september-october 2019 the judea journalthe judea journal · continued, page 2 for everything…...
TRANSCRIPT
Continued, page 2
For Everything… there is a Season
Sep 1 10:30 am Worship Svc
Pavilion Svc with Salem
Sep 8 10 am Worship Svc*
Mixing of Waters
Sep 15 10 am Worship Svc*
Sep 22 10 am Worship Svc*
Sep 29 10 am Worship Svc*
Oct 6 10 am Worship Svc*
Oct 13 10 am Worship Svc*
Oct 20 10 am Worship Svc*
Oct 27 10 am Worship Svc*
September-October 2019
The First Congregational Church of Washington, Connecticut
The Judea JournalThe Judea JournalThe Judea JournalThe Judea Journal
“For everything there is a season,
and a time for every matter
under heaven.” –Ecclesiates 3:1
It’s hard to believe we’re at the
end of summer already. It feels like
only a few weeks ago the air was
warming up and the flowers were
coming into bloom, and now there is
already a slight chill in the air and
the days are becoming noticeably
shorter. Living among the working
farms here in Washington, the
seasons feel more real to me than
ever before, as farmers start
hauling in yet another round of
hay, and the offerings at the
vegetable stands change from
summer to fall options. The crops
are turning the corner from growth
to harvest. Last weekend I noticed
a few red and yellow leaves on a
tree. Whether we want to embrace
it or not, autumn is right around
the corner.
We’ve blessed the backpacks,
and are getting ready to worship
with our friends at Salem, and then
it is time to mix the waters from
our summer travels. After that we
are back in the swing of things.
In my younger years, I really
enjoyed roller coasters. Even if we
rode the same one multiple times,
Announcements, Misc 6
Birthdays 6
Calendar 7
Christian Education 5
Council’s Corner 3
From the Pastor 1
Green Team 10
Memorials—Weekly 9
Missions & Outreach 4
Sunday Morning Support 8
Upcoming Events 6
Green Fair Photos 11
In this issue: Remember
the WATER!
Page 2
By the Rev. Robyn Gray, PhD
Calendar,
Upcoming Events
and Birthdays on
Pages 6-7 Page 10
Pathway to
Membership
Page 1
Green Team
UPDATE!
MIXING OF THE WATERS and LAST GASP PICNIC
We hope you have taken some time to refresh yourself over the sum-
mer! Wherever that was - even if it was in your own backyard - don’t
forget to bring your sampling of water to mix with the others in our
congregation as we gather to mark the start of a new program year.
Homecoming Sunday, September 8, is our annual “Mixing of the Waters”
as we begin another year of exploring and celebrating Sabbath together.
Following the service, our Deacons are hosting the “Last Gasp of Sum-
mer” picnic on the Green. Bring a salad, side or dessert for the community
table and lawn chairs, if you wish. The Deacons will supply the grill items
and beverages.
(Continued from page 1) For Everything There is a Season (continued from page 1)
Page 2 The Judea Journal
there was a different
perspective, a
different surprise, or
a different level of
confidence in every
ride. The most
provocative part of
riding those roller
coasters was always
the slow, ratchety
climb to the top of
the hill, before we
were set loose to the
powers of gravity,
engineering, and
construction. What
would this ride be
like? Would it be as
thrilling as the last?
Would it be as fun as
that other roller
coaster in the park
that pushed us to
our limits? There
are so many
questions in that
slow ride up the hill.
As we turn the
page from the
mellowness of
summer back to the
hustle-and-bustle of
our program year,
I’m reminded of that
ride up the roller
coaster hill. We will
crest the top with
our Mixing of the
Waters service on
September 8th, and
then it’s onward
through the twists
and turns of the
program year, with
pet blessings, loved
one rememberings,
orange tossings, and
so much more. I’m
excited to be on this
journey together,
and I look forward to
travelling through
this next season and
all the wonder,
beauty, and
excitement it has to
offer.
