october 2014 from god's acre
DESCRIPTION
The October issue of The Congregational Church of New Canaan's newsletter.TRANSCRIPT
From the Pastor’s Study“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
Dear Friends, The scripture passage above is one of my favorites. It never fails to give me a deep sense of peace when I read it. These words of Jeremiah reassure us that God does have a plan for each of us. That God’s plan will bless us and give us hope. In a real sense, each of us as Christians have great expectations! Our lives are fi lled with ex-pectations. We expect that we will
go to a great school, and get a great job. We expect that we will marry and have children and that our children will do the same. We believe that we will always have wonderful holidays with friends and family. But sometimes life doesn’t work out in the same way our expectations outlined. How do we cope when life doesn’t meet our expectations? A life lesson that I am begin-ning to learn is that expectations can be either helpful or damaging.
They are helpful when they keep our standards high and cause us to keep striving for excellence. But they can be damaging when we are so focused on the ideal that we miss what God is doing in our midst. Living life to the fullest doesn’t mean achieving all of your expectations. It means welcoming life with all its ups and downs and knowing that God brings a bless-ing out of any situation. My prayer for each of us dur-ing this beautiful month of Octo-ber is that we will be able to see all that God is doing in our midst!
Blessings,
Anne
Hear refl ections about
the OG trip to Kenya
this past summer - and
plans for the 2015 OG
Trip!
Missions & Outreach / pg5
From God’s AcreOctober 2014Sharing Faith as a Way of Life Since 1733
The Congregational Church of New Canaan
Youth / pg8Pastoral Care / pg7Adult Christian Formation / pg3Guest preachers,
Christian Practices, and
a Forgiveness Study
begins - all this month!
Learn more about
the helpful resources
Pastoral Care
Ministries offer for
challenging times.
Love Light and Melody
Worship Service, and
the Guppies and JYG
Parent Meetings are
this month.
All creatures great and smallBlessing of the
Animals / pg4
How do we cope when
life doesn’t meet our
expectations? ”
“
Page 2
Memorials, Funerals, and IntermentsErvin Felton Bickley, Jr., on De-cember 7, 2013 in the Meeting House. The Reverend Chris M. Delmar offi ciated.
Thomas Charles Shreve, on May 17, 2014 in the Memorial Garden. The Reverend Chris M. Delmar offi ciated.
John Swan Weatherley, on May 21, 2014. The Reverend Andrea Raynor and The Reverend Dr. Anne W. Coffman offi ciated.
Dorie Sturtevant Peck, on May 31, 2014 in the Meeting House. The Reverend Chris M. Delmar offi ci-ated.
Jean Marion St. Clair, on July 12, 2014 in the Meeting House. The Reverend Chris M. Delmar offi ci-ated.
Jane Preston Watson, on August 16, 2014 at Lakeview Cemetery. The Reverend Chris M. Delmar offi ciated.
Charles S. Bryk, on August 22, 2014 in the Meeting House. The Rever-end Chris M. Delmar offi ciated.
Shirley M. Rand, on September 20, 2014 in the Meeting House. The Reverend Chris M. Delmar offi ci-ated.
WeddingsCarolyn Bankston Cross and Mi-chael Patrick Carroll, on June 21, 2014 in the Meeting House. The Reverend Chris M. Delmar offi ci-ated.
Baptisms
William Thomas, son of Alicia and
Bradley Meyer, on October 27, 2013 in the Meeting House. The Reverend Dr. Anne W. Coffman offi ciated.
Dillon Christopher, son of Stacey and Stephen Mettler, on December 29, 2013 in the Meeting House. The Reverend Dr. Anne W. Coff-man offi ciated.
Caroline Miller, daughter of Beth and William Herbert Stimpson, II, on April 27, 2014 in the Meet-ing House. The Reverend Jonah K. Smith-Bartlett offi ciated.
Maren Ryan, daughter of Laura and Paul McDaniel, on June 15, 2014 in the Meeting House. The Reverend Dr. Anne W. Coffman offi ciated.
Madeline Rose, daughter of Laura and Paul McDaniel, on June 15, 2014 in the Meeting House. The Reverend Dr. Anne W. Coffman offi ciated.
