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Volume XXXII, No. 2 March/April, 2016

THE FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST IN HARTFORD

A member of the United Church of Christ (UCC)

CENTER CHURCH 60 Gold Street

Hartford, CT 06103

Church Office Hours: Monday thru Friday, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm

Summer Office Hours: Monday thru Friday, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

(July thru Friday before Labor Day)

Phone: (860) 249-5631 FAX: (860) 246-3915

www.centerchurchhartford.org

Sunday Worship Service:

10:30am

Summer Worship Service: 9:00am & 10:00am

(First Sunday in June through the Sunday before Labor Day)

Embracing God’s Presence, Serving the City,

Building Upon Our Heritage

The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the son of David!”

“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”

~ Matthew 21:9

NNEEWWSS

Dear Family: We are in the middle of the season of Lent. This has been a season of new beginnings; a season that started with “Ashes-to-Go” available all day on Ash Wednesday and has continued with a “Jesus and Justice” Multi-Church Lenten Series. We began at Asylum Hill Congregational Church and will end at Warburton Congregation Church, offering a bible study in most of the UCC Hartford Churches, including Center Church on March 10th. We have also entered our silent phase of a capital campaign. Part of me feels excited and hopeful about our journey ahead. This is a time of transformation and renewal. Conversely, I am concerned. I am concerned about the toll that a capital campaign may take on a congregation our size if we continue to ‘do church’ as usual during this demanding time. This is why I invite us to be open to re-thinking church. If there is a time when we need to re-evaluate the way we do church, that time is now. You will notice many changes in the next coming months. You will be asked to participate in various ways; we will be required to enter a process of change. I am extending an invitation for you to become part of this journey. Do not see the process of a capital campaign as a money-driven initiative, but rather, let us see it as a revitalizing opportunity…an opportunity to remember and practice our belief that mission will always be a priority, and that everything else is formed to sustain and carry out ministry and community, not the other way around. During this time and always, please know that I am available to respond to your concerns to the best of my ability. Furthermore, remember we have been blessed. Let us acknowledge those blessings. If we do, in the end, we will conclude that God’s grace with us has been “abundantly far greater than all we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20.)” Peace,

(Rev.) Dr. Damaris D. Whittaker, Minister

The baptism of Hope Emilin Mozion Hassock

on February 21, 2016.

MMMAAARRRCCCHHH BBBIIIRRRTTTHHHDDDAAAYYYSSS 3/2 Alvin Thompson 3/2 Ruth Fortune 3/4 Gladys Hernandez 3/5 Roderick Jones 3/6 Michelle Jones 3/7 Connor James Thomas 3/8 Angie Smith 3/9 Cheryl Sanderson 3/9 Roberta Roy 3/12 A'drea Parkes 3/13 Rev. Dr. Damaris Whittaker 3/14 Margaret Allegrini 3/17 Julia Thompson 3/17 Olivia Otte 3/18 Maryanne Sanderson 3/19 Andre Keitt 3/20 David Feldman 3/21 Anakin Piattirios 3/27 Mary Esoian 3/29 Thomas St. Amant 3/30 Jane Foxall MMMAAARRRCCCHHH AAANNNNNNIIIVVVEEERRRSSSAAARRRIIIEEESSS AAAPPPRRRIIILLL AAANNNNNNIIIVVVEEERRRSSSAAARRRIIIEEESSS 3/21 Abel & Serafina Tangarone

AAAPPPRRRIIILLL BBBIIIRRRTTTHHHDDDAAAYYYSSS

4/1 Priscilla French 4/2 Susan Hayes 4/2 Katherine Markham 4/4 Luke Salls 4/5 Abel Tangarone 4/5 Elizabeth Ververis 4/10 Amiyah Jones 4/13 Tucker Salls 4/13 Ariella Wagan 4/14 Jorgette Peroza 4/15 Rosemary Arcieri 4/15 Dectora Jeffers 4/16 Nancy Maclean 4/16 Leila Sipes 4/19 Alice Norsigian 4/21 Geoffrey Smith 4/23 William "Chris" Jeffers 4/23 Jade Peroza 4/24 Robinson Buck 4/25 Nancy Baxter 4/26 Efrain Agosto 4/28 James Thomas

None

CHURCH MEMBERS & FAMILY NEWS BULLETIN BOARD

Births, Deaths, Weddings,Transferred at own request: None

Baptisms: Hope Emilin Mozion Hassock (2-21-16)

New Members: None

WITH THANKS Dear Friends at Center Church, I want to thank you all for the support you gave to my family this year. Thanks to you, we were able to process my son's US citizenship and get his passport. We are all extremely grateful, as this was the first step in our plans to come to the US, not to mention opening a world of possibilities for William in the future. Thank you all so much for making this possible.

