IN THIS ISSUE

TRANSITION NEWS 2

CARING MINISTRIES 3

STEWARDSHIP 3

MEMBER ENGAGEMENT 2

ADULT EDUCATION 4

MEMBER ENGAGEMENT 5

WOMEN’S SPIRITUALITY 6

MUSIC & ARTS 6

OUTREACH 8

CHILDREN & FAMILIES 10

YOUTH & TEENS 11

HIGHLIGHTS 12

Hill Church News THE NEWSLETTER OF ASYLUM HILL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

Helping people grow in faith and love as disciples of JesusVOLUME 73 | ISSUE 10

NOVEMBER 2018

Call to MeetingSunday, December 2

The Senior Minister Search Com-mittee has voted unanimously to call the Rev. Erica Thompson as the next senior minister of Asylum Hill Con-gregational Church. All are invited and encouraged to attend worship as we receive communion together and celebrate Advent Hope.

Following worship, please stay for a Congregational Meeting where we will vote on the Search Committee’s recommendation.

See page 2 for more

Awaiting Jesus: An Intergenerational Advent Event

Sun, Dec. 9, 4:00pm

Celebrate Advent with an evening of holiday craft-making, including or-naments and projects to benefit the church’s homebound members. Then enjoy a soup supper and potluck Christ-mas dessert buffet. The evening will close with an Advent worship service. Please plan to bring a dessert to share and a donation of $10 per person or $25 per family to defray costs. Please sign up at the Member Engagement table starting on November 11. Questions? Contact Marcie Jackson, Dir. of Children and Family Ministries, mjackson@ahcc.org.

Rev. Dr. Allen Hilton Coming to AHCC Sun, Nov. 18

Allen Hilton makes political and theological differ-ence an asset to people’s lives rather than a threat. We are so blessed to have the opportunity to have Allen with us to preach at the one service on Nov. 18 (10:15am) and then lead a Forum to engage in further conversation with the congregation on the importance of Courageous Conversations. All are welcome!

Hilton grew up and went to college in a conserva-tive village in Oregon, did grad work in the liberal Ivy East, taught on strong faculties at St. Mary’s

College of California and at Yale Divinity School, then served big-tent churches in the east, west, and middle of the US. All of this experience incubated the con-victions that hatched House United, a non-profit initiative that seeks to bring people together across differences for the Common Good, and Allen’s attempt to bust polarization. He lives in Austin, TX with his beloved, Liz, and their two sons, Sam and Isaac.

2 For a complete list of events, programs, and volunteer opportunities, please visit ahcc.org.

Asylum Hill CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

814 Asylum Ave., Hartford, CT 06105-2892 Ph: 860.525.5696 | Fax: 860.525.3457

www.ahcc.org | e-mail: info@ahcc.org

The Hill Church News USPS245-160 is published one time per month (every six weeks during June, July and August) by Asylum Hill Congregational Church. Periodical postage paid at Hartford, CT. Items for publication

must reach the office by noon on or before the 20th of the month prior to publication.

Please submit items to Rhonda Mitchell, Director of Communications, at the above address OR rmitchell@ahcc.org Postmaster Send address changes to Hill Church News at the above address. Worship Services; 9:00 & 10:15amSunday morning services are recorded. Sermons are posted on our website, ahcc.org Church Leadership Rev. Erica A. Thompson, Acting Senior Min. Rev. Erica Avena, Transitional Assoc. Min. Tobey Aubert, Youth Director Camille Boyd, Caring Coordinator Susan Carroll, Organist Helena Carvalho, Director of Operations Rev. Mia Douglas, Director of Discipleship Marcie Jackson, Dir. of Children & Family Min. Rhonda Mitchell, Director of Communications Jack A. Pott, Director of Music & Arts Bart Halloran, Moderator Linda Kelly, Vice Moderator

Transition News

The Senior Minister Search Committee has voted unanimously to call The Reverend Erica Thompson as the tenth senior minister of Asylum Hill Congregational Church. All are invited and encouraged to attend worship on Sun-day, December 2 as we receive communion together and celebrate Advent Hope. Following worship, please stay for a Congregational Meeting where we will vote on the Search Committee’s recommendation to call Rev. Thompson to settled ministry.