Pathway to Membership
To talk with a Deacon about
worship, pastoral care concerns,
or hospitality, you may contact
them at the numbers below:
Ellen Willert - 860-605-7902
Sheila Anson - 860-868-2786
Susan Elliott - 860-567-3768
Judith Gorra - 860-868-7023
Wayne Hileman - 860-868-7235
Anne Low - 860-868-0662
Dan Lovallo - 860-361-6949
Hailey Lovallo - 860-3616949
Susan Loyd Turner-860-868-0868
Cara Michalski - 860-484-4533
Henrietta Small- 860-729-3952
Terri Tibbatts - 860-350-1919
Dave Werkhoven - 860-868-0054
Beginning this church year,
there will be three opportunities
to learn about membership in
First Congregational Church and
then three dates on which you
can join. Mix and match based on
the dates that work best for you.
We would love to have anyone
interested in learning more about
membership attend a luncheon
after service on September 29 in
the Parlor, hosted by the Deacons
and Council. We will discuss the
workings and structure of the
church as well as Member status
and expectations, so you can
decide if you would like to
officially join. On October 6, we
will have a New Member Sunday
for anyone who attended any of
the prior Orientations to stand up
and declare Membership through
a short Invitation and Response.
It’s painless, really, so bring your
questions and your curiosity and
come and see what we are all
about.
One additional Orientation
dates will be March 1, 2020 and
another New Member Sunday
will be March 8.
Please RSVP to the office....
(860) 868-0569 or [email protected]
Please welcome Eunyoung
DiGiacomo, who will be our
interim organist for the
coming year while Jesse
Ofgang is away*. She will
officially begin in this capacity
on Sunday, September 22.
Eunyoung has lived in
Kent, CT since 2001. During
this time, she has taught
music at both Kent school and
Marvelwood school, and has
also led the choir and played
organ for Sunday worship at
The First Congregational
Church in Kent. She
currently is the music director
at Cheshire Academy.
* For more about Jesse’s
leave-taking, go to page 6.
Music Ministry
The Council’s Corner
Rev. Robyn Gray, Pastor
860-868-0569, phone extension 11
Her work week is Saturday through
Wednesday. Please contact her if you wish to
make an appointment.
Carrie Loyd, Christian Ed Superintendent
Email: [email protected]
Jesse Ofgang, Organist/Principal Musician
Kathleen Sauvageau, Bookkeeper
Wednesdays, 9 am to 7 pm.
Karen Esslinger, Admin. Assistant
[email protected] ext10
Mon and Wed, 1 pm—5:30 pm (remote)
Tues and Thurs, 9 am—1:30 pm (office)
Al Trowbridge, Sexton (860) 868-0230
Ministers: All the Members
Page 3
Council Members
Rev. Robyn Gray, PhD Pastor, 860-868-0569, X 11
Trish Grinnell, Moderator, 860-799-0190
Tony Vengrove, Vice-Moderator/ Stewardship,
860-799-0054
Michelle Gorra, Treasurer, 860-868-7852
OPEN, Clerk
Millie Johnson, Christian Ed. (860)354-0569
Ellen Willert, Deacons, 860-605-7902
Steve Wadelton, Finance, 860-868-9822
Jim Esslinger, Missions, (860) 919-5207
Alecia Evans, Music & Drama, 860-868-2864
John Lintner, Personnel, 860-868-0019
Lee Parsons, Trustee, 860-946-7798
September-October 2019 Www.FirstChurchWashingtonCT.org
2019/ 20 Quarterly Meetings:
10/6, 1/5/20, 3/1, 6/29
Introduce yourself to someone new
today, and take time to
really get to know them.
In September, the Comfort Shawl Project will meet Sept 1 and 22,
immediately following coffee hour, or 12 pm,
whichever comes first. Beginning in October, they
will meet the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each
month at that time. Whether experienced
knitter or would like to
learn, if you are interested
in joining, you may contact
Shirley Downs
860 868-7713,
or MariLyn Roze
860 868-2398.
