First Congregational Church of Southampton

First Congregational Church of Southampton
United Church of Christ
212 College Highway, P.O. Box 145
Southampton, MA 01073
Phone: (413) 527-1173

Weekly Update

5/11/08

www.shcong.org

Rev. Dee’s E-mail: revdee@shcong.org

Church Office E-Mail: churchoffice@shcong.org

Church Office: 527-1173

http://www.shcong.org

WEEKLY CALENDAR

Office Administrator’s Office Hours:

Monday, Wednesday and Friday – 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Rev Dee’s Office Hours for the week of May 11^th:

Monday 1 – 4 p.m.

Wednesday 10:15 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Please note that Rev. Dee will be off on Friday, May 16^th.

SCHEDULE

Sun. 11 Happy Mother’s Day!

Congratulations to our Confirmands!

Tues. 13 Heart Walk, 10 a.m.

Wed. 14 Prayer Group, 9:15 a.m.

Sr. Choir, 6 p.m

Sat. 17 Men’s Breakfast, Easthampton Diner, 8:30 a.m.

Church School Tag Sale 9-2 pm Can you help clean up???

Pasta Dinner and Social, 5 – 9 p.m.

Sun. 18 Children’s Sunday

Confirmation Class Bowling Night, 6-8:30 p.m., Northampton

LOOKING AHEAD

24 Church Clean-Up Day

26 Memorial Day Breakfast, served from 7 – 11 a.m.

Cornerstone Material due by May 20^th for June issue

(Last issue until September)

Members and friends in need of healing prayers

Prayers for Healing: Michael, Ruth, Deb, John, Paula, Dan, Marian (at Loomis) and Len, Jim (at home now), Myrna, Debra, Ken, Nancy M., Colin Q., Heather, Jimmy W., Marilynn, Kathleen, Anne, and Alexis

Prayers for Presence: Donna Vollert, Inez, for our country’s leaders, for our troops wherever they are stationed, for our world neighbors in their various needs, especially those devastated by the cyclone in Myanmar, the earthquake in China, and for our confirmands

Prayers for those in the Military: Capt. David Moran, Rachel Lacroix. We are pleased to learn that Eric has returned safely stateside!

If you have a prayer concern, please notify Rev. Dee. Please let her know if the concern is confidential. Confidential concerns will not be shared at Prayer Group or in public worship.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

SPECIAL NOTICE: The Church Council calls an all-church meeting to be held on May 18, 2008, immediately following the church service to discuss the feasibility of the continuation of the Church School and Nursery Care.

NEW MEMBER CLASSES: New Member Classes begin on Thursday, May 15, and continue on May 22^nd, and May 25^th. Please let Rev. Dee know if you are interested in participating.

CONGRATULATIONS to our confirmands, and a grateful thank-you to their sponsors, Libby Baldwin, Lori Bednarsky, Jeff Hotham, Curt McCarthy, Marsha McCarthy, Sue Teece, Jane Tetreault, and to the Diaconate!

DEACON’S FUND ENVELOPES: There are envelopes in the pews marked “Deacon’s Emergency Fund.” This collection is used at the pastor’s discretion for those in need and is presently in need of replenishment. Please help to support this outreach for those in our midst. Thank you.

CHILDREN’S SUNDAY: Sunday, May 18^th, is Children’s Sunday. A special service is planned by the church school. Church School teachers and leaders will be recognized and participating fourth graders who are graduating to fifth grade will receive bibles. Please note that the Worship Service will be held in the Parish Hall.

FROM WALLY RAPALUS: Congratulations and a big thank-you to the congregation and to all who contributed to raise over $800.00 for the Epilepsy Foundation of Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

INSTALLATION: We are all invited to join in the Installation of the Rev. Tadd Allman-Morton as Pastor of the Westhampton Congregational Church, UCC, on Sunday, June 8,th, at 3:00 p.m., 1 Tob Road, Westhampton.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR PASTA DINNER AND SOCIAL ON MAY 17^TH:

Sign up now before all the opportunities to participate in this fun-filled evening are filled! Benefits include: spending time with friends and church mates; help the church make some $; taste all the food before the general public J; take home some left-overs (hopefully nothing left); have and make great memories…

Our executive chef will be Jeff Hotham and our Coordinator for this event will be Tim Huber. Please contact Tim at 527-1249 or hubersmd@hotmail.com if you can help in any way; --OR—Sign up on our new volunteer bulletin board in the hallway at the church. This event is sponsored by your Finance and Operations Committee.

