First Congregational Church
1 Monument Circle
Old Bennington, VT 05201
July 2016
Vermont’s Colonial Shrine: Welcoming all to share God’s light,
and proclaiming God’s embracing love since 1806
Summer Worship Schedule
Worship in July and August
begins at 10:00 a.m.
Old First Church once again participated in the Bennington
Rotary Club’s “ringing of the bells on Fourth of July”.
Thanks to Mark and Adam Tronsen for participating in this event
and making the bell of Old First be heard.
Back in 1963 Congress passed a concurrent resolution which
requested communities to re-establish the custom of ringing bells
on Independence Day at 2 pm EST. It is believed that two in the
afternoon is when the Declaration of Independence was first read
to the public on July 4, 1776. The Liberty Bell is said to have
been rung to celebrate the event in Philadelphia at that time.
At 2:00 p.m. on July 4th thirteen members of the Rotary Club
took turns ringing the bell from the USS Bennington, once for
each of the original States. Through a network of cell phones
several congregations rang their church bell in unison with the
Ship’s bell. Once the 13th tolling was complete an honorary
member of Bennington rang the bell for the 14th time to honor
Vermont.
FREE SUNDAY SUPPER
Our church will be hosting the Free Sunday Supper at
Second Congo Church on Sunday, July 10th. Thank
you to Lou and Marie Guariniello and Marsha and
Dave Pilachowski for agreeing to host and to several
others in the church for providing food for the meal.
THANKS TO OUR CHOIR AND CHOIR DIRECTOR
Special thanks to the Choir of Old First Church and to
its director Charles Olegar for a wonderful year. The
choir celebrated its final Sunday of the 2015-6 season
on June 26th, having led congregational singing and
provided anthems each Sunday, September through
June. Choir participants are Connie Barrett, Marta
Kozlosky, Cynthia Locklin, Virginia Poole (who has
also been gracing our services with her oboe artistry),
Carol Poppe, and Jane Williams. Our choir warmly
welcomes new members–interested parties are
encouraged to speak with director Charles Olegar.
SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS
The Sunday School children of Old First continue with
their bottle drive. Returnable bottles and cans can be
brought to worship on Sunday mornings or delivered to
the church office during the week.
The Lantern
Newsletter of the First Congregational Church
(Old First Church)
July 2016
FROM THE MINISTER
SUMMER WORSHIP TIME
The pictures in this newsletter tell the tale. Yes, it was
a busy month. The Angel Choir seems long ago, but that
wonderful Sunday and weekend was such a good effort!
The church again filled with voices, love and beauty in
the next week as we remembered our organist, Scott
Smedinghoff and the delicate, fun and tender spirit he
brought here. The tag sale, its buzz and hard, hard, work
which always seems impossible till it’s over. No, we
may not have planned all that in a single month but as
events came, they brought us together and carried us
through. The calendar is empty of big events for a while,
perhaps a good thing?
Last was the picnic on the green and how nice, after a
busy month, to see so many church members at rest—
seated casually as motorcycles and trucks hauled by,
tourists and neighbors alike on foot and driving past to
see a happy group under the trees where the old
meetinghouse stood. After over 250 years a visible
reminder we are strong as a community. Even that
relaxing day was possible with hard work and that so
many choose to devote some of their energy and work to
the church and ultimately, for the good of the
community, for others, and for the life of the spirit and
the praise of God is a great thing in these times. So
thank you all—remember we meet at 10 a.m. starting
this first Sunday of July!
- The Rev. Ken Clarke
HYMN SING SUNDAY
Our annual Hymn Sing Sunday will take place on July 24.
If you have a favorite hymn from our hymnal you would
like to sing that day be sure to fill out a Sunday morning
BLOG or contact the church office by Monday, July 18.
GRADUATING THIS YEAR
Congratulations to Molly Carson, daughter of John
Carson and Lucy Gardner-Carson, who received a
Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in History
from Clarkson University.
Thank you to all who responded to the informal Summer
Worship Time poll. The majority of those who responded
selected 10:00 a.m. Beginning Sunday, July 3 and ending
on August 28 worship will begin at 10:00. The normal
worship time of 11:00 a.m. begins on September 4.
OPEN CHURCH
Our Open Church season is up and running and we look
forward to another great season of hospitality to the
thousands of visitors who come to the church! July – mid
October the church is open daily. Many of our regular
guides have signed up for a specific morning or afternoon
each week and we thank them for their dedication. There
are still some shifts that need coverage and a few shifts
needing regular “helpers”. If you can lend a hand, contact
the church office or Paul Goodrich
A NOTE TO OUR GUIDES: The snacks we sell at Open
Church have arrived, be sure to put the tray of snacks into
the plastic covered bin located underneath the table at the
end of your shift.
Morning shift 10:00 – 1:00; Afternoon shift 1:00 – 4:00
Monday a.m.
Monday p.m.
Tuesday a.m.
Tuesday p.m.
Wednesday a.m.
Wednesday p.m.
Thursday a.m.
Thursday p.m.
Friday a.m.
Friday p.m.
Saturday a.m.
Saturday p.m.
Sunday p.m.
Sue Katz & Marsha Pilachowski
Ann Herrick
Lou & Marie Guariniello
Don Swanda & _______
Vicky Printz & Kathy Wagenknecht
Roberta Webb & Jane Radocchia
Marietta Hibbard & Walt Klinger
Patrice Nolan & _________
Claudia Dalton & June King
Patty Duffy & _______
___________ & __________
___________ & __________
Paul Goodrich & Stacy Carreau
1 Monument Circle, Old Bennington, Vermont 05201
www.oldfirstchurchbenn.org ● [email protected] ● (802) 447-1223
Kenneth A. Clarke, Minister
Katherine Traver, Moderator
ANGEL CHOIR AT OLD FIRST
A MONUMENTAL SUCCESS
Special thanks to Joy Hire, Choir Director at the First
Presbyterian Church in Granville, Ohio for bringing the
Angel Choir to Old First to sing during worship on June
5th. Their visit was made possible by the many volunteers
in our church who housed and provided food our visitors.
Our 9th annual Monumental Tag Sale was an overwhelming
success and we couldn’t have done it without the help from
so many in our church family. Through your generous
donations our sale successfully transferred hundreds of
"treasures" from our closets and basements and attics to new
appreciative homes. The monetary proceeds of the sale
totaled approximately $5,631 with $1,877 of that going to
the Interfaith Council’s Food & Fuel Fund with the
remainder going to the church’s general fund.
What a fantastic out-pouring of support we received!
Everyone in our church and even some of our Old
Bennington neighbors contributed in some way to our sale.
Donations of items and baked goods flowed into the Barn
during the week(s) prior to the sale. Each day for the week
prior to the sale, we had a conscientious, willing and smiling
crew to help with the cleaning, organization and pricing.
Then on sale day, from set up to clean up, we had a very
dedicated work force of members and friends. Great job!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, ALL!
Scott Smedinghoff
celebration of life
June 26th Picnic on the Green/Choir Appreciation Sunday
July
July 2016
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1
AM: C. Dalton &
J. King
PM: J. Radocchia
Summer fun!
3
PM: P. Goodrich &
S. Carreau
4
5
AM: S. Katz &
M. Pilachowski
PM: A. Herrick
AM: L. & M.
Guariniello
PM: D. Swanda &
P. Goodrich
Independence
Old Bennington
Trustee mtg.
7:00 PM, Barn
Bechtel family Barn use
6
AM: V. Printz &
K. Wagenknecht
PM: J. Radocchia &
R. Webb
7
AM: M. Hibbard &
W. Klinger
PM: ______________
2
AM: P. Capriola
PM: P. Capriola
8
AM: C. Dalton &
J. King
PM: J. Radocchia
9
AM: P. Goodrich
PM: A. Herrick
Communion Sunday
10:00 AM worship
The Rev. Ken Clarke
Minister
Day
10
PM: P. Goodrich &
S. Carreau
10:00 AM worship
The Rev. Ken Clarke
Minister
11
12
AM: S. Katz &
M. Pilachowski
PM: A. Herrick
AM: L. & M.
Guariniello
PM: D. Swanda &
________________
AM: V. Printz &
__________________
PM: J. Radocchia &
R. Webb
Old Bennington
Planning mtg.
7 PM, Barn
Bennington Garden
Club Barn use
9:30AM–12:30 PM
Trustee’s mtg.
5:30 PM, Barn
17
18
AM: S. Katz &
M. Pilachowski
PM: A. Herrick
PM: P. Goodrich &
S. Carreau
13
19
AM: L. & M.
Guariniello
PM: D. Swanda &
________________
14
AM: M. Hibbard &
______________
PM: P. Nolan &
______________
20
AM: V. Printz &
__________________
PM: J. Radocchia &
R. Webb
15
AM: C. Dalton &
J. King
PM: P. Duffy &
______________
21
AM: M. Hibbard &
W. Klinger
PM: P. Nolan &
______________
16
AM: P. Capriola
PM: A. Herrick
22
AM: C. Dalton &
J. King
PM: P. Duffy &
______________
23
AMP. Goodrich
PM: C. Knighton
Bennington HS 55 class
reunion Barn use
12:00 - 11:00 PM
th
10:00 AM worship
The Rev. Ken Clarke
Minister
Council mtg.
5:15 PM, Barn
24
PM: P. Goodrich &
S. Carreau
Mould family Barn use
10 AM -8 PM
25
26
AM: S. Katz &
M. Pilachowski
PM: ______________
AM: L. & M.
Guariniello
PM: D. Swanda &
________________
Hymn Sing Sunday
Sunday
27
AM: V. Printz &
K. Wagenknecht
PM: J. Radocchia &
R. Webb
28
AM: M. Hibbard &
W. Klinger
PM: P. Nolan &
______________
29
AM: C. Dalton &
J. King
PM: P. Duffy &
______________
30
AM: ___________________
PM: ____________________
Barthel family
Barn use
4-10 PM
10:00 AM worship
31
PM: P. Goodrich &
S. Carreau
10:00 AM worship
The Rev. Lou Guariniello
Guest Minister
DEACONS ON CALL:
COFFEE HOUR HOSTS:
BIRTHDAYS THIS MONTH:
Claudia Dalton & Donna Jones
7/3: Marshall & Connie Barrett, Donna Jones,
June King
7/10: Sandy Bechtel, Pat Guerrero, Donna Jones, &
Lynda Swanda
7/17: Ginny & Joe Adams
7/24:
7/31:
7/3: Ann Herrick
7/5: Harriette Hamilton
7/5: Sandy Bechtel
7/9: Lilly Adams
7/9: Robert Taylor
7/10: Elsie Paris
7/10: Marianne Peters
7/16: Valerie Shemeth
7/20: Wendy Schmitt
7/26: Suzy Donavan
7/27: Pat Guerrero
7/31: Sue Katz
USHERS:
7/3: Claudia Dalton, Donna Jones & Allison Stitcher
7/10: Steve & Claudia Dalton
7/17: Sandy Bechtel & Marietta Hibbard
7/24: Steve & Claudia Dalton
7/31: Katie Jones & Noah Jones
READERS:
FLOWERS:
7/3: Jane Williams
7/10: Marsha Pilachowski
7/17: Patrice Nolan
7/24: Marie Guariniello
7/31: Claudia Dalton
7/3:
7/10: Pat Guerrero
7/17:
7/24:
7/31: