A monthly publication of the Somers Congregational Church, UCC February, 2012 Gathered in Somers, Connecticut, March 15, AD 1727 Volume 285 Number 2 The Reverend Dr. Barry Cass, Pastor Church Email Addresses: Barry Cass - [email protected]Carly Sanborn - [email protected]Jacqueline Nappi - [email protected]Liz Scanlon - [email protected]Barbara Anderson - [email protected]Website: www.somerscongregational.org The First Sunday of each month is Name Badge Sunday! Be known! Wear your Name Badge. No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here. “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. As I have loved you, you should also love one another.” JOHN 13:34 What is the sound of a bell not ringing? It is pretty tough to describe, but I have been hearing it every day since the first of January. The fire that destroyed our Meeting House silenced the bell that tolled the hours. I miss that. When I walk down my stairs every morning, getting my day started, I miss seeing the steeple through the trees. I had not even realized I looked at it every morning until it was no longer there to see. There is a long list of things I miss now that our Meeting House is gone. I’m sure each of you could add to the list – And perhaps you can name things you counted on seeing or hearing without realizing what a part of your daily life they were. Missing those things and beginning to name those things is part of the mourning process . . . .
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A monthly publication of the Somers Congregational Church, UCC February, 2012 Gathered in Somers, Connecticut, March 15, AD 1727 Volume 285 Number 2
community as well. As I have said before, the outpouring
of grief, care, concern and support has been
overwhelming. Friends I have not seen in years, high
school, college and seminary classmates, parishioners
from my previous pastorates, former church members, folks from all over Connecticut and the
country and the ENTIRE sixth grade at Mabelle B. Avery School have sent notes, pictures,
contributions and encouragement. Overwhelming.
I hope you all know you have been in the thoughts and prayers of people you’ve never
met and who know us only by knowing our loss. Our loss is felt and shared by people who love
their own churches, who have experienced the joy of community and who understand, or at
least can imagine, the hole in our hearts left by the fire.
Of course, even as we share our grief we are beginning to move ahead. In the great
congregational tradition, we have formed several committees that will help restore the parts of
the building that have suffered water and smoke damage, rebuild the part of the meeting that is
gone, and put together a fitting remembrance of what we have lost. In the weeks ahead there
will be many updates coming from the various committees and your input will be sought as we
move ahead.
As part of the grieving and remembering process we are collecting photographs of the Meeting
House – interior and exterior – and of events that took place there. This includes activities and
celebrations in both the sanctuary and the Foundation Room. It would be great to have copies
of photos we could keep, either hard copies that you do not mind giving to us, or electronic
copies that we can print and share. We are also hoping to collect thoughts from people – a
paragraph or two that you are willing to share about your memories of the Meeting House and
the church.
As we have said, the church is the people, not the building, but it is also true that the Meeting
House was, for 170 years, the center of the church’s life together. We will mourn, we will
honor the memories so important to the life of the church and we will honor those who have
gone before us. And we will turn toward the future.
God, who has been with this congregation throughout our 285 year history, is still with us, still
speaking to and through us. We will build on the strong roots that have been laid by our
predecessors, moving into the future to which we are called by God.
Blessings –
Barry
Second Tuesday Book Club
The Book Group Tuesday, February 14– 7 P.M. -- Open to EVERYONE!
January's book is Crooked Letter, Crooked Lettern by Tom Franklin
Edgar Award-winning author Tom Franklin returns with his most accomplished and
resonant novel so far—an atmospheric drama set in rural Mississippi. In the late
1970s, Larry Ott and Silas "32" Jones were boyhood pals. Their worlds were as different as night and day:
Larry, the child of lower-middle-class white parents, and Silas, the son of a poor, single black mother. Yet for a
few months the boys stepped outside of their circumstances and shared a special bond. But then tragedy struck:
Larry took a girl on a date to a drive-in movie, and she was never heard from again. She was never found and
Larry never confessed, but all eyes rested on him as the culprit. The incident shook the county—and perhaps
Silas most of all. His friendship with Larry was broken, and then Silas left town.
More than twenty years have passed. Larry, a mechanic, lives a solitary existence, never able to rise above the
whispers of suspicion. Silas has returned as a constable. He and Larry have no reason to cross paths until
another girl disappears and Larry is blamed again. And now the two men who once called each other friend are
forced to confront the past they've buried and ignored for decades.
Worship at Blair Manor On the Second Tuesday of each month our church is responsible for a worship
service at Blair Manor. Led by our pastor, worship begins at 10:30 A.M. and
lasts about a half hour. We are fortunate that Anne Larson accompanies the
group in singing two hymns most months. Other members and friends of the
church are more than welcome to join us, to be a part of the service and to add
voices to the singing. If you have any questions, talk to Barry.
