+ N.E.W.S. CONNECTION Pittsford Congregational Church United Church of Christ 121 Village Green Pittsford, VT 05763 Vol. 11 No.

2 February 2014

Thought for the Month: Never place a period where God has placed a comma.. By Gracie Allen From the Pastors Desk: I came upon the following story the other day about Gracie Allen and George Burns (from Two Minutes for God by the Rev. Peter B. Panagore). I did not know that the above quote that was adopted as a slogan by the United Church of Christ was first written by Gracie Allen in her last letter to her love, George Burns. I thought I would share the story with you. George Burns and Gracie Allen were a vaudeville comedy team and marital partners who also performed on radio and television. Gracie, who was actually the brains, heart, and soul of the partnership, played a loveable airhead whose misunderstandings were laughable. At the end of their shows, George would say, Say good night, Gracie. And she would respond, Good night, Gracie. When she was dying, she feared for George. In the final love note she penned to him just before she died, she wrote, Never place a period where God has placed a comma. Lots of us, for all sorts of sincere reasons, have put periods where we ought to have commas: God doesnt love me (period). God is not there for me (period). I do not believe in God (period). Gods too far away (period). The thing is, God sincerely believes in us (period). Gods still speaking to us, if only we would remove the periods and add a comma or two here and there. Sometimes we do everything we can to block God out of our lives by putting periods and notrespassing signs all over our lives. I pray we always help one another by sharing commas with each other when we need them. Blessings, Pastor Pat

Ushers
2/2 Ernie & Mary Lou Brod 2/9 Dorothy Terwilliger & Ruth Earman 2/16 Ken & Sandy Gagnon 2/23 Wayne Winston & Stephanie Grimes
If you would like to sign up to be an Usher please call Rebecca Davenport

Liturgists
2/2 Chuck McCuin 2/9 Carolyn Kingsley 2/16 Katrina Sweete 2/23 Jane Wilson If you would like to sign up to be a Liturgist please call Paul Brown

Coffee Hour
2/2 Call if Interested 2/9 Kristine Harvey 2/16 Stephanie Grimes 2/23 Alicia Yates Call Stephanie Grimes if you would like to sign up for a time to do coffee hour.

Adult Bible Study NO Salt The trustees are reminding us that using salt on the marble steps of the church damages the surface. They have placed plain sand and a non-sodium based ice melt in the church to be used on all walkways and the steps instead. Thank you for being aware of this throughout the winter months. Thanks, The Trustees Join us Sunday mornings at 9:00am for 45 minutes of scripture study. No advance preparation is needed. All are welcome!

Welcome to New Church Members Stephanie Hard Lindsay Hard Tony and Linda Whitehair

Childrens Mission Project

Each Sunday the children have contributed a quarter in their Sunday School offering towards buying a beehive ($30) through Heifer International and they reached their goal in December. With the money from the congregations Joyful Noise monthly collection, they have raised enough ($140) to purchase a flock of chicks and a goat. They have decided to begin collecting enough for a cow ($500) over the next several months. They have $140 remaining in the mission money from their Joyful Noise offerings towards it and thank you for your continued help in achieving these goals through the Heifer Project.

Cancellation of Church Services and Events

We will make every attempt to hold events and services at the church but occasionally we may have to cancel them. Please check your email for cancellations. We will post the cancellation on the church facebook page and will send you an email if we have your email address. We will also do our best to phone those without email. If you have changed your email address or phone numbers please notify Dorothy Terwilliger at dterwilliger2@gmail.com or 483-2949 to provide and updated information. Please also let Stephanie Grimes know if you have an updated email address or phone number. She can be reached at Stephanielgrimes@yahoo.com

Southwest Association Pulpit Swap

February 16th is this years date for the annual Pulpit Swap sponsored by the Southwest Association. This year Pastor Pat will be going to the First Congregational Church of Hubbardton and the Rev. Pete Hults will be coming here to Pittsford. Enjoy the opportunity to hear another perspective and share worship with someone different!

