+ N.E.W.S. CONNECTION Pittsford Congregational Church United Church of Christ 121 Village Green Pittsford, VT 05763 Vol. 10 No.

9 September 2013
Thought for the month: Your heart is where your riches are. From the Pastors Desk You probably have been hearing about the wild fires in California and Idaho. They reminded me of a story I heard about a middle school art teacher. Several years ago the flames of the menacing fires in California were some two hundred feet high and had burned many homes in cinders. A reporter trying to find a human angle to the story interviewed a school teacher who lost her house to the wildfire. For a while, the art teacher said, it seemed that her neighborhood would be spared destruction, but then the wind changed directions. The teacher had only a few minutes to choose what she valued most among all her possessions before fleeing for her own life. She chose nothing of material value no jewelry, no clothing, no electronic equipment, not even her favorite jacket. Escaping with only the clothes on her back, she carried with her a single folder containing her childrens artwork. She hurried with their art to her school, placed the folder inside the pottery kiln, and hoped her treasure would survive the fire. She had no time to plan, no time to think things through, she just reacted. She chose with her heart. She chose with love. Love was all she could carry. Love was all she could save. Ultimately, love is the only article we can carry with us into eternity. In a similar circumstance, may God forbid, what would you choose to save? I found myself praying this week that though I may never know what Ill take with me in an emergency unless I am forced to choose, I hope that God will always help me to pick love. It weighs nothing, but it means everything. I hope you always choose love. Blessings, Pastor Pat

Ushers
9/1 Dee Dee Ellis & Joan Rost 9/8 Gary Holsten & Ray Tabor 9/15 Dorothy Terwilliger & Judi Reynolds 9/22 Sandy & Ken Gagnon 9/29 Nicha & Chuck McCuin
If you would like to sign up to be an Usher please call Rebecca Davenport

Liturgists 9/1 Elizabeth Frost 9/8 Carolyn Kingsley 9/15 Ken Gagnon 9/22 Kelley Lyon 9/29 Jean Butler
If you would like to sign up to be a Liturgist please call Paul Brown

Coffee Hour
9/1 Jocelyn Frost 9/8 Christian Education 9/15 Jane Wilson 9/22 Kris Harvey 9/29 Jane & Bob Welch Call Stephanie Grimes if you would like to sign up for a time to do coffee hour.

8 Jennifer & Jerry Skira 29 Jan & Al Hallock 2 Zach Winston 2 Elizabeth Frost 3 Jennelle Gallipo 8 Jim Winslow 10 Stephanie Grimes 19 Stu James 20 Peter Terwilliger 21 Norma Hathaway 22 Eliose Giddings 25 Tom Bilodeau 26 Dan Rost Knit Wits
"The Knit Wits are working on preemie caps and receiving blankets and leg warmers to donate to Rutland Regional Medical Center and other locations. We are also making lapghans for the Veterans. If you would like to join us, please feel free to come, learn new techniques, have a laugh or two, and work for the good of all in a tangible way: Wednesdays at 7:00pm

The Sunday school children will be taking a Joyful Noise collection the first Sunday of every month. The money collected will be used for the childrens mission projects. Please bring your loose change for the