The Meetinghouse News The First Congregational Church of Madison

Transcription

1 The Meetinghouse News The First Congregational Church of Madison February 2018 Newsletter February 2018 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was Todd C. Vetter baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased. And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him. Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news. Mark From Rev. I admit to a certain fascination with the idea of wilderness. Several years ago, I spent a few days hiking through the Three Sisters Wilderness in central Oregon, a volcanic landscape that really has to be seen to be believed. Three years ago, Sarah and I discovered another wilderness in western Wyoming, a magical place nestled in the Wind River Mountains called Ring Lake Ranch. Wilderness carries different connotations for different people. It is often a place seemingly barren of life. Spiritually, we will often speak of circumstances we find ourselves in that are bereft of hope. But with the various wildernesses we ve discovered over the past few years both physical and spiritual our family has come to cherish them. They may appear barren at first glance, but with time they reveal a deeper life and promise a more resilient and durable existence. The biblical commentator Walter Brueggemann speaks of the wilderness as the place where God s best work is done. Barrenness, he writes, is not only the condition of hopeless humanity; it the principle arena of God s life-giving action. Over and over again in the biblical story, God s future begins its life in a situation of irreparable hopelessness. This is the ground of Good News, Brueggemann continues, God does not require evident human potential to enact promise. The speech of God presumes nothing of human potential; but carries with it all that is necessary to begin a new history. 1

2 So much of scripture is shaped by this sensibility. I can think of no other landscape more central to the narrative of both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament than the wilderness. In the Hebrew tradition, it is a place of preparation and refinement; a place where the people of Israel encounter God and are shaped by God s presence in their wandering. In the New Testament, the wilderness is again a place of formation, the landscape of preparation in which Jesus encounters and overcomes temptation. Wallace Stegner understood it to be the challenge upon which human character is formed. In my own experience, wilderness has always been that physical space that forces me to relinquish my hold on easy certainties and the comfort they tend to bring. For me, the wilderness has always been that place that shocks me out of my sense of complacency and forces me to see the through the world from a perspective other than my own. Wilderness may also be that place where we reach for that understanding or anticipate that revelation that always seems to lie just beyond our grasp, the vision just beyond the reach of our imagination. Edward Abbey wrote something like that about the wilderness; that it represented the hunger that just couldn t be fully satisfied. I imagine the life of faith as very like a hunger that we yearn to satisfy, but whatever satisfaction or fulfillment we enjoy may rest in the hands of something greater than ourselves. Out of this experience comes an understanding of God that continues to shape a future for God s people. It may not look like the future we envision for ourselves; but it is there nonetheless. In the embrace of that future lies the blessing of biblical hope. Peace be with you. Todd 2

3 Men s Tuesday Morning Bible Study Our Tuesday morning Bible Study meets at 8:00 am 9:00 am in the Parlor. Join us for coffee and a time with fellow sojourners. This is an opportunity for fellowship with one another and an opportunity to share views, thoughts and experiences as we discuss the Bible and other interesting books. We look forward to having you with us and your participation whenever you can make it. It s okay if you need to leave early. As always, should you have any ideas on books to study and/or if you would like to discuss things between now and our next meeting, please feel free to contact me at colin@reevefamilyct.com. If the time or day is not right for you, let us know and we will see if there is another group that could match your needs. Potluck Dinner - Games Night It will be held on Saturday, February 24th at 5 p.m. in Hubley Hall. All adults and children are welcome, and feel free to invite friends! Everyone attending is asked to please bring an appetizer, entree, salad, vegetable, or side dish to share. After dinner, we will have karaoke and other games. Remember to bring games you enjoy! Sign up on the Fellowship bulletin board in Hubley Hall or alisonhubley@gmail.com so we know how many are coming. Hope to see you there! 3

4 He is Risen It is an Easter tradition at FCC to decorate the Meetinghouse with Tulips or Daffodils (circle which one). You may purchase one, or more, using this form. Be sure to indicate whether you wish to take the plant home with you, after the 10:00 a.m. Easter service, or that the Deacons may deliver it to someone in our community in need of cheer. Easter Dedication Form (Please print clearly all information.) Please print my dedication as follows: Please check one of the following: I wish to pick up my plant after the 10:00 a.m. April 1st worship service I prefer a Deacon to deliver my plant Please make your check of $10.00 (for one plant) payable to The First Congregational Church marking it Tulip or Daffodil. You can drop this form with your check in the offering plate, bring it by the office or mail it (26 Meetinghouse Lane, Madison, CT 06443). Forms and payment must be in the church office by Friday, March 9th. The last day to order Tulips or Daffodils is Friday, March 9th. 4

