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The weeks after Christmas always strike me as a time of exhaling. All the joyful chaos of the Season has left us a little spent and we need rest. Traditionally, the season after Christmas is a time of quiet and reflection as well; a time to consider how the Christmas event claims us as a people of faith. After our lives and our souls have quieted some and we have claimed for ourselves a moment or two of peace and stillness, it is important to reflect upon how this strange event claims us. What does it mean to our lives and to our life together that God is born into the world? This ‘church’ season is called Epiphany. It is the day and season commemorating the visitation of the Magi, who bring with them gifts befitting a newborn king. It is also the church festival that celebrates the revelation of Christ to the world beyond the borders of Israel, symbolized in these Persian astrologers, or whatever they may have been, who traveled miles to bear witness to the Good News. And then go and bear this Good News back into the world. Their travels beg a couple of questions: first, what is the content of this Good News; and second, how exactly do we carry it into the world?

The Meetinghouse News The First Congregational Church of Madison

January 2019

From Rev. Todd Vetter January Worship Calendar

January 6 10:00am Epiphany Rev. Todd Vetter preaching Scripture Matthew 2.1-12 January 13 10:00am Baptism of Christ Reverend Judith Cooke preaching New Haven East Consociation Pulpit Exhange Scripture Luke 3.15-17 & 21-22 January 20 10:00am Second Sunday after Epiphany Rev. Sarah Vetter preaching Scripture John 2.1-11 January 27 10:00am Third Sunday after Epiphany Rev. Todd Vetter preaching Scripture Luke 4.14-21

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It is worth considering that the Good News very often lives in tension with bad news. Sometimes very bad news, indeed. Before he could walk, Jesus and his family were forced to flee from their home to avoid the murderous rage of King Herod, maddened by the possibility of a threat to his power. Our Savior began life in a stable and soon found himself a refugee in Egypt, in search of sanctuary.

The theologian Douglas John Hall writes of the gospel that it gained a foot-hold because it ‘proclaimed a message that awakened women and men to possi-bilities for human life that they had either lost or never entertained.’

The earliest Christian communities were less concerned with numbers and more with proclaiming the story of Jesus as gospel, as good news that has the capacity to transform the world for the better. They preached and practiced a faith that sought new ways of welcoming people the rest of the world saw as unworthy of welcome: the poor, the infirm and crippled, slaves and women. They formed new communities out of people forbidden by their older traditions from sharing worship together; or even from sharing a simple meal with one another.

For the early church, the content of the gospel was simply to honor the dignity and aspirations of each person, irrespective of their status, wealth or position.

And as they grew in numbers, they imagined new ways of inviting people to be a part of their communities. Not merely content with conforming to older ways of doing things, they grew inventive in their worship, in their service, in their public witness.

While many of us savor Epiphany as a season of quiet and rest after the tumult of Christmas, it remains a fitting and appropriate for us to be considering

questions of rebirth and renewal. Even as the temperature drops and the snow begins to fall, the light and warmth begins to return to our world.

So it remains a good time, an appropriate season to consider the new ways in which God will be calling us to proclaim good news in the new year.

May the blessings of God continue to enrich each of you and all of us at First Congregational Church in the coming year.

Todd

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From Rev.

Sarah Vetter

Ongoing Programs

Family Date Night is a great way for families to connect. We

share a meal together and then break into individual family units

for a guided activity designed to playfully build skills of self-

expression, listening and loving one another. All expressions of

family are welcome! One Saturday night a month, 6 – 8 pm:

Jan 12, Feb 9, Mar 9, Apr 6, May 11. *To attend, register a week

ahead with Rev. Sarah Vetter at svetter@fccmadison.org

Healing Prayer is offered the last Sunday of every month.

Come to the chapel after worship Sunday January 27. Members

of the healing ministry will be there to greet you, ask you simply,

“How can we pray for you?” and share in a time of prayer, laying

on hands if you wish. Let yourself be surrounded by caring souls

and held in God’s loving presence through prayer.

Family Date Night Fun!

