January 1, 2018 CHRISTMAS TIDINGS- The Congregational Church of Laconia United Church of Christ 18 Veterans Square Laconia NH

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1 January 1, 2018 The Congregational Church of Laconia United Church of Christ 18 Veterans Square Laconia NH (603) (603) fax Church Staff Interim Senior Pastor: Rev. Ed Koonz Associate Pastor: Rev. Paula B. Gile Office Administrator: Financial Secretary: Director of Music: Sexton: Jessica Alward Carolyn Jorgensen K. Robert Bengtson Chuck Laurent **Office hours 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P. M. Monday thru Friday CHRISTMAS TIDINGS- Dear Members and Friends of CCLUCC, It s the morning after Christmas as I write. Christmas has come and gone. Or has it? Christmas DAY has come and gone. But, Christmas season, Christmastide, is still with us. It s the season constituted by the twelve days of Christmas. And, it runs through Epiphany on January 6th. While the wise men - or magi - or astrologers - showed up in our reading and carol singing on Christmas Eve, in Christian tradition and in Christian customs, they won t show up at the manger until Epiphany. And, they will show up again, in our readings on the First Sunday after Epiphany. It seems fitting. While we re already moving on from a day of Christmas, they re still making their way to the manger and to the Christ-child. It s a reminder: this journey toward a holy birth is no short sprint; rather it s a marathon for a life-time. So, stick around, and stick to it, the journey, that is, and see what comes of this thing called holy birth! Merry Christmastide! Rev. Ed

2 Men s Group Meeting- January 9 th in the church hall at 7pm. There will be a short presentation on the early history of Laconia and then time for fellowship and discussion. See Dave Barth for info. JOYOUS JANUARY BIRTHDAYS! & Anniversary Celebrations ANNUAL REPORTS- Committee Chairs should plan to have their annual reports to the church office no later than Tuesday January 2nd. Reports should be single spaced and if possible typed in a Tahoma font at size 14. If you have any questions at all, please don t hesitate to give Jessica a call at the office. Thank you for all you do for the church! Please help us as we work to rebuild these lists, our church database and our telephone directory! See Contact Update Information Form found later in this newsletter. Please complete it and get it back to the office as soon as possible! GREETING CARDS WANTED! Christmas Greetings from a member from a long time ago. Tom Hoyt moved to Thailand some time ago and every 2017 FELLOWSHIP TIME SCHEDULE 1-7 Diaconate/Education 1-14 Music/Worship 1-21 Outreach Ministry 1-28 Parish Activities 2-4 Diaconate 2-11 Education Ministry 2-18 Property/Finance 2-25 Membership 3-4 Music/Worship 3-18 Outreach Ministry 3-25 Parish Activities The Membership Committee sends cards of caring and support to members and friends of the church during times of illness, grieving and other major life events. If you have extra greeting cards, including blank cards, that you can donate to the committee, please bring them to Sunday worship and leave them with one of the greeters. Thank you! ALTAR GUILD GATHERING- The Altar guild will be meeting in the sanctuary on Thursday January 11th at 4:30 pm. We will welcome a new member and go our directions for Please call Diane Wells at or Claudia Wright at to RSVP.

3 Full Registration Registrations are non-refundable. $125 before February 15, 2018 $150 February 16 March 26, 2018 Saturday-Only Registration $100 before February 15, 2018 Registrations are non-refundable. $125 February 16 March 26, 2018 SPECIAL MEAL PACKAGE: $125 (includes all 5 meals / not box lunch) Keynote Speakers Rev. Traci Blackmon, UCC Executive Minister of Justice and Witness Ministries; Rev. Deborah J. Blood, Maine Conference Minister; Rev. Sarah Buteux, Associate Pastor Minister of Christian Education and Outreach; Founding Pastor of Common Ground; Leslie Adelson Lewin, Director of Seeds of Peace; Rev. Renee Rouse, Warner, NH Workshops 35 workshops over two sessions on Saturday. Holy Mall (vendors, displays, refreshments, and some surprises) Saturday Entertainment Women of Harmonya cappella choir of local talent

4 Member & Friends Contact Update Sheet In an effort to update our church records we are asking all our members and friends to send along their most current contact information and communications preferences. This will be used to create a new directory! Please complete this form (write clearly please!) and return it to the church office by January 30, Mail it to 18 Veteran s Sq. Laconia NH 03246, it to churchoffice@laconiaucc.org or drop it off. Thanks for helping us stay current & connected! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Head of Household: Cell: Send Tower Tidings to Yes No Member: Yes No Spouse: Cell: Send Tower Tidings to Yes No Member: Yes No Anniversary date: Landline telephone number: Mailing Address: Mail Tower Tidings to address above: Yes No Minor Children: DOB: DOB: DOB: DOB: Would you be interested in getting occasional text messages from the church? Yes No

5 Season s Greetings to Congregational Church of Laconia Members & Friends! Each Christmas, we invite members and friends to contribute to a designated ministry in lieu of sending Christmas cards to other church members and friends. This year s designated ministry is the Campership Fund which supports children and youth who attend wider church programs including the New Hampshire Conference Horton Center and the UCC National Youth Event. This year s donors, listed below, contributed more than $500, and they wish you all: a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Michael Colcord, Jr. & family Ted and Linda Tunnicliffe Penny Lamarre Del & Ellie Kennard Ruth & John Gill Evelyn Millar Catherine Tokarz Pat Masters Sylvia Quackenbush Maurine & Richard Bastille Gail Gline Cindy & Bill Nutter Dave & Marilyn Lynch Fred & Elaine Smith Gail & Rod Dyer Mary Lou Grevatt Carolyn Jorgensen & Lyllah Anstey Betsy Kelly Bill and Joan Bell Bev Martin Hollis Thompson Ila Mattila Martha & Warren Clement Janet & Charles Heslam Matthew Fink Beth & Dave Shehadi Bouchard Claudia Wright Dan & Diane Tinkham Peg Petrie Angela, Caleb & Haily McCarty Phyllis Veazey Helga Brunkhardt Katharine Dade Jessica & Jeff Dade JoAnne & Mark Whitticom John E. Gauthier Ed & Louise Bastille Jean & Don Clarke Brad Geltz & Luann Mussari Alida & Peter Millham Wayne & Carol Domin, Dylan and Aly Lines Diane Wells Mary-Ellen Azem Sandy & Stan Brallier Diane Lockwood Wilma M. Davis Paula & Bill Gile Warren & Martha Clement Emond Family Ken & Pam Kyle Jerry & Diane Maher Nerbonne Family Elsie & John Burbank Bernard Chapman David & Nancy Barth

6 Congregational Church of Laconia United Church of Christ 18 Veterans Square Laconia, NH phone (603) Nomination Form for Church Service Award This award is presented each year at the church s annual meeting to Honor and reward those persons or person whose service to the church is above the call of duty. Person(s) nominated: Reasons why you are making this nomination: Your Name (please print) Date: Phone: PLEASE RETURN BY January 15, 2017 Mail to: The Congregational Church of Laconia UCC, 18 Veterans Square, Laconia, NH to: churchoffice@laconiaucc.org Drop off in Church Office

7 9:30 Worship January 2018 SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT 9:30 am Worship 31 3:00 Epiphany Service Gilford Methodist Church 8:00 Early Worship 9:30 Worship 8:00 Early Worship 9:30 Worship 8:00 Early Worship 9:30 Worship OFFICE CLOSED :00 Prop/Finance 6:30 Ed. Ministry 2 3 6:30 Outreach 6:30 Membership 6:30 Diaconate 7:00 Worship :00 Council :00 Choir 7:00 Choir :30 Stewardship 7:00 Choir 7:00 Choir

8 T O W E R I D I N G S The Congregational Church United Church of Christ 18 Veterans Square Laconia, NH «FMailing label» «Address1» «Address2»«City State» «Zip code» NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 67 LACONIA NH Upcoming Coffee Hour Hosts Tower Tidings Schedule /07/2018 Diaconate/Education 01/14/2018 Music/Worship 01/21/2018 Outreach Ministry 01/28/2018 Parish Activities Tower Tidings is sent bi-monthly prior to the 1st and 15th. Deadlines for submissions are the 10th and 25th of each month. PLEASE SEND INFORMATION TO: towertidings@laconiaucc.org ONLY Submissions may be edited lightly due to space considerations.