Next Week atFirst Church

SUNDAY LIGHT (and away we go?):

• Our Sunday Light Kick off Pizza Party was a lot of fun great food and conversation!  It was the debut of our new sound system and we had Shawn Mangan, Pete Gacek, and Nick Mangan on guitars and vocals, a great job!  Rich Dunn gave a great talk complete with props ( a fuzzy lamb that belonged to his daughter) Rich explained how we all want to be held and loved like this little loved animal.  
• On Sunday, September 23, Red Letter Day is the worship band with guest preacher Wes Zinn from Wellspring Church in Kensington, CT.  Service begins at 6 pm followed by fellowship and dessert in the parlor.

Wesley Zinn has been the Associate Pastor of the Wellspring Church in Kensington, CT (formerly Kensington Baptist) for many years.  He is married and has two teenagers.  Wes is an energetic passionate speaker about relating the Bible to everyday life.  Wes also has a great way of engaging the congregation through his sermons.

Youth News

            We had a great start to Youth group this year, welcoming back Pete Gacek who has recently moved back to town and will help out from time to time.  (Thanks Pete !)

We had a lively discussion about Christian Character, what was it and what were the building blocks to having it.

Responsibility, Love, Respect, Self Control, Caring, Patience, Honoring God, Trustworthiness, Faithfulness, any more characteristics sound like they might fit?  Then we had some messy cool fun and a great prayer circle, a great way to end our first get together.

See you next Sunday at 6pm!

It's back!

 THE REVOLVE TOUR:

A Conference for Teen Girls Presented by Women of Faith

 at the Hartford Civic Center

Tickets are $25 each

 Make checks payable to FIRST CHURCH of CHRIST

Bring a friend, maybe even your MOM!

Friday September 28^th- Leave FC- 6pm back 10pm

Girls only Sleep over at First Church !!

Saturday September 29^th leave FC 8:30 AM- back 5pm

 We will be studying relationships with friends, parents and boys,

 and hearing about the mixed messages the media is sending.

Learn how to have a positive self image

and to create a positive sense of self.

 Learn how to overcome obstacles that will come,

 And how to use our ever strengthening faith in our daily lives.

We will laugh, cry, dance, sing and worship!

Upcoming Dates September

9/23- Regular meeting 6-815

9/28-29--$25 Revolve tour Girls only Sleep over

9/30- no youth

October (snack prep- Flythe Family)

10/07- Regular meeting 6-815 -Bottles and Cans-Flythe Family

10/14- Regular meeting 6-815- 2^nd hour Bake Sale for Damu- Flythe Family

10/21- no youth

10/28- Haunted Fireside Manor- Halloween Party !!

Faith Lessons on the Life & Ministry of the Messiah

Bible Study

It's still not too late to join us!  We are studying the people and events of the Bible in their geographical and historical events.  Once we know the who and where of a Bible story, we will be able to understand why and better understand our faith.  God speaks to us through the Scriptures, studying them in a rewarding experience.  Once again, Mr. Ray Van der Laan will be the video presenter as we visit the Holy Lands, where the events actually happened.  Dates for the study are September 24^th, October 1^st, 8^th, 15^th, 22^nd, and 29^th.  

In the First Church Gallery

Deborah Hager's Polaroid-transfer photography will be on display through September.  Stop by and enjoy this unusual show, and don't forget to write a few comments in Deborah's guest book when you visit.  The pieces are available for purchase; a price list is available in the Gallery.

New Director for First Church Gallery

First Church welcomes Kristine Clough-Lewko as the new Director of the First Church Gallery.  She is a graduate of Trinity College and lives in New Britain with her husband and two children.  Her daughter attends the Cooperative Nursery School at First Church.  She has many ties to the community through church, schools, volunteering, neighborhood organizations, and the Junior League of Greater New Britain.  Kristine has most recently worked at the New Britain Museum of American Art and will draw upon her contacts throughout the area and through the arts to continue to make the First Church Gallery a wonderful part of the New Britain Arts community.  Please take the opportunity to meet Kristine at the next gallery opening reception. 

Noah Would Be Smiling If He Had Seen?

• The many rainbows in the Art/Science Workshop. 
• The cypress wood and very smelly tar that we passed around the workshops.  That's what Noah used to build the Ark! 
• The news broadcast put on at WFCB News station (that's First Church Bible News, for anyone wondering.) 
• Team A battle Team B in the game "How Much Do You Noah About the Ark?"

So come back this Sunday, and move on to a different workshop.  You'll learn something new about Noah, the ark and the rainbow.  I promise!

Parents? just a reminder? if you haven't already registered your child for Sunday School, please do so this week.  Registration forms will be available after worship in Fellowship Hall.

Last year our Sunday School classes dismissed at 11:00 am.  Due to the nature of this year's workshops, some activities may require more time than others.  All classes will be done by 11:15.  if your child's class has not been dismissed by the time that you come out of worship, I would ask that you wait on the 1^st floor by the water fountain and they will meet you there.  Pre-K/K parents may go directly to Room 1 to pick up their children.  Thank you for your assistance!

See you Sunday!

Sharon Chamberlain,

Coordinator of Christian Education 

First Church of Christ                              New Britain, CT

September 20, 2007

Dear Friends,
By the time you get this newsletter I will be airborne. I am going on a religious pilgrimage. I'll be back October 10^th.

Pilgrimages have always been part of our faith tradition. Our Hebrew ancestors went on pilgrimages to Jerusalem, especially for the Passover. Our Christian ancestors have had many different pilgrimage destinations: Jerusalem, Rome, Ireland, Scotland, or some other meaningful location. And I've already gone to several of them.

This time, I am going to Italy, Greece and Turkey to follow Paul's Journeys of church planting. I will be going to the sites of the churches in Rome, Athens, Corinth, and Ephesus. Paul planted more churches but some are in interior regions of Turkey that are not safe for American Christians. I will be going to other religious sites as well.

One is Assisi, Italy. There I will see the cathedrals built to honor St. Francis as well as a couple of his monasteries. There will be cathedrals all over Italy and Greece, as well as ancient temples to both Roman and Greek gods. On the Island of Patmos, I'll be visiting the monastery dedicated to St. John the author of the Book of Revelation.

All of the trip will not be devoted to pilgrimage and study (sabbatical). I'm planning on a gondola ride in Venice, dining on Italian and Greek cuisine, and sampling gelatto wherever I go.

So, while you are enjoying the Art Gallery exhibit on pictures of Tuscany, I will be taking photographs there of my own?and other places as well.

I urge you to take a pilgrimage sometime in your life. A pilgrimage is different from a vacation. A pilgrimage involves study and journeying inwardly as well as outwardly. It involves using physical places and holy sites to help expand your own spiritual geography?finding new places where you can meet God.   

Keep the faith,

Sue

FIRST CHURCH NEWS

Vol. 55, No. 45

From Your Anniversary Committee: