Monthly Newsletter December 2015 Pastor s Ponderings As I write this, we are only a few days away from the spirited days that begin with Thanksgiving and conclude with New Years Day. For many of us, this time is one with a number of family traditions, moments together that many look forward to with anticipation. Some traditions take place during the special dinners of the season. Traditions include favorite movies that friends and family gather to watch again, awaiting scenes which some choose to "sing along" with and others which folks eagerly await "speaking along" with. You know what they are for you. For me, one of the holiday traditions is reading some favorite poems and portions of books that help to feed me and kindle the fires of anticipation and hope that make up the Advent season. One of those that gives me pause to remember and dream of what Advent and Christmas is and can be comes from Albert Schweitzer. Schweitzer was a man of many talents--theologian, organist, philosopher, physician, medical missionary and Nobel Peace Prize winner. The concluding words of his book The Quest for the Historical Jesus is a paragraph I find myself inspired by at the beginning of Advent each year. He comes to us as One unknown, without a name, as of old, by the lakeside, He came to those men who knew Him not. He speaks to us the same words: "Follow thou me!" and sets us to the tasks which He has to fulfill for our time. He commands. And to those who obey Him, whether they be wise or simple, He will reveal himself in the toils, the conflicts, the sufferings which they shall pass through in His fellowship, and, as an ineffable mystery, they shall learn in their own experience Who He is. Albert Schweitzer, The Quest of the Historical Jesus May the traditions, the readings, the viewings, the time spent with family and friends in the rich days ahead be times that feed and nourish, comfort and inspire, move and bless us each in the living of our days. Pastor David Page 1 Rev. David Minnick Page 2 Bridge Interim Pastor, Benevolence Page 3 Advent Overview Page 4 Advent Festival, Simply Smiles Page 5 Jesus Squad, Angel & Mitten Trees Page 6 Crèches, Caroling & Craft Fair In this Issue: Spring Glen Church 1825 Whitney Ave, Hamden, CT 06517 Page 7 Memorial Poinsettias, Nursery School Page 7: Worship & Fellowship Schedules Page 8 Habitat, Abraham's Tent, Progressive Dinner, Discussion Gr. Page 9 Thanksgiving Baskets, Actors Wanted Page 10 Financial Report Page 11 Calendar 1
Bridge Interim Sr. Pastor As you know, Pastor David will be retiring at the end of this calendar year. Starting January 1 st, while our Search Committee continues their work on our behalf, the Reverend Ruth LeBar will serve as our Bridge Interim Minister. Ruth is an experienced pastor and also an experienced Spring Glen Church member. She is a daughter of this church: she was baptized in the Great Hall and grew up here. During her divinity studies at Yale, she was In Care at Spring Glen Church. She then served as the full time pastor at Union Congregational Church in Oakville, Connecticut. After retiring from being a full-time pastor, she returned to worship at Spring Glen Church in recent years. She is already well-known and well-loved by many Spring Glen Church members, and she already knows and loves Spring Glen Church. Ruth will continue her role as one of our excellent volunteer youth group leaders, with coleader Braxton Carrigan. Pastor Clare will continue as our part-time Associate Pastor; Ruth will be our Bridge Interim Sr. Pastor. With gratitude for Pastor David's ministry, Spring Glen Church is strong and thriving. Today, and in the coming weeks, let us rejoice that we are blessed to have David as our Interim Sr. Pastor, let us celebrate and enjoy his ministry, leadership, and friendship. And let us look forward to our continued vibrant church life together. From the Benevolence Committee: It s that time of year again. As we prepare for the coming of the Christ child, let us remember those in need of help. Each year we offer an opportunity to support Columbus House through the purchase of gift certificates. They are beautiful. You can give them out to family and friends as part of your Christmas gift. The cost is only $5 per certificate. The Benevolence Committee will be offering them during coffee hour on December 6th & December 13th. We hope you will stop by and contribute to this worthwhile project. Blessings. 2
