in memoriam - concordia lutheran church, …...cheryl & alan mello; and aunt, linda burdick....
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In Memoriam
Margarete Wasilieff
Margarete (Turek) Wasilieff, 96, of New London, NH, formerly of Manchester,
CT, wife of the late Wesley McMullen, passed away peacefully on Sunday, May
27, 2018. Margarete was born in Manchester on January 6, 1922, to the late Jacob
and Katherine (Bensche) Turek.
She led a full, productive, and amazingly healthy life up until her last few years.
Never one to be idle, her interests were many and varied, from volunteering at
Manchester Memorial Hospital, to event staffing at Uconn, to singing with the
Manchester Symphony Orchestra and Chorale, to delivering Meals on Wheels, to
participating in numerous classes at MCTC and Adult Evening School programs
at MHS. Margarete was also a Girl Scout Leader for many years. There were
always one or more current projects - knitting, crocheting, basket making, rug
hooking, sewing, painting, furniture building, stenciling, to name but a few! Her vivid interest in travel
culminated with an Elderhostel dream trip to Norway in 2005.
She supported her grandchildren wholeheartedly, attending every school, music, and sporting event that she
possibly could.
Margarete was a school secretary at Manchester High School for the majority of her working years, and then
transferred to Verplanck School before she retired. She was a lifelong member of Concordia Lutheran Church
in Manchester and sang in the choir there until 4 years ago when she went to New Hampshire to live with her
daughter.
Margarete leaves behind her daughter, Kathleen Almond and her husband David of New London, NH; her three
grandchildren Timothy, Heather and Rebekka Almond; a brother Robert Turek and his wife Barbara of Silver
Spring, MD; a sister Mildred Scott and her husband Ernest of Manchester, CT; and many loving and caring
nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her older brother and sister-in-law Henry and Betty Turek.
Richard Philips
Richard L. Phillips, 84 of Manchester, husband of Sandra R. (Schatz) of 60 years
passed away at home on Wednesday, June 27th. Born in Hartford to Albert
Phillips and Marie (Goba) Smith. Richard worked at FINAST before retiring as a
Steel Fabricator for L & L Ensworth & son. He was a lifetime member of the East
Hartford Elks and a member of Concordia Lutheran Church in Manchester.
Richard was an avid golfer, sportsman enjoying hunting and fishing, and
woodworking. He is survived by his sons Richard L. Phillips, Jr of Medford, PA
and David J. Phillips of Waterford, and his grandchildren Chelsea M, Callyn E
and Carley P. Phillips, dear friend Marc O'Keefe and his wife Katie and their
family of Tolland, his sister Dorothy Zionts of Phoenix, AZ, nieces Diane
Choquette and Debra Phillips and nephew Alan Phillips and his wife Karen.
Besides his parents, Richard is pre-deceased by his brother Albert.
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Barry Wood
Barry A. Wood, 74 years old, passed away peacefully June 27, 2018, after a long struggle with Alzheimer's
disease.
Barry Albert Wood was born Aug. 6, 1943, in Liverpool, New York, to Anne Ziegler Wood and Albert Wood.
He graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1965 and was a commissioned officer in the Navy until
1967. He also received an MBA from UConn in 1973 and traveled the country and the world while working for
Pratt & Whitney for 34 years. Barry loved the beach and spent many family vacations in Cape May, Maui,
Pawley's Island, and Rhode Island. He was a runner his entire life and also loved music, wine, golfing, and
tennis (not necessarily in that order!). Above all, he loved seeing family and friends and simply listening to
people.
Barry is survived by his wife of 54 years, Pamela; his daughter, Michelle (Fort Washington, Pennsylvania); his
sons, John (Tolland) and Barry (Jersey City, New Jersey); and his grandchildren, Zoë, Jonah, Elianna, Brendon,
Carlo, and Brunner.
Richard Warrender
Mr. Richard Ric K. Warrender, of Manchester, Connecticut, born on September 9, 1953 in East Hartford,
Connecticut, to the late Lois K. Warrender and the late Kenneth D. Warrender, passed away at age 65 on
November 19, 2018 after a valiant 4 year fight against colon cancer. He was a Receiving Manager at K-Mart.
Richard was the loving partner of Cynthia L. Merrill for 36 years. He is survived by his sister & brother-in-law,
Cheryl & Alan Mello; and aunt, Linda Burdick.
Ernest Scott
Ernest John Scott, age 94 of Manchester, passed away peacefully February 2, 2019,
surrounded by his family. For 72 years, he was the loving husband of Mildred Turek
Scott. He was born October 1, 1924 in Dover, NH. to John and Alexia Scott. Ernie
served as a medic in the US Army. A general foreman at Pratt & Whitney's
Experimental Test Lab, Ernie retired after 32 years. He was graduated from
Manchester Community College where he earned an Associate Degree. He served in
many leadership roles as an active, longtime member of Concordia Lutheran Church
in Manchester. He is survived by his wife, Mildred Turek Scott; four daughters and
three sons-in-law: Louise, Susan and Steven, Patricia and Peter, and Tracie and
Robert; six grandchildren: Jacob, Lindsay and her husband Benjamin, Michelle, Luke, Stephanie and Ian; his
half-sister Katherine, and several nieces, nephews, and their families. In addition to his parents, Ernie was
predeceased by his sister Marion and his two brothers, George and Roy. Ernie loved boating and fishing on
Sebago Lake in Maine, Boston's Red Sox and Celtics, UCONN Women's Basketball, and spending time with
his family. Generous, caring, endlessly patient and kind-hearted, he will be forever missed.
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Mildred Scott
Mildred (Turek) Scott, 95, of Manchester, beloved wife of 72 years of the late
Ernest John Scott, passed away peacefully in her sleep Thursday, April 18, 2019.
She was born Feb. 15, 1924, in Manchester, daughter of the late Jacob and
Katherine (Bensche) Turek. Millie was raised in Manchester, attended local schools,
and was a lifelong resident. Along with raising her family, Millie was employed as
an engineering aide at United Technologies for several years. She was a lifelong
active member of Concordia Lutheran Church in Manchester where she served as
co-treasurer for many years. Millie loved drawing, painting, skiing, watching
"Jeopardy," and listening to music, especially Frank Sinatra. She enjoyed traveling
with her extended family, summers at Sebago Lake in Maine, and watching UConn
women's basketball with Ernie. Millie loved family gatherings, especially Sunday
dinners with her children and grandchildren. She was loving, caring and good-
natured to all. Millie, with her smile, dry sense of humor and stories will be forever missed.
Mildred is survived by her brother, Robert; four daughters and three sons-in-law, Tracie and Robert, Patricia
and Peter, Susan and Steven, and Louise; six grandchildren, Ian, Stephanie, Luke, Michelle, Jacob, Lindsay and
her husband, Ben; and several nieces, nephews, and their families. In addition to her parents, Mildred was
predeceased by her sister, Margarete; and brother, Henry.
Other Notable Deaths of Friends of Concordia
Audrey Boxwell Mother to former member Mimi Boxwell Died August 16, 2018
Walter B Hanson Son in Law of Jan and Bob McGarity Died April 8, 2019
Robert McKinney Father in Law of Bobby McKinney Died May 11, 2019
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Semi-Annual Congregational Meeting
June 2, 2019
Call to Order
Devotions
Approval of Agenda
Approval of Minutes- January 2019 Semi-Annual Meeting
Reports
• Pastor
• President
• Nursery School Director
• Stewardship
• Mutual Ministry
• Christian Education
• Legacy For Ministry
• Worship and Music
• Outreach
• Worship and Memorial Garden
• Member Care
• Fellowship
Nominating Committee Report/Elections
• Congregational Council
• Legacy for Ministry
• Worship and Memorial Garden
Update on 2019 Budget/Ongoing Discussion re: Looking Ahead
Information
• The Nominating committee for 2020 elections will be appointed at the January 2019 Semi-Annual
Meeting. The January 2020 Semi-annual meeting will be held on January 26th.
• The congregation council will meet after this meeting to elect officers.
Adjournment
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Minutes of January 27, 2019 Semi-Annual Congregational Meeting
Call to Order-Mark Winzler called the meeting to order at 11:25.
Approval of Agenda – so moved and passed
Opening Devotions – Pastor
Approval of Congregational Meeting Minutes – so moved and passed
Reception of 2018 Financial Reports
• Pastor’s Report – Motion to receive, seconded and passed
• Council President’s Report – Motion to receive, seconded and passed
• Treasurer’s Report – Motion to receive, seconded and passed
• Legacy for Ministry Board Report – Motion to receive, seconded and passed
• For This Holy House Capital Campaign and Projects Report – Motion to receive, seconded and passed
• Worship and Memorial Garden Board Financial Report – Motion to receive, seconded and passed
• Concordia Nursery School board Financial Report – Motion to receive, seconded and passed
• Stewardship Committee Report - Motion to receive, seconded and passed
50% of pledges increased giving
Approval of 2019 Proposed Ministry Budget - Motion to receive, seconded and passed
Election of Synod Assembly Voting Members –
(Friday, June 7 and Saturday, June 8 – Worcester, MA)
David Smith and Bobbie McKinney
Appointment of Nominating Committee –
Susan Bourret, Al Williams, Linda Lange
Adjournment
Respectfully submitted,
Kay Corl
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Pastor’s Report Pastor’s Report
“For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise…”
Evangelical Lutheran Worship
When we voted as a congregation to undertake our capital campaign for
Concordia’s building and grounds, I can safely say that I had no idea how
things would go. Would we raise enough money? Would the projects be able
to be completed with the proposed budget? How would we find the energy to
manage all that needed to be done?
When the initial commitments came in for the “For This Holy House” Campaign, I can tell you that my jaw
dropped along with others on the committee at the incredible generosity and commitment of this congregation.
As the projects began to roll out, Dan Burnett kept the proposals coming and steered the projects through his
years of experience. David Smith and John Corl managed the distributions from the construction loans. The
council and others kept a close eye on things as they moved along.
As we gathered on May 1 to celebrate the completion of the vast majority of the projects, I could only take a
deep breath and thank God for the many hands and many hearts that made it possible to secure our building’s
infrastructure into the foreseeable future. It wasn’t just this current generation of Concordians, but a sense of
multi-generational commitment to the church of Christ in this place. For this I am grateful. It has been a time of
immense work, but at the other end of the projects, we take a deep breath before tackling the other pressing
issues on our plate.
The title of the campaign, “For This Holy House,” comes directly from our liturgy. It is one of the first things
we sing each Sunday and we respond, “Lord, Have Mercy.” I remember being a child and hearing that phrase,
“Holy House,” and thinking about my house where I was being raised and God’s house…there was a deep
connection between the two. God’s work is done and praise is sung in both our own homes of love and nurture
as well as God’s holy house.