The process up to this point:• On April 22, 2018 pursuant to Bylaw Article V, Section A.3, Moderator Holly DeYoung nominated David Figli-

uzzi, Lynn Snyder, Ed Barlow, Carolyn Cass, Gary DeLong, Anne Horton, Linda Kelly, Dahlia Rivera, Dan Tracy, Francis Vincent, and Linda Wayman to form a Senior Minister Search Committee for Asylum Hill Congregation-al Church. The congregation voted to affirm the moderator’s nominations.

• The Search Committee met weekly throughout the summer, creating a Church Profile, consulting search experts, meeting with our UCC area minister, and reviewing UCC search policy. On July 18, 2018, the Search Commit-tee voted to adopt the UCC policy relating to consideration of internal candidates before conducting a broader search. The Committee sought affirmation of this process from the Executive Committee and the Diaconate. Af-ter hearing the reasons for this process, both the Executive Committee and the Diaconate affirmed the decision of the Search Committee to follow the UCC policy. The process, and the Diaconate affirmation of the process, was reported to the congregation on September 2, 2018, with an opportunity to ask questions of the Committee after the worship service on that date.

• The Search Committee interviewed an internal candidate, the Reverend Erica Thompson. On October 15, 2018, the Search Committee voted unanimously to recommend Rev. Thompson to become the senior minister of Asylum Hill Congregational Church. Sub-sequently, the Committee requested that the Diaconate call a meeting of the congregation to vote to call Rev. Thompson to settled ministry.

• The Diaconate, pursuant to Bylaw Article V, Section A.3, received and voted on the Committee’s request on October 22, 2018 to call the meeting of the congregation.

The Diaconate of Asylum Hill Congregational Church hereby calls a Congregational Meeting of the Church on December 2, 2018 at 11:30am for the purpose of voting to extend a call from the congregation to Reverend Erica Thompson to be the senior minister of Asylum Hill Congregational Church.

In accordance with our bylaws, at least thirty days notice is given for all Con-gregational Meetings. Members of the Search Committee and Rev. Thompson will host three opportunities for conversation and dialogue at AHCC prior to December 2. There is no need to RSVP for these meetings. The remaining dates/times are:

Wednesday, November 7, 7:00pm Tuesday, November 13, 7:00pm

The members of the Search Committee will be at the meeting on December 2 to answer any questions about the process and their recommendation.

Asylum Hill Congregational Church | www.ahcc.org | 860.525.5696 3

Service of Healing and Remembrance

Mon, Dec. 10, 7:00pm service; reception to follow

Chapel

This annual service provides an opportunity for worship that may not reflect the celebratory mood in the world. If you have suffered a loss, it can seem like everyone else is celebrating Christmas with children’s games and gifts, with happy carols and parties, yet it is a time that many remember and feel losses, lament previous joy-filled holiday with people who are no longer present.

Led by our Caring Ministers, this service is offered for anyone who wants to worship quietly and rever-ently in the spirit of Christmas.

Caring Ministries

Civil Conversations on Difficult TopicsAHCC holds regular gatherings for fellowship and worship at area facilities at the request of residents. In October, we had lively discussions at Duncast-er and Seabury on the question of how to promote civil conversation in an era when much of the conversation in the public sphere does not seek to be reconciliatory. In separate sessions, friends and residents offered the follow-ing suggestions:

• Listen when someone is speaking; listen for more than just a political identity or agenda. Listen for what makes this person distinct, and for mutual areas of experience.

• Model yourself after leaders you admire who engage in civil conversa-tion; imitate their tactics.

• Don’t formulate your response in your head while someone else is talking.

• Value civil conversations. In the #Metoo era, this may mean going out of our way to help people to be or to find a safe person to share their story with.

• What if the church became a place where we practiced deep listening?

Prayer: God with us, when we privilege our own agendas, hurt others in the effort to impose our will, or chain ourselves to our fears, tumble us off the throne of our pride, and release us into finding our worth in your love. You know us, you love us, you free us, then call us to follow you and bless you. Your mercy meets us in our confusion; may your spirit meet us in our every day living. Amen.

Stewardship

Pledges Did Not Meet Goal, But Pledge Amount Increases by Kathye Cipes

As we come to the end of the calendar year, the question has been asked: How did our annual pledge campaign finish financially?

There were 362 families and individuals who pledged a total of $851,400 for the 2018-2019 pledge period, a reduc-tion in both the number of pledging families and the pledged amount total. We asked members to “Pledge to Come. Pledge to Love. Pledge to Give” and set an aspirational goal of $1 million. One bright spot is that the average pledge has risen 10% over the past five years.

David Bradley is the Chair of the Stewardship Committee. Members who are interested in joining this committee (which meets monthly until the pledge campaign), please contact David by email at davidrbradley@comcast.net.

Our sincere gratitude to those individuals and families who have pledged and participated in this important step in our fiscal planning as a congregation. Although the focused pledge campaign period is over, you can make a pledge at any time by contacting Deb Holden at dholden@ahcc.org or 860.216.9833, or pledge online at ahcc.org. Your gifts support our programming as well as capital needs such as elevator repair, or replacement of the parish windows.

4 For a complete list of events, programs, and volunteer opportunities, please visit ahcc.org.

Adult Christian EducationSUSO News

Criminal Justice Reform LetterSince May, SUSO representatives have been participating in a Task Force for Criminal Justice Reform with Imman-uel Congregational and other area churches. Over the past few weeks, we have collected the signatures of over 80 AHCC members in support of a letter, “People of Faith Support Criminal Justice Reform,” outlining six reform measures which represent positions grounded in our faith and a commitment to rehabilitation, not revenge. The let-ters and signatures are being sent to candidates for the CT state legislature asking them to consider these issues and advocate for their passage in the next legislative session.

It was wonderful to see our congregation engage in thoughtful conversations, both pro and con, on the various “pri-ority issues” the letter outlined. SUSO thanks everyone who Stepped Up to participate.

SUSO Offers Two Church in Motion Opportunities for Stepping Out in November

Sun, Nov. 11 following 10:15am worshipSUSO will be hosting a Church in Motion to the Ely Center of Modern Art in New Haven to attend the closing reception for the exhibit “#UNLOAD: Pick Up the Pieces,” which explores issues surrounding gun violence and the impact of guns on society. This non-juried, community-driven exhibit includes works by artists who have either used decommissioned gun parts from a Hartford buy-back program or created works of art inspired by the theme, and reflecting the culture’s divided attitudes toward gun control, the right to bear arms and gun safety.

#UNLOAD Artistic director Helen Klisser will speak with our group about the exhibit and the value of art as a doorway to opening hearts to having respectful conversations on difficult topics.

Thurs, Nov. 15, 6:00 - 9:00pm | Hartford HiltonEveryone at AHCC is invited to Step Out and support the Mothers United Against Violence (MUAV) Fifteenth Anniversary Fundraising Dinner. The cost is $50 per ticket, but financial help is available by contacting Erica Avena or Nancy Kirchmyer. Checks should be made out to MUAV and given or mailed to Nancy Kirchmyer at 25 Karen Circle, Hebron, CT 06248. Please include the names of all those attending with you.

SUSO and MUAV have a long-standing relationship of support through our joint necklace-making project, vigils, marches, memorial services and MUAV’s annual community picnic in Sigourney Park. Please join us as we say thank you to this dedicated faith-based organization which is an enduring voice of hope and comfort in our com-munity.

Please sign up at the Faith in Action table to join the carpool to either of these events. For questions, contact Nancy Kirchmyer at nkirchmyer@hotmail.com or 860.228.4390.

Other SUSO NewsSUSO Planning Team member Karen Dibala recently participated in a Sandy Hook Promise Leader Advocacy con-ference call. A civics lesson was presented, as well as strategies to become more effective communicators with our leaders. If you would like the link to the recorded presentation, contact Karen at KDibala@gmail.com.

You are also encouraged to join the Sandy Hook Promise state advocacy team. For more information, please visit sandyhookpromise.com And finally, Karen will be presenting the Sandy Hook Promise Program, “Start With Hello,” to Trinity Academy staff and students in conjunction with their monthly theme “Kindness.”

Asylum Hill Congregational Church | www.ahcc.org | 860.525.5696 5

Mid-week Bible Study

Tuesdays, 10:00amYouth Classroom

Do you want to know more about the Bible? Would you like to get more out of the scriptures read in worship? Do you wonder how other people are hearing the mes-sage? These are skills you can hone! Inspired by the Men’s Breakfast and Bible Study which has taken a monthly study of the preaching texts, we are opening this opportu-nity to the entire congregation. Join us on the second and fourth Tuesdays for a Bible study led by a member of the Adult Education Committee. We will gather together to talk about the history, questions, and challenges from the scripture which will be used in worship. Come with an open mind and a Study Bible.

