The Second Baptist Church
100 NORTH MAIN STREET
SUFFIELD, CONNECTICUT 06078
THE REV. THOMAS G. CARR, PASTOR
TEL: (860) 668-1661 FAX: (860) 668-6126
Pastor@SecondBaptistSuffield.org
Office@SecondBaptistSuffield.org http://www.SecondBaptistSuffield.org
May 27, 2015
Dear Friends,
We’re in the season of Pentecost with its emphasis on recognizing the movement of the Spirit in the world and in
our lives. As you move through this day and this week, may you recognize the “Spirit of the living God,” and
may it “fall afresh on [you].”
Prayers concerns:
Harold Remington had a serious fall last week and is now at Suffield House for rehab.
Julie Landry will be moving to Arkansas next week. We wish her God’s richest blessings, peace and our
continuing love in her new home.
For the people in Texas, Oklahoma and other places in the United States experiencing severe flooding
and extreme storms.
For the people in India where over 1,100 people have died in the last few days because of excessive heat
(122 degrees near Delhi) and severe drought. Most of those who are from the working class and over 50 years
old.
For peace.
We celebrate with Stephanie d’Otreppe and Don Kim who will be married in our sanctuary on Saturday.
This Sunday is the Hartford Earth Festival will be held from 1:00-5:00pm at Riverfront Plaza. Prior to the
Festival, the CT Climate March will take place beginning at the Capitol steps ending at the Festival which will
have music, food, exhibits, an Inspiration Station with Cyril the Magician for the children and, if you want to go
to the CT Science Center, there are reduced prices of admission (please see Sue Schneller to get tickets). Second
Baptist is one of many sponsors of the Festival and we’ll have a table on the Riverfront Plaza. Please see me or
Sue for more information.
The Relay for Life event to help in the fight against cancer is June 6th and 7th here in Suffield. Diane Lewis
and Becky Tobiasz are our “captains” and would love to put together a great team from Second Baptist. If you
want to volunteer your time, walk, contribute financially, please contact Diane and Becky.
The Great Courses class will NOT meet this Wednesday. We will resume on Wednesday, June 10th at 9:30am
in the Parlor. The focus will be on Exodus 1-15. All are welcome.
Sunday, June 14th we will celebrate our Christian Education program in worship and then gather outside for our
annual picnic. If you have family or friends who are graduating from high school or any post-high school
institution, please let us know as we want to honor our graduates on the 14 th – office@secondbaptistsuffield.org.
This Sunday in worship, we will celebrate God’s gift of creation – human and other than human; all creation.
The Sanctuary Choir will be singing two anthems composed by Rutter: “Look at the World” and “All Things
Bright and Beautiful.” Together, we’ll sing a song new to us, “Blue Boat Home,” to a familiar tune – Hyfrydol –
written by singer/songwriter, Peter Mayer. Emily Conklin and I will be offering a meditation. Emily, who has
been a wonderful addition to the Choir for the last two years, will begin her graduate studies in the fall at
Northeastern in Marine Biology, and will reflect on the meaning of this for her life and work; I’ll offer a short
reflection on the biblical and spiritual journey as we continue to re-discover our proper place and purpose in
God’s good creation.
This morning, The Great Courses class spent a good deal of time talking about the story of Jacob wrestling of the
man/angel/God in Genesis 32: 22-32. It was a great discussion. Afterwards, I remembered a poem by the
German poet from the early 20th century, Rainer Maria Rilke, “The Man Watching.” The poem, it is said, was
greatly inspired by the story and the importance of wrestling with difficult things in our lives.
“I can tell by the way the trees beat, after
so many dull days, on my worried windowpanes
that a storm is coming,
and I hear the far-off fields say things
I can't bear without a friend,
I can't love without a sister.
The storm, the shifter of shapes, drives on
across the woods and across time,
and the world looks as if it had no age:
the landscape, like a line in the psalm book,
is seriousness and weight and eternity.
What we choose to fight is so tiny!
What fights with us is so great.
If only we would let ourselves be dominated
as things do by some immense storm,
we would become strong too, and not need names.
When we win it's with small things,
and the triumph itself makes us small.
What is extraordinary and eternal
does not want to be bent by us.
I mean the Angel who appeared
to the wrestlers of the Old Testament:
when the wrestlers' sinews
grew long like metal strings,
he felt them under his fingers
like chords of deep music.
Whoever was beaten by this Angel
(who often simply declined the fight)
went away proud and strengthened
and great from that harsh hand,
that kneaded him as if to change his shape.
Winning does not tempt that man.
This is how he grows: by being defeated, decisively,
by constantly greater beings.”
May you grow in your faith and life.
Peace.
Tom