August 2024 Newsletter

Central News

August 2024 | Vol. 32, No. 11

Join Us for Summer Worship at 10 am!

Download the PDF Version of this Newsletter

A Good Word From Patrick

Hello, friends! When I got to Central, I was warned that no one attends church over the summer. I was told Providence slows down, the city quiets, and everyone makes their way to the beaches or the mountains. So, I prepared myself for empty pews, streets, and an empty calendar. Well, I’ve been so pleasantly surprised to see so much life for these first several weeks of summer. July has been filled with some lovely opportunities for fellowship, deep and heartfelt service to the community around us led by our teens, and grounding opportunities for worship in a space that continues to be filled with a diverse community of people seeking the presence of God in the company of good folks. What an incredible gift!

I am deeply grateful to serve alongside you in a church that stands as a witness to the fact that God is always at work. Your commitment to God’s work – your willingness to be shaped, called, held, challenged, and inspired – is a testament to our shared purpose. Every moment we spend together is a glimpse into the heart of God, whether it’s a regular day like today or a Holy occasion like Easter Sunday.

So, today, I just want to express my gratitude. Thank you for upending my expectations. Thanks for challenging norms and customs. Thank you for helping our church be better neighbors to our community. Thank you for so consistently reflecting the love of God.

Of course, we’re not perfect yet. God still has plenty of work to do in me and in us. This is exactly why it matters so much that we keep showing up, even on vacation, wherever we are, to remind ourselves that God is still moving. So, when we’re all back together, we can share testimonies of all the places we saw God working, in big and small ways, to bring healing and hope to a fractured world. For those of you who cannot be with us on Sundays, I know God is with you where you are, too. I hope you’ll share your stories.

Where have you seen God at work in your life? Do you see God in your life right now? I’d love to talk to you about it! I am so grateful to be on the journey with you! Be well, friends. See ya soon. – Patrick

Meaningful Conversations

Central’s after-church discussion series, Toward Better Christian Politics, has paused for the month of August. Led by Kristin DeKuiper and Barb Silvis, our discussions have been lively and robust, and seem to fill a need to talk about how we have become so politically polarized and how, as Christians, we can respond.

Our conversation starter has been a curriculum based on short videos followed by discussion. The overall theme of the curriculum is a response to Micah 6:8: “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” How can we use these timeless principles of wisdom to guide our response to today’s political extremism?

Although the curriculum is designed for six sessions, we found that the group had so much to say that we needed to slow down our pace. After all, the conversation is the point. And since there is more to say, the group has decided to reconvene in September for additional after-church conversations (dates to be scheduled). All are welcome to join us in the fall, when our politics may become even more fraught as we move toward a consequential election.

For more context, the discussion group has ranged from about 20 to 40, settling at around 20 for a typical Sunday. It is not necessary to have attended previous sessions to become engaged in the conversation, and the participants themselves vary from Sunday to Sunday.

Since we started in April, we have gained insight into how we became so polarized, and how the church has been affected by the intersection of religion and politics. We have heard (via video) from deeply committed leaders of the Christian faith about the struggles within churches over political issues, not religious doctrine.

We have discussed how hope and humility can guide our personal relationships and our pursuit of justice. We have learned that Jesus’ time was not so different from what we face today. We have talked about the role of social media and isolation in our polarized society and how personal and family relationships have been fractured by extremist politics. We have brainstormed about potential activism in the pursuit of justice in our own community.

Mostly, we have talked about our own experiences – prompted by the anxiety of living in a fraught political world – and we have gotten to know each other better as a result.

If this sounds interesting to you, please join us in September for what will likely be quite a roller coaster ride to November. – Kristin DeKuiper

The Deacon’s Bench

I am an artisan jeweler. It takes time and focus. There is a process to making jewelry, steps to follow. I sketched out puffy cloud shapes on paper and made templates in brass. Then I drew the design on metal with a Sharpie. I got out my jeweler’s saw, sat flat-footed with my back straight, and pierced and cut out the design. I held the saw blade perfectly straight with a light grip on the handle. Next, I formed a thin flat strand of silver into an outline of a rainbow and sawed a tiny bird out of gold scrap and a star in silver. On to soldering: striker strike, torch lit. This is the fun part. Studio time is a gift, especially since summertime schedules are unstructured and can feel fractured. I was overcome by gratitude. I have not finished those pieces yet.

