Announcements and Calendar for the Week of Feb. 7

The SOUPER BOWL OF CARING has returned!! Last year, over 13,000 church and school groups collected 10.3 million dollars for hunger relief in just one day! Over the last 6 years our youth group has collected over $5000 to feed hungry families in Northeastern CT. Please place a dollar or more in the soup kettle on your way out. Your gift will support the work of the Daily Bread Food Pantry in Putnam.

The delicious SYG ITALIAN DINNER will be held on SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27. Be sure to save the date and invite a friend to join you for a meal at the Hill Church. The Cost is $10 for adults and we will serve from 5:30 to 7. Proceeds will benefit the 2010 church budget.

THE REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING of the Women’s Fellowship will take place at 10:30 on Wednesday, February 10. Our program will be making Health Kits for Church World Service from items donated by the congregation over the past few months. Our goal is to make 45 kits! Plan to bring a friend then stay for lunch. Our hostesses are Mary Seney and Ruth Healy, with Nancy Horsfield providing worship. Final plans will be made for WOMEN’S SUNDAY, which will take place on Sunday, February 14 with the Rev. Susan Tarolli, new Regional Conference Minister for our region of the Connecticut Conference preaching.

The Church School will conclude the "Jesus Is Baptized" unit this morning with cooperative games in the downstairs area of the church. Thank you Ginny Viteri, Ian Farquhar, Karen Cloutier and Maria Sangiolo for leading our "Jesus Is Baptized" rotational workshops! Thank you to Christine Kalafus and Dawn Miller for game day snacks!

Church School Hosts Lenten Pancake Brunch –– all are invited to a simple pancake buffet style brunch immediately following the worship service on February 21st in the downstairs area of the church. Create a Lenten Story-box; a simple tool to help you explore the events of Holy Week throughout the Lenten season. Make one for yourself and one to share. Or just come enjoy fellowship with others over a tasty brunch!.

The Junior Choir will sing next Sunday. All singers should be at the church by 9:15 a.m., ready for warm-ups.

Egg Cartons –– need a few more for the church school please. Thank you for your donations!

2010 Lenten Program
Feed my Sheep: Caring for God’s people
The news is filled with stories of natural disasters, famine, and poverty. How can we respond as God’s people? What can we do to share God’s compassion? Where is the church at work to heal the world?
Every Wednesday during Lent the First Congregational Church of Woodstock and the East Woodstock Congregational Church will be exploring ways to faithfully respond to the needs around us. You are invited to come for a simple soup supper and then stay for a time of learning and sharing. This is a great opportunity for people of all ages – families, youth, singles – to come together around an important cause.
Please join us:
6:00 p.m. Simple soup supper
6:45 – 7:40 p.m. Program
7: 40 – 7:45 p.m. Closing worship
Lenten schedule
Wednesday, February 17th – Ash Wednesday service at Church of the
Good Shepherd. 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, February 24th – Hill Church.
Wednesday, March 3rd – East Woodstock Congregational Church
Wednesday, March 10th – Hill Church
Wednesday, March 17th – East Woodstock Congregational Church
Wednesday, March 24th – Hill Church
We will be hearing from several local and international agencies as we learn what is being done to help God’s people and how we can participate in the healing of the world. Each has a compelling story to tell. Come and learn about
_ Heifer Project about addressing global hunger
_ One Great Hour of Sharing, the UCC’s global response to hunger, poverty, and natural disasters
_ Community Kitchen and Daily Bread, local responses to hunger
_ Global Ministries. How can local churches respond to global needs?
_ Church World Service, putting together Baby Kits for Haiti
Look in the bulletin or check on_line for the dates that each of these speakers will be with us.
Everyone is invited to bring a canned good to the Wednesday evening gatherings; the food collected will be donated to Daily Bread.

Calendar of the Week
TODAY -
11:30 a.m. "Souper" Bowl of Caring
MONDAY
9:00 a.m. Community Kitchen
7:30 p.m. Sr. Bells
7:30 p.m. AA
TUESDAY
10:30 a.m. Bible Study
7:30 p.m. Trustees
WEDNESDAY
10:30 a.m. Women’s Fellowship
7:30 p.m. Giv² Planning Team
7:00 p.m. Boy Scouts
THURSDAY
7:30 p.m. Outreach
NEXT SUNDAY - Women’s Sunday
7:00 p.m. SYG