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 Current Services ~ Rowe Funeral Home
Garden club flower show set for White Memorial
The Litchfield Garden Club will present an in-club flower show, "Town Crier to Twitter," Sept. 20-21 at the White Memorial Conservation Center Carriage House. The show will be part of the celebration of the town's 300th anniversary.
There will be four divisions in the show: Floral design, horticulture, photography and conservation. Entry in designated classes in floral design, horticulture and photography will be open to the public.
Floral design classes will feature designs that interpret people, places, and events through the centuries, such as "Colonial Quilt," "Melting of the Statue of King George III," "A Picnic by Bantam River" and "From Parchment to Pixels." Classes in the horticulture division will include cut specimens, container-grown plants, vegetables and fruits. Entry in two classes in the photography division will be open to the public and one class will be open to Litchfield students in grades 5-12. The conservation exhibit will display 25 years of the LGC project, "Treescape for Litchfield."
A children’s activity table will be available. Supplies including a succulent plant, pot and soil will be provided free of charge for children 13 years of age and younger.
The flower show will be fee and open to the public. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, go to litchfieldgardenclub.org. or contact tangohampton@gmail.com.
 Tours available at St. Michael's
St. Michael’s Parish is participating in the 300-year celebration for the town of Litchfield by offering guided and self-guided tours of the church’s interior on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. through October.
Church members Peg Sullivan (pictured), Susan Pollock and Curry Walker will rotate as tour guides. Those who wish to plan ahead for a different time for a tour can do so by contacting the Parish Administrator at 860-567-9465 weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. St. Michael’s Parish is a neo-Gothic cruciform building built in the English Decorated style popular c. 1250-1380, designed by acclaimed architects Rossiter and Mueller. There are several stained-glass windows created by the Tiffany studios, an organ containing 2254 pipes, a triptych mural by H. Sidons Mowbray, and elaborate woodcarvings. Sept. 8, 2019 sermon of the Rev. Robert F. Tucker
St. louis de Montfort Parish, Litchfield
PASSPORT TO DISCIPLESHIP
What does it take to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? The passport to discipleship and eternal life is being open to and striving to do the WILL OF GOD. This sounds easy, but as we hear in our first reading from the Book of Wisdom that God’s ways cannot always be understood through human thought.
St. Paul in the second reading challenges his disciple Philemon to welcome, assist and love all as you do me, Paul. The Gospel of St. Luke gives a rather harsh choice that we are to renounce our own flesh and blood family and take all on as family. Knowing blood is thicker than water just Imagine having to assist, love, forgive all. Yet, that is the call to do the WILL OF GOD. If you want to enter Heaven you need this passport just as you need a passport to enter a foreign destination.
Plan ahead each day as you start the day in prayer how are you going to live the will of God out in practical ways? Jesus makes this point in the parables, that He gives us, in the Gospel this weekend. If you are planning to build a tower you better get a few construction bids and check with your bank to be sure you can afford it and that the supplies, workers and location are available for your building. If you end up with just half or a quarter of a tower, you will have wasted your money and created a mess. Likewise, if you were a general planning for a possible battle, you better consult with your tacticians and intelligence specialists to see what troops and finances the enemy has to go against you. Then you can compare them with your own to calculate the odds of your winning and at what cost. The short moral is do not start what you can’t finish! Jesus is not building a tower or going to battle but what he proposes is be ready for the WILL OF GOD. This Will may cost you everything to follow in love and forgiveness the passport needed for eternal life.
Jesus does not just offer these words for our thought but desires we get them into action for a ready passport to Heaven. We need to be like two clergymen who met after years of being separate and one came to listen to the other at a Mass, he was preaching. Afterwards, he remarked about the change in his friend’s preaching style. He commented, “Years earlier you had been all fire and brimstone and now you are more subdued and you tend to say more in fewer words.” The preacher commented, “When I started, I thought it was the thunder that impressed and moved a congregation to action. Now I know it’s the lightening!’
Sept. 1 sermon of the Rev, Robert F. Tucker
St. Louis de Montfort Parish, Litchfield
Parties as a Good Deed
Our Gospel reading is about Jesus at a wedding banquet. We hear about his attending a wedding at the beginning of the Gospel of St. John and His first miracle of changing water into wine.
Today, St. Luke tells us of Jesus attending another party or possibly a wedding. Jesus seems to be enjoying himself and many are watching him and looking for something to criticize. Have you ever been in a situation like that? Jesus was not shy about telling what he thought at this celebration. He observed certain guests putting themselves forward as being especially important. Perhaps they didn’t have seating cards. The seating at parties at this time, also, indicated a person’s position or social status. Some of the guests were not satisfied where they were seated. They wanted a spotlight seat and moved up at the table. I think there was some humor in Jesus’ suggestion about taking a less prestigious position so that the host could invite the persons in the lower position to move higher. Jesus was not talking about throwing a party or a dinner but about everyone being aware of doing good deeds for everyone. It is not our being noticed but rather our willingness to notice others. Humility, flexibility and trying to act in faith is a challenge of these readings. Jesus wants our faith to be our steering wheel not our spare tire.
As a nation we celebrate Labor Day on Monday. We thank our brothers and sisters for their work, careers, vocations that assist us in our daily life. In particular, we want to pray today for those who quietly and unassumingly do so many tasks. It is a day to thank the humble workers of fields, factories, department stores, hospitals and other place who daily do work with persistence, patience and love and are seldom recognized. Jesus wants us to be aware that no task lacks value or esteem.
Our first reading from the Book of Sirach lets us know that even the greatest of humans must acknowledge human limitations and be open to allow God to act. The other two readings challenge us to be people of humble trust, to see the good deeds of others and to do good deeds for one another. This is not always easy. There is a story of a man who was new to the area and went to church one Sunday. He parked his car and was immediately corrected by a woman who told him, “this is where I park, I come here each week, please move your car”, and he did so. He then walked quietly into church and sat down. Soon a man came up to him and said, “would you please move, my family and I sit in this pew each week”. At the Kiss of Peace, he turned to shake hands with those about him. The woman next to him stated, “we only nod our heads and say peace so as not to pass on germs.” At the time of Communion, the man disappeared right from the pew and suddenly appeared at the Altar, replaced the priest and appeared as Jesus himself. He then said, “Peace and love to all, I regret that I put any of you out of your way but that is what faith is about, going out of your way for one another”. And with that he disappeared.
Neatly Nested Again a benefit for church
Volunteers at the Neatly Nested Again shop at the First Congregational Church of Litchfield include, from left, Ruth Erickson, Tori Savage, Betty Eisenhaure and Cindy Birkins. JoAnn Jaacks photos
The First Congregational Church of Litchfield’s new consignment shop Neatly Nested Again is open for business.
High-quality and gently-used items such as antiques, décor accessories, jewelry, small furniture pieces, china, dishes, lamps, artwork and crafts are featured. Donations are welcome, but the shop will not accept clothing, kitchen appliances, books, shoes or large furniture.
Basket crafter Michelle Lusk of Lady Bug Baskets and Crafts in Greenville, S.C., is selling her work and has painted a sign for the boutique that greets visitors. Asian collectibles are on sale as is a vintage sewing chest made by Strommen Bruk Hamar,
The shop is open on Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cash or checks are preferred for purchases. All proceeds benefit the church. For more informtion, contact Cindy Birkins at cindybirkins@optonline.net.
A sign greeting visitors to the boutique was painted by artist Michelle Lusk. Baskets made by Lusk, below, are on sale.
Children’s Book Department at Church Book Store
A room devoted to children’s books is open at the Litchfield Congregational Church book store. Children’s books are a real bargain – 50¢ for soft cover and $1 for hardcover books. Or, for $10, shoppers can fill a box with as many books as will fit and it’s OK if they stick out the top. A special promotion is available to area teachers to help them stock their classrooms.
 .jpg) The store is open on Saturdays from 10 to 3 and on Sunday afternoons. It is located in the basement of the church, located on the Green at 21 Torrington Road.
Litchfield Community Café
Senior Lunches ~ Monday–Friday
@ Litchfield Community Center
Over the age of 60, and live in or visiting the Litchfield area? Why not stop in and have lunch at our beautiful Litchfield Community Café located in the Litchfield Community Center? The Litchfield Community Café serves congregate lunch Mondays through Fridays! (Fridays are meatless Fridays!) For a suggested donation of only $4.00, you can enjoy a hot, delicious nutritious meal including milk, coffee or tea and dessert! Reservations required by noon the day before. For the current menu, further information, or to make a reservation, please call 860-567-5746. Hope to see you there!
The Food Pantry at St. Michael’s
needs your donations
The Food Pantry at St. Michael’s is a success: since starting this spring, an increasing number of our neighbors come to the Community House the third Saturday of each month. From 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., we distribute much-needed canned and packaged food, fresh bread, eggs and vegetables, and frozen meals. In October our neighbors took away over 1200 lbs. of food.
 The good news is that the racks are empty. The bad news is that the racks are empty. People needed all the food we had. The Food Pantry is appealing to you to help fill the shelves each month. The Pantry needs your support to supply our community’s needs.
The pantry needs: peanut butter, jelly, cereal, oats, rice, tuna, pasta sauce, canned vegetables and fruit, soup, lentils, beans, granola bars, powered drink mix, pasta, juice, condiments, frozen vegetables, chicken, hamburger patties, coffee and tea, dish and clothes detergent, toilet paper and paper towels
We invite you to help provide our neighbors with the food they need. You can donate food, you can donate cash, and you can donate time. You can help with purchasing, collecting and delivering food, stocking the shelves, or assisting on the third Saturday of each month. The church is always open, and you can drop off donations any time in the north pews.
You can contact St. Michael’s at 860-567-9465, office@stmichaels-litchfield.org, and mail checks made out to St. Michael’s, with “Food Pantry” on the memo line, to PO Box 248, Litchfield, CT 06759. St. Michael's - BZ page
The Veterans of Amrican Legion Post 44
are collecting information on women veterans.
The veterans of American Legion Post 44 in Bantam are collecting names stories and photographs of women who have, or are serving, in the military. This information will be added to the Women in Military Service for America Memorial in Washington, D.C. The Women’s Memorial is dedicated to all military women — past, present and future. If you would like to add yourself or a veteran from your family (deceased or living) please see Master Sergeant Linda Searles at the Saturday, December 2nd Veteran of the Month ceremony in the Bantam Borough Hall. The ceremony to honor a veteran starts at 10 am, social and light refreshments will follow. She can also email you the form. Contact Linda at lindaarmyveteran@gmail.
Warren Food Bank
Open 1st & 3rd Tuesdays
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Warren Community Center
 Warren residents should contact Missy Woodward at
860-868-7881 ext. 114. for more information.
For more information, please contact
Warren Parks and Recreation
at 860-868-7881 ext 113
or email: parkrecdirector@warrenct.org
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