Day three on our Mexican Mission

I am not sure if it is the time change, the amazing energy and enthusiasm or the power of the Holy Spirit but each day our group is up early and ready to go. Yesterday all of the men were up and in the kitchen by shortly after 5:00 a.m. I shouldn’t say this but we took bets on which of the women would be up and out to the dining hall first. It has become a bit of a tradition on these trips where all or most of the men are up and out while the women sleep in a few minutes longer. Of course it helps when you have people like Mark Kane, George Rezendes, and Mark Salomon cooking up big breakfasts for the group. Yesterday Michelle Chaffee took the prize. Of course Andy Scheuermann fixed the contest. After picking Michelle as the first lady to enter, he went outside until a few of the women were up and then he found a way to delay the others and get Michelle to walk through the door first.

It’s a good thing I found my cholesterol pills because bacon seems to be the comfort food of the cooks. They start cooking and the bacon begins piling up on the plate. We had pancakes the first morning here and toast and bacon. Not everyone eats what they cook, but those of us who do, are completely satisfied. At 7:40 a.m. we gather out in the courtyard to check in and do our morning devotional. There is always something to think about I’ve tried to get others to think about taking turns. Last night, for example, the devotion was a simple one. We all had a chance to reflect on where we had seen God that day. This morning I encouraged everyone to be thinking about the fact that each of us were called to be a part of this team because we had something to share. With that thought we prayed and left for El Buen Samaritano.

With a good understanding of what we were called to do, the group went right to work. I like this team because they know how to have fun. The friendly banter between Roger Mainville and Randy Sargent seems to get everyone laughing and joining in their fun. Randy has lots of multi colored shirts and Roger has plenty to say about them. Roger is the old man on the team and we get on him good about that. Every night so far, the guys have played cards. I’m not sure what they are playing but they sure make a lot of noise. They seem to be having a lot of fun too.
The walls of the restrooms at the church are going up slowly. Each cinderblock has to be laid in place with cement to bond them to the next one. The metal rods that run up through them every feet are also cemented in place to give the wall strength. The blocks are staggered and the room I starting to look like a fortress already. Michelle Chaffee, Erica Corbett and Lisa Lapointe were mixing cement and running it over to the guys. Mark and Matt Salomon were working on one side and Roger Mainville and Mark Hopkins were working on the other. Randy Sargent was cutting blocks and they had a pretty smooth operation going.

Upstairs in the church Jake Shanks, Amanda Duntz, Carol Calkins, Doreen Mainville and Melanie Scheuermann were patching and sanding again. That was a messy job. Dust was everywhere. It is almost too much for any one person to be doing for any length of time. Fortunately, most of the people know their limits and only do a bit more than they should.

We quit for lunch at 12:30 p.m. and headed back to the seminary. Lisa, Erica and Michelle ran the two miles back while the rest of us traveled by van. Today we planned to take the afternoon off. That bothered a few people because they really wanted to keep going. I tried to explain to them that we needed the break and so did the local folks. For example, Pastor Ramon works full time as a police officer on the third shift. On the days we work I understand that he skips sleep and stays with us. That means that on the full days he gets little or no sleep at all. Yet, he is so excited to be with us that he counts it as joy.

We also take the break and use that free time to get a taste of the surrounding culture. Our mission trip has at least a two fold purpose. We come to do work and to accomplish something real. We also come to get an understanding of the people and the culture in which our missionaries work. Yesterday a group went up to the mountains to one of the newer churches that Rick and Mercy work with. The La Rumorosa congregation was started by a retired pastor and it is doing quite well. We got a chance to meet the pastor and hear about his ministry. The two vans also got an hour long drive to talk with Rick in one car and Mercy in the other.

Another small group went shopping in Mexicali. We got to see the local merchants and were able to barter with the people to pick up a few souvenirs. Michelle Chaffee was amazed at a pinata store where four foot piñatas in all shapes and sizes were hanging from the rafters and barrels of candy were placed underneath. I got three tee shirts for my girls and a mug. I almost bought a Steelers poncho but I couldn’t get the girl to come down on her price.

The group that went up the mountains got back late and missed the start of vacation Bible school but the five of us who stayed behind got there on time and enjoyed the singing. Michelle and Erica even went up front and helped with the motions on our favorite new song, “Jesus is better than Superman.” The other group did get there just in time for the classes to begin.

Although we tried to prepare for every scenario, our motto appeared to be working. “Be flexible” was our charge and for the second night in a row things did not go as planned. The kids came streaming down in two groups. The first group went to the craft table and the second group came down before the adults had cleared out of the sanctuary. So we had a balloon race in the street. We also planned a balloon tag and stomp game for the sanctuary but the kids were popping each others balloons even before we had the chance to tell them how to play the game.

In the final analysis, the kids all had fun even if things didn’t turn out quite how we planned. When we asked Alma and Ram on if they were happy with what we were doing, they replied with a great big smile and a resounding “Yes!”

