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September 2006 Worship ServicesSaturday,
September 2, 2006 Communion 5:00 p.m. Rev. Patricia L. Liberty Please
join us for potluck supper after the service. ______________ Sunday,
September 3, 2006 Thirteenth
Sunday After Pentecost Communion 8:00 & 10:00 a.m. Rev. Patricia L. Liberty Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9 Psalm 15 James 1:17-27 Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 ______________ Sunday,
September 10, 2006 Fourteenth
Sunday After Pentecost Rally
Day 8:00 & 10:00 a.m. Rev. Patricia L. Liberty Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23 Psalm 125 James 2:1-10, (11-13), 14-17 Mark 7:24-37 ______________ Sunday,
September 17, 2006 Fifteenth
Sunday After Pentecost 8:00 & 10:00 a.m. Rev. Patricia L. Liberty Proverbs 1:20-33 Psalm 19 James 3:1-12 Mark 8:27-38 ______________ Sunday,
September 24, 2006 Sixteenth
Sunday After Pentecost 8:00 & 10:00 a.m. Rev. Patricia L. Liberty Proverbs 31:10-31 Psalm 1 James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a Mark 9:30-37 The
Anchor “Imitate
those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”
Hebrews
6:12; 19
September,
2006 Vol. 46 Issue
9 From Pastor Pat Looking ahead to September means collecting ourselves back to worship
and settling in to life in a different rhythm.
I look forward to seeing many of our church community who cruise or
travel during the summer and, sadly, will say farewell to some who return to
warmer climates as fall arrives.
·
There is much work and
ministry to be done. The Youth
Space program is moving forward and will continue to grow. ·
Stewardship and adult
education programs will soon be in full swing reminding us of our need to be
active in the world sharing our resources, and continuing to learn and grow in
our faith. · Children's
ministries will soon welcome our young people back for another year of growing
in their faith. Again, your skills
and talents are needed. And,
we need to be together, in worship and around the table at the baptismal font;
in all the places where we are reminded what it means to be God's people and
what it means to be the church … the remedy for uncertainty is not trying to
orchestrate outcomes, but rather leaning on each other and seeking God's grace
and care in its midst.
Grace and Peace, Pastor Pat The
Conference Connection By Sue Barker Oct 2006 to Apr 2007—A.C.E. Program Since 1970, the Associates in Christian Education Program has trained Christian Educators, lay leaders and clergy for educational ministries in the church. Beginning in October, the program meets every two weeks through April. Spaces are still open in the fourteen-member class. For more information, call Rev. Charles Ericson at xxx-xxx-xxxx xxx or connect with http://www.ctucc.org/program/ACE.html for program details and the registration form. October 20-21 Connecticut Fall Annual Meeting “Let
it Shine . . . Around the World” is the theme of the Connecticut Conference
Fall Annual Meeting to be held at Hartford’s Convention Center.
Keynote speaker will be the Rev. Cally Rogers-Witte, Executive Minister
for Wider Church Ministries. The
meeting will be preceded by a clergy luncheon and guest speaker Dr. Heidi
Hadsell, President of Hartford Seminary. The Community Team will bring their
recommendations to the gathered body. Two
resolutions have been submitted for our consideration.
Details may be found on the conference website www.ctucc.org. Affirming Faith Kick –Off Retreat All who are participating in the Affirming Faith classes (formerly known as Confirmation Class) are invited. Come to the Youth Space for drop-in from 9:00-11:00 p.m. and then stay overnight for the retreat. We will end with dinner on Saturday. Permission slips and additional information will go out the first week in September. Please contact Pastor Pat for more information. INQUIRER’S
CLASS at 9:00 a.m. in the Library for conversation and exploration. Then, join us on Wednesday, October 25th, at Keith and Sue Barker's residence for a social time and further introduction to MCC. If you decide to share your faith journey with us, we will welcome New Members on October 29th at the 10:00 a.m. service. If you have questions or would like more information, please speak with Pastor Pat or with a member of the Board of Deacons. Book
of Life Entered into Eternal Rest:
Elizabeth Russell Beebe, on August 10, 2006.
Nancy Horn Soderberg, on
August 17, 2006. Married:
Arthur
Josephus Shaw IV & Jiayi Zhang, on August 6, 2006.
Joe is the son of Art & Marie Shaw. TRUSTEES
UPDATE Our current projects include: · 5 new windows for the rest of the Moran Building (Frank Jurin) - completed · replacement of Parish Hall floor covering with easy maintenance surface (Julie Stone and Kathleen O’Beirne) – should be done by early September ·??redesign
of Connector roof to prevent puddling and leakage (Russ Cumming) NOTES FROM REV. LOIS HAPPE, REGIONAL MINISTER Please keep the following churches in
your prayers: · Abington Congregational Church – Rev. Bruce Hedman, pastor September 3 · First Congregational Church, Andover – Rev. Ed Cornell, interim pastor September 10 · Bolton Congregational Church UCC – Rev. Charles Ericson, pastor September 17 ·
Federated Church of Christ, Brooklyn – Rev. Paulette Harwood,
pastor September
24 Report from Colombia --
“Sowing Seeds of Peace”
Before the Partnership delegation returned from Colombia, each member received from Ricardo Esquivia a large, dark seed called “ox eye,” very much like the chocolate brown buckeyes I remember from the Midwest, with the urgent plea to tend the seeds that had been sown during their 10 day sojourn to Colombia. My personal commitment is to speak to as many people as possible on behalf of the people of Colombia – at churches, at clergy gatherings, at workshops, at special events within the region, with members of Congress and their staff – anyone who needs to know more about how the situation in Colombia is affecting ordinary folks, those who have neither created the conflict and have little power to end it. September
29-30 Eastern District Women’s
Fellowship Annual Retreat Each year, women of
the Eastern District are invited to gather for a weekend of refreshment and
retreat. The theme for this
year’s retreat will be “Going on a Treasure Hunt: Discovering our inner
Beauty.” Accommodations are at Camp Wightman in North Stonington;
leader will be the Rev. Lee Ireland. The registration fee of $90 includes
lodging and meals from Friday afternoon through Saturday afternoon.
