Save the date: June See the website at Want to be on our mailing/text list? Please send your information to Jamie McGee (jamesamcgee0496@gmail.com or text ) Youth Summer Mission Trip! Mark Your Calendars! June 23 June 29, 2019 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Project This summer, immerse yourself in a cross-cultural setting where you ll experience how Christ-like love crosses racial, generational, and denominational lines. This seven-day summer camp creates opportunities to encounter the richness and diversity of God s kingdom through healthy connections with peers, neighbors, and staff members. All youth entering the 9 th grade in Fall 2019 through graduating High School Seniors are eligible! Dear Members & Friends of Mystic Congregational Church, Every year, October is such a fun-filled month for Children s Ministries. We were able to create upwards of 60 Pinecone Birdfeeders to be sold at the Christmas Bazaar early this month, the Children s Ministries Committee held our annual Great Pumpkin Guess fundraiser, and the middle schoolers helped in taking registrations and donations for the annual CROP Hunger Walk which took place on October 14. We have certainly been keeping ourselves busy, but the year has only begun! Starting on November 18, we will be using our Sunday School time to prepare for Nativity Sunday. Attendance isn t required for children to participate; however, it is certainly helpful. We will also be using Sunday School time to audio-record the narration of the Nativity story. If you would like to assist in the preparation (whether that is detailing costumes, helping with technology, or rehearsing with the little ones), please let me know! We d love your help! Thank you all! Genviéve-Ashley Spitale Director of Children s Ministries Book of Names for All Saints Day Within the Reformed tradition, All Saints Day has a different emphasis than in the Catholic tradition. The emphasis is not on the lives of particular martyrs of ages past but rather on the ongoing sanctification of the whole people of God. We give glory to God for the ordinary, holy lives of believers in this and every age. This year we will mark All Saints Day on November 4th remembering in prayer all those who have died in the last year and pray that we may be counted among the company of the faithful in God s eternal realm. You are invited to add the names of your loved ones who have died in the past year to the black book at the back of the sanctuary. (Please write neatly!) Book of Life Entered into Eternal Rest: Norton C. Wheeler Jr., on September 29, Born: Lilian Abbott Hopkins, on September 12, Parents are Lindsay & Lon Hopkins. Grandparents are Donna & Ted Abbott. ANCHOR DEADLINES Please be reminded of the following deadlines for our monthly publication: November 10 for the December 2018 issue December 10 for the January 2019 issue

3 Do you love to sing but can t currently commit to singing every week in the MCC Choir? Then we, the MCC Music Committee, would like you to join us and our choirs on Sunday, December 2, in singing, in our sanctuary, as part of the worship service, the well-known and beloved hymn, Amazing Grace. Andrew Howell, our Music Director, will lead us in singing a special arrangement of this hymn that we all know and love. We want as many voices as possible for this, so everyone is invited! Will you join us? All are welcome entire families, children, seniors, and all those in-between. We will have just two rehearsals (no more than 30 minutes) on November 18 and 25 immediately following the 11:00 AM service. Sign up by ing Jim Doherty at jim76doherty@aol.com. There will also be a sign-up sheet during fellowship hour in Parish Hall. Hope to see you there! PARISH CARE Our church ministers to its members and friends through a team of dedicated volunteers who provide a variety of comfort and temporary services. The Parish Care Ministry coordinates and consults with the Pastor in: Providing meals to the sick. Providing rides to those unable to drive. Offering prayers, visits and notes to the hospitalized or homebound. Coordinating the Prayer Shawl Ministry. Writing notes of comfort, encouragement and congratulations to all who come to their attention. Providing a Birthday Card Ministry that ensures all members, 80 years old and older, receive an annual birthday card from the church; and cards on the first anniversary of the passing of a loved one. Sending care packages to our first-term college freshman at exam time. If you know someone in need of these ministries, contact: Transportation: Jane Fitzpatrick, Meals: Sue Johnson, The Caregivers Support Group meets every first Monday of the month at 11:00 am in the Church Library. All in the community are welcome. Please check the Other Churches/Community Resources bulletin board for information on classes sponsored by the Center for Hospice Care SECT. Questions or to volunteer? Please contact Jane Donnel at , or Karin Stuart at The people of Mystic Congregational Church will ask ourselves this question when we begin our Stewardship campaign on Sunday, November 4, continuing throughout the month until pledge Sunday on November 18. During those three weeks, Pastor Christa is planning a series of stewardshipthemed sermons. In addition, members of our congregation will share testimonials on why they give and what Mystic Congregational Church means to them and their families. As Pastor Christa wrote in her all-church (reprinted in this Anchor edition), our life in a community of faith is full of invitations, including one that asks us to consider: What Shall We bring? She also stated that while we need pledges to pay salaries and maintain the building and fund important programs, more importantly we need our pledges to maintain and grow the holy work that is done in the building and through the people. It turns out that What Shall We Bring? is a holy question because God will take the ordinary things that we offer and transform them into holy offerings. Won t you join us throughout November as together we consider What Shall We Bring? to serve our church community and the world at large? WOMEN S FELLOWSHIP "Thanksgiving for Miracles" Join us on Tuesday, November 13 at 9:15am as we explore yet another fascinating aspect of our theme for the year, "Planting New Seeds of Hope". We will welcome Beverly Hayes, a friend of our congregation, who will talk about how she came to appreciate and chronicle the little miracles she encounters every day. She will provide us with insight in recognizing the many 'miracles' we experience and to not only acknowledge them but intentionally remember them as positive occurrences in our sometimes hectic lives. Beverly was an actress on several daytime soap operas who, after leaving New York and moving to the area, became the editor and publisher of the bi-weekly "Showcase of Homes" periodical for the past 28 years. Talk about a fascinating bio! Come prepared to share some of your "little miracles" and enjoy good food and warm fellowship. The would be a great time to invite your friends and neighbors to share an uplifting morning.

