Category Archives: religion

Give To The Good Guys

Posted on November 30, 2011 | Leave a comment

In the blizzard of upcoming holiday events, there’s one that might be overlooked.

But it shouldn’t be.

Tomorrow (Thursday, December 1, from 5-7:30 p.m. at Christ & Holy Trinity Church), the Westport Downtown Merchants Association is sponsoring a “Season of Giving” event.

Sure, there’s the usual ho-ho-ho attractions — refreshments, an ice sculpture, a visit from Santa, music by the Orphenians and Chris Coogan — but the real attraction is a chance to do some good for some great community non-profits.

Many hands will help Westport charities tomorrow.

A variety of organizations — Homes With Hope, the Y, Save the Children and a dozen others — will have booths.  They’ll hand out information — but they’ll also have “wish lists.”  If something strikes your fancy, just donate to the cause.

The Westport Arts Center, for example, has “wishes” ranging from $10 (help install an art exhibit) to $250 (send a kid to summer art camp).

It’s just like real life Christmas (and Hanukkah).  Sometimes you get everything you ask for; sometimes you don’t.  Whatever happens, it never hurts to ask.

The “Season of Giving” is a great idea — and everyone’s a winner.  Our non-profits get a chance to have their wishes filled.  You get a chance do some good for a group you love — or one you never knew about — while having a good time.  And your kids get a chance to learn “the true meaning of Christmas” (or Hanukkah).

PS:  Really want to make a day of it tomorrow?  Head to Town Hall at 4:30 p.m. for the lighting of the (very ecumenical) “town tree.”  Then wander down the hill to the Westport Historical Society, for hot cocoa.  And if you stop in to a store or two on your way to the “Season of Giving” at Christ & Holy Church, I’m sure the downtown merchants won’t mind. 

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Saugatuck Church Service At Temple Israel

Posted on November 25, 2011 | 5 Comments

First, Christ & Holy Trinity Church offered its Great Hall for the Saugatuck Congregational Church’s annual Thanksgiving feast.

Now, following last Sunday’s fire at the church, Temple Israel has opened its doors.  Saugatuck Church’s regular worship service will take place this Sunday, at 10 a.m.

Temple Israel is also providing rooms for church school and child care.

A perfect example of “loving thy neighbor.”

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Talking — And Donating — Turkey

Posted on November 22, 2011 | 2 Comments

Sunday’s fire destroyed more than a significant portion of Saugatuck Congregational Church.

Also lost:  over 30 donated turkeys, part of the annual Thanksgiving Feast (now set for 1 p.m. Thursday at Christ & Holy Trinity Church).

It took less than 24 hours for the turkeys to be replaced.  Scott Thommen of Britt-Air, along with Stew Leonard’s, quickly made sure the church had one less thing to worry about.

For Stew’s, it was the 2nd turkey donation to Saugatuck Congregation.  “The world’s largest dairy story” had already donated a bunch o’ birds — the ones caught in the fire.

Oscar's Andy Porier; Scott Thommen, owner of Westport's Britt-Air; Randy Christophersen, chair of the Saugatuck Feast Committee, with newly donated turkeys.

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Posted in Local business, People, religion

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Saugatuck’s Flashlight Service

Posted on November 21, 2011 | Leave a comment

Acrid smoke hung in the air.  Yellow police tape fluttered in the breeze.  Whirring generators made the prayers and hymns hard to hear.

But — stirred by words like “we shall never be shaken,” and comforted by the closeness of friends and fellow congregants — the Saugatuck Congregational Church held a flashlight service tonight on its front lawn.

A few yards away, the church — fire-damaged, but still intact — stood proud and tall.

Thursday is, officially, Thanksgiving.

But for dozens of Westporters on the church lawn, tonight was the true celebration.

Doug Johnston, chair of the diaconate, welcomes Westporters to the service.

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Saugatuck Church Service Tonight — On The Lawn

Posted on November 21, 2011 | 1 Comment

Saugatuck Congregational Church is already on the mend.

At 7:30 tonight — less than 24 hours after a fire severely destroyed part of the handsome building — a brief worship service will be held on the front lawn.

Guests are asked to bring candles, and park at the Westport Country Playhouse.

More good news:  The church’s neighbor — Christ and Holy Trinity Church, near the YMCA — has agreed to host the Saugatuck Church’s annual Thanksgiving Feast at 1 p.m. on Thursday.  As usual, all are welcome.

