This Week AtFirst Church

Week Of 11.30.08 At First Church

Week Of 12.7.08 At First Church

SOCIAL AND SERVICE CHRISTMAS PARTY

Social and Service will have their Annual Christmas Party on Wednesday, December 3, 2008 at 6:00 pm, in the Fireside Room.  Joey Bellanger and Charlie Mangan will cook.  If you would like to join us for a fun evening, please bring a side dish and a $5.00 grab bag gift.  Come and eat with us, exchange Christmas gifts and then join Nancy Cook for a Christmas activity in Fellowship Hall at 7:00 pm.  

THANKSGIVING FOOD BASKETS

Thanks to all those who took food item cards for the Thanksgiving food baskets for the Outreach Program of the Friendship Center.  Please be sure to bring these items to church, no later than November 23^rd  and help make Thanksgiving a special day for our neighbors in need.

Judy Robertson ~ Missions Chair

FUN @ FCC

Mixed Greens Holiday Wreath and Children's Cookie Bake:  On Friday, November 28, at 7 pm, we will be making a mixed greens Christmas wreath.  This project will be completed in one evening.  Pre-registration and payment for this activity will be necessary.  The cost will be posted in the church office.  There will be a cookie bake in the kitchen, with the children, while the adults are making Christmas Wreaths in Fellowship Hall.

Fabric Angel:  On Wednesday, December 3, from 7 - 9 pm, we will be making a beautiful fabric Holiday Angel.  It will take only one night and the cost will be $8.00.

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SENIOR THANKSGIVING DINNER

For those unable to spend the holiday with family or friends, the New Britain Senior Center welcomes you to spend the holiday with their family.  Dinner will be served from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.  If you are homebound and would like to have a meal delivered a meal, please call 860-225-8491 x13 by Friday, November 21.

SAVE A TREE!

We hope all of you who attended the Green Team 2^nd Hour program on November 9^th learned some new ways to help conserve, recycle and improve our environment.  As a church, we can do our part to help the environment by using less paper.   How can you, our parishioners, help us do this?  Just contact Kristine @ firstnewbritain@snet.net  and tell her that you would like the newsletter sent to you by email.  It will not only save paper and postage, you will also get it sooner!

~The Green Team

SPECIAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING

On November 23, 2008 there will be a special meeting of the congregation immediately following the worship service.  The two items for consideration will be:

1)       The brook renovation project

2)       Recommended changes in the bylaws.

Please review the letter dated 11/12/08, which was sent to all members of the congregation, for information on both of these issues.

Judy Robertson ~ Council Secretary

PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS:

The Annual Meeting of the congregation will take place on Sunday, January 25 in the sanctuary immediately following the worship service.

THANK YOU BIG Y AND STOP & SHOP SUPERMARKETS!

Each year, as we prepare to assemble our Thanksgiving food baskets for our friends at the Friendship Center, we often seek the help of local businesses to obtain our baskets and grocery gift cards.  This year, Martha Moses, of the Missions Ministry team, went to Big Y in Plainville and the New Britain Stop and Shop to see if they could help us.  They were both very generous and we thank them so much for their support!  It is heartwarming to know that businesses, such as these,  take  an active part in their community and  are willing to partner with us as we try to assist those in need. And thank you, Martha, for your efforts to obtain these items!

~Judy Robertson, Missions Chair

REVITALIZATION OF FIRST CHURCH

This is going to be an exciting time for First Church.  In 2009, our church will implement our new bylaws. In part, this means that we will take some time to take a very good look at what we do at First Church and how we do it. Do we need to do things a new way here, the old way there, a different way some other place? When someone calls to ask you if you'll be a part of revitalizing our church by joining a Working group or one of its offshoots, we hope you'll say, "Yes, I can and I will!"

THANKSGIVING OFFERING

The regions of the United States that recently experienced hurricane damage are still in the process of recovery.  The first need is for prayer - for those who are experiencing difficult times.  The second need is for monetary contributions to help with clean-up and the rebuilding of homes.  Our Thanksgiving offering will be sent to the UCC and earmarked for Hurricane Relief.  Please use your special "Thanksgiving Offering" envelope (dated November 27^th) to make your contribution or designate "OGHS / Hurricanes" on your check.  Thank you.

Judy Robertson,

Missions Chair

REPORT SUBMISSION FOR THE ANNUAL REPORT

The deadline to submit Reports, to be compiled in the Annual Report, is Friday, December 12.  Reports are needed from Committees and Ministries, Staff and Finance Committees.  Please e-mail or put them in the Office Manager's mailbox.  Your cooperation is most appreciated.

