november meetinghouse monthly - the first congregational
TRANSCRIPT
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Volume 14/Number 11/November 2013
Q & A about FCCOG/Bible Study...……8
Book Corner/Monthly Assignments……. 9 It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like….......10 Church School Calendar/Giving Tree.....11
N-to-N Day/Youth/Soup Kitchen……..12 linc Update/Thank You........……...…...13
Confirmation Retreat Pix/Home Team..2
Speaking Pastorally……….……………3 Wonderful Wed/Historical Committee. 4 Musical Notes…………..…………...... 5
Musical Notes (cont)/Youth Choir…… 6 From the Parish Nurse………….…..... 7
News from Rummage Room………..14
Harvest Sunday/CS Thanksgiving..... 15 First Church Preschool News…….... 16 Women’s Fellowship/Moms Group.. 17
Nov B-Days/Life Events…..….…….18 H.O.M.E. Sale/Advent Workshop….19
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Calendar for November 3: Ingathering Sunday 6: Preschool Holiday Boutique 10: Laity Sunday 13: Wonderful Wednesday 22: Wreath Decorating Workshop 23/24 H.O.M.E. Craft Sale 24: Harvest Sunday First Music & Arts Concert
December 1: First Sunday of Advent Advent Family Craft Fair
Stewardship 2014
Wonderful Wednesday is Back!
November 13 6:00 - 8:00 pm
See page 4 for details.
Our Stewardship Program for 2014 is in full swing! By now, you should have received your Stewardship Letter along with your pledge card. As God has blessed your life this year, please prayerfully consider being extra generous with our church as you make your pledge commitment. It is crucial for us to put a firm financial foundation under the exciting new spirit and program we are creating for First Church.
Sunday, November 3 is Ingathering Sunday. Please bring your pledge card to worship that day to include with the morning offering. If you can’t be with us, please mail it to the Church Office.
Thank you So Much for Your Generous Support!
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(Visit our NEW Photo Gallery at www.fccog.org/photo-gallery/ to view more event photos)
Home Team Update Calling all Cemetery Clean-up helpers! There are many flat headstones/markers in our main cemetery that have become overgrown with grass and weeds. Now that grass growing season is ending, we need to find and uncover these headstones. We will be working four Saturdays from 9:00 am – Noon, November 2 - 23, when weather permits. Please bring work gloves, trash bags, knee pads, a serrated knife, etc., and join us. It’s like a treasure hunt! We can schedule other times, too – just let us know what works best for you. Thanks! ~Tad and Pat Larrabee
Markers Before Markers after Cleanup
Confirmation Retreat, Sept 27-29
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By: Rev. John Collins
Dear Friends, Last Sunday during Coffee Hour I was speaking to a young couple who, along with their 2 year old daughter, had walked through our door for the first time that morning. As we talked, they told me that they had felt anxious about coming into a place where they were strangers and wondered what they would experience. They worried that they would be neglected and made to feel strange, like outcasts. They were concerned that their questions and thoughts about faith would be judged. As they spoke I thought, just about everyone knows this feeling. We’ve all had the experience of walking as the stranger into a group that is already formed and comfortable with itself. And then I realized that this is the key challenge for our church, or any church, which is to gently embrace anyone who walks through our door and make them feel welcomed and safe here. This couple told me that they began to relax when they read the Open and Affirming Statement on our bulletin which, among other things, says that we declare ourselves to be “open to all for participation.” Then they really began to relax when they realized that we meant it! From the words and music in worship, to the people who approached them with smiles and welcome at Coffee Hour, they felt our version of The United Church of Christ’s “Extravagant Welcome.” As they told me about how comfort-able they were made to feel here, I felt so proud to be part of First Church. In my Stewardship Sermon two weeks ago, I said this about our wonderful church family:
“We are God’s eyes and hands. We are the Spirit of God flowing into the world and letting people know that they are beautiful and that they are cherished.”
In the next year our church will be doing the work to create a Strategic Plan For Growth. Our First Church Alive! Task Group, along with all our church leadership, will be starting this process during the next month so that by our Annual Meeting in January we will have a proposed outline for the plan. The first, the very first, part of this process is to create MISSION CLARITY! That means that as a church family we need to be very clear about who we are as a Christian Church of God’s People. I believe that the experience of that new couple I spoke with on Sunday is a strong hint of who we are and who we need to tell the world we are. If strangers and long-time members alike are made to feel welcomed every time they come through the door, if they experience God’s love through us, if they feel beautiful and cherished, then our mission is clear. If people are then empowered to share that love with others, then our mission is clear. I urge you to be part of this discussion and process. Our financial support of the church, our beautiful church building and grounds, our dedicated staff and our caring congregation together form a powerful matrix of God’s grace in this place. We are doing our job of being God’s eyes and hands already, just think how much more is possible!
