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CONNECTICUT DISTRICT NEWS SEPTEMBER 2016
The Connecticut District Office of the United Methodist Church 20 Broadfield Road, Hamden, CT06517
Resident Bishop: Thomas J. Bickerton Editor: Dorothy Chamberlain Superintendent: Reverend Kenneth Kieffer Volume 32, Issue 9 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.ctdistrictumc.org 203-288-0286
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PHONE A PHRIEND My wife got a very weird call on her cell phone last week. For starters, the call came at an ungodly 5:45 a.m. Secondly, the caller was one of my poker buddies. And lastly, while the call went straight to voicemail (Karen turns off her ringer at night), he left no message. None. Who does that? Who places a phone call before 6 in the morning and DOESN’T leave a message when it goes unanswered? If the call is important enough to risk waking someone up for, then it’s important enough to leave a message. Right? And why did he call KAREN? Why didn’t he call ME? After all, he’s supposedly MY friend. So, unless he’s planning a surprise party to congratulate me for being a vastly superior card player to him, this pre-dawn inter-spouse cell phone call was an egregious violation of “Guy Code”. When confronted with these questions, my friend said that he didn’t actually call Karen. He said that for the last couple of days, his so-called “smart” phone had been making unauthorized phone calls to 5 random folks on his contact list whenever his morning alarm went off. To make matters worse, the phone would subsequently hang up as soon as the connection was made. The way he described it to me, his phone was “cursed and possessed by the devil, and needed to be exorcized”. I told him that I didn’t do exorcisms - but even if I did, I didn’t think that there was anything demonic about this. In fact, I thought it was rather divine. I mean, do you think it would be a blessing or a curse if you started each day by randomly calling 5 people on your contact list – FOR NO REASON AT ALL? Just because. No hidden agenda. No ulterior motive. No purpose, other than to simply connect with them. Person to person. Do you think the folks on the receiving end of such a call from you would consider that a blessing, or would they curse you?
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Phone a Phriend continued… Consider the preparation that you'd likely make prior to each one of those calls. Granted, you’re calling “just to say hi”, but you’d probably spend a moment or two beforehand thinking about them and what might be going on in their life. Is their dog still sick? Has their only child just left the nest for college? How’s their favorite football team looking for the upcoming season? Is their boss still a jerk? You know, I used to do something similar to this back when I was the pastor of a local church. Each Monday morning, I’d put the names of 5 persons/families on my desk blotter. I made it my goal that, by the end of the week, I would call each and every one of those folks “just to say hi”. As you can imagine, the responses I received to these random phone calls varied wildly. Sometimes, the recipient would spend the entire conversation wondering why I really called, waiting for the other shoe to drop. But much more often, the folks would say something like “It’s funny that you called, Pastor…”, and then share with me an important issue that they had been hesitant to talk to me about because either I seemed too busy or they were too afraid/embarrassed. Alas, I’ve gotten away from this practice since becoming a DS, reasoning that the context for my ministry is so different now. But honestly, ministry is ministry, and people are people. So I’m gonna stop typing now, and start calling. TTYS! Ken Kieffer
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Registration and Coffee 9:30 Lunch 12
250 Country Club Road, Waterbury, CT 06708
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Ride the Bus!
The Connecticut District Council on Ministries is arranging for a bus to the:
Welcome Service for Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton Sunday, September 25, 2016
Salem United Methodist Church, New York, NY The schedule for the afternoon at Salem United Methodist Church is:
Doors Open at 3:00 pm, Pre-Celebration Concert at 3:30 Welcome Service at 4:00 pm
The Bus will depart from:
Waterbury United Methodist Church 250 Country Club Road, Waterbury
At 12:45 pm sharp – Boarding to begin at 12:30 (Please park in the back area of the parking lot, away from the church.)
Shelton United Methodist Church
188 Rocky Rest Road, Shelton At 1:30 pm sharp – Boarding to begin at 1:15
The bus will be available to laity and clergy from the Connecticut District on a first come, first served basis at a cost of $30.00 per person, including the driver’s tip. Please reserve your seat by sending your name, email address and your check for $30.00, payable to CT District to:
CT District Office Attn: Dorothy Chamberlain
20 Broadfield Road, Hamden, CT 06517 [email protected]; 203-288-0286
You are welcome to bring a brown bag lunch onto the bus. Water will be available. For questions, please contact: The Rev. Laura Galbraith , [email protected]; 860-817-5501 Maggie Carr, [email protected]; 203-284-8278
Ride the Bus!
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FACEBOOK POSTING SUGGESTIONS Our CT District Facebook was created several years ago so that persons who are affiliated with any of our UMC churches in the CT district could have a safe place to share information and celebrate ministries. This is a “closed group”, which means you must be a member to see the information and post into the group. In our group you can: ask questions, ask recommendations, share ministry ideas, publish news from your local church, share events happening in your church, share articles that might help other churches with their ministries, share pictures of mission trips or other activities in your church (as long as you follow safe sanctuary rules for pictures).
Every time you post, we ask you to remember these 3 simple rules of posting from umcom.org:
Rule #1: Do no harm. What is the intent of the post? Does it show Christ’s love or does it focus on judgment and condemnation? Do I speak disparagingly about anyone involved? Do I try to use facts and/or opinions to manipulate others to my viewpoint? Could this post “do harm” to the reputation of Christ, the church or another person or organization? Could someone interpret the post as harmful, offensive, rude or distasteful? Does this interaction recognize each person involved as a “loved child of God – a recipient of love unearned, unlimited and undeserved – just like myself”? Rule #2: Do good. Would you describe the post as “good”? Does it reflect God’s interest or your own self-interest or will? Does it serve the good of the community and those in it? Will it help God’s reign and fellow believers? How will those outside the church perceive it? How will people of different cultural or faith backgrounds receive it? Do you communicate effectively by asking questions and providing information? Rule #3: Stay in love with God. What stories can you tell or share online to help others stay in love with God? How does social media help you to stay in love with God? How does it hinder you? How can your social media contribution help others stay in love with God?
Happy Posting!
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Connecticut District Basic Lay Servant Ministry Course 2016
Three Saturdays: Sept 24, Oct 15, Oct 29, 2016 Newtown United Methodist Church
92 Church Hill Road Sandy Hook, CT 06482 Fellowship 9:30 AM. Classes begin promptly at 10 AM, ending by 3 PM Cost $10.00 Name: ___________________________________________ Home Phone: __________________________ Cell Phone: ______________________________ Email: __________________________________________ Street Address: ____________________________________________________ _______________________ City / State / Zip: __________________________________________________________________________ Church: _______________________________________________ District: ________________ I desire to make the commitment to serve, with required study, as a Local Lay Servant in the United Methodist Church. I have read Paragraphs 266 ‐ 269 in “The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church 2012” concerning the office of Lay Servant Ministries, and realize that there are a variety of ways in which I may serve. Under the guidance of my pastor, I desire to explore my faith journey in the United Methodist Church by attending the Basic Lay Servant Ministry Course. I realize that I must be present at all three sessions in order to receive a certification of completion of this course. I have obtained the required recommendations as indicated below.
_______________________________________ _____________________ Signature of Applicant Date _______________________________________ _____________________ Signature of Pastor Date _______________________________________ ____________________ Signature of Admin. Council Chairperson Date 1. Please print legibly. 2. Obtain the required signatures. 3. Make $10 check payable to CT District. 4. Mail check and registration form to Dorothy Chamberlain CT District Office, 20 Broadfield Road Hamden, CT 06517
IMPORTANT: 1. Bring your own lunch. Coffee/tea will be provided. 2. Purchase your book: “Lay Servant Ministries Basic Course Participants Book” at Cokesbury 800-672-1789 # 9780881776263 $7.48+tax+S&H, or Amazon.com 3. Read Chapters 1 & 2 prior to the 1st class. For questions, please contact Mary Brevigleiri CLM, CT Director Lay Servant Ministries at 860-307-4611 or [email protected]
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“BECOMING A MISSION HUB – THE NEXT STEPS”
September 19, 2016 at 7:00 p.m.
