Lighted Tower Newsletter

The Lighted Tower

Church Phone: (203) 235-1389

Church E-mail: secretary@centerchurchmeriden.org

Church Website: www.centerchurchmeriden.org

Tell Me Child

“Tell me, child, can you see the wind blow?

Tell me, now, can you see the wind blowing free?”

‘No, no, I cannot see the blowing wind.

But I see the flitter of twig and leaf

And the dancing of the tree.’

“My sweet child, can you see the organ’s song?

Oh, sweet child, can you see the song rising in the air?”

‘No, no, I cannot see the rising song.

But I see the joyous smile on each singing face,

And the bliss envisioned there.’

“And can you, child, see Jesus calling?

Can you, sweet one, see Jesus calling you to come?”

‘Yes, yes, to me and everyone, I see Jesus calling:

I see it in the face of everyone who needs love and peace,

In those grieving, lost, broken, and alone.’

Greetings and Happy Harvest season from the Diaconate

Sunday, October 5, was World Communion Sunday.  We had communion by intinction and used Palestinian flat bread and Ukrainian rye bread.  Did you enjoy trying something different or do you prefer the traditional CCC communion?

Thank you to Chris Tabor for covering coffee service on October 12 and to our Christian Education & Youth for serving on Communion Sundays.

The Deacons sponsored an Autumn luncheon and chair yoga class on Sunday, October 19.  Thank you to all who attended and helped.  Especially Ardene Courchesne for the soup and Frank Covey for the gluten free lasagna; both were delicious. Thank you to Caitlin DePalma for leading the chair yoga and breathing training.

Pastor Kent will continue the tradition of doing the invocation on Tuesday, November 11, at 10:00 AM for the City of Meriden Veterans Day Observance program at the monuments.

The Deacons will be doing a Thanksgiving Cornucopia on the Sanctuary table for Thanksgiving on Sunday, November 23.  All are welcome to donate food, which will afterwards be brought to the Soup Kitchen next door.

Together with the church youth, the Deacons will decorate the Sanctuary for Christmas on Saturday, November 29 in the early afternoon.  All are welcome to join and help us.  It’s always a jolly good time.

Care Team reached out to: Barbara Carter, Nancy Urayce, Dave Macomber, Betty Leidy, Mary Zysk, Colleen Stack, Joan Halla, Linda Cioffi, Joan Gordon, Donald Cusachs and Dan & Linda Hatch. We continue to pray for comfort and healing.  Please let Joan Gordon or Susan Trella know if you or someone you know could use some CCC care.

Due to the Annual church meeting on Sunday, November 2, the Deacons will meet on Sunday November 9.  Please see one of us if you have anything to discuss. On Sunday September 14, I read a poem in church, some have requested it again, so here it is:

THE DEACONS NOTES

The pencil and the eraser

“Hey, how are you?” the eraser asked softly.
“I’m not your friend,” the pencil snapped. “I can’t stand you.”
The eraser blinked, hurt. “Why?”
“Because you keep undoing everything I write.”
“I don’t erase everything,” the eraser said gently. “Only the mistakes.”
“That doesn’t make it right,” the pencil muttered.
“But that’s what I was made to do.”
“Then your existence is pointless,” the pencil grumbled. “Writing matters more than erasing.”
“To correct the wrong is just as important as writing the right,” the eraser replied.
The pencil fell silent, then whispered, “But I see you shrinking day by day…”
“That’s because I give a little of myself each time I help fix something,” the eraser answered.
“I feel smaller too,” admitted the pencil.
“We can’t make life better for others without giving something of ourselves,” the eraser smiled.
She looked at him and asked quietly, “Do you still hate me?”
The pencil softened, a smile tugging at his lips:
“How could I hate someone who gives so much of themselves for me?”
Every sunrise leaves us with one day less.
If you can’t be the pencil that writes joy, be the eraser that eases someone’s sorrow, restores hope, and reminds them:
Tomorrow can be brighter than yesterday.
Always—Be grateful.

Gratefully yours,

Peace to all.

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

MARY’S MITTENS

MARY’S MITTENS HOMEMADE $5.00/PAIR

BOYS

AGE___________________

COLOR(S)_______________

NUMBER OF PAIRS_______________

TOTALS                                       $________

YES, I WOULD LIKE TO DONATE THESE MITTENS _____

GIRLS

AGE____________________

COLOR(S)______________________

NUMBER OF PAIRS____________________

TOTALS                                       $_________

YES, I WOULD LIKE TO DONATE THESE MITTENS________

ADULTS

AGE______________________

COLOR(S)____________________

NUMBER OF PAIRS____________________

TOTALS                                       $_________

YES, I WOULD LIKE TO DONATE THESE MITTENS _______

  COME TO DINNER - THURSDAY, November 13, 2025

at SAN SOUCI in MERIDEN

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, November 13th.

The birthday that we are celebrating this month is Jim Chapman. For our culinary pleasure our dining location for November is San Souci Restaurant, 2003 North Broad Street (i.e., Berlin Turnpike), Meriden.

Great specials!  Check out their menu at:

https://sanssoucirestaurant.com

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.

All adults in our Center Church community are most welcome!

A THOUGHT FROM MISSIONS

None of us can be as great as God, but any of us can be as good. – Mark Twain

Thank you to all who have given to the Blanket Sunday giving program that we support through Church World Service.  This month of November, help us in our giving to the local food pantries as we turn our attention to those who are hungry and food-insecure not only in foreign lands ravaged by war and famine, but also here in our own country, where support to the poor seems imperiled.

There is no distinctly American criminal class – except Congress. – Mark Twain