A FEW WORDS FROM THE MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE

Transcription

1 OCTOBER 2018 ON THE ROTARY NEWS First Congregational Church East Longmeadow, MA CHRISTMAS COLLECTION CRAFT FAIR OCTOBER MEETINGS Mission & Outreach October 2, Deacons October 16, Business & Finance October 16, Christian Education October 21, 11:15 a.m. Cabinet October 24, The church's biggest fundraiser is just around the corner - November 3rd, to be exact! We are asking for your help looking for a variety of items for various church rooms: Green Thumb (plants, pretty pots, vases, etc. ), Baubles and Beads (used jewelry, jewelry boxes), Gift Gallery (better tag sale items or new items for "re-gifting"), Baker's Dozen (dig out your recipes for great food items to be created the day before the fair). Items can be left on the stage in Fellowship Hall. Of course, as the saying goes, many hands make light work. We do need lots of volunteers in many areas for all day or as little time as you can spare during the day. Contact our volunteer coordinator, Beth Costello at , if you can help in any way. Friday, Nov. 2, is a busy work day for us, setting up the many rooms and spaces, especially in the morning. Are you able to help? Call Sandy Burns at This is a great church event, drawing lots of area folks. Come be part of something special. Thank you from the Craft Fair Committee. INSIDE THIS ISSUE From your Pastor 2 Christian Education 2 Mission and Outreach 3 Children s Halloween Party, Saturday October 27th 5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. details below A FEW WORDS FROM THE MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE Evergreens 3 Big E Thanks 3 Meadowbrook Farms 3 Advertise - Rotary News 4 Church Notes 4 Transitions 4 Monthly Calendar 5 Pilgrim Fellowship 6 The Membership Committee would like to thank everyone who joined us for the church picnic to help kick off the new church year. An extra special thanks goes out to all of those who provided food and also those who helped with setting up and cleaning up after the event. We had a great time and hope you all did too. Our next event will be a Children's Halloween party on Saturday October 27th from 5:30 until 8:00. The event will be open to East Longmeadow students in 5th grade or younger and also to any children of current or former members of the church. Pilgrim Fellowship has graciously offered their help by putting on a haunted house for the kids. Some of the other things we are planning to offer for the children include face painting, Halloween crafts, pumpkin painting, a costume parade along with a few games, music, food, and punch. We will need help putting on this event, so if you would like to help either providing some snacks, helping with some of the crafts/games we'll be providing, or could just helping chaperone please contact Ryan Duffy. We know that with the help of the congregation we can put on a great event for the kids.

2 ON THE ROTARY NEWS PAGE 2 GOODBYE FROM PASTOR BILL & FAMILY Dear Family and Friends in Christ, As of the conclusion of our active ministry on September 30, 2018, we had served Jesus together for 823 days! Much happened during that time. When my family and I arrived in East Longmeadow in July 2016, Kayleigh and Bennett had barely passed the pre-school and toddler stage. During our time together, we saw Kayleigh advance to second grade and Bennett to kindergarten, as well as welcoming Penny the dog to our family. We have also watched many changes in our church family as well: welcoming new children and families, finishing the Open and Affirming discernment process, establishing the Parish Visitation Team, Pub Theology, and the Reborns with Reason Doll Ministries, along with other new outreach and ecumenical outreach programs. We also said good-bye to many long-time members and friends of our church com- by The Reverend Dr. William Wildman munity who went home to be with the Lord. Friends and family have gotten married, moved near-by and far away, and have seen their own families grow. Potluck Bible studies, new church school and confirmation programming, picnics, and joint-worship with churches from the East Longmeadow Ministerium have helped us to dig deeper into our experiences of the Holy and the Christ who binds us together as a community of faith. There are also many other experiences to remember and teach us as we move forward into the next chapter of our ministries. Change is a part of life, is what keeps us alive, and teaches us, more and more, how much we need to focus on following God s lead in our journey through this world. As I write this final article as your Pastor at the First Congregational Church I am reminded that, even as we say good-bye, we do so as a blessing to each other. Good-bye is actually a shortened version of the phrase, God be by you, another way of saying God bless you! This is how I would like my good-bye to you to be, a blessing that God fills your lives, ministry and walk with Jesus Christ to overflowing with joy, wisdom, and vitality. Be assured that your Deacons are working hard on calling bridge minister that will walk with you as we transition into the phases of our ministries. While my departure from East Longmeadow means that I will no longer be present or involved in your wonderful faith community, my prayers and hopes for all of the best for you will continue always! May God bless you, both now and always! In Christ s Love Pastor Bill CE is looking for Nursery Care Volunteers! See Patty or pbmholman@gmail.com CHRISTIAN EDUCATION NEWS Christian Education Kick Off Sunday School & Membership Church Picnic

3 ON THE ROTARY NEWS PAGE 3 MISSION AND OUTREACH NEWS The Neighbors in Need offering, which we will receive on October 7, supports the UCC s ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. Two thirds of the offering is used by the UCC s Justice and Witness Ministries to fund a wide array of local and national justice initiatives, advocacy efforts and direct service projects. One third of the offering supports the UCC s Council for American Indian Ministries. Historically, forebears of the UCC established churches and worked with Lakota, Dakota, Nakota, Mandan, Hidatsa, Arickara and Hocak in North and South Dakota, Wisconsin and Northern Nebraska. Neighbors in Need helps make a just world for all possible. M & O would like to thank everyone for their donations to our summer mission project. Laura Palmer, Donna Wayland, Lisa and Rick Rose and Karen and Jerry Sprofera delivered the supplies to Kensington on August 23rd. The staff was thrilled to receive our generous donation. Again, we made a difference to the teachers and students at Kensington International School. Karen Sprofera CROP WALK Sunday, October Forest Park see Church Library for information EVERGREENS, PINES AND BERRIES It's that time of year again when I come begging. I really, really need some branches of evergreens from your yard or woods. These will be used to fill the cemetery logs that will be sold at the craft fair. We are looking for any kind of evergreen. Examples spruce, pine, yew, arborvitae, juniper, boxwood, winterberry, holly, etc. Whatever you have growing that stays green in the winter, we can use. These cemetery logs are very popular. We usually sell out before noon! Please bring these greens to the church any time after October 13. You can leave them outside by the back breezeway door in the corner. If you have any questions, please call Sandy Burns at Your help in supporting this project is greatly appreciated. Sandy Burns A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO WORKED IN THE CABOT CHEESE BOOTH AT THE BIG E!!! We so appreciate all of you who had a part in making our time at the Big E so productive. Many of you have worked before but we also had many of you who were First Timers. Some of you have worked many shifts! We will have a CELEBRATION at 16 Ridge Road on Tuesday, Oct. 2 nd for all of you who worked and your spouses! Our home will be open after 7. This will be my last year doing the setup for our Church at the Cabot Cheese Booth. I am looking for someone who will work with Marge next year. I am willing to work through the process with this person. Please give this opportunity some prayerful thought. It is not a difficult task and it promotes camaraderie and brings in good money for our Church! Bev Steele BIG THANKS TO MEADOWBROOK FARM They always say YES! Once again I contacted Meadowbrook Farm asking if they would donate corn on the cob and tomatoes for our loaves and fishes dinner. Our group included Joe and Lynn Thomas, Dean and Fran Johnson, Tracey Sterling, Charlotte Barrett, Bobbie Guthrie, Ryan Duffy, myself and Michael. We served about 80 people happy to have fresh vegetables. A very rewarding experience. Grateful to be able to provide for those less fortunate, a reminder of how blessed we truly are. Marilyn Duffy

4 PAGE 4 ON THE ROTARY NEWS NEED TO PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS OR EVENT? Advertise in On The Rotary News!! Name/Business: Address: Phone Number & Please check which offer you would like below: Business Card Size Ad for 10 issues (Best Value!): $90.00 Single Line Ad for 10 issues: $22.50 (save 10%!) Business Card Size Ad for 5 issues: $50.00 Single Line Ad for 5 issues: $12.50 Business Card Size Ad for 2 issues: $20.00 Single Line Ad for 2 issues: $5.00 Business Card Size Ad for issues: (# x $10.00): Single Line Ad for issues: (# x $2.50): Please include your business card or single line ad with this form, along with a check or money order payable to the First Congregational Church of East Longmeadow, UCC, and either mail or drop off to the address above. Your Ad will begin to run the issue following our receiving of your order. Thank you so much for advertising with On The Rotary News. CHECK OUT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE Spread the word about our Facebook page! Like and follow First Congregational of East Longmeadow at churchontherotary/ to be kept up to date about church events, new, and other related infor- TRANSITIONS mation. Take a moment and offer a review of our page and church community. This will help in promoting the page to anyone who may be searching for a church community to explore here in East Longmeadow. The Membership Committee Baptism: September 23, 2018 Pedro Hallums, Jr. Parents: Latoya & Pedro Hallums Quilting begins October 1p.m. CHURCH NOTES Dear Church Family, To my Church friends. Thank you for the pretty altar flowers for our birthdays - one in August and one in September. Also for the banner celebrating Fred's longevity. Sincerely, Dot and Fred L. Thank you so much for the beautiful flowers in celebration of my 80th Birthday. Sandy D. This picture is a "before" shot of the beautiful baskets prepared for the craft fair. This happens every year, the bleaching of donated baskets, before Sandy Burns does her magic.

5 12 13 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 7 Communion Sunday No Sunday School 14 1 p.m. Pilgrim Fellowship CROP Walk 21 11:30 a.m. Christian Ed. mtg a.m. Coffee Hour Columbus Day Church offices closed 15 6 p.m. Pub Theology Mission & Outreach Meeting 3 5:30 p.m. Autism Network p.m. Ecumenical Quilting 16 Deacons meeting Business and Finance Mtg OCTOBER 17 Cabinet meeting Chancel Choir 11 Chancel Choir 18 Chancel Choir 25 Chancel Choir p.m. Loaves & Fishes 5:30 8:00 p.m. Children s Halloween Party SAVE THE DATE!! Saturday November 3rd Christmas Collection Craft Fair 8:30 a.m. 3 p.m.

6 7 Somers Road East Longmeadow, MA NON PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID SPRINGFIELD MA PERMIT NO 2403 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED PILGRIM FELLOWSHIP Our first meeting was a blast!! We played games, ate pizza and discussed our covenant. We also talked about all the things we are doing this year such as raking leaves for members of the church, having a Progressive Dinner with new people and waiting tables on St. Patrick's Day, just to name a few. For the month of October, we will be participating in the Crop Walk on October 14th and helping with a Halloween party sponsored by the Membership Committee on October 27th. All great things!! ~Tracey Sterling, Youth Advisor Tentative Events November Raking and Thanks -giving Feast December Bowling, Christmas & New Years Party January Movie Night February Superbowl Grinders and Sledding March St. Patrick's Day Dinner April Chocolate making and Progressive Dinner May Hike and Loaves & Fishes June Adventure Park PILGRIM FELLOWSHIP in OCTOBER CROP Walk Sunday October 14th & Halloween Party Saturday, 27th