The Steeple April 2018

Pastor – The Reverend Michael J. Moran – revmoran@nmchurch.org Music Director – Sarah Fay – musicdirector@nmchurch.org Manager of Church Operations – Nicole Henderson – nhenderson@nmchurch.org Bell Choir Director – Sarah Albright – bells@nmchurch.org Director of Christian Education/Room Manager – Becky Passero – cedirector@nmchurch.org Moderator – Donald Tutson, Jr. – moderator@nmchurch.org Vice Moderator – Susan Chapin – susan.chapin@earthlink.net Treasurer – Evelyn LeCates – treasurer@nmchurch.org Recording Secretary – Evelyn Sandberg – secretary@nmchurch.org Financial Secretary – Deborah Staib – financial@nmchurch.org Steeple Editor – Janet Wittmann – steeple@nmchurch.org

Office Hours: Monday to Friday 9:00-12:00 Noon.

Office Phone: 860.354.8232 (Answering Service available 24/7)

Fax Line: 860.354.4327

E-mail: church@nmchurch.org

Web site: www.nmchurch.org

Pastor’s Page

Although our church is 300 years old, our denomination, the United Church of Christ, is

relatively young. The United Church of Christ was formed when two Protestant churches, the

Evangelical and Reformed Church and the General Council of the Congregational Christian

Churches, united in 1957. Both of those were also the product of earlier mergers of different

denominations. So our United Church of Christ comes from a spirit of unity and a desire to

live out the prayer of Christ “that they all may be one.”

From what I’ve read, that spirit of unity was largely motivated by a desire to be more

effective in mission. Different churches had sent missionaries to foreign lands to spread the

Gospel, but they found that the fragmentation of denominations was adding obstacles to

their work. People who wanted to know more about Jesus were confused by the distinctions

between Methodists, Congregationalists, Reformed, Presbyterians, Lutherans, and so on.

That is not surprising - it is still confusing.

Also in educational and charitable works, it seemed far more efficient to work together. Let

the Methodists build a hospital in one village that all the churches would support and let the

Congregationalists build the school. Why compete when you can cooperate and get far

more done.

This spirit came back from the mission fields to the United States and gave birth to

movements to create councils, partnerships, and mergers. We in the United Church of Christ

are the progeny of that spirit.

It has been my goal in every community I’ve served to establish good relationships with sister

churches and working partnerships with them and all the social services that are already in

place. Although we have great working relationships with St. John’s, the United Methodists,

and Temple Sholom, I’ve found it an uphill battle to get most of our local clergy interested in

strong ecumenical relationships. And I’ve never seen such a fragmented landscape of

churches as we have in New Milford. It seems there is a new one every year.

After the tragedy at Sandy Hook there was a meeting of area clergy to talk about how the

horror affected our congregations and especially those directly involved with the students’

families. I sat in a group with three clergy from Newtown and one clear message was that

they were so fortunate to have a strong clergy association and good relationships before

facing the impossible stress of that event. It affirmed that Jesus prayed “that they all may be

one” not just for our sakes by for the sake of all those we serve.

Since I arrived in New Milford I’ve found the open and inquiring attitude of this congregation

to be a breath of fresh air and an inspiration to think more broadly and dig more deeply into

what is good, what is true, what builds up and does not tear down. I deeply appreciate that

characteristic of this congregation, and thank you for the open minds and open hearts you

have always brought to the worship and work of our church. You are truly the United Church

of Christ.

Rev. Michael Moran

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

April 1 Worship Service – Communion – Easter Sunday 10:00 AM

April 8 Worship Service 10:00 AM

Chapel Stitchers See page 15

New Members Class See page 4

April 13 Healing Circle See page 11

April 15 Worship Service 10:00 AM

April 18 Baby Bundles Distribution See page 10

April 21 Men’s Breakfast See page 9

Raise the Roof Scrapbooking Event See page 6

April 22 Worship Service 10:00 AM

One Great Hour of Sharing See page 8

New Members Class See page 4

Connecticut Crossroads See pages 6 & 7

Youth Group Meeting – Fellowship Hall 5:00 PM

April 28 Raise the Roof Antiques Appraisal See page 6

April 29 Worship Service 10:00 AM

New Members Class See page 4

Raise the Roof Cookbook Coffee Hour See page 6

May 6 Worship Service – Communion 10:00 AM

Reception of New Members / Confirmation Sunday

May 11 Healing Circle See page 11

May 13 Worship Service 10:00 AM

May 16 Baby Bundles Distribution See page 10

Spring Meeting:

Our Spring Meeting will be held Sunday May 20th, following worship. Agenda items include,

but are not limited to, committee nominations. All members are encouraged to attend and

participate in the governance of the church.

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Prayers

Anyone wishing to submit a prayer request during the week, or to alert the pastor to a need

or a member you have not seen in church for a while is asked to contact Rev. Moran at

revmoran@nmchurch.org or call the church office at 860-354-8232. We have an answering

service, so you can call at your convenience, anytime day or night.

Deacon’s Bench

Spring is in the air and all of us are anxiously awaiting its arrival. It's time to get ready to

welcome new growth and new beginnings. With that in mind, we are also offering a New

Members Class. Our God is a welcoming God. He welcomes anyone and everyone who

believes in Jesus into His family. This is an opportunity for us to welcome you to join our church

and be a part of our fellowship/family.

Classes will be held April 8th, 22nd and 29th. We will welcome you into our Congregation on

May 6th. Our first class will be held in Fellowship Hall beginning at 8:45 on April 8th.

Please contact Kathy Maher at peace1416prevail@yahoo.com or 203-770-0300 if you plan to

attend or if you have any questions.

Kathy Maher

For the Board of Deacons

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Construction Zone - Keys, Please!

Work will begin on Room 1 soon. If you

have keys to that room, please turn them

into the office as soon as possible. Thank

you!

Nicole Henderson can now be found in the main office suite. Thank you to Becky, The

Jacksons, and Mike Bensema for their help with painting. Thank you to John Wittmann and

Dave Elmore for their help getting all the office equipment up and running!

Offerings / Pledges

For those of you who checked off on your pledge form that you wanted envelopes, they are

in the back of the Sanctuary. In addition, annual contribution statements have been

mailed. If you have any questions regarding your General Fund giving, feel free to email

Deb Staib, Financial Secretary financial@nmchurch.org; for Raise the Roof contribution

questions, please contact Evelyn LeCates treasurer@nmchurch.org.

Music Committee

The Music Committee thanks Stephen Mayer for performing the prelude for the service of

February 25. His selection was “January – At the Fireside” from Tchaikovsky’s “The Seasons.”

A video of Stephen’s performance can be found on YouTube.

The Music Committee regrets to announce that the “Ring in the Spring” bell concert

scheduled for April has been cancelled. However, the bell choir is hoping to play at several

services in the spring. Dates will be announced.

April starts off with Easter. The senior choir is working on special music for the occasion. If you

or someone you know would like to sing in the spring, this is a good time to join the choir.

Contact Sarah Fay for more information (musicdirector@nmchurch.org).

Dave Elmore, Chair

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A.Russell Ayre Scholarship Committee

A reminder that all seniors applying for the A. Russell Ayre Scholarship need to have their

application in the church office by May 1st. Good luck to all!

Raise the Roof Campaign

Preservation Week - As we highlight our campaign to raise funds for our building project, join

us for the following happenings:

Saturday, April 21st - Scrapbooking workshop

In the Parish House Auditorium– all day, from 9:00 am – 9:00 pm. $25 reserves your spot

- contact Kathy Maher at peace1416prevail@yahoo.com

Sunday, April 22nd - Connecticut Crossroads Roundtable

Personal memory meets public history. Local Historian Chris Fisher will meet with and

record members in the Taylor Room starting at 11:30 am. Help us capture what New

Milford and our church is now and as it was in the past.

Monday, April 23rd - Book Care and Simple Repair

Demonstration at 2:00 pm at the New Milford Public Library.

