T h e n e w s l e t t e r o f A s y l u m H i l l C o n g r e g a t i o n a l C h u r c h

Open to and affirming of all God’s people

Volume 69 • Issue 18 • May 15, 2014

See “Stewards” pg. 2

Caring Ministries ....7Youth & Teens ........7

Church in Motion ....3Music & Arts ............5

Outreach & Comm .5Children & Fam. .....6

uCC News ..............8women’s Fellow ...8

Duke Ellington ... in the church ... with a Jazz Band! Sunday, May 18, 4:00pm | Tickets ($25) available by call-ing the Concert Line at 860.278.0785 or online at ahcc.org

Best of the Sacred Concerts to include four Hartford Church ChoirsA John & Edie Murphy Music for Humanity ConcertJust want to “CLUE” you in on this special and powerful musical collaboration: the Music Ministry of AHCC is proud to partner with three sister churches in Hartford’s North End as we recreate music from Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concerts. The choirs of AHCC, Faith Congregational Church, Union Baptist and Metropolitan AME Zion join in this musical journey through the faith and spirituality of one of America’s greatest jazz composers and performers.

The concert features a 15-piece band made up of some of Hartford’s fi nest jazz players, amazing tap dancer Corey Hutchins, inspiring soloists from across the region, and a choir of more than 100 voices! For the past few months, choirs from the four churches have been practicing on their own, as well as gathering at different houses of worship to meet, share and sing together – building community as we build this concert event. Drawn heavily from the Black experience in America of the 1960s, this unique blend of gospel, classical, jazz, choral and blues styles manifests a spiritual message and deep theology we all share. AHCC soloists Jolie Rocke Brown, Sarah Armstrong, Schauntice Marshall-Shepard and Traci Christiansen Keen will be joined by Marques Ruff who is stepping out of his current tour with Chanticleer to sing with us. As you can imagine, they sound amazing!

This concert is presented as a John and Edie Murphy Music for Humanity Concert, an outreach program of Asylum Hill Congregational Church. The full value of your ticket to the Duke Ellington Sacred Concert will support the YMCA Teen Incentive Program (Y-TIP), which is offered through the Wilson-Gray YMCA Youth and Family Center on Albany Avenue, Hartford. Y-TIP engages youth in a variety of academic enrichment and career exploration activities with a goal of improving the academic success of low-income, minority children that frequent the Wilson-Gray YMCA, by helping them develop the skills needed to make positive choices for themselves and their families.

The Great Architect(Important information every AHCC

member needs to know!)Many of the great theologians of the church, from Thomas Aquinas to John Calvin and even our very own Steve Mitchell in recent tours of the sanctuary, have referred to God as “The Great Architect” referencing both God’s handiwork in structuring creation and God’s choice to be born into the house of a carpenter.

Clearly, God is a fi rst class architect, artist and craftsman. For nearly 2,000 years people and communities of faith have been moved to create beautifully designed wor-ship spaces which honor the creativity and majesty of the Great Architect.

Our faithful forebears, those who char-tered and launched Asylum Hill Congrega-tional Church in 1865 were no different. A handful of families raised $116,208.58 and secured the talents of well-known church architect Patrick C. Keely to design a struc-ture that would speak of God’s presence and refl ect God’s light at every turn. The next time you enter the sanctuary, look around and you will see the shape of a candle repeated countless times all over the sanctuary. No matter where you look, you can only con-clude: this is a church and all that I see here speaks of God.

Our building is their gift to us and to our city and we have every reason to be grateful for inheriting such an astounding asset for ministry and mission. That’s clear and obvi-ous to all of us. What might be less obvious is that our building is facing some signifi cant challenges from the boiler to disturbing malfunctions with our aging sound system (actually that’s been VERY obvious recently) and a few places in between.

We think that you, as the current stew-ards of 814 Asylum Avenue, need to know more about these challenges. Please read on and allow us to bring you up to speed.

Women’s Prayer Group Tuesdays, 10:00am

There is no need to register to be part of this wonderful group as it is a casual gathering of women (come as you are, and as you are able). We open with the sharing of joys, continue with thoughtful and spirit-fi lled conversation, and end in prayer and meditation.

