summer 2015 - bloomfield congregational...

Grace and Peace to all! What a wonderful day we had on Sunday June 21! I am so

grateful to each and every one of our church members and friends,

whether you were present in person or through prayer. Your generosity

and creativity in the gifts you gave is overwhelming! I am planning to

buy a new and better camera with some of your gift, so that I can take

more and better photographs – something that I have enjoyed doing in

our church and in my travels. I will think of this congregation with each

shutter snap! And I will also think of you each time I sit in the chairs you

so graciously are allowing me to take with me.

Although I am released from being your Pastor, there is still

packing and moving, and a few last tasks to complete. So, I will be in

and out during the first weeks of July, and then moving to Maine

around July 20. If our paths cross, it will be lovely, but Rev. Edwin Ayala

will be here to preach on Sundays, provide pastoral support and hold

office hours 10 -2 Tuesday and Thursday. I hope you will stop in to see

him! He is a kind, experienced, gifted and wise man of God and I am

confident he will provide the pastoral presence that the church needs at

this time, until the full-time Interim Minister arrives in the fall.

As I leave, I offer up this prayer:

Gracious God, watch over my beloved church. Grant them faith,

strength, creativity and confidence in this time of transition. Help them

“lean in” to the challenges and joys of this time, showing up for church

and generously contributing their time, talent and treasure to build up

your church. May your steadfast loving kindness permeate the

congregation as all walk together into the future that you set before

them. Help everyone know beyond a doubt that they are beloved, a

precious child of God, and beautiful to behold! May the wonderful people

of this church always do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with

You. Amen.

I will miss you all A LOT and will pray for you without ceasing.

May God bless the journeys we embark upon as our paths diverge.

Blessings and Peace, Pastor Deborah

ENJOY A SAFE AND HAPPY SUMMER

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SUMMER

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of 12 Summer 2015 Wintonbury Spire

June 28 – September 6

If you have a Pastoral need, please

contact a “Deacon on Call” listed to the left.

This information will also be noted in the

bulletin each week.

JUNE 28 to SEPT 6 - 9:30 am

SEPT 13 - Rally Sunday 10 am

SEPT – 20 (Fall/Winter Schedule)

Resume 8am & 10 am Services

Summer Schedule

June 22 – June 28:

Oz Gibbs; Dee Hart

June 29 - July 5:

Dee Hart

July 6 - July 12:

Dee Hart

July 13 – July 19:

Oz Gibbs

July 20 to July 26:

Janet Swan

July 27 - August 2:

Oz Gibbs; Janet Swan

August 3 - August 9:

Ursula Dang; Dee Hart; Anne Weaver

August 10 August 16:

Ursula Dang; Anne Weaver

August 17 to August 23:

Carol Johnson

August 24 to August 30:

Carol Johnson

August 31 to September 6:

Oz Gibbs; Carol Johnson

Church Office Hours

July 6 – August 14

Mondays CLOSED Tuesday – Friday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Deacon Contact Information

Ursula Dang 860-502-7408

[email protected]

Oz Gibbs 860 729 6793 [email protected]

Dee Hart 860-573-8443 [email protected]

Carol Johnson 860 392 9820

[email protected]

Janet Swan 860 242 8978 [email protected]

Anne Weaver 860-966-0786

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]







JOIN US IN OUR WEEKLY

SUMMERTIME BIBLE STUDY CLASS

(July 14 – August 21)

Classes will be held in the

living room

Tuesday mornings

9:15-10:15am

First Congregational Church

Nursery School

Now open enrollment for the Fall School Year

2015-2016

Refer a friend or family member to our wonderful program

Contact Shantel Bremmer @ 860-242-0183

To teach is to touch a life forever!

Bloomfield Social Services

!

For at least the last 30 years, members of

our church have faithfully cooked and

served a nutritious and delicious meal each

month at the Loaves & Fishes Soup

Kitchen in Hartford. We are regularly told

that our meals are the best! And we need

your help. Continued on page 10…

SPECIAL SUNDAY SERVICES

September 13, 2015 Rally Day

October 4, 2015 World Communion Sunday

November 26, 2015 Thanksgiving Sunday

December 13, 2015 Cantata

December 20, 2015 Christmas Pageant

Loaves & Fishes*

Loaves & Fishes serves a meal at the soup

kitchen on the second Tuesday of every

month. The meal is prepared in the kitchen

here at church on Monday the day before.

The dates between now and Rally Day are:

July 6 & 7; Aug. 10 & 11; & Sept. 7 & 8

*Call Karen Blanchard or Deborah Huebner

if you would like to help!


Interim Selection Committee Established The Church Council is pleased to announce that the Interim Selection Committee has been established and has begun meeting. The committee is chaired by Coleen Dobo and includes Oz Gibbs, Sophia Gray, Clay Hart, Cecilia Simmons and Dave Weaver. This group brings a great breadth of gifts, knowledge and experience to the task and we thank them for agreeing to do this important work on behalf of the church. They will be working closely with the Rev. Tamara Moreland, Northwest Central Regional Minister of the CTUCC. Please do not hesitate to contact Coleen if you have questions. She can be reached at 860-372-9437 or [email protected].

Summer Worship and Pastoral Coverage

The Rev. Edwin Ayala will be here to preach on Sundays, provide pastoral support and hold office hours 10-2 on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the months of July and August. Rev. Ayala is the retired Executive Director of the Christian Activities Council and is known to many in our congregation. He is the organizer and director of INTERSECTIONS CONNECTIONS, a consulting group promoting the richness of diversity and healthy multicultural interactions that celebrate the gifts and possibilities that diversity brings to all settings. He is ordained by the UCC and holds ministerial standing in the CTUCC. Rev Ayala has over 40 years of experience and is a gifted, experienced and wise man of God who will help us bridge this time of transition until an Interim Pastor is hired.

WELCOME REV. AYALA!

If you have requested a pledge envelope,

they are on the table outside of the church

office.


CHILDREN’S SUNDAY WAS

FABULOUS. GREAT JOB! Children’s Sunday is a very special

Sunday in our church year. It is the Sunday that

our Sunday School children lead the Worship

Service. This Sunday is a Sunday to celebrate

the children and participate in their Faith

Formation. Faith Formation takes place in

worship and in every aspect of church life.

This year’s theme is God’s Promises.

The Children did learn a great deal about God’s

Promises this year. Each Sunday they

experienced the scriptures that were used during

worship. They would listen to the Children’s

message and then continue to Sunday School

and learn even more about the scripture. The

Sunday school teachers used a new curriculum

this year that followed the Narrative Lectionary,

called Living the Word. The curriculum had

games and crafts and play acting to retell the

bible story. The children enjoyed dressing up as

bible characters during class. All the stories we

shared in Sunday school focused on the

promises of hope, joy, peace and love that we

have with God every day.

The Preschool, Kindergarten and First

Graders will present the Call to Worship today.

Our young children will be leading the

congregation in words of faith and trust in God.

Please join in the Call to Worship with our young

friends. Then they will sing a song for us of one

of God’s promises. Join in with us as we sing it a

second time.

The Second, Third, Fourth & Fifth Grades

are leading the Worship service for us this

morning. They also will be sharing with us

Poetry that speaks of God’s Promises that go

with us each day. Each student volunteered to

do each piece of the Worship service. This is

Faith Formation at its finest.

Our Eighth and High School class this

year were Confirmed in May. Some of them are

participating in this morning’s worship service.

Thank you to each of them for volunteering and

sharing their gifts with us.

All of our Sunday School children have

done great this year in learning, growing. They

have shared their talents in worship this year,

which were enjoyed by all. It truly is inspirational

to watch children grow in faith and truly we have

a lot to learn from our young people as we grow

in our faith as well.

Let us celebrate each child as they grow

in faith for this is a Sunday that our children shine

with God’s hope, God’s joy, God’s peace and

God’s love.

Vacation Bible School Registration Form is

included in this Spire. Please pre-register your child for “Everest”

Where kids learn to conquer challenges with

God’s mighty power.

Vacation Bible School,

August 10th ~ 14th from 9:00 – 12:00.

Feel free to invite your child’s friends to this

awesome week of music, learning and fun!

Fill out a registration form and turn it in to the

church office or call 242-0776.

