The mission of this congregation is to be a welcoming community which proclaims the

Word of God and the Gospel of Christ, nurtures Christian beliefs and behavior, and

encourages lifelong maturing in faith. Here we are empowered to grow as Christians,

so that we may minister to others spiritually and physically.

We welcome you!

Greenfield Hill Church

December 29, 2019

, 2019

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GREENFIELD HILL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT

DECEMBER 29, 2019 9:00 AND 10:30 SERVICES

We love kids! But sometimes services are too long for even the happiest child. So ... • For infants we have nursery care in the Church House, first floor. • Any children ages 3 through those entering 2nd grade) are invited to the Church House for church school classes, from 9 to 10 a.m. • And if your kids get restless, the Parlor (through the double doors) is a comfy place to go to, with toys and a p.a. speaker that carries the service!

Prelude Sonata in A, K.322 Domenico Scarlatti

Our Coming Together prayer (in unison):

Holy God,

we invite You into our church,

we invite You into our worship,

into our lives,

into our plans and hopes for the New Year,

into our speaking and doing and thinking,

into our prayer and faith,

into our practice and service, into our ministry and mission,

into our coming in and our going out.

Amen.

* Christmas Carol, #149 Angels from the Realms of Glory TUNE: REGENT SQUARE

* Confession Prayer, said together:

Loving God,

we end one year and begin another.

We have much to be grateful for,

much celebrate;

we have much to regret,

much to confess,

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we have much to stop,

much to start;

we have much to forgive,

much to be forgiven for.

You know our confession, Lord. Receive it, and forget it,

We humbly pray. Amen. (silent prayers of confession)

* Assurance of Forgiveness

* Gloria Patri Hymnal, no. 35 (This hymn, sung every Sunday, expresses our gratitude for forgiveness)

Welcome and Announcements

Please sign the green registration pad in your pew, and pass it to your neighbor.

Worship of God through Prayer

Sharing our Joys and Concerns

We welcome your prayer concerns. You may write them into the prayer request book in the Narthex, or contact the pastors.

Pastoral Prayer

Worship of God through Giving: (We give in many ways, by various means. Some give quarterly, yearly, by check or card or bank

withdrawals. Yet it is still important to “present our offerings” on the altar as part of genuine worship, our way of giving thanks to God.)

Offering

Offertory In The Bleak Midwinter Holst/Courtney

Lia Carter ~ Soloist

Doxology Hymnal, no. 46

(This ancient hymn is sung every Sunday to thank God for all the gifts of our lives)

* Prayer of Dedication, said together:

Lord God, we dedicate our tithes and offerings as surely as we dedicate

ourselves to Your loving service. We give our best to be used for Your

best. Amen.

Scripture Matthew 6:5-15

Sermon The Best Tool in our Tool Chest Rev. David Rowe

* Hymn, #307 The Lord’s Prayer TUNE: MALOTTE

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* Pastoral Benediction

Postlude Fugue in C minor Jean-Jacques Charpentier

* All who are able, please stand.

Serving in the Chancel: Deacon Pat McCullough

ALL Music is reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE. All rights reserved, 2019.

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CHURCH NOTES

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! (a few days early). With New Year’s just around the corner,

we thank you for all the ways you blessed our church in 2019. And we ask God to

bless you and your loved ones with a wonderful 2020. Be active, stay active – our

strength as a ministry is greatly enhanced by your presence.

Visitors: We are glad you are with us today. Want to know more? Take a bag

home from our Visitors’ Table, just outside the front door! If you are interested in

joining this church, please just speak with Alida!

At our 9:00 a.m. service, you have been greeted by Deacon Pam Brennan and

Junior Deacons Mackenna Tormey and Hunter Vogel. At our 10:30 a.m. service

you have been greeted by Deacon Pam Brennan and Junior Deacons Emily

Wegener and Skylar Wingate.

A note about children in worship: We love them! But if you’d prefer to enjoy

worship on your own, our Church Nursery for infants-toddlers is across the street

in the Church House. Special beepers/pagers are available to parents so that they

may be quietly contacted during the worship service if their child misses them! If

your child in worship becomes restless or unhappy, please make use of the Parlor

(through the double doors by the choir loft, or head outside and through the side

doors). There is a comfortable space there for your child to play with toys and a

speaker which carries the service!

The flowers on the Communion Table today are given with warmest regards

from the Franchini family, wishing you and your families good health and

happiness in the year ahead!

Remembering our Soldiers

Laura Riebel . . . Mark Riebel . . . Brian Shelton . . . Derrick Keene . . . David Elliott. . . Stephen Honan . . . Molly Hanson . . . Shelby Wallace . . . Kelsey Wallace . . . Lawrence

Benjamin . . . Dale Cates . . . Charles Morgan Peck

No Religion in the News today... BUT, we’ll resume next Sunday, January 5th

Keep reading... Keep thinking... Keep looking....

For Religion in the News!

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If you or a loved one is hospitalized, please contact us! Hospitals do not notify us independently.

Many thanks for helping our pastoral ministry

CHURCH SCHOOL NOTES

Reminder: There will be NO Church School today. We’ll see you back

in the classrooms on Sunday, January 5th (when it’s a Church First Day!)

TODAY AT CHURCH

JPF, reminder: there will be NO JPF today or 1/5... we’ll resume on 1/12. See

you in the New Year!

THIS WEEK AT CHURCH

SPF meets on Thursdays from 6-7:30 pm in our Len Morgan Youth Barn. We’ll

see you back in the Barn after the New Year on 1/2/2020!

Bible Study: Led by David, we meet every Thursday at 10:00 a.m. and 7:30

p.m. in the Church House Library. It’s casual conversation, not lectures, that will

intrigue, inspire, and make you want come back every week! We are still studying

the Psalms… stop by anytime! We’ll start up again on Thursday, January 9!

UPCOMING EVENTS AT CHURCH

Artist Café!! GHCC is having a Young Artist Showcase at our first ever Artist

Café! Save the date for Friday, January 24th at 7 pm. We are looking for young

POETS, WRITERS, SINGER SONGWRITERS, DANCERS, and/or

MUSICIANS to join us for an evening of fun! To sign up to play, dance, share

your poetry or story email Misty Beyer at musicforyouthct@gmail.com call: 203-

254-0123

JANUARY BOOK CHAT, January 12th is a book by David's friend and

inspiration: Tomas Halik: From the Underground Church to Freedom. Czech

priest Father Halik's' memoir is a fascinating and powerful journey through the

post-World War II "Iron Curtain". Growing up under communism, surrounded

by atheism, Halik found "the way, the truth, and the life" of faith through Christ.

The book is profound, challenging and exhilarating. Copies are $30 (check made

out to GHCC) in the Narthex or Church Office.

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CHURCH AND COMMUNITY NOTES

Church School Reverse Advent Box Project are due back by

January 5th! Thank you so much to all who participated in

our first ever Reverse Advent Box... putting something into a

special box, specifically non-perishable food items and

toiletries. These boxes will be delivered to the Operation Hope

Food Pantry so we need them back by the 5th! Thank you!

You won’t believe it... But in two months we need to have the

2020 LENTEN Devotional ready. Are you ready? Willing and

able? To write a devotion? This Lent’s theme is “Communion

and Community”. Let us know if you’d be willing to write:

info@greenfieldhillchurch.com.