We got home (can you believe I’m calling it home now?) by 7:30 p.m. and had dinner and a devotional. Michelle Chaffee gave us the thought for the night. She told us about the way she just happened to run into a candy store that had ice cream bars called devotions. Then she pointed out that this is the way God works. He guides us to the places he wants us to be.

After Michelle finished I told the group that a devotion as something you offered up to God. Then I challenged the group to look for things they could offer to God the following day and we broke up for the night.

Cal

Day Two of our Mexican Mission Trip

Traveling west always messes with people’s internal clocks. In my room, Mark Kane, Jake Shanks and I kept waking up. At one point I noticed Jake was looking at his cell phone to check the time. I thought it had to be at least 5:30 or 6:00 a.m. and I asked Jake about the time. He responded it was 3:00 a.m. We all tried to go back to sleep and slept fitfully until about 5:00 a.m. and the we got up and started the coffee and got the kitchen ready for breakfast. By 5:30 a.m. all of the men were in the kitchen and dining hall. A short while later all the ladies joined us. We had a great breakfast. Mark Kane cooked up pancakes and Mark Salomon helped with the bacon. Matt Salomon made the coffee and Mark Hopkins and Roger chipped in to make toast and wash dishes.

At 8:00 a.m. we prayed and were on or way to El Buen Samaritano. We were very happy to have the church so close to the seminary. It was a five minute commute. Rick was there to greet us. He outlined the work that needed to be done and the group jumped right on it. It was a busy day. One group began working on the bathroom walls. It required mixing cement and piling cinder blocks. It looked like it would be a quick and easy job but it was a very time consuming endeavor

A second group went upstairs and began sanding the walls. That was a messy job. A third group went over to Alma and Ramon’s house to take care of a plumbing problem in heir bathroom. Ramo had all the tools and all the materials laid out and we got right to work. (I should say they got right to work because I did my usual thing – supervise and stay out of the way.) I actually tried to help by moving the 120 lb cement bags to Ricks truck but I cracked a finger nail and started bleeding all over the place so they told me to take it easy.

We broke for lunch at 12:30 p.m. and came back to the seminary for lunch. Verna is a great cook and we enjoyed chicken and rice. We ate with the ten seminary students and Verna. One of the students prayed in Spanish and we dug right in.
After lunch went back to the church to get in another two hours. We finished up some projects and cleaned up for Vacation Bible School. At 4:00 p.m. we headed back to the seminary to shower and prepare for the first night of Vacation Bible School.

We made our way back and the kids started rolling in. Before long their were forty kids jumping and singing and excited to be there. They welcomed us and made us feel at home. The night began a little late but before long we were singing and having fun. The funniest thing was a song that featured Jesus in a Superman costume and the lyrics saying Jesus was mightier than Superman, Batman, Spiderman, and even Barney! It was real cute.

After a half hour lesson we were in charge of a crafts and games. The kids were supposed to come in on a rotational model but as soon as they finished the lesson, chaos followed. The kids had a great time making hand prints on the banner and then pouring water into bottles. We gave that game a twist by having our team members put the bottles on their heads. The kids love it and Randy, Jake, Roger and Mark Salomon got a bath.

We had a blast and the kids touched our hearts. As Mark Hopkins put it, I came down here to work but seeing the kids and interacting with them has made the trip really special

Cal

Day one- Mexico Mission

They told her to follow the yellow brick road. Dorothy waved good bye and set off on her amazing journey. Along the way she met some interesting people before her journey came to an end. They also learned a lot about themselves and came away with amazing and wonderful insights into the gifts that each of them possessed.

At 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 23 nine of us left the First Baptist Church parking lot for our adventure to Mexicali. Randy Sargent, Mark Hopkins, Carol Calkins, Mark Kane, Erica Corbett, Michelle Chaffee, Lisa Lapointe, Mark Salomon and I sped away in the church van and my Toyota. A light snow began to fall as we got to Route 2 and sped westward. A storm was in the forecast and we hoped to get out before the snow came in earnest. Like the twister that sent Dorothy on her amazing journey to Oz, we were in the middle of a storm as we set off on our mission to Mexico.

We stopped in Colchester and met up with Jake Shanks and Amanda Duntz. They jumped in ready to join us on or adventure. We arrived at the Roncari airport parking an loaded up in the shuttle that would run us over to the airport. We met Andy and Melanie Scheuermann and Roger and Doreen Mainville at the gate and we were off to see our own wizard, the wonderful missionary partners, Rick and Mercy Barnes.

We took our seats and were off to Chicago Midway for the first leg of our journey. When we arrived there we met up with Matt Salomon who was coming in from Baltimore to join us on our trip. The whole crew was finally together. We boarded the plane and continued the journey that would take us over the great plains, the Rocky Mountains, the Grand Canyon and on to the Pacific Ocean. We didn’t meet up with any flying monkeys or wicked witches, but we were ready and flexible in case we did encounter anyone or anything that came along.

For the first time in three years we picked up our rental cars without incident. Three Toyota minivans were waiting for us and we were assured that the gas pedals passed muster and were safe to drive. We were off on our journey through the mountains and the desert of the California southern coast. After two and a half hours in the car, eight hours in planes and airports. At 3:35 p.m. we arrived in Calexico and had lunch/dinner at Carl Jr.s while we waited to meet Rick and Mercy. By 4:30 p.m. we were heading across the border to our home for the next seven days at the Nosostros Con Dios Seminary in Mexicali.

We had our orientation, put our things in our barracks and then headed over to El Buen Samaritano to meet with Ramon and Alma to go over what we would be doing and to deliver invitations to the kids in the neighborhood to join us at Vacation Bible School this week. Ramon and Alma were so pleased to see us. Ramon began talking about the number of projects he had planned. We were going to build the cinderblock walls around the bathrooms and then put a roof over them. He also planned to finish mudding and sanding the walls upstairs in the church. They hadn’ done very much with the upstairs addition since we left last year. If everything went well he wanted us to paint the walls too.

I found it very interesting that even though Ramon couldn’t speak any English, most of thre crew could understand what he was saying through a few key words and hand gestures. Construction seems to have a universal language of its own.

It was dark by the time Alma divided us up in teams to go around the neighborhood with fliers. We went in teams of three or four with a host from the church. I am not sure how it worked in other groups, but we went with Alma. She began by knocking on a few doors and then she encouraged us to go to the doors. Mark Hopkins, Andy Scheuermann and I were tentative at first but we went. Then Alma would jump in and explain. By the time we finished we were even saying a few words like “hello “and “good buy.” I even was able to say this is an invitation to Bible school at the church.

We finished up and then went back to the seminary and most of the group settled in for the night. A few hearty souls decided to brave the night and head out to Walmart for our first visit of the outing. We picked up a few supplies and had a good time.

A few others played cards in the dining room and were glad to be able to relax for a few minutes. By 9:00 p.m. we were all in be after a long first day.

Our Lenten journey began tonight.

We began our Lenten journey tonight. Since 2000 we have joined forces with Central Baptist, First Congregational, Lee Memorial, Park Congregational and United Congregational to host six mid-week services during Lent. It has been a pretty good experience.

Tonight we began at First Congregational and Rev. Bill Dunlap preached the sermon. All of the clergy took part in the service. It included special music by the church's choir and bell choir and the distribution of ashes. There were close to one hundred people present.

The services are always interesting but one of the nicest aspects of the event is connecting with old friends who worship in our sister churches. For a few weeks we get to worship together. We also get to make some new friends. I think it is one of the best things we do as a church. It's an opportunity to live like the body of Christ. I only wish more people would come out and enjoy the experience.

Next week we will be at Lee Memorial United Methodist on Washington Street. Come and experience the body of Christ.

Cal

What a pastor needs

I found a post from Chuck Warnock, a pastor in Virginia, about "the five people a pastor needs in a church." I like it because it rings of truth so I'm going to post it here. I have definitely had people fill these roles in my twenty five years here in Norwich. So enjoy it.

If you would like to read more of his writing about ministry in the small membership church, you can find it at the following address: http://chuckwarnockblog.wordpress.com/

With apologies to Mitch Albom, here’s my take on the five people a pastor needs in church.

1. A friend. Because pastors are human beings, we need a social network of friends. But some pastors continue to believe that a pastor can’t be friends with people in his or her congregation. A pastor should not play favorites among church members, but that is far different than valuing the friendship of some members. Friends are the ones who keep your kids, invite you out to eat, drop by unannounced, and care about what’s happening in your life. Friends know the real you, and pastors need friends in church who know us in all of our humanity.
2. A counselor. Pastors need friends, but they also need counselors. Usually you only need one or two, but you need a wise, thoughtful person in the congregation who will give you an honest assessment of your ideas, vision, and goals. The Bible itself presents the idea that there is “wisdom in many counselors.”
3. A pray-er. Not a prayer, but a pray-er — someone who prays for you and the church. Daily. Regularly. Fervently. Paul encourages young Timothy to offer prayers for leaders, and church leaders need people who pray regularly for them. The legendary story of Charles Spurgeon’s “power plant” — the prayer room at his church — needs to be realized in our churches today. Pastors should be at the top of somebody’s prayer list.
4. A critic. Of course, critics seem to be in abundant supply in many churches. But pastors do need critics, too. We need critics to offer the counterpoint to our ideas, vision, and dreams. While praise is wonderful, we learn from criticism, especially when it is honest, helpful, and loving.
5. A supporter. In every church I have served, I have enjoyed great support from wonderful people. Supporters aren’t just fans of the pastor. Supporters are genuinely enthusiastic about the pastor’s leadership, the direction of the church, and the vision the church shares for ministry. Supporters provide the labor for our dreams together, enabling the church to move forward.

What do you think about these five people a pastor needs? Would you add any others? Have you experienced some or all of these in your own ministry? I’d like to hear your thoughts and experiences.

God bless! Cal

The snow could not stop us.

