Newsletter

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! all of you for the very 'over-the-top' celebrations on the occasion of my retirement. They were days of very strong mixed feelings: the joys of all that we have shared together; the sadness of letting go; the hopes for all that is yet to come for you and for Louise and me. We want the especially acknowledge our gratitude to Alex Zorba and his wonderful committee for the masterful reception at the Saybrook Point Inn. To all of you who participated in that heartfelt tribute to us, thank you for your generosity and for all the memories. Thank you to Stephanie Lyons and Will Butler for the terrific 'slide show' of our lives together. And, OH! the wonderful speakers with such tribute! You were so impressive!

To Cal Price and the Executive Board, the Board of Deacons, Linda Juliani and Bill Clemmons, the members of the Choir and the NMCC Orchestra; to those who gave personal witness, the children and their beautiful song, to Ann Clemmons for her tireless work with the children, that you for a marvelous, uplifting and prayerful morning worship service. Special thanks to Sharon Mallon & team for their work with the Youth, and for the outstanding collection of children's art and thoughts. Kudos to Chris Solimene and Andrew Chapman for the video presentation and to Sylvia Stillwell and the Circle Nursery School for providing child care during the service.

What a fantastic surprise of letters and notes - so loving, tender, and absolutely inspiring! Thank you to all who wrote such profound poetry about our lives together. Very Special thanks to Kate Davis for coordinating this massive undertaking, and to Eileen McCann for her perfectly creative scrap-booking. This is a volume I will indeed treasure always. Thank you to Eric Piekarz for overseeing such a monstrous event with his inimitable thoughtfulness, insight, and humor.

These days will live another lifetime of memory for us. If we have done anything long-lasting for you, then consider all that you have done for us through all these years. There are no more words - just deeply felt gratitude for all that we have been together. And so the journey continues in the Christ. Just a final thought!

Get ready to blast into VBS 2010!

"Galactic Blast! A Cosmic Adventure Praising God" will be held August 9-13, from 9am to noon, here at NMCC. Campers will become cadets voyaging into outer space on daily missions to experience Bible adventures that will inspire them to praise God! For cadets in Pre-Kindergarten (4 and up) thru Grade 6. Adult and teen volunteers are needed. 7th and 8th graders are also wanted to assist. Please visit www.northmadisoncc.org to register or for more information, or email Sharon at nmcc.ce@cshore.com. Thank you!!

We've closed another school year and accomplished so many things in our personal lives and in the faith community that is NMCC. Hosting Pastor Josie from New Orleans, raising money for her ministry, raising funds for the SMILE train, going to Columbus House on a monthly basis, helping with church functions, planning our Mission Trip to Boston - these are just some of the many things the youth groups did this past year.

The summer brings a slowed pace and a time for reflection. Our youth at NMCC should feel very proud to be a part of a church that believes so strongly in showing compassion for those in need and caring deeply about having our actions reflecting a spirit of social justice, which was so central to Jesus message and example to us.

I would like to invite any suggestions for projects, pertinent issues of the day to discuss and any youth based ideas for our junior and senior youth groups next year. I will be planning a couple of youth events for the lazy days of summer which might be able to attended in between family outings and vacations. As always, I am here should you have any suggestions and/or feedback about our youth programs at North Madison Congregational Church.

Youth and Parents encouraged to check our website. Lots happening in our lives and especially in the lives of our youth. The calendar of events (on the bookshelf in Fellowship Hall) and the web are great sources to keep the NMCC youth’s opportunities in mind. Bookmark the following url for the latest about NMCC’s youth groups: http://www.northmadisoncc.org/10.html

Chris Solimene is hosting a potluck meal and Taize prayer in his home on Wednesday, July 21. We will share a meal at 6 pm and start the Prayer Service at 7:30. Come for either or both! Please email Chris with your RSVP and food item to bring at nmcc.youth@cshore.com

Friday July 9th we are going to have a pie bake for the Antique Show. Last year we had a lot of requests for pies, so hopefully by baking a lot of pies we can fill those requests. It is not necessary to know how to bake pies. Just come and help make fillings and fill the pies. Herkie has the recipe for the crust. We need donations of flour, crisco, pie tins, and whatever any one can bring for fillings, eg. blueberries strawberries, apples, rhubarb, cherry pie filling. We will make as many pies as we have fillings for. Any questions, please ask Herkie, Ann Clemmons or Linda Young (457-0723) We plan to start around 7:30- 8:00am.

On the Green, Boston Post Road, Madison, CT

Saturday, July 10, 2010

9 AM to 4 PM, Rain or Shine

There is a SIGNUP SHEET on the easel in Fellowship Hall. Please fill in a spot where you can help!

Baked Goods – we cannot stress enough the need for pies, breads, bars, cookies. The more you bake, the more we can sell and it is all profit. Pies are always a wonderful money-maker for us and sellout quickly. You can always leave baked goods in the freezer in the church kitchen.

