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1The Lifeline – September 2006

SE P T E M BE R 2006

the Lifelinethe LifelineNORWICH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

The Lifeline – September 20062

2006 CHURCH OFFICERS2006 CHURCH OFFICERS

CHURCH COUNCILChair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Shirley ParkerVice-chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . .John GrantAt-large Member . Katherine Broussard

BOARD OF DEACONSSenior Deacons: . . . .Debbie Berryman . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hugh HuizengaAnne Broussard, James Fawcett, Lynne LaBombard, Harry Dorman, Amy Wyatt, Doug Lufkin

BOARD OF TRUSTEESChair: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fred CarletonJohn Caulo, Willemien Miller, Marie-Elise Young, Charles Egner, Mark Lindberg

BOARD OF MISSIONChair: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Katy GerkeMary Hudson, Barbara Duncan, Diane Riley, Rita Severinghaus, Letha Mills, Rick von Unwerth

BOARD OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATIONChairs: . .Tom Evans, Ellen Gnaedinger Kathy Grant, Bob Miller, Ryan Adams, Harry Higgs

OFFICERSAuditor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rob TitusClerk . . . . . . . . . . Christopher Ashley Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . Mary SachsseCollector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Judy Pond Assistant . . . . . . . .Stanton WilliamsDelegates . .Peg Post, Doris Van Keuren Alternates . . . . . . . . .Cleta Wheeler, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Don PoulsonHead Usher . . . . . . John & Sarah WareHistorian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ray HuessyModerator . . . . . . . . . . . . Brooke Mohr Assistant . . . . . . . John SeveringhausTreasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert Jacobs Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mel Biggs

Flower CommitteeTilda White, Deb Van Arman, Victoria Lubin

Hospitality CommitteeMarion Frazer, Marty James, Nancy Hoggson, Jo Dorman, Anne Egner, Katherine Broussard

Investment CommitteeStan Williams, Peter Mertz, Judy Moore

Music CommitteeDon Helms, Co Emlen, Erica Hamer, Linda Himadi

Nominating CommitteeDeb Van Arman, Mary Keeley, Mary Sachsse

Stewardship & Gifts CommitteeElaine Day, Brooke Mohr, Herb Maurer, Colby Wyatt, Jenny Williams, Vicky Fish

Woodworth Fund CommitteeFlos Henry, Dick Broussard, Laird Myers, Cleta Wheeler, Ray Huessy

NORWICH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHDouglas S. Moore . . . . . . . . . Senior PastorMary Brownlow Huessy . Associate PastorKathleen Sherlock-Green . .Choir DirectorJane Helms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Organist

Tacy Colaiacomo . . . Organist-in-Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . & Offi ce ManagerJoni Latuch–Lyman . . . . . . . . BookkeeperRichard Broussard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sexton

IF YOU WANT TO DONATE FLOWERS FOR WORSHIP...please call Deb Van Arman at 649–1723 for help, information, or to sign up. You may also sign up on the “Flowers” sheet posted in the Parish Hall.

On the CoverTop: Priscilla Vincent, Tacy Colaiacomo

Middle: Trish (WHO), Elizabeth Huessy, Mary Kay (?), Kathy Broussard, Richard Broussard, John Severinghaus

Bottom: Don Poulson

Welcome to the (slightly late) September 2006 edition of the Lifeline.

Ray Huessy has stepped down from being the designer of the newsletter, and I, Doug Lufkin, am scrambling to take over the duties that he so excellently performed.

I’ve stepped in from time to time as substitute designer when he was away. But I’m realizing how much goes into the production of these! The design work is easy – it is, after all, what I do for a living. It’s the coordination and double-checking on who has an article that makes it a challenge! We’ll get over the tran-

From the Designersition shortly, and things should go more smoothly, and more on time.

Speaking of on time, the new deadline for articles and submis-sions to the newsletter is now the 20th of the month. So, send in your contributions for the October newsletter by September 20th to [email protected].

