News & Update
Calendar for the Week
Saturday, February 4
8:00am - Men’s Breakfast: with TED, led by James Hisey
9:00am - Church Wide Planning Day
1:00pm - Jr. MYF “Bake & Skate Gathering” at the Smithson’s
Sunday, February 5 - 5th Sunday after the Epiphany
8:30am - Choir Rehearsal
9:30am - Sacrament of Holy Communion & Sunday School
10:45am - Fellowship Time
11:00am - Grace Connexion: The Gates of Jerusalem, led by Dennis Castiglia
6:30pm - Westport Happiness Club - Resilience: Flourishing in Times of Adversity led by Jerry Eyster
Monday, February 6
6:15pm - Confirmation Class - Room 21
7:30pm - Vital Congregations Committee Meeting - Library
Wednesday, February 8
10:00am - Ladies Morning Book Group - Library
7:30pm - Pastor’s Bible Study - Library
Thursday, February 9
7:30pm - Worship Committee Meeting - Library
Sunday, February 12 - 6th Sunday after the Epiphany
8:30am - Choir Rehearsal
9:30am - Worship and Sunday School
10:45am - Fellowship Time
11:00am - Secret Pal Luncheon - Fellowship Hall
3:00pm - Sound Tigers Hockey Game - Harbor Yard, Bridgeport
6:00pm - CROP Walk Meeting - Fellowship Hall
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Come Join the Celebration of our dear Pastor Ed's 60th birthday, this Sunday in Fellowship Hall following worship.
Grace Connexion - This month's first Grace Connexion series, which runs from February 5 through 19, is titled "The Gates of Old Jerusalem." A combination of scripture and DVD will transport participants back to the Old City and its rich history. Dennis Castiglia will lead this Sunday's Grace Connexion.
Secret Pal - If you sign up to participate, we will assign you a “Secret Pal” to whom you’ll give a small gift each Sunday for three weeks, Jan 29*, Feb 5 and Feb 12. On the final Sunday, February 12, we will have a special Secret Pal luncheon when your “Secret Pal” will be revealed. We do ask that you sign up only if you can be present on February 12. A donation will be requested at the luncheon to defray the costs. If you have any questions, please contact either Laurie Magee or Nancy Everson. (*If you will not be in church on either Jan 29 or Feb 5, please leave your secret pal’s gift in the church office before you go). Thank you.
Men's Breakfast: With TED - Saturday, February 4, Fellowship Hall - Last meeting we agreed to have our program be a TED talk. TED is a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader. There are now over 900 talks on line. They are generally about 20 minutes each. A perfect length for men’s breakfast. TED website: http://www.ted.com
I suggested that there might be some homework so here is your homework assignment should you care to do it. And if you are not familiar with TED you will have lots of fun with it.
Go to the TED website and watch three talks sometime between now and a few days before Men’s breakfast in February. If you don’t know what to watch choose one from the home page, or you can look through the speakers list or the topics list to find something of interest.
When you have watched your three talks choose one you would like to have us discuss together and send it along to me. I will compile a list and use the one or at least the theme seems to be the most popular and build our program around that talk. We will watch it as a group then have time to discuss it together.
Church Wide Planning Day - You are invited to share your visions and dreams for our church in 2012 and beyond on Saturday, February 4, 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. We need your input and ideas about the future of our church. Our Vital Congregations planning team will then use that creative imagining and formulate goals that will set the course for our church program for the next five years. Please plan to join us---all voices need to be heard, especially our new members. Refreshments will be served. For more info, see Pastor Ed or Jerry Eyster, our new Church Council chairperson.
Jr. MYF "Bake & Skate" - Middle School youth are invited to our next Jr. MYF gathering to “Bake & Skate” on Saturday, February 4, 1:00 p.m. at the Smithson's. click here for information
Westport Happiness Club facilitator Jerry Eyster will lead a discussion on "Resilience: Flourishing in Times of Adversity" at 6:30 p.m., Sunday, February 5 in Fellowship Hall. All are welcome to come and discuss what it means to flourish when times are tough, loss is great and/or our prospects appear dim.
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Career/Job Networking - Mondays, 7:00 a.m., Fellowship Hall – Jim Ullrich and Bob Trinka assist in facilitating this outside group for career and job networking. Some days an HR professional is available for one on one personal discussions starting 9:00 a.m., Monday mornings (appointment is required). Please pass this information to anyone who might be interested in Career/Job Networking (family member, neighbor, friend, etc.) More information: Bob (robtrinka@yahoo.com) or Jim (ullrich.jim@gmail.com).
Ladies Morning Book Group - “Just Choose Happiness: A Guide to Joyous Living” by Nell W. Mohney - This Group will meet the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. The next meeting will be on February 8 at 10:00 a.m. in the church library. All are welcome to attend. The discussions are great. Come as often as your schedule allows. Please read the following chapters: for February 8, Chapters 7 & 8 and for February 22, Chapters 9 & 10.
"Blended" Worship - Have you ever heard of worship blends traditional and contemporary? Come and experience the "blend" on Sunday, February 12, on the theme of love.
CROP Walk Meeting - Sunday, February 12, 6:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall.
District Resource Day – Local church leaders from our CT District will gather on Sunday, February 12, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Torrington UMC for training in many areas related to our Call to Action for Vital Congregations. Workshops will be offered on a variety of subjects, including, Who Cares for the Pastor? (Staff-Parish Relations Committee), Healing Prayer, United Methodist Women, Youth Ministry, Small Groups, and Creating a Long-Range Worship Plan. See Pastor Ed for more info.
Sound Tigers Game - Want to go to a fun family outing and support a good cause? The area Rotary groups are again sponsoring an afternoon at The Arena in Bridgeport to see a Sound Tigers hockey game on Sunday, February 12, 3:00 p.m. Center-ice tickets are $20 (normally $32), $7 of which goes to Rotary’s “End Polio Now” International Campaign. See Pastor Ed for information and tickets.
No Sunday School on February 19 due to the long weekend and the school vacations for several towns. Many of our wonderful teachers would like to be able to go away as I am sure many of you will as well. If you are in church, your children can sit with you for the entire service.
SAVE THE DATES:
Feb. 13 - Adult Education Meeting - 7:30 p.m., Library
Feb. 15 - Messenger Deadline
Feb. 15 - Pastor's Bible Study - 7:30 p.m., Library
Feb. 16 - Staff/Parish Relations Committee Meeting - 7:30 p.m., Library
Feb. 22 - Ladies Morning Book Group - 10:00 a.m., Library
Feb. 22 - Ash Wednesday Services: 12 noon & 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 28 - Trustees Meeting - 7:30 p.m., Library
Visit the online calendar for up-to-date event listings.
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