Announcements and Calendar for the Week of Dec. 2, 1012

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS YEAR, OUR CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT SERVICE WILL BE HELD AT 5:00 P.M. INSTEAD OF 7:30.


THE SERRV CART will be out today during Coffee Hour! We have a great selection of really unique gifts that will not only please your recipient but also will help artisans in third world countries support themselves. Stop by to browse and buy!

WHAT DOES #450 have to do with First Congregational Church of Woodstock?

Give up? Ok, we were the four hundred fiftieth UCC church to become ONA. The first Connecticut church to become ONA was church #27 Shalom United Church of Christ in New Haven.
(Look for other interesting ONA facts in bulletins between now and our ONA anniversary!)

WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP: Our Christmas Women’s Fellowship meeting will be a road trip to Salem Cross in Brookfield, MA for lunch on Wednesday, December 12, leaving the church to carpool at 10:30 a.m. If you have not reserved, call Ruth Stevenson, 860-928-7822, IMMEDIATELY to see if you can squeeze in. This is a Dutch Treat experience. Ruthie Kimball will offer worship on this special day.

ALL ARE INVITED to attend our last Bad Girls of the Bible study group next Sunday, Dec. 9, after the service.  We will meet in the library for a discussion on the role of Job's wife, the theological debate of Job, and our personal understanding of evel, undeserved suffering, and oppression.  If we have time, we'll move on to Gomer, in the book of Hosea.  Don;t worry if you haven't joined us before or don't have time to do any reading; all are welcome and bring your coffee!

GIV2 SPREADS HOLIDAY CHEER!  All youth in grades 7 - 12 are invited to our Giv2 service project this afternoon.  We will make greeting cards and then serve a meal to the residents of Gladys Green Senior Housing Complex in Thompson.  We will gather here at carpool to Thompson at 11:30 and return by 4.  Please see Debby Kirk after worship for more information.

     
CALENDAR OF THE WEEK


Today
9:00 a.m. Adult Sunday School
11:30 a.m. Giv2 event in Thompson
2:30 p.m. Concert Choir: Putnam Cong. Church
Monday- Community Kitchen
7:30 p.m. AA
7:30 p.m. Bell Choir
Wednesday
9:00 a.m. Parish Care Team
7:00 p.m. Deacons
7:00 p.m. Outreach
7:00 p.m. Boy Scouts
Thursday
7:30 p.m. Sr. Choir
Next Sunday: Gift Sunday
9:00 a.m. Adult Sunday School
11:30 a.m. Final “Bad Girls of the Bible”
3:00 p.m. QV Singers - here

Announcements and Calendar for the Week of Nov. 25, 2012

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS YEAR, OUR CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT SERVICE WILL BE HELD AT 5:00 P.M. INSTEAD OF 7:30.

THE SERRV CART will be out next Sunday during Coffee Hour! We have a great selection of really unique gifts that will not only please your recipient but also will help artisans in third world countries support themselves. Stop by to browse and buy!

GIV2 SPREADS HOLIDAY CHEER! All youth in grades 7-12 are invited to our next Giv2 service project on Sunday, December 2. We will make greeting cards and deliver Christmas cookies to the residents at the Gladys Green Senior Housing Complex in Thompson. Save the date and plan to join us from 12 to 4 PM. Adults who can help with driving, photos, or food should contact Debby Kirk at ddkirk@snet.net or call 860-377-2675.

GIFT CARD BONUSES

Nov 10-Dec 8th earn an extra 2% on Sears and K-Mart gift cards.

Nov 17-Dec 15 earn an extra 5% with Shutterfly

Nov 24-Dec 15 earn an extra 2% with Coldwater Creek

Nov 17-Dec 15 earn an extra 1% with Hallmark

Nov 10-Dec 8 earn an extra 5% with Bath & Body

Nov 1- Dec 21 earn an extra 3% with Jiffy Lube

Also American Girl cards are now available with a 9% earning for the church. Taco Bell cards are available for 2% earnings.

Happy Holiday shopping everyone!


SHARE DEADLINE is tomorrow!!!


WE’RE ALMOST THERE! The Stewardship Team is pleased to report that pledging to date has brought the promise of $149,676 to support ministry in 2013. That figure is truly amazing, the result of your faith in action in our church. The balance needed to underpin the full budget for next year is $4324. If you have not yet made a pledge and want to be part of the prelude to our exciting new era, please contact Sam Lyman or Debbie Gray (Cheri has a wedding!) or pick up a blank pledge card in the church office. Abundant thanks to all for your generosity and devotion to the work at hand.

SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS:

“All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.” (Isaiah 54:13)

Today is an intergenerational service; the nursery is open. Next week, the children will prepare for the Christmas pageant, which will be part of the morning service on December 16. Thanks to Leslie Sweetnam and Eva Hulme for leading it. Parental assistance is welcomed!

Advent Wreaths

The Christian Education Team has put together a packet of instructions and daily reflections for families who are interested in celebrating Advent in their homes. Enjoy this holiday season. Blessings, Jennifer Beck, Karen Cloutier, and Ginny Viteri.


CALENDAR OF THE WEEK


Today

9:00 a.m. Adult Sunday School

Monday Community Kitchen

7:30 p.m. AA

7:30 p.m. Bell Choir

Wednesday

7:00 p.m. Boy Scouts

Thursday

7:30 p.m. Sr. Choir

Announcements and Calendar for the Week of Nov. 18, 2012

CHRISTMAS ON THE HILL: It’s over---our Christmas on the Hill is history for 2012! What a day we had---selling lots of great items, enjoying tons of delicious foods and especially welcoming our friends & neighbors into our church for a few hours. YOU were all spectacular! Many thanks from the Women’s Fellowship for what you did---before---during---& even after the Fair!

CHURCH CLEAN-UP: There will be a church-wide clean-up hour next Sunday, November 25th after coffee hour to help get the church in spic-and-span shape for the holiday season. We hope to introduce an "Adopt-a Space" program soon that will help to supplement the sexton's efforts to keep our wonderful building and grounds in great shape. More detail to follow but please mark your calendars and plan to stay for an hour, 1/2 an hour or 2 hours - ANY help will be appreciated.

-Sponsored by the Board of Trustees


THE NEXT GENERATION MAY VERY WELL ASK: "WHERE WERE YOU ON NOVEMBER 6, 2012?"
Because that was the day the tide against marriage equality turned. That was the day the first states legalized marriage equality by popular vote.
We know the long road to justice still stretches out before us. But now is the time to celebrate. And now is the time to say, on behalf of the UCC Coalition for LGBT Concerns and the wider Open and Affirming family , that we are proud of all of you in our vital and growing movement.

And today we're especially proud of our ONA congregations in Maine, Maryland, Minnesota and Washington state. They were in the lead of a strong movement of people of faith who stood with our community and our families to support our right to love and be loved. Many of them worked for weeks, months, or the better part of a year organizing meetings, workshops, training sessions, phone banks, door-to-door canvassing. And it was above all their personal witness to family, friends and neighbors that helped turn the tide.

Copied From: UCC Coalition for LGBT Concerns email


GIV2 SPREADS HOLIDAY CHEER! All youth in grades 7-12 are invited to our next Giv2 service project on Sunday, December 2. We will make greeting cards and deliver Christmas cookies to the residents at the Gladys Green Senior Housing Complex in Thompson. Save the date and plan to join us from 12 to 4 PM. Adults who can help with driving, photos, or food should contact Debby Kirk at ddkirk@snet.net or call 860-377-2675.

GIFT CARD BONUSES

Nov 10-Dec 8th earn an extra 2% on Sears and K-Mart gift cards.
Nov 17-Dec 15 earn an extra 5% with Shutterfly
Nov 24-Dec 15 earn an extra 2% with Coldwater Creek
Nov 17-Dec 15 earn an extra 1% with Hallmark
Nov 10-Dec 8 earn an extra 5% with Bath & Body
Nov 1- Dec 21 earn an extra 3% with Jiffy Lube
Also American Girl cards are now available with a 9% earning for the church. Taco Bell cards are available for 2% earnings.
Happy Holiday shopping everyone!

SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS: Last week, the children made a “Thankful Hands” craft in the spirit of Psalm 100 and heard the story of Jesus healing the ten lepers, one of whom returned with thankfulness.

Today the children continue with The Power of Being Thankful by participating in fun activities led by Ellie Donahue, Jeanne Foote, and Lisa Veach.

Next Sunday will be an intergenerational service to celebrate Thanksgiving, but the nursery will be staffed. After Thanksgiving, the children will prepare for the Christmas pageant, led by Leslie Sweetnam and Eva Hulme. Parental assistance will be appreciated.

Ladies, please check the nursery schedule for your assigned Sunday, and find a substitute if you will not be present. Thank you for your ministry to the youngest and to their parents.

We are so thankful for our Children on the Hill, who light our church with their joyful spirits and smiles, and for the parents who share them with us.

CALENDAR OF THE WEEK


Today

9:00 a.m. Adult Sunday School

Monday

7:30 p.m. AA

Tuesday

7:30 p.m. Hillbillies Jam

Wednesday

7:00 p.m. Boy Scouts

Thursday

7:30 p.m. Sr. Choir

Announcements and Calendar for the Week of Nov. 4, 2012

IN OUR SHOES—youth in grades 7-12 are invited to a special gathering tonight from 5 to 7 PM. We will have a light supper, decorate shoes for our display to fight bullying, and hear inspiring stories of courage. Friends are welcome! Take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. ––Elie Wiesel


SENIOR CAFÉ—Youth Group will be serving a meal for seniors from 11:30 to 1:00 PM on Monday, November 12 in honor of Veterans Day. Invite a friend and plan to join us at the East Woodstock Congregational Church. “Admission” is one canned good for the Daily Bread Food Pantry. Please RSVP by November 9 by calling Heidi at 860-928-7449. Youth who can help with food prep, serving, or baking should call Debby at 860-377-2675.   CALENDAR OF THE WEEK

Today

9:00 a.m. Adult Sunday School

11:15 a.m. Second Hour: Fostering and Adoption in CT

5:00 p.m. “In Our Shoes” (here)

Monday

1 - 7 p.m. Blood Drive

7:30 p.m. AA

7:30 p.m. Bell Choir

Wednesday

9:00 a.m. Parish Care Team

7:00 p.m. Boy Scouts

7:00 p.m. Deacons

Thursday

9:00 a.m. Flower workshop @ Swensons

10:00 a.m. Staff Meeting

Next Sunday Pastor Emeritus service