June, July & August Circuit Rider

Transcription

1 June, July & August Circuit Rider First Congregational Church of Lebanon, UCC 588 Exeter Road ~ P. O. Box 125 Lebanon, CT We seek to demonstrate God s Spirit through worship, witness, and ministry to the needs of the people in the church and the community. Rev. Dr. Sharon Ledbetter, Pastor Nancy Magnuson, Secretary Pastor s Office Phone: Phone: Cell Phone: LebFirstCong@att.net PastorSharonLed@att.net Rev. Mary Horan, Director of Christian Education Derek Waldron ~ Organist mchoran@att.net rockinmyboot@yahoo.com Phone: Phone: Web Site: Church Kitchen Phone: Kim Alleman, Moderator Jon Magnuson, Chair of Board of Deacons kalleman@charter.net njm400@charter.net Phone: Phone: Jim McCaw, Chair of Board of Trustees David Fields, Chair of Stewardship Comm. Phone: Phone: Geri Risely, Co-Chair of Board of Outreach Bev York, Co-Chair of Board of Outreach Phone: Phone: Karen Kowalyshyn, Co-Chair Board of CE Dawn Comeroski, Co-Chair Board of CE Phone: Phone: Jeanna Prink, Co-Chair of Music Comm. Sue Vigue, Co-Chair of Music Comm. Phone: Phone: Bill Jahoda Our Prayer List John Kendall George Markow Dave Foley Shirley Madley Barbara Rodman Barbara Pitcher but Jesus said, Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as theses that the kingdom of heaven belongs. Matthew 19:14

2 Pastor s Letter Dear Friends, June is the month to congratulate and support our young people in our church and community. I know we all agree that children are our future, and to spend time thanking God for our children is a privilege. June 2nd is CONFIRMATION SUNDAY. At our 10:00 a.m. service we will welcome our confirmands into our church family. They have been studying all year and are ready to take this step. The teens in this class are Morgan Mathewson, Corey Comeroski, Bryce Johnson, Cindy Davis, Daria Stifel and Mackenna Jordan. I truly thank the deacons, the mentors, the parents and all of you for the support given to this program. June 2nd is BACCALAUREATE. At 4:00 p.m. in our sanctuary, we will host this service. Many wonder what Baccalaureate means. It is an opportunity for the religious community to congratulate all our high school seniors. The Lebanon Clergy sponsors this event and feel it is of primary importance to let our seniors know that the religious community is proud of them and wish them well. June 9th is CHILDREN S SUNDAY. At 10:00 a.m., the Sunday school children will lead worship, our third graders will receive Bibles and the Deacons will give out the Memorial Fund Scholarships. The theme this year is BUILD A PRAYER. This will be followed by an all church picnic on the Green. Rev. Mary, the Sunday school teachers and the Board of Christian Education will host this event! June 16th is MUSIC APPRECIATION SUNDAY AND FATHER S DAY. At the 10:00 a.m. worship we will thank all those who have worked hard on our music program and offer thanksgiving to God for all our fathers, grandfathers, and those who have been like fathers to us. June 30th is A COMMUNITY DAY OF PEACE. This event is sponsored by the Lebanon Clergy and is open to the community. It is a response to the violence and tragic loss of lives in our state, country and beyond. This event will begin at 4:00 p.m. with a short program including a representative from Lutheran Church Charities bringing Comfort Dogs and explaining to us the importance of well trained dogs helping in times of trauma. We hope people will bring a picnic supper and also enjoy the Room To Move Band. June is a busy and wonderful month! Oh yes, don t forget the Strawberry Festival on June 15th!!! Love and joy, Pastor Sharon

