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Thursday Reminder 
An Online Ezine
Easter Season 2016

        It's an exciting time as new curriculum, new ideas and new ways to organize and participate are available. We have our own opportunity to explore in a Special Church School Meeting this Sunday, May 1st, to go over plans for next year: Curriculum, Volunteer Organization, Pageant or Alternative Pageant, Winter Term ideas. 45 minutes? Do you have a love for your/our kids? Come on along! Here is a one page quick overview we will use on Sunday.

        Relay for Life at the Woodstock Fair Grounds is coming up: May 21-22. Here is a link to Ginger and Dayna's announcement below! Dave has a special offer for J2A teens in terms of funding. 

       A second group is organizing to go to Guatemala on August 6th with PID. Click here to go to the announcement below. Contact person: Dr. Suzanne Powell

         Rummage Sale.... starting on Sunday, May 1st items can go into the Great Hall directly. If your larger items need to be picked up speak with Catherine Bastow! The Sale coincides with the Pomfret-wide sale on May 7th.
In This Reminder
This Weekend
Items for Consideration
Coming Up
Your Stewardship
Housekeeping
Extras: Nine6teen
This Weekend
Saturday, April 30th:
HALE  YMCA HEALTHY KIDS DAY.... Totally Free
On Saturday, between 3 and 6 p.m. you'll find the Y full of kids  and families participating in creative, challenging, smart and  healthy fun. There will be activities for the Families, cooking healthy  snacks, chair massages, dance demonstrations, kids painting, sports  demo's, obstacle courses, swimming, mountain bike demo' s, and more!  The Putnam Fire Department will have their trucks ready for kids to explore.  The K9 Police Dog will be in attendance.

Sunday, May 1: Easter 6
8 a.m. Communion (Dave, celebrant & preacher; Jane is worship leader)  
9:00 a.m. Choir Rehearsal
9:15 a.m. No Chapel
10:15 a.m. Family Eucharist  (Dave, celebrant & preacher; Jane is worship leader) Church School, Nursery, Teens. White Team for Coffee
11:45 Special Church School Meeting this Sunday in the Library to present/get feedback about a selection of ideas for next year. Leaders. Parents. Director. Rector

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 through May

Deadline for June Courier is May 23rd
 
May Calendar/Schedule is found here

May Courier articles are 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


This Sunday, 
Godly Play will be "wondering" together.  Grades 1-5 will be working on the next Feasting on the Word lesson. All ages will meet downstairs for our usual chapel gathering time.

Please remember to encourage your child to participate in our weekly offering of nonperishable goods.  A list of suggested items can be found on the table at the top of the stairs. Let's try to fill our basket in these last few weeks of Church School!

The Vestry Liaisons, Dave and the selected Vestry are gathering on May 1st after church for a start up meeting to work on plans to continue tuning our Church School program for next year, provide more support to the Director, organize our volunteer base, provide a more comprehensive schedule. We'll be contacting parents and folks who've been involved for the past 3-4 years for a meeting and email contacts. Here is a link to our one page overview of the meeting. Thanks!

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! 
Thanks to Christine Carter for leading us in a Seder Meal last Sunday.The Rite-13ers are also working on the Vine and Branches photo directory project! 

J2A: Parents who have not completed the survey should do do by following this link: Survey Monkey for our Pilgrimage

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

J2A: Regular Meeting Downstairs. After church the group will bring down the Rummage Sale set-up from the attic. Please remember to sign up for Rummage Sale duties: 


YAC: Will meet at 10:00am ready to depart for PAWS volunteering opportunity. Please come prepared in appropriate clothing. Car-pooling to and from facility. Group will return to church at noon.
"Confirm not Conform" continues as scheduled.... for info contact Jen Ritzau: 

Teen Pilgrimage Fundraisers... May 7th: Rummage Sale, May 15th: Car Wash
 
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



First Take
Easter 6: The full text of the readings can be found at the Lectionary Website here 
        In more recent years the Book of Revelations has been used for less than helpful purposes, especially to popularize a supposed "map" of the "end times". This is an unfair reading of this book probably written in the eastern part of the Roman Empire during a time of intense Christian persecution in some communities. It is entirely a book of metaphors that is meant to remind those being persecuted that they have not "lost" these "battles" as long they are "hanging on and hanging in" with God. And equally importantly that God has already triumphed in Jesus' Resurrection and the "powers and principalities" that are against them have already been defeated... but don't know it yet. The Good News in Jesus is deeper and broader than they know!

Here's a link to further reflections on the readings:
                     Here is the Textweek Page for Easter 6

Relay for Life:  May 21-May 22, Woodstock Fairgrounds
Registering ONLINE Relay
1.  Go to the relay website: HERE is the link for "Relay for Life of Northeastern Ct."
2. Click on Sign Up
3. Click on Join our Team
4. Our Team name is Christ Church Family and Friends
5. Fill out your contact information
6. Take a collection envelope to get sponsors. You can also send out emails from your online page. You must raise $100 to stay overnight. Fr. Dave is offering a $25 incentive for each J2Aer and each leader. You have to go see him with a sign up form!
8. There will be a sign up sheet at church to choose walking times.
Questions: call Ginger at (860) 428-5351 or email at gingerlusa@gmail.com

Mission Trips with Partners in Development  GuatemalaThere is now a second team who is signing up for August 6th this coming summer. The contact person is Suzanne Powell, suzanne.p@sbcglobal.net or 860 944-1132. The church is offering subsidies for this trip as well, up to half the cost! Make your registration payment and we'll reimburse you. The group of Christ Church parishioners who went in January is planning to return about the same time in 2017. 

Report: ECCT Northeast Convocation April 22-23, 2016 Christ Church was well represented both Friday evening and Saturday as the first of six regional Convocations in CT took place last weekend. Sincere thanks to those who were able to attend and bring your presence and ideas to the event! The June Norcross Webster scout camp provided a welcoming, simple but accommodating venue in a lovely natural setting.  Approximately 85 people attended representing 18 of the northeast region's 21 parishes. Bishop Laura Ahrens and Bishop Ian Douglas were active and approachable participants. 

Here is a full recap of the two days!
Here is link to photos and further news at the Episcopal Church in Connecticut Website!

Note: A Ministry Network Convocation will be held from 6:30 to 8:00 pm at The Commons in Meriden on Wednesday, June 1st.  All parish members engaged in ministries, both existing and emerging, are encourage to attend and explore possibilities. Please speak to Jane or Father Dave for more information.

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, May 17th.  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 Prayer Chain for April-May.

Vine and Branches "Directory" Project
    


Coming Up

Sunday, May 1st, Easter 6: 8 and 10:15 services only; 11:45 a.m. Special Church School Meeting in the Library

Wednesday, May 4th: 7:30 a.m. Healing Eucharist followed by B-fast at the Bean

Friday, May 6th Rummage Sale Setup and Pricing; Saturday, May 7th, J2A Rummage Sale

Sunday, May 8th, Last Easter: 8, 9:15 and 10:15 services. Mother's Day Sunday

Wednesday, May 11th: 7:30 a.m. Healing Eucharist; Vestry meeting at 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 14th: 11:30 a.m. Joe Crawford's Memorial

Pentecost Sunday, May 15th: 8, 9:15 and 10:15 services. J2A Car Wash; the Rev. Kathryn White is guest preacher and celebrant at later service while Dave is downstairs with Church School.

Wednesday, May 18th: 7:30 a.m. Healing Eucharist followed by Breakfast at the Bean

Saturday-Sunday, May 21st-22nd: Relay for Life at the Woodstock Fairgrounds (12 noon to 12 noon)

Sunday, May 22nd: 8, 9:15 and 10:15 Services. Contemporary Sunday (last of the season)! Stay-tuned Nine6teen may be playing at Relay this morning.

Monday, May 23rd: Cooking for Community Kitchen

Tuesday, May 24th: Women's Spirituality

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

Stewardship: Visions and Ventures
The Pledge Materials are available HERE as a downloadable copy of the written brochure. And HERE is a pledge card for 2016. Thanks in advance.

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 on Wednesday, May 11th at 7:30 p.m. 

Buildings and Grounds  Replacing the Library windows, replacing the door on Dave's office which has "sprung open". We need to build a utility closet around the furnace in the church to prevent any soot issues in the future. The front steps of the office building need either repair or a more extensive replacement. Rose Window has been checked and is looking good. We're looking over the church trim for repair and painting. The insurance adjuster is reconciling the final bill for the church cleaning and we will know more soon.

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 May 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
Firm Foundation: Nine6teen on 4.17.2016
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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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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