October 2014 Inside this Issue: PG 2: Toms Pen PG 3: Youth News PG 4: Our Family PG 5: Join Us PG 6: Other News PG 7: Calendar PG 8: History Snippet Service Times: (In the Chapel) 9:15am Children s Church 10 am Sunday School (in the Sanctuary) 11:15am Children s Church 12pm Fellowship Visit Us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/firstchurchcongregational SIGN UP TO RECEIVE OUR E-MAIL NEWS AND UPDATES E-mail request to: christy@firstchurchcongregational.org Website: www.firstchurchcongregational.org Office: 440-357-7518 Page 1
Rev. Cofer s Pen The trees have begun to turn, and fall has really arrived! Just now, we can go into the stores and get pumpkin flavored everything, if we want it. Before we know it, Halloween will be upon us, and then, we will enter the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons. Before we get there, though, we celebrate the presence of the harvest season and of fall, and what the Holy Spirit brings to us during this time of year. Sunday school classes began this last month after a wonderful Rally Day, and a good time was had by all. Thanks again to everyone who helped make it a special day. A reminder that we have Sunday school for all ages during the 10 AM hour on Sunday. There are several opportunities for you to grow your faith in some special ways. Again, the classes available to you are: Graceful Revelations with Sylvia Jayne (meets in the North Room), The Gospel of John with Marcia Backos (meets in the Garden Room), Jay & Betty Pomeroy s (open to all adults, meets in the Lounge), and The Best Yes with Lisa Cofer (meets in the East Room; this class is for women only, all women are invited and welcome to attend). Sunday school is an opportunity to learn new things, to be sure, but it is also important to share fellowship with one another. When we share with one another, we build up our relationships as well as learning. The discussions we have with one another lift up our faith in special ways, and if we don t go to Sunday school, we miss out on an important part of our faith. Another opportunity to engage in service, fellowship, and to make a joyful noise on Sunday mornings is to be a part of the choir (practices at 9 am) and/or the bell choir (practices at 10 am). We can always use new members in both choirs, and we are especially in need of one bell ringer to complete an octave for us. What can be better than making a joyful noise and sharing and learning with one another? Come and join us! There are also other many other small group, study, and fellowship opportunities available to you that take place during other times. We have Reiki, Yoga, Book Club, Affirming Life, Women s Fellowship, and Heidelberg, just to name a few. You are encouraged to participate in any of those that you would like. If you are looking for a small group/discussion (something like what takes place during Sunday school), then our Thursday evening class is for you! Right now, we are studying Confronting the Controversies by Adam Hamilton. This study looks at some of the most controversial issues of our faith (separation of church & state, abortion, euthanasia, etc.) So far, we have had great discussions and everyone seems to enjoy our time together. You can drop in and pick right up with us where we are so come and join us at 7 PM Thursday evenings in the North Room! This is also the time of year when we reflect on how God has blessed us over the next year. Soon, you will be receiving stewardship materials that will invite you to consider how you might give a portion of what God has blessed you with of your time, talent and treasure. Whenever it comes to the allocation of resources, any of the resources of time, talent, and treasure, there is always a temptation to view what we have from the standpoint of scarcity. In our time, it seems that we never have enough of these blessings to go around. We could always use more. Well, this is one way to look at it. Another, more helpful and blessed way, however, is to look at what God has given us in terms of abundance. That is to say, there are things that we may well be struggling with, but God has, nonetheless, blessed us beyond measure. When I was a child, I learned this lesson, which is still true today: we are more blessed if we give thanks for what we do have rather than spend our time pining for what we don t. In the book of Acts, we are told that the earliest Christians, when they were gathering with one another for worship, prayer, and fellowship, they always shared what that had and distributed it to any who had need. One of the ways in which the Holy Spirit becomes known in the world is through us, and through our giving. It is up to us to be Christ s hands and feet, to be active participants in spreading God s hope in the world. As we approach the time when we celebrate stewardship, I encourage you to lift it up to God in prayer. We will be empowered to live by a spirit of abundance. Enjoy all the blessings that this season of fall continues to bring us! In Christian Love, Tom Page 2
