Wise Maiden Heading
Maundy Thursday Reminder 
An Online Ezine
Lent 2016

     An important Word from all of our Bishops: Can we ensure the safety of some while rejecting the hopes of others?

     Please take a look at our events and observances for the second half of this week down below, beginning with the gathering of the "church family" tonight. 

       Easter Lilly Memorials were not done this year because of space considerations in the Great Hall. Be sure to write-in your loved one on the Intercession Sheet on the music stand at the back of the Hall.

       Moving Chairs: help needed....at the close of the Eggstravaganza on Saturday (around 11:30 a.m.) we'll need help to set up all the chairs again for Easter Sunday which will include bringing up another 20 or so from downstairs (We're going to need 180 seats). It should work! 

      Updates on the interior of the church: Scaffolding is complete. Cleaning started. Photos:





In This Reminder
This Weekend
Items for Consideration or Prayer
Coming Up
Your Stewardship
Housekeeping
Extras: Under African Skies
This Weekend

Maundy Thursday evening at 6 p.m. Table Eucharist with Taize acapella music at the Rectory followed by a simple meal of soup and bread (supplied), concluding with the "Stripping of our Table/Altar" right there as the dinner ends. All ages welcome!  Leaflet is found here  Jane will give the message.

Good Friday, the Labyrinth will be set up in the Great Hall for an observance of the day starting at 7:30 a.m. (appropriate background music). At 6:30 p.m. we will have a labyrinth-inspired Liturgy based on the Good Friday Liturgy. Leaflet is found here. Dave will give the message.

Holy Saturday, the Labyrinth is away and the space in the Great Hall will ring with more song and laughter as we hold our annual Eggstravaganza with a telling of the Easter Story. All ages! Make an Easter "bonnet", parade and fun, make a sailboat, search for eggs and make the communion bread for Easter! NOTE... any strong hands around at 11:30 a.m. can help us set the chairs back up! Thanks.

Sunday, March 27th: The Feast of the Resurrection
8 a.m. Holy Communion (Dave, celebrant & preacher; Jane is worship leader)
9:00 a.m. Choir Rehearsal
9:15 a.m. Chapel resumes in April (not sure where yet)
10:15 a.m. Festival Family Eucharist (Dave, preacher and celebrant; Jane is worship leader) Choir and Nursery. Church School and Teens join us for the service in the Great Hall! We will have some cool things for our youngest parishioners so they can help us in our Easter celebration at the 10:15! Check out the Announcements.

Leaflet can be found here
Announcements can be found here
Readings link can be found here
Try this link to our Google Calendar
Here is a link to the hymns coming up through April 3rd

Deadline for April Courier is just passed!
 
March Courier with Calendar/Schedule is found here

February to June 2016 Coffee Team Schedule is 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


After this Sunday, 
If you have thought about helping out with fun activities for grade-schoolers downstairs, here is your chance! We will be trying out our new lectionary-based curriculum, "Feasting on the Word".  All of the message/lesson content will be given during the chapel time, and materials for related activities will be prepared in advance by the director for you!  All you need to do is bring your own sense of curiosity and fun and arrive a little early (9:45am) to help make the sessions 'go'.  Check your calendar and please let me know if you have a Sunday or two to be present to help out. No prior teaching experience is required, just a willingness to share time with the children in an authentic way, knowing that you will learn as much from them as they will from you! ("Shepherds" are still very welcomed and needed on Sundays as we adjust to the new approach.) 

Thanks to all those who have volunteered to help out with the Eggstravaganza this Saturday as well as to those who are considering training for Godly Play!

Here is your personal invitation to the Eggstravaganza always at 10 a.m. on Holy Saturday (and includes a telling of the Easter Story using Beulah Land felt figures)

Here is how you can help out with the Eggstravaganza. All we need to make it another fun event. 

Here is a  copy of the Church School Schedule coming up!

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! 
The Rite-13ers are working on the Vine and Branches photo directory project and having fun meeting and other projects! 

J2Aers: Starting to look at the Pilgrimage Sites. Please check the Wonder Voyage website to consider the options. Meets in the their regular space this Sunday.

J2A Parents and young people. Here is the link that Ginger emailed to everyone. It's an overview of the North American pilgrimages. Check it out.

