Page 1 - January Spire 2013
Basic HTML Version
T
he year
was 1863.
Train tracks
had been laid
in town about
a decade earlier,
connecting New
Haven and New
York (actually in 1849) but little else
was as we know it today. There was
no electricity, no major highways and
no Noroton Presbyterian Church
here - yet. But that was about to
change. Benjamin Weed, his family
and a few friends, applied to the
Presbytery of New York to found
a Presbyterian Church in Darien.
On November 4, 1863, The First
Presbyterian Church of Darien was
formed. Three years later the chapel
was built and 90 years later, in 1953,
the beautiful sanctuary on the Post
Road was erected and dedicated to
serve a growing, thriving community.
We are blessed this year to celebrate
God’s faithfulness to us throughout
our 150-year history. We are
also embarking on a program to
strengthen our ministries and
shore up our lovely facilities which
previous generations have cared for
and handed down to us. Last year,
we came together in a venture of
faith we called
Foundations for the
Future
. Capital funds and pledges
for missions were collected for
repairs and desired expansion needs.
Generous support from over 300
families have pledged contributed
over $11,975,000. Last summer
critical repairs were done to our
chapel’s stained glass windows
while replacement windows in
the Sanctuary and Horton Hall
were installed. We are currently
working with our architect to finalize
design plans for session’s and town
approvals. Our Building Committee
(Mark Bielstein, Jerry Byrne, Karen
Calby, Steve DeMott, Allegra
Erickson, Tom Geraghty, Roger
Knight, Jed Lawrence, David Lee,
Elizabeth Queally, Brian Smalley and
Ginna Yerrall) which was ably led
for several years by Bill Reedy, has
now been put in the hands of Brian
Smalley, giving Bill a well deserved
break. Brian’s team is busy working
with our principal architect, Dennis
Kowal, civil engineers, attorney Bruce
Hill, and project managers to draw up
plans with cost estimates and suitable
phases that we can afford now or in
the future. This is a time consuming
but critical phase in the process as
we make sure all the “must haves”
fit within the funds that have been
pledged. We hope to have more
about our progress to share in the
coming months when our experts,
working with our building team, have
final plans to recommend to us. In
the meantime, thank you for your
gifts and please keep this important
team in prayer.
The Spire
January 2013
Noroton Presbyterian Church
2011 Post Road, Darien, CT 06820
203-655-1451
Happy New Year!
Worship Schedule
Chapel - 8:00 a.m.
Sanctuary - 9:00 & 10:30 a.m.
Open Doors - 5:00 p.m.
Upcoming Preaching Schedule:
1/6/13 -
Pastor Sam Schreiner
1/13/13 -
Pastor Dale Paulsen,
guest preacher
(former NPC Youth Pastor)
1/20/13 -
Pastor Stuart Smith
Matthew 5:10
1/27/13 -
Pastor Greg Doll
Upcoming Baptism Dates:
1/20/13 and 2/17/13 at the
10:30 a.m. Sanctuary Service.
To schedule a Baptism please call
Leslie Ezzo at 203-655-1451, ext. 33.
Table of Contents
Foundations for the Future
......................2
150
th
Anniversary ..............................3-4
Adult Spiritual Formation.................5-6
Caring &Women’s Ministry.................7
Children’s Ministry.................................8
Tot Drop ..................................................9
Student Ministries ............................... 10
NPNS ..................................................... 11
Congregational Life Ministry ...... 12-14
Membership Ministry ......................... 15
Mission Ministry ............................ 16-18
Music & Fine Arts............................... 18
NPC Calendar of Events ................... 19
NPC News & NPC Staff ................... 20
continued on page 2...
