Weekly Newsletter
Week of March 20th-March 26th
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Gilead Congregational Church, UCC
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Meetings and Services this week:
Wednesday, March 20th:
-9:30 a.m. Wednesday Morning Book Discussion
-6:00 p.m. Confirmation Class
-7:00 p.m. Choir
Saturday, March 23rd:
-9:30 a.m. Youth Group to Covenant Soup Kitchen
Sunday, March 24th:
-8:30 a.m. Worship Service
-10:00 a.m. Worship Service with New Members Joining
-Sunday School
-Coffee Hour
-11:30 a.m. Youth Choir
Tuesday, March 26th:
-11:15 a.m. Bible Study in the Parish House
-7:30 p.m. AA Meeting
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About Us:
Pastor:
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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Smart Phone Friendly E-news Format
You are going to notice something different with today's e-news! We have modified our weekly template to be compatible and easy to read for those who open our e-news on their smart phones.
And, we also hope that the new format continues to be easy to read for those who open the e-news on their computer. Special thanks to Jim Burgess for coordinating and developing this new approach.
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For the cycle of life
which brings death and rebirth..
We rejoice in the promise of Spring.
For lengthening days
and sunlight's warmth upon the soil.
We rejoice in the promise of Spring.
For a snowdrop's beauty
reflecting its Creator's artistry.
We rejoice in the promise of Spring.
For new born lambs
their joy and exuberance.
We rejoice in the promise of Spring.
For all of creation
and the majesty of its Creator.
We rejoice in the promise of Spring.
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Lenten Theme Week 3 - "Repent"
Luke 13: 1-9
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." Matthew 3:2
What does repent mean to you?
Is there anything you need to repent of?
A Prayer for Healing
May healing flow like the tide through your life, sweeping away stones, debris,
all that impedes,
leaving you refreshed, renewed,
at peace.
from FaithandWorship.com
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Youth Group to Serve at Covenant Soup Kitchen
Saturday, March 23, 2019 at 9:30 am
Our Youth Group will be preparing and serving the noon meal this Saturday, March 23rd at the Covenant Soup Kitchen in Willimantic. The group is still in need of mashed potatoes. Please contact the Church Office (860) 228-3077 if you can make a side dish of potatoes. Donations can be dropped off at the church that morning between 9:15 and 9:30 a.m. If you have any questions, please contact Karen Cohen (860) 228-5188. Thank you!
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Walk Through Holy Week
Sunday, March 31st
On Sunday, March 31st, children will be treated during their regular Sunday School classes, to a live reenactment of Jesus' walk through Holy Week. Children are invited to actively participate in and experience the week leading to Jesus' resurrection. They will wave palms and shout "Hosanna" in the Palm Sunday parade, eat at the Last Supper with Jesus and his disciples, and discover Mary Magdalene at the tomb and the risen Christ! You won't want to miss this special experience! We hope to see you there. Snow date is April 7th. This event is brought to you by the Board of Christian Education. If you should have any questions please contact Karen Risley at krisley@comcast.net.
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Decaf Coffee Collection during the Month of March
We are collecting cans of decaf coffee (Folgers Decaf has been suggested) for use throughout the year for our coffee hours. Please bring a can to worship with you during the month of March and place it in the designated basket outside the Sanctuary. Coffee will be collected through Sunday, March 31st. Thank you!
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Join the Gilead Helping Hands Team!
Sunday, March 31st
Gilead Helping Hands (GHH) is a subcommittee of the Gilead Congregational Church Board of Missions and consists of volunteers who want to serve others and their community in a "hands-on" way. Please be with us on Sunday, March 31st to learn more. On this day, there will be a special mission moment during worship, a slide show presentation of past projects during coffee hour, and current GHH members will be available to answer any questions you may have.
Did you know that Gilead Helping Hands has completed 65 projects in the past 6 years and helped local families by:
- painting a house
- remodeling a bathroom/bedroom to make it accessible
- building a stair rail for safety
- fixing a door
- helping move a couple into an apartment
- painting
- repairing roofs
- snow removal
- repairing walls
- securing a front sidewalk and stairs for safety
- rebuilding a deck
- and MUCH MORE!
We welcome volunteers with all skills...whether building, carpentry, painting, plumbing, landscaping, electrical - or even the ability to make lunch for the crew or clean up. As projects arise they are emailed out to GHH volunteers and if you are able or would like to do that particular project, you can reply. If you are interested in being a part of the Gilead Helping Hands team, please visit our table outside of the Sanctuary on Sunday, March 31st!
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One Great Hour of Sharing
Sunday, March 31st
"More than we can imagine." -Ephesians 3:20
On Sunday, March 31st , we will be receiving our special One Great Hour of Sharing offering. Through One Great Hour of Sharing, United Church of Christ members reach out in the name of Christ to:
Build sustainable communities.
OGHS supports self-help programs in more than 80 nations to build sustainable communities that enable people and communities to stand against and rise above hunger, disease, illiteracy, and other forces of injustice that deny and destroy dignity.
Respond to disaster.
OGHS provides emergency and long-term assistance to people in the aftermath of hurricanes, tornados, storms, floods, tidal waves, fires, explosions, technological disasters, civil strife, war, or other natural or human-caused events. On average, OGHS responds to a disaster once every 2.5 days.
Minister to refugees.
OGHS responds with advocacy and help, hope and hospitality for people who have been uprooted from their home of origin. More than 30 million of the world's people are uprooted at any given time.
One Great Hour of Sharing is part of a network of service and caring that is efficient, effective and faithful. Administrative costs are typically less than eight percent annually. The partnership is shared with nearly 6,000 United Church of Christ congregations across the United States and Puerto Rico, where this remarkable miracle connecting UCC members to the world truly begins. The One Great Hour of Sharing offering is administered through Wider Church Ministries of the United Church of Christ to respond to the humanitarian needs of the world. If you should have any questions, please contact Stephanie Haines at (860) 228-3077, watch https://youtu.be/R3P3I6EGq3c or visit www.ucc.org/oghs_about.
Envelopes for this special offering are available in the front and back of the Sanctuary.
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Easter Dinners
This Lenten season help to bless a family with an Easter Dinner. The Board of Missions, Hunger and Heating Subcommittee, will be collecting items to assemble 50 Easter meals for Hebron Interfaith Human Services and those in need. Hams, eggs, daffodils and a special prayer card created by our Sunday School children will be provided, but we are in need of the following:
Real Butter (1 package, to be stored in the church refrigerator)
Dessert Mix (brownie or carrot cake with non-perishable tub of cream cheese frosting)
Condiments (mustard or mayonnaise)
Potatoes (a bag full - closer to the April 14th date)
Fresh Carrots or Green Beans (closer to the April 14th date)
Easter Candy (Peeps, jelly beans or chocolate bunnies)
Egg Dying Kit
Please sign up for an "Easter Dinner" item outside of the Sanctuary. Members of our Confirmation class will be collecting and assembling the dinners.
All items are due by Sunday, April 14th.
Thank you for your support!
If you have any questions please contact Phyllis Kurz (860) 228-2469, Bob Owens (860) 228-9541, or Alice Marien (860) 228-4416.
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Easter Memorial/Flower Order Form --- Deadline is Sunday, March 31st
_____ In lieu of plants, I would like to make a donation to the Church
Memorial Fund (suggested donation is $10).
______ I would like to order a 5" pot Pansies at $5.25
______ I would like to order a 6" pot Spring Mix at $9.25
______ I would like to order a 6" pot Tulips at $9.25
______ I would like to order a 6" pot Easter Lily at $10.75
______ I would like to order a 6" pot Oriental Lily at $10.75
TOTAL NUMBER OF PLANTS - ________ TOTAL $ AMOUNT -________
Please "X" one of the following:
Plant(s) will be picked up: ______
Plant(s) are being donated: ______
(Please note: Dedications made in memory or honor of loved ones will be
listed the same whether flowers are ordered or a donation is made to the
Memorial Fund.)
Given in Honor Of: ________________________________________________
Given in Memory Of: ______________________________________________
Purchased by: __________________________________
Please give order form w/payment of cash/check to Katie McClaine
or send order/payment to: Katie McClaine, 860 Gilead Street, Hebron, CT 06248
(860-460-3221)
***(Checks payable to: Gilead Congregational Church)
***Please provide separate payments if you are ordering both flowers
and making a donation to the Memorial Fund. Thank you!
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CD/DVD Swap
Sunday, April 7th
On Sunday, April 7th, our Fellowship Committee will be holding a CD/DVD and board game swap. If you have some of these items that you no longer want or use, please bring them to the church for the swap. (NO VHS TAPES PLEASE) Bins will be provided. Also, if anyone has a CD/DVD rack they would like to donate it would be helpful in displaying these items. The swap will be held after the 10:00 a.m. worship service at which time you can "peruse and choose". If you have questions, please contact Pat Martin at 860-228-8441 or Annette Langevin at 860-228-1313.
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Hebron Maplefest Thank You
Our Women's Fellowship and Youth Group would like to thank everyone who supported them in their sale of maple pudding cakes topped with vanilla ice cream at the Wenzel Sugar House.
Also, our Craft Fair was a success. Special thanks to Becky Cook for coordinating this event and thanks to Barry MacLachlan for helping with the set-up!
Lastly, we would like to thank Phil and Philip Parizeau and Jeff and Tucker Haines for providing refreshments for the artisans during the Craft Fair.
Note
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For all those who made maple pudding cakes, please return the empty maple syrup containers to Renee Ellis or drop them off at the Church office. Thank you!
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Confirmation Class to Harrington Court-Genesis Eldercare
Members of our Confirmation Class visited Harrington Court-Genesis Eldercare in Colchester last Tuesday. Pictured below is the class and Ciara Franzese is holding the craft, which was to put a gerber daisy in a jar with rocks that residents could put in their rooms. Thanks to the Risley's for their creativity in coming up with this craft, to the Summerer's for the cookies, to the Franzese's for the apple juice, and to Mrs. Franzese for help with driving. And thanks to all of our Confirmands for going on this visit and reaching out to others with your time and love!
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Lost and Found Table
Are you missing a coat or hat or maybe a plate? Please stop by the table set up in the hallway of Fellowship Hall. We encourage everyone to take a look and ensure that you have not forgotten something while worshipping with us. We will have the table up through and including Sunday, March 31st. After that we plan to donate all remaining items.
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Parking Reminder
The Board of Trustees would like to share a reminder to please not park blocking the opening of the stone wall, leading out to the back lot, which is in the middle of our Church parking lot. This opening allows access for people to park in the back and needs to remain open. Thank you!
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Sunday School Mission Project
"The Oak Inside the Acorn is the story of the miracle inside each of us. For within every child is the special person God created, just waiting to grow."
Dear Families,
The theme for our Sunday School program this year is, "Precious In God's Sight". During upcoming Sunday School classes, we will be reading the book The Oak Inside the Acorn and exploring how young people are precious children of God, dearly loved and wonderfully made with unique gifts and talents. What's more, children will explore and develop their own personal mission project using those special gifts and talents to be an expression of God's love and hope to their community and beyond.
We need your help! Please support your child's mission project by brainstorming along with them how they can use their talents to bless others and helping them with their project. It should be something that "speaks" to them and that they are passionate about. Examples might include
- Making and selling dog biscuits to support an animal shelter
- Playing their instrument for the senior center
- Making cards & sending them to brighten someone's day
- Tutoring another child
We also hope you will share a photo of your child's mission efforts which we will share in a special video presentation during our year end celebration, Children's Sunday, on June 9, 2019. Photos and questions regarding the mission projects can be sent to Stephanie Haines at
stephanie.haines@hotmail.com
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All Sunday School Mission Projects should be completed by - APRIL 28th. Thank you for your support!
Pictured below are Sunday School youth who participated in the “Mission Project Workshop” and created “chains” of their gifts and strengths this past Sunday.
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Wednesday Morning Book Discussion Group
The Wednesday Morning Book Discussion Group is discussing "To Bless The Space Between Us" by John O'Donahue. It is "a salute to blessings as a way of life and a source of meaning, beauty, wonder, grace, healing and transformation". The group meets on Wednesday mornings from 9:30 - 11:00 a.m. at the home of Judy Brown and Deena Watson (130 Charles Lane). If you have any questions about this group, please contact Sandy Hooker (860-228-9856). All are welcome!
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Silver Lake Summer Camp
Silver Lake has announced its offerings for the summer 2019 conference season. Brochures are available underneath the name tags and one is hanging on the bulletin board. Details and registration are also available at
www.silverlakect.org
along with downloads of the forms needed for registration. Also, our Women's Fellowship has once again agreed to pay the $150 deposit for any young person from our congregation who would like to attend Silver Lake. Please speak with Karen Voghel (860-508-3326) if you would like to take our Women's Fellowship up on their offer.
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Thank You
Beloved Quiet Corner Refugee Resettlement Friends,
We so appreciate the myriad of ways you helped us scramble on short notice to prepare to welcome a new refugee family to America. Your efforts were stellar - we felt supported and energized in all the daunting preparation tasks. From the handmade cuddle blankets to the huge gift box of dates and in countless other special touches, their home just sparkled with love. We are very grateful!
Ann Plumley
QCRR co-leader
Jen Beck
QCRR Communications Coordinator
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Dear Denise and the GCC Congregation,
Between doctor appointments, medical test, surgeries and hospital stays, the last three years have been very difficult for me. The number one thing that has helped me keep going is the love and prayers and notes from so many of you. I'm never going to be 100 percent, but I will work hard to do the best that I can.
There is just no way to thank you enough for accepting me into your lives. I am so blessed to be a part of GCC.
God Bless each and every one of you.
With love and affection,
Nancy Thomas
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Upcoming Sunday Worship Servers
Ushers for this Sunday:
Lorraine and Mark Tierney
Ushers for next week: Gayle Sylvester and Patrick Fagan
Deacon of the Day for this morning: Teresa Olio
Deacon of the Day for next week: Doug Stewart
Liturgist: Jackson McKinley Acolyte: Tucker Haines
Call to Worship: Gage Haines
Coffee Hour Hosts for this morning: Heidi Byrne and Becky Cook
Coffee Hour Hosts for next week: Gilead Helping Hands
Greeter for this morning: Marie Santa
Greeter for next week: Elaine Aubin
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Scripture Readings and Prayer for the Week
Isaiah 55: 1-9 and Luke 13: 1-9
Gracious and eternal God, you call us into a new way of being, and give us so many second chances in life. May your love wash over us, as we turn toward you this day. Mold us as your people
in new and powerful ways, that we may be faithful disciples of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
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Contact Info
Sally Fritsche
Administrative Assistant
672 Gilead St
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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