If you would like more information or would like prayers lifted, please contact Erica Thompson at ethompson@ahcc.org or (860)216-9823.

wOMEN’S FELLOwSHiP

“Stewards,” cont. from pg. 1

Legacy SundayJune 1, 10:15am

On Legacy Sunday, we have an opportunity to celebrate the many generous people who have made a more-than-a-lifetime gift to the church. On this special Sunday, we recognize members of the Legacy Fellowship, the group of AHCC members who have made arrangements for the church in their estate plans.

Following worship, we will have information on how to get involved and perspectives on what it means to be a member of our church community for more than this lifetime. Please prayer-fully consider if you can be part of this “forever giving” group. There are many ways to arrange it and the Planned Giving Committee can help you find the best method to become involved. Most of all, please join us in worship on June 1 for this special service that will celebrate the Church of tomorrow and all the members of our church community with us in this time and in this place.

For more information on becoming a Legacy Fellowship member, contact Helena Carv-alho, Director of Operations at 860.216.9824.

Youth DirectorPosition Available

Complete job description on our website, here.

Contact Helena Carvalho, Director of Operations at 860.216.9824 for more information.

When our former moderator Ruth Hofstatter hugged her newly elected successor, her first words to him were not congratulations. Instead she said, “Thank God the boiler did not break on my watch, Ted!” Our heating and ventilating system is running on borrowed time, a jury-rigged contraption just waiting to break down for good. In 2013, the church spent $13,000 on maintenance of our antiquated heating system. We also spend a good bit more in fuel costs than new systems require.

A reliable, efficient HVAC system is critical to everything we do as a church. It provides warmth for our early learning center, after-school programs and adult education; it provides a comfortable and welcoming environment for our pastors, staff, members and countless guests, including the dozen non-profits who do their work within our walls. Heat and ventilation play a key role in the life of our church. We have an extensive schematic report from Aztech Engineer-ing, Inc. detailing the necessary upgrades of the HVAC system.

Another priority is to overhaul our audio sound system. If you have been to church recently, you have no doubt experienced the crackles, pops and bangs that

interrupt worship. Proclaiming the gospel is our highest priority and our first commitment to mem-bers and guests, and our sound system is not serving us well at all. We want to make sure we’re welcoming and that nothing intrudes on or detracts from the worship experience. Upgrading the audio system and installing a projection system with discreet, retractable screens are high on the list of needed improvements.

And we have other mainte-nance challenges. The next time you enter the church from the east parking lot, look up and to your right. You will see windows set in rotting frames. They are not only unattractive, but also contribute to our energy efficiency issues. We need to replace those windows.

The first time your current senior minister came into the sanctuary as a candidate for the position, he first looked up to our glorious windows and ceiling. Then he looked down—and saw duct tape. The sanctuary floor is cracked in several places and popping up in others and needs to be replaced.

Further down the road, we will need to restore the remainder of the stained glass windows in the sanctuary. As you know, we have already begun this work by removing the windows in greatest need of restoration, the Mary win-dow and all of the lower ventilator windows. The funding for the restoration is made possible by a donation from Doug Russell in loving memory of his wife Mary. The rest of our magnificent “gifts of glass” have about 10 years left until they reach a similar critical point.

How will we address all of

these issues? Your leadership is hard at work right now research-ing and considering our options to find the most responsible and cost effective way forward.

We are approaching the 150th

anniversary of the church and planning a fitting celebration. Significant anniversaries like this one provide a special opportunity to reflect on our past, our present, and where God is leading us into our future. In the meantime, we will arrange some “field trips” into the depths of the church to allow you to visit our aging boiler and learn more about our plans for the future. Please feel free to ask us any questions you may have at any time and we will be happy to answer them.

Imagine our church cold, dark, and empty. The boiler has died, the message cannot be heard on Sunday mornings and the mem-bership has dwindled. That’s clearly not what our forebears in faith had in mind when a hand-ful of families built a sanctuary large enough for 800. Instead, let us prayerfully prepare for the important work ahead and invest in the church of tomorrow so that members and visitors will con-tinue to have a place to call their spiritual home and grow in faith and love as disciples of Jesus.

And all of us will be able to say with joy, “Surely, the pres-ence of the Lord is in this place.”

