In The Community

BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS

Each October First Church has celebrated St. Francis?s birthday by honoring the animals that he so loved. ?St. Francis believed all living creatures were valuable and good. Our human lives are intertwined with all of God?s creation,? Rev. Susan Izard said. Members and non-members alike come with a variety of animals, but mostly dogs.

IMMERSION TRIP TO HARTFORD

Hartford is a "salad bowl? learned 21 First Church members during an "Immersion' bus tour of Hartford. Rev. Edwin Ayala of the Christian Activities Council (CAC) explained that ethnic groups do not want to be in a "melting pot" where they lose their identities. Instead, Hartford leadership wants to celebrate each group as the tomato, lettuce, peppers etc. which makes the salad so tasty. On the other hand CAC also is asking each group to work together for the improvement of all neighborhoods in the city. The Christian Activities Council is looking for economic improvement and racial justice for Hartford , a city of poverty and racial division.

The Tour emphasized the positive changes taking place in Hartford , especially the move away from ?projects? and towards home ownership of housing. Citing the restaurants and bakeries as the bridge between the suburbs and the city, Ed pointed out the great number of Puerto Rican, Brazilian, Santo Domingan, Jamaican, Thai, Chinese, Italian, Afghan, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Bosnian eating places.

The Service and Outreach Committee organized the Tour to help them and the church as a whole to see the wonderful changes that are taking place in the City as well as the challenges that lie ahead.

Since then the group and other church members have continued visiting ethnic restaurants and listening to neighborhood speakers in order to taste more of Hartford's diversity.