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CCB Amazing! 
News & Events to Nourish Your Soul By 
congratulations 2013Greetings!   

Can you believe it is June already?  School is ending soon and for some, the high school graduation is FINALLY here!

Per usual, we are ending the year with much activity and celebration.  Please read on for more details.

Gone for the Summer?

Please remember to drop off or mail in your contributions in order to maintain a stable cash flow through the summer months.  A steady flow of income will help us preserve our investment portfolio. 

Checks can be mailed to the church at:

Congregational Church of Burlington

P.O. Box 1291, Burlington, CT 06013

Please remember to mark your envelope # on your check. Thank you.

Call to Special Meeting - June 9th
From the Deacon's Bench

Immediately following Service on Sunday, June 9th, a Special Meeting of the Congregation is being brought forth by the Business Committee.

The following is on the Agenda:
  1. Vote on recommended Steeple & Roof Repairs
  2. Provide update on Water Line Hookup approved in 2011 (estimated costs and time-frame)
  3. Discuss 2013 Budget short-fall and the recommended Church Fund to withdraw from in order to maintain required cash flow.

A Quorum (25 voting Members of the Congregation) will be needed, so please make time to help guide our Church activities.  Thank you. 

CE Corner - Youth Sunday and More!

June 16th is a big day in our church: It is Baccalaureate Sunday and Youth Sunday!  Please join us as we give out the Annual Step and Attendance Awards!

If you wish to feel young at heart again, consider helping out and contact Lynn Ierardi or any of the CE members.

Reverend Taylor will also honor all of those graduating from high school or college on June 16th.  If you have any family members we can congratulate, please email Joanne Kurnik, Church Secretary, or Jill Treff, Superintendent, so we can include your "grad"!

As is our tradition, we will also be taking up a special collection for the Frank Parmer Fund to replenish the fund his family set up to provide monies to help our children and youth go on mission trips and attend Silver Lake Camp.  Special envelopes are in the Chapel Room.

Please make checks payable to the Congregational Church of Burlington, note it's for the Frank Parmer Fund and place it in the collection plate with your regular offering.  Thanks to all who help this worthy cause.

As always thank you for entrusting your children to us each Sunday and thank you to our teachers who give of themselves to the glory of God and our church family.

Incoming Pre-Confirmation Class Parents

Christian Education would like to get the parents and kids in next year's Pre-Confirmation class together to plan a schedule that works for everyone.

We will be contacting the parents of next year's 8th graders to have a brief meeting either during the summer months or in early September.

The goal is to create an active and fun class for the kids as they grow spiritually toward the Sacrament of Confirmation.  Tim Higley or Jill Treff will be in touch to set this special meeting.
Fundraising News - It Begins with Fun! 

Here are the active events going on, please support as many as you can...each success helps out immensely!  Here you go:
  • Spring Raffle to be held June 23rd: Click here to learn about the TV and Kindle our Church is raffling off this year.  It's only $2 per ticket and the winner does not need to be present.

    Please support this event by purchasing and/or selling tickets.  We need to sell lots of tickets to make this a profitable event.
      
  • Wine Tasting, June 8th: Peter Turner, our local wine expert, is once again hosting two (2) seatings at the Elton Brown Tavern, 4 pm and 7 pm.  Tickets are limited and you can find out the details and RSVP by visiting the Event Page
     
  • Malerbo Concession Stand: Thanks to all who have and will volunteer...we are booked through June 8th and only need one more person for early AM June 15th.  Awesome!

    Sign up sheets are in the Chapel Room and are posted online here.  Just email Maryann if you can help. 
  • Can & Bottle Drive, July 20th: Early notice that the Big Tex will be rolling this day for the Post-Fourth of July party returns!  Just come down to donate and/or volunteer, it all helps. 
  • Tavern Day - Sunday, September 8th: Burger & Dog grill, apple crisp and baked potatoes. 

If you would like to be notified of committee meeting times, please email Sue Laramie ([email protected]).  

Covenant to Care for Youth - UPDATE
Thank you all very much for all your generous donations of toiletries and school supplies!  The bin is overflowing!

Those items will be delivered this week and the bin will be replaced outside the kitchen door.

We have delivered two birthday gifts recently to young people on Colleen's caseload.  For each birthday, we had a Sunday School class make hand made Happy Birthday cards.  The gifts and the cards were so appreciated - Winona and Evron send along many, many thanks!

We have three summer birthdays coming up:
  • Cameron will be 22 on July 11th
  • Crystal will be 20 on July 22nd
  • Terrance will be 18 on August 1st.
We would like one or two people to purchase small gifts or gift cards to let these "kids" know someone is thinking of them on their special day.  Colleen says that many of these children are not used to getting much attention on their birthdays, let alone something purchased or hand made just for them.

If you are interested in finding out more about one of these young people, and/or getting them something for their birthday, please contact one of us.

Lastly, Colleen would like to ask for $5 gift cards from places like Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, McDonalds, etc. which will be used as game prizes at the annual Department of Children and Families (DCF) Graduation Party on June 27th. (Editor Note: The Scrip program can accommodate $10 cards, just saying!)

