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News & Events to Nourish Your Soul By
December 2014 Edition
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Advent has started and, as Christians, we will be celebrating the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ, this month.

Our Church has much going on and I hope to squeeze it all in so you know what's happening throughout and the month of December with some peeks into 2015!

Christmas Services

The Deacons would like to invite everyone to please join us for the following special services that will celebrate the Birth of Jesus:
  • Sunday, December 21st - Children's Christmas Pageant
  • Wednesday, December 24th, 5 pm - Family Christmas Eve Service
  • Wednesday, December 24th, 11 pm - Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

Please join us in celebrating the Birth of Christ and if  anyone has any needs, please let your Deacon know...we are here for you!

 

All the Deacons wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and  a Happy, Healthy New Year!

 

College Care Packages

 

The Deacons are preparing "Care Packages" for our college students to send in early December to cheer and sustain them through their final exams.

 

If you would like to contribute with either a monetary donation or Scrips Gift Card, please contact Lynn Ierardi at 860-673-0203 or any Deacon.  Thank you! 
Business Update on 2014 Pledges & Budget
giving-hands-together.jpg The Business Committee thanks all who attended out November 9th meeting to learn about our budget realities and our call for ideas to help us draft the 2015 Budget.

There were many ideas shared and emailed after the meeting, which our Church Moderator is compiling and bringing to Church Council this month.

While the Business Committee hopes some of these ideas take hold in 2015, we have to prepare our budget on how well our current Stewardship Pledging campaign goes and a review our 2014 budget deficit.

Some important things to remember as we close out 2014:
  • We are on target for collecting 100% of our 2014 Pledges!  Thank you to all for making this trend hold true throughout 2014! Let's finish the year strong by staying current or catching up by December 31st.
  • Important Tax Reminder: The IRS regulations stipulate that all contributions must be Dated (checks) and Postmarked (cash) OR hand-delivered on or before December 31, 2014 to qualify as a 2014 contribution.  Contributions received after this date will be allocated towards your 2015 pledge.  If you are unsure of your 2014 Pledge Status, please contact the Treasurer or the Church Office.
  • 2015 Annual Budget Meeting Hold the Date: Our Committee is planning on meeting January 18, 2015 immediately after service for an Informational & Congregational Discussion that will shape the 2015 Budget to be voted upon.
Christmas Pageant & Cookie Walk on Sunday, December 21st immediately after Service!!
Christian Education is once again proud to continue our Church tradition of the Sunday School children doing a Christmas Pageant as a Prelude to Christmas!

The Pageant will take place during service with the Cookie Walk to follow.

For those unfamiliar with the Cookie Walk, volunteers bake and bring in cookies which can be purchased for gifts (or for your very own Cookie Monsters!) or served during your holiday get togethers...all for $7.00 a bag!!

We will be NEEDING OUR FANTASTIC BAKERS again this year!  So many of you are wonderful cookie creators and nobody should be deprived of the joy your cookies bring during the Christmas Season!  A dozen or two (or three...) would certainly go a long way!

Bring your cookies on the 21st and consider helping out at the Cookie Walk tables as it is always appreciated!  Thank you to all who make these events special each and every Christmas Season!

If you have any questions, please contact Tim Higley or Jill Treff.

Jr. Youth Group Gingerbread Houses

On Sunday, December 14th, the Junior Youth Group will be making Gingerbread Houses for the Christmas Season!

It will begin after Service & Coffee Hour.  Bring a light lunch and everything else will be supplied to make the houses! 
A Moment with Music
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From the Music Committee
Our Music Series program in November:
  • Was an EXCEPTIONAL program
  • Had an EXCEPTIONAL audience
  • And everyone enjoyed the EXCEPTIONAL reception.
A "VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU" to those of you who supported our program with your attendance, baked delicious desserts and donated monetary contributions.

PLEASE know how much it is all appreciated by all of us!!

Chris Dabbo, Music Director

The Music Committee: Anyesa Bristol, Sonia Higley, Sue Laramie, Lila Cahill

Christmas Concert with Jan Minor

Support one of our Senior Choir members, Jan Minor, as his group "The Middlesex Hospital Vocal Chords, Lifting Spirits with Song" has their annual Christmas Concert.

The concert is Sunday, December 14th at 2 pm at the Portland High School in Portland, CT.  The cost is $20 per ticket and you can see Jan for tickets and further information.
Covenant to Care for Children - Christmas Wish Tree
Look for our Christmas Wish Tree in the Chapel Room

Colleen Webb, our adopted social worker, provided us with names and gift suggestions from the children and teens on her case load.

Most teens enjoy gift cards so they can choose their own gift - giving them a sense of control seldom granted to children and teens in State care.

Use the Scrips program to make Christmas more special for a needy young person and benefit the church at the same time!

Questions? See Linda Sartinsky, Holly Groleau or Holly Kaseta.

Thank you in advance for your support of Covenant to Care for Children...And Merry Christmas!!
A Special Thank You
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Computer Obsession
I would like to thank Dean Benton who owns and operates Computer Obsession in Torrington, CT for getting a newly donated PC ready for the Church Office.

Free of charge, Dean ran diagnostics to make sure the new PC hardware and software had no issues.  I hope to have the PC operational as soon as Joanne Kurnik is ready for it!

If you have any needs for home or business computer, networking or almost any computer related topic, then Computer Obsession
is the first place to go!  Let's support those who support CCB!  Thank you again, Dean!
More News of Interest...
Be sure to check out the Our Church Family and The Deacons' Bench pages on our website as they share even more details on today's CCB news of importance:
  • Christmas Poinsettia Orders
    - Submit order form found on the Our Church Family page by December 7th.
  • Women's Circle Movie Afternoon - Sunday December 7th - Please plan on joining us for an afternoon showing of Wild starring Reese Witherspoon.  Our group read and discussed this book in July and are looking forward to the story on the big screen.  Details will be announced soon, but buy your AMC Scrip cards now for purchasing tickets and concession treats!
In This Issue
Quick Links
Pastor's Monthly Message
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From the Deacon's Bench
From the Deacon's Bench
Moments with God
Moment's With God by Darlene Michaud
Our Church Family
Congregational Church of Burlington
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Frank's Flix & the 1st Annual Burlington Polar Express Bus
Frank's Flix - Friday, December 12th
We'll have popcorn and juice, but feel free to bring your favorite goodies as well.

As always, Frank's Flix movies are free but goodwill donations are accepted to replenish the Frank Parmer Fund which is dedicated to helping the children of our Congregation.
1st Annual Burlington Polar Express Bus 
Sunday, December 21st @ 1:30 pm

Can't Read that Graphic Above?  Just click on it or click here and know that you are ~

Formally Invited to the 1st Annual Burlington Polar Express Bus Christmas Caroling Tour! 

There will be Christmas Carols around town, cookies and hot chocolate!  

Be sure to sign-up in the Chapel Room so we know if a 2nd bus is needed!  Thank You!
christmas.jpg It has been my pleasure to bring you a newsletter each month and I hope you have enjoyed them this past year.

I would love to teach anyone who may be interested in learning how to do a Constant Contact newsletter or event in 2015.

It's a great resume skill and would help ensure the newsletter will go on should I meet up with the proverbial "Polar Express Bus"!!

I also hope you enjoyed my humor throughout the year!

We have much to support and much to celebrate this month as we prepare for Christmas Day and the celebration of the Light that Jesus' birth promised all of us.

I wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas!  Be safe as you prepare for your traditions or attend your holiday parties.

God bless and may it be so,

Jerry Burns
Business Committee Chairperson
Digital Marketing & Management Chairperson

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