INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Volume 16/Number 1/January 2015

David Theis/Tree Sale Recap…………...8

First Church Preschool…………….........9

Church School……………………...10-11

“Souper Bowl” Sunday Soup Sale…...…12

Women’s Fellowship……………..….…13

Rummage Room/Book Corner…...........14

Scenes of the Christmas Season...…….2

Speaking Pastorally/Reminder..……....3

You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown....4

Musical Notes………….………....…..5

From the Parish Nurse………………..6

New Members/Soup Kitchen/TY’s…...7

Knitters/Bible Study/Moms Group/Jan

Assignments……………………….....15

Stewardship.………............................16

Stewardship (cont.)/Christmas TY…..17

Jan Birthdays/Life Events....................18

More Christmas Pictures……...……..19

The 344th Annual Meeting of The First Congregational Church of Greenwich, Old Greenwich, CT, is hereby called for Sunday, January 25, 2015, immediately follow-ing the worship service. The meeting will be held in the Meetinghouse:

To hear and act upon the annual reports of the pastors, officers and committees;

To hear and act upon the report of the Nominating Committee and to elect officers for the coming year;

To adopt the budget for 2015;

To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting.

344th ANNUAL MEETING

You’re a Good

Man Charlie

Brown

Jan 30 & 31

Page 4

Sunday

Afternoons

Live!

Page 5 Pix of the

Season:

Inside

front and

back covers

2

Scenes of the Christmas Season

Visit our Photo Gallery to view more pictures:

fccog.org/photo-gallery/

3

By Rev. Richard DenUyl, Jr. Dear Friends, Six years ago I was in my car listening to Krista Tippett’s radio show on NPR. She was interviewing an Irish priest and poet named John O’Donohue who wrote the best selling book Anam Cara. I was immediately swept up by John’s wisdom and humility. During the course of this interview he read from his latest book, To Bless The Space Between Us. Two months later John O’Donohue passed away suddenly. It was this book that inspired me to ponder long and hard what it means to be blessed and to bless others. As we begin a New Year together, I pass on a blessing from John O’Donohue to you, his beautiful poem, A Blessing for the New Year:

Faithfully,

Speaking Pastorally

Richard

2015 Stewardship Reminder We hope you had a Christmas filled with hope, wonder and love. As we now move into the New Year and closer to our Annual Meeting on January 25 where we will formally adopt the 2015 church budget, it becomes more and more im-portant for us to be able to accurately reflect the financial support from our congregation's 2015 pledges. If you have already returned your 2015 Pledge Card, we extend a warm and grateful thank you! If you have not yet returned it, please do so as soon as possible to help us in finalizing our 2015 budget. If you need a blank Pledge Card or would like to view the 2015 Stewardship brochure for more details, you can find both on our church website at www.fccog.org.

The easiest way to provide your pledge information is to email our Director of Church Administration and Finance, Steve Summerton, at steves@fccog.org. Please include your name and address, as well as amount of pledge (and a con-gratulation to Steve and his wife, Tami, on the birth of their new baby boy, Spencer, just before Christmas!). Thank you for helping to support the programs and ministries of our wonderful church.

On the day when

The weight deadens

On your shoulders

And you stumble,

May the clay dance

To balance you.

And when your eyes

Freeze behind

The grey window

And the ghost of loss

Gets into you,

May a flock of colours,

Indigo, red, green

And azure blue,

Come to awaken in you

A meadow of delight.

When the canvas frays

In the currach of thought

And a stain of ocean

Blackens beneath you,

May there come across the waters

A path of yellow moonlight

To bring you safely home.

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,

May the clarity of light be yours,

May the fluency of the ocean be yours,

May the protection of the ancestors be yours.

And so may a slow

Wind work these words

Of love around you,

An invisible cloak

To mind your life.

4

Don’t miss this wonderful performance of

You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown!

Friday, January 30

Saturday, January 31

7:30 pm

The First Congregational Church of Greenwich Auditorium

108 Sound Beach Avenue, Old Greenwich

All proceeds benefit the FCCOG Youth Group’s mission trip to Nicaragua this February.

YOUTH GROUPS:

Latest Youth Calendar information about our Mission Trip and much more can be found at: www.fccogYouth.com. Note: Online contributions for our Mission

Trip may be made on this website as well.

5

Musical Notes

Sunday Afternoons Live Returns! Our First Music & Arts season continues with our ever-popular Sunday Afternoons Live during the month of February in the Auditorium at 4:00 pm. Tickets are $20 per person, which includes re-freshments and light sweets.

February 1: Andrew Armstrong, piano

Rededication of the Victor Borge Steinway Piano.

February 8: The Chamber Players of the Greenwich Symphony

The Chamber Players are the principal musicians of the Greenwich Symphony Orchestra who present in-triguing and wide-ranging concerts of chamber music that span the centuries.

