Dear Friends,
Two thousand years ago, God made good on his promise to never leave us alone. In a blast of wind and something like wild fire, He sent a friend, the Holy Spirit, to dwell among us and the church of Jesus Christ was born. Today we refer to that cataclysmic event as Pentecost and will mark the occasion this Sunday, May 19, much as they did all those years ago by receiving our newest members, this year's Confirmation Class.
Rebecca Floyd will be there with a children's message. Amy Forte and confirmation leaders, Joanne Reeves and Gary Domenico, will lead us in prayer. Eileen Hunt will direct our choir in song, including a sung prayer of consecration during the service of confirmation - beautiful! My message, "Coming Alive" is based the 14th chapter of John's gospel where Jesus first tells of the Holy Spirit. What does that mean for us today? As we say in class each Tuesday to our confirmands...
God is good... All the time!
Jeffrey Rider
Senior Minister
P.S. Parents and Bible Detectives, don't forget the Bible Bee... Come and show what you know!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *May 10, 2013
Dear Friends,
This Sunday, I will be preaching on families, or rather, our families, Biblical families and Jesus' family. There will be some surprising information about families and maybe even a new perspective. So bring Mom along and your friends and neighbors too, if you like, as we consider this topic which we can't ignore, even if we wanted to -- and sometimes do.
Dan
P.S. Consider checking out the Spiritual Gym before worship this Sunday. We gather in the Parlor at 8:45 a.m. for coffee and conversation and get started with our work-out promptly at 9 a.m. We are kicking off a brand new discussion about Psalms so it is a great week to give us a try.
OR...check out the Wednesday mornings in May series for people who don’t know much at all about the Bible. Bible 101. No preparation required. Just show up. 9:30 a.m. the next 3 Wednesdays.
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Dear Friends,
I'm writing to you from the road as I head to Virginia to pick up Cal (and his stuff) from college. But I can't wait to be back at church this Sunday, May 5 for the chance to update you on our recent trip to Nepal! My message, "What Would Make Your Heart Sing?" is based on Psalm 30. We'll also celebrate communion and then hold our annual meeting immediately following worship. Our middle schoolers will be busy in Sunday School making 200 bag lunches for hungry neighbors at the Norwalk Emergency Shelter. Join us for what promises to be a full and filling morning at Green's Farms Church!
With Joy,
Jeffrey Rider
Senior Minister
April 26, 2013
Dear Friends,
This Sunday, at Green's Farms Church, we're going to consider the "nones" -- those people who check none when asked about their religious affiliation. Of course, we've been thinking about this the past few weeks in the Spiritual Gym (so those people who attend are in good shape for this). Nevertheless, it's an important topic for all of us - the church, the ones who check UCC and all those in between.
Most astonishingly, the original "nones" were the disciples.
Don't miss this one. Please join Eileen, Amy, Rebecca and me for worship & music on Sunday morning.
Dan
BTW -- I've decided to start a new Bible Study. Why? Because there are people who just can't get here on Sunday morning and there are people who are, like (I sound like a teenager) don't know anything about the Bible and are pretty much afraid to ask. So… this is a Bible Study for people who know nothing or next to nothing about the Bible. You can ask any question you want ("What is the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament?" for example.) It's on Wednesday mornings at 9:30 am in the parlor and it only runs for an hour. We start this week and plan to meet every Wednesday in May. Come with a friend. Coffee will be served. You are guaranteed to know more about the Bible in the first twenty minutes than you ever knew before. And, it'll be fun.
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Dear Friends,
It has been a long, strange week. Whether we have had our eyes trained on the news, or whether that news broke into our lives on the car radio, on our facebook feeds, or in our email inboxes, our hearts have been lurching as we've watched events unfold in Boston, and then Texas.
It has been a baffling and frigthening week. It has been a baffling and frightening 6 months, with the Newtown shooting only 4 months ago, and one of the costliest hurricanes in American history just a few months before that.
