Volume 16/Number 4/April 2015 Holy Week: Maundy Thursday: April 2 Brief Passover Seder followed by Communion Service in the Auditorium 6:30 pm sharp (doors open at 6:00 pm). Ends at 8:00 pm. Good Friday: April 3 12:00 pm Cross Walk to Greenwich Point 8:00 pm Good Friday Concert featuring The First Congregational Church Chancel Choir and Chamber Ensemble; soloist Hanna Golodinskii, soprano Dr. Craig Scott Symons, conductor; Requiem by John Rutter; Free-will offering Easter Saturday: April 4 10:00 am-12:00 pm in the Daniels Center including activities to teach the meaning and joy of Easter. Plus, Egg Coloring (you bring the hardboiled eggs ready to decorate and we ll supply the rest!) Easter Sunday: April 5 6:15 am Sunrise Service at Greenwich Point 9:00 & 11:00 am Festival Services in the Meetinghouse with choirs, brass & timpani; child care available. See page 5 for details INSIDE THIS ISSUE March Pictures/Lenten Offering...2 Speaking Pastorally/New Members...3 Youth/Soup Kitchen/Oral Histories.4 Musical Notes/Arts Festival.....5 Rummage Room/Book Corner...6 From the Parish Nurse...7 Easter Saturday/Communion Workshops 8 Rotation Workshop in March/ 678 Class 9 Hunger Project/Visiting Committee 10 Women s Fellowship...11 Thanks to Bob Small/Bible Study/Moms Group/April Assignments 12 April Birthdays/Life Events.. 13 Preschool Job Opening/Preschool Summer Program.....14 WF Annual Quilt Raffle......15 350th Anniversary Kick-Off Celebration.....16
Youth Sunday March at First Church Stop Hunger Now! The Rummage Room Bible Breakfast Visit our Photo Gallery to view more pictures: fccog.org/photo-gallery/ Raise up a child in the way they should go and when they are old, they will not turn from it. ~ Proverbs 22:6 Providing a safe place in which young people can explore who they are and the ways God is working through and with them has long been a goal of those who work with the youngest among us here at First Church. We have sought to raise our children well and our prayer is that we will plant the seeds of faith that will serve them their whole lives. This year, our Lenten Offering seeks to offer that same grace to two communities outside of our church walls: Silver Lake Conference Center and Covenant to Care for Children. Silver Lake is the Conference Center for the Connecticut Conference of the United Church of Christ. Our church has a deep and fruitful relationship with Silver Lake and many who are a part of our congregation have had the opportunity to be shaped by their experiences and programs there. Our money this year will bring to fruition a building project at Silver Lake that will further the ministry they share. Covenant to Care for Children is a local agency that works with foster children who are a part of the Connecticut foster care system. Their goal is to place children in both foster programs and forever homes. To do so, they need the support of churches like ours to ensure that the children have the material things they need when they find the home that is just right for them. Join us during this Lenten journey as we learn more about the ways we may respond to the need of God s children in the world. 2
Speaking Pastorally By Rev. Richard S. DenUyl, Jr. Dear Friends, As the season of Lent draws to a close and we look forward to Easter, I have one final confession to make. I love coloring Easter eggs! Further, I do not have one legitimate or creative excuse for doing so. No young children or grandchildren in the house. Nor do I design Easter centerpieces for the dining room table. The truth is I have always loved dipping and dyeing Easter eggs. And, most remarkably, as a child I was annually amazed how the Easter bunny managed to hide the same eggs I decorated the day before. So there you have it. I love coloring Easter eggs. Glad I got that off my chest. Finally, it occurs to me that eggs can also symbolize God s people---every conceivable color on the outside, endowed with a heart of gold on the inside. Granted, some of us can act a little spoiled on occasion, while others often feel mentally scrambled or physically fried. Still others always seem to appear positively, sunny-side up, while some of us are intellectual egg-heads or hard-boiled in our beliefs. And, yet, what we all share in common is we are all more fragile than we care to admit. Which is why, it is ever so helpful to remember, in God s eyes we are deeply loved and overall pretty good eggs. Happy Easter! Richard Welcome to Our New Members! Daniel and Anne Gustafsson with Emma, Julia, Lars and Olivia Jeff and Victoria Quake with Tyler and Avery John and Amanda Bomann with Grace, Lucy and Ben Jim and Jenny Gartner Richard and Barbara DenUyl with Sophie 3
Friday, April 3: Cross Walk down to Greenwich Point Sunday, April 5: Easter Sunrise Service Sunday, April 12: Post-Church Ice Cream Social Sunday, April 19: TBD Sunday, April 26: GIGANTIC Game Night! Soup Kitchen Volunteers Thank you to Debbie Silverhorn and Rev. Mark Montgomery who made and served chili in March. If you, a group of your friends, or a representative group of people from FCCOG would like to prepare and/or serve chili, just give Mark Montgomery a call or email fccoghungermission@gmail.com. Tom Stiers and Allan Lorimer Oral Histories: The transcription of the oral history of Rev. Tom Stiers, our Pastor Emeritus, and a second oral history of Rev. Allan Lorimer are now on the church website. Just enter oral histories in the search box to find the link to it or click here: http://www.fccog.org/about-us/a-brief-history-of-our-church/oral-histories/. Click on the name in the left column to read that oral history. Tom was on our staff for 29 years from 1973 to 2003. We are very grateful to Tom for lending us his time in doing this interview, and for all that he did for our church. The second Allan Lorimer interview tells of how he was selected to be our senior pastor while only a first -year student at Union Seminary and the unusual experience of his second sermon, on Palm Sunday, 1927. -- Pat Larrabee, head of the Historical Committee 4
Musical Notes Good Friday Service: Our annual service for Good Friday will be held on April 3 at 8:00 pm. Readings and hymns to commemorate the death of Christ, along with a performance of the Requiem by John Rutter, will frame our time together. The Chancel Choir will be joined by a cello, oboe, flute, harp, timpani, and organ to share this moving work. Rutter s Requiem has both English and Latin texts, and includes sections from the Latin Requiem Mass for the Dead. Soaring high above the choir will be our amazing soprano section leader, Hanna Golodinskii (right). Please join us for this service. All the events of Holy Week are important in our faith journey, as they follow the steps Christ took during his last days on earth, and enable us to fully appreciate the joy of the Easter celebration. Spring Festival of the Arts: After a year hiatus, our Spring Festival of the Arts is back on the first weekend of May, May 1-3. Friday, May 1, at 6 pm the Art Society of Old Greenwich will present artwork from their members in our Auditorium. The evening will include a wine and cheese reception to mark the opening of the exhibit, which will be on display and viewable from Friday evening through late Sunday afternoon. At 8:00 pm Friday night there will be an outstanding chamber music performance in the Meetinghouse by Serio Divertimenti (right). The group is comprised of Mary Jo Pagano, piano; Monte Morgenstern, clarinet; Peter Prosser, cello; Lisa Arkis, flute. Tickets will be $25 for the evening concert. Saturday, May 2 will feature our First Church Festival Chorus and Orchestra in two great choral and orchestral pieces, Beethoven s Mass in C and Choral Fantasy, both under the direction of Craig Scott Symons. Special guest, Cullen Bryant, will be the piano soloist in the Choral Fantasy, which is a precursor to the Beethoven 9 th Symphony. Our section leaders will be the featured vocal soloists in the Mass in C. Tickets will be $35 for preferred seating, and $25 for regular seating. Wrapping up our weekend will be a 4:00 pm Sunday, May 3 concert featuring the vocal stylings of soprano Jolie Rocke Brown (right), in a program entitled Rock of Ages: Hymns for the Soul. Jolie teams up with producer and nationally acclaimed pianist, Joel Martin, to present a new and original sound for sacred hymns, maintaining their recognizable traditional melodies while infusing elements of jazz, gospel, and classical music genres. Tickets will be $25. 5
