Next Week atFirst Church

HELP FILL OUR SHOPPING CART

Please remember to bring your cans of tuna fish or other canned goods to church this Sunday.  The food is donated to the Salvation Army Food Pantry to help our neighbors in need.

Judy Robertson, Missions Ministry Chair

ALL SAINTS SUNDAY

Clouds of Witnesses: One of the wonderful images in the Bible is that "above" us is a whole host of our ancestors watching us, cheering us on, offering us guidance.  These are the saints whom we remember on "All Saints Sunday".  When you arrive at church this Sunday, November 4^th, you will find a blank cloud shape on which to place the name(s) of your "saint" - the people who most influenced your faith and life.  During the worship service, these clouds will be hung in the hallway for us to enjoy during the next few weeks.  See you Sunday!

Carol North, Minister of Congregational Life

YOUTH NEWS

A Ghoulish THANK YOU to all the Youth leadership crew as well as volunteers who helped set up and run the Youth Halloween HAUNTED FIRESIDE MANOR which was positively "witchya" this year!

John Thomas Jr. - for organizing the event.

Tori Anderson- for her Game expertise!

Aaron and Nick Mangan, Emma and Clara Bartlett- for their spooky decorating skills.

Sarah Flythe -for organizing the food! Thanks to all!

It's Here -  Rock the Sound Concert!

We are leaving at 4:30 pm on Saturday, Nov. 3^rd, back by midnight for sleepover in youth room!! Can't wait - we have 2 Newbies, We love Newbies!!!

Upcoming November Dates; 

Bottles and cans-Sally Eigeonraam

Nov. snack prep.- Thomas Family

11-3 -4:30 pm leave FC for Rock the Sound Concert in Bridgeport CT / sleep over.

11-4- NO MEETING 

11-11-  2nd hour Pie sale for Damu- Thomas Family

            Regular Meeting 6-8:30 pm.

 118-"?Thanks for Giving" meal 5pm (need parent help!)

11-25- NO MEETING Happy Thanksgiving

SUNDAY LIGHT

Thank you to Soulmates for an angelic, musical experience last Sunday evening. Their music was so peaceful. They harmonized like I have never seen!

I can't wait until they come back. The whole evening was just absolutely BEAUTIFUL.

Upcoming Dates:

November 4- The music of the Youth Band

November 11- The music of the Youth Band

November 18-The music of Shawn Mangan

November 25- No Sunday Light 

This year, due to the Energy Policy Act of 2005, Daylight Saving Time ends on November 4^th, the first Sunday in November.

DON'T FORGET TO TURN YOUR CLOCKS BACK ONE HOUR. 

LEAF RAKING 

Once again it is time to come to church in your old clothes!  Bring your rakes and gloves and pitch in to rake our many leaves.  And don't forget to join us after for pizza, chips and drinks in the Fireside Room to share a great time of fellowship. LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING ALL OF YOU ON NOV. 11^th.

Bill Furman and Steve Csinsi

UNICEF  

I hope everyone had a safe and Happy Halloween!  Please don't forget to bring your UNICEF boxes to church this Sunday - there will be a collection box in the Narthex for you to drop them off in. 

"Trick or Treat" Unicef boxes started as a tradition in 1950, when a group of children in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania donated $17 that they had collected on Halloween to help post-World War II victims. To date, these little orange boxes have been responsible for collecting over $132 million in the United States.

UNICEF has been in 155 countries and is the world's leading advocate for children.  Their work includes immunizing children against common childhood diseases, working to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS among young people, promoting education for girls so that they can complete school up to the 6^th grade as a minimum, and working to reduce the effects of malnutrition.

Thank you to all who participated!!

See you on Sunday.     

Sharon Chamberlain
Coordinator of Christian Education 

First Church of Christ                              New Britain, CT

October 31, 2007 

Dear Friends,

Last June, The United Church of Christ celebrated its 50th birthday and held its General Synod here in Hartford. Many of you baked cookies and some of you attended part of the five day event.

This past Sunday and next Sunday, I will be showing DVD's of two of the keynote speeches. This past Sunday we watched and listened to Bill Moyers. This coming Sunday we will be watching and listening to Barak Obama. These two men were chosen to be speakers because they are famous and had a message to share, but also because they have been long time active members of UCC churches. Barak Obama was invited even before he was a Presidential candidate.

If you have the chance, please join us on Sunday. If you cannot be with us for Second Hour, you may borrow any DVD from the church office. In addition to Moyers and Obama, we have Marion Wright Edelman, Lynn Redgrave (UCC member from CT), Peter Gomes, Sunday Afternoon worship and an overview of Synod happenings. There is a sign-out sheet so we can keep track of the disks.

This coming Sunday, November 4^th, All Saints Sunday, the UCC will host a UCC 50^th Anniversary Year-End Celebration Web-Streaming Event. Just go to www.ucc.org/50 at 7pm Eastern Time to join in a 20-minute webcast that features a retrospective look at our 50^th year. Hosted by John Thomas, UCC General Minister and President, the webcast will look back at our gala celebration year including highlights of General Synod. You can visit www.ucc.org/50 ahead of time to learn more about the webcast.

We are part of an exciting denomination that honors our historic roots and traditions and still keeps us moving forward into the 21^st century to find more ways of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others.

Keep the faith,

Sue

FIRST CHURCH NEWS

Vol. 55, No. 51 

From Robin Spencer,  Anniversary Committee Member: