Announcements and Calendar for the Week of Oct. 17

BOARD OF OUTREACH TO SPONSOR SECOND HOUR TODAY! Please join us today for a Second Hour sponsored by the Board of Outreach. Donna Grant from T.E.E.G. (Thompson Ecumenical Empowerment Group) will talk with us about what her organization does to help folks from all of the surrounding towns, including Woodstock, in these hard economic times. We hope to learn what we can do to help our neighbors as well. Remember, this subject was one of the top vote getters when we surveyed the congregation last fall so plan to attend.

YOUTH GROUP GAME NIGHT is tonight (October 17) from 6 to 7:30 PM at the Hill Church. All youth in grades 7-12 are invited to come try out a fun, new card game. BRING YOUR OWN DECK OF CARDS. We'll gather in the kitchen to make some yummy apple crisp. Friends are welcome!

STRESS FREE ZONE for Juniors and Seniors will be held on Monday, October 18 from 2:30 to 3:30. Stop by the Hill Church for an after school snack and see one of our new Nooma videos.
BELLS FOR BEGINNERS. Students in grades 3 and above and beginner adults are invited to a four week “INTRODUCTION TO BELLS.” This is a fun musical experience for parents and kids to share. No Musical Experience Necessary! Contact Debby Kirk at 860-377-2675 to sign up.

LETTERBOXING ANYONE? Youth in grades 7-12 are invited to meet at the East Woodstock Church at 12:30 on Sunday, October 24. Dress for the weather and join us for an outdoor adventure! Bring your own sandwich; we'll supply the drinks. (Note to parents: we are looking for a few adults who can drive).

SOUP & BREAD: Our first Soup and Bread is coming up on October 31. Please sign up on the sheet which will be next to the Coffee Hour Host sign by the servery. We need 6 Breads and 8 crock pots of soup. Please include recipes for the Generosity Committee to use later. Thank you all so much.


This Morning’s Church School: Pre-K/Kinder/Grade 1 - Video Rotation –– Jennifer John Grades 2&3 –– Science Rotation –– Laurie Trudeau Grades 4/5/6/7/8 –– Art Rotation –– Kelly Bottieri/Ellie Donahue
Infant Toddler Room –– Sammi & Kassi Miller

Heifer Awareness - October 24 –––– Our church school weekly offering goes to Heifer International. With gifts of livestock and training, Heifer helps families in over 125 different countries improve their nutrition and generate income in sustainable ways. This year we are focusing on how the gift of a pig can help a family in need. Next Sunday the church school children will learn more about Heifer through short video clips and various pig activities. We will end the morning with a snack of pigs in a blanket! Bring your coins for our piggy bank!

Jesus And The Children Mural –– October 24 –– Come visit next Sunday! Over the past month, the church school children have been working on a Jesus and the Children mural. Each child painted a cut out image of him or herself. All of the images will be placed together along with an image of Jesus on a wall in the downstairs area of the church. We invite you to come visit our mural next Sunday during coffee hour. While you are downstairs, visit our middle classroom where Laurie Trudeau has created a God’s Family Tree with the children. We hope you will take a moment to get your picture taken so we can add you to our tree!

Daily Bread –– The church school will be collecting SOUPS AND STEWS during the month of October for the Daily Bread Food Pantry in Putnam. Please donate a can or two for local friends.

Maria Sangiolo Concert! LOCATION: Palmer Memorial Hall DATE: Saturday, 10/23/2010 TIME: 7:00 p.m. The charge is $5.00 for children and adults and $4.00 for Woodstock Historical Society members. Preregistration is suggested, due to limited seating. Singer/songwriter Maria Sangiolo will perform spooky songs and silly songs to celebrate the Harvest and Halloween. This is a family concert for adults and children. CONTACT: Patty Greene-Pawelczyk , 860 963 7260, E-mail: lebor3@hotmail.com. Sponsored by the Woodstock Historical Society, http://www.woodstockhistoricalsociety.org, a non-profit organization.

SPONSOR A PRAYER SHAWL: If you like the idea of our prayer shawl ministry but aren't able to knit or crochet, you can help out by sponsoring a prayer shawl. Each shawl costs between $15-20 in materials. If you would like to support this ministry of outreach and caring, you can donate the cost of a shawl, knowing this symbol of compassion will be shared by someone who needs it.
Checks can be made out to the FCCW Women's Fellowship with a notation "prayer shawl ministry" and can be turned into the church office.

CHRISTMAS ON THE HILL, November 20, 2010: What can you do for the GENERAL STORE at the Fair? How about donating some homemade jam or jelly? Do you craft in wood or fabric? A set of placemats & napkins or a butcher’s apron might fill the bill. Call Lynn Singleton, 963-7229 or Karen Cloutier, 974-3978 to tell them what you’ll bring for the GENERAL STORE to sell. A new toy truck or bulldozer or a gift certificate from your place of business would be more than welcome for the PENNY SOCIAL. Call Meg Bishop, 974-0778 or Diane Peterson, 928-7880 with that “good item” you have in mind for the PENNY SOCIAL. Can you offer some time to work at the FAIR? Don’t forget to save the date to visit the FAIR, NOVEMBER 20, meet old friends and support this major undertaking of the Women’s Fellowship of our church. To volunteer, call Susan Waldron at 923-2887.
HELP!!! Silent Auction (Christmas On The Hill Fair) desperately needs items: vintage and antique pieces, glass, small furniture, art, unused kitchen and garden gadgets, etc. Unfortunately we do not take old computers or exercise equipment. Please call Barbara Wright with donations or questions regarding donations - 860-928-4068


Dear Friends,
Martha and I would like to express our deepest gratitude for all the gestures of kindness and appreciation shown us by the members of this congregation during my final days among you as the pastor of the Woodstock Hill Church. In addition to the wonderful party at the Mansion at Bald Hill and the events after worship on September 26, members of our church reached out to us in numerous ways to express their best wishes. We thank you, therefore, for your words, notes, hugs, emails and telephone calls, lunches, parties, and gifts. We thank you for the laughter and tears, the shared memories our leave-taking brought to the surface, and for all the blessing of friendship we have experienced over the past 35 years. We thank you for the presentations, the letters from Governor Rell and the leaders of the United Church of Christ, the afghan, the Great Room’s new name, and for the very generous “purse” you gave us on September 26. Our hearts are filled with gratitude and thanksgiving. I am convinced that a church that demonstrates, as you did, how to celebrate the ministry we have shared over all these years has a wonderful future in store. And nothing would please me more than to know that you will shower upon your future leaders the kind of love and affection you have lavished upon us.
In God’s peace,
Jamie



WEEKLY CALENDAR
TODAY
11:15 a.m. Second Hour - TEEG
11:15 a.m. Confirmation (in art room)
6:00 p.m. . Youth Group Game Night
MONDAY
2:30 p.m. Stress-free zone
6:30 p.m. Beginner Bells
7:00 p.m. Boy Scout event
7:30 p.m. AA Group
7:30 p.m. Sr. Bells
TUESDAY
7:30 p.m. Hillbillies
7:30 p.m. Church Council
WEDNESDAY
7:00 p.m. Boy Scouts
THURSDAY
7:00 p.m. Sr. Choir .
FRIDAY - SATURDAY
CT Conference Annual Meeting (Middleton)
NEXT SUNDAY
9:15 a.m. Sr. Bells
11:15 a.m. Special Coffee Hour to welcome Mike Ader
11:15 a.m. Confirmation Class
12:30 p.m. Youth Group Letterboxing (at EW)