June 28 – Sept 6

Children will receive a Children’s Bulletin for

use during the worship service each week

throughout the summer months.

Sunday School will resume with Rally Day at

10:00am. Have a wonderful and healthy

Summer filled with God’s blessings and

peace.


1

2015 JULY

Every Sunday 9:30 am Worship 12:30 and 7pm - New Birth Community Church

Every Monday 7pm Narc. Anon.

July 5 Communion Sunday

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost Lectionary Possibilities:

2 Samuel 5: 1-5, 9-10; Psalm 48 or Ezekiel 2: 1-5; Psalm 123; 2 Corinthians 12: 2-10; Mark 6: 1-13

6

July 12 Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Possibilities: 2 Samuel 6: 1-5, 12b-19; Psalm 24 or Amos 7: 7-15; Psalm 85: 8-13;

Ephesians 1: 3-14; Mark 6: 14-29

13

July 19 Eight Sunday after Pentecost Lectionary Possibilities:

2 Samuel 7: 1-14a; Psalm 89: 20-37 or Jeremiah 23: 1-6; Psalm 23; Ephesians 2: 11-22;

Mark 6: 30-34, 53-56

20

July 26 Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Possibilities: 2 Samuel 11: 1-15; Psalm 14 or

2 Kings 4: 42-44; Psalm 145: 10-18; Ephesians 3: 14-21;

John 6: 1-21

21

August 2 Communion Sunday

Lectionary Possibilities: 2 Samuel 11: 26-12: 13a; Psalm 51: 1-12 or Exodus 16: 2-4; Psalm 78: 23-29;

Ephesians 4: 1-16; John 6: 24-35

3

Loaves & Fishes

Preparation on

Mon July 6

Serving on

Tues July 7

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS

Through July 5: Monday - Friday

9:00 am – 5:00 pm

July 6 – August 14: Monday - CLOSED

Tuesday - Friday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm


JULY 2015

Every Tuesday

Every Wed. 7 pm Alc. Anon.

Every Thursday

Every Friday

7:30 pm Alc.Anon Every Saturday

30 9:15am – 10:15am Bible Study

1

2 Concert on the Green

6:30 pm Wintonbury Flying Club

3

4

7 9:15am – 10:15am Bible Study 4:00pm ABC

8 9 Concert on the Green

10

11 2:00 pm Lan-Ya Huang conducts Piano Master Class



7:00pm New Birth Comm Church

17 7:00pm New Birth Comm Church

18

21 9:15am – 10:15am Bible Study 4:00 pm ABC


24 25

28 9:15am – 10:15am Bible Study 6:30 pm Glenwood Green


31 1 August


2015 AUGUST

Every Sunday 9:30 am Worship 12:30 New Birth Community Church

Every Monday 7pm Narc. Anon.

August 2 We Welcome Rev. Edwin O. Ayala

Communion Sunday Lectionary Possibilities:

2 Samuel 11-26-12: 13a; Psalm 51: 1-12, OR Exodus 16: 2-4; Psalm 78: 23-29; Ephesians 4: 1-16; John 6: 24-35

3

August 9 Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Possibilities: 2 Samuel 18: 5-9, 15, 31-33; Psalm 130 OR 1 Kings 19:4-8;

Psalm 34: 1-8; Ephesians 4: 25-5: 2; John 6: 35, 41-51

10

August 16 Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Possibilities:

1 Kings 2: 10-12, 3: 3-14; Psalm 111 OR Proverbs 9: 1-6; Psalm 34: 9-14; Ephesians 6: 10-20; John 6: 56-69

17 Regular Office Hours Resume

August 23 Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Possibilities:

1 Kings 8 : (1, 6, 10-11), 22-30, 41-43; Psalm 84 OR Joshua 24: 1-2a, 14-18; Psalm 34: 15-22; Ephesians 6: 10-20; John 6: 56-69

24

August 30 Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Possibilities: Songs of Solomon 2: 8-13; Psalm 45: 1-2, 6-9 OR

Deuteronomy 4: 1-2, 6-9; Psalm 15; James 1: 17-27; Mark 7: 1-8, 14-15, 21-23

31

Loaves & Fishes

Preparation on

Mon Aug 10

Serving on

Tues Aug 11


AUGUST 2015

Every Tuesday

Every Wed. 7 pm Alc. Anon.