The above email is for sending articles, photos, reflections, etc., and I’ll download everything on the 20th and begin to work on the layout. For queries or comments, you can email me at [email protected]. Be sure to have “LIFELINE” as the subject, or your message will likely be deleted, unopened. You can also call me at my office at 649-3500.

I would appreciate hearing your comments and constructive criti-cism of the Lifeline. I’d like it to be enjoyable and informative for all of us. Is the type easy to read and large enough? More photos? Longer or shorter articles? Any topics you’d like to hear more about? Would you like to participate in some way? Please speak up!

Doug Lufkin


September is the time for starting and returning. It is the time to mark the end of August, the seemingly endless month, the month base-ball knows as the “dog days of summer”. Returning and starting can be wonderful and we hope that is the spirit each of you holds as you look toward our church in September. Coming back to the familiar and looking forward to something new is a marvelous way to begin this new season in our life together.

There is newness in the Lifeline that you now hold. Ray Huessy, who was our managing editor, layout specialist, graphic artist and contribu-tor for so many years has given up the reigns. His work on our behalf over all these years was invaluable and we are so appreciative. In his place now stands Doug Lufkin who brings his own array of graphic and print talents to the position. We welcome Doug into the position and also want to make sure he knows just how much we appreciate his will-ingness to take on this difficult and critical position. After all, where would we be without a Lifeline? One hates to think!

This should also be the year when we see real, substantial construc-tion action. Work on the Sanctuary has already begun. We can now open the windows – even those in balcony – with ease! and the Sanctu-ary work will continue over the next few months though mostly hidden from view. The Building Committee spent most of the summer work-ing with our architects on the plans, costs and permitting process, and reaching the conclusion that work on Parish Hall should begin in early Spring, 2007. This revised schedule will allow for most of the work to be done over the summer months when our building has its lightest use. So, we ask that you be excited and patient with us.

There will be something new in the music department as well. We will be purchasing a two octave set of handbells with money from the Woodworth Fund and an anonymous donation. Kathy is excited about this new and beautiful addition. We hope handbells will add more range and loveliness to our music and perhaps entice some new people into the program. If all goes well we will have the bells in hand by mid-November.

As we all return and start again with the arrival of September, we also know we will be continuing the ancient and glorious work of the people of God. In the timeless fashion of a people of faith seeking God we will move together to draw closer to God, closer to Christ. We will seek, with God’s grace and the strength of each other, to be where God is doing what is doing: healing, comforting, strengthening, feeding and loving God’s good creation. We will be moving towards being a bless-ing. What could be more exciting, more comforting, and lovelier than that? See you in September.

Doug Moore

“What Jesus Meant”An Adult Ed. Discussion Series

Beginning Sunday, September 24, (the Sunday after the Church Picnic) and running for approximately 6 weeks, we will be offering the oppor-tunity to discuss Garry Wills’ excel-lent book, What Jesus Meant. Garry Wills is Professor of History Emeritus at Northwestern University and has written extensively on religious mat-ters. This succinct and well written book is an attempt to explain what Jesus actually meant in his teaching and his life. As stated in the book’s cover, “What Jesus Meant will no doubt spark debate about our under-standing of Jesus and the Scriptures. With this brilliant offering, Wills has contributed greatly to our discus-sions of religion’s role in our society.”

If you would like to participate please sign up on the sheet in the Par-ish Hall. If you would like the Church to order a book for you, please let Tacy know. Though the book is small it should come as no surprise that the cost is not: $24.95. If you could use help with the purchase price, just let Doug known. The book is also available via Amazon.com as a used book for much less money.

Our introductory meeting will be during the Second Hour after wor-ship on September 24th. We will set the time for all future meetings at that time.

Pastor’s Note


Claude Richter was born in Buf-falo, New York in 1969. He grew up in the suburb of Amherst, just a few houses down from fellow Church members Anne and Dick Brous-sard. Claude‚s father, Bodo Richter, was a native of Germany and had learned to play the piano in his youth. Claude‚s mother, Gail, grew up singing in school choruses and choirs. Music was always heard in the Richter household – there was a small grand piano that made it all the way from Leverkusen, Germany, and there were record albums every-where. Claude and his siblings were each enrolled in classical instruc-tion by the third grade. At eight, Claude began his studies on viola.

In 1979, while the family was on sabbatical for a year in France, Claude studied with Josette Sim-onet, a violist with the Orchestre de Lyon. It was during this time that Claude‚s playing began to really take shape. “I was struggling in school because of the language barrier, but reading classical music was something that transcended the spoken and written language. I was able to excel on the viola and

preferred to spend more time prac-ticing my instrument than memo-rizing French poetry.” Eventually, Claude went on to study privately with members of the Buffalo Phil-harmonic and performed with The Greater Buffalo Youth Orchestra, Erie County and New York All State Orchestras.

Claude continued his music stud-ies in Maine, where he attended Colby College and earned a BA in Music. Here he began studying the piano and violin, as well as taking voice lessons. “I joined the early music group, Colligium Musicum, on campus and eventually joined a local church choir in Waterville, where I first met Mitzy Carleton, who was also singing in the choir.” While in college, he performed with numerous State Orchestras and was the principal violist with the Bangor Symphony Orchestra. In 1994, he headed west to spend the summer as a fellow at the Aspen Summer Music Festival Orchestra.

From 1994 until 1997 Claude lived in Malibu, California. He continued to play the viola and joined the Pepperdine University Orchestra as their Principal Violist. He also took on an entirely new type of work. “I had extra time on my hands and wanted to get to know the community better, so I took a part time job with the Post Office. Little did I know that even-tually I would be meeting the movie stars whose mail I was delivering. It was a lot of fun to drive the postal

Jeep up and down the Canyons in Malibu. And the views of the Pacific were amazing.”

In 1997 Claude moved back to Maine, and from there to White River Junction, where he found work, once again, at the U.S. Postal Service, and at Dartmouth Printing Company in Hanover. It was during this time that another successful enterprise began to take shape. “I had been helping out some local dog walkers in my spare time, and two of them gave me their charges after deciding to leave the area. Af-ter I inherited the second round of dogs, I decided to go into business for myself.”

Eventually, pet care and music became all-consuming, and it was time make these the focus of his professional attention. Now, with a full roster of students, Claude teaches violin and viola to both children and adults, and plays pro-fessionally. He also regularly looks after some 20 dogs and countless cats, a flock or two of chickens and even a few hamsters. He lives in Norwich with his wife, Jane Acker-man, and eight-year-old daughter, Molly.

Claude B. Richter 5 Willey Hill Road

Norwich VT 05055 C: 802-738-9564 H: 802-649-9096

Member Profi le

Claude Richter


“For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed,But my steadfast love shall not depart from you,And my covenant of peace shall not be removed,Says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”

Isaiah 54:10

Many passages from our Scrip-tures deal with exile and homecom-ing, with questions of who owns the land and who is the refugee. The human need for places of safety and abundance clashes with historical realities of war and famine.

Norwich is a magnet for those who wish to raise their families in security, surrounded by the good things in life, with plenty of oppor-tunities for education and healthy activities. Here we can impart to our children the best life has to offer. But anyone who reads the paper or listens to the news knows that millions of people, in the US and abroad, do not have homes of safety and peace. Driven from their homes by war, famine or natural di-saster, they “find no resting place”. The simplest of our daily needs and pleasures are impossibilities for them.

People of faith cannot shut their eyes to the exiles and refugees of the world. Our traditions tell us to find ways to empathize with them and to offer God’s compassion through our actions. That is the only way to truly give thanks for our beautiful surroundings and the

promising future of our children.