APRIL EVENTS CALENDAR: News from The Rummage Room 191 Sound Beach Avenue, Old Greenwich - 203-637-1875 Monday, March 30 Saturday, April 4: Easter clothing and accessories 50% off for the week leading up to Good Friday and Easter. Wednesday, April 1: April Fool s Day! It is has been a long tradition of The Rummage Room to have Live Mannequins' in the windows from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm in order to amaze and delight our shoppers along with those walking and driving by. The 'April Foolers' will include many of The Rummage Room volunteers and some staff members of First Church, including our Youth Ministry staff from 11:00 am to Noon. If you missed last year, you will want to come by and join in the fun throughout the day. Friday, April 3: In observance of Good Friday, The Rummage Room will be closed. Saturday, April 4: The Rummage Room is open for business from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Sunday, April 5: Have a beautiful Easter Day. Wednesday, April 22: Earth Day. One of the many attributes of The Rummage Room is that it has been green for the past 50 years long before it was cool to be green. The shop has always honored the 3 R s of conservation: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Merchandise The Rummage Room does not sell is passed along to Veteran organizations and other local charities. Nothing goes to waste. Tuesday, April 28: The 'Annual Thank You Breakfast' for the 70 plus Rummage Room Volunteers will be held in the church auditorium beginning at 9:00 am. The Breakfast will be hosted by The Rummage Room Committee and Rummage Room Manager, Maria Drieghe, in order that they may personally express their appreciation for a "job well done." Volunteers: Please let Maria know if you plan to attend. If you would like to volunteer, please call Maria at 203-637-1875. Manager Maria's Wish List: Spring clothing; good handbags (!!); jewelry; bric-a-brac; Easter decorations; DVDs; blue fabric. Shop Hours: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday - Friday & 10:00 am to 1:00 pm on Saturday. Donation Hours: 9:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday - Thursday & 9:30 am to 12:30 pm Friday - Saturday. Thank you for donating only clean, salable goods. Many thanks!! In Observance of Easter: Life is a series of miracles!! The most significant miracle humankind has ever known is the death of Christ upon the cross, followed by His Resurrection and His Ascension into the Kingdom of Heaven so that we might have Life Everlasting. Avery s Book Corner For the month of April, I recommend Things Hidden: Scripture as Spirituality by national bestselling author, Richard Rohr: In this exploration of central themes of Scripture, Richard Rohr transforms the written word, discovering in these ancient texts a new and vital meaning, relevant and essential for modern Christians. He uncovers what the Bible says about morality, power, wisdom and the generosity of God in a manner that demands a life-changing response from believers. Rohr offers his readers a Christian vision of abundance, grace and joy to counteract a world filled with scarcity, judgment and fear a vision that can revolutionize how we relate to ourselves, others and the world. 6
From the Spring into Action by Sue Asselin, RN As I write this we are expecting another late March freeze overnight. Hopefully by the time you get this newsletter, April will bring some warmer weather, motivating us to get outside more often and take on some new activities. Spring is a time of hope and new beginnings, and a good time for making some healthy lifestyle changes. Did you know the Wellness Committee provides resources for motivation toward healthier lifestyles? In Room 203, the Parish Nurse s office, there is a lending library of books and tapes to help nourish one s mind, body and soul. There are recipes, audio recordings, and a variety of healthy diets offered. A recent addition, The Daniel Plan, includes a book and DVDs promoting good nutrition and active lifestyles. Also, your Parish Nurse is available for motivation and confidential consultation. If you would like any inspiration, support, or resources for your own spring health initiatives, come and see me in Room 203. I m here on Sundays 10:00 am 12:00 noon, Tuesdays 10:00 am 4:00 pm, and Wednesdays by appointment; and can be reached at extension 21. On March 23 we welcomed Denise Addorisio, a dietitian from Greenwich Hospital (below), who spoke about DASH or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The DASH diet is rich in fruits and vegetables and low in fat and sodium. Studies show that the DASH eating plan, endorsed by the NIH (National Institutes of Health) can lower your blood pressure. It s a well-balanced diet that also helps prevent diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers. More information on DASH, including lots of recipes, can be found at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/dash. On March 8 we welcomed Dr. Donna Coletti for a Second Hour on Palliative Care. Dr. Coletti, Director of Palliative Care at Greenwich Hospital, shared some great insights