A Letter from the Pastor

Transcription

1 An Open and Affirming Congregation December 2014 A Letter from the Pastor Christmas at First Church Dear Friends, When I gave birth to my first child, I was young and flat out terrified. I had no idea how I would make it through the process of giving birth much less what to do with a completely dependent infant whom it was my responsibility to keep alive. It makes me sad now to think back and to realize that the overall defining feeling of that time, almost 21 years ago, was fear. Of course it wasn t only fear. There was also wonder, amazement, joy, possibility, hope, and love. Oh the love! I fell head over heels in love with that beautiful little being. The second time I gave birth there was less fear - mostly because I had some idea of what to expect. The fear was not completely gone; it was still there - tiny and tenacious and hard - but hidden amidst the wonder, amazement, joy, possibility, hope, and overflowing love I felt for THIS beautiful little being. As we move into December, towards the celebration of the birth of Jesus, we are living in a world that holds so much fear. WE hold so much fear. Fear for the future, fear of the state of today s world, fear that all the difficulties and suffering of life hold no meaning, fear that things won t get better. What we contemplate at Christmas though is the birth of wonder. The birth of amazement. The birth of joy and possibility, hope and love into this broken world. In Jesus, the holy is born right here; right into the very heart of human existence; right into the center of all our difficulties, all our suffering, all our fear. The promise held in the birth of Jesus is God s promise of love; of God s presence with us - no matter what. No suffering, no fear is stronger than the love of God for each and every human soul. For YOU. May this season and your Christmas be blessed with a deep knowledge that the love of God comes, once again, here and now!, into the very heart of our broken but beautiful lives. Love, Christmas Eve 5:00 pm, Family Service with Pageant Come to see Angels, Shepherds, Magi and the Holy Family. Visit the Holy Family and bring your prayers to God. 10:00 pm, Service of Lessons and Carols Candlelight, music and readings from the Gospels tell the Christmas Story. Find the Hope, Peace, Joy and Love that abound on Christmas Eve Christmas Day 11:00 am, Informal Worship, Sanctuary Sunday, December 28 8:15 am Worship with Holy Communion, Chapel 10:15 am, Lessons and Carols Service, Sanctuary On Christmas Eve, please bring non-perishable food items for St. Luke s/st. Paul s Food Pantry. Your monetary offerings at both services will go to the Deacons Fund.

2 The Herald page 2 December 2014 Coffee and Conversation for Moms We ll meet the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month Dec. 3rd & 17th 9:30-10:30am Whole Foods Café CASEY S PLACE Will be held on Friday, December 12th from 6:30 to 8:00 in Wakeman Hall. Come join your friends for sub sandwiches and social conversation. We will be joined by a music therapist who focuses on social skills for young adults. Meet Jen 12-2 pm on Las Vetas 6pm Yoga on Thursdays followed by 7pm both meet in the back of the Sanctuary. Happy 95th Birthday to Ruth Damer! Join the celebration by sending cards to Ruth she would love to hear from you: Ruth Damer 111 Pratt Street Fairfield CT Christmas Caroling opportunities to share the joy of Christmas Come bring the joy of the season to the residents of the Carolton Convalescent Hospital. Warm the hearts of dear ones and have your own heart warmed, too. On December 14th join us at 2:15pm in the Winsor Room at the Carolton on Mill Plain Road. Aymeric will be there to play the piano for us and it will be great fun! Questions? contact Cheri Evan at cevan@firstchurchfairfield.org. Christmas Caroling for folks who can t get out for Christmas. Want to share the love and good cheer of Christmas with some folks who can t get out for worship? Join the third annual Christmas Caroling Party on Sunday, December 21 from 4:30-6:30! We will meet in Wakeman Hall at 4:30 for some cocoa and to get organized before heading out to carol. Wendy Muschett to sign up at wendymuschett@optonline.net or look for a sign-up in Wakeman Hall. Soup Kitchen Saints Join the team Wednesday, December 10th, 7pm in the Wakeman kitchen as we prepare food for 200 people at Merton House. Contact Patty Gregory pzarra@optonlone.net or Bridgeport Rescue Mission s COAT DRIVE Thank you First Church members for your donations of 130 coats to the Mission s Great ThanksGiving Project. Many of Bridgeport s moms, dads, and children will stay warmer and healthier this winter as a result of your generosity.

3 The Herald page 3 December 2014 On Going Fundraiser Each Sunday, before and after each worship service, gift cards to Stop and Shop, Shoprite, and Whole Foods are sold. Our church receives 5% of every sale! You can also buy cards during the week by calling Maria Ferrante at ext. 31. These cards make great gifts for family, friends, employees, colleagues everyone! Parish Notes Baptism November 9, 2014 Bryce Francis Dalling CHRISTMAS is a favorite time of year for most of us. Unfortunately, for many of our neighbors this is not a joyful season. If you would like to help make Christmas memorable for some children who are less fortunate, we will again be doing our Angel tree. Tags will be hung on a Christmas tree outside the sanctuary. Each tag will have the name, gender and age of a child. You can sign up at the table next to the tree on Sundays, December 7 and 14. All gifts will be due back at the church by Sunday, December 21. Your gift will make this blessed holiday special for someone in need. Thank you to all the First Church families who donated food baskets to families in need for their Thanksgiving dinners! The baskets were filled with all of the necessities as well as many, many extras. The families receiving these baskets are truly thankful for the time and effort that have obviously gone into them. We wish you and your families a safe, healthy and happy Christmas. Call Kristy Macoy ( ) or Marilyn Henry ( ) with any questions. Spirituality Group Women s Fellowship Will meet Friday, November 7 in the Eliot Library 10:00-11:30am Our next book is Wishin and Hopin by Wally Lamb for December. For more information contact Vanessa vrose@firstchurchfairfield.org. Will meet December 10th The Old Post Tavern - Fairfield Please join us, if you are able, for our end of year "wrap up" gathering. We will be discussing the direction our group will take next year. If you have ideas of books you think would be enlightening, please bring them along. It will be a great opportunity to decide what this group should look like going forward. Questions or for more information contact: Suzanne Minatti-Lathbury (slm224@hotmail.com) April Obermeyer (aprilobermeyer@gmail.com) Come join us as we explore our Christian faith. All are Welcome! On Wednesday, December 3, join us in the dining room to make and send Christmas Cards and December 17 for our Christmas Tea in the Eliot Library. We will meet at Noon for both events.

4 The Herald page 4 December 2014 The Christmas Fund for the Veterans of the Cross and the Emergency Fund is a special mission offering of the United Church of Christ that grants us an opportunity to recognize and honor those who have served and continue to serve in lay and authorized ministries of the United Church of Christ. HOW THE FUNDS ARE USED The generous gifts of UCC congregations and individuals to the Christmas Fund enabled the Pension Boards Ministerial Assistance program to provide some form of assistance to impact the lives of approximately 900 persons during the past year. CHRISTMAS THANK YOU CHECKS to 500 retired UCC clergy/lay church employees. This special gift at Christmas time reminds these Veterans of the Cross that they have not been forgotten and that the Church is grateful for their service. Gifts totaled $200,000 in MONTHLY PENSION SUPPLEMENTATION for 395 lower-income retired UCC clergy/lay employees. Our retired clergy/lay employees relied on this income supplementation for basic needs such as food, utilities, living and/or medical expenses. Since needs exceed the amount received through the Christmas Fund Offering, assistance was also supported by Our Church s Wider Mission and legacy gifts to Ministerial Assistance. The amount of pension supplementation totaled $1,344,635 in QUARTERLY HEALTH PREMIUM SUPPLEMENTATION for 228 lower-income retired UCC clergy/lay employees. These funds subsidized premiums for the UCC Medicare Supplement Health Plan with Rx so that individuals could afford and receive quality health care. Assistance totaled $554,208 in EMERGENCY GRANTS for 45 active or retired UCC clergy/lay employees. Sometimes those who serve the Church need our help, and emergency funds are available to assist in covering costs that arise unexpectedly for example, large medical expenses, or home damage resulting from natural disasters. Emergency assistance totaled $82,718 in Please use the Christmas Fund Donation Envelope included in this Herald

