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Thanksgiving Thursday Reminder 
An Online Ezine
Pentecost 2015


Greetings from your church and a blessed Thanksgiving Day!


St. Nicholas Fair is December 5th, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Help us Help others!
The Fair brings our entire community together for fellowship and service in honor of St. Nicholas of Myra here (who often visits the Fair for photo ops). 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, a friend, or service you can offer, anyone 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) We have a new Fine Art Booth emerging that will include donations of originals by Barbara Lussier, Judith Busse and Merrill Ann Gonzalez or her husband.
6) Baked Goods generally: Cookies, Cakes, Brownies, gluten-free items, fruit pies... are all very negotiable at the Fair! Bake two donate one?
7) Take a look through the toys. Do you have some in good condition that would help the Fair?
8) Give it Again.... brand new items that were never used, in original boxes or containers. 
9) Estate Jewelry, costume jewelry, are good items for the Fair!
10) Bottles for the Bottle Board (or in plastic containers): This is very popular with our young people. Fill up plastic containers with little toys, candy, chocolate?
11) Cooked (deboned) Chicken is critical on Thursday & Fr1day before the Fair to be used in our luncheon. Thanks
In This Reminder
This Week
Items for Consideration or Prayer
Coming Up
Your Stewardship
Housekeeping
Extras!
This Week
 
November 29, 2015: Advent Sunday
8 a.m. Holy Communion (Jane, preacher and Dave, celebrant/worship leader); Pledge Sunday Offering
9:00 a.m. Choir rehearsal
NO 9:15 a.m. Rectory School Chapel 
10:15 a.m. Family Eucharist; Dave, Worship Leader; Jane is the preacher; Coffee: Team (, et all); Pledge Sunday Offering
After Church Fair Set-up Sunday: in the Great Hall all the tables are set-up, chairs are brought downstairs, displays are brought down from the attic, in the Library, the big table goes to one side. We start decorating!

Leaflet found here
Announcements can be found here
 
Deadline for January Courier is December 14th (very early because of the Christmas rush)
 
Readings link can be found here
 
November Courier can be found here 
 
November Calendar and Schedule is found here

December 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


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

This week (Advent 1) we will begin our Christmas Pageant practice.  Any adults who would like to help out downstairs are welcomed to join us in this joyful work!  Children's chapel will meet as usual each Sunday, as will Godly Play.  Nonperishable food donations are especially appreciated at this time of year.

Grade 1 through the teen program students will be learning music and lines for the Pageant for the next three Sundays.  If your child would like to practice music or lines at home, use the attached links to the script and songs.  

Next week (Dec. 6), we will begin sending home Pageant costumes.  Please bring in any extra clean plastic grocery bags you might have to help us package up the costumes and accessories!

We will also be kicking off our "Read to Feed" Advent outreach mission for Heifer International this week, and information will be send home with grade-schoolers.  Here is the link to our Christ Church School Team's home page.  We will utilize any "down-time" during our Pageant rehearsals to learn more about Heifer and how this program will help our global family this holiday season.  Reading logs and hard copies of donation forms will be provided also.

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

Christmas Pageant Links:
Here is the Pageant Script
Here are the Pageant Carols
Here is the Pageant solo music/special sheet music/words
Here is a link to a recording: Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mine
Here is a link to a recording: Friendly Beasts
Here is a link to a recording: Messiah's Lullaby
Here is a link to a recording: Sing Noel

A link to the Church School Registration form.
 
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! Many of us are working on Pageant items.
 
J2Aers:  See you on Sunday. We're organizing a few different projects this season. Check out the individual emails! Leaders: Amy Nunes, Ginger Lusa & Adam Squires (part-time leaders: Brian Smith, Steve Adams & Cyndi Sturni). A number will be helping with the Pageant.

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 on December 31st and would like to hand on the duty and salary ($6000 a year) to another candidate before then.
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!
 
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
Advent Sunday: The full text of the readings can be found at the Lectionary Website here
      Many Christians have found resonance between these words Jesus calling for alertness and wakefulness and Buddhist practices of "mindfulness". The day to day, moment to moment commitment to be more present and in so doing allow ourselves to notice, listen and attend is a work of love. It can also be a work of safety and security as we know in this time of suspicious packages and crowded malls. But Jesus is also aware of the "long view". He is deeply concerned about being mindful of justice, the morality of caring for the marginalized and excluded. It is not merely being awake that is his focus but being awake to God's work, God's interventions, God's life in every situation turning the world to the better, turning over pre-conceptions, turning our heads to look again. It's being alert in this way that is a particular concern of Advent.

For your health and healing:  
       
        A father and son explore how flowers and candles might provide a surprising kind of resistance to terrorism, the resilience of community.

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. 

Spirituality with Jane Hale: The Women's Spiritual Growth Group. The Next Meeting is 7-8:30 pm on Tuesday, December 22nd.  A time of spiritual and faith exploration, story-sharing, and celebrating our Sisterhood!  Contact Jane Hale at jclhale@charter.net. 

Pastoral Notes/Prayers: Here is the full Prayer Chain 

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

Office Closed on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 26-27 for Thanksgiving

Sunday, Nov. 29th: Advent Sunday; 8 a.m. and 10:15 Services; Jane, preacher & Dave, worship leader; Pledge Sunday, Fair Set-up Sunday

Monday- Friday, Nov. 30- Dec. 4th: Fair Setup Week

Wednesday, Dec. 2nd, 7:30 a.m. Healing Eucharist and Breakfast at the Bean

Saturday, Dec. 5th, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. St. Nicholas Fair!

Sunday, Dec. 6th: 8, 9:15 and 10:15 Services! Dave is preacher and Jane is worship leader.

Wednesday, Dec. 9th: 7:30 Healing Eucharist followed by B'fast at the Bean; Vestry Meeting at 7 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 13th: 8, 9:15 and 10:15 services

Wednesday, Dec. 16th: 7:30 a.m. Healing Eucharist followed by B'fast at the Bean

Saturday, Dec. 19th: 10 am. to 12 noon, Pageant Rehearsal at the Tang Center. Principals at 10 a.m.; Angels and Shepherds join them for a run-through at 11 a.m.

Sunday, Dec. 20th: 8 a.m. Service at the Church; 10:15 Pageant in the Tang Center

Wednesday, Dec. 23: 7:30 Healing Eucharist followed by B'fast at the Bean

Thursday, Christmas Eve, Dec. 24th: 
4:30 p.m. Lessons-Carols and Eucharist with Teen Readers (Jane Hale, preacher)
9:00 p.m. Choir 
10:30 p.m. Festival Candle-lit Eucharist with the Choir

Friday, Christmas Day, Dec. 25th:
9 a.m. Quiet Eucharist 


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


 
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 this Sunday (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 December 9th at 7 p.m.

Buildings and Grounds John Murphy is replacing rotted windows around the downstairs chapel. We're getting a referral to Shawn Densmore for 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 December 28th 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!

Nine6teen: Good Things
Nine6teen: Good Things
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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Stewardship 2016
  

Pledge Card 2016
 

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