Mercy Learning Center Seeks Volunteers! Since 1987, Mercy Learning Center

has provided basic literacy and life skills training to low income women in the

Greater Bridgeport area. The Center is seeking volunteers to teach English

Language Learners as well as basic adult reading and math in its small group

tutoring program. The commitment is twice per week for two hours. No

experience necessary! New Tutor Training Dates: Friday, January 10th, Friday

January 24th, 9am-3pm with lunch provided. Please contact Lynn Gabriel to

volunteer at 203-334-6699 or lynn.gabriel@mercylearningcenter.org

CALENDAR FOR THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 29, 2019

Sunday 9:00 a.m. Worship in Sanctuary

(12/29) 10:30 a.m. Worship in Sanctuary

Thursday 6:00 p.m. SPF in the Barn

(1/2)

Sunday 9:00 a.m. Worship in Sanctuary

(1/5) 9:00 a.m. Church School in classrooms in Church House

10:30 a.m. Worship in Sanctuary

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Keep in Your Prayers

Our FOCI Mission Team

Alida’s 10 person FOCI team left Friday for India. In the next week they will visit our FOCI projects, seeing them in action, seeing your dollars at work, seeing love and faith working together.

TODAY they are in Hyderabad, capital of Telangana State in southern India. Our Hyderabad projects include a cutting edge after school enrichment program for children; a women’s empowerment community center; a unique partnership with government schools to strengthen 10th Class girls. During this week they’ll travel to FOCI’s more rural work: a village for lepers, a Christian school, several centers for caring for destitute elders, and others for mentally handicapped youth, churches and church pastors, and our mission hospital and clinics. Please pray for their safety, health, and inspiration. May God use them wonderfully.

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TODAY, Sunday, December 29th: Worship Service 9am and 10:30am No Sunday School and no Youth Groups

Bible Study restarts Thursday, January 9th at 10am and 7:30p.m. in the Church House Library.

David will host a discussion of Father Tomas Halik and lessons from his life on faith and freedom, with refreshments! Sunday, January 12 at 11:30am in the Parlor.

SPF resumes on Thursday, January 2nd, at 6pm in the Barn!!

JPF (for 6th and 7th graders) resumes on January 12th at 5pm in the Barn.

Next Sunday, January 5th, Worship at 9a.m. and 10:30a.m. and Church School resumes with Church First!

HOLD THE DATE: Saturday, February 22nd for our first ever, all church, community wide FOCI concert!

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GREENFIELD HILL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT

Office: (203) 259-5596 info@greenfieldhillchurch.com

greenfieldhillchurch.com facebook.com/GreenfieldHillCongregationalChurch

OFFICERS: Rev. Dr. David Johnson Rowe, Pastor; Rev. Dr. Alida Ward, Pastor; Carol McCullough,

Church Council Chairperson; Sue Bambach, Church Clerk; Aun Singapore, Treasurer.

STAFF: Roni Widmer, Office Manager; Dr. Michael Crowley, Music Director; Sara Hoefer, Junior Choir Director; Marcia Carothers, Director of Christian Education; Susan Rippey, Nursery School Director; Jessica

Campbell, Financial Manager; Kelcey King, Assistant Treasurer; Sarah DeMeneses, Accountant; Jim Zalenski, Sexton; Rachel Baumann, Pastoral Assistant.

CHURCH BOARD MEMBERS Adult Education: Linda Allegretti, Rebecca Huselid, Mike Moore, Fred Schaefer Children and Youth

Ministries: Andrea Muhlhauser, co-Chairperson; Anna Taylor, co-Chairperson, Amanda Case, Mike Dwyer, Scott

Ettl, Skylar Smith, Michelle Wormley Communications: Sarah Schunk, Chairperson; Todd Jones, Lisa Rousseau

Development: Joanna Patterson, Chairperson; Greg Bambach, Betsy Ewing, Rich Gannon, Bert Tunnell, Adam

Snyder, Jeff Taylor Diaconate: Kim Baer, co-Chairperson, Ellen Waugh, co-Chairperson; Pam Brennan, Dan

Carpenter, Jason Dies, Joel Edminster, Jen Hinkle, Joe Holland, Carolyn Houghton, Pat McCullough, Kathy

Rafsky Facilities: Andy Hoder, Chairperson; Jeri Barrett, Jim Cullinan, Amy Johnson, Don Lord, Jon Sabrowski,