Food Tent – will need baked beans, pasta salads (without mayo), ice and coffee

Marking the Green on Friday morning – takes about 2 hours and we could really use your help.

If you are planning to be away July 10^th, please look over our “needs list” and see what you can do ahead of time.

If you would like me to sign you up or if you have any questions about certain jobs, please call Cathy Meier at church 421-3241. Thanks so much to those of you who will give your time to help us make this show a huge success.

We need you help in the community garden located at the back of the upper parking lot. No knowledge of gardening is required. Spinach and lettuce have been planted as a first crop. This summer we will grow tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, green beans and squash. Produce will be given to the Madison Food Pantry located in the basement of Hubley Hall at the First Congregational Church. About 50 families visit the pantry each week. Last summer our fresh vegetables were favorite items among the families. If you would like to help, your jobs could include weeding and watering the garden, harvesting the vegetables, and/or delivering them. We need to deliver on Tuesday afternoons from 1:30 to 3:00. The busiest time in the garden is from mid July through early September. A sign up sheet will be posted in the community room. Please call Kathy Thomas (421-4369) if you would like to help or have any questions. Thank you.

Mary and Philip Camlin (Roberta Hanlon’s parents), Jann Brewer (friend of the Tierneys), Norman and Judy Kraft (Sharon Mallon’s parents), Bob Stevens (Tish Brown’s brother), Helen Bischof, Laura Sunblade (Herkie’s sister), Alex Convertito (friend of Rebecca Raymond), Brian Schumaker, Mary Oulette, Jim Boling, Kate Davis, Scott Shufitt, JoAnn Kautz, Lee Amarante, Michael Aiello, Elizabeth Biddle (friend of Linda Young), Walter Wisting, Michael Ouelette, Bob Vander Wiede (friend of Helen and John Bischof), Gary and Cindy Hofman, Susana Whittaker (4yr. old granddaughter of Bruce Whittaker), the family of Barbara Blair on her death, Wendy Borowy, Ben Morin, prayers for the Benson family on the death or Phyllis Benson, Tom Eddy (Alan’s dad), Pat Hunter, Lois Forte, Krystal Nice and Larry Kilburn on the death of Lee Kilburn (Krystal’s dad and Larry’s brother).

Sanna Stanley needs comics, newspaper cartoons and varieties of magazines (with pictures of people) for an community building project she is conducting in Hartford the second week of July. We will be cutting pictures out and re-configuring them into "new" story lines. Old, beat-up is fine. If you or your long-lost child has anything that just won't get used again and can be parted with, please let Sanna know (203-421-1118) or drop them off at the church. This project may even come to a church near you!

Our Giving Tree in Fellowship Hall has many opportunities to help. All items will be distributed to children and families in need throughout the area including those connected with Madison Social Services, New Haven Youth Continuum, Shoreline Soup Kitchens and Columbus House.

Two Saturdays a month a group from NMCC goes to Columbus House in New Haven to serve breakfast. We meet at the commuter lot in Madison at 6:45 am and are home by 8:30am. There is a sign up sheet in Fellowship Hall if you would be interested in joining us.

Saint Martin de Porres Academy is seeking seasoned teachers; retired or part-time professional educators or administrators who are available to guide and develop classroom and behavior management skills for young AmeriCorps Volunteer Teachers. Our independent Catholic school is located in New Haven and serves low-income 5th – 8th grade urban middle school students who are all on full scholarships.

Mentors serve for the school year, August to June; they are asked to observe their teaching fellow in action 1-2 times per week and provide them with feedback and support in improving their teaching practices and to attend monthly mentor meetings

NMCC Milestones

Weddings

June 19 Marissa Price and Andrew Brennan

Baptisms

May 30 Ryan Hunter Cohen, daughter of Rob and Christine Cohen

Funerals and Memorials

May 15 Memorial Service for Phyllis Benson

June 7 Memorial Service for Barbara Blair

THE TALENT LEVEL KEEPS GETTING HIGHER AND HIGHER, SO WHY NOT TRY A SHOW THIS COMING YEAR?

What could be better than the world’s pre-eminent Scots fiddler and most exciting cellist to come out of Juillard in 20 years? Not too much, believe me. I don’t care if you like only classical, or folk, or jazz, or whatever, this is the highest level of musicianship around anywhere.

Once again, we’re bringing a relatively unknown name to the USA. Unknown to the regular, mass-media fed public, maybe. Anyone who has done just a little traveling, and listens to a little more interesting music than the standard fare may have well heard of them. In the UK and Europe, they’re as well regarded as Grada, drawing many thousands of fans. They’re as exciting as Grada, too. This show probably won’t sell out, which will really be unfortunate, as that means a whole bunch of people will never know…