The prayer takes on a different meaning to me as I get older. It connects me to the work that we are to be about
as church. It connects me to not only the building but the people inside and outside who offer worship and
praise. Not only to those who come to worship, but also those who find Concordia a place of sanctuary and
safety, a place of fun and learning, a place of kindness and grace. When I pray now for, “This Holy House and
for all who offer here their worship and praise,” I think of our mission as church to be a center of the gospel…a
place where border walls and division are broken down…a place where children can be safe and learn about
God’s love…a place where those who are sick and weighed down by all manner of things may find relief and a
sense of God’s peace. I think of how God’s love has found us in the person of Jesus Christ and how that love
must be shared with a hungry and needing world.
I also think of how grateful I am to God for you, Concordia Lutheran Church, and your bold trust in God’s
provision and care. I thank God for you as we are being led to new endeavors and to build new relationships for
the sake of the continuity of the preaching of the gospel and celebration of the sacraments in this place.
As we welcome St. Mary’s Episcopal Church to worship with us for six Sundays this summer in our newly air-
conditioned space, I know that you will take time to build relationships as we seek to discern what God has in
store for us as a congregation. We must be bold and act with courage in these days of declining numbers and
struggling finances. We cannot rest on our laurels but must press on ahead to the goal.
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As you read these reports of the year of grace that has been, as you look at the wonderful pictures which
document our worship and fellowship together throughout the year, give thanks to God. Then, with good
courage, continue to ask God’s blessing on “this Holy House and all who offer here their worship and praise.”
May God’s favor rest on all of you, and may God bring to fruition the good work that God has begun in you.
The Rev. Douglas D. Barclay,
pastor
Council President’s Report On May 1, 2019 we celebrated the completion of our capital projects with a supper to
which our contractors and their families were invited. Over the past two years plus the
following were completed:
• Steeple sealed, painted and secured
• Metal roof installed on the nave
• New asphalt roof installed over Kaiser Hall/Nursery School
• New gutters installed
• New stove purchased and installed
• Fire suppression system and range hood installed in kitchen
• New railings installed at back entrances
• Sheetrock installed in Narthex
• Driveway sealed and lines
• New and replacement lighting: office entrance parking lot, walk, rear parking lot, steeple lights
• New outlets in Kaiser Hall
• Kitchen Serving Window Enclosure
• Solar Panels installed
• New HVAC system: building is now completely heated and air-conditioned
• New flooring in Kaiser Hall, Brandt Lounge and Garden Room
All of this has been accomplished due to the generosity of present and former members, present and former
pastors, friends, Concordia Nursery School and donations to Concordia’s Memorial Fund. By doing all of this
we have preserved this beautiful building and grounds for years to come to serve God and the community at
large.
At the May 1 celebration, the Congregation Council recognized Dan Burnett with a plaque and a gift card as a
small, but heartfelt token of our appreciation for being the “Projects Superintendent” over the past couple of
years. No one know of the countless hours that Dan spent at church, on the phone (at home and even on
vacation) being the conduit between the contractors and Concordia. He put his heart and soul into this. All of
us need to pause to thank Dan for all of the energy and time he expended!
I would also like to recognize those who served as the “Ad Hoc Property Committee” over the past couple of
years who were involved with research and study with a number of the projects (roof, flooring, HVAC, Solar
among them). This group was led by John Corl and also included Phil Stoneman, David Smith, Pastor Barclay,
Steve Graefe, and Dan Burnett. They were an integral to the success of the projects.
Once again I would like to recognize John Corl who is the “point person” with the ELCA Mission Investment
Fund who loaned Concordia the money for the projects. John was “on it” all the time and advocated for us.
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With support from David Smith, everything associated with the financial aspect of the projects was done with
great precision and accuracy.
In September Concordia put on its first-ever “Fall Festival” involving a huge tag sale, bake sale and barbecue.
With thanks to Carol Burnett and Carol Stoneman who lead the initiative working with Kay Corl, Linda Lange,
Jan Salvatore and Karen Schauster on the steering committee, the Festival netted about $3,000 for our budget
needs. Most importantly, however, was that over 30 Concordia volunteers who worked in preparation for the
event, worked on the day of the event and/or cleaned up. It truly was a “feel good” time for Concordia and
understandably so.
While we will not be repeating the Festival again in that form this year, the Council is going to bring back the
Craft Fair (date to be set) which had taken place for a number of years. Stay tuned…your help will be needed.
The July 2018-June 2019 year marked the 125th anniversary of Concordia which was noted with a couple of
events. In early December we had a service “Lessons and Carols with the surrounding Lutheran and
ecumenical community. In February, we revived Fastnacht which we celebrated with members of Emanuel, St.
Mary’s, Nueva Creacion, New Horizons and the community. We will conclude the year on Name Day
(Sunday, June 23) at which time we will have a catered luncheon after worship and then view a tape of our
100th Anniversary Festivities put together 25 years ago. We hope that everyone reserves the date and attends!
Over the past year we have strengthened our relationships with both Emanuel Lutheran and St. Mary’s
Episcopal churches worshipping together (Thanksgiving Eve, Holy Week and other times) and studying/talking
together with studies, films and discussions on Racism. We will continue to do so in the future.
We did try an experiment with St. Mary’s sharing a musician from July through December which involved
pushing our worship time (in the fall) to a later hour. The purpose of doing so was in an attempt to try to
address ongoing concerns with our respective budgets. While the Council knew the reason for the experiment,
in hindsight, I/we did not effectively communicate the “why” with the congregation which unfortunately caused
some upset. Lesson learned….. We brought the congregation together in the fall to review why the experiment
was taking place, but even more importantly continued a conversation started at last June’s Semi-annual
meeting about the realities of our finances.
That conversation about our finances continue at another congregational gathering in early January, a couple of
weeks before our January semi-annual meeting on finances. We “painted a picture” about not only our financial
outlook for the present but looking into the future as well. The bottom line is that Concordia cannot sustain
deficit budgets year after year! Sadly, as a congregation with a clear majority of people age 70 and above, the
number of people leaving us through death is increasing and few to no people replacing them “in the pews”.
We have emphasized that we are not alone in this…..in Manchester…… in Connecticut, in the New England
Synod………in the ELCA. We have done nothing wrong!
While the Council has been looking at other revenue streams (i.e. Craft Fair), we also looking at ways to share
with other congregations for the sake of good Stewardship, but also for the opportunity to do things together
such as worship, study groups and the like.
The Congregation Council has had a couple of joint meetings with the Vestry (the Council) of St. Mary’s. The
first was held at Concordia. At our last meeting (held St Mary’s) a few months ago, we realized just how much
we had in common in terms of both blessings and struggles. Those in attendance from both congregations felt
God’s presence among us and wondered what God might be calling us to do.
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Just a couple of days later at Bishop’s Staff meeting I learned that Pastor Erik Karas, Pastor of Christ Trinity
Church in Sheffield, MA, (a Lutheran Episcopal Congregation which is both fully Lutheran and fully
Episcopalian at the same time) had offered to go “on the road” to talk with people about his experiences with
“Luther-palians” as he called them. (He served in another Lutheran/Episcopal congregation in Maine).
Pastor Karas was contacted and agreed to come to Concordia to speak to Concordia’s Council and St. Mary’s
Vestry about his experiences. He brought with him two of his parishioners, one Lutheran and one Episcopalian
(and asked us to guess which was which). The more than 1 ½ hours they spent with us had a profound
impression on those gathered that evening.
A couple of nights later the Council met to discuss the presentation and to reflect on what we had experienced.
We talked about how God was indeed calling us perhaps to think and do things differently and that our minds
and hearts need to be open to doing and trying new things.
As a result Concordia and St. Mary’s will worship together from July 14 through August 25 this summer. It is
important to note that the shared summer worship experience is an experiment and nothing more. As you
know, we have done other experiments and so this is yet another. During this time of experiment let us
prayerfully discern what God’s call to us might be.
Down the road we have had some general conversation about inviting Pastor Karas and his parishioners back to
speak with all the members of Concordia and St. Mary’s together. Further information about that will be
forthcoming.
The Council totally understands that this is indeed “uncharted” territory, and we do not know where it will take
us. For now, we are committed to deepening our relationships with one another and with our neighbors at St.
Mary’s. We must be open to that which God calls us, whatever, whenever and wherever it is.
Join with me in praying for God’s presence and guidance as we keep our minds and hearts open. Who knows
what God might have in mind for us? To be sure it is an exciting time, but it can also be a time of uncertainty.
But we do not walk alone…… for God is with us and among us and God will provide!
Mark L. Winzler
Council President
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Report of the Nursery School Director
Semi-annual Report
May 2019
Another year of loving, learning and growing together has come to an end!
We once again found ourselves in a position of change but found that our ability
to work as a team and adapt to new situations is where we shine. I have been fortunate to serve as Director once
again this year as well as continuing to teach in the classroom. Kayle Gagnon, and Kristina Acuna returned as
classroom teachers, and we welcomed Ashley Salerno to the three-day teaching team as well. We were also
fortunate to welcome Amanda Lythgoe back for several weeks as a substitute when one staff member was out
on medical leave last fall.
Our year was packed with many
exciting activities and opportunities for
the children and their families. Field
trips to Hurst Farm in Andover,
Wickham Park, and the Oak Grove
Nature Center were offered. Parents
were welcomed into our school for
Advent Wreath lighting during the weeks
leading up to Christmas, Ice Cream
Social for two-day families, and Family
Picnic for three-day families. We also
invited parents to join their children in
hearing an age-appropriate telling of the
Easter story during Lent.
We served a total of 30 families this year, with 14 in the 3-year-
old class and 16 in the four-year-old class. Our program had 5 unfilled
spaces when we began in September, and as a result our income from
tuition was $12,500 less than budgeted. Several of these openings were
the result of families changing their plans over the summer and withdrawing children previously enrolled. Our
Nursery School Board discussed ways to avoid this in the coming year and decided to raise the nonrefundable
registration deposit from $50 to $200. This has not impacted our registration negatively and in fact both classes
are full with waiting lists for the 2019-2020 school year. We anticipate fewer withdrawals as a result. Despite
the tuition deficit we will experience due to the unfilled spaces, we expect to finish our fiscal year on June 30th
with a modest surplus. The combination of lower than budgeted payroll expenses, careful spending, and
successful fundraising has made this possible. As we look ahead to rising staff costs in the coming years, the
board is committed to keeping the nursery school sustainable and affordable for our families.
Once again, our Parent Committee did a phenomenal job raising funds to benefit our school. An
incredibly dedicated group of parents worked with Kayle Gagnon to plan and implement a revamped version of
our traditional silent and live auction. Our Bingo and Silent Auction night was attended by well over 125
people and was a truly fun and successful event. Raising just under $5000.00, the event was well organized and
may give rise to it becoming an annual, rather than biannual undertaking. We are incredibly grateful for the
support this event received and feel blessed to have such a dedicated group of families as part of our school
community.
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As always, we couldn’t provide the program
we do without the support of the congregation. We
are grateful for the beautiful space in which to teach,
as well as the building enhancements that will benefit
children and their families for years to come. We
were able to offer financial assistance for five families
in our program thanks to the generous support of the
parish. We also doubled our annual contribution to
the church to a total of $10,000.00 to support the
parish for our building use. We recognize that we are
the beneficiaries of your generosity and assistance
throughout the year.
Thank you so much for helping make
Concordia Nursery School the gem that it is. We are
blessed to have such a supportive community around us as we work with our community’s youngest members.
We are also thankful for the ongoing support provided by Kate Bozzo, Treasurer Carol Stoneman, Board
Members Sandra Baranowski and Julie Chiffer, and of course,
Pastor Douglas Barclay.
Thank you!
Respectfully submitted,
Laura Hart
Director, Concordia Nursery School
May 24, 2019
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Report of Ministerio Nueva Creación June 2, 2019 Ministerio Nueva Creación would like to take this opportunity to express our
thanks to Concordia Lutheran Church for their partnership in ministry with us.
We thank Concordia for their generosity and their extravagant welcome and
for the love they share with us. Concordia is truly a church that is living out
God’s command to love your neighbor as yourself. We cannot say it enough
how much we have been blessed to be part of Concordia Lutheran Church.
We continue to minister to the Hispanic/Latinx community in Manchester and
surrounding towns east of the River and Greater Hartford region with regular Sunday worship services, weekly
bible studies and outreach opportunities in the community in various ways. God is doing a new thing, and we
can perceive it and we hope that you perceive as well. To God be the Glory!
We are bilingual (Spanish/English) community of faith that desires to follow the example of Jesus where we
extend radical hospitality and extravagant welcome to all who come through our doors. We are so excited that
in May of 2018 we were granted funding from the ELCA NE Synod for pastoral leadership. We are blessed to
have celebrated our new status as a SAWC (Synodical Authorized Worshiping Community) in October of 2018
in a special service with Roster Pastors of the CT Conference and the Lutheran churches in Manchester as well
as ecumenical partners. As a congregation called to serve all God’s people we welcome all and we understand
that Jesus never exclude anyone. The pastor along with Elvira Baez attended their first ELCA NE Synod
Assembly las June, 2018.
We gather each Sunday for word and sacrament, to worship and to lift praises to our God who continues to
empower us and guide us in this ministry. We gather on Wednesday evenings for bible study or book study.
Our next bible study will focus on the book of Revelations we are hoping that members of Concordia will join
on us for this study on Wednesday evenings starting June 5, 2019. We participated in interfaith worship
experiences with the Interfaith Clergy of Manchester. We participated in the ecumenical Good Friday service
“The Stations of the Cross” in April 2019. We offered our first Good Friday Service with the theme “Leaving
it at the Cross” with members of the congregation bringing reflections on the last seven words Jesus spoke on
the cross. It was in deed a powerful and meaningful worship service as we minister to the people. We were
open to God’s amazing grace and love of humanity. We have continue doing mission in our community by
providing non-perishable food for the food pantry; at Christmas the women’s ministry put together 35 purses
filled with items that women need; such as soap, powder; cosmetics; deodorant; socks; mittens, etc. and
presented the purses filled with all those items to a women’s shelter.
We provided assistance to families in need due to loss of employment; and those who loss loves ones
unexpected by giving them love offerings. We now have a volunteer Admin & Communication team who meet
with the pastor monthly to coordinate the worship services and sermon series for the month and prepare the
songs and worship bulletins for each week, which is a blessing. We had wonderful Palm Sunday, and Holy
Week Services and the Pastor Pérsida participated in Interfaith Easter Vigil Service. We had a powerful and an
awesome Mother’s Day worship and Celebration. The Pastor continues to reach out to the community by
making connections at Rosita’s Restaurant and attending community events. We offered to movie nights we
review “I Can Only Imagine” and the 2nd will be May 29th we will view “God’s Not Dead”. We are sponsoring
and ecumenical “Sanctuary Church” event Sunday, June 2nd at 3:00 –5:00 pm to learn about what is a
“Sanctuary Church” and what does it require of a congregation to be a “Sanctuary Church”. We are planning a
Father’s Day celebration on Sunday, June 16, 2019.
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Our “Charlas Entre Mujeres” monthly women’s gatherings hosted in the women’s home continues to grow,
and is making an impact on the lives of Hispanic/Latino women in our community and beyond. We come
together to share with one another our faith, our struggles, our dreams; our aspirations and learn together about
God and what God desires for us to be. We have fun, laugh together, play games and in engage in meaningful
conversation and intercede in prayer as we support one another and reach out to each other by networking. This
ministry is doing well and has consistent growth. Charlas Entre Mujeres ministry is making a difference for the
women that attend each month for they consider these monthly gathers their worship time and connecting with
God in a deeper way. These women consider Pr. Persida their pastor. We are planning a fall retreat (September
2019) with and for the women of the church and the women attend of Charlas Entre Mujeres.
Ministerio Nueva Creación/New Creation Ministry will continue to be a faithful partner here at Concordia and
will continue to seek ways to have those interconnections that make this partnership the beloved community
God is seeking for us to be. To God be the Glory!
With the love of Christ,
Pastor Pérsida
Nueva Creación Celebration of
New Ministry
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Report of the Finance Committee The work of the committee continues with meetings each month to review the Treasurer’s report and make
recommendations to council when necessary. We also work closely with the Legacy committee.