Paul Henry, son of Linda and Wil-liam McDaniel, on June 15, 2014 in the Meeting House. The Reverend Dr. Anne W. Coffman offi ciated.
Kendall Mayhew, daughter of Kris-ten and Peter Webb, on September 28, 2014 in the Meeting House. The Reverend Dr. Anne W. Coff-man offi ciated.
Emma Perkins, daughter of Regina and John Youngman, on Septem-ber 28, 2014 in the Meeting House. The Reverend Dr. Anne W. Coff-man offi ciated.
May Isabel, daughter of Chris-topher and Emily Rychman, on September 28, 2014 in the Meeting House. The Reverend Dr. Anne W. Coffman offi ciated.
Parish News
Are you facing an empty nest?
A job change? Retirement?
Then this event is for you!
On Tuesday, October 21 at
7:30pm in the Parlor, join Maud
Purcell, Founder and Executive
Director of The Life Solution
Center of Darien, Rev. Dr. Anne
Coffman, and Stephen Minister
Avril Sweeny for Talking About
Diffi cult Issues: Navigating
Life Transitions with Grace and
Resilience - a panel discussion
that addresses the emotional,
spiritual, and practical aspects
of life changes.
This event is sponsored by the
Pastoral Leadership Ministry
Team and the Adult Christian
Formation Ministry Team.
Please call the Church Offi ce at
(203)966-2651 with questions.
Talking About Diffi cult Issues: Navigating Life Transitions with Grace and Resilience
Maud Purcell, MSW, LCSW, CEAP is the
Founder and Executive Director of The
Life Solution Center of Darien, and will
join us for this panel on October 21.
Page 3Adult Education
The Book of Exodus Yale Divinity School Bible Study is now under-
way, but it’s not too late to join a group! Four small group discussion opportunities are offered every week in the library: Mondays at 6:30am, Tuesdays at 9:30am with childcare, and Wednesdays at 9:30am and 7:30 pm. Materials for the study are available in the church offi ce. For more information, please visit www.godsacre.org or call (203)966-2651.
Forgiveness: Finding Peace
Through Letting Go by Adam
Hamilton
There is nothing more crippling
than holding on to anger. Anger,
more than any other emotion,
has the power to consume all
aspects of our lives, distort our
sense of purpose, and destroy
our relationship with God.
In the passionate and life-
changing four week book study
on Forgiveness: Finding Peace
Though Letting Go, bestselling
author and United Methodist
pastor Adam Hamilton brings
the same insight that he ap-
plied in the bestseller "Why?" to the challenge of forgiveness.
Hamilton argues that revelation comes when we realize that for-giveness is a gift we give our-selves rather than to someone else. He also contends that only when we learn to forgive oth-
ers and ourselves can we truly receive forgiveness from God.
This study will be held on Sun-days, October 5, 12, 19, and 26 at 10:30am in the Parlor with leaders Bob Druckenmiller and Michel Cornier; with sessions to be repeated later this fall.
Interested? Contact Rev. Anne at [email protected].
Plan to be in worship on October 19. The Rev. Dr. David Bartlett and The Rev. Dr. Mark Douglas will be our guest preachers that morning. In their sermon, they will be addressing the consequences of our high tech, social media culture. A long-time friend of our congregation, Dr. David Bartlett is Professor Emeritus of New Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary and was previously the Academic Dean and Lantz Professor of Preaching at Yale Divinity School. Dr. Mark Douglas is Professor of Christian Ethics and Director of the M. Div. program at Columbia Theological Seminary. Drs. Bartlett and Douglas will preach at all three worship services and join us for a sermon talkback luncheon after the 11:15am service.
Christian Practices: Bible Study 101
October 7, 7:30-8:45pm in the
Parlor
Have you ever thought about studying the Bible but thought it might be too hard or that you might not have enough time?
Then join us for the fi rst session of our monthly series on Chris-tian Practices. October's topic is Bible Study 101. We meet on Tuesday, October 7 from 7:30- 8:45pm in the Parlor. This panel discussion will address all your concerns and answer all your questions!
October Guest Preachers
Christian Book Study: Fall 2014
Page 4Children & Family Music
I love Sunday mornings, don’t you? In fact, even as a child Sunday was always my favorite day of the week. Now I get to enjoy Sunday mornings with all of our church school kids as we learn our most beloved stories from the bible. This month we will parallel the Exodus Bible Study and will learn all about baby Moses, the burning bush, and the gift of manna.