Every Thursday

Every Friday

7:30 pm Alc.Anon Every Saturday


5

7

8

8


12 13

14

15


19 20 21 22


26 3:00 pm ABC

27 28 29

1

2

3 6:30pm Wintonbury Flying Club

4

5

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS July 6 – August 14 Monday – CLOSED

Tuesday – Friday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm


Continued from page 3…

Simply put, our bank account is low, and we need funds to purchase food. Can You Help? Any donation is welcome and will be used directly to feed people in great need. Simply make your check payable to FCC Bloomfield, with “loaves & fishes” in the memo line. Thank you in advance for your generosity!!!

Bless You! The Loaves & Fishes Ministry Team.

_________________________________________________

THE BRICKS HAVE BEEN PICKED AND IS BEING MANUFACTURED

AND SHOULD BE READY FOR INSTALLATION NEXT WEEK.

ALSO, THE RAILING HAVE BEEN FABRICATED FOR THE NEXT

PHASE OF THE RAMP PROJECT!

Save The Date!

WHO

Leadership

ME? 148th Annual

Meeting Connecticut

Conference United Church of Christ

October 23 & 24, 2015

Newington High School

www.ctucc.org Nominee for UCC General

Minister & President The Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer


VBS Registration Ages 4 – 11 First Congregational Church in Bloomfield

August 10 – 14, 2015, 9 am – 12 noon

Families, please complete one form per child and

return to 10 Wintonbury Avenue, Bloomfield, CT, 06002.

Last Name First Name Age Grade in Fall

Date of Birth month day year male female

Child’s address

Parent/Guardian name

Parent/Guardian phone number(s)

Person(s) to be contacted in case of emergency

Name phone Relationship to Child

Name phone Relationship to Child

Does your child have any medical condition(s) that we should be aware of? (allergies, medications,

etc.) If yes, please describe:

Siblings who will also be attending VBS:

My child would like to be in class with the following friend(s)

I would like to volunteer to help with The undersigned gives permission to his or her child to participate in the above named activity and releases First Congregational Church in Bloomfield, its officers, employees, and agents from any liability whatsoever for any injury or death to person or loss or damage to property sustained by the undersigned for any member of his family, in attendance, and the undersigned agrees to defend and indemnify First Congregational Church, its officers, employees, and agents from any liability or loss they might sustain by reason thereof. In the event I cannot be reached in an EMERGENCY, I hereby give permission to the Emergency physician to hospitalize, secure proper treatment for and order injection, anesthesia, or surgery for my child as named above. Signed Date

Insurance Company Policy Number

OR I do not wish to have Medical Treatment or Transportation for my child until I have been contacted by emergency personnel. Signed Date By signing this registration form you agree that any photographs taken of your child at or during this event are the property of First Congregational Church in Bloomfield and may be used in future publications.


THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL

CHURCH IN BLOOMFIELD

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

10 Wintonbury Avenue Bloomfield, CT 06002 Church Office: 860-242-0776 Nursery School: 860-242-0183 Church Fax: 860-243-8035 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The Wintonbury Spire, newsletter of the First Congregational Church in Bloomfield – United Church of Christ, is published monthly to provide information to and about our members and friends. Items received in the office by the 15th of the month may be included in next month’s edition.

The Wintonbury Spire will be mailed on the last Friday of each month. Please sign up for the “Spire Party” where we stuff, fold, label, seal and stamp the Spire from 10:30 – 11:30 am.

August 28, 2015

STAFF CONTACT INFORMATION Rev. Edwin O. Ayala [email protected] 860-836.6651 - Effective 7.1.15

Shantel Bremmer, Nursery School Director [email protected] 860-242-0183 Andrea Davey-Mercer, Administrative Assistant [email protected]

Dorine DeCarli, Christian Education Director [email protected] 860-242-0776

Eustace Straker, Minister of Music [email protected] 860-242-0776

Rev. Joseph Tobin, Pastoral Care Coordinator [email protected]

Vacation Bible School August 10 - 14

Registration form on page 11


summer 2015 - bloomfield congregational...

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