Cliffs, Canyons,  

Sand and Surf 

Those were the major components of my summer vacation time. 

For the first time in a number of years, I actually went on vacation - as opposed to hanging out in NJ with the family.  (Not that that wasn't/isn't fun!) 

First, I went west - for the first time.  Mesquite Nevada was home base.  An interesting little town.  Population around 18,000.  Seven golf courses.  And three casinos.  What more could you ask for?  How about 110 degree temps?  But it's dry heat!!!!

The golf was good.  Some of the most beautiful courses I've ever played.  The casinos on the other hand were taking rather than giving.  But a highlight of the trip was the day I spent at Zion National Park.  Zion's canyon walls reaching up to a clear azure sky is a sight to behold.  As I walked deeper into the narrowing canyon, the Psalmists word kept coming to mind:  "I look to the hills, from whence does my help come."  I cannot be surrounded by that kind of majestic creation without being mindful of the Creator and being reminded of how huge that creation is and how amazingly small I am within it.  Perspective is a really good thing.

I also spent time on the beach in North Carolina, right about the spot where Irene made landfall a week later.  It's been far too long since I sat on the beach, swam in good old salt water and absorbed the rhythm of the waves.  That was how I had spent every summer of my growing up years and I was amazed at how I hadn't realized how much my being missed it until I was there again.  It is the rhythm for me.  The constancy of tides.  The "white noise" of the surf.  The unbroken expanse of horizon.  The smell of salt in the air.  Again the Psalmist - "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God."  I'm sure that the deer wasn't panting for salt water, but my soul was and does.

What more could I ask from summer vacation: to have time alone and time with good friends; to be surrounded of the wonders of creation and to be quenched by the living waters.  You know, God knew exactly what was up with that "and the on the seventh day, God rested."

I am deeply grateful for summer respites and excited to begin a new church year and welcome you all back from your summer respites.

     See you in church!

PS - One of the things about not having Stepping Stones during the summer is that the September issue is JAM PACKED.  Please take the time to read all the articles.  There is a lot of timely and important info!

On Sunday September 11th immediately after worship FPC will be celebrating its annual Rally Day Mission Fair that will be held in Fellowship Hall.

The Mission Fair is always a fun way to reconnect with our FPC church family after a busy Summer.  It's also a great opportunity to see the many missions and teams that make FPC a vibrant faith community.  And equally important the Mission Fair offers us a chance to become part of these activities by signing up to share our time and talents.  Whether you are interested in fellowship and learning opportunities here at FPC, or would like to join in outreach to the broader community and world, you will find it at the Mission Fair.

So, take a walk on down to Fellowship Hall after worship on the 11th, reconnect with your FPC friends, and find that opportunity you've been looking for to share your time and talent at The Mission Fair.

Stamford is invited to mark the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks at a Community Gathering for Healing and Hope, Sunday, September 11, at 7 PM at Temple Beth El, 350 Roxbury Road, Stamford.   

Admission is free, but registration is requested.   

To register go to www.stamford911gathering.eventbrite.com or call 203-322-6901.     

The service is being sponsored by the Mayor's Multi-Cultural Council and the Interfaith Council of Southwestern Connecticut.  

FPC SUNDAY SCHOOL will start on September 18 and we are all looking forward to another year with your children!  Whether you are new or are returning, we welcome you with open hearts.

You will receive a letter in the mail shortly with more details and a registration form (perhaps you have already received it).  Or, you can fill out a registration form at the Mission Fair on Sunday, September 11.

A HUGE thank you to the following Summer Sunday School volunteers who graciously offered to teach a class this summer so we could give our teachers a break and still offer Sunday School to our children. THANK YOU!  Your faithfulness is very much appreciated!

Audrey and Sophia Adade

Megan Backes

Diane Dischino (many times)

Albertine and Stephanie Gibbs

Ann Hart

Debbie Hirsch

Michele Kamenetzky

Mandy and Mark Leatherman

Dianne and Sarah Orlando

Chris and Karen Plomitallo

Cindy Pucci

Chris Seid

Andrea and Jim Wulffleff

LAST CALL

If you haven't had the opportunity yet to help restore hope in New Orleans, now's the time to clear your calendar.  FPC's next trip to NOLA is set for October 31 - November 6, 2011. 

