Lighted Tower Newsletter

The Lighted Tower

Center Congregational Church, Meriden.

474 Broad Street – Meriden, CT 06450

203-235-1389

The Lighted Tower – Resurrection Thoughts

"He not busy being born is busy dying," sang Bob Dylan in his masterpiece “It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)” [Bringing It All Back Home, 1965].  As in many of Dylan’s lyrics, there are depths in this song and in this phrase in particular which might give us pause for reflection. In these days of Eastertide and in these years of division and confusion, let us listen for a word of truth from one of our most spiritually attuned artists.

The simplest interpretation of the song reads the verses as an expression of Dylan’s anger, righteous indignation, and disillusionment at the state of the American culture of his day. With the fierceness of a Hebrew prophet of old, he skewers the consumerism, militarism, hypocrisy, and commercialism of the times. Such criticism is still applicable on many levels today. I encourage you to read the lyrics. They are easy to find on the internet. Or, better still, listen to the original recording. Dylan’s delivery gives body to his words.

But, turning to the words of our concern, what does “not busy being born” even mean? Something like this, I think: a newborn will suffer lasting, even fatal, physical and psychological degradation if she does not receive all the necessary positive stimulation for growth: food, water, light, warmth or cooling, engagement with a parent or caregiver, physical touch and developmental encouragement. Children who receive such deprivation will exhibit a “failure to thrive.” Birth, then, is not simply, coming into the world. It is the ongoing introduction of tending that leads to growth.

But humans are not only physical entities. We are also, and inseparably, spirits. Thus, the spirit needs cultivation too. From these reflections, I hear Dylan alerting us to a dire reality: our disease is a spirit disease as acting out in our materialism, our desire for dominance, and death-denying pursuit of earthly treasure.

So, on to my interpretation. You need not follow me to this point of view. I offer it only as a possible alternative. Even our image of the Cross, as opposed to that of the empty tomb, is a distortion of the Resurrection. It is choosing death over life. The death of Jesus was not his sacrifice for our salvation: his obedient life was. He gave his life. And God affirmed that obedience in the Resurrection. His life is now our life.

If I were to sit down with Bob Dylan, to ask him what he thinks of my take on the phrase, I expect I ought to expect nothing more than a sardonic smile. Possibly, he might say what can be said to most of our speculating the ways of God:

“The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind.”

ROBERT WHARTON SCHOLARSHIP

Scholarship applications are available, they can be emailed to you, they can be picked up at the church office, (Tuesday – Friday) or they can be snail mailed to you.  The applications are open to all active members of Center Congregational Church.  The deadline to receive them back to the church is 10 am May 19.  The scholarships will be presented on June 8, 2025 at the morning service.   Call the church office  203-235-1389

Greetings and Notes from the Diaconate

Adult Bible study began on April 24. It will be held on Thursdays at 11am

in the Federal Room. There will be a zoom link for those who wish to participate from home. Contact Pastor Kent if you would like the zoom link. Some of the deacons will be meeting on Tuesday April 29th to begin decluttering of Deacons closet.

The Care team continues to pray for good health, recovery and comfort to Pat Kenney (hospital), Judy Karle (surgery). Nancy Uryase, Joan Halla, Colleen Stack and Dan & Linda Hatch, Brian Comstock and Mary Zysk.

Some parishioners have mentioned needing a ride to church. We are looking for volunteers, this does not need to be a weekly commitment. Please let a deacon know if you can drive.

Is there someone who could use support from the Care team?  Please let Joan Gordan or Susan Trella know.

The next Deacons meeting is Sunday May 4.

Please see a deacon if you have items to discuss.

Peace

Susan Trella, Chris Tabor, Frank Covey, Maggie Schillberg, Diane Stolting, Mary Zysk

PARISH NURSE AND MISSIONS

                                                                      BIRTHRIGHT

Neighbors helping neighbors.  We have been taught to do this as a child, adult and as a church following Jesus.

Birthright is one of our neighbors.  It is a non-profit interdenominational, non-political pregnancy service. They offer counseling, testing, and help. They have been in Meriden for over 40 years, helping mothers and their babies. They see 150 families per month and try to provide support.  Part of the support is to help provide with some of the necessities. This includes baby clothes, soap, toiletries, blankets, bottles and anything having to do with parenting a baby/toddler.

