First Baptist Church, West Hartford, Connecticut 06107

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1 Dedicated to bringing Christian faith and Life together through Worship, Outreach, Education, and A Caring Community First Baptist Church, West Hartford, Connecticut Midsummer 2016 Bruce Malcolm Hector was received into God's heavenly choir of angels on July 12, Our prayers are with his nieces Dale Lara of Rockford, Illinois, Jean Sample of Michigan, Judy Hector and Pamela Hector of Plant City, Florida, Lynne Keena of South Carolina and nephew Kenneth Hector of Miami, Florida. Our prayers and thanks are also with his home health aide, Amin Rakhimov, who cared for him 24/7 for 3 years as his health declined due to Alzheimer's disease. Bruce was known as a gifted musician and leader. His music ministry has been a blessing to so many, and has facilitated the spread of the Word of God through his spiritual connection to music. He inspired many generations of people with his musical gifts as an organist, teacher, and Minister of Music. He came in 1965 to FBC as Minister of Music where he remained for the next 47 years. His music and his ministry touched the souls of many who were privileged to have known him. These words were sent several years ago by Richard Hardy, a former pastor who knew Bruce well. When I think of Bruce my appreciations come in words beginning with "P". His PERSONALITY- unique, infectious, constant, uplifting, whimsical. PRIDE- in his vocation as a minister of music, pride in his choir, pride in his hymns. PROVISION- (Pro-Vision) of music for Sunday worship. PERSEVERANCE- at rehearsals to get things right. PROGRESS- Balancing the new with the familiar in music. It all adds up to what a privilege to have shared his ministry and his friendship. A Memorial Service in celebration of his life will be held on Monday, July 25, Pastor Stacy will be away August 14,21,28, and September 4. Jaimie Crumley will preach and lead worship those Sundays. She will do some pastoral coverage also, and we will ask some others to also be available. In cases of pastoral need, and especially emergencies, people are asked to call the church office, , or either of the co-chairs of Deacons, Faith Geist and Paul Ciarcia The First Baptist Church, West Hartford, Connecticut An American Baptist Church Senior Minister Minister of Christian Ed. Music Director Rev. Stacy Emerson Rev. Jaimie D. Crumley Mindy Shilansky 90 North Main Street West Hartford, CT Church Office Hours Tuesday - Friday 9:00 am - 2:00 pm Secretary Kris Hanko Facilities Manager William Albert (Mon, Wed, Fri, 9:00-12:00) Phone whfbc@yahoo.com www. The Focus is a monthly newsletter of First Baptist Church Editor Faith Geist

2 The Church and Creativity Now I am revealing new things to you, things hidden and unknown to you, created just now, this very moment. Of these things you have heard nothing until now. So that you cannot say, O yes, I knew this. ~Isaiah 48:6-7 A few years ago, I was invited to spend a few days in La Jolla, outside of San Diego for a conference on Unleashing Creativity in Ministry and the Isaiah passage above was our inspiration for the week. The topic is quite timely as all the experts are describing the current environment of the church as highly dynamic and in flux. Church leaders are being required to learn new ways for just about everything from Christian Education to preaching to leadership and administration. And the church universal needs to find ways to adapt to changing expectations and environment. It seems the Spirit is lively among us, creating new things in every moment as Isaiah describes, and we can no longer say about ministry with the same predictability as in the past, O yes, I knew this. So what does that mean for us, for you and for me? Creativity requires, if not demands, just a few things ~Openness for change and possibility creative people are open. They take a stance of curiosity, exploration, and learning they do not necessarily leap after every whim, but use discernment and wisdom to follow the creative path. ~Flexibility creativity is dynamic, not static. To be creative is to remain flexible in perspective, options, attitude, and activity. Today s church is flexible when it can accommodate change and newness. Tradition doesn t go away, but creativity is most effective when tradition s deepest values are kept while trying ministry in new ways. ~An environment of experimentation creativity requires something like a playground or a laboratory in order for its precious insights to emerge. The church needs to be able to try new things and evaluate experiments wisely, not jumping to make a new thing an automatic tradition or giving up when something seems to fail. Each attempt is a possibility for learning and growth. ~Attentiveness to God creativity is about being attentive to God s presence and Spirit moving within and around us, stretching us, challenging us, growing us. Such an attentiveness requires us to look beyond what is visible to what is invisible. God is transforming us, even now, creating new worlds and possibilities with and among us. I am very much looking forward to the fall and our second year as partners in ministry. Together, we will need to take a creative posture in these days, and being open, flexible, playful, and attentive, unearth the things God is revealing, things hidden and unknown created just now, this very moment So we cannot say, O yes, I knew this. Grace and peace to you, Pastor Stacy

