VOLUME 72 | ISSUE 7JUL. 16 - AUG. 31, 2017

IN THIS ISSUE

IN GENERAL 2

STEWARDSHIP 3

OUTREACH & VOLUNTEERING 3

ADULT EDUCATION 4

CHILDREN & FAMILIES 5

HIGHLIGHTS 6

See “Stewardship” pg. 3

Hill Church News THE NEWSLETTER OF ASYLUM HILL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

Helping people grow in faith and love as disciples of Jesus

See “Transition” pg. 3

Are We There Yet?

How often have you found yourself wishing for the end of a journey or answering the young, eager voice in the back seat? “Are we there yet?” Perhaps the adult says, “Sit back and enjoy the things you see along the way,” knowing that at the begin-ning of the ride, it is hard to say how traffic or an unplanned adventure down a side road will affect your journey. This is a little bit like where the church is right now as we begin a time of transition.

With the guidance of an organization effectiveness consultant, we are learning that “transition” itself is a journey, that time between what was, and a new way of being: new systems, new roles, new relationships. And we are learning that without the work of transition, there may well be change, but much will remain as it was and we run the risk of repeating our experience.

Consider that there are three phases of transition. The first is a time of letting go, when we decide what we will leave behind and what we will keep. The second is an uncomfortable neutral time in which old behaviors and attitudes subside, making room for what is to come. It is in this time where the former gives way to possibilities, new processes and even a new sense of self. The third phase follows with the emergence of a renewed sense of purpose, new understandings and a new identity.

The good news is that our journey of transition began with the Diaconate on June 10, as part of our annual leadership retreat, engaging 35 lay leaders and staff members. Our consultant, Anna Tansi, of Counterbalance Consulting, led the group through sharing of concerns about where we find ourselves now as well as our

Stewardship Campaign Re-launches in July

By John Avignone, Stewardship Committee Chair

At our June meeting with AHCC leadership present, the Stew-ardship Committee decided to re-launch the Annual Stewardship Campaign.

Our decision followed a healthy discussion where members shared feelings and concerns about Matt

Spirit Sunday | Sept. 10One service at 10:15am

Come for worship, stay for food, fun and fellowship

More details coming soon in the Sunday bulletin and weekly email.

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

Asylum Hill CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH814 Asylum Ave., Hartford, CT 06105-2892

Ph: 860.525.5696 | Fax: 860.525.3457www.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 15th of the month prior to publication.

Please submit items to Rhonda Mitchell, Communications Manager, at the above address OR rmitchell@ahcc.org

Postmaster Send address changes to Hill Church News at the above address.

Summer Worship Services June 18 - Sept 3 | 9:30amSunday morning services are recorded. Ser-mons are posted on our website at ahcc.org Church Leadership Rev. Erica A. Thompson, Assoc. Minister Rev. John W. Collins, Interim Assoc. Minister Jack A. Pott, Director of Music & Arts Susan Carroll, Organist Helena Carvalho, Director of Operations Rev. Mia Douglas, Director of Discipleship Marcie Jackson, Dir. of Children & Family Min. Holly DeYoung, Moderator Bart Halloran, Vice Moderator

THANK YOU AHCC!

Dear Friends:I want to thank you for such a powerful final worship service and celebration not only of my ministry, but of OUR ministry together as a church. The choir was outstanding (as usual) and I was deeply moved by Kate Swanson’s ar-rangement of “How Can I Keep From Singing?” composed for the occasion. How indeed can we keep from singing after a gift like that?! Amen!

Heartfelt thanks to those who organized the celebration after worship and to everyone who contributed to the gifts given to celebrate our shared ministry these past five years. We are so grateful for your thoughtfulness, generosity and creativity! The backpacks, hiking poles, Christa Douyard’s artwork, the box of love notes and the announcement of the Colloton Laney Social Justice Fund are all beautiful tributes to the ministries, experiences and relationships which have special meaning to Ann and me. Thank you! We look forward to learning how the Colloton Laney Fund encourages you on the work of pursuing the just and equitable world envisioned by the gospel. Wonderful!

What have I been up to since June 18? Mostly, I am enjoying time for reflection, more time with family, writing a draft of my second book, a few retreats, read-ing, attending the General Synod Meeting of the National UCC in Baltimore and some interviewing. It’s been a good mix of meaningful activity and down time.

Although there is grief for us in the transition and in my changed relationship with the congregation, I remain deeply grateful for my years at AHCC. We look forward to hearing how you continue to follow God’s call as we discern God’s will for our future, united in love for God and one another, always remember-ing God is good … all the time!

In faith and love,Matt

In General

Jazz on the Lawn comes inside!

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

hopes for AHCC in the future. We learned some deeper listening skills, enabling each of us to better under-stand other points of view, and we committed the Diaconate to a process of engagement with the congregation. We met again on June 13, to prepare to launch conversations with the con-gregation, our Sacred Circles.

Anna Tansi will help us guide the first round of conversations with the congregation in July and August. We will hold 3 different gatherings and the congregation is invited to attend one of these on July 23, August 6 or August 20. They will each be an hour-long guided discussion following that Sunday’s service. We ask that people sign-up for these Sacred Circles so that we can hold them in air-condi-tioned Twichell without overcrowd-ing. Look for sign-up sheets after Sunday services for the next few weeks at the table with the balloons. If you have expressed an interest in helping the church to move forward, this is a good place to begin.Our consultant, Anna Tansi, brings corporate, non-profit, and faith-based organization experience as well as a deep spiritual grounding to her work. If you talk with any of our deacons, you will hear that Anna helped us see hope in the face of deep disap-pointment. And we have found our renewed listening skills to be quite rewarding.

While we may be eager for action and uncomfortable with the dormancy of winter, we know winter is the time in which energy is being gathered and stored, readying for the re-birth of spring.

Brothers and sisters, a voice is calling, “Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; make smooth in the

Laney’s departure, the importance of transition time and hopes for our future.

While Committee members voiced the need for reflection and healing, we also recognized our need to come together as a congregation, to move forward, and to create a solid financial founda-tion for the ministries of AHCC.

As of June 30, 2017, 244 member households have pledged nearly $600,000 – about half of the $1.2 million needed to sustain our core ministries for the new church year that began July 1. To continue these ministries – worship, pastoral care, spiritual growth and spiritual fellow-ship, outreach, music and arts – we still have far to go.

While we are thankful and fortunate that non-pledge giving has increased in recent years, non-pledge gifts cannot be the basis of our budgeting process. To those members who have submit-ted their pledge, we THANK YOU for your faithfulness at this time. To those members who have not pledged yet, please help us build a foundation for the future by renewing your commitment to God’s church today.

Now more than ever, we are all called to be “faithful stewards of God’s grace.” Look for our re-launch mailing and pledge card in July, or log into the member portal and pledge online.

If you have any questions regarding your pledge, please contact Deb Hold-en at the church office at dholden@ahcc.org or 860.216.9833.

Thank you for your consideration – and for your faithful stewardship!

Stewardship“Transition,” cont. from page 1

Outreach

Prepare & Serve a Community Meal

Sun, Jul. 23, 3:00pm Center Church Hartford

You are invited to put your faith in action by spending a Sunday after-noon preparing a healthy meal for the Community Meal at Center Church in Hartford. The day includes food prep, cooking, dining room set up, serving, and clean up. Volunteers select the dinner menu and donate items for the community meal. Teams of 8 to 10 are needed.

This is a great opportunity for vil-lages, families, youth and teens to work together to provide a nourish-ing meal for those who need it, and finding God in the moments of grace in Hartford’s oldest church.

Sign up forms are on the Faith in Action bulletin board in Drew Hall. You can contact Rev. Mia Douglas at mdouglas@ahcc.org or 860.216.9834 for more information.

desert a highway for our God. Let every valley be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; and let the rough ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad val-ley; Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed.” (Isaiah 40:3-5)

Erica, Holly, John and Bart

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

Adult Education

SUSO Summer News Step Up Step Out has recently had to say goodbye to two of our founding Plan-ning Team members, Andrea Livingstone and Ann Colloton. Sadly, Andrea died on June 21 and Ann will be moving out of state. We will miss their dedication and energy, and will always remember their commitment to ending violence in Hartford and our nation. SUSO’s Faith and Justice Summer Film Series concluded on July 12 with Spilled Milk, a documentary made to raise awareness about Sickle Cell blood disease, which affects predominantly African Americans. The movie was hosted by Bev-erly Matthews, a friend of the filmmaker. Marie Spivey’s daughter, Leslie Bell, who works with sickle cell patients, facilitated the discussion afterwards. Each of this summer’s films was appreciated by all who attended, as we ex-plored some difficult justice issues. We gained insight and knowledge, compas-sion and inspiration. Contact Nancy Kirchmyer at nkirchmyer@hotmail.com if you were unable to attend but would like to access this year’s films (Unlearn-ing, Under the Gun, 13th, and Spilled Milk) at home.

Giving back: Mothers United Against Violence (MUAV) Events:SUSO members supported MUAV’s Day of Healing on June 24 at the St. Francis Medical Center on Blue Hills Avenue. Families who have lost loved ones were invited for a time of prayer, conversation, healing circles and community build-ing activities. Karen Dibala, a Sandy Hook Promise leader, conducted a training, “Start With Hello,” for our youngest members, ages 5-11. The children were engaged in learning activities that can help reduce the social isolation which might lead to violence, bullying and depression. On June 25, SUSO helped at MUAV’s Annual Day of Remembrance ceremony and neighborhood BBQ in Sigourney Park, providing cake and helping to serve food. Police attended to show their support for the work of this vital grass roots organization. SUSO remains strongly committed to supporting MUAV’s work as well, by attending vigils and marches, and by partnering with them to make and sell necklaces to support their work in the community. Looking Ahead to the FallSeptember: Join us for a time of conversation about our hopes and dreams for SUSO’s future in the life of AHCC. Please come to share your feelings and ideas about the activities and the direction you would like to see us pursue. (Date: TBD) October: As a follow up to the discussions with Wally Lamb and Rev. Gordon Bates, we will sponsor a speaker from Community Partners in Action who can help our congregation find specific ways to help former prisoners reintegrate into society after their release from prison. (Date: TBD) Book Discussion: Copies of Gundamentalism, and Where It is Taking America by James Atwood, who spoke at AHCC last fall, are available in the church office. The book addresses the faith community’s fight for two constitutional rights: to keep and bear arms, and to live in domestic tranquility, free from gun violence. A book discussion will take place in the fall.

