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CCB Amazing!
News & Events to Nourish Your Soul By
November 2015 Edition
 

It is hard to believe that we are rapidly approaching the holiday season and the celebration of the birth of Christ.

We have many events in November and December to plan for, so enjoy this month's CCB Amazing newsletter!
CE Corner - From the Superintendent
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On behalf of CE, I would like to put out a request for an Assistant Superintendent and volunteers to coordinate the Christmas Pageant for this year.   

Also, details will be coming on the 2nd Annual Burlington Polar Express Christmas Caroling Bus Tour.

Thank you in advance to those who will help.

Tim Higley
CE Superintendent
From the Deacon's Bench
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Our congregation has for the past several years had a Pilgrim Thanksgiving service, which included dressing in costume.

This year, our Thanksgiving service will be somewhat more contemporary but will be engaging and interesting. Plan to bring your whole family for our new Thanksgiving experience.

Following the theme of Thanksgiving, the deacons continue their tradition of making food baskets for those of our congregation that need help with feeding their family at Thanksgiving.

Please consider making a donation.  Any of your Deacons can assist you with this care giving.

It's also not too early to think of our college students who will be immersed in final exams and homesick. The Deacons are also coordinating care packages for these students. They're always well received and a nice reminder to the kids that we're at home thinking of them, supporting them and anxiously awaiting their return.
Pledge Sunday - November 15th
"For surely I know the plans I have for you... to give you a future with hope." Jeremiah 29:11
 
"A future with hope" is what God promises the homeless people of Israel. People abandoned, alone and far from home.

Exiled in Babylon, everything they knew and trusted had been destroyed. Yet here was a promise that they not only had a future, but a future with hope.
 
Do you think God has plans for the church? Good plans? Can we believe in a future with hope? 
 
Can we claim that promise of a hopeful future for ourselves by giving all to this moment? Be generous to our future together. Trust with hope for the future and give with love today.
 
"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Luke 6:38

Thank you,
Stewardship Committee
Holidays are GREAT for Fundraising!
Plan your Holiday Shopping and Use Scrips to achieve our 2015 Fundraising Goal

Help put us over the top in our Fundraising goal by using Scrip gift cards to purchase your holiday gifts, or, give cards as gifts themselves.

Department and Specialty Stores generally have the highest rebates of any card so using Scrip cards for your holiday purchases can literally bring in hundreds of dollars for the church.

Here is an example of what I mean:

Do you buy gifts at Old Navy?  Old Navy gift cards have a 14% rebate which means if you buy a $100 card to make your purchases our Church earns $14!  And you have not spent any more than you would have if you bought your gifts with cash or a credit card.  Essentially, Old Navy just donated $14 to our Church.

Here are some other examples:
  • Macy's - 10%
  • American Eagle - 10%
  • Gap - 14%
  • LL Bean - 19%
  • Land's End - 16%
And there are hundreds more stores. See the complete list by going to www.ShopWithScrip.com and click on the Retailer List or Retailer List by Category link at the bottom of the page. The list includes the denominations of the cards the store offers.

Here is what I am asking you to do:
  1. Review the retailer list for stores you will shop at for holiday gifts
  2. Write down the list of cards you want to purchase - the store name and $$ amount
  3. Write a check to 'CCB' for that amount
  4. Give your list and check to me on Sunday so I can order your cards for delivery the following Sunday
As always, I will have a limited supply of some of the most popular cards to choose from for you to purchase on Sundays.
 
Thanks!

Maryann Burns 
Music - Fall Music Series | Organ Fundraiser
Fall Music Series Concert


The Music Committee is excited to welcome this talented group that includes Tamar Wells who is a special friend of our Church!  She plays her oboe at our Maundy Thursday service as well as a member of a trio that plays at our 11 pm Christmas Eve service.

It promises to be a wonderful afternoon of entertainment followed by a gathering of friends at our reception.

We ask for volunteers to make finger food for the reception and remember that this is a free concert although Goodwill donations will be accepted.  Thank you in advance for supporting this wonderful tradition.

Mark Your Calendars for our First Church Organ Fundraiser on Saturday, December 12th


You can purchase tickets from any Music Committee member, Chris Dabbo or Joanne Kurnik, Church Secretary.

Tickets are limited, so we can only allow reservations for Tables of 8 that are prepaid by December 1st (no refunds).  After that date, it's first come, first serve...the "Sorry - Sold Out" signs are at the ready as we expect to sell all our tickets.  Don't delay!

In addition, you can expect:
  • Between 8:00 pm and 9:00 pm, there will be rides on the Carousel for $1.00 (tickets sold at the venue).
  • You are invited to BYOB, snacks/food and/or set ups of your choosing.
  • Raffle tickets on sale for some impressive prizes!
  • Plenty of free parking onsite or at any of the surrounding business parking lots.
  • A handicap accessible facility with parking and an elevator to the ballroom.
If you have not heard The Chaparrals before, you are in for a treat.  It's going to be a fun night for a great cause.  Check those calendars and get your table or tickets ASAP!

What We Need from You

There will be a sign up sheet for volunteers in the Chapel Room who would like to be a part of this "ambitious event" and we are asking each committee (or individuals) to consider donating a raffle prize.

We are looking for volunteers to help, so if you think you would like to be a part the Unity, Strength and Faith that makes "A Church a Church", then please join us or donate to the cause!

Since we will only have an hour to set up and take down this event, we are going to have a Volunteer Meeting either Saturday, 12/5, after Choir practice at 10:00 am OR Sunday, 12/6, right after Sunday Service.

Thanking you in advance for your support, this is going to be one fun evening!

Music Director/Organist:       Christopher Dabbo
Music Committee Members:  Miwako Agresta, Sonia Higley, Sue Laramie, and Lila Cahill
Cub Scout Pack 23 Religious Emblem Classes
Cub Scout Pack 23, chartered to the Congregational Church of Burlington, will be offering Religious Emblem classes.

The classes will be offered to any interested scout this fall/winter, regardless of unit.
  • The God & Me class is for Cub Scouts in grades 1-3 and will meet on Mondays from 6 pm to 7 pm on Dec. 7th, Dec. 21st, Jan. 4th & Jan. 18th.
  • The God & Family class is for Webelos in grades 4 & 5 and will meet on Mondays from 7 pm to 8 pm on Nov. 9th, Nov. 23rd, Dec. 7th, Dec. 21st, Jan. 4th & Jan. 18th.
For more information feel free to email John Mazzei or Amy Archick .
The Business at Hand
Paint Project Update, Save the Date & Volunteers Needed

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Phase One of the Church painting and Steeple repair project is underway.  This phase will focus on the Steeple leaks from the outside, repair of rotting wood and painting if the weather holds.

As the weather turns, the inside work of installing the inside Steeple louvre water drainage system and repainting the Chapel Room roof will be done.  Phase Two will begin next Spring with the outside exterior being prepped, repaired and painted.

Annual Budget Meeting - Sunday, December 6th

We will have our Annual Budget Meeting immediately following service on Sunday, December 6th.  Unlike in past years, it is anticipated this meeting could be over in approximately 30 minutes, depending on participant comments.  Please plan on attending. 

Snow Removal Volunteers Needed  

As we await the impacts from the very tropical Hurricane Joaquin, it's time to start planning for the snow that will inevitably fall this winter.
 
We have two groups that need to be managed:
  1. Snow Shoveling Team - To help clear the entrance ways and emergency exits for all who use our building.  The goal is to get the paths clear for Sunday Service and by most evenings for any meetings that may be scheduled.
  2. Roof Raking Team - This group will ensure the Parsonage and the church Community Room are safe from too much snow.
The key to these groups is having enough people on them to respond to storm timings despite our personal schedules.

Email Jerry Burns if you can help with the church shoveling and email Paul Cornish if you can help with the roof raking detail.

The Business Committee thanks all who can help in advance, we truly need the help!
Frank's Flix on Friday, November 13th
Join us for ou r November F rank's Flix showing of Pocahontas (G, 81 minutes) !

The movie will begin at 7 pm and plan on 8:30 pm for Pick-up.
   
We'll have popcorn and juice free of charge, 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.

More News of Interest...
Be sure to check out the Our Church Family page on our website for even more details on today's CCB news of importance:
  • New Member Sunday, November 15th - Our Church will be welcoming new members at this Service.  If you are interested in joining our church family, please email Sara Szafranski for additional information.
In This Issue
Quick Links
Pastor's Monthly Message
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Moments with God
Moment's With God by Darlene Michaud
Our Church Family
Congregational Church of Burlington
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Stay Connected
Congregational Church of BurlingtonOne constant is how active our Church is.  We have so much going on and so much to be thankful for.

I visited my father's church this past summer and asked where the children and young families were.  Dad said they don't have any young families or Sunday School.

How lucky is our Congregation to have such a vibrant Sunday School program with a great group of kids and a Pastor who shares the Spirit of Christ as if he is talking just to us?

Throw in the fact we have a wonderful Church building and a lovely home for our Pastor to live in and we are blessed.

As individuals and as a Congregation, let's not forget our blessings to be thankful for and let's remain focused on the needs of our Church and what it takes to keep it all going.

May it be so,

Jerry Burns
Business Committee Chairperson
Digital Marketing & Management Chairperson