CROSSROADS WORSHIP IN THE CHAPEL 10:30 A.M. FROM THE INTERIM PASTOR S DESK SEPTEMBER 2015 WORSHIP IN THE SANCTUARY 10:30 A.M.

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1 CROSSROADS VOL. 72, NO. 9 FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH (UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST), STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT SEPTEMBER 2015 WORSHIP IN THE CHAPEL 10:30 A.M. September 6 Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost Holy Communion, Deacons Fund and Food Trunk Offering WORSHIP IN THE SANCTUARY 10:30 A.M. September 13 Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost September 20 Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost September 27 Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost ******************************* SUNDAY FLOWER MEMORIALS FROM THE INTERIM PASTOR S DESK SEPTEMBER 2015 I find myself meditating on the FCC Vision Statement in particular the line, Embraces transformation of ourselves, our church, and the broader community. One way, FCC has chosen to embark on this journey of transformation by expanding your welcome. Just what does that word, welcome mean? In all the definitions I read, I found this one most evocative To gladly receive. In other words, we don t DO welcome, we make a space in order to welcome to gladly receive. As we gladly receive all who come through our doors, we welcome Christ. Being an usher or a greeter is not just a job where you are friendly and welcoming. Being an usher or greeter is an opportunity to receive Christ and to usher Christ s presence into this community of faith. When we wear nametags (if we do), then we invite Christ to call us by name and into our lives. When we make our church accessible and install better signage, we say that we gladly receive Christ s presence. There could be no better place for a church to begin to embrace transformation than this! Ushers, greeters, and all those who make a space for welcome are a part of the first steps towards living out this vision of embracing transformation. I hope you ll be a part of it! To donate flowers for our Sunday worship service, contact the church office for more information or to request a form. The cost for a bouquet to decorate the chancel is $60. Checks should be made payable to FCC Stamford with Flowers in the memo section and may be mailed to the church or placed in the offering plate on Sunday. Please contact the office for open dates. Susan On another note! I hope you ll join us for Rally Sunday on Sunday, September 13th! What a day we have planned. The Mission Team will lead worship, and share their reflections on the trip to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation, and the Christian Education committee has a cook-out planned for Coffee Hour! Hope to see you there!

2 THRIFT SHOP NEWS Music Express >>> > from the Music Director What s new: Women s Choir, Men s Choir, Carols from Other Lands, more hand-bell playing, +??? What s the same: we re still here What s old: we were there What do you want? TBD What do I want: Good music with and for everyone For more info: inquire within Want to join? Please get on board! DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR IDEAS FOR FCC? The Prudential Council is a group of church members that meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. to make important decisions about our church. The next meeting is September. All members are welcome to join us to learn about what's happening at FCC and let us know your questions/thoughts/ideas for FCC. If you have feedback, but can't make the meeting, please feel free to get in touch with anyone who is on Prudential: Wendy Avirgan, Steve Ayres, Lisa Bauerle, Peter Birch, Anne Firmender, Susan Gibson, Bob Godzeno, Rob Godzeno, Jean Meyer, Linda Peters, Pam Shadford, and David Vintinner. Reopening Thursday, September 10 th at 10:00 a.m. Hours are Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. & the third Saturday of each month 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Donations are always welcome. Volunteers have been working all summer to restock shelves and we are now looking forward to greeting our customers. Thanks to the generous donations received throughout the year we are able to raise money to help others. Most recently we donated approximately $200 worth of supplies to support the Back to School Supplies Collection for Inspirica sponsored by our Mission and Christian Education Boards We d also like to give a special thanks to our behind the scenes volunteers, Peter Birch, Joe Bryan and Bob Meyer who are always available to give us a hand. If you would like to help in the Thrift Shop on Saturday, please sign up on the clip board in the Parlor, or talk to one of the committee members. The Thrift Shop Committee Candice Bryan, Helga Downing, Jan Fuechsel, Kathie Laug, Elfriede Mallin, Jean Meyer, Pam Riley SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES 5 Marla and George Heath, anniversary 9 Pam Groeschner, Jessica Tenca, David Vintinner 10 Peggy Watson 12 Steve Ayres 13 Jose Padilla 14 Jean and Bob Meyer, anniversary 15 Regina Perry 17 Alex Siladi 21 Sean William Wells 22 Jean Meyer 23 Anne Firmender and Sam Jelliffe 28 Janna Fuechsel-Winfrey 29 Terry Hyde

COUNCIL SECOND SUNDAY WALK CORNER At our last meeting on July 8, the Prudential Council discussed ongoing developments with the building proposal.