February 15: Wendy Kerner, harp

Wendy Kerner is the principal harpist of the Norwalk and the Ridgefield Symphonies and will be joined by a pianist and vocalist for a Valentine’s Day program.

February 22: Asylum Quartet

The four classically-trained saxophonists met as graduate students at the The Hartt School in West Hart-ford, Connecticut in 2011. Shortly after forming, the quartet received the Grand Prize in the 2014 International Chamber Music Ensemble Competition in Boston, becoming the first saxophone quartet to receive this honor.

Andrew Armstrong,

piano

Asylum Quartet Wendy Kerner,

harp

The Chamber Players

of the Greenwich Symphony

6

From the ... Healthy New Year to You! by Sue Asselin, RN

Happy New Year 2015! The members of the Wellness Committee wish you and your loved ones a wonderful year ahead, full of blessings and good health. We thank you for your support of the services and educational programs planned and presented by our committee.

I would like to acknowledge the members of the Wellness Committee and express my gratitude toward them for their assistance and support with programs that help us all live more healthy lives - physically, spiritually, emotionally, and in relationship with one another. The members are: Annette Bergh, Ros Brady, Paul Kretschmann, Betsy Kreuter (Chair), Enid Norris, Ruth Reed, and Karen Young. The next time you talk with one of them, please join me in thanking them for their contributions to the congregation’s wellness.

Here are some of the programs the Wellness Committee has planned in the coming months:

Saturday, Feb 7, 8:00 am to 1:00 pm - Red Cross Blood Drive. Co-sponsored by Women’s Fellowship, this community event is made complete with deviled eggs and live piano music. To schedule an appointment to give blood call 1-800-Give-Life. Please contact your Parish Nurse if you’d like to volunteer to play piano for a one-hour shift or bring a refreshment.

Sunday, March 8 - Wellness Second Hour with Dr. Donna Coletti (right), Director of Palliative Care and Home Hospice at Greenwich Hospital. Dr. Coletti will speak about both programs and explain the differences and similarities, as well as answer questions.

Saturday, March 14 - CPR and AED Refresher Classes for those already CPR certified. This opportunity for practice includes hands-on time with the AED (defibrillator).

Monday, March 23 – A nutritious “Lunch and Learn” program focusing on the DASH diet for controlling blood pressure and promoting heart heath. Denise Addorisio, a Registered Dietician from Greenwich Hospital, will speak about DASH or “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension,” a plan endorsed by the National Institutes of Health.

Sunday, April 26 - Wellness Second Hour addressing end-of-life planning including advanced directives and care options. This interactive workshop will assist participants in developing a plan of their own.

Ongoing Wellness programs include blood pressure screenings, Medicare Part D counseling, a lending library of books and tapes, Parish Nurse home care eligibility assessment, and informative support for any positive lifestyle changes. If you would like your blood pressure taken, or you have any health-related concerns or questions, stop in to see me, your Parish Nurse, in Room 203. My hours are Tuesdays from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, Sundays from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm, and Wednesdays by appointment.

If you are interested in joining the Wellness Committee and have some healthful ideas to share, please con-tact Sue Asselin, Parish Nurse, at extension 21. We especially need volunteer health professionals to take blood pressures on occasional Sundays when the nurse is unavailable. Wishing you wellness of mind, body, and spirit in the coming year!

7

Soup Kitchen Volunteers

Making Food to Feed Our Neighbors and Friends

Thanks to Ellen and Rob Perelli-Minetti for making chili in December. Their chili made a difference in the lives of more than 125 guests that month!

The Girl Scouts have signed up to cook in January 2015 but we still need additional volunteers in the New Year. If you would like to volunteer to cook chili or serve at the Yerwood Center on the first Monday of the month, please contact Tom Mahoney at fccoghungermission@gmail.com.

Thank you from Pilgrim Towers,

President, John F. Newton:

We cannot thank your church members enough for the joy you and your children bring to Pilgrim Towers res-idents with your annual Christmas get-together. It is pure joy as our elderly look forward each year for your coming. It brought much happiness on the eve of Christmas.

Your individual presents were greatly and happily received. Our residents cannot express to you the full extent of their gratefulness...Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May God’s blessings flow to the First Congregational Church members for the great pleasure given to our elderly...

A Special Thank You! to Peter Grunow and his crew from Gro Pro Landscaping Co., Old Greenwich for assisting in the building and taking down of the outdoor crèche.

Welcome to our New Church Members!