Be a Part of AHCC’s Summer Book Study

First meeting, Tues, Jul. 11, 6:00pm | Twichell Room

continues every other Tuesday through August 22 We will be reading Parker Palm-er’s Healing The Heart of Democ-racy, an excellent expression of hope in a time of division. Palmer “quickens our instinct to seek the common good,” and provides practical wisdom for healing ourselves, our nation and com-munity.

Readers are encouraged to purchase the book from your favorite book seller and read the first two chapters by the first meeting. If you need a copy of the book, see John Collins.

We hope you’ll join us this summer for this meaningful and enjoyable book study.

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

Children & Families

AHCC Sunday Childcare on the Move

“Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” Matthew 19:14

When I started working at AHCC four years ago, I remember walking my then two-year old son down the stairs to the basement childcare room on Sunday mornings. I am going to be honest, I felt horrible doing it. As a new mother, my son just seemed so far from me, whether I was in the sanctuary or on the second floor with the older children in lessons. Yes, the Sunday childcare staff is awesome and they welcomed him with open arms, and yes, the classrooms are nicely equipped thanks to the city run childcare that occupies the space during the week, but to me, he and the other children, infant-preschool, were so hid-den, it felt like “out of sight, out of mind.” Not the feeling we want to project to new families with young children visiting our church for the first time.

After four school years’ worth of running up and down stairs and riding the elevator to check on our childcare staff and young children, then back up to check on our volunteer teachers and older children, I said enough is enough. Kyle Cannon and I sat down to discuss the feasibility of bringing ALL of our children together on the second floor. Could we rework the rooms to accom-modate infants and toddlers? Would utilizing second floor rooms for childcare impinge on our classroom spaces for grades K-5? After working through these questions, I went to our childcare director, Karla Gwynn, to discuss the plan we had developed. With Karla eagerly on board, we took each of our childcare staff up to look at the spaces to get their feedback. Next, I outlined the proposed changes to Rev. Erica Thompson and director of operations, Helena Carvalho

and received their blessings. Finally, at our last CFMC meeting, I discussed the changes to committee members. Several of our members have children in both the childcare and the Spirit Hill program. They expressed their enthusiasm for having their children together on one floor and how it would be convenient for them after worship to proceed to the second floor to gather both of their children instead of running up and down stairs or riding the elevator.

Starting September 10, Spirit Sunday, children ages infant-preschool will come to the second floor for childcare. Kyle Can-non and I will be on hand if you are not sure where to go. Rooms for the childcare will be outfitted with age appropriate furniture and toys. Our infant/toddler room will have a portable changing table, which any parent is welcome to use on Sunday mornings. Starting on September 24, ALL of AHCC’s children infant-grade 5 will be together on the second floor to start lessons (preschool-grade 5).

I am very excited by the move of our childcare. It opens up the possibilities of cross-age lessons, which we started this past year when our second graders created a book for our preschoolers and read it to them during our lesson on “The Lost Coin.” It also brings both our paid and volunteer teachers together. Most importantly, in brings the families of all of our children together in a time when our church family needs to lean on each other.

If you have any questions about the AHCC Sunday childcare, volunteer teachers, or any aspect of Children & Family Ministries, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

May your summer be blessed and safe. Kyle and I look forward to seeing all of our families back at church on Spirit Sunday.

Blessings,Marcie Jackson, Dir. of CFM

Register Your Child For Fall

Registration for 2017-18 Spirit Hill (grades K-5) and AHCC Sun-day Childcare (infant-preschool) will start Sunday, Aug. 6. All children are REQUIRED to have an updated registration form each year in order to provide the safest environment.

Please fill out one registration form per child. Pick up forms outside of your child’s summer classroom or download from the CFM weekly email or the church’s website. Please return completed forms to Kyle Cannon by Sunday, September 24.

Please note that your child cannot participate in Spirit Hill or childcare if they do not have an updated form.

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

Highlights: Jazz on the Lawn (and in Drew Hall)

A little rain didn’t dampen the spirit of community at the second annual Jazz on the Lawn celebration at AHCC. On Sunday, June 24, AHCC members and Asylum Hill neighbors came together to enjoy the music of Conga Bop, the energy of Hartford Proud Drum Team and enjoy some local food trucks, ice cream and a bounce house.