First Church of Christ, Simsbury
May 2016, Vol 190
THE CORNERSTONE First Church is an Open and Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Christ
MAY 2016 WORSHIP SCHEDULE Join Us! Worship Services: 8:30 am in the Chapel 10:00 am in the Sanctuary May 1st
May 8th
Sixth Sunday of Easter with Holy Communion Soul-Stirring John 5:1-4 Rev. George Harris Seventh Sunday of Easter Mother’s Day Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History Acts 16:16-34 Rev. George Harris Baptism Sunday
May 15th
May 22nd
May 29th
Pentecost Sunday The Holy Spirit, Common Ground, and Elvis the Barber Acts 2:1-21 Rev. George Harris
Inside of this Issue Worship Schedule
Pg. 1
Pastor Pondering
Pg. 2
Message from Rev. Kevin Weikel Pg. 3 Music Notes by Mark Mercier
Pg. 4
Upcoming Concert
Pg.4
Children’s Ministries
Pg. 5
Calendar
Pg. 6-7
Youth & Young Adults
Pg. 8
Trinity Sunday Confirmation Sunday (10 am) What Now? John 16:12-15 Rev. Kevin Weikel
General Info
Pg. 9
Fellowship Hour Hosts
Pg. 9
President’s Message
Pg.11
Memorial Day Sunday Service Second Sunday after Pentecost
May Food Drive Info.
Pg.11
Faith of an Outsider Luke 7:1-10 Rev. George Harris
Geranium / Mary & John Sunday (10 am)
JustFaith Article
FCC Boards and Committees
Pg. 10
Pg. 12
Pastor Pondering I often chuckle at humorous examples of punctuation mistakes that circulate on the internet. Here are a few of my favorites. A magazine cover includes the headline: “Rachel Ray finds inspiration in cooking her family and her dog.” Surely this was meant to read: “Rachel Ray finds inspiration in cooking, her family, and her dog.
Rev. George Harris Senior Minister 860-651-3593 x14 gharris@ fccsimsbury.org Out of Office Tuesdays
Then there is the sign that reads: “Attention: Toilet only for disabled elderly pregnant children.” At least there will never be a line! And in this example note the difference a comma makes: Let’s eat grandpa! Let’s eat, grandpa! I thought of these internet memes after the bulletins for my installation were printed. I sent copies to Cindy Braunlich and Susan White who would be leading the Call to Worship. I soon received an email from Susan asking, “Any chance that the final punctuation on the last line is supposed to be a ‘!’ and not a ‘?’” Oh boy! The Call to Worship began with a strong affirmation. In response to the question, “Who are you?” the congregation would respond, “We are children of God!” The litany was meant to end as it began, “Who are you?” but the congregation’s response read, “We are children of God?” Instead of an enthusiastic proclamation of our intimate relationship with God as parent, this simple punctuation error had the congregation responding with uncertainty and doubt, as if to say Um... Gosh, we don’t know. Are we really children of God? After Susan pointed out the mistake I alternated between feeling embarrassed, laughing out loud, and thinking that the misplaced question mark revealed an important truth about our walk of faith. Regardless of what we say, pray and sing in church on Sundays, deep down we often have doubts. Am I really a child of God? With all the mistakes I’ve made, how is that possible? I just couldn’t let the doubt implied by that stray question mark stand. On Saturday, I went through all three hundred bulletins and penned in a big exclamation point at the end of that sentence. Absolutely! We are children of God! May First Church, Simsbury be that exclamation point for you, affirming God’s love for you, not just on Sundays but each and every day of your life. You are a child of God, precious in God’s sight! In Christ, Pastor George
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A Message from Rev. Kevin Weikel I was honored to offer the “Charge to the Congregation” on the occasion of Pastor George’s Installation as Sr. Minister of First Church. Below is an abbreviated version of the words I shared. Peace to you, Kevin It has been tradition throughout the centuries long history of First Church of Christ, Simsbury, to use the title “Minister” or “Reverend” when referring to its Clergy. While Pastor George does not take issue with either of those titles, he prefers to be called Pastor. The reason for this? Because when he was working among those experiencing homelessness in Hawaii, a woman by the name of Linda Goodspeed began addressing him as Pastor and he felt God’s call resonate within. Through her, he knew he was being called into professional ministry. The title Pastor best describes who Pastor George believes God has called him to be, and honors what Linda Goodspeed first recognized in him. Most of us are aware that the word “Pastor” has its roots in the Biblical image of shepherding. As we know, a shepherd tends, or pastures, a flock of sheep. Shepherds feed their sheep, bring them to good land and clean water, groom them and clip them, care for the little lambs, teach them to stay together, and on occasion, go off after the wandering lost and hurting ones. The question for us, then, is this: With Pastor George as the Sr. Shepherd, what is our role as sheep, as congregants, as a church? I have three thoughts to share as my charge. First, together with our Sr. Shepherd, we must willingly seek out the new pastures to which we are being called: This church has an amazing history. Martin Luther King, Jr. once sang in our choir. When some disapproved, the choir director and his wife, among others, were steadfast in standing up for what was right. This Sanctuary once burned almost to the ground, the people were resilient, soon building it back up again, all the while remaining steadfast on their financial commitment to local mission and Our Church’s Wider Mission. First Church has sent thousands of members and friends on mission trips, built a medical clinic in Uganda, and most recently, voted to become an Open and Affirming congregation. This is some wonderful history. Like all history, the history of First Church is important to remember, and we should reflect on it and learn from it, but we should not hold fiercely onto it. We must willingly join Pastor George in prayerfully seeking out the new pastures to which we are being called.
Rev. Kevin Weikel Associate Minister for Youth and Young Adults 860-651-3593 x16 kweikel@ fccsimsbury.org Out of Office Wednesdays
Second, shepherds must poke and prod, it’s for the good of the sheep: Pastor George is called to lead us toward a closer relationship with God, to guide us toward Christ. Following his lead will sometimes seem easy, and at other times feel uncomfortable. This is a good thing. Pastor George is not called to make us happy, there are a lot of places where we could go to simply be happy, but the call of the Gospel is to transformation - transformation of our lives, our community and world. Transformation for the poor, the oppressed, and those living in the margins of life. I charge us to interpret his poking and prodding as invitations and opportunities to grow and be the church in new ways. Third, we must remember that shepherds herd from behind, and so lead sheep are needed in the fold: It is a good thing when we feel a deep connection with our church, when this building and congregation truly become our sanctuary. At the same time, we must be mindful so as not to have this church become our bunker, because a church is not to be a bunker, but a beacon. A church should not be separate from the world; it should stick out in the community and world. We must be lead sheep, unafraid to set out in varied ministries with the shepherds blessing. We must be willing to prayerfully consider our individual gifts for the good of the church, the body of Christ. We must be unafraid to express ideas when we have them, and be willing to serve. And we should let our friends and acquaintances within our community know who we are, what we stand for, and why we come here, and invite them to be a part of it, too. Those were my three thoughts, but I’ll add one more for good measure. A bonus challenge. We must offer our full support of Pastor George, through our words and our actions. We must show up to worship and get involved in the ministry of the church. If we have concerns, we should go to him directly. All the while, we must keep Pastor George in our prayers. His calling is a challenging one, he is up for that challenge, but prayers for Pastor George, his family, and First Church, will keep all of us grounded, and ensure that we are truly being guided by the God of Jesus Christ, the one and only Good Shepherd.
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Musical Notes Ahhhh… summer is approaching. Even though it’s more than a month away, the occasional warm weather gives us thoughts of the beach, the pool, mowing the lawn, painting the garage… one has to take to good with the bad, I guess. We’re not there yet, though – there’s a lot to do and a lot going on. The Sunday services in May are loaded with great music by all of our groups and some individuals – and every service is a special occasion. Chancel Choir, Men’s Choir, Women’s Praise Choir, Choral Bells, and Juniors still have some terrific music in store, and more over the summer. Don’t even think about staying home on Sunday mornings!
Mark Mercier, Director of Music Ministries 860-651-3593 x21 mmercier@ fccsimsbury.org Out of Office Tuesdays
We are starting with a bell workshop in conjunction with the Methodist Church on April 30 at 9 AM – Larry Berdensey and members of the Hockanum Valley Ringers are coming to work with our and several other area bell groups to introduce us to some unfamiliar techniques and help us with our playing as a group and individually. If you have ever played bells and know how very cool it is, you are welcome to come as well – just let me know as soon as you can. Then, we have a fabulous concert on May 6th on Friday night in Palmer Hall. The Concert Committee will present New York City based Indie folk-rockers, Bridget Davis and her band the Viking Kings. This features the absolutely enthralling vocalist Bridget Davis, with First Church alumni guitarist Sam Petitti, in a casual, coffee-house setting with beverages and light fare included. You’ll be treated to upbeat and approachable indie folk-rock, performed by some of the best players you could ever hear, to chase away any lingering cold weather blues you might have. Bridget, Sam and the band were here 2 years ago, and we couldn’t wait to have them back. The music is mesmerizing, and accessible to any one from teens to young adults to families to, um, older teens. It’s just great stuff, and she and the band are really up and coming in the New York scene – come and hear them before they get too big. New York’s Deli Magazine says of the popular debut single from this award-winning band’s newly released album: “With Davis’ gentle voice gliding over drum clasps and guitar curls, the song unapologetically yet sensitively tells of the hurt we must do to one person in order to commit to another. Davis is a sharp songwriter, though, and the song (debut single) never sinks into melodrama. In fact, the listener comes away almost broken by the track’s blunt honesty but in a beautiful, ultimately redemptive way.” (Zach Weg) Be sure to mark your calendar. Tickets (Adults - 10.; Students/seniors - 8. ) may be purchased in advance at the First Church Office or at the door. Includes all food and beverages. We are currently scheduling our summer musicians – if you have any desire to play, sing, or help with our music for the summer services in any way, let me know. It’s a wonderful opportunity to contribute to the creativity of Sunday morning worship in a gentle, nonjudgmental setting. That’s it. Come to a rehearsal of anything if you haven’t already been to one – take part, observe – it doesn’t matter. But you will find out that great things are happening! Happy Spring Mark
Save the date! Friday, May 6th, 7:30 pm First Church’s Cornerstone Concert Series presents New York City based Indie folk-rockers, Bridget Davis and the Viking Kings Tickets available in the church office, from any Music Board Member, or at the door. Cost: 10.00 Adult; 8.00 Students and Seniors Includes lite -fare refreshments.
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K. I .D. S. @ First
Children’s ministry
Kids Investigating Divine Stories at First Church Visit www.firstchurchsimsbury.com to see the church school schedule, videos, and information about what the kids are doing at First Church.
Roman Market Place, May 8, Palmer Hall, 10:15 after the children’s message Come to the Roman market place and wear your toga (single white flat sheet). Strap on your sandals for fun, adventure, and God's love—in Rome!
Upcoming events for your Calendar May 1: 10 am service—begin in worship and dismissed to class
Join the fun and explore a crowded Roman marketplace…
May 8: 10 am service—begin in worship and dismissed to Palmer Hall for the Roman Market Place
Tiptoe past Roman guards Play Olympic games
May 15: 10am service – begin in worship, Pre-K and up dismissed to youth room for movie and activities
Be a scribe and send a note of encouragement to some one you know
May 22: 10 am Confirmation Service – kids will attend worship. Worship bags and activity sheets are available for students.
Visit the leather shop and make “heart for God wrist bands”
May 29: 10am service – begin in worship, dismissed to youth room for movie and activities
Visit the mason shop and make a fish (Christian symbol) mosaic Create and nibble on pizza Visit the Olive Oil shop and make a Mint Sea salt Olive Oil scrub as a gift
June 5: 10am service Communion/ Celebration Sunday - kids remain in worship
Summer Church School: This summer the students will be watching the animated adventure series, “Paws & Tales: Biblical Wisdom for kids,” playing games, and responding to the story through art.
Join Paul, the tent maker, and create tents.
Silver Lake Conference Center: Silver Lake is a UCC overnight camp for kids in the fourth through twelve grade. Registration: www.silverlake.org. Click on “Silver Lake Registration.” Vacation Bible School: At Surf Shack VBS, the Surfers will hit the waves to develop a deeper understanding of God’s awesome power! June 20-24, Monday-Friday, 9am—noon Registration: www.firstchurchsimsbury.org
Online games for young elementary kids are available at http:// www.pawsandtalesgames.com - parents can sign up for a free visitor account to play some of the games.
May Church School Mission Project: The students are collecting nonperishable food for the Simsbury Food Bank.
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If you have not yet made your pledge or if you would like to increase your pledge to help us reach our goals, please email the amount to Cathie Behrens at
[email protected] and she will create or correct your pledge card and send you an acknowledgement. Thank you in advance for your continued generosity.
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Youth and Young Adults Junior Fellowship (JF) is our youth group for 7th and 8th graders. JF gathers approximately once every three weeks, from 2:10-4:30 pm during the school year. At JF, we eat together, play games together, and participate in engaging activities and faith-based discussions together. Sunday, May 1st Friday, May 13th Friday, June 3rd
Walk Against Hunger : 12:15 pm Pizza Lunch 12:45 pm Leave from First Church 2:10-4:30 pm in Palmer Hall/Youth Room 2:10-4:30 pm Closing Picnic at Penwood Park
The Confirmation year is a concentrated time for 8th graders to explore what it means to be Christian. Through large and small group gatherings, mission/service work, experiencing and reflecting on worship, going on retreat, participating in the events and activities of JF, and much more, our Confirmands build positive and grace-filled relationships with one another, and develop a deeper understanding of God’s love for all people, while exploring what it means to follow Jesus. Sunday, May 1st Monday, May 9th Thursday, May 12th Monday, May 16th Saturday, May 21st Sunday, May 22nd
Closing Dinner in the Palmer Hall (5-7pm) For Students and Parents Small Group Pizza and Faith Statements with Rev. Kevin (5-7 pm) Small Group Pizza and Faith Statements with Rev. Kevin (5-7 pm) Small Group Pizza and Faith Statements with Rev. Kevin (5-7 pm) Confirmation Rehearsal (9—10:30 am) Confirmation Sunday! (10 am) Confirmands gather at 9:30 am in the Youth Room.
Pilgrim Fellowship (PF) is for all 9th through 12th graders no matter their religious background, or ideas about God. Everyone is welcome. PF is a place to play, discuss, worship, grow, serve, and love. PF is a place for teenagers to journey together in faith. PF meets for fellowship, retreats, mission opportunities, and more. Sunday, May 1st Sunday, May 1st Sunday, May 8th Sunday, May 15th Sunday, May 22nd Sunday, May 29th
Walk Against Hunger : 12:15 pm Pizza Lunch 12:45 pm Leave from First Church 7—9 pm in the Youth Room No PF (Mother’s Day) 3-9 pm CT Youth Revival (Hartford) & Will Braunlich Dinner & Movie Night Sign Up Required for Both Events 6-9 pm PF Closing Picnic and Graduate Blessing at Town Forest Park No PF (Memorial Day Weekend)
An Experience Like No Other! June 25-July 3, 2016 Youth and Young Adults Pilgrimage This summer, come with us to UrbanSpirit in Louisville, Kentucky, where we will discover our character, gain understanding, and return with bigger hearts. What is UrbanSpirit? UrbanSpirit is a poverty immersion experience created to help us look at our world in a new way, beyond the stereotypes and myths about poverty, wealth and privilege. We will be challenged with the weight of hard choices, and inadequate resources, which those experiencing poverty feel each day. While UrbanSpirit is a simulation, it is well-protected. All of the challenges we face will become important parts of the experience. At UrbanSpirit, the project is YOU. We will gain tools and insights that will help us become creative leaders in a broken world. We will discover our character, build strong bonds with one another, gain understanding, grow in faith, and return with bigger hearts. There and Back We will travel to and from Louisville, KY, via a chartered coach bus with Kelley Transit. On our way home, we will overnight on Josh’s Hill, in Bloomsburg, PA, where we will enjoy a picnic, play volleyball or Whiffle ball, participate in a closing worship service, and sit around a campfire deep into the night. Register Now by visiting our Website, through the Weekly E-mail Newsletter or by Contacting Rev. Kevin at
[email protected] –or– 860-324-5630 Deposit and Registration Due ASAP! Upcoming Tutoring Dates at the Simpson-Waverly Elementary School in Hartford: No tutoring on May 3rd / May 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st / June 7th (Last Day) 8
Fellowship Upcoming Fellowship Hour Schedule: May 1st:
No Fellowship Hour, Annual Meeting
May 8th:
Board of Worship
May 15th:
Board of Mission and Outreach
May 22:
Card Making & Prayer Shawl Ministries
May 29th:
Church Officers, Memorial Day Mary and John Society
On Memorial Day Sunday, May 29th, we will have our bi-annual celebration of the Mary & John Society which honors those who have been members of First Church for fifty years or more. If you, or someone you know, has reached this milestone (having joined in 1955 or 1956) please contact Cathie Behrens, Membership Coordinator, at the Church office with name and year of joining.
[email protected] or 860-651-3593. Thank you so much for your help!
Care Bag Ministry News In April, First Church's Care Bags ministry delivered 67 tote bags to the Department of Children and Families. These bags provide essential and comfort items to children who are removed from their homes because of emergency situations. The day the bags were delivered, a boy had just arrived at DCF with only the clothes on his back - a t-shirt and shorts. The previous day, an infant was brought in wearing only a soiled diaper and socks. Each Care Bag includes items to help a foster family get through the first couple days of the unanticipated arrival of a child in their home. First Church assembles Care Bags for newborns to teenagers. For younger children, the bags include food, formula, diapers & wipes, a bottle and other feeding items, clothing, toiletries, a small toy, a stuffed animal, a book, and a blanket. There is a constant need for these items, as well as a need for volunteers to assemble the bags. The next meeting is scheduled for Sunday, May 22nd. All are welcome to come help! Donations of new and/or gently used items are needed too. Please watch your Weekly Newsletter Emails for a link to our “shopping list” or contact Susan Sizer for more information.
Community Farm of Simsbury The Community Farm of Simsbury has asked the Board of Mission for help this spring. Prior to planting the organic vegetables, we are asked to help with the following: Maintenance for deer and pasture fences; tool cleaning and sharpening; cleaning wooden stakes; repairing chicken coop run and coop door. Could YOU please donate a few hours of your time to help with these tasks?? Please contact Jenn Djambazov, the Farm Manager, at 425879-5896, or
[email protected].
Walk Against Hunger Graduation Sunday
Join us on Sunday, May 1st, for the Foodshare Walk Against Hunger.
On Sunday, June 12th we will celebrate “Graduation Sunday.” If you are graduating from high school or any institution of higher learning, please contact the church office by June 1st with the following information: Name, degree and school, what you are doing next year, a way or two in which you plan to continue being a disciple after graduation. We look forward to acknowledging your accomplishment!
First Church is forming a team to raise money and walk to fight hunger in Greater Hartford! This is a wonderful way to gather with old friends and make new ones while supporting a great cause.
A Friendly Reminder:
The bus can seat 30, and the rest of the participants can carpool.
