Central NEWS

CENTRAL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

MARCH 2018 VOLUME 25 NUMBER 13

FROM REBECCA

Dear Friends,

Years ago, as associate minister at Second Church in Greenwich, CT, I lived in the church parsonage. For so many reasons, I felt honored to be living where the Rev. Daniel Bliss lived when he was called to be the minister in 1935, and not merely because his grandfather founded American University in Beirut, Lebanon, a place of peace and learning for decades in a troubled land. Even the crocuses Dan and his wife had planted offered me joy. One cherished memory is when Charlie and I, and two-month-old Tom (plus a puppy with a belt because we forgot a leash) borrowed a Boston Whaler to visit Dan in a nursing home near Boothbay Harbor, Maine. He quipped, “I think I’m getting better!  I’m out of the edge at least!”

In his 1939 Annual Report, Dan shared his idea of a church:

What is this church that we find so worthwhile that we are willing to give voluntary and devoted service to it year in and year out?  A church is a human, temporary, material institution, and yet, at the same time it is touched by divinity, by eternity, and by spirituality. Like a . . . corporation it has regularly elected officers, an executive head, stock holders, a production organization, budgets and plants. But unlike most corporations, it deals with intangibles and imponderables, with motives, with relationships, with ideals, with spiritual aims and goals. Ideally, a church is a microcosm of the Kingdom of God on Earth, one small member of the family of God, living, growing, multiplying, developing, evolving from lower things to higher. It is where not what you show for a year’s work is important, but how you have grown. It is not an organization where if something displeases a member they immediately flounce out of the church in disgust but where we . . . work things out and through to their best solution cooperatively. In short, the church is a fellowship . . . where we learn how to live together happily, constructively and toward the highest goals. It is also a place of orientation in which we try to discover our relationship to ourselves, to our fellow humans and to the universe. It is a place where the human meets the divine, the temporary the eternal, the material the spirit.

Dan’s words still stand true today. Central Church is a vibrant and significant spiritual force in the lives of each one of our members and friends and in the community at large. Our task in these Lenten days is to reflect on how we have grown in the past year in our relationships and our spiritual goals. As we reflect, may we find new strength in our vision of how we relate “to ourselves, our fellow humans and the universe.” And may our world be strengthened in that vision.

See you in church soon,

Rebecca

In Sympathy

Our prayers and sympathy are with Doug Davis and his family. His father, Ridgway Davis, died peacefully February 10 in Connecticut.

We also send our prayers and sympathy to the family of Gardner Munro, who died peacefully on February 22 under hospice care, with his wife Frances by his side. His children and grandchildren had been able to be with him as well. A memorial service will be held at Central on April 14, 2018.

Palm Sunday is …

such a special service, engaging all ages, with the procession of children with Shiloh the donkey and the distribution of palms to everyone. The service offers the solemnity, the joys, and the glorious music of Holy Week. It’s the perfect day to introduce someone to Central’s community, so Palm Sunday, March 25, is also Bring a Friend to Church Sunday 10:00 a.m. Processional, 10:30 a.m. Worship

Reducing Gun Violence

“They shall beat their swords into ploughshares.”
– Isaiah 2:4

Central Church will be joining with other houses of worship in Providence and throughout the state in a dramatic and meaningful witness to work in the legislature to reduce gun violence, as well as participating in transforming guns obtained through the police buyback program into works of art, with special events statewide, May 11–13.

At Central Gallery This March

The works of our very own member Torin Mathieu and of her mother, Peg Richards 

Torin, who has been coming to Central for years, was trained as a metalsmith and jeweler, and she has always been enamored with fashion and visual arts. After grad school, she designed for large brands such as DKNY and Swarovski, but now that she is balancing the roles of mom, wife, and artist, she transforms vintage and antique jewelry into fresh wearable custom pieces. Torin also enjoys interior decorating, always with the aim of creating spaces that are fun, lovable, and livable.

Torin’s mother, Peg, is a painter and mixed media artist who draws inspiration from the farmland of Lancaster County, the hills and fields of Italy and France, and the beauty of Williamsburg, Virginia. Her landscapes are created with paint, graphite, ink, conte pencil, and even an occasional quilt scrap. Peg’s subject matter often includes agrarian animals; the innocence and perceived tranquility of nature are at the root of all her work.

The Gallery opening for Torin and Peg will be on Friday, March 9, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Please join us to celebrate their talents and to be inspired by their energy!

CARING & SHARING WOMEN’S GROUP

The Caring & Sharing Women’s Group at Central is a place where women can come together in care, concern, and camaraderie and get to know one another in deeper ways. Our monthly gatherings include silent meditation and sharing what’s on our hearts and minds. We hold one another in care, prayer, and confidentiality.

