Pastor's Greeting

Dear Friends,

Suddenly the schedule changes: instead of single worship services on Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings, there are three on Sunday. Most rooms at 170 Pennsylvania Avenue are in use every evening. You can almost hear the many ministries of the church humming with a new level of activity.

A Season of Renewed Ministry

There’s a richness of opportunity here, to serve God in the world and to find nurture for our spirits. Teaching Sunday School; taking advantage of the special talks arranged by our Parish Nurse; beginning a new course of Bible study in the Disciple classes — or, this year, through Wednesday evening’s “Lectio Divina”; helping to cook or serve meals for our brothers and sisters who are homeless; knitting prayer shawls and blankets; advocating for justice in healthcare along with United Action of Connecticut; working with the Maintenance Committee to keep our buildings welcome and hospitable; joining the Bible Study Breakfast on Tuesday mornings; singing or ringing in the choirs; mentoring a confirmation student … the possibilities just keep going. In fact, the possibilities for ministry reach as far as your imagination and as deep as the need in our world for hope, healing, companionship, and justice.

So, in this time of awesome richness: what’s your ministry? Where does your deep joy meet the world’s deep need?

God’s House: Open to All!

A faithful group of our congregation has served diligently through the summer on our Accessibility project, seeking your support to make our buildings (which, frankly, need some loving care) more available and useful to all. If you’ve not yet pledged to this effort, please consider helping us to be a truly welcoming church. We’re just shy of half-way to our goal. We’ll continue to actively seek pledges and contributions through the middle of September. We are so close to getting started on our next phase, which will make the downstairs bathrooms truly accessible (and considerably more pleasant to use) — your commitment may be just the one that allows us to start. Questions? Contact the church office.

Keeping Perspective

 “All the good that you will do will come not from you but from the fact that you have allowed yourself, in the obedience of faith, to be used by God’s love. Think of this more and gradually you will be free from the need to prove yourself, and you can be more open to the power that will work through you without your knowing it.”
                                                        - Thomas Merton

May it be so!

Grace and Peace,
John A. Nelson, Pastor and Teacher