With much love, Rebecca Richards (and husband, Jaime and son, William) (former Warburton Director of Outreach Ministries)

Funds Available for Hartford Hospital Expenses This is a reminder that Center Church is the beneficiary of “bed funds” for the payment of Hartford Hospital expenses, including those of its Dental Clinic. These funds are available not only to church members, but to any person designated by our Pastor or her authorized representative. It is important to remember that bills of Hartford Hospital only are eligible for payment. Not eligible are separate bills of physicians, radiologists, pharmacies, etc., even though incurred while a patient at Hartford Hospital, as well as bills of Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. We urge you to keep these funds in mind whenever you, a family member or an acquaintance are a patient at Hartford Hospital. For further information or for assistance in accessing these funds, please contact Marie at the Church Office.

+ IN OUR PRAYERS + Curtis Anderson, Arline Baum, James Danis, Gladys Hernandez, Anne Jennings,

Bobbie Jones, Christine MacDonald, Marjorie F. Paust, Jeff Rathnam, Lita Rathnam, Sally St. Amant, Barbara Sanders, Earl Sanderson,

Norman Stanley, Deborah Tuthill, the City of Hartford, the Connecticut Conference of the United Church of Christ, the First Church of Christ in Hartford,

the State of Connecticut, and Syrian Refugees

WITH THANKS

Dear Center Church, Thank you so very much for the surprise (totally a surprise!) celebration in honor of our wedding! Your kindness and genuine love touches our hearts! As we entered this covenant together, we never imagined having such a loving church community bless and support us as fully as you do! A special thank you to the Faith Formation Board for making this celebration happen! It was a wonderful party and we had so much fun with you all! With all our love and thanks! Jana and Anne Russo-Priestley

EASTER SERVICE MUSIC Easter Celebration at Center Church will include brass quintet with organ on voluntaries and brass with choir on two distinguished anthems; Resurrection Day by the critically-acclaimed American choral conductor Randall Stroope and Spice She Brought and Sweet Perfume by McNeil Robinson, noted New York City musician and educator. These two anthems bring contrast but also vitality to the Easter message. Concluding the formal service will be Handel's Hallelujah chorus from Messiah accompanied by brass and organ. The closing voluntary will be Grand Choeur Dialogue by the Parisian organist Eugene Gigout. This work is a fireworks display from both the organ and brass ending gloriously. This will be a service not to be missed to celebrate the promised resurrection with spoken word and music.

~ William Ness Interim Director of Music/Organist

SUNDAY MORNING ADULT EDUCATION CLASS CHURCH HOUSE PARLOR, 8:45 a.m.

THROUGH MARCH 13

The class is discussing Between the World and Me, by Ta-Nehisi Coates. This book was chosen by both The New York Times Sunday Book Review and The Hartford Courant as one of the five best nonfiction books of 2015.

* STARTING MARCH 20 What’s in It for Me? Finding Ourselves in Biblical Narratives by Rabbi Stephen Fuchs

My passion for biblical stories has nothing to do with whether they are historically or scientifically true. I love these stories because they are our stories. If we take a good look, we can find ourselves and guidance for our own lives in them. ~ Rabbi Stephen Fuchs

The world is rapidly dividing between those who take biblical narratives as the literal word of God -- claiming that they are historically and scientifically true -- and those who dismiss those narratives as quaint or even foolish fairy tales. WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME invites the reader to discover a middle ground that takes biblical narratives seriously without regard to their historical or scientific truth. The "truth" of these stories has nothing to do with, "Did this really happen?" Their truth emerges in the valuable lessons these stories can teach all of us. As we walk the rich middle ground of biblical narrative, we shall keep one question constantly in mind: Where am I in the text? In other words what do these stories teach ME that can help me to be a more self aware, caring, and compassionate human being?

[From the Cover]

* * *

For more information or questions, please contact Joe Bradley, Alvin Thompson or Bill Warner-Prouty.

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SSSaaatttuuurrrdddaaayyy,,, AAAppprrriiilll 333000ttthhh fffrrrooommm 999:::000000aaammm tttooo LLLuuunnnccchhh...

Bring work gloves, a rake, and a happy heart!

Join the fun and the community of workers as we ready Asto Wamah for the 2016 season!

RSVP (Nancy [860] 649-8614) so sufficient lunch supplies can be purchased.

Thanks to our First Tuesday Community Meals volunteers at Christ Church Cathedral!

