Worship Services: Sunday at 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
Telephone: (860) 228-3077
Meeting House 1838
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Worship Services: Sunday at 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Telephone: (860) 228-3077 |
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| Gathered 1748 Meeting House 1838 |
Gilead
Gleanings - May*
(our
monthly newsletter: Gilead Gleanings)
BUILDING CELEBRATION & DEDICATION  |
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Plans continue to be made for the dedication and celebration of our building addition and renovations on Sunday, June 8th. We will be having a special worship service that day and our CT Conference Minister, Rev. Dr. Davida Foy Crabtree, will be preaching. We are also planning a buffet luncheon following worship with a brief program. Please consider bringing something to share (an appetizer, finger sandwiches, or a dessert). The Youth Group is also planning their Cowmingle Fundraiser for this day. There will be a lot of joy to share this day, so hope you will plan to be with us!
If you have any thoughts or ideas on how to make this day a special one, please share them with Pam D'Amico, Rev. Esslinger, Annette Langevin, Jan Mango, or Doug Stewart, |
| SILVER LAKE |
| There is still space in many conferences for youth entering 4th through 12th grades. You can register online at silverlake.ctucc.org and you will be able to see all the conference descriptions for each age group. This year, a $25 discount is being offered when you sign up for a second summer conference. Also, get a free Silver Lake t-shirt when you bring a friend with you. Don't miss out on a week of community filled with friends, fun and faith-building. |
| Covenant to Care for Children (CCC) |
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As a follow up to Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, Covenant to Care for Children has provided the following information.
What It Takes To Be a Nurturing Parent Begin today by being a positive parent or caretaker and help other family members, friends, and neighbors be positive parents too. * Be a nurturing parent and make children a priority. * Show and tell your children that you love them everyday. * Let your children know you are happy to be with them. * Give children the sense of security, belonging and support. * Catch your children being good and give them lots of praise. Really listen to your children. Give children your undivided attention when they are talking. Be patient and remember that children move at a different pace when they tell a story about their day. Spend time with your children. * Make some special time for each of your children. Play with them, talk with them, and read with them. * Keep your promises. * Tell your children about your own childhood. * Play outside, play a board game, do an art project or other creative activity. Set a good example. * Use good manners. * Set clear, consistent limits. * Consider how your decisions will affect your children. * Resolve conflicts quickly. * Take your children to your place of worship. * Allow yourself a time-out when needed and do something for yourself. Reach out to other family members, friends, and neighbors. * Isolation is often a contributing factor to child abuse. Lack of support systems and the feelings of being stressed and alone can intensify problems. Talk to family, friends, and neighbors about parenting. * Join a parent support group. * Get involved in something where you can socialize with other parents. Take Part In Prevention Efforts Raise awareness, become an advocate, volunteer, make a donation. Know the Warning Signs of Abuse and Report it! (Copies of CCC information on Child Abuse Prevention may be obtained by contacting church liaison Nancy Bennett at 228-0681.) |
| VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL (VBS) |
| This year's Vacation Bible School will be held the week of August 11th-15th at the Gilead Congregational Church, UCC. The theme for this year's program is "Beach Party: Surfin' Through the Scriptures." Through the sharing of scripture, song, and crafts, young people will be invited to explore and deepen their faith. Vacation Bible School is open to children who will be entering Kindergarten through grade 6 in September of 2008. The registration fee is $15 per child or $35 per family for registrations received by July 15th. After July 15th, the registration fee will be $20 per child or $45 per family. Registration forms will be available in the Sanctuary or by calling the Church Office (228-3077). Volunteers are also needed for the week to teach, assist teachers, provide nursery care, and help with games. If you have any questions about VBS or are willing to volunteer, please contact Cheri Williams (228-1358). |
| CT CONFERENCE ANNUAL MEETING 2008 |
| The Connecticut Conference Annual Meeting will be held on Saturday, May 10th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the South Congregational Church (9 Pleasant St.) in Middletown. The Rev. Clifford Aerie, the United Church of Christ's Minister for Creativity and the Arts, will be the keynote speaker for the first part of the Conference's 141st Annual Meeting. Cliff is a jazz saxophonist, storyteller and a media producer. Also you are invited at 7:00 p.m. to experience an evening of Global Village Jazz preformed by the Oikos ensemble. To learn more, visit their website at www.oikos-ensemble.com. All are welcome to attend! For additional information and registration visit ctucc.org. |
| ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING |
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Thanks to everyone who contributed to our One Great Hour of Sharing offering, which was received on March 2nd. To date, $806 has been received. Our offerings are combined with the offerings from the almost 6,000 other United Church of Christ Churches to reach out in the name of Christ to:
Build sustainable communities. OGHS supports self-help programs in more than 80 nations to build sustainable communities that enable people and communities to stand against and rise above hunger, disease, illiteracy, and other forces of injustice that deny and destroy dignity. Respond to disaster. OGHS provides emergency and long-term assistance to people in the aftermath of hurricanes, tornados, storms, floods, tidal waves, fires, explosions, technological disasters, civil strife, war, or other natural or human-caused events. On average, OGHS responds to a disaster once every 2.5 days. Minister to refugees. OGHS responds with advocacy and help, hope and hospitality for people who have been uprooted from their home of origin. More than 30 million of the world's people are uprooted at any given time. |
| BUILDING COMMITTEE UPDATE |
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A year ago, we were still planning the groundbreaking ceremony, the Building Committee was still working with Kokoska to define an affordable project, and the start of construction was being eagerly (and perhaps anxiously) awaited by all. After almost a year, the building is nearing completion and Kokoska is going full tilt to finish up by May. As the building takes its final form and we are able to clearly see what had been planned, all may not be clear as to why it is the way it is. With this in mind, here is a list of some questions that have been heard as of late with an attempt at a short explanation for each…
1. When will the contractor be finished? We anticipate that substantial completion will be at the end of May. There may be some finish work that may have to be done and a smaller project (improvements to the north parking lot exit behind the Parish House) that will extend into June and the summer. 2. Why are there exit signs at the bottom of the doors? And why are there two sets of Exit signs? New code requirements require all of these. The intent for the signs near the floor is that if smoke fills the building, someone crawling on their knees will be able to get out. There are two sets of signs… one marked "EXIT" and the other "ADA". The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) marker indicates which exits are handicapped accessible. 3. Why are the closets in the music room shallow? Because the amount of room in the old Social Hall was limited and needed to be divided between multiple spaces, the Building Committee decided to keep this closet as compact as possible. Special hangers will be installed in the closets on which the choir robes will be hung. 4. Why do the kitchen doors have windows in them that are so high? The vertically challenged amongst us will likely need a periscope to see through, but the code mandates that the windows be installed where they are. 5. Why do the windows in the Fellowship Hall looking out on the hallway have wire in them? These windows and the walls bordering the hallways all serve as a fire wall which would serve to protect occupants until they could get out of the building or the fire department could get in. Since the walls and windows are a fire wall, the glass has to be reinforced. 6. What is happening with the parking lot? As this newsletter is being written, the contractor is digging up a large portion of the existing parking lot. He will be filling it with a free-draining material that will serve us much better come mud season. The top surface will be crushed stone and there will be two islands required by the town. The parking lot will be fully lighted. 7. What is happening out on the patio? The contractor has poured the patio and is in the process of creating sidewalks around the site. The front lawn will slope more than it had towards the Route 85. It is intended that a stone wall will be added to line the patio at some point, but due to the cost, it is unlikely to go in at this time. In the meantime, a hedge and benches may be added. 8. When will the bathrooms be operational? While we'd like to guarantee that they would be operational by the beginning (or even the end) of May, given the history of the bathrooms on this project, we dare not make any predictions. Sooner than later is likely, but for those that are sitting with crossed legs, fold your hands as well and ask for speedy delivery! As much thought went into the design, many decisions have also been made during construction. The Building Committee believes that we've exhaustively thought through 99% of the building, but there may be unresolved issues out there yet. If you have questions, please bring them up now and if we can't come up with a ready explanation, we'll try to resolve them with the contractor before he leaves the site. Thanks again to all the painters and their many many hours of cutting in and rolling on paint. Now that the weather has turned for the better and we want to get outside, those with green and brown thumbs alike are invited to join us May 10th and 17th to work on landscaping around the building. To date, we have spent about $1,060,000 on the building design and construction phases and have finally had to dip into the mortgage. We are aiming to keep the total project costs at or below $1.38 million. If you have any questions during construction, please do not hesitate to speak with the Building Committee (Jim Kenniston and Brian Byrne (Co-Chairs), Joan Aldridge, Ned Ellis, Steve Weir, and Andy Mackay). |
| "BUILDING …TO SERVE"
PLEDGE/FUNDING UPDATE |
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It's been two years since our church came together to raise the funds needed to move forward with our "Building to Serve" project. What an exciting time it has been in the life of our church. The generosity and commitment to expanding our "Little White Church on the Hill" has been incredible. In one month, our congregation pledged over $500,000! We are tremendously grateful to all those who have been paying their pledge in installments and to those who have paid the amount in full. Construction wouldn't be happening without this faithful support.
The following is an update on pledges made and received as well as where we stand with the endowment and mortgage. The estimated total cost of construction is now $1.4 million. Total Pledges and Gifts made for "Building…To Serve" Campaign: $788,338 Total Pledges/Gifts Received to date: $531,056 Endowment (Money exhausted in this fund): $412,000 Total Estimated Building Construction Expense: $1,400,000 Initial Mortgage to Be Taken: $465,000 Pledged Gifts Remaining to be Paid: $265,226 Estimated Mortgage remaining if all pledges paid 100%: $200,000 (Interest Rate of 7.5% not considered in this estimate) Sunday, June 8th will be our Dedication Sunday. Our new building will be ready and our doors will be opened to serve our congregation and the community. God has provided and has blessed us tremendously during this exciting period of growth. With all this excitement however, it is easy to forget that we haven't finished paying for our new building yet. Please consider reviewing your pledge to be sure it is up to date. If you are able to pay your pledge early, we can decrease our initial mortgage loan and the interest that comes with it. If you have not made a pledge and would like to be a part of this exciting project, please contact Jan Mango (Assistant Treasurer for the building campaign) at 228-4877. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact the members of the Follow-Up Committee. We thank you all for your generosity and commitment to "Building to Serve." Annette Langevin, Jan Mango, Rev. Denise Esslinger, Doug Stewart, Pam D'Amico |
| WELCOME NEW MEMBERS |
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We welcomed the following new members into our church family on April 6, 2008:
CHIP AND KRIS MOORE Kris and Chip live in Colchester. Kris has two children, Joey (12 years old) and Maddy (10 years old). Chip works for United Health Group in Hartford and Kris is a substitute teacher. Chip enjoys computers and traveling. Kris is a demonstrator for Stampin' Up and she likes scrap booking and card making. Joey enjoys playing soccer and riding his dirt bike. Maddy likes reading, writing and drawing. ELIZABETH RAIMONDO Elizabeth lives in Hebron with her husband, Bob, and their two children, Jake (9 years old) and Megan (6 years old). Elizabeth works as a disability sales enrollment specialist. She grew up and was baptized at the Gilead Church, and is happy to be back now with her children. Jake enjoys basketball and baseball, and Megan likes gymnastics. LYNDA AND PAUL REINDEL Paul and Lynda live in Glastonbury with their two children, Adam (15 years old) and Alyssa (13 years old). Paul is studying nursing and Lynda works as an international client manager. Paul enjoys landscaping, painting, bicycling and running. Lynda likes decorating, flowers, painting and travel. Adam enjoys drawing, painting, running, and swimming. Alyssa likes to sing, swim, travel and their pets. DAVE AND JULIE SANTELLA Julie and Dave live in Hebron with their two children, Jaclyn (7 years old) and Kate (5 years old). Julie is a stay at home mom and Dave is a CPA who is currently working in real estate and has plans to open a gym in Colchester. Julie enjoys painting and gardening. Dave likes sports and is an avid UConn Huskies fan. Jaclyn is active in Taekwondo, and Kate takes ballet. GEORGE AND PENNY SHIMCHICK Penny and George live in Hebron with their two sons, Eric (10 years old) and Gregory (8 years old). George works as a site coordinator for Pitney-Bowes and Penny is a respiratory therapist. They are all active in scouting. They also enjoy the outdoors. ALAN, MAGGIE, AND WILL THIBAULT Maggie and Alan live in Colchester. Alan has two children, Liz (18 years old) and Will (15 years old). Alan works as an insurance underwriter for Aetna and Maggie works as a Foster Care Social Worker for the Waterford Country School. Liz is a Freshman this year at Eastern CT State University and Will attends Bristol Central High School. Alan enjoys weight lifting, helping people move, chopping wood and shoveling snow. He is also a huge Dallas Cowboy's fan. Maggie likes reading, scrap booking, photography, and cooking. Will likes geography and is interested in pursuing aeronautical engineering. |
| ORGANIST/CHOIR DIRECTOR |
| As most all of heard, Sandy Hooker, our Organist and Choir Director for almost 27 years, will be stepping down at the end of August. We are grateful to Sandy for all of her years of service and she will be greatly missed in this position. A Search Committee has been formed and has already met twice to work on finding someone new. Members of this Committee include: Joan Aldridge, Judy Brown, Ken Cook, Rev. Denise Esslinger, Ginny Miller, Joan Tluck, and Kaitlyn Williams. We know that this position will not be an easy one to fill, and have heard that the best results come through contacts made by word of mouth. If you have any thoughts, ideas or leads, please speak with Ken Cook (228-2029) who is chairing the Committee, or with any of its members. We need your help and support. Thank you! |
| CHURCH SEXTON |
| The Board of Trustees is looking for someone to take over cleaning our Sanctuary, Fellowship Hall, and related spaces in the Church building beginning in mid-June. If you know of anyone who might be interested, please contact Barry MacLachlan, Chair of the Board of Trustees (645-9329). The Board would also like to extend our thanks and appreciation, on behalf of the entire church, to Mark Hollister and Susan Porter who have done a wonderful and faithful job in this position for many years. Thank you! |
| SUMMER COFFEE HOURS |
| We are looking forward to resuming Coffee Hours following worship beginning on Sunday, June 15th. Coffee hours give us the opportunity to visit and to get to know one another. They have been missed during this past year of construction. During the summer months, when attendance is lower, we ask one family to host each week. Hosting involves putting on a pot of coffee, mixing up some punch, and bringing some goodies to share along with some milk for the tea & coffee. If you're willing to host one Sunday this summer, a sign-up sheet is located on the table in the back of the Sanctuary. If you have any questions, please speak with Margaret Gibbs (228-6707). |
| FELLOWSHIP HALL HALL-WARMING June 15TH |
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On Sunday, June 15th, we are planning a Hall-Warming for our new Fellowship Hall. What is a Hall-Warming you may ask? It is an invitation to bring in and share some basic supplies which are
needed. Things like:
dish soap hand wash sponges paper towels dish towels pot holders cleaning supplies garbage bags toilet paper coffee & tea bags paper plates cups napkins lemonade/punch mixes Please consider bringing what you can as we get our new spaces usable and well-stocked. Thank you! |
| LANDSCAPING DAYS |
| We need you to help beautify our grounds before our Building Dedication and Celebration on June 8th. Please plan to join us on Saturdays, May 10th and May 17th from 9 a.m. to noon. The plan is that teams will be made up each morning to work on the different planting beds. The plants for each bed will be grouped and labeled, and each team will be given the layout of the design for their bed. There are 15 beds in all, so we will need many hands. People are also need to rake topsoil in areas to be seeded for grass. Juice, coffee and donuts will be available. Come one, come all! You are needed! |
| HOLD THE DATE!!! |
| We will be celebrating Pastor Denise's 10th anniversary at the Gilead Church on September 21st. Look for details in next month's newsletter. |
| "HELPING HANDS" MISSION PROJECT |
| Christian Education would like to thank all of those who donated work gloves for the "Helping Hands" spring mission project. We collected over 50 pairs of work gloves. They have been delivered to Back Bay Mission in Biloxi, Mississippi by the 19 who were there working the week of April 20th - 26th. Thanks to all! |
| BEANIES FOR PREEMIES |
| We have been collecting beanie babies for the Connecticut Children's Medical Center Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Unit for eight years. We have now collected over 500 beanies for sick children who needed comfort. Beanie Babies are being collected once again this year. Give a Beanie to a Preemie! A box is located in front of the Sanctuary for your donations. The Beanie Babies will be donated to the hospital after Mother's Day, Sunday, May 11th. If you have any questions about this collection, please contact Jane Straut (228-1860) or Ginny Huhn (228-1459). |
| BLANKET SUNDAY |
| The Board of Missions is holding their annual collection for the Blanket Program, a Church World Service Project, on Mother's Day (May 11th). We invite you to honor your mother or grandmother or special woman in your life with a gift to the Blanket Program. For a $5 dollar donation, you will receive a Mother's Day card and will be providing Church World Service with funds to help those in desperate need. Cards will be available in the back of the Sanctuary following worship. You may also speak with Pam D'Amico or Ruthanne Hadley if you would like to make a contribution or if you have any questions. |
