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Meetings and Services
this Week:
Sunday, June 25th:
-9:00 a.m.Worship Service
-Summer Sunday School
Monday, June 26th:
-7:00 p.m. Gilead Golf Committee in the Parish House
Tuesday, June 27th:
-11:15 a.m. Bible Study in the Music Room
-7:00 p.m. Trustees
-7:30 p.m. AA Meeting
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Reverend Dr. Denise M. Esslinger
Minister of Mission and Faith Formation:
Stephanie Haines
Minister of Music:
Bruce Gale
Administrative Assistant:
Sally Fritsche
Worship: 8:30 AM
Worship w/Sunday School: 10:00 AM
Summer Worship:
9:00 AM
Gathered: 1748
Meeting House: 1838
Fellowship Hall: 2008
We are an Open & Affirming Church
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Ministry Quicklinks:
More About Us
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Want to declutter your home and support a good cause at the same time? The Food Pantry at 2nd Congregational Church in Manchester is having a fund raiser in partnership with SAVERS, accepting used clothing, shoes, household items, books, magazines, CDs, DVDs, pots, pans, utensils, china, vases, glassware, power tools, small electrical toasters, irons, blenders, mixers, stereos, radios, speakers and sporting goods. This food pantry has been very generous in supporting several refugee families in Manchester, including the family we are sponsoring. Items you wish to donate can be dropped off at the Parish House by noon this morning. Please only donate items that are in good condition and please pack them in plastic trash bags or boxes. Contact Lynn or Bob Owens at 860-228-9541 with any questions or for more information.
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Bible Study
Will meet next Tuesday, June 27th at 11:15 a.m. in the Music Room. The group will then take a summer break and resume meeting on Tuesday mornings in August. Details to be announced.
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Women's Wine, Cheese & Chocolate Celebration
When: Friday, June 30th at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Home of Penny Besmond, 246 Old Colchester Road, Amston
Parking is limited on the driveway which is on a hill. Please consider carpooling. Parking is also available on Northam Road (1 house awn) and at the ball field (3 houses away).
Please bring one bottle of your favorite wine, and a small plate to share (either cheese, fruit, crudite, chocolate or dessert). Crackers and bread will be provided.
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Capital Projects at the Gilead Church
Our Board of Trustees has a number of capital projects to tackle and is working on a 5-year plan to address them. Below are the projects being considered with a bit of information about each of them. You are invited to rank them in the order of priority you would like them to have with 1 being the most important project to you and 5 being the least important. You can place your ranked priorities in the designated basket at the front of the Sanctuary or you can drop them off at the Church Office. Deadline is this Sunday, June 25th. Thank you for your input as we move into God's future together!
Name: ______________________________________________________
_______ Purchase of ~ 3 acres of land across Meeting House Road. Land could be used for parking and for future needs of the church. If the land is deemed not needed, it could be sold with a likely increase in value.
_______ Restoration of Gazebo in our Garden of Remembrance. Goal is to restore the gazebo to its original historical design and ensure structural integrity.
______ Drill new well. Ongoing water issues at the church have been resolved with chlorination. Drilling a new well may bring this to resolution although there is no guarantee.
______ Organ repair and upgrade. Our organ is in need of repair and upgrades, which will enhance the sound and capabilities.
_______ Repairs to Parish House. Work is needed including: repair of siding, chimney work, and new windows.
Other projects. Please feel free to identify any other capital projects you would like the Trustees to consider in the space below.
Project: ___________________________________________________________________
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Summary of "Holy Conversations"
During March and April, members gathered for a series of three holy conversations to discuss where we are as a congregation and to discern who God wants us to be and where God is leading us in the future. The blessings of being part of our vibrant Church were discussed as well as the fact that given our Sanctuary size we have probably plateaued in membership. We did not hear any new need that the congregation felt strongly about addressing.
The theme that we did hear, however, is a concern with connectivity; that even with all the technology and ways we have to connect today that people still long for face to face relationships. This, we feel, is the call of God to us in the time ahead. To help people feel connected to God and to one another both in our congregation and in our community! The Pastoral Relations Committee would like to encourage all members of our Church to reflect on how we can make the connections among us stronger. How do we share the deep and abiding love of God today in our world? We believe that if we can all be more aware and reflective of our "connections" we will make our strong, vital and healthy congregation even better.