December 8

“How beautiful are the feet of the one

who brings the good news of peace!” - Isaiah 52:7

After a delicious dinner, 8 families painted peace with

their toes and then washed each other’s feet.

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Men’s Group Tuesdays, 8:00 am

Come and join us Tuesday mornings from 8:00am to 9:00am in the Parlor. We are currently discussing Marcus Borg’s book “Convictions: How I Learned What Matters Most”. As always, it is okay to leave early. Coffee will be available for those that need a wakeup call. We look forward to seeing all who can make it. Any questions, feel free to contact Colin Reeve: Colin@Reevefamilyct.com

WEDNESDAY EVENING BIBLE STUDY BEGINS

Everyone is welcome to join us on Wednesday evenings at 700pm in the Chapel for a time of reading, reflection and conversation on the Bible and how the word of God continues to speak to us in our lives and in our world today.

No matter what your experience with scripture is, we invite to come as often as you wish or as your schedule allows, knowing that your presence, comments, wisdom and questions will enrich our time together.

We follow the bible readings laid out in the Revised Common Lectionary (http://commontexts.org/rcl/index.html).

Here are the Lectionary texts we will be reading over the course of January:

January 9th Isaiah 43.1-7 & Luke 3.15-17 & 21-22

January 16th Isaiah 62.1-5 & John 2.1-11

January 23rd Nehemiah 8.1-10 & Luke 4.14-21

January 30th Jeremiah 1.4-10 & Luke 4.21-30

We look forward to seeing you on January 9th, and if you have any questions, never hesitate to contact Todd Vetter at tcvetter@gmail.com

WELCOME TO TERRI ANN KING

First Congregational Church is pleased to welcome Terri Ann King to our church as our new Financial Secretary. Terri has been working with Marcia Stone over the past few weeks, getting acclimated to our church. She will be working 20 hours per week, splitting her week between us and First Congregational Church in Guilford, where she serves in a similar role.

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Many thanks to all who were able to help with as well as

attend the special Coffee Hour held on December 9th to

celebrate my retirement.

I am also quite grateful for the generosity extended through

the gift.

It has been an adventurous twenty-four years.

Marcia

On December 9, we celebrated many years of dedicated

service to our church by Marcia Stone, Finance Administrator,

and Sue Timony Hall, Director of Children and Youth Ministries.

We wish Marcia all the best in her retirement and Sue all the

best in her future endeavors. We are glad that we do not have

to say good-bye, as both Marcia and Sue remain a part of our

church family.

Sincere thanks to our church family for the beauti-

ful party celebrating Marcia’s retirement and my

ministry on December 9th. I so appreciate all of

the love, gifts and delicious treats. Each one of you

are in my heart. With gratitude, Sue

Connecticut Valley Hospital (and Cathy Hopkins) thank all of you for your amazing generosity this year to insure a merry Christmas for their patients. We have never had so many donations! And a spe-cial thank you to Lauren Watkins who brought in a huge bag from her Independence Day clothing line, specifically designed for this type of individual. You are all fantastic!

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Here’s where to get the latest scoop on what’s happening musically in the church! For even

more information, call Nathan at: (203) 245-2739, ext. 21.

UPCOMING MUSIC FOR CHRISTMAS EVE

A lot of beautiful music will be presented at both Christmas Eve

services, and I am looking forward to sharing it all with you.

At the 5:00 pm service, many traditional carols will be sung

accompanied by organ and by trumpeter Ken Dreier. I am very

happy to have five members of the Handbell Choir play

arrangements of On Christmas Night and Good Christian Men,

Rejoice. This is the first year in a while we have had handbells

play for Christmas Eve, and it is wonderful to hear these beautiful

bells for this special service. I am excited to have Makayla Pardo

play the oboe for Gabriel’s Oboe, an absolutely stunning piece

arranged for oboe and organ from the 1986 movie “The Mission.”

A small group of singers will sing Calm and Bright, a reflective

two-part song by Marcia McFee and Chuck Bell which combines

“Silent Night,” the tune of “Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones,” and

original material. Ella Dreier will be playing Mark Hayes’s festive

and upbeat Joysong, and the familiar Mary, Did you Know by

Buddy Greene and Mark Lowry will also be sung.

