The Meetinghouse News The First Congregational Church of Madison

February 2014

The First Congregational Church of Madison

United Church of Christ

26 Meetinghouse Lane, Madison, CT

(203) 245-2739

Email: mainoffice@fccmadison.org

Web Site: fccmadison.org

CALL TO MEETING

To the active members of the First Congregational Church of Madison, CT Pursuant to the rules of the Church:

A Meeting of the First Congregational Church of Madison CT will be held on Sunday, February 23, 2014

in the Meetinghouse immediately following Church Service: The purpose of the meeting is as follows:

Motion to approve the funding of an Acting Associate Pastor for Youth and Family Services

for a period of one year.

Attest: Kim Malcolm, Clerk of the Church Dated: January 17, 2014 ******************************************************************************************* Communication meetings to explain and discuss this proposal are scheduled for Sunday, February 9th and 16th following worship.

__________________________________________________________________________________

“A welcoming and inclusive spiritual community, an Open and Affirming Church.”

WHAT’S ON YOUR BOOKSHELF?

In commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the death of C.S. Lewis, who ranks among the greatest Christian writers of the 20

th century, we recommend Mere Christianity and

The Chronicles of Narnia series.

In Mere Christianity C.S. Lewis explores the common ground upon which all of the Christian faiths stand together. Bringing together Lewis’s legendary broadcast talks during World War Two talks from his three previous books, The Case for Christianity, Christian Behavior, and Beyond Personality, Mere Christianity provides an unequaled opportunity for believers and nonbelievers alike to hear this powerful testimony to the Christian faith..

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, was first published in 1950, but C.S. Lewis began piecing together the story long before that. The tales and ancient myths his Irish nurse told always fascinated him, and when he was sixteen, a picture of a faun carrying parcels and an umbrella in the snowy woods popped into his head. Years later, during World War II, four children stayed with Mr. Lewis at his country house and stirred his imagination again. Not long afterward, he began writing the story that would become The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

While writing, Mr. Lewis incorporated creatures from the myths along with his own memories -- like that of the old wardrobe in which he and his brother used to sit. As

the children found their way into Narnia, he was still unsure of what his story would be about. Then, the image of Aslan came to him. Mr. Lewis once said, “I don't know where the Lion came from or why he came. But once he was there, he pulled the whole story together.”

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IN THIS SEASON OF GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS AND OSCAR WINNING MOVIES:

We Invite You To the FCC Cinema For

An Intergenerational Movie Night Celebrating the works and life of C.S. Lewis

On Sat. February 8, 2014 At 7:00 pm Admission is free

Refreshments will be served

The evening will include two features run simultaneously. One will The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, a film from the Chronicles of Narnia series beloved by children 8 – 108.

The other will be the public television broadcast, The Life and Faith of C.S. Lewis: The Magic Never Ends. The Magic Never Ends, a multi-award-winning program, is the most complete portrait of this world-renowned author considered by many to be the greatest Christian writer of the 20

th century.

The program chronicles Lewis’s remarkable life – his childhood in Northern Ireland and the devastating loss of his mother, the profound impact of World War I on his belief system, his transition from atheist to Christian and his late-in-life love story with his wife, Joy. In 2002 this film received the Gabriel Award winner for “Best Documentary”. Save the date and join the fun.

FCC MADISON WEBSITE

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fccmadison.org

MEN'S TUESDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY –We meet at 7:00 a.m. in the Parlor. Come and join us as we embark upon a new study and discussions. As always everyone is

welcome to join us. Bring a coffee and/or a friend or two; we look forward to seeing you. We will be finished by 8:00 a.m. Turn up as you are able. Why not drop in before your commute. It’s OK if you have to leave early. Any questions please feel free to call Colin Reeve (203) 421-7949 or the office (203) 245-2739 x20.

HELP US HELP YOU

PASTORAL VISITS – If you or someone you know would appreciate a pastoral visit, please call the church office at 203-245-2739 x-20. This will help get your information to the Pastors in a timely manner. Please pass along hospital information as well.

ONGOING OUTREACH PROGRAM In order to further enhance the Outreach activities of our Church, Church Council designates the Plate Collection from the third Sunday of each month for a specific mission. Plate collections include all un-designated cash in the plate and any checks that are identified

with the name of the mission on the memo line. Checks will also be collected through the end of each month for that mission. Pledges will continue to be placed in the collection plates on the third Sunday of the month.

THE DESIGNATED MISSION FOR FEB. 16TH IS Madison’s Neighbor to Neighbor The Mission of the Madison Foundation Neighbor to Neighbor Fund is to help our neighbors in need through challenging times. Through financial donations and volunteer support, Neighbor to Neighbor complements the efforts of the Madison Community Services Food Pantry by broadening the range of services provided. It also assists Madison Youth and Family Services by providing grants to our neighbors for energy and other critical needs as the economic climate demands.

Laurie Heflin, our speaker, has served many years on the Madison Foundation Board of Directors and is currently the Founding Director of the Madison foundation Neighbor to Neighbor Fund which was established almost five years ago. She will speak with us during worship on Feb. 16 to give us a full picture of what this organization does and how they help our neighbors in need and inform us on how we can help them achieve their goals.

Our Senior Youth Group meetings will help you build stronger connections and explore your faith in a fun, meaningful way…plus the food & activities are great!

Any high school student is welcome, church membership is not required. This is your GROUP, let’s make a difference!

We meet every Sunday at 5:17 p.m. in the Undercroft Contact Sue Timony-Hall, Director of Children and Youth Ministry, to be

sure you’re on our email distribution list so get in on all the fun! stimonyhall@fccmadison.org

NEXT UP: SUNDAY, 1/26 - Instead of 5:17 GROUP in the Undercroft, we will meet at FCC at 1:00pm and travel to FLIGHT TRAMPOLINE PARK in New Britain, CT where we will jump, play dodge ball & basketball (if you'd like) all on trampolines from 2:00-4:00 pm. We will return to FCC by 5:00 pm. Cost is $23.00 per person. There are vending machines for snacks/drinks. Water bottles are allowed. We have 15 spots booked but can increase/decrease that number but must have a FINAL headcount by Thursday, 1/23. Drivers needed.

IN ADDITION TO THE FCC PERMISSION SLIP (that must be filled out PRIOR to leaving FCC), participants MUST go online and fill out a WAIVER for Flight at www.flightct.com

and BRING IT filled out and signed on 1/26.

YSOP MISSION WEEKEND: FRIDAY – SATURDAY, MARCH 28-29. Time to commit to joining us for an overnight service trip to serve in NYC Soup Kitchens. $70 per participant. Contact Laurie ASAP for more details mainoffice@fccmadison.org Final Deadline for registration: February 1st.

PLEDGE ENVELOPES Envelopes for pledge contributions will be available during Coffee Hour in December. Please note that the envelopes in the boxes will only be for the first half of 2014. For any assistance with your pledge, please contact Marcia Stone (203-245-2739 x23).

FROM THE FINANCE OFFICE

Asking everyone to continue same pattern of pledge giving/or regular contributions during January through June 2014 as you did during 2013.

Offering envelopes – available during Coffee Hour or call Marcia (203) 245-2739 x 23.

Each year the budget includes an amount for “Prior Year Pledges” – if you still have a balance from 2013 and are financially able to complete that commitment please do so – please indicate on check that the contribution is for 2013.

Pledging process for fiscal year beginning 7/1/2014 will take place in March and April.

SCHUBERT’S WINTERREISE

Friday, February 7th - 7:00 pm

Tenor Richard F. Donohue will be accompanied by his father, Richard Wm.

Donohue, for this special presentation of Schubert’s Winterreise, a song cycle for

voice and piano. Composed in two parts in 1827, each part contains twelve songs

based on poems by Wilhelm Mueller.

DUO RECITAL

Friday, February 14th - 7:30 pm

Celebrate Valentine’s Day by coming to hear David Gale (violin),

Roslyn Huang (violin), and Riko Higuma (piano) in a Duo-Recital.

Presenting works by Leclair, Brahms, Schumann, and Moszkowski.

ROY ASSAF JAZZ TRIO

Friday, February 21st - 7:00 pm

Delivering fresh color to the world of music, this trio blends traditional

jazz with Middle Eastern rhythms, singable melodies and danceable

rhythms. The trio has performed across North America, and Assaf has

toured internationally and has played with some of the world’s most

influential jazz bands.

ASYLUM QUARTET

Saturday, March 15th - 7:00 pm

Lauded for “nonstop virtuoso skills” (Times Herald-Record, New York),

the Asylum Quartet plays everything from lush classical works,

minimalism, and modernism to indie rock, world music, and klezmer.

The four classically-trained saxophonists met as graduate students at

The Hartt School in West Hartford, Connecticut.

NEW ENGLAND CHAMBER CHOIR

Sunday, March 16th - 4:00 pm

Under the direction of Richard Wm. Donohue, the New England

Chamber Choir will be presenting “Music for Lent and Easter”. Works

to be presented include music by Franz Liszt, Anton Bruckner, William

Byrd, George F. Handel and Mark-Antoine Charpentier.

A SPECIAL NOTE OF THANKS

With love and appreciation, Steve and I want to thank all who over the years have loved our daughter, Sue. The Memorial Service touched us deeply. A big thank you to Pat, Boyd, Laurie, Wally and all from Lay Caring along with those who helped and contributed refreshments for the reception. We have felt and continue to feel loved and cared for by our church community. With gratitude, Steve and Helena Meader

THANK YOU TO OUR CHRISTMAS PAGEANT STARS, FAMILIES AND HELPERS

It was wonderful to be able to share the “True Meaning of Christmas” with our church family at the 12/22 worship service. You can view our pageant on youtube through our website fccmadison.org.

HEIFER PROJECT INTERNATIONAL

Thank you to all in our church family who made donations to

Heifer Project International this holiday season!!

A big thank you to all of our Sunday School kids who collected spare change in their Ark Banks to help children across the world. Every bit helps, and you all have made a dif-ference in the lives of other children.

The JYG, Junior Youth Group meets monthly for friendship forming events and service projects. All 5

th – 8

th graders are welcome. No church membership

necessary. Please contact Sue for information. stimonyhall@fccmadison.org.

WOMEN’S LEAGUE – 12:00 p.m., Thursday, February 6th

.

At February’s gathering we will welcome Nancy Bastian, Archivist at the Charlotte L. Evarts Memorial Archives. The program theme is “Love in Old Madison”. The archives are located in Memorial Hall here in Madison. She will share precious items from the collection.

All women of the church are welcome to attend and to bring a friend. If you are not on the calling tree please make sure to call the church office (203) 245-2739 ext. 20 and tell Laurie that you will be attending and to include in your message whether you will also be bringing guests. This allows the luncheon committee to prepare and setup for the event. There will be a brief worship service at noon in the Chapel followed by a luncheon and program in Hubley Hall. It is fine if you can only attend the luncheon and program but remember we need your reservation for setup.

“SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND”

If you’re looking for a heartfelt sense of satisfaction and purpose, you might just find it by serving on a church commission. All of our commissions, which are listed below, have openings beginning June 1; filling these openings is a function of the Membership Commission.

Adult Ministry Children & Youth Fellowship Finance Membership Outreach Personnel Properties Stewardship Worship Pardee Youth Fund Memorial Gifts

Keep in mind that FCC Madison is on the threshold of new beginnings. Serving on a commission is a fine way to share the journey that will lead us from where we are now to where we want to be. To indicate your interest or for more information, call Cathy Hopkins, Membership chair, 203-245-2021.

SOUP KITCHEN VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY – Family volunteer day at the Soup Kitchen Saturday, Feb. 1

st!

The Junior and Senior youth groups are hosting the brunch this month. We’d love to see lots of families join in! Or you can support this important mission of our church by donating food items, preparing a breakfast casserole or dessert. Food needs include beverages (orange juice, apple juice, milk), fruit, muffins, breakfast casseroles and desserts. Food may be dropped off in the church kitchen on Friday, Jan. 31 (labeled soup kitchen) or at 7:30 a.m. on Feb. 1

st.

If you are interested in "working the brunch" we will leave FCC at 7:30 a.m. carpool to Old Lyme and return - after feeding 120 people - about 11:30 a.m.

PLEASE plan to stay until we have finished ALL our soup kitchen duties (that's clean up!)

Please contact Sue Timony-Hall at 203 245-2739 x-27 or stimonyhall@fccmadison.org if you are willing to say "yes" to helping with another delicious, nutritious brunch! We continue to collect toiletries for our Shoreline Soup Kitchen guests. There is a basket outside the main office for sample size toiletries, hotel toiletries (please bring them home from your travels here and there) as well as "regular" size. Our guests absolutely need these items and they "go" so quickly. This is an on-going collection. Additionally, we will collect used books to share with the Soup Kitchen guests. There will be a collection box outside of the main office from 1/17-1/31. Please consider sharing the joy of reading with these needy families. Gently used children, teen and adult books gratefully accepted.

SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE

10:00 a.m. In the Meetinghouse

SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:15 - 11:15 a.m.

Communion Served First Sunday Each Month

Our Worship service is

broadcast on Madison Access TV

Channel 18

Sunday 12:00 noon WORSHIP ON WEDNESDAY 3rd Wednesday each month

7:30 p.m. In the Chapel

The First Congregational Church Of Madison

26 Meetinghouse Lane, Madison, CT 06443 Overlooking the Green

An Open and Affirming Church

The Meetinghouse News February 2014

The Rev. Patricia L. Liberty Interim Senior Pastor

The Rev. Boyd M. Johnson Minister of Pastoral Care And Visitation

Phone: 203-245-2739 Fax: 203-245-3341 E-mail: mainoffice@fccmadison.org Website: fccmadison.org Facebook: First Congregational Church of Madison, CT

Email to: Laurie Satterwhite

mainoffice@fccmadison.org

Deadline for the March 2014 issue is

February 6th!

Non-profit U.S. Postage

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