Monthly Archives: November 2009

Passing it down to the towns

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Governor Rell

Governor Rell

Governor Rell is proposing steps to reduce the budget gap:

In an attempt to halt the 2010 budget’s slide into deficit, Gov. M. Jodi Rell released a $337 million package of proposed budget cuts Tuesday afternoon, slashing funding to programs for the poor and sick, local governments and state agencies….

“It is deeply painful even to suggest these cuts – and yet they are unquestionably necessary,” Rell said in a written statement released with her budget plan. “State government cannot afford, literally or figuratively, to allow this budget – which has only been in effect a few short months – to grow any further out of balance.”

Many of Rell’s proposals will require legislative approval, and she said she would call lawmakers back to the Capitol to enact cuts soon. A Senate aide said they anticipated reconvening what has come to seem like an endless budget debate sometime in mid-December.

Democratic leaders did not immediately respond to the substance of Rell’s proposed cuts, saying they would spend the coming days reviewing her plans with their colleagues.

More here at the New London Day.

Area schools threatened with suit over graduations held in church

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Oy vey.

“Students and their families should not have to choose between attending graduation and being subjected to proselytizing religious messages,” said Alex Luchenitser, senior litigation counsel for Americans United, in a statement Wednesday. “Yet that is exactly the choice that the Enfield Schools impose on students and their families.”

Read more here if you can stand it.

God Chasers Meeting in Kensington, November 28

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From Connecticut House of Prayer:

This is a morning of prophetic and/or “harp & bowl” style of worship and intercession. As described in Tommy Tenney’s book, we spend one day each month “chasing after God”…..chasing the One Who chases after us! A New Song is being released in the land of Connecticut. Come and sing the New Song with us!

Time and Location: Saturday, November 28, 2009, 9:00 AM-11:00 AM, at Wellspring Church, 222 Lincoln Street, Kensington (go to www.wellspring.net for directions).

Call to Discipleship study coming to Easton

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Covenant Church of Easton will host an interdenominational Bible study presented in four, 15-week segments covering a range of topics, including: Discipleship Defined, Created and Called by God, The Disintegration of Relationships, The Grace of God Provides a Way of Escape, and others.

Courses are held Thursdays beginning January 14 through April 29, 2010 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Covenant Church of Easton, 1 Sport Hill Road, Easton, (at exit 46 off the Merritt Parkway).  To register or for further information please contact Jan Buchanan, call2disciple Northeast Coordinator at 203.383.9320 or email jbuchanan at arielpawleys.org.

Budget woes trickling down to municipalities

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According to this non-partisan State report, you are in trouble.

Will a tax revolt this be the ultimate trickle-down economic effect? Revenue is drying up not only at the Federal level but is now doing so, as was inevitable, at the State and local levels. I’ll go out on a limb and predict that the local level is where the pushback on taxes will occur, not only here but nationwide.

Here’s a little foreshadowing of the fun that awaits us in 2010: a number of stories from around the State which show us why we are about to become California – or one of many Californias.

The Town of Winchester uncovers a “mystery” problem:

The town of Winchester’s budget situation is so bad that there may not be enough money to make payroll next month, according to the newly elected Winchester Board of Selectmen, which voted to set up a process that would allow the town to borrow up to $2.5 million against future tax payments in order to keep the town running.

The process involves using tax-anticipation notes to pay for budget shortfalls, which may reach a critical point next month. If the town goes ahead with the plan, a special town meeting and referendum would be required to allow the town to borrow against future proceeds.

Mayor Candy Perez said she first heard about the seriousness of the budget problem on Nov. 4, (emphasis added) the day after this year’s municipal election, when then-Town Manager Keith Robbins said the crisis was bad enough to warrant tax-anticipation notes. Robbins submitted his letter of resignation to Perez a week later.

In Naugatuck, there are some unhappy days at the Board of Ed, and a $2 million shortfall looming.

Teachers overwhelmingly condemned the performance of embattled Superintendent John Tindall-Gibson Thursday, while the school board continued to search for ways to make up a projected $2 million budget deficit.

The Naugatuck Teachers’ League voted 320-8 in a symbolic gesture to show they have no confidence in the 62-year-old school chief, who has been here since September 2006.

We know where that ends.

And looming Statewide… a projected $3.2 billion shortfall in 2012, according to the State’s Office of Fiscal Analysis. (Click to download as PDF or view above.)

New Haven church vandalized

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Help support Bethel Temple Church Of God on Frank Street, in need of about $6,000 to replace stolen equipment.

Pastor Larry Pinkard will invoke the prophet Nehemiah from the pulpit Sunday — and tell a tale about how walls will be rebuilt on Frank Street.

The sermon will touch on the tale of two houses of worship attacked by evildoers, one in biblical times, one in 2009.

Read more here.

Middlesex County Prayer Watch, December 5th

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There will be a Middlesex County Prayer Watch on Saturday, December 5, 2009, from 6 p.m. – 12 a.m. at WIHS Radio Station, 1933 South Main Street, Middletown, CT.

This will be 6 hours of intercession for radio, TV, newspapers, magazines and all who report the news. Can you spare an hour or two to intercede for our media? We are sending intercessors in groups of twos and threes to our largest central CT FM Christian radio station. We will pray quietly behind the scene while they are broadcasting (this will NOT be on the air!) as well as praying for all those who are in the media. We will be praying especially for WIHS Christian radio. May the Lord be glorified over the airwaves in Connecticut! Email connecticuthouseofprayer at yahoo.com or call (860) 904-7358 . Because space is extremely limited, you will need to sign up in order to participate.

Farewell to a number of things…

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IN his column today, The Courant’s Rick Green says farewell to the old economy, complete with a scary graphic showing that Connecticut has lost over 15,000 manufacturing jobs in the last year.  And then Mr. Green wonders if anyone is listening.

Actually, considering his appearance on the panel with Peter Schiff on Face The State, I find this highly ironic. (Watch the exchange that starts at about 3:00.) Hasn’t Schiff been the one saying that we’ve stupidly, deliberately exported our manufacturing base to Asia? I love watching people throw the accepted wisdom at Schiff.

With apologies to Mr. Green, having lost over 70,000 jobs in a year, I think we’re saying farewell not just to the old economy, but to our ability to pay for the welfare state we have constructed.

Moms in Touch Concert of Prayer, November 14th

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We apologize for the late notice on this one, but Moms in Touch International will be holding a concert of prayer for our youth on November 14th. Christian women worldwide will fast and pray for 4 hrs (9 AM – 1 PM) for children and schools in the strong name of Jesus Christ. Take some time to pray for our kids!

For more information and to see Connecticut churches which are participating, visit: http://momsintouch.org.

Bringing Home The Prodigals, November 21

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Maybe you or someone you know is carrying a prodigal child or sibling or friend or parent in their heart. The Father’s heart is for the prodigals.  You are invited to attend and bring a friend on Saturday, November 21, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for Bringing Home the Prodigals, a day-long interactive experience of worship, teaching, discussion and prayer for the return of the prodigals we carry in our hearts.

This event is co-sponsored by Wintonbury Church, Bloomfield; Valley Community Baptist Church, Avon; Connecticut House of Prayer; and Wellspring Church, Kensington. Event address is: 222 Lincoln St., Kensington, CT (Berlin for GPS).

For more information, visit www.wellspring.net and click on Bringing Home the Prodigals on the lower half of the home page.