NEWSLETTER, SEPTEMBER 2023 | |
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We will begin our worship service at 10:30 am.
See you there!
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In 2024 we will be celebrating 200 years! As we gear up for the celebration, we are developing a plan to spruce up the building.
In order to preserve and maintain the historic grandeur of our sanctuary, fellowship hall, and church property, our goal is to develop and implement a financially responsible, multi-year program, which respects our past and our future.
Please join Ray Conti, our stewardship director, Arline DeBoer, Bill Guerrera, and Bob and Maggie Slagel as they take on this most important endeavor.
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The issue of ADA accessibility has been an on-going project for several years, and in the meantime, we have made use of ADA-approved folding ramps, a stairwell chair lift and currently are using an “EZ Access” solid surface ramp. It was quite a process to address the need for handicap access; we considered every angle of the proposed construction project to our building--north, south, east, west, and everything in-between, and we now have architectural renderings and construction plans. We have approvals from the Sharon Zoning Board and the Historic District Commission. We have contracted with a mason, carpenter, welding fabricator, painter, and a landscaper, who are all local trades men and women. We are ready to immediately start the first phase of our project, which is the construction of the ramp. Additional phases include an ADA unisex bathroom at the rear of the fellowship hall as well as improvements to the church parking lot.
The budget for phase one of our project is $70k. We presently have received gifts toward this project totaling $36k. We are making every effort to reach out to state and federal agencies as well as local foundations for available grant funds. Financial support for our projects would be greatly appreciated by the church membership and friends who make use of the facility for worship as well as community-related events. If you have any queries, please feel free to contact Pastor Jody or any team leader on the church council.
Sketch drawing follows.
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THURSDAY NIGHT BIBLE/BOOK STUDY AND DINNER | |
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We look forward to seeing all our regular and many new Bible study folks at the Bible/book study and dinner starting on Thursday, September 21, 6 pm. We will begin each session with a light supper of soup, salad, bread, and dessert. Following dinner, Pastor Jody will start with a video followed by a discussion of the series “Experiencing the Bible in Historical Context, The Promised Land.” The goal of the study is to enable anyone to read the Bible with greater appreciation and understanding of what it is and how it continues to speak to its readers today. Everyone is welcome! No prior knowledge of the Bible or Christianity is required. Contact: Pastor Jody Guerrera, jodyquiltz@gmail.com, 860-364-5002
As we work into the fall season, we will try to understand individual dietary requirements and restrictions. Dessert donations are always appreciated and anticipated!
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CONGREGATIONAL INVITATION | |
Pastor Steve Darr from the First Congregational Church of Torrington will be holding a Christian Flag Raising Ceremony in front of City Hall in Torrington on September 16 at 10 am. The flag will fly over the city for two weeks. It represents the important contributions the Christian Faith Community has made to the City of Torrington and surrounding areas. Local church communities are invited to attend. There will be music, prayer, singing, comments from local pastors and Mayor Carbone will speak and give a proclamation. If you have any questions, please give Pastor Steve a call at 860-482-4705. | |
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Our church library has grown magnificently over the past two months in both quantity and quality of content.
Pastor Bob Keay generously donated a great portion of his personal Christian library (2,000 plus books) upon his departure to England. Pastor Keay wanted to leave our church family and future pastors with a legacy of the written word.
The Greenwoods Community Church in Ashley Falls, MA de-acquisitioned their book collection and offered it (600 plus books) to our church. The books cover broad topics of Christianity, history, apologetics, biography, devotions, theology, missions, Biblical exposition, and evangelism - Circa 1980’s through current.
We also graciously accepted Greenwoods’ contribution of pew hymnals (100 books) titled “Hymns for the
Living Church.” Our worship team collectively decided that our current hymnal “The Pilgrim Hymnal” has
outdated content and should be replaced. The donation has proven to be a wonderful contribution to
our church and music program. Please pray for the well-being and future of the Greenwoods’ congregation.
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CELL TOWER ANTENNA IN STEEPLE | |
On Thursday, August 9, technicians from Verizon brought their very tall crane to town for a final inspection and measurements of our church steeple. Their plan is for the installation of cell tower antennas on the inside perimeter of the structure. Contracts have been negotiated and signed, lease arrangements are in place and final engineered plans are being completed for presentation to our town officials. This will be a wonderful service to our town and a much-needed boost to the church’s operating budget. Please support this project with your enthusiasm and prayers. | |
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Mission Team—Each month Haidee Freund delivers two or three cases of toilet paper to the St. Thomas Food of Life Pantry in Amenia Union, NY. In addition, each year our church helps Geer Nursing Home celebrate residents having birthdays in June; therefore, gifts were purchased for the four residents having birthdays and 36 cupcakes were purchased for the birthday party.