Whatever you are feeling, I urge you to join us this Sunday. Whether you are grieving for the city of Boston or Texas, outraged at the senseless loss, numbed by the 24-hour-news cycle with too much rhetoric and not enough information, afraid for your children growing up in a world like this, or simply too tired of the barrage of tragedies to even process another one, join us. Let's come together, however we are feeling, and be the church. Let's look to God. Let's look to God and grapple for meaing and hope, and figure out how we can keep living in this broken uncertain world. And let's do it together.
So join us tomorrow at 10:00 for worship and prayer and healing. Join us for the joy of the baptism of Michael Joseph Barna III, and for a message on what it means that Jesus is our shepherd, who will "wipe away every tear from our eyes" and guide us even through "the valley of the shadow of death."
In Faith and Service,
Rebecca Floyd
Associate Minister for Youth
Green's Farms Church
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April 13, 2013
Greetings!
Spring is here! We are grateful for the green grass, the daffodils and the warmer air that is upon us. There is new life everywhere let us rejoice after this long winter. We would love to see you this Sunday for our 10 am worship service. We will be looking at John's Gospel as we once again encounter the risen Christ. The disciples are wrestling with their new place in the world, and the question being asked is; "Should we stay or should we go?" Perhaps you too having been asking that same question in your own life. If so, let's tackle this one together. I hope you will join us on Sunday and I will look forward to seeing you.
Peace, Amy
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April 5, 2013
Dear Friends,
Christ is Risen!
He is Risen Indeed!
...now what?
That's exactly what the disciples wonder in our Gospel narrative for the week. They are lost in the wake of the Resurrection. What are they to do? What are they to believe? This famous story of Christ appearing to the disciples on Easter evening shows us how God intends for us to carry on post-resurrection. Whether we are like John, who believes at the mere sight of an empty tomb, or we are like the infamous doubting Thomas who refuses to believe without the evidence, God is calling us all to the life of faith.
Join us on Sunday for beautiful Easter music led by Dr. Eileen Hunt, pastoral prayers by Mr. Gary Domenico, and preaching by yours truly.
Hope to see you there!
In Faith and Service,
Rebecca Floyd
Associate Minister for Youth
Green's Farms Church
March 29, 2013
Dear Friends,
Our Easter Sunday celebration begins with a Sunrise Service at 6:15AM, Compo Beach in Westport. Then, join us back on campus at 9:00AM for Family Worship and Sunday School followed by traditional Egg Hunt on the lawn, and a second service at 11:00AM. The services at GFC are identical and will feature wonderful choral and instrumental music, including brass, and my Easter Message based on Luke's account of resurrection.
Praying for God's hope and joy for you and your family this Easter.
Jeffrey Rider
Senior Minister
Project Hospitality @ GFC: In addition to material on our website, greensfarmschurch.org, we've created a Facebook page and Twitter feed with help of Alex Marshall, one of our YDS Sunday School interns. If you "like" us, you will receive photos and live updates from Nepal: https://www.facebook.com/ProjectHospitalityGFC
March 22, 2013
Dear Friends,
Palm Sunday is our chance to take stock – to look at where we've come from and where we're heading before jumping into Holy Week and the events leading up to Easter. In my message, "Identity Thieves", based on Luke 19:28-40, we'll explore some of the latest advise on how to weather challenges to our identity, and how we can possibly live an ancient faith in rapidly changing times. Our choir and soloists will be accompanied this week by a wonderful string ensemble, and Rebecca Floyd and our confirmands will lead the Sunday School in a "Walk Through Holy Week" drama beginning with a Palm Sunday parade in the meetinghouse!
But don't wait until the 10:00AM worship hour; plan to arrive early! Our "Holy Week Family Outreach Project" will begin promptly at 9:15AM. Families of all ages are invited to prepare baskets of flowers, and then deliver them along with an Easter card to a special member of our church family. Co-sponsored by Education and Deacons, this intergenerational activity is a great way for families to grow giving hearts and experience the joy of new life at Easter. Plan on making two baskets per family: one to share with your new church friend, and another for your own family to take home and enjoy.