Last night we had choir rehearsal despite the snow flakes that were falling outside. We shortened things up so those who came out could get home before it got too bad. Every week the choir rehearses the anthem for Sunday and works on pieces for the coming weeks. For example we are already working on the pieces for Palm Sunday and Easter. We run through them and then begin polishing as we get closer to singing them on a particular Sunday.

Last night we rehearsed and were out the door at 7:30 p.m. I stayed after the rehearsal because we were hosting a meeting of the Church softball league upstairs. President George Rapoza asked if he could meet at our church this year. I told him we would be glad to do it.

It was a good meeting. We talked about this season and some of the changes we'd like to make. After two years of controversy over the play-offs, I suggested we put more emphasis on the regular season and de-emphasize the play-offs. After a lot of discussion we came up with the idea to divide the league into two divisions and play 23 games. Then let the top team in each division play two of three for a league championship.

We also suggested having the banquet at the end of August so that it will fall much closer to the end of the season. Two months is just too long. Everyone loses interest. Well stay tuned.

We will begin to put together our roster for the 2010 season. Hopefully most of the team from last year will be back.

The meeting ended and at 8:30 I was home and out of the snow.

Cal

He's sending us out

I came across this song from Third Day today and it moved me to think about the church. This is our message as we reach out to the world around us. Jesus changed our lives. He took us as we were and is continually working in our lives now. He's given us hope. He's become our rock to stand on.

I love what God is doing at First Baptist as we reformat our ministry and turn it from an inward focused ministry to one that moves outward to the hurt, the broken, the rejected and lost. Enjoy this song and ask who God is sending you out to visit with a message of hope and forgiveness.

Cal

A New Pastor for Central Baptist

On Sunday afternoon Central Baptist hosted a party. They were installing their new pastor, Nancy Morrow. Mark Hopkins, the chair of the Pulpit Committee shared a bit of the ordeal that the group went though in their 28 month search for a pastor. Then on December 6th Rev. Morrow preached for the church and was called that afternoon. She began on December 8th. She is the 20th pastor of Central Baptist and the first woman called to the position.

The service was filled with music. Pastor Nancy worked with Central's choir director, David Warfield, to pull together choir members from four congregations to sing at the service. Cornerstone Baptist (where she had most recently served), Quaker Hill Baptist (where she was worshiping and assisting), Niantic Baptist (whose pastor was a member of Central Baptist) and Central's own choir formed a 50 member choir. When you add in the members of Cornerstone's Bell choir there were so many musicians present that they equaled the rest of the crowd.

Rev. Greg Hamby preached the sermon and Rev. Stacy Emerson from Mystic Union Baptist Church gave the charge to the Pastor. A member of the Cornerstone Baptist church gave the charge to the congregation. Through it all we learned a few things about her

She is a Red Sox fan.
She likes chocolate.
She likes music.
She likes to golf. (Her husband is the golf pro at River Ridge in Griswold.)
She has had a multi faceted career in and out of ministry.
Her last position was as VP of Development for Day Kimball Hospital.
She is not afraid of making changes.
She doesn't like vegetables.
She believes in the ministry of hospitality and will utilize the building to host community organizations and events.
She is not afraid of conflict.
She is a hopeful person.
She loves the Lord.

There were probably many more things that were said but it sounds like the future of the ministry is in good hands as Pastor Nancy and the people begin their life together working in the garden of God's kingdom. Congratulations to our sister church. May God bless you!

Cal

Recognizing the faithful.

On Sunday morning we dedicated our officers for the coming year in morning worship. We had them stand and be recognized. Then we prayed over them. At that point we took a few minutes to recognize seven people who had given over a decade of service to the church. you know them because you see them every week. Their service is varied but without them and others like them, we would not have been able to do all that we have done over the last twenty years or more.

Cynthia Strouse has given a lifetime of service to her church. As a young lady she helped with the Junior Choir. After college she married and moved back to town. She started singing in the choir again and got involved with the Women's Guild. She also taught Sunday School and helped in the nursery. She joined the choir and got on the music committee. Later on she began helping with tag sales, dinners and other fundraisers. She began playing piano for the Sunday School. She was always at clean up days and painting parties. In the last few years she got really involved in the landscaping projects, the interfaith luncheons and with the Missional Church team. After over forty five years of service, she is still finding new ways to make a difference and we have been blessed over and over again.

Dick Strouse is no stranger to the church. He's been helping out since he was five. He was in the church kitchen with his mother as she was cooking lunches for the masses. As a young man he got involved as an usher and also began helping out at work parties and clean up days. He came on Board the Executive Council and then became a Trustee. He's served as chair for over twenty years and had oversight on every major and minor project done at the church for the last twenty three years. Beginning with the roofing project in 1987, the back entry way in 1994, the Sanctuary renovation in 1995, the Anniversary addition and organ loft project in 1999 and the new window and floor projects in the sanctuary in the mid 2000's. He's painted pumpkins and trimmed hedges, painted walls and counted offerings. He also served as the Church Collector for many, many years in the days before we had the computer and everything had to be done long hand. His recognition was a no-brainer and long overdue.

Oliver Bray started slowly by simply becoming an usher but before long he was called on to take over for Bob Buchowiecki. He organized the crew and set up a schedule. As people like bob and Paul Lorraine could no longer take part in setting up for worship, the role of his committee was expanded. It became more organized. Oliver also got involved in the Sunday School and on the diaconate where he ended up taking leadership roles in both areas. He served as Property Committee Chair and did a lot of work around the church. He helped out at tag sales and other fund raisers. Whenever we needed something done, Oliver volunteered to make sure it happened. He was a regular in the kitchen for early morning breakfasts, turkey dinners at Mother-Daughter Banquets, and Sunday lunches for the hungry at St. Marks. He joined the choir and continues today as treasurer of both the Sunday School and the Deacons. Since he joined the church he has never stopped giving.

Fred Green has been a leader on and off the field in our sports ministry programs. He has been cheerleader, chaplain, and organizer for all three sports and an organizer for two golf tournaments to raise money for designated causes. He has has worked with our teens and seved as chaperon on a number of trips. He has been involved with the choir and as a co-leader of the praise team for many years now. Whenever we needed something special to do with music, Fred picked up the baton and ran with it. Whether it was organizing an outdoor concert or planning an open mic, he was there with his team to make it happen. Fred has cooked dinner for our ladies at Mother - Daughter Banquets and served a few meals as well. He has also wielded a paint brush and a rake on a number of occasions. When I need help for prayer or worship, Fred is one of the first people I call on.

Gwyn Green has been at the forefront of our music ministry with the praise team. When we looked for a leader, she took on the role and helped get the group together. She continues to work with Fred and Steve to organize events and organize the music they will play on Sundays and at special events. Gwyn also organized a few Mother- Daughter Banquets as well as several of the most successful projects coming out of the work of the Deacons. She organized our first casserole brigade and our college care packages. She served faithfully as the first woman chair of the group and she raised the bar for the people who followed. Gwyn has used her talents to help whenever she could. today that continues as she currently serves as a counter and a member of the budget committee.

Nancy Allen has held just about every office in the church you can think of over the years. She has been our moderator, assistant treasurer, mission committee chair, property committee member and Deacon. These official positions are just the tip of the iceberg though. Nancy has been on sewing committees to make baptism robes, children's costumes and curtains. She always bakes up a treat to bring to church functions. She served on past financial campaigns to raise money for the new addition and is probably best remembered for her part in helping us make a miracle on Miracle Sunday in 1995. She was the spokesperson fo the four special ABCUSA mission campaigns for many years and has been a regular reader and worship assistant for many years. When you need something done at church, whether it is helping with the tag sale, a coffee hour or counting the offering after service, she has been Ms. Dependable for us since she joined the congregation in 1990.

Bob Walker joined the church in 2000but by that point he was already involved in the ministry. You may think of him as the new kid on the block but it feels like he has always been here. He has served terms on the diaconate and the trustees as well as on the budget committee and by-laws revision committee. Bob has also taken on the job as the chairman of the ushering committee and that means he not only organizes the group but he comes in on Saturdays to set up and prepare the sanctuary for worship. He has worked with our newsletter crew for several years now as they fold and prepare them to go out in the mail. He's worked on tag sales, clean up days, and special services. He's volunteered to be a reader and an actor on several occasions. He has also used his creative talents to build props, such as our wishing well last fall, and other niceties around the church. His smile and handshake are his most valuable gifts and he shares them freely week after week to bless the rest of us.

Previous Count on Me Award Winners include Doris Adams, Curt & Mary Brockway, Bob Buchowiecki, Kathy Duntz, Harry & Betty Eisan, Lori Lord, Rosie Main and George W. Strouse in 1996.

Getting together for fun -d-raising

On Saturday night a few of us went to Colchester to support the fund raiser for Annastacia Ohlund. She is Steve's daughter and she's battling cancer. The fund raiser was a dinner and dancing put on by her friends. There was quite a crowd there. We had a dozen of us from church there. It was a good time.

I got a chance to talk to Mary Brockway's sister and brother-in-law, Carol and Bryan. They are very active in their parish church and I couldn't help talk shop. They are Roman Catholic and their organizational chart runs very different from ours.

Bryan was telling me that most building projects and major activities have to have approval from the Diocese. Beyond that, the local priest has a lot of pull over what happens. Yet their congregation does pretty well. They are growing and the pews are overflowing most Sundays.

Curt Brockway was telling me about a fund raising idea that he gleaned from talking with Brian. They are going to have a dinner with the Bishop. The dinner is free but they are going to ask for pledges. Only the most faithful givers will be invited. I told Curt that dinner with me wouldn't have quite the same appeal as it does with the Bishop.

It's always fun to get together with people from church. Last Sunday we had a good time watching the Super Bowl at Nancy Allen's house. This week it was at the fundraiser. I think I like it because we have this common bond in Christ. We come from different places and with different pasts but now we share this in common. I wish we could do it more often and i wish more people would come out.

Next month we are going to try another movie night and see what happens. If you are reading this I hope you will join us. Stay tuned for details.

