The Meetinghouse Monthly

Transcription

1 The Meetinghouse Monthly THE NEWSLETTER FOR THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF GREENWICH : SEPTEMBER 2016 CALENDAR September 2016 Sept 7 Deacons Committee Sept 13 Stewardship Meeting Sept 18 Sept 20 Sept 25 Homecoming: Sail into Fall Preschool Board Meeting Quarterly Informational Meeting Look inside for a complete calendar. WORSHIP WITH US Every Sunday at Mark Your Calendars for September 18 Sail Into Fall: Homecoming Sunday 2016 See old friends! Meet new friends! Invite friends to join you here! Grilled items, rolls, condiments, and drinks will be provided by the Welcoming Committee and friends. Please BRING TO SHARE! if your last name begins with: A-P, a salad or side dish to serve 8-10 Q-Z, dessert to serve 8-10 people. Worship at in the Meetinghouse First Sunday of Church School Followed by Food and Festivities Including the ever popular bouncy houses and more! Reserve your spot online or in Community Hour after church. $7 per person $30 max per family. A perfect time to invite friends & neighbors! FCCOG declares itself to be open and a ffirming; o p e n t o a l l f o r participation, membership, leadership, and employment, and affirming of all who wish to join us as children of God. We continue to give thanks for God s guidance in our journey of faith. On Sunday, Sept. 4, Rev. Patrick Collins will begin his ministry at First Church. He will be preaching at both the 8 a.m. beach and 10 a.m. Meetinghouse services that morning, so please join us in welcoming him and his entire family!

2 Church Council News Greetings from the First Church Council! Our church s new governance structure is now in place, and we would like to introduce you to the new Standing Committees and their current Chairs: Asset Management Anders Ekernas Budget John Denne Buildings & Grounds Richard Jenkins Caring Ministries Mary-Ann Assing Community Relations Chris Hartwell Diaconate Pam Grunow 2 For a complete list of events, programs, and volunteer opportunities, please visit fccog.org Faith Formation & Education Donna Hascher Outreach Tamara Ng-Yow Personnel Bob Mendelsohn Stewardship Paul Ghaffari Welcoming Prill Meyer The Chairs of these Committees, plus our Treasurer Ken Olson and our Senior Pastor Richard DenUyl, comprise the voting members of the Church Council. We look forward to meeting you in person at the Informational Meeting on September 25. Campus Construction Update Our plans to renovate our church properties to provide comfortable and convenient residences for our pastors and music director, as well as forming an integrated church campus, are well under way. Architect Allen Ross developed the master plan in consultation with our lay leaders, clergy and staff, and has led the permitting process. Work will be continuing throughout the next 24 months, with residences completed by fall of 2017, and landscaping finalized in the summer of (See page 3 for more details.) Music Department and Music Director Residence Minor additional renovation of 11 Forest Avenue has been completed, and our Music Director has established his residence and principal office there. Some external improvements will be made later as part of the campus plan. Associate Parsonage At the moment, our most immediate priority is the renovation of 106 Sound Beach Avenue to serve as a suitable single-family parsonage for our Associate Pastor. We have received all necessary permits for this project, and work is progressing rapidly, with completion expected in October Until that time, Pastor Patrick Collins and his family will live temporarily in 15 Forest Avenue. Senior Parsonage Our decision to extensively renovate 15 Forest Avenue to create a permanently dedicated Senior Parsonage reflects the judgment of our lay leaders, clergy and staff that appropriate, available, and affordable housing for our Senior Pastor must be one of our highest priorities. We believe that linking the Senior Parsonage to the other church properties through the campus plan will also further enhance our church s sense of community. The trade-off for these long-term benefits was the delay in construction on 15 Forest pending Town approval of our entire master plan. The Planning & Zoning Commission has now approved the plan, and approvals by the Planning & Zoning Board of Appeals and the Architectural Review Committee are expected in October or November. Construction will begin at that time, and is expected to be completed by September In the meantime, we have leased a single-family house for Pastor Richard DenUyl and his family a few blocks from the church. Education Wing and Auditorium The repair, renovation and air conditioning of the Education Wing and Auditorium are all underway, and completion is expected by mid-february Campus, Playground and Parking Lot Renovations The reconfiguration and landscaping of these areas are part of the master plan. After Town approvals, construction will be undertaken as permitted by our other projects and the Preschool schedule, with completion by the end of August Meetinghouse Foyer and Interface with Memory Garden This project will be bid and permitted upon completion of the Capital Campaign, and a projected completion date will be announced at that time. Questions or suggestions about what s happening at First Church? chris.hartwell@fccog.org