Member Engagement and DiscipleshipGentle Yoga

Tuesdays, 11:30am

Discover how gentle yoga can make you more comfortable in your body, decrease your aches and pains, help you manage stress, improve your balance and so much more. The class is taught by Cynthia Wolcott, Regis-tered Yoga Teacher.

Nov. 6 - 27, 4 classes prepaid: $40 or drop-in for $12 each.

Making Connections

Are you looking for an opportunity to make new connections within the church, explore the questions of faith, or gather around impassioned inter-ests with others? If so, joining a Christian Sharing Group/Small Group at AHCC might be the place for you. In the coming months, Director of Disci-pleship, Rev. Mia Douglas will partner with the Engagement/Discipleship Committee to create new Christian Sharing/Small Groups at the church, to launch in January 2019. Knowing members’ interest in participating in a group, the topics you’d like to gather around, and those opened to conven-ing a Christian Sharing/Small Group will helpful during this time of plan-ning and preparation. For more information or to express interest, please contact Rev. Mia Douglas at mdouglas@ahcc.org or 860.216.9834.

New Member Sunday

Dec. 9, 10:15am worshipWe are excited to welcome our next class of new members into the fellowship of AHCC. Each prospec-tive member is invited to attend the New Member Orientation the evening of Nov. 28 beginning at 6:30pm at the church. To find out more about the New Member process, please contact either Erica Thompson (ethompson@ahcc.org) or Jim Grigsby (grigsbyja@aol.com), Membership Committee chair.

Dine Around

Tues, Nov. 27, 5:30pmHappy Hour, dinner to follow

Prospect Café at 345 Prospect Ave. West Hartford, corner of Park Rd.

Owners and brothers Paul and Jeff Emery have renovated the restau-rant and the menu. Everything is locally sourced and made from scratch. Free parking on Prospect Ave.

On September 30, AHCC programs, committees, and ministries celebrated Discipleship Sunday with an “Engagement Party” –

a wonderful opportunity for all to find ways to get connected to one another and to the ministry of Jesus.

6 For a complete list of events, programs, and volunteer opportunities, please visit ahcc.org.

Music & Arts

Prayer Groups

Women have the opportunity to gather for prayer, fellowship, sup-port, and laughter. These groups are open, there is no registration necessary, we have a come as you are/come when you can policy.

• First and third Tuesday of the month at AHCC from 10:00-11:30am.

• First Thursday of every month at Erica Thompson’s home, 136 Whiting Lane in West Hartford from 7:00-8:30pm.

Questions and/or prayer requests? Please contact Rev. Erica Thompson at ethompson@ahcc.org.

Women’s Spirituality & Fellowship

Patron Tickets for the 2019 Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival Available Now

A limited number of Patron tickets are available. Not only will you get the seats you want without waiting in line when tickets go on sale, your financial support of the Festival will be much appreciated and recognized by listing your name in the Festival program. Plus, if you buy 5 tickets or more you will receive one or more reserved park-ing passes. Just call Ellen at 860.278.0785, send an email to ahccboarshead@gmail.com, or fill out the form available either on the Boar’s Head page of the AHCC web site or at the Member Engagement table in Drew Hall.

Boar’s Head Reception Volunteers NeededAre you available to spend one afternoon or evening helping to serve sandwiches,

cookies and punch at a Boar’s Head reception? It is a great way to meet fellow members – you do not have to have any prior experience or even know anyone – just SIGN UP and SHOW UP!

We start working when each performance begins and stay around for clean up after the performance (generally 30-45 minutes after each show). We primarily arrange cookies and sandwiches, make sure punch and water are ready, and then serve during the receptions following each performance. (Don’t tell anyone, but we frequently stop to chat, watch the performers walk thru Drew Hall, and of course, gawk at the majestic camel as he makes his way into the sanctuary!)

We have a terrific group of returning folks, but we welcome newcomers. The performance dates and times are Friday, January 4, 7:30pm, Saturday, January 5, 3:00 and 6:30pm, and Sunday, January 6, 1:30 and 5:00pm. Just pick what works for you! If you have any questions or would like to sign up, please contact Carol Pinkston (carolpink-ston@comcast.net) or Lorrie Kellogg (bearteach@gmail.com).