As I sat in my special studio, with a view of the backyard and the hum of the fan, gratitude came. Gratitude for what I know how to do and can in a small way control or at least create with these small-scale jewelry objects. I sat for a few minutes at the bench. I thought about gratitude some more, realizing how being in my studio quiets my mind like meditation. I began to make a “gratitude list”: My son made me laugh out loud on the car ride to camp drop-off that morning; Kevin the cat slept inside last night; my oldest got his license, and he is a good driver; Rhode Island beaches; how vibrant the hydrangeas are this summer; I don’t have to make dinner tonight; the heat broke. The list goes on and on. New Central director of religious education found, CCC Youth Service Week, routines, traditions, friends. I shared the list with my husband Scott, and he added some of the things he is grateful for.

Despite how noisy it can get out there in our world, make it a good day and spend time doing things that hopefully remind you of all the good stuff in our lives. – Torin Mathieu

New Director of Religious Education!

In July, Central announced Susannah Bales as the new Director of Religious Education. In this full-time position, she will be overseeing the management and growth of Central’s children’s and youth programming (grades 0 to 12).

Susannah comes to this position with a Bachelor’s degree in Arts and Religion from Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer, N.C., and a Master’s degree in Divinity with a focus in society and personality from Emory University in Atlanta.

She served as Director of Nurture and Children’s Ministries at Embry Hills United Methodist Church for ten years, leading programs in spirituality, social justice, antiracism, inclusivity, abuse prevention, and mindfulness that included 50 children, 50 volunteers, as well as events that drew more than 300 participants. More recently, she was Assistant Youth Minister in a youth program with more than 100 youth and 50 volunteers at Oak Grove United Methodist Church. Susannah is also a Marriage and Family Therapist – licensed in both Georgia and Rhode Island and certified in children’s grief support programs. She has worked in private practices for the last five years.

And yes, Susannah’s spouse is our senior minister, Patrick Faulhaber. The Religious Education Search Committee carefully considered potential conflicts of interest. But Susannah’s education, talent, experience, and references were unmatched. Her application quickly rose to the top of the heap. So the committee solicited input from members of the Permanent Diaconate, Prudential Committee, and Human Resources Committee. They also developed an oversight and evaluation structure to address and mitigate any conflicts that might arise.

So it is with great enthusiasm that we welcome Susannah and are grateful to her for taking on Central’s children’s and youth programs, which are key to our church’s success and its well-being going forward.

Many thanks, too, to the members of the Religious Education Search Committee: Paul Armstrong, Claudia Demick, Susannah Mozley Hopkins, Caroline Hunter, Caroline Johnson, Larry Kellam, Amy Punchak, Charley Rardin (chair), and Emily Robichaud.

Accolades

A huge Central Congregational Church thank-you – and a round of applause – to Susannah Mozley Hopkins and Caroline Hunter, co-chairs of the Religious Education Committee, who ran the Church School and its programs, including the Children’s Christmas Pageant, this past year while we were without a director of religious education!

Seeking a Church Home?

If you are looking for a church – or know someone who is – we would love to talk with you about it at our Inquirers’ Meeting. It’s very informal. You’ll meet with our senior minister, Patrick Faulhaber, and others like you who think Central may be the right church home. No commitment necessary. To join us, fill out a pew card during Sunday Worship or call the Church Office at 401-331-1960, and Patrick will get in touch.