CHURCH SCHOOL TAG SALE on MAY 17^th, 9-2 pm: This event will coincide with the Southampton Library Book Sale, the Woman’s Club Plant Sale, and the above-mentioned Pasta Dinner. Clothing, stuffed animals, magazines and junk will not be accepted. Collectible toys sell well. Check your attics and basements. Watch for drop-off times and locations. This event is sponsored by the Church School and directly helps to support our Church School classes and activities. Kate Cooper and Joan Craig are coordinating this effort. Please contact them if you have questions.

Volunteers are needed to help with the Memorial Day Breakfast on May 26^th. Contact Michael Conlin at 413-221-8176 - OR – Sign up on the volunteer bulletin board in the downstairs hallway.

RETIREMENT PARTY for Chief Jim Belisle after 39 years of military service. Come celebrate with him on Saturday, May 17^th, at the NCO Club at Barnes Air National Guard base in Westfield! This event is open to the public. Tickets are $20. per person. More info on the “Pastor’s Corner” section of hallway bulletin board.

NOTE FROM OUR MODERATOR: As you may have seen on the bulletin board in the hallway, there is a space called Volunteer Opportunities. I wanted to explain the plans for this space. At a past Church Council meeting we discussed the idea of having the various committees list out tasks or projects that need to be done. These tasks would then be listed on the bulletin board for the congregation to volunteer to assist the respective committee. The idea is that these tasks would be short-term in nature to fit into schedules that don’t always allow for full committee participation or for someone looking to help on a particular task that is of interest.

This is a call to committees to add items to the board and a call to members to look at the board and sign up to assist.

David Huntley, Jr.

Moderator

BIG Y STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM: April is 6% month! Stock up on cards to feed you and your family and our church treasury! Beverly Ruszala is the person to see if you are in need of Big Y Gift Cards. She will receive your orders and distribute gift cards during coffee hour, at a designated table. Order forms (available on the table in the Old Sunday School Room or online) may also be placed in the “Green Box.” Beverly checks the box each week.

TREASURER’S REPORT for April :

Total Revenues $8,850

Total Expenses $9,045

April Deficit $ 195

4/30/08 Church Operating Balance: $(2,174.83)

FROM OUR CHURCH SCHOOL: Each year the Sunday School children take on a mission project. In the past, they have helped build a house with the help of Habitat for Humanity, they have helped a village become more self sufficient with the help of Heifer Project International, and they have given poor kids the chance to enjoy fresh grow vegetables, with the help of Interval Farm in Westhampton. This year they will again be donating to working with Heifer Project International. HPI is a Christian based charity that helps poor families become more self sufficient, buy supplying them with animals and they educating them on how to raise the animals, the receiving families are they asked to give an offspring of their gift to another family, thus sharing the gift they have been given. The children are also going to be making up school kits to be distributed to children in need thru Church World Service.

The goal the kids have set is $1000, this will be divided equally amongst the two projects. The children have raised $500 thus far!!! We are halfway to our goal! Your help in reaching this goal is greatly appreciated; there are banks in the Parish hall, and a deposit station in the old Sunday school room (look for the red barn) Thank you for supporting our project and we will keep you posted about our progress.

PLEDGE ENVELOPES are available on the bench in the Old Sunday School room.

OPERATION SOLDIERS: The TRIAD S.A.L.T. Council of Southampton is collecting for our soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Items will be picked up weekly by a committee member for packing and shipping. There is a collection box in the Parish Hall if you care to make donations. Please note carefully the suggestions written on the box. These are approved items for shipping. Thank you.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FOR COFFEE HOUR HOSTS: Please make sure that coffee hour refreshments do not contain any form of peanuts or peanut products! Any contact (even when not consumed) can trigger serious health danger for some in our congregation.

FLOWERS: Terry Vogel is our new flower coordinator for 2008. She may be reached at (413) 203-1742, and at foghollowfarm@charter.net Please let Terry know if you would like to donate your flowers to those who may be shut in, hospitalized, or in need of a cheerful pick-me-up. The Flower Sign-Up clip board is hanging on the bulletin board in the Parish Hall.

Shriner’s Aluminum Tab Collection: Rachel would like to thank everyone again for collecting the aluminum tabs. Shriners uses the money from recycling the tabs to purchase medical equipment for the hospital. Keep collecting!!!

If you no longer wish to receive this weekly update or other church news, please e-mail Rev. Dee at revdee@shcong.org and we will remove your e-mail address from the list. Also, if you change your e-mail address, please let us know if you wish to continue receiving church e-mail.

We hope you all have a pleasant and peaceful week.

		First Congregational Church of Southampton United Church of Christ 212 College Highway, P.O. Box 145 Southampton, MA 01073 Phone: (413) 527-1173
	Home Information: Our Beliefs Worship Service Christian Education Pastor Staff Youth Group Directions History Committees: Trustees Church Council Diaconate Finance and Stewardship Hospitality Missions Nominating Publications: Weekly Newsletters(Email) Cornerstone Forms(Rental,Big Y) Special Programs: Big Y Gift Cards Links: United Church of Christ(Nat'l) United Church of Christ(MA) God is Still Speaking * Opens new window	Weekly Update 5/11/08 www.shcong.org Rev. Dee’s E-mail: revdee@shcong.org Church Office E-Mail: churchoffice@shcong.org Church Office: 527-1173 http://www.shcong.org WEEKLY CALENDAR Office Administrator’s Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday – 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Rev Dee’s Office Hours for the week of May 11^th: Monday 1 – 4 p.m. Wednesday 10:15 a.m. – 2 p.m. Please note that Rev. Dee will be off on Friday, May 16^th. . SCHEDULE Sun. 11 Happy Mother’s Day! Congratulations to our Confirmands! Tues. 13 Heart Walk, 10 a.m. Wed. 14 Prayer Group, 9:15 a.m. Sr. Choir, 6 p.m Sat. 17 Men’s Breakfast, Easthampton Diner, 8:30 a.m. Church School Tag Sale 9-2 pm Can you help clean up??? Pasta Dinner and Social, 5 – 9 p.m. Sun. 18 Children’s Sunday Confirmation Class Bowling Night, 6-8:30 p.m., Northampton LOOKING AHEAD 24 Church Clean-Up Day 26 Memorial Day Breakfast, served from 7 – 11 a.m. Cornerstone Material due by May 20^th for June issue (Last issue until September) Members and friends in need of healing prayers Prayers for Healing: Michael, Ruth, Deb, John, Paula, Dan, Marian (at Loomis) and Len, Jim (at home now), Myrna, Debra, Ken, Nancy M., Colin Q., Heather, Jimmy W., Marilynn, Kathleen, Anne, and Alexis Prayers for Presence: Donna Vollert, Inez, for our country’s leaders, for our troops wherever they are stationed, for our world neighbors in their various needs, especially those devastated by the cyclone in Myanmar, the earthquake in China, and for our confirmands Prayers for those in the Military: Capt. David Moran, Rachel Lacroix. We are pleased to learn that Eric has returned safely stateside! If you have a prayer concern, please notify Rev. Dee. Please let her know if the concern is confidential. Confidential concerns will not be shared at Prayer Group* or in public worship.* ANNOUNCEMENTS SPECIAL NOTICE: The Church Council calls an all-church meeting to be held on May 18, 2008, immediately following the church service to discuss the feasibility of the continuation of the Church School and Nursery Care. NEW MEMBER CLASSES: New Member Classes begin on Thursday, May 15, and continue on May 22^nd, and May 25^th. Please let Rev. Dee know if you are interested in participating. CONGRATULATIONS to our confirmands, and a grateful thank-you to their sponsors, Libby Baldwin, Lori Bednarsky, Jeff Hotham, Curt McCarthy, Marsha McCarthy, Sue Teece, Jane Tetreault, and to the Diaconate! DEACON’S FUND ENVELOPES: There are envelopes in the pews marked “Deacon’s Emergency Fund.” This collection is used at the pastor’s discretion for those in need and is presently in need of replenishment. Please help to support this outreach for those in our midst. Thank you. CHILDREN’S SUNDAY: Sunday, May 18^th, is Children’s Sunday. A special service is planned by the church school. Church School teachers and leaders will be recognized and participating fourth graders who are graduating to fifth grade will receive bibles. Please note that the Worship Service will be held in the Parish Hall. FROM WALLY RAPALUS: Congratulations and a big thank-you to the congregation and to all who contributed to raise over $800.00 for the Epilepsy Foundation of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. INSTALLATION: We are all invited to join in the Installation of the Rev. Tadd Allman-Morton as Pastor of the Westhampton Congregational Church, UCC, on Sunday, June 8,th, at 3:00 p.m., 1 Tob Road, Westhampton. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR PASTA DINNER AND SOCIAL ON MAY 17^TH: Sign up now before all the opportunities to participate in this fun-filled evening are filled! Benefits include: spending time with friends and church mates; help the church make some $; taste all the food before the general public J; take home some left-overs (hopefully nothing left); have and make great memories… Our executive chef will be Jeff Hotham and our Coordinator for this event will be Tim Huber. Please contact Tim at 527-1249 or hubersmd@hotmail.com if you can help in any way; --OR—Sign up on our new volunteer bulletin board in the hallway at the church. This event is sponsored by your Finance and Operations Committee. CHURCH SCHOOL TAG SALE on MAY 17^th, 9-2 pm: This event will coincide with the Southampton Library Book Sale, the Woman’s Club Plant Sale, and the above-mentioned Pasta Dinner. Clothing, stuffed animals, magazines and junk will not be accepted. Collectible toys sell well. Check your attics and basements. Watch for drop-off times and locations. This