Nursery Help
The Christian Education is looking for helpers in the nursery. If this is something that you would be interested in please let someone on the Christian Education know, Carolyn Kingsley, Ann Reed, Kristine Harvey, Stephanie Grimes or Erma Rowe. Thanks, The Christian Education

The Sunday school children will be taking a Joyful Noise collection the first Sunday of every month. The money collected will be used for the childrens mission projects. Please bring your loose change for the children to collect in their little metal buckets!!!!

2013 Annual Reports

Annual Reports for 2013 are available in the church office. Stop by to pick one up on Tuesdays (9:00-12:00) or Fridays (9:00-12:00) or Sunday mornings during church.

Fat Sunday and Lean Sunday

Christian Ed will be sponsoring a Fat Sunday and Lean Sunday event on the two Sundays surrounding the beginning of Lent Ash Wednesday. It will be a way of celebrating our own Mardi Gras. The idea is on Fat Sunday, March 2nd we will celebrate the coming of Lent with indulging ourselves with special treats for Coffee Hour. The next Sunday, Lean Sunday, March 9th we will have minimal treats for Coffee Hour. Instead of treating ourselves to special treats, we each bring in individually packaged, healthy treats that can be put into a childs back pack for snack or school lunch, ex. individual servings of pudding cups, granola bars, applesauce, raisins, juice boxes, etc. All items will be donated to the Pittsford Food Shelf.

5th Sunday Mission Project

On Sunday, December 29th the entire congregation met in the Fellowship Hall instead of the sanctuary to begin what is hopefully the first of many intergenerational mission project Sundays to be held on the 5th Sunday of the month whenever this occurs. This first event began with a short worship with scripture and prayer then we began to assemble Health Kits for Church World Service. Stations of items were set up for parishioners to pick up items and seal in a gallon Ziploc bag. The group put together 45 bags each with a: comb, toothbrush, wash cloth, hand towel, bar of soap, nail clipper, and 6 band aids. The kits will be sent to Church World Service for distribution to areas hit by disaster throughout the world.

Womens Retreat
Christian Education will again sponsor a Womens Retreat entitled Caf Chocolat in the Fellowship Hall on Saturday, March 1st from 8:30am 4pm. If you are planning on attending please complete a registration form by February 15th. Forms can be found on the table by the door in Fellowship Hall. Your registration will help us have enough supplies and materials available for the event.

The next 5th Sunday is March 30th and the mission project will be to make cookie mix for the Pittsford Food Shelf in time for Easter.

Who Are We?

While going through some files in the office, Pastor Pat found this in a church welcome booklet and thought you would enjoy reading it.

Pittsford Congregational Church Then

This church was gathered in 1784 by a group of fifteen, many of whom are buried on the nearby graveyard. Services were held in homes or barns until 1795, when the white Meeting House was built on the present site. In 1836, the brick church was built. The first parsonage was built on Elm Street in 1875, and was used until the present parsonage, next to the church, was purchased in 1966. In order to reach out to all, the church constructed a ramp to the front entrance in 1972, as well as a ground level entrance to the Fellowship Hall in 1997. The church steeple, erected in 1937, was completely rebuilt and repainted its original colors in 1999, continuing to be a beacon to people in the hills and valleys surrounding Pittsford. Many of these changes have been made possible due to the generosity of members and friends of the church. The sprit in which the church was founded is present as it continues into its third century. (From the historical files of Emerson Frost) There is a video, made by Brian Wilson, in which some of our elders recount early memories of our church at mid- century.

2 Kelley Turner 6 Angel Bishop 8 Brigid Enright 15 Jodi Hard 20 Mary Lou Brod 21 Hunter Eddy 24 Dylan Winston 24 Dee Dee Ellis 25 Keith Bishop 25 Joe McKirryher 28 Ray Yates

February 2014
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1

Communion

Deacons 4:30

Knit Wits 7pm

Choir 6:30pm

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Bowen Walker Mtg. 7pm 17 Presidents Day

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St. Valentines Day

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Hall Reserved All Day

Christian Ed Meeting

Trustees 7pm

Knit Wits 7pm

Lions Club 5:30

Choir 6:30pm

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Newsletter Deadline

Council 7pm

Knit Wits 7pm

Choir 6:30pm

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PRC 7pm

Knit Wits 7pm

Lions Club 5:30

Choir 6:30pm