When making purchases at Kane’s Market or Fitzgerald’s Great Value for First Church, on account, please be sure and sign for the purchases. You also must submit the receipt you receive to Lisa Reed, Financial Assistant. This will help us track purchases and balances. Thank you!
Walkers will meet in Palmer Hall at 12:15 pm for Pizza Leaving First Church at 12:45 pm for Hartford
The Walk steps off from Liam E. McGee Memorial Park (formerly Hartbeat Park) at 2:00 p.m. If you would like to donate, sign up, or learn more, please contact Lourdes Harris at 860-681-9128 or
[email protected]. 9
JustFaith 2015-2016 In fall of 2015 Sara Batchelder and Frank Gould launched an intensive study group to explore what it means to practice a faith informed by a concern for justice. There were four others on this journey: Meg Gaines, Ashley Mercer-Schwitter, Mario Chiappetti and Louise Gould. We would like to share some of this journey with you in hopes that others might follow our lead and start another group next fall. Our journey involved regular weekly meetings (24 2½-hour meetings!), readings, watching videos, sharing food, several immersion experiences, speakers from the community (shared with others in the church), and two full-day home based retreats. There is a JustFaith organization which provides a curriculum for the year-long program. It was originally developed by a Roman Catholic organization but has been adapted for protestant use. We made some adjustments of our own along the way. Each of our meetings involved a brief worship service of Bible readings and prayer, an active guided discussion of our readings/videos and closing. We began our journey together by spending some time to get to know each other better. Even though most of us had known each other through church work of one kind or another, we found there were things we did not know about each other. One of the advantages of small study group together over time is that you are able to develop deeper relationships that can provide mutual support for projects you might want to undertake in the future. The issues we considered included racism and other forms of oppression, poverty (local, domestic, and global) and socioeconomic diversity in general, food shortage, incarceration, and care for the environment. We discussed several questions: What does it mean to live simply? What is the difference between charity and justice (that is, trying to focus on meeting immediate needs as opposed to working for long-term social change)? What is the importance of hope? What is a responsible way for us to live ourselves? We also had several occasions where we interacted with different social service agencies to learn first hand about the issues we had been studying. We had a visitor from Hands on Hartford Homelessness Speakers Bureau who reflected on homelessness and how often homelessness is related to problems with mental health. We had a visitor from the Catholic Worker house in Hartford who spoke about living among the poor to provide broader life experiences for the neighborhood children growing up in inner city Hartford and also for their own children. We visited the Christian Activities Council in Hartford where we met with a group of local citizens who had experienced a fire in their apartment building and through the Christian Activities Council community organizing initiative had become empowered to challenge the conditions they were experiencing while their homes were being repaired. We later accompanied a group of parents of children from the Martin Luther School who attended a Hartford School Board Meeting to protest the poor communications that the district had with parents about the future of their children’s education. We also had a guest speaker from Bread for the World. Many of us attended a meeting in Guilford where a diverse group of previously incarcerated individuals spoke of their reorientation to participation in society after serving prison terms. We have looked to see what basic resources would be necessary for a family to live in Hartford – what do apartments cost, what kinds of resources do poor families have? Through these activities and exercises, we sometimes found conflicts – what seems to help in the short term may actually cause harm in the long run. We watched a video about two Camdens (New Jersey), one about the Civil Rights Movement, one about non-violent resistance, several short ones about the Kenyan environmental and women's rights advocate Wangari Maathai who was awarded the 2004 Nobel peace prize, and more. We all found this JustFaith course to be one of the most rewarding experiences we have done. It challenged us to look at our faith in new ways. With this experience behind us, we are now discussing what we can do to put our new outlook into action. One of the good things about this program is that two co-facilitators can lead a small group study without having to plan the curriculum. The