First Congregational Church United Church of Christ INSIDE: Moderator’s Corner 2 Emergency Shelter 3 Lenten Services 3 Current Happenings 3 Birthdays 3 Calendar 4 Dear FCC Family and Friends, Over the past week or so, several people have asked me if I ever envisioned being a pastor of a church because I seem so comfortable as your Senior Minister. Others have told me that I am where I am supposed to be and that serving on various committees outside of the church has been very helpful to the Town of New Castle. Because of your generosity of spirit, you have encouraged and supported my serving beyond the walls of our church. You practice what you preach – in that, not only do you reach beyond our walls, but you encourage and support my doing so as well. It is very humbling to have affirmed that I am indeed where I am supposed to be and am doing what God has put on my heart, and yours, as we seek to serve others. Well, I have been tapped to go way beyond our walls and I wanted to let you know about it. And, of course, I ask for your prayers while I undertake this trip. Following the terrorist attack at the Christmas Market in Berlin just before Christmas, I was approached by the Rev. David Gaewski, the New York UCC Conference Minister. He asked if I would be willing to travel to Berlin to work with the clergy there. You see, I have an expertise in helping clergy help their congregations after a “human-caused trauma”. I know it sounds unusual, but this came about from my work with the UCC National Disaster Ministries following the shooting at the school in Chardon, Ohio, and then the movie theater in Aurora, CO. Clergy were asking the UCC for guidance in how to help their congregants deal with such horrendous human-caused tragedies and how to cope themselves. Because I had worked with clergy and others on trauma issues around 9/11 recovery, I was asked if I would develop a workshop that would address this “new” area of growing concern. Little did the UCC or I know at the time, that this would be a concern that would continue to grow over the years. Unfortunately, I have been asked to lead workshops on this topic in many different parts of the U.S. over the past 5 plus years. The NY Conference has a covenantal relationship with the EKHN (Evangelische Kirche in Hessen und Nassau or Protestant Churches in Hesse and Nassau). (Peter Dennebaum is a part of the EKHN and I am hoping to see him while there). David was very concerned for our colleagues in Germany following the terrorist attack and wanted to honor our covenantal relationship with the EKHN. He wanted to be able to offer the clergy there an opportunity for both healing and learning. So, I agreed to go (with the support of the Personnel Committee, Trustees and Church Council). I will be traveling to Berlin (with Pat) on Tuesday, February 21 and will return on Monday, the 27 th . I am grateful that Bruce Page has agreed to fill the pulpit for Sunday, February 26. I hope if you are in town (it is the winter break time for CCSD schools), that you will come and hear the message Bruce will have to offer you that Sunday. I am indeed truly humbled by this opportunity to bring healing and support to clergy who have been impacted in a way that they never envisioned nor trained for. And, I ask for your prayers not only for me, but for the clergy I will be working with, as they deal with their own sense of loss and grief and seek to help their congregants. Quote of the Month With God as the ocean floor, the tide of faith can ebb and flow and be ever renewed by the Spirit of God. -Anonymous “Being Where I am Supposed to Be” by Rev. Dr. Martha Jacobs T HE C ARILLON Vision Statement In living our faith and guided by the teachings of Jesus Christ, we seek to be known as an open and safe place of peaceful reflection and tolerant dialogue. We also seek to lead our community as a voice of hope to foster individual and social compassion. Adopted Annual Meeng January 22,, 2017
Transcript
Firs t Congregational Church United Church of Chr ist
I N S I D E :
Moderator’s Corner 2
Emergency Shelter 3
Lenten Services 3
Current Happenings 3
Birthdays 3
Calendar 4
Dear FCC Family and Friends, Over the past week or so, several people have asked me if I ever envisioned being a pastor of a church because I seem so comfortable as your Senior Minister. Others have told me that I am where I am supposed to be and that serving on various committees outside of the church has been very helpful to the Town of New Castle. Because of your generosity of spirit, you have encouraged and supported my serving beyond the walls of our church. You practice what you preach – in that, not only do you reach beyond our walls, but you encourage and support my doing so as well. It is very humbling to have affirmed that I am indeed where I am supposed to be and am doing what God has put on my heart, and yours, as we seek to serve others. Well, I have been tapped to go way beyond our walls and I wanted to let you know about it. And, of course, I ask for your prayers while I undertake this trip. Following the terrorist attack at the Christmas Market in Berlin just before Christmas, I was approached by the Rev. David Gaewski, the New York UCC Conference Minister. He asked if I would be willing to travel to Berlin to work with the clergy there. You see, I have an expertise in helping clergy help their congregations after a “human-caused trauma”. I know it sounds unusual, but this came about from my work with the UCC National Disaster Ministries following the shooting at the school in Chardon, Ohio, and then the movie theater in Aurora, CO. Clergy were asking the UCC for guidance in how to help their congregants deal with such horrendous human-caused tragedies and how to cope themselves. Because I had worked with clergy and others on trauma issues around 9/11 recovery, I was asked if I would develop a workshop that would address this “new” area of growing concern. Little did the UCC or I know at the time, that this would be a concern that would continue to grow over the years. Unfortunately, I have been asked to lead workshops on this topic in many different parts of the U.S. over the past 5 plus years. The NY Conference has a covenantal relationship with the EKHN (Evangelische Kirche in Hessen und Nassau or Protestant Churches in Hesse and Nassau). (Peter Dennebaum is a part of the EKHN and I am hoping to see him while there). David was very concerned for our colleagues in Germany following the terrorist attack and wanted to honor our covenantal relationship with the EKHN. He wanted to be able to offer the clergy there an opportunity for both healing and learning. So, I agreed to go (with the support of the Personnel Committee, Trustees and Church Council). I will be traveling to Berlin (with Pat) on Tuesday, February 21 and will return on Monday, the 27th. I am grateful that Bruce Page has agreed to fill the pulpit for Sunday, February 26. I hope if you are in town (it is the winter break time for CCSD schools), that you will come and hear the message Bruce will have to offer you that Sunday. I am indeed truly humbled by this opportunity to bring healing and support to clergy who have been impacted in a way that they never envisioned nor trained for. And, I ask for your prayers not only for me, but for the clergy I will be working with, as they deal with their own sense of loss and grief and seek to help their congregants.
Quote of the Month
With God as the ocean
floor, the tide of faith
can ebb and flow and be
ever renewed by the
Spirit of God. -Anonymous
“Being Where I am Supposed to Be” by Rev. Dr. Martha Jacobs
Like Barbara, (please read her Moderator’s corner below) I was so taken with the Spirit of our Annual Meeting! The worshipful work we undertook enabled us to honor Lucia Maloney for her 68 years of membership, and present a balanced budget, which is in large part due to your generosity of heart and spirit. We also accepted a budget for this year that will again need all of our generosity of heart and spirit, as we seek to continue to reach those both inside and outside our walls who are in need. We also adopted Vision Statement that will help guide us over the next several years. Please join us this Sunday for Pastor’s Pancakes (don’t forget to bring your food donations for Luke’s Pantry!), Second Hour, Bright and Beautiful, with Valerie Heemstra, and talk with Jana Peters, Robin Stout, Bruce Page and members of the Board of Faith Formation about how you can support our Youth who are planning their Mission Trip to North Carolina. More details on that will be forthcoming! Also, please note Robin’s request below for information about the causes that are near and dear to your heart (other than FCC!) that you might want us to support through our benevolences. And, don’t forget to sign up to help out when our ESP guests join us at the end of the month! Many Blessings,
P.S. Remember to sign your child (ages 16 and up) for the Youth Mission trip in April.