Advent Retreat: Embracing & Sharing Our Gifts

Sat, Dec. 1 | 11:00am - 2:00pm | Drew Hall

Please join us for fellowship with other women at the start of the sea-son of Advent. Carve out time for yourself to reflect, pray, share, laugh, and sing. Come to connect with yourself and with others. A light lunch will be served. Please sign up at the Member Engagement table in Drew Hall.

The event is free, but at-will donations will be accepted and donated to The Village and The Hartford Interval House. Please bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the AHCC Crisis Food Bank.

Asylum Hill Congregational Church | www.ahcc.org | 860.525.5696 7

Save the Date for the Annual All Church Choir and Orchestra

Thanksgiving SundayNovember 18

Come be part of this amazing expe-rience of filling our sanctuary with the sound of voices and instruments raised in joyful praise! There are parts for musicians and singers of all ages and abilities. To join, email Susan Carroll at scarroll@ahcc or sign up at the Member Engagement table in Drew Hall.

Instrumentalists will rehearse on Sunday, November 18 at 8:30am. Singers will rehearse on Tuesday, November 13 from 7:00 - 8:00pm and Sunday, November 18 from 9:15 - 10:00am before the service.

Concert: “Considering Matthew Shepard”

Sun, Nov. 4, 4:00pm | $20

This oratorio, written in 2016 by Craig Hella Johnson, re-counts the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student in Laramie, Wyoming. Johnson weaves together a vast range of musical styles to reflect the universality of this story. The UCONN Chamber Singers will join CONCORA to mark the 20th anniversary of his death. Jamie Spillane, conductor; Chris Shepard, piano. Agency beneficiary: True Colors, Inc., a non-profit organi-zation that works with other social service agencies, schools, organizations, and within communities to ensure that the needs of sexual and gender minority youth are both recog-nized and competently met.

Music for Humanity Concerts join the music and outreach ministries of Asylum Hill Congregational Church. All pro-ceeds from ticket sales are directed to Hartford area service agencies and community programs supported by the church.

8 For a complete list of events, programs, and volunteer opportunities, please visit ahcc.org.

Outreach Reflections on a Banquet by Martha Simpson

What started as two sign-ups in Drew Hall for the Community Meal at Center Church in Hartford, grew to nine as we approached the third Sunday of the month.

We volunteers arrived two hours before the meal to unpack, slice, stir, brown, boil, talk and laugh. Wade’s Farm Fresh vegetables in Bloomfield donated fresh corn – the highlight of the meal. It was so sweet and delicious that one man traded his dessert for his friend’s ear of corn! Great Harvest Bakery in Vernon provided freshly baked focaccia and wheat bread. Fresh tomatoes picked from a field in En-field adorned the salad, which was topped with homemade red wine vinegar dressing. The “Heavenly Hostesses” lovingly cooked, served, and cleaned up.

Some of those served came with all they had in a small bag on their backs. We were touched when the young woman who offered the prayer ended it with the words, “Please be with those who are less fortunate than we are.” Gratitude flowed like running water as the meal disappeared. We from AHCC received so much from this time with our neighbors.

You are invited to put your faith in action by spending a Sunday afternoon preparing a healthy meal for the Com-munity Meal at Center Church in Hartford. Volunteers help with food prep, cooking, dining room set up, serving, and clean up. Volunteers select the dinner menu and donate desserts for the community meal (note: the suggested $20 donation has been eliminated). Teams of 8 to 10 are needed. All ages participate in this experience, from families to singles to couples. It is a joy to be a part the fun and laughter that take place and the special relationships that form among the participants in just one time together. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of this banquet?

To learn more, contact Rev. Mia Douglas, Director of Discipleship at mdouglas@ahcc.org or 860.216.9834, or take a leap of faith and sign up and the Faith in Action table in Drew Hall.

Asylum Hill Congregational Church | www.ahcc.org | 860.525.5696 9

The Tradition Continues!