2019 began with a review of the latest Stewardship numbers and breakdown of increases, decreases,
outstanding pledges, and pledges lost. There were 34 increases (> 50%), and 2 decreases ($6,000), with the rest
remaining steady. 2 pledges were lost due to death or moving. Overall, we are expecting $180,000 in income
from pledges and considered this a very good result that enabled us to recommend a budget based on that level
of expected revenue in addition to non-pledged offerings. The budget was refined in January and recommended
to council. It was passed at the semi-annual meeting in February.
Later, we reviewed the balances of the “For This Holy House" fund and confirmed the transfer of shares from
BOA to fulfil a pledge was completed in December 2018. We discussed the possibility of moneys being
available from the MIF construction allocation to address the flooring in the Hall and possibly Brandt Lounge.
Estimates were requested, and an extension of the construction period was granted to allow for this work. It was
also noted the HVAC wouldn’t be completed for up to 8 weeks due to a mishap in ordering of the units.
Our meeting in March was cancelled due to snow and the reports were shared via email. The HVAC work was
completed in March.
The carpeting was installed in April and the final invoices were paid shortly thereafter. The mortgage payments
to the Mission Investment Fund for the capital improvement plan will begin on June 1st. We had decided
previously to double-pay the amount each month. Roughly $250,000 has already been received and the final
draw on the construction loan account has been made. This will save on interest considerably over the life of the
loan. The committee thanks John Corl for his diligent work in submitting the paperwork to receive the money
to pay construction invoices and maintain the escrow balances accordingly.
There were times borrowing from Memorial & Tributes was necessary to meet payroll even though giving has
remained strong. This was largely due to some larger than expected utility and repair bills. We continue to track
revenues and expenditures and will continue to pay back the borrowed funds as we’re able.
At our May meeting, we decided to pay the $5,300 benevolence to MACC and we requested thru Legacy the
following: $6,200 for Synod to cover the period of March thru June.
The committee will continue to review operating expenses and look for savings and efficiency opportunities as
the year progresses. Carol agreed to share some trend analysis at the semiannual meeting.
Members of the committee have been involved in evaluating plans to increase revenue for the church outside of
member giving, such as building use and other events and activities.
We would like to say THANK YOU to all the members for their generous giving. As a church, we remain true
to our pledges and have found ways to ensure the continuance of our ministries.
Respectfully submitted,
Finance Committee
Pastor Douglas Barclay
David Smith, Chair
Carol Stoneman, Treasurer
Susan Bourret, Assistant Treasurer
Ruth Hayden, Financial Secretary
Wendy Donagher, Financial Secretary
Fred Winzler
18
Report of the Stewardship Committee
We are over the moon in gratitude for the members who increased their pledges this year, and for those who
maintained theirs, and of course, for all who give of themselves to maintain our beautiful church and its
ministries in thanksgiving to God. The committee made sure that THANK YOU notes went out this year for all
those who pledged to contribute financially and/or of their time towards the ministries of this church.
We have noted those who indicated on their commitment cards a desire to contribute their time and the
committee will explore some new and fun activities to bring everyone together to assist in the ministries of this
church by bringing new focuses and talents. For example, we’ll align those who like to write with activities that
require writing, such as writing notes to our homebound members and to visitors. We’ll align those who are
creative to do artwork that illustrate the bible study and educational activities in church, and we’ll align those
who like to pray, or sing, or both, to celebrate our achievements. So, more to come on this.
It’s an exciting time to be at Concordia as we have concluded the “For This Holy House” refurbishment
projects. It’s wonderful to see the sparkling steeple, the solar panels generating electricity for the church, the
new carpeting in the Garden Room, Brandt Lounge, and Kaiser Hall, the new lighting, heating, kitchen systems,
and indeed all the other items we planned to do and have completed. Soon we’ll be sharing our summer worship
with St. Mary’s Episcopal in our newly air-conditioned sanctuary. It will be great to worship together this
summer, and our Stewardship committees have already agreed to meet up and share ideas.
We will also be on the lookout to help those less fortunate in our community and to reach out and make
connections with our neighbors to attract those in need of church. Everything is in place. It’s up to us all to
invite them in.
Care to join us? As a committee, we can always use fresh faces and new ideas. It is not a very large time
commitment and we’d love to have you.
Respectfully submitted,
The Stewardship Committee
Pastor Douglas Barclay
David Smith, Chair
Carol Stoneman
Nancy Lynn Knauff
19
Report of the Property Committee “This Holy House” Project Committee Report
The “This Holy House” Project is complete! The project resulted in the following improvements to Concordia:
Steeple Sealing and Painting
New Roofing over the Nave and Kaiser Hall
New Gutters for the Nave and Kaiser Hall
A New Furnace
New Air Conditioning and Heating Backup Capability throughout the Concordia Campus
New Up to Code Exhaust Hood System and Stove for Kehl’s Kitchen
New Outdoor and Steeple Lighting, no more stumbling in the dark
A Narthex that is Inviting with its Light Color
A Parking Area with Sealed Cracks and Newly Painted Parking Spaces
New Flooring in Kaiser Hall converting it from a Basketball Court to a Reception Hall
New Flooring to Freshen Up Brandt Lounge, and the Garden Room
Repair of the Locks on 3 Exterior Doors
And we did all of this for a total Loan Expenditure of $372,307.34, now all we have to do is pay it back to MIF!
Report of Mutual Ministry
The Mutual Ministry Committee (MMC) continues to provide support to Pastor Barclay and staff members.
We continue discussing ideas for moving forward, possible ways to share resources with other churches and the
overall health of congregation going forward. We are grateful to have such a dedicated, forward thinking staff
during these challenging times.
Annual reviews of Pastor Barclay and Parish Administrator Kate Bozzo were conducted. Kate’s position
description needs to more clearly describe the work that Kate performs. We are planning to revise the job
description this year. Kate’s hours were changed this year to provide the opportunity for Kate to also support
Faith Lutheran in East Hartford. We plan to talk with Laura Hart this year to include the nursery school in our
annual talks.
Our increased activities with area congregations of worship and study have provided wonderful opportunities to
develop relationships with our fellow Christians in our partner congregations.
Respectfully submitted,
Pastor Barclay, Susan Bourret, Irma Vincens and Phil Stoneman
20
Report of Christian Education Christian Education
June 2, 2019
We still have a small but very dedicated Bible Study group that meets on Sunday mornings before the worship
service with Pastor Barclay.
We held three Senior Luncheons this past year. We had a cookout with burgers and dogs in August and shared
old stories of Concordia; we held our traditional carol sing in December with Pastor Barclay on keyboard and a
luncheon with sandwiches and Christmas cookies; and a barbecue was held in May with pulled pork, chicken,
and all the sides you could eat. These events tend to be very well attended by our seniors and we are hoping to
continue this ministry every few months.
Our committee became involved in the Racism in America documentary film series with Emanuel and St.
Mary’s churches. Three dates one month apart were scheduled this past fall with St Mary’s holding a program
at noon with a brown bag lunch and an identical program at Concordia in the evening with a simple supper.
This was so well received that further studies were scheduled at each church for the discussion of the book, “So
You Want to Talk About Race” by Ijeoma Oluo, which progressed to core groups discussing the book, “Waking
Up White and Finding Myself in the Story of Race” by Debby Irving. We are currently continuing our
education with a potluck, movie and conversation on “The Hate You Give” at Concordia on May 19, 2019. We
will continue to hold sessions such as these. Please contact the church office or Pastor Barclay if this sounds
like something you would like to attend. They are eye opening events. We should always be aware of intent and
impact with what we say and do. They very often are not the same.
Advent studies were held on three Sunday mornings after worship: 10/21/18, 11/18/18, and 12/16/18.
Our midweek Lenten series was changed to immediately following Sunday worship. On four of the five
Sundays preceding Easter we held a soup and bread lunch with film and discussion following worship in Brandt
Lounge that was very well attended. We were finished by 12:15, though many stayed longer.
Pastor Barclay Kay Corl
Jeanine Barber Nancy Lynn Knauff
Sandy Baronowski Susan Bourret
Jan Salvatore, chair
Senior Lunch Bunch Barbeque
21
Senior Lunch Bunch Barbeque
22
Report of Worship and Music
For the past year Concordia Lutheran Church has been working with St. Mary’s Episcopal Church on a joint
Service Music Program. This began with the sharing of a musician during the summer and continued into the
fall, with the same musician playing at each church. The program ended on January 1, 2019 when Concordia
resumed its normal 10 am service time. During the fall Concordia and St. Mary’s choirs also shared a music
director, Linda Hilliard. During this time a joint Hymn Selection Committee was formed which on Concordia’s
side took the place of the Worship & Music Committee.
Concordia, St. Mary’s, and Emanuel continue to have special services together. On Ash Wednesday there was a
joint noon service at Emanuel and an evening service at Concordia. There were also joint Wednesday services
during Lent including Stations of the Cross at St. Mary’s and Holden Evening Prayer at Emanuel. There was
also a joint Lenten Choral Evensong, at Emanuel, on the afternoon of March 31. During Holy week the Maundy
Thursday service was at Emanuel, the Good Friday service was at Concordia and the Easter Vigil was at St.
Mary’s.
Concordia and St. Mary’s continue to work together. The Joint Concordia and St. Mary’s Hymn Selection
Committee is continuing to operate. Concordia and St. Mary’s are jointly searching for a Church Service
Musician to serve both churches. St. Mary’s will be worshiping at and with Concordia during the summer, as
we have air conditioning they don’t.
Linda Lange and John Corl
For Concordia’s half of the Joint Hymn Selection Committee
Carol Stoneman, Linda Lange, and John Corl
Report of the Outreach Committee
The Outreach Committee was not as busy as in the past, but still successful in fulfilling the needs of our
community.
Highland Park School
Turkeys were purchased and delivered at Thanksgiving. At Christmas, 16 gifts were purchased and delivered
to the school along with hats and mittens, that were generously donated by the Nursery School.
Many Thanks To All
Seasonal Sharing
10 Thanksgiving dinners were provided for local families.
Christmas dinners for 10 families along with 40 gifts were distributed.
None of this could have happened without the generosity and support of our congregation, so, to them we say-
Thank You !
Respectfully Submitted
Carol Burnett
Carol Stoneman
Ruth Sprong-Heyden
Dan Burnett (Council)
23
Highland Park School
Turkey Drop Off
Filling Thanksgiving Baskets
for our MACC Families
24
Report of Worship and Memorial Garden Board
Worship and Memorial Garden Board Report
The Garden Board has held meetings beginning this spring and is planning a clean-up day on Saturday, June 8th
in which everyone is invited to come help. We will be weeding, clearing twigs and branches, and sweeping the
stones.
We are also planning on getting more mulch for the garden and will plan another Mulch Day for members of
the congregation, and our friends in the Boy Scouts, to help with. Planning is under way, so more to come on
this.
The Garden Board has purchased a self-propelled lawn mower to more easily handle the areas within the wall
and adjoining areas of the lawn around the benches and immediately outside the garden. Many thanks go to
David Beauregard for finding a suitable mower at a good price.
We have been fortunate that Gail Adams has stayed on as Treasurer and produced our financial report in
January. We are lucky to have her continue this role.