But - did you know our Children and Family Ministry program is more than just what happens on Sunday mornings? We offer a host of events throughout the year in which you and your family can participate. The fi rst of these is for our 3rd graders as they learn all about the bible at our “Bible Ex-travaganza” on Sunday, October 5 at 10:30am. We’ll have fun at this Bible blowout in order to prepare to receive Bibles from the church on Sunday, October 12. Our 4th graders are also busy this month learning all they need to know about communion in preparation for their Introductory Communion
on November 2. The communion workshops will be held on Sunday October 26 at 1:00pm and Mon-day October 27 at 4:00pm. Please send your RSVP to Kelly McGinn at [email protected] for the “Bible Extravaganza” by Wednesday October 1, and for 4th Grade Communion by Wednesday, October 22.
In honor of the feast of St. Fran-cis, we will also host a Blessing of the Animals service on Sunday, October 12 at 1:00pm on the front steps of the church. We in-vite you to bring your pet, large or small, as we thank God for creat-ing all our animal friends and ask for a special blessing for those pets who share their lives with us. We hope to see you often on Sundays and at our special events as well!
Blessings,
Christy Lombardozzi
Director of Children’s Formation
and Music
Come sing
with us!It’s not too late to join a chil-dren’s choir! All you need to do is show up, and bring your sing-ing voice with you!
• Grace Notes (Ages 2-4) meet Mondays from 4:30-5:00pm
• Cherubs (Ages 4-K) meet Mondays from 4:00-4:30pm
• Spirit Singers (Grades 1-4) meet Wednesdays from 4:00-5:00pm
• Joyful Noise (Grades 5-8) meet Wednesdays from 5:00-6:00pm.
All choirs sing at special ser-vices throughout the year and perform in an annual children’s musical in May. We hope you will join us!
3rd and 4th Grade Spiritual Milestones
and Blessing of the Animals
Also in October
October 16, Pacifi c House, Shelter for the Homeless:Make or deliver and serve food to
the homeless, drop-offs 4:30pm,
deliver and serve 4:45pm. Info
and sign-ups, Linda Twombly at
October 25, Pivot Ministries: Come help renovate Pivot’s new
property which will be used as
housing and for employment
reintegration programs. Meet at
the church circle at 9:00am to
carpool to Bridgeport. Info and
sign-ups, Marianna Kilbride at
October 28, Open Door Pan-try Lunch:Serve lunch to Norwalk’s home-
less community. Depart church
circle 11:15am. Info and sign-ups,
Bob Druckenmiller at
Missions & OutreachPage 5
A Time for Refl ection
Be sure to hear the amazing journey stories of the Maasai Mission Trip
to Olosho-Oibor, East Africa as told by mission trip participants during
services. Afterward all OG (anyone who has been or wishes to be involved
in mission work) is invited to brunch following the 11:15am service. Hear
more about the Maasai trip and the fi rst word on the 2015 mission. Details
to follow. RSVP Marianna Kilbride at [email protected].
Maasai Mission Trip Refl ectionsSunday, October 26 at all worship services
OG Brunch at 12:15pm, RSVP to [email protected]
Sing During Advent with The Chancel Choir
Rehearsals Beginning This Month!
If you would like to sing with the Chancel Choir but have limited time, consider singing in the December services - there’s a place for you!
Come Thursday evenings, from 7:30–8:00pm for quick rehearsals for the Advent season. You will sit next to a helpful singer who will guide you along the way.
The schedule for Advent services is as follows:
• December 7, 9:30am: Advent anthems
• December 14, 9:30am: Advent anthems
• December 14, 5:00pm: A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
• December 21, 9:30 and 11:15am services: Daniel Pinkham’s Christmas Cantata with brass
Page 6Music
FACTS ABOUT CHURCH CHOIRS: » Choir contributes to understanding God and the experience of worship.
» Choir gives us the opportunity to be worship leaders.
» Choir fulfi lls the Biblical admonishment to “sing to the Lord.”
» Choir implants scriptural truth through rhythm, rhyme, and repetition, and song.
» Choir focuses on DOING rather than observing.