For information and registration materials, contact Barbara Seagraves at
xxx-xxx-xxxx.
HELP
WANTED!!! Leni, our office secretary, is taking her annual vacation from Oct. 2 to Oct. 20. We are fortunate to have volunteers willing to cover the office while Leni is away but we need more. The time involved is either 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 2 to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. Mainly, the work involves taking telephone messages and greeting people who come into the office area. To
volunteer for one or more slots, there is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board
in Leni’s room or you may call the office at 536-4259.
Thank you! 3Oth ANNUAL CROP WALK Over the years, thousands of walkers have covered the seven miles from St. Mark’s Church to Noank Baptist Church and back in support of the international emergency work of Church World Service. Now, as we celebrate this 30th anniversary, the Mission Committee aims for 30 walkers from our church, twice the usual number, to meet at St. Mark’s at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 15, and join friends from around the town for this significant milestone. Designated drivers patrol the route
for walkers who wish to shorten the walk for health or time constraints, and so the degree of
participation is up to you. Look
for the 30 footprints on the Mission bulletin board in the Parish Hall and write
your name on one to indicate that you will participate.
Pledges are crucial for CWS’ timely response to critical needs around
the world. Walkers and sponsors are
appreciated. The Music Committee is happy to announce that The
Yale Whiffenpoofs will entertain us with a late afternoon concert on October 15th in the sanctuary. We are fortunate to be able to offer this performance, in part due to a gift from Herbert Kearsley's estate, and gifts made to us in memory of Philip Greene, both devoted members of the choir for many years. The members of the
Whiffenpoofs are all senior men who sing a cappella and travel and perform
extensively. Hold the date and watch for further announcements. YOUTH MINISTRY The summer has been a time of blossoming and growth in the use of our Youth Space. Since the opening party on June 29, the walk-in times (7:00-9:00 p.m. for middle school and 9:00-11:00 p.m. for high school) have been well attended. The walk-in times provide an excellent opportunity for our youth to gather in a safe and fun environment. This opportunity is available not only because of the church's willingness to build a tremendous facility but also because of the dedication of the volunteers who staff these walk-in times. We are always
looking for people willing to volunteer for a few hours to help out our youth.
This is an opportunity to meet, converse and play games with the 7-15
youth that use the facility every Friday. Or
you can bring a book, crossword puzzle, or sodoku and do your thing while
providing the opportunity to the youth to hang out.
If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Jamie McGee at xxx-xxxx. September Story Hour
Readers Readers at the Norwich Family Shelter for September are Natalie Billing, Connie Blair, Patti Burmahl, Jody Capen, Tessa Getchis, Betty Guadliana, Merin Troutman, and Ruth Webster. Our
reading program is on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 7:30. Anyone interested in
information or volunteering, please contact Elaine Sloan at xxx-xxxx or Betty
Guadliana at xxx-xxxx. BAZAAR
MEETING All committee coordinators will gather on Thursday, September 7th, at 9:30 a.m. in the Library. WOMEN’S EVENING FELLOWSHIP MYSTIC DINE AROUND September 13th, Wednesday, 7:00 p.m. Let’s meet at church and leave for a dinner on the town! WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM“What Does the Lord Require of Us?” will be on Tuesday,
Sept. 12th, at 9:15 a.m. Nancy
Evans will facilitate small group discussion of Micah’s three-part response:
“to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your
God.” MINISTRY OF ADULT CHRISTIAN EDUCATION (M.A.C.E.) Please plan on joining us for the following: I.
M.A.C.E. will be sponsoring several sessions to discuss the series PREPARING
FOR THE EXPECTED AND UNEXPECTED to
be held on the following Mondays: September
18th, September 25th, and October 2nd at StoneRidge.
It is possible that there will be a fourth session. The time(s) and topics will be advised soon.
Please look for further information in the weekly bulletins. II. M.A.C.E. will also be presenting BOOK TALK opportunities for the congregation in October. When: 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Sundays October 15th, October 22nd, and October 29th. Where: Church Library What:
Discussion of Jimmy
Carter's Book, Our
Endangered Values M.A.C.E. committee members will be leading a lively discussion of several general topics that Jimmy Carter touches upon in this book about "America's Moral Crisis". Topic choices will be finalized soon. Please look for additional information in the weekly Bulletins. Possible topics are: · Fundamentalism in Government · Terrorism · Attacking Terrorism, Not Human rights? · Justice for the Poor · Separation of Religion and Politics ·
Women's rights !
“In giving, we receive.” Sponsor:
Stewardship Committee
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