3 Listening to a baseball game on the radio is very soothing to me. It is almost musical as the announcer s voice modulates up and down, then raises it higher as a homer is hit with bases loaded. The moment s excitement ends and his voice becomes almost monotone once more. My brothers were baseball players and games were played behind our school, one block away. The family attended for moral support and catch up on what was going on in town. As a young teenager, I didn t learn the game, but it was a great social time. The voices of the crowd were soothing then, as fathers talked about baseball, and mothers talked about everything else, and the kids ran around. Walking back home in family groups brought the hush of the evening, as houses were reached and finally, the last one went in, and there was only the cricket s song, a bird s late call, and perhaps, a last goodnight. I like the sounds of summer. We don t always hear them because we are too busy talking. Our lives are filled with activities which we create. We feel guilty if we just sit and do nothing. Just sit and listen. In the silence, we can draw closer to God. We can begin a dialogue (in my thinking) in a conversation with God. It might begin with, Thank you, God, for my life. (We may feel our lives are not the greatest but we can always compare them with someone else s.) Then, we could move on to thinking and thanking for our surroundings. God s gifts of beauty surround us. Then, we have to think about the people who grace our lives, and we know our good fortune. (A memory) The night sky darkens, the crickets and grasshoppers orchestra grows louder and katydids join in for the finale. My young daughters and I sit on the porch and watch the far-off storm s heat lightening, then the low roll of thunder. The buzz of mosquitoes tells us it is time to retire, and Sandy s nails click on the wooden floor as she looks for her rug. It is summer. A time to play and a time to rest. A time to talk and a time to listen. A time for garden tomatoes and a time for ice cream. A time to be lived differently than the other season. A time to say Thank You. Just a note, Jean Souter

4 Summer 2013 Although summer is nearly upon us we still have lots happening for our children. June will begin with Confirmation Sunday and the Baccalaureate (June 2nd). The following Sunday (June 9th) our children will celebrate their day by sharing a Build a Bear Prayer Service (and workshop!) followed by a family picnic with games and food for all. In July our Lebanon faith community gathers to teach Vacation Bible School. VBS has been a collaborative effort among our churches for many years. Teachers, parents, and children join together and celebrate Jesus through fun and creative activities. Be sure to mark your calendar and invite your family members and friends to come to Vacation Bible School from July 15-19! A call for all pets (and their owners) to the annual Blessing of the Animals! We will have an outdoor service celebrating our love for God s creatures by singing songs, sharing blessings and praising God. All are invited to join us! Date to be determined. I hope all will enjoy the summer months as renewal time. Mentoring and teaching our children in the ways of Christ is a worthy and invaluable commitment and I invite you to consider the gifts that you can share in this endeavor. Become a teacher s assistant, substitute in a classroom, or perhaps give a children s message some Sunday. Our Sunday School classes are lively and joyful and we have room for you! Blessings, m

5 2013 Silver Lake Summer Calendar The Silver Lake 2013 summer conference calendar is here! They are located on the desk in the church foyer. Scholarships to Silver Lake are available; please see Rev. Mary for more information. Church Phone Directory The phone directory will be updated at the end of August for distribution on Rally Sunday. To be added to the directory, or if you have any changes or corrections, please contact the church office by August 1st at or at The flower committee invites anyone who would like to share flowers from their yard for our church s communion table on any Sunday to please do so. It never has to be for a specific occasion or event. If you feel inspired, and we hope that you will, just let Linda Wallace, Sylvia Ryan, or Stan Fuller know by Saturday each week or sign up on the calendar in the foyer. Thank you. Bread feeds the body indeed, but flowers feed also the soul. - The Koran The Lebanon Fair is coming! August 9th, 10th and 11th Please, come join in the fun! We need the following volunteers: Set-up Crew Runners Bible Study Bible Study Luncheon Wednesday, June 26th ~ noon Pastor Sharon s Home Bible Study will resume on Wednesday, September 18th, at 9:30 a.m. in the Memorial Room. Hamburger Flippers Clean-up Crew Please call the church office at to sign up or if you have any questions. Children s Sunday Church Family Picnic on the Green Please plan to join our Church family for an Old Fashioned picnic to be held on the Green behind the church following worship on Sunday, June 9th. This picnic will be a chance for the families and friends of the church to come together and welcome summer with fun and some great food and fellowship. Hotdogs, dessert and beverages will be provided. Families and friends are asked to bring a side dish. But all are invited, even if you cannot bring a dish! The Board of Christian Education and teachers will be arranging for some fun games for the children. Please plan to bring lawn chairs and blankets. July and August Worship Service Times 8:30 a.m. & 10:00 a.m.