Advent Season 2015 hope peace joy love Sunday, November 29 First Sunday in Advent Lighting of the first Advent candle The theme is Hope Saturday, December 5 Beecher & Bennett 2 pm Annual Memorial Service hosted by Beecher & Bennett Funeral Home. Led by Pastor David Minnick and Sue Wilber 3pm Reception to follow in the Great Hall Sunday, December 6 Second Sunday in Advent Lighting of the first two Advent Candles The theme is Peace Advent Festival: 3:30pm Crafts 5:00pm Pageant 6:00pm Potluck Supper Saturday December 12 Annual Christmas Exhibition Joy to the World Crèches of Central Europe at Knights of Columbus Sunday, December 13 Third Sunday in Advent Lighting of the first three Advent candles The theme is Joy 11:30am Craft Fair Sunday, December 20 Fourth Sunday in Advent Lighting of the four Advent candles The theme is Love 6:30pm Community Christmas Caroling Monday, December 21 7:30pm Longest Night/Blue Christmas service A time for healing and hope, for those who have experienced loss. Led by Pastor David. Reception to follow in the Fellowship Room hosted by the Deacons Wednesday, December 24 5:00pm Family Service Christmas Eve 11:00pm Traditional Service of Lessons and Carols 3
Advent Festival December 6, 2015 Crafts: 3:30 pm in Great Hall Pageant: Pot-Luck Supper: 5:00 pm in Sanctuary 6:00 pm in Great Hall Advent has arrived and we are in the midst of preparations for Christmas. Please join us on December 6 for our Advent Festival. This is an event for all members of our church community, not just Sunday School families. The day includes three components and you may join us for any one of the events or for all of the events. At 3:30, we will harness our creative talents and craft together up in Great Hall. Tara Barrett is returning with a collection of new Christmas items along with some old favorites. From festive centerpieces and candle arrangements to pine cone trees and glass ornaments, there will be crafts for all ages and all crafts are free. Feel free to bring a friend! Crafters are asked to bring shoeboxes with them so their crafts have a space to dry. For those who prefer eating over crafting, the Jesus Squad (formerly known as the Youth Group) promises to make dozens of sugar cookies that we can decorate (and maybe eat a few, too!). I encourage you and your family to arrive at the crafts early to allow yourself adequate time to complete many projects. Thanks for Supporting Simply Smiles 4 At 5:00, our energy shifts to the Sanctuary where the children will lead our Advent Pageant. This is a pick-up pageant; there are no rehearsals and no pressure for our children to perform. All interested children can pick a costume from the Narthex and help us act out the Christmas story. The Congregation will sing familiar carols as they watch the Nativity story come to life. Sunday School students will unite for the conclusion of the Pageant for the singing of Go Tell It on the Mountain which they will learn in Chapel that morning. The Festival concludes with a pot-luck supper in Great Hall. We ask that you sign up in the entryway if you plan to attend and indicate whether you will bring an entrée, salad or dessert to share. If you are unable to provide food, please come anyway. We will have plenty of food to share. Advent is a time of active waiting for the arrival of our Savior. Please come to the Advent Festival and experience the hope, peace, joy, and love that are represented on our Advent wreath. Through our creativity, vibrant worship and warm fellowship, we hope to share in the Advent spirit. The Sunday School would like to thank the Congregation for its support at its annual Sunday School Marketplace held on November 8. Through the sale of items made by the Sunday School children and your generous donations, we collected $700.66 for Simply Smiles. We also want to acknowledge the Spring Glen Women who made a substantial donation. The children learned a great deal about intentional giving through this project. Thank you!!