5 All 7th graders and above (and friends) are invited to participate in our Annual Interfaith Overnight trip to NYC to serve and learn about challenges facing people experiencing homelessness through the Youth Service Opportunities Project. We will need adult chaperones. Trip Date: Friday, March 30, 2018 depart FCC at 1:00pm Return: Saturday, March 31, 2018 to FCC by 7:00pm approximately Transportation: Coach bus Cost: approximately $75 per participant, plus money for dinner on the way home (typically rest stop). Please call or Sue to demonstrate interest or with questions:

6 All Invited! Community Pancake Dinner at the First Congregational Church of Madison Tuesday, February 13, :00 PM 7:00 PM Bring your friends! All Are Welcome! Pancakes (plain & chocolate chip), scrambled eggs, sausages, orange juice, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate Craft & Games for Kids $ 8.00 per person / $ per family Takeout Available Pancake Dinner February 13 th - Cooks and Servers needed. Also, electric griddles to borrow. Contact stimonyhall@hotmail.com or

7 FCC Students - Congratulations to the following FCC Students on their academic achievements for the first marking period school year: Liam Bennett Holly Edwards Jessica Keene Alyssa Pardo Caitlyn Rubino Gabby Kulmacz Madi Mortensen Andrew Schofield Ryan Tomicic Laurel Bennett Ella Dreier Chloe Manion Alexa Betts Nick Hall Molly Kerrigan Carly Steere Avery Tomicic Ella Bennett Ella Skonieczny Emalena Preveza Olivia Schofield Phoebe Trowbridge Children & Youth - Please share your child s extracurricular schedule (plays, games, concerts,etc.) and academic/extracurricular achievements so we can support their efforts and celebrate them within our church community. Please Sue to share special events and achievement with us (or fill out the form in the weekly bulletin and return it in the offertory plate). stimonyhall@hotmail.com We will share the dates and times of events in the following week's bulletin to invite church members to cheer your child on. We will also list achievements so that we may extend congratulations to your child as well. Child's Name: Achievement/Event: When: Where: 7

8 Children and Youth Junior and Senior Youth displaying the no-sew blankets that they made for people experiencing homelessness in New Haven. 8

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10 Upcoming Mission Experiences for our Youth SAVE the Date! For our 14 year old students and older (and their friends) - We are booking a SPRING BREAK mission trip to Jonestown, VA to help local families who live in poverty by improving the condition of their homes. You must be 14 or older to attend. No building experience needed. We will need adult chaperones. Trip date: Sunday, April 15, 2018-Saturday, April 21, Transportation: To be determined - coach bus or vans Cost: Approximately $500 per participant, but we are anticipating that each participant will pay about $200, through fundraising and personal payments. Cost includes all meals and accommodations. From Appalachia Service Project (ASP): ASP provides one of the most rewarding structured service opportunities in the nation bringing thousands of volunteers from around the country to rural Central Appalachia to repair homes for low-income families. For 48 years, we ve made homes warmer, safer, and drier for families and provided transformational service experiences for volunteers. Last year, 16,231 volunteers served with ASP, providing critical repairs for 493 families and constructing 26 new homes. Please check out their website for more information: We will be offering this service opportunity exclusively to our teens between now and November 15th to gauge interest. On November 15th, we will extend the opportunity to other Madison churches if our trip is not to capacity. Please call or Sue to demonstrate interest or with questions: stimonyhall@hotmail.com,

11 You are invited to receive Healing Prayer It couldn t be simpler: prayers spoken in love; God s presence through human touch. We invite you to come and receive prayer from the Healing Ministry. When we gather, we simply ask, How can we pray for you? and then share in a time of prayer together, laying on hands if desired. It s amazing how powerful it is to be surrounded by caring souls and held in God s loving presence through prayer. We hope you will come and experience. All prayer requests are held in confidence. If you have questions or would like to receive prayer, members of the Healing Ministry are happy to speak with you. We are: Melissa Bennett Alison Hubley April Shuman Rhonda Bennett Vicki Littell Christine Sima Kathleen Bidney-Singewald Helena Meader Dean Singewald Doreen Elia Carol Peragine Marcia Stone Sharon Fisher Marie Reeve Rev. Sarah Vetter Candy Guerette Carol Robbins Rosemarie Welch Patty Holdridge 11

12 We are updating our mailing lists again. If you receive a printed version of this newsletter by mail and do not want it, or if you prefer to receive it on-line, please send an to the church office with your request to mainoffice@fccmadison.org The First Congregational Church of Madison 26 Meetinghouse Lane, Madison, CT Overlooking the Green The Meetinghouse News February 2018 Non-profit U.S. Postage Paid Guilford, CT Permit #271 Change Service Requested Sunday Worship Service 10:00 a.m. In the Meetinghouse Communion Served First Sunday of Each Month Our Worship Service is broadcast on Madison Access TV Channel 18, Sunday at noon and at other times, check their listings. Sunday School During Service The Rev. Todd C. Vetter Senior Minister Phone: Fax: mainoffice@fccmadison.org Website: Facebook: First Congregational Church of Madison, CT Church Office Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday - Friday 12