All are welcome! Please contact Cathy Clasper-Torch or Martha Nielsen if interested and we’ll put you on the email list! The next meeting is

Friday, March 23 at 6:00 p.m.

Potluck: Sharing of ‘apps and finger foods’ at Cathy Clasper-Torch’s house.

 

FROM AIDAN

Pop-In Bible Study, March 4

Each month, Aidan leads a casual, ‘pop-in’ Bible study following worship in the Deacons’ Room. Each study is a stand-alone exploration of a biblical text that aims to bring us into its context while discerning together where we find God’s Word speaking to us today. No prior study or attendance is necessary, and the session is open to everyone in our community. We will use various biblical translations and different methods to dive into our sacred and living library. Please join us following worship on Sunday, March 4.

Easter Breakfast

As the sun climbs in the morning sky and we celebrate that Christ has Risen, start your Easter off right with a well-balanced and delicious breakfast! Feast on homemade egg casseroles, bagels, assorted pastries, cereals, and fresh fruit. Seats are $5 for children, $10 for adults, and $25 for families. Breakfast runs from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. All proceeds from the Easter Breakfast benefit this summer’s youth mission trip to the Eastern Regional Youth Event in Pennsylvania (see below).

WORD Mission Trip- Eastern Regional Youth Event

This summer our youth will travel to the UCC Eastern Regional Youth Event (ERYE) held at California University of Pennsylvania July 19–22. The ERYE is a gathering of more than 350 UCC youth from Maryland to Maine, featuring dynamic worship and uplifting music, service work in the community, workshops on social justice issues, opportunities to network and grow in leadership skills, and time for recreation and fellowship on a beautiful college campus. We will travel by charter bus with other youth from the RI, MA, and CT Conferences and stay in dorms.

Church Family Breakfast

April 29 9:00–10:00 a.m., Chapel Hall. Heritage Sunday!

Would you like to get to know the interesting people who sit near you in worship? Would you like to share in a great family activity?  Do you like to dream of What-Might-Be, for wonderful happenings in our church community? Do you like to have a simple sharing of breakfast foods?

If you have answered yes to any of the above, please mark the last Sunday in April, our Heritage Sunday, for a special gathering for all, in this quasquicentennial year of our building.

Everyone from babies to centenarians is invited for light breakfast and a time for visioning our future.

FROM CLAUDIA

The Adult Sunday School class is studying William Still, who is often called the “father of the Underground Railroad.”  He did not create it, but he brought his vast skill in organization to it in the context where he found himself—Philadelphia. More than 800 runaway slaves found their way through his station and on north to freedom.

Still was a successful businessman, historian, philanthropist, and so much more. He kept careful records of every former slave—a very dangerous thing to do—who escaped through his station, noting not only their names, but also where they came from, family members, etc. After the Civil War he published those records and that book is still in use today.

His life is so inspiring. Even though Still was born in New Jersey, he was technically considered a slave because his mother was an escaped slave. His father had purchased his own freedom, but could not purchase the freedom of his wife, let alone the freedom of his four children. His wife and children escaped from Maryland, but they were captured and returned. She escaped again, with her two daughters, leaving her two sons behind. She reunited with her husband in New Jersey and they had 14 more children. William Still was the youngest.

I keep pondering Still’s story. It makes me think of that old saying, “Bloom where you are planted.”  Still was ‘planted’ in the right place to do the amazing things that he did. As a devout Presbyterian, he would tell you that he did what he did by God’s grace.

The inspiration of William Still’s work and life makes me think of a flower that blooms and thrives and which sends out strong roots even in adverse conditions.

This summer a crack appeared in our driveway. Soon a beautiful, small flower appeared in that crack. Every day we watched as that flower was joined by blooms.

Its perseverance was amazing. We finally replaced the driveway and my husband worked to save the flower. It is planted in our garden, so we will see what happens this spring.

In this difficult and often harsh world, could we be like that flower?

What blooms can each one of us send forth?

By God’s grace, we bloom where we are planted.

Love and blessings,

Claudia

SPIRITUAL COMPANIONSHIP GROUP

Thursdays from 6:00–7:00 p.m.
3/1, 4/5, 5/3, 6/7

Where is God in our lives?  Spiritual companionship is a very ancient tradition. It is a way to offer ourselves a holy spaciousness by listening for God in our lives. We encounter our own inner wisdom as we seek where God is found in our daily living. Through the companionship of others, participants often find new possibilities in their spiritual life and practices. Please RSVP to Claudia.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT BOOK GROUP

Thursday, March 8
7:00–8:30 p.m. in the Fireplace Room

Join us for a lively discussion of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer.