Please stay tuned! Sincerely,Ted Carroll, ModeratorLisa Giller, Chair of Buildings

and Grounds CommitteeMatt Laney, Senior MinisterPaul Pescatello, Chair of Ad-

ministration and Finance Com-mittee

Staff and Leadership:Matthew Laney, Senior Minister - mlaney@ahcc.org

Erica A. Thompson, Assoc. Minister - ethompson@ahcc.orgDonna K. Manocchio, Assoc. Minister - dmanocchio@ahcc.org

Daniel J. Campolieta, Organist & Assoc. Music Director - dcampolieta@ahcc.orgHelena F. Carvalho, Director of Operations - hcarvalho@ahcc.org

Kim Grehn, Stewardship Coordinator - kgrehn@ahcc.orgMarcie Jackson, Director of Children & Family Ministries - mjackson@ahcc.org

Tony Mein, Director of Outreach Ministries - tmein@ahcc.org Newsletter Editor, Rhonda Mitchell, Communications Manager - rmitchell@ahcc.org

Steven A. Mitchell, Minister of Music & Arts - smitchell@ahcc.orgMolly Reynolds, Director of Member Engagement - mreynolds@ahcc.org

Ted Carroll, Moderator Holly DeYoung, Vice Moderator

ASYLUM HILL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

814 Asylum Avenue Hartford, CT 06105-2892

Ph: (860)525-5696; Fax: (860)525-3457

www.ahcc.org • info@ahcc.orgWorship Services

Sundays at 9:00 & 10:15 a.m.

2 Sign up for all events at the Opportunity Table unless otherwise specified.

Rev. Martin Copenhaver to preach at AHCC on Pentecost SundaySunday, June 8, 9:00 & 10:15am worship

Rev. Martin Copenhaver is the newly elected president of Andover Newton Theological School, a progressive Christian seminary on the forefront of theological education and the oldest theological school in the United States. Rev. Copenhaver will assume the post on June 1, 2014, succeeding The Rev. Dr. Nick Carter, who has served as Andover Newton’s president for 10 years.

Where will Rev. Copenhaver give his first sermon as Andover Newton’s president? At Asylum Hill Congregational Church of course! On Pentecost Sunday we will welcome Rev. Copenhaver to our pulpit.

Ordained in the United Church of Christ (UCC) in 1980, Copenhaver has served as senior pastor of Wellesley Congregational (Village) Church in Wellesley, MA, the largest congregation in the Massachusetts Conference of the UCC, since 1994. During this time, he has been active in theological education, serving as a trustee of Andover Newton for the past 10 years and as a member of the Board of Advisors of Yale Divin-ity School for the past eight years. A highly respected thought leader and prolific writer with a national reputation, Copenhaver also currently serves as editor at large for The Christian Century magazine.

In reflecting on the challenges confronting seminaries today, Copenhaver said, “I am impatient with the narrative of decline. Yes, this is a challenging time for faith communities and, yes, in many settings there are fewer people and fewer dollars. But is that to be the story of our time? No. God is doing a new thing and we need to catch up with what God is doing.”

Be sure to be in worship on Pentecost Sunday as we celebrate the birth of the Christian Church and welcome Rev. Copenhaver.

Remembering the FutureHow can I care for my church – my church friends, the people and place where I worship, where I find joy and inspiration and peace and wel-come? How do I say “thank you?” How do I help? I reach out, I participate, I listen, I offer, I lead, I follow, I give, I ask, I love.

Creating opportunities for prayerful stewardship, AHCC’s newly formed Stewardship Committee will take up the recommendations of the December 2012 report of the Stewardship Task Force. You may request a copy of the report by contacting Helena Carvalho, Director of Operations.

To us, stewardship is not exclusively, or even initially, fundraising. To us, stewardship is building a collective understanding of what our church and our faith means to each of us individually and collectively. It is learning and following what our Christian values teach us about how to live and what kind of community we want to be.

The more we each find what we need in our church, the more ways we want to contribute to sustaining this important resource in our lives and our community. When we are part of a congregation that joyfully embraces the work of caring for each other and our wider community, we understand how important it is to sustain the very church that sustains each of us.

