The Meetinghouse Monthly

Transcription

1 The Meetinghouse Monthly THE NEWSLETTER FOR THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF GREENWICH : APRIL 2017 Our Easter Week Celebrations CALENDAR April 2017 April 5 Deacons April 11 Stewardship April 13 Maundy Thursday Dinner & Service April 15 Easter Saturday April 16 Easter April 9: Palm Sunday 10 am Festival of Palms April 13: Maundy Thursday 6-8 pm Auditorium & Sanctuary 6-7 pm Soups & Sides supper, followed by Communion - Auditorium 7:15 pm Service of Tenebrae Meetinghouse April 14: Good Friday 12 pm Cross Walk 7:30 pm Service of Readings and Music - Sanctuary Requiem by Bob Chilcott, Chancel Choir and Instrumental Ensemble April 15: Easter Saturday 10 am-noon Families Prepare for Easter! Come to the Daniels Center with your hardboiled eggs for dyeing and decorating (we have all the supplies); Find signs of Holy Week and Easter in the Sanctuary; walk the Labyrinth and spend a few minutes in prayer in the Auditorium. April 19 Church Council See inside for the month s calendar. WORSHIP WITH US Every Sunday at FCCOG declares itself to be open and affirming: open to all for 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. April 16: Easter 6:00 am Sunrise Service at Tod s Point, led by First Church Youth 9 am and 11 am Festival Services with music by Chancel and Youth Choirs, organ, brass, and timpani

2 Church Council News Quarterly Informational Meeting of Members Held on Sunday, March 26 Many thanks to all who joined us on March 26 for our Quarterly Informational Meeting! At the Quarterly Meetings, Chairs of our Standing s have a chance to provide church members with updates on various aspects of the programs and governance of the church. Perhaps even more importantly, members have an opportunity to ask questions and provide input on any matter relating to the church. On March 26, our architect Allen Ross joined us for a discussion that including the following topics: Construction Update The completely remodeled Associate Parsonage at 106 Sound Beach Avenue (opposite the Memory Garden) is now serving as the permanent home for the Collins family complete with a new backyard for the boys. Work has been started on the complete renovation of 15 Forest Avenue, and the new Senior Parsonage is now scheduled for completion by September. Repair and renovation of the Education Wing, Kitchen and Auditorium, including the addition of central air conditioning, has also begun, and is expected to be substantially completed by the end of July. The Education Wing will include a new Preschool classroom to accommodate growth in enrollment, as well as a new Youth Room dedicated to Rick Woodman. As part of the renovation, safety, electrical and communications features will be upgraded from 1960 to 2017 standards. Personnel Matters The Personnel is in the process of reviewing and revising all job descriptions to more accurately reflect the present responsibilities of the various members of our staff. Performance reviews of all employees are also in process, and will be completed in late spring so that any adjustments in compensation or bonuses can be made as of July 1, in conformance with the new fiscal year of the church. In reviewing Pastor Richard DenUyl s job description, it has been agreed that it will expressly provide for his working at the Church as usual on Wednesday through Sunday, with Monday as his usual day off and Tuesday flexible, with the option of working remotely from his office in Rhode Island. The Church Council is mindful of the fact that, given the current political uncertainty surrounding the medical care industry, it is unlikely that Dr. Barbara DenUyl will be able to relocate her medical practice to Connecticut in the foreseeable future, and would like to give Richard and Barbara as much flexibility as possible with their respective schedules. Stewardship Update The participation rate for Stewardship 2017 so far has increased by 21 members over 2016 and by 47 members over 2015 (280 for 2015, 306 for 2016, 327 this year), which is a gratifying trend, particularly when viewed alongside the church s successful Capital Campaign in The Stewardship presently has pledges of about $841,000, and projects ending the campaign with about $865,000. This represents 96% of our $900,000 goal, and 97% of the number budgeted for stewardship contributions. Meetinghouse Seating Plans The Clergy and Program Staff made a presentation including illustrations of various seating configurations that could be used if a substantial portion of the pews are replaced with chairs as part of the Meetinghouse renovations proposed in the 2016 Capital Campaign. Smaller versions of these illustrations can be seen on the next page. The proposal to replace some of the pews with chairs originated with the Clergy and Program Staff, who feel that the flexibility thereby provided will enable many different kinds of programs and activities in the Meetinghouse, especially at times other than Sunday morning. It was stressed that any chairs acquired for the Meetinghouse would be substantial wooden stackable (not folding) chairs compatible in appearance with the remaining pews, and that the traditional row configuration would remain the default option for Sunday morning worship services. The Church Council will be deciding on a course of action with respect to Meetinghouse seating in early May, and we have so far received only a handful of comments; please contact us as soon as possible to let us know what you think. Questions or suggestions about what s happening at First Church? chris.hartwell@fccog.org 2 For a complete list of events, programs, and volunteer opportunities, please visit fccog.org