3 COUNCIL SECOND SUNDAY WALK CORNER At our last meeting on July 8, the Prudential Council discussed ongoing developments with the building proposal. The various groups that use space in our church have been informed about the proposal and we will keep them up to date as we learn more. We encourage everyone to share their ideas/thoughts/concerns with us, by contacting any of us, by giving feedback in listening sessions or by sharing anonymously if you wish. We are continuing to work on several areas that were highlighted in the recent Vision Statement and report, including re-doing welcome at FCC, reviewing our financial reporting system and offering more opportunities for small group study, prayer and fellowship. We also have an offer from a web designer to help us update our website. If you would be interested in volunteering for a short time to help with any of these activities, please contact Rob Godzeno (rmgodzeno@gmail.com or ). Anne Firmender, Clerk PASTORAL SEARCH COMMITTEE The Search Committee has been hard at work since May. After some time getting to know one another and setting the framework for the search, we have been working on our church profile and our job description; these are the documents we will use to advertise our position. They describe what we are looking for in a pastor and explain who we are as a church. We expect to have them both completed and posted publicly in early to mid- September. After this, we expect to start receiving resumes from candidates who wish to apply for the position. Thank you so much for your continued prayers, support and patience during this process. We'll keep you posted with more information as it happens. Sincerely, The Pastoral Search Committee Joe Belisle, Dawn Brusco, Rob Godzeno (moderator, ex-officio), Tom Jenkins, Kathie Laug, Ellen Taylor,Godrey Ponnuthurai Karen Davis will lead the September 13 walk on Sherwood Island. All walks meet in the church parking lot at noon. Dress for the weather and bring water. See Kathie Laug if you have questions. See Kathie Laug if you have any questions. BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP On Monday, September 21, we will discuss Queen Sugar by Natalie Baszile. This novel is a mother-daughter story of reinvention that occurs when an African American woman unexpectedly inherits a sugar cane farm in Louisiana. In October we will discuss One Summer: America, In this book, Bill Bryson, one of our greatest and most beloved nonfiction writers, transports readers on a journey back to an amazing season in American life when people like Charles Lindbergh, Babe Ruth, Al Capone, and Al Jolson were in the news. Date to be announced. We meet in the church parlor at 7:00 p.m. All books are available in the church library. See Kathie Laug if you have any questions. VISIT OUR CHURCH LIBRARY The church bulletin always invites all of you to visit our library, but for whatever reason, very few books have been checked out. The library is such a good source right there for you - no visit to the Stamford Library necessary! Do come and see what we offer here! Following are a few titles the members of the book group have enjoyed, and you might, too. Of course, there are many, many other titles to thumb through - try it!!! Bill Bryson: One Summer Anthony Doerr: All the Light We Cannot See Amy Belding Brown: Mr. Emerson's Wife Markus Zusak: The Book Thief Laura Hillenbrand: Unbroken Daniel James Brown: The Boys in the Boat There are also many lovely children's books to enjoy. Hope to see you in the library or see your name on the cards that tell us you checked out some material. Helga Downing for the Library Committee

OUR WELCOME To go on a vision quest is to go into the presence of the great mystery (Lakota) FCC s mission trip has come and gone and we are left with trying to find the words to describe our

We have all found it hard to describe our time with the community of Simply Smiles and the beautiful people of the Cheyenne River Lakota Indian Reservation.

Once trust was established, everyone s heart was broken open. The elders were less guarded and welcomed us into their lives and shared stories of life.

4 OUR WELCOME To go on a vision quest is to go into the presence of the great mystery (Lakota) FCC s mission trip has come and gone and we are left with trying to find the words to describe our experience. We look for words not only for all of you who supported us with prayer and money and encouragement but also for those of us that had the great privilege of taking the trip. We have all found it hard to describe our time with the community of Simply Smiles and the beautiful people of the Cheyenne River Lakota Indian Reservation. We can tell you stories of the children, the elders, and the Simply Smiles community. The children tested our authenticity. Were we there to observe them or be vulnerable and listen? Once trust was established, everyone s heart was broken open. The elders were less guarded and welcomed us into their lives and shared stories of life. And the Simply Smiles community of staff and interns guided us through all the challenges of the week whether that was how to dig 3 foot holes in hard, clay soil or pour cement, or build sheds and houses or play with children who only asked to be loved. We have lots of stories about our activities, including working side by side with a UCC congregation from Vermont. Just ask us and we will hold your attention for longer than you might want! But the real story of our trip is captured in the Lakota quote at the beginning. We didn t go on a mission trip. That phrase is out of favor these days. Our experience was more of a vision quest. We went to see how another people view the world, how they make sense of the present and hope for the future. We were unsettled. We were out of our comfort zone. And in the end we knew we were in the presence of the great mystery. We didn t have answers. We couldn t fix anything or anybody. All we could do was be there. We were all changed in some way that you may or may not notice.but we know! The community of young adults who make up Simply Smiles is worth an article in themselves. If you want to know what a community looks like who is in mission, spend some time with them. There is no doubt about their identity. It comes through in everything they do. They are clear about why they are together. Being with them was like being in the presence of the great mystery. They live by faith. They are SALT and LIGHT in a barren land. Thanks for all your support. We will try to keep the vision quest alive as we begin our mission year together at FCC. Anne Mochulsky, Tephilla Ponnuthurai, Katie McAllister, Anne Firmender, Warren Richardson, Maureen Matthews, Rev. Susan Gibson, and Jean Meyer One of the objectives designated by Prudential Council, to be addressed this year is a Welcoming Re-do. With that charge, over the summer, a group comprised of Peter Birch, Melissa Rebello, Nya Chambang, Pam Groeschner, Pam Shadford and Susan Gibson has been looking at the many areas that have an effect on our welcome. The Welcoming Review committee has most recently focused on how to extend the welcome of Jesus to all members and visitors who join us for worship on Sunday. With worship back in the Sanctuary, it is the perfect time to begin our proposed set up of Ushers and Greeters. Greeters have been added to the roster of Ushers for the first faces that one sees here on Sunday morning. Guidelines for these efforts have been developed. Being a Greeter will take 20 minutes of your time before worship, while an Usher additionally has responsibilities in the service either way you re here for the worship service. And now, volunteers for these roles are needed for the coming months. You can be part of the welcome team for one Sunday or on a regular basis or even an irregular basis. Guidelines are available on the table in the Parlor, as well as a signup sheet. Take this opportunity to actively be part of the welcome of Jesus here. CALLING ALL CHEFS! Many thanks Lynne Koellner, Elfriede Mallin and Kathy West, who worked so well in preparing a wonderful meal for New Covenant House in August. The meal in July was lovingly prepared by Kathie Laug, Jan Fueschel, Wilma Ramazzini and Pam Shadford! This is a much appreciated service! Are you are interested in helping to prepare and serve a meal? We are always looking for members of our church who would be willing to volunteer in either the capacity of chef or helper. If you are one of those people, please come and see me, Helga Downing, or call me at