about this philosophy of care, which focuses on quality of life and comfort measures. More information on palliative care can be found on these Greenwich Hospital websites: http://www.greenwichhospital.org/palliative-care and http://www.greenwichhospital.org/upload/docs/factsheets/english/ palliative-care.pdf On Sunday, April 26, Dr. Coletti will return for an Advanced Directive Workshop. She will be joined by Judy Holding, MAR, Chaplain at Greenwich Hospital and Lori Romano, JD, an estate planning lawyer (and FCCOG member). Please join us in the Lounge at 11:30 am as we learn how to express our wishes through documents such as a living will, power of attorney, and health care proxy. Good Samaritans take advantage of CPR practice on March 14. 7
April 4 Easter Saturday 10:00 am 12:00 Noon in the Daniels Center Bring the Egg Coloring fuss to us! You provide your own hard boiled eggs ready to decorate and we will have all the supplies. Plus, other activities to teach the meaning and joy of Easter. Sign up on the easel in the Undercroft or contact Rosemary Lamie at 203-637-1791 ext. 20 or email her at RosemaryL@fccog.org. There is no admission charge but please be sure to let us know your family is coming so we can be ready for you. Communion Workshops for all ages with all participating on May 3: Children and Communion at FCCOG The choice as to when a child partakes in Communion is a family matter. Partaking in this sacrament can be a strong symbol of inclusion for children in the Body of Christ. Or, it may be more meaningful to wait until a later date, perhaps following Confirmation. Whatever the choice, we hope the discussion and family worship focused around this sacrament will help you discern what is best for your child. Whether you choose to have your child participate now or at a later time, we believe learning about communion can take place at any age as long as the teaching is age appropriate. So April s Rotation Workshops will be all about Communion. One will be a Lego building event where the children will make a communion table or scenes that depict a communion in church. The alternate workshop will be a drama event. The older classes will actually recreate DaVinci s Last Supper and stage it for all to see in the Auditorium during Fellowship Hour! There will be a separate two-week session for the 2 nd graders. The first session is designed to include parents of 2 nd graders, too. During this class we will hear about why, how and when Jesus instituted the sacrament of Communion at the Last Supper. During the second session, the children will create a visual representation of Communion to be displayed the following Sunday, May 3, during the Worship Service. Then the 2 nd graders families will sit together in the front of the Meetinghouse and participate in Communion together. If you are new to First Congregational Church and have older children who have not had an opportunity to take part in these teachings, they are most welcome to attend the 2 nd grade twosession workshop. Questions? Contact Rosemary for more information. (Call 203-637-1791 ext. 20 or email RosemaryL@fccog.org). 8
Rotation Workshops in March The Story of Jacob s sons, especially his favorite Joseph Photos from the 3 rd grade Bible Breakfast, where the children Stumped the Pastors by asking several questions about the Bible, including naming the 11 brothers of Joseph, the number of books in each of the Old and New Testaments, and more. This annual breakfast is hosted by the Church School Task Force. 678 Class Visits Temple Shalom as Part of World Religions Curriculum Finally, the field trips have begun! Starting with an introduction to Judaism from Rabbi Mitch Hurvitz on Sunday, March 22. Rev. Mark and teachers Donald Haviland, Lori Romano, and Charlotte and Fred Lorthioir, and the 678 class visited the temple and saw first-hand the worship space, the Torah and other items of significance to the membership of the temple in Greenwich. 9