As of today, we don't have enough people signed up to make the trip work.  If you've been putting off signing up - don't put it off any longer.  And if you've been on the fence, now's the time to decide.  And if you haven't thought about it or prayed about it - now's the time.

None of us have very many opportunities in our lives to make a significant change in another person's life.  This is such an opportunity.

Please sign up this Sunday or be in contact with David ASAP.  You can can him at church 203-324-9522 or email him at drvd@fishchurch.org.   

The cost of the trip is $500.

Our Harvest Garden so far has produced almost 100 lbs of zucchini for the Stamford Food Bank.  We were going great guns with lots of blooms on the vines and then we were attacked.  Not by deer, or squires, rabbits or chipmunks.  All the obvious rascals, but by beetles who just decimated our root system..  But all is not lost, we are combating the problem and are planting some fast growing fall vegetables of beans, spinach and lettuce.

For those of us who worked in the garden this winter, spring and summer, it has been a joy to see it come together and our plants blossom and grow.  We have had such a positive response from our members and people passing by the garden on walks, or those many people outside our community who come to the Thursday night concerts.

It was a great disappointment to loose our first crop but we delivered what we had to the food bank, weekly and knowing how much they appreciate and need fresh vegetables we are determined to continue with a new fall crop.

If anyone would like to join our team, we can always use another pair of helping hands.  There is a sign up sheet on one of the bulletin boards outside Room 12 or you can send an email to harvestnow@fishchurch.org.    

Thanks to all of you for your support and encouragement of this project.

Bobby Anderson 

Category: Life and Work of the Church

Answer:  Not by faith alone.

Here's your chance to play Jeopardy - what's the Question??

Da, da, da, dadada, da, da...

The Question is - How is the mission and work of FPC accomplished?

While this "Answer" is correct, it isn't the only right answer.  In reality, the answer is:

Through the efforts of our Deacons, Elders, Treasurer, Asst. Treasurer, Nursery School Board. Creative Learning Board and other leaders.

The Nominating Committee would like your help in our search for talented and faith-filled people to take leadership roles in the Class of 2015.  We are looking for:

                  5 Elders

                  9 Deacons

                  1 Treasurer and 1 Asst. Treasurer

                  1 Nursery School Board Member

                  1 Creative Learning @ FPC Board Member

                  5 Nominating Committee Members

                  2 Nominating Committee Alternates

Very briefly - here are some job descriptions:

Elder: Care of the spiritual life of the congregation, worship and sacraments, oversee programs, govern the congregation and participate in the governing bodies of the larger church, envision the life and mission of the church and steward members in active service.

Deacon: Responsibility for an active ministry of service and compassion to the members and friends of the congregation.  They are involved in visitation, concrete acts of shepherding, hospitality, comfort and joy.

Treasurer and Asst. Treasurer: These officers are knowledgeable in fiduciary matters and are willing to give priority to the financial operations of FPC.

Nursery School Board: This board is responsible for the smooth operation of the Nursery School.  The board meets four times per year and each member must serve on a sub-committee.

Creative Learning @ FPC Board: The board is responsible for the operation of our after school program.

Nominating Committee: Develops a slate of candidates to fill open leadership positions.  One-year commitment.

If you would like to make a nomination or get more information, please visit us at the Mission Fair.  Keep your eyes and ears open during the fall - you'll be seeing and hearing much more about the Big Nominee Roundup. 

The Nominating Committee

         Steve Gibbs, Chair 

         Janess  Coffina

         Lorraine Fenton

         Debbie Hurrell

         Chris McIntyre

         Mike Miller

         Pat Swan

         Juanita Williams

A big EXTRA MEASURE THANK YOU to all who contributed to our Extra Measure efforts to increase our Stewardship giving and help close the budget gap for 2011.  Our last report told you we had received gifts and commitments for almost half our goal.

We are very pleased to inform you that we met our goal of an additional $60,000 in commitments and gifts (actually $64,151) for 2011.  With matching endowment funds, and barring any unforeseen expenses, we should be able to balance our budget for 2011. 

