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Welcome to the First Church newsletter. Please notice that just about everything is "clickable"! In other words, click an image, a logo, or a button to find out more details! 

November 29, 2024 • WWW.WHFIRSTCHURCH.ORG

Looking Towards Sunday

"A poet is, before anything else, a person who is passionately in love with language" -- W. H. Auden


I think of myself as an artist – a poet – more than a preacher. I pray, in any case, that my love of language is evident in my published writing and public witnessing. Sunday’s message is inspired by the work of an actual American poet. Interestingly, not much of her art was published during her lifetime. After she died in 1886, her sister discovered a store of poems which eventually gained public attention in 1955 when the scholar Thomas H. Johnson published The Poems of Emily Dickinson.



The sermon is entitled: Hope Is the Thing with Feathers. The basic idea is that hope doesn’t just come from above (or beyond) us. It dwells within us too! I’ll say more when I see you. 

 

Yours with Advent anticipation,

Rev. Fredd

For more news click HERE to view the complete Sunday Notes.

Our 2024 Stewardship Campaign is underway, and pledge cards have been mailed out. You can make your pledge online by filling out the online pledge card HERE or mail it to the church office. Thank you!

Please note

The West Hartford Mitten Run will take place on Sunday morning, December 8. Traffic patterns around the church will be impacted, however Farmington Avenue and Trout Brook Drive should remain open. Click HERE to view the traffic advisory from the town. Click HERE to view the route map.

Please Join Us for the Advent Season!

Please click HERE to view all the upcoming Advent services and events at First Church.

Deck the Meeting House

Saturday, November 30 from 9-11 a.m.

Let’s kick off the holiday season together as we decorate our beloved Meeting House for Advent and Christmas. Come hang the garlands, set up the trees, and get out the candles! No registration necessary.

Celebrating Our Covenant on December 1

Has it been a year already? It has!

A little over one year ago, Rev. Fredd joyfully and humbly accepted the call to serve as our settled Senior Pastor.  Since then, the “match” found between our congregation and Fredd’s ministry has flourished!


Please join us on Sunday, December 1 when we affirm Fredd’s ministry during the 10:00 a.m. worship service and celebrate afterwards during coffee hour in the auditorium. 

If you are so inspired, send a card or write a note of appreciation.  These may be dropped off in advance at the church office or, on Sundays, during coffee hour. They will be presented to Rev. Fredd during our fellowship time on December 1. 

Please join the celebration!

Festival of Trees

Don’t’ miss the 9th annual West Hartford Festival of Trees! Thursday, December 5 from 5-8 p.m., held at the same time as the Holiday Stroll. For the first time in several years, the Festival will be open Saturday, December 7 from 10 a.m.-1p.m. Come see the 50 decorated trees and win a tree or gift card present. All proceeds go to the church’s Mission Partners. The drawing for the winners will be on Sunday, December 8, when you will have another opportunity to see the trees. Volunteers are still needed to help with the Festival. See Eleanor Wight, Amy Melvin, or Ginny Vocelli. 

welcome_flowers_pear.jpg

The Confirmands Are Coming…and Going Bowling!

Sunday, December 8 at 2 p.m.

We’re excited to announce that Rev. Fredd will lead a six-week expedition for high-schoolers who want to confirm their baptism. The group will meet on Sunday afternoons starting February 23 through March 30. Confirmation Sunday is scheduled for April 6. Details are forthcoming. Meanwhile, we’ve organized a get-to-know-you gathering for prospective confirmands at Spare Time Windsor Locks on Sunday, December 8 at 2 p.m.

Contact Rachel Tenney 516-906-2840 or Michelle Killion 860-256-9763.

Celtic Lessons and Carols

Save the Date: Saturday, December 21 at 4 p.m. in the Chapel

Christmas Angelicus Concert

Sunday, December 22 at 4 p.m. in the Meeting House

Join Chorus Angelicus and Gaudeamus in welcoming the holiday season across Connecticut! A New England tradition, hear a diverse assortment of Christmas classics, seasonal music, works from the past, and works by contemporary composers. Order tickets HERE.

Thank you to everyone who donated food for the Thanksgiving Baskets for Covenant to Care! Together we filled baskets for 27 families. Your generosity is greatly appreciated! 

Share A Gift Tree for Our Covenant to Care Children

’Tis the season to share Christmas joy! Take a tag from the tree in the auditorium starting November 24 and bring the unwrapped gift to the church by December 15.  Thank you for helping our Covenant to Care children have a Merry Christmas! For any questions, please contact Diane Bohman at dmbohman@comcast.net or Molly Bohman at jpwebsterlib@whfirstchurch.org.

Wreath, Poinsettia and Organ & Carillon Donations

Wreaths will adorn the doors of First Church during the season of Advent. Poinsettias can be used to brighten the holiday for another or taken home after worship on December 22. Donations can also be made to the Organ & Carillon Reserve Fund. Online orders and donations can be made HERE or you can print a form HERE to mail in with your payment. All donations must be received in the office by Monday, December 16.

After the GHIAA Campaign Kick-off, now what?

Ten members and friends of First Church participated in the Campaign Kick-off on November 21, and now it's time to get to work!

GHIAA is forming town-by-town Housing Affordability Teams (HATs) to look into what each town needs to do to remove its own barriers to affordable housing. A HAT team is forming in West Hartford, as well as in many other towns. If you are interested in joining a team, contact Linda (lindadiane275@gmail.com) or Terry (terryschmittwh@gmail.com).

Also, First Church needs to fulfill its commitment, as a founding member of GHIAA, to contribute $5000 each calendar year to help pay for the staff that keeps GHIAA functioning and the materials and events that make it possible to get the work for justice done. Every year our Outreach Team contributes $2500, and the rest needs to come from individual donations. So far in 2024, donations total $850. If you can help -- whether it's $5 or $500 -- please make your donation soon. If you give online or by text, you will find GHIAA is one of the categories you can designate your gift for. If you donate by check, please write "GHIAA" in the memo line. Thank you for your support, financial and otherwise!

First Church Academy - Substitute Teachers

Do you enjoy working with children?  First Church Academy for Young Children is looking for substitute teachers. The Academy serves children six-weeks to five years old and is open from 7:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.  Coverage is needed for all classrooms and for a variety of shifts. We can work with you! If you are interested in learning more, contact Dawne Quinn, Education Director at dquinn@firstchurchacademy.org.  Click HERE to view the job description.



Registration for the 2025-2026 Program Year is Open 

In-house family and First Church member priority registration is open now and runs through November 15. First Church Academy provides care for children 6 weeks to 5 years old in a loving, nurturing, play-based environment. We are a licensed and nationally accredited program open Monday-Friday 7:30 am until 5:30 pm. If you would like more information about our offerings, please visit our website, firstchurchacademy.org, or reach out to Director, Dawne Quinn @dquinn firstchurchacademy.org.

Applications can be found on our website and submitted via email or dropped off directly at the Academy. Registration will open to the community on December 2. 

Light The Steeple in honor of a Loved One

For a $25 donation, you are invited to "Light the Steeple" for one week in honor of a loved one. We ask that you pick a date at least one week in advance of the desired week, and all donors will be acknowledged in our weekly Happenings. Please note more than one donor can fall on any given week. Donations will be added to the Save the Steeple fund. Click "Light The Steeple for a loved one" found on the “Save the First Church Steeple” web page or click here.


~ Our steeple is lit this week in honor of Rev. Fredd, in celebration of his 1-year anniversary as Senior Pastor at First Church. ~


~ Our steeple is lit this week by Helen B. George and family in loving memory of Daniel George. ~

Live-Streamed Worship in the Church Library!

First Church’s worship services are live streamed every Sunday in our bright, comfortable John P. Webster Library. Come watch while your toddler plays in our children’s area or if you need a separate place to worship for any other reason. The JPW Library is also open Monday -Thursday from 9 - 5. Everyone is welcome -- church membership is not required! Come in and find your next read!

In the JPWL Gallery

We are honored to present the work of three women artists: Dolores Howard, Michelle Peterson, and Michele Quinn. “Reveries and Reflections: Three Local Artists” will be on display from December 1 through January 12 in the JPW Gallery and in the Alcove to the right of the Rotunda Entrance. Many of the pieces are for sale, with a portion donated to First Church. Please see Jennifer with any questions.

A Great Green Gift

Here’s your opportunity for local, “green” gift buying! Jennifer has arranged for 11 old church banners to be recycled into one-of-a-kind First Church-branded totes and clutches. The items will be for sale during Hospitality Hour. The clutches are $10 each or 3 for $25. The totes are $20 each. Any proceeds will be used by the Outreach Team to support nearby environmental charities. 

Faithful Fitness Classes Continue

The JPWL invites you to attend, or continue attending, a free Faithful Fitness class! Each class provides an opportunity for meditation as well as movement. Perfect attendance is not required – it’s ok to miss a couple of classes.

More information is available on each class’s registration page:

  • Qi Gong with Cynthia Hoag resumes Thursday, December 5 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. in the Chapel. QiGong, a Chinese exercise that promotes the flow of qi, or energy, in the body, can reduce stress, depression, or fatigue while providing a sense of balance and clarity. Each session will conclude with a short meditation. More info and registration here.
  • FitMix with Kathi Boratko will resume Tuesday, January 7 from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m., in the Auditorium. This is a well-rounded class including resistance training, cardio, and balance using multiple fitness modalities. Chairs will be used for seated and standing support. Please bring a mat, light weights, and a small ball. No tools? No worries! Some tools can be provided. Register here to join the class! 

GOAT* Bible Study!

Sundays from 9-9:45 a.m. in the Friendship Room (305)

Join Rev. Tom Carr for a deep dive into the book of Isaiah! Explore historical contexts, find out who was duped (and by whom), and see how and where the Gospels echo the ancient Hebrew Bible. “Tom’s engaging style and knowledge of scripture have really helped me understand the Bible’s ongoing story and meaning in our own lives” (participant).

*Greatest Of All Time! 

Book Group News

The church’s John P. Webster Library coordinates and sponsors two book groups that meet regularly in the library. Copies of the books are provided for participants. New members are always welcome to either group! For more information, please contact Jennifer or Molly at 860-232-3893 or at jpwlibrary@whfirstchurch.org.

Awakening the Spirit --

Meets every Monday from 12 -1:30 p.m.

Food for Thought --

Meets on the first Tuesday of the month from 5 - 6:30 p.m.

Believe in YourSHELF Tween Book Group

Sunday, December 15 at 10 a.m. in the JPW Library

For students in Grades 6-8: We meet (with snacks!) on the third Sunday of the month in the Library.

Our next book is Invisible by Christina Diaz Gonzalez, illustrated by Gabriela Epstein.

 “Five students meet in the school cafeteria when they’re forced to complete their school community service hours. Even though their school administration has decided that they all belong together, none of the kids wants to be there. But when they encounter someone who truly needs their help, they might just be able to come together to work as a team—and help their community—after all. Questions? See Molly at the Book Mobile or in the JPW Library.

Family News

Ten First Church members and friends were among 1,063 people who gathered for the 2024 Power Summit of GHIAA (Greater Hartford Interfaith Action Alliance). 

For more Family News, click HERE.

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, providing emergency grants, supplementation of small annuities and health premiums, and Christmas “Thank You” gift checks each December to our lower-income retirees. The Christmas Fund for the Veterans of the Cross and the Emergency Fund is one of the UCC’s special mission offerings. Individuals can also donate directly online or by mail.

The Christmas Fund for Veterans of the Cross is managed by the Pension Boards. Get more information here.

December Reach Out: The Village for Children and Families

For more than 200 years, The Village has been dedicated to building a community of strong, healthy families who protect and nurture children. Established in 1809 by a committed group of women, the Hartford Female Beneficent Society, The Village’s name and services have changed but the desire to assist children and families has remained constant.

To learn more: https://thevillage.org/programs-services/.

Programs and services include:

  • Addiction and recovery support
  • Adult mental health and wellness
  • Children and teen mental health and wellness
  • Early childhood care and development
  • Financial and career support
  • Foster care and child welfare
  • Integrated care
  • Parent education and family strengthening 
  • School based support 
  • Support for justice-involved youth 

To donate online: https://thevillage.org/give/.

Or to donate online through the church, click HERE.

GIVE TODAY!

PRAYER REQUESTS

Spreading Your News

The Communications Team is made up of the church office administrators and members of our Outreach Ministry.

Sunday Notes/Happenings submissions are due by noon on Tuesdays to:

Sarah Kopp – sarah.kopp@whfirstchurch.org

Website, printed pieces, and Social Media additions or changes can be sent anytime to:

Amy Melvin – Communications@whfirstchurch.org, and

Joy Taylor – Communications2@whfirstchurch.org

Taking Photos in Church and Sharing Policy

Taking photos and documenting life events is commonplace now and more and more common in church settings. Lots of members are asking about taking photos at church events and wondering how to share them and to avoid confusion, we came up with some guidelines. Most important: be sure phone is in silent mode and skip solo selfies when tagging church events! Laminated copies of guidelines are at each entrance to the Sanctuary and at auditorium entrance, or view policy here or go to website>Photo Gallery page. Thank you, Amy and Joy.

Please use the links below to find us all over the internet, and you can also email the office by clicking the envelope.

Facebook  Web  Instagram  Email  YouTube

The church office hours are Monday thru Thursday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Main number is 860-233-9605 | Email: Office.Manager@whfirstchurch.org

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