I hope you'll join us!
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March 16, 2013
Dear Friends,
What is Grace and why is it so important to the Christian faith? Come hear how Jesus answers this question in the well-loved parable of the prodigal son from the gospel of Luke. We'll explore the complexities of grace: why we depend on it so wholly, yearn for it so deeply, and yet deny it so frequently for the simple reason that it offends us.
That's not all: Sunday is a very full morning of worship! Join us for the baptism of Birch Ephraim Agovino. Hear Eileen and the choir's special presentation of a composition by Edward Thompson written in honor of the victims of the Newtown shooting. Jeff will offer our prayers, and yours truly will be in the pulpit. We would love to see you there!
In Faith and Service,
Rebecca Floyd
Associate Minister for Youth
p.s. A quick note from our friends at Gillespie Center: they have bare shelves and need our help! Please bring along any non-parishable groceries to the Meetinghouse on Sunday or the church office during the week. We are also accepting prom dress donations through Easter Sunday on the rack outside of Alison's office. Thanks!
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March 8, 2013
Dear Friends,
As Old Man Winter has us in his grasp once again, we are planning some wonderful activities at GFC which will warm both your heart and your soul this weekend!
On Saturday, we will enjoy the fun and fellowship of the Contra Dance FUNdraiser, beginning with dinner at 5 PM and dancing for all starting at 6 PM. This event will be fun for folks of all ages, so come and bring the family!
When you get home Saturday evening, don't forget to set your clocks forward one hour for daylight savings time. Once we have all gotten over the shock of losing the hour, we can enjoy the evenings staying light longer as we head into spring. And if you forget to set your clocks, you might be late for church on Sunday morning which you definitely don't want to do this week!
On Sunday, March 10 we will present selections from The World Beloved: A Bluegrass Mass by Minneapolis composer Carol Barnett. Originally scheduled to be presented in November of 2012, the effects of Superstorm Sandy forced us to postpone and reschedule for after the Christmas season. Our choir and soloists will be joined by a Bluegrass Band, which consists of violin, guitar, banjo, mandolin and bass!! I think this must be a "first" in our almost 302-year history! The music is absolutely gorgeous, the instrumentation is brilliant and you won't want to miss this exciting Sunday morning. Composed by Ms. Barnett in 2008, with original text by poet Marisha Chamblain, Carol Barnett writes: My highest hope is that listeners coming from one tradition - classical or Bluegrass- and perhaps dubious about the other might discover something new and wonderful in the combination, as I have.
I am thrilled to be able to share this wonderful music with our congregation and I hope this beautiful music inspires our worship in a fresh, new way this Sunday.
Enjoy your weekend, and see you at GFC!
Dr. Eileen Hunt, Minister of Music
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *March 1, 2013
Dear Friends,
Why is it that despite all the choices and opportunities afforded to us, sometimes we still feel stuck? Come dig deeper this Lent and see what this week's challenging text from the lectionary, the parable of the fig tree (Luke 13:1 - 9), says about getting stuck, unstuck, and practicing the Christian faith. Our Change for Cancer coin drive draws to a close Sunday, but there's still time to make one last contribution before we bless our offerings in worship with a special litany prayer of healing. And I hope you'll help welcome our latest class of new members (yep, second class in two weeks!) by attending the all church soup event during the Social Hour.
See you in church!