John
Speaking Pastorally
Wonderful Wednesday Returns! November 13, 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Wonderful Wednesday is back and, as usual, it IS wonderful! This is a perfect opportunity for fellowship, faith and FUN...for all ages! Come and join us for a delicious meal, see all your friends (and maybe even make some new ones), and get a little mental and spiritual stimulation from one of the mini-classes offered. Then we’ll wrap up the evening with a short prayer and you’ll be out the door with enough time to enjoy the rest of your evening. You’ll have a “wonderful” time no matter what your age, so bring the whole family!
Along with a special session for children, here are the class offerings for November 13:
Historical Committee Update
C A L L I N G A L L E D I T O R S F O R O U R 3 5 0 T H A N N I V E R S A R Y B O O K – T H E L A S T 5 0 Y E A R S We are planning to write our church history from 1965-2015 in this new book, which will be published around the end of 2015. The previous 25 years were already written up in a booklet, but we’d like to fill in a few gaps and pull the last 50 years together into one publication. If you would like to help research, write, select photos for and/or edit this book, please contact Pat Larrabee at (203) 637- 4023. We are happy to announce we are almost done scanning all of the annual reports from 1925-2012 into PDF digital format for the records preservation project, disaster recovery purposes and for the anniversary book researchers to use easily from home. Donna White and Barb Wilkov were both very helpful on this. C A L L I N G A L L D A T A E N T R Y H E L P E R S F O R N E W C E M E T E R Y M A N A G E M E N T P R O J E C T We are starting to scan all the paper cemetery records not only for historical preservation, but also for transcribing into Excel for the new Cemetery Management system for Mary Babbidge’s computer that I custom designed and programmed. This will help preserve our cemetery records on the church server’s backups in case of fire or other disaster. If you can spare some time to help or if you know of any students wanting volunteer credit hours, please let me know. This is a huge project. Because we’ll first scan the records into digital format, I can email the images to volunteers for transcription into Excel at home. Many thanks! ~ Pat Larrabee
Mixing an Autumn Array of Arts
We will hear audio clips and view video clips of moving performances from the past 50 years. Mixed throughout our time together will be some quotes and humorous and not-so-humorous anecdotes of famous people in both performing and visual arts.
~ Craig Symons
Seeking Direction In turbulent and trying times, we seek direction and, in our faith, we can find wonderful guidance and hope. Some of the best ideas, thoughts and feelings are found in hymns. Join Rev. Manchester in unwrapping such lines from hymns as “Grant us wisdom, grant us courage for the facing of this hour” for us in the now. It is rich.
~ Rev. Avery Manchester
Nica Now!
Last year, our young people traveled to Nicaragua to represent our church’s work there. Come learn about what is currently going on in Nicaragua, how you can help us get ready for an upcoming trip in February, and the possibility of an adult trip during 2014.
~ Rev. Mark Montgomery
Bible Surprises
Dan England will speak about the book of I Maccabees, an historical work of the inter-testimental books in the Bible. The book is of interest because it tells of the time when the Greeks took over Judea, events that are also referred to in the book of Daniel, which we will study this winter. Come and be prepared to be surprised and informed.
~ Rev. Dan England
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“Musical Notes”
First Music and Arts Returns for its 3rd Season! At 7:00 pm on Sunday, November 24, we will gather in the Auditorium to welcome The New England Ringers. This outstanding group begins its Winter Tour with an energetic program to delight family and friends. Join us on a journey through some rich and complex music from the serious to the sublime, quirky to quintessential bells. The members of this outstanding group come from all walks of life. Most are conductors or players in their home churches and others are a restaurant owner, librarian, patent attorney, amongst other careers. This program will feature a variety of music that will appeal to all ages. Just the visual aspect of 14 ringers playing 110 handbells/handchimes, and 40 feet of tables with foam padding is worth coming to see how it’s done! New England’s premier community handbell ensemble is in its 12th year. Under the direction of Edward G. Henderson, Jr., fourteen highly energetic performers showcase their talents in a uniquely varied program playing with sensitivity, discipline and skill to achieve their signature artistry on a handbell instru-ment comprised of six and one half octaves of Schulmerich handbells and seven octaves of Malmark handchimes and other instruments. Their 2013 winter program, Joy in Bronze, will delight us with a selection of pieces which showcase the wide range of music this unique instrument produces. Each ringer uses bells, chimes, mallets and methods which combine to form a symphony of music, where mysterious and ethereal sections give way to majestic chords and lively portrayals of familiar carols and tunes. Tickets for the performance are $20 per person and are available at the door. Admission is free for school-aged children. For more information about the group, or to listen/watch them, visit their web-site at www.newenglandringers.org.
47th Annual Messiah
Our holiday tradition returns on Saturday, December 14, and Sunday, December 15, at 4:00 pm. Mark your calendars now for this special performance. Admission is free-will offering with a suggested donation of $20 per person. Choir rehearsal for Festival Chorus will be ONE NIGHT ONLY on Monday, December 9 from 7:30-10:00 pm. Dress rehearsal with the orchestra will be Wednesday, December 11, from 7:30-9:00 pm.
“Musical Notes” continued on next page ...
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“Musical Notes” continued from previous page…
Where is our director now??
During the first week of October, I headed back to Detroit to sing in a professional choir called sounding light. It's directed by a good friend, Tom Trenney, who is Director of Music at First Plymouth Church in Lincoln, Nebraska. It's a huge 3,000 member congregation with an internationally renowned music program and concert series. Prior to Tom's appointment there in 2009, he was Director of Music at First Presbyterian in Birmingham, MI, just up the road from my church in the Detroit area. In 2003, he and his congregation began a musical outreach ministry called Many Voices ...One Song which included a professional chamber choir, and they celebrated their 10th anniversary this past May. I joined that group in 2008 after I retired from a 17-year run with a choir I founded. It's been a tremendous privilege for me as a conductor to sing with the group and remind myself of what it's like to be on the other side of the music stand. So, two or three times a year, I head back to Detroit to spend a week in rehearsals with some of the most amazing choral people I know. Over time, this group continues to establish itself as the preeminent choral ensemble in Michigan and is quickly becoming known around the country for its artistry and excellence. Our Chancel Choir was fortunate to reap some of Tom's amazing musicianship last February when he was in New Haven to perform an organ recital. Despite his crazy schedule, he was beyond gracious to take time out of his practicing to spend one Thursday night with us here in the choir room. After questions from the choir like "What is it that draws you back to Detroit to sing all the time?" they immediately understood why I go back. I'm grateful for the leadership of this church and for my choir members who afford me the chance to keep myself renewed and fresh for them. I couldn't do my job without their affirmations.
Youth Choir Concert:
The Youth Choir is participating/singing in the Interfaith Kristallnacht Commemorative Concert at Temple Shalom on Thursday, November 7 at 7:00 pm. This year marks the 75th anniversary of Kristallnacht, known as the Night of Broken Glass. On the night of November 9, 1938, the Nazis coordinated an attack on Jewish people and their property. Almost 200 synagogues were destroyed, over 8,000 Jewish shops were sacked and looted, and tens of thousands of Jews were removed to concentration camps. This concert will bring together choirs from area churches and synagogues to honor the memories of lives lost on that terrible night. Our Youth Choir will sing an anthem by themselves and then join all the other choirs for a combined piece.
Please join us on the 7th at Temple Shalom, 300 East Putnam, Greenwich.
This concert is presented by The Sholom Center for Fellowship and Learning, and the Greenwich Fellowship of Clergy.
Tom Trenney
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From the Parish Nurse - Have a Healthy Fall, I mean Autumn! by Sue Asselin, RN
Preventing Falls at Home • Do you or your spouse have limited mobility? • Are you concerned about your parents’ safety at home? • Perhaps eye sight or medications are presenting new challenges. Then this program is for you:
A special Wellness Second Hour on the topic of Preventing Falls at Home is scheduled for Sunday, November 17 following the worship service, approxi-mately 11:15 am. Falls can cause devastating setbacks for those who are sick or simply advanced in years. A physical therapy expert from Greenwich Hospital will discuss ways to prevent falls, including balance and strength-building tech-niques, and adjustments we can make in our home environments to make them safer. Learning how to avoid falls can make a critical difference in your health or that of a loved one. Please join us.
Home Repairs Program Recently a program came to my attention that helps some homeowners with much needed home repairs that they would otherwise be unable to afford. HomeFront is a community-based, volunteer driven home repair
program that provides FREE repairs to low-income homeowners, thus enabling them to remain in their homes with an improved quality of life. Such improvements also enhance the health and safety of the residents. All of the work itself is completed on HomeFront Day, during the first weekend of May. Those seeking help for the upcoming 2014 season must apply before Friday, November 15. The annual household income limit is roughly $44,000 (for 2 occupants) to qualify. I have details on income guidelines for various household sizes. Please speak to me, your Parish Nurse, if you would like more informa-
tion for yourself or a neighbor. Applications are in my office, Room 203. More information can be found on their website: www.homefrontprogram.org or by calling 800-887-4673.
Blood Drive Update Thank you to all who made the October 5 Blood Drive a success! The food for the canteen was scrumptious
and so appreciated! And this from the Red Cross:
“Thank you very much for sponsoring Saturday’s blood drive. We ended up collecting 32 productive units of blood, which is outstanding. Because of this drive, up to 96 people can receive life-saving blood components: red cells, platelets, and plasma. On behalf of the entire Red Cross, thank you, once again, for taking the time to help provide life-saving blood to people who need it!”
Michael Davidow Account Manager, American Red Cross, Connecticut Blood Services Division Medicare Part D Counseling The Medicare Part D prescription drug insurance open enrollment period ends December 7. The plan you had last year may not be the most cost effective plan this year. It is wise to review your options annually, especially if your medications have changed. Call your Parish Nurse, Sue Asselin, at extension 21 if you would like to receive counseling, including navigating the Medicare website to determine your options.
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Q & A about FCCOG with Senior Deacon Chris Cantwell and Trustees Chair Chris Hartwell
No questions were received since our last issue. Please email us with any questions
you may have about Church governance or finances!