Cal

Walking in the neighborhood

On Saturday morning Cynthia Strouse, Peter Ingoglia and I walked through our neighborhood distributing fliers for next week's "Because We Care Day." We passed out 120 fliers up and down Pearl, Coit, Anne, Fairmount, Maple and Asylum Streets. We are inviting our neighbors to come to the Martin Luther King Center next Saturday morning to receive the goodies we've been collecting this winter.

This is part of our missional church emphasis to get out and meet and greet our neighbors. If you would like to join us, come by the church next Saturday after 9:00 a.m. We'll be loading up and taking everything up to the King Center for distribution at 10:00 a.m. It was a lot of fun last year and it promises to be the same this time around.

Cal

At the Trustees meeting

The Trustees met with our financial adviser on Thursday night. We didn't have a quorum but we didn't need to vote on anything. Steve updated us on our funds and reminded us of our investment strategy. We asked him about socially conscious funds and he said he could suggest some to look at. We also reviewed what we had and they look pretty good in that regard.

We also briefly talked about the heating system and the kitchen. Hopefully next month we will have a bid proposal to look over for our heating system. We will also start considering what we can do to refurbish the kitchen.

Cal

Property Committee notes

On Thursday night our Property Committee met. Chairman Mark Rogers, Jamie Todd, Randy Sargent and I were present. We began by talking about the heating system. Ray Deptulski has been working with Brayman Heating to get some suggestions. Jamie is going to talk to one of his engineers and see if he can get him to design a system for our church that we can put out to bid.

We also did a walk through of the upstairs. We began putting together a list of jobs that need to be done. We noted the ceiling in the chapel and talked about ways to secure the plaster that looks like it is ready to fall over the entrance to the sanctuary. It will not be a quick fix. We talked about putting in a suspended ceiling but noted that this may involve a sprinkler system to bring it up to code. We also talked about covering the bad section with some wainscoting or sheet rock. We decided that we'd need to come back to this. It hasn't changed appreciably over a number of years.

We went into the sanctuary and Jamie talked about fixing the cracks in the front wall. He hopes to tackle that job this spring. It will involve digging into the wall, replastering and then painting it again.

We also talked about installing a motorized screen that could be used for video projection. That would involve adding a molding around the arch. We put it on the list.

We noted that the front hall had numerous areas that needed painting and touch up where it was peeling. The leaks that have been noticed are probably due to some flashing issues outside around the peaks of the front porch area. We will look at that this spring.

We also decided we will change the back door lock. It has been compromised and it is getting harder and harder to lock. The only problem is that there are so many keys out that we will have to reissue them to everyone and every group. The plus side is that it is probably a good thing to do for security reasons. We have no idea who has keys at the moment.

We finished our meeting by suggesting that every other meeting be a time of work. This might encourage the other team members to join us. Work is far more fun than meeting.

Cal

The blessing and virtue of singing in the choir

We have two new choir members. Amy Rezendes and Rosie Rakowicz joined the group last week. I think it was a good move. As they become active members of the church this will allow them to get acclimated to FBC life.

Choir is one of those entry points into church. It is a small group. It is that place where you immediately get to meet people and friendships are formed. You also will hear the real scoop on what is happening at church. The choir members are among the most active and involved people at church. Think about it. They invest an extra couple of hours every week into the life of the congregation. They talk about what is happening and often have strong opinions because they care.

Here's another thing about the choir: these people like to sing. We have people of various abilities. The common denominator is the fact that they like what they are doing. Just ask Oliver Bray. He began singing with us after a participating in a cantata one holiday season. He liked it and joined full time. Before long he was also singing with the Rose City Barbershoppers. Now he is even competing with them.

Shawn Rucker is well known in community theater. She happened to hear me talking about our choir one day and she inquired about joining. She loves to sing and Tuesdays work for her schedule. I don't know what I would do without her now. She sings tenor in our choir.

Patricia Ohlund always felt that her singing was a gift from God. You would too if you heard her. Singing with our choir allows her to express herself and share the gift of God's love through her voice.

You want to know what I think the best part of being in the choir is? It is the fact that you are leading worship and helping people lift their arms in praise to God. When you lead the singing, as our choir does, and when you punctuate the Word with song, as our choir does... you bring God right into the house. That becomes a mystical experience.

King David wasn't kidding when he called on us to come into his courts with singing. God loves to hear us sing. So what are you doing on Tuesday nights? Come join us and be blessed.

Cal

Getting ready for the big day of caring

On Monday night the "Because We Care" Team met to talk about our upcoming giveaway day on February 20th. We'll be heading up to the Martin Luther King Center to meet our neighbors and distribute tooth paste, tooth brushes, soap, shampoo, laundry detergent and other assorted goodies. We have been making the "no sew" blankets and also collecting socks, hats, mittens and used coats to bring along.

This coming Saturday, February 13 we will gather at 9:00 a.m. to distribute fliers in the neighborhood. We are looking for volunteers to join us as we walk up and down the streets around the church giving notice to our neighbors.