3 Flexible Seating in the Meetinghouse These are our architect s representations of four of many configurations that our new flexible seating would facilitate, depending upon the events taking place in our newly-renovated Meetinghouse. Traditional Sunday Morning Worship Youth or Interactive Worship or Program Special Music Program Town Hall or Theater-inthe-Round The First Congregational Church of Greenwich

4 Health & Wellness News from the Parish Nurse Sue Asselin, RN Red Cross Blood Drive - Wednesday, April 5, 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm: The Wellness invites you to be a part of this blood drive, a community event that is made special with lots of help. First Church puts a personal touch on our blood drives with homemade refreshments and live piano music. Please consider helping by donating blood or providing refreshments. One donated unit of blood can save up to three lives in our local hospitals. If you are 17 or older (no upper age limit) and in good health, you are probably eligible. For answers to any specific questions about eligibility to donate, please call the Red Cross Donor and Client Support Center at To assure adequate staffing from the blood center in Farmington and to help with a smoother flow of donors, please call GIVE LIFE to make an appointment to donate. If you can help by bringing prepared food, deviled eggs and finger sandwiches are particularly appreciated. To donate refreshments, please call Betsy Kreuter at or sign up at Community Hour on April 2 or in the church office on weekdays. Thank you, in advance, for being a blessing to our community and beyond. Nutrition and Bone Health: On March 29, the Wellness had the pleasure of hosting registered dietitian Denise Addorisio, who presented Nutrition and Bone Health. Denise provided a good deal of information on how our diet contributes to strong bones. The National Institute of Health (NIH) recommends the following steps to improve bone health: Eat a well-balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D. Most people need 1000 to 1200 mg of calcium per day (under 4 years old need a little less). People over 1 year old require 600 to 800 units of Vitamin D per day. Good sources of calcium include low-fat dairy products, and foods and drinks with added calcium. Good sources of vitamin D include egg yolks, saltwater fish, liver, and milk with vitamin D. Some people may need to take nutritional supplements in order to get enough calcium and vitamin D. Fruits and vegetables also contribute other nutrients that are important for bone health. Get plenty of physical activity. Like muscles, bones become stronger with exercise. The best exercises for healthy bones are strength-building and weight-bearing, like walking, climbing stairs, lifting weights, and dancing. Try to get 30 minutes of exercise each day. Don t smoke, and, if you choose to drink alcohol, don t drink too much. Talk to your doctor about your bone health. Go over your risk factors with your doctor and ask if you should get a bone density test. If you need it, your doctor can order medicine to help prevent bone loss and reduce your chances of breaking a bone. Prevent falls. Falling down can cause a bone to break, especially in someone with osteoporosis. But most falls can be prevented. Check your home for dangers like loose rugs and poor lighting. Have your vision checked. Increase your balance and strength by walking every day and taking classes like Tai Chi, yoga, or dancing. Sources of Calcium include: Dairy products (e.g., milk, cheese, yogurt); tofu (calcium fortified); soy milk (calcium fortified); green leafy vegetables (e.g., broccoli, brussels sprouts, mustard greens, kale); Chinese cabbage or bok choy; beans/legumes; tortillas; sardines/salmon with edible bones; shrimp; orange juice (calcium fortified); pizza; bread; nuts/almonds (Source: NIH. Read more at ) Parish Nurse Hours: Sundays 10:00 to 12:00 - Look for me at Community Hour. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, by appointment, from 10:00 to 4:00. During the building renovations, my temporary office is in the Green Room behind the Auditorium stage. Call me at extension 21 or me at susana@fccog.org to arrange an appointment at the church or at your home. 4 For a complete list of events, programs, and volunteer opportunities, please visit fccog.org