resources, prayers, scripture readings, detailed session plans are all there. A facilitator does not need to do much, if any, research on their own to have a deep study program. If you are interested in starting another group next fall contact Frank Gould, Sara Batchelder or Pastor George for more information. Some of our references: On the topics of competition, poverty, hunger and alienation, how much is enough: Compassion – Nouwen, McNeill and Morrison Cloud of Witnesses –Jim Wallis and Joyce Hollyday Tattoos on the Heart – working through gang violence in an up-close personal environment Father Greg Boyle, S.J. and Homeboy Industries. How Much is Enough-Arthur Simon On the topics of racism, educational equity, domestic violence, sex trafficking, immigrant migration, environmental crises, fair trade, microcredit, Rising to Common Ground:Oversoming America’s Color Lines,Danny Duncan Collum Half the Sky, Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn Unexpected News, Robert McAfee Brown Doing Justice, Dennis Jacobsen TED talks: Reconnecting with Compassion by Krista Tippett Another World is Possible by Shane Claiborne Beware Fellow Plutocrats . . . by Nick Hanauer We Need to Talk about an Injustice by Bryan Stevenson
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President’s Message I want to start by thanking all of you for the opportunity to serve as your President over the last two years. First Church is a vibrant church community focused on God’s work, with a very strong commitment to mission and outreach, terrific programs for members and friends of all ages, wonderful choirs, and active Boards and committees. We are blessed to be led by two outstanding ministers, Pastor George and Kevin, and to be supported by such a strong staff. We have a wonderful history, and a vision of an even more impactful future as we strive to make a difference in so many lives in our church, our community, and the wider world, all in the name of Jesus. I feel truly honored for the faith you had to trust me in this role. As my term expires I do have one major concern, and that is whether our church will receive the financial income needed to meet our goals and grow in our service to God. Let’s compare our church budget to your household budget. A large part of our church’s income, as in any household, goes to meeting the necessary expenses to keep the church (or household) running. We must pay for heat in the cold winter months, pay the electricity bill, pay to have the grounds maintained and the snow removed, and pay the routine expenses for repairs and maintenance of an old building. And we need to plan for the large bills we know are coming, like a new roof. As in any household, our church has to pay the insurance premiums to keep our coverage in force. Our church also has to pay the salaries and benefits of our ministers and staff. Once we meet all the necessary and essential expenses, we can budget our remaining income. In your household, that might mean deciding on whether or not you can afford a new television, or where you might vacation, and, of course, what worthy causes to support. We do the same at First Church- we use the rest of our income to support mission and outreach, our vibrant youth and adult Christian education programs, and our music ministries, to name just a few. In your households, you realize that every year the costs of those necessary and essential expenses continue to rise each year. If you are fortunate, your income keeps pace, and you are able to devote the same percentage of your income to the fun stuff. If you are really lucky, your income grows faster than those essential expenses, and you have more money to spend on other items. But, if you are on a fixed income you know too well that each year more and more of your income is needed to cover those rising essential expenses, and you have less and less income to spend on the other categories. Unfortunately our church is like a household on a fixed income. By far, our greatest source of income is pledge income. We depend on it to pay our bills and fund our programs. As in your household, the necessary and essential expenses that keep our church running (salaries, benefits, insurance bills, building maintenance) rise every year. But our budgeted pledge income for 2016 is exactly the same as it was in 2014, at $710,000. We’ve been on a fixed income for three years, while our expenses continue to rise. This means we have less money to devote to the programs that we value so much- our strong PF , JF and youth Christian Education programs, adult education, music, and mission and outreach to name a few. We can’t meet our vision if we don’t have the income to support our goals. I said above our church is like a household on a fixed income, but if we look back further our problem is actually much worse than that. Just 5 years ago, in 2011 our actual pledge income was $787,000! And while our budget for 2016 is $710,000, the same as 3 years ago, our actual pledges to date are only $657,500. Without an increase in pledges your Executive Council may need to cut programs this year- in 2016, to avoid an actual deficit. I hope that this message helps you to better understand the financial realities of First Church. And I hope that the new Executive Council we vote in this month does not need to consider budget cuts. I ask each of you to reconsider your pledge, not just for next year and the years to come, but for this year as well. First Church’s ability to meet our goals and vision depends on you. Thank you. Jim Trimble President