This is a great start on getting our financial house in order and focusing on our plans for the next 5 plus years!  Please stay tuned as next month we will begin to talk about Stewardship for 2012-we will need all of your help and commitments to continue this great work. 

We will continue to share our results, our finances and our challenges with you.  As always, feel free to let us know if you have comments or questions.  However, for this month, we just want to say THANKS!

Enjoy the rest of what is still summer!

Session Finance Task Force

Janna Bellwin         Steve Gibbs        Kwab Gyasi-Twum Willard Hill             Jane Love            Kurt Nelson      

If you haven't completed the Small Group Survey yet, the Caring Fellowship Mission Team would greatly appreciate it.  All you need to do is click on the link below.

TAKE THE SURVEY HERE 

Better Together:  

A New Kind of Partnership that Makes a Difference

Join us for a presentation
about World Mission
September 10th
7:30 p.m. in the Lounge

We are very fortunate to have Hunter Farrell, the Director of World Mission for the PCUSA with us next week.  World Mission is one of the Presbyterian Church's greatest legacies and Hunter will be sharing the state of mission today. 

USA will be interpreting for us the story of Presbyterian World Mission especially as it relates to the three critical global issues that the PCUSA and our global partners have identified: 

• Addressing the root causes of poverty, especially as it   impacts women and children;
• Strengthening the capacity of the global church to  witness to God's love in Christ; and,
• Working for reconciliation in cultures of violence,  including our own.

Hunter earned his doctorate in cultural anthropology studying the impact of Peru's political violence on the churches in an indigenous community high in the central Andes. 

For 10 years, Hunter and his wife, Ruth, served as mission co-workers in Peru, working to overcome poverty in partnership with the Presbyterian Hunger Program.  Before Peru, Hunter and Ruth spent five years as mission co-workers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where he taught Greek, New Testament exegesis and theology, and community development.

Adult Learning Community has a full schedule of programs for you throughout the coming year.

To kick off the Fall, three programs are will continue last year's series on "Who Are Stamford's Children."   On September 25, Kate Lombardo of the Stamford Food Bank, will address the needs for healthy and nutritious foods for our lower income children and their families.  We plan to couple her presentation with a food drive of non-perishable foods for the Food Bank. Watch for announcements in the weekly bulletins for the start of the food drive.   

On October 2, a representative from the Neighbors Link, will address the challenges for children in Stamford's immigrant community.  This new organization, which we have been helping with our "Change for Change" donations this summer, works with immigrants living in our city.

October 16, will bring a look at the medical concerns for our city's children with representatives from Health Care Connection.  This program, which is under the auspices of Family Centers, is based in our public schools and provides medical, dental and mental health services to children who need them.

Looking ahead...

• Ever wonder why the prayer of confession comes near the start of worship?  Or why the affirmation of faith follows the sermon?  In late fall, there will be a series on worship
• The ever popular Rabbi Phil Schechter is coming back to introduce us to the denominations of Judaism and how each relates to Christianity.
• Another Seder is planed for March.
• A series on Elijah, Moses and Jesus' Transfiguration will be led by Rabbi Phil and David Van Dyke this winter.
• Don't forget our ongoing Gentle Yoga class every Thursday evening in the Lounge at 6:15.

Watch for the schedule of upcoming programs on the Adult Learning Community bulletin board at the end of office hallway. 

If you have suggestions for a book study or group discussion, please speak to any of our team. 

Elaine Best, Bea Maguire, Eileen Neville, Mike Parry and Kwab Gyasi-Twum

Here we are at the beginning of a new church year.  We will miss the company and fellowship of three of our members Evelyn Werdelin, Frances Martin and Nancy Klang.  These three pairs of hands were always busy knitting for one or other of our "projects". We make baby hats for Stamford Hospital, warm woolly hats for the Homeless Shelter, bright colored afghans for Kids in Crisis, the Veterans Home at Rocky Hill and Hospice, baby blankets for the new arrivals in our church family and Prayer Shawls for those members of our church who have been ill or who have lost a loved one.  We are also making shawls and scarves and hand-stitched goodies for the Christmas Bazaar.  Just think how much more we could be doing if more of you would join us on the Second Saturday of each month as we "Gather."  Or just pop in and join is for a cup of tea and a chat; you may be inspired to pick up a needle or hook and get clicking!    