3 As of August 17, we are only $50,000 away from reaching our goal of $1.5 million! New pledges are being matched dollar-for-dollar until we reach our goal. If you haven t already done so, please join us to make this vision become a reality! THE CONNECTED CHURCH 2016 Key to Planned Church Campus Improvements 1. Meeting House, Education Wing and Parish House 2. Pebbled Concrete Crosswalk with Raised Pedestrian Islands with Planting Beds 3. Stone Sitting/Reading Circle 4. Music Director's Residence with Added Mudroom 5. Location of Additional Future Playground if Required 6. Central Green 7. New and Upgraded Playground 8. Renovated Senior Pastor's Residence 9. New 2-Car Garage with Playground Storage 10. One Way Traffic Pattern and Parking Spaces 11. New Dumpster Enclosure The First Congregational Church of Greenwich

4 Music & Arts Fall Kick-Off for Music Ministry It s back-to-school time and that means a new church program year is ready to go. Each fall, dozens of children and adults come together to share their efforts to enhance our weekly worship. Won t this be the year YOU make that leap into a musical ensemble? Here is the schedule for our choirs and starting dates: Kindergarten - 2nd Grade: Cherub Choir (Carol Woodman, director; Debbie Berner, pianist) First Rehearsal: Sunday, September 25 Weekly rehearsal: Sundays in room :15 11:45 AM 3rd Grade - 6th Grade: Children s Choir (Craig Symons, director; Vance Briceland, pianist) First Rehearsal: Sunday, October 2 Weekly rehearsal: Sundays 3 rd floor music area from 11:15 AM 12:00 PM 7th Grade - 12th Grade: Youth Choir (Carolyn Paulus, director; Vance Briceland, pianist) First Rehearsal: Sunday, October 2 Weekly rehearsal: Sundays in the Meetinghouse 11:15 AM 12:15 PM 9th Grade and up: Palmer Handbells (Craig Symons, director) First Rehearsal: Thursday, September 8 Weekly rehearsal: Thursdays in the Meetinghouse 6:15 7:15 PM Ideally, we could use 2 or 3 new ringers to take full advantage of all of our bells. Age 18 and up: Chancel Choir (Craig Symons, director) First Rehearsal: Thursday, September 8 Weekly rehearsal: Thursdays in the Meetinghouse 7:30-9:00 PM Many feel that they can t commit to a weekly rehearsal and Sunday morning schedule. There are a number of folks in our choirs that make a commitment to come when they can: a season, part of the year, or only certain Sundays of the month. It s not a situation where you must come every rehearsal and every Sunday, although it s preferable. Give it a try for one month or longer and see how it fits in your schedule. If you can only make it during certain times of the year, we can work together to make that happen. First Church Orchestra After the success of our intergenerational orchestra in June, we ll be having another gathering for our Homecoming Sunday, September 18. If you play an instrument, please consider joining us. We will have a rehearsal in the Meetinghouse on Saturday, September 17 from 10 until 11:30 AM. The Ode to Joy we played in June will be one of two pieces we ll do in worship on Sept 18. Contact Craig Symons at craigs@fccog.org to indicate your commitment to this ensemble. It s important to sign up in advance so you can receive the music, so we know what parts are covered, along with other details like number of chairs, music stands, and spatial placement. Invite your friends! All of our ensembles welcome members and non-members to participate in our outstanding music ministry. 4 For a complete list of events, programs, and volunteer opportunities, please visit fccog.org