Email your questions to [email protected] or [email protected].
Bible Study There are now three Bible Studies on offer that will continue through November: 1. Sundays 11:20 am in the Lounge. The regular after-church Bible Study is studying the book of Galations. This is a book about Christian freedom and raises all the questions about the tendency of people to want rules to live by -- which we all need to a certain extent -- but when do rules become chains? There's also a lot of practical advice in the letter and a healthy dose of just good news. So join us each Sunday at 11:20 in the Lounge. 2. Thursdays 10:30 am in Room 104. This is a Bible Study for beginners; that is, for people who are reluctant to come to a Bible Study because they don't know much about the Bible. It's a bit like a math class for people who don't want to face the fact that they can't do long division very well. It's called Stop! The Bible Study because at any point at all someone can say “Stop!, I don't understand
that” -- whatever "that" is -- and they will be rewarded with en-couragement and as good an an-swer as Rev. Dan England can come up with, along with a promise for some research if the answer doesn't quite seem like the complete answer. If this sounds right for you, then join us on Thursdays at 10:30 in Room 104. 3. A Video “Bible Moment.” Every week there is a mini video Bible Study sent to you via email and published on YouTube. It covers, briefly, the text for the sermon that week or the text to be used in the Church School, or possibly both (we'll see). But, in any case, with a minimal investment of time you can learn more about the Bible than you would otherwise know. And, just maybe, it will inspire you to check out #1 or #2 above. Besides it's fun!
Find us on Facebook and LIKE the page! Follow us on Twitter @FCCOGCT
Check out our YouTube page. And now we’re on Instagram @fccogct and LinkedIn, too!
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November Responsibilities and Assignments Memorial Service
Gordon Assing - Nov 3 John Denne - Nov 10
Nancy Fountain - Nov 17 Carole Lang - Nov 24
November 3 Communion: Nancy Fountain John Denne Pam Grunow Carole Lang Ed Oppedisano Barbara Kneen Joe McBride Linnea Stenberg
Coffee Hour Committee Hosts: Board of Trustees
Invocation: John Denne
Hospital Notes: Carole Lang
Avery’s Book Corner for November
I want to suggest the new book, Christianity After Religion: The End of Church and the Birth of a New Spiritual Awakening, by Diana Butler Bass. While I haven’t had a chance to read it yet, the author is one I greatly respect. She is very well informed and deals with a subject that is important to us all. This book is one for study, prayer and careful attention.
“Diana Butler Bass, one of contemporary Christianity’s leading trend-spotters, exposes how the failings of the church today are giving rise to a new “spiritual but not religious” movement. Using evidence from the latest national polls and from her own cutting-edge research, Bass, the visionary author of “A People’s History of Christianity,” continues the conversation began in books like Brian D. McLaren’s “A New Kind of Christianity” and Harvey Cox’s “The Future of Faith,” examining the connections—and the divisions—between theology, practice, and community that Christians experience today. Bass’s clearly worded, powerful, and probing “Christianity After Religion” is required reading for anyone invested in the future of Christianity. “
Once in a Lifetime Opportunity - Avery at the pulpit of John Calvin in Geneva
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas? Well, soon it will be! Outreach has been working diligently to bring this year’s Christmas Tree Sale to our community! As many of you know, every penny raised during the Christmas Tree sale goes directly to specified agencies via our Outreach giving. This year, the Outreach Committee has voted to allocate these funds to the following agencies: In order for this to be a success, we need your help. First, start spreading the word. Tell your friends and family to join in the effort and purchase trees, kissing balls, wreaths and garlands from FCCOG! This will ensure that our gifts to the agencies listed above will be significant. Second, join us on November 23 at 8:00 am to set up the stands for our trees. This is such an important task as well-constructed stands make the selling process that much easier! Come lend a hand. If we have a good number of folks, we will be done in a little more than an hour. Next, come by to help unload the 500 trees we will be receiving. This happens on November 30 and we need lots of people to pull this off. You needn’t be as muscular as Arnold Schwarzenegger to help, just have a few hours to spare. We will begin unloading at approximately 9:00 am. Our start time depends on when the truck arrives. Last, sign up to help with the Tree Sale! From cashiers, to cutters, from salespeople to tree loaders, we need your help. The shifts are only 2.5 hours each (though we would love it if you signed up for more than one shift!). We have jobs for every age and skill level. To sign up, find us during Coffee Hour throughout November, contact the Church Office, or sign up online www.fccog.org/about-us/volunteer-opportunities/christmas-tree-and-wreath-sale-form/ (you can also find the link on the website homepage at www.fccog.org). This wonderful tradition is great on many levels. While helping out those in need, you also get to know fellow church members who are sharing your shift, spread some good will and Christmas Cheer to our customers, and make a difference in the world. That’s a great combination!