SEYMOUR UMC 90 Pearl Street, Seymour, CT 06483
On Monday, September 19th at 7 p.m., Seymour UMC will hold a meeting and planning session to determine its next steps toward becoming a Mission HUB.
We invite other churches and interested persons from the district to join us. Tom Vencuss, the NYAC Coordinator for Disaster Recovery Ministries, will be present to assist us in the conversation and development.
Please contact Lisa Bosworth at
[email protected] for more information.
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From the New York Annual Conference Church and Society
"I Was in Prison and You..." Symposium
This Symposium will be on Saturday, October 1, 2016 at Grace UMC (125 W. 104th St., NY, NY) from 9:30 AM until 4:00 PM. In order to encourage wide participation, there is no fee for this event! Registration is open now through the NYAC website www.nyac.com We ask that you publicize this event widely and encourage each church in your district to send at least one representative to gather information. The direct link is here: http://www.nyac.com/eventdetail/prison-ministry-symposium- 3286262?month=10&year=2016&day=1&display=m and can also be reached by going to the "Events" section of our conference website for October 1. The Symposium will include many formerly incarcerated people and will showcase a wide variety of ministries and justice issues, all designed to facilitate the involvement of church congregations. Many have asked for this kind of event to make it possible for more churches in our conference to be involved in this ministry.
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New York Annual Conference
Disaster Response Emotional & Spiritual Care
Policies Plans
Procedures Training
September 24, 2016, 9 am– 4 pm, Wesley hall
Simsbury United Methodist Church 799 Hopmeadow Street
Simsbury CT
United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR)Trained Disaster Emotional and Spiritual
Care(DESC) “Teams” are faith‐based, ongoing teams who are trained to provide emotional and
spiritual care before, during, and following disasters. Care Teams stand solidly in the belief that the
church is the Body o fChrist in the world and they reach out from the faith community to help
disaster survivors connect with personal and community spiritual, emotional, and basic life
resources.
While Care Teams do not normally provide individual or ongoing counseling, their purpose is:
To show the church cares by offering the “Ministry of Presence”, most often a “listening” presence, to those affected by disaster
To reduce the terrible aloneness survivors feel by offering the gift of “accompaniment”
To gather information for those making decisions about disaster response plans
To connect survivors with long‐term disaster recovery systems, by providing support and information about the recovery process and available services.
The New York Annual Conference Care Team Goals:
To offer the “Ministry of Presence ”, most often a “listening presence”, to those affected by disaster
To serve as “Designated Listeners” on Early Response Teams (ERT). Care Team Members are
encouraged to have ERT Training and ERT Members are encouraged to have DESC Training
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Disaster Response, Emotional and Spiritual Care continued….
To conduct Neighborhood “Walk‐Throughs” for basic disaster assessment ,using the ‘ “UMCOR Information and Referral ” Model
To provide “Information and Debrief” to Clergy and Congregations
To offer Emotional and Spiritual Care at Disaster Recovery Centers, Points of Distribution, Shelters, and other venues
To provide support to Clergy, Volunteers, and Congregations through Self Care Workshops and Retreats
To Sponsor and Coordinate Ecumenical and Interfaith Services and Events
To introduce local churches to “Developing Caring Ministries–Before, During and Following a Disaster”
Those who attend the training might then serve on a Care Team. Clergy, Chaplains, Stephen Ministers, Parish Nurses, Mental Health Providers active in United Methodist Churches, Lay Ministers, Volunteers in Mission (VIM)Team Members, and other Caring People are encouraged to attend.
More information about this opportunity, including a registration link and instructions using Sign Up Genius, can be found on the Simsbury Methodist Church website at www.simsburyumc.org. From the main menu, click on Adult Spirituality, then Special Events. Should you have any problems or questions, please email Debbie Dunn at [email protected] or Pastor Wendy Vencuss, who is leading the workshop, at 860.324.1429 or [email protected].