This afternoon, Saugatuck Church emailed a “Dear Friends” letter.  It read:

As many of you already know, last night there was a devastating fire in our church building.

We are clearly hurt by this, but we are also profoundly thankful that the fire did not, as we feared it might, take the entire building. We have not lost our spiritual home.

At this time we know that there was severe fire damage to the choir loft, the Daniels Room, the Fellowship Room and the nursery school. We know that the sanctuary and the new education wing have at least sustained water and smoke damage. At this time, we don’t have more details on the extent.

We’ve had so many expressions of support.  Sarah Verasco, Jeff Ryder, John Branson and the Town of Westport, along with many others, have stood with us through this ordeal.

So many others have come to visit or called to express their concern and support, and we know that our friends are praying for us across the state and even the entire United Church of Christ. May their prayers comfort us as we step forward.

We have spoken with our insurance provider at the Insurance Board, and they have already sent a team today. We know that we will be in a lengthy partnership with them as we look toward rebuilding.

As more information becomes available, we will send it through.

We will get through this together.

Please check out our website (www.saugatuckchurch.org) which will be updated as information becomes available.

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After The Fire

Posted on November 21, 2011 | 17 Comments

Yesterday afternoon — a glorious fall Sunday — a woman stood in Colonial Green. She was taking photos of Saugatuck Congregational Church, across the street.

And why not?

It’s a magnificent building — as beautiful and iconic as any New England church should be.  It’s the perfect image of Westport — even if it’s been there, on the corner of the Post Road and Myrtle Avenue, since “only” 1950.

(Fun fact:  That year, the church was moved — very slowly, on a bed of logs — from its spot across US1 a few hundred yards away, where the Sunoco station now stands.  Life Magazine covered the event.)

More importantly, for nearly 180 years the Saugatuck Church has played a vital role in the life of our entire town.  More than 50 different 12-step groups meet daily there.  The church hosts a thriving nursery school, and many other community groups.

A fire last night destroyed part of the magnificent structure — thankfully (if one can say that) the back, not the sanctuary or steeple.

But the fire came at a particularly bad time.  On Thursday, 300 diners would have relished the traditional Thanksgiving feast.  Next month, the same number would have gathered for a Christmas meal.

Offers have already poured in to cover those 2 events, and provide a place for the AA and other meetings, as well as the nursery school.

The entire town will help the Saugatuck Congregational Church, and its members — just as, for nearly 2 centuries, they have helped all of us.

In the meantime, our prayers are with all congregants, and clergy, of this wonderful church.

Firefighters from Westport and surrounding towns did a great job saving most of the Saugatuck Congregational Church last night. (Photo/Cathy Zuraw for the Westport News)

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Posted in religion, Westport life

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Help For The Holidays

Posted on November 13, 2011 | 1 Comment

The holiday season has begun.  Local stores have “Christmas” (can I say that?) decorations up, and Wal-Mart — thankfully not a local store — has announced it will open at 10 p.m. Thanksgiving Day.

“Our customers told us they would rather stay up late to shop than get up early, so we’re going to hold special events on Thanksgiving and Black Friday,” Walmart’s chief merchandising officer said.  (No word on what Walmart’s hard-working, non-unionized workers associates think about punching in late on Thanksgiving night.)

While “06880″ cannot become a bulletin board for every worthy help-the-less-fortunate endeavor this winter (bah, humbug!), 3 special events have caught our eye.

First:  Once again, the Conservative Synagogue is partnering with gourmet bakers, caterers and fine food outlets to provide Thanksgiving pies — while making a donation to Homes With Hope.

The “Share the Pie” fundraiser offers apple, pecan and pumpkin pies for $20.  The deadline to order is this Wednesday (November 16); pies can be picked up Tuesday, November 22 at the synagogue parking lot.

Click here to order, or call 203-454-4673.

Second:  The Department of Human Services is again sponsoring a holiday giving program for Westport residents.

Those who can contribute — gift cards for food, gas and discount department stores, for example, along with tax-deductible donations of money that’s used to fulfill last-minute requests — do so.  Human Services acts as a facilitator, protecting the confidentiality of donors and recipients.

To donate — or request help — email humansrv@westportct.gov, or call 203-341-1069.

Third:  The Westport Police Department local union 2080 and Police Benevolent Association are again sponsoring a toy drive.  New, unopened and unwrapped toys — as well as cash donations — will be collected at police headquarters any time through December 18.

