CONNECTICUT DISTRICT NEWS

Transcription

1 CONNECTICUT DISTRICT NEWS November 2016 The Connecticut District Office of the United Methodist Church 20 Broadfield Road, Hamden, CT06517 Resident Bishop: Thomas J. Bickerton Editor: Dorothy Chamberlain Superintendent: Reverend Kenneth Kieffer Volume 32, Issue 11 Web: FRIGHT NIGHT! By Ken Kieffer Because I live too far from White Plains, N.Y. to commute back and forth during our two and three-day Cabinet meetings, I typically stay overnight in a hotel near the NYAC conference center. I ve been doing this for years without incident. Until recently. Following a long day in Cabinet, I drove to my hotel nearby and checked in with the young woman at the reception desk. I handed her my credit card, and she handed me two card keys (evidently, she figured that a man of my advanced age was going to lose at least one of them before checkout in 10 hours!), informed me of my room number and how to get there. I wasn t really listening, however, as I was deep in thought, trying to decide how I might treat myself on this hard day s night. Hmmm. Should I do some laps in the swimming pool? Should I sweat it out in the steam room, or chill out in the hot tub? Or should I just call it a night and put on my PJs and watch what was left of the Monday Night Football game on ESPN? When the elevator deposited me on my floor, I got out and walked the lengthy hallway until the number on the room matched the number written on the tiny envelope containing my key cards. Supposing them to be identical, I slid the first key I grabbed into the slot and waited for the green light to appear. Nothing. In the off chance the keys were NOT identical, I took the unused key out of the envelope and slid it into the slot. I was a bit surprised when the green light illuminated and the door opened when I turned the handle. But I was even more surprised when I entered the room and found several lights already on, the television blaring, and a shirtless man in my bed! Yikes! After stammering something to the half-naked man about it being MY ROOM, and waving my key card as some sort of indisputable proof, I did an about-face that would ve made Oliver North proud. Keeping with the Marine theme, I marched down to the hotel lobby to tell that young lady that there was a strange guy in my hotel room. Believe or not, here s where things got really weird! 1

2 FRIGHT NIGHT continued --- When I told the receptionist what just happened, she acted like this sort of stuff takes place all the time - as if I had just complained to her that the remote control didn t work, or the shower dripped, or the last sheet of toilet paper wasn t fanned out to look like the tail of a proud peacock. Without so much as an apology or an upgrade, she handed me two more key cards for a different and hopefully unoccupied room. The second room was dark and vacant when I entered, thank God, but the damage was already done. It occurred to me while I was unpacking my shaving kit that if she unwittingly gave me the keys to someone else s room, she could unwittingly (or wittingly) give someone else the keys to MY room. I looked through the peep hole to make sure no one was standing out there, triple locked the door 10 or 20 times, and then closed the drapes extra tight. Before getting into bed, I grabbed the letter opener from my computer bag so that I would have a weapon to cling to while I slept (fyi, I didn t sleep). As I tossed and turned all night, I wondered is this how my wife feels whenever she travels alone? Afraid. Vulnerable. At risk. Open to attack. Is this how my diminutive daughter feels when she walks home from the campus library after dark? Is this how my sister feels whenever she leaves the mall at night? Is this how innocent civilians feel when ISIS or the Taliban takes over their village, city or province? Is this how political refugees feel when they leave their war-torn homeland with their worldly possessions on their backs? Is this how my black brothers and sisters feel whenever they encounter a cop? Is this how homeless folks feel whenever they sleep on the streets or in the shelters? Is this how my friends in the LGBT community feel whenever they go to school, or a club, or a church? Last question - have I done all that I can to assuage the fear of these beloved children of God? I m afraid not. Unhappy Halloween. 2

3 Connecticut District Basic Lay Servant Ministry Course 2016 Monday November 7,14,21,28 & December 5 from 12:00pm to 3:00pm Cost $15.00 St. Andrew s UMC Parsonage (458 Forbes Avenue, New Haven, CT) Name: Home Phone: Cell Phone: Street Address: City / State / Zip: Church: District: I desire to make the commitment to serve, with required study, as a Local Lay Servant in the United Methodist Church. I have read Paragraphs in The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church 2012 concerning the office of Lay Servant Ministries, and realize that there are a variety of ways in which I may serve. Under the guidance of my pastor, I desire to explore my faith journey in the United Methodist Church by attending the Basic Lay Servant Ministry Course. I realize that I must be present at all sessions in order to receive a certification of completion of this course. I have obtained the required recommendations as indicated below. Signature of Applicant Signature of Pastor Signature of Admin. Council Chairperson Date Date Date 1. Please print legibly. 2. Obtain the required signatures. 3. Make $15 check payable to CT District. 4. Mail check and registration form to Dorothy Chamberlain CT District Office: 20 Broadfield Road, Hamden, CT IMPORTANT: 1. Bring your own lunch. Coffee/tea will be provided. 2. Purchase your book: Lay Servant Ministries Basic Course Participants Book at Cokesbury # $7.48+tax+S&H, or Amazon.com. 3. Read Chapters 1 prior to the 1 st class. For questions, please contact Mary Brevigleiri CLM, CT Director Lay Servant Ministries at mbrevigleiri@perrytechnology.com Registration Due by November 1,

4 New York Annual Conference United Methodist Church BOUNDARIES AND SEXUAL ETHICS TRAINING Lead by Reverend Sungchan Kim and Reverend Elizabeth Betsy Ott FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, a.m. 3 p.m. Location To Be Announced Please register with the NYCT District Office: NYCTdistrict@nyac-umc.com Please bring a bag lunch. Coffee, tea and water will be provided. There will not be an option to go out and eat. Space is limited. Register today. 4

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6 2016 LAITY CONVOCATION SAT. NOV AM 4 PM STAMFORD HILTON 1 First Stamford Pl. Stamford, CT REGISTRATION $25 Register by November 9 at WE ARE CALLED (FILL IN THE DOTS)... I encourage you to live as people worthy of the call you received from God. Conduct yourselves with all humility, gentleness and patience. Accept each other with love, and make an effort to preserve the unity of the Spirit with the peace that ties you together. You are one body and one spirit just as God also called you in one hope. From Ephesians 4:1-4, CEB Featuring: Rev. David Gilmore, NYAC Director of Congregational Development & Revitalization Inspirational Worship Workshops Fellowship Communion Please contact Roena Littlejohn with any questions (203) / bobsroe@optimum.net ALL LAITY ARE INVITED PLEASE REGISTER EARLY TO RESERVE YOUR SEAT 6

7 NYAC Lay Servants. Advanced Credit offered for 2016 Laity Convocation I am pleased to announce that LAY SERVANTS will be able to earn 10 hours of Advanced Course Credits for attending the 2016 Laity Convocation on November 19 in Stamford CT - once the following criteria is met: Register online at www. nyac.com for the 2016 Laity Convocation at the Stamford Hilton 1 First Stamford Place in Stamford, CT. Read the book, Transforming Community the Wesleyan Way to Missional Congregations, which you will receive as part of your registration. Participate fully in all events of the Convocation. Answer the questions at the end of each chapter of the book. Submit written answers to your District Director of Lay Servant Ministries via mail or . A Certificate for completion of this Advanced Course will be then be mailed to you. If you have any questions, please contact your District Director of Lay Servant Ministries. NOTE: I am your District Director of Lay Servant Ministries. I look forward to seeing you at the Convocation. Please look for me and introduce yourself, if time permits. Blessings, Mary Brevigleiri Conference Director of Lay Servant Ministries 68 Case Street Canton CT mbrevigleiri@perrytechnology.com 7

8 S ATURDA PRAYERS FOR: The family of Jayne Ellen Carpenter who died on October 4, 2016 in Mechanicsburg, PA. She is survived by her loving husband Rev. Dr. George H. Carpenter and her son Joel and daughter Ruth. Rev. Carpenter and Jayne served in our District at Newtown UMC in Sandy Hook. ******** RETIREE S BREAKFAST NOVEMBER 17, 2016 All retirees are invited to meet on November 17 for breakfast at Denny's, 631 Queen St. (Route 10) in Southington, just off I-84, exit 32. We meet on the third Thursday of each month. Next breakfast is scheduled for December 15. It helps to know about how many to expect. Kindly contact Ralph Roy at Ralphlroy@aol.com or call Call too, if the weather is questionable in case it is cancelled. Please come prepared to share information on any illness, bereavement or other circumstances that should engage the group s attention. 8

9 DISTRICT RESOURCING DAYS SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2017 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2017 CONNECTICUT DISTRICT IS ON FACEBOOK! CHECK US OUT AT: nyacconnecticut district DEADLINE FOR THE DECEMBER DISTRICT NEWS IS NOVEMBER 20 9