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Local Pastor’s Licensing School 2016
Four Modules: Sept. 8-10 Oct. 5-8 Nov. 3-5 Dec. 1-3
at St. Thomas Seminary
467 Bloomfield Ave, Bloomfield, CT 06002
WHO ATTENDS? Persons in the candidacy process who, prior to ordination, want to be considered for an appointment, once they have obtained the certificate for candidacy, MAY attend this year’s school to prepare for a future appointment with the recommendation of their District Committee on Ministry and District Superintendent. If a person has not already completed the Disciplinary requirements, Check with your District Superintendent, the District Committee on Ordained Ministry and the Local Pastor Registrar for any possible exceptions. WHY ?The Division of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry requires80 contact hours with 30 basic minimum competencies that are essential for beginning the practice of ministry. These competencies are divided into four modules.
ATTENDANCE AT ALL FOR MODULES IS NECESSARY FOR COMPLETION.
Module 1 “Worship, Sacraments and Preaching” Module 2 “The Pastor as Educator, Stewardship, Methodist History and a touch of
Safe Sanctuary’s and Boundaries” Module 3 “Pastoral Care, Special Services and Spirituality” Module 4 “Evangelism/Outreach/Mission and Leadership & Administration”
Each competency is treated in two ways: First, there is a body of knowledge which can be communicated by reading, lecture, group experience, and other methods. Second, there is a skill or ability which comes out of the knowledge and is demonstrable within the group.Written assignments may be made during each module. Students will be expected to return those assignments prior to the following module. Persons attending the LPLS will be evaluated in each area with a written report. The report may or may not recommend that the license be granted. It should be noted that the granting of the license is not done by the Licensing School, but by the Bishop on the recommendation of the Board of Ordained Ministry and confirmed by Clergy Session of Annual Conference. Successful completion of the school is only one aspect of the process of receiving the license. COST?Students who are planning to complete all four modules within a 12 month period will need to make a single payment of $1,100. Students who are planning to complete less than four modules will pay $300.00 per module.The cost includes room for 2 nights and 5 meals. Who do I contact to inquire or ask questions?The DistrictSuperintendent,the Local Pastor Registrar, Co-Directors of the LPLS in that order. (DS Ken Kieffer at [email protected] , LP Registrar Eileen Daunt at [email protected], then the Co-Directors at [email protected] )
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CT DISTRICT UMW FALL GATHERING October 8 ,2016
Mary Taylor UMC
168 Broad St, Milford, CT 8:30 am Registration : 9:30am-2:30pm
Program Theme:
“Rediscovering God’s Call For UMW” Focus: RACIAL JUSTICE: EMPOWERING WOMEN
Special Offering: Boys and Girls Village; Milford, CT
Registration Deadline: October 1, 2016 Donation: $8.50 (checks payable to Mary Taylor UMC )
Mail form and check to: Mary Taylor UMC 168 Broad St. Milford, Ct. 06460
_____________________________________________ Fall Gathering and Luncheon Registration Name_____________________Addresss___________ Phone___________________Amount Enclosed_______ Local UMW__________________ Child care needed?______#children____ages_________
Please bring a bag lunch for children….Special needs? ** Please bring your own eating utensils for lunch **
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Keith and Kristyn Getty Come to Berlin, CT Leadership Event - 2 PM
Concert - 6 PM
Worship leaders from Kensington United Methodist Church, Bethany Covenant Church and Kensington Congregational Church come together to host the Gettys.
