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Schedule for the Week of March 15, 2010 Monday, March 15th: 10:00 a.m.—Bible Study in the Parish House. All are welcome. Monday, March 15th: 10:00 a.m.—Sippy Cups and Coffee Cup—our Moms with kids under the age of five group—meets in the Parish House. Monday, March 15th: 5:00 p.m.—Lenten Study Series "Faithfully Facing Dying" continues in the Parish House. This week’s session will focus on physician assisted suicide. Monday, March 15th: 7:00 p.m.—Women’s Fellowship meeting in the Parish House. Tuesday, March 16th: 7:00 p.m.—Deacons meeting in the Parish House. Wednesday, March 17th: 11:30-1:00 p.m.—Soups On luncheon in the Parish House. Wednesday, March 17th: 7:00 p.m.—The Kittery-Eliot Lenten Series worship service will be held at the First Congregational Church of Eliot. Pastor Gary Havener of the Eliot Advent Christian Church will be preaching. Thursday, March 18th: 7:30-8:30 a.m.—Book discussion group meets in the Parish House. The current discussion book is The Country of the Pointed Firs by Sarah Orne Jewett. All are welcome! Thursday, March 18th: 5:00-6:30 p.m.—Choir rehearsal in the Parish House. Saturday, March 20th: 6:00 p.m.—Supper and Serenade in the Parish House (see details below). Sunday, March 21st: 8:00 & 10:00 a.m.—Lent V worship service. The sermon will focus on Jesus’ fifth word from the cross: "I thirst." The Church School will be focusing their third week on the unit: "The Garden of Gethsemane." Nursery care will be available, and coffee will follow our 10:00 a.m. service. Please plan to join us! Sunday, March 21st: after worship—Open and Affirming informational kick-off luncheon.
Open and Affirming Kickoff Luncheon The Open and Affirming (ONA) planning team will be hosting an informational luncheon Sunday, the 21st after worship in the Parish House. We hope that you will plan to attend to hear more about what the ONA process is, and what it might mean for our church community. If you would like to come, but need childcare, please let us know and we will make arrangements for you.
Lenten Services in March and April Once again the Kittery-Eliot Clergy Association will be joining together for a series of Wednesday evening Lenten services. The theme this year is “Faces at the Cross,” which will feature many unique interpretations of what it must have been like to be a witness of Jesus’ final days on earth. All services begin at 7:00 p.m. The schedule for March and April is as follows: March 3rd: Rev. Diane Harvey preaching at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Kittery March 10th: Father Joseph Cahill preaching at the Eliot United Methodist Church March 17th: Pastor Gary Havener preaching at the First Congregational Church in Eliot March 24th: Rev. Ron Messer preaching at the First Congregational Church of Kittery Point April 2nd: A dramatic Good Friday service involving many churches will be held at Second Christian Church in Kittery
The Lenten Study is Happening! Starting on Monday, February 22nd, we will be holding a six week Lenten study, produced by the United Church of Christ, entitled "Faithfully Facing Dying." It is a study dealing with some of the critical ethical, emotional, and theological issues around death and dying. More information about the study can be found here: http://www.ucc.org/justice/health/faithfully-facing-dying/. All are welcome to attend the study, and you do not need to be present for all the meetings to take part. The schedule is below: Monday, February 22nd: 5:00 p.m.—Session 1 Monday, March 1st: 5:00 p.m.—Session 2 Monday, March 8th: 5:00 p.m.—Session 3 Monday, March 15th: 5:00 p.m.—Session 4 Thursday, March 25th: 7:00 p.m.—Session 5 Monday, March 29th: 5:00 p.m.—Session 6
Scripture Lessons for the Remainder of Lent March 7, 2010: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 and John 19:26-27 March 14, 2010: Luke 13:31-35 and Matthew 27:45-49 March 21, 2010: Luke 4:1-13 and John 19:28-29 March 28, 2010: Luke 19:28-40, John 19:30 and Luke 23:46-49
Come Ring With Us!!!! The Seaside Bell Choir is looking for new people to join us. Can you count? Love creating music with others? Want to try a new musical venture with good people? We practice once a week on Sundays, 5:30 to @ 7:00 pm. We generally perform around holidays at the 1st and 2nd Congregational Churches in Kittery and Kittery Point. It would be wonderful to have some more people from our church, as we own the bells! (Second Christian owns the chimes.) Both churches share the maintenance. It’s truly a joint venture! Please call me if you are interested - you could come try it out - no obligation! Next rehearsal: Sunday, January 17th at the 2nd on Government Street. Thanks! Judy Totman, 439-4043
Facebook Page If you’re on Facebook, simply search "First Congregational Church of Kittery Point, United Church of Christ" and become our fan (this page is different from, and allows us more flexibility than, the group that was started previously)! The page will be updated with events and pictures, the status updates will keep you posted with what’s happening here in our church community, and the discussion board is there for people to talk about whatever seems appropriate. Looking forward to seeing you all on Facebook!
