Next Week atFirst Church

Week of 8/17/08 at First Church

Week of 8/31/08 AT First Church

PASTORAL VISITATION

If you would like Rev. Jack to visit you during the month of September, please call the church office at 229-3709 to arrange a mutually convenient time.  Carol North will fill in during August.

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PASTOR'S VACATION

Rev. Cook and his family will be on vacation from Monday, July 28 until Monday, August 25. He will be away from worship on four Sundays: August 3, 10, 17 and 24. Guest preachers during that time will include:  Rev. Carol North, Rev. Sue Prichard, Rabbi Marshal Press and Rev. Allen Tinkham.  In the event of a pastoral emergency, please contact the church office.

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IN OUR FIRST CHURCH FAMILY?

Please keep Betty Sweeney in your thoughts and prayers, as she recovers from knee replacement surgery; and Robin Spencer, as she recovers from foot surgery.

CONFIRMATION 2008-09

All youth in grade nine and above are invited and encouraged to participate in this coming year's Confirmation class. A REQUIRED orientation meeting for all confirmands and their parents will be held on Sunday, Sept. 28, from 11:30 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. Please mark your calendars! And please call the church office at 229-3709 to indicate your desire to participate in this year's program.

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SOFTBALL NEWS

In recent softball activity, First Church was shutout on Wednesday, July 9, by Saint Ann's #1, by an 8 - 0 margin.  A make-up doubleheader with East Berlin, on Monday July 14, was again fell victim to the vagaries of weather; this time due to a wet, unplayable field.  One Wednesday, July 16, First Church bats were ineffective against Sacred Heart, losing 15 - 8.  Our record is again below .500. The next games will be the week of July 28, which begins the playoffs; fields and teams to be announced.

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CALLING ALL YOUTH GRADES 7-12!!

 Pizza and Laser Tag!

 At Laser Quest in Newington 

Wednesday Night August 13th 6-8PM

 $12 per person 

 Bring a friend or two!!

 Must RSVP to Paula Bartlett

Cell- 860-518-5902

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NEW VICE CHAIRPERSON OF THE FIRST CHURCH COUNCIL

Lynn Anderson, former Chairperson of the Pastor Search Committee, has been appointed Vice Chairperson of the First Church Council. Lynn has been active at church in many capacities, most recently focusing on updating our church membership rolls. She replaces Mike Gorzoch who has become increasingly busy with his, and Maria Simao's, new business; and who will remain on the Council.

MORE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

In the last newsletter, I spoke of the huge plastic "island" out in the Pacific and the need to cut down on the use of plastic.  Here's another shocker . . . in the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, by Barbara Kingsolver, is a sidebar written by Steven Hopp that says:  "A quick way to improve food-related fuel economy would be to but a quart of motor oil and drink it."  What on earth does he mean?!  Preceding paragraphs list all the ways that oil is used in getting food to our tables.  He mentions gasoline-driven agricultural machines -tractors, combines, etc.  He lists synthetic fertilizers and such that are petroleum derivatives.  He notes that just getting food to a packing plant and then to grocery stores accounts for the 4/5ths of the oil products used in this process.  He says:  "Energy calories consumed by production, packaging, and shipping far outweigh the energy calories we receive from the food."  What can we, the consumers of all this food, do?  His suggestion is:   "If every U.S. citizen ate just one meal a week (any meal) composed of locally and organically raised meats and produce, we would reduce our country's oil consumption by over 1.1 million barrels of oil every week."  I don't know how you react to all this, but I looked up the nearest farmer's markets!  See you on Sunday.

Carol North 

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                             "FUN AT FIRST CHURCH!"

FUN Fall activities are being developed for First Church. Please give your attention to the enclosed survey and tell us what activities would meet your needs. You can also share your suggestions on the FCC FUN bulletin board.

Thanks,

Lynn Anderson, Mike Duncan, Jonathan Scott

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CHANGING OF THE NEWSLETTER

From now on, please forward all newsletter information to Kristine Lewko, Office Manager.  The deadline for the next newsletter will Sunday, 8/23/08 at 5 pm.  Many thanks to Judy for doing it these past months.

BIBLE CAMP OLYMPICS

What a great time we had!  I do believe that even the adults had some fun.  A special thank you to all of those people who helped to make it a successful experience.  We had many parent volunteers, including church members Kathy Allen, Amy Belliveau and Julie Zink (who helped us make homemade ice cream in the "magic ball").  We also had volunteers who are church members but didn't even have kids going to the camp - Lynn Anderson, Nancy Cook, Aarin Flythe (all 5 days!), and Carolyn McElravy, (who typed up our daily journal for us).

