Announcements and Calendar for the Week of May 6, 2012

Welcome to Rev. LaRochelle Today we welcome Rev. Dr. Robert LaRochelle to our church for a second hour discussion after worship. Bob is an ordained minister in the UCC, pastor of the Congregational Church of Union, Connecticut, and a full-time high school guidance counselor in South Windsor. He received his D.Min. from Chicago Theological Seminary, and is the author of Part-Time Minister, Full-Time Church and the recently published Crossing the Street. Bob brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience regarding models of part-time and bi-vocational ministry. Please join Bob and the Search Committee for this discussion, which will begin around 12:30 p.m. There will be a light lunch and an opportunity for fellowship before Bob’s arrival. Blessings and abundant thanks to all who have participated in these second hour discussions in recent weeks. We look forward to continued deliberation and prayerful guidance leading to the Congregational Meeting on May 20th. For the Search Committee, Bruce Lyman, Chairman CALL TO MEETING: A Special Congregational Meeting of the First Congregational Church, Woodstock, Connecticut, is called for Sunday, May 20, 2012, following worship, to act upon a recommendation from the Search Committee to search for a full-time minister. Diane Miller, Clerk BIRTHDAY: Our dear, longtime church member, Connie Rosenlund, will celebrate her 90th birthday on May 10. If you would like to join in sending an avalanche of cards to Connie, her address is 27 Sabin Street, Putnam, CT 06260. Connie lives with her daughter, Pam, and keeps her own shining spirit alive day by day. Furry Friends Mission Project Day Kimball Hospital The Children on the Hill will continue to collect “Furry Friends” for children who visit the emergency room at Day Kimball Hospital until May 20th. Because we are distributing them to patients at the hospital, the “Furry Friends” need to be brand new and can be as small as a beanie baby up to 15 inches. Donations can be left upstairs in Harrison Hall or downstairs on the display in the main room of the Sunday school. SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS for May 6, 2012 “A kindhearted woman gains respect.” (Proverbs 11:16, NIV) Today, our last day of the Three Women of Faith unit, the children will learn about the kindhearted Dorcas, Lydia, and Priscilla through these rotations: Storytelling with Jennifer and Emily John: Gr. 6-8 Music & movement with Maria Sangiolo: Gr. 2-5 Science/cooking with Jen Beck: Preschool-Gr. 1 Last week in the whole group gathering time, the children learned about the courage of Lydia and also of the prophetess and judge Deborah. Today in gathering time, we will connect our knowledge of Priscilla the tentmaker to Queen Esther. Thank you to Shirley Fields and Bruce Lyman for the loan of their tents for this lesson. Fun facts: • Deborah is the only female judge of the Old Testament (book of Judges). • Dorcas is the only woman named as a disciple. • Lydia is referred to as the first Christian convert of Europe. • Priscilla’s name always comes first when listed with her husband Aquila’s; this was very unusual! Women of the Bible we didn’t study: Delilah, Bathsheba, Potiphar’s wife, Jezebel. Next week, we begin the exciting new Jonah unit! Nursery: We appreciate Jennifer John, who subbed in the nursery last week, and Diane Peterson, today’s volunteer. Visit our Children on the Hill Facebook page for inspiration and “like” it. CALENDAR OF THE WEEK Today 11:15 a.m. Lunch and Second Hour: Search Comm. Monday 7:30 p.m. AA 7:30 p.m. Sr. Bells Tuesday 7:00 p.m. Council Wednesday 10:00 a.m. Staff 7:00 p.m. Boy Scouts Thursday 10:30 a.m. Bible Study Friday 4:00 p.m. Wedding rehearsal 5:30 p.m. Youth Revival (meet at EW to carpool to Hartford) Saturday 2:00 p.m. Thompson/Desealt wedding