Newletter Jan 30

This series was actually filmed in Palestine. This allows us to visit such places as Capernaum, Caesarea, Gethsemane, the Decapolis (the place "across the sea"), the Temple of Jerusalem, as well as Jerusalem itself. On our first venture we will visit the Sea of Galilee with its many Biblical stories. Remember, when Jesus allowed the disciples to row against the threatening waves for hours. Jesus could have provided relief, but he waited a long time. Did you ever wonder why? Wonder no more! Just come to First Church on Wednesday, February 13^th at 7:00 p.m.

Please remember to bring your cans of tuna fish and other canned goods to church with you this Sunday. With the recent cold weather, many people in our community are struggling to pay their heating bills and put food on the table. Let's fill our shopping cart and help fill the local food bank at the Salvation Army.

*Start fasting Friday at noon. Gather at church at 6 pm. Fast ends at 6 pm on Saturday with a dinner.

The Women's Circle will hold their annual retreat this year from November 21 - 23^rd. We will again stay at Seascape at the Mercy Center in Madison, CT.

In order to ensure that you have a room reserved, it is necessary to have a $50 deposit paid by Sunday, March 2^nd. The checks should be made to ?First Church of Christ" with a memo notation of "Women's Circle Retreat" and either mailed to the church office or given to Judy Robertson by the deadline.

Don't forget to join the Women's Circle for the Pot Luck Luncheon on February 3^rd , following the church service, to welcome Nancy Cook. This will be a wonderful opportunity for us all to meet Nancy and welcome her into our First Church family.

This Sunday, Feb 3^rd, will be an opportunity for our church school students to get prepared for the beginning of Lent. Instead of our Moses Workshops, we will visit Lenten Learning Centers. Children pre-k through 8^th grade should go directly to the chapel upon arrival and we will leave for our "tours" from there. We'll return to Moses on Feb. 10^th.

This will also be "SOUPER BOWL" Sunday. When the adults leave the sanctuary following worship, they will be greeted by smiling children holding "Soup Bowls". We hope that they will come to church prepared to toss a dollar bill (or more) into those bowls. Like the Super Bowl Grinder Sale, this money will go to the New Britain Food Collaborative.

In addition?this will be Mardi Gras Sunday! Last chance to eat pancakes during coffee hour in celebration of Fat Tuesday. You'll hear more about that on Sunday!

You may remember reading in last July's newsletter, that Sarah Mangan has begun working on her Girl Scout Silver Award. Her plan is to create a "Children's Corner" in Fellowship Hall, so that children have activities to occupy themselves with during coffee hour. Sarah hopes to begin raising funds for this project in the near future. Imagine being a parent who is able to have an uninterrupted cup of coffee! Watch for further information.

On a sad note, and because we all knew it was too good to be true?Ashley Salonia will be leaving her Toddler Room care position. She has a very intense semester of course work coming up and needs to realign her schedule. Her last Sunday will be Feb 10^th. We wish her all the best and hope that she will keep in touch. If there is anyone who may be interested in filling that position for the rest of the church school year, please let me know as quickly as possible.

Let me share with you the special worship and educational opportunities your Deacons and I have planned for the coming Lenten season. Please mark your calendars?

There will be an Ash Wednesday Service of repentance and reflection on Wednesday, February 6, at 7:00 P.M. in the sanctuary.

Beginning Wednesday, February 13, and continuing through five Wednesdays in Lent, Charlie Slate will offer a Bible study entitled "Come, Visit the Holy Lands" (see the more detailed description elsewhere in this newsletter) from 7:00 to 9:00 P.M. in the Parlor. There will be no meeting on the Wednesday of Holy Week (March 19), but five more classes will continue on Wednesdays through April 23.

We will conclude our special services on Maundy Thursday, March 20, with our Deacons hosting a sacrificial supper at 6:00 P.M. followed by a Service of Communion and Tenebrae at 7:00 P.M.

You are invited and encouraged to participate in any or all of these special opportunities to deepen our spirituality and strengthen our faith in these special days of Lent as we approach the miracle and joy of Easter morning!

Twenty years ago, First Church had a definite French flavor to it. Having traveled to the French West Indies with New Britain friends, I brought back a request from an English teacher there. Robert Romney asked if anyone in New Britain would be willing to host a child from the French West Indies to teach them our culture and help them learn English. The result was that over the course of about 7 years, more than 150 children visited here and were hosted by many community leaders and several First Church members, including Art and Mary Ann Morneault, Dr. Phil Jones and Jane Richards-Jones, Kingsley and Marie Boakye, Don and Judy Robertson, myself, my daughter, Tina Cassella, my son, Alan Charlton and Suzanne Bielinski's sister and husband, Dr. Frank and (former State Rep.) Terry Gerratana. These students came from St. Martin, Guadeloupe, Martinique, France, and Ile de la Reunion (an island in the Indian Ocean). A special highlight was an authentic West Indies dinner hosted by the visiting children and their teacher in our Fellowship Hall, with more than 100 in attendance.