3 Terry Adrion died this month after a long illness. She and her husband Harold had been active in the ministry of FBC and are remembered by many. She had recently moved to be with her son Hal. A graveside service was held at the Greenwood Cemetery in Avon (Unionville). Our prayers are with the Martin family on the death of Janet Martin, in June. She and her husband Don had been active with FBC for many years and will be remembered fondly by many of us. FBC s enews is sent twice a month, and the FOCUS is sent monthly. If you think you have not been receiving these messages, please verify your address with the Church Office whfbc@yahoo.com. An enews message was sent on June 16th and July 12th If you did not see it in your inbox, please check your spam/junk folder. We would like to thank you for all the support and caring during Art's illness and death. We appreciate the many cards, calls and expressions of sympathy. It is true that "I (we) get by with a little help from my friends." You are a truly caring community. Thank you for helping us through a difficult time. Edie Castagno Bill Castagno Anniversaries Name Date # of years Melinda & Neil Shilansky July 6, Earl & Elaine Gross July 14, Marcos & Lisa Carreras July 17, Robert & Sheila MacGregor, Jr. July 19, Jason & Jennifer Sherrange August 11, Mark & Gwen Testerman August 14, Charlotte Massie & Bob Przyblski August 14, Richard & Sherry Seeley August 15, Wade & Hazel Hiltabidel August 16, Brad & Carol Wylie August 22, John & Marjorie Eickel August 22, Ismael & Rose Santiago August 23, Paul & Elsie Petersen August 27, Richard & Jean Pierce August 29, Birthdays Peg Carr Gwen Testerman Linda Greca Elaine Ciarcia Peggy Scribner Carol Honeychurch Earl Gross Mary Kunz Janna Testerman Carol Arrowsmith Frank Amazeen Edith Castagno David Shilansky Rev. Jaimie D. Crumley Richard Pierce Barbara Deak Laura Castagno-Dueck Stephen Pestretto Samuel Emerson Sarah Carr Martha Taylor Fay Trowbridge Janet Fothergill Neal Testerman Scott MacGregor 1-Jul 5-Jul 8-Jul 11-Jul 12-Jul 18-Jul 19-Jul 20-Jul 20-Jul 23-Jul 25-Jul 25-Jul 26-Jul 27-Jul 30-Jul 4-Aug 4-Aug 5-Aug 13-Aug 15-Aug 16-Aug 17-Aug 18-Aug 26-Aug 29-Aug

4 goal" of 200 kits. Friends, It's the time of year when the Women s Fellowship at First Baptist begins to collect school supplies. We are asking for your support this year and have set a goal of 100 kits, with a "stretch It is also the season when school supplies are on sale, and so we hope you can do some shopping for our CWS school kits. Church World Service gives us a list of what is needed for each kit. We will be buying the cloth bags from the Interfaith Sewing Circle. Contents: 3 spiral bound, 70 page notebooks (wide rule if possible), 6 unsharpened pencils, and one of each of the next five items: pencil sharpener (with cap or covered blade if possible) large eraser, twelve-inch ruler, blunt-tipped child s scissors (not plastic blades) box of 24 count crayons. Please note the following updates to the directory Jean Doll new address: Dudsterdog@comcast.net Jaimie Crumley new address: education.fbcweha@gmail.com June Noble has changed her address to: doglover228@frontier.com Sonja Davis has a new phone #: July 24 Hosea 1:2 10 Psalm 85 Colossians 2:6 15 [16 19] Luke 11:1 13 July 31 Hosea 11:1 11 Psalm 107:1 9, 43 Colossians 3:1 11 Luke 12:13 21 August 7 Isaiah 1:1, Psalm 50:1 8, Hebrews 11:1 3, 8 16 Luke 12:32 40 August 14 Isaiah 5:1 7 Psalm 80:1 2, 8 19 Hebrews 11:29 12:2 Luke 12:49 56 August 21 Jeremiah 1:4 10 Psalm 71:1 6 Hebrews 12:18 29 Luke 13:10 17 August 28 Jeremiah 2:4 13 Psalm 81:1, Hebrews 13:1 8, Luke 14:1, 7 14 The Bible study group will start up again in August. New members are always welcome as we study and reflect. We meet at the home of the Geist s in Newington. For further information call Dave Roones Aug.4 7:00 pm Aug.18 7:00 pm

5 Sun Mon. Tue Wed Thu Fri. Sat JULY July and August :30 FBC Worship 6:00 PM Picnic the Emersons 18 7:00 Deacons 19 10:00 Staff mtg 1:00 Financial Vision Team /31 9:30 FBC Worship 7:00 Personnel :00 Staff mtg 1:00 Financial Vision Team Block #10 Hawthorne 1:00-4:00 PM AUGUST :00 Staff mtg 10:30 Loaves & Fishes 2:30 Missions Comm 4 7:00 Bible Study (offsite) 5 6 9:30 FBC Worship 7 12:00 Children & Youth Christian Ed Mtg 6:30 Adult Christian Ed Mtg 7:00 Trustees :00 PM Picnic Potluck :30 FBC Worship 14 12:00 Social Action 7:00 Personnel :00 PM Picnic Potluck 18 7:00 Bible Study (offsite) :30 FBC Worship :30 FBC Worship 28 11:00 Cong Care Com :30 Chancel Choir Rehearsal 31

6 Back by popular demand, the Potlucks will be held by the Memorial Garden, or, in case of rain, in Fellowship Hall. As always they will be at 6:00 pm on Wednesdays -, August 10, and August 17. Families and friends are welcome. Bring lawn chairs, if possible, and games for the kids. Please bring a dish to share salad, side, dessert, or a main dish. Drinks will be provided. If you have any questions, please call the church office; someone will return your call. We hope to see you for this fun time of fellowship (and good food)!