Saturday, April 28th - What's it Worth? Antique Appraisals

Bernie McManus, former owner of the Woodbury House Antiques, will be here from

10:00 am – 2:00 pm. Join us in the sanctuary for this unique event. Mr. McManus has

been a professional appraiser of antiques, fine arts and old and rare books for more

than 45 years. $20 admission for one appraisal or $25 for two appraisals. Register online

at www.nmchurch.org or by email at fccnm10@gmail.com.

Sunday, April 29th - Church Cookbook Coffee Hour

Recipes made from church cookbooks from the past to be shared.

Monday, April 30th – Preserving the Past for the Future

Presentation and discussion with the New Milford Trust for Historic Preservation

President Robert Burkhart at 6:00 pm in Memorial Hall of the New Milford Public Library.

What is the trust and what are the good works it does for our community? “The history,

culture and economics of a town and region are often ensured and enhanced by the

buildings which often outlive all of us. A future that is rooted securely in what we might

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become, with a disregard for what we have been, is more likely to evolve into a town

with no history, no memory, and no ambiance.”

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Social Concerns and Missions Committee

The key focus in April will be our participation in the One Great Hour of Sharing initiative. We

will kick off the campaign on April 8th, and have our collection on April 22nd.

What is One Great Hour of Sharing®?

One Great Hour of Sharing, as part of Our Churches Wider Mission, is the special mission

offering of the United Church of Christ that carries God’s message of love and hope to

people in crisis. The UCC works with international partners to provide sources of clean water,

food, education and health care, small business micro-credit, advocacy and resettlement

for refugees and displaced persons, and emergency relief and rehabilitation. OGHS also

supports domestic and international ministries for disaster preparedness and response.

How many dollars are given to the UCC's OGHS offering?

In 2017, the OGHS offering received over $2 million. Nearly sixty-five percent of UCC

congregations participate annually.

What percentage of OGHS donations are used directly for mission?

On average, of every dollar given to One Great Hour of Sharing, 95 cents is used directly for

mission programming; and 5 cents for interpretation materials. The associated administrative

costs are paid by gifts to Our Church's Wider Mission National Basic Support.

Dan Martin, Chair

Lawn Mowing Sign-up

The Trustees have asked for volunteers to mow our very limited lawn area each weekend

from April through October. There will be a sign-up sheet at coffee hour. This effort saves the

church quite a bit of money each summer. Volunteers will be sent a reminder of the date

they have chosen. Thank you for helping to keep our church grounds inviting!

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Men’s Breakfast

In April we like to have a Polish Men’s Breakfast. Join us Saturday morning – April 21- anyone

who would like to cook please arrive at 7:45 and we’ll serve breakfast around 8:30. In

Fellowship Hall – downstairs – use the side entrance of the church.

Last year our menu included:

Pierogi Kielbasa

Ham Eggs

Buraczki Coffee

Juice Bread & Butter

Mustard Horseradish

Let Mike know if you plan to bring something to add to the mix.

Wesołych Świąt Wielkanocnych

Open Letter

Dear Church Family –

We will be moving to Murrell's Inlet in South Carolina near the end of May. Thirty years in one

place is a long time! We'd love to see as many of you as possible to say good-bye. We will

have a cake at Coffee Hour on April 15th to share with you all. Hope you can be there!

Love, Elaine and Tom Bock

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Thank you!

Thank you to Peter Richardson and Jerry King for their help replacing light bulbs around the

church and Parish House. Thank you to Dawn Kraft for her help in the office.

In Loving Memory:

Carol Richardson March 9, 2018

Baby Bundles

Baby Bundles is a program which each month provides diapers to families in need in New

Milford. Our church supports this mission through the collection of money and diapers on the

2nd Sunday each month. Please consider bringing packages of diapers and/or baby wipes

to the church for collection, or make a monetary donation using the envelope provided in

the bulletin. If you have any questions please contact Jan McCarthy, Baby Bundles Chairperson, at j.mccarthy101@sbcglobal.net

Help is needed to supervise the double doors in the Parish House from 4:30 - 5:30 PM on Baby

Bundles distribution Wednesdays. If you have the time to volunteer, please contact Jan

McCarthy or call Nicole Henderson at the Church office. Thank you!