4 CHRISTIAN MISSION CORNER Not Your Grandmother s Dinner Party Curious about the causes of homelessness and potential solutions? Want to get more involved in the community? The New London Urban Outreach Program, a ministry of First Congregational Church of New London, invites you to Not Your Grandmother's Dinner Party, a day-long program of education, theological reflection and service. You will join with guests from the New London Homeless Hospitality Center to share stories and a meal. We are looking to get a group from MCC together for November 17. Please contact Kathy Parker or sign up at The Jody Capen Memorial Outreach Fund A permanent fund in Jody s name has been created by the Christian Mission Committee of the Mystic Congregational Church. It is called The Jody Capen Memorial Outreach Fund. The donations received in her name earlier this year provided the seed money for this fund. The first allocation of $1000 from the fund will be presented during the 10 AM service at Mystic Congregational Church on November 4, As many of you know, Jody was devoted to both teaching and to children. Therefore, this donation will be presented to A Sacred Place: A Sanctuary of Hope for Incarcerated Women. The money will be primarily allocated for their Storybook Project in which incarcerated mothers create an audio recording of a book for their children to listen to at home. Of course, the Mystic Congregational Church will continue to accept donations into The Jody Capen Memorial Outreach Fund. Every year, the Christian Mission Committee, of which her husband Joe St. Martin is a member, will select a deserving organization or program to receive an allocation in Jody s name. These organizations are those that assist children and adults in need of programs to enhance their personal growth and well-being through learning and the arts. WINTER CLOTHING NEEDED for RIVERFRONT CHILDREN S CENTER Hats, mittens, boots, jackets, and snow pants will help keep the children warm and will free up parents dollars for other critical needs. Please being them to the church nursery door red tree. Sizes for toddlers through 3T are the primary focus, but larger items can be shared with older siblings and the after -school program students. We will deliver before the Bazaar and then again afterwards. ~ Kathleen O Beirne for Women s Fellowship EVERY SUNDAY IS GREEN SUNDAY! But starting this Fall, some will be specifically designated as WALK/BIKE/CARPOOL to CHURCH SUNDAYS! So lace up your sneakers! Don your helmet! Call your neighbor! Save energy and save the planet! whenever you can, but especially on: First Sundays of the Month, Earth Day is April 22, 2019! GO GREEN! GO GREEN! GO GREEN! Sacred Journey to South Korea July 22 August 5, 2019 The Sacred Journey is a 2-week exchange between high school youth in the USA and South Korea which takes place every other summer is our year to send American youth to Korea. Students stay with host families from partner churches, attend a summer camp and do some touring of the country. The Korean Partnership between the Connecticut Conference UCC and the Gyeonggi Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in South Korea, which began in 1994, has organized and sponsored the Sacred Journey exchange since The previous Sacred Journey trip to Korea was held in 2014 when 12 youth and two adults shared their faith with new friends on the far side of the world. One group member said, "I think that the trip was a great spiritual journey. We learned to get along in a place with nothing connecting us besides our faith. All that we had to rely on was our religion and our friendships that were formed through faith, so I learned how much belief can really do, and how far it can get you." This year s chaperones are the Rev. Elizabeth Gleich (Associate Pastor for Children and Youth Ministries at First Church of Christ Congregational in Glastonbury) and her husband the Rev. Elliott Munn (Associate Minister at First Church, West Hartford). Students are asked to submit a brief application by January 1, In the meantime, those with interest should call the Rev. Ginny McDaniel or Irene Choi, co-chairs of the CT Conference Korean Partnership Committee for more information or contact Pastor Christa. Ginny can be reached by phone at or ginny@firstchurchgranby.org; Irene at or irene.inok@gmail.com.