• Neighbor to Neighbor • Den for Grieving Kids • Shelter for the Homeless • Inspirica (Formerly St. Luke’s Lifeworks) • And our very own Silverlake Conference Center
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Church School Calendar for November 1 - December 1
November 3: Regular Church School; Youth Choir Sings in Church November 10: Veterans’ Day Weekend; Service Sunday focus on Inspirica
November 17: Regular Church School November 24: Harvest Sunday; All Choirs Sing; Bring bag(s) of non-perishable groceries for Neighbor to Neighbor and H.O.M.E. Co-op in Orland, Maine Food Pantries December 1: Thanksgiving Weekend; 1st Sunday of Advent; Service Sunday; Advent “Make Your Own” Craft Workshop 2:00 - 4:00 pm (see inside back cover for details).
FCCOG Giving Tree 2013
On Harvest Sunday, November 24 our Giving Trees will be ready for you to find and fill the wishes of our friends at H.O.M.E. Co-op in Orland, Maine and Pilgrim Towers in Stamford. This is our 8th year of bringing holiday blessings to these two communities.
Here are some of the comments we received from folks who received your gifts last year: • “Thank you for the Christmas presents for the families at H.O.M.E. Everyone
was delighted…it is a very difficult time of year for many folks and they would not have a Christmas without your support.”
• From Carole M., Pilgrim Towers “Kitchen Crew”: “Thanks very much for coming to our party on Sunday. We all had a great time and the presents are wonderful! I hope you and the children have a peaceful and joyous Christmas and a very Happy New Year.”
• And from the President of the Pilgrim Towers Residents’ Association: “Your individual presents to our residents really filled their hearts with Christmas joy. There are grateful elderly people whose spirits have been lifted by receiving the generosity of your church’s kindness.”
The deadline for bringing in your gifts is Sunday, December 8. The Outreach Committee is coordinating the Giving Tree this year. Also, if anyone is planning a trip to Maine, even if only as far as Windham, we would love to hear from you and have you help us get the gifts at least that far. Call the Church Office.
(L) One carload ready to go (2012)
(R) Another carload arrives at H.O.M.E. (2012)
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Another First Church Day at Neighbor to Neighbor - Saturday, November 16
8:30 am - 12:30 pm
A First Church Day at Neighbor to Neighbor means we cover the Clothing Room and the Food Pantry, usually in two shifts; 8:30–10:30 am and 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. Since Neighbor to Neighbor has a policy of 12 year olds and older covering these operations, we have come up with an activity for our younger children who also want to be involved in Community Service. On November 16, Neighbor to Neighbor will have a room available to us so we can make Thanksgiving crafts which will be included in the food packages that are distributed to the Neighbor to Neighbor clients for Thanksgiving. To sign up for either The Clothing Room, The Food Pantry or Craftmaking, please email Peg Wentworth at [email protected].
Soup Kitchen Volunteers – Making Food to Feed Our Neighbors and Friends
Thank you to the Fong Family for cooking chili in October! Volunteers are needed to cook chili in December 2013 and January 2014. (For December the meal can be prepared on November 30 or December 1.)
The few hours that you and your friends/family give to prepare the meal for the Soup Kitchen
will make a difference to many. For more information and to volunteer, contact Tom Mahoney at
[email protected]. The shopping list and cooking instructions will be provided.
Youth Programs
Have you been to any of our Youth Programming yet this year? Well, if you have, you know that things are CRAZY! Crazy good! We have about 30 active youth in the program and each week gets even better. From games to thoughtful conversations, from fun to faith exploration, it all happens here! So, join us on Sunday evenings (regular meeting) from 6:00-7:30 pm. BUT, before you do, check out the youth website for the latest calendar updates: www.fccogyouth.com
See you soon!
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linc Updates!
As promised, the linc subcommittee of the Church Committee has met and we are on FIRE! The ideas are brewing in ways that are innovative and inspiring. As we get some more focus around our current ideas, we will begin to share them, but, for now, we would like to bring you up-to-date on our evaluation of linc so far: What do we think worked well for linc?
• Combining activity/art and worship. • Great food which provided welcome. • The music was wonderful. • Liked the casual nature of the service. • Liked that it was different from the 10 am service. • Enjoyed the conversational and sharing parts of the service. What could we have done better? What do we need?
• Need a clear connection to FCCOG. • Would like more open mike times/faith sharing. • Need to understand our purpose and niche. What is our good news to share? • Better use of social media. • Need to attract a better diversity of people. • Need more staff and/or volunteers. • Need to avoid falling into the same liturgy every week. • Need to develop a marketing strategy. • Need to have a core group of people committed to be attendees for a set period of time, until it gets on
its feet (probably draw from current church members). We are going to meet again in November and hope that after that meeting we will have some more great information to share. It’s taking a new shape; we are grateful!
Thank You! The Board of Trustees of First Church would like to express our sincere appreciation to
Tom Ward, Jr. of Ivey, Barnum & O’Mara, LLC for the generous donation of legal services for our Church real estate transactions.