At the 10:00 pm service, the Adult Choir with guest singers will present several anthems. The traditional

and joyous While By My Sheep as part of the Prelude, an exciting way to begin the service. Craig Courtney’s

The Yearning is an emotional and thought-provoking anthem telling of the deep desire “in hearts weighed

down by ancient grief and centuries of sorrow” for “the promised One, the Firstborn of creation.” Guest

soprano Jillian Huberty will begin Jonathan Willcocks’s exquisite Of the Father’s Love Begotten / All

Creatures of Our God and King, and she will later sing a duet with our own bassist Ken Dreier for Willcocks’s

The Angel Gabriel / What Child Is This?.

Makayla Pardo will be returning to play Gabriel’s Oboe, this time accompanied by organ and a string section

of two violins, viola and cello. Ken Dreier will also play trumpet for other carols, and he will be joined by

another trumpet, French horn, trombone, and timpani. The balcony will be packed with instrumentalists!

Finally, I am thrilled to have tenor David Keiser sing the first verse of Silent Night in German to begin the

candle-lighting moment at the conclusion of the service.

I am so very grateful to work with all these singers and instrumentalists, and I hope you will be moved by all

this music as we present it for the Glory of God and to celebrate Christ’s birth.

HANDBELL ROTATION UPDATE

As we have done in years past, the Handbells will be taking a break for the months of January and February

due to typically snowy weather. The next rotation will begin mid-March—more information to come!

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Organ Restoration News

As we wrap up our incredibly successful fundraising campaign to restore the organ, I wanted to thank

Angela Clemmons, director of the Shoreline Soul Gospel workshop and choir, for donating the proceeds from

the December 9th concert to the restoration fund. According to Angela, this was the highest-attended concert

they have ever had, and they raised over $2,400! We have now raised all the needed funds, and the campaign

has officially and most joyously concluded. Thank you again to all those who have contributed, and especially

to the rest of the Organ Team: Dave Keiser, Christine Sima, Jeremy Clark, Burt Rose, and Jan Caligan.

Work on the organ is slated to begin the first week of January, and you can bet I will be taking pictures

and video as the restoration progresses through 2019. Keep an eye on our website (www.fccmadison.org) and

Facebook page as I plan to frequently post updates.

“Goodbye For Now” Free, Informal Organ Recital

Sunday, December 30th, 12:00-12:45 pm

After church on the 30th, I hope you’ll join me in a short, informal recital to say “goodbye for

now” to the organ. This will be the last opportunity to hear the full organ until they put it

back together for Easter Sunday before taking more of it apart. (About half of it will still be

playable from January up until Easter.)

You are invited to sit anywhere you like—downstairs, upstairs, right next to the organ

console. Want to walk around, poke your head in the pipe chambers, or peer over my

shoulder while I’m playing? Go right ahead! (But if you come too close I just might ask you to

turn pages for me—you have been warned.) This is meant to be a fun “send-off” before work

begins immediately after the new year. I hope you can come!

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This newsletter is

available on our website

and via email. If you

would prefer an

electronic version to a

paper copy, please let the

office know.

mainoffice@fccmadison.org

Sunday Worship

10:00 a.m.

In the Meetinghouse

Communion Served First

Sunday of Each Month

Our Worship Service is

broadcast on

Madison Access TV

Channel 18, Sunday at

noon and at other times,

check their listings.

Sunday School

Children begin worship

in the sanctuary and

then are invited to move

to Sunday School

classes after a Children’s

Time

.

The First Congregational Church

of Madison

26 Meetinghouse Lane, Madison, CT 06443 Overlooking the Green

The Meetinghouse News January 2019

The Rev. Todd C. Vetter Senior Minister

The Rev. Sarah Vetter Minister of Community Life

Phone: 203-245-2739 Fax: 203-245-3341 E-mail: mainoffice@fccmadison.org Website: www.fccmadison.org Facebook: First Congregational Church of Madison, CT Church Office Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday - Friday

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