Stop Hunger Now! Project On March 15, more than 50 members of the FCCOG community gathered to contribute their efforts to battle hunger. Working with the agency, Stop Hunger Now, we packaged 10,000 bags of food, each feeding six people. In less than two hours, we helped feed 60,000 folks! As Avery Manchester put it, "We created a modern-day feeding of the masses!" From the youngest among us to those who have many years of wisdom, it was inspirational to see a wide variety of our congregants gathered together for a common cause and effort. Thank you for the ways that you helped make this service a wonderful reality. Special words of thanks go to our Christian Outreach Committee who sponsored the event, Peter and Eileen Griffin who dreamed of and supported this effort in our community, and to those who may not have been able to help this day but offered prayerful support nonetheless. Many hands made for light work, but many hands also made for a wonderful difference for those suffering from limited, healthy food options. Thank you! FCCOG Visiting Committee We are excited to be starting a Visiting Committee to assist the Pastors with ministering to church members. We will offer to visit members who are homebound, hospitalized or may appreciate a visit for any other reason. The needs will be coordinated with the Pastors and with Sue Asselin (Parish Nurse) as staff liaison. Linnea Stenberg (Visiting Committee Chair) will then assign a committee member for a visit. The member outreach will expand from yearly delivery of Christmas Poinsettias and Easter Lilies to an identified group to year-round ministry. Committee members will also liaise with other church groups who can provide a prayer shawl, soup or a meal. You have probably noticed that the church service bulletin lists the members of FCCOG as the Ministers. This committee will be an example of member-to-member ministry. We look forward to serving the congregation. 10
Women s Fellowship Mark Your Calendars! Women s Fellowship Annual Meeting & Luncheon Who: Women s Fellowship (all women of the church & guests) What: Catered Lunch. Our program this year will acknowledge the 350th anniversary of First Church and will feature local historian, Missy Wolfe, author of the book, Insubordinate Spirit: A True Story of Life and Loss in Earliest America 1610-1665, who will give a fascinating oral history of Old Greenwich. When: Wednesday, May 13, 2014, 11:30 am (The quilt raffle will be at NOON sharp.) Where: First Congregational Church Auditorium TAI CHI with Joe Black Come give it a try! Wednesdays at 8:00 9:00 am Thursdays 9:00-10:00 am In the Auditorium (or Memory Garden when weather allows) Only $10 per class. Drop-ins are welcome. Joe Black is a certified personal trainer and Tai Chi specialist, who works at the Tully Center. He also teaches Kettle Bells, TRX, Kick Boxing, Boot Camp and Functional. For more info, call Joe at 203-504-4678. Come and experience the many wonderful benefits of Tai Chi and Qi Gong exercises. Cost: Lunch reservations by check for $10/person are a MUST. Please make checks payable to Women s Fellowship, Att: Annual Meeting, and send to or leave at the Church Office by Sunday, May 11. We regret that we cannot accommodate reservations by phone, walk-ins, or reservations without payment. Election of Officers and Vote on Charitable Allocations Hats Off Book Discussion Group Join us Thursday mornings from 10:00-11:30 am in the Lounge. Questions, call Jean Bruder at 203-661-1685. Kettle Quilters Mondays 9:00 am-12 noon and Tuesdays 7:30-9:00 pm in Room 203. Nights Off Women s Group The next gathering of the Nights Off Women s Group will be on Monday, April 20 at 6:30 pm. Place TBD. More details will follow on the church website at www.fccog.org and in the Friday email leading up to the date. All are always welcome to our Nights Off gatherings, Please join us and bring a friend along. If you have questions or would like to be added to the email list, please contact Shirley Flierl at fbtworld@aol.com. 11
Loads of Gratitude! Do you know who sits in the small Audio Control room off the Narthex each Sunday morning so that shut-ins and others who are not able to make it to church can listen live on WGCH radio? It s the wonderful Bob Small! He has been keeping our radio broadcasts going with such graciousness and expertise each week since 1988, in addition to uploading the sermon audio files to our website and providing our pastors with audio mikes. We are currently looking for back-up for Bob and people interested in being apprentices to learn the system and help document what he does. We have a middle school congregant and her dad interested in learning the ropes, but we could use some others as well. Specifically we d like someone who can develop a checklist/user manual of all that Bob does. If you are interested in helping out so that Bob could maybe take a vacation (!), please contact Pat Larrabee at patlarrabee@hotmail.com. Thanks, Bob! Bible Study Bible Study will resume on Sunday, April 19 at 11:20 am in the Lounge. No need to have ever been before. Come and join us. All you need is an interest and Rev. Avery Manchester will take care of the rest. Especially For Moms of Very Young Children If you have a baby, toddler and/or 2 year old, join us for an opportunity to meet and relax with other moms and their young kids. The group meets the 2nd and 4th Friday of every month (April 10 and 24 this month) in Room 104. During April we will be trying out a new time, 10:00-11:00 am. Please make a note of this time change. For more information, contact Kristen Jacks at kmj33z@yahoo.com or call her at 203-344-1961. Memorial Services: Pam Grunow - April 5-11 Jo McBride - April 12-18 Sherry Myer - April 19-25 Johann Thalheim - April 26-May 2 April Responsibilities and Assignments April 2 (Maundy Thursday) Communion: (All 6 Serve, too) Luis Angel-LaLanne - Capt. Eric Schless - Set up Rick Woodman - Set up Phil Bradford - Set up Donna Hascher - Clean up Ben Quick - Clean up Deacon Assignments: Invocation Carolyn MacLea Hospital Notes Phil Bradford March Fellowship Hour: Membership Committee 12
A P R I LBIRT H D AY S 04/01 Hope Leizear 04/11 Peter McHugh 04/18 Scott Tagliarino 04/25 Amie Hogan 04/01 Russell Pruner 04/11 Thomas Oppedisano 04/18 Margaret Dempsey 04/25 Sarah Bodenstein 04/01 Luke Crihfield 04/11 Matthew Ryckman 04/18 Elizabeth Schrohe 04/26 James Sotzing 04/01 Catherine Williams 04/12 Lynn O Gorman 04/18 Fiona Venema 04/26 Pamela Speer 04/02 Virginia Breismeister 04/12 Christina Schoen 04/18 David Fraser 04/26 Michael Simko 04/02 Ian Brash 04/12 Meg Thomas 04/19 Robert Ferry 04/26 Laura Erickson 04/03 Paul O Gorman 04/12 Jane Haviland 04/19 Bert Pulitzer 04/27 William Schmitt 04/03 Liz Fox 04/12 Nora Houseknecht 04/19 Steven Standish 04/27 Henry Hartwell 04/03 Cliff Anderson 04/12 Ava Kilmurray 04/19 Jeffrey Whitehill 04/27 Will Grunow 04/03 Elizabeth Mendelsohn 04/12 Steve Summerton 04/19 David Alfano 04/28 Henry Huth 04/03 Virginia Stewart 04/13 Kristina Berlin 04/19 Sarah MacDougall 04/28 Gordon Johnson 04/04 James Anderson 04/13 Lauren Mikell 04/19 Henry Wheelock 04/28 Charlie Stuckey 04/04 Lori Ann Giffin 04/13 Matthew Klingner 04/19 Caroline Sproule 04/29 Lynn Hawxhurst 04/04 Cole Janelli 04/14 Caroline McLennan 04/20 Kenneth Bonnet 04/29 Patrice Anibal 04/05 Elizabeth Goodchild 04/14 Brecky Huth 04/20 Timothy Coleman 04/29 John Unger 04/06 Judith Gordon 04/14 Gillian Woodman 04/20 Caroline Keller 04/30 Claire Henry 04/06 Carole Lang 04/14 Stephanie Woodman 04/21 Alexander Brash 04/30 David Ayres 04/06 Carol Pollack 04/14 Anni Unger 04/21 Courtney Jewett 04/30 Fred Pfetsch 04/06 Christopher Sotzing 04/15 Erlinda Haviland 04/21 Caroline Kolb 04/30 Colin Crihfield 04/06 Genevieve Kimberlin 04/15 Jonathan Ryckman 04/21 Margo Teeters 04/30 Cameron DelCristo 04/07 Peggy Beecher 04/15 Suzanne McCue 04/22 Edward Perisa 04/07 Kristin Taylor 04/15 Jennifer Pratt 04/22 Emily Hunt 04/07 Laura Nugent 04/15 Kelsey Ingraham 04/22 Hannah Ginste 04/07 Kimberly Pacent 04/15 Sara DeFazio 04/23 Andrew O Donnell 04/08 Sara Perelli-Minetti 04/16 Marion Nolan 04/24 Joan Torelli 04/08 Dee Robarts 04/16 Kara Donahue 04/24 Ronald Blasberg 04/08 Gail Bertuzzi 04/16 John Gelb Jr. 04/24 James Standish 04/08 Kelsey McHugh 04/16 Donald Haviland 04/24 J. Q. Norrgard 04/09 Skyler Serenbetz 04/17 Johann Thalheim 04/24 Tanner Williams 04/10 Bobbi Hanson 04/17 Ted Davis 04/25 Jim Gartner 04/10 Jeffrey Sahrbeck 04/17 Jillian Fryback 04/25 Anne Pfetsch Life Events: Baptisms: Quinn Marie Duffy, daughter of Liz and Tim Duffy Grant David Doyle, son of Susan and Sean Doyle Deaths: Paul P. Palmer The Church Office will be closed on Monday, April 6, the day after Easter. * * * To sign up to receive the Meetinghouse Monthly electronically, just email Barbara Wilkov at barbaraw@fccog.org and request to be added to the monthly email list. 13
JOB OPENING We are seeking a full-time administrative assistant in the First Church Preschool office. This job is responsible for supporting the Preschool Director and the Preschool staff in executing the day -to-day administration of the Preschool office. Major duties include: Responsible for the administrative clerical functions associated with the operation of the preschool Responsible for the financial bookkeeping functions associated with the operation of the preschool Responsible for the programmatic functions associated with the operation of the preschool Educational requirements: Highly proficient with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.) and all Preschool office equipment and technology Familiarity with accounts receivable and payable, financial monitoring software (such