Meals on Wheels Meals on Wheels needs a new coordinator to schedule drivers to deliver meals. Every 4th week our church is responsible to deliver meals to seniors or people with health issues who are unable to cook for themselves. The coordinator’s job is to make sure there are drivers
available for that particular week. We have a number of regular drivers plus a good size pool to draw from when a regular driver may not be available. If you are interested in helping out in this very worthwhile and needy position, please contact Rev. Jeff or Chris Kelly (439-1386 or CAKELLY122@aol.com).
Also, if you would like to help by becoming a driver, either on a regular basis or on occasion, we would like to hear from you!
The Outreach Team
Formerly the Mission Committee The Outreach Team wants everyone to take notice of our new name! We decided to change our name because of the connotations that the word “mission or missionary” might evoke. We thought it would be a good idea to distance ourselves from the historic meaning of mission work (such as sending out persons from a religious organization to convert or proselytize), since this is NOT the purpose of our group! Our role is to support causes, organizations or individual people that need help or assistance. In the past this has included the AMIGOS program, service trips to Florida and New Orleans, working with Habitat for Humanity, supporting fair trade practices in selling fair trade coffee, buying
gifts for our Christmas Family, and Footprints, to name but a few. If you would like to join our team and help with some very important projects—or if you have any ideas for projects we might look into—please talk to anyone of our Outreach Team members.
Chris Kelly, Sue Brown, Clare Rogers, Pat Tate, Joan Beskenis, and Rev. Jeff: The Outreach Team
From the Outreach Team The Outreach Team has begun two food related programs within the Church community: one is a “food brigade” which can be called into action whenever an individual or family is having a temporary illness or other crisis. The Outreach Team will organize the brigade and ask for volunteer cooks to help in feeding the family in need for the time necessary. If you need this kind of help or want to be a part of the brigades, contact Sarah Lane (438-0722).
The second food related outreach program is to be called “Friends in Need”. Beginning this month, the top shelf of the freezer in the Parish House kitchen will be labeled “Friends in Need” and will hold delicious soups, stews and casseroles in servings for two to four or six people. The food is available for any member of the Church community or someone a member of the community knows needs a hot meal. There is no cost. Simply contact the church office 439-0650 if you or someone you know could benefit from this offering and arrangements will be made to let you into the building.
Footprints Ingathering On the first Sunday of every month, we gather food for distribution through the Footprints Food Pantry here in Kittery. We try to focus on a few specific grocery items as it is easier for the volunteers to stock that way. However, that being said, any item of food is most welcome as the need continues to be great.
Our next opportunity to bring in food is Sunday, March 7. This month’s suggestions include peanut butter, jelly, and bathroom tissue. When we concentrate the items, it is easier to shelve the donations, but any gift of food or paper products is very welcome.
Bible Study If you haven’t attended one of our Monday morning Bible studies, then what are you waiting for? In March we will be meeting on the 1st and 15th. The gatherings start at 10:00 a.m. and last for roughly an hour, during which time we look ahead to the upcoming Sunday’s scripture lessons. All ability levels are welcome, and this group is very welcoming to newcomers. It’s a great way of engaging the texts, early in the week, that you will hear preached about on Sunday morning!
Sippy Cups and Coffee Cups
Our Moms-with-kids-under-age-5 group will be meeting on Monday, March 15th at 10:00 a.m. in the Parish House. Come on down for a relaxing morning of adult conversation, while your children connect with old friends and make new ones. New attendees are always welcome. Contact Rev. Jeff if you have any questions!
Time to Spend that Money! The Women’s Fellowship will meet on Monday, March 15, at 7:00 in the parish house. Bonnie Haley and Betsy McFadden will host this meeting and provide refreshments. Then we will spend some thoughtful time distributing the money that we made at the Christmas Fair last December. Co-Presidents Valerie Ruocco and Donna Stobbs will run the meeting, and Treasurer Laurie Smith will tell us what money we have and where we have spent it in the past. All women interested in this church are welcome!
