Advent Worship December 13
Sunday Worship Online
Connect to online live worship service at https://colonialucc.online.church/ at 8:30 or 10:15 a.m. 
Or, you can watch our service anytime after 8:30 a.m. on Sundays via YouTube at https://bit.ly/CCYouTubeV 

Online Children's Sunday School. This week's Sunday School Bible story will go live on Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. https://bit.ly/CCYouTubeVid 
If you know of kids who might enjoy taking part in our Sunday School, invite their parents to signup to be on the list to receive the weekly materials at https://bit.ly/CCSSOnline.

Online Coffee & Conversation. Grab your coffee, your tea, your beverage of choice and join your fellow Colonialites in our Coffee & Conversation Zoom Room. We will be connecting with each other between our worship services. Stop in for a quick minute to catch up with each other! You can connect at https://bit.ly/CCCoffeeCon
Colonial Candlelighting Challenge

Our Candlelight Christmas Eve worship is a sacred moment each year. So, this year we're doing our candlelighting together online and need your help! Here is a one minute instruction video for how to record yourself. And don't be shy - if there is someone who you are missing this Christmas, have them record themselves and send in their video, too, with a note so that they can "sit" near you. Please have your recordings into Heather at [email protected] by Sunday, December 20.
The Joy of Christmas with Your Colonial Family
The Colonial community may not be able to gather in person during this Christmas season but we have created a way for you to celebrate together through our Facebook Colonial Stays Home group. We are posting videos periodically from Colonial family members ranging from kid's stories to family traditions to musical recordings.

Mary Burnett gives a little background and a lovely performance of one of her favorite childhood carols, “Some Children See Him.” So, sit back and listen to this beautiful carol! Here's how: join the Colonial Stays Home group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/263844517982844/?source_id=134777931708
This group is private – just for people in the Colonial Church community.

Advent Devotionals are also being posted daily to our public Facebook page. Be sure to read those for words of inspiration from our Colonial family.
COVID-Prevention Guidelines for Colonial Church

Our area is experiencing record increases in COVID cases and COVID-related deaths, so Colonial Church is doing its part to slow transmission. The building is closed to groups. Staff members have shifted some hours to home. We ask for your cooperation as we work to stay safe. Thank you.
We need your support to continue the work of Colonial Church. If you have not already returned your 2021 pledge card or made your pledge online, you can do so here. Together we change lives.
Roberts Family Love Gift

We are again this year offering every member the opportunity to contribute to a special Christmas Love Gift for the Senior Minister’s family in recognition of their faithful ministry in this church and the community. The gift will be from the “Congregation,” as no individual names will be listed. Participation is totally up to each individual family. If you choose to participate, click here and select "Love Gift" from pull-down menu. Or mail a check to the church and mark it “Love Gift for the Roberts Family.” Make checks payable to Colonial Church.

Motions Pass in Special Congregational Meeting

Both motions passed in the special meeting. We had 50 people there for the required quorum. You will get a copy of the minutes when Russ gets them done, but just wanted to let you know.

The first motion to expend $1,500 of the Pemberton funds to finish the waterproofing in the basement passed.

The second motion to increase the amount of expenditure that requires congregational approval passed as well with over 2/3 of the quorum voting in favor. That will allow the council/admin board to spend up to $20,000 if needed w/o a meeting to approve it.

Read the minutes here.
Support the Christmas Fund

The Christmas Fund has been caring for active and retired clergy and lay employees of the United Church of Christ for over 100 years. The Fund provides supplementation of small annuities, supplementation of health premiums, emergency grants, and Christmas “Thank You” gift checks for retirees and those facing unforeseen financial hardship.

The emergency financial needs of many who serve the church have increased dramatically over the past nine months because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Colonial members are requested to join with others in the United Church of Christ to support those who have given so much to our church. You can make your contribution online (select Christmas Fund from the dropdown menu) or by mailing your check to the church office. Thank you!
In the Words of Survivors – Veronica's Voice 20 Year Celebration

This online event celebrates 20 years of Veronica's Voice and the survivor leadership that has impacted the lives of so many in our community and shown that love and empowerment are strong catalysts for change. A live auction is planned prior to the event and beautiful survivor handcrafted Just Cause products will be available for purchase. After purchasing tickets $20 each), you will receive an email confirmation with your ticket and the Zoom link to join on December 12 at 6:00 p.m. You will also receive a program and information on joining the live auction. 
Spread Christmas Spirit

Colonial Church has been blessed with an extremely generous gift to share this Christmas season, and we need your help. From now until Christmas, Colonial will grant $100 from the Pemberton Charitable Foundation for any Colonial household to support a charity or need of your choice. The money can be used anywhere as long as it helps someone.

The only stipulation is that you let us know who will receive your gift and why. You can write a note, draw a picture, make a short video — however you want to express your message. With your permission, Colonial Church will use your message in Sunday services, the Crier newsletter, and other ways. To opt into this extraordinary opportunity to give $100, click here. The deadline is December 20.

Let’s spread the gift of Christmas good news throughout our community!

Colonial Women Activities

Note: All Colonial Women activities are now virtual. You can attend through the Zoom links below. We need to connect now, more than ever! 

Colonial Women Big Biscuit - 9:30 a.m. on January 4 via Zoom
(first Monday of each month) 

Colonial Women Blue Moose - 5:30 p.m. on January 12 via Zoom
(2nd Tuesday of each month)  

Colonial Women Book Group - 7:00 p.m., Friday, January 15 via Zoom. We will discuss “The Night Watchman” by Louie Erdrich.


Sunday Night Open Prayer
We're going to gather together for a time of sharing and prayer on Sunday evenings at 8:00 p.m. this winter in a Facebook Room. We'll spend 30 minutes reflecting on the week, sharing, and holding each other in prayer. Join our Facebook "Colonial Stays Home" group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/263844517982844/?source_id=134777931708.

Colonial Women Rummage Fundraiser

Because of concerns about COVID-19, Colonial Women is hosting a rummage collection rather than the usual sale. The goal is to raise $1,000, which means about 5,000 pounds of items! Savers will pay us by the pound for quality items. To reach that requires 250 13-gallon white trash bags of soft goods and 200 boxes of hard goods. Let Marylee Battaglia know how many bags or boxes you have collected so we can see progress toward the goal. The collection is April 22, 2021.
Weekly Services and Sermons 

Livestream: Sundays at 8:30 and 10:00 a.m. at https://colonialucc.online.church/

On Demand Video: worship services are on YouTube here. Sermons are available here.

Podcasts: Sunday sermons are now available as a podcast. You can access the podcast via our Sermons page on the Colonial Church website or directly through Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.
Longest Night Service

December 21, 7:00 p.m. online 
Our Longest Night service honors the feeling that a number of us have about this season. It is the “long, dark night of the soul,” “the winter of our discontent,” in which memories of past experiences and the pain of present experiences can become painful. This is a special service to be with God in Spirit and in Truth.
Celebrations!
In this time of staying connected remotely, please remember these folks who are celebrating milestones.
 
Happy Birthday! 
10 Shelley Runion
11 Jessica Willemsen
12 Elizabeth Bender
13 Collin Magee
14 Carol Wait

Happy Anniversary!
9 Allan & Mary Weil
Calendar

Thursday, December 10
10:30 a.m.- Thursday Morning Study Group via Zoom

Sunday, December 13 – Second Sunday of Advent           
8:30 a.m. Worship Online https://colonialucc.online.church/  
9:15 Fellowship Time via Zoom. https://bit.ly/CCCoffeeCon
9:30 a.m. Online Children's Sunday School. https://www.youtube.com/user/ColonialUCC/videos
10:15 a.m.-Worship Online https://colonialucc.online.church/  

Tuesday, December 15
9:30 a.m.-Book Group via Zoom
  
Full calendar at Colonial Calendar.  


Colonial Staff

Senior Minister: Rev. Aaron Roberts
Bell Choir Director: Hayden Ferguson
Organist: Dr. Joseph Kern
Youth Leader: Michelle Turpen
Communications Manager: Sally Huggins
Building Maintenance: Edson Palacios-Castrejon
913-362-7735