Liz and Tim Duffy

with daughter, Quinn

Monika and Tyler Shubert

with daughter, Addy

and son, August

Also joining this December in

absentia were Radovan

Sikorsky, his wife, Daniela

Sikorska and their daughters,

Monika and Sylvia

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Recap of 2014 Christmas Tree Sale

We had a wonderful Christmas Tree and Wreath Sale this year. We had upwards of 30+ volunteers from the Church membership, including some from Young Mariners and Pacific House (a part of Shelter for the Home-less, one of the charities that we are supporting), as well as students from Greenwich High School and the Help for the Homeless Club. We collect-ed approximately $16,000 for the following agencies: Inspirica, Den for Grieving Kids, Sexual Assault Crisis Center, Shelter for the Homeless, Young Mariners Foundation and Meals on Wheels. Thank you to all who volunteered their time and for all who purchased their trees, wreaths, gar-land and kissing balls this year!

The Passing of Greenwich Selectman, David Theis

It was very sad news that Greenwich Selectman, David Theis, passed away suddenly on Tuesday, December 23. “His contributions touched the lives of so many of our fellow residents each and every day,” First Selectman Peter Tesei and Selectman Drew Marzullo said in a joint statement. “Over the past five years, we have been honored to serve on the Board of Selectmen with Dave who brought integrity, wisdom, leadership and humor to every aspect of town government. There was no better partner to serve with and call your friend … We ask that all our fellow residents continue to send their prayers to Dave’s friends and family.”

As a public official and extremely active volunteer, Theis’ contributions to the community were deep and extensive. He was a town native (Cos Cob) and a graduate of Greenwich High School, and in his 5th year on the Board of Selectmen. First Selectman Tesei has ordered the flags in all town buildings to be lowered to half mast until Theis’ funeral.

David Theis is remembered for his decades of service to the town, both as an elected official and as a volunteer. He has been heavily praised for the partnerships he was able to form on the Board of Selectmen, both with Peter Tesei, but more so with Drew Marzullo, the board’s lone Democrat. Though they disagreed politically, they became quick friends and David Theis is remembered fondly by all, regardless of political party.

David joined First Selectman Tesei and town Ambassador at Large, Bea Crumbine, at our Founders’ Day service in 2013 (right). Please send your thoughts and prayers to David’s family. A town memorial is being planned for January 10.

9

First Church Preschool 2015

The First Church Preschool still has openings for the 2015–2016 school year. Please call the preschool at 203-637-5430 for more information.

First Church Preschool Vision Statement

First Church Preschool will continue to maintain its outstanding reputation and core values by building caring communities, including being responsive to social, educational, and environmental trends that are relevant to all.

First Church Preschool Mission Statement

The Mission of the First Church Preschool is:

to offer an active preschool educational experience for children ages 3 through 5 years where growth is promoted in four specific areas: cognitive development, social/emotional development, creative expression, and physical development;

to help children become aware of their special abilities and individual worth as human beings;

to encourage self confidence and channel a child's curiosity and energies into meaningful activities; and

to foster friendships, partnerships, and social development among children, program staff, families, and the community through humility, respect, sharing, caring and a sense of humor.

The Summer Program at First Church Preschool 2015

The Summer Program at First Church Preschool dates will be June 15 through July 24. The summer pro-gram incorporates a variety of activities, including arts and crafts, water play, playground time, sports, mu-sic, science exploration and discovery, a series of wet and dry inflatables, and snacks. This Summer Pro-gram is designed for children ages 3-5 years; 3-year olds attend Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursdays from 9:00 am-12:00 pm; 4 & 5-year olds attend Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.

Call the Preschool for more details or to put your name on our mailing list to receive a registration form. 203-637-5430 or email Director Darla Kohler Steiner at darlak@fccog.org.

Don’t let your children miss the fun at the First Church Preschool Summer Program!

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ROTATION CHURCH SCHOOL!!!

Here is the schedule for January...

We are very excited about the new rotation program. Over the next three months we will look at a dif-ferent topic or Bible Story and experience the lessons through various learning styles such as art, drama, cooking, crafts, and games. We are very fortunate to have a great deal of information about the ways of life in biblical times and, so, we will begin with some hands-on workshops and learn about the time when Jesus grew up in Nazareth. We will wonder about what a typical day in Jesus’ childhood would have been like. And we have several people in the congregation who have signed up to help us do that.

February will be all about Joseph (not Jesus’ father but Jacob’s son). Joseph was the youngest of 12 sons AND the seeming favorite of his father. He was sold into slavery and ultimately became a leader in Egypt. There are many exciting ways to learn about this story.

In March, we will look at several of the events during the week before Easter. Again, there are many opportunities for exciting lessons in this segment as well. Feel free to stop into one of our classrooms after worship because we will probably go a little longer than the service so parents and potential teach-ers can see what Rotation is all about.

January 18 – Martin Luther King, Jr Weekend - Service Sunday - One Room Schoolhouse Program in the Daniels Center for ages 5 – 10. Older children are welcome to join in or be helpers to our younger children. In memory of Dr. King and his legacy, we will learn about a need and do a service project for the community.

DATE KINDERGARTEN & 1ST 2ND & 3RD GRADES 4TH & 5TH

GRADES

Growing up in

Jesus' Time

Jan 4, 2015 Games:

Sarah Schneider

Cooking:

Lillian Ruiz

Carpentry:

Joe McBride

Jan 11, 2015 Carpentry:

TBA

Games:

Jane Finch

Cooking:

Nanette Laffan

Jan 25, 2015

Cooking:

Donna Hascher

Carpentry:

Ben Quick & Bob MacLea

Games:

TBA

11

A CHANGE IN THE COMMUNION PROGRAM

FOR 2ND GRADERS AND THEIR PARENTS

For the past several years, we have held special learning sessions for 2nd graders and

their parents in January. This year, however, we are going to change the timing

because of our new Rotation program. So, look for the Communion program to be

scheduled in either April or May. This opportunity will be for 2nd graders and any

other older children who were not here in previous years and who would like to be

part of the learning experience.

_______________________________________________________

FUN AT THE ADVENT CRAFT WORKSHOP … From one of our families

“After the advent craft workshop, Callie, Charley, and I surveyed all of their projects

and thought about how much work you put into it each year. This will be our 4th

year to have a photograph ornament on the tree - so fun to see how the kids have

grown from year to year. We are very thankful to you for this. Have a good

week. ~Virginia”

12

"Souper Bowl Sunday” Annual Soup Sale! February 1 - 11:00 am to 1:00 pm

Sponsored by Women’s Fellowship

Get your soup recipes (chili or stews too!) ready for the 5th Annual Women’s Fellowship Soup Sale in the Auditorium on Sunday, February 1, 2015 from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm (or ‘til the soup runs out!). Soup donations are starting now.

Please sign up for soup donations in the Church Office … instructions will be available … or during Fellowship Hour. Quarts of soup will be sold for $10 each and all proceeds will go to support Women’s Fellowship projects. (Note: cost of the ingredients is tax deductible.)

Questions? Please contact Sue McCalley at smccalley@bhhsne.com or 203-273-6526.

Below is a soup recipe as an example of a soup that folks can make, but ANY soup or chili is fine as a donation, so start cooking!

TUSCAN BREAD AND TOMATO SOUP

(Yields at least 2 qts.)

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 (28 oz) can chopped tomatoes, with juice

2 tbsp tomato paste

Pinches of sugar and red chili flakes

4 cups water

1 lb stale country bread, crusts removed, cut into cubes (about 7 cups)

2-3 tbsp slivered fresh basil

1. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large, heavy soup pot over medium-low heat.

2. Add the onion, and cook, stirring until tender (about 5 minutes).

3. Meanwhile, pulse the tomatoes in a food processor until coarsely blended.

4. Add garlic to the pot.

5. Cook, stirring, for about a minute until fragrant.

6. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, red chili flakes, salt and pepper.

7. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have cooked down (about 10 minutes).

8. Stir bread cubes into the tomatoes.

9. Add water, half the basil and salt to taste.

10. Increase heat and simmer, stirring and mashing the bread, for about 10 minutes until the soup is thick.

11. Stir in the remaining basil, and taste and adjust seasonings.

12. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature with the remaining olive oil drizzled over each serving.

13

Women’s Fellowship

Nights Off Women’s Group

Start off the New Year with Nights Off! The next gathering of the Nights Off Women’s Group is Monday, January 19, 2015 at the home of Irene Savage. All are welcome!

We will meet at 6:30 pm and will be making soup for the annual Women’s Fellowship “Souper Bowl” Sunday Soup Sale being held on February 1. Lots of hands will make this a fast and fun project, so please join us and bring a friend. We promise a lot of laughs and fun conversation! Also, please bring an appetizer to share and whatever you would like to drink.

If you have questions or would like to be added to the email list, please contact Shirley Flierl at fbtworld@aol.com. See you there!

Come Experience Tai Chi!

Come and experience the many wonderful benefits of Tai Chi and Qi Gong exercises.

Classes are held on Wednesdays at 8:00 am and Thursdays at 9:00 am. Only $10 per class. Drop-ins are welcome.

Hats Off Book Discussion Group

Our Hats Off book study group has chosen its first book for 2015 - The Shoemaker’s Wife by Adriana Trigiani. Join our new adventure where set-tings include the Italian Alps, the cobblestone streets of little Italy, the mansions of NYC and the lakes of northern Minneso-ta. Please call Jean Bruder at 203-661-1685 to order your book or you can re-serve your copy from the Greenwich Library. Hats Off begins again on Thursday, January 8 at 11:30 am in the Lounge. We will collect our books and enjoy a soup and salad luncheon. Please call Debbie Berner at 203-629-1110 if you’d like to attend the luncheon.

