United Church of Christ in Cornwall, Congregational s3

The Bridge May 2017 United Church of Christ in Cornwall, Congregational

STAFF: Minister Director of Music Dir. of Christian Ed. Church Secretary Church Sexton Micki Nunn-Miller Anne Chamberlain Tracy Gray Tracy Gray Donna Bielefield

PASTOR’S WORD Rev. Donna Schaper, UCC pastor and author, was a I am aware of how crucifixion has been so very writer for the Daily Devotions delivered by the UCC present in our midst even right after we have to email inboxes. Some years ago she wrote a celebrated the resurrection. reflection based on a verse from the 23rd Psalm, verse And yet we know that terror and defeat are 5: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of nothing new in our world. So how do we lean toward my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup resurrection rather than toward crucifixion as we face overflows.” I was very much taken with her the ups and downs that are part of life? Schaper reflection. writes, “What is the difference between an empty cup She points out that there are days when we can and a full one? The difference is in the risk of “hear the tinny sound of our own empty cup.” We are emptying it. Overflow energy comes after we spill, spent and we know it. Other days we might feel not before. Instead we hear the waterfall in the totally differently. We start the day with a that same background, the replenishing of plenitude released. psalm on our lips, a lift in our hearts, and a bit of Plenitude hoarded gets tinny. Spilled, it flows. Our swagger in our walk. Donna says, on those days, cups overflow if we empty them.” “you start sentences with ‘YAY, though I walk As we share, pray, care, work for the least of through the shadow of death, I fear no evil.’ In other these, give and worship, we pour out our cups on words, you begin from the resurrection instead of behalf of God’s world. Join us in this work that from the crucifixion.” brings God’s grace and peace and leans towards We live in a time of division in so many areas God’s justice. of our lives, with political strife at an all-time high and Blessings, plummeting faith in institutions, and with fear of Micki terrorism and of the “other” being promoted by many, Call to Annual Meeting The Annual Meeting of the United Church of Christ in Cornwall, Congregational will be held in the Parish House on Sunday, May 7, 2017 following the 10:00 morning worship service. The agenda will include: - Reports of Boards and Committees - Nominating Committee – Action on proposed slate An Enhanced fellowship hour will be provided following worship and prior to the meeting. Betsey Mauro, Clerk A new, creative Call to Annual Meeting: Tis that time of year When daffodils bloom We’re given a charge And all seems bright in these hills. We’ve a job to do Oh, yes, yes, I know The leaves they unfurl So in this poetic greeting The word “meetings” not grand The buds they uncurl I invite you right now It’s not a reflection of heaven And the church has a job to fulfill. With a flourish and bow But the business is here To our necessary annual meeting. To attend with good cheer Mark your calendars, then, for Betsey Mauro, Clerk May 7th. IN OUR CHURCH FAMILY Congratulations to the following children and young people who celebrate a birthday this month: May 8 Dan Tyson May 24 Arianna Danforth-Gold May 11 Eliza Tyson May 30 Morgan Betti

We offer our sympathies to the family of Marion Blake who passed away on April 10. Marion was an active member of our church for 83 years having joined in 1934.

We offer our sympathies to the family of Tom Hubbard who passed away on March 20. Tom and Anne have been great friends and supporters of our church and our work for many years.

Celebrating the Creative Spirit NEW ART SHOW IN THE PARISH HOUSE “A Show of Peace” Showcasing the artwork of the Church School children The art celebrates our connectedness with all people and our work toward creating a world where peace is not just the absence of war but is a life where conflict, anger and injustice are a thing of the past and where Shalom becomes a way of life. May 21 – June 11 OPENING RECEPTION on Sunday, May 21 at 11:30 A.M.

Litchfield North Association Annual Meeting The LNA will meet on May 7, 3 pm, at the Center Congregational Church, UCC, in Torrington. Delegates and visitors are invited to this meeting which gathers the churches of the UCC in the northwest corner. There will be a time for worship, business, and a brief program, followed by refreshments. The program will center on learning about the proposal to bring together the Conferences of Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut (RIMACT). The Annual Meeting of our Association leads up to the historic combined Annual Meetings of all three Conferences which will be held at the Hartford Convention Center on June 17 and 18.

THE CONFERENCE MINISTER WILL PREACH! Sunday, May 21 Rev. Kent Siladi, the CT Conference Minister, will be with us to preach on Sunday, May 21st. Please plan to be here to show Cornwall hospitality to our wonderful spiritual leader. He looks forward to meeting after Fellowship for a light lunch with church leaders and anyone else who is interesting in speaking with him about our congregation and about the CT Conference

Decoration Day at the North Cornwall Cemetery

The traditional Decoration Day gathering will take place at the North Cornwall Cemetery, Memorial Day, May 29, at 9:00 a.m. The grave of each veteran buried there will be visited, the veterans remembered and the grave decorated with flowers brought by those attending. The service will last about an hour. This will be led by Virginia Gold!

Cakes, Cakes and More Cakes… … are needed for the Cake Walk at the Carnival – the more cakes the longer the Carnival lasts and the more fun, fellowship and money for outreach is raised! Please consider baking a cake and bringing it down to the vestibule on Monday, May 29 before the festivities on the green begin (at 11:00).

