April 2016 HCN - Greenfield Hill Congregational Church

Hill Church News
Greenfield Hill Congregational Church, Fairfield, Connecticut
United Church of Christ April 2016
Join us for a Very Special Sunday!
April 24th, at both services...
A morning of music, featuring the gifts of our congregation!
With Kate Wegener on oboe… Bryan Page on violin… our great House band …
soloist Wendy Gerbier …Andrew Baratz on saxophone ….We are celebrating
the gift of music on Sunday, April 24, as we bring our ‘Family Room’ style of
worship to Sunday morning! Our Family Room services, normally held on
Sunday evenings, offer the chance to worship in a more informal, nontraditional way … and our April 24 morning worship will be just that! With
contemporary music from our band, and with our young
musicians sharing their considerable talent, we will praise God
joyfully!
Contents:
Minister’s Message.............2
Prayer Concerns .................2
Book Chat.............................3
The Gathering......................3
Did You Know? Adult Ed....5
Dogwood Festival Info...7-9
GHCC Events..................3-10
Mission Corner....................7
Youth Notes........................11
May 1st at the 10:30 service
On the first Sunday in May, the members of our
Confirmation Class will be confirmed! Thirty-nine
young people will make their public commitment to the
faith of Jesus Christ, and join our church as full
members. We thank all the adults in this church who
have served as Mentors to these great kids this year,
sharing with them in their Confirmation classes and
leading them with love.
Because there are so many kids, we do also want to
alert you that the 10:30 service (and our church!) will be
quite full that day! Our 9:00 service will be a 'normal'
service of worship, with the Chancel Choir.
Minister’s
Message:
People
PEOPLE
People
My original title was:
pre-Dogwood
DOGWOOD
post-Dogwood
But in reality its all about people.
Dogwood isn’t a thing, or an institution, or
a program. It is people. People working,
people helping each other, people helping
others.
The public sees a big, happy, fun, festival,
and all that is true. As pastors we see
people. For months before Dogwood we
see people planning, people carrying
donated items, people organizing. During
Dogwood we see people volunteering,
helping, enjoying -- whether helping with
parking, running an area, eating an ice
cream, flipping a burger, befriending a
customer. After Dogwood we see people
helped by the funds raised. Kids, families,
the hungry, the abused, the vulnerable.
It’s all about PEOPLE.
When I think about Jesus’ ministry I have
always been struck by his focus on people,
and especially the individual. Not
doctrine, program, or custom. Just people.
Including us.
Thank God.
David
Page 2
Our church family is saddened by the loss of
Jim Oram, who left this life on March 13 at
the age of 90. Jim had served this church in
many ways over the years. We are grateful to
God for Jim’s life with us.
We ask prayers with Bobby Kaps. as he
continues his journey of healing from brain
cancer surgery; Bobby is now at Cambridge
Manor.
Your prayers are asked with Karen
Wambach and Janet Christie, both
recovering from knee surgery. Tom Christie
continues at Carolton.
We grieve with Carol Langeland on the death
of her mother, Virginia DeRosa.
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 203-259-7597
email: [email protected]
To submit articles, photos or information for the
Hill Church News, please email Roni Widmer at
[email protected]
book chat, Bible study, and MORE ...
No
Book Chat in
April!! But check back here
or in our emailed News and
Notes for the book we will
be reading in May!
Bible Study...
at The Gathering ...!
Continuing with Biblical literacy, our NEW theme
is to look at the highlights of St. Paul’s Letter in the
Book of Romans. Anyone and everyone welcome!
Join us for a casual gathering talking about the
world’s most famous book. It’s always great
conversation, with great people. Come as often as
you want, we’d love to see you!
The Gathering
Thursdays, 10 a.m. and 7:30 p.m., in the Library in
the Church House
GHCC Fellowship Event:
"Girls Night Out-Health and Wellness Evening"
at the Norma Pfriem Breast Care Center
April 20th ~ 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Join us at the center at 111 Beach Rd in Fairfield on the evening of April
20th for a night of health, wellness and inspiration featuring a
"welcome" with wine and cheese, kundalini yoga (with Instructor
Colleen Reilly), acupuncture (with Dr. David McLean) 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 15th to Nancy Church at [email protected] Namaste!
