Judy Albright - Designer and Publisher

Elizabeth Davis - Editor

January 2023

Blessing

Rev. elizabeth gleich

Dear Church Family,

 

Happy New Year to you. It’s 2023! I pray that God is doing a new thing with you and with us this year. In this new year, I have so many hopes and prayers for this beloved church. And to you, I impart this “Blessing for a New Year” from the clergywomen at enfleshed:

 

 

In threshold places, where endings meet beginnings,

we listen backwards as we move forward.

 

What can we learn from the year past –

from how evil played its cards,

or from relationships gained and lost?

 

What brought you deep delight, when everything was swirling?

To whom were you able to turn to and who challenged you to grow?

 

Individually and collectively,

none of us are the same.

 

For some of these changes we weep and for others we rejoice

but from each we carry something forward

– a feeling, a lesson, a memory, a challenge, a call to solidarity…

 

Collectively, we acknowledge a closing and an opening;

A fresh start that offers only as much meaning as we need from it.

Inviting us not to wage war on ourselves,

but just to pause,

pay attention to our longings and our pain,

and what we might learn from them about how we wish to live.

 

A new year does not need to mean “a new you.”

You do not need to make demands of yourself

grounded in messages that are only meant

to make you feel inadequate or unlovable.

 

Your worth is ineffable,

that is a constant that carries from year to year.

Move gently with yourself into 2023,

speaking instead words of possibility,

committing to that which calls you,

letting yourself be lured by the Sacred

in the direction of your most powerful becoming.

 

Make only resolutions that will lead to more flourishing of life, yours and others.

Reject individualistic notions of success (or “failure”)

and channel your growing

in the directions

of what we can create

of what we can divest from

of what we can abolish

of what we must claim

of what we must fight

of what we can become.

 

~

 

May it be so. Amen. 

 

Peace,

Pastor Elizabeth

Making sure we can connect!

We have crossed into a new year and it seems like a good time to check in with everyone! 


Beginning this month we will be launching a project to update everyone's information for our directory and church records. Soon you will receive an email from the office asking you to review your contact information and other details. We will also be sending out a survey to learn of your interests, so that we can better connect you to church activities and programs.


We will also be offering a Photo Booth opportunity during Fellowship Hour for families and individuals to get an up-to-date photo for the directory. This will help us get to know our members and friends even better!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE December 2022

CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING

Church Council met on December 14. We listened to Paster Elizabeth’s report as well as the reports of the Board Chairs.

 

We heard from Erica Garner and Michele Nelson, who are the new co-chairs of the Budget Committee. They have spent a lot of time learning this job. They are taking over from Rich Carpenter, who has been doing it for years. They discussed end-of-year projections for income and expenses. It is too early to know exactly how things will end up. They then moved to the 2023 budget. Pledges are still coming in. They are at 92% of the amount needed for the projected budget. They hope to have a final budget by January 5. There will be couple changes in how things are budgeted; payment for alter flowers is one of these.

 

Michele Nelson reported for the Nominating Committee. Two Boards have all positions filled. There are still a few more positions that they need to fill.

 

Ellen Whelan-Wuest reported on the progress for the child care center. It now has an official name: Red Clover Child Care Center. They are close to finalizing the board and committee structure. They have a contractor, Naylor & Breen, and are working on the final list of what needs to be done in order to open. She is optimistic that it could be ready to open in spring of 2023. She will be prepared to give a detailed report at the annual meeting.

 

After more discussion (we have been reviewing this for the last few meeting), Council passed a motion to approve the changes to the Safe Church Policy as printed.

 

Church Council also approved all the changes to the bylaws as presented. These changes included updated wording for the responsibilities of the Board of Christian Development, a change in membership for the Columbarium Committee, change in wording suggested by the Planned Giving Committee, and an increase in the number of members for the Board of Membership and Communications.

 


Respectfully submitted,

Nancy Foster, Clerk


  • Between annual meetings, the Church Council meets once a month to fulfill its responsibility to coordinate the church's programs and business. Council has the powers generally ascribed to a corporation's board of directors.


    The Church Council is composed of the following Church members:  Moderator, Clerk, Treasurer, Senior Pastor, Associate Pastor, and the chairpersons of the six church boards. Also, there are three at-large members. One is elected every year and serves a 3 year term.

  • The basic life and work of the church is under the direction and supervision of church boards, which meet monthly at the All Boards Meeting and report to the Church Council. Members of these boards are elected from the membership of the church. 

Living our faith

Eliana Cañas parra, Director of Children and Youth Ministries

Dear Church,

 

Happy New Year! December was a busy and joyful month for our children and youth programs. I want to thank all those who participated in the Christmas pageant. What a beautiful moment that wouldn’t have been possible without all the children, parents, and amazing teachers being so involved in it. It was a great way to close our Sunday School program for 2022 and take some time to get ready for 2023.

 

The Curriculum Team and I continue to work on putting our ideas together to create a curriculum sequence that is aligned with our current goals for Sunday School: that our children feel loved, safe, and part of the community; that they know God; and that they acquire some knowledge about Bible and church literacy during their years here.