Food Drive For the Simsbury Food Pantry summer brings lower donations due to vacations and higher demand for food assistance with children out of school. You can help them prepare for this by contributing to First Church’s Food Drive. On May 1st, 8th and 15th boxes will be available outside the sanctuary, outside Palmer Hall and near the Sunday School classes to collect your non-perishable food items. Demand is highest for: Peanut butter & jelly Canned fruit & vegetables Cereal Canned meats & fish not requiring refrigeration Pasta & sauces Beans and other protein sources Dog & cat food – dry and canned not requiring refrigeration – is also welcome. We have set a goal of 60 bags of groceries so please help us reach this!! Please call Carol Pollack at 860-658-7643 with any questions or to help with delivery of the food. 11
First Church of Christ 689 Hopmeadow St Simsbury CT 06070 (860) 651-3593 Fax (860) 408-9229 Kitchen (860) 658-9043 www.fccsimsbury.org
STAFF Rev. George M. Harris Senior Minister
[email protected] Rev. Kevin Weikel Associate Minister for Youth and Young Adults
[email protected] Mark Mercier Director of Music Ministries
[email protected] Cindy Cole Director of Children’s Ministries
[email protected] Shannon Lindsay Church Administrator
[email protected] Valerie Aldrich Administrative Assistant
[email protected] Catherine Behrens Membership Coordinator
[email protected] Lisa Reed Financial Assistant
[email protected] Joe Martinez Facilities Manager
[email protected]
First Church of Christ 689 Hopmeadow Street Simsbury, CT 06070
First Church of Christ Boards/Committees Information - Involvement - Enrichment This is to continue a monthly "Cornerstone" series of articles intended to inform you (and hopefully, to involve you and enrich your church life) about various and diverse Boards and Committees that help make up the fabric of First Church. Each month will feature the Boards and/or Committees that will host Fellowship Hour in Palmer Hall following Sunday morning 10 am worship. This will afford a dialogue opportunity for Boards/Committees to present their purposes and activities and for congregants to explore and discover opportunities for personal involvement and faith growth. May 8th— Board of Worship Board of Worship (BOW), as its name sounds, exists to help the ministers conduct worship. One member/elder recruits and coordinates ushers for all services, another assists with baptisms, someone recruits and oversees communion servers (we all usually serve communion multiple times during the year), another coordinates new member activities twice a year, another lines-up Fellowship Hour hosts (we host 2-3 times a year so we all bring food, set-up, serve and clean-up), someone handles all flower purchased, a person with related skills handles publicity for major church events and we help coordinate and recruit for special services like Advent, Christmas Eve and Easter. We meet officially the second Monday of the month Sept. thru June; 7:30 - 9:30. Of course more time is required for the other activities. New members wouldn't have to do any of these alone and can choose where they want to get involved. It really is rewarding work and makes for a strong connection to the church. Does something here interest you? We'd love to have you! If you’d like to join us or have additional questions please contact Frank Gould at (860) 224-6978 or
[email protected] or Carol Pollack at (860) 658-7643 or
[email protected]. May 15th-Board of Mission & Outreach Our Board of Mission and Outreach welcomes new people to join us on a full-time, part-time or project only basis. You could: participate in hands on mission work like; distributing fresh produce at the Food Share truck, serving meals in Hartford, planting vegetables at the Community Farm, rehabbing a low income house, tutoring elementary school children at Simpson Waverly School in North Hartford and much more. Help us inform our First Church members on current social issues as well as the many ongoing mission and outreach activities at our Church. Help us allocate approximately $45,000 of annual donations to over 25 missions locally, nationally and globally. Contact: Dave Wadhams (860)321-7160 or
[email protected].
~ Please notify the Church of any address changes. ~ Sign up for our emails and check our website.
