Click here to read our most recent ‘News and Notes’ email! And to receive ‘News and Notes,’ and/or David’s weekly Bible Study emails, please click here to sign up for our mailing lists!
Bible Study: Come try it out! Don’t be intimidated! Our Bible Study conversations are for anyone and everyone! Bible Study meets on Thursdays at 10 am in the Parlor, led by David!
Religion in the News, our popular adult discussion class, meets on Sunday mornings, following the 10:30 worship service. Led by David – great conversation provided by you!
There’s still room to join us at our annual GHCC Women’s Retreat which will take place this Saturday, April 27th, at St. Birgitta’s Retreat Center in Darien, from 9 to 3, led by Alida. Cost will be $40 per person, including lunch. RSVP by emailing the church office!
3rd Annual Tails and Tulips! On Sunday, April 28th at 2pm, join us for walk (bring any pet, too!), starting at church, walking through the Memorial Garden where yellow tulips were planted for Mental Health Awareness, and ending at The Fulton’s Barn where there will be live music (Sasco Dead and Sky Alan), food and drinks, and reps from several mental health resources. No pooch? No problem! Just grab a friend! Click here to register (it’s free!). Thank you for supporting our mission and helping us smash the stigma and bring hope!
Israel / Hamas War: David’s Essay: David has completed his essay, Reflections on War and Peace: Israel/Hamas. Click here for a downloadable copy.
Our next Support Group meets Wednesday, April 24th at 1:00pm in the Church House Library. This informal group maintains confidentiality in all matters and seeks to provide support through shared conversation for persons dealing with loss in its many forms. Participation is open to anyone for as long or short a time as desired. For further information, please contact the Rev. Dr. Brian Bodt, Pastor of Community Care, at 203.747.1781 or bbodt@greenfieldhillchurch.com.
Mark your calendar: Stephen Panus, author of Walk On, joins us for a talk and book-signing on Tuesday evening, April 30th at 7:00 p.m. Walk On is Stephen’s powerful memoir of loss after the death of his 16-year-old son Jake, who was a member of our SPF youth group. An inspirational and emotionally powerful story of a father who suffered every parent’s worst nightmare, yet found a way to turn his pain into purpose, Walk On has been selected by ABC TV’s “Good Morning America” for the GMA Book Club and will be featured on the April 20th show as the Buzz Pick.
Men’s Golf Outing ~ Back by popular demand the GHCC Men’s group will be having their 2nd annual golf outing at Smith Richardson Golf course on Friday June 7th in the early afternoon. This is open to all GHCC members. Please contact Greg Bambach at gregbambach@yahoo.com if interested.
Greenfield Hill Church’s signature event, the Dogwood Festival, takes place May 11-12, 2024. Please save the dates as we will need everyone to participate and lend a hand, as we welcome many hundreds of visitors to our beautiful Hill that weekend! Did you know that all the money raised during the party and the weekend-long event goes toward supporting the charities of the Mission Board, both locally and abroad? So come celebrate, help out, and know that you’re making a difference to so many!
Volunteer sign-ups! We’ll need everything from parking guides to bakers to children’s area assistants! If you’d be willing to lend a hand, please just go to our Dogwood page, greenfieldhillchurch.com/dogwood, where you’ll see a simple sign-up form to let us know you’d like to help!
Get your tickets now for “Dogwood After Dark“, our Festival kick-off party on Friday, May 10th at 7pm! We’re celebrating our 87th Festival — and raising funds for the charities near and far that our Festival supports. Delicious food and fun music! Get your tickets and support the festival at dogwood2024.givesmart.com!
Are you a crafter or artisan or do you know one who might like to join us as a vendor this year? We still have a few spots available so sign up quickly.
Visit greenfieldhillchurch.com/dogwood For any questions, or if you’re looking for ways to help, contact Marike Toothaker at mikibrad@gmail.com.
From the Refugee Apartment Set Up Team: Since January 24, we have set up 11 apartments and welcomed 40 new refugees. And this week we welcome a Congolese family of 10 and an Guatemalan family of 6. And the good news is that CIRI has been told to expect about 200 more refugees before October 31st. We will be busy and again are asking for your help in making these apartments welcoming homes. We have done some price shopping and are switching our Wish List from Amazon to Walmart for more savings… please click here for the link. Same free shipping directly to the Church at 1045 Old Academy Road. We will need lots of dishes, tableware, glasses, mixing bowls, and cleaning supplies in the next few weeks. Two ways to help, please come and work with us on a set up or donate some items from the Wish List. It is also easy to donate cash on the GHCC website. Thank you for supporting this ministry. Contact Kathy Rafsky or Pam Dies with questions.
Registration is now open for this summer’s Vacation Bible School “Camp Firelight: A Summer Camp Adventure with God!” which will be held August 19-23, 2024 from 9:30 to noon each day. Each day the children will gather to share the daily Bible story skit and puppet show, music and movement. They will also participate in a variety of engaging activities including centers for science, story, arts and crafts, games and outdoor play. The program is open to all children entering kindergarten through 5th grade (as of Fall 2024). The cost is $75 per child. Click here for additional information or to register.
Our Refugee Resettlement Committee needs your help with supplies! We have been settling many new families, making them feel welcome with cleaned and well-stocked apartments. Your generosity has been wonderful! But we’re running low on goods and household items. All you have to do is click here to go to our Amazon wish list, pick an item or two, and send it our way!! Easy to do — and so much help! Thank you!
Usher Help Needed ~ It’s the perfect “job”… friendly atmosphere, meet and great people, awesome hours, and excellent benefits (you are doing wonderful work in God’s eyes)! Join our Usher Team! If you’d like to help out every 5-6wks and be part of a great team, we’d love to have you! Please contact Val Collison (usherchairghcc@gmail.com) with your interest or questions.
Our GHCC Men’s Group is on a roll! Under the leadership of church member Glenn Horine, this program continues to offer GHCC men a chance meet for fellowship and friendship, with outings, breakfasts, and general get togethers. If you’d like to join us, get involved, or just see what we are about, please be in touch with Glenn at gjhorine32@gmail.com with any questions!
An open invitation to all who enjoy knitting and other handcrafts to join us on the first and third Tuesdays of each month from 5:00-7:00 p.m. in the Church House Library. The group is open to all skill levels from beginner to expert. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Francine Jacques (francinejacques13@gmail.com or Beth Schaefer bethschaefer@optonline.net
Donating flowers on the communion table on Sundays is so easy… you can donate in memory or celebration of someone, or even for a special occasion. Following worship, you may take the flowers, or our Member Care Board delivers to those hospitalized or shut-in. All you need to do is contact Bonnie Pfann
Registration is open for summer camp at the Silver Lake Conference Center – A Christian Outdoor Ministry Program, owned and operated by our own denomination and located in Sharon, Connecticut. Each week offers a different theme for different ages and populations. Some of this year’s camps include, “Fun in the Son”, “Silver Lake Sampler”, “Sing Praise”,” Reel to Real”, “God Song.” and many more! Spaces fill up very quickly, so if you think you might be interested, please do not delay! There are programs suitable for all youth who will be entering 4th thru 12th grade in the fall of 2024. The costs are quite reasonable for an overnight camp (most weeks run around $650) AND scholarships are available. Visit their website at www.silverlakect.org or speak with Marcia Carothers.
Make it Your Mission: Laundry Love Bridgeport! GHCC recently joined an interfaith group of congregations to sponsor the newest Laundry Love location in Bridgeport. Laundry Love is a national organization that has been washing the clothes of low/no income families and persons across the U.S. for 20 years. If you would like to get involved, on the third Tuesday of each month (we currently are in need of help on April 10 and May 21) volunteers are needed to pay for client’s laundry loads, using a debit card provided by our organizer, at the Super Saver Free Dry Laundromat at 1020 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport. Go to https://greenfieldhillchurch.com/news-and-events/ to sign up to volunteer.