Donations in the Church School envelopes go directly to the 2017-2018 Church School Mission Project, Little City Sprouts. We suggest a children’s donation of $1 per week. Other designated envelopes are available for your pledges and Christmas offerings.

Quiet Christmas Worship Service & Child CareReiki, Quiet RoomLessons & Carols Worship Service & Child CareChurch SchoolCherub Choir, Room 112Confirmation Class, Youth RoomSenior High Fellowship Christmas Party, Youth Room

Today at First Church December 10, 20178:00 a.m.8:30 a.m.10:00 a.m.10:15 a.m.11:00 a.m.4:30 p.m.6:00 p.m.

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tFIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST,

CONGREGATIONALMember of the United Church of Christ

An open, welcoming and affirming congregation2183 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033

860-633-4641Television Ministry: LIVING THE WORD,

Sundays, 7:30 a.m. and noon, Cox Cable Channel 15E-mail: firstchurch@glastonburyfirst.org

Website: www.glastonburyfirst.org

Church School ScheduleKindergarten & 1st grade

ArtRoom 103

Adam Garrity

2nd grade StorytellingRoom 110

Jennifer&Thomas Anglim3rd grade Storytelling

Room 110Jennifer&Thomas Anglim

4th grade Remain in theService for

Lessons & Carols

5th grade Remain in theService for

Lessons & Carols

Church School runs until 11:10 a.m. today. If the service ends earlier than that, please enjoy some time in Schultz Hall before picking up your children. Thanks for your cooperation!

The complete unit schedule is posted throughout the church and online.

The kindergarteners and first graders will go to Cherub Choir as part of their Church School experience. Please pick up your children at 11:30 a.m. in Room 112.

Attention Parents: We are in Unit 3, “Good News!” and our schedule is listed on the left. Please note that some classes are combined for this unit.

Preschool is in Room 105. Children in grades 4-8 will remain in the service with families.

Please join us for an upcoming Music at the Meetinghouse event...

SONATA SWING QUARTET, Bolling You OverSaturday, February 10, 2018, 7:30 p.m.

Boston Choir Trip December 16The Cantate and Cantabile Choirs will travel to Boston on Saturday, December 16 from

8:00 a.m.– 7:30 p.m. to sing Christmas Carols at Faneuil Hall Marketplace. The trip will entail a morning visit to the Boston Science Museum, lunch at Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Christmas shopping and singing on the grounds of the Marketplace from 3:00-4:00 p.m.

Christmas Pageant UpdateThank you to those youth who have signed up to participate in the Christmas Pageant this year! We are still in need of a few youth to help with the tech crew (lighting, audio, etc.). Please

email elizabeth@glastonburyfirst.org if you’re interested in helping out. Our rehearsals are:

• Sunday, December 17 from 6:00-8:00 p.m.

• Wednesday, December 20 from 6:00-8:00 p.m.

• Sunday, December 24 starting at 8:30 a.m., pageant is at 10:00 a.m.

Pick up Butterbraids TODAY!Remember to pick up your Butterbraids today after church if you have not yet done so. Bruce Munshower and Cynthia Wilcox will be in the kitchen to assist you with your orders. Please bring a check if your order is not prepaid.

Herb Pots for Sale Today!During coffee hour, The Board of Christian Education is selling herb pots (with seeds) painted by our Church School children ($10). All proceeds benefit the Church School Mission Project, Little City Sprouts, is a program of HFS where preschool children have the opportunity to learn about, grow and taste fresh and healthy food through field trips, gardening, nutrition and cooking lessons designed especially for them. . You can also make a donation in someone’s honor as a great gift for mom, dad, grandparents, grandchildren, teachers, bus drivers or anyone else on your list. Acknowledgement postcards are available.

Our Meetinghouse Chrismon TreeChrismon is Latin for “Christ monogram”. Chrismons are unique symbols that represent various aspects of Jesus’ life and ministry. Over 50 years ago, in a small Lutheran Church in Virginia, the idea of decorating the Christmas tree in their house of worship with symbols of Christ to give the tree special meaning was born. The idea quickly spread to other churches. Many different

materials have been used to design the symbols over the years. Ours are counted cross stitched in blue, gold and red with gold trim. Information identifying the various symbols is available near the tree. This is the thirteenth year our Chrismon Tree has decorated our Meetinghouse during Advent

and Christmas. We pray that it will enhance your worship experience during this Holy Season.

Offering Envelopes Available Please pick up a 2018 box of offering envelopes in Schultz Hall. Please print your first and last name if you contribute cash so it can go on your statement. Thanks!

Provide a Warm Welcome for RefugeesThank you for all the coats that have been donated! Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services’ need for coats has been fulfilled, but they are still looking for boots, hats, scarves, warm mittens and gloves. Please leave your donations of boots, hats, scarves, mittens and gloves in the box in the

back lobby of the church. They will then be delivered to IRIS so that they can be shared with refugees who need these warm clothes. If you have questions, please contact John Dugan at 860-989-9430 or jdugan1967@gmail.com. Thanks for your generosity!