January February Enid Negron Deckie Jeffers Bill Warner-Prouty Dennis Morin Nate Fox Enid Negron Catherine Maclean David Owens Dianna Woodard Bill Warner-Prouty Patricia Nelson Catherine Maclean David Owens Dennis Morin Andre Keitt’s parents

PPPAAALLLMMM SSSUUUNNNDDDAAAYYY,,, MMMAAARRRCCCHHH 222000 10:30am Worship Service marking the beginning of Holy Week;

Procession follows the service. MMMAAAUUUNNNDDDYYY TTTHHHUUURRRSSSDDDAAAYYY,,, MMMAAARRRCCCHHH 222444 7:30pm Holy Communion & Tenebrae Service

GGGOOOOOODDD FFFRRRIIIDDDAAAYYY,,, MMMAAARRRCCCHHH 222555 12:10pm Service of Scripture Readings, Music, & Silent Reflection

EEEAAASSSTTTEEERRR,,, MMMAAARRRCCCHHH 222777 9:00am Resurrection Breakfast in the Church House! Yummy

breakfast breads, juices, coffee, tea, and egg casseroles. 10:30am Family Worship Service (no Church School.) Following

Worship, we invite the children to an Easter Egg Hunt ~ don’t miss this joyous Easter celebration! (Church School families – if you have any questions, please email Jana for assistance.)

~~~ “““HHHEEE IIISSS RRRIIISSSEEENNN,,, IIINNNDDDEEEEEEDDD!!!””” ~~~

OPEN FLOWER MEMORIAL DATES

The following dates are available for flower memorials. Honor or remember a loved one by selecting one of the following Sundays:

May 1 June 5 December 13 January 10 February 7 February 28

Please contact Shirley Sanders, or call the office,

for further information.

Ministry of Easter Flowers

Easter is on its way! If you would like to contribute to the "Ministry of Easter Flowers" in memory of a loved one, or in honor of a cherished friend or family member, please complete the form below and send it with a check in the amount of $12 per plant, payable to The First Church of Christ in Hartford, 60 Gold Street, Hartford, 06103, by Wednesday, March 23. Please note “Easter Flower” on the memo of the check. After the Easter service, plants will be distributed to the homebound.

Thank you from The Flower Committee!

Turn your clocks ahead one hour before retiring on

Saturday, March 12!

Easter Flower in memory or honor of (please print):

_______________________________________

Given by: _____________________________________ Address: _____________________________________

_____________________________________ Phone: _____________________________________ Total Enclosed: $ ____________

AT WORSHIP ON SUNDAY, MARCH 13

Guest Preacher, the Rev. Steven W. Camp, Pastor, Faith Congregational Church, Hartford

Second Hour - Discussion of "Our current situation in Flint" with The Rev. Kari Nicewander (Immanuel Congregational Church)

and Rev. Steven Camp

AMISTAD PROGRAM AT THE OLD STATE HOUSE

APRIL 10, 3:00PM

COMMUNITY DIALOGUE: “SECOND CHANCE SOCIETY LEGISLATION”

SPEAKER: Mike Lawlor, Undersecretary for Criminal Justice Policy and Planning

TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 7:00PM AT ST. PATRICK-ST. ANTHONY CHURCH’S

FRANCISCAN CENTER FOR URBAN MINISTRY, 285 CHURCH STREET, HARTFORD

Free parking available at the All Saints Parking Lot across from the Urban Center. (Co-sponsored by St. Patrick-St. Anthony Church and Center Church.)

The deadline for the MAY/JUNE 2016 ISSUE OF CENTER CHURCH NEWS is Friday, April 22.

THE FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST IN HARTFORD A member of the United Church of Christ (UCC)

CENTER CHURCH, 60 Gold Street, Hartford, CT 06103 Church Office Hours: Monday thru Friday, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm Summer Office Hours: Monday thru Friday, 9:00am to 3:00pm

Phone: (860) 249-5631 Fax: (860) 246-3915 www.centerchurchhartford.org

Minister: The Reverend Dr. Damaris D. Whittaker Minister Emeritus: The Reverend J. Alan McLean

Warburton Director of Outreach Ministries: Nate Fox Director of Faith Formation: Jana Russo-Priestley

Youth Coordinator: Anne Russo-Priestley Interim Director of Music/Organist: William Ness

Librarian: Bruce Bidwell Office Administrator: Marie Ferrantino

Bookkeeper: Jamie Maheu Receptionist/Office Assistant: Monique Young

Office Assistant: Frances Burton Sexton: Thomas St. Amant

Staff email addresses:

First initial + last name @cchartford.org (e.g., dwhittaker@cchartford.org)