Or contact them if someone
you know needs a shawl. Shawls can be given to those undergoing
medical procedures; as a comfort after a loss or in times of stress;
during bereavement; during an illness and recovery; for commitment
or marriage ceremonies; birthing or nursing a baby; celebrating rites
of passage; as gifts for bridal showers or wedding, graduation,
birthday, anniversary, ordination, or holiday; to wear during prayer
or meditation, while leading ritual, or caring for others.
Comfort Shawl Ministry
Page 4 The Judea Journal
Reaching Out to Help and Support Our Neighbors—Near and Far
Jim Esslinger (860-919-5207) or [email protected] , Missions Chair
Sunday, Sept 15 at 11:15 am - We will hold a missions meeting for anyone interested in how our
missions budget is directed and what opportunities we wish to pursue in the coming year. We have a
few new missions to be considered and you are always welcome to bring other ideas! If you do, please be
prepared to explain about the organization and provide some profile data on their financial rating as a
non-profit or an annual report so that we can consider it as a group at that time. Your contributions—
financial, in kind, and hands-on - help to make our collective giving possible. Now is your chance to join
in on the decision-making and action planning!
Here are a few events coming up that might surely help put a smile on your face by getting involved:
Our most recent Loaves and Fishes date was on Thursday Aug 29. We will do it again on October
31. If you missed the opportunity to pitch in this time, watch for the new sign-up sheet to be available
within the next few weeks.
Trivia Night is happening this Sept 21 at 6 pm in the church
hall. Anyone who has attended in the past knows what a fun night it
is…and for a great cause. Proceeds to help defer building costs of their
new facility in New Milford.
Form your teams now and get ready for some fun! Each team will be responsible for bringing their
own snacks or special beverages. Coffee and tea will be provided. Filtered water is always available.
Contact Karen in the office to sign up. Cost is $100 per table of up to 6 people (works out to less than
$20 pp for some terrific entertainment and fellowship!) If you are in need of more players on your team,
feel free to make an announcement in church on Sunday or let Karen know to mention in email
announcements.
On Nov 3, after service, we will be assembling Cleanup Kits for CWS (Church World
Service). With hurricane season coming up it is urgent that there are enough of these
kits available to meet the demand of those who’s lives will be severely impacted.
Information will soon be made available on the church website on what supplies will be
needed and where they may be purchased or how donations can be made.
FOOD BANK
Another year and another opportunity to help your neighbors. Soups and canned meats are
always needed as well as canned fruit, oatmeal and other cereals. The food bank staff is
asking to help their effort to stock their shelves with healthier food options such as: low
sodium, low sugar, low fat, whole grain, natural, gluten-free, organic and no hydrogenated
“The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some
good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill your-self with hope.” —Barack Obama (born 1961), 44th U.S. President
Page 5
Christian Education and Faith Formation
Www.FirstChurchWashingtonCT.org
YOUTH GROUP
The first meeting of the new program year is Sunday, September 22, 5 - 7 pm.
Subsequent gatherings will be on the last Sunday of each month through May 2020.
The First Congregational Church of Washington's Youth Group is for grades 6-12
and all are welcome! Our regular meetings are on the last Sunday of every month
from 5-7 pm at the Parish House. Every meeting involves a group discussion focusing
on the current month's faith practice, food, games, and much more. If you have any
questions, please contact: Emelie (203-405-6710) or via email at
Youth Programs
** Sunday, Sept 8, immediately after worship in the Meeting House - There will be a brief orientation for
interested HIGH SCHOOL teens and their parents .
Every second Sunday, a group of high school teens gather during coffee hour to discuss
the ways in which they can not only get more involved in the church, but also how
their faith gets involved in their lives outside of the church.
This group is open to new members in September and January. If you or your child
are in high school and are interested in joining, please contact Emelie Samuelson or
Mike Burl and get on the list for the next open enrollment date. (see contact info above)
Sunday School
Welcome back to another year of Sunday School! We have a fun fall ahead of us in
our yellow classroom! We will kick off the year on September 8th with our second
annual Mixing of the Sands. After we partake in the Mixing of the Waters in the
Meeting House, we will make our way across the driveway to create our own sand
art, including one to keep in the classroom with a color and layer to represent each of
us and the unique qualities we bring to our church family.
The following Sunday, September 15th, we will have a morning of brainstorming
as we create our classroom covenant for the 2019-2020 school year and dream up all
the fun things we want to do together over the coming months.
Another date to mark on your calendar is Sunday, October 6th. The Sunday
Schoolers will be making a scarecrow to enter in the Town of Washington's annual
Harvest Festival scarecrow competition!
Hope to see you there!
Carrie Loyd - [email protected]
2018-19 Sunday School
Sand Art
Mark has decided not to run again for First Selectman. A reception to honor his many years of service to the Town as First Selectman and his many other contributions to the Town in various roles is planned for…
WHEN: Friday, September 20, 2019, 4:00pm – 6:00pm
WHERE: Bryan Memorial Town Hall, Washington Depot, Connecticut
Please RSVP to: [email protected]
TOWN NEWS - All are invited… to a reception to honor First Selectman Mark E. Lyon
September-October 2019
Page 6 The Judea Journal
October Birthdays September Birthdays
Miscellaneous Announcements
Please let us know if we missed
anyone so that we may update our
database!!
Contact Karen at (860) 868-0569.
1 ......... Samantha Brady
3 ......... MariLyn Roze
7 ......... Peter Armstrong
16 ....... Liddy Adams
13……Evelyn Williams
15 ....... Trish Grinnell
17… ... Karen Brady
18 ....... Seth Nichols
29 ....... Bensley Muszala
1 ......... Pam Osborne
2 ......... Claire Bentzen
3 ......... Madeline Gorra
4 ......... Ben Grinnell
17 ....... Isla Beckstrom
26 ....... Charlie and Elise
........... Vengrove
30 ....... Jack Boyer and ........... Josh Lovallo
31 ....... Paloma and Raphael ........... Melgoza-Gomes
Submitting Material for the
Judea Journal
Deadline for October supplement
content is September 15.
This month, Jesse will be moving to Scotland
to pursue his masters in Scottish music with a
focus on bagpipes at the Royal Conservatoire of
Scotland. He will study with several pipers who
are considered to be among the best players in
the world. While he is away Eunyoung
DiGiacomo will be filling in on organ and as the
choir director. (see page 2)
Jesse’s last Sunday before moving will be
September 15th. Later on the afternoon of the
15th he will be putting on a going away concert
with several guest musicians at 3:00 PM.
Donations will benefit environmental ministries.
Other events this month:
Trivia Night—see page 4
Memorial Service for Matt Kraft—see page 11
Page 7 To access an online calendar, visit Www.FirstChurchWashingtonCT.org
October 2019
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1
] 9:30 AM - AA
6:30 PM– NB DS
2
RETREAT (staff)
3 4
10 am - AA Meeting
6 pm - NB Pot Luck
5
RETREAT
(deacons)
6
10 am Worship /
New Members
and Sunday School
11 am Qtrly Mtg
7
10 am Gunnery
Meeting (MH)
8
9:30 AM - AA
12:15 PM Rotary
6:30 PM– NB DS
9
10
11
10 am - AA Meeting
6 pm - NB Pot Luck
12
13
10 am Worship with
Sunday School
14
10 am Gunnery
Meeting (MH)
15
9:30 AM - AA
6:30 PM– NB DS
16
17
6:30 pm - Council
18
10 am - AA Meeting
6 pm - NB Pot Luck
19
20 10 am Worship with
Sunday School
11 am Worship
Planning Mtg
21
22
9:30 AM - AA
12:15 PM Rotary
6:30 PM– NB DS
23
24
25
10 am - AA Meeting
6 pm - NB Pot Luck
26
27
10 am Worship with
Sunday School
5-7 pm Youth
Group
28
10 am Gunnery
Meeting (MH)
29
9:30 AM - AA
6:30 PM– NB DS
30
Loaves & Fishes
Food Drop-off
31
September 2019 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1
10:30 am Annual
Joint Worship Svc at
the Pavilion with
Salem Covenant
Church
2
3
9:30 AM - AA
6:30 PM– NB DS
4 5
6
10 am - AA Meeting
6 pm - NB Pot Luc
7
8
10 am Worship with
Communion and
Sunday School
11 am Last Gasp
Picnic!
9
10 am Gunnery
Meeting (MH)
10
9:30 am - AA
12:15 pm -Rotary
6:30 am – NB
Divorce Support
11
Patriot Day
12
13
10 am - AA Meeting
14
15
10 am Worship with
Sunday School
3 pm Concert: Farewell
to Jesse O
16
17
9:30 am - AA
6 pm “Paris to
Pittsburgh”
6:30 pm– NB DS
18
19
6:30 pm - Council
Meeting
20
10 am - AA Meeting
6 pm - NB Pot Luck
21
6:30 pm
Trivia Night!
22
10 am Worship with
Sunday School
11 am Worship
Planning Meeting
5-7 pm Youth Grp
23
First Day of Autumn
24
9:30 am - AA
12:15 pm -Rotary
6:30 pm – NB DS
25
26
27
10 am - AA Meeting
6 pm - NB Pot Luck
28
1 pm Memorial
Service for
Matthew Kraft
29
10 am Worship with
Sunday School
11 am Newcomers’
Orientation
2 pm Shannahan
30
10 am Gunnery
Meeting (MH)
Office CLOSED
Loaves &
Fishes
Comfort Shawls 1st and 3rd Sundays.
SingOut! Rehearsals in Parish House
every Sunday from 4-6 pm
Upcoming:
CWS Clean-up kit assembly 11/3
Harvest Dinner , Sat 11/16
September-October 2019
Worship Support Ministry
Page 8 The Judea Journal
♦ The Communion server marked with an asterisk is assigned to bring the bread.
If you are scheduled and cannot do it for some reason, please make
DEACONS OF THE MONTH: JUDIE GORRA AND HENRIETTA SMALL (SEPTEMBER)
DAN LOVALLO AND TERRI TIBBATTS (OCTOBER)
DATE USHERS &
GREETERS
WORSHIP
ASSISTANT
WELCOME
ANNOUNC’M’TS NURSERY
SUNDAY
SCHOOL
COFFEE
HOUR
SEPT 1 PAVILION SVC
Michael and Michelle
Gorra N/A N/A TBD N/A
Combined with
Salem
Covenant
SEPT 8 Carol Glintenkamp and
Lee Parsons
Karen Esslinger Wayne Hileman TBD Carrie Loyd
and TBD
Last Gasp of
Summer picnic
SEPT 15 Susan Loyd and
John Turner Dan Lovallo Dan Lovallo TBD
Carrie Loyd
and TBD TBD
SEPT 22 Karen and Jim
Esslinger Judie Gorra Judie Gorra TBD
Carrie Loyd
and TBD TBD
SEPT 29
Ben Grinnell and
Kate Vengrove Anne Low Dan Lovallo Anne Low
Carrie Loyd
and TBD TBD
OCT 6 COMMUNION
Cara Michalski*, TBD,
John Lintner and
Al Trowbridge
Michelle Gorra Judie Gorra TBD Carrie Loyd
and TBD TBD
OCT 13 Emelie and Mike Burl Carole
Glintenkamp Wayne Hileman TBD
Carrie Loyd
and TBD TBD
OCT 20 Jack and Jane Boyer Trish Grinnell Dan Lovallo TBD Carrie Loyd
and TBD TBD
OCT 27 Dave Werkhoven and
Terri Tibbatts Kate Vengrove Wayne Hileman TBD
Carrie Loyd
and TBD TBD
arrangements for a replacement and then notify Karen in the church office.
