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rule of safety it is an
COMMITTEES
Flower History Mens Fellowship 5 6 5
MINISTRIES
Childrens Ministries 11-13
CALENDAR
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June 2011
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So my brothers and sisters, wherever we find ourselves this summer, I pray that we all find a way to grow closer to God. We can be sure God is not taking the summer off from us. And let our worship and participation not be a burden. As Alfred North Whitehead wrote, The worship of God is not a rule of safety it is an adventure of the spirit, a flight after the unattainable. [Whitehead, Science and the Modern World.] May it be so for us this summer. With you on the journey,
8:00amServiceofWorship,MemorialGarden (Chapelifinclementweather)
10:00amServiceofWorship,MeetingHouse
10:00amChurchSchool,Ages5throughenteringGrade4 (Childcareuptoage4)
11:00amRefreshments,Parlor/Patio
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CONFIRMATION
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PARISH NEWS
Baptisms Hayden John Strutt, son of Jennifer and Warren Strutt, was baptized on May 22, 2011 in the Meeting House. The Reverend Chris M. Delmar officiated. Ryan James Schimmeck, son of Anne and Karl Schimmeck, was baptized on May 22, 2011 in the Meeting House. The Reverend Chris M. Delmar officiated. Tyler Martin Schimmeck, son of Anne and Karl Schimmeck, was baptized on May 22, 2011 in the Meeting House. The Reverend Chris M. Delmar officiated. Memorials Stephen Meszkat, Jr. on May 20, 2011 in the Meeting House. The Reverend Harold E. Masback, III officiated. Nancy Blood Perry on May 21, 2011 in the Meeting House. The Reverend Chris M. Delmar officiated.
MENS FELLOWSHIP
Men'sFellowship EarlySummerDinner
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HISTORY COMMITTEE
Submitted by Ann Gillerlain
Street People
The names of New Canaan Parish families that figure prominently in the early history of The Congregational Church live on today in New Canaan street names: John Davenport (Davenport Ridge), a Ponus Ridge farmer, was one of 24 founders of our Canaan Parish church, and the congregational meeting house, established in 1733. John Benedict (Benedict Hill Road) was among those who organized the Society of New Canaan, later to become the Town of New Canaan. Ebenezer Carter (Carter Street) was captain of the Canaan Parish Training Band, a trained militia company, organized in 1733. Ebenezer Smith (Smith Ridge) was also a member of the Band. General Benjamin Talmadge (Talmadge Hill) and Captain John Mead (Mead Street) both served in the Revolutionary War. These families embody the history of our church and our community from as early as the 1700s, and deserve our recognition.
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YOUTH MINISTRIES
Our youth would like to share their year and the fulfillment of their goals and the transformation of their lives with the rest of congregation. They invite you to join in the fifth annual celebration of our youth: the Beacon of Light Dinner on June 5 at the Italian Center in Stamford. All the church youth will share the many service projects and the fun that each group has participated in this year from our Guppies up to our graduating seniors. This is an event for the entire family you wont want to miss! We hope youll join us!
The week after the Beacon of Light Dinner, YG will wrap up its year with a pool party from 5:00-7:00pm on June 12. Meet at the Stiffelmans home, 207 Jonathan Road, for food, fun, and a great end to the year! MSYG will also end their year on June 12 with a pool party. Theyll meet from 2:00-4:00pm; check your flyer for the location. Cant wait to see you NEWS there! JYG will meet on both June 2 and June 9. On June 2, meet and pick up at Mead Park. We will end the year with the insane Water Blowout on June 9 be ready to get soaked! Guppies will also play at Mead Park on June 2. Both drop off and pick up will be at the park unless it rains. For this event, any friends who might be interested in Guppies for next year any rising 2nd graders are invited! On June 9, we will end our year with a splash party at the church. Sprinklers, slip-andslides, and tons of fun!
PARISH
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MUSIC MINISTRIES
Farewell, Abby...
THANK YOU
to all the recent donors to the Mary Bradley Clarke Fund! Your generosity enhances the beauty of our worship!
Abigail Nims, our alto section leader for the past 3 years, is moving to Berkeley, CA this fall, where her boyfriend will begin a Ph.D. program in statistics at the University of California. She will continue to perform as a soloist with opera companies and orchestras both nationally and abroad. She plans to begin a private voice studio in the Berkeley area. Abby has really enjoyed being a part of The Congregational Church, and she hopes to be able to visit whenever she is on the East Coast. You can continue to follow her career on her website: www.abigailnims.com. We thank you, Abby, and we wish you Godspeed!
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CHILDRENS MUSIC
Mark your calendars to have fun with us in a Middle School or Childrens Choir next year!
Joyful Noise (grades 5-8) is expanding! Meets on Wednesdays, 5:00-6:00pm
This choral group for middle-schoolers will be adding drama aspects next year, as well as singing all genres of church music. Joyful Noise will be featured in various services during the year through dramatic sketches, choral, pieces, ensemble and solo singing, as well as instrumental performances.
An elementary-aged choir which sings throughout the year in services such as Thanksgiving Worship, the Christmas Eve service for families, and Childrens Sunday. These singers round out the year with a fully-staged musical, complete with costumes and instrumental ensemble.
For more information contact Christy Lombardozzi, Director of Childrens Formation & Music (203) 966-2651 x35 or christy@godsacre.org
Grace Notes will sing occasionally in the worship services. Have fun with music as we sing childrens Bible songs and play rhythm instruments.
Cherub Choir will sing occasionally in the worship services. Weekly rehearsals include an introduction to music theory, singing, and instruments through church music.
For more information contact Jo Deen Blaine Davis, Director of Music Ministries (203) 966-2651 x4 or music@godsacre.org
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CHILDRENS MINISTRIES
This month I had the pleasure of talking with Dirk Dunlap about his experience this year as a Team Member in the 3rd grade Church School class. Dirk is a father of four girls and is in his 2nd year of teaching. He and his wife, Ally, are involved throughout church and community. Dirk has been chair of the Buildings and Grounds committee, and currently serves on the Children and Families Ministries Committee. In his free time, Dirk enjoys tennis, paddle, skiing, home improvements, and managing four beautiful daughters. Christy Lombardozzi: What have you learned from being a Church School teacher? Dirk Dunlap: Well, I can recite the 23rd Psalm with much more confidence than I could six months ago! The other thing that I have learned or been surprised by is how much the children retain from the lessons each week, and how eager they are to participate in the lessons. CL: Do you have a favorite moment or lesson from this year? DD: Its funny, but I really enjoy the Chapel sessions (and not because Christy and Jonah did all the work). In these services, the children are asked to sit with others much different in age. I really enjoyed watching the older kids help the younger ones through the service. It is encouraging to see them engage so much with each other. CL: Why do you teach? DD: I took over teaching Kindergarten last year while my wife was pregnant. I stepped in to help out, and found the experience rewarding. My eldest daughter wanted to have the same experience as her younger sister, so I agreed to do it this year. I also really like seeing how my daughters behave in a classroom setting. CL: Is it easy to teach? Are the lesson plans simple to follow? DD: I wouldnt characterize it as easy or hard. Its a rewarding challenge. Skip is great at relating the lessons of the Bible to the real world, and that makes it easy to take that ability for granted. While teaching, it can be a real challenge to make Biblical stories relevant for todays eight-year olds, but the lesson plans and discussion guides are a big help thanks in no small part to the review and preparation that you and Amy put into them. CL: Is there anything youd like for parents to know, or others who may be considering teaching next year? DD: I think teaching is a great experience. I also think that the structure of the church school, with one lead teacher and a support teacher each week, is a good system. By being a supporting teacher, you can still get involved with the lessons, classroom, and kids - even if you cant make the commitment to teach every week.
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STEPHEN MINISTRIES
submitted by Jim Cole Turn to me and have mercy on me, because I am lonely and hurting.
I feel so alone is a thought that many of us have had at some time in our lives. Feeling alone in struggling with a family or personal problem, or as a result of being separated from a familiar work environment, can be a feeling of extreme separation and perhaps anxiety. It can be debilitating. It can cause even further separation, and even feelings of more intense loneliness. It can be amazing and a little miraculous how a simple reaching out to a fellow church member can lead one who is experiencing loneliness to a Christian solution. Our church has twenty-four trained Stephen Ministers who can help ease the anxiety of loneliness or separation. Stephen Ministers are trained to be prayerful companions to people who are suffering and who want to share their feelings with fellow church members. Stephen Ministers are assigned one-on-one to be listening companions; male care givers are assigned to men, and women to women. This is individual Christian companionship. Stephen Ministry has a record of helping members of our congregation. If you or someone you know needs our help, please contact Reverend Chris Delmar at 203-966-2651, x2. You can also contact Jim Cole at 203-972-8502, or Avril Sweeny at 203-972-8407.
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CARE
parents who are dependent on you? Pastoral Care MinSave space for anistries is considering hosting nouncements re: Pacific a program later this year Dear friends, House, Open Door Shelfor those who are dealing ter, etc. with aging parents. If you This year, Pentecost coincides with the winding down of spring and the beginning would be interested in such of summer. Bold images of a mighty rushing wind and tongues of flame hovering etc a program, please contact over disciples heads may seem hard to relate to, especially as we Debbie. turn towards the lazy, hazy days of summer. What does the dramatic in-rushing of Gods Spirit mean in the upbeat and etc ordinary rhythms of life? And how do those of us heading into Volunteers with less than carefree summertime are always etc know and trust that Gods Spirit is at work? needed for the Pastoral hearts Ministry Team (PMT). We Save the date! On Suncall on members of In Grieving With Grace: A Womans Perspective, Dolores Leckey writes that while she grievedthe loss of the day, October 24, Maud Purher husband, she gained great insight from poet Jessica Powers, team isto importance of listening for about the help whenever cell and other speakers will there need, such as proGods Spirit day to day:called present a program viding food, driving someDifferent Shades of Blue: one to church or to medical Cutting Edge Treatment of God is to be a listener. To live with the Spirit appointments, or writing for Depression. the vigil of mystery, earthless and still. notes upon the anniversary It is to keep Given the prevalence of TV ads for of a loved One leans to catch the stirring of the Spirit, strange as the wind's will. ones death. The anti-depressants, many of need is infrequent and the The soul that walks where the wind of the Spirit blows us would like to know exrewards are great. Please actly turns like a wandering weather-vane toward love. what depression is call Debbie at the church and what canlament like Job or Jeremiah, echo the wounded hart,office, x31, ordove. It may be done for it. the mateless email How do may know ifinsomeIt we rejoice spaciousness of meadow that emulates thedebbie@godsacre.org, freedom of the sky. one we love needs treatif you can help. Always it walks in waylessness, unknowing; it has cast down forever from its hand ment? What kinds of treatments the compass of the whither and the why. are available? Maud To live with the Spirit tells us, If anxiety or de- of God is to be a lover. pression is are knocking at like to Him toward Whom we strain with metaphors of creatures: It becoming love, and your door, theres no need fire-sweep and water-rush and the wind's whim. to despair. Surely one of The soul is all activity, all silence; and though it surges Godward to its goal, the many innovations in the it holds, mood disortreatment of as moving earth holds sleeping noonday, the peace that is the listening of the soul. ders can provide you with hope and help. Come find by Dolores Lackey, Grieving With Grace: A Womens Perspective, 2008 --Jessica Powers, as quoted out more on October 24, 4:30pm6:00pm.
Jesus says, Gods Spirit blows where it will. (John 3:8). If we hope to recognize Gods Spirit stirring in our own lives, no matter what we are facing, we too need to lean and to listen, not rigidly expecting Gods Spirit to blow when or as we will it. We too may walk for a time in waylessness, not yet knowDo you Gods Spirit will lead ing where feel that you are us. But just as surely as Gods Spirit came to Jesus earliest followers now the of Pentecost, we duringpart firstThe Sandwich too can trust that Gods Spirit is present for and among us. And we are Generation and are not loved by God. Always. sure
how to handle all the problems entailed by having
We in Pastoral Care are also leaning and listening for the leading of Gods Spirit in how we might best care for you. One recent nudging is for grief support as church and other activities slow down for the summer. Look soon for details about a group forming here. Wishing you a blessed and Spirit-filled summer,
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Pastoral Care Ministry, with the help of Deacon Joanne Burns, has begun a series of quarterly gatherings for women, Tea and Conversation. This series sprang from the sense that many of the church women had felt isolated over the long winter, and would like a chance to gather in their church home. Our next gathering will be Thursday, June 9 at 11:00am in the Parlor. Well serve a light summer lunch: tea sandwiches, iced tea and lemonade, and then Chris Delmar will start our conversation by reading a few verses of Scripture. We will talk informally about how those words might be speaking to us that day. No preparation is needed for any of these gatherings. Please RSVP to Debbie Chapman in the Church Office, 203-966-2651 x31.
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On Sunday, May 15th, Pastoral Care Ministry hosted a luncheon for all the women of the church. Led by Chris Delmar, and coordinated by Debbie Chapman with the help of many volunteers, the afternoon was a wonderful time spent meeting up with old friends, making new friends, sharing stories, and enjoying fellowship in a spiritual setting. We also lifted up all our Women of Wisdom who were unable to be present with us. Pastoral Care Ministries would like to thank the following people for their help: Gwen Bihl, Larry Brown, Jim Cole, Jody Davis (music), Judy Dunn, Elizabeth Garrett (dessert), Margery Howes, Dick Hyde, Judy Hyde, Kris Johnson (flowers), Anthony Jones, Amy Malling, Pat Stewart, Avril Sweeny, Nancy Upton (music and clean-up) and Anne Wilkinson; also thanks to our wonderful local caterer, Marge Foster, for the delicious food. More thanks are due to our YG volunteers for set-up and serving: Julianne Beck, Charlotte Burch, Scott Cerick, Hayley Charas, Courtney Cole, Jake Hennessy, Cameron Lancaster, Emily Mitaro, Caroline Muller, Lex Najarian, Julie Newton, and Emily Pugliese; and to our YG leaders, Caroline and Chris, for arranging this help for us.