Jesus Squad Update Last Sunday we had a great time at the Flight Trampoline Park in New Britain. Did you know our kids can fly? Not to mention Braxton. Incredible heights were reached. I was the official photographer, so if you want to see some video, just ask. After an hour of leaping and flipping we had a tailgate lunch in the sun. Fun! We are also thinking ahead to the summer mission trip, and maybe even joining in for the springtime long weekend mission trip that is currently in the works. Want to come along? But before we get to that we have a lot of cookies to make for the Advent Festival and then a bit of a break for Christmas. So stay tuned. You never know what we ll be up to next. Faithfully yours, Ruth LeBar - on behalf of the whole Squad. Christian Action Committee Season's Greetings! The Christian Action Committee is once again collecting gifts for Hamden Youth Services through Covenant to Care, and for our Christian Community Action apartment families. We ask that you consider the opportunity to brighten the season for someone less fortunate by visiting our Angel Tree. Please visit us in Great Hall during Fellowship Hour, choose an ANGEL off the tree, and provide a wish come true for a child in need. The sign up for the Angel Tree begins Sunday Nov 29th, and we ask that the gifts be wrapped and returned to the church by Sunday, Dec 13th. Questions? Contact Lee Laster at leelaster@outlook.com (203-605-6141) or Liz Ball at lizball@snet.net. Holiday Mitten Tree As we all prepare for the holidays, may we also be mindful that those in need are also preparing for the cold winter to come. We will continue the SGC tradition of decorating a small Christmas tree in the narthex with hats, mittens, scarves and socks (new this year) for kids of all ages. Please help us deck those halls during Advent. The tree will be available as of November 29. Many thanks in advance for helping to warm the hearts as well as the bodies of our children in need in our Greater New Haven community. -Cristian Action Committee 5
Joy to the World: Crèches of Central Europe Join friends from Spring Glen Church for the Knights of Columbus Museum s 11 th annual Christmas exhibition on Saturday, December 12 at 2:00 pm. Our self-guided tour will encompass more than 75 Nativity scenes on loan from seven nations: Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovak Republic and Slovenia. The tour will also feature 24 trees decorated with handmade ornaments and trim by Connecticut schoolchildren. Crèches have been a popular part of Western Christianity for more than 800 years. Introduced in Italy by St. Francis of Assisi, they served as a way for everyday people to reflect on Jesus modest birth. Through the centuries, crèches have developed into large and ornate displays in communities as well as humble presentations for homes. The museum is located at 1 State Street in New Haven. Admission and parking are free. Those interested in carpooling are encouraged to meet in the Spring Glen Church parking lot no later than 1:40 pm. Craft Fair Almost Christmas Greetings Spring Glenners! Christmas, with all its festivities and Gift Giving, is only a few short weeks away. With that in mind, I ask you to put our Annual SG Craft Sale on your calendars. This year our Sale will be on Sunday, December 13th, in Great Hall, after worship. This years talented artisans: Hannah Leckman ~ Handmade Pottery Susan Liddell ~ Hand crafted ornaments, etc. Mary Cameron ~ Hand made note cards from Africa Dick Smith ~ Hand created art, wood burning & Christmas ornaments Karley Etter ~ Handmade American Girl Doll clothes and accessories Nancy Whitney ~ Bags, bookmarks, quilts & other quilted stuff Amanda Cecala ~ Homemade crafts & gourmet chocolates (Pre-orders are welcome for chocolates) Ruth Le Bar ~ Hand~painted/silk screened scarfs Fellowship Place ~ Handmade cards Come and buy and share the Joy! Many artisans will be offering their goodies for pre-order and advance sale. Be sure to contact your favorite artisan if you would like to pre-order. Thanks for your support. As always, 15% of sales will go back to SGC. For information please contact Nancy Whitney, email: wrdsworth@att.net Christmas Caroling is coming! On Sunday, December 20, whoever wants to go caroling in the Spring Glen neighborhood will meet at the church at 6:30. Please bring a plate of cookies to share, as well as a mug for hot chocolate afterwards. Any and all ages, as well as friends are welcome to join us for this fun event! 6
