Announcements and Calendar for the Week of Feb. 26, 2012

CHURCH NOTES

THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE is hosting a Soup and Discussion Hour immediately after worship service today. While enjoying delicious soups, we will be exploring ways to close the gap between the budget and our anticipated expenses. Everyone is invited!

REMINDER! ANNUAL MEETING ADJOURNED TO MARCH 11, 2012, 11:15 am The regular Annual Meeting of the First Congregational Church of Woodstock held on January 22, 2012 was adjourned to March 11, 2012. The Order of the Day for the Adjourned Meeting is:
1. To act upon the proposed budget for calendar year 2012 based upon the results of the 2012 Stewardship Campaign and the activities of the Ways and Means Committee.

MORNING WATCH -- 7:00 to 7:30 am on Tuesday mornings during Lent. RENEW your prayer life ~ REFRESH your spirit ~ RECONNECT with God. Give yourself a gift of thirty minutes peace before you begin the work or school day. Come to MORNING WATCH if you want to learn more about different types of prayer. Come if you want to lay your burdens down. Come if you need some silent space to reflect. God will be present to refresh your spirit. MORNING WATCH is open to adults and high school students in the community. We will meet at the Hill Church for the convenience of WA Students.

COMPASSION CAMP REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Camp dates are set for July 23-27, 2012 and forms are posted outside Deb’s office door. CIT/Counselor applications are also available. All youth currently in grade 6 and up are invited to attend our week-long program of fun and service work in the local community. Register before March 31 and receive an Early Bird Discount! There will be a planning meeting from 11:30 to 12:30 today for all adults who would like to help out.

SAVE THE DATE! DEACON’S BREAKFAST: Sunday, March 18th. The deacons will host another before-church-breakfast, downstairs at 8:30, for a time of informal fellowship. We’ll have REAL (and decaf) coffee. All are welcome. If you could, please sign up at the kiosk or call Bev Brazeal at (860) 963-0288, so we have a general count of how many to expect (but we’ll plan extra, so please, if you don’t call, come anyway).

WE NEED SOUP AND BREAD for our Lenten program on Wednesday evening. Please see Lib Putnam at Coffee Hour if you can help.

SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS

The Sunday school children have been very busy lately! On Friday, the 17th of February, 17 of our children and their friends joined us in Harrison Hall for Friday night movie night. The movie was Mr. Popper’s Penguins, and it was a very enjoyable evening for all. Thank you to our church members and parents who helped out. We really enjoyed seeing the fellowship between the children, and hope to have more of these nights in the near future. Watch for signs!

Last Sunday the children created a Lenten garden. It turned out to be a lot of fun. Each child created a unique, beautiful garden, full of meaning and in itself symbolic. We look forward to seeing how they grow! We are also working on other special events during Lent. Keep an eye out for details.

This week resumes the Man Beside the Pool rotation. Children will continue with cooking, music/dance, and arts crafts.

Calling all women of the parish! Please take a moment to review our nursery schedule posted throughout the church. At the beginning of the year, a rotation was set up so that each woman and teenage girl would have nursery duty once per year. If your name is on the list and you do not want to be on the coverage list, please contact us. If for some reason you cannot attend your posted date, kindly, seek an alternate or let one of us know on the CE team so we may seek substitute coverage.

CALENDAR OF THE WEEK
Today
11:15 a.m. Junior Choir (downstairs)
11:15 a.m. Soup & Discussion (Great Room)
11:30 a.m. Compassion Camp planning meeting (library)
Monday
7:00 p.m. AA
7:30 p.m. Sr. Bells (downstairs)
Tuesday
7:00 a.m. Morning Watch
3:30 p.m. Prayer Shawl Ministry (library)
7:00 p.m. Board of Outreach
Wednesday
6:00 p.m. Lenten Program (Hill Church)
7:00 p.m. Boy Scouts
Thursday
10:30 a.m. Bible Study
7:00 p.m. Sr. Choir
Friday
1 - 6 p.m. Blood Drive
Next Sunday
11:30 a.m. NYE Info session at East

Announcements and Calendar for the Week of Feb. 19, 2012

WE WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A SPECIAL WELCOME to Boy Scout Troop 27, who have been sponsored by our church for over thirty years. It is a joy to have them here with us this morning to honor this long tradition.

CHURCH NOTES

THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE is hosting a Soup and Discussion Hour immediately after worship service next Sunday, Feb. 26. While enjoying delicious soups, we will be exploring ways to close the gap between the budget and our anticipated expenses. Everyone is encouraged to join us.

REV. MIKE would like to start meeting with the scheduled Deacon Leader briefly each Sunday before the service. Please see him if you have any questions about this.

The 9th Annual SYG ITALIAN DINNER is set for Saturday, February 25. Invite a friend and plan to join us for a delicious meal. Dinner will be served continuously from 5:30 to 7:00 PM at the Hill Church and takeout is available at 5 PM. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. All proceeds benefit the 2012 budget for both East Woodstock and the Hill Church. Speak to Charlie Bottieri or one of the students to purchase your tickets today.
DIVE IN to service with Giv2 at the Special Olympics Swim Meet on Saturday, March 10. All youth in grades 7-12 and adults are invited to assist as ‘‘buddies’’ for the athletes. We will meet at the East Woodstock Church at 7:30 am (and stop at the Ivy Glenn Memorial in Eastford at 7:45 am) and carpool to Windham High School. Help provide a memorable experience for a special athlete! All participants must be preregistered by February 19 (today). Please see Andy Perry for details or pick up a form at Deb’s office.
COMPASSION CAMP REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Camp dates are set for July 23-27, 2012 and forms are posted outside Deb’’s office door. CIT/Counselor applications are also available. All youth currently in grade 6 and up are invited to attend our week-long program of fun and service work in the local community. Register before March 31 and receive an Early Bird Discount!

DEADLINES: SHARE deadline for the March issue is Wednesday, Feb. 22! Also, Ellen’s Jury Duty was postponed until Friday, Feb. 24 so if she is needed there, she will not be in the office that day. Please have materials for the Sunday bulletin in by Wednesday so bulletins can be printed on Thursday this week. Thank you!


Last Sunday, the children began “Man Beside the Pool” rotation and are learning about “God at Work”, “Healing Powers”, and “Sabbath Day”. Our rotation will cease just for this week as we celebrate the commencement of Lent. We have a special day planned this Sunday for the children to build their own garden. We will resume our rotation next week.

Ginny Viteri, our mission coordinator, introduced the children to their new mission for the next several weeks. We will be collecting various health goods to assist a local shelter. There is a memo that went home with the children as well as postings around the church as to what products to bring each week. We are encouraging parental support - asking the children to do something extra each week to help pay for the good they are to bring in. Parents, please have your child bring the good downstairs as they leave for Sunday School. At our gathering time before classes, we want to recognize the children for their efforts, and we hope to instill a purpose and understanding of our mission.

The nursery will be open and available to all. Our volunteer this week is Donna Dufresne. Thank you to all of our volunteers! Your help is greatly appreciated!

Parents, if you haven’t signed a release form for the use of your children’s picture on our website and facebook page, please do so. We are not “tagging” any children but would like to use photos!

CALLING ALL PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF THE CHURCH - please “like” our facebook page. We are keeping it updated and would like to use this social media as a source of communicating as well as networking and encouraging new members to join our wonderful program.

Announcements and Calendar for the Week of Feb. 12, 2012

CHURCH NOTES

REGARDING ANNOUNCEMENTS: At the Deacons' request and to be more mindful of our worship time, all those with announcements are requested to come to the front microphone immediately after the Prelude to share them.

THANK YOU to all who supported our SOUPER BOWL OF CARING last Sunday! Our Youth Group collected at both East Woodstock and the Hill Church and together we raised over $675 for hunger relief. This collection will go directly to the Daily Bread Food Pantry to help hungry families in Northeastern CT. Our Souper Bowl soup kettle is still in Harrison Hall if you missed out last week. Please make checks payable to “Senior High Youth Group” so we can send one check to Daily Bread.

SAVE THE DATE!!! The 9th Annual SYG ITALIAN DINNER is set for Saturday, February 25. Mark your calendars, invite a friend, and purchase your tickets for this delicious meal. Dinner will be served continuously from 5:30 to 7:00 PM at the Hill Church and proceeds benefit the 2012 budget for both East Woodstock and the Hill Church. Speak to Charlie Bottieri or one of the high school students to purchase your tickets.

DIVE IN to service with Giv2 at the Special Olympics Swim Meet on Saturday, March 10. All youth in grades 7-12 and adults are invited to assist as ‘buddies’ for the athletes. We will meet at the East Woodstock Church at 7:30 am (and stop at the Ivy Glenn Memorial in Eastford at 7:45 am) and carpool to Windham High School. Help provide a memorable experience for a special athlete! All participants must be preregistered by February 19. Please see Andy Perry for more information.


CALENDAR OF THE WEEK
Today
11:15 a.m. Junior Choir
11:15 a.m. Second Hour with Rev. Barbara Libby
7:00 p.m. SYG Crossroads Meeting (Hill Church kitchen)
Monday Community Kitchen
7:00 p.m. AA
7:30 p.m. Sr. Bells (downstairs)
Wednesday
7:00 p.m. Boy Scouts
Thursday
10:30 a.m. Bible Study
6:00 p.m. YMT Conference Call
7:00 p.m. Sr. Choir

Announcements and Calendar for the Week of Feb. 5, 2012

CHURCH NOTES

REGARDING ANNOUNCEMENTS: At the Deacons' request and to be more mindful of our worship time, all those with announcements are requested to come to the front microphone immediately after the Prelude to share them.

SOUPER BOWL OF HUNGER is being celebrated in churches all over the country this morning. It’s simple-- just place one dollar (or more) in the soup kettle as you leave church. Our collection will go directly to the Daily Bread Food Pantry to help hungry families in Northeastern CT. Please make checks payable to “Senior High Youth Group” so we can send one check to Daily Bread.

SAVE THE DATE!!! The 9th Annual SYG ITALIAN DINNER is set for Saturday, February 25. Mark your calendars, invite a friend, and purchase your tickets for this delicious meal. Dinner will be served continuously from 5:30 to 7:00 PM at the Hill Church and proceeds benefit the 2012 budget for both East Woodstock and the Hill Church. Speak to Charlie Bottieri or one of the high school students to get your tickets.

THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the Jam for Jan, held last Saturday. Janet Arcand, a former youth leader of our congregation, underwent surgery for removal of a benign tumor of the brain some months ago. The event, including raffle baskets and a concert by the Hill Church Hillbillies, brought almost $2,000 of assistance for the Arcand family. Many people made the evening a success - the kitchen crew, the Hill Church Hillbillies, Emily John and the members of the Junior Choir who also provided music, everyone who created the wonderful baskets, Senior Youth Group helpers, clean-up crew, and anyone else who helped out in any way. Thank you!

WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP: The regular monthly meeting of the Women’s Fellowship will be held at the church on Wednesday, February 8 at 10:30 a.m. Our guest speaker will be the Rev. Bert Marshall, Regional Director for CHURCH WORLD SERVICE. We hope to assemble Hygiene Kits as well. As of 1/14/12 we still need: 8 toothbrushes, 28 regular size combs, 12 nail clippers, 1 face cloth, & 26 hand towels. Card board boxes to pack the kits are also needed. Lunch will be served by Linda Chase & Ruth Stevenson, with Barbara Child offering worship. Don’t forget to start saving rummage for the spring sale in May.

SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS

The nursery volunteer today is Kassi Miller.

Today is an intergenerational service with our children worshipping upstairs.

Last week…
Sunday School hosted a special communion education event. Jen Beck taught on what the New Testament says about living “in communion” as a church. The children then separated pictures of people living in spiritual communion with each other and with God from images of those living in discord. We focused on how the Children on the Hill can contribute to making church a welcoming and Christ-like place. They already enact many of the apostle Paul’s instructions; we are proud of them!
Pastor Mike, assisted by Deacon Leslie Sweetnam, then joined us downstairs and taught on the significance of communion in our religious tradition. The children were very interested in both the practical and spiritual aspects of the preparation and taking of communion elements. They are invited to partake today.
Next Sunday…
Feb. 12, we begin our Man Beside the Pool unit investigating how God is a source of hope in our lives and provides healing in unexpected ways. Karen Cloutier will be the unit coordinator. The unit rotations will be art, games, and music. Ginny Viteri will introduce our new mission project.

We encourage you to consider teaching Sunday School! The curriculum is complete and easy to follow, and you can choose what fun rotation (cooking, games, storytelling, art, music) you want to teach. Your help would be greatly appreciated, and the children would love to see some new faces! Men are especially welcome. Please see Jen Beck, Karen Cloutier, Jennifer John, or Lisa Veach.

The children in the Junior Choir did a wonderful job singing for the Jan Arcand benefit dinner on January 28, 2012. If you saw them perform, please express your appreciation!


CALENDAR OF THE WEEK
9:15 a.m. Junior Choir warm-up
10:00 p.m. SYG Souper Bowl
Monday
7:00 p.m. AA
7:30 p.m. Sr. Bells (downstairs)
Tuesday
7:00 p.m. Council
Wednesday
10:30 a.m. Women’s Fellowship
7:30 p.m. Giv2 Planning Team (library)
7:00 p.m. Boy Scouts
Thursday
10:30 a.m. Bible Study (library)
Sunday
11:15 a.m. Junior Choir
7:00 p.m. Crossroads (kitchen)