The Angel Tree tradition continues at AHCC as members and friends be-come angels during the holiday season by purchasing a gift for children and youth in the community and in the city of Hartford. Beginning on Sunday, December 2, the first Sunday of Advent, the Angel Tree will be up and dec-orated in Drew Hall. You are invited to select one or more ornaments with information about the recipient and their gift wish. Purchase the appropri-ate gift(s), and place them back under the tree no later than Sunday, De-cember 16. When returning your gifts, please remember to wrap and safely secure the ornament to the package, so the gift can be matched to the correct recipient. When you become an angel this season, others will truly find joy, hope, and blessings! The Angel Tree project is a partnership between AHCC Outreach Committee and the organizations listed below. For more informa-tion, please contact Director of Discipleship Rev. Mia Douglas at mdouglas@ahcc.org or 860.216.9834.

ConnectiKids, Inc. is an independent, non-profit youth development agency that began in 1978, when volunteers from AHCC and neighborhood corporations came together to provide after-school tutoring for students at West Middle School. The mission of ConnectiKids is to connect Hartford children and youth to their potential by building relationships and provid-ing educational opportunities.

Asylum Hill Family Center (AHFC) strives to improve the school readiness and success of Asylum Hill’s young children from birth to eight years old. AHFC believes that parents are a child’s first and most influential nurturer, teacher, and advocate; strong supportive families are the key to healthy and successful young children; and families need access to information and supportive services.

Hartford Juvenile Detention Center provides a continuum of services for children and youth pending court hear-ings, judicial dispositions of cases, hospitalization, or while awaiting placement with a new family. These children are unable to be home for the holidays. The goal of this program is to make the best of an unfortunate situation by showing love, care, and providing gifts so the kids can enjoy the holidays.

Youth Challenge of Connecticut has been operating as a residential outreach center since 1970, for women and men recovering from drug addiction. The program emphasizes personal and social development in a sharing and caring environment. The healing process begins with a unique combination of acceptance, discipline, and structure. Youth Challenge offers an atmosphere of growth through biblical counseling and work-study.

Covenant to Care for Children is a nonprofit agency with a 25 year history of working with AHCC and other faith communities to meet the needs of abused, neglected and impoverished children and teens in Hartford and sur-rounding communities. A statewide network of volunteers, donors, and businesses assist to foster nurturing, caring environments, and relationships for children and youth, by providing them with basic material needs and mentor-ing relationships.

Trinity Academy is an independent elementary school serving Hartford area children and their families in the Asylum Hill neighborhood. They are a safe and nurturing community where students develop literacy and critical thinking skills that build the foundation for future academic success. Students experience joy as they begin to dis-cover who they are, how they learn and the opportunities that await them.

10 For a complete list of events, programs, and volunteer opportunities, please visit ahcc.org.

Faith in Action Survey Results

Last spring, in response to a request during Vision Weekend for more infor-mation about volunteer opportunities to help our neighbors, the Outreach Committee created a Faith in Action brochure. The brochure gave pertinent information on 21 of our community partners and listed a variety of avail-able volunteer opportunities for each agency, along with detailed contact information. In late September, an electronic survey was sent to the congre-gation with five short questions about the brochure. Below are the results:

Question #1 was answered by 95 individuals. Most of those respondents (69.47%) were not aware that the Outreach Committee had published a Faith in Action brochure.

Question #2 was answered by 70 individuals; 81.43% found the listing of 21 of AHCC’s community partners informative.

Question #3 was answered by 72 individuals; 63.89% were somewhat aware of the church’s Outreach Ministry with the 21 agencies listed.

Question #4 was answered by 72 individuals; 77.78% found the brochure gave enough information about the available volunteer opportunities that exist at those agencies.

Questions #5 was answered by 23 individuals. Out of that number, 9 indi-cated that they called an agency and were going to volunteer.

The Outreach Committee values your written comments and thanks you for your participation. Faith in Action brochures are available in Drew Hall or ask Rev. Mia Douglas for one.

Ecuador Mission Trip Informational Meeting

Sun, Nov. 4 following 10:15am service

Do you like to travel? Do you like to be of service to others? Then join AUF, Inc. next summer (June 25/26 to July 6, 2019) for a fun, faith-filled, building trip to Guaya-quil, Ecuador! This is an immersion experience where you’ll have the opportunity to build, not just hous-es, but community. This meeting will address all the details, as well as introduce our Ecuadorian Team. If you have questions please contact Beth Vossler at eadvossler@comcast.net or visit www.auf-ecuador.org

Children & Families

Movie Night featuring Coco!