Sunday Dec. 6: Mal 3: 1-4 or Bar 5: 1-9 Sunday Worship Schedule: Sunday Dec. 20: Micah 6: 2-5a Luke 1: 68-79 Phil 1: 3-11 Luke 3: 1-6 Sunday Dec. 13: Zeph 3: 14-20 Isa 12: 2-6 Phil 4: 4-7 Luke 3: 7-18 Luke 1: 46b-55 or Ps 80: 1-7 Heb 10: 5-10 Luke 1: 39-45, (46-55) Sunday Dec 27: 1 Sam 2: 18-20, 26 Ps 148 Col 3: 12-17 Luke 2: 41-52 December Fellowship Hour Hosting Schedule: December 6: Ruth LeBar, Karen & Mark Addesso with Katharine Healy December 13: Debra Tangarone, Amy & Tedd Lynn with Andri Smith December 20: Belinda Legere, Barbara Butler with Emily Smith Memorial Poinsettias Sign-up sheets are in the December 27: Marianne & Al Fontana, Theresa Voss with Peg Limbacher entryway to make a donation in memory of, or in honor of, loved ones. The poinsettias will decorate the sanctuary during Christmas. The plants are $15 ea. Please place your check or money order in the envelope attached to the sheet. Deadline: Dec. 20th Nursery School Openings Spring Glen Church Nursery School has openings in the program. The three year olds class meets Tuesday and Thursday. The 4 year old program meets Monday, Wednesday & Friday. For more information, please contact Nancy Mahoney Director : 208-288-6154 Remember...its never to early to start thinking about 2016-2017! 7
Habitat for Humanity An enthusiastic and able crew from SGC participated in a Sleeping Giant Build work day at 84 Clifton St. in New Haven on 11/7. We started with a foundation and sill, and ended the day having framed in the ground floor and put down some decking. Many thanks to Ted and Amy Lynn, Kurt Jagielow, Scott Muirhead, Bill Welsh, Richard Davis, and Arnie Cary. SGC has helped sponsor this build financially and now we have "put boots on the ground". Have your boots join us when we participate again. SAVE THE DATE ABRAHAM S TENT February 8 through February 14, 2016 Abraham s Tent Overflow Shelter, Opportunity for Service Spring Glen Church is one of many churches throughout the New Haven area participating this winter to provide overnight shelter for 12 male clients from Columbus House. Spring Glen Church has chosen the week of February 8 th, 2016, to host these men in our Great Hall. Volunteers are needed for the following: to provide, serve, and share meals with guests; to share after dinner activities, i.e. games, movies, and conversation; and volunteers to stay overnight. Look for sign-up sheets in January. Save the Date: Annual Progressive Dinner: February 27, 2016 Details to follow. Save the Date: Celebrate Pastor David s Ministry during Dec. 6th. Fellowship Hour February Book Discussion Join Ellen Schowalter for a discussion of Rachel Naomi Remen s book My Grandfather s Blessings on Thursday, February 18 at 7:00 pm in the Fellowship Room. Rachel Naomi Remen, a cancer physician and master storyteller, uses her luminous stories to remind us of the power of kindness and the joy of being alive. Dr. Remen's grandfather, an orthodox rabbi and scholar of the Kabbalah, saw life as a web of connection and knew that everyone belonged to him, and that he belonged to everyone. He taught her that blessing one another is what fills our emptiness, heals our loneliness, and connects us more deeply to life. Serving others heals us. Through our service we will discover our own wholeness and the way to restore hidden wholeness in the world. If you would like to order a copy of the book ($14), contact Debra Tangarone at friend7434@yahoo.com prior to December 18, 2015. 8
Thanksgiving Food Collection The Christian Action Committee would like to thank everyone who contributed to the 54 Thanksgiving food bags and gift cards we collected. Your generosity is overwhelming. The Hamden families who are the recipients of your donations will also be very thankful. Thirty of the bags were picked up by Hamden Youth Services and delivered before Thanksgiving to Hamden families. One bag will go to the family living in the apartment that we have adopted through Christian Community Action. We help to support the apartment by painting it periodically, providing household and cleaning supplies when a new family moves in, and supporting the children with backpacks, Christmas gifts and Easter baskets. Thank you! The Christian Action Committee Janet Morrison and Carolyn Cary, Christian Action Committee 54 Bags were collected for 30 families! In