This year, the 6th-8th grade Sunday School class and the Junior Youth Group will have a mission-based curriculum. For the first few months, we will be focusing on the situation of refugees. Using Scrip-ture, films, games, and discussion, we hope to find ways to understand the meaning of home and exile, the reasons that people are forced to leave their homes, and ways that young people can offer help. The first meeting of the Junior Youth Group will be on the evening of Friday, September 8, and will in-clude a cook-out, a campfire, and a re-enactment game to help us begin to understand the feelings of those who are driven from their homes. All young people in grades 6-8 are welcome, and we welcome friends from outside our church family. The topic of refugees will continue in their Sunday School classes, with occasional Junior Youth group meetings after church for special activities.

The other children in Sunday School will be using the Bible Quest curriculum, but we are plan-ning to partner with the Mission

Board in offering ways for them to serve their neighbors, globally and locally. The first day of regular Sun-day School will be September 10.

Confirmation class, for our 8th graders, will begin later in Septem-ber. I have tried to be in touch with those eligible, but if I have left one of you out, please get in touch with me so that you can be included.

The Senior Youth Group will also begin meetings in September, as we begin to plan for our annual Work Trip and other activities.

Finally, the women of the church should mark November 3-5 for this year’s Women’s Retreat. The work-ing title is “Hands to Work, Hearts to God.” More information will be coming later.

Please feel free to contact me about any aspect of our educational program. We are always looking for good ideas, for teachers, and for people to help with the youth groups.

Mary Huessy

“Judah has gone into exile and suffering and hard servitude; she lives now among the nations, and finds no resting place;her pursuers have all overtaken her in the midst of her distress.”

Lamentations 1:3

From the Associate Pastor


Summer Music by Opera North Young Artists

Once again, our summer worship services were graced by the wonderful talents of young artists in the Opera North program, accompanied by Jane Helms. While in the Upper Valley rehearsing Verdi’s Il Trovatore and Britten’s Albert Herring, they took time to share their gifts with us. We wish them well on their studies and future careers, and thank them for being with us.

Jésus Ibarra - bassJosé Garcia - tenor Alison McConekey - mezzo-soprano

Candra Marshall - mezzo-sopranoErin Sanzero - soprano Valerie Ogbonnaya - soprano


Welcome to Our New Members

Peter and Carol French moved to the Upper Valley in 1987. Carol grew up in NH, while Peter, who was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, spent his childhood between Sunapee and Southeast Asia. In 1971 he graduated from International School of Bang-kok and returned to attend UNH. It was here that Carol, a nutri-tion major, met Peter, a general studies major. After graduating they were married and moved to Ft Collins, Colorado, where Carol went to graduate school and Peter furthered his carpentry skills. Two years later they moved to Bozeman, Montana, where Carol worked managing WIC programs for the Gallatin County health department and Peter started his own house design and construction company. Currently Carol works as a dietitian and diabetes educator at DHMC, and Peter continues to design and build houses.

Emily joined the family in Montana but spent most of her childhood in Norwich where she has attended Marion Cross, Richmond and Hanover High. This past spring she graduated from Skidmore College with a Spanish major and history mi-nor. She enjoys traveling (as does the whole family) and lived in Madrid during her junior year. Emily’s brother, Cory, who went through confirmation and became a church member in the spring, will be entering Hanover High this fall.

Heather Stanford Recently relocated to Norwich VT from Rochester NY, and before that, from NY City, Heather has spent the past twenty-five years of her life working as an actor, director, college English and theatre teacher, and mother of three daugh-ters (and even more dogs).

Heather joins by letter of transfer from her most recent church home, Third Presbyterian, where she worked with the Music, Arts, and Worship and the Youth Committees and as a Youth Leader and Youth Musicals director. She is in the midst of her senior year at Andover Newton, having planned to receive her M.Div. from Colgate Rochester Crozer, where she began the de-gree three years ago.

Prior to that, she studied literature at Columbia, acting in Lon-don and Chicago, and received her B.A. from that OTHER Ivy League school, Yale. She has spent the past three months doing an internship in Clinical Pastoral Education at DHMC.

Other than dogs and daughters and theatre (not necessarily in that order) Heather’s interests include politics and international affairs, music, and literature. In addition to continuing some of the pastoral work she has been doing, she is interested in re-connecting with the theatre community, and in working on environmental politics and peace & justice ministries.

David Johnstone “I am married to Heather Stanford, who has generously shared the past 30 years with me. We have three daughters, Eleanor, Elizabeth, and Katharine, who will be, re-spectively, at Middlebury College, Hanover High, and Rich-mond Middle School in September. We have four dogs who have no intention of ever going to school! We raised our girls in Rochester NY, where I worked as a surgeon and Heather worked as an actress, director, and teacher.

We moved, in stages, from Rochester NY in the past two years and have remodeled a house just off Main Street on Turnpike Road here in town. That has consumed most of our nonprofes-sional energy for two years, and it is nice to see the end in sight. Our transition here, as a family, has been challenging on many levels. We look forward to more active involvement in commu-nity and church life during the coming year.

I am a thoracic surgeon at the medical center. In my spare time, I do alot of carpentry, renovation-type stuff, and dog-running. When I have more time, I will get back to piano and guitar and biking and rowing.

I come from an extended family of ministers -- father and great-grandfather Presbyterian, father-in-law Congregational, two brothers-in-law Presbyterian. So I know how to behave in church, mostly... I have enjoyed getting to know this congregation over the past year and look forward to contributing what I can.”

Peter French Emily French Carol FrenchHeather StanfordDavid Johnstone


Dear Friends,

Just back from the Dominican Republic, my homeland. A phenomenal work visit; last visit had been Jan. ’06. The purpose of this trip was to fol-low-up on the La Colonia Women’s Cooperative and their crochet project using recycled plastic bags primarily from the upper valley. I also met with community members involved in the baking projects at the outdoor clay ov-ens built by us Jan.’05, and continued discussion with the Dom. Rep. Peace Corps Director of Health on their visit in June and future participation in the three villages with ovens.

Finally, I personally delivered our April Mission contribution of $887 to Sor Cecilia Smith, Director of the Hogar de Ancianos (Nursing Home) in Cotui, Dom. Rep. She was so happy, and grateful. See enclosed thank you letter from her in Spanish with attached brief translation. She sends her blessings.

Following my arrival on July 25, the women of La Colonia surprised me with a party, lots of food, presentations, placque, and a TV station interview to boot! Two days later the local TV station reported on my visit.

CO-OP:

I had a 3 hour meeting with the Executive Committee of the co-op consisting of educational training and meeting at the same time. Lots of training and practice offered on organizational dynamics, communication and the nature of a co-op.

The Executive Committee voted in several initiatives which they took to the membership.

Our meeting with the membership included presentations by the Maimom Savings Cooperative and Credit Union on the benefits of membership.

There was also a presentation by the technical institute on educational opportunities and programs, and finally, on the spot training from me on group dynamics, communication, collaboration etc., and the nature of a fully functioning successful co-op.

The membership voted in a new Executive Committee and several task forces to address: sales in tourist areas, collection (or purchase – which I’ve strongly discouraged) of plastic bags, inventory delivery to me, and designa-tion of a quality review task force. The co-op meets weekly to crochet for two hrs followed by a business mtg for 2 hrs. Some members travel to the meet-ing from as far as 60 minutes away by taxi motorscooters.

Dominican Republic

A note of thanks by the Director of the Lion’s Club Nursing Home for our April Mission

contribution of $887. The report planning to use the funds to purchase an industrial size

washing machine.

Below, a photo of the Nursing Home.

Welcoming party for Rita


Following the various presentations the 18 members, to my amazement, requested the available forms to start their bank accts. The local office for the Maimom Savings Co-op was mobbed the morning of Aug 5!

In addition, several women signed up for literacy classes through the tech-nical institute. One signed up for HS and another has already enrolled in technical college. The women in this group range in ages 24-56, their level of education ranges from primary school second grade completion, to a new member with college level preparation, but disabled and unable to work.

The group was also busy crocheting, and loved a sample basketweave bag I brought to them as a prototype; it was replicated in a couple of days!

I have brought back 49 bags which we have now completed cataloguing.

Invitations are coming in for sales venues: Lobby sales at the Lebanon and Hanover co-ops as well as the International Xmas Market at the Church of Christ in Hanover.

COMMUNITY CLAY OVENS:

Each oven is located 40 - 60 minutes from town. I spent sometime with help from friends on formally assisting the communities to create a repre-sentative structure. Two communities were prepared to host a live-in Peace Corps volunteer.

#3 oven is in the process of rebuilding – I’m waiting for their report – but looks like it is finally happening. All the rebuilding materials arrived during my stay, and the community was on the ready to rebuild – an expert oven builder was hired. I have also learned that the women from La Colonia are planning outings to support the village with the new oven through baking activities.

NEXT YEAR:

Now in the planning stages. Adult group possibly Jan. ’07, and Sharon Academy in April ’07.

I had two meetings with Lions Club Executive Committee. They plan to soon fax information to me on community project priorities – they did like the idea of a community children’s playground. A community organization, the Women’s Ministry suggested the idea.

Rita Severinghaus

Update & Report

At the bank

Co-op members


Stewardship Month: October 2006

Focusing on

The Work We Do Outside Our DoorsHere is a sampling of organizations we supported in 2005 & 2006


Choir Begins!Our first rehearsal for the year will be Thursday,

September 14, 7:30-9:00.Please come! We would love to have new voices

join us!Hope to see you all then. E-mail or call with any

questions.Kathy Sherlock-Green

[email protected]

Doug Lufkin, Marty James, Valerie Ogbonnaya and Candra Marshall (Young Artists) and Doug James

Nancy Hoggson, Sarah Reeves and Brooke Mohr

Zach Marshall, Candra’s spouse


Non-profi tOrganizationUS Postage

PAIDNorwich, VTPermit No. 1

NORWICH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHUnited Church of Christ15 Church Street / PO Box 236 Norwich, VT 05055-0236(802) 649-1433Email: [email protected]: www.norwichcongregational.orgSenior Pastor: Rev. Douglas S. MooreAssociate Pastor: Rev. Mary B. Huessy

AN OPEN AND AFFIRMING CONGREGATION WORSHIPING ON

SUNDAYS AT 10 AM

We, the members of the Norwich Congre-gational Church, United Church of Christ, declare ourselves to be an open and affi rming congregation. God created each of us. As re-cipients of God’s grace and love, unearned and freely given, we are called to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul and with all our strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Accordingly, we will strive to welcome peo-ple of every sexual orientation, ethnic origin, physical or mental ability, economic status, marital status, or age, as we welcome all God’s children, regardless of any distinction that has become a barrier to the love we are command-ed to embody.

With God’s help, we will work to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.

LIFELINEEditor/Photographer: Linda HimadiDesigner: Douglas Lufkine-mail: [email protected]

Deadline for next issue: October 20, 2006

9/11 Ecumenical Service

We will host an ecumenical service to remember the 9/11 tragedy at 5:30 pm on Monday, September 11. All are welcome to join us in song and prayer.

Butterflysleeping on the temple bell.

Yosa Buson (1716-1783)

A monks sips morning tea,

it’s quiet,

the chrysanthemum’s flowering.

Matsuo Basho (1644-1694)

a

tthe lifelinehe lifeli - mmex · articles, photos, reflections, etc., and i’ll download...

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