THANKS FOR HELP WITH LEAF RAKING

Thanks to the faithful who came to help with leaf raking:

Sammy Arasimowicz                            Mathew Michaud

Joyce Furman                                       Nancy Cook

Susan Rathgeber                                  Judy Robertson

Don Robertson                                     Glenn Anderson

John Gemmell                                        Peter Gacek, Sr.

Mark Ohanesian                                   Eric Csinsi

Steve Csinsi                                          Mike Duncan

Mike Chamberlain

Thank you also to Lynne Furman for setting up the pizza lunch.

~Bill Furman

SAVE THE DATES!!!

November 23^rd?Thanksgiving Learning Centers

We'll be making "giving thanks" boxes and learning some interesting facts about the 1^st Thanksgiving.

November 30^th?there will be no church school classes.  The toddler room will be open and there will be a supervised activity for children thru grade 5.

December 7^th?The church school classes will be preparing for their Christmas "Presentation" (the following Sunday, December 14^th during the worship service).  Please, please, please be sure to be in church for this rehearsal if you would like to participate on the 14^th!

Also on December 7^th?please plan to join the CE Committee, Youth Group members, Confirmation Class and their Mentors, for a jolly good time at the Advent Workshop!  From 4 - 6 p.m. there will be crafts for young and old, the infamous gingerbread houses, beautiful Christmas music, soup and sandwiches, and maybe a visit from the big guy in the red suit?!  Watch for more information?

Last Call?for UNICEF boxes!  If you haven't returned yours; Sunday, November 30^th is the last day!

See you in church,

Sharon Chamberlain

Coordinator of Christian Education

YOUTH SCHEDULE

11/23       Youth Group; 6:30 - 8:30 pm

12/7         Advent Workshop, Soup and Sandwich; 4 - 6 pm

12/14       Youth Group; 6:30 - 8:30 pm

12/21       Youth Group; 6:30 - 8:30 pm

First Church of Christ                                            New Britain, CT

November 19, 2008

Dear Friends,

These next two Sundays will take us on a great liturgical journey from Thanksgiving to Advent. On the altars of our lives, we shall surrender the green (symbolizing growth) of this season after Pentecost to embrace the purple (symbolizing penitence and preparation) of Advent and the beginning of a new church year.

Important celebrations await on these two Sundays?

November 23 is not only Thanksgiving Sunday but also Pledge Sunday. So, as acts of generous thanksgiving, we shall give and receive our special Thanksgiving Offering to benefit UCC Hurricane Relief; and we shall return our 2009 pledge cards. As someone who saw first-hand the devastation of Katrina, survived Rita, and know only too well the areas destroyed by Ike, I urge all of us to give generously to this special offering. And, of course, I urge all of us once again to increase our giving to First Church in 2009.

And on November 30, as we celebrate the First Sunday of Advent and the church's New Year's Day, we begin our weekly Advent Candle Lighting which is called "A Liturgy of Light" and is based on the Old Testament lessons for Advent from the Revised Common Lectionary.

As we enter this time of changing church seasons, let me offer as a prayer the lyrics of a familiar hymn:

Great God:

"With grateful hearts the past we own;

The future, all to us unknown,

We to thy guardian care commit,

And, peaceful, leave before thy feet. Amen." (Pilgrim Hymnal, 454, 3)

See you in church! Blessings always!

Jack

YOUTH GROUP

First Church Youth Group attended Rock the Sound IV, at Bridgeport Arena.  Sixthousand and threehundred were in attendance for Skillet, the Dave Crowder Band, Leeland, Newsboys and Nevertheless.  Onethousand and sixhundred dollars were raised for Love 146, an outreach missionary against child exploitation.  As Leeland stated, "This concert is not just about singing; it is about living . . . Living for the Lord."  Thanks to Paula Bartlett, Scott Mangan and John Thomas Sr. for driving.  God Bless!! ~ Sarah Flythe

FIRST CHURCH NEWS

Vol. 56, No. 29

OFFICE AND GALLERY HOURS AT FIRST CHURCH:

OFFICE VOLUNTEER SCHEDULE

Monday Morning ~ Judy Robertson

Monday Afternoon ~ Open

Tuesday Morning ~ Lois MacFarlane

Tuesday Afternoon ~ Peg Guilbault

Wednesday Morning ~ Barbara Helberg

Wednesday Afternoon ~ Open

Thursday Morning ~ Janet Culton

Thursday Afternoon ~ Linda Chamberlain

Friday Morning ~ Don Robertson

Friday Afternoon ~ Open

Volunteers are needed for afternoons that are listed as open.  Please call the church office at 229-3709 if you are available.  Thank You!

E-MAIL ADDRESSES FOR THE STAFF

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

·         Sharon Chamberlain, Coordinator of Christian Education:

sharon830@snet.net

·         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