Check out our awesome WEBSITE!! ... go to www.greenfieldhillchurch.com
Page 3
Summer is
Coming!!
And that means we
are looking for
people to lead our
8:15am Summer
Worship!
One of the best traditions in our
church, our lay-led 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 Seth Baratz at
[email protected] to express your
interest! asp
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 a
large portion of the funds needed,
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?
We need 12 more adults!!! 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!
Welcome back, Rev. Sheldon Smith!
Just as he did last year, Sheldon will be covering for David and Alida while they take
time away after Easter (April 5 to April 19). Sheldon served for many years as the
beloved pastor of Bethel Congregational Church. Now retired from full-time ministry,
Sheldon is frequently called upon to provide pastoral coverage as he does for us ... he’s a
well-liked ‘sub’ indeed! Sheldon will preach on April 10 and 17, and lead both Thursday
Bible Studies. He anticipates being in the office on Tuesday, April 5 from 1-4, Monday,
April 11 from 1-4, and Monday, April 18 from 1-4...Feel free to drop in!... and any other
times by appointment. If you need anything at all, be sure to call the office at
203-259-5596 to reach him, or feel free to email at [email protected]!!
Page 4
Change of address? New phone number? Call our church office at 203-259-5596 to let us know!
Our 3rd and 4th Graders
had a VERY successful Bake
Sale last month! Thanks to
all who contributed and to
all those who purchased!
We had planners, and sign
makers, and bakers, and
sales
agents,
and cashiers (and a
few taste testers,
too)! The class
raised $280 for the
Sole Hope project
and we are very
proud of their
efforts!
From our Adult Education Board,
Written by Mike Moore
Help Wanted on April 6th! Our
church has a long standing
tradition of hosting a spring
luncheon for the residents of
Parish Court. We need some
volunteers to help us set up/
clean up, serve, and some cooks
(we will provide the recipe). If
you would like to be part of this
special opportunity, please
contact Marcia Carothers
mcarothers@greenfieldhillchurch.com).
In 2004 the United Church of Christ innovated the "God is Still Speaking" slogan and some
interesting TV ads (http://www.ucc.org/god-is-still-speaking_ads) to advertise itself (one of my
favorites is "The Bouncer").
On this web page is a list of five ways that the UCC defines itself. One of these is "where Jesus
the healer meets Jesus the revolutionary". As an adult think I understand "Jesus the healer".
But how should I understand "Jesus the revolutionary"?
2012 President of the Society of Christian Ethics, Miguel A de la Torre gave me some thoughts
in his Liberation Theology for Armchair Theologians (it can be found in our Church House
library). Liberation Theology speaks of social sin, the sin of principalities and powers that
oppress people and inhibit their access to the promise of an abundant life. It is concerned with
social conscience and social action.
For some Liberation Theology was born in South America in the 60's and 70's when economic
oppression by military dictatorships led Catholics to form thousands of small cell churches to
raise the consciousness of people about their rights and their ability to fight for those rights.
Torre describes in detail how Latin American Liberation Theology did just that. But Torre
neither begins nor ends there.
He finds this theology present in writings of 2nd century theologian and martyr, Polycarp, who
called the love of money, idolatry. He points to others in church history who took stands against
economic systems (frequently supported by organized religion) that oppressed innocents. It is
easy to understand that the American Civil Rights activism of the 60's and 70's was affected by
this theology, but Torre finds it as well in the Feminist Movement..
And in addition Torres identifies liberative theologies in other faiths. Notably Islam where
neither a caste system nor lineage define personhood. In Hinduism, he quotes Mahatma
Gandhi who said "service of the distressed, the crippled and the helpless constitutes worship of
God".
This short simple book challenges you, not just to think, but to act.
May 21st
for the GHCC
Progressive Dinner!
Plans are underway for this year’s progressive
dinner on Saturday, May 21st. For those of you
may be unfamiliar with this event, here is the
way it works: Everyone gathers together for the
appetizer course, at which time they will receive
their name tags and itinerary for the evening.
Following the appetizer course, everyone departs
for various locations where they enjoy dinner in
smaller groups – usually 8-10. Following, dinner,
everyone meets back together for dessert.
Everyone contributes by either providing food
and/or hosting one of the dinners. This event
has become a very popular GHCC tradition,
enjoyed by both folks who are new to GHCC and
those who have been with us for many years.
Look for sign up details in May!!
Grace’s Hill
Community
Farm
Planning
Meeting
Saturday,
April 23
9:00 a.m.
at
Our Saviour’s Church
(160 Hill Farm Rd, Ffld)
in their Fellowship Hall
Grace's Hill Community Farm
founder, Eric Frisk, and Pastor Mark
Christoffersen of Our Saviour's
Lutheran Church invite neighbors
and members of neighboring
congregations to join them to
explore and decide on
ways how people in our
Fairfield community can
A FANTASTIC WAY
participate in the
TO VOLUNTEER
community garden that
is on the church's
WITH YOUR KIDS
property. Currently,
OR ON YOUR
most of the produce is
OWN...
donated to the food
"Fair Share Table", a
pantry of Operation
Hope and if there is an
decades-old service by
overabundance of
members of this church,
produce, then it is
seeks helpers to assist in distributing food to
usually donated to the
soup kitchens. We pick up day-old food from
CT Food Bank.
Stop and Shop in Westport on Saturdays and
Come and learn more
Sundays and deliver it to soup kitchens in
about the community
Bridgeport. You'd be part of a rotation, so your
garden and how you
turn would pop up only once every couple
can participate.
months! Contact Pam Dies at
Contact Pastor Mark at
[email protected]
[email protected].
for more information.
Page 6
All you need is LOVE... and GHCC!
mission corner...
Ever wonder how the Mission Board figures
out how to use the mission funds in its
budget? It’s an organized, but messy
process, filled with lots of back and forth.
Very tough decisions to be made, as all of
the agencies we give grant money to are
undeniably worthy. At the beginning of the
year, each Mission Board member is
assigned a group of agencies for which they
are the liaison. It is their job to be in touch
with their agencies, and to be sure the
agencies fill out, by May 15 of each year, a
questionnaire which identifies the mission
of each agency, how grant funds in prior
years were used, how grant funds would be
used this year and a confirmation of the taxexempt status of the agency. In addition,
each agency sends in their most recent
financial report. The mission budget is
made up of two parts, one, a percentage of
pledges (actual) and two, net profits from
the Dogwood Festival. Since these two
parts are “moving targets” the Mission
Board does not make allocations to agencies
until our June meeting, when we are fairly
certain of the budget. At the June meeting,
we allocate approximately 95% of the
budget across 20-plus agencies by
considering a variety of factors including
the size of grants made in past years and
how dependent the various agencies are on
GHCC for resources. We also try to
maintain a good representation of agencies
which serve locally, nationally and
internationally, as well as to various
constituent groups – women and children,
seniors, veterans, refugees, persons living in
poverty. We are also cognizant of groups
which GHCC members are involved with,
and try to support these as well. If you are
involved with a charitable organization and
would like that organization to be
considered for a GHCC Mission Board
grant, please contact one of the members of
the Mission Board for more information.
Written by Vickie Frankenburg, Mission
Board
“DOGWOOD
BLOSSOMS”
INFORMATION
regarding the
Dogwood Festival!
D O G O O D AT T H E
DOGWOOD ... And you
will blossom because
it just feels good to
worship in this way,
giving your time and
talents, socializing
and
yes
even
shopping & indulging
in a few sweet treats!
Dogwood Volunteers
Needed....
and we’ve made it SO easy for you
to sign up for any area, at any
time! All you need to do is go to
www.greenfieldhillchurch.com and
go to the Dogwood 2016 tab, at the
bottom there is the “Volunteer at
the Dogwood” tab which will have
the link that brings you right to
Signup Genius where you can
click on any Dogwood area tab to
fill a slot... Right now... why delay?!
Thank you in advance!!!!!
Info, calendars, schedules and all church news at www.greenfieldhillchurch.com
Page 7
NEW TO KATES THIS YEAR: KATES SIP
& SHOP!
Don’t worry about sorting, instead on
Thursday, May 5, from 6-9:00pm, be the first to
enjoy coveted access to designer clothing and
accessories at Blossom Boutique, Kate’s Clothes
and Kate’s Corner, and our Jewelry Boutique!
We have brands like J Crew, Coach, Kate
Spade, Vineyard Vines, just to name a few! Shop our new Vineyard
Vines ties and totes (and take your chance in a raffle to wine one!)
Admission is $10, and don’t forget- all net proceeds of Kate’s and the
Dogwood Festival go to charity. What a fun way to give back! Call
Jessica Selden (615-2252) or Kelly Vogel (646-241-5541)
Be on the lookout for your
invitation to the
2016 Dogwood
Festival Luncheon
This year we will be enjoying
a performance by Ekklesia
Contemporary Ballet
Company. Tickets are $30
per person which includes
gourmet food and drink. The luncheon will be held
from 11:30am-1:30pm on
Friday, May 6th. Go to the
Dogwood section of our
website to sign up or mail
your reservation and check
to the church office!
Page 8
Calling All Dogwood "Do-Gooders"!! Sign up for the volunteer party on
Saturday, May 7 for the Fire Engine Pizza
Truck from 5pm-7pm. In case you haven't
had their delicious pizza (the toppings are
amazing) they also have great salads! BYOB and let's celebrate the night of
gathering and eating while celebrating
what we believe will be another successful
Dogwood Festival Event because of all the
people like you! $25.00 all you can eat
and sign-up on the Genie Sign Up on the
Dogwood Festival website.
We are Doing Good At The
Dogwood!
Dogwood info right at your fingertips www.greenfieldhillchurch.com
The Dogwood Dash,
A 2 mile family fun run on 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 and Prizes for all. Register online at www.greenfieldhillchurch.com on
Dogwood Festival page. Lots of volunteers are
needed too (check out the volunteer section of the website) for this very fun
event!!
Kate’s Corner
needs your
stuff!
Kate’s is the ‘tag sale’ department at the Dogwood
KATES
CLOTHES UPDATE
Festival … and it depends on your donations!
Here’s the schedule of when we’ll be receiving
items at the Morgan Youth Barn!
Note that furniture drop-off will start on April 28!
Wed., April 20th , 11 to 2
Merchandise Only
We continue to accept
Merchandise Only
donations through out the Thurs., April 21, 11 to 2
Mon., April 25, 11 to 2
Merchandise Only
month. Please bring your
Merchandise Only
new and gently used clothing Tues., April 26, 11 to 2
Merchandise Only
to Rm. 200! Also, check out Wed., April 27, 11 to 2
the Dogwood Volunteer page Thurs., April 28, 11 to 2
Merchandise Only
for plenty of opportunities
Thurs., April 28, 5 to 8
Merch & Furniture
to help sort and price
Sat., April 30th, 12 to 4 Merch & Furniture
clothing, and staff
THANK YOU!
the event!
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 Claudia Lau
(917-327-6402) with any questions or if you’d like to help clean, sort, and
price!
C
C
H
G
S
E
T
NO o r i n f o
SPF (9th through 12th
grades) meets every
Thursday at 6pm in the
f
Barn. Always either great
rd s !
a
W
t
speakers, lively
Al id a i l i n g l i s
.
v
e
a
R
discussions, completely
ac t e t o n m
t
n
o
g
c
awesome games... what
& to
more could you ask for?
Bring a friend!
JPF
(Junior Pilgrim Fellowship) NO Meeting on April 14th
due to school vacation!
for 6th and 7th graders...
continues to meet every
Sunday from 5-6:30 pm in
the Barn.
BUT, no meeting on April
10th or 17th due to school
vacations!
H
T
U
YO
YPF (Young Pilgrim
Fellowship) for 4th and
5th graders. Have you
heard about how much fun
we have been having??
NO?? Then you REALLY
need to join us! Our next
meeting will be on
Sunday, April 24th. See
you then!!
Page 10
Youth schedules and more information can be found at www.greenfieldhillchurch.com