To this end, the Stewardship Committee is here to promote conversations about who we are as a church and how each of us can help. We’d like to hear from you! If you have comments or ideas about stewardship, please email Sandy Wood Forand, chair of the Stewardship Com-mittee, at swoodforand@gmail.com.

Please welcome these talented and dedicated members who have joined the committee for the next two years:Susan Aller, John Bourdeaux (Member Engagement Committee Chair), Linda Campanella, Mally Cox-Chapman, Scott Crespi (EMC Co-

Chair), Sue Dana (Planned Giving Committee Chair), Rev. Matt Laney, Peter Lisi, Nicole Miller, Scott Orsey, Brooke Penders, Diane Thomas, Tom Tresselt, and Sandy Wood Forand (Stewardship Committee Chair).

Invite a Friend to the Hartford SymphonyDo You Hear The People Sing?Saturday, May 31, 7:30pm, Mortensen Hall at The Bushnell Theater

Reduced Ticket Prices and Limited Availability! The Hartford Symphony Orchestra (HSO) and Asylum Hill Congregational Church have made special arrangements to host a musical evening for members and friends of AHCC. Under the leadership of Buck Rogers, and with the support of the Membership Committee, we have arranged for special ticket prices and a pre-concert reception for AHCC members and guests. We hope to use this event as an opportunity to introduce your neighbors and friends to the great people at AHCC and further our mission of supporting the City of Hartford and her flagship organizations. It’s a win/win/win – reduced ticket prices, invitation to friends and fellowship, support for the HSO! Do You Hear the People Sing celebrates the music of two of the world’s most prolific writers of musical theater, Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg, in an epic Broadway-style event. This ultimate concert experience features music from Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, Martin Guerre, The Pirate Queen, and many more. The HSO is joined by the voices of the Hartford Chorale, directed by Richard Coffey and our own Jack Pott, Assistant Music Director.

TICKETS: $28 pp, including pre-concert reception. LIMIT: 30 tickets at this price. Sign up as soon as possible at the Opportunity Table with your check for $28 per ticket made out to AHCC - HSO. Contact Steve Mitchell smitchell@ahcc.org for more information.

CHuRCH iN MOTiON

3860.525.5696 • www.ahcc.org Asylum Hill Congregational Church - Open to and affirming of all God’s people

Dine Around GroupDon’t drive at night?No problem. Let’s do brunch! Sunday, May 18, 12:30pm

The Dine Around Group is a great opportunity to get to know some people through lively conversation. This month we travel to Da-kota’s Steakhouse in Rocky Hill (exit 24 off I-91). This restaurant has won awards for the best brunch in Hartford County.

Brunch menu includes scrambled eggs, fresh seasonal fruit, omelets made-to-order, bagels and cream cheese, homemade Belgian waffles, bacon and sausage, homefries, as-sorted pastries and muffins, smoked seafood, carving stations, hot entrees, farm-fresh salad bar, assorted cheese and cold cuts, assorted cakes, pies and candies, juice, soda, milk, coffee and tea.

See the Opportunity Table for sign up and leave your check in the box. ($21.95 adults, $9.95 children 3-10).

AHCC Receives Gift of Twichell LettersThree letters written by the church’s first pastor, Rev. Joseph Twichell to Yale classmate John Haskell Hewitt, were recently donated to AHCC by Dr. Walter L. Powell. Dr. Powell is the executive director of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants in Plymouth, Massachu-setts, and an acquaintance of Steve Courtney, author of Joseph Hopkins Twichell: The Life and Times of Mark Twain’s Closest Friend.

In one of the letters, Twichell writes, “I did not attend commencement [at Yale] this year, having the more serious business of salmon fishing to attend to.” Could this be the original “gone fishin’” letter?

We are grateful to Dr. Powell, whose tenure in Gettysburg as director of planning and his-toric preservation, and editor of Connecticut Yankees at Gettysburg, was very helpful to one of our Pastor Emeriti, Peter Grandy, when he was trying to find information about his great, great grandfather who served with the Connecticut 17th Regiment and lost his life at the Battle of Gettysburg.

We hope to have these letters as an addition to our Twichell archives, along with a Twichell letter gifted a few years ago to the church from Dr. Tom Long, on display during the church’s 150th anniversary.

A Ministry of CommunicationSign Language Interpretation

“Giving deaf people and the hearing impaired the opportunity to receive information they wouldn’t otherwise have access to,” is the message, the purpose, and perhaps even the calling for both Kathy Strauss and Kae Linn Volpintesta, sign language interpreters for our deaf and hearing-impaired community at Asylum Hill Congregational Church.

Kathy has worked as an interpreter for AHCC since 2003, and began doing so as soon as she retired from the State of Connecticut where she worked as an interpreter for 25 years. Born and raised a Southern Baptist in Oklahoma City, Kathy has certainly strayed from her religious roots, but is no stranger to sign language and began learning the skill four decades ago. Shortly after the start of her work with AHCC, she met Kae Linn Volpintesta who at the time needed to accumulate hours for a sign language class she was taking. Kathy encouraged Kae Linn

to help out at AHCC and earn her hours on Sundays, and they’ve worked together as a team ever since.

Following her passion for teaching, Kae Linn never could have foreseen the path her life has taken since getting a degree in Chem-istry in 1990, and later earning her Masters in Secondary Education in Science. She saw sign language as a way to earn the credits necessary to complete her schooling, and it has developed into an extension of her career, as her desire to include and help others makes its way into the lives of the deaf and hearing-impaired.

Being an interpreter is a challenging occupation and requires a great deal of endurance. The need to stay focused and concentrate is a must, and this can be taxing and tiring. Signing for a church is considered even more difficult due to the religious and archaic nature of the language, as well as the need to sign music, which can be sung in Latin, Hebrew, and other unfamiliar languages. It’s difficult to find religious interpreters, so most churches go without. We at AHCC are blessed to have two passionate people do this very important work, not just on Sundays but at many church activities throughout the week, to provide an opportunity to experience God’s Word, along with inclusiveness and a sense of community for all who attend.

by Christina Steinhauser, Communications CommitteeKae Linn Volpintesta

Kathy Strauss

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MuSiC & ARTSWe Need Your TRASH!Summer Parade Project heads to “The Jungle” this August; Donations can be left on stage in Drew HallAHCC’s annual Community Art Project & Parade is getting its act together! But we need supplies and decorative items from YOU. As you continue your spring cleaning, keep us in mind and bring usable items to church. We will reuse and recycle them into works of “moving art” and costumes for the neighborhood parade on August 23. This year’s theme is In the Jungle, so we expect to see lots of plants, animals and insects in the parade line up.

What can YOU offer to the collection? We are looking for the following items (and more if you think of it):Fabrics: bed sheets, large pieces of colored fabric (1 yd. or more), animal prints, smocks and rags, T-shirts, pantyhose, tights or stockingsCardboard: large pieces – single ply (furniture/fridge boxes), toilet paper and paper towel rollsDecorative items: Colored paper, feathers, pipe cleaners, shiny and colorful things, yarn, bottle caps, egg cartons (paper or Styrofoam)Paint Supplies: brushes, rollers, drop cloths (no paint, please)Structural: egg crate foam (like a bed roll), water bottles: any size – with caps, aluminum cans, wire hangers, umbrellas, bicycle inner

tubes, PVC pipe, wood poles, dowels, mop/broom handlesTools: pliers, hammers, wrenches, wire cutters, screw drivers, utility knivesRolling stuff: strollers, wheel chairs and wagons

Start collecting now and bring it in as you get it together. Thanks for your “trash” and support!The Summer Community Art Project is presented by the Worship & Arts Committee and funded by the AHCC Thrift Shop and the Greater

Hartford Arts Council. For more information on this community art project, contact Steve Mitchell at smitchell@ahcc.org or 860.216.9831.

Asylum Hill Boys & Girls Club Celebrates 10 year AnniversaryOn Sunday, April 27, dozens of church members, community leaders and members of the BGC gathered to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the Asylum Hill Boys and Girls Club. After a warm greeting from members of the club, all were treated to a buffet brunch, a short video and speech from club president Sam Gray.

