April 2015 HCN - Greenfield Hill Congregational Church

Hill Church News
Greenfield Hill Congregational Church, Fairfield, Connecticut
United Church of Christ April 2015
THE 2015 DOGWOOD FESTIVAL IS
RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER! This year’s event will be held on
Friday, May 1st – Sunday, May 3rd The hours of operation are
10:00am -5:00pm on Friday and Saturday,
and from 12:00 noon – 5:00 pm on Sunday. We are waiting for spring and the
Dogwoods to bloom but our hilltop
always looks beautiful, and enthusiasm
for our 80th Annual Dogwood Festival
this May 1st, 2nd, and 3rd has never
been higher. This year's
festival promises to
be full of music,
fun, wonderful
activities, great food
and fellowship. All is
being made ready as
we invite
the rest of
Contents: the world
Minister’s Message...............2 to
Prayer Concerns ...................2 celebrate
Book Chat...............................3 spring with
The Gathering........................3
Did You Know? Adult Ed......4 us and help
Dogwood Info....................6-9 raise funds
Mission Corner.....................10 to support
GHCC Events....................4-10 charities
Youth Notes...........................11
near and far. Thanks to all who have
volunteered to help with the festival so
far and if you haven't stepped up yet,
please join us-- we can't do it without
you. Check out the Dogwood Festival
Page on our Website (or click here) and
you will see what we have in store AND
be able to sign up for ANY section of
the Dogwood Festival... or multiple
areas! See pages 6-9 of this newsletter
(that’s 4 pages!) for more info on
exciting events and what to expect from
this year’s festival! We can’t wait for the
fun and fellowship and are looking
forward to a memorable weekend, with
dogwood trees in
bloom and a great
line up of familiar
favorites and
exciting additions!
Can;t wait to see
you there!
Minister’s
Message:
Living Proof
What an Easter! We write this at the end
of a glorious Easter Sunday, still smiling
at the joy of being with so many of our
church family.
The day began at 7, with the sun’s new
rays streaming into the church’s
windows ... as our Confirmation Class led
a beautiful ‘Sunrise’ service. With
wonderful music, prayers, and thoughtful
reflections, our 8th graders set the tone
for the whole day, with words such as
these from Caroline Lauf: Easter, for me,
says when your faith dwindles, when
you’re lost, when life looks dark, there is
strength to be found, God will show you
the way and there is always, always
light: the bright, spring sun of hope!
At 9 and 11, we asked you to think about
this: if Easter offers us Proof of Life, how
can we live a Life of Proof? ... how can we
live so that in every day, in all that we do
and say, we can be living proof of God’s
endless love. So, we invite you to reflect:
who are the people in your lives who have
been ‘living proof’ to you of God’s
presence and power? And how can you
live from this moment forward as ‘living
proof’ yourself? Our Easter Challenge!
Thank you for sharing in a glorious Easter
Sunday with us -- and for continually
inspiring us!
In Christ’s peace,
David and Alida
Sara Mastrony Hoefer (Junior Choir
director) and husband Craig welcomed
Ella Doris Hoefer into the world on April
4. Congratulations to the Hoefer family!
Vickie Frankenburg continues her
recovery from extensive rotator cuff
surgery on February 23.
Dorothy Lotker, longtime church
member, died on April 1; a graveside
service will be conducted at Lawncroft
on April 9 by Rev. Sheldon Smith.
Contacting GHCC
Office Telephone:
203-259-5596
Roni Widmer, ext. 1107
Office Email:
[email protected]
Staff Contacts:
David Rowe: home office: 203-259-1790
email: [email protected]
Alida Ward: office: 203-259-5596, ext. 1210
email: [email protected]
Marcia Carothers:office: 203-259-5596, ext. 1206
email: [email protected]
Susan Rippey: Nursery School office:
203-259-7597
email: [email protected]
To submit articles, photos or information for the
Hill Church News, please email Roni Widmer at
[email protected]
Page 2
book chat, Bible study, and MORE ...
No Book Chat for
April due to
Alida’s vacation
and Dogwood,
but we’ll be back
at the end of May!!
Book
Chat:
Check back for the
next book, to be
discussed in
May!
SpinRaiser for ASP at ZenRide Spinning Studio! April 26, 2015
Have fun AND help send the SPF kids to Appalachia this summer! Christina Studdard, trainer at ZenRide Spinning Studio, Fairfield, leads an afternoon of spinning for a cause! Sign up for an hour, or two, at $16 per hour. All proceeds go to the ASP trip! Click here to sign up!!Do good for yourself while doing good for others!
(Many thanks to Jessica Gray, owner, ZenRide)
Bible Study at
The Gathering...
David may be away but we
are still hosting Bible Studies!
Rev. Sheldon Smith (see page
4) will be our guest leader!
Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. and 7:30 pm
at the Church House Library (corner of
Old Academy and Bronson).
GHCC Fellowship Event:
"Girls Night OutHealth and
Wellness Evening"
at the Norma
Pfriem Breast Care
Center
April 15th, 7-9pm
Join us at the center at 111 Beach Rd in Fairfield
on the evening of April 15th for a night of health,
wellness and inspiration featuring a "welcome"
with wine and cheese, kundalini yoga,
acupuncture and a discussion on how to have
heathy beautiful skin, the natural way, given by
Dr Veronica Waks (a naturopath). It's an
incredibly fun and inspirational evening for all,
and it’s free! We ask that people come in comfy
gym attire. It will be appropriate for ALL AGES!
Please RSVP by Friday April 10th to Nancy
Church at [email protected] Namaste!
Check out our awesome WEBSITE!! ... go to www.greenfieldhillchurch.com
Page 3
Let’s Put out the
Welcome Mat for
Rev. Smith!
While David and Alida are away on
vacation... please meet
Rev. Sheldon Smith ~ Helping us out
while they are gone!
The Rev. Dr. Sheldon T. Smith is a native of
Connecticut. A graduate of Amity Regional High
School, Smith earned a BA degree from Defiance
College and received his M. Div. and D. Min.
degrees from Andover Newtown Theological
School. He was ordained in the Orange
Congregational Church by the New Haven
Association of the United Church of Christ. He and
his wife, Nancy, are the parents of two grown sons.
They have four granddaughters. Smith has served
the Westmoreland United Church, Westmoreland,
N.H., the Ellington Congregational Church,
Ellington, CT, The First Congregational Church of
Waterville, Maine, and the First Congregational
Church of Bethel, CT. Prior to retiring, he served as
Chairperson of the Committee on Church and
Ministry of the Fairfield East Association. He has
also served as a delegate to two General Synods. He
enjoys fishing, gardening, cooking and early
American martial music when he is not playing with
his grandchildren.
Come hear “Ms. G” Preach!!!!
Join us in worship on Sunday, April 19, when
we are delighted to welcome our Ministerial
Assistant, Jamilah George, into the pulpit as
our preacher! Jamilah has been with us since
the Fall of 2013, when she came on staff to
help lead our younger youth programs and
Confirmation. “Ms. G.”, as the kids know her,
will be graduating in May from Yale Divinity
School, with a joint degree from the Institute
of Sacred Music at Yale. A bright, lively and
talented presence among our youth, she is also
a gi,ed preacher -- we’re delighted to have a
chance to hear her!
The GHCC PROGRESSIVE
DINNER has been
RESCHEDULED to May 30th! A
very popular GHCC tradition
which recently new members
and veterans will love it!!
More details to follow in May,
but if you know you would
like to join in the fun (and we promise you that it
will be lots of FUN), and would like to sign up for
the event and/or volunteer to host, or just have a
question, please contact Kim Baer
[email protected] or Chris Gulotta
[email protected] or contact the church
office at [email protected] .
From our
Adult
Education
Board: written by Linda Wenger
Thinking of and Talking to God
We think of times of joy as we celebrate the birth of a
new baby. As a congregation, we rejoice while we
participate in the baptism of each and every little one.
We think of God as we bless the marriage of a young
couple as they walk down the aisle together as man
and wife for the very first time.
We take time to thank Him for the richness of our
own lives, for the beauty of the Earth around and
above us. “For the heavens declare the glory of God
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” (Psalm
19:1).
Take one minute of your very busy day for yourself, to
meditate and really look at the beauty of it all. We are
blessed.
We ask God for guidance when we try to make
important decisions in our lives. We also think of Him
in times of sorrow. We ask that He protect a family in
the absence of a loved one. We call to Him in times of
illness and death, asking that He give us peace. “Do
not let your hearts be troubled.” (John 14:27)
He always answers.
“Do not fret or have anxiety about anything, by prayer
and petition, with thanksgiving. Continue to make your
wants known to God. And God’s peace shall be
yours…” (Phillipians 4:6)
Peace be with you always.
Page 4
Missed Sunday service and want to hear a sermon?... go to www.greenfieldhillchurch.com
The Summer Worship Helpers Sought! -- One
of the best traditions in our church, our layled services take place each summer
Sunday at 8:15 a.m. on the Church House
lawn. These services are a chance for
individuals or families in the church to have
fun sharing their faith and their thoughts in
worship. In the past, we’ve had services on the themes of “Friendship”,
"What Church means to me”, “Forgiveness” and many others. We are
looking for people to help lead these summer services! The pastors are
very happy to sit with you and help plan, so you are absolutely not on your
own. A great way to get closer to God and your faith, a great project for
a family to do together! Please be in touch with Deacon Anne Orvis at
[email protected] to express your interest! Appalachia Trip News:
THANK YOU to all who gave so generously, and enjoyed themselves so thoroughly, at the
Evening for Appalachia last month! We raised more than has ever been raised at this fundraiser,
making it possible for us to trek to Central Appalachia for a week of home repair through the
Appalachia Service Project.
Thank you!!
And speaking of the ASP trip – would you like to join us? Would you be
willing to come along with us, help lead the group of fantastic teens, and share in the incredibly
rewarding task of helping Appalachian families in need? We’ll be making 30+ homes “warmer,
safer and drier” this summer … as well as helping our teens have the experience of a lifetime. If
you’d be interested, please contact Alida – a willingness to work, a love of kids, and a big heart
are all you need!
Help Wanted! Our church has a long
standing tradition of hosting a spring
luncheon for the residents of Parish Court,
which is affordable elder care housing
complex right here in Fairfield on Warde
Terrace, which is jointly owned by Fairfield Grace Methodist Church, Trinity
Episcopal Church, First Church Congregational and US! We need some
volunteers to help us set up, some cooks (we will provide the recipe), and
especially needed are people to help serve and clean-up. The date is Wednesday,
April 8th with lunch served at noon. If you would like to be part of this special
opportunity, please contact Marcia Carothers mcarothers@greenfieldhillchurch.com).
Sign ups for most of our events are available at www.greenfieldhillchurch.com
Page 5
9
th
A N N U A L
GREENFIELD HILL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
Dogwood Dash, 2 mile family fun run,
Saturday, May 2, for runners ages 8 –
60+. Race begins 8:30am. Awards for
all age categories including best team
and biggest family. First 100 entries
receive a free T-shirt. Mini-Dash starts
at 10:30am in the Memorial Garden,
for runners ages 2 – 7. Free. Prizes for
all. Register online at
www.greenfieldhillchurch.com on
Dogwood Festival page. Lots of
volunteers are needed for this event...
just click here to sign up!!
COME CELEBRATE
TEA!
Save the Date ~
Friday, May 1st!
It’s time for the not-to-bemissed 6th Annual Dogwood
Festival Luncheon! We are
thrilled to bring you “Tea
Time”. We will be hosting tea
historian Betty Johnson from
Bigelow Tea. Keep an eye out
for your invitation, this event
is sure to sell out quickly.
Page 6
SIP AND SORT
Kate’s Clothes would love for you
to drop off your new and gently
used clothing, shoes, and accessories
to Room 200, in the Church House.
We would also love to have you
join us to help sort the clothing
and enjoy a glass of wine at our
annual Sip-n-Sort, on April 22nd. If
you have questions or would like to
volunteer, please contact: Kelly
Vogel [email protected] or
Jessica Selden [email protected]
AND
don’t
forget
about
Kate’s
Jewelry!
You can
bring
ANY jewelry (costume,
estate, or fine jewelry) to the
Church Office to help us
bring in lots of $$ at the
Dogwood Festival this year.
Please contact Susan
Perdiue with any questions
(203-255-4022).
Like us on facebook, youʼll be in the “know”... www.facebook.com/GreenfieldHillCongregationalChurch
Last Chance to Put your message
in the 80th Dogwood Festival
Source Book!
This is our fifth edition of the Dogwood Festival Source
Book. And it has become a great way for members of the congregation to
express personal messages while supporting the mission of the Dogwood
Festival. It's a great way to honor someone, surprise a loved one or say:
“Happy Mother's Day”, “Congratulations on your Confirmation” or “Thanks”
Honor a loved one or send a special Dogwood greeting. We hope you’ll
consider an ad in our Dogwood Festival Source Book. The Source Book is a
one-stop guide to the entire festival and a Dogwood Festival keepsake. Full
of event information and history, this attractive 5.5”x 8.5” booklet is
distributed to all Dogwood Festival attendees– we print 2,500 books.
Full Page $175 | Half Page $90 | Quarter Page $45
Just tell us what you want to say and we’ll do the rest! Don’t
delay, Deadline is April 8th!!
Contact: Tom Wambach at [email protected]
Everyone’s Dogwood favorite,
KATE’S CORNER, could use your donations!!
We are accepting donations starting on April 11th through April 29th at the Len Morgan Youth
Barn. Furniture and large items we will be gladly accepted starting on April 22. These need to be
delivered to the tent, which will be set up in front of the Youth Barn. We need items that are in
GOOD SHAPE–CLEAN, USABLE AND WORKABLE. Kate’s Corner will also be selling collectibles this
year. Please consider donations of garden statuary, collectible glass, silver, china, artwork or
furniture. So hop to it and look around your home or attic for those treasures! Please call Karen
Wambach at 917.539.7538 if you need a special drop off time.
Kate’s Corner Drop-Off Schedule:
Saturday April 11, 12pm - 3pm, Merchandise only
Sunday April 12, 12pm - 3pm, Merchandise only
Mon April 13th - Fri April 17th, 10am - 5pm, Merchandise only
Thurs April 16th, 10am - 4pm/6:30 - 8:30pm, Merchandise only
Saturday April 18th, 12pm - 3pm, Merchandise only
Sunday April 19th, 12pm - 3pm, Merchandise only
Mon April 20th - Fri April 24th, 10am - 5pm Merchandise
Weds April 22nd, 10am - 5pm - Furniture Drop-off Starts
Thurs April 23rd, 6:30-8:30p.m. Merch & Furn accepted
Saturday April 25th, 12-3pm Merch & Furn accepted
Sunday April 26th, 12-3pm Merch & Furn accepted
Mon-Weds April 27th-29th Furniture Only
Final Day for General Drop-Off April 29th!
A Special Kate’s
Corner Dogwood
Challenge from David
and Alida:
“Walk around your
house....find something
special...donate it to
Kate's!..a tea cup, a fur
coat, a Ferrari, a chair, a
painting, a suit, a
Cuisinart, a necklace!
Everybody: find
something, donate
something!”
All things “Dogwood” at ... www.facebook.com/GreenfieldHillCongregationalChurch
Page 7
Kate’s Corner 2015 needs your donations!
Start checking your attics, cabinets, closets and basements for:
Antiques
!
Aprons
Art
Baskets - in good condition
Bicycles - in working condition
Books - especially children’s and
cookbooks
Cameras - w/working batteries and
manuals
Candles/candlesticks
CDs
Clocks (working)
Collectibles
Craft sets, boxed, complete
Curtains/draperies
Dolls/doll clothing
Small Appliances
(working)
Fabrics (misc. pieces)
Fireplace tools
Frames
Furniture:
Beds - no mattresses
Bookcases, Chairs
Desks, chests, dressers
Mirrors, Stools
Tables, card tables
Garden, decorative
Garden equipment
Kitchenware
China/crystal/glassware - no chips,
no cracks
Cookware, Cutting boards, cheese
boards, Cutlery, gadgets
Dishes -sets, serving bowls, platters no chips, no cracks
Flatware, stainless, silver, silver plate
Mixing bowls/salad
Outdoor Furniture
Pots and pans
Placemats, napkins, Tablecloths (size
marked, if known)
TOYS all types
Pillows, decorative (no bed pillows)
Puzzles, complete, boxed
Quilts/afghans, clean, in good
condition (size marked, if known)
Riding toys - in working condition
Sheet sets - complete, size marked
Sporting Goods
Stationery/cards - unused
Strollers (working)
Umbrellas, (working)
Vases (Please limit florist vases)
Watering cans
Yarn, Knitting needles, Needlework
canvasses or kits
What we do NOT Need
(Please):
NO Baby Beds
NO Christmas/Holiday
Decorations
NO Computers/Printers/
Electronics
NO Couches
NO Luggage
NO Shoes/Boots
NO Skis
NO Stuffed Animals
NO VHS tapes
PLEASE, everything clean and in good condition. Kate’s Corner will also be selling collectibles this year. Please consider donations of garden statuary, collectible glass, silver, china, artwork or furniture. So hop to it and look around your home or attic for those treasures! Drop offs will start in mid-April (see
next page for schedule). Additionally if you are closing down a home or involved in extensive
refurnishing and have LOTS of stuff we will make special arrangements for pick-ups or drop-offs.
Contact Karen Wambach: 917-539-7538 or [email protected]
Thank you! We can’t do it without you.
Page 8
Holy Website Batman! www.greenfieldhillchurch.com
Dogwood
Volunteers
Needed.... and
we’ve made it
SO easy for
you to sign up for any area, at any time!
We need helpers before the festival (as early
as 4/27), during (5/1-5/3) , and after the
festival on 5/4. All you need to do is go to
www.greenfieldhillchurch.com and go to our
Dogwood 2015 page, at the top there is a link
the brings you right to Signup Genius where
you can click on any Dogwood area tab to
fill a slot... OR....
you can just click here! Right now... why
delay?! Thank you in advance!!!!!
SPRING OFFERINGS FROM THE
DOGWOOD PLANT TENT!
We look forward to the festival and are proud to
offer: A glorious variety of herbs and flowing
plants to brighten up your home and garden;
Chance tickets (1 tkt for $5, 3 tkts for $10, 10
tkts for $20) to win succulents planted in cool
concrete troughs (easy to maintain and
generously donated by Oliver's Nursery); and,
New this year...We've chosen Two unique bulbsPerfect for Dogwood Tree Companion planting
and naturalizing. You can pre-order these
beautiful, prize winning, Dutch flowering
bulbs (which will be available for pickup in
September)... either Narcissus Thalia - 20
bulbs for $20! OR Muscari armeniacum
(grape hyacinth) 60 bulbs for $20! CHECK OUT
WHAT YOUR
GARDEN CAN
LOOK LIKE WITH
THESE BULBS:
And, Kate's Corner is
looking
for
volunteers to
transform the
Morgan Youth Barn
into Kate's Corner. We will have 2
sessions for setting up: Friday
April 10th, 7-8:30 pm (with PIZZA)
and Saturday April 1, 8:30-10 am
(coffee, donuts and bagels) OR if
anyone with a pick up truck would
be willing to go out and pick up
donated furniture (this can be
done when they are available).
Please email Karen Wambach
[email protected] or call
her @917.539.7538 Thank you!
Not Dogwood, but
still important...
The Chancel Choir
is looking for new
members! If you
love to sing please
consider joining our group. We
practice on Thursday evenings
in the church parlor from
7:30-9pm. We sing during
10:30am Sunday services,
special events, and holiday
services. You do not need to
attend every practice or
event~just join us when you
can! We are especially in need
of alto singers. If you would like
more information please
contact Sandra Murphy, our
Choir Director, at
[email protected] or call
Linda Wenger, Choir
Chairperson, at 203-292-7447
Donʼt miss out! Everyoneʼs checking out www.greenfieldhillchurch.com
Page 9
Our own Bob King will
be running in the “500
For the Fallen” relay
(that spans 500 miles
from Concord, MA to
Washington,
DC) in
!
support of the Children of the Fallen Patriots
Foundation which funds education expenses for the
children of Service Members that have died while in
the line of duty. He was a Platoon Leader in
Operation Iraqi Freedom. During his tour, his
company lost three soldiers; Staff Sergeant Joseph
Camara was one of those soldiers. He was killed by
an IED on Main Supply Route Tampa on
September 1st 2003. He left behind a loving wife and
three young children. When he thinks about his time
in Iraq he frequently thinks about the soldiers we lost
as well as Joe Camara's family and how they are
doing. Then he thinks about the other service
members who have lost their lives in Iraq and
Afghanistan that left behind children. Please consider
making a small donation ($5, $10, $20 or any other
amount) to not only help Joe's children but also the
thousands of other children who have lost a parent
in service to their country. If you would like to make
a donation please click here to visit my fundraising
page. Thank you in advance!