KEEP IT SIMPLE COFFEE HOURS
••Dip and chips (salsa, hummus, etc. and any kind of chip) ••Fruit or
veggies ••Finger desserts ••Cheese and crackers
Instruction document available with “how to’s” for first time hosts or those seeking more info
or buddy up with someone who has hosted before!
COFFEE HOUR HOSTS ARE NEEDED for dates marked “OPEN” above.
Please sign up on the list(s) on the bulletin board in Wersebe Hall
or call the office (860) 868-0569.
Page 9 Www.FirstChurchWashingtonCT.org
Flowers
September 1 Pavilion Svc. - No flowers
September 8 Given by Debbie Swigart in honor of her husband, Ned, on the occasion
of their 65th wedding anniversary
September 15 In loving memory of Jean and Bill Stanek, dancing on together through eternity.
Given by Karen and Jim Esslinger.
September 22 OPEN
September 29 In loving memory of Howard Bronson, given by His Family
October 6 OPEN
October 13 Given by Toppy Pickett in loving memory of her friend, Liz Miller
October 20 In celebration of my grandchildren
October 27 In loving memory of her father, John Rauch, given by Helen Rauch Hughes
Steeple Lighting
September 1 OPEN
September 8 In memory of Jack Mannion, a beacon for so many. Given by Dick Connor
September 15 OPEN
September 22 OPEN
September 29 Given by Ed and Beth Collum Kosco in loving memory of her father, Rex E. Collum
October 6 Given by Toppy Pickett in loving memory of her husband, Walter M. (Jed) Pickett, Jr.
October 13 In memory of David Nelson DeLude from his parents, Dicka and Tony DeLude
October 20 In loving memory of her father, John Rauch, given by Helen Rauch Hughes
October 27 OPEN
Flowers are $70 per week. Steeple Lighting is $25 per week. Consider honoring a loved one or special occasion by sponsoring flowers or steeple lighting! If you have a partic-
ular date or dates you wish to sponsor flowers or steeple lighting at any time during the year to honor or re-
member someone or something, please contact Karen in the church office to verify date availability. Call (860)
868-0569 or email: [email protected]
In addition to the dates noted above as “OPEN”, the following dates are also available:
Flowers: 11/3, 11/10, 1/12/2020, 1/19 and 1/26 Steeple Lighting: 11/10, 12/8, 1/5/2020, 1/12, 1/19 & 1/26
Memorial Service for Matthew Kraft
Dear Family and Friends,
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, September 28th to honor and celebrate the life of our
Matt.
The service will take place at the First Congregational Church of Washington (6 Kirby Road,
Washington, CT 06793) at 1:00 pm. The service will be followed by a gathering at the Bryan Memorial
Town Hall (2 Bryan Plaza, Washington Depot, CT) to share memories, stories, enjoy the company of one
another, and to have a bite to eat.
We are asking for you to send us your memories, stories of and with Matt, thoughts or quotes/sayings
to be included in a Memory Book we are compiling for the service. Please email to Roxanne at
[email protected]. We welcome all of your memories so they can become part of ours. With love and deep
gratitude, The Kraft Family, Roxanne, Greg, Ashley & Eric DeVosThe Kraft Family, Roxanne, Greg, Ashley & Eric DeVosThe Kraft Family, Roxanne, Greg, Ashley & Eric DeVosThe Kraft Family, Roxanne, Greg, Ashley & Eric DeVos
September-October 2019
Page 10 The Judea Journal
Green Team Update! What we did on our summer vacation...
Save money, make choices on your grocery packaging: Join a Buying Group! Small community buying groups have been around a long time—at least before “health food stores” were
more accessible and affordable. These groups order items from a distributor catalog then work together
at a designated location to break up the delivery and pay for the purchases. This no frills process allows
members of the group to purchase at a significant discount, depending on group size and volume of total
annual purchases. We have recently discovered a local buying group with
online ordering and pickups every 4 weeks (or so) in Woodbury. Jean
Baldwin and I have tested out the process and will both be joining. The next
ordering deadline is Sept 15 with delivery on Sept 23. If you are interested
in learning more, please contact Karen: [email protected]
And what is coming up!