5 Music & Arts Music for Good Friday Our annual Chancel Choir presentation, Music for Good Friday, will be held on Friday, April 14, at 7:30 pm in the Meetinghouse. The service will include readings, hymns, and the choral work Requiem by Bob Chilcott. It will feature Hanna Golodinskii, soprano, and Drew Seigla, tenor, along with a chamber ensemble of flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, timpani, and organ. Bob Chilcott is a retired member of the famed King s Singers, where he sang tenor for 12 years, and now spends his time composing and guest conducting around the world. The Chancel Choir was one of three core choirs for his visit to Darien s Noroton Presbyterian Church last October, where he conducted a choir of 75 singers from lower Fairfield county. Be sure to include Good Friday as an important part of your Lenten journey and join us for this service of reflection and beautiful music. Mark your calendars May First Music & Arts presents The Spring Festival of the Art Friday: Gala Art Show Opening; Saturday: 50th Anniversary Concert: Messiah parts 2 & 3; Sunday: Birk and Hoke Duo (Organ and Piano duets) What is the Faith Formation? This new committee was established with our new governance structure in July Our by-laws state: The Faith Formation and Education committee is responsible for coordinating, promoting, and providing advice, feedback and logistical support to the various religious education and faith-based programs for children, youth and adults in the church. It will support the work of the Historical, and assist in making the history of the church better known and understood among the members of the church and the larger community. It will be responsible for supporting and coordinating all church activities that have the primary purpose of bringing members together for personal and spiritual growth outside the worship environment, such as Men s Fellowship. The Faith Formation and Education shall also supervise and provide support to the First Church Preschool and the Preschool Board on matters of curriculum, with one member of the Faith Formation and Education serving as a member of the Preschool Board. Since September we have met each month except December and January due to weather to discuss the many events occurring in and outside the Sanctuary and how we can enhance them through a lens of Faith. We ve exchanged ideas on how we can enhance the message from the pulpit and our church school curriculum into Fellowship Hour and continually through the week. We established our Vision Statement in March: Instilling Faith in all we do and whenever we gather. We also finalized our Mission Statement: Enrich our Faith by listening, encouraging and building community. In a few short months we ve added notes of faith to branches in fellowship Hour and in our food donations on Harvest Sunday, co-hosted two breakfasts and a waffle dinner on Fat Tuesday, sponsored a speaker on spirituality in children and hoisted a prayer net during Lent. In April we will host the Fellowship Hours with the Church School Task Force and Education and Historical s. We ask everyone to reach out to our members with new ideas and suggestions for more faith-centered exchanges. Chair: Donna Hascher Pastor: Patrick Collins Staff: Rosemary Lamie Members at Large: Marty Bitner, Judy Gordon, Steve Kurczewski, Daniel LePoutre and Sarah Schneider The First Congregational Church of Greenwich

6 Children, Youth, & Families Join Us for Easter Saturday April 18: 10:00 am 12:00 noon In the Daniels Center: Bring the egg coloring fuss to us! Bring your own hardboiled eggs ready to decorate and we will have all the supplies. In the Church: Participate in a Family Scavenger Hunt to learn about the week before Easter and what we celebrate! In the Auditorium: We will provide opportunities for prayer and thoughtful meditation in silence. Sign up on the easel in the Undercroft or on the website: Children and Communion at FCCOG Program for 2nd Graders and Older in April At First Church, we formally introduce Communion to our children formally in the 2nd Grade even though children are welcome to participate in communion at any age that parents choose. This year our two session class will take place during Church School on April 23rd and April 30th. Children 2nd grade and older are welcome to attend with their parents. The first session is to teach the children about why and how Jesus instituted the sacrament of Communion at the Last Supper. During the second session on April 30, the children and parents will create a small family banner to be displayed during the following Sunday Worship service on May 7th. Then the children and their families will sit in the front of the meetinghouse and participate in communion together. If you are new to First Congregational Church and have older children who have not had an opportunity to learn about Communion, they are most welcome to the 2-session workshop. Questions? Contact Rosemary for more information. (Call ext. 20 or RosemaryL@fccog.org.) 6 For a complete list of events, programs, and volunteer opportunities, please visit fccog.org

