Newsletter October 2

Please come to discuss the purpose of this group and its plans for the coming year! The group is welcoming women to participate in its wonderful annual Women's Retreat being held Nov. 16, 17, and 18th at the Mercy Center on the shore in Madison, CT. Women are welcome to attend the entire weekend or on Saturday only. The retreat is being led by two professional retreat leaders. Please come on Sun. Oct. 7th to learn more about this group and the retreat. For more information contact Janet Culton at 224-1320 (paul_t_culton@sbcglobal.net) or Gina Ohanesian at 214-4994 (ginao@snet.net.)

Thanks to Suzy Rivera for a moving message last Sunday ~ just what we needed to hear! Nick Mangan did a great job leading worship with his music.

First we have cans and bottles the first week, the 2^nd week we have the annual Fall Church Picnic to help with. The 3^rd week the first Bake Sale for Damu our sponsored child in Ethiopia who just started 4th Grade! Wow is she thriving, she absolutely loves school and she really enjoys playing ?futbol', a game like soccer here in the

U.S.

Damu helps her mother care for their family's goats, which we helped them purchase- to help support their family with milk and cheese. We also helped to drill a new water well in her community and helped to build a veterinarian clinic as well. We have also helped in her community with both those things as well as helping to bring people to her community to help teach farming and animal care. Stop by the Bake Sale table to see our latest pictures.

So much for those silly Bake Sales, wouldn't you agree? And last but by no means least, The Haunted Fireside Manor, come if you dare!!

A note of thanks to all the parents who signed up to help with bottles and cans, snack prep, and bake sale duty. It is so important for your children to see you involved and for them to learn these life skills from us together.

This Saturday, October 6, we will be holding our Giant Divot golf event and church fundraiser and there is still time for you to participate. We are looking for prize donations for our raffle or you can donate towards a tee sign that will be prominently displayed on the course. The sign can include your name, your company's name or anything else you prefer. The donation is $35 for a sign. These donations can be dropped off at the church office. (checks payable to First Church of Christ)

Also, everyone in the congregation is invited to the buffet dinner held after the golf. Price of admission is five dollars per person and promises to be quite the event. Dinner is expected to begin about 5:15 - 5:30. Please contact Mike Gorzoch (612-0305) if you plan to attend.

This will be our last Sunday to focus on Noah. I hope you have all enjoyed the experience. One 7^th grader did tell me last Sunday, that just when he thought his class knew everything you could possibly know?they learned a new fact about Noah!

On October 14^th, it will be time to go to Chapel again and meet a new "character" from the Bible. Here's a hint: he was in charge of all of the rules?

On October 21^st, a new Rotation of Workshops will begin. The schedule will be posted very soon.

YOUTH CHOIR

Meets EVERY Sunday, 11:15-12 noon

in the Choir Room.

EVERYONE in grades 2-8 is welcome!!

~ The more members, the more FUN we have! ~

~ Special singing opportunities for older students! ~

~ Hope to see YOU there! ~

It was great to see so many people in church on Sept. 23^rd to hear our new minister, The Rev. Jack Cook (185 of you, by my count!). I hope this means that we can count on seeing ALOT of you ALOT more often! I also hope that there are some of you who will agree that this would be a great time to experience some growth in our ADULT CHOIR!! We've welcomed three new members recently, and that's very exciting. But we need more. We might even need ? YOU! Anyone and everyone is welcome (but we especially need men!). Come on, what are you waiting for? Give it a try! Yes, it IS a commitment, because we need you to be here on Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings, but it is a great way to serve the Lord and support YOUR church. Think about it. If you'd like to give it a try, or if you have any questions, call me at the church office.

Please join us for fellowship and great food at our annual fall picnic on Sunday, October 14^th in the Fireside Room directly after church. Baked ham, rolls and tossed salad will be provided. Please bring your favorite side dish to share if your last name falls between A - R, and a dessert if you are S - Z.

Any trip to Italy and

Greece

brings you face to face with the ruins of ancient temples. Long before Christianity became the dominant religion of the region, the Greeks and Romans worshipped many gods and goddesses. Don't Know Much About Mythology helped me brush up on who was who and which god or goddess had temples where. I'm looking forward to going to Mount Olympus, the birthplace of the Olympic games, and to seeing other ancient sights.

Many of the churches founded by Paul and his team of missionary evangelists were started in Greece and

Turkey

. His letters to the churches in Corinth, Thessalonica, and Philippi are part of our New Testament. But he also planted other churches in Greece: Athens, Cenchrae, Neapolis, Samothrace, Amphipolis, Dyrrharchium, and Beroea (Atlas of the Biblical World). I have no idea how many of these cities still exist or if there are any ruins left to visit. I'll let you know what I find out.

We will be spending time in Corinth and Athens as well as touring most of the region of the Peloponesse. Much of that region was destroyed by the recent fires. I have decided that when I see these ravaged areas, I will remind myself about the Peloponessian Wars, when ancient city-states would raid and plunder an area. Often times that plundering included setting entire villages on fire.

Most of the Greek Island have to be accessed by sea?off we go on a cruise of the Greek Isles.

Please read the enclosed Neighbors In Need flyer and prayerfully consider your participation in Sunday's special offering.

You'll be hearing much about our first pastor, The Rev. John Smalley, next year. But how about his wife? In his history of our church, Alfred Andrews said:

Sarah Garnsey Smalley was "a woman of remarkable skill and economy in household matters; relieved her husband from much of the anxiety incident to the care of a farm and parish at the same time. Dr. Smalley was numbered among the ?rich ministers of Hartford Co.' and for this success, was doubtless much indebted to her forethought." What prominent New Britain family is descended from one of the Smalley's six daughters? Answer next week.