Former Student Asst. Pastor, Rev. Rodney Snedeker, mentored by Rev. Jerry Jud, ordained in our Church 65 years ago, graduate of West Haven High School and the Yale Divinity School, recently stopped by our church for a visit.

Rev. Snedeker, 91 years young, and his wife Elizabeth were attending an event at Yale Divinity School and asked if they might have a brief tour of our Church and his old neighborhood. Church Historian Steve Hildrich and his wife Andrea drove them on the tour, and arranged to have Pastor Carl Howard open the Sanctuary for a quick peek although it is currently undergoing repair and renovation. After touring the Sanctuary, as well as Fellowship Hall and the Parlor, and enjoying conversation, Rod and Elizabeth presented a card with a beautiful note, mentioning a gift scholarship from the Church (Benham Fund).The amount was enough to pay one third of his annual tuition at Yale Divinity School: $250 of only $750 tuition then!!! Inside the card was the generous $1,000 check to the Church, graciously accepted by Pastor Carl Howard.

The Mission Emphasis for the month of November is the Connecticut Food Bank.  Their mission is to provide nutritious food to people in need.  They distribute food and other resources to nearly 700 local emergency food assistance including WHEAT and have programs in six of Connecticut’s eight counties, including New Haven.  Nearly half a million Connecticut residents struggle with hunger; these are people from all walks of life – children, working parents, seniors or people living with disabilities. They are your neighbors. Sometimes the difference between a family that uses a food program and one that doesn’t is the sudden loss of a job, an illness or unexpected rise in health care or utilities expenses.

Please use the small brown envelopes provided during Sunday services to contribute to this month's emphasis.