News from The Rummage Room: 191 Sound Beach Avenue, Old Greenwich
An Update from August through December 2013
AUGUST - REOPENING DAY: The Rummage Room enjoyed the best ReOpening Day in its 49 year history with sales of over $14,000. The total for the ReOpening Week was $28,222. How sweet it was thanks to the generosity of our loyal donors and shoppers. SEPTEMBER - BACK TO SCHOOL: The Rummage Room continued to have good sales throughout the month as donations came in fast and furious due to the Shop being closed most of August for cleaning, repairs and restocking. OCTOBER - HALLOWEEN: The Best Little Halloween Shop in town opened the first week in October with sensational costumes and decorations. Both the award-winning Halloween window and the Thanksgiving window were created by manager, Maria Drieghe and assistant manager, Nancy Hamilton ... all from customer donations. NOVEMBER - THANKSGIVING AND THE CHRISTMAS SHOP: The Shop will now turn its thoughts to Thanksgiving and Christmas. As you begin to decorate, please think of The Rummage Room as the place to acquire new decorations and to donate the ones you don't plan to use. The Christmas Shop will open Monday, November 25 at 1:00 pm.
DECEMBER - CHRISTMAS: The Christmas Shop will be filled with wonderful decorations and gifts which Santa's elves have been saving since just after Christmas of 2012. The Rummage Room will be closed for Christmas and New Year's beginning Saturday, December 21 and will reopen on Thursday, January 2, 2014 at 10:00 am. DECEMBER: First Light, (and for those of you who are not familiar with First Light, it is the night the shops in Old Greenwich, including The Rummage Room, will open their doors to begin celebrating the start of the holidays) runs from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm Saturday, December 7. It is an event for all your family to come and enjoy the evening and its festivities. Hours of Operation: Monday through Friday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and on Saturday 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Donation Hours: Monday through Thursday 9:30 am to 4:30 pm; Friday & Saturday 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. Maria's Wish List: NEEDED - Volunteers for the cash register … two to four hours a week. Also, decorator boats for a window display; Thanksgiving decorations. Every time we shop and donate at The Rummage Room, we are helping to feed, clothe, educate, cure disease, drill wells, keep families together, provide pre-natal care, support seniors, both here and around the world. Millions of dollars have been donated over the years from The Best Little Shop In Town. The Rummage Room's light always shines the brightest during the holidays but let's keep that light shining even brighter with our steady support during the remainder of 2013 and through our 50th year in 2014.
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Before you know it, we will be gathered around tables with family or friends (or some combination of both) celebrating and giving thanks for all the blessings in our lives. As we prepare to do so, let us also prepare to share a little bit of that blessing with others. There are some in our congregation who do not have family close by and may like to share a meal with others in our faith community. If you fall into either of these categories, give Mark Montgomery a call at the church and we’ll help you make a connection. Just before the Thanksgiving holiday, we will find ourselves celebrating Harvest Sunday here at FCCOG. On Harvest Sunday we couple our grati-tude for the blessings around us with our support to our community. During the service, we will collect food for Neighbor to Neighbor. Please bring any non-perishable items in a sack. During our offering, we each will come forward to share our food in collection at our Communion Table. During this
time, we will also receive other gifts to the church and community. To do this, you may place your offering to FCCOG in the offering plate. If your gift is specifically for your pledge or just a special gift to FCCOG, please make sure that it is marked as such. Any unmarked or undesignated gifts will be given to The Lower Fairfield County Food Bank. May God’s blessings flow to all of God’s people this Thanksgiving season.
The FCCOG Church School has chosen Inspirica (formerly St. Luke’s Lifeworks) to support during their annual Thanksgiving food collection. Each classroom will be given a box to fill with all the ingredients for a wonderful Thanksgiving meal, including: • stuffing mix • turkey gravy • cranberry sauce • sweet potatoes • instant mashed potatoes • pasta/rice • cans of string beans/peas/corn/mixed vegetables • apple sauce • desserts, etc.
The boxes will be decorated by the Church School children on November 10, during their Service Sunday gathering. The Youth Group will then deliver the food after church on Sunday, November 24 just in time for needy families to enjoy on Thanksgiving. If you have any questions or would like more details, please contact Donna Hascher at 203-329-2243 or by email at [email protected].
H A R V E S T S U N D A Y A N D T H A N K S G I V I N G
C H U R C H S C H O O L T H A N K S G I V I N G 2 0 1 3
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First Congregational Church Preschool
Open Enrollment for 2014-2015 Programming
October 1, 2013 - November 8, 2013
First Church Preschool offers an active preschool experience for children ages 3 through 5 years. We also offer a Pre-K Program for children who are eligible to start kindergarten but would benefit by delaying starting for a year.
At First Church Preschool we encourage the social, emotional, physical and intellectual growth of each child in a warm and caring atmosphere. Creativity, self-confidence and curiosity are promoted through the daily classroom routine and activities. Friendships are fostered between children, families and staff through respect, sharing, caring and a sense of humor. Children must be three years of age by December 31, 2014 and be toilet trained in order to be eligible for our 2014-2015 programs.