7 Photos from Our Third Grade Bible Breakfast Silver Lake Conference Center Summer Programs Muggles and Wizards, Bon Voyage, Christmas Gifts, Fun in the Son, I Love to Tell the Story, Water World, Silver Lake s Funniest Videos these are just a few of the many different camp experiences you can have at Silver Lake in beautiful Sharon, CT only a little more than an hour away. For one week, take your body and soul to God s Backyard. You must be between 4 th grade and senior year in High School but you will be in a group with kids your own age. Many First Church kids go every summer and you should join them. They really, really love it and only they can tell you why. Go to for all the details and to register, or see Patrick or Rosemary for brochures with the entire summer schedule. Scholarships are available. Have loads of fun with us at the Summer Program at First Church Preschool: June 19th July 28th At the Summer Program at First Church Preschool, kids ages 3 5 will have a blast! Our nurturing, experienced, professional staff will prepare a variety of arts & crafts, water play, sports, music, nature exploration, science experimentation and discovery, and playground time activities. We provide a snack Preschool Program participants bring a lunch from home. Don t miss out on the fun and bring a friend or two! Sign up for any single week of our six-week program, or, come all six weeks if you like! One registration form must be completed for each child to be enrolled. Our summer program is appropriate for children who have not yet started kindergarten, and who will turn 3 years of age by 12/31/17 and are toilet trained. For more info, call us at (203) or visit our website at The First Congregational Church of Greenwich

8 Church Life Three Outreach Volunteer Opportunities in Early May The first Monday of every month First Church volunteers provide and serve lunch for hungry clients at the only soup kitchen in Stamford, run by New Covenant Center (NCC). No experience necessary! One-time volunteering is fine. Three different opportunities: Cook Chili, Deliver, or Serve Lunch. Choose one, two, or all three! 1) COOK CHILI in FCCOG Daniels Center Kitchen. Time: 2 hours total. Weekend of Sat/Sun April 29/30. EASY recipe provided. All ingredients provided. We will show you how! Sign up single or with friends and family. 2) DELIVER the prepared chili from Church to NCC in Stamford. The NCC staff will unload your car for you. The Church sextons can help load your car. (Time: 35 minutes) 3) SERVE LUNCH at NCC: When: Monday, May 1. Time: Noon to 1:30 pm (90 min.) Where: 174 Richmond Hill Rd. between exit 6 and 7 (We need 3 volunteers for this fun opportunity!) The friendly staff at NCC will show you what to do. Enjoy the camaraderie and help others! Hats Off New Book Selection Our book study group, Hats Off has chosen its Spring read, The Island at the Center of the World by Russell Shorto. The Guardian review says The establishment and history of Manhattan is given proper respect in Shorto s magnificent account of the founding of New York. We meet up in the Binney room on Thursdays from 10-11:30. Please call Jean Bruder ( ) for information about buying this book or reserve your copy from our Greenwich library. We will start our discussion during late March or early April. Kettle Quilters News We are near the finish line with this year s raffle quilt thanks to all the devoted quilters. The drawing will take place at the Women s Fellowship Annual Meeting and luncheon on Wednesday, May 10. You will love our latest creation. The moment this project is out the door we will start with the new one for Won t you join us? We meet Mondays (except holidays) 9am-12 noon in the Binney Conference Room. Inge Thalheim 8 For a complete list of events, programs, and volunteer opportunities, please visit fccog.org