Inquirers’ Meeting: Tuesday, October 22, 7 pm
Faith Exploration: Wednesday, October 30, 7 pm
New Member Sunday: Sunday, November 3, 10:30 am

In Memoriam

Our prayers and sympathy are with Carol Grant on the death of her husband Charles Otto. Requiescat in pace

Summer Bible Study

This August, Claudia’s Summer Bible Study Group will continue to explore Galatians, Ephesians, and Philippians – taking on a different topic each week. August 4: Unquenchable Joy. August 11: The Heart of Joy. Come to one session or to all of them. Contact Claudia for more information. Sundays, Aug. 4 and 11, 9 am, in the Fireplace Room

An Insider’s Review

Summer Bible Study? How boring … Not! I love it when the circle breaks into “what ifs” and “what abouts” because Claudia brings up such unexpected situations: What about the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus? How does that history affect Paul’s famous Letter to the Ephesians?

Some bring up questions about Christianity’s early days – wondering, for example, if Paul’s arguments with Peter about circumcision are relevant. But Paul had to build Christ’s Church on questions of his time, just as we do today.

Discussions don’t stay in the Fireplace Room either. The next evening, I asked my small-business family, “What’s more important? Sales, like Paul? Or management, like Jesus? Who do we quote today?”

Please join us (coffee and MUNCHKINS® are included!) and find out if our UCC motto is true: “God is still speaking.”

Scam Alert

Central members have received fraudulent emails that appear to be from our senior minister – asking them to purchase gift cards or for a “quick confidential favor.” These emails do not come from Central. Just check the email address. If you receive such an email, do not respond. Delete! Delete! Delete! The Technology Committee is taking steps to add more security to our email servers and will continue to protect all church systems.

From Claudia

By the time you all receive this August newsletter article, we will be at the height of summer. The bounteous joys of August in all its glory will be upon us. The heat will be upon us as well, bringing forth the fruits of the earth in abundance.

In “Oliver Twist” Charles Dickens wrote, “You might feel like spring flew swiftly by, and summer came; and if the village had been beautiful at first, it was now in the full glow and luxuriance of its richness. The great trees, which had looked shrunken and bare in the earlier months, had now burst into strong life and health; and stretching forth their green arms over the thirsty ground, converted open and naked spots into choice nooks, where was a deep and pleasant shade from which to look upon the wide prospect, steeped in sunshine, which lay stretched out beyond. The earth had donned her mantle of brightest green; and shed her richest perfumes abroad. It was the prime and vigour of the year; all things were glad and flourishing.”

I hope that you are all flourishing at this moment of summer. I’ve been thinking about references to summer in the Bible. And, there are a lot of them. Many refer to growth of all kinds – emotional and physical as well as a growth in maturity in faith and trust in God. Growth in spirituality is prominent in those references. Even as literal seeds are strewn and germinate and culminate into mature plants, so are we humans to sprout and grow in our faith so that the seeds of faith which are planted in us come to vigorous and healthy life. Through such growth, our faith ripens and matures in us.

Just as the beauty of God’s creation bursts into bloom around us, so are we to emulate that beauty and show forth the abundance of God’s creative power in us. More than just a metaphor for the biblical writers, this is a literal and figurative season dating back to antiquity that gives us time to reflect on God’s abundant blessings in our lives. It is a time for us to grow into the people God intends us to be. May this be true in each of our lives. Summer blessings to you all – Claudia

Fifth Annual Meeting SNEUCC

When Claudia asked us to attend the Annual Meeting of the Southern New England Conference, we were honored and glad to have the opportunity to learn more about the Conference and meet others engaged in its work.

The Conference was held June 21 and 22 at University of Massachusetts Amherst with an audience of more than 500 people. We attended with fellow congregants Kazeem Balogun, Barb Silvis, and Temi Sonubi. Central’s other lay delegates – Ed and Mary Frances Bishop, Jerry Brown, and Stephanie Laurenzo – attended remotely. (Log onto the SNEUCC website for a summary of Conference events.)

Executive Conference Minister, the Reverend Darrell Goodwin, gave an inspiring sermon about the Find Hope Now initiative that uses social media to increase awareness of SNEUCC churches. Music from Persephone Hall & the Liberty Christian Center International Band brought to crowd to its feet.