The next Blair Manor worship service will be Tuesday, February 14 at 10:30 A.M.
SAVE THE DATE!
February 25th 7PM
Pleasant View Golf Center
Christian Contemporary Concert by
CAYA Worship Team (Come As You Are)
of the Simsbury United Methodist Church
To benefit the SCC Restoration Fund
Stay tuned for additional details….
Altar Flowers for the Month of February February 5 Altar Flowers this morning are given by Sandy and Malcolm Keery in memory of loved ones February 12 Altar Flowers this morning are given by Mike Mangini in loving memory of his Charlotte Mangini February 19 OPEN February 26 Altar Flowers this morning are given by The Bothwell Family in memory of loved ones
It is our custom that altar flowers are donated in memory of or in honor of loved ones. Arrangements can be bought or hand-done. An individual or a group of individuals can donate them.
There can be more than one bouquet on any given Sunday. If you would like to give flowers for the altar in February, please call Claudette Colby (860-749-3570)
Snow Shovelers Needed!
We are still looking for volunteers to shovel. You may sign up for one
day, several days, the same day each week or even a week at a time!
You can sign up with a neighbor, a friend or your whole family. We
have plenty of snow shovels and a snow thrower to assist you!
Please sign up on the big calendar in the main lobby during the week or
Church Staff Pastor The Reverend Dr. Barry Cass 763-4021 Organist/Music Director Jacqueline Nappi 763-4021 Administrative Secretary Carly Sanborn 763-4021
Care Room Director Barbara Anderson 763-4021 Church Council Members
Moderator Anne Kirkpatrick 749-2369 Clerk Valarie Bedard 749-6662
Member at Large Donna Popham 763-1619 Member at Large Lisa Gay 749-5461
Caring Committee Laura Driscoll 749-6045 Christian Education Sharon Renzoni 749-1034 Deacon Jo-Ann Hornyak 763-0141
Finance Scot Stanton 749-3216 House & Grounds Jo-Ann Hornyak 763-0141 Membership Margaret Festi 749-2698
Missions Scott Champion 741-7979 Music & Arts Sara Mulvihill 265-3012
Nominating Kelly Anderson 763-5355 Pastoral Relations Jeff Roig 763-3908
Stewardship Trish Pruden 749-5296 Other Members of the Church Council
Evangelical Ministries Richard Larson 749-4770 Women’s Fellowship Helen Austin 749-6747
Other Officers Treasurer Fran Shaver 749-0526
Assistant Treasurer Carol Kennett 763-0029 Collector Sandy Keery 749-0368 Assistant Collector Lois Lindell 749-7356 Auditor Ed Sullivan 749-3011
Historian Ailene Henry 749-2190 CARING MINISTRY BOARD Meets: 2
nd Monday of Month – 7:00 p.m.
Laura Driscoll (Chair) .............. 749-6045 Ellen Marschall (Sec.) ............. 749-7779 Heather Hight (Treas.).............749-2071 Faith Gelinas ......................... 749-2538 Sandy Mazur ........................... 763-5406 Barbara Anderson ……...……..749-2973
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION Meets 1
st Monday of Month – 6:30 p.m.
Brenda Samson (Chair)……….870-1180 Andrea Reid (Sec.)…………….763-5875 Mark Stone (Treas.)..................763-4936 Sharon Renzoni………………...749-1034 Jill Conley………………………..749-8687 Jennifer Phillips…………………763-0067 Karen Wojcik…………………….870-4597 Liz Scanlon…………………413-262-9232
INVESTMENTS & TRUSTS Meets quarterly Jim Popham (Chair.) ............... 763-1619 George Warner........................ 749-7100 Richard Larson.........................749-4770
TOLLAND ASSOCIATION DELEGATES Judy Guerette ......................... 749-9498 Pat Jones..................................763-1330 FINANCE Meets 1
st Tuesday of Month – 7:00 p.m.
Mark Rivard .............................. 763-1397 Jamie Dickman ........................ 265-3482 Mike DeNucci ………………….698-9245 Scot Stanton ............................ 749-3216 David Olsen ............................. 749-9422
DEACONS Meets: 2
nd Wednesday of Month – 7:00 p.m.
Jo-Ann Hornyak (Chair) ........... 763-0141 Jennifer Balnis (Sec) ................ 684-1555 Lois Lindell (Treas.) ................. 749-7356 Tyler Anderson ......................... 749-2973 Valarie Bedard ......................... 749-6662 David Scanlon…………….413-262-9231 Jane Gamble ............................ 749-0392 Pat Jones.................................763-1330 Rich Mazur .............................. 763-5406 Sue Moak ................................ 749-2265 Stephen Samson ..................... 870-1180 John Moak ............................... 749-0245
LEADERSHIP DIRECTORY CONTINUED ….
REPRESENTATIVES TO CT CONFERENCE OF UCC ________________
FLOWER COMMITTEE Meets: Once a year/Organizational Meeting Claudette Colby (Co-Chair) ..... 749-3570 Judy Mehl (Co-Chair) .............. 749-6329 Mary Alsing .............................. 749-9197 Kathryn Campion .................... 749-4875 Judy Bothwell .......................... 684-7839
HOUSE AND GROUNDS Meets 2
nd Sunday of Month – 9:00 a.m.
Tom Mehl (Chair) .................... 749-6329 Jo-Ann Hornyak (Treas.) ........ 763-0141 Jennifer Bothwell (Sec.) .......... 763-5692 Jean Keiper ............................. 749-9075 Mike Mangini ........................... 749-3963 Dick Lindell .............................. 749-7356 Larry Urbon ............................. 749-2896 Andrew Phillips………………...763-0067 Dave Bushey…………………...749-5641
MEMBERSHIP BOARD Meets: 3
rd Sunday of Month – 11:15 a.m.
Margaret Festi (Chair) ............. 749-2698 Amy Palazzesi (Sec.) .............. 763-1299 Joyce Conroy(Treas.).............. 432-0807 Bob Bujak ................................ 763-0464 Sarah Loveday ........................ 916-3665 Marilyn Sladek ......................... 684-7550 MEMORIAL GARDEN COMMITTEE Jane Gamble (Chair).................749-0392 Terri Siver (Sec.).......................763-4233 Laurie Gorski……….…………...749-8496 Barb Moser………………….......749-8142 Rev. Barry Cass........................749-1322
MISSIONS BOARD Meets: 1
st Monday of Month – 7:00 p.m.
Rebecca Antonacci (Chair) ..... 749-0434 Donna Popham (Sec.) ............. 763-1619 Lisa Jaciow (Treas.)…………...698-0594 Scott Champion………………..741-7979 Sue Zdebski ............................ 749-8213 Janice Morton .......................... 749-5980
MUSIC AND ARTS BOARD Meets: 2
nd Sunday of Month – 11:30 a.m.
Bill Kirkpatrick (Chair) .............. 749-2369 Heather Loupe (Sec.) .............. 749-5542 Victoria Goldstein (Treas.) ...... 763-2048 Nori Bliss ................................. 763-2884 Sara Mulvihill ........................... 265-3012 Kim Trusch .............................. 763-3170
NOMINATING COMMITTEE Meets: 1
st Tuesday of Month – 7:00 p.m.
Kelly Anderson (Chair) ............. 763-5355 Sue Moak (Sec.) ...................... 749-2265 Dee Moak ................................. 749-0245 Trish Endweiss ......................... 749-9075 Kathy Fuller .............................. 749-8506
PASTORAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE Meets 3
rd Monday of Month – 7:30 p.m.
Jeff Roig .................................. 763-3908 Joanna Wheeler ....................... 763-4037 Carol Kennett ........................... 763-0029 John Moak ............................... 749-0245 Jim Jewell ................................ 763-1939 PRINTING & PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE Meets: Last Thursday of Month - 9:30 a.m. Karlene Patenaude .................. 763-0206 Lucille Gavlak ........................... 749-0253 Pat Jones ................................. 763-1330 Avonne Robbins....................... 749-0921 Kathy Lombard ......................... 749-0111 Priscilla Souder ........................ 749-4051 Judy Guerette .......................... 749-9498
Rick Skodinski ...........................648-1517 Donna Hanks .............................763-0638 Beth Rosa ..................................648-1517
RESTORATION COMMITTEE
Jim Jewell ..................................763-0638 Jo-Ann Hornyak .........................648-1517 Liz Scanlon………………….413-262-9232 Carly Sanborn……………………763-4021
BUILDING COMMITTEE Mark Marschall……………………749-7779 Jim Jewell ...................................763-1939 Pat Jones…….. ...........................763-1330 Tom Mehl………………………….749-6329 Sara Mulvihill………………………265-3012 John Jones………………………...749-1946
Board and Committee Meeting Times 2012
(Note: Meeting date will appear on church calendar/church website/newsletter/bulletin
Senior Pastor: The Rev. Dr. Barry Cass Administrative Secretary: Carly Sanborn Organist/Music Director: Jacqueline Nappi CE Director: Liz Scanlon Care Room: Barbara Anderson