ANNUAL MEMORIAL DAY CARNIVAL Monday, May 29 Noon to 2:00 EAT!! PLAY!! PARTICIPATE!! The annual Memorial Day Carnival will take place on the UCC grounds Monday, May 29, after the parade and observances on the Town Green. The UCC provides the food and St. Bridget’s will run the games. There are plenty of opportunities (besides eating) for you to participate: food shopping, preparing food, setting up tents and tables, serving food, selling food and drink,….Only an hour of your time will really help. Call the Church Office (860-672-6840) or sign up in The Day Room if you can help with this event which combines community celebration with outreach within and beyond our community. Mark your calendars and be part of the party!

************************************************************************ ATTEND TRADE SECRETS OR VOLUNTEER TO HELP! Riddle: where can you go to see great garden antiques and plants and tour wonderful local gardens, all while helping to bring domestic violence to an end? Answer: Trade Secrets on May 13 and May 14! For more information, go to www.tradesecretsct.com or call Women’s Support Services at 860-364-1080. GOODNEWS! GOODNEWS! GOODNEWS!  Easter burst forth with worship on the hillside and in the sanctuary with lilies and hallelujahs and visitors among us. Thanks be to God!  Continuing Education programs have been well-attended in this program year, with special emphasis placed on learning about other faiths and cultures. Three programs were held to learn more about Islam and another to further our understanding of Native American culture. Thanks be to God!  The Syrian family we have helped to resettle is pondering an opportunity to live and work in Cornwall. We celebrate their move toward independence in their new country. Thanks be to God!  Twelve children, youth, and adults celebrated a Passover Seder and in the midst of the meal, learned about how the Seder is the background to the Christian celebration of Communion. Thanks be to God!  Many Boards and Committees have met and worked over this program year to take care of the business of handling 4 buildings and the work of sharing God’s love and justice and caring for one another, our community and our world. We celebrate these ministers who transform lives. Thanks be to God!

UPDATE FROM THE REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT COMMITTEE The Aljasem family has been in the US for nine months now! All are learning English, with varying degrees of success. The children are thriving in school, though, as expected, are not yet up to grade level. As the family moves toward more independence, the parents are trying to get their driver’s licenses and are trying to save for a car. The father of the family has recently received a job offer from the Trinity Retreat Center in Cornwall that would include housing. They are considering the offer very positively, but will wait until they take the tour of the Center and of Cornwall Consolidated School and the town itself before they make a decision. Folks from Cornwall have been providing rides and offering various gifts (clothing, money, and llamas) to help the family. Thanks to Peg and the Committee and the larger group of interested folks for all they have done over these months.

Choral Vespers In celebration of Mother’s Day Cantus Excelsus (Bruce Fifer, Director) Sunday, May 14th, 2017, 7:00 pm Chapel of All Saints, Cornwall UCC North Cornwall Meetinghouse, 115 Town Street Bring your mothers to this lovely service of hymns and meditation! Free and open to the public. All are welcome.

United Church of Christ in Cornwall, Congregational Church Council Meeting April 09, 2017

Present: Mary Ann Poinelli, Barbara Gold, Lisa Keskinen, Jim Longwell, Diane Beebe, Jane Prentice, Betsey Mauro, Rev. Micki Nunn Miller. Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by chairperson Mary Ann Poinelli at 11:35 am. Opening Prayer: Rev. Micki Nunn Miller Action on Minutes of February 6, 2017: Approved unanimously with no amendments or corrections. Annual Meeting and Reports: The Annual Meeting of the church will be held May 7 th, 2017. In the planned absence of Mary Ann Poinelli, Barb Gold will serve as moderator. Please get your committee reports to Tracy as soon as possible. Pastor’s Report: Micki has been back at work for about three weeks following her surgeries and has fully led two worship services. She is still in physical therapy to gain strength and mobility. The committee expressed their joy that Micki has resumed her pastoral duties. Betsey was thanked for filling in in Micki’s absence. Treasurer’s Report: The new bookkeeper, Christine, is settling in well and Barb has confidence in Christine’s ability to do the job. Barb and Christine will set up regular meetings together. Christine is recommending that the church adopt a different bookkeeping software program and has made some recommendations to Barb and Micki. Micki will look into the recommendation. A full financial report to the Council will be generated quarterly. The Church’s investments are doing well. Director of Education: No Report. Committees Trustees. The North Cornwall Meetinghouse is entering phase II of its restoration which concentrates on the interior renovations. It is unclear at this point if the congregation will be able to use the building for its traditional summer worship services. Landscaping is being discussed to connect a walkway to the new handicap accessible ramp. The Women’s Society Rummage Sale will be using part of the Parish House for their sale. The Trustees are looking into improving lighting in the basement. Deacons. Holy Week and Easter Services plans have been put in place. Micki thanked the Deacons for their attention to setting up the parish house as a place of winter worship. Christian Education. The Church School students are sponsoring a child from Ecuador by using funds generated from the carnival. The students are also planning on gathering the candle stubs from the Christmas Eve service and making from them a candle to be used in the church as a memorial. Students are also getting ready for the art show. Music. No report. Fellowship. There will be a lunch accompanying the Annual Meeting. Nominating. This committee is working to find people willing to fill committee positions. The question arose about whether we should revisit the idea of term limits as currently in place in the bylaws. Perhaps not having term limits will allow people to continue to do something they love doing. Pros and cons exist for either consideration. SMOC. This committee is reviewing its charge and its past activities. The members of this group are energized and motivated. Old Business: UCC RI-MA-CT cooperative structure. These three state conferences have voted to pursue a cooperative affiliation that will allow them to retain assets while sharing staff and creating a common governing board representing all three conferences. This commitment to being united in mission and ministry will be voted upon June 16-17 when the three conferences will meet together in Hartford. If the vote is successful these three state conferences will come together in as the Southern New England Conference. New Business: Discussion of the April 2, 2017 Meeting. Ideas generated at the “clothesline” meeting of interested congregants concerning how to “enliven” the church were reviewed. This list of ideas was sent to council members ahead of the Council meeting by Moderator Mary Ann Poinelli. Discussion centered on clarifying why we engaged in this ideas-generating process and what should be the next steps. There was consensus that the council needed to discuss more fully the ideas generated and determine how best to proceed. It was decided that the list of ideas generated would be distributed to the congregation as promised but at this point we would not be gathering formal feedback about the ideas. The next meeting of the council is scheduled for Monday, June 5th at 6:30 pm. The agenda will be dedicated to discussing/determining our next steps regarding the information gathered on April 2nd - enlivening participation in our church. Close of Meeting: The meeting closed at 1:10 pm Respectfully Submitted,