Kettle Quilters

Kettle Quilters are looking forward to an interest-ing 2015. There will be a chance to perfect your skills in quilting, piecing, and finishing. How about learning to make prairie corners as a finish for our cross stitch quilt? Then there will be piecing of our new project for 2016. Exactness here is key. Keep your Mondays open from 9 am -12 noon and your Tuesdays from 7:30-9 pm and enjoy the fellowship of likeminded women. Bring a friend! In Room 203 . ~ Inge Thalheim

You’re Invited! Tea with an Author

Thursday, January 22, 2014

3:30 pm in the Auditorium

Come and enjoy tea and goodies with Barbara Stretton, author of the Tori Trotter Mysteries, much

beloved sto-ries of a feline detective. Barbara was featured in an article in the Greenwich Citizen in January 2012 as the author of “cat-o-nine tales.” She will be speak-

ing about her books and we’ll have them available and autographed after her presentation.

14

Happy New Year from The Rummage Room 191 Sound Beach Avenue, Old Greenwich - 203-637-1875

Friday, January 2: The Rummage Room reopens at 10:00 am.

Friday and Saturday, January 2 and 3: The Rummage Room rings in the New Year with 75% off all Christmas merchandise, and a 50% off Winter Clearance Sale.

Monday, January 5: Ski clothing, ski poles, and ice skates will be available. Note: Neither ski boots nor skis can be accepted as donations.

Monday, January 19: The Rummage Room will celebrate Martin Luther King Day with a 50% off 'everything' sale.

Manager Maria’s Wish List: Ski wear, scarves, hats, mittens; items for Valentine's Day; large shopping bags.

Shop Hours: 10:00 am-5:00 pm Monday-Friday and 10:00 am-1:00 pm Saturday.

Donation Hours: 9:30 am-4:30 pm Monday-Thursday and 9:30 am- 12:30 pm Friday and Saturday.

Congratulations to Maria Drieghe and Nancy Hamilton on winning the 2014 'Best Spirit of the Town' Award from the Garden Club of Old Greenwich for The Rummage Room’s 2014 Christmas window (right)!

The goal for The Rummage Room in 2015 is to raise at least $150,000 for the Allocations Committee to distribute to organizations that support women, children and families in need. Millions of dollars have been raised for this purpose in the last 50 years and we are grateful to our donors and shoppers who made this possible and will continue to make this goal possible.

Affirmation for 2015: I'm going to stop putting things off ... STARTING TOMORROW!!

Avery’s Book Corner

As we move into the new year, I start 2015 with the book, Speaking Christian: Why Christian Words Have Lost Their Meaning and Power—And How They Can Be Restored by Marcus Borg.

In this book, “acclaimed Bible scholar, Marcus Borg, argues that the very language Christians use has become dangerously distilled, distorted, and disconnected from the beliefs which once underpinned it….Borg calls for a radical change to the language we use to invoke our beliefs—the only remedy that will allow the Church’s words to once again ring with truth, power, and hope.”

“...In Speaking Christian, Borg delivers a language for twenty-first-century Christians that grounds the faith in its deep and rich original roots and allows it once again to transform our lives.”

15

Our New Bible Study class with Rev. Avery Manchester resumes on January 4, 11 and 18. Come and join the fun each of those Sundays at 11:20 am in the Lounge. No reservations required and previous attendance is not necessary. Just come with your interest in the Bible and Avery will do the rest!

Bible Study Returns

Interested in Learning How to Knit?

Are you interested in making a Prayer Shawl? Do you want to learn to knit first? Some people have ex-pressed a desire to learn and Nancy McConnell will be happy to set up a time to have a class. Please call her and give her an idea of your schedule. She would like to do it as a one-time class.

Contact Nancy McConnell at 203-637-4423 or nhm48@aol.com.

January Responsibilities and Assignments

Memorial Services:

Phil Bradford - Jan. 4

Carolyn MacLea - Jan. 11

Mary Fike - Jan. 18

Bobbie Hopkins - Jan. 25

January 4 Communion:

Carole Lang - Capt.

Bob Small - Set up

Pam Grunow - Set up

Barbara Norrgard - Clean up

Donna Hascher - Clean up

Jan Thalheim - Clean up

Deacon Assignments:

Invocation Phil Bradford

Hospital Notes John Denne

January Coffee Hour:

Outreach

Especially For Moms of Very

Young Children

If you have a baby, toddler and/or 2 year old, join us for an opportunity to meet and relax with other moms and their young kids. The group meets the 2nd and 4th Friday of every month (January 9 and 23 this month) from 9:30–10:30 am in Room 104. For more information, contact Kristen Jacks at kmj33z@yahoo.com or call her at 203-344-1961.