5 Welcome our Cherub Choir Director, Carol Woodman! This fall you will see a new face leading the Cherub Choir. Carol Woodman, while certainly not new to most folks at First Church, will be taking over our littlest angels and helping them raise their voices in song. A little about Carol: Carol is a graduate of Minnesota State University (Mankato) and Bethel College in Minnesota where she studied voice and Mass Communications. Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, as an Air Force brat, Ms. Woodman has traveled extensively and been active in opera, oratorio and concert work in churches and on stages throughout the United States. While working at San Francisco Opera in the press and public relations department, she met and married Thomas Woodman (in 1983 at First Church Congregational of Greenwich -- where the choir sang the Rutter Gaelic Blessing to start them on their journey!). Immediately thereafter, they moved to Germany where Tom sang at the Darmstadt Staatstheater and the Bayerische Staatsoper and Carol worked for the Dean of the University of Maryland, Munich Campus. She was also actively involved in extensive church, concert and recital work until returning to the United States in Upon her return and before moving up to Fairfield, Carol worked with the Cherub Choir at First Church -- a group that included Jack Davidson and daughters Kate and Bettina! Carol's local performance credits include solo work with the Connecticut Grand Opera, the Greenwich Choral Society, Trouper s Light Opera, The Mendelssohn Choir of Fairfield and Crystal Opera, as well as many duet recitals with her husband, Tom, in the community. (On October 16th, she will be giving a solo recital of works by Minnesota-born composer, Clara Gerlich Edwards, at Saugatuck Congregational Church.) Recently, Carol performed the Schubert Mass in G and the world premiere of Joe Utterback's Missa Jazzis at the First Congregational Church of Stratford and is an annual participant in the Oktoberfest Music Festival there. Carol was the alto section leader at Saugatuck Congregational Church for the last two years, and for the prior 15 years sang as the soprano section leader at First Church Congregational Fairfield. Carol works as the Chief of Staff for the Chairman, President and CEO of HARMAN, a Fortune 500 company that is the leading global provider of premium audio and information-based media solutions located in Stamford, Connecticut. If you don t already know her, please introduce yourself to Carol when you see her around the building. She will be a regular part of the Chancel Choir, too! Avery s Book Corner I would like to urge reading the book American Character: A History of the Epic Struggle Between Individual Liberty and the Common Good, by Colin Woodward. In the important American Character, Woodward examines how battles between individual rights and the notion of community well-being has formed the basis for nearly every epochal division in our nation s history a topic of extreme relevance in today s society that gives us insight into why we are the way we are, as a country. Hats Off has previously discussed the author s American Nations. Rev. Avery C. Manchester The First Congregational Church of Greenwich

6 Children, Youth, & Families Child Care for Babies & Toddlers/Church School for 3s and 4s Every Sunday During Church! Child Care Every Sunday during Worship in the Preschool Blue & Orange Door Classrooms with our Preschool teachers Miss Michele (Red Door) and Miss Carol (2 year olds) who alternate Sundays and always have adult and high school helpers. This year several new adults former church school parents & teachers have signed on to be with our youngest children on Sunday mornings. Baby Nursery Toddler Room 3 s & 4s You don t have to be a church school parent to be with our children! EVERYONE IS INVITED TO BE A PART OF CHURCH SCHOOL It is time to think about sharing your faith and skills with our children in Church School. For Kindergarten &1st grade, 2nd grade and 4th & 5th grades, leaders are needed to present activity workshops for 3-4 week units. Activities include art, cooking, science, spiritual practices and more. Here is the schedule: September 18 October 16: Blessings and Birthrights (the story of Jacob & Esau) / October 23 November 13: Baptism (Jesus and Ours) / December 4 December 18: Advent Lessons (Waiting for the Birth of Jesus) / January 8 February 12: Stories of Jesus Ministry / February 26 April 2: Preparing Our Hearts for Easter / April 23 May 28: Preparing for Children s Sunday Games Cooking Arts & Crafts If you are interested in hearing more about these opportunities, please contact Rosemary at RosemaryL@fccog.org. She will be VERY happy to hear from you! ATTENTION HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS! Teaching in Church School is a great way to fulfill your Community Service requirements and to receive a letter of recommendation from your church. 6 For a complete list of events, programs, and volunteer opportunities, please visit fccog.org

7 Health & Wellness From the Parish Nurse... Help on the Journey by Sue Asselin, RN As we begin another season of activity here at FCCOG, I look forward to seeing many old friends and meeting other church members for the first time. If you re not familiar with the role of your Parish Nurse, here are a few of the programs and services offered: - Blood pressure screenings and health consultations available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays - Referrals to professionals and helpful community services - Home visits for safety and home care needs assessments - A lending library of healing and self-help books and tapes - CPR classes and refresher courses - Educational events with guest speakers I m here to offer information and encouragement for any healthy life style changes you are trying to make. Stop by and allow me to walk with you on your journey toward greater well-being. With the current building usage limitations, I am temporarily relocated in the Green Room, which can be challenging to find. So if you do stop in, ask the front desk volunteer for help in locating me. Wellness Committee The mission of the Wellness Committee is to promote the health and wellness of the First Church parishioners and the surrounding community. This is done through a variety of programs and services, in cooperation with the staff, the congregants, and other community agencies. The Wellness Committee acts as an advisory board to the Parish Nurse, meeting every other month. Members offer ideas and insights, and assist with promotion and implementation of Wellness programs such as educational events, screening events, blood drives, and safety initiatives. Several members have a medical background and assist with taking blood pressures on some Sundays when the Parish Nurse is not available. A medical background sometimes leads people to us, but is not required. We welcome anyone who has an interest in our mission to join us. If you feel called to promote the wellness of the congregation, please contact me at extension 21 to become a member or to learn more. Red Cross Blood Drive The FCCOG Wellness and Women s Fellowship Committees are hosting a Red Cross Blood Drive on Wednesday, October 5, from 1:00 to 6:00 pm. We ll be looking for volunteers to make refreshments or play the piano, so look for sign-ups at coffee hours in September or call Betsy Kreuter to sign up. As always, blood donors are very much appreciated and appointments can be booked by calling GIVE LIFE. Thank you for reaching out and being God s hands by helping others. Please be aware, the Wellness Committee will not be offering flu shots this year. The Town of Greenwich will have flu shot clinics on several dates beginning with the Health and Wellness Expo (formerly the Senior Health Fair) on Thursday, October 6, from 9am to1pm, at the Eastern Greenwich Civic Center on Harding Road. Information on this and other flu shot clinics is available on a recorded line at First Church Preschool Open Enrollment for the school year will be held during the month of October 2016 To be put on the preschool s mailing list to receive more information about programming, learn how to apply, and/or schedule a tour of the preschool, Contact Darla Steiner, Director, at or darlak@fccog.org. The First Congregational Church of Greenwich

8 Church Life First Church Volunteers It is an exciting time for First Church and you can be involved by being a vital part of our church community! The Caring Ministries, Welcoming, and Outreach Committees are looking for volunteers who are willing to: Caring Ministries: Be involved in a card ministry (regular mail or ) Be a pen pal for the elderly or shut-ins Deliver flowers or food on occasion Making quarts of soup to freeze for those in need Knit prayer shawls Make meals for others when needed Be involved in the prayer chain If you are interested in any of these activities, contact Mary-Ann Assing for more information (mary annassing@gmail.com). Welcoming: Serve coffee at Fellowship hour on Sundays 11:00AM to 11:40 Greet people at front door on Sundays for 10:00AM service arriving at 9:30 AM Help plan and implement special events eg Homecoming in Sept. New Member brunch in October, Christmas Party on Dec.10th. Help to create congregation-wide interest questionnaire Help organize new permanent name tag distribution to all members If you are interested in any of these activities, contact Prill Meyer for more information (prillmeyer@optonline.net). Outreach: Cook chili for the New Covenant House soup kitchen clients (no shopping required) on a one time basis or ongoing Deliver chili from church kitchen to Stamford in your car - one time or ongoing Serve chili the first Monday of each month, in Stamford - one time or ongoing Help coordinate the Harvest Sunday Food Drive Be involved in the Giving Tree - presents for recipients at H.O.M.E. co-op in Maine, and Pilgrim Towers senior residence in Stamford Help at the Annual Christmas Tree and Wreath Sale If you are interested in any of these activities, contact Tamara Ng-Yow for more information (tupham123@gmail.com) Find out more information or sign up for these ministries at Homecoming! 8 For a complete list of events, programs, and volunteer opportunities, please visit fccog.org

