Date: Fri 18-Sep-1998

By Previous Employees

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: DONNAM

Quick Words:

Trinity-Episcopal-Sacraments

Full Text:

Trinity Begins Church School Year Sept 20

Trinity Episcopal Church kicks off its Church School year on September 20 with

church school registration and first day of classes following the 9:45 am

service. This will be an opportunity for parents and young people to meet

teachers, sign up for activities and register children and young adults for

Church School year.

The goals for Trinity Church School are that young people will learn the

lessons of Christianity and will learn to live them within the walls of

Trinity, in the community of Newtown, and ultimately in the world at large.

Trinity offers its children the Episcopal Children's Curriculum, published by

the Virginia Theological Seminary and Morehouse Publishing. The curriculum

consists of three three-year cycles which begin at age 3 and proceed through

Grade 6. Every three years children return to a similar course of study, but

experience it in a more advanced setting. Additionally, in any three-year

period children are exposed to the entire breadth of both the Old and the New

Testaments. Because it is an Episcopal curriculum, children learn about the

Sacraments, the Book of Common Prayer, the Hymnal, and other aspects of our

church, as well as Bible stories.

Trinity offers enrichment activities that enliven and support the teaching of

the church school. Last year these included a number of programs and events

during the year that ranged from a St Nicholas Day celebration, Christmas

Pageant, a winter Immersion Sunday, a Rogation "planting festival" Sunday in

May and Youth Sunday in June. This year on Sunday, October 4, a Blessing of

the Pets will be held in the lower playground at 11:30 am, and it is rumored

that St Francis of Assisi will be in attendance that day.

Trinity connects church school youth into the life of the church. Church

School children are surveyed and matched with special ministries they might

undertake. Boosters are identified to support Church School activities as

appropriate, such as baking for St Nicholas Day or preparing special bulletin

boards. The Adopt-A-Commission program matches each church school class with a

vestry commission. The vestry, made up of a number of commissions, is the

central working group of the church. The children learn about the commission's

work and perform a service project for the commission during the church school

year.

The church school classes take on several outreach projects during the year.

In 1997-98 this included making "Disaster" Kits in support of the Presiding

Bishop's fund for World Relief and gathering in canned fruit for distribution

to one or more of our local food pantries.

The teachers this year will be Lambs/Lions (3/4 year olds), teacher Dorothy

Schmidt, assistants Rachel Romanelli and Kendall Zimmerman; teacher Elaine

Brietling, assistant Elisabeth Breitling. Kindergarten: teacher, Terry

Gottlieb, assistant Jane Droniak and teacher Chris Hoolehan, assistant Tricia

Shannon. First Grade, teacher Pam Owen, assistant Terry Tabler, and teacher

Cory Benson, assistant Dennis O'Connor. Second Grade: Teacher Audrey DeBlasio,

assistant Patrice DiVanno (Sept-Nov) Kathleen Moody (Dec-May) and teacher

Julie Cioffoletti, assistant Margot Snellback.

Third Grade, teacher Martha Campbell-Galie, assistant Mary DeFilio, and

teacher Marcia Proctor, assistant Nancy and Erin Dudley. Fourth Grade, teacher

Rick Chamiec-Case, and Tom and Michele Murphy. Fifth/Sixth Grades, teachers

Walt Streett and Donna Van Waalwijk. Seventh/Eighth Grades, teachers Tom

McMorran and Gene Kelkres. High School teachers, Shep Adams-Shepherd and Jean

Bouchard.

Trinity offers its youngest Church School students from age 3 through grade 2

their very own lectionary-based worship service. Children rejoin their parents

upstairs at the Peace, so that families can celebrate the Great Thanksgiving

together.

The children's liturgists include Linda Parsloe, Anna Moses, Martha

Campbell-Galie, Kurt Huber, High School Class, 7/8 Grade Class. The children's

liturgy musicians are Gordon Jones, Martha Galie, Anna Moses, Dean Snellback,

Sue Vogelman.

Because Trinity is committed to sponsoring top-notch nursery care for its

parishioners, there are two paid employees throughout the year. There are two

nursery rooms available for use, when needed. Nursery care is available from 9

am to noon.

Trinity has Youth groups for middle and high school students which include a

variety of spiritual and social programs and events. From June 27 to July 5,

some 50 Trinity youth participated in Group Workcamp in West Virginia.

Trinity Episcopal church, 426-9070, is at the flagpole in Newtown. The

Reverend Kathleen E. Adams-Shepherd is Rector. Services are held on Sundays at

8 am and 9:45 am.

For additional information, call Carol Zimmerman, Church School director, at

426-0492.

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The editorial took no position on the budget going up or down so you're reading things into the editorial that simply aren't there. The turnout is tied to the lack of passage, in that people who came out to vote last time did not this time, indicating a lack of support on their part. Perhaps it wasn't spelled out clearly enough, but that's what the editorial was driving at, people showing lack of support by not casting a vote. The editorial did address likely concerns among voters that may have led to lack of support and lack of turnout. This lower turnout also follows increasing turnout over the past four referendums in three years (meaning it is an aberration from that), and increased turnout is something that I do push for regularly in editorials. Any disappointment you might be seeing is at the break in that trend, not at whether the budget passed or not. I'd rather see more people come out and vote "no" then not vote at all.

Lower Turnout Results In Two Budget Defeats

Clearly, property owners no longer want to bear the burden of expenses while the state does not meet it’s responsibilities. Rising costs must be addressed by actions that do not include yearly increases of property owners’ taxes. The state of CT must meet its share of the educational costs, and other costs.

Town And School Budgets Fail At Referendum

This feels like an oddly misleading headline and narrative, particularly coming from the Editorial Board. The headline "Lower Turnout Results in Two Budget Defeats" pushes a misleading narrative regarding voter turnout, and then seeks to tie the outcome of the referendum to that misleading narrative. Sure, voter turn out for this year's referendum, 18%, was lower than last year's. However, last year's turnout, 25.4%, represented the highest turnout in the most recent 10 budget referendums. If you take the time to examine turnout percentages between 2017 and 2026 (2017: 19.9, 2018: 15.7, 2019: 17, 2020: 0, 2021: 8.98, 2022: 7.7, 2023: 8.8, 2024: 15.1/17.49, 2025: 25.4, 2026: 18), this year's turnout was actually the third highest in the past 10 cycles. Perhaps the headline of this article should say "Lower Voter Turnout Than Last Year", which is more accurate, rather than creating an impression that this year's turnout is some type of aberration - a narrative that the turnout numbers, in all their binary glory, simply do not support. Further, the headline of this article appears to tie the "lower turnout" to the defeated budgets. Sure, that could be true. But, perhaps, its more likely that Newtown residents are feeling the squeeze of multiple economic influences. In Newtown, we've experienced property revaluations and increased municipal spending. Eversource continues to raise rates. The state legislature gives PURA the authority to impose Public Benefit charges that benefit a tiny percentage of the public (and subsequently burdening the rest of us). At the national level, inflation has run rampant for years and many of those costs remain high to this day. In short, the data tells a far less dramatic—and far more honest—story than the headline suggests. This wasn’t an electorate vanishing in apathy; it was a fairly typical turnout delivering an verdict that, perhaps, some at the Editorial Board didn't like. At some point, it’s worth considering that residents aren’t confused, disengaged, or misled by turnout; they’re simply doing math at their kitchen tables and concluding that “no” is the only responsible answer left.

Enjoyed the forum which only confirmed my support for Brandon Moore as the Democratic candidate to run for the state representative position. Brandon Moore did not waiver about his duty to all the people, if elected, when an issue presents itself that requires that he voice a difference of opinion for the wellbeing of Newtown residents. If Michelle Ku’s 16 years have led to her loyalty being to other elected officials, as she implied, then Newtown is going to continue to witness actions that do not protect its residents. She could not unseat republican, Mitch Bolinsky, during a Blue Wave, and once again, will not do it now. Winning that seat is critical for all. That explains why her previous campaign committee now campaigns for Brandon Moore. It explains all the endorsements he has received from local elected democratic officials. It’s why we need Brandon Moore to be the democratic candidate to run for state representative.

Second Newtown DTC, League Of Women Voters Candidates Event Planned

Appreciated the opportunity to hear from both candidates as we were present for the College Dems forum but only heard from Brandon Moore. It was an opportunity to see who can unseat the Republican incumbent and there is no doubt that Brandon Moore should be the Democratic candidate. One concerned parent posed a question about discrimination unaddressed by the school district and interestingly enough, Michelle Ku, who proudly speaks of her Board membership years, said little, while Brandon Moore passionately addressed the issue along with his experience as an Apache Helicopter Commander. This family is supporting Brandon Moore. We need change and someone who is not afraid to disagree, especially about the rising costs of living in Newtown.

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Date: Fri 18-Sep-1998

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