| CHICKEN BARBEQUE |
| Remember to save Saturday, July 12th for this year's Gilead Church Chicken BBQ. Once again Alison Doherty and Rob Gasper have agreed to chair the event. Watch for more details! |
| FALL SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS |
| The Board of Christian Education is looking for some Sunday School Teachers for the fall. There are openings for a Preschool teacher and two 3rd grade teachers. A curriculum is provided, and teaching is a great way to grow in faith while helping others. If you are interested or have any questions, please speak with Annette Langevin, Kelly Kulow or Jamie Lindley. Thank you! |
| NURSERY NEWS |
| Summer is just around the corner and so is the need for people to help out in the nursery! There is always fun to be had playing with the little ones. One adult and one youth helper are needed to cover the nursery each Sunday. Anyone over age 12 who is interested should get in touch with Becky Cook at 228-2029. Also a big thank you to ALL those who have helped out in the nursery this year. Your time and energy is greatly appreciated! |
| SUMMER MUSIC IN WORSHIP |
| Our Adult Choir ends its season on Sunday, June 8th. We would like to continue vocal and instrumental music each Sunday during the summer. Please contact Sandy Hooker (228-9856) if you would like to sing (solo or part of a small group) or play an instrument, during Summer Sunday worship. All ages are welcome! |
| SUMMER SUNDAY
SCHOOL |
| The Summer Sunday School session begins June 15th. Two broadly graded classes (in addition to the nursery) will be offered - one for pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten, and one for grades 1 - 3. To give our teachers a break, we are asking for volunteers to teach one or two weeks during the summer months. A curriculum is provided. Crafts or other activities are also encouraged. The summer sessions are intended to be less rigorous with regard to Christian education than during the formal school year. We've been told that the children enjoy our summer program and parents find it easier to come to worship during the summer. Please consider teaching once or twice during the summer. Speak with Annette Langevin (228-1313) if you are interested or have any questions. |
YOUTH
GROUP NEWS |
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All youth in 7th grade and higher (and their friends) are invited to be a part of our Youth Group which seeks to "provide the youth of the church and community with regular opportunities to participate in Christian service and fellowship". The Youth Group will be having the following meetings and gatherings during this month:
Youth, please note, if you have not returned your medical and permission forms, please complete them and return them to one of the Youth Group Advisors or to the Church Office as soon as possible. If you have any questions about the Youth Group, please contact one of our Youth Advisors, Heidi and Brian Byrne, Lisa Cox, Les Kurz, Melanie and Rich Miller, Teresa Olio or Amy Weiss. |
OFFICE
HOURS |
The best time to reach Rev. Esslinger in the office is on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 9:00 a.m. until noon. Sally Fritsche, Administrative Assistant will be working at the Parish House on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 8:00 a.m. until noon. She can be reached by calling 228-3077 or via e-mail at: gileadchurchucc@earthlink.net |
PRIVACY LEGISLATION ON HOSPITAL STAYS |
A new federal law greatly restricts the disclosure of patient information by hospitals. As a result, the pastor and church office may not know that a member has been admitted to the hospital. If you are hospitalized, and would like to notify the pastor, it is important that you (or a family member) inform the church office as soon as possible. Call us at 228-3077 or email the church office and let us know. Remember, hospitals no longer can provide this information to us. |
Are
We Finding You?? |
Are you receiving e-mails from Gilead Church? Has your e-mail address changed? Don't forget to give the Church office a call (228-3077) or e-mail us with your new address. Thanks! Thank you! |
| | Home | Contact Us | UCC Org | Back To Top | | Updated:
5/03/08 |