Announcements and Calendar for the Week of Dec. 4

SECOND HOUR TODAY! Ani Colt will introduce her book Self Love as Spiritual Practice: Nine Keys for Loving Yourself. At long last this book is out and Ani’s home up the road from our Hill Church provided the space for this to happen. The story of Ani’s learning to love herself goes way back to 1985 when she was asked if she loved herself and had to say “no”, and when Whitney Houston’s rendition of “The Greatest Love of All is Learning to Love Yourself” was popular. Connecting self love to the spiritual made the difference and this book tells this story. Spiritual self love is loving the Divine. The Nine Key for Loving Yourself share the help she received from Spirit. The book is co-created to help others meet the deep desire for unconditional love, the yearnings of our human selves, our souls and our essence. During the hour there will be time for questions and answers.

WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP will be going on a “field trip” for our December 14 meeting! We will plan to leave the church at 10:30 a.m. and carpool to Salem Cross Inn in Brookfield , Massachusetts . After a tour of the facility we will enjoy a varied menu at this historic restaurant. Cost is $19.00 per person, which includes tax and gratuity. Reservations need to be made to the President, Ruth Stevenson, 860-928-7822 by December 5. Checks, made out to FCCWF should be mailed to Susan Waldron, 17 Maple Lane, Thompson , CT 06277 , being mindful of the Dec. 5 deadline. Got a question? Call Ruth. This sounds like a great way to enjoy friends during the Holiday Season!

MESSIAH SING next Sunday at 4:00, here in our church! All welcome, singers and listeners alike. Professional soloists & orchestra, scores provided, refreshments to follow.

Giv2 NE –– SPREADING HOLIDAY CHEER! All youth in grades 7-12 are invited to join us as we visit Creamery Brook Retirement Village and Pierce Baptist Home this afternoon. We will decorate trees, deliver cards, sing carols, and visit with residents. Meet at the Hill Church at 12 noon to carpool.

SANTA’S SITTING SERVICE——9 am to 3 PM on Saturday, December 10. Parents: Let our Youth Group watch your children so you can finish up your Christmas shopping, take a friend to lunch, decorate your house, do your holiday baking, or just enjoy some peace and quiet ……. Activities include crafts, cookie decorating, outdoor play, and board games. Contact Debby Kirk at 860-377-2675 or Dianna Rebello at 860-928-4001 to reserve a spot. Youth Group members who would like to work one of our shifts should also speak to Dianna. This event will be held at the East Woodstock Church

SENIORS - Please remember that the Medicare open enrollment period ends early this year. This year the deadline is Wed. Dec. 7, 2011. Whether you are in a newer type "Medicare Advantage" plan or in Original Medicare with a "Supplemental" (or "Medigap") plan and a prescription drug "Part D", you should review your plan each year. If you need assistance with enrollment, and have access to a computer, Medicare.gov is probably the most credible source of online information.

Other contacts include:
* Your 2012 "Medicare and You" (red, white & blue) booklet
* TEEG (860) 923-3458
* Senior Resources Agency on Aging (800) 994-9422

If your monthly income is below $2,260.92 for a single person or below $3,052.74 for a couple, you may qualify for one of the Medicare Savings Programs (MSP). They can pay your Medicare Part B premiums as well as provide "Extra Help" with your prescriptions (making your Rx copays no more than $6.30 for covered prescriptions and provide help in paying Part D premiums). If your income in within the ranges above, you can contact the Department of Social Services for an application at 1-877-485-6777, contact TEEG at (860) 923-3458, or call Beverly Brazeal, at (860) 963-0288 for help submitting the application.


SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS

The Christmas season is officially upon as us! To kick off this wonderful time of year, this morning our Sunday school children will begin rehearsals for our annual Christmas Pageant. Drinks and snacks will be provided so that we may rehearse through Coffee Hour. Rehearsal should end just before noon. Special thanks to our talented and devoted parents Eva and Leslie for leading our children once again this year.


Advent Wreath Kits
Last Sunday Advent wreath kits were given to the families who ordered them. We hope you and your family enjoyed putting them together. The greens were bountifully supplied by Dirk and Joyce Hansen of the Hansen Family Tree Farm in Woodstock Valley. Mmmmm...so beautiful and fragrant. Thank you! If you or someone you know would like a copy of the Advent reflections booklet disbursed with the kit additional copies are available copies are available on the counter by the servery entrance. It is not too late to enter into a personal journey through Advent.


Weekly Advent Stations
You might have noticed a Nativity Table in Harrison Hall last weekend. If not, please take a moment to visit the display. The Sunday school will be setting up a different station each week as a means of reflecting upon the season of Advent in new ways. At the Nativity Table people are asked to stop and think about which character in the story they seem to identify with most at this very moment in their lives. Today, you will find a Distraction Box. At this station you will be asked to "Name Distractions" in your lives which may be preventing you from focusing fully on your faith at this time of year...worries, stress related to school or family, relationship issues, or everyday things like TV and electronic gadgets. We encourage you to "name" (by writing or drawing) your distractions on a slip of paper and then place it in the Distraction Box as a gesture of letting go of those distractions so you can focus on God.

Gift of a Rocking Chair
The Sunday school would like to thank John and Suzanne Cimochowski for generously donating a rocking chair for the Sanctuary Balcony. Now, parents with infants may rock their babies while enjoying the worship service. How wonderful!

Heifer Gift Cards
Heifer Gift Cards will be available in Harrison Hall each week for holiday gift giving. Supporting Heifer touches many lives and brings hope to all. Please consider this special gift giving tradition.

Calling All Epicures for the Visiting Bethlehem Market Place
Please see Jennifer John or Lisa Veach to sign up for the Market Place food table! We hope to feature a tantalizing array of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean foods. Recipes and suggestions are available.

Children's Offering for the month of December will go to support the Community Kitchen. Children are asked to bring in the following canned food items each week: large cans of fruit cocktail, greens beans, tomato paste, stewed tomatoes or money for ground beef!


Calendar
Today
11:15 Jr. Choir
11:15 Second Hour
12:00 Giv2
1:30 Bell Choir to Pierce Home
Monday
7:00 AA
7:30 Bell Choir
Wednesday
9:00 PCT
7:00 Deacons
7:00 Boy Scouts
Saturday
3:00 Santa's Sitting Service @ EW
Next Sunday - Gift Sunday
4:00 Messiah Sing