Lighted Tower Newsletter

 
PARISH NURSES

Hello everyone.  Summer is a busy time for everyone.  The Parish Nurse at CCC has been supplying water to anyone in Meriden that looks hot and in need.  Tom Schillberg has been sitting outside passing out water during the heat wave. 

We are at the Meriden Soup Kitchen on the 4th Tuesday of each month doing blood pressures.  We have given over 200 bottles of Ensure/Boost in July at the Soup Kitchen.  There is a great need in Meriden for these supplements between meals. 

Ensure, Boost and such protein drinks are no longer covered by Medicare/Medicaid and too expensive for those either on the streets or barely getting by.  Several members of the congregation have donated bottles and cases of these so that we can distribute to those in need, and this is greatly appreciated.  Continued donations of these products are most welcome.

I want to give a shout out to Tom Schillberg for helping Joan deliver items to the emergency food pantry.  Tom is also helping at the Soup Kitchen twice a week. This helps me to keep an eye out for trouble.  Another shout out goes to Pam and Steve Gorman for helping our friends Lisa and Paula to get the paperwork done for SSI, and a place to live and medical help.

Thank you to the Board of Missions for the wonderful job that is done by them.  I would also like to give a BIG shout out to the entire congregation for their welcoming and enthusiasm when someone new enters our space.   Thank you, everyone.

INVITATION TO DINNER

For our traditional 2nd Thursday dinner out in August, Maria Halla has selected The New Mill restaurant in Southington on August 8th at 6PM.  493 The address is South End Road, Plantsville.  Everyone is invited to join us for an evening of fellowship and good food.  If you would like to come, please contact Ardene Courchesne at 203-631-7307 so that she can include you in the reservations.

MUSIC NOTES

The Music Committee wishes to extend its appreciation to the Choir for its gift of music which its members have provided throughout this past year, which the concluded as always with our Music Sunday on June 15th. 

The final anthem of the season was Our Covenant, the lyrics of which are the Covenant of Center Congregational Church arranged by the Choir members themselves with Pranik to the majestic music of the Jupiter movement of Gustav Holst’s opus The Planets.  Below is the original church covenant and how the Choir was able to adapt the ancient text to the rhyme and meter of the flowing music.

Our Church Covenant                                                               

We covenant with the Lord and with one another

and do bind ourselves in the presence of God to walk together in God’s holy ways.

We will strive to be doers of the Word and not hearers only;

to be firm in Faith, quickened in Hope and constant in Love.

And we will consecrate our Time, talent, income and influence

as heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.  Amen.

Our Covenant (hymn lyrics)

We do covenant with the Lord and we do covenant with ourselves.

In God’s presence we commit to walk in God’s Holy Ways.

We will strive to follow the Word; To be doers, not hearers only;

To be firm in our Faith, alive in Hope, constant in our Love.

And we consecrate out talent, time, our influence and wealth,

as the heirs of our one true God and joint heirs with Christ.

Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

As has always been the tradition, the choir is off for the summer.  The Board of Music Ministry will be working with Pranik and Craig on the program for our Fall worship.

Pastor Craig looks on as Pranik conducts the Choir singing a anthem.  The members of the Choir (L to R from front) are Judy Karle, Ardene Courchesne, Amy Cerbie, Pam Gorman, Priya Gooty, Tom Schillberg and Steve Gorman.

GIRL SCOUT COOKIES

Our Brownies Girl Scout troop meets on Saturday mornings at 10 in the former preschool (originally the Sunday School room).  They are mostly off for the Summer, but are in on some Saturdays preparing for the Fall program.  For information, contact troop leader Christine Thornton at 203-631-9079.

If anyone would like to purchase some Girl Scout cookies, The troop still has Samoas and some Thin Mints available for $6.00 per box.

MUHARRAM ENDS WITH ASHURA FEAST

The Islamic congregation that we have hosted for many years in our Fellowship Hall and Chapel for their holy seasons of Ramadan in the Spring and Muharram in the Summer, on July 17th concluded their 10-day Muharram observance of the with the feast day of Ashura. Muharram celebrates the Muslim new year and the birth of the Prophet Mohammed.

Ashura marks the parting of the Red Sea by Moses and the salvation of the Israelites from slavery under the Pharoah. It is also the day when Noah disembarked from the  Ark, God forgave Adam, and Joseph was released from prison, among various other auspicious events having occurred on Ashura according to tradition.  Ashura is celebrated in Islam through fasting and other acceptable expressions of joy.

THANK YOU

Dear friends of Center Church, I would like to thank everyone for their prayers, positive energy thoughts, and kind words and cards. Thank you for the goodies dropped off and the support of Steve and myself during my recovery from surgery.  We very much appreciate everything. Ours is a loving congregation and very much a family.  I am recovering nicely and hope to be back in church soon.

Thank you to all of your support.  God bless everyone.   -    Pam Gorman

DOT'S PLACE UPDATE

Trustees have spent this past year devoting more time, labor and funds than planned at 303 East Main Street. Building repairs, plumbing issues, and abatement costs from the latest finding of asbestos have all strained an already tight budget.

The current tenant at Dot's Place is appreciative of all Center Church.  

Board of Missions

The Board of Missions continues to support local missions such as the food pantry down East Main Street a the Meriden Church of Christ.  In non-local efforts, please remeber to send donations in support of our traditional affiliation with Seafares.  There is a critical need in Baltimore where many seamen are stranded on ships that became bottled up in the harbor when the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after being struck by the SS Dali in March. 

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