On the heels of the marvelous “Trash Talk” by Jennifer Heaton-Jones from the Housatonic Resource
Recovery Authority (HRRA) in June, the Green Team was all fired up to join forces with the Green Fair
team to make the fair a little “greener”. Besides harvesting/ redirecting some items from the tag sale
that would have normally gone into the dumpster during the sorting process, Terri Tibbatts researched
earth-friendly replacements for the normally disposable paper and plasticware used at the Green Fair
Grille. She found a commercial composting facility in New Milford and learned all about the
requirements and limitations of what they will accept. In addition to the plates, cold cups, napkins and
corn-based flatware, Mike Gorra put out cold water thermal jugs as water bottle filling stations
throughout the fair. In the end, the only disposables we had were hot cups and some other donated
items. Next year we’ll be fine tuning. Also, a box of trinkets that were deemed unsellable were
delivered to the Shepaug School to be used for student art projects. And because we learned at the
Trask Talk that even stained or ripped fabrics can be donated to Goodwill to be sold for scrap textiles,
we delivered several bags of these items to a Goodwill collection bin.
And all the leftover furniture and tag sale items were disbursed to various non-profits by Ferris
Gorra, who is fleshing out a post-fair cleanup program. With all these efforts, we did still use two
dumpsters to haul away junk but they were not quite so full as in years past. Collecting lessons learned
this year, we are planning to expand this effort and find more ways to reduce the waste next year.
On Tuesday, September 17 at 6 pm in the Gunn Library’s community room, we will be co-hosting
with the Washington Environmental Council a movie screening of “Paris to Pittsburgh”, produced by
National Geographic and made available to us free of charge by Bloomberg and Interfaith Power and
Light. Please join us for this movie that we hope will inspire everyone to take some kind of action. (See
AD on page 6.)
WATER BOTTLES—Effective when the existing disposable water bottles currently in the Parish House
refrigerator are gone, we will no longer purchase these bottles. We do, however, have Brita water filter
pitchers in the refrigerator so you may fill your own reusable water bottle or a glass. Used glasses can
go into the dishwasher, which will be run weekly or when next full.
COMPOSTING—If you are interested in learning more about composting and options for redirecting
your organic waste from the incinerators to make the soils healthier, contact Karen in the church office.
We will be offering a composting workshop, tentatively planned for a date in November, to be
determined.
Page 11 Www.FirstChurchWashingtonCT.org
St. Francis of Assisi, an Italian Catholic friar, is commemorated on October 4. Though it’s unclear
whether this famous “peace prayer” was his, it reflects his gentle spirit as an ardent Christ-follower:
Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is error, truth;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O, Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying to ourselves that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
Green Fair Highlights
September-October 2019
Prayer of St. Francis
Whoever you are, and wherever you are on your life’s journey, you are welcome.
6 Kirby Road P.O. Box 1285 Washington, CT 06793
The First Congregational Church of Washington, Connecticut
Phone: 860-868-0569 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.firstchurchwashingtonct.org
POSTMASTER: ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
DATED MATERIAL—PLEASE EXPEDITE DELIVERY
Thomas Merton, an American monk, writer and social activist, said, “It is
in the ordinary duties and labors of life that the Christian can and should de-
velop his spiritual union with God.” As the United States observes Labor Day,
may we find meaning not simply in marking summer’s end but in celebrating
the ways nearly all “duties and labors of life” can empower ministry and faith.
Whether as a dentist, parent, artist, teacher, mechanic, gardener, city counci-
lor, farmer, day laborer, attorney or anything else, a Christian can begin each workday or shift by pray-
ing for opportunities to serve whoever they’ll encounter. We also can pray for and seek ways to grow in
“spiritual union with God”: cultivating spiritual fruits; actively loving God and neighbor; seeing Jesus in
the vulnerable; practicing humility, gratitude and praise.
In Labor Day, may we find inspiration to make all our labors loving and faithful!