6 Confirmation Sunday June 2nd Baccalaureate Service June 2nd ~ 4:00 p.m. First Congregational Church Please join us at this special service for our high school graduates. members/friends of our church will be graduating this year: The following Daniele Aguilera Casey Comeroski Margaret Gillespie Delaney Jordan Isaac Judge Grace Kirkpatrick Grace Preli Josh Soileau Alena Stifel Casie Vigue College Graduates Courtney Adams ~ Jacobs University Bremen, Germany Nate Wheeler ~ ARC II Program Middle School Youth Group News Middle School Youth Group Overnight Saturday, June 8th ~ 6:00 p.m. Sunday, June 9th Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Lesson: The Temptation We will also be baking cupcakes for the Children s Sunday picnic!

7 Board of Outreach News Board of Christian Outreach Upcoming Events Volunteers Needed JUNE 20th - ISA Bead making night at Geri Risley s SEPTEMBER Controversial Issues workshop Wednesday, September 18, :00 p.m. (Workshop will be in the Memorial Room.) OCTOBER Neighbors in Need Supper NOVEMBER Holiday Bazaar DECEMBER Christmas Collection Inspired by South Africa jewelry sales support missions JUNE Cereal (hot or cold) JULY School supplies for CWS kits^ AUGUST School supplies for CWS kits^ It s a Joy to Give Neighbors Helping Neighbors Lebanon Food Bank Church World Service Wish lists 2013 SEPTEMBER Peanut Butter, Jelly, Fluff, juice boxes & granola bars OCTOBER Canned Vegetables and Fruit NOVEMBER Ketchup & Mayo DECEMBER Hot Chocolate * Coupons are always needed ^School supplies needed for the CWS school kits: one pair of blunt round tip metal scissors one 30 centimeter ruler (12") one large eraser three 70 count spiral notebooks one hand held pencil sharpener six new pencils with erasers one box of 24 crayons (only 24) Strawberry Festival Featuring the Rose City Chorus June 15th ~ 7:00 p.m. Donation: $10.00 Adults $3.00 Child In you can help, please contact Dawn Drum, Our success depends on everyone!

8 Church Visionary Actions We found out: Who we are, What God has called us to do and Who are our neighbors. Now the boards, committees and members of the church have been charged to follow through with these actions. This is a simplified listing of the recommendations from the Envisioning Committee of what we need to do for the future of our church. This list was derived from comments from you the congregation. If you would like to see further detail you can find them in the committees report under Goals and Recommendations. You can either get a copy from the church secretary or on-line at lebanonfirstcong.org. This is by all means not a complete list of what we can do. Use your own imagination. Membership: Attract new members. o Revitalize welcome package. o Provide docents at services to help new comers. o Follow-up activity with new members. o Revive the new member sponsor program. o Find ways to make services spiritually fun for all. Image: Make our church more visible to the public, and portray a positive image of a welcoming church. o Signage. o Press releases of special services and events. o Use of technology and communication techniques to keep everyone informed. Needs: Serve the social and practical needs of the church members and our neighbors. o Establish Youth and Adult activities. o Establish programs to help young families, and seniors, to improve their lives. o Plan fun social events where members can get to know each other better. Education: Provide Christian education to children and adults. o Hire a Christian Educator. o Provide inspiring education programs. o Mentor system adult to youth & adult to adult. o More youth activities within worship service, and church leadership. Spirituality: Assist all members in spiritual growth. o Develop new programs. o Re-evaluate the church worship service. o Bible study, Prayer Sessions, Discussion Groups. o Increase ecumenical worship services. At the annual meeting, it was agreed that we should update our church's Envisioning Team Planning Report. Volunteers are needed to serve on this committee. If you are interested in participating, please contact Ellen Bauwens.