the middle: Susan Rubino and Beth Chiarillo from The Town of Hamden, Youth Services. Actors Wanted: The Man Who Came to Dinner The Theater Arts Ministry will present one of George Kaufman and Moss Hart s greatest comedies, The Man Who Came to Dinner, on April 14-15-16. Auditions will take place at 7 PM on Friday, January 8 th and 1 PM on Sunday, January 10 th. Rehearsals will start on Sunday, January 17th. The show includes a strong male lead and a very large number of other parts of various sizes for a variety of ages. Actors with smaller parts can also assume backstage and other supporting roles. A stage manager will also be needed. This is your chance to indulge your theater appetite, no matter what its size. 9
OCTOBER FINANCIAL REPORT This October saw a significant increase in overall receipts, especially for pledge income; and since income exceeded expenses (by almost $3,200), the year-to-date deficit for the operating budget dropped to just over $19,600. Considering that the church had a deficit of $4,500 at the same point last year and ended the year with a surplus, it is not unreasonable to think that the operating budget may end 2015 without a deficit, assuming pledge income comes close to what was anticipated. ber. This should be the last of the large insurance and annuity payments that will have to be paid in 2015. ment funds) are invested through the Connecticut Conference of the UCC. In recent months the funds have experienced losses, as have the financial markets overall, and that has had a negative impact on the expected investment/interest income. Reports on the invested funds are received several weeks after the end of a month and, therefore, the Treasurer s Report always shows the values as of the end of the prior month. Since the markets have shown significant gains over the last several weeks, there is good reason to hope that returns on our invested funds will have a positive effect in coming months. to do an outstanding job of controlling expenses to such a degree, in fact, that operating fund expenditures for this year are approximately $4,000 less than at the same time last year. October 2015 Income Pledges $ 22,537.43 All Other Income $ 4,419.21 Total Income $ 26,956.64 Expenses Ministry/Staff $ 12,106.82 Christian Education $ 498.75 Music $ 1,573.50 Office $ 2,025.07 Building Maintenance $ 2,611.72 Deacons $ 24.99 Church Organizations $ 161.25 Other Expenses $ 4,758.56 Total Expenses $ 23,760.66 Net Income or (Loss) $ 3,195.98 A copy of the detailed Treasurer s Report is always available in the church office or on the Committee bulletin board for anyone to review; copies can also be emailed by contacting Doug Hawthorne at 203-248-0922 or by email at dougdhawthorne@gmail.com. If there are specific questions regarding the church s financial health, please contact Treasurer Doug Hawthorne or Senior Trustee Ron Offutt. 10
December 2015 1 2 3 4 5 11 am Staff Mtg. FR 7:30 pm Adult Committee Mtg. Choir CR on Ministry FR 7pm Contemplative Prayer FR 7:00 pm Pastoral Search Comm. FR 2 pm Beecher & Bennett Memorial Service GH 3pm Reception FR 10am Worship/ Communion ADVENT FESTIVAL: 3:30 Crafts 5 pm Pageant 6pm Potluck Sup. 6 1 pm Bible Study 7 11 am Staff Mtg. 8 7:30 pm Adult 9 10 7:00 pm Pastoral 11 12 Annual Exihbition: Choir CR Search Comm. 7pm Deacon s Mtg. 7:30 Trustee Mtg. Joy to the World Chreches of Central Europe at Knights of Columbus PEACE 13 10 am Worship 14 1 pm Bible Study 15 11 am Staff Mtg. FR 7:30 pm Adult 16 17 7:00 pm Pastoral 18 1:45 Ella 19 Choir CR Search Comm. 11:30 am Craft Fair GH 7 pm Council Mtg. FR 7:oo pm Music Comm. Mtg. FR Scantlebury Visit OC JOY 20 21 22 23 24 25 10 am Worship 1pm Bible Study 11 am Staff Mtg. 7:00 pm Music 5:00 Family 7 pm Longest Night/ Comm. Mtg. CR Blue Christmas S Service S LOVE Reception to follow 7:30 CAC FR 7:30 Adult Choir Rehearsal CR 11:00 Traditional Service of Lessons and Carols S 27 10 am Worship 1 pm Bible Study 28 11 am Staff Mtg. 29 7:30 pm Adult 30 31 6:30 Youth Group 7:30 pm Benevolence Choir CR FR Christmas Day Offices Closed 26 11
The Springboard - December 2015 The Springboard newsletter is published monthly, with one issue for July/August SPRING GLEN CHURCH, UCC An Open and Affirming Congregation 1825 Whitney Avenue, Hamden CT 06517 Worship and Sunday School 10:00 AM Holy Communion first Sunday of the month phone 203-288-3381 fax 203 248-2070 email springg@snet.net 12