This party is for all youth under DCF care who are graduating and it's a chance to celebrate this milestone since many don't have families with whom to celebrate.  If you are able to donate a small prize, please give it to one of us after church on June 9th or June 16th.

As always, thank you for your generosity!

Holly Groleau and Linda Sartinsky
Music Committee News

Our first dedicated "Organ Fund" Fundraising Event will be this month.  Please consider coming to see the talented kids that are recognized in our region as being very, very good:
  • Talent Show, Friday June 14th, 6 pm to 9 pm - This special event will be held at the Lewis Mills High School featuring two very popular bands, "The Ferns" and "Touch of Color".

    The tickets cost $10 and other acts will be added for an awe inspiring evening of talent.  Spread the word and we hope to see you there.

Thank You for Your Support 

 

Thanks to all who supported our April Music Series featuring The Mark Templeton Jazz Trio - attendees, bakers, ushers, Men's Ministry, Joanne Kurnik our Church Secretary and others who offered to help.

 

They put on a great show and we were so appreciative of all of your support.

 

Choir News

The Choir will be taking their Summer Sabbatical beginning June 16th and will commence once again on September 15th.

This has been a very positive season and we are looking forward to many new plans for more musical aspirations come fall.

Interested in joining the Choir?  Know of someone who has mentioned an interest?  Well, we have a few empty choir chairs available (the best seats in the house!).  Just contact our Music Director, Chris Dabbo, or simply join us on September 15th @ 8:30 am for practice.

There are no auditions, just open arms and fellowship!
More News of Interest...
Hear ye, Hear Ye...more news!
  • The Flower Committee welcomes Celia McDonald and Debbie Muszynski to the team!  We would like to thank all those who have donated an arrangement to beautify the altar in honor or in memory of a loved one or occasion.  We invite you to check the Flower Calendar in the Chapel Room and select an open date to remember someone special in your life.
     
  • Coffee Hour & Lay Readers - The Deacons wish to thank all who signed up for one or both tasks!  We will reach out soon to see if you wish to continue in September.  If you want to be on the list, by all means join the fun!  Just let Jerry Burns or Paulette Evans know.
     
  • Cub Scout Flag Retirement Ceremony - On Saturday, June 15th @ 7 pm the Cub Scouts will have a United States Flag Retirement Ceremony in our dirt parking lot.  The protocol calls for the flag to be properly burned and honored.  Stop by if you can.
     
  • Cub Scout Car Wash - Help support our sponsored Cub Scout Pack as they clean our cars on Saturday, June 22nd from 9 am until 1 pm in our parking lot.  They support our fundraisers, so let's do the same for them.
Thank You for the Mulch Donation!
Thank You for the Mulch Donation!
 
I would like to take a moment to thank Nick McGuffie of Supreme Forest Products in Harwinton for their generous mulch donation
for our Spring Cleanup on May 18th. 
 
I ask that you support a local business owner, Kevin Boucher, and his company if you have any mulch, topsoil, wood chip or compost needs.

It was without prompting that Nick offered the mulch as a donation because they believe in supporting the local communities.
 
Hopefully, we can return the favor!  Thank you again, Nick!
In This Issue
Call to Special Meeting June 9th
CE Corner - Youth Sunday
Fundraising Activities
Covenant to Care for Youth Update
Music News
And Much More...
Thank You for the Mulch Donation

Pastor's Monthly Message

Pastor's Monthly Message

From the
Deacon's Bench
From the Deacon's Bench

Moments With God
Moment's With God

Special Links
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Congregational Church of Burlington
Wow, busy, busy, busy...and we all know the perks of the Congregational Church Summer Attendance Policy! Just kidding Rev. Taylor!

As the Chairperson of the Business Committee, I am concerned about our Church's present and future.  One of my primary concerns is our current Budget Deficit of nearly $27,000, how to decrease it and, hopefully, eliminate it.

Let me suggest a possible solution:
  • Increase your weekly pledge by $10 per week if your financial situation has improved since last year.  This will equate to an extra $520 annually. 
  • If we get 50 individuals and/or families doing this, the budget deficit is pretty much eliminated on an annual basis. 
  • Keep that level going forward combined with the steady growth of Fundraising and we can be at a break-even budget for quite some time.  It may even build up the General Fund, for a change! 

I realize it is a lot to ask before the summer travel and vacation season and I am aware from personal experience that everyone has not had good luck financially.

 

Maybe we are all giving what we can, but I feel it is my duty to ask in my current role. 

 

I hope you all understand why I ask: Because I love this Congregation and I care about its future.  At the very least, this moment of personal reflection will guide us for next year's budget.

 

These and other matters will be discussed in further detail at the Special Meeting on June 9th immediately following Service.  Hope to see you there.

 

Peace be with you, 

 

Jerry Burns
Business Committee Chair
Copyright (c) 2013 Congregational Church of Burlington