Walt Siemon, Fred Zarrilli Fellowship: Chris Gannon, Chairperson; Kathy Baratz, Ana-alyse Castelluccio, Talli

Connell, Barbara Hayslip, Amy Hios, Linda Johnston, Heather Lajeunesse, Rachel Parrish, Pamela Patterson,

Allison Perkins, Jessica Selden, Christine Wegener, Sara York Finance: Chris Tormey, Chairperson; Robert

Franchini, Jason Konschnick, Martha Lord, Andy Muhlhauser, Jon Persson, Aun Singapore, Beth Schaefer, Jeff

Whitaker Junior Deacons: Zachary Amendola, Witt Badger, Maddy Baker, Maggie Burns, Brook Byrne, Harry

Chandler, Maddy Crawford, Elizabeth Cutler, Ava Derbyshire, Casey Dies, Kate Duffy, Cooper Eckert, Clarie Edminster, Eloise Gacetta, Helen Glover, Liam Hawley, Ella Holland, Hudson Houghton, Abby Jacobs, Andrew

Jones, Meghan Lajeunesse, Erik Langeland, Cole Markham, Kerry McKeon, Sophie Nightingale, James Richard,

Alyvia Ronning, Olivia Savino, Charlie Simon, Hope Smith, Ben Steele, MacKenna Tormey, Severin Tormey, Hunter Vogel, Emily Wegener, Will Whelan, Devenny Widmer, Skylar Wingate, George Wyckoff, Chloe Yoder

Member Care: Sharon Jacobs, Chairperson; Stephanie Franchini, Carol Langeland, Carole Lisi, Martha McKeon,

Anne Orvis, Eleanor Page, Wendy Savino, Cathy Scoville, Sue Trischman, Lisa Vacheron Member Involvement:

Adam Simon, Chairperson; Amy Desel, Erika Duffy, Glenn Horine, Francine Jaques, Nicole Lacey, Kerry

Manning, Emily Orben, Liz Schwinn Mission and Outreach: Chris Kenney, Chairperson; Michelle Baker, Val

Collison, Holli Horine, Murray Jacques, Meg Lowe, Bevo Tarika, Peter von Euler Church Council At-Large

Members: Scott Craighead, Mike Howard, Martha McKeon Church Historian: Lynn Van Winkle.

COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS Flowers, Lynn Davies; Ushers, Marcy Michaud; Memorial Garden, Lynn Davies; Nursery School, Amanda

Innes; Human Resources, Cheryl Jones

CHANCEL CHOIR Bert Andren, Cary Andren, Misty Beyer, David Callahan, Lia Carter, Rob Gemza, Wendy Gerbier, Thomas

Grant, Zoe Grosser, Rebecca Huselid, Sue Leiss, Donald Lord, Martha Lord, Michael Moore, Melinda Reynolds,

Beth Schaefer, Earlyne Seaver, Dianne Simpson, Michael Stephan, Bob Stilson, Michael Trnik, David White

CHURCH SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS Amity Almond, Jennifer Bargas, Jessica Campbell, Devon Carothers, Amanda Case, Lynn Davies, Sarah

DeMeneses, Donna Ellett, Scott Ettl, Betsy Ewing, Karen Fox, Rachelle Giordano, Marjorie Glover, Ann Harvey, David Harvey, Kelly Hayes, Katie Holland, Andra Horsch, Mary Janacek, Bob & Molly King, Jennifer Lubarsky,

Mollie Milano, Andrea Muhlhauser, Rachel Parrish, Gwen Powell, Allyson Power, Lauren Raps, Martha

Rebocho, Kirsten Sabrowski, Amanda Schmidt, Skylar Smith, Kara Snyder, Wendy Steinfeld, Marike Toothaker, Chris Tormey, Kelly Vogel, Nikki Wingate, Kathy Wyckoff, Sara York, Betsey Young