9 Wear orange on Monday! Week of July 15th 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Everywhere Fun Fair will take children on a global celebration where they will discover that God s love can be found everywhere!! They will be introduced to special places all over the world and discover that we are all children of God. COMMUNITY DAY OF PEACE ON THE GREEN June 3oth ~ 4PM The Lebanon Clergy have been saddened, as all have been, by the recent violence and tragic loss of life in our country. We have decided to respond to this violence by sponsoring a COMMUNITY DAY OF PEACE. This will be June 30th at 4pm. The community is invited to come to the Green and bring a picnic supper, enjoy a short program and listen to the ROOM TO MOVE BAND. The program will include a representative from the Lutheran Church Charities in the area of training dogs for trauma situations. There will be one or two trained comfort dogs visiting to see and pet. We hope to appeal to the community to support the Comfort Dogs as a meaningful and ongoing ministry to those in crises. The dogs who will be with us have been to Sandy Hook, Boston and West Texas. If the weather is bad, we will hold the program in the Fellowship Hall of the First Congregational Church on the Green.

10 VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL REGISTRATION 2013 July 15 19, 2013 Child s Name Parent/Guardian Name Address Phone Numbers: Home Work Cell Child s Age Information: Date of Birth Age Grade going into (circle one) PreK K Church affiliation (if any) Medications, allergies, special needs or concerns: Dismissal information: Name(s) of person(s) who may pick this child up from VBS each day: Would you allow photos of your child to be posted on our church website? (No close-ups or names will be published) YES NO Would you like a (free) CD copy of this year s music? YES NO Camp is FREE of charge this year!! Registration forms MUST be returned by Friday, June 28th. First Congregational Church P.O. Box 125 Lebanon, CT Adult and teen volunteers are needed and would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!! For more information or if you are interested in sharing this experience with your child(ren), please call Karen Konow at , or the office at The First Congregational Church of Lebanon at Rally Sunday is September 8th We will again have a church-wide expo. You will be able to: Sign up for Sunday School Learn about all of the programs for the upcoming year Find out about all of the church Boards and Committees Learn more about how our church functions.

11 A SEASON OF GENEROSITY The Christian church has two seasons of great joy, Christmas and Easter. At these times we come together to celebrate the birth and resurrection of our savior Jesus Christ. The peaking of attendance at services celebrating these two seasons is clear evidence of how important they are to us. We now propose a third tradition, called a Season of Generosity that will be a four-sunday period culminating on November 24th, Stewardship Sunday. We all want to do our part in financially supporting our church but sometimes feel ambivalent regarding exactly how much to pledge. Let us consider replacing such feelings with the idea of a Season of Generosity. Consider what God has done for us. He not only gave us life but a world overflowing in abundance beyond our understanding. For example, His generosity is clearly revealed in the dandelion blossom after it goes to seed. Remember how you, as a child, used to blow on them and watch the seeds fly off? To reproduce itself the dandelion plant only needs one seed but with His overflowing generosity to insure the continuation of life, God provides about 50 of these seeds from just one blossom. When one considers how God s abundant generosity is clearly evident throughout His creation it boggles the mind! We would ask you to reflect on just how God has blessed us far beyond the need of a dandelion to procreate as evidence of just how much He loves us. Jesus came to reveal God as a God of love and generosity and to lead us to follow Him in a new and joy-filled way by responding to His love with our own spirit of love and generosity. We are his earthly partners working with Him to bring in His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. We pray this every Sunday as part of our worship time together. The four-sunday period starting on November 3rd through November 24th will be our Season of Generosity (leading up to Thanksgiving). We will have a special message as part of the regular service each of the three Sundays prior to our traditional Stewardship Sunday service on November 24th. Please make a special effort to worship with us on these four Sundays. We are pleased to report that the giving from pledges as of May 6th of this year are fully realized. Your Stewardship Committee, David Fields, Amy Kirkpatrick, Skip Kuzel, Marjorie Page, and Jack Pelto Controversial Issues Workshop Wednesday, September 18th ~ 7:00 p.m. Memorial Room Watch for more information in the September Circuit Rider!! Summer Office Hours Beginning the week of June 24th and continuing through the week of August 19th, the church office will be open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings from 8:30 to 11:30.