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Thursday Reminder October 1, 2015
An Online Ezine
Pentecost 2015


Greetings from your church! 

Special guest this Sunday, Chris George of IRIS, Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services at the 10:15 Service.

In This Reminder
This Week
Items for Consideration
Coming Up
Your Stewardship
Housekeeping
Extras!
This Week


  
Saturday, October 3rd, 2015: Diocesan Safe Church Training starts at 9 a.m., ends at 4 p.m. You must have registered before hand with the Diocese. Call them immediately if you still need to register! Lunch is provided for those who are registered.

 
Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost, 
October 4, 2015

8 a.m. Holy Communion 
9:00 a.m. Choir rehearsal
9:15 a.m. Rectory Chapel (with Dave & Nine6teen)
10:15 a.m. Family Eucharist; Dave, Preacher and Celebrant; Slightly extended Coffee Hour time to do a Q/A with Chris George of IRIS after his time in the Church School
Church School and Teen Programs in Session.

The Leaflet can be found here
The Announcements can be found here
 
A blessing for our Church School teachers and teen leaders with the "laying on of hands" can be found Here.

Deadline for November Courier is October 23rd!

Readings are Track One, a link can be found here 

October Courier can be found here

October Calendar and Schedule is found here

The September '15 to January '16 Coffee Hour Team Schedule can be found here
 
Pastoral Emergencies or to put someone on the Prayer Chain please call the office: 860-315-7780 or Dave's Cell Phone, 860-608-7632. 
 
Eucharistic Visitors see under Teen Program for Safe Church Training.
 
 
Church School Notes


 
   
This Sunday, October 4th, there will be a very special program downstairs at 10:30 with Chris George, Executive Director of IRIS (Integrated Refugee and Immigration Services).
  Don't miss this timely program! We would like to help the people IRIS serves by collecting new or gently used linens, household items and personal care items (toothbrushes, hair combs & brushes, etc).  These are items people need right away when they go to temporary housing, and usually do not have. (A "wish list" was included in last week's bulletin insert.)  Please leave your donations in the box near the Church School bulletin board.  Thank you for your support!
 
Jan Galante returns this Sunday as our Godly Play Storyteller for preschool/kindergarten to wonder about more Old Testament stories.  (Thank you to Kirsten Rigney for being our Storyteller in September!) Thanks also to those who have stepped up to fill openings for Potter's Workshops in October... We will begin "Daniel; A Believer in Babylon" Storytelling, Legos, and Computer next Sunday for grades 1-5.
 
Parents are reminded to complete and return one 2015 Church School Registration form for each child attending Church School or Nursery.  Please also review our Behavior Management Protocol letter and return one acknowledgement per family.  Both of these documents can be obtained from our bulletin board area at the top of the stairs leading down to Church School, or from Nicole directly.  This is also where student sign-in sheets will be located each Sunday morning for parents to sign their child/ren in. 
 
We collect non-perishable foods and household items in our offering basket during chapel time each Sunday, so please work with your child to remember the needs of others each Sunday by bringing in something for our local food banks.
 
Nicole Nichols, Church School Director
 
Here is a copy of the fall Workshop Schedule, Sunday by Sunday. My contact is 860-928-2155, or by email:  ccchurchschoolpomfret@gmail.com
 
The Donations list for IRIS can also be found here
 

Teen Program Updates:


Rite-13 6 and 7th grades! The leaders for this group are Kim Bergandahl and Greg Nichols (Christine Carter will be advising this group in the fall). The Rite-13ers are working on the Vine and Branches photo directory project!

J2Aers:  See you on Sunday. J2A Leaders include Amy Nunes, Ginger Lusa & Adam Squires who are the point persons for this leadership team (there are three other more part-time leaders: Brian Smith, Steve Adams & Cyndi Sturni).
 
YACers:  This Sunday we're working on our Pilgrimage Presentation. Contact Jen Ritzau asap if you wish to help & if you have more info: 

Current Teen Leaders: HERE is a link to find PDF copies of all the different group materials. Note that the main item for each group is the manual of lesson plans that your team of leaders can use as they work for you!
 