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Summer Potluck & Prayer Gatherings
Please plan to join us on Wednesday evenings July 12th, July 26th, August 9th and 23rd for our summer Potluck and Prayer gatherings. We'll meet on the Gathering Terrace at 6 p.m. Our Deacons will grill up hamburgers and hot dogs and have lemonade and ice tea to share. Please bring a side dish or dessert to share. After dinner, we'll close our evening with a brief time of worship and prayer. All are welcome!
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Summer Picnics at the Hebron Library
Please join us for complimentary "Summer Picnics" at the Douglas Library in Hebron, 22 Main Street. Enjoy a delicious lunch in the library community room along with a surprise visit from a guest "Mystery Reader". Following lunch, a special library summer reading event will be hosted by the Douglas Library at 1 pm. Picnics are provided courtesy of local Hebron restaurants and volunteers. The dates are as follows: July 13th, picnic provided by Gina Marie's, "Animal Embassy" will be the featured library event where library patrons can meet and learn about live Animal Ambassadors., July 20th, picnic provided by Georgia's Restaurant, "Fun with Rhythm" will be the featured library event with a drum circle for children 5 and up with their adult, July 27th, picnic provided by Something Simple Café, "Reptiles and Amphibians" will be the featured library event and lastly, August 3rd, picnics provided by Fenn Again's Restaurant, with "Storycrafters" as the featured library event. All are welcome to enjoy!
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Silver Lake Summer Conference
Silver Lake has announced its offerings for the summer 2016 conference season and registration is open.
The Silver Lake summer brochure is now available underneath the name tags and is also available online at www.silverlakect.org along with the downloads of forms needed for registration.
Also, our Women's Fellowship is once again offering to pay the $150 deposit for any young people in the congregation who would like to attend Silver Lake. Please speak with Karen Voghel (860-649-2939) if you are interested in taking advantage of our Women's Fellowship generous offer.
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Announcing 2017 Vacation Bible School
Hero Central: Discover Your Strength in God
"Do good! Seek peace and go after it!" - Psalm 34: 14b
Vacation Bible School (VBS) is an Ecumenical Program Sponsored by the Churches of Hebron, CT and open to all children entering Kindergarten through Fifth grade. VBS will be held Monday, July 24th through Friday, July 28th from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm at the Gilead Congregational Church.
At Hero Central, children will meet Captain Shield and Flame, the Red panda. After a high-energy opening assembly, children will experience an interactive Bible lesson followed by a variety of activities, crafts, music and recreation as well as a tasty treat in our snack zone. Participants will also be able to contribute to our "Christmas in July" mission project, providing for the needs of local children in the Department of Children and Families care and in partnership with the Connecticut Covenant to Care Program.
Early Bird Special
: All registration forms/payments received by July 4, 2017 only $25 per child. All registration forms received after July 4, 2016 $30.00 per child. The fee will cover class materials, daily snack, crafts, and outdoor recreation. Scholarships are available.
Please make checks payable to Gilead Congregational Church and include a completed registration form. Registration forms can be found underneath the nametags, outside of the Sanctuary. Please mail checks and registration form to Gilead Congregational Church/ VBS, 672 Gilead Street, Hebron, CT 06248 or give them to Stephanie Haines or Lydia Abu-Rahmeh. To register online, go to http://cokesburyvbs.com/hebroncommunityvbs. We hope you will join us!
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Coffee Hour Sign Up
Members of the Fellowship Committee are asking members and friends to sign up for co-hosting coffee hour on Sunday mornings. Please consider serving as a host. You can sign up to host a coffee hour on the sign up underneath the name tags. If you can serve as a host or have any questions, please contact Leslie Brand at 860-742-5555. Thank you!
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Willing Weeders for Church Grounds
Our Trustees are looking for folks who are willing to help weed around the church during the upcoming summer months to keep our church grounds looking great. We still have some weeks available for weeding around the Church. Those weeks are:
July 9th
July 23rd
August 13th
August 27th
September 3rd
There is a sign up sheet underneath the name tags or you may contact the Church Office at 860-228-3077 to volunteer. Weeding takes about an hour. Please consider signing up for a week or two. If you have any questions, please speak with Steve Weir, chairperson of our Board of Trustees. Thank you!