16

2015 Stewardship - Blessings All Around As of December 24, we had received 240 pledge cards and a total of $789,325 of financial support for the programs and ministries of First Congregational Church in the coming year. We ask that those who have not yet made their intention known will return their pledge cards as soon as possible so our Budget Committee will have a strong foundation on which to build a plan for 2015. Meanwhile, the Board of Trustees gratefully acknowledges pledges from the following members and friends, as well as those who wish to remain anonymous.

Chuck & Maryan Ainsworth

Bob & Persis Alden

David & Colleen Alfano

Tom Allen & Sandra Brim

Mary Ruth Allen

Erling & Diane Andersen

Lydia Anderson

Ty & Cyndi Anderson

Luis & Laura Angel-Lalanne

Shawn & Susan Asselin

Gordon & Mary-Ann Assing

David & Jean Ayres

Sue Baker

Nofal & Elizabeth Barbar

Annette Bergh & Gary Lico

Marty & Lois Berlin

Gary & Deb Berner

Martha Bitner

Janet Blasberg

Steve & Betty Bonsal

Don & Ginny Breismeister

Jean Bruder

Barbara Van Buren

Virginia Burgess

Chris Cantwell

J. Robert Carey

Curt & Joyce Carlson

Sally Colegrove

Judy Coleman

Christine Collins

Bill & Marian Cordner

Steve & Ashley Crihfield

Harry & Dianne Culpen

Doris Moss Davenport

Carol Deering

John & Joan Denne

Mark & Cynthia DeRiemer

Rick & Marilyn Derr

Dana & Sally Dolloff

Sean & Susan Doyle

Mary Durland

Anders & Mariann Ekernas

Alice Ell

Laura & Dave Erickson

Susan Eveland

Libby Fatum

Bob & Mary Ferry

Charles & Joyce Field

Mary Fike & Joseph Dowling

Jane Hudson Finch

Peter & Shirley Flierl

Barbara Fortunato

Bill Fossum, Jr.