Safe Church Training is required for all Teen Leaders that have not had it (Training at Christ Church on Saturday, Oct. 3rd is definitely ON! But here is a link to the Diocesan Schedule for other options:
 

Dee Dee Markes 
79 Mashamoquet Road  
Pomfret Center, CT 06259  
860.963.0846 860.617.7996  
deedeespa@charter.net 
 
Items for Consideration


 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 



First Take
Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost The full text of the readings can be found at the Lectionary Website here 

The reading from Mark 10 (verses 2-16) scheduled for this Sunday is largely focused on marriage. This would be one part of the Gospel that most of us would assume is simply outdated (there may be other spots as well :>). Jesus seems to insist that marriage is final. "What God has joined together let no one put asunder". That phrase is even in our current marriage service. But just about everything in the Gospels are "in context", related to the time and culture in which they were written. This is where interpretation comes in. The Episcopal Church has an understanding of divorce and remarriage that is compassionate about choices (Clergy routinely marry folks who have been married before as I have). Perhaps it's because we now feel that God does "put asunder" relationships, particularly love-less, abusive, controlling or neglectful ones. God-in-us can act to change our lives and to forge ahead on new paths. While some marriages can find healing and new life, some cannot. 

Something Different: Here is a poetic and rich NYTimes Opinion article by Margot Mifflin, "Learning to die". Here is another great article called "Stop Googling, let's talk", a probing article on this internet age and how that reduces rather than increases our sense of compassion, raises questions and suggests responses.
            
Lay Eucharistic Visitors Updates
Safe Church Training here on Oct. 3rd, 9 a.m. to about 4 p.m. Other opportunities can be found at the Diocesan website..... see link in Teen Program. Jane Hale will be working with this group in training and organizing as we move forward as she brings experience from her internship at St. John's in Vernon.

Outreach Nutsale  has started! Catherine Bastow has done her magic again and here is our order form. All income above cost goes into our CSO budget and is granted out into the community. Thanks.

Special Mission Outreach
PID trip to Guatemala is scheduled for January 10th. This is a medical and building project mission trip. Here is the website! Here is a PDF about the base price before airfare and some general instructions. It's time to make the commitment. We sent out a letter found here to those who had indicated interest. We actually need you to make an "online" deposit of $600 to PID asap. Participants need to make their own deposit in their name to PID (and let us know). We will match it with church funds! This early date is necessary to get good rates on flights.

Spirituality with Oscar Brockmeyer.
Group Spiritual Guidance for those within and beyond the church. Oscar's schedule begins the first week of October and is found here. He is offering Spirituality Workshops on second Saturdays in the morning, a conversation entitled "Spirituality for the Second Half of Life" on third Thursdays in the afternoon, a "Spiritual Companions" Group on first Tuesdays in the evening.
860-942- 2934 orobbrockmeyer@snet.net for more information.

Spirituality with Jane Hale: The Women's Spiritual Growth Group:
We hope you'll join us from 7-8:30 pm on Tuesday, October 27th in the Christ Church library for our monthly gathering of the Women's Spiritual Growth Group:  a time of spiritual and faith exploration, story-sharing, and celebrating our Sisterhood!  No experience necessary, just bring yourselves.  (Plenty of laughter and snacks included!)  Interested? Questions? Contact Jane Hale at jclhale@charter.net. 

Pastoral Notes/Prayers: Jean Sheldon has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and is in Hospice Care at her youngest daughter's home in Hanover, Ct.; Paul Humphreys is recovering from a serious bicycle accident. Contact info via the office. 

Vine and Branches "Directory" Project
The Rite-13ers are continuing this project and we're already taking photos at Coffee Hours. Thanks to Cyndi Sturni, Judy Busse and Rebecca Patenaude for finishing the artwork and the lettering!  


Coming Up

Saturday, October 3rd: Safe Church Training at CCPomfret, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sunday, October 4th: All Services. Dave is preaching. A special visit from Dir. Chris George of IRIS and an Extended Coffee Hour time so Adults can do some Q and A with Chris. 

Tuesday, Oct. 6th: Spiritual Companions with O. Brockmeyer at 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 7th: 7:30 a.m. Healing Eucharist; B'fast at the Bean

Saturday, Oct. 10th: 10 a.m. Spirituality Workshop with O. Brockmeyer

Sunday, October 11th: 8 a.m. and 10:15 Services only (no 9:15 service). Jane Hale, preacher

Monday, October 12: Office Closed for Columbus Day

Wednesday, Oct. 14: 7:30 am. Healing Eucharist & B'fast at the Bean at 8:30 a.m.

Sunday, Oct. 18th: 8, 9:15 & 10:15 services with Dave preaching and celebrating; 2016 Budget Committee Meeting in the Library at 11:30 a.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 21st: 7:30 a.m. Healing Eucharist; B'fast at the Bean

Sunday, Oct. 25th: All Services, Jane Hale, preacher; Contemporary Service at 10:15 a.m.; Church First: Pilgrimage Presentation!

Monday, Oct. 26th: 8 a.m. Cooking for Community Kitchen

Tuesday, Oct. 27th: 7:00 p.m. Women's Spirituality with Jane Hale

Christ Church Online Google Calendar 
Your Stewardship!

 
Nicely done video. A number of personal takes on sharing and giving, the stewardship of our lives from the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia
Nicely done video. Personal stories of sharing and giving, the stewardship of our lives,
from the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia


Thank you for your generosity!

It's time to plan next year's budget, next year's program & ministry. The Budget Committee will be meeting on Sunday, October 18 in the Library. The Vestry and Stewardship Committee have been thinking about how we want to do a little more to explore being good stewards, and more, how we can "grow" our program offerings and interests to benefit our community.

Stewardship: Visions and Ventures
Your pledge remains the most important source of income for us to continue our ministries, by far. Thanks! 
Pledging and Donating Online:

(Note: when you wish to access the Christ Church easytithe donation site you will need to go through this button, here on the Reminder, or on the website. It will not work on the easytithe site directly. That log in is for account managers.)

Amazon Smile: Amazon.com will donate .5 percent of eligible purchases to Christ Church. Amazon pays these donations. You can still shop through your own account but Christ Church will benefit. Link is Here Thanks! 
Housekeeping


















Flowers
Sign Up Master List is posted to the left of the office door. You can sign up there, call the office (860-315-7780), or Lora's cell phone (above) or respond to this email to Make a Memorial or a Thanksgiving for a loved one ($30/Sunday).  Flower donations are encouraged. There are always applications for flowers in the back of the church ($30).

Vestry Notes
Next Meeting is October 14th at 7 p.m.

Budget Committee meets in the Library after the 10:15 service on October 18th to formulate the 2016 suggested budget for Christ Church.

Buildings and Grounds John Murphy is pricing out the rotted window replacements around the Library, the downstairs chapel & in the hallway outside the Library; Other jobs pending: Roofing and Chimney items; Drying out the basement of the parish hall (muggy end of summer). We have a final Clean Out and Clean Up morning on Saturday, Oct. 17th from 9 to 11:30 to coincide with Pomfret Bulky Waste weekend.

Shawl Ministry:
 Blessed shawls on the back table in church (fill out the log book). We have had a number of folks respond with thanks after receiving one of the shawls. Rebecca Patenaude, Coordinator

Outreach....  Next cooking for Community Kitchen on September 28th at the 1st Congregational Church of Woodstock (the Hill Church). Contact Pauline Phillips at Christ Church. CSO Committee meets periodically to recommend grants.
Extras!
Infinite Eyes
The Anthem last Sunday: Nine6teen

(this is music with a slide show)
Dave Carter
Christ Church Pomfret
(Box 21) 527 Pomfret Street 
Pomfret, Ct. 06258

Feel free to contact us: christchurchpomfret@gmail.com

 
Welcome to your church!
Steeple
Mission Statement

To seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves, welcoming all who come through our doors to participate in worship, education, service and fellowship on a journey in Christ, a journey that we believe not only has power to heal and change us but also has potential to transform the world.

(Vestry 2003)


 

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