On July 26, five people from our church attended a hands-on event at Equus Effect in Sharon to learn about the program and to participate with the horses that are used to treat PTSD and stress. Our church has supported Equus Effect for several years and the team voted to send a $300 donation to support the program.
Fifteen volunteers from our church helped at various shifts with concessions at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival held at the Goshen, CT fairgrounds July 27 to 30. This event raised $2,800 to support our local and foreign missions. This opportunity is made possible by church member Howard Randall, who has organized and lead the festival for more than thirty years.
The focus of our church's foreign missions has been in Haiti, specifically through the program "Hope for Haiti” and Hospital Albert Schweitzer. The mission team is reviewing our church's involvement in these two missions and looking into possibly adding a third mission in Haiti called "Mission Haiti". Mission Haiti is a Christ-centered mission involved in education, care of the elderly and medical care. Julie Grey will give a presentation during one of our church services in September to review the three different Haiti missions.
The annual Crop Walk to raise money for local and international food pantries will be held Sunday, September 24. Members of our church will be walking. If you are interested in walking to help raise money, please contact Laura DeBoer. One way to donate is to go to the Northwest CT CROP Hunger Walk website. Click on “make a donation.” Be sure to type in Sharon Congregational Church or a specific person’s name in order to support the church or participant. There will also be an envelope at church for donation each week. Last year our church raised $550.00.
Any questions or inspirations can be brought to Arlin DeBoer, mission team leader.
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Worship Team—If you enjoy sharing the Gospel by reading scripture on Sunday mornings, please sign up on the board in the fellowship hall or tell Pastor Jody direct; she would love to talk to you about it. | |
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Fellowship Team—Join us for coffee, tea, or a cold drink and snacks following the Sunday morning worship service! In addition, there has been impromptu gatherings for puzzle building in the fellowship hall and trips to local restaurants for lunch following coffee hour (aptly named “the lunch bunch”).
Volunteers to host coffee hour are always appreciated—a signup sheet is in the fellowship hall. I look forward to hearing from you with suggestions for activities or field trips that would help us get to know each other better. Kathy Amiet – Fellowship Team Leader - 860-836-4294 or butterflydoglady@yahoo.com
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Prayer Team--We invite all to take part in prayer time each Sunday before worship in the fellowship hall as we continue to pray for the service, preaching and the congregation in attendance.
If you have a specific prayer request, let Pastor Jody know, and an email will be sent to our list of faithful pray-ers. If you prefer, your request can be anonymous—God knows your needs! JODYQUILTZ@GMAIL.COM
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Caring Team--A food collection basket will be in the entryway each week for an offering—please consider donating non-perishable items when you can.
The caring team bulletin board in the fellowship hall now has a signup sheet if you are interested in welcoming the congregation to Sunday morning worship service. See TJ Murtagh, team leader, if you have questions.
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Teaching Team--The teaching team introduces Pastor Jody Guerrera: Pastor Jody graduated from Yale Divinity School in 2002 and was called to serve the Sharon Congregational Church, first to fill the pulpit and then as associate pastor in 2004. She retired in September 2017; however, we are very grateful to Jody and her husband Bill, who are back temporarily, for their willingness to serve at the church again during the current pastoral vacancy.
Sharon Congregational Church’s rich history began in 1739 and has a heritage of godly pastors, which includes Cotton Mather Smith, and dedicated people who strive to bring the message of the gospel to our
community and the world. Known as the “Lighthouse Church,” its mission is to be, through actions and words, the light of Jesus Christ in the world today.
Questions and inspirations can be brought to Bob Slagel, teaching team leader.
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MOVING FORWARD
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The next Executive Council meeting will be held via Zoom on Monday, September 18 at 6pm.
- Check out the calendar on our website—updated when we receive new information about an event.
ON-GOING BUSINESS
- Communion will be served during our service on the first Sunday of each month, except during the Lenten season, and there will be a time dedicated each Sunday to the blessing of gifts.
- A Bible-based, 12-step program for people in recovery meets in the fellowship hall on Friday evenings from 6–7pm. JoAnn Carman is the contact person.
- Grief Support Group meets on Sundays at 5pm in the fellowship hall. For further details, please speak with JoAnn Carman.
- Child care is offered during worship time. Speak with a greeter if you have need of this service.
- Our Sunday worship service and weekly Bible studies are offered on our website: sharoncongregationalchurch.org. If you would like to receive an email notification of either of these events, please let us know.
- Our newsletters are available in the narthex, sent to our email list and posted to our website.
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