Phil and Margo Thompson Madore, purchased and donated "make your own Bible picture coffee mugs" for each of the kids.  25 happy campers - thanks to all of you!  We can't wait until next year!

Speaking of next year?I have already been thinking about next year's Sunday school Rotation Workshops.  "Rally Sunday - Bring a Friend" will be here before you know it.  I would like to invite anyone who is curious about, interested in, devoted to, or willing again, to a short organizational meeting on Thursday, August 21^st at 7 p.m. here in the church building.  We will talk about Workshops for the coming school year and I'm always looking for new ideas!  If you can't make it, but would like to know how you can participate, just give me a call or email me at Sharon830@snet.net.

Have a great rest of the summer,

Sharon Chamberlain

Coordinator of Christian Education

ANOTHER THANK YOU!

We received a lovely card last week, with this sentiment inside?

Dear First Church of Christ, Congregational,

Thank you so much!  Your thoughtful and generous gift to Isaiah 58 Outreach means so much to us.  You encourage and spur us on.  How wonderful this stove is - so modern and easy to transport and it works marvelously.

We cannot thank you enough for all you do for us; the $ for the purchase of food items for the ministry is being spent wisely!  The needs continue to be great, especially at these times of a difficult financial season for all.  God bless you for blessing us so!  Please extend our gratefulness to the Sunday school children - they have touched our hearts in a special way!

Sincerely,

Ray and Linda Labbe

First Church of Christ                                     New Britain, CT

August 5, 2008

Dear Friends,

As you know, I am (still) on vacation (from July 28 to August 25); and these vacation (or, as we say now, staycation or daycation) days of summer always remind me of the lyrics of two wonderful old hymns of our faith tradition--

"Praise [God] for his summer rain, Feeding, day and night, the grain;

Praise him for his tiny seed, Holding all his world shall need."

(Pilgrim Hymnal, No. 458)

"Behold us, Lord, a little space From daily tasks set free,

And met within thy holy place To rest awhile with thee."

(Pilgrim Hymnal, No. 395)

I hope all of you will have the opportunity which this vacation of mine is affording me?a chance to praise God for his summer bounty and a chance to enjoy a little space free from the tasks of everyday life and in which to rest awhile with family, friends, and God.

And I hope that all of you have had or will have meaningful worship experiences with our guest preachers Carol North, Sue Prichard, Marshal Press, and Allen Tinkham.

I return to the high pulpit on August 31 (our last summer worship service at 9:00 A.M.) with a sermon entitled "God's Reluctant, ?Shrinking-Back' Heroes." It is based on Hebrews 10:35-11:3 (Roll call of heroes and heroines of faith) and Exodus 3:1-15 (Moses at the burning bush). Do your Bible homework, so you'll be ready for the test! See you then and there!

Keep the ship of First Church afloat while I'm gone!

See you in church! Blessings always!

Jack

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PASTORAL VACATION AND COVERAGE

Rev. Cook and his family will be on vacation from Monday, July 28 until Monday, August 25. He will be away from worship on four Sundays: August 3, 10, 17, and 24. Guest preachers during that time will include:  Rev. Carol North, Rev. Sue Prichard, Rabbi Marshal Press and Rev. Allen Tinkham. 

If there is a hospitalization, death, or other emergency requiring pastoral attention, please first call his home telephone number: 357-2419. If he is out of town, he will make a referral for you. If you cannot reach him, then please call the Rev. Carol North at 612-0692.

FIRST CHURCH NEWS

Vol. 56, No. 23 

SUMMER HOURS AT FIRST CHURCH:

E-MAIL ADDRESSES OF THE STAFF

Rev. Jack Cook, Minister: revjack830@snet.net

Sharon Chamberlain, Coordinator of Christian Education:

sharon830@snet.net

Paula Bartlett, Coordinator of Youth Programming; hairfacebiz@yahoo.com

Rev. Carol North, Interim Coordinator of Congregational Life: carolnorth@usa.net 

James Gower, Director of Music Ministries: jimgower830@snet.net

Kristine Lewko, Office Manager & Director of the Art Gallery:

fIrstnewbritain@snet.net

Bernadette Prue, Financial Clerk: fccnb830accounts@snet.net

William Furman, Facilities Manager billfurman830@snet.net