5 Thanks to You! Dear Cherished Friends at Mystic Congregational Church! You may remember in April, when we sent our thanks to you for your spectacular send-off, we promised to let you know how we used your generous cash gift. In our new little house in Scituate, our nearly forty-year-old formal dining room table was much too large and out of place. We found ourselves needing a new gathering spot for our family which would both accommodate our growing number and provide a surface where our grandchildren (and their grandparents!) could color and sew and roll out dough without fear of marring the surface. We traveled to Cape Cod to a carpenter there who specializes in building dining tables from antique wood he collects from old barns and other buildings. We selected a piece of antique pine from his collection and the marine-finished results are proudly displayed in the photo below. Through his Last Supper, Jesus left us with an enduring image of table as the place where all are welcome. We are so grateful to you for your gift and especially grateful that our friends at Mystic Congregational Church will always be present in this special way at every gathering at our table. With love and appreciation, Ann and Doug October 14: CROP Hunger Walk Photos courtesy of Keith Barker

6 Worlds collide! Members of Dongbu Sunlin, our partnership church in South Korea, found Mystic Pizza in Jordan while on tour in the Holy Land. (On the right is the wife of Senior Pastor Rev. Gwak.) We thank Rev. Charles Chuck Ericson, Interim Eastern Regional Minister, CT Conference of the UCC, for preaching at MCC on October 14. (Photo courtesy of Keith Barker) NOVEMBER 2018 Worship Services Sunday, November 4, 2018 Sacrament of Holy Communion 8:00 & 10:00 a.m. Rev. Christa D. Swenson Ruth 1:1-8 Psalm 146 OR Deuteronomy 6:1-9 Psalm 119:1-8 Hebrews 9:11-14 Mark 12:28-34 Sunday, November 11, th Sunday after Pentecost 8:00 & 10:00 a.m. Rev. Christa D. Swenson Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17 Psalm 127 OR 1 Kings 17:8-16 Psalm 146 Hebrews 9:24-28 Mark 12:38-44 Sunday, November 18, th Sunday after Pentecost 8:00 & 10:00 a.m. Rev. Christa D. Swenson 1 Samuel 1: Samuel 2:1-10 OR Daniel 12:1-3 Psalm 16 Hebrews 10:11-14, (15-18), Mark 13:1-8 Sunday, November 25, 2018 Reign of Christ 8:00 & 10:00 a.m. Rev. Ryan Gackenheimer Exec. Director, UCC Silver Lake Conference Center 2 Samuel 23:1-7 Psalm 132:1-12, (13-18) OR Daniel 7:9-10, Psalm 93 Revelation 1:4b-8 John 18:33-37

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8 Mystic Congregational Church An Open and Affirming Church where hope is alive and love is visible Office Fax Website: (860) (860) Sunday Services 8:00 a.m. & 10:00 a.m.* *Sunday School & Child Care All MCC Members Rev. Christa D. Swenson Katrina M. Korpi Andrew P. Howell Genviéve-Ashley Spitale John J. Leary III Stacey I. Herrman H. Keith Covin Eleanor S. Pomeroy Ministers Senior Pastor Moderator Director of Music Director of Children s Ministries Treasurer Assistant Treasurer Contribution Treasurer Office Secretary Our Mission Statement: to joyfully bring the Christian principles of faith, hope and love to all through quality worship, education, fellowship and outreach. Non-Profit Organization U. S. Postage PAID Permit No. 31 Mystic, CT 06355