The Beauty and the Music

 Another Sunday. Another week gone by - and a new one beginning. 

I am, as always, struck by the beauty of the Meeting House. One of the privileges of singing in the Choir is that we get to see everything. 

Through the clear glass windows nature's display of the seasons is always visible - clouds rush by, trees blow in the wind, golden leaves slowly drop, the veil of snow fills the air, spring buds ripen, lazy summer green reposes on the land. 

Inside I ponder the seemingly effortless beauty of proportion, the contrast of off-white with dark wood, gilt motifs, and the endless circle of the dome overhead. What an act of prayer given physical form is this place. Its classical beauty refreshes my soul and puts me in touch with the ages. 

Of course this is very much a place of hearing too - the power of the word is the essence of our Protestant tradition. We are blessed and challenged with insightful preaching and a philosophy, which takes in the whole world. What an interesting combination of frankly parochial place and yet universal concern is a typical Sunday morning here. 

I am a Choir member - for me God comes closest through music, and I feel deeply privileged to sing in this church. As a Congregational "preacher's kid" and spouse of a United Methodist pastor, and former choir member in many churches and choral groups, I think I'm somewhat uniquely qualified to appreciate the excellence of music in this church - an excellence which we are invited to help create every week - an excellence which is accessible. Our weekly musical offering - like all the other programs of this church - is made possible by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, and our service (to quote the United Methodist membership pledge). Let us continue to sing and make a glad sound. Soli Deo Gloria.

Bill Edge

Why Do We Go To Church – This Church?

 As David Good has asked the congregation on so many Sundays. --  why do we go to church on Sunday mornings? Why do we leave the comfort of our warm beds on the only day of the week that we can sleep in?  Why do we put our three "darlings" in their Sunday best. and launch them out the door once again?

Our involvement with the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme is really the result of an evolution that has taken place over a number of years. Greg was raised as a Catholic, Barbara as a Presbyterian. That in itself is not so unusual, but the point is that we both grew up in very rich religious traditions and with years of family and cultural history behind us. After we were married, we decided that religion ought to have a very important role in our household This probably stemmed from the fact that we knew that children were not too far in the future, and we both are creatures of responsibility. We wanted, or thought we wanted, to mingle our religious traditions in such a way that we would both be happy.

Upon moving to Old Lyme, and with a 1- 1/2 year old (Austin) and a brand new baby (Molly) in tow, we visited the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme for the first time. Our perspective was then forever changed. No longer did we feel we that we should go to church; we really wanted to go to church! We were very much at home with the Congregational theology and traditions, and we felt that we were welcome to worship as we chose. Our feelings mattered! The sense of community, both local and worldwide, as well as the dedication to numerous mission projects was contagious. The support of the Sunday School program was incredible. The powerful message delivered in that first Sunday's sermon raised as many questions in our minds as it answered, a true educational experience.

Why do we go to church on Sunday? Thanks to the inspiration given by our ministerial staff and the many hardworking members of our congregation, it is a time for reflection and introspection, a time to give thanks to God for all of our good fortune, and a time to pray for those who are less fortunate. It is a time to gather strength and to evaluate how we can give back to our community and the world, be it through monetary means, organizational skills, or just plain hard effort. At the same time, we are also building a moral compass for our children, one that will hopefully guide them through the high seas ahead. 

Sincerely,

Greg and Barbara Hack

ANCHORS AWEIGHI

We are sailors, and our church experiences over the last 30 years can truly be called a "voyage". Our children were baptized in the Drexel Hill Presbyterian Church near Philadelphia. In their early years we were in Rye, New York, where we became "immersed" in the Presbyterian Church. In Westport, Connecticut, we found the Greens Farms Congregational Church - a new denominational experience for Bob, and a return to the church of her youth for Sally. Our move to Mexico City brought strangeness on all fronts. But the Union Evangelical Church opened its arms for us. Returning to Washington, D.C., at the Georgetown Presbyterian Church we were privileged to hear what we now consider to be the second-best preaching ever. Then in Chicago, we found the Union Church of Hinsdale, a warm and active congregation. Returning to New York City, we were truly inspired by the commitment to social outreach of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church.

Spiritually we have had a rich experience. At each new leg of this voyage we sought our church first. Every time, there was the Church of Jesus Christ, a safe harbor when we needed safety, an anchor when we needed an anchor, and always, unending opportunities to serve.

When we made our (final) move to Lyme, we found this wonderful church and we dropped our anchor for what we thought was to be the "last time" in this safe harbor. But anchors, it turns out, have some real problems! The longer they stay put, the deeper they set into the bottom, the harder they are to move, and the more they prevent exploration. Spiritually, they can mire one in repetition, dogma, creeds and ritual. In fact, in this church, we have found ourselves spiritually doing just the opposite of swinging at anchor! We found ourselves embarked on a very exciting new voyage of spiritual exploration, with no real "end" in sight.

A successful sailing voyage requires three things: a good chart, a reliable compass, and a fresh strong breeze. Our "chart" is the open Bible, central and always open in the Meeting House, and a theology that beckons us all to study and learn from it ourselves. Our "compass" is the inspired preaching we absorb each week, each time suggesting a new course for us to explore in our quest for spiritual growth. And the "fresh strong breeze" are the wonderful words, indeed the promise, of John Robinson that "there is yet more truth and light to be revealed by God's Word".

Our anchor is still on board, to be sure, knowing that when a storm does hit, it will find firm holding ground in the love and support of this great congregation. In the meantime, the voyage is exciting -- anchors aweigh!! 

Bob and Sally McCracken

A Newcomer's Perspective

I am a newcomer to Old Lyme and to our church, having moved here upon retirement barely three years ago, and having joined the church in late 1995. Yet I truly feel that I have belonged here all my life. In part, this is the church's powerful physical presence. Looking to the east from almost any room in our house, the church spire dominates the view beyond the Lieutenant River, its marshes and the great trees of the town. Together with fellow boaters, that same spire is a lighthouse as we are homeward bound in the lower Connecticut River, and a key marker for finding the shallow channel into the Lieutenant River.

Up close, our church reminds me in architectural style of my small family churches in rural Maine and central Connecticut, while in size it recalls my boyhood urban churches in Waterbury, Syracuse and Boston.

Another part of my accelerated affinity for our church surely results from the breadth of activities, which it offers to all comers of all ages in all circumstances. Here is a school, a concert hall, a soup kitchen, an art gallery, a garden, a town bulletin board, a lecture hall, a gateway to other cultures, a resting place, and a place to finally rest. Here, one can be busy or quiet, challenged or soothed, maddened or gladdened, but never, I think, bored or disinterested.

A still more important part of my membership is in the associations formed with others in the church community. Not surprisingly, these come in many forms: acquaintances at Sunday services, associates on projects or committees, and newly made, yet quickly close friends. Having recently undergone my first ever serious surgery, hospital residence and recuperation, I realize with a greater clarity than before how vital these associations are.

Finally, I must say that I am simply awed by the leadership and staff of our church. I am awed by the sustained excellence of David's weekly sermons and daily counsel, by the still infectious drive bequeathed to us by Audrey, the energetic caring of Carleen, Ned's great humanity; by Georgia and Wendy and Paul, and (I am sure) the many others I've yet to learn about.

My support of our church is an investment that is easily made.

Charlie Saltsman

Reflections on our Church

We spin. Often we look at the chaos that envelops our lives and feel like tattered oak leaves whirling and clinging to blackened branches. Our lives so often feel out of control, buffeted by the rush of time, the pressures of society, the blitz of technological change, and the weight of our responsibilities. The many encumbrances of our lives seem to keep us from truly living. How long can we cling against the unrelenting tempest?

Facing our dilemma, we turn to our religious wellspring, the church. Our faith alone provides an element of solace and comfort, yet our church is not easy on the hermit. There are times when we feel so overwhelmed that we consider throwing open the doors of the meeting house, storming up the aisle, throwing ourselves upon the altar, and yelling "sanctuary!" Of course we know this would provide us little relief. Within minutes someone would approach to ask if we were free Tuesday nights to serve on the fellowship committee.

Ours is a church of action. We worship God and study the life of Jesus in the scriptures. Yet we realize that unless He is active in our community and our lives, Jesus is little more than a historical figure from a place few of us have ever visited. When we feel helpless in the face of the large and small particulars of our lives, the church empowers us. We find God and ourselves through our service to others. Either within our own community or though our mission outreach to others, the church serves as a vehicle and catalyst to service.

At church committee meetings, friendship visits to the Storefront School or the Greengrass community, we serve. At a habitat house in New London or a camp building in Lyme, we serve. At the food pantry, soup kitchen, classroom, or retirement home, our church calls us to service. Perhaps it is by giving of ourselves that we realize our own value. Perhaps when we walk briefly in another's shoes we lessen our own burdens. Perhaps our church simply helps us to understand that we are not alone on this swirling oak branch. Is it possible that we do not cling at all, but that God holds us firmly in His hand?

Tom Sherer 
Deborah Heminway