Mark Brendel has formulated an ingenious way to prevent some erosion between the stones on the incline
nearest the garden room by mixing mortar mix in with the rock dust and gravel between the stones. He did a
small area and we’ve monitored it and it’s held up quite well. With all the rain we’ve had this spring, there’s
more to do and he will work on doing that over the course of the summer.
Many thanks go to Jim Adams, who continues to handle opening the wall niches, cleaning them, and re-sealing
them, sometimes on short notice for interment services. Interments were held for the Wasilieff, Warrender, and
Scott families. Jim does a great job, and his work is appreciated.
A special thank you for Ruth Sprong, who was off the board this past year, but has continued to help ensure the
engraving work of stones is done and help keep us informed on procedures and things to look out for.
The Frank’s Landscaping contract was signed, and they’ll be doing their spring check-up and turn the sprinkler
system back on for summer. There is a suspected leak in the system that we’re awaiting feedback on as well.
We have also signed a contract with The Green Scene to provide lawn treatments for the area within the garden
wall and surrounding areas. David Beauregard struck a good deal with them on this and the Board felt it was a
good value for the money. Alas, this should help the keep the lawn looking nice and the weed situation under
control.
Worship and Memorial Garden Board
David Beauregard
Mark Brendel
Carol Burnett
Jane Casserly
Jan McGarity
Edna Nekiunas
Karen Schauster
David Smith, Chair
25
Report of the Member Care Ministry
June 2019 The Member Care Committee members have had on-going contact with our homebound member by:
1. Visiting our members who were ill or homebound.
2. Sending cards and making telephone calls.
3. Bringing holiday or seasonal gifts:
Decorated treat for the 4th of July
Small baskets of seasonal fruits in the autumn
Homemade breads at Thanksgiving
Tins of homemade cookies at Christmas
Homemade soups in the winter
Knitted prayer squares to Easter
Pots of yellow tete a tete flowers at Easter
4. Maintaining contact with the Pastor about the needs of members
Many thanks were given by members who attended the luncheon programs. The daytime scheduling enabled
them to take part in church activities and they appreciated and enjoyed the food made by the members who
prepared and served the food.
We invite members of the congregation to join our committee. Members who have limited available time can
contribute to either one or more of our activities
Committee Members: Jackie Britton, Carol Burnett, Jane Casserly, Linda Lange, Jan Salvatore, Ruth Sprong-
Heyden, David Stoneman, Helen Wittkofske,
Chairperson: Irma Vincens
Member Care Delivering Mums to the
Homebound
26
Report of Nominating Committee The Nominating Committee submits the following congregation members for election to serve on the
Congregation Council, and Worship and Memorial Garden Board for terms beginning June 2019. Legacy
members are all still eligible to serve their current terms.
Congregation Council:
Membership consists of the pastor(s) and not more than 12 nor fewer than 6 members of the congregation
including elected/appointed officers.
Jan Bellino – First 3-year term
Petie Goodrich – First 3-year term
Jan McGarity – First 3-year term
Elaine Briggmann – Second 3-year term
Tina Sollinger-Ruggerio – Second 3-year term
Mark Winzler – Second 3-year term
The following council members will continue to serve their elected terms: Dan Burnett, second term ends 2021;
Kay Corl, second term ends 2020; David Smith, first term ends 2021; Carol Stoneman, first term ends 2021;
Pastor Barclay.
The committee thanks Al Williams, Linda Lange and Susan Bourret for their six years of dedication and
service.
Legacy for Ministry
Membership consists of 7 voting members, one of whom is elected by the Congregation Council, 4 elected from
the congregation at the June semi-annual meeting, the pastor and the treasurer.
The following legacy board members continue to serve their elected terms:
David Smith, first term ends 2020, Wendy Donagher, first term ends 2021; Fred Winzler, first term ends 2021;
Tina Sollinger-Ruggerio, council representative, Carol Stoneman, treasurer and Pastor Barclay.
Worship and Memorial Garden Board
This board ideally consists of nine members elected by the congregation.
Ruth Sprong-Heyden – First 3-year term
Julie Chiffer – First 3-year term
Susan Bourret – First 3-year term
David Beauregard – Second 3-year term
Other members are: Mark Brendel, second term ending in 2020; Jane Casserly, second term ending in 2023;
Edna Nekiunas, first term ending in 2021; and David Smith, first term ending in 2021.
The committee thanks Carol Burnett, Jan McGarity and Karen Schauster for their dedication and service.
We would like one or two more people to volunteer for this committee. They work spring through fall usually
once a month. We would like to ask if there are any nominations from the floor.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan Bourret and Linda Lange
Pastor Barclay, advisor
27
Concordia Year in Review
Name Day Celebration
for John and Kay Corl
Concordia’s Annual Summer Picnic
John Corl and Pastor Joe Bourret
Kay Corl and Linda Lange
28
Carol Burnett and Jan McGarity
Concordia’s Annual Summer Picnic
Tina Ruggerio and Fred Winzler
Don and Marian Slater
Mark Winzler
29
Jane Casserly and Irma Vincens
Don Slater, Pastor Joe Bourret and Paul
Goodrich
Diamond Jubilee on the
60th Anniversary of the Ordination of
The Reverend Joseph Bourret
30
Concordia’s Fall
Festival
31
32
Let’s Talk About It – Series on Racism in America
Solar Panel Installation
33
Scout Sunday
Joint Council Meeting
with St. Mary’s
34
Fastnacht Dinner
35
May Day Celebration and
Blessing of the Completed
“For This Holy House”
Projects
36