News & Notes 9/2/2010
Greetings My Friends,
Summer just hates to give up, eh? Have you made a call to an elderly neighbor to make sure they’re holding up under this heat? How ’bout checking in on someone who has been ill? Are you drinking all the water that you should be drinking to stay hydrated? Just checkin’.
Your Education Committee has a request to place before our church family. Each Sunday that we have Sunday School, when the children from Pre-School through the fifth grade go downstairs in the church, they have a ten to fifteen minute “Chapel Time.” This time consists of singing a few songs, offering a prayer, celebrating birthdays and taking the offering. Donna Capern has lead this for many years. Now that she has retired from teaching, she will not be leading this brief time, and the Education Committee is looking for someone - or two or three people to work on a rotating schedule - who might be interested and able to lead this time. Would that be you? Would you please call Wendy Kettlewood if you would like to talk about this possibility?
As you may know, I wasn’t in worship last Sunday, due to the funeral of Wendy’s uncle. I noticed, before I left, that Emma Whall’s name was in the bulletin - that she would be playing the Prelude with Steve MacKenzie. Before I left, I emailed Emma’s Mom and Dad, and told them I was sorry for missing that, and asked that they share my good wishes with her. Well, for those who missed church last Sunday - and possibly for those who were there as well - I have been given the link to view Emma’s contribution to the worship service, as it has been placed on Youtube. I want to share it with you here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbawMxEKtUI
I’ve mentioned in a previous issue of “News & Notes”, and written an email to most of our Sunday School parents, asking for volunteers to clean the Sunday School rooms - one or two people to clean just one room. To date, only three of the eleven rooms have been “claimed.” So I’m putting another plea for help out to our church family. You don’t have to have kids in Sunday School - you may never have had kids in Sunday School - you may never have been a Trustee - you may never have picked up a dustrag before - but we could still use your help. The sign-up “map” is on one of the rolling bulletin boards in Hartford Hall. Please consider giving an hour or so of you time to do some spring cleaning in preparation for our new Sunday School year.
“I’m very sorry to announce that due to some recent changes in leadership, we are going to put off the ‘official’ start of youth group until September 26 to give us a chance to regroup. We are studying the possibility of alternative times for youth group and appreciate any feedback from parents and/or youth. On Sunday, September 19, the high school youth are strongly urged to attend the showing of the film “The Bible Tells me So”. Registration for youth in grades 6-12 will continue this weekend before and after church. Once registered, you will receive regular emails with updates, but events are also posted on the church website. Thanks for understanding AND if you feel led to helping with the most fun and rewarding ministry we offer, give me a call! Blessings, Brenda Borchers”
This Sunday will be Communion Sunday. I hope you’ll be in church if you’re in town! Our Communion liturgy was written especially for Labor Day - acknowledging the blessings of good, honest work that is carried out for the common good.
Our sisters and brothers of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Dover have invited us to the Dover Greek Heritage Festival - Friday from 4-11 PM, and Saturday from 11 AM till 11 PM - at the Hellenic Center on Longhill Road in Dover. Food; music; dancing; rain or shine!
Our “Blessing of the Children” will take place on Sunday, September 12th, at 9:30 AM (notice that we’re extending our “summer” schedule one more week). We’ll also be committing our support to the Sunday School teachers, as we dedicate them to the ministry of education. I hope we’ll have a great turnout that day!!
Sunday School classes will begin on September 19th - with the children starting out in sanctuary with the adults, and then heading off to Sunday School after the “Time for the Child in All of Us.”
Our Office Manager, Sandy, will be back from vacation next week. Yeah!! Need I say any more?
If you happen to be cleaning out your closets, don’t forget that the church is having a Rummage Sale on October 15 & 16! Unfortunately we don’t have room to store your donations, but if you could hold onto them until the week of the sale, that would surely be appreciated!!
And remember that we’re having another “Multi-Family Yard Sale” on the Saturday of the Rummage Sale - October 16th. A spot in our parking lot, along with a couple of tables - all for $25. You can’t beat it!
How’s this for immediate answer to prayer: During the minister’s prayer one Sunday, there was a loud whistle from one of the back pews. Tommy’s mother was horrified. She pinched him into silence and, after church, asked, ‘Tommy, whatever made you do such a thing?’ Tommy answered soberly, ‘I asked God to teach me to Whistle, and He did!’
That’s all for today. Have a great holiday weekend. See you in church. Peace, Mark