A special forum will be held on Sunday at 11:15 AM in the Chapel to provide an opportunity to discuss the plans for seeking a new Associate Minister for First Church. Members of the Church Council and the Nominating Action Team will be present to address questions related to the search process. | |
Associate Minister for Children, Youth, and Families -- Search 2024
First Congregational Church
Cheshire, CT
Nominating Information for the Search Action Team
Serving on the Associate Minister Search Action Team for our congregation is both a significant privilege and an important responsibility. The Search Action Team will be chosen by a special Nominating Action Team which is made up of the following: President, Past President, President-Elect, Worship Ministry Group Liaison and Chair, Faith Formation Liaison and Chair, and the Senior Minister. The team will review all nominations using criteria established by the Council. The criteria for membership on the Search Action Team include but are not limited to newer members, long time members, members with children, and members with various skills, all with a focus on diversity.
We are requesting that nominations for the Search Action Team be made by members of our church by May 10. Members are requested to not nominate themselves but instead to nominate an individual after confirming that he/she is interested and willing to serve.
The Nominating Form, which is to be signed by both the person nominating as well as the nominee, is available at the Welcome Desk and HERE.
The chosen Search Action Team will be comprised of 5 to 9 individuals. A proposed slate of the members will be developed by the special Nominating Action Team for approval by the Church Council. The Church Council will bring the slate for approval at a Congregational meeting on Sunday, June 23. Commissioning of the Search Action Team will occur on Sunday, June 30.
As our church goal is to expand the mission of Jesus Christ in Cheshire, we have modified the job description for the Associate Minister to include a focus on Children, Youth and Families. The description will be reviewed in more detail at a forum on May 5.
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The Children's Faith Formation News and Information is updated weekly! | |
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Community Conversation about Dementia,
Thursday, May 9, 7 PM, in the Sanctuary
Bring a friend to this much needed conversation with Erica DeFrancesco, from LiveWell, as she facilitates a conversation with two individuals diagnosed with dementia about the signs and symptoms they have and continue to experience, their experience with their diagnosis of dementia, and how to support individuals with dementia in the community! Learn about how YOU too can make a difference!
Erica has a background in Occupational Therapy and is the Director of Community Education at LiveWell. She facilitates educational programs for individuals living with varying forms of cognitive change and their care partners. She is especially passionate about changing the narrative surrounding dementia and helping others to recognize that you can live well with dementia, with the right supports and resources! A church member, Erica serves on the Caring Ministry Group.
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It's time! The Strawberry Festival is Saturday, June 8, and your participation will make it a success. Volunteering is a fun way to connect with both church and community!
Volunteers are needed both Friday, June 7 and Saturday June 8 - and there is something for everyone. Link to the signup sheet is HERE.
Sign up can also be done in person at church on Sundays through June 1, or by emailing Kirsten Sullivan
Come be part of the fun!
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AFTER THE AMEN (Sermon Discussion) Schedule and Update
Friends,
I have thoroughly enjoyed our After the Amen sermon discussions and plan to continue them for at least the next program year.
The proposed schedule is as follows. Please note that there are a few times when our 2nd Sunday schedule won't work and we have moved to another Sunday. Also note that we will take a break in July and August.
2024
- May 19 (2nd Sunday is Mother's Day)
- June 9
- September 8
- October 13
- November 10
- December 15 (2nd Sunday is the 300th Anniversary)
2025
- January 12
- February 9
- March 9
- April 6 (2nd Sunday is Palm Sunday)
- May 18 (2nd Sunday is Mother's Day)
- June 8
Sessions are held in the Chapel, from 11:15 am -12:00 pm.
If you haven't yet joined us, please do! There is no preparation. All questions and ideas are valued. And we all walk away glad we came!
Pastor James
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Greater Waterbury Interfaith Ministry Feed the Need Charity Dinner on Tuesday, June 4 at 5:30 PM
Outreach Ministry Group would like to extend an invitation to attend GWIM’s annual Feed the Need Charity Dinner on June 4th at 5:30 PM at Aria in Prospect. GWIM (Greater Waterbury Interfaith Ministries) provides 8,600 plus meals per week to hungry friends and neighbors living in the Greater Waterbury Area through a soup kitchen, emergency food pantry and a children’s center.
Tickets are $50 per person and include dinner and dancing. If you would like to attend, please email Sharon Puhalla at or call the church office by May 3rd.
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Spring is here! Help celebrate the beauty of the season by dedicating sanctuary flowers to loved ones.
Please see the sign-up sheet on the bulletin board in the parlor to add your name.
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Butterfly Send Off
Beginning May 12, Mother's Day, the beautifully hand decorated Easter butterflies will be available each Sunday through June during Fellowship Hours for a suggested donation with all proceeds benefiting Chrysalis, a nearby shelter for victims of domestic violence. There are a few steps to get them ready and your help is welcome.
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Thank you to those who have signed up for Meals Ministry which is a great way to serve others!
You can still sign up!
Meal scheduling is organized through Take Them a Meal. The website provides easy recipes, tips for delivering meals, and even offers the opportunity to order a meal to be delivered. You prepare a meal when it is convenient for you whether once per month or once per year – whatever you can provide is appreciated.
Signup and information sheets are available at the Welcome Desk. You can also signup through Signup Genius.
Contact: Marianne Eagleson or by cell at (203) 710-4198.
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Inspirational Words of Wisdom: An Opportunity To Pay It Forward
Thanks to the support of our Caring Ministry Group, First Church plans to publish a spiral bound booklet of readings contributed by our congregation as a source of comfort and joy.
How can you help? By sending your favorite prayers, poems, meditations, quotes, lyrics, etc.—any words of wisdom which have inspired you on your spiritual journey.
Our church community is now being presented with the opportunity of supporting each other with words which have given us that extra boost of gratitude, encouragement, and hope when we needed it. Now is an ideal time to pass these words on.
Won’t you consider helping us make this a reality by sharing words of wisdom created by you or others, so that all of us may be inspired by them?
Guidelines for our booklet and sample pages will be available on a table in Parish Hall for the next few weeks to help you decide on your selection(s). Please email your favorite reading(s) by May 18 to Mary Torello.
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Save the date! First Church’s annual Yard Goats game will be Sunday, June 30 at 1:10 PM
More information regarding tickets coming soon.
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In 32 Weeks ….The 300th is Coming!
Our greatest current need is publicizing the great line-up of events we have planned.
- Please let us know you can help by signing up at the Welcome Desk, or on our website
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Help Ring in the Sundays to Our 300th Anniversary
Beginning May 19, each worship service will begin with the ringing of the steeple bells 10 times, each bell toll representing one year of our church's history. And each Sunday, we invite someone to ring the bells; it can be any one of any age. Please sign up for a Sunday at the Welcome Desk or be in touch with Pastor Alison. She will give you a quick lesson on the best bell ringing technique.
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Welcome to Our Newest Members
L-R
Kathy Wharton, Shep Parsons, Jake Oliveri, Geoff Johnson, David Cotton and Carol Cotton
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Sunday Volunteer Opportunities
Every Sunday there is a need for Greeters, Worship Assistants/Lay Leaders and Ushers.
If you can help with greeting and/or assisting at worship, please use the buttons below to sign up.
If you can assist with Ushering, please contact Nancy Stover (email link on tab below) for more information.
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Learn about the Natural Wonders of Creation in Cheshire:
Saturday, May 11 at 9 AM
The Eco Action Team is sponsoring a guided nature walk led by expert naturalist, Laurie Sanders, at the DeDominicis Property. Spring bird migration will be at its peak and the plants sprouted. Meet at the Sullivans’ home, 569 Cook Hill Road at 9 AM.. Wear comfortable shoes or sneakers. Binoculars and walking sticks are optional but encouraged. Walk will last approximately 2 hours. Questions? call, text, or email Anne McNulty 203-217-2908. Severe weather cancels the event.
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 |  | A No-Mow Solution: For several years, “No-Mow May” has been promoted as a way to allow vital pollinators, especially bees, to thrive in the spring by providing nectar and pollen. May is the time when many of these essential insects need help, since other sources of food, which emerge later, are limited. Because not mowing your lawn for a month is a problem for many homeowners (and their neighbors), thoughtful people choose a partial no-mow approach, letting just part of their lawn – often, the back or a side area – “go natural” to increase the abundance and diversity of wildlife. That’s what our church is doing this year. With the cooperation of the Facilities and Grounds Ministry Group, the triangle of land at the west end of the parking lot, where the basketball hoop is, will not be mowed this month. Why don’t you do the same on a portion of your lawn? Let flowers and grass grow there, and don’t apply a weed-and-feed-type herbicide, because it’s those flowering “weeds” that provide the sustenance pollinators need. And about those bees you’re helping: Most of them are ground-nesting, and rarely sting. Help them help us, by giving them some natural and much-needed food!
For more information about the church's Eco Action Team, email Anne McNulty or Karen Schnitzer.
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Sunday, May 5
10:00 am Worship with Communion and Church School
11:00 am Fellowship, Parish Hall, hosted by Strawberry Festival
11:15 am Associate Minister Search Forum, Chapel
11:15 am 300th Anniversary Committee, Library
5:00 pm CAFÉ Conversations Bible Study, Chapel
5:00 pm Youth Group (Middle and High School) Top Chef, Parish Hall
Tuesday, May 7
2:00 pm Parish Care, Library
7:00 pm Caring Ministry, Chapel
7:00 pm Eco Action Team, Whiting House
Wednesday, May 8
12:45 pm Caring Crafts, Parlor
3:30 pm Staff Meeting, Library
6:30 pm New Haven Association Spring meeting, First Church of Christ, Woodbridge
7:00 pm Chancel Choir
Thursday, May 9
9:00 am Yoga, Parish Hall
7:00 pm Community Conversation about Dementia, Sanctuary
Sunday, May 12
10:00 am Worship and Church School
11:00 am Fellowship, Parish Hall, hosted by Finance Ministry
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Other Important Information
A reminder that the Prayer Net Prayer Ministry Team stands ready to pray for any requests. Simply email prayernet@firstcheshire.org the prayer request and it will be sent on to our prayers in complete confidence unless otherwise noted. Let us support one another with the power of prayer.
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