YACers: "Confirm not Conform" continues in April.... for info contact Jen Ritzau: 
(Leaders also include Peter Mann and Donna Bessette, advising)
 
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.  

Catherine Bastow
catherinebastow@sbcglobal.net
cbastow@rectoryschool.org
Items for Consideration or Prayer



First Take
Easter Sunday: The full text of the readings can be found at the Lectionary Website here
        John's account of Jesus' encounter with Mary in the garden on the dawn of the third day is one of more powerful resurrection stories. It has a different kind of feel to it like a story you'd be telling a friend not writing in a book where you might clean it all up and make it more definitive. Perhaps that makes it feel more factual. 
        In this longer narrative of Jesus' return Mary lingers in the tomb area in grief and bewilderment and when Jesus approaches her she does not know him. She mistakes him for someone else, the gardener, and accuses him of making off with the body. It takes Jesus' direct address to pull her back to herself and he to her. She finally "sees" him. How often we fail to recognize folks we know well when we see them in a different context where they are not expected. And probably, for more profound reasons, one of the recurring features of this and other resurrection appearances is that they are such surprises!

Here's a link to reflections on the readings:
                     the Textweek Page for Easter Sunday
         
LentenWords: A Journey Together
Here is a link to LentenWords.

Our Diocese is reorganizing in an important way that affects us. The Diocese is now split up into Regions. We are in the Northeast Region (Deaneries are gone). Jane Hale is one of two leaders from our NE Region that is helping pull our 20 something churches together as new group. More can be read at this link. We will need a number of us to attend the first organizing meeting on April 22-23. 

Partners in Development, our trip coordinator for Guatemala, has just put out their newsletter for the late winter.  Here  is a copy! PID is having their yearly gathering on Sunday, April 3rd in Ipswich, Mass. Note information in their Newsletter. BTW, the group of Christ Church parishioners who went in January is now thinking of returning about the same time in 2017. Think about joining us.

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, April 26th.  A time of spiritual and faith exploration, story-sharing, and celebrating our Sisterhood!  Contact Jane Hale at jclhale@charter.net. 

Pastoral Notes/Prayers: is the full Prayer Chain for March and April.

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
Maundy Thursday, March 24th: Taize'-style Table Eucharist: 6:00 p.m. at the Rectory (Soups & Breads are provided). There is room for all ages.

Good Friday, March 25th: the Chartres Labyrinth will be available all day until 9 p.m. in the Great Hall for a Pilgrimage Walk; the Good Friday Liturgy will be at 6:30 p.m. in the Great Hall as part of our Labyrinth observance.

Holy Saturday, March 26th: 10 a.m. The Eggstravaganza and the telling of the Easter Story in and outside the Great Hall; Rectory School Easter Chapel at about 4:00 p.m. (at the Tang Center)

Easter Sunday, March 27th: 8 a.m. and 10:15 Family Services; Child friendly. Nursery as necessary; Jane is Worship Leader; Dave is Preacher 

Tuesday, March 29th: Finance Committee meeting at Weiss/Hale at 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, March 30th: 7:30 a.m. Healing Eucharist followed by B-fast at the Bean

Sunday, April 3rd: 8, 9:15 and 10:15 Services 
The Vestry Planning Meeting starts at 12 noon with lunch in the Library.

Wednesday, April 6th: 7:30 a.m. Healing Eucharist followed by B-fast at the Bean

Sunday, April 10th: 8, 9:15 and 10:15 services. Hale Baptism at the 10:15 service. Jane is preacher, Dave is celebrant and worship leader.

Christ Church Online Google Calendar 
Your Stewardship!
Thank you for your generosity!

Stewardship: Visions and Ventures
It's that time; The Pledge Materials are available HERE as a downloadable copy of the written brochure. And HERE is a pledge card for 2016. Our goal is 95 pledges for $203,000. Thanks in advance.

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 the Planning Meeting beginning with Lunch on Sunday, April 3rd (no meeting in March)

Buildings and Grounds John Murphy has finished the outside foyer door on the church.

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 March 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
Under African Skies: Nine6teen on 3.13.16
Under African Skies: Nine6teen on 3.13.16
Dave Carter
Christ Church Pomfret
(Box 21) 527 Pomfret Street 
Pomfret, Ct. 06258

Feel free to contact us: christchurchpomfret@gmail.com

 
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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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