Michaela Fossum

Dick & Kathy Fraser

Diana Frazier

Don & Phyllis Freeman

Joyce French

Natalie & Billy Frenz

Frosty & Don Friedman

Harold Frost

John Fryback

Yves Gaden

Donna Gargagliano

Ken & Melanie Garnett

Pat Geismar

John & Jan Gelb

Millie George

Lauren & Paul Ghaffari

Lile Gibbons

Richard & Susan Gilbert

Bruce & Linda Glover

Bob & Judy Goodchild

Ann Goodson

Al & Judy Gordon

Dale Greene

Phoebe Griffith & Joe McBride

Peter & Pam Grunow

Andrew & Bobbi Hanson

Chris & Olga Hartwell

Glenn & Donna Hascher

Larry & Barbara Hathaway

Larry & Erlinda Haviland

Robyn Helmer

Bill & Claire Henry

Carol Hermance

Sybren & Janette Hoekstra

Bobbie Hopkins

Susan Huang & Oliver Kane

Lisa Hudson

Gerald Isaacson

Robert & Kristen Jacks

Paul & Joan Johansen

Mi Heh Kim

Ron & Janet Klingner

Barbara Kneen

Paul & Diane Kretschmann

Betsy Kreuter

Eric & Pam Kreuter

Tom & Terri Brown Kutzen

Debbie LaCivita

Fred & Nanette Laffan

Rosemary Lamie

Franklin & Carole Lang

Tad & Pat Larrabee

Mary Lennon

Catherine Lepoutre

Clem & Jenny Lepoutre

Richard & Linda Lewis

Ginge Liddel

Bobby Littlefield

Marcia Livingston

Fred Lorthioir & Christina Schoen

Bob & Bea Luce

John & Mary Maarbjerg

Bob & Carolyn MacLea

Karen & Martin Mair

Joe & Wendy Mallory

Avery Manchester

Carol Mawhinney

Stu & Sue McCalley

Patricia McCarter

Chuck & Nancy McConnell

Sandy & John McCue

Kathy McLennan & Ken Kolb

Bob & Pat Mendelsohn

Ben & Lea Menegon

Dorothy Meuller & Phil Bradford

Fred & Marie-Noelle Meyer

Jan & Prill Meyer

George & Alida Meyers

Christopher Mill

Gary & Judy Miller

Mark Mohn & Beth Press

Kevin & Marcie Molloy

Lynn White Montanari

Chris & Betsy Moore

Darlene Moore

Tripp & Laura Moore

Sally Morgan

Jim & Nancy Morris

Dale & Sherry Myer

Richard & Tamara Ng-Yow

Marion Nolan

Erik & Kellie Norrgard

Jack & Barbara Norrgard

Enid Norris

Paul & Lynn O’Gorman

Eleanore Olsen

Ken & Erna Olson

Ed & Barbara Oppedisano

Karen Pacent

Nancy Palamarcuik

Carolyn Paulus & Rick Woodman

Dick Peebles & Doug Bloom

Bill & Mary Jane Penwell

Rob & Ellen Perelli-Minetti

Edward Perisa

Anne Pfetsch

Nancy & Steve Pierson

Hans & Sandy Plickert

Pat Pollack

Suzanne Provoost

Jack & Judy Provoost

Ben Quick

Sandra Radosh

Mary Ranta

Giff & Ruth Reed

Harlan & Wendy Reynolds

Don & Connie Van Rhyn

Virginia & Greg Richards

Barrie Richmond

Gary & Janice Riddell

Richard & Pamela Riggs

John & Marie-Theres Riis

Bob & Kathy Riley

17

Continued from previous page … Stewardship

Richard & Dee Robarts

Dorothy & John Robertson

Lynn Robertson

Charlotte & Arthur Robinson

Joe Rogers

Beth Rollins

Lori Romano

Bill & Sandy Rose

Mike & Christina Russell

Leonard & Yanna Saari

Jeff & Heather Sahrbeck

Bill & Irene Savage

John & Elizabeth Schinto

Eric & Lesley Schless

Bill & Louise Schmitt

Patricia Schmitt

Dave & Elizabeth Schrohe

Stuart & Jean Serenbetz

Jay & Debi Shaw

Jim & Carol Shattuck

Bill & Alice Sherwood

Tyler & Monika Shubert

Radovan & Daniela Sikorsky

David & Beverly Silliphant

Peter & Ann Simpson

Betty Sleath

Bob & Barbara Smith

Elen Sotzing

Bob & Pam Speer

Jim & Tommie Starkweather

Linnea Stenberg

Meg & Dave Stewart

Tom Stiers

Anne Stolley

Jack Sweger

Mac & Carissa Sykes

Craig Symons & Vance Briceland

Andy & Kristin Taylor

Elaine & John Teeters

Inge Thalheim

Chris & Dawn Thompson

Sheila Tolmie

Joan Torelli

Mike & Brook Urban

Anne Wachsman

Jeff & Jean Watkins

Robert & Nancy Weeks

Arthur Weigner

Stephen Weigner

Barry & Peg Wentworth

Car Westbrook

Tom & Lori White

Peggy Whitlock

Peter & Sandra Wilder

Susan Wilder

David & Ardith Williams

Webb Williams

Maesie Clarkson Wylie

Jane Yates

Marge York

Nancy York

Xin Yun & Pei Fan Zhang

John & Nancy Ziac

Josh & Emily Ziac

A BIG CHRISTMAS THANK YOU…to everyone who helped to make Christmas Eve such a blessed and special day in the life of our church:

To the children (and several adults!) who made our Nativity pageants – all 3! – beautiful retellings of Jesus’ birth;

To the readers and choirs who gave such heartfelt expressions of joy;

To all the behind-the-scenes helpers who made the magic happen;

To the press who helped to share our celebrations with the community; and

To the community and congregation who came to be together on this most glorious day of the season!!