Club member Shacquille Martin, Shepherd for AHCC’s Spirit Hill Church School, and most recent recipient of the Youth of the Year Award, spoke about his experience at the Club and his plans to attend CCSU in the fall, majoring in engineering. Established in 1947, Youth of the Year is the premier recognition program for Club members, promoting service to Club, community and family, academic success, strong moral character, life goals, and poise and public speaking ability.

The event concluded with a presentation to Rev. Laney in recognition of the $750,000 seed money given to the Asylum Hill Boys and Girls Club by AHCC in 2003 and tours of the facility.

OuTREACH & COMMuNiTY

Shacquille Martin Rev. Matt Laney accepts award from Asylum Hill Boys and Girls Club President Sam Gray

Welcome to the Club!

5860.525.5696 • www.ahcc.org Asylum Hill Congregational Church - Open to and affirming of all God’s people

CHiLDREN AND FAMiLY MiNiSTRiESImportant Dates

June 1: Rock Cats GameJune 8: Last Day of Spirit Hill Program YearJune 15: Father’s Day; children in grades K–5 attend worship; daycare for Infant – PK available on lower level June 22: Spirit Hill Summer Program starts at 9:30am service

Rock Cats BaseballSaturday, June 1, 1:35pm

Come support the New Britain Rock Cats as they take on the Binghamton Mets. All are welcome! Tickets are $7.00/person. Children 4 and under are free if sitting on a parent’s lap during the game. Sign-up forms and payment information can be found at the Spirit Hill table in Drew Hall.

What’s happening in Spirit Hill?Spirit Hill Volunteers Spruce up Church GroundsChurch School parents and children turned out in force on Sunday, April 27 to rake and prune and plant around the church. Led by AHCC members and master gardeners Paul Grimmeisen and Susan Fellman of the Buildings and Grounds Committee, the group accomplished a great deal to make the churchyard ready for spring. A big thank you to all the parents and children who were such willing workers.

• Battle family• Jarish family• Lampugnale family

• Schlagheck family• Peter Sparre• Maurice Thomas• Kyle Cannon & Marcie Jackson

20/20 String Quartet Performs for Spirit HillSpirit Hill students in grades K-5 were treated to a special music performance on Sunday, April 27. The 20/20 String Quartet, composed of students from The Hartt School’s Performance 20/20 program – Hartt’s Honors Chamber Music Program – is made up of a select group of gifted undergraduate and graduate instrumental performance majors who share a strong commitment to chamber music. Members of the quartet are Gary Capozziello and Fernando Vizcayno, violin; Gregory Markus, viola; and Ignacy Grzelazka, cello.

After a brief introduction to each of their instruments, members of the quartet explained the piece of music they were going to play for the students, Mozart’s String Quartet No. 21 in D Major.

Marcie Jackson, Director of Children & Family Ministries, would like to thank the members of The 20/20 Quartet for performing at AHCC, Katie Lansdale, violin professor, and AHCC members Courtney Bourns and Anne Lundberg for helping to arrange this wonderful opportunity for Spirit Hill students.

• Lemkey family• Magnusson family• Kristen Rowland• Stanley Fellman

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CARiNG MiNiSTRiESPrayer Shawl MinistryDo you know someone who might benefit from the warmth and love of a prayer shawl? If so, we invite you to look for just the right one. We also invite any knitters or crocheters of any experience level to become part of our passionate and enthusiastic group. We offer free lessons to those needing them. We meet once a month to bless the newly made shawls and of course, to engage in fellowship. It’s very gratifying to know that ordinary hands can bring extraordinary peace and spiritual comfort.

The Prayer Shawl Ministry will have shawls on display in Drew Hall begin-ning May 18. For more information, visit shawlministry.com or contact Donna Mor-rison at donnabmorrison@yahoo.com or 860.490.5778. Caring for Parents/EldersSunday, May 18, 11:15am

Many of us find ourselves in the stage of life where we need and want to help our parents through their old age, whether our parents are experiencing physical problems or cognitive issues.

If being with others for comfort, commis-eration, prayer and support sounds like some-thing you would like to explore, please join us for our next small group meeting. Spouses or significant others are welcome. To find out more, contact Katie Nixon at 860.690.0291 or kt_151@yahoo.com, or Rev. Donna Manoc-chio at dmanocchio@ahcc.org.