There are plenty of ways to do good this holiday season.  These are just 3.

And none require a trip to Walmart at 10 p.m. Thanksgiving night.

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Remembering Lili

Posted on November 3, 2011 | 5 Comments

Liliane Bonora died quietly of heart failure on October 20.

That’s what the obituary said, anyway.  Some people might have read the name, not recognized it, and moved on.

But if the story said simply “Lili died,” nearly everyone in town would have noticed.

Lili, of course, owned Lili’s Fine Food and Catering, the railroad station coffee shop that for 28 years served coffee, croissants, conversation — and much, much more.

Her obituary noted that she was born in Monte Carlo, moved to Canada in the 1960s and the US in the early ’70s, then became an American citizen just in time to cast her first vote for Bill Clinton.

She was “an accomplished cloisonné artist and designer.”  She was a concert pianist, and also played violin, flute and guitar.  For a while, she gave piano lessons.

Lili worked at Soup’s On before opening her railroad station spot.  There, she met countless customers who were enchanted by her “generosity of spirit, and her gifts as a chef.”

The obituary continued:

Her devotion to beauty and perfection translated into everything she did.  Her culinary and floral creations were breathtaking.  She is held lovingly in the hearts of all the lives she touched.

Among those lives was Ellie Solovay’s.

“I was probably one of Lili’s first customers,” the longtime Westporter recalls.

For many years she cooked Friday night dinner for me and my family.  In the past few years my husband and I would walk over the railroad bridge to her cafe on Saturday mornings.  She made us the best omelets this side of the Atlantic.

When Ann Sheffer — who lives on Stony Point, just across the parking lot from the train station — heard Lili had died, she remembered so many parties Lili had catered.

Ann contacted friends, and learned that a group of parishioners at St. Luke Church had taken care of Lili.

They and others started planning a tribute.  A memorial service is set for 10 a.m. this Saturday (November 5), at St. Luke’s.

A reception will follow.  At Lili’s Place, of course.

(Lili’s obituary noted that contributions in her honor can be made to the Connecticut Food Bank and Homes With Hope.  The story concluded:  “An act of kindness each day dedicated to Lili would please her.)

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A Prayer For 9/11

Posted on September 9, 2011 | 1 Comment

As we remember the 10th anniversary of 9/11, the Westport-Weston Clergy Association has prepared a prayer for the community.

The words will be recited in nearly 2 dozen churches and synagogues as an expression of unity, with thoughts of the victims and their families close at heart.

The clergy members add:  “If you are home-bound, we encourage you to recite this prayer with us from your home on September 11.  For those who can join us, please know that our doors are open and we look forward to welcoming you into our houses of worship with open arms.”

The 9/11 Prayer of Remembrance and Hope:

Dear God, we remember before you today those whose lives were lost in the catastrophic events of September 11, 2001, and for all those whom we love but no longer see.  We give thanks to you for the selfless courage of those brave souls who ran into burning buildings and who labored in the rubble; may their courage be to us a witness of what is possible when we are guided by love and dedication to our fellow human beings.

We pray today for the continued healing of all those suffering emotional and physical scars.  May your spirit breathe new breath into clouded lungs, new life into troubled minds, and new warmth into broken hearts, so that all may feel wrapped in your loving embrace.  May we move from suffering to hope, from brokenness to wholeness, from anxiety to courage, from death to life, from fear to love, and from despair to hope.

Guide our feet into the way of peace.  Inspire us with hope in the gift of shalom and salaam.  May we receive this gift, so that we might become instruments of your peace in this world, knowing all people as equally loved, lovingly created, children of God.

Amen.

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Heavenly App

Posted on September 4, 2011 | 2 Comments

Just a week ago today, Hurricane Irene pelted us with wind, rain and storm surges.  Nearly every Sunday event in Westport was canceled.

But Green’s Farms Congregational Church — which turned 300 years old this year, and in 3 centuries has never missed a service — kept that incredible record intact.

Green's Farms Congregational Church

At the height of the storm, the faithful — though fewer than usual — populated the choirloft and held prayer books.  It was just like any other  Sunday, since decades before the United States was born.

But parishioners from 1711 –  even 2001 — may not have recognized every aspect of the service.  Minister Dan England preached from his laptop, while congregants shared smartphones to read their pieces and prayers (from notifications they’d received the day before).

Green’s Farms Church adapted to the times.  The colonial met the technological.  And it will be ever thus, no doubt through Sundays in at least the year 2311.

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