DEACONS' CORNER
The days are longer, the sun is brighter, and the earth is warming around us! This gives us more time to appreciate the beautiful world God has granted us! Enjoy the coming spring season. As part of our annual tradition, the deacons invite everyone to celebrate Laity Sunday on April 13th. Laity Sunday is an event the deacons look forward to each year. It is an opportunity for us to embrace and lead our amazing congregation in prayer and worship. Come join us as we continue a WACC tradition and welcome the springtime.
Beth Ganter
WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP EVENTS:
WACC Women’s Retreat: “Life Balance”
Mercy Center in Madison, CT
Saturday, May 31, 2008
9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Carpool Caravan will leave the church promptly at 8:00 AM
To-Go Breakfast, Lunch, and Afternoon Snack Included
**REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Sunday, April 13, 2008**
Join Women’s Fellowship at Mercy Center, in Madison, located on spectacularly beautiful beachfront property! We have planned a spiritually-renewing and fun day for the women of the church, including discussion, exercises, quiet contemplation, free time, food, and fellowship. Our group facilitator, Claire Rusowicz, will also lead a program on “Holy Leisure: Reclaiming the Gift of Sabbath in our Lives.”
Total Cost: $45 for the day. Financial assistance is available.
Yoga, Massage, and overnight accommodations are also available at Mercy Center. Please contact Mercy Center directly for more information and rates:
Please save the top portion; complete the registration information below and drop off with payment in the box outside of the church office, or mail to church before Sunday, April 13th. We cannot guarantee registrations accepted after this date due to Mercy Center deadlines. For more information, please contact Lori Shield at lorishield@sbcglobal.net.Springtime Afternoon Tea with Women's Fellowship
Sunday, April 27th
2:30 - 4:00 PM
Passiflora Tea Room & Herbal Apothecary
526 Main Street, New Hartford
$7.50, includes a pot of tea and a variety of afternoon tea treats..
Proprietor, Karen Tyson, will welcome us and lead a short program on the benefits of tea. We'll have plenty of time for conversation, browsing in their boutique and enjoying Passiflora's wonderful tea and delicious food.
Advance sign-up required as group size is limited to 22 women. Sign-up sheet located on the table outside the church office. For more information, please contact Lori Shield at 673-3814.
FROM YOUR HISTORY COMMITTEE
Among the many historical items maintained by the West Avon Church Historical Committee is a book containing the minutes of our church which were transcribed by Ruth Thompson from the handwritten originals. These minutes cover the period from December 11, 1751 to June 21, 1956, and from an historical perspective they provide a fascinating look at the changing theological culture of our church community. Stemming from a small town church with a limited gene pool, these minutes, through the years, are peppered with many familiar Avon surnames: Woodruff, Hawley, Woodford, Chidsey, Thompson, Hart, and Derrin to name a few.
The early minutes reveal a church having great influence over its members. While seeming to be overly judgmental and intrusive by today’s standards, these minutes should be viewed through the lens of 18th and 19th century culture. These early Avonites had a hard life with few of the distractions that crowd our busy lifestyle. Church was at the center of their social, as well as spiritual, universe. Church membership was a privilege that carried with it heavy obligations, and those who failed to meet those obligations were held strictly accountable.
From time to time, the Historical Committee will provide extracts from these historical minutes. While these entries may seem odd and even humorous, one should remember that these were deeply faithful Christians who lived out their strong belief in scripture on a day to day basis. During the meeting shown below, the church deals with a woman who apparently has been imbibing too much, and then takes up the subject of singing during public worship. The minutes are written in the quaint, archaic style of the day.
Feb 20, 1775
At a church meeting legally warned, at the house of the Rev. Rufus Hawley, Pastor & Brethren present, put to the church whether enquiry ought to be made to see if Mrs. Damais Northway has been guilty of intemperance (her having been accused therewith), & whether a committee should be appointed to examine the evidence, & if (upon examination had) said committee judge her to have been guilty, they should go to her & set before her fault; hold up to view her duty, & endeavor to bring her to make suitable reflections upon herself, & a proper confession for her sin; & then make returns of their doings to the church. Voted in the affirmative
At the same meeting, put to the church whether Josiah Woodruff & Elnathan Hart should be a committee for the above said purpose. Voted in the affirmative
Then it was moved, at the same meeting, that a vote should be taken whether the church have power to order matters with regard to singing in Public Worship; accordingly the vote was put; & there was a majority of two of the Brethren in the affirmative; but the Pastor being in the negative & by a vote of the church before his ordination, being allowed to have a double vote, made it a tie.
A celebration of the National Day of Prayer will be held at 12:00 noon on the Avon town green on Thursday, May 1. This is the 57th annual national day of prayer and is based upon both an Official Statement from Governor Rell as well as a Presidential Proclamation requesting prayer. This year’s theme is Prayer! America’s Strength and Shield. Clergy and others from several area churches will lead us in prayer for our towns, state and union. You are invited to bring a bag lunch if you would like to join the group afterward for lunch. For additional information, please contact Steve Wilson .
I urge you, first to pray for all people…Pray this way for kings and all others who are in authority, so that we may live in peace and quietness, in godliness and dignity…”
I Timothy 2:1-4
NEW GROUP OF PASTORAL PARTNERS TO RECEIVE TRAINING
The Pastoral Partners of WACC are individuals who walk life’s journey with other members of our congregation. The needs of the care receivers are varied, from health issues, to concerns with aging, to challenges with changes in family life or employment. The Pastoral Partner/care receiver relationship is based on trust; all aspects of this relationship are confidential. Each Pastoral Partner meets with one care receiver on an average of 3-4 hours a month. Monthly meetings are on the fourth Monday of the month from 7-8:30 p.m.
Nine people currently serve as Pastoral Partners. They are: Cheryl and Mel Barnum, Esther Bartlett, Miriam Chace, Gene Coppa, Betty Ennis, Cindy Hopper, Nancy Nation and Tony Steere.
I plan to train a new group of Pastoral Partners during April. Commissioning will be in May. The training dates are:
Monday, March 31 - 7:30-9:30 p.m.
Monday, April 7 – 7:30-9:30 p.m.
Friday April 11 – 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. and
Saturday, April 12 – 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. A retreat format held at the church
Topics include discussion of the biblical and theological bases for pastoral care, the art of listening, prayer, caring for the sick and dealing with grief and loss.
Anyone who would like to consider receiving training as a Pastoral Partner may call the church office and leave word for me. I will be in touch to discuss this further. Thank you!
Cindy Yee
STEWARDSHIP UPDATE
A reminder to the congregation that at the January meeting the church decided that there was currently insufficient funding to continue Cindy Yee's position of Transitional Minister of Pastoral Care for the whole year. At the present time, the church will cease to have a dedicated staff member in charge of pastoral care in September. In order to preserve this important ministry, we are seeking additional or increased pledges in advance of the June congregational meeting. Please consider whether you are able to help in this effort; if you are able to increase your giving, please let Dave Whitney, Chairman of the Stewardship Committee, know of your intentions.
UCC IN THE NEWS
You may have noticed that the United Church of Christ has been in the news lately with stories about an IRS investigation and about Trinity UCC in Chicago. To learn more beyond the headlines, check out the national and state conference websites: UCC.org and CTUCC.org.
Visiting People in Our Congregation
Most of us need a helping hand or a friendly visit at some period of our lives. Maybe a family member is ill, and receiving a hot meal would be a wonderful gift. Maybe we’re new to the community and could use a face-to-face welcome from someone. Maybe we cannot get to church as often as we’d like, and a visit from a church member would help us feel that we still matter and still belong.
If you see yourself as being a visitor and are willing to receive some guidance and training, please let Cindy Yee know. The training session will be scheduled according to the preferences of interested persons. Deadline for signing up: April 20.
Prayer Shawls Available
Shawls have been used for centuries to provide warmth and comfort. Prayer shawls do that, and so much more. Because each knitter/crocheter in the ministry begins and concludes with prayer for the eventual recipient, prayer shawls are tangible signs of God’s abiding love for us through all seasons of our lives. Prayer shawls are given in times of joy as well as in times of grief or illness. They are given in times of celebration, such as graduations, anniversaries, and birth of a baby. They are also given in times of appreciation, such as retirement or moving to a new home. Check out the wonderful website: www.shawlministry.com.
If you wish to give a prayer shawl to someone and/or if you would like to join the prayer shawl ministry, please call the church office or email Cindy Yee.
[ Home ] [ Calendar ] [ Search ] [ Contact Us ] [ UCC ] [ top ]
Copyright © 2001-2008 West Avon Congregational Church, UCC. All rights Reserved.