~ From the pastors and staff of First Congregational Church

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JA N UA RYB I RT H D AY S

01/01 Kelly Loughman

01/01 Ginny Ridenour

01/01 Patricia McCarter

01/01 Catherine Goff

01/01 Shannon Boles

01/01 Shira Rieke

01/02 Robert Alden

01/02 Jan Meyer

01/02 Emily LaCivita

01/02 Ben Shaver

01/02 Holly Hanson

01/03 Barbara Martin

01/03 Tom Ragland

01/03 Virginia Richards

01/03 Christian Thalheim

01/03 Austin Cantwell

01/04 Doris Moss Davenport

01/04 Mariann Ekernas

01/04 Susan Glendon

01/04 Arnie Arnold

01/04 Katie Weatherseed

01/05 Katie Carlson

01/06 Joseph McBride

01/06 Jennifer Lepoutre

01/06 Lindsey Kilmurray

01/06 Lindsey Trepanier

01/07 Linda Glover

01/07 April Gurciullo

01/07 Henry Shrier

01/08 Mary-Ann Assing

01/08 Christopher Ghaffari

01/08 Owen Tedford

01/09 Mary Leinbach

01/09 Dianne Culpen

01/09 Barbara Pizzimenti

01/09 William Phyfe

01/09 B J Savin

01/09 Bailey Poole

01/09 Ella Carlson

01/09 Ellen Romano

01/10 Deborah Berner

01/10 Bruce Glover

01/10 Lindsay Howland

01/10 Patrick Toohey

01/10 Chelsea Bacon

01/10 Ethan Berman

01/11 Lauren Wheaton

01/11 Kelly Reeves

01/11 Liz Duffy

01/11 Taylor Stafford

01/11 Marquise Burick

12/11 John Russell

01/12 Kathy McLennan

01/12 Rita Dadzis

01/12 Judy Guard

01/12 Patricia Andersen

01/12 Lenore Mallett

01/12 Charles Schrohe

01/13 Peter Heberling

01/13 Eric Plaskonos

01/13 Clare Thomas

01/13 Victoria Mueller Bradford

01/15 Karen Young

01/15 Bob Lubbers

01/15 Christy Sadler

01/15 Charlie Ginste

01/15 Mary Beck

01/15 Nina Kreuter

01/15 Amelie Dellascenza

01/16 Joan Johansen

01/16 Lilian Ruiz

01/16 Trevor Hanson

01/16 Lauren O’Donnell

01/16 Kendall Quick

01/17 Stephen Sotzing

01/17 Karen Thormann

01/17 Beth O’Donnell

01/17 Allison Saari

01/17 William Thomas

01/17 Gregory Lico

01/17 Jake Trask

01/17 Stephen Dodd

01/17 Paulina Eileen Farn-Finz

01/18 Chris Begole

01/18 Jack Taylor

01/19 Cynthia Sandreuter

01/19 Leonard Saari

01/19 Nancy York

01/19 Laura Janelli

01/19 James DeFazio

01/20 Marian Cordner

01/20 Dianne Shrier

01/20 Phebe Huth

01/20 Grace Alfano

01/20 Ainsley Sahrbeck

01/21 Barbara Parker

01/21 Karina Schless

01/22 Carol Hermance

01/22 Barbara Smith

01/22 Dawn Tutje

01/22 Martin Mair

01/22 Mary Helen Morris

01/22 Nishani Naidoo

01/22 Abby von Holzhausen

01/22 Jake von Holzhausen

01/23 John Maarbjerg

01/23 Thomas White

01/23 Alexander Robarts

01/23 Richard DeFazio

01/23 Benjamin Velishka

01/23 Jadesola Ariyibi

01/23 Maggie Jacoby

01/23 Benjamin John Bates

01/24 Jonny Rogers

01/24 Megan Mahoney

01/24 Blair Johnson

01/25 Allan Ferry

01/25 Tom Wilkinson

01/25 Chris Vandivort

01/25 Liza Johnson

01/25 Charles Richards

01/26 Fred Christensen

01/27 John Enquist Sr

01/27 Lindsay Stafford

01/27 Clement Lepoutre

01/27 Dawn Ginste

01/27 Heather Breismeister

01/27 Kristin Lovallo

01/28 Christopher Moore

01/28 Paul Kretschmann

01/28 Selene Dunn

01/28 Anneliese Mair

01/28 Lauren Mickley

01/29 Heather Schimenti

01/29 Will Trask

01/29 Ellen Pulitzer

01/29 Elizabeth Mohn

01/29 John Romano

01/30 Gerald Isaacson

01/31 Eric Andersen

Life Events:

Births: Spencer Anthony Summerton,

son of Steve and Tami Summerton

Deaths: Eleanor “Nan” Dernier

Mark Your Calendars:

The Church Offices will be closed Wednesday, December 31, 2014 and Thursday, January 1, 2015 for the New Year Holiday. Also, the Church Office will be closed on Monday, January 19 for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

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________________________________________

Delivering Gifts to

H.O.M.E., Maine

Visit our Photo Gallery to view more pictures: fccog.org/photo-gallery/

All packed up and ready to go

(Giff and Ruth Reed)

Unpacking all the gifts in Maine

There are going to be a lot of happy people on Christmas Day!

More Christmas Eve Photos

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The First Congregational Church of Greenwich

Ministers: The Members of The First Congregational Church of Greenwich

Senior Pastor: Rev. Richard DenUyl, Jr., RichardD@fccog.org

Associate Pastor for Youth Ministry: Rev. Mark D. Montgomery, revmarkmontgomery@gmail.com

Associate Pastor for Pastoral Care: Rev. Avery C. Manchester, amanchester@fccog.org

Director of Music: Dr. Craig Scott Symons, craigs@fccog.org

Director of Family Ministries: Rosemary Lamie, rosemaryl@fccog.org

Director of Church Administration and Finance: Steve Summerton, steves@fccog.org

Director of Membership: Ginny Breismeister, ginnyb@fccog.org

Director of Communications: Barbara Wilkov, barbaraw@fccog.org

Parish Nurse: Susan Asselin, RN, susana@fccog.org

Director of Preschool: Darla Kohler Steiner, darlak@fccog.org

Pastors Emeriti: Rev. Dr. Thomas L. Stiers and Rev. Sally Colegrove

Director of Music Emeritus: Dr. John Stansell

The First Congregational Church of Greenwich Nonprofit Organization

108 Sound Beach Avenue U.S. Postage PAID

Old Greenwich, CT 06870 Stamford, CT

Phone: 203-637-1791 Permit No. 7017

Fax:: 203-637-1540

www.fccog.org