Birthright has asked for our help in providing for their young families. Center Church has committed to collecting infant items through September. Please consider dropping off items in the Sanctuary and/or speaking to Maggie Schillberg or Joan Gordon.  Thank You

CHURCH WORLD SERVICE

CWS

Church World Service (CWS) is a faith-based organization transforming communities around the world with just and sustainable responses to hunger, poverty, displacement and disaster.

During 2024, CWS helped in providing kits and blankets to partner agencies serving those in need.  They are also boots on the ground in many communities in need.  CWS supplies 10,840 clean up buckets, 11,179 period packs, 30,580 hygiene kits, 10,110 school kits and 27,275 blankets as part of their mission.

Center Congregational Church has been a partner with CWS for over 30 years. We participate in Blanket Sunday and during the last 11 years we have operated as a year-round donation center. The kits mentioned above are dropped off from here from churches ranging from Maine to New Jersey. The CWS truck comes once a yar to pick up the donations and take them to Maryland for distribution.

This year we have 900 School kits, 900 hygiene kits, 165 period packs and 150 buckets that have been delivered here – so far!

The CWS truck will be here at CCC on May 20th at 7 am.  Please consider coming to help load the truck. Many hands make light work. Visit the CWS and see the work they are doing due to your generosity.

CHRISTIAN ED

*IMPORTANT* Youth Sunday and a Church Lunch to celebrate our Youth will be held on Sunday, June 8th at the Church.  This is a change to our usual Youth Sunday and picnic, due to it falling on Pentecost Sunday. 

The Youth will be leading the service (with Pastor Kent giving the sermon) at 10:00 am. A Church Lunch to celebrate our Youth will immediately follow the service downstairs in Fellowship Hall.  CE will provide the lunch food, drinks and a cake for dessert.

Please bring a dessert to share with others. Candy Bar Bingo and other games will be played! The Youth are excited to share their talents with you.

We hope that everyone can attend!!

A SINCERE THANK YOU TO A LOVING COVENANT COMMUNITY

Dear Friends,

Jesus taught us to Love one another.   My Mother didn't preach, but rather she set the example of the Golden Rule as it was given to all of us by our Lord, Jesus Christ, in his sermon on the Mount: “Do onto Others as you would have them do onto you.” (Matthew 7:12, Luke 6:31).  I am so fortunate and grateful for being raised with such a Mom.

Center Church has always been a home where these ideals can be learned and practiced. Thank you all for your love and support while our family was preparing and processing my mother’s end of life here on earth with us.  She has now gone home to God. 

We know that she is in a place of eternal happiness.  At her burial we were playing for her some music from the 1940s that she had so enjoyed in life when it felt as though she was reaching back to assure us that all is well.  As she was laid to rest, all of a sudden this song by Fred Astaire began to play: “Heaven, I’m in Heaven

And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak

And I seem to find the happiness I seek . . . “

Thank you for all your kindness, good thoughts, prayers and cards.   

Pam Gorman and the family of Edna May Christensen Rule

COME TO DINNER - THURSDAY, MAY 8th

All members and friends of Center Church are invited to come together for an evening of fun and fellowship at 6:00 on Thursday evening, May 8th.  This month we will be dining at the Athenian Diner at 864 Washington Street in Middletown.  It’s on Route 66 heading into Middletown from Meriden, and on the left in the plaza after Staples. 

We all enjoyed the previous outing that we had at Athenian several years ago, so we are all looking forward to a very enjoyable evening.

If you are planning to come, or if you would like to join us for the first time, please contact Ardene Courchesne at 203-631-7307 or ardene.courchesne@yahoo.com, as she is making the reservations.  This group, informally referred to as the “Tri-C”, meets once a month on the second Thursday of each month.

REMEMBER WHEN

In the foyer of the Federal Room is a faded framed photograph from one of the many Quilt Shows which were once an annual event here at Center Church.  Quilting is a time honored traditional craft and in tis church community we had many a quilter.

As a part of the Church Fair, the quilts were exhibited upstairs in the Sanctuary while the Fair was going on in the rest of the building including in all of the other parts of the building, including the basement activity rooms. 

On the coffee table in the Federal Room is a copy of the program brochure for the 9th Annual Quilt Show ‘N’ Fair back in the early 1990s.  This is among the items that the family of Allan and Pauline Blakeslee donated to the church earlier in the Spring.

Everyone is cordially invited to look through it and take a short stroll down memory lane.