as Quick Books), and budget monitoring processes Training in Early Childhood Education or Child Development an added value Experience requirements: Recent experience working in an early childhood program is helpful, but not required Administrative clerical experience in personnel and budget maintenance Send resume and cover letter to search@fccog.org. At First Church Preschool SUMMER PROGRAM June 15 - July 24 The summer program at First Church Preschool is the perfect place for kids ages 3 to 5 to have a blast. A variety of summer fun activities will engage your child: arts & crafts, water play, playground time, sports, music, snacks, nature exploration, wet and dry inflatable slides and bouncy houses, science experimentation and discovery, and more! Our program is staffed by nurturing, experienced professionals. Don t miss out on the fun and bring a friend or two! Sign up for any single week of our six-week program, or, if you enroll for the full six weeks before May 1, you will receive a discounted rate. One registration form must be completed for each child to be enrolled. If you have questions or need more forms, call us at 203-637-5430 or visit our website at www.firstchurchpreschool.org. Hope to see you this summer! 14
Women s Fellowship 45th Annual Quilt Raffle The Kettle Quilters have created a beautiful and very special quilt for the Women's Fellowship quilt raffle this year. The quilt is a vintage cross stitch, Colonial Plymouth. The original embroidery was done around 1950. Dee Alexander Robarts acquired the separate pieces at The Rummage Room and passed them onto our beloved Kettle Quilters who painstakingly assembled the beautiful quilt, thus, saving this original embroidery. This lovely full-sized quilt will be raffled off at the Spring Luncheon on Wednesday, May 13. Please use the form below to order your tickets. Tickets will also be on sale at The Rummage Room, at Coffee Hour and in the Church Office in the weeks leading up to the luncheon, but please don t delay. Fill out the form below and drop it off or mail it to the Church. Your tickets will be filled out by the committee and your stubs held for you at the luncheon, unless you prefer they be mailed to you. You need not be present to win. All proceeds from this raffle will support charitable organizations that benefit women, children and families. We are grateful to our dedicated group of Kettle Quilters who continue the tradition of providing heirloom quilts year after year. We thank them and our faithful Church Community for the continued support of the mission of Women s Fellowship. If you have questions, please contact Anne Pfetsch at annepfetsch@gmail.com. Thank you! Name: Address: Phone Number: E-Mail (optional): This year individual tickets are being sold for $10 each and there will be a limit of 1000 tickets sold. # of Tickets: x $10.00 = Total Enclosed: I would like my stubs (check one): Held for me at the luncheon Returned to me via mail Checks may be made out to Women s Fellowship. Please return the form and payment to the Church Office at 108 Sound Beach Avenue, Old Greenwich, CT 06870; Attn: Quilt Committee 15
The First Congregational Church of Greenwich Nonprofit Organization 108 Sound Beach Avenue U.S. Postage PAID Old Greenwich, CT 06870 Stamford, CT Phone: 203-637-1791 Permit No. 7017 Fax:: 203-637-1540 www.fccog.org The First Congregational Church of Greenwich Ministers: The Members of The First Congregational Church of Greenwich Senior Pastor: Rev. Richard DenUyl, Jr., RichardD@fccog.org Associate Pastor for Youth Ministry: Rev. Mark D. Montgomery, revmarkmontgomery@gmail.com Associate Pastor for Pastoral Care: Rev. Avery C. Manchester, amanchester@fccog.org Director of Music: Dr. Craig Scott Symons, craigs@fccog.org Director of Family Ministries: Rosemary Lamie, rosemaryl@fccog.org Director of Church Administration and Finance: Steve Summerton, steves@fccog.org Director of Membership: Ginny Breismeister, ginnyb@fccog.org Director of Communications: Barbara Wilkov, barbaraw@fccog.org Parish Nurse: Susan Asselin, RN, susana@fccog.org Director of Preschool: Darla Kohler Steiner, darlak@fccog.org Pastors Emeriti: Rev. Dr. Thomas L. Stiers and Rev. Sally Colegrove Director of Music Emeritus: Dr. John Stansell First Church is turning 350! Year-long Celebration Kicking Off May 10, 2015! Look for our 350th Anniversary Celebration Brochure coming to your mailbox! You can also pick one up in the Church Office at any time. Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Present, Leaning into the Future. 16