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Thursday Reminder November 12, 2015
An Online Ezine
Pentecost 2015


Greetings from your church! 

A Prayer for Veterans Day
 
Gracious God, we thank you for the many veterans who gave of their time and talent to serve in the varied branches of our armed services.   We thank you for their dedication to duty, for their embrace of challenges, for their courage and commitment.  May we find ways to honor them, lifting up grateful hearts for the many unknown and difficult actions that have kept us all safe.  We pray for the day when such service will be unnecessary, when peace and justice will be the expectation and not the exception.  Until then, bless all those who protect our families and our homes.  Amen.
In This Reminder
This Week
Items for Consideration or Prayer
Coming Up
Your Stewardship
Housekeeping
Extras!
This Week
 
November 15, 2015: 25th Sunday after Pentecost
8 a.m. Holy Communion (Jane is reporting on Convention); Stewardship Speaker: Caroline Sloat
9:00 a.m. Choir rehearsal
9:15 a.m. Rectory School Chapel 
with Nine6teen and Chaplain Drew
10:15 a.m. Family Eucharist; Dave, Worship Leader; Jane is Reporting on Convention; Coffee: Red Team (Caroline Sloat, et all); Stewardship Season continues: Stewardship Speaker: Caroline Sloat
Church School; Teen Program as scheduled

Leaflet found here
Announcements can be found here
 
Deadline for December Courier is November 16th
 
Readings link can be found here
 
November Courier can be found here 
 
November 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. 
 
 
Church School Notes

 
Dave out with the church school visiting our CC saints!


 Rebecca Patenaude and our youngters working on a banner project for Church First Sunday!

Families Take Note:  This week, Nov. 15, children in grades 1-5 will be working on Family Heritage Shields.  After a little "heraldry" background is given, they will personalize a large cardboard shield with symbols and images that represent their family's heritage (ancestral cultures, Christian or family surname meanings, military affiliation, family traditions, countries of origin, etc.)  It would be very helpful if your family could have a conversation about this before church on the 15th.  Feel free to send in any notes or reminders on Sunday that would help our leaders guide younger students in their work.  This great project highlights what makes each of them unique and yet part of a larger family of God's Children. 
 
Also this Sunday: Donna Bessette will visit briefly to discuss plans for the annual Christmas Pageant during our Chapel time.  Our Cloud of Witnesses banner will be available for additions from any students not present last Sunday, as well as any other parish members who would like to participate!  (This will be brought up to the Great Hall during coffee hour.) Several wonderful children's books about the Saints are available for loan in the Children's Chapel area- Take a look!  Godly Play (pre K- Kindergarten) will wonder about St. Margaret of Scotland. 

We will have a Church First service on November 22nd, when all children are in church with their families.  Godly Play meets in their classroom after church to ponder St. Nicholas, and grades 1-5 meet in the Great hall for a "Family Advent Event":  Advent Buzzards with the Carters and Jesse Tree ornaments with your Church School leaders.  (More info to come in next week's Reminder!)

Heifer "Read to Feed" outreach found here, future curriculum ideas, and more!

A link to the Church School Registration form.

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
   My contact is 860-928-2155, or by email:  ccchurchschoolpomfret@gmail.com 
 
 
Teen Program Updates:
 
 



Rite-13 6 and 7th grades! They are painting their room to make it their own! See Above
The Rite-13ers are working on the Vine and Branches photo directory project and having fun meeting and other projects!
 
J2Aers:  See you on Sunday. Leaders: Amy Nunes, Ginger Lusa & Adam Squires (part-time leaders: Brian Smith, Steve Adams & Cyndi Sturni). Dee Dee has an email out to parents to sign up and commit now for Nightwatch at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine (link here) on the night of March 4, 2016 (return late in the day on Saturday). This a fun and informative night for teens that we've done several times in the past. It is very popular, hence the advance registration. The cost is $85 per teen, paid by families (if you need some subsidy for this let Dave know). Please respond soon so we can get the date we want! Thanks.
 
YACers: Meet as scheduled.... for info contact Jen Ritzau: 
(Leaders also include Peter Mann and Donna Bessette, advising)

Teen Coordinator Position
As some already know Dee Dee and the Markes family are heading back to California, their home. She will be winding up her duties as Teen Coordinator sometime this fall and would like to hand on the duty and salary ($6000 a year) to another candidate.
Here is a current description of the position. Let Steve Adams, Peter Lusa or Dave know if you would like to discuss it. Thanks! 
 
Current Teen Leaders Materials: 
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. Use as you see fit!
 
Safe Church Training is required for all Teen Leaders that have not had it. But here is a link to the Diocesan Schedule:
 
The Teen Program Registration Form is needed for each student so we can provide a consistent and safe environment for your young person. Thanks. 

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



First Take
25th Sunday after Pentecost: The full text of the readings can be found at the Lectionary Website here 
Mark's Gospel passage appointed for this week seems so remote. It's hard to imagine the kind of state-connected religious life that was the norm as well as how folks might respond. Jesus is predicting the destruction of the Temple, the very center of Jewish worship and life for much of Jewish history. It had just been gloriously rebuilt and expanded by Herod the Great within the lifetime of his listeners. To them Jesus' comments may have seemed absurd. Herod had the protection of the greatest empire these people had ever known, the Roman. And if Herod was protected so was the Temple, so were the people of the Temple. Jesus' statement may have invoked other feelings, perhaps a sense of threat, especially for the Temple leaders. No wonder those who were most connected to the power-centers of Judaism in the first century began to conspire more seriously against him. But did he really desire the Temple's destruction? Or, was this his way of reminding us of the true destiny of all the "powers and principalities" that we tend to find so alluring? Can we depend on them?