event is sponsored by the Church School and directly helps to support our Church School classes and activities. Kate Cooper and Joan Craig are coordinating this effort. Please contact them if you have questions. Volunteers are needed to help with the Memorial Day Breakfast on May 26^th. Contact Michael Conlin at 413-221-8176 - OR – Sign up on the volunteer bulletin board in the downstairs hallway. RETIREMENT PARTY for Chief Jim Belisle after 39 years of military service. Come celebrate with him on Saturday, May 17^th, at the NCO Club at Barnes Air National Guard base in Westfield! This event is open to the public. Tickets are $20. per person. More info on the “Pastor’s Corner” section of hallway bulletin board. NOTE FROM OUR MODERATOR: As you may have seen on the bulletin board in the hallway, there is a space called Volunteer Opportunities. I wanted to explain the plans for this space. At a past Church Council meeting we discussed the idea of having the various committees list out tasks or projects that need to be done. These tasks would then be listed on the bulletin board for the congregation to volunteer to assist the respective committee. The idea is that these tasks would be short-term in nature to fit into schedules that don’t always allow for full committee participation or for someone looking to help on a particular task that is of interest. This is a call to committees to add items to the board and a call to members to look at the board and sign up to assist. David Huntley, Jr. Moderator BIG Y STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM: *April is 6% month! Stock up on cards to feed you and your family and our church treasury!* Beverly Ruszala is the person to see if you are in need of Big Y Gift Cards. She will receive your orders and distribute gift cards during coffee hour, at a designated table. Order forms (available on the table in the Old Sunday School Room or online) may also be placed in the “Green Box.” Beverly checks the box each week. TREASURER’S REPORT for April : Total Revenues $8,850 Total Expenses $9,045 April Deficit $ 195 4/30/08 Church Operating Balance: $(2,174.83) FROM OUR CHURCH SCHOOL: Each year the Sunday School children take on a mission project. In the past, they have helped build a house with the help of Habitat for Humanity, they have helped a village become more self sufficient with the help of Heifer Project International, and they have given poor kids the chance to enjoy fresh grow vegetables, with the help of Interval Farm in Westhampton. This year they will again be donating to working with Heifer Project International. HPI is a Christian based charity that helps poor families become more self sufficient, buy supplying them with animals and they educating them on how to raise the animals, the receiving families are they asked to give an offspring of their gift to another family, thus sharing the gift they have been given. The children are also going to be making up school kits to be distributed to children in need thru Church World Service. The goal the kids have set is $1000, this will be divided equally amongst the two projects. The children have raised $500 thus far!!! We are halfway to our goal! Your help in reaching this goal is greatly appreciated; there are banks in the Parish hall, and a deposit station in the old Sunday school room (look for the red barn) Thank you for supporting our project and we will keep you posted about our progress. PLEDGE ENVELOPES are available on the bench in the Old Sunday School room. OPERATION SOLDIERS: The TRIAD S.A.L.T. Council of Southampton is collecting for our soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Items will be picked up weekly by a committee member for packing and shipping. There is a collection box in the Parish Hall if you care to make donations. Please note carefully the suggestions written on the box. These are approved items for shipping. Thank you. IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FOR COFFEE HOUR HOSTS: Please make sure that coffee hour refreshments *do not contain any form of peanuts or peanut products!* Any contact (even when not consumed) can trigger serious health danger for some in our congregation. FLOWERS: Terry Vogel is our new flower coordinator for 2008. She may be reached at (413) 203-1742, and at foghollowfarm@charter.net Please let Terry know if you would like to donate your flowers to those who may be shut in, hospitalized, or in need of a cheerful pick-me-up. The Flower Sign-Up clip board is hanging on the bulletin board in the Parish Hall. Shriner’s Aluminum Tab Collection: Rachel would like to thank everyone again for collecting the aluminum tabs. Shriners uses the money from recycling the tabs to purchase medical equipment for the hospital. Keep collecting!!! If you no longer wish to receive this weekly update or other church news, please e-mail Rev. Dee at revdee@shcong.org and we will remove your e-mail address from the list. Also, if you change your e-mail address, please let us know if you wish to continue receiving church e-mail. We hope you all have a pleasant and peaceful week.