D. Elizabeth Mauro, Clerk Biblical Moms Use a bible to help you find the answer to the following questions about Bible moms. 1. Who was the “mother of all living”? ______(Genesis 3:20) 2. What mother “lent her child to the Lord”? ______(1 Samuel 1:22,28) 3. What mother urged her daughter to ask for a man’s head? ______(Matthew 14:6-8) 4. What mother asked Jesus if her two sons could sit on His right and left hand in His kingdom? ______(Matthew 20:20-21) 5. What mother helped her son deceive his father? ______(Genesis 27:6-19) 6. What mother served as a paid nurse for her baby son? ______(Exodus 2:1-9, 6:20) 7. What 90 year-old woman became a mother? ______(Genesis 17:15-17) 8. What mother arranged for her son to marry an Egyptian girl? ______(Genesis 21:17, 21) 9. What mother’s son became king after David? ______(1 Kings 1:28-30)

10. What mother went against tradition and named her own son? ______(Luke 1:57-60) May 2017 United Church of Christ in Cornwall, Congregational 860-672-6840 [email protected]

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 6 Food Pantry Christian Ed. Stitch “n” Spin Food Pantry Cornwall Assoc. open for patrons, Com. meets, 7:15, Lib. open, 9:00 – 9:00, DR 5:15 – 6:15 6:30, office 10:00 Trustees, 7:30 Memorial Mat Squad, 6:30 DR Service for Ray – 8:30, PH Hart, 2:00, NCMH 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 8:45 Choir Blood Pressure Stitch “n” Spin Food Pantry rehearsal Clinic, 12-1, Lib 7:15, Lib. open, 9:00 – 10:00 Worship 10:00 Food Pantry and Church Deacons, 6:30, School open for patrons, 11:00 Annual 5:15 – 6:15 DR Meeting Mat Squad, 6:30 – 8:30, PH

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 8:30 Food Pantry Stitch “n” Spin Food Pantry Memorial Confirmation open for patrons, 7:15, Lib. open, 9:00 – Service for class, Lib. 5:15 – 6:15 10:00 Marion Blake, 8:45 Choir 11:00, CVMH rehearsal Mat Squad, 6:30 10:00 Worship – 8:30, PH and Church School 7:00 Choral Vespers, NCMH 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 8:45 Choir Food Pantry Stitch “n” Spin Food Pantry Carnival rehearsal open for patrons, 7:15, Lib. open, 9:00 – cooking, 9:30, 10:00 Worship 5:15 – 6:15 10:00 and Church PH School, Rev. Mat Squad, 6:30 Kent Siladi, preaching – 8:30, PH 11:30 Art Opening 28 29 30 31 8:45 Choir Office Closed Qigong, 6:00 – rehearsal Memorial Day 7:00, DR 10:00 Worship and Church Carnival 12:00 – 2:00 Stitch “n” Spin School 7:15, Lib. 11:00 Food Pantry open Carnival set- for patrons, 5:15 – up 6:15

United Church of Christ in Cornwall, Congregational PO Box 35 8 Bolton Hill Road Cornwall, CT 06753 Phone: 860-672-6840 Fax: 860-672-6840 Email: [email protected] Web:www.uccincornwall.org Facebook: UCC in Cornwall Morning Worship: 10:00 Church School: 10:00 Office Hours: M – F, 9 –1

God is Still Speaking! We are an Open and Affirming Church. All are welcome here!