On February 20th we'll get to church at 9:00 a.m. and transport our things up the street and set them up. If you would like to help, come along. From 10:00 a.m. to noon we will be greeting and meeting the folks who come by. We'll have popcorn, cold drink and coffee to share with them. Last year we had a lot of fun and we expect more of the same.

If you would like to know more about the "Because We Care" team, talk to chairperson Cynthia Strouse, or team members Curt Brockway, Erica Corbett, Amanda Duntz, Judy Dupont, Sue Ferguson, Pete Ingoglia, and Lisa Lapointe.

A celebration for Adele

On Sunday we recognized the ministry of our "Minister of Music" Adele DiBiagio. Adele began her service with us in January of 1980 as a temporary substitute organist. She wasn't sure if she wanted to take the job permanently and we weren't sure if she was the one for us. By the Fall she settled into the job and the pastor, Rev. Douglas Howell, and the music committee saw the real gem they had stumbled upon.

Adele doesn't see her ministry here as a job. It has been a labor of love, part of her Christian calling. This is they way she expresses her love of God and service to the church. Yes, she gets paid, but she would probably do it even without the pay.

Over the years she has inspired many in the choir to stretch and reach beyond what they might normally give. She always pushes to give 100% and the choir has responded. She also has afforded us opportunities to try new things and develop quite a range of musical choices. We truly have been blessed b y her leadership.

On Sunday we paused to give her the "props" she deserves. We gave her flowers and a gift certificate. Alan McNeeley stopped in and gave her an award too. Alan is a fellow organist and a world renown organ builder as well. He was the one who built our current organ as part of our 200th Anniversary celebration in 2000. Adele chose the hymns and the anthem for the day and she also opened the service with her own Call to Worship and Prayer. We closed the service with a small reception in the chapel. It was a great day.

After the service the Pastor reminded her that she only had 17 years and a few months to go before she passed Annie Cowen as our longest serving organist here at First Baptist. She just smiled and said "We'll see."

Cal

The ministry of the hall

On Saturday we hosted a big birthday party for the Kane family. Mark and the kids organized it for Pam's 50th birthday. They had loads of family and friends in for the occasion. It was a great time. I even got to take a few pictures. It wasn't a church event, but it was. You see that's part of the beauty of belonging to the church.

Mark needed a place to host the party and we were able to accommodate him and the family. They attend worship here. The kids went to Sunday School here. They contribute regularly to the ministry with their offerings and their time. This is their church and there are benefits to active membership that go beyond the spiritual ones.

Mark and Pam are quick to talk about the love and support they have received over the years. They talk about how their faith has grown. But the church is also there when they needed a couple of extra tables for a family dinner and a hall for that special birthday. We don't charge membership fees like the Elks Club or the Moose Lodge but we do take the offerings that are given to pay for the building, the services, the support of staff like me and to make the building available for members like Mark.

Over the years many of our members have asked to use the hall for weddings, funeral receptions, birthday parties, wedding and baby showers and the like. We are always glad to oblige if its available. It is part of our overall ministry.

Cal

Heading out to Boston this morning

This morning I was up early to finish the February newsletter. Now it is on the copy machine. Before I leave in fifteen minutes, everything will be ready to go for the crew who will come in and get it ready to go out in the mail. I'll be putting it on the web site and sending it out electronically very shortly. More on that next time.

In about an hour and a half I'll be heading up to Andover Newton Theological School for a two day church conference. Brian McLaren will be the featured speaker. He is an expert in the field of the emerging church. That means he looks at the data and trends and makes suggestions as to where and what we should be doing to reach this generation of believers.

I'm riding up with Rev. Michael Crane, the pastor of the Essex Baptist Church. It should be a great time. We stay over night and then head back home tomorrow afternoon. I'll let you know what I learn. Better yet, come to church and find out as I try to put what I learn into practice.

Cal

A long but good day

Wednesdays are usually my busiest day of the week outside of Sunday. I get to the office by about 8:00 a.m. on most Wednesdays and begin working on the Weekly Bulletin and my weekly epistle. almost every week several people drop in to visit or to ask for prayer or to go over something that needs to be done at church. The mornings seem to fly by. My deadline for the Norwich Bulletin is usually noon on Wednesday. When I have an extremely busy day, I drop them a note and tell them it will be coming in later.

My weekly epistles arise out of the every day stuff that happens in my life and at church. I began writing the epistles eight or nine years ago, if not more. They started as occasional letters. Every few weeks I would send one out with some thought or reflection I had. By 2003 they were coming more regularly. Then in the fall of 2004, the Editor of the Norwich Bulletin, Jim Kevlin, asked me if he could use some of them in the Norwich Bulletin. At the same time Rabbi Gary Atkins was approaching the religion editor at the paper about getting a local clergy column inserted. He wondered why they had to take something off the line when we had local people who could do the same thing.

In the Fall of 2004 I joined a rotation of religion page writers for the Bulletin. The plan was for us to take turns. We began with six of us and by the end of November I was the only regular contributor. I think early in 2005 the bulletin made a decision to use me as their regular Saturday religion writer. I never really talked to them directly after that. I just emailed in my piece. A couple times I asked about format or timing and I got an email back saying just keep doing what you are doing.

Jim left and he was replaced and I've continued to have a good relationship with Jim Konrad and the folks I've met over there. The one one thing that has changed is that now I am on a deadline. They want it by noon on Wednesday.

That works out well for me because I head off to the Norwich Rotary Club for noon most Wednesdays. Then I come back and get ready for mid-week worship. This week I had to head up to Pierce Baptist Home in Brooklyn, CT for a meeting. The marketing man for Creamery Brook wanted to talk about outreach efforts to fill the beautiful facility we have up there. It was a good meeting. We are probably going to host an information seminar here at church this spring.

Yesterday I returned from that meeting and did some work to try and finish up the February newsletter. Then I polished up my sermon for the evening service. Sixteen people stayed for the service and we talked about prejudice, judgement and God's love for the poor. It was a good day.

Cal

Groundhog Day at FBC

Today was a busy day I was worked on the February newsletter and Sandy tried to put the finishing touches on the Annual Report booklet. At noon I left to have lunch with my friend, Ron Baker, from Mansfield.

I checked in with Marge Booth this afternoon. Her son-in-law Daryl was having surgery. I prayed with her and then dropped by the hospital to see how things had gone. Keep him in your prayers.

I finished the day at choir rehearsal. We had two new members at our practice. Amy Rezendes and Rosie Rakowitz joined us. It's always nice to have new members of the choir to help lead worship.

Oh yeah. I didn't see my shadow today and I'm not sure what that means.

Cal

What do I know of ... Holy?

There is nothing like a song to prepare our hearts for worship. This song is one that speaks to the holiness of God and invites us to bow down on our knees to worship Him. Enjoy.

Cal

Our Super Bowl Party

We are going to get together to watch the Super Bowl next Sunday. Nancy Allen has invited us to her home in Gales Ferry. Let me know if you can make it. We have a great time. We watch the game, of course. some of the folks work on a crossword puzzle. Others chit-chat. The food and fellowship is always good. And if we have a fan in the house, it adds to the excitement. Are there any Colts or Saints fans? The fun begins at 6:00 p.m.

Cal

Visits are fun

I was on the road today. I visited two of our older members. Doris Regets lives at Academy Point in Mystic. I caught up with her as she was returning home from lunch with her son, Bill. We had a nice visit talking about travel and restaurants, Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. Then I prayed and left.

I stopped in to see Jean Roscoe on my way back to town. Jean is doing rehabilitation at Orchard Grove and hopes to get home in the coming weeks. She had just had a nice visit with her cousin and grand-nephew. We talked about church and family and then I prayed with her. For many years Jean was at the center of our prayer ministry. She would send out cards and notes to people on our prayer list. She organized our Bible study and prayer meeting. Now we need to keep her in our prayers. It is always nice to visit her.

Visiting folks is one of the best parts of my job. Unfortunately I don't get to do very much of it these days. People are so busy that a home visit is more trouble for people than they want to admit. I'm always open to visit but it usually comes at a person's request now-a-days. So if you would like me to drop in on you, drop me a note and let's make an appointment.

Cal

Sunday morning drama

I have to confess that I was a little off during yesterday's worship service. I have always been sensitive to what's happening around me so when we began our service I knew something wasn't quite right. Before long I found out that we had a troubled soul worshipping with us.

This young man has been coming for a few months now. Worship service has been a blessing to him as he tries to get himself straightened out and back on his feet. I first met him at the monthly interfaith luncheon. He appreciated our outreach and the prayers we offered. He like the warm hospitality he felt. Then he showed up at church. He told me it soothed his soul.

This week he came in out of sorts and intoxicated. When we got up to welcome one another he became a little unruly. Fortunately our Diaconate and ushers were right on top of it. Mark Kane went to sit with him. He was highly agitated and eventually they talked him into going into the chapel to see the rest of the service. The police arrived to check things out and when they saw we had everything under control, they left without incident.

I had been alerted to what was happening and then watched the scene as it unfolded. I prayed for him and my heart ached that he had succumbed to the alcohol. Yet, I knew that he knew that he needed God. I'm proud of the way our guys handled everything. Our first job is to insure the safety of everyone present and Deacons and ushers took all the steps to insure that happened. We also wanted to minister to this man's soul. I think we did that too.

The truth is that my heart was aching during the service and it moved me off my game. I forgot to make a couple of announcements. I also forgot to invite people to bring their " gift" cards from last week and put them in the offering plates. Thankfully the women in our choir did a great job and our Praise team had a wonderful song to share.

Someone told me afterwards that they thought this young man really needed to hear my message this week and they hoped he heard some of it. That's good. That's the way God works. Yesterday was his day, whether he knew it or not.

I pray that God will speak to you today. Even though there isn't a specific worship service planned, God is always just a prayer away. God bless.

Cal

Next week we will try again.