5 TRUSTEES CORNER Discernment around the FCC Building Proposal Continues (Still!) Our congregation has been busy this summer! We had eight open meetings on summer Sundays, with the biggest at the end of June and July. In the June meeting, we saw an initial proposal of $2,735,000 from Copperline Partners to demolish those portions of our building North of the parlor and to build us a new parking lot, 2100 square foot community room along Bedford Street, and to construct a residential building over our parking lot and North wing space. In the July meeting, we sketched out the ways that the proposal might or might not fit in with the current and future mission of First Congregational Church of Stamford, and we considered new layouts for the remaining building. We did not have the vote in August because we are not done thinking! Are the financial flexibility (and new bathrooms) of a Yes worth the disruption and loss of our air conditioned chapel? Are the current classrooms and chapel we d keep with a No worth the struggle of unbalanced budgets and maintenance expenses? Will we be able to make this choice together in a way that preserves our community and God s purpose for it? The trustees propose this schedule going forward: October 4: A Covenanting Workshop where we set the rules for how to finally discuss and decide, followed by presentation of the possible new building by Copperline Partners October 18: A "Scenario Testing Workshop where we split into groups with the proposal, maps, church budgets, and other resources, to flesh out recommendations for Prudential and Trustees about what would be best for us to do after a No or Yes decision is finally made. November 1: Congregational meeting to vote on this development plan, the 2016 budget and other business as usual. Please mark these dates on your calendar, reach out to the Trustees with any questions you might have in the meantime. Sunday Morning Docents Needed! Do you have one of those silver keys for the main door from the parking lot to the 1 Walton Place building? Then you have all you need to volunteer as one of the docents to open up the church building on Sunday mornings or to close it up on Sunday afternoons. Now that we no longer have a sexton on staff, we rely on volunteers to get our building humming and ready for worship each week. We are also interested in talking to congregants willing to act as docents for outside groups on other days of the week. If you are interested in serving the congregation in this way, please reach out to one of your trustees and let us know! Yours in Service, David Vintinner and Stuart Constantine

6 First Congregational Church Walton Place Stamford, CT Crossroads is published monthly by THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT Member of the United Church of Christ An Open and Affirming Congregation Walton Place, Stamford, CT Telephone: / Fax: / fccstamford@gmail.com Keep us informed! LECTIONARY READINGS September 7: Ex 12:1-14; Ps 149 or Ezek 33:7-11; Ps 119:33-40; Rom 13:8-14; Matt 18:15-20 September 14: Ex 14:19-31; Ps 114 or Ex 15:1b-11, or Gen 50:15-21; Ps 103: (1-7), 8-13;Rom 14:1-12; Matt 18:21-35 September 21: Ex 16:2-15; Ps 105:1-6, or Jon 3:10-4:11; Ps 145:1-8; Phil 1:21-30; Matt 20:1-16 If you are ill or hospitalized or have any concerns, please call the church office or let any of the Deacons know. We would like to include you in our prayers and visit you! September 28: Ex 17:1-7; Ps 78:1-4, or Ezek 18:1-4, 25-32; Ps 251-9; Phil 2:1-13; Matt 21:23-32;

CROSSROADS WORSHIP IN THE SANCTUARY 10:30 A.M. FROM THE INTERIM PASTOR MAY 2015

CROSSROADS WORSHIP IN THE SANCTUARY 10:30 A.M. FROM THE INTERIM PASTOR MAY 2015 CROSSROADS VOL. 71, NO. 5 FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH (UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST), STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT MAY 2015 WORSHIP IN THE SANCTUARY 10:30 A.M. May 3 May 10 May 17 May 24 May 31 Fifth Sunday of Easter