Fri, Nov. 16, 6:00pmTwichell Room, Reel to Real

Join members of the Children & Family Ministries Committee for a night of music, food, fellowship and watching the movie Coco. En-joy diner prior to the movie: chips and salsa, a taco bar, and a pot-luck dessert buffet. Please sign-up at the Member Engagement table. Plan to bring a dessert to share and a free-will offering is appreci-ated. All ages are welcome!

Spirit Hill in November & December

Children in grades K-5 will continue to enjoy lessons from our Spark Rota-tion curriculum this November. Starting on November 4, the unit will focus on Moses and the Burning Bush, Exodus 3:1-15. Students will engage in activities that focus on art, movement, prayer, and Bible skills.

Christmas around the World is our final unit of 2018 and starts on Decem-ber 2. This unit will focus on how Christmas is celebrated in different Chris-tian faiths around the world.

Our preschoolers at the 10:15 service will continue to explore the Old Testa-ment through November and will transition into their Advent/Christmas unit on December 2.

We continue to need church members to serve as Spirit Hill teachers and classroom helpers. Please email Kyle Cannon, kcannon@ahcc.org, if you are interested in giving your time to teach or help.

Asylum Hill Congregational Church | www.ahcc.org | 860.525.5696 11

Middle School Youth Group: Sundays, 10:15 – 11:30am | Youth Lounge & Classroom

November 16: Special Afternoon Hang Out Activity. Parents check in for more info on this activity just to have some fun together!

November 25: No Middle School Youth Group on Thanksgiving holiday weekend

Service Project: The Foodshare Turkey Drive. On Sunday, November 4 and 11, students will hand out bags with a list of food items to bring to church on Sunday, November 18, when the Foodshare truck will be in the parking lot. We will be collecting turkeys and food items right from your vehicle to bringing to the Foodshare truck.

The purpose of our Middle School Youth Group is focused and simple: to provide the middle school with tools to better understand faith in the context of their everyday life. Our symbol for this semester is the Three Leaf Clover: three heart shaped leaflets that remind us “God is love, God is everywhere, God is with us.” We are also laying the groundwork for their future participation in High School Youth Group. We work toward those goals by:

• Encouraging basic navigation skills regarding the Bible, church, and spirituality• Creating fun hang out opportunities for them to establish closer friendships with other “church kids” their age• Providing simple service opportunities to broaden their view of care for others• Having fun in the process!

Confirmation Class: Sundays, 5:30 – 6:45pm | Youth Classroom Class will meet at the church on November 4 and 18.

Interfaith visit to Odiyana Kadampa Buddhist Center in East Hartford, November 19, 6:00pm The Confirmation Program offers our eighth graders an opportunity to explore their faith in a safe and supportive environment. Throughout the year young people are challenged to consider their beliefs about Christianity, the Trinity, the Bible, and the Church. Through class participation, attendance in worship, visits to other faith institu-tions, service opportunities, reading, reflection, and prayer it is our hope that together we will learn, and grow, and be transformed!

High School Youth Group: Youth LoungeThe first three weekends in November are our “action phase.”

November 4: Music for Humanity concert benefiting True Colors, an LGBTQ+ awareness and support organization. Concert 4:00pm, pizza 6:30pm, discussion with True Colors representative, 7:00pm. Our focus is learning how to be engaged with classmates and friends in a personal and caring way.

November 10: Church by the Pond, 2:00pm. (Homeless church service) Our focus is caring for the homeless in a way similar to our Boston mission trip from the spring. We will be collecting personal care items and serving a meal, then joining with them in a worship service, all in Bushnell Park.

November 18: Currently researching outreach project. Info TBA.

November 25: No High School Youth Group on Thanksgiving holiday weekend

Youth & Teens

12 For a complete list of events, programs, and volunteer opportunities, please visit ahcc.org.

Highlights

Rev. Erica Avena with residents of McAuley following a gathering for fellowship and worship

Cornerstone member Art Frank (age 99) chats with Caring Minister,

Martha Simpson during the Cornerstone luncheon which hon-

ored those who have been members of AHCC for 40 years or longer

Moderator Bart Halloran (right) spoke about the Search Committee process at the Cornerstone luncheon