Jeffrey Rider
Senior Minister
P.S. Save the date: Saturday, March 9, Team Mission Trip presents a spirit-building, FUNraising event for the whole church. Support our youth by joining them in the Social Hall for casual dinner and contra dancing. What's contra dancing? It's a bit like square dancing but easier and suitable for young children, teens and adults of all ages. We've lined up a contra caller, banjo player and fiddler... we'll have lots of delicious food on hand and activities for the kids. Dinner will be served at 5PM and dancing begins at 6PM.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *February 22, 2013
Dear Friends,
Welcome back! As the winter break draws to a close isn't it great to have something to look forward to? This Sunday, February 24, Ellie Lowenstein and Bunny Thompson will introduce our latest class of new members, and we'll hear from Trustee Co-Chairs, Tony Menchaca and Pat McNeela, during the Annual Budget Meeting which will immediately follow our service of worship. Our Change for Cancer jars are filling fast, but we still have a ways to go - and just one week left. Be sure to bring your loose change with you to church... and your imagination as we explore the role of prayer in Luke's story of the Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-36). What sounds simple isn't always easy, is it?
I hope you'll join us.
Jeffrey Rider
Senior Minister
February 13, 2013
Dear Friends,
Join us tonight at 7PM for a time of fellowship around the table at our all-church potluck, followed by an Ash Wednesday service at 8PM that affords us a time to ground ourselves in the life of faith. Experience a time of contemplation and reflection, time set aside for us to let go of all that clutters our lives and to re-commit to all that is most important: God and the life of faith.
Come and hear the moving music from Eileen Hunt and soloists, and support our young musicians in GodSquad as they offer up their gifts to God and the community. As is tradition, we will write our commitments and burn them in a symbol of the things we sacrifice to walk with God during the season of Lent
I hope you'll join us.
Rebecca & Jeff
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *February 9, 2013
Dear Friends,
Three hundred and one years and counting! For those able to walk to church or safely brave the elements we'll keep the tradition of continuous worship alive at Green's Farms Church and hold a brief service of scripture and prayer at 10:00AM. During Coffee Hour we'll head upstairs to the Social Hall to assemble 200 bag lunches for our neighbors at the Norwalk Emergency Shelter. If we all work together, our commitment to serving the local community is another Green's Farms Church tradition that will remain unbroken. Be safe everyone!
With Joy,
Jeffrey Rider
Senior Minister
P.S. Adult Education classes, Nursery, Sunday School, Choir, and Inquirer's Series have been canceled, along with all after church activities.
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Dear Friends,
Where does the time go? Ten years! Lynn and I want to thank you for a wonderful anniversary celebration last Sunday. What a surprise – from the inspiring children's message to the decorative cake in the Social Hall and everything in between, it was a special day. We so enjoyed reliving the milestone moments Mark Kammert mentioned and John Twiname's prayer, hearing Steve Parrish's golf story to end all golf stories (p.s. I'm still looking for that chalk!) and listening to Rebecca and Charlie's fantastically creative musical rendition of "A Few of My Favorite Things". We loved reading the heartfelt messages on your handmade cards and are amazed by Alison Fisher and Amy Forte's behind the scenes coordination. (Now we know they're not only talented and hard working, but can keep a good secret!) The church really is the body of Christ, and it's a joy and privilege to be a part of it. We are blessed!
This Sunday, February 3, Dan England returns to our pulpit. Fresh from the Spiritual Gym, Dan's message centers on the familiar story found in Mark's gospel - Jesus calming the stormy seas. John will lead us in prayer, and Rebecca and I will preside at the Lord's Table for communion. All this, and some inspiring music from Eileen and our gifted choir and soloists. It promises to be another great day at Green's Farms Church; I hope to...
See you in Church.
Jeffrey Rider
Senior Minister
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Please join us any Sunday for worship at 10AM. Each week families gather in our historic Meetinghouse to experience God's presence and let Christ's love shape our lives. Bible Study for adults meets prior to worship at 9AM. Sunday School for preschool through grade 8, and a professionally staffed Nursery for infants and toddlers gathers during the worship hour. Confirmation and Youth Programs meet during the week. Come, feel the welcome and experience the spirit at Green's Farms Church!
With Joy,
Jeffrey Rider
Senior Minister
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