Families who are current, active members of the First Congregational Church congregation are given priority placement in their preschool class selection and may receive a discount on their program tuition provided they have submitted an application and deposit by the end of the Open Enrollment period. Eligibility for the priority placement and discount based on current, active membership in the First Church congregation will be deemed by the First Church Director of Membership.
All applications received during the Open Enrollment period must be completed in full and be accompanied with the full deposit amount in order for a child’s place to be confirmed within a program. For an application, for more information about enrollment, or to arrange a tour of our preschool, please contact Director Darla Kohler at 203-637-5430 or email at [email protected].
Join us for the First Church Preschool
annual Holiday Boutique on
Wednesday, Nov. 6, 11:00 am to 5:00 pm in the
Auditorium. There will be a variety of vendors
selling their wares, and a Silent Auction as well.
Admission is free.
For more info contact Jessica Reynolds at:
Purchase a Kid Stuff Coupon Book for $25 and help
support the First Church Preschool (the preschool
earns 50% of the sale of each book). You will very
quickly recoup the cost of the book
with great coupon savings for shop-
ping, family activities and food!
Coupon books are currently on sale
in the Church Office and in the Preschool, and will be
available through Friday, November 1. Buy one or
more – they make great gifts! Checks should be
made payable to “First Church Preschool.” For more
information contact Becky Paniwozik at:
Help Support the
First Church Preschool
First Church Preschool
Annual Holiday Boutique Wednesday, Nov. 6
16 The Meet inghouse Monthly
Tai Chi Fitness with Luis Duarte
Improve your balance, health and well being. 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, $8 for
seniors. Join us! You’ll love it! All are welcome.
Women’s Fellowship
Nights Off : Calling All Women of First Church
On Monday, November 18 at 6:00 pm we will be having a Harvest Dinner at the home of Debbie LaCivita. Debbie's husband will be making his famous "light-as-air lasagna.” This is an opportu-nity to come and have fun with good food and good company. It’s also a chance to make new friends!
Bring a side dish or a dessert to share and whatever you would like to drink. But, if you’re busy with young or old children, don’t let that stop you…just bring yourself!
Any questions, call Debbie LaCivita at 203-698-0179 or email Shirley Flierl at [email protected].
Kettle Quilters:
We are now meeting on:
Mondays 9:00 am -12:00 pm Tuesdays 7:30 pm -9:00 pm
We hope that this schedule will make it possible for those of you who are early risers and those of you who have to get to bed early to be part of our quilting group.
Bring a friend! Use your old skills and acquire new ones! Enjoy the fellowship of like-minded women! Be inspired to try something new.
See you on Mondays or Tuesdays in Room 203 (next to the kitchen)!
Inge Thalheim 203-637-9614 Hilary Lawrence 203-637-1214
Hats Off Book Group: Thursdays 10:00 to 11:30 am in the Lounge
We are leaving Khaled Hosseini's Afghanistan and traveling back to Manhattan for our next Hats Off selection, Rules Of Civility by Amor Towles. Our story begins in 1937 at a Greenwich Village jazz scene. "With its depiction of New York's social strata, its intricate imagery and themes, and its immensely appealing characters, ‘Rules of Civility’ won the hearts of readers and critics alike." Our book study group meets on Thursdays in the Lounge from 10:00-11:30 am. Please call Debbie Berner at 203-629-1110 with your questions. Books are available in the Church Office.
For Moms of Very Young Children— Join us in November !
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 (Nov. 8 and 22 this month) from 9:00–10:15 am in Room104. For more information, contact Kristen Jacks at [email protected] or call her at 203-344-1961.
17 The Meet inghouse Monthly
NO V E M B E RB I R T H D AY S
11/01 Diane Jenkins
11/01 Anne Almy
11/01 Chuck Ainsworth
11/01 Anne Castine
11/01 Richard Taggart
11/01 Katherine Kabot
11/01 Natasha Sibirzeff
11/02 Thomas Woodman
11/02 Annabel Marie Enquist
11/02 Endy Anderson
11/02 Sarah Mickley
11/03 Todd Gaulocher
11/03 Sarah Kramer
11/04 Lee Watkins
11/04 Gretchen Almy
11/04 Richard Almy
11/04 Stevie Eveland
11/04 Kendall Witmer
11/04 Parker Freeman
11/05 James Starkweather
11/05 Sally Graham
11/05 Alexandra Smith
11/05 Shona Quinn
11/05 Vasil Golodinskii
11/05 Anna Wilkinson
11/05 Tyler Shaw
11/06 Richard Mahoney
11/06 Millie George
11/06 Debra Shaw
11/06 Holly Wilkinson
11/06 Meg Stewart
11/06 Emily Ziac
11/06 Christopher Tierney
11/07 Joyce Carlson
11/07 Kirk Young
11/07 Deborah Graves
11/07 Robin Loughman
11/07 Rebecca Assing
11/08 Doris Sisley
11/08 Charles Livingston
11/08 Sandra Phelps
11/08 Peter Gurciullo
11/08 Carson Davis
11/09 John Leidy
11/09 Joey Cesare
11/09 Cole Perry
11/09 Tessa Laffan
11/10 Ann Isaacson
11/10 Mary Jane Penwell
11/10 Elizabeth Cooper
11/10 Emma Wilfert
11/11 Charles Kolb
11/12 Richard Miller
11/12 Peter Schay
11/12 Jerry Carnegie
11/12 Jennifer DeFazio
11/12 Allison Millspaugh
11/13 Susan Alden
11/13 Paul Ghaffari
11/13 Griffin Sandberg
11/13 Hunter Serenbetz
11/13 Charlie Windels
11/14 Carol Mawhinney
11/14 Christine Chao
11/14 Craig Breismeister
11/14 Duncan Graham
11/14 Sam Grunow
11/14 Kimberly Jordaan
11/15 Cindy Bailey
11/15 Mark Montgomery
11/15 Steven Lico
11/16 Peter Grunow
11/17 David Silliphant
11/17 Nathaniel Sadler
11/17 Suzanna Ryckman
11/18 James Thomas
11/19 Betty Bonsal
11/19 Gail Lauridsen
11/19 Peter Sibirzeff
11/19 Robert LaCivita
11/19 Matias Healy
11/19 William Van Rhyn
11/19 Christopher Ryckman
11/20 Richard Gilbert
11/20 Paula Mickley
11/20 Miran Robarts
11/20 Rebecca Berlin
11/20 Avanelle Kelly
11/21 Bill Fossum
11/21 Judy Goodchild
11/21 Ann Claps
11/21 Taylor Ware
11/22 Dennis Humbert
11/22 Suzanne Dakin
11/22 Kurt von Holzhausen
11/22 Kimberly Dempsey
11/22 Maddie Dunn
11/23 Kristen Quick
11/24 Sean Brady
11/24 Katherine Jacobs
11/24 Jennifer Provoost
11/24 Terence Flanagan
11/25 Maesie Clarkson Wylie
11/25 Caroline Farriss
11/25 Aydin Rose
11/25 Taylor Pratt
11/26 Harry Culpen
11/26 Pat Larrabee
11/27 Sandra McCue
11/28 Rosina Primo
11/28 Diana Frazier
11/28 Michael Russell
11/28 Ryan Perez
11/29 Patricia Leibfried
11/29 Robert Morris
11/30 George Friend
11/30 Jenna Benoit
11/30 Chloe Mackell
11/30 Samuel Jenkins
11/30 Sloan Jacoby
11/30 Caitlyn O'Gorman
18 The Meet inghouse Monthly
Mark Your Calendars:
Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, November 3. Please remember to turn your clocks BACK one hour the night before! The Church Offices will be closed Thursday, November 28 and Friday, November 29 for the Thanksgiving holiday.
L ife E vents:
Death Richard Hermance
To receive the Meetinghouse Monthly via email please contact
Barbara Wilkov at 203-637-1791 ext 24 or
Stop by and enjoy a bit of Maine hospitality and shopping!
Don’t miss this great opportunity for our congregation to support the H.O.M.E.
19 The Meet inghouse Monthly
You’re Invited to Prepare for Christmas
with Family, Friends & Fun …
Come to the Advent Craft Workshop!
Sunday, December 1 2:00 – 4:00 PM in the Daniels Center
Make your own gifts & ornaments. Hear music of the season, and make new friends!
Sponsored by the Church School Task Force
The Annual H.O.M.E. Craft Sale!
Saturday, November 23, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
&
Sunday, November 24, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
community! Come see the handmade quilts, Christmas decorations and gifts, woolens, pottery, wooden toys, weavings, homemade jams, maple syrup, and much, much more! H.O.M.E. (Homeworkers Organized for More Employment) is a craft co-operative working with the rural poor in Hancock County, Maine. H.O.M.E.’s efforts to help those in need include the operation of a free clinic, a soup kitchen and food bank, homeless shelters, learning center with daycare, literacy and GED tutoring, alternative high school and college-level programs, and job and craft training.
ALL PROCEEDS FROM THIS SALE GO DIRECTLY TO H.O.M.E.
The First Congregational Church of Greenwich Ministers: The Members of The First Congregational Church of Greenwich
Interim Senior Pastor: Rev. John W. Collins, [email protected] Associate Pastor for Youth Ministry: Rev. Mark D. Montgomery, [email protected]
Associate Pastor for Communication and Adult Education: Rev. Daniel B. England, [email protected] Associate Pastor for Pastoral Care: Rev. Avery C. Manchester, [email protected]
Director of Music: Dr. Craig Scott Symons, [email protected] Director of Church School: Rosemary Lamie, [email protected] Director of Membership: Ginny Breismeister, [email protected]
Director of Communications: Barbara Wilkov, [email protected] Parish Nurse: Susan Asselin, RN, [email protected]
Director of Preschool: Darla Kohler, [email protected] 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
Children’s Page
New bridge in Binney Park
20 The Meet inghouse Monthly