Grandy Building Preservation Fund Established at AHCC
 Inspired by the ministry, leadership, and commitment of Peter Grandy as Senior Associate Minister of Asylum Hill Congregational Church, and motivated by the opportunities to sustain his legacy in the church's endowment, Charley Kurz, Susan Aller and Bob Jones have come forward to help establish the Grandy Building Preservation Fund.
Please join us as we celebrate the creation of the new Grandy Building Preservation Fund on Sunday, June 23. We will be holding a special reception in Drew Hall following worship for this occasion. Additional gifts are welcome; you are invited to make your contributions to help the Fund grow further to meet our ever-increasing facility needs.
Please contact Rev. Matt Laney, Senior Minister, or any member of the Planned Giving Committee for more details about the Grandy Building Preservation Fund or how to become a member of the AHCC Legacy Fellowship.
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Why I Volunteer for Spirit Hill - Cindy Jaworski
What do you like about volunteering with Spirit Hill?
My "real" profession does not provide me with opportunities to teach, and I've always enjoyed it on some level, so it's a nice way to be able to feed that need in me in short bursts. More importantly, I thoroughly enjoy interacting with the different grade levels and watching them react to the lesson of the day - they never fail to surprise me! It's refreshing to see the kids' approach to the lessons, often seeing them in a way that is so different than how an adult sees them. Preparing for the lesson also presents an opportunity for me to give thought to a section of the Bible I likely haven't thought about in a while, and to clarify my own understanding of it in order to be able to share with the kids. So, it's both a learning and a teaching experience for me.
Why should church members consider volunteering with Spirit Hill?
I encourage people to sign up because it is fun, easy and rewarding. I'll admit that at first I was a little leery about being a Spirit Hill teacher, because I had never attempted to teach in a church setting and do not consider myself a biblical scholar by any stretch. My fear was short-lived though, and if there are folks out there with that same concern, they should discount it. The way the lessons are prepared for the teachers makes teaching very easy - everything is laid out in the lesson plans, so that you just have to read the materials, get your own thoughts about the lesson and its meaning in order, and then you're ready. You give the same lesson to 4-5 different grade levels over the weeks that you commit, so other than making some adjustments to the lesson plan based on the ages of the kids and the insights you gain from the classes each week, once you prepare for the first class, you're prepared for your 4-5 weeks. Working with Spirit Hill kids will give you a lift and a connection to a very important segment of our congregation. Our kids are insightful, funny and eager to learn. You will take away more than you give.
Please consider giving of your time and talent as a teacher or shepherd for our young children in Spirit Hill. Teacher: teach one lesson to a different age group each week. No Bible knowledge or experience necessary. Curriculum & materials provided. Commitment: four weeks. Shepherd: 1st-6th grade. Shepherds are the "relationship builders:" nurturing and encouraging the children and assisting with classroom needs. Commitment: September-June every other Sunday, no teaching responsibility. Complete the information here and submit to Kyle Cannon at kcannon@ahcc.org.
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"Who's Not Here?"
by Rev. Matt Laney
Have you ever been on a group outing and just before the adventure begins the group-leader asks, "Are we all here? Who's not here?" And if they are feeling cheeky, "Raise your hand if you are not here!"
"Who's not here?" is a powerful, important question.
It's a question we often find in the Bible. One Christian poet imagines the Bible beginning with God asking on the sixth day of creation "Who's not here?" Humans: partners and co-creators on earth! Before long the children of Israel are called to represent the one true God. But there were still people missing! In Christ and the Gentile-focused ministry of Paul, God extended the divine fellowship to the ends of the earth. In short, the question, "Who's not here?" drives the narrative of the Bible.
Does the same question drive us today?
The issue takes shape in two ways in my mind. The first relates to our existing membership. I often look out at the congregation on a Sunday morning and wonder "Who's not here... and why?" Presence at worship is the first and best gift we give the church and ourselves, but I am well aware there are many thing which prevent AHCC members from weekly worship - infirmities, travel, work, important family events. For those of us who are in town, not working and of able body, we look forward to seeing each other in church. That's the first and most important indicator of engaged membership. I'm a bit biased, but I can't imagine why anyone would want to miss a Sunday! And remember, we come to worship not only because we need it, but because the church needs us. As Steve Mitchell often says about singing, "We sing hymns not only because it's good for us, but
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 Diners Club
Don't Drive at Night?
Come to Brunch at Firebox Restaurant in Hartford
Sunday, June 2, 12:15 p.m.
Firebox is known for their "farm to table" specialities featuring local fresh fruits, vegetables and meats. Brunch menu: Eggs Benedict for all and then, served family style, buttermilk waffles, home fries and bacon, dessert, coffee, hot tea, iced tea, soda. The cost is $28 pp. Deadline is Sunday, May 25. Newcomers are ALWAYS welcome!
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Adult Mission Trip
June 2 - 7, 2013
For the fourth year we will be going to help the Conference Center on Cape Cod that is an important part of the ministry of the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ. We will be rehabilitating guest cottages and buildings that are on the National Registry of Historic Places so that the Center can continue to serve groups from churches and other non-profit organizations. We will stay in some of the historic houses and have all our meals in the Conference Center dining room. For more information and to sign up, contact Rich Grobe at rrgrobe@aol.com or (860)306-5394.
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Community Puppet Parade:
"Outer Space Adventure"
Construction: August 19 - 23 Parade: Saturday, August 24, 11:00 a.m.
 We are collecting recyclable materials for our annual Community Art Project and Parade - and YOU can help! Look around and see if you can donate any of the following items. Please leave your donations on the stage in Drew Hall before August 14 and we will turn them into ART!
We need your TRASH - or at least some of it. Some ideas include ... fabrics: bed sheets; large pieces of colorful fabric (1 yd. or more); cardboard: large pieces (furniture/fridge boxes); water bottles: any size - with caps; wire hangers; old umbrellas - broken is OK, any size (travel style are good); plastic grocery bags; smock and rags; decorations: feathers, yarn, buttons, bottle caps, fabric paints, markers, foils - be creative; tools: scissors, paint brushes, pliers, hammers, wrenches, wire cutters, screw drivers, utility knives. Please place the items on the stage in Drew Hall. Thank you!
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Asylum Hill Congregational Church
814 Asylum Ave.
Hartford, CT 06105
(860)525-5696
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