SUNDAY OCTOBER 30TH
2 PM Leadership Session “Hymns, Worship and the Christian Life” Presented by Keith Getty
6 PM Concert BETHANY COVENANT CHURCH
785 MILL ST, BERLIN, CT
PURCHASE CONCERT TICKETS: $30 www.gettys.eventbrite.com
REGISTER FOR LEADERSHIP EVENT: FREE www.gettymusic.com/leadershipevents
For more information or questions -- email [email protected]
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Top 10 list of Evangelism Strategies Annette Griffith - 2016
My husband and I were members of our United Methodist Church for over 35 years before moving to North Carolina a year ago. Although I was chair of the evangelism team in Monroe, CT this was my first experience being a newcomer in a community. Finding a church family as caring as the one to which we were accustomed proved to be a big challenge. The following Top Ten list of suggestions is based on our experiences. To request a complete list of strategies please email me at [email protected]. Please feel free to send me additional ideas. Together we can build our United Methodist community, one visitor and one church at a time.
1. Name tags are very helpful to new folks. Please wear them every week. Don’t think everyone knows you and so you don’t need to wear a tag. Your friends know you, but it is awkward for visitors to ask everyone they meet to state their names.
2. At least three contacts from church members is a minimum to let visitors know they are welcome. Shaking hands during the passing of the peace does not count. It is nice and all should be encouraged to greet new people, but is not enough.
3. A welcome packet that describes the church, its missions and activities is helpful.
4. Keep the church website current. A calendar lets visitors drop in on an interesting activity maybe even before they visit on Sunday.
5. Offer a way for the new person to receive the church newsletter if they wish to receive it.
6. A visit from the pastor is vital. A welcome committee is helpful but nothing tops experiencing the enthusiasm of the pastor for the church and its ministries.
7. Ask questions that engage the new person in relating that which interests him or her. Where are you from, and what was your previous occupation may be a start, but questions that relate to the new person’s passions are more useful to both the visitor and the congregation. These questions might not be asked on the first encounter but should not wait for more than two weeks. Questions might include: What are you looking for in a new church family? What did you like most about your past church? What kind of music is most inspiring to you? What ministries and missions interest you?
8. Invite the visitor for lunch or dinner. This gives time for more questions and open ended discussions. Small group settings are best. When there are more than five people, it is easy to say nothing or for members to talk among themselves.
9. Invite visitors to attend a church function with you. Offer a ride or save a seat for them. Get others to do the same so that visitors have three or more people who have expressed an interest in them.
10. Small groups are important when establishing lasting relationships. Invite the new person to attend one with you when you discover the visitor’s interests.
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Condolences and Prayers for: Reverend Joseph Piccirillo (Avon) on the loss of his wife, Sandra, who died on July 31, 2016. Please keep Joseph and his family in your prayers. The family of Reverend Sydney Parker, who died on August 10, 2016 at the age of 93. Sydney was predeceased by his wife, Lottie and his oldest daughter, Susan Parker of NY. He is survived by two daughters, Madeline Parker of Wallingford and Bernice Parker of Watertown, MA Sydney served the New York Conference for 32 years until his retirement in 1988. In our District he served at Wallingford UMC. Prayers for a speedy recovery:
Reverend Ed Dayton (Trumbull: Long Hill) who recently had eye surgery. Reverend Steven Peiffer (Wallingford) who is recovering from a head injury.
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RETIREE’S BREAKFAST
September 15, 2016
All retirees are invited to meet on September 15th for breakfast at Denny's, 631 Queen St. (Route 10) in Southington, just off I-84, exit 32. We meet on the third Thursday of each month. Next breakfasts are scheduled for October 20 and November 17. It helps to know about how many to expect. Kindly contact Ralph Roy at [email protected] or call 860-620-1711. Call too, if the weather is questionable in case it is cancelled. Please come prepared to share information on any illness, bereavement or other circumstances that should engage the group’s attention.
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FALL CLERGY MEETING SEPTEMBER 22, 2016
8-10 WATERBURY UMC
BISHOP’S RETREAT SEPTEMBER 27-28, 2016
STONY POINT, NY
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CONNECTICUT DISTRICT IS ON FACEBOOK! CHECK US OUT AT: nyacconnecticut district
DEADLINE FOR THE OCTOBER DISTRICT NEWS IS SEPTEMBER 20th