The Steeple

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We hope that everyone enjoys the convenience of having our newsletter available online.

This saves hundreds of dollars in the church budget, as well as helping our environment by

using less paper, ink and other precious resources. Hard copies will be available in the back

of the Sanctuary, side entrance of church and in the Parish House hallway. Please contact

Nicole Henderson at the church office if you need to make different arrangements.

Articles for the May issue are due to Janet Wittmann (steeple@nmchurch.org) by Monday,

April 23.

Healing Circle

Healing Circle will be held the second Friday of every month. The next meetings will be on

April 13 and May 11, in the Auditorium of the Parish House. This healing circle is free of

charge, and open to all.

Investment Committee

We oversee several funds that are invested in stocks and bonds: Investment Fund,

Endowment Fund, SJ Johnson Fund, Scholarship Fund, and Maintenance Fund. The church in

recent years has drawn about one third of its operating budget from the Investment Fund

and income from the Endowment Fund. The committee works with Simon Porter, an

investment manager with First Manhattan Co. The funds are invested conservatively with the

primary goal of income generation. There is a small stock holding to help build the value of

the portfolio over time.

The “Raise the Roof Committee” has asked the investment committee to invest the funds

already received for the project, in order to earn income until they are needed. This is now

underway.

The committee reminds church members and friends that you can donate stocks and bonds

to the church instead of cash. Gift of highly appreciated stock can turn a tax problem into a

charitable deduction. Planned gifts through designation in your will to the endowment and

maintenance funds can provide the church with a solid financial future. Contact the

committee if you want more information.

Dave Elmore, Chair

Emergency Shelters

A reminder from CERT, New Milford’s Community Emergency Response Team: During a

widespread power failure or other town emergency, would you know how to find out if an

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emergency shelter is open and where it is? It’s easy – just call 2-1-1. The shelter will provide

meals and a safe place to sleep, but there are some things you should bring with you. You

will need emergency contact and medical information, a blanket and pillow, clothes for a

couple of days, personal hygiene items, medications and some food items if you have

dietary restrictions. Make sure you bring medical necessities such as glasses, walkers, hearing

aids, etc. And don’t forget to pack something to occupy your time, like reading materials,

cell phones, games or crafts. It’s always good to have a packed bag ready to grab and go

in any emergency but especially now as we head into winter weather. Be prepared – stay

safe!

Sunday Bulletin Deadline

Articles are due to Nicole Henderson nhenderson@nmchurch.org by Tuesday for the weekly

Parish Notes.

Remembrance Sunday, May 27th

Book of Remembrance: Memorials given to the Book of Remembrance by our church family

and friends will be dedicated in memory of those dearest to their hearts. Contributions are

put into a special fund and are used to enhance the beauty of the church and its spiritual

ministry. Donations may be sent in any time of the year to the church office, in care of the

Book of Remembrance. Those gifts received later than May 6 will be dedicated in

November. The list will be posted on the bulletin board by the side door entrance of the

church, on May 20, for review.

A Russell Ayre Scholarship: With your generous support we are able to offer financial

assistance to deserving college students. Donations of any size may be sent in any time of

the year to the church office, in care of the Scholarship Committee. Please indicate who

your gift is in memory/honor of, as well as to whom an acknowledgement should be sent.

Those gifts received later than May 6 will be dedicated in November. The list will be posted

on the bulletin board at the side door entrance on May 20 for review.

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Donation forms are on the following page.

Please note: The A. Russell Ayre Scholarship and the Book of Remembrance are two separate

checking accounts. Please make check payable to: The First Congregational Church, and in the memo write either Book of Remembrance OR A. Russell Aye Scholarship.

Book of Remembrance Committee

Donor(s): ____________________________________________________________

Address: ____________________________________________________________

In Memory of: _______________________________________________________

Amount Enclosed: ___________________________________________________

Send Acknowledgement to: _________________________________________

Address: ____________________________________________________________

A. Russell Ayre Scholarship Committee

Donor(s): ____________________________________________________________

Address: ____________________________________________________________

In Memory of: _______________________________________________________

or

In Honor of: _______________________________________________________

Amount Enclosed: ___________________________________________________

Send Acknowledgement to: _________________________________________

Address: ____________________________________________________________

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______________________________________________________________________________

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The Chapel Stitchers

Prayer Shawl Ministry will meet on Sunday April 8, the second Sunday of the month. All are

welcome - beginner and/or advanced stitchers. Our informal meetings are a great place to

relax, enjoy friendships, share experiences, and learn from some long time experts! Join us as

we gather in the Chapel for a time of faith and fellowship at 11:30am. If you need a shawl or

know someone who does, please call the church office or see Leslie Schlemmer. Donations

of yarn are always welcome.

One of our own has passed – we remember Carol Richardson for her knitting advice, talent,

beautiful work, generous spirit, and for gifting us her friendship – in faith.

Following our regular April meeting, The Chapel Stitchers are cordially invited to a Thank You

Luncheon in your honor. Our annual luncheon will take place in the Taylor room starting

around noon.

Food Pantry

Non-perishable foods are gratefully accepted, but cleaning supplies are also needed!

Government subsidies do not cover the purchase of laundry detergent or basic home

cleaning products. You may leave donations in the hutch by the side entrance to the

sanctuary, and they will be brought to the New Milford Social Services office for distribution to

those in need. The first Sunday of each month is Food Pantry Sunday - there are envelopes

tucked into the bulletins for monetary contributions as well.

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What is AmazonSmile?

AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your church every time you

shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com you’ll find the exact same low

prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added

bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your church.

How do I shop at AmazonSmile?

To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your

computer or mobile device. You may also want to add a bookmark to smile.amazon.com to

make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile.

Can I use my existing Amazon.com account on AmazonSmile?

Yes, you use the same account on Amazon.com and AmazonSmile. Your shopping cart, Wish

List, wedding or baby registry, and other account settings are also the same.

How do I select our church to support when shopping on AmazonSmile?

On your first visit to AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com), you need to select First

Congregational Church, New Milford, CT to receive donations from eligible purchases before

you begin shopping. Your selection will be remembered, and then every eligible purchase

you make at smile.amazon.com will result in a donation.

Constant Contact

The Board of Deacons publishes an e-mail newsletter periodically to the congregation. The

First Congregational Church of New Milford Happenings tries to highlight upcoming events

and dates within the church. It does not replace the content of The Steeple sent to you via

the U.S. Postal Service. If you currently do not receive this via e-mail and would like to, please

e-mail fccnm10@gmail.com to be added to the mailing list, or call the church office with

your updated e-mail address. Thank you.

Planned Giving

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That’s the name that has come to be associated with gifts to your church or other charity

that happen after your lifetime. Simply put, you plan now, for a gift that will occur later. In our

church, we recognize those who have declared they have arranged for a planned gift by

receiving them as members of the Deacon Roger Sherman Society. (We also give special

recognition to our Sunday School Teachers, our Deacons, the people who help collate and

mail the Steeple, and so on.)

There are many ways to make a planned gift, and depending on your unique

circumstances, some methods are better for you and for the church than others. Contact

the Church Office for more details.

The simplest and most direct way to make a planned gift is to include the church as a

beneficiary on your life insurance policy. Your insurance agent can guide you on the specific

forms and options available from your insurance company. Just tell them you want to add a

beneficiary; the agent will take it from there.

When you have arranged your planned gift, be sure to let one of our Pastors know – no

details, just that you made arrangements – so we can appropriately recognize your

generosity. For your convenience, you may use the form below.

________________________________________________________________________

T H E D E A C O N R O G E R S H E R M A N S O C I E T Y

A gift to First Congregational Church of New Milford is in my (our) estate plans.

Yes! Please count me (us) as a Member of The Deacon Roger Sherman Society.

__________________________________________________________ Please Print Name(s) as you would like them to appear on recognition documents

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