9 News from the Rummage Room 191 Sound Beach Avenue, Old Greenwich (203) Saturday, April 1st: YES, it s April Fool s Day and The Rummage Room will be open from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm and that s no joke! Come in and explore all the wonderful nooks and crannies in the shop... from the two cases of jewelry, the rack of designer clothing, the art work, men s, women s, and children s clothing, shoes, women s handbags, kitchen products, glassware and many other categories of goods. Sunday, April 9: Palm Sunday Friday, April 14: Good Friday The Rummage Room will be closed. Saturday, April 15: The Rummage Room will be open for business from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm. Sunday, April 16: Happy Easter! Tuesday, April 18th: The annual Rummage Room Volunteer Breakfast will take place at 9:00 am in the church Auditorium Saturday, April 22: Today is Earth Day. One of the many benefits of The Rummage Room is that it was green long before it was cool to be green. The Beauty of The Rummage Room has always been the 3 R s of Conservation... Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle! Thought for Easter Day: In Observance of Easter: Life is a series of miracles. The most significant miracle humankind has ever known is the death of Jesus Christ upon the cross, followed by His Resurrection and His Ascension into the Kingdom of Heaven so that we might have Life Everlasting. Interested in Learning about Joining First Church? Our next New Member class will be held on Sunday, April 23rd at 11:20 AM in the Senior Pastor s office. It will last approximately an hour and one half and will include lunch. During the class, prospective new members have the opportunity to hear about the history and faith of our denomination, the United Church of Christ, and to learn more about our church. Attending does not obligate you to join but we hope that this time together will strengthen you on the journey of faith. New members will be received on Sunday, May 7th. Child care will be provided at both times. Please feel welcome to join us. If you are planning to attend, or you have questions, please contact Ginny Breismeister at ginnyb@fccog.org or ext.26., or call the church office. Avery s Book Corner For this Easter season I would like to recommend Brian D. McLaren s Naked Spirituality: A Life with God in 12 Simple Words. In Naked Spirituality, the author confronts the ways that we as individuals might address modern-day spirituality, by suggesting practices designed to help foster spiritual development. Each of these practices is focused around simple words: here, thanks, O, sorry, help, please, when, no, why, behold, yes, and silence. By focusing on McLaren s concepts, any reader may find the tools to achieve spiritual authenticity. Rev. Avery C. Manchester The First Congregational Church of Greenwich

10 Calendar: April Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Worship 11:15 AM Confirmation Class 9 AM Kettle Quilters 7 PM Faith Formation 1 PM Blood Drive 4 PM Refugee 7 PM Deacons 7 PM CS Task Force Hats Off Worship 11:15 AM Caregiver Support Group 9 AM Kettle Quilters 1 PM Rummage Room 6:30 PM Pastoral Relations / Prayer Shawl 7:30 PM Stewardship 7 PM Outreach Hats Off 6 PM Maundy Thursday Dinner 7:15 PM Service 12 PM Cross Walk 7:30 PM Music for Good Friday Easter Saturday Easter: See front cover for schedule Building Closed 8:30 AM RR Volunteer Breakfast 9:30 AM Preschool Board 7 PM Church Council Hats Off 7 PM Confirmation Class Worship 11:20 AM New Members Class 9 AM Kettle Quilters 6:30 PM Prayer Shawl 7:30 PM Caring Ministries Hats Off 30 Worship 10 For a complete list of events, programs, and volunteer opportunities, please visit fccog.org

11 Women s Fellowship 47th Annual Quilt Raffle The Kettle Quilters have created a beautiful queen-sized quilt for the Women s Fellowship Quilt Raffle this year. It is a variation of a classical Log Cabin pattern. Log Cabin quilt blocks feature strips of fabric arranged around a center square. The contrasting fabrics create a pattern in the individual blocks. When placing the blocks, they can be turned to achieve different looks in a quilt. This quilt could have looked very different if the same blocks were stitched together in a different pattern. Each square in the 2017 Raffle Quilt has a light side and a dark side, resulting in an unique pattern. This lovely quilt will be raffled off at the Spring Luncheon on May 10. Please use the form below to order your tickets. Tickets will also be on sale at The Rummage Room, at Coffee Hour and in the Church Office in the weeks leading up to the luncheon, but please don t delay. Fill out the form below and drop it off or mail it to the Church. Your tickets will be filled out by the committee and your stubs held for you at the luncheon, unless you prefer they be mailed to you. You need not be present to win. All proceeds from this raffle will support charitable organizations that benefit women, children and families. If you have questions, please contact Ginny Breismeister at GinnyB@fccog.org. Thank you! We are grateful to our dedicated group of Kettle Quilters who continue the tradition of providing heirloom quilts year after year. We thank them and our faithful Church Community for the continued support of the mission of Women s Fellowship Name: Address: Phone Number: (optional) This year individual tickets are being sold for $5 each and there will be a limit of 500 tickets sold. # of Tickets: x $5.00 = Total Enclosed: I would like my stubs (check one): Held for me at the luncheon Returned to me via mail Checks may be made out to Women s Fellowship. Please return the form and payment to the Church Office at 108 Sound Beach Avenue, Old Greenwich, CT Attn: Quilt 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: Contributing to the Meetinghouse Monthly? Submissions to the Meetinghouse Monthly are due on the 15th of each month. your notices, photos, and articles to 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 Publications Coordinator: Vance Briceland, vanceb@fccog.org