Nature Lovers Unite - Come Join Us!Attention all nature lovers! In the spring, we formed a new group where we gather monthly for a time

of fellowship and learning. We have also started taking on special projects, including our Sunday morning farm stand and hikes. Stay tuned for our next hike dates! We meet the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. We hope you can join us on December 12! Anyone is welcome to join! Whether you enjoy nature photography, hiking, feeding the birds, gardening or just sitting outside and taking in all that God has created, we want you! If you have questions or want to get involved, please contact Tracy Kavanaugh at lilypadprints@gmail.com or 413-250-3838.

First Church OutsideUpcoming Hikes!

All are welcome to join us for our next hikes. Please meet us in the church parking lot at the listed time. Sunday, December 17, 12:00 p.m. Gay City State Park (Hebron). Two-mile hike on a nice trail taking in the highlights of the park.Friday, December 29, 11:00 a.m. - location TBD. To sign up or for more info email bruce.munshower@gmail.com. Check out our bulletin board (with photos) in the second floor hallway near the library!

Buy SERRV Handcrafts! The Board of Christian Service is again offering SERRV products for sale during coffee hour. Come and browse the beautiful handmade items! You’re sure to find wonderful Christmas gifts for everyone on your list! Established in 1949, SERRV is a nonprofit organization that promotes the social and economic progress of people in developing regions of the world by purchasing and marketing their handcrafts in a just and direct manner. Through SERRV orders, artisans and farmers in more than 30 countries are lifted out of poverty. They are given a voice and treated with respect. The Board of Christian Service has offered SERRV products at Christmastime for many years, and we are proud to continue the tradition.

Snow Cancellations! For weekday events, if the Glastonbury schools have a snow closing or early dismissal, any evening programs would be cancelled. For weekend and other snow closings, students and parents will be notified through our email lists. Snow closings will also be posted on WFSB 3, NBC 30 and WTNH 8 (but not on the radio). As always, if you determine it is not safe to drive to a program, please stay home. We urge extra caution and discretion with young drivers.

Thursday, December 14, 2017 9:30 a.m. Thursday Morning Study Group, Lehman Library4:00 p.m. Cantate Choir5:00 p.m. Mallets Bell Choir5:00 p.m. Ribbon Work5:45 p.m. Latter Day Marthas, Lehman Library6:00 p.m. Cantabile Choir7:15 p.m. Chancel Choir

Saturday, December 16, 2017 8:00 a.m. Boston Choir Trip, off-site

Sunday, December 17, 20178:00 a.m. Worship Service & Child Care10:00 a.m. Worship Service & Child Care10:15 a.m. Church School11:00 a.m. Cherub Choir, Room 11211:00 a.m. Bake Sale, Schultz Hall12:00 p.m. First Church Outside Hike (Gay City State Park), meet in church parking lot6:00 p.m. Pageant Rehearsal, Meetinghouse

This Week at First Church Monday, December 11, 2017 6:30 p.m. JH Fellowship Christmas Party, Youth Room

Tuesday, December 12, 2017 9:45 a.m. Prayer and Share, Parlor7:00 p.m. Jubilate Ringers, Meetinghouse7:00 p.m. First Church Outside, Parlor

Wednesday, December 13, 2017 8:30 a.m. Foodshare Warehouse, off-site4:30 p.m. Caroler Choir

Support Our Giving Trees!Thank you to everyone who has taken a tag or two from our giving trees! The gifts you buy will help children and families in Glastonbury, Hartford,

Manchester and other surrounding towns, so please take one of the remaining tags if you are able. Look for more details on the sign located near the trees. Thanks for your generosity!

Karin Carlino, Church School AdministratorValerie Escalera, Program Administrator

Susan Feller, Publications Specialist

MINISTERSAll the members of the church

Pastor Emeritus The Rev. Dr. Carl F. Schultz, Jr. (1932 - 2012)

PASTORSThe Rev. David T. Taylor, Pastor; The Rev. Kate VanDerzee-Glidden, Pastor;The Rev. Elizabeth Gleich, Associate Pastor for Children and Youth Ministries

Peggy Hartman, Director of Handbell Program and Children’s Choirs

Rebecca Fleahman, Office ManagerWes Grove, Facilities ManagerThe Rev. Gordon Bates, Minister of Visitation

Angela Salcedo, Director of Music Ministries Kathy Ciolkosz, Administrative Assistant

Cheryl Foley, Child Care Provider

Church Office Holiday ScheduleDecember 25 Office closedDecember 26–29 Open 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.January 1 Office closed

Reiki Offered TODAY! Reiki will be offered today from 8:45-10:00 a.m. Please join us in the Quiet Room if you are interested.

Altar Flowers Requested Please contact Susan Bonitsky at 860-633-7128 or kowsz@juno.com to place altar flowers in memory of or in honor of people or events.