Soup’s On! St. Patrick’s Day Wednesday, March 17 11:30 to 1:00 Quebec Pea Soup
Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup
Irish Soda Bread Chocolate Cream Pie and Coconut Chess Pie Open to the Public– $6
Supper and a Serenade to Spring Saturday, March 20, 6:00 PM
Celebrate the first day of spring, feast upon a meal with a Celtic theme and enjoy after-supper entertainment by a new, all male, a cappella group, "The Seacoast Vocal Union." All this will be happening at six PM on Saturday, March 20, in the parish house. Price for the entire evening will be $15 per person. With a nod to St. Patrick’s Day, the menu prepared by our in-house culinary talent, will be a traditional New England Boiled Dinner of Corned Beef and Cabbage with the traditional fixings of Potatoes, Carrots, Onions and Irish Soda Bread. For dessert? Key Lime Pie! After dessert, enjoy the auditioned voices of the fifteen-man chorus. (This group is the choral arm of the Portsmouth Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society.) Their repertoire will be an eclectic mix of songs from many eras – music from the Mills Brothers, the Crew Cuts, and Celtic Woman. (I suspect we’ll also be treated to the likes of such oldies as Crazy About Ya, Baby, Play a Simple Melody, He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands, etc.) Plan on a sing-along at some point in their program. Reservations are required. Please call the church office at 439-0650 and leave your name, number in your party and your telephone number. Reservations will be accepted up to close of business
Interested in Membership?
After the 10:00 a.m. worship service on Sunday, March 28th, there will be a gathering for all those interested in exploring membership in our church. This no-pressure gathering will last for about an hour, during which time we will talk about the United Church of Christ, our church community, and what membership in our church is all about. It’s perfect for all those who are already ready to join, and for those who are just curious!
An RSVP to Rev. Jeff would be appreciated so we know how many to expect. If you need childcare, please let us know and that can be arranged as well! If you’re interested in learning more, but can’t make the March 28th date, just contact Rev. Jeff to set up a mutually convenient time to get together. New Members will be welcomed into our church family on Sunday, April 18th during the 10:00 a.m. worship service.
Christmas Fair 2010 There will be a meeting of all table chairmen for the 2010 Fair (at least the ones that have volunteered so far) on Monday, March 29 at 7 PM. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss a theme for the fair, and brainstorm how to assist each other in realizing that theme. For those of you who are not chairmen, we are looking for the following items: crystal or glass pieces to feature on the stage as we did for silver last year, wool to boil (old skirts or sweaters), nice white linens, and white sheets. They can be left in the office any time.
Book of the Month File this one under "looking forward to reading." Mitch Albom, the author of Tuesdays with Morrie—a bestseller that touched many, many hearts—has just released a new book entitled Have a Little Faith. The book tells Albom’s story of being asked to offer the eulogy for an 82 year old rabbi from his hometown. The book is an exploration of how different faiths come together, belief, and what the purpose of life is all about. I was not a big fan of The Five People You Meet in Heaven (one of Albom’s last books), but Have a Little Faith seems to be stirring up quite a bit of buzz, and promises to be a good read. I’m looking forward to crossing it off my list in 2010.
Nursery Need The church nursery is looking for a pair of walkie-talkies. This will enable our nursery attendant to contact our “floating” Church School teacher if he or she is in need of assistance. If you have a working pair that you’d like to donate—or if you’d like to purchase a new pair for the nursery—we would gladly accept. Please contact Rev. Jeff for more information.
Women’s Fellowship Retreat Since Rockcraft has closed, we are researching new venues for the annual Women’s Winter Retreat. This year Charlotte Small has offered to host a small retreat at the Small’s ski house in Gilead, Maine, which is near Bethel and Sunday River, March 27-29. There is room for 11 people plus Charlotte which makes a total of 12. There are beds for 8 people. There is a loft with a futon for one more. There is one couch in the loft which could be slept on and plenty of room for an air mattress. The rates are $50 per night if you have a bed, $30 per night if you don’t. Sare will help devise a menu, and food expenditures will come from the above fees. Any leftover money will go to the Pop the Balloon campaign. We will all help with cooking and clean up. Hopefully, we will still have snow in the mountains. There is ample opportunity in the Bethel area for winter activities, walks, and even shopping. The ski house has room for games, puzzles, reading and knitting, plus a gas powered “wood” stove. To reserve your place, please make out a check to Women’s Fellowship with “Retreat” on the memo line, and send to Charlotte Small, P.O. Box 188, Kittery Point, ME 03905 or see her in church. Your reservation will be held only by check or cash payment. Due date is Friday, March 5.
Rev. Jeff will be running the Boston Marathon on April 19, 2010! By now many of you have heard that I will be running the Boston Marathon on April 19, 2010 to benefit Children’s Hospital Boston, as a way to say "thank you" for all the work they did for our son Jacob last year. While I don’t like to use the MMM for personal purposes, many of you have been asking how to make donations to the cause, so I will oblige. You can either donate on line at: https://howtohelp.childrenshospital.org/bostonmarathon/pfp/?ID=GJ0129, or simply give me a check made out to "Children’s Hospital Boston" and I will mail it in for you. Thank you, in advance, for your support.
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