There is much we could report, but perhaps most interesting was the data-driven presentation by Dr. Erica Dollhopf, Director of the Center for Analytics, Research & Development, and Data for the UCC: “Congregational Vitality in a Church of Small Churches.”

We are all familiar with declining membership in mainstream Protestant churches. But this survey looked at factors measuring a congregation’s vitality rather than focusing on the number of members – with some surprising findings. Smaller congregations (50 to 100 members) showed the highest ratios of church and community volunteers – and the highest ratio of non-church members volunteering at church activities. Plus, church vitality – what makes the church a living, acting presence – was not due to size, but rather to the strength and quality of the relationships between church and community members.

This is good news. As an Open and Affirming Church, Central has long-standing relationships with a variety of community organizations and churches of many faiths. As we think about growing our church and fulfilling its many missions, we have an opportunity to imagine how our community can meet the needs – physical, mental, social, and spiritual – of ourselves and others. This data-driven presentation was surprisingly encouraging in showing that raw numbers don’t determine the vitality of the church. So, onward together! – Paul Armstrong and Beverly Haviland

Poetry Corner

Jesus Goes Hang Gliding

Unconditional.
The view up here is awesome.
Thank you very much.

– Jon Wolston

Save the Date:  Gathering Sunday

Sunday, September 8, 10:30 am

We’ll kick off a new year of Worship and Fellowship!

Women Gather

We’ll meet at Providence’s only fully restored 1940s soda fountain! For made-to-order ice cream floats, malteds, shakes, sodas, sundaes, egg creams, and phosphates. Ingredients are all-natural and organic – plus there are vegan and dairy-free options. All come with a healthy serving of nostalgia! Sunday, Aug. 4, 11:30 am, at Green Line Apothecary (905 North Main Street, Providence).

Food for Thought Book Group

Join us for a lively discussion about “The Secret Life of Sunflowers,” by Marta Molnar. This novel is based on the true story of Vincent van Gogh’s sister-in-law, Johanna Bonger, who inherited his paintings and introduced him to the world. Questions? Ask Claudia. Thursday, Aug. 8, 7 pm, in the Fireplace Room

Coming up: “Strength in What Remains,” by Tracy Kidder, Thursday, Sep. 11, 7 pm

Lunch at Aleppo Sweets

Join Central friends after Worship for an authentic Syrian repast. Check out the café menu. And, don’t forget to save room for the baklava! Please RSVP to Claudia. Sunday, Aug. 11, 11:30 am, at Aleppo Sweets (107 Ives Street, Providence)

Central Men’s Group

Open to all ages, Central Men’s Group is a monthly breakfast gathering – held on the third Thursday of each month – for fellowship and spirited conversation on topics ranging from current events and ethics to trends and shared experiences. If you have questions, contact John Trevor. Thursday, Aug. 15, 7:30 am, in the Fireplace Room 

Brunch/Lunch at Not Just Snacks

Let’s meet after Worship for the homestyle tradition, simplicity, and warmth of Indian cuisine at this East Side eatery. Check out the menu and RSVP to Claudia. Sunday, Sep. 1, 11:30 am, at Not Just Snacks (833 Hope Street, Providence)

REconnecting

Dear Friends, as I sit here writing this, it is only my second full week on the job, and we are in the middle of Youth Service Week (July 13 to 20)! I want to share with you all the wonderful things CCC Youth have been up to, reconnecting with neighbors.

Saturday, our teens spent the day learning, worshipping, serving, and eating in Downtown Providence’s Burnside Park with our neighbors at Church Beyond the Walls (CBW). CBW is “a street-church community called to build solidarity among people from all walks of life – housed and unhoused, poor and privileged, churched and unchurched.” Teens spent time listening and learning about important community-building that happens “beyond the walls” of traditional churches.

Monday was spent with Friends Way in Warwick, Rhode Island’s only bereavement center dedicated to serving children, teens, and their families … at no charge! We learned about trauma-informed care and helped them get ready for their annual summer camp – cleaning, organizing, and dropping off school supplies donated by Central’s congregation.