5 The Herald page 5 December 2014 Pasta Night Dinner Don't forget items for Operation Hope's Food Pantry - the most popular and most needed items are: canned ravioli and spaghetti-o's, macaroni and cheese, canned fruit and toilet paper. The Pantry always needs hearty soups tuna fish peanut butter & jelly. Sunday, January 25, 2015 to benefit The Deacons Fund "Providing Help in Times of Need" Put donations in the grocery carts outside the Chapel or Sanctuary. Help keep the Operation Hope pantry full!! Hope for the Holidays You can help individuals, and all clients of Operation Hope, with gifts for Christmas. Clients work with social workers to create a 'wish list' of the top 3 items they would like/need this year. Basic necessities such as clothing and winter wear are prominent but toys, games, house wares, etc. can also be included. If you would like to help contact evieangel@aol.com who let you the number of adult individuals who need help. New, unwrapped gifts should be dropped off on Monday Dec 8th and Tuesday Dec 9th at St. Anthony's Church on South Pine Creek Road in Fairfield. A small army of volunteers will check in gifts, organize, wrap and ready for distribution to clients later that week. Grocery Gift Cards are also needed please leave your donations with Operation Hope. Many Thanks from Operation Hope!

6 The Herald page 6 December 2014 What s Happening YOUTH MINISTRY Fridays The Loft*, 4-5:30pm, The Community House *For lgbtq kids and their friends Sundays Confirmation Confirming Our Faith 9:00-10:00, in Rhodes Hall Faith in Action youth group, Grades 7 & 8, 6:00-7:30 pm, in Rhodes Hall Senior High Youth Group, Grades 9-12, 6:00 7:30 pm, in Rhodes Hall Questions? Ideas? Call Jen, x15 or jcampbell@firstchurchfairfield.org M&M Movie Night! The 4/5 Grade Youth Group will meet on Sunday, December 14th starting at 4:30 for dinner and a movie. Please bring $5 towards pizza and we will provide drinks and snacks. Hope to see you for a fun night of fellowship! Any questions, wendymuschett@optonline.net Are you the parent of a lgbtq teenager or young adult? Do you have questions or worries about your child? Are you looking for a community of support? The Loft Parent Group meets once a week at The Community House 127 Rowland Rd From 6-7pm Join us on these Fridays Dec. 19, Jan 30, Feb 27, March 27, April 24, May 29 We want to support you in supporting your child! For more information call Liane at or Jen at

7 The Herald page 7 December 2014 Workcamp 2015 Information, Orientation and Sign Up! Sunday, December 7th 6:00 pm Workcamp 2015! La Puente Home in Alamosa Colorado June 27-July 4, 2015 Information, Orientation, and Sign Ups Sunday, December 7 th at 6pm in the Dining Room This meeting is for all high school students and their parents. Our Senior High Kids and their adult leaders are headed to Alamosa Colorado to serve with La Puente Home! La Puente is a nonprofit organization serving Colorado's San Luis Valley by providing food, shelter, and advocacy for the homeless and community members in crisis. La Puente endeavors to meet immediate needs and to empower people to live independently with dignity. With a homeless shelter, transitional housing, a food bank, community gardens, child care and school for children, a thrift store and a community coffee house, La Puente serves people in deep need. Find out more about this amazing organization at Questions? Call Jen and come to the meeting on December 7 th! Giving a Gift this Christmas In making a gift at Christmas, you may designate your contribution to beautify the sanctuary or to St. Luke s and St. Paul s Food Pantry during the Christmas Season. On Christmas Eve names of those in whose memory or honor the gifts are made will be printed in the Christmas bulletins. Please return this form together with your contribution to the church office no later than Monday, December 15th. My/Our Christmas Gift is given in memory of and/or In Honor of My/Our Gift of $ is for the St Luke s/ St Paul's Food Pantry $ is to beautify the Sanctuary Given by Make checks payable to First Church Congregational. Memo: Christmas Gift

8 148 Beach Road Fairfield, CT An Open And Affirming Congregation Deadline for January Herald December 15th Send all submission to Cheri Evan You are invited Three Kings Bazaar A traditional Church Holiday Fair and Twenty-five Craft Vendors First Church Congregational, Fairfield 148 Beach Road (Corner of Old Post Road and Beach Road) Friday, December 5, 5:30-8:30 Saturday, December 6, 10:00-3:30 Friday night: Carol Sing, Hot Dogs, Coffee and Hot Chocolate after Town Christmas Tree Lighting! Friday night and Saturday: Twenty-five Craft Vendors including jewelry, candles, skin care, collectible bears, toys, ornaments, handbags, shawls, Avon, Pampered Chef, Home Décor, art, trinkets, oils and pickled items. Also, baked goods, Tiffany window cards, raffle baskets, silent auction, lunch and Christmas bonanza.