M O D E R A T O R ’ S C O R N E R
Thank you everyone for attending the annual meeting. It was an excellent meeting besides being really short. As I said on Sunday, I am really sorry Bill Harden missed the Trustees' "Balanced Budget" report. Thank you all so much for the response to my Moderator's Moment. It was overwhelming to me and will always be a treasured memory as will all the kind words to me after the meeting. I truly appreciate your continued support. After your board has had their February meeting, either in person or by email, please let the office and me know who your Chair or Co-Chair is. I have to send the Council meeting notice to the people who need to know about it. Please remember to email your minutes to the office. -Barbara
Mission and Outreach (M&O) oversees FCC charitable and outreach work. For many months in this column we have shared with our congregation information on the charities we support and on opportunities for rewarding volunteer work. We know that many members of our congregation are active in numerous local, regional, national, and international charities – we know because so many of you have come to us to share your passions. This information forms an important part of M&O’s annual deliberations on how to spend FCC benevolences and where to direct our energies. So, this month, instead of highlighting one particular charity, we want to invite any and all members of the congregation to let us know about your favorite causes, and how you think FCC might help. Call us, e-mail us, or arrange to come to one of our meetings. M&O members Florence Hovy, Ellen Lewis, Rob Risley, and Robin Stout are eager to hear from you!
M I S S I O N & O U T R E A C H - I N H E L P I N G O T H E R S , W E H E L P O U R S E L V E S
Page 3
C U R R E N T H A P P E N I N G S ●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●
Adults
2 Dru Welburn 4 Bob Hacker 5 Jane Smalley 10 Ginny Bender 11 Pat Lowell 14 Jill Hart 17 Berlynn Weissner 22 Sarah Beyler
22 Sue Hacker 24 Cooper Swenson 25 Kimberly Carey 25 Jean Zimmerman 26 Laura Vazquez 26 Rob Quish
Youth
5 Alison Lombardo age 15 6 Kelechi Emenike age 15 8 Caroline Morton age 10 16 Jack Dillane age 11 23 Stephen Hotchkin age 13
F E B RUA RY B I RT H DA Y S H A P P Y B I R T H DAY T O A L L !
Office and
Play Care
Closed
Monday, February 20
LUKE’S PANTRY - Sunday, February 5 Please help the Community Center of Northern Westchester provide food for hundreds of our neighbors in need. Bring your food donations to church on February 5 to be blessed during worship. Thank you.
Youth Mission Trip on the Move! While we have raised several thousand dollars
already for the Holy Week Youth Mission Trip to Wilmington, NC, this Sunday, February 5 at 4:30 pm, all FCC youth reaching age 16 by April are invited to gather for Pizza Instead at FCC to learn all the important details about our Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry Mission Trip from Friday, April 7 through Saturday, April 15. There will be several fundraising opportunities for the congregation to support this good work!
LENTEN BOOK
Becoming Whole Becoming Holy
will be available in the Narthex beginning
Sunday, February 26.
Emergency Shelter Partnership FCC will be hosting our second week: February 27-March 5. Volunteers are still needed. Please check the sign-up sheet in the main lobby.
L E N T E N S E RV I C E S
Ash Wednesday Services March 1 - 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary
Join us for Soup and Prayer Services Wednesday evenings - March 8, 15, 22, 29 and April 5
beginning in Centennial Hall at 7:00 pm
Active Adult Workout
Thursdays, 11:30am Centennial Hall
$5.00 a class
Instructor Laura Santucci
Page 4
First Congregational Church UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
We’re on the web! www.fcc-chappaqua.org
"With open hands and open
hearts, we care for each
other and the wider world
through prayer, connections
and compassion. We are
compelled by our faith to
follow in the path
of Jesus Christ,
by both listening
to and spreading God’s
love to all people.”
“Like” us on Facebook
An Open and Affirming Church
For a more detailed look at upcoming activities
at FCC, visit our website by scanning this QR
code with your smartphone app reader.
Please let us know:
If you have a change/correction to name, address,
phone number or family circumstance.
If you no longer wish to receive
The Carillon, please contact the main office.
210 Orchard Ridge Road Chappaqua, NY 10514
Phone: 914-238-4411 Fax: 914-238-8842
Email: [email protected] The Carillon is published monthly by The First Congregational Church of Chappaqua. Editor reserves the right to edit for content and space.