Our Honored Guests Front Row: Gertrude Mead, Lois Spinola, Marge Gore, Betsey Caldwell, Sally Finger, Bee Griffin, Carol Coyle; Back Row: Levora DAcosta, Irene Swanson, Edith Bickley, Joan Igler, Ann Gillerlain, Barbara Porterfield, Phyllis Linden
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SERVICE MINISTRIES
HomeFront Day
On Saturday, May 7, we marked our twentieth year of providing volunteers to support a HomeFront Day service project. HomeFront is a communitybased, volunteer-driven home repair program that provides free repairs to low-income homeowners, thus enabling them to remain in their homes with an improved quality of life. HomeFront Day typically occurs each year, all around Fairfield County and beyond, on the first Saturday of May. Our team of more than 35 adults and teens met at a home in West Norwalk, where volunteer contractor Jim Chevalier led this years renovations. The project entailed scraping and repainting the homes exterior, as well as priming and painting the kitchen. The large complement of workers was a true example that many hands make light work. The project was completed by midafternoon - providing the elderly, wheelchair-bound homeowner with a bright ivory kitchen, as well as a light grey exterior, white trim, and a sky-blue front door. A big thank you to all our volunteers for their selfless gift of time and talent! -submitted by Beth Bagley
PARISH NEWS
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OF
NEW CANAAN
Tuesday
Monday
5 Communion / Choir Recognition 8:00am Service of Worship, Chapel 8:30am Chancel Choir, Meeting House 9:30am Service of Worship, Meeting House 9:30am Church School Chapel Service 10:30am Fellowship Hour, Smith Hall 11:15am Service of Worship, Meeting H. 5:00 Beacon of Light Dinner, Italian Center
Music Committee, Parlor Senior High School Ministries, Room 8 Adult Education, Crib Room Children & Family Ministries, Room 7 Deacons, Parlor Fellowship, Room 8 Middle School Ministries, Smith Hall MSA Committee, Room 6 Trustees, Library
7 1:30pm Staff Meeting, Library 4:30pm Pastoral Ministry Leadership Team, Library 5:00pm YG Event, Parlor/Patio
12 Childrens Sunday 8:00am Service of Worship, Garden 10:00am Service of Worship, Meeting H. 10:00am Church School to age 4 11:00am All-Church Picnic 2:00pm MSYG Pool Party 5:00pm YG Pool Party
19 8:00am Service of Worship, Garden 10:00am Service of Worship, Meeting H. 10:00am Church School 11:00am Refreshments, Parlor
20
26 Baptisms 8:00am Service of Worship, Garden 10:00am Service of Worship, Meeting H. 10:00am Church School 11:00am Refreshments, Parlor
28 9:15am Vacation Bible Camp, United Methodist Church 10:30am Open Door Lunch 6:45pm Stephen Ministers, Parlor
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JUNE 2011
Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 12:00pm Worship Service Bulletin Deadline, Church Office 4:15pm Spirit Singers Choir, Music Center 5:00pm Childrens Choir, Music Center 7:00pm Mens Fellowship Dinner, Roger Sherman Inn 8 8:00am Buildings & Grounds, Library 12:00pm Worship Service Bulletin Deadline, Church Office
2 10:00am-3:00pm, Staff Retreat; Church Office closed 4:00pm Guppies, Mead Park 5:00pm JYG, Mead Park 6:00pm Quest for Truth, Parlor 7:00pm Quest for the Spirit, YG Lounge 9 11:00am Womens Tea and Conversation, Parlor 4:00pm Guppies, Smith Hall 5:00pm JYG, Smith Hall 6:00pm Quest for Truth, Parlor 7:00pm Quest for the Spirit, YG Lounge
10
11
15 12:00pm Worship Service Bulletin Deadline, Church Office 1:30pm Wedding Shower for Elizabeth and Jonah, Parlor
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22 12:00pm Worship Service Bulletin Deadline, Church Office 7:00pm YG Quest Sendoff Dinner
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TODDLERTIME
www.godsacre.org
OF
NEW CANAAN
E-mail
skip@godsacre.org jonah@godsacre.org rob@godsacre.org music@godsacre.org caroline@godsacre.org debbie@godsacre.org leigh@godsacre.org chris@godsacre.org christy@godsacre.org amy@godsacre.org marie-ange@godsacre.org kelly@godsacre.org elizabeth@godsacre.org anne@godsacre.org david@godsacre.org
Ext.
1 3 2 21 4 34 31 38 32 35 5 23 22 6 36 33
The Rev. Chris M. Delmar, Minister of Pastoral Care and Nurture chrisd@godsacre.org
To send an email to any of your church staff, please click on the individuals email address above. To subscribe to the semi-weekly All-Church E-mail, please send an email to david@godsacre.org.
From Gods Acre is not published in July and August. The deadline for entries for the September newsletter is August 15. Submissions should be E-mailed to David Winkworth at david@godsacre.org.