9 Hats Off First Fall Meeting Our Book Study Group, Hats Off, will begin its first Fall discussion on Thursday, September 15th from 10-11:30. We will meet in the Binney Conference Room until the lounge repair is completed. When our first reading for the season is chosen, we will announce it in our Sunday bulletin. Please call Debbie Berner ( ) if you have questions. News from The Rummage Room 191 Sound Beach Avenue, Old Greenwich SEPTEMBER CALENDAR: Monday, August 22: The 52nd GRAND RE-OPENING of The Rummage Room brought in an enthusiastic crowd of shoppers from near and far. It takes a community to raise $9,667 in one day, as was done Re-opening Week. A great debt of gratitude is owed to our loyal shoppers and donors, scores of volunteers, The Rummage Room Committee, manager Leanne Meyer, her asst. mgrs., and the original founding Women's Fellowship ladies who began the Rummage Room in 1964 for the purpose of helping women, children and family's in need at home and around the world. THANK YOU! Monday, September 5: The shop will be closed for Labor Day but opens at 10:00 on Tuesday. Shopping Hours: 10:00-5:00 Monday through Friday; & Saturday 10:00-1:00. Donations Hours: 9:30-4:30 Monday through Thursday; & 9:30-12:30 Friday and Saturday. Thought for the Month: We seldom stop to think how many lives have been made better because of God's love that has worked through us to help those in need. We can write it on our hearts that it has been happening at The Rummage Room for the past 52 years! Greenwich Point Handbell Festival: September 24 The Greenwich Point Conservancy and the Knollwood Garden Club of Greenwich are jointly sponsoring "A Festival of Handbell Choirs", a benefit concert to support the restoration of the historic Chimes Building at Greenwich Point, on Saturday afternoon, September 24, 2016, 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm. The concert will be held in the walled Seaside Garden, adjacent to the Chimes Building of the original estate of J. Kennedy Tod. It will feature three handbell choirs of local churches - Christ Church Greenwich, First Congregational Church of Greenwich, and First Presbyterian Church of Greenwich. Former First Selectman Jim and Debbie Lash are Honorary Chairpersons of the event. A reception will follow the concert. Tickets are $100. Non-Greenwich residents will enter the park free of charge with the purchase of a ticket - no park pass or car pass necessary! For more information and tickets, visit the Greenwich Point Conservancy website at The First Congregational Church of Greenwich

10 Letters to the Future FCCOG Submitted by our children, for our time capsule. 10 For a complete list of events, programs, and volunteer opportunities, please visit fccog.org

11 Calendar: September Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday AM Beach Service Worship Labor Day 7 PM Faith Formation & Education Committee 7 PM Deacons Committee 6:15 PM Handbells First Rehearsal 7:30 PM Chancel Choir First Rehearsal Worship 9 AM & 7 PM Kettle Quilters 7 PM Search Committee 7:30 PM Stewardship Meeting Hats Off Worship 11:15 AM Homecoming: Sail into Fall 9 AM & 7 PM Kettle Quilters 9:30 AM Preschool Board Meeting 7 PM Church Council Hats Off 7 PM Caring Ministry 4 PM Handbell Festival Worship 11: Quarterly Information Meeting 9 AM & 7 PM Kettle Quilters Hats Off Mark Your Calendars! September 4, Final Beach Service September 18, Homecoming Sunday The First Congregational Church of Greenwich

12 The First Congregational Church of Greenwich Nonprofit Organization 108 Sound Beach Avenue U.S. Postage PAID Old Greenwich, CT Stamford, CT Phone: Permit No Fax: The Church Council invites all members to join us for the Quarterly Informational Meeting of Members on Sunday, September 25, immediately following worship, in the Meetinghouse. The First Congregational Church of Greenwich Founded in 1665 Ministers: The Members of The First Congregational Church of Greenwich Senior Pastor: Rev. Richard S. DenUyl, Jr., Associate Pastor: Rev. Patrick Collins, Associate Pastor for Pastoral Care: Rev. Avery C. Manchester, Director of Music: Dr. Craig Scott Symons, Director of Family Ministries: Rosemary Lamie, Director of Church Administration & Finance: Steve Summerton, Administrative Assistant - Operations: Donna White, donnaw@fccog.org Director of Membership: Ginny Breismeister, ginnyb@fccog.org Parish Nurse: Susan Asselin, RN, susana@fccog.org Director of Preschool: Darla Kohler Steiner, darlak@fccog.org