» Choir allows praise with body, mind, spirit, and voice.
» Choir helps develop concepts of teamwork and cooperation.
» Choir helps to use the singing voice properly.
» Choir helps to learn to read music.
» Choir presentations build confi dence as we learn to conquer fear and take positive risks.
» Choir, through a musical family, is a gift that will last an entire lifetime!
Remember Weekly
Choir Rehearsals!
Sing Unto the Lord a
New Song!
Mondays:
Cherub Choir from 4:00–
4:30pm, ages 4–K.
Grace Notes from 4:30–
5:00pm, ages 2-3 with
parents.
Wednesdays:
Spirit Singers from 4:00–
5:00pm, grades 1-4.
Joyful Noise from 5:00–
6:00pm, grades 5-8.
Thursdays:
Chancel Choir from
7:30– 9:00pm, high school
through adults.
For more information,
contact:
Jody Blaine Davis
(203)966-2651, x4
or Christy Lombardozzi
(203)966-2651, x35.
Pastoral CarePage 7
Confi dential Prayer Chain Ministry
Our church has a confi dential
email prayer chain ministry
with more than 60 people
currently participating. This
is a wonderful way to provide
praise to God for his many
blessings, and to pray for the
needs of others.
You can participate in two
ways:
1. Join the prayer chain
ministry and receive email
prayer requests and PRAY.
(No meetings, just pray!)
2. Send your email prayer
requests to: KJohnston4@
optonline.net or BJFlagg@
gmail.com.
This prayer ministry is truly a
blessing to all and is
CONFIDENTIAL.
In Psalm 91, we are promised that God will “command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” When we are hurting, we turn to God in prayer, and we open our-selves to listen to God’s leading, in-cluding being led to those “angels,” who can help in diffi cult situations, both spiritually and practically.
Our church has many caring and helpful resources available to you for such times. The Pastors, Stephen Leaders, and Stephen Ministers are here for one on one prayer and confi dential counsel. The Pastoral Ministry Team will make meals for you when needed, or to give you a ride to church. The Prayer Shawl Ministry will wrap
Let’s Talk About…
Helpful Resources for Challenging Times
Walking the Journey Together
The PMLT (Pastoral Ministry Leadership Team) is offering a multi-week Divorce Support and Healing Group titled Walking the Journey Together, which meets at the church every Monday night from 7:00 to 8:30pm. The group is led by Stephen Minister Shawn Gardner, together with licensed counselor Nicole Zasowski. The group began on September 29; if you missed the start date, it may be possible to join at the second meeting. Contact Shawn, (203)273-1212, [email protected], or Chris Delmar, 203-966-2651 x2, [email protected].
you in the warmth and love of a prayer shawl, and the confi dential Prayer Chain Ministry will pray for and with you. We also have a Divorce Support Group, and as the need arises, we offer other support groups and supportive programs.
We can also give you trusted refer-rals to outside groups and profes-sionals, who God may also be call-ing to be part of his team to bear you up. We have an extensive Re-ferrals Binder of carefully vetted counselors and other profession-als for a wide range of life issues, and we also maintain and update regularly a Bulletin Board and Resource Center in Smith Hall, which includes helpful notices and free pamphlets on a wide range of issues, such as prayers and guid-ance for diffi cult circumstances, as well as information about social services, alcoholism, depression, domestic violence, end of life and hospice resources, etc.
If you would like more informa-tion about any of these resources, or you would like to talk with a pastor, call the Church Offi ce at (203)966-2651, or contact a pastor using the 24/7 Pastoral Care Cell Phone: (203)984-9791.
Youth Ministries
Guppies and JYG are having their parents meeting on Thursday, Oc-tober 9 during their normal group times: Guppies from 4:00-5:00pm and JYG from 5:15-6:30pm.
We are excited to meet with all parents to collectively look at God’s vision for young people here at The Congregational Church and to best inform fami-lies about the programs offerings.
Normal Guppies and JYG pro-gramming for the kids will occur jointly with the meetings.
MSYG and YG: Guppies and
JYG Parent
Meetings
YG and MSYG will join together
this month for a special event
on the night of Monday, October
6 in place of their usual Sunday
events. We are very excited to
welcome Brad Corrigan, one of
the founding members of the
band Dispatch, to a worship ser-
vice and for a discussion about
his most recent non-for-profi t
venture, Love Light and Melody.