A Tapestry of LoveAn evening of conversation and reflection to remember and celebrate our mothers and fathers who have died. Rev. Donna K. Manocchio, facilitatorThursday, May 29, 6:30pm

Parents are an essential part of the fabric of our lives, and their deaths can leave a space in our hearts and spirits. This season of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, especially if it is the first holiday without your parent, can be filled with many emotions – sadness, grief, gratitude or longing. It is also an opportunity to remem-ber and celebrate what they meant to us and the lessons they left to us. All are welcome for a time of reflection and stories, hopes and prayers, laughter and maybe even a few tears. Please bring a photo of your parent(s) and a description or story to share.

DUKE ELLINGTON’S

SACRED CONCERTS

A JOHN AND EDIE MURPHY MUSIC FOR HUMANITY CONCERT

MAY 18 | 4 pm | $25FULL 15-PIECE JAZZ BAND

SOLOISTS AND 120 VOICES

Ticket sales benefit the YMCA Teen Incentive Program

A musical journey through the faith and spirituality of one of America’s greatest jazz composers and performers.

860.278.0785 AHCC.ORG

814 Asylum Avenue, HartfordOpen to and affirming of all God’s people

YOuTH MiNiSTRYJr. High:May 18: I am ... After a year of discussing the different things that make us who we are,

we will revisit our “I am” thoughts from the beginning of the year and discuss if there are new things or ways that we want to describe ourselves.

May 25: Morning – Game Day! This will be our last official YG meeting of the program year. We will have breakfast and spend some time together in fellowship and fun!

Afternoon – Celebration of Christina Harton’s ministry. Join us as we say goodbye and wish her well!

Sr. High: May 25: Celebration of Christina Harton’s ministry. Join us as we say goodbye and wish

her well!

Attention parents of current 7th graders: please be on the lookout for a letter this month with information and dates for Confirmation in the fall! We want to get it on your calendars as soon as possible!

7860.525.5696 • www.ahcc.org Asylum Hill Congregational Church - Open to and affirming of all God’s people

uCC NEwS

The General Synod of the UCC has filed suit against the State of North Carolina, arguing that the state’s marriage laws violate the First Amendment rights of clergy and the principle of “free exercise of religion.”

In what is believed to the first-ever chal-lenge by a national Christian denomination of a state’s marriage laws, the UCC filed the lawsuit on April 28 in U.S. District Court in Charlotte, N.C.

Under Amendment One, which passed in late 2012, it is a crime in the State of North Carolina for clergy to officiate a marriage ceremony without determining whether the couple involved has a valid marriage license. United Church of Christ ministers, interested in conducting a religious marriage ceremony for same-gender couples, could face up to 120 days of jail and/or probation and community

United Church of Christ Files Landmark Lawsuitservice if found guilty, since North Carolina marriage laws define and regulate marriage as being between a man and a woman. As lead plaintiff in this lawsuit against the State, the UCC asserts that these laws are unconstitu-tional and violate clergy’s First Amendment rights.

“The United Church of Christ is proud to defend the religious freedoms upon which this nation was founded,” said the Rev. Geoffrey A. Black, general minister and president of the UCC. “It is unfortunate that, even today, laws are designed to treat gay and lesbian people unequally. In its efforts to restrict gay marriage, the State of North Carolina has re-stricted one of the essential freedoms of our ministers and of all Americans.”

North Carolina’s state marriage laws are the only laws in the country that not only limit

a domestic legal union to a covenant between a man and woman, but also makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for a minister to perform a marriage ceremony for a couple that hasn’t obtained a license.

Limiting the freedoms of ministers and others conflicts with the UCC General Synod’s “Equal Marriage Rights for All” resolution, adopted in 2005. This resolution affirms “equal marriage rights for couples regard-less of gender and declares that government should not interfere with couples regardless of gender who choose to marry and share fully and equally in the rights, responsibilities and commitment of legally recognized marriage.”

Excerpted from ucc.org, by Connie Larkman

Wednesday, June 4 | 4:00-6:30 pmat the home of Polly Gugino: 13 Penwood Drive, Bloomfield

Elements of Friendship: Water, Fire, Stone and Spirit Annual Women’s Tea

8 Sign up for all events at the Opportunity Table unless otherwise specified.