 

With Epiphany coming, I’m looking forward to our annual Epiphany Star Project. Next Sunday, on Epiphany, you will be getting a “star word” during worship if you wish to participate. The invitation is to reflect on the meaning of that word in your life, and on how God might be speaking to you through it. Members of the Junior Youth Group will be passing out the star words during church.

 

January brings new light, new challenges, and new opportunities to serve. For all of that, and for my work here, I am grateful. 

 

Peace be with you,

Eliana

Pull up a chair...

Join us for a Potluck Lunch after worship on Sunday, January 8th - all are welcome. Attendees can bring a "dish to pass" to the Fellowship Hall kitchen before church where it can be heated or refrigerated until lunch. 


FYI, we may talking about New Year's resolutions!

Who is The Rev. David Andrews?

Who is The Rev. David Andrews?

 

The Rev. David Andrews served the Congregational Church of Middlebury from 1982 to 2002. He shared his first Sunday morning service on Sunday May 2, 1982 with The Rev. Dr. Donald F. Campbell. The formal call for David Andrews was August 1, 1982. At a special church meeting on 22 Sept 2002, the resignation of David Andrews was accepted, effective 31 Dec 2002.

 

Rev. Andrews graduated from Newton High School in Newton MA (’62), received his B.A. from Harvard College (’66) and a M.Div. from Yale University Divinity School (‘69). He continued his education at the Hartford Seminar Foundation and Mansfield College, Oxford, England. David was ordained in the CT Conference UCC in 1969 and has served in the following churches: Danville VT in the summer of 1968; Canterbury NH 1968–1975; Hayes, Kent, England for the summer of 1981; East Arlington Federated Church VT 1975–1982, Middlebury Congregational Church VT 1982–2002. He served as President of the VT Conference, chair of the Board of Directors of the VT Conference, and moderator of the Addison Association, and is currently Registrar of the Association.

 

During the tenure of David Andrews at the Middlebury church, Bettina Klunemann and Ruth Bradshaw served as pastoral assistants.

 

On Sunday, 22 May 1994, a joint ordination anniversary event was held. At 10:00 a.m. a morning worship service was held with a sermon by the Rev. John B. Bixby, Jr; at 4:30 p.m. an anniversary service in the Sanctuary; followed by a potluck supper in Fellowship Hall. The event was for the 25th ordination anniversary of the Rev. David Andrews and the 50th ordination anniversary of his father, the Rev. Benjamin Andrews.

 

David Andrews was married to [1] Karen Ruth Groenfeldt in 1967 (divorce 23 Apr 1985) and [2] Delores Jean [Baril] Reidel on 13 Jun 1987 (divorce 28 Feb 2003). David was the son of Benjamin R. Andrews and Rose Marin Head; Karen was the daughter of John S. Groenfeldt and Eva R. Williams; Jean was the daughter of Wilfred Baril and Delores. David resided first at 436 Buttolph Acres and second at 281 Washington Street Ext.

 

Karen was a graduate of Moravian Academy, Radcliffe College, and Yale University. While living in Middlebury, Karen had worked for Middlebury College Office of the Comptroller and then as secretary in the German School.

 

Jean moved with her family to southern California in the summer of 1948. She graduated from Covina (CA) High School ’57. She graduated from college in 1961 with a bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota, where she was founder and president of the first sorority in the U.S. with a non-discrimination clause and inter-racial membership. 

 

David Andrews   born 23 Mar 1945 Greenfield

  1. Karen Ruth Groenfeldt  born  10 Nov1945 Bethlehem   died   2 Aug 2006 Middlebury
  2. Delores Jean [Baril] Reidel  born  1 Aug 1939 Minneapolis   died 4 Mar 2016 Burlington

 

  • Jonathan Andrews: born 31 Jan 1974 in Concord NH: married Lisa Rader on 24 Feb 2001 at the United Church of Lincoln, VT: two children – Stella and Eva
  • Timothy Jacob Fries:  born 11 Aug 1976 in Bennington VT: married Kyra Fries on 14 Aug 2010 in Ann Arbor, MI at Kyra mother’s home: two children – Hazel and Oliver

 

Next month, the family of The Rev. Joan O’Gorman will be summarized.


Malcolm W. Chase, Historian


  • January Birthdays

    Erika Evarts                  January 6

    Margaret Eagan            January 9

    Enid Engler                   January 9

    Jim Eagan                    January 11

    Alex Bleich                    January 13

    Lyn DeGraff                  January 13

    Justine Hanrahan          January 14

    Skyeler Devlin               January 17

    Al Stiles                        January 17

    Diane Munroe               January 18

    Jen Nuceder                 January 19

    Ashlynn Foster              January 21

    Bonnie Stevens             January 21

    Jeff Buettner                 January 24

    Lois Huldin                    January 24

    Ethan Kent                    January 28

    Isadora Luksch             January 28

    Charles Jakiela             January 29

    Lili Luksch                    January 29

    Sally Holland                 January 30

    Jon Andrews                 January 31

    Jane Owen                   January 31



     

  • January Anniversaries

    Ed & Mary Williams                               January 1

    Carole & Michael Cummings                  January 2

    Judy Albright & Dory Gorton                  January 6

    Matt & Alison Dickinson                         January 7

    Buz & Angelika Brumbaugh                   January 13; Celebrating 63 yrs!