Lent 2021: All Creatures Great and Small
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“Lent 2021: All Creatures
Great and Small”
One of the more pleasurable escapes of the pandemic
age, for a lot of folks, is “bingeing.” For some it has been the
joys of cooking with an air fryer, and I confess that I am
hooked on that, and I even collect recipes, stored on my
iPad. For others, sadly, it has been “bingeing” of a different
sort, namely alcohol. And, for many, myself included, it has
been tv “bingeing,” by way of podcasts and zoom programs
and especially some of the new and old tv streaming series:
Bridgerton, The Queen’s Gambit, The Mandalorian, The
Crown, Cobra Kai, The West Wing, and many others. My
absolute favorite is a remake of the original 1970’s BBC
series “All Creatures Great and Small,” based on the books
by James Herriot, a veterinarian in a small town in
Yorkshire. (Herriot is his pen name, incidentally). One
media critic called it "…family-friendly comfort-viewing. A
soothing balm in febrile times." I agree, wholeheartedly and
highly recommend it.
When I stopped to think about why I like it so much, I
realized it wasn’t the production quality, though that’s
excellent, nor the writing and acting, which are superb.
What has held me from the beginning has been the theme
embodied in the final stanza of the classic hymn, “All Things
Bright and Beautiful” from which the series title is taken:
Continued
1
God gave us eyes to see them,
and lips that we might tell
how great is God Almighty,
who has made all things well.
In our time, I need the reminder of the ever-present
power of God in creation, the gifts of our eyes to see and lips
to tell the glorious goodness of God in all things. It is all too
easy in this age to forget all that, to take for granted what
we have been given, and what continues to pour from the
heart and soul of God.
“All creatures great and small” gets me where I need
to be, appreciative of cats and dogs and cows and horses,
and goldfish, and the people who love them and care for
them, and the people who love and care for each other. I
tune in to each new episode eagerly awaiting the latest in
the relationship between James and Helen, the growing
respect Siegfried and Tristan have for each other, the
powerful love of Mrs. Hall to keep them all together, in ways
that I can only call mysterious, or to use the appropriate
biblical word, sacramental.
Peace to all of us creatures, great and small:
Ken
P.S. “Don’t tell me the next turn of the James and Helen saga!”
2
March
Happy Birthday to the following Church
Members!
Jean Barker3/4 James Trenske 3/19
John Gordon 3/5 Abigayle Trenske 3/20
Catherine Walling 3/5 George Gardner 3/22
Stacy Brites 3/8 Harold Elwell 3/24
Ralph Crouse 3/9 Kathryn St. George 3/24
Patricia Perillo 3/11 Adrian Stephenson 3/24
Dana Silva 3/11 George Walters 3/25
Dennis McGuire 3/15 Robert Mitchell 3/27
OUTREACH MOMENT
“One Great Hour of Sharing”
Our special offering will be received
on March 14, 2021
Giving from our abundance helps build clean water and sewage
facilities in villages devastated by poverty; nurtures self sufficiency
through health care, education, and job training; and brings safety,
shelter, and food after natural disaster or violent circumstances
have made towns uninhabitable.
Sharing brings joy to us, to others, to God. Let sharing transform you
as you help transform the world through One Great Hour of Sharing.
If you can’t be in church March 14th please mail a check to the
office marked OGHS on the memo line.
From your Board of Christian Outreach
3
GWIM FOOD BANK DONATIONS
Peanut Butter & Jelly, Canned
Meats, Cold Cereal, Mac &
Cheese, Pasta & Pasta Sauce,
Juice, tuna, canned soups-
stews-chili, canned fruits,
canned vegetables, beans (canned or dried),
rice pouches, etc.
Other donations will be welcomed, but these will be the
main focus. The food basket will be available each week
in the Narthex.
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME BEGINS!
Daylight Savings Time will begin
Sunday, March 14, 2021 at 2:00 a.m.
Turn your clocks AHEAD one hour on Saturday evening
March 13th.
Arts & Laughs & Crafts
Every Wednesday Night between 7:00PM & 9:00PM we come
together. We have three sewing machines, enough material to
start a fabric store. There is also enough paints, projects and
craft kits. You don’t have to be crafty. Just want a night out to
enjoy laughing, making and being with friends. Come and join
us! P.S. you can also bring your own projects.
4
WISH LIST FOR
SAFE HAVEN SHELTER
Liquid Laundry detergent Pillow Cases - Pillows
Canned Juice Hair Brushes
Dish Detergent Diapers (large & ex-large)
Paper Towels Cleaning Supplies
Jars of Baby Food Baby Cereal
Toilet Paper Napkins
Women’s socks (new) School Supplies
Videos Children’s Socks (new)
Nintendo Games Large Bath towels
Women’s Underwear (new) Fitted twin sheets
Wash Cloths Children’s Underwear (new)
Gift Certificates
Safe Haven currently provides the following bilingual
(English/Spanish) services to victims of domestic violence
and sexual assault: up to 60 days of shelter for women and
their children; individual and peer group counseling; 24
hour crisis hotlines for domestic violence and sexual assault;
legal advocacy information and referral; community
education for adults and children; and court based family
violence victim advocacy. All information obtained through
counseling remains confidential. They do not subscribe to
Caller I. D. Please bring all your donations for Safe Haven on
the third Sunday in March.
5NOTES FROM OUR
Director of Music
It is hard to believe nearly a year ago
this month, we went into lockdowns,
quarantine’s and city streets were quite.
It was also a year ago this month we
began exterior building renovations to
weatherize the building, please stay tuned for some photos and
videos that will be on our Facebook page. Some of you I have
not seen in a year others I have seen since once or twice a week
or maybe more regardless, what I came to realize in this time is
the important role that each of you play in my life, if nothing
else, what I have come to learn is be grateful for the time that
you have with each other even if it is just on Sunday morning.
Now to address some building related matters, in terms of how
we at First Church are handling sanitizing and cleaning of our
public areas, it is done on a daily basis. From sanitizing
surfaces, ie door handles, railings and other frequently touched
areas it is done daily and in most cases, First Church is cleaner
than most public buildings you might enter on a daily or weekly
basis. Cleaning solutions that we use are generally not available
to the public and are only available to us through our
distributors, that being said most of our cleaning chemicals are
stronger than most on the retail market.
Music of the Light has been a wonderful addition to our music
program. For those of you not familiar with it, the program
takes place weekly on Thursday evenings at 7pm in the
sanctuary. Continued
6You may attend live as there is more than suitable space for
distancing or via Facebook Live. Each week we spotlight a
different performer or performers with varied musical genres.
As always this program is not limited to anyone specific but
open to anyone who might feel the desire to share their time
and talent. A few weeks ago I was asked my preference
between Facebook Live and Zoom, always my first preference
is live, second Facebook live as you are able to reach a wider
audience and does not require a meeting link to be sent or
posted. Zoom is fine for meetings. Please stay tuned as we have
a lot of newer music with selected soloists each and every
Sunday.
Youth, I am looking for adults interested in teaching Sunday
School, if you’re interested please let me know. As I would like
to integrate our children and youth into our Sunday Service I
will be starting a youth handbell choir. Can you socially
distance playing bells? Yes? Do you need to know how to read
music in order play bells? It is helpful but not necessary. If
you have questions please do not hesitate to reach out.
stewartcrouse@comcast.net if you would like to send me an
email.
I hope for each one of you 2021 is filled with good health,
prosperity and happy memories
Stewart W. Crouse
Director of Music & Youth
7Office Hallway Book Corner News
from Carolle Lago
Just enjoyed Francis
Chichester’s “Gipsy Moth Circles the
World” – Sailing around the world
alone – very interesting how some
people seek extreme challenges –
even at the age of 65.
Also read Karen Harper’s “Down to the Bone” loaned
it to a friend and she said her husband had to wait till 7:00
for dinner because, like me, she couldn’t put it down – Just
saying!
Good Books Here !!!
AMERCIAN RED CROSS
BLOOD DRIVE
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
CLINTON HALL
222 WEST MAIN STREET
Wednesday, April 7, 2021
10 am – 3 pm
TO SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT VISIT
REDCROSSBLOOD.ORG
OR CALL 1-800 REDCROSS – 800-733-2767
DO NOT CALL THE CHURCH!!
8March 28th Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday Service
10 am – Sanctuary- First Congregational Church
April 1st Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday Communion Service
7:00 PM Sanctuary - First Church
April 2nd Good Friday
Good Friday Service TBA
First Congregational Church
April 4th Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday Sunrise, 7:00 AM
Waterbury Baptist Ministries & First Church
(Chapel)
Easter Sunday Service, 10:00 AM
First Congregational Church (Sanctuary)
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