For your health and healing:  
       One of our parishioners, Dr. Timothy Monahan, was recently interviewed for Day Kimball Hospital. Here is a link to read his answers to the "13 Questions"! Here is a very relevant NYT article on the challenges we face as two parent working families called, Stressed, Tired, Rushed: A Portrait of the Modern Family. 


St. Nicholas Fair, December 5th, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Fair brings our entire community together for fellowship and service in honor of St. Nicholas of Myra here (who often visits the Fair, by the way). All the funds taken in on the day become part of our CSO Funds for the current year (we post-fund our outreach every year!). 
You can help! Items of note.......

1) Donating goods, services, contacting vendors for the Silent Auction. If you know of even a single vendor who might donate an item to the Fair here is a donation letter pre-signed that you can use for this purpose. 
2) We've added a new Booth for all your very gently used Kitchen Gear, those peelers, scrapers and measurers in the back of your drawers. 
3) The Craft booth is looking for scrap yarn to sell by the pound...any color!
4) For Gently Used Sports Gear.... in-line skates don't sell, please keep for the Rummage Sale. Good condition golf clubs do, ice skates, other winter sports gear that you might clean up and donate
5) Wreaths and Poinsettias Sale has now started. You can download a copy of the form here 

Note that all proceeds go towards our outreach funds!

Outreach Nutsale Packing We always need lots of help for packing the orders. We will confirm this via a special Reminder Email but probably packing on Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 17th and 18th starting at 6:30 p.m.; Music, Wine and Cheese help!. All income above cost goes into our CSO budget and is granted out into the community. Thanks.

Spirituality with Oscar Brockmeyer.
Group Spiritual Guidance for those within and beyond the church. Oscar's schedule is found here. 860-942- 2934 orobbrockmeyer@snet.net for more information. Just a reminder, we're offering a workshop this Saturday, November 14, that I have re-titled "Finding Meaning in Life" .  It will include a presentation, guided meditation, sharing in small and large groups, some art/collage work, and a discussion of the steps we can take to find more meaning in life.  I hope you can join us.

Spirituality with Jane Hale: The Women's Spiritual Growth Group. The Next Meeting is 7-8:30 pm on Tuesday, November 17th. A time of spiritual and faith exploration, story-sharing, and celebrating our Sisterhood!  Contact Jane Hale at jclhale@charter.net. 

Pastoral Notes/Prayers: Keep Elaine in your prayers, diagnosed with cancer (parent of member); Paul Humphreys, Bike accident; Sid Swenson, broken femur; Here is the full Prayer Chain list. 

Vine and Branches "Directory" Project
The Rite-13ers are continuing this project and we're taking photos at Coffee Hours. Thanks to Jim Goodwin and his help with photos. Thanks all!     


Coming Up

The Episcopal Church in Conn. Convention, Nov. 13- 14th in Cromwell, Ct.

Sunday, November 15th: All Services, Dave, Preacher; Jane is Worship Leader; Stewardship Speaker is Caroline Sloat

Nutsale Packing Week: Nov. 16- 19th! Stay-tuned for days and times!

Tuesday, Nov. 17th: 7:00 p.m. Women's Spirituality with Jane Hale

Wednesday, Nov. 18th: 7:30 a.m. Healing Eucharist followed by B'fast at the Bean

Saturday, Nov. 21st: Potential Communion Class with Dave for Second Graders or above at 10 a.m. (Conversation, Art, Music, Baking) CALL the office if you'd like to register. Class only runs if there is interest! 860-315-7780

Sunday, November 22nd: Contemporary Church First at the 10:15; Dave is preacher and worship leader at 8 as well as worship leader at 10:15 (Jane is on duty at St. Vincent's in Worcester); Stewardship Speaker is Nicole Nichols; Inter-generational Advent Program: the Jesse Tree and making "Advent Buzzards" in the Great Hall. We'll also have greens and makings for wreaths.

Christ Church Online Google Calendar 
Your Stewardship!
Jane Hale: The Widow's Story, Our Story 11.8.15
Jane Hale: The Widow's Story, Our Story 11.8.15

Hank Hague's Talk on All Saints
Hank Hague's Talk on All Saints

 
Thank you for your generosity!

Stewardship: Visions and Ventures
It's that time; The Pledge Materials are rolling out of the office through this week and next. In each you will find a Stewardship brochure and a pledge budget for next year. HERE is a downloadable copy of the written brochure. And HERE is a pledge card for next year, 2016. We encourage folks to spend a few minutes with the materials, to think about how you can help. We will be presenting all pledges received on Pledge Sunday, Nov. 29th at the 8 a.m. and 10:15 services. Perhaps yours might come in by then?
Caroline Sloat is the Stewardship Speaker on this Sunday, 11.15.15 at both services. 

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
Advent Season starts on Nov. 29th (No Flowers). But you can honor a loved one by signing up for the Christmas poinsettias and taking them home!

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 November 11th at 7 p.m.

Buildings and Grounds John Murphy has delivered quotes for the replacing rotted windows around the Library, the downstairs chapel & in the hallway outside the Library. These will be up for Vestry consideration in November; Other jobs pending: Roofing and Chimney items. 

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 at 8 a.m. on November 23rd here at CCPomfret to bring to the 1st Congregational Church of Woodstock (the Hill Church). Contact Pauline Phillips at Christ Church. CSO Committee meets periodically to recommend grants.
Extras!

Christ Church Choir: The Lord is My Shepherd 11.8.15
Christ Church Choir: The Lord is My Shepherd 11.8.15
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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