At Nancy's memorial service last week the following was printed on the back of the service sheet, I would like to share it with you.

  You can shed tears that she is gone

  Or you can smile because she has lived.

  You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back

  Or you can open your eyes and see what she's left.

  Your heart can be empty because you can't see her

  Or you can be full of the love you shared.

  You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday

  Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

  You can remember her and only that she's gone

  Or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.

  You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your  

     back

  Or you can do what she'd want: smile, open your eyes, and    

     love and go on.

                                             Anonymous

Please share Nancy's knitting vision (we crotchet too!) and find "just a little time" to meet on Saturday Sept 10th at 10:00 a.m. in Room 12, or visit us at the Mission Fair and resolve to join us on the 2nd Saturday of every month. By the way we have lots of wool from Nancy's basement just waiting to be used. We need you!

God Bless,

Bobby Anderson

The Presbyterian Peacemaking Program and the Peacemaking Offering celebrated their thirtieth anniversary in 2010. The Offering was organized following the adoption by the General Assembly of Peacemaking: The Believers' Calling, which called for an emphasis on peacemaking across the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This year as your church plans to receive this Offering, remember the peacemakers of years past - in your congregation, presbytery, synod and the denomination as a whole. Make this year a time to renew your commitment to peacemaking as part of your calling as a follower of Christ, who not only taught us the ways of peace but is our peace.

The theme for the 2011 Offering is "A Harvest of Justice Is Sown in Peace" (James 3:18). The art is Santa Cena, a serigraph by José Ignacio Fletes Cruz.

The Peacemaking Offering was created in 1980 to support the efforts of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to live out a deeper commitment to peacemaking as part of our faithfulness to God. It is one of four special offerings received each year by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Each congregation is encouraged to retain 25 percent of the Offering it receives to use for local ministries of peacemaking within the church and its community. Twenty-five percent is used by presbyteries and synods, and 50 percent is used by the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program.

Creative Learning @FPC

 As the summer ends, we are preparing for a new year of after school learning and growing. We will open on September 6, 2011. Many of our previous students and some new children will arrive at FPC for our loving support and encouragement as they learn. I hope you will consider sharing your time and talents with our children as we strive to live into the mission of our church family: To serve God by serving others.

In this new year, we will provide help with homework and support for their reading. Each day they will have healthy choices for snacks. We will explore art and music and perhaps some drama and dance. Cooking, sewing, gardening, and recreation inside and outside will be part of their growing interests. They will be supported as they learn new skills and learn to treat each other with love. Our success is dependant upon our volunteers.

You have the opportunity to teach these children by offering who you are. They will learn acceptable ways to interract with each other and what is not ok. They will find competence by encouragement to try a new skill. Our children will discover all kinds of people who let them know we have faith in them and will help them. "It takes a village to raise a child." We need you to make that village complete. You will find blessings in being a blessing to these children.

We also have a small number of openings for students in this new school year. For registration information or to volunteer, please contact Joanie Merrell at 203 965-8390 or by email to jmcreativelearning@gmail.com.

Please keep us in your prayers as we strive to do God's work in the world.  

Please listen for God's word to you as you ponder your contribution.

Joanie Merrell

Christmas is Coming!  It will be here before you know it and the committee is getting ready.

By popular demand we are once more bringing back our Boutique to be held during our Annual Christmas Brunch - December 4, 2011.

This year we will be adding a Children's Corner - for children to do their own shopping. 

The Committee is looking for all kinds of handmade (baskets, crafts, knitting, needlework, sewing, crochet, etc.) items to donate for our expanded gift tables.  We are also looking for new and slightly used items of antique quality to be used on our Silent Auction.  Look in your closets, in the back of cupboards and in the attic for anything of value you'd like to contribute.  All proceeds will go toward the Lounge Kitchen Renovation.

Thank you!

If you have any questions or items to donate please contact Chairperson - Ellen Greene, ellengreene@optonline.net or 203-327-4497 for further information.