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Garden Swap
Our Annual Garden Swap has begun! Please bring in any extra produce from your gardens to the Fellowship Hall on Sunday to share. Any leftovers will be taken to Hebron Interfaith Human Services for their distribution. Questions can go to Paul Miller and Bruce Langevin.
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During the summer, our Choir is off. If you are willing to share a musical gift during one of our summer services, please contact Bruce Gale, our Minister of Music, at [email protected].
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Food Pantry Coordinator
A local food pantry is looking for a part-time coordinator. The position requires a creative, energetic, self-motivated individual to interface with clients and volunteers. Strong organization, communication, business and people skills are required. Fundraising and grant writing a plus. Basic knowledge of MS software including word and excel. The ideal candidate should have two years' experience working/volunteering in a community based setting, food pantry, or non-profit interacting directly with individuals in a customer service role. The position is for 25 hours per week. The individual must be able to lift 50 pounds on a repetitive basis. Some nights and weekends are required. If interested, please send your resume to HIHS, P.O. Box 634, Hebron, CT 06248 by July 15, 2017.
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3rd Annual Gilead Golf Open - August 14th
WANTED...Individuals who are interested in having a good time and wanting to further support the Missions and Ministries of our Church. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY. For the nominal fee of only $100.00, you will enjoy a continental breakfast, bag lunch, an all you can eat buffet dinner featuring prime rib and chicken marsala plus eighteen holes of golf with a cart...SUCH A DEAL....entry forms are available on the table beneath the name tags or from any committee member....don't delay, sign up today for a full day of fun and camaraderie. The date is Monday, August 14th.
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Summer Greeters Needed
Summer is here and we are all enjoying the long, warm days. However, we still wish to greet everyone as they come to worship on Sunday mornings for our 9:00 a.m. service. Greeting is easy and everyone is invited to be a greeter! Simply arrive at 8:45 a.m., stand at the end of the hallway as you enter from the parking lot, and welcome everyone as they arrive. If you would like to be a summer greeter, please sign up on the sheet under the name tags. Thank you!
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150th Annual Connecticut UCC Conference
Bob Woodward and Ginny Miller were honored to be your delegates to the 150th Annual Connecticut UCC Conference on June 16 and 17. Connecticut was joined by the Massachusetts and Rhode Island conferences for the purpose of considering and voting on whether to begin planning for a union of the three conferences which will be formerly voted upon at the 2018 meeting of the three States. All three States voted overwhelmingly to begin the process. Additionally, Connecticut affirmed two policy resolutions: one to mark the Sunday before November 20 as the Transgender Day of Remembrance and the second to urge all member churches to become open and accessible to all. Any questions, or a desire to read these resolutions may be directed either to Bob or Ginny.
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Sympathy
Our church family expresses its deepest sympathy to Kevin and Janet Leary on the death of Kevin's mother, Barbara Leary.
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Congratulations to Melissa and Joshua Caye on the birth of their daughter, Miley Carter Caye. Miley was born on June 17th weighing 6 pounds 14 ounces and 19 inches. Proud grandparents are Alison and Mike Doherty.
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Upcoming Sunday Worship Servers
Ushers for this Sunday:
Sue and Les Fredette
Ushers for next week: Maggie and Alan Thibault
Deacon of the Day for this Sunday: Amy Huhn
Deacon of the Day for next week: Bill Cox
Liturgist: Diane Desruisseaux Acolyte: Haley Saltonstall
Call to Worship: Leah Petro
Coffee Hour Host for this Sunday: Phyllis Kurz
Coffee Hour Host for next week: Potluck
Greeter for this Sunday: Tim Fellman
Greeter for next week: To be determined
Summer Sunday School Teachers for Sunday: PreK/K: Jessica Blacketter
Grades 1 - 3: Teresa Olio
Summer Sunday School Teachers for next week: PreK/K: Sharon McKenna a
nd Marie Santa
Grades 1 - 3: Heather Franzese
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Scripture Reading and Prayer for the Week
Matthew 10: 26-34
Gracious God, you have given us Jesus who was obedient even to death upon the cross. His call to follow him, to lay down our lives in obedience to your will as he did, is a summons to a commitment that demands our all. Help us, we pray, to respond to this call. Amen.
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Contact Info
Sally Fritsche
Administrative Assistant
Hebron, Ct 06248
860-228-3077
Office Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8:00 a.m. until noon (Parish House)
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