Youth News We are in need of a few items to help make Trunk-or-Treat a success. If you are able to donate any of these items please sign up on sheets provided in Social Room and Chapel. Thank you 12 Gallons of cider Pumpkin carving kits 20 Pumpkins for carving Firewood 1-10 Canopy Tent 10 small pumpkins for painting 20 Straw Bales 2 Tin tubs for drinks 200 Styrofoam Bowls Lots of Black Blue or brown Sheets/Curtains/Fabric Page 3
Our Family Ushers Hear Our Prayer I would like to Thank all of our September Ushers, Greeters and Psalm reader for all of their help and dedication: Sanctuary Ushers : Doug and Sue Smith, Tom and Karen Berry, Frank and Kathy Szekely, and Ray and Kay Wilson. Greeters: Betty Talcott and Lucille Sylvia Parking Lot: Ed Zikursh Psalm Readers: Scott Eukel, Helen Cooper, Jeff Powers, Paul Peddie. Chapel Ushers: Tracy Balante and all other that have help last month. Chapel Psalm Readers: Tracy Balante and Norma Forbes and all others who have helped. Dear Lord, I ask you to turn this weakness into strength, suffering into compassion, sorrow into joy, and pain into comfort for others. May your trust in your goodness and hope in your faithfulness, even in the middle of this suffering. Let him be filled with patience and joy in your presence as he waits for your healing touch. Please pray for continued healing for the following loved ones: Wallace Scott, Eva Weber, Charleen Gawronski, Louise Keeter, Marge Libby John & Nita Ruple, Dave Burris Larry Lamphier, Maxine Trout Mary Ellen Hall, Barb Totin, Carol Lant Walt Butler, Ted Hieronymus Jean Burnham, Ruth Hyslop, Alan Sadar and Bernard Szczepanski. Missions TOSS IN THE TOWEL A big thank you to the congregation for another successful towel drive! This summer we brought 315 towels to the families served by Hope Chest. Your generosity is always appreciated. Missions NEIGHBORS IN NEED Our Neighbors in need special offer will be during service on October 5th. Neighbors in Need 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. Through UCCTakeAction. org, our national Justice and Witness Ministries office offers resources, news updates, and action alerts on a broad spectrum of justice issues. One-third of the offering supports the UCC s Council for American Indian Ministries (CAIM). Neighbors in Need helps make another world possible Page 4
Join Us Women s Fellowship Fall Salad Luncheon Friday October 17th 11am- 1:00 pm Home made Salads, Soups, and Dessert $7.00 per Person. We need you help!!! Don t forget to sign up to bring a salad or dessert donation or to help volunteer. Page 5
Other News Budget Did you know? Year-to-date Budget as of 8-31-14 Income $ 200,068 Expenses $ 194,058 In the BLACK $ 6,010 Prayer Group Those interested in participating in the First Church Prayer Team are invited to attend an organizational meeting at 1:00 on October 6 in the Garden Room. The purpose of the meeting is to determine the specifics of how this newly formed group can best serve the needs of our congregation. Praying is something we all can do and prayers are something we all need. That being said, we want to include everyone who is interested, so those who want to participate but cannot attend, should call Christy in the church office or Karen Berry at 354-7732. We can provide you with information or perhaps schedule a second meeting. Heidelberg The October meeting of Heidelberg will be on the third Tuesday, October 21, at 1:00, in the Social Room. The program topic is The Heroin Epidemic. This is a serious problem happening right here in Lake County. We should be aware and informed of this crisis. The program will begin at 1 p.m., followed by a brief meeting, and then refreshments. We welcome all (women, men, guests) who are interested in this topic. Over a year ago, the first Church Council of Stewards created the Pastoral Relations Committee. This Committee s mission is to act as a liaison between members of the congregation and the pastoral staff. The pastoral staff includes Tom Cofer and the paid church personnel under his administrative authority. All persons wishing to make a complaint or extend a compliment to the pastoral staff are urged to contact the committee member of his or her choice. The source and content of any comments will be kept strictly confidential in all respects. The current members of the Pastoral Relations Committee are as follows: Earle Drabenstott, Chair, Ann Marie Hamilton, George Milbourn, Cap Perts, and Jean Stevens. Cofer Fund All Donations to Rev. Cofers House need to be submitted to the church office by October 31, 2014. I would like to sincerely thank everyone who donated for their generosity. Book Group Wednesday October 15th at 11:00am The book for the Wednesday Morning Book Club discussion on Oct.15 is Playing For Pizza by John Grisham. Paul s Paul s Thursday morning class will resume on Oct.9th at 10 a.m. This year we will be studying the Gospel of Matthew. Please join us in the Garden Room there are always good seats available. Page 6
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 28 11:15 Children s Church- 6pm Youth Clean Up Basement 5 NEIGHBORS IN NEED 11:15 Children s Church 6pm Youth Group 12 11:15 Children s Church 6pm Youth Group 19 11:15 Children s Church 6pm Youth Group 26 9 am Reiki 11:15 Children s Church 5pm TRUNK -or-treat 29 9am Reiki 7:00 Boy 6 1:00 pm Prayer Group 7pm Boy 13 Columbus Day 7pm All Boards meet 7:00 Boy 20 12pm Project Hope 7pm Council 7:00 Boy 27 9-5 Reiki 7:00 Boy 30 7 11am Listening for God 6:45 Cub 14 6:45 Cub 21 11am Listening for God 1:00 Heidelberg 6:45 Cub 28 1 1 pm Women s Fellowship 2 8 9 10 Paul s class 15 11:00 Book Club 2:00 Stewardship 6pm Girl 22 6pm Girl 11am Ushers: GENE AND EILEEN MCKINSTRY, DAVE AND BARB SAIFMAN, CASEY AND JULIE O NEIL, and PAUL AND BONNIE PEDDIE GREETERS - SHIRLEY ABERNETHY AND MARLENE ANDERSON PARKING LOT : BRUCE ANSPACH 16 10 Paul s class 23 10 Paul s class 29 30 10 Paul s class 3 10 7pm Girl 17 11am FALL SALAD LUN- CHEON 24 31 4 9am Reiki 11 10am St. James 18 9 Mens Fellowship 25 9am REIKI 9am Ushers and Psalm: Oct. 5 Tracy Balante, Lisa Joles and Psalm Summer Joles. Oct 12 Summer Joles, Lisa Joles and Psalm Autumn Joles. Oct 19Tom and Ann Marie Hamelton Psalm needed Oct. 26 Need Ushers and Psalm Reader 1 Page 7
Published monthly by First Church, Congregational 22 Liberty ST., Painesville OH 44077 440-357-7518 POSTMASTER First Church, Congregational 22 Liberty ST., Painesville OH 44077 NON-PROFIT US POSTAGE PD Painesville, OH Permit 195 Blessings to: A Look Back to the Beginnings, Nearly 500 Years Ago Within The First Church Congregational archives are a number of histories, including the 1957 version written by Mrs. Martin A Tuttle. This particular overview draws from her work discussing the era from the 1500 s until the arrival of Pilgrims in 1960: Congregationalism did not begin with one person, or on a single date, its beginnings are rather obscure and indefinite. It was a movement for reform, springing up in England, in many places, as a result of the deplorable conditions of the church following the reformation. The breaking away from the Roman Church and Catholicism only brought in the English Church, a national despotism instead of an international one. The parish was the church unit, also the political one, and Queen Elizabeth had power of life and death over both. Groups of people, having the courage of their convictions, for many leaders were imprisoned and more than few were hanged, met secretly, at first, to express their disapproval, and to worship in the way they preferred. Over a long period, made stronger by persecution, and growing stronger by faith, their organizations took on more permanent form, and they dared, finally, to break away entirely from the national church. One of those leaders was Robert Brown of Norwich, whose church is probably entitled to be called the first Congregational church on English soil. Other leaders were John Greenwood and Henry Harrowe, both of whom were put to death. They decided, as had many other groups, to move to Holland and from there, the story of the ultimate arrival on Cape Cod in 1620 is familiar to all of us. Doug Smith Historian Page 8 History Snippet