While Dispatch took
a break from 2002 –
2012 Brad made a numerous visits
to Managua, Nicaragua where pov-
erty and social injustice is preva-
lent. Today, he continues his fi ght
against the devastating living
conditions there through the non-
profi t organization he founded,
Love Light and Melody. Love Light
and Melody works with those liv-
ing in the trash dump of La Chu-
reca in the capital city of Managua.
It is dedicated to battling physical,
emotional and spiritual effects of
extreme poverty.
On Monday, October 6, the MSYG
and YG youth groups will meet
for a 6:30pm dinner in Smith Hall
with Brad. From 7:00-8:00pm all
are invited to the Meeting House
for an evening of worship, music
and a discussion about his work
and our collective Christian call
to serve our neighbors.
Brad is committed to giving a
voice to children of poverty and
who have been a victim of human
traffi cking. Because of the impor-
tant but diffi cult nature of the
topic we encourage parents to
make the best decision for their
children about their attendance.
For more information about what
Brad and Love Light and Melody
is doing please visit his website
at www.lovelightandmelody.org.
Left: Brad with Ileana, a young girl
from La Chureca; a young resident
of La Chureca.
Page 8
Our Church Community
MinistersThe Rev. Dr. Anne W. Coffman
Interim Senior Minister
The Rev. Chris M. DelmarMinister of Pastoral Care and Nurture
The Rev. Jonah K. Smith-BartlettAssociate Minister to Children & Youth
The Rev. Timothy PeoplesInterim Associate Minister
StaffCaroline Ainsworth
Youth Minister
Laurel CarrAdministrative Assistant
Kim CaseYouth Ministries Program Coordinator
Debbie ChapmanPastoral Care Coordinator
Dr. Jo Deen Blaine DavisDirector of Music Ministries
Anthony JonesSexton
Marianna KilbrideDirector of Missions & Outreach
Christy LombardozziDirector of Christian Formation & Music
Emily MackayYouth Program Assistant
Marie-Ange MastersDirector of Accounting
Kelly McGinnChristian Education Coordinator
Kelly MorrisseyChief Administrative Offi cer
Anne WilkinsonDirector of Communications
Church Lay LeadershipTim Ford
Chair, Board of Trustees
William PicardChair, Board of Deacons
Jay TwomblyChair, Nominating & Governance
Roger BoltonChair, Personnel
The Congregational Church of New Canaan23 Park Street • New Canaan, CT 06840
(203)966-2651 • www.godsacre.org • youth.godsacre.org
Submissions for the November Newsletter are due October 20.
Email submissions to Anne Wilkinson at [email protected].
History Committee: Music in Our Church in the 1800s
In the 1830s musical instruments such as the oboe and violin might accompany hymn singing. People felt quite uneasy about these “wicked” additions to singing. With time, th congregation real-ized that the hymn singing did improve greatly. In 1840, Rev. Theophilus Smith convinced the church to use the “Christian Psalmist” and more hymn tunes.
In the 1850s, the Rev. Ralph Smith was minister, an accomplished violinist, and a devoted lover of music. In 1855, it was voted to have the congregation stand for the last hymn at all services.
It is reported that in 1862 the Committee on Sabbath School Singing selected the fi rst “singing book” titled The Golden Chain. It was recommended that the chil-
dren come on Saturday afternoons to practice the music. It is also recorded that the Society Com-mittee paid a female “keyboardist” $50 per year and, by 1869, a male choir director $50 per year.
In 1874, the Church bought an or-gan for $1,538 and placed it in the east balcony. This organ required someone (usually a teenager) to pump the bellows so it could be played. In 1878, the Meeting House was remodeled and the or-gan was moved behind the pulpit at the west end beneath a column.
At the annual meeting in 1893, the church established the fi rst Music Committee. Three women from the Society Committee were the fi rst members and they also were named to the Hymn Book committee.
Join us for a mid-hour conversation about our 2015
Covenant Campaign. We’ll also provide an update on the
Senior Minister Parsonage Renovation. Sunday, October 26
10:30am, Church Parlor.
The parsonage will also be open for walk-throughs on
Sunday, Oct. 19 during Fellowship Hour.