Looking ahead:

April 12 Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow (likely with Trinity Rep director Curt Columbus!)
May 10 Accidental Saints by Nadia Bolz-Weber

CCC ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL

Traces of the Trade: The Underground Railroad
Fireplace Room, 9:00–10:00 a.m.
3/4, 3/11, 3/18, 3/25

In Traces of the Trade, members of the DeWolf descendants explore their family history as the largest slave-trading family in the United States—based in Bristol, RI. Race to Freedom continues our study of those who ‘rode’ to freedom, often all the way to Canada. Join us for thought-provoking ideas and conversations.

ANGELLIC KNITTERS

Sunday, March 11 
11:45 a.m. Deacons’ Room

“Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn’t hurt the untroubled spirit either.”  —Elizabeth Zimmermann

Stop by and see how we spread the warmth of Christ’s love through our knitting needles and the prayer shawl ministry of Central.

LENTEN STUDY

12:00–12:45 p.m. in the Fireplace Room
The Cup of Our Life: A Guide to Spiritual Growth
3/4, 3/11, 3/18, 3/25 

“Every time you listen with great attentiveness to the voice that calls you the Beloved, you will discover within yourself a desire to hear that voice longer and more deeply.”  —Henri J. M. Nouwen

Join friends from Central as we seek to deepen our spiritual lives through prayer, reflection, and Scripture using Joyce Rupp’s classic book on spiritual growth.

Participants must purchase their own books. Used ones are available online for about $5 plus shipping and handling. See Claudia if you have questions.

THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

Baptism is an important part of our worship life together. In an effort to uplift our celebration of Baptisms in our community of faith, we will be offering Baptisms on the following days:

Easter Vigil: March 31, 2018
Sunday after Easter: April 8, 2018

A meeting to prepare parents for Baptism will be held in our Fireplace Room at 9:00 a.m. on the preceding Saturdays. Please speak with the Rev. Rebecca Spencer if you would like to be included in this very important part of life at Central—The Sacrament of Baptism.

THE DEACON’S BENCH

By Wendy Drumm

How happy are you?

Well, good question, right?  There are so many ways to evaluate happiness, like

• Are you happy right this moment?
• Were you last night?
• When will you be happy tomorrow?

What does “being happy” mean to you?  For me, for the longest time I was only happy on the very rare occasion I was not stressed out by work—or by being out of work. Finally I defined fear as an impediment to happiness.  If I have no fear of failure, I am happy!

Well, not so simple. Stuff comes up that takes away happiness.

So I can share my secret to happiness, for at least some of the time. (Credit goes to author Jan Karon’s Father Tim—talk about happy books!)

A foundation to living your life with the potential for happiness:

• Have someone to love
• Have something to do
• Have something to look forward to

Another tip: forgiveness. Reverend Rebecca has done a masterful job preaching about this:  Forgiving yourself first—and then others who really don’t deserve forgiveness, but you forgive them anyway—will banish anger and open up the door to happiness.

Our church and all its wonderful members make me very, very happy.  Serving the church is another tip to feeling really happy!

GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE

JOHN PASSION by BOB CHILCOTT

At noon on Good Friday, March 30, our Adult Choir presents the St. John Passion of Bob Chilcott, accompanied by organ, viola, cello, and timpani. We sang this work last year and present it again this year: back by popular demand!

Using the narrative in the gospel of John, the work tells the story of Jesus’s final hours using choir and soloists in the role of Jesus, Judas, Pilate, the Evangelist, and others. The music ranges from powerful to tender, dissonant to sweet, and is always deeply inspiring.

Five congregational hymns make up parts of the Passion, and we will sing each of the five hymns in worship in the month of March leading up to Good Friday, and on Palm Sunday we will hold a 15-minute congregational rehearsal to prepare all five.

We hope you will make this an important part of your Holy Week observance at Central and share in our gift of music.

Welcome New Members!

Please join us in welcoming our new members who united with us in membership on Sunday, February 4.

Julia & Matt Cristino – East Providence, RI

Julia and Matt Cristino moved to Rhode Island from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 2015. They enjoy spending time with their large extended family and their dog, Kailee. They both work in banking, and after searching for some time for a faith community, they decided to join us here at Central.

Erin Durst – Foster, RI

Erin Durst, a lifelong Rhode Islander, was looking for a way to strengthen her spiritual life, and Central fit the bill. She loves reading, animals, the outdoors, and relaxing with family. She is married to Martin and has a daughter, Abigail. The Youth program here is part of what attracted her to Central.