GHCC MOVIE NIGHT
A perspective and story that should be
heard: “The Boy in the Striped
Pajamas”. The Adult Ed Board will be
hosting a movie night in the church parlor
on Friday, April 24th at 7pm to watch “The
Boy in the Striped Pajamas”. The timing
and selection of this film was chosen given
the Town of Fairfield is memorializing The
Holocaust this same week. This movie is
set in Nazi Berlin in 1942 and is about a 9
year old boy who befriends another boy
who lives in gray striped pajamas on the
other side of a long tall
wire fence. To say the
least, the ending will get
you thinking. Thoughts
and opinions will be shared
after the movie with Rachel
Baumann moderating.
mission corner...
It is a privilege to work with a dedicated group of individuals who care about mission at our
church and take that responsibility seriously.
I’m highlighting a local agency that GHCC supports: Mi Casa also known as GBAPP.
GBAPP’s mission is to serve the Greater Bridgeport community by providing direct service and
educational programs to reduce teen pregnancy, reduce the spread of HIV and to increase access
to care and support services for teen mothers. This is done through a variety of services including
Mi Casa, a licensed maternity home for teen mothers & their children as well as an additional
home for teenagers transitioning from foster care.
GBAPP serves approximately 5,000 high risk and vulnerable youth and families per year and is
hands on providing these well-needed services to our local community.
Late in the fall of 2014 the mission board coordinated a diaper drive for GBAPP. Your generous
donations made a difference!
As they gratefully stated “We want to thank Greenfield Hill mission board for the many diapers
that were donated for our programs at GBAPP. Many of the diapers were used for the babies and
toddlers of the teen dads and moms involved in the GBAPP Teen Fathers Program. Others
were given to the teen moms in our supportive housing programs.”
Thank you for making a difference!
Page 10
Check out some familiar faces on our “Meet our Members Page”... www.greenfieldhillchurch.com
C
C
H
G
S
E
T
NO o r i n f o
H
df !
r
T
a
W
OU Alida g lists
Y act Re v. on mailin
c o n t t o ge t
&
Our
Vacation
Bible School
Program will be
held this summer
from August
17-21, 2015.
Registration is
underway now and
forms are available online via the
website OR in the church house. We
are already over half way filled so if
you are interested in registering, don’t
delay! Questions? Please contact
Marcia Carothers at
[email protected]
SPF (9th through
12th grades) April
2: our traditional
Maundy Thursday
special meal, 6:00
in the Memorial
Room. April 9:
nutritionist Donna
Brown is going to
tell us how to get
and stay healthy! No SPF meeting on
April 16 or April
30.
Church Member and Early
Childhood Consultant, Ellen Swan, is
working with a child care center (8
weeks to age 5) that teaches
under served children in our area.
The school has very few materials
for the children. She is asking you
to to see if you have any toys you
have out grown or are no longer in
need of to help this school out.
They are looking for anything
children ages infant through five
would play with: books!, shape
sorting games, blocks, dolls, dress
up clothes, cars, trucks, puzzles,
art supplies, play food, play
strollers, doll clothes, matching
games etc. She will come to pick
up, just contact her at
203-913-5082 or
[email protected] Many
blessings to you for considering
her request!
JPF
(Junior Pilgrim
Fellowship) for 6th
and 7th graders. We
won’t meet on April 5th
or 12th (Easter and
Vacation) – come join us
on the 19th and the 26th!
AND we will be meeting
in the Memorial Room in
April, due to Kate’s
Korner set up in The
Barn!!
YPF (Young
Pilgrim Fellowship)
for 4th and 5th
graders. Meeting
on Sunday, April
26, 2 to 3:30 in the
Memorial Room
(due to Dogwood)!
Youth schedules and more information can be found at www.greenfieldhillchurch.com
Page 11