Tuesday was powerful. We learned about Better Lives Rhode Island, which works in downtown Providence, helping those who are unhoused find shelter and much-needed wraparound services. The amazing staff and volunteers explained the systemic elements of homelessness. And, we went to a camp to drop off donated water bottles and visit with our unhoused neighbors who shared what life is like for them.

On Wednesday, we headed to Amos House – one of Central’s longtime mission partners that serves the unhoused, unemployed, and those living in poverty – to help serve lunch at their food pantry.

Finally on Thursday, we visited the Comprehensive Community Action Program in Cranston, which helps individuals and families weather difficult times, providing support as they work towards personal and economic self-sufficiency. We unloaded their Rhode Island Food Bank delivery, organized their food pantry, and delivered the food donations provided by each of you!

Thank you to everyone who donated items to these wonderful organizations. Thanks to our awesome volunteers – Larry Kellam, and Cheryl Ludwig – who gave their time, talent, and treasure to make this week possible. And especially, thank you to the wonderful and thoughtful teens and young adults – Chris, Ellie, Jess, Morgan, Tess – who showed up to help, get to know, and better love their neighbors. It was a wonderful week, and I am looking forward to more opportunities to learn, serve, and grow alongside our youth, our children, and all of you! – Susannah

For photos of CCC Youth Service Week, see the pdf version of the newsletter.

Religious Education Info Sessions

Please join our new Director of Religious Education – Susannah Bales – for an update on Central’s children’s (grades 0 to 5) and youth (grades 6 to 12) programs. Susannah will not only discuss her plans for creating a vibrant Religious Education program, but also her hopes and dreams for this vital church ministry, what is possible when a congregation works together, and how she can support those who choose to get involved. No commitment is required and there’s no need to sign up. If you would like to discuss anything prior to the info sessions, feel free to contact Susannah directly (470-223-0337/susannah@centralchurch.us). Please join her on two consecutive Sundays, Aug. 18 and 25, immediately following Worship, in Chapel Hall.

Religious Education Clean Out Days

If you have been in Central’s Education Wing recently, you will have noticed it needs some freshening up! Please join Susannah and the Religious Education Committee in reviving and updating this space. There will be jobs for all ages, so bring the kids! We recommend wearing work clothes and closed-toed shoes. We’ll be lifting and moving things, so you’re sure to get a bit dusty and dirty. And don’t worry, we will provide snacks! Sundays, Aug. 18 and 25, 3 to 6 pm, in the Education Wing

Trip to Old Sturbridge Village

This month, CCC Youth will take a day trip to Old Sturbridge Village, the largest living history museum in the Northeast, celebrating life in early New England from 1790 to 1840. We will enjoy the sights and sounds of times gone by and support one of our own, Ellie Hopkins, who is working there this summer! RSVP to Susannah. Saturday, Aug. 24. Details are still to come, so stay tuned!

August Events

4 Summer Bible Study 9 am
Worship 10 am
Church School 10 am
Women Gather 11:30 am
7 Amos House Volunteers 6:30 am
8 Food for Thought Book Group 7 pm
11 Summer Bible Study 9 am
Worship 10 am
Church School 10 am
Lunch at Aleppo Sweets 11:30 am
12 Compassionate Friends 7 pm
14 Amos House Volunteers 6:30 am
15 Central Men’s Group 7:30 am
18 Worship 10 am
Church School 10 am
Religious Education Info Session 11 am
Religious Education Clean Out Day 3 pm
20 Newsletter Deadline 3:30 pm
21 Amos House Volunteers 6:30 am
24 Youth Trip to Old Sturbridge Village TBD
25 Worship 10 am
Church School 10 am
Religious Education Info Session 11 am
Religious Education Clean Out Day 3 pm
28 Amos House Volunteers 6:30 am

The Church Office will be closed on Monday, August 12, for Victory Day.

Church Office hours will be 9 am to 4 pm throughout the month of August.

Posted in Newsletters.