The Reverend Gary Bagley and Paul Pfrang – Cranston, RI

Gary and Paul have lived in Rhode Island for five years, but moved here from San Antonio, Texas, when Gary became the pastor at Edgewood Congregational Church. Gary likes doing needlework and cooking, while Paul likes biking and computers. They both enjoy traveling.

New Member Inquiry*
Tuesday, April 24

Faith Exploration*
Wednesday, May 2

New Member Sunday
May 6

*These meetings are held at the home of the Rev. Rebecca Spencer

LENTEN MEDITATION SERVICES

All are invited to join us in weekly, half-hour Lenten Meditation services. Led by one of your fellow Centralites, these meditations offer the opportunity mid-week to pause and ponder your faith journey. The leader will share his/her own exploration in faith, offering us the chance to come to know another individual’s reflections. Do plan to join us.

Wednesday Meditation services are followed by a soup and bread dinner in the Fireplace Room, offered by the Mission and Action committee. A speaker each week presents perspectives on one of our partner agencies in mission.

Lenten Meditation 5:30–6:00 p.m. in Wilson Chapel
March 7,  Peter MacInnis
March 14,  Charrel Maxwell
March 21,  Frances Munro

Lenten Mission Supper 6:00–7:00 p.m. in the Fireplace Room
March 7, Hamilton House
March 14, Butler Hospital Addiction Programs
March 21, Compassionate Friends

CHURCH SCHOOL NEWS

“Love is the way messengers of the Mystery tell us things.”

The poet Rumi says it so simply and beautifully, that in our acts of love and kindness, God is made visible. The first two Sundays in February provided us with the opportunity to extend our loving thoughts and creativity through the making of Valentine’s cards for many of our church members. Close to 40 cards were sent out!

May we all continue to be messengers of the Mystery in small acts of kindness to one another.

Game Night (Feb. 10) was enjoyed by 40+ families/children gathered in Chapel Hall for pizza and lots of great table games!  Thanks to the Religious Education Committee members for hosting and continuing this much appreciated new ‘tradition’ of fellowship and fun at Central!  We look forward to the next time!

As we moved into the ‘season’ of Lent,’ our Church School’s Gathering Space reflects the color change of the liturgical season by changing the green cloths from the season of Epiphany to purple, the color of Lent. The 40 purple tea light candles (which we don’t light!) on our Gathering Space altar reflect the 40 days of Lent, and Jesus’s days fasting and praying in the wilderness—reminding us of our own journey of faith, and how we find ways to let God/Holy Spirit into our hearts and lives.

Our church school curriculum, Seasons of the Spirit, gives us thoughtful guidance in this new church season, and our classroom teachers provide a loving, safe, and creative space for our children, as we learn and grow together.

SPECIAL DATES AHEAD:

PALM SUNDAY, Sunday, March 25
We begin the morning with the Palm Procession (Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem, Luke 19:28–40) at 10:00 a.m., with our donkey friend, Shiloh!

EASTER SUNDAY, April 1
Enjoy a delicious Easter breakfast at church, served by Central’s high school youth, at 9:00 AND the EGG HUNT for children grades pre-school through 5th at 9:30!

Love & Mystery,
Cathy C-T

Rebecca’s Book Group

March 29 at 12:30 p.m.
April 1865: The Month That Saved America by Jay Winik, a senior scholar of history and public policy at University of Maryland

“Popular history at its best, this book should appeal widely to readers beyond the usual Civil War crowd…  [it] offers not just a study of four weeks of war, but a panoramic assessment of America and its contradictions …”  —Publishers Weekly

All are invited to join this lively group to discuss the book in Rebecca’s Study.

Looking Ahead:

Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan on April 26

It’s the time of year for Nominating!

The Nominating Committee is hard at work to fill open committee positions for the June 1, 2018–May 31, 2019 church year.

Regardless of whether you are a new Church member, a ‘seasoned’ Church member, or somewhere in between, Central welcomes you to consider joining one of its many committees that serve the mission of the Church. All committees also welcome ‘friends’ of the committee who may not be formal committee members, but can be called upon to assist with specific events or tasks.

If you are interested in self-nominating for a committee or have any questions about the nominating process, please contact Margaret Gardner, Chair of the Nominating Committee or any member of the committee: Tracy Baran (Prudential Rep to the Nominating Committee); Maureen Whittemore, Marilyn Edwards, and Rob Edwards (Committee Members); or Bob Kaloostian (Deacon Rep to the committee).

See the Church Membership Directory for all other committees, committee chairs, and committee members.

RAGTIME AT CENTRAL & TRINITY

By Martha Nielsen

In April, Trinity Repertory Company is staging the musical Ragtime, our Food for Thought book. You are invited to join in any or all of these events:

• On Tuesday, March 27 at 7:00 p.m. at the theater, there will be a free, open-to-the-public First Chat. This is the evening of the day of the first rehearsal.
• Food for Thought will be reading the book Ragtime for our April meeting on Thursday, April 12 at 7:00 p.m. in the Fireplace Room. The director, Curt Columbus, and perhaps an actor or two, will be coming to join our discussion.
• We will see the play Sunday, April 29. There is a Prologue at 1:00 p.m., and showtime is 2:00 p.m. There will be a special talk-back for us afterward.

I have reserved a block of ten tickets for the 2:00 p.m. matinee on April 29. They are $29 each. Please give me your reservation and ticket money no later than March 15. Checks should be made out to me. Please contact me, Martha Nielsen,

if you have any questions about Ragtime or any of the additional events. Also see www.trinityrep.com  

The Bursting Pomegranate Shop Spring Sale — Sunday, March 25

Stop by Chapel Hall after church on Palm Sunday to see the cheery Easter and spring items

All purchases are Fair Trade and support artisans & craftspeople in developing countries around the globe. The Bursting Pomegranate Shop is a mission outreach of Central Church.

MARCH ARCHIVAL ANECDOTE

By John Chaney, Archivist

When Central Church moved 125 years ago from Benefit Street to Angell Street, it brought four things to the new building. Number one is the stone baptismal font that was placed to the left of the chancel steps. Today, the font is in Wilson Chapel, left of the pulpit, and is used when baptisms are held there. Numbers two and three are the two bronze ornamental urns that are still where they were originally placed: on the railings by the chancel steps. Number four is something most of us are unaware of, but have heard.

Back in 1882, the church on Benefit Street purchased its second pipe organ, built by Roosevelt Organ Company. Ten years later, the organ was moved to Angell Street and subsequently enlarged and improved through the generosity of Francis W. Carpenter, who later built his residence, now known as Hamilton House, next to the church.

According to Central’s organist from 1965 to 1988, Frederick MacArthur, when Austin Organ Company installed a new organ in 1917, a few of the largest wooden pipes from the Roosevelt organ were retained. In 1964, Aeolian-Skinner Company also kept these original Roosevelt pipes when it installed our present organ. Unlike the font and the urns, we cannot see those pipes, but they, like the font and urns, are a continuing part of Central’s heritage.

MARCH 2018 CALENDAR

SAVE THESE DATES

Wednesdays in March (7, 14, & 21):
Lenten Meditations (5:30 p.m.) and Mission Suppers (6:00 p.m.)

Sundays in March (4, 11, 18, & 25):
Lenten Study, The Cup of Our Life, at noon

Thursday 1
6:00 p.m.  Spiritual Companionship Group

Thursday 8
7:00 p.m.  Food For Thought: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

Friday 9
5:30 p.m. Gallery Opening: Torin Mathieu and Peg Richards

Sunday 11
11:45 p.m. Angellic Knitters

Thursday 15
7:30 a.m. CCC Men’s Group

Friday 16
7:30 p.m. Film Fare: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Friday 23
6:00 p.m. Women’s Caring and Sharing Potluck

Saturday 24
9:00 a.m. Church Cleanup (until noon)

Sunday 25
10:30 a.m.       Palm Sunday—Bring a Friend to Church
11:30 a.m.       Bursting Pomegranate Sale

Tuesday 27
6:00 p.m. Perennial Planters’ Meeting: all welcome

Thursday 29
12:30 p.m. Rebecca’s Book Group: April 1865
6:00 p.m.  Maundy Thursday Potluck
7:00 p.m. Maundy Thursday Service

Friday 30
12:00 p.m. Good Friday Service, featuring St. John Passion by Bob Chilcott

Saturday 31
9:30 a.m. Camp Street Ministries Food Distribution
7:30 p.m. Easter Vigil

MARCH COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Thursday 1
7 p.m. – Religious Ed

Monday 5
7 p.m. – Tech

Wednesday 7
9 a.m. – Gallery

Thursday 8
5:30 p.m. – Nominating

Sunday 11
9 a.m. – Stewardship
11:45 a.m. – Membership

Tuesday 13
5:30 p.m. – Deacons

Thursday 15
6:30 p.m. – Music

 

Sunday 18
11:30 a.m. – Hymnal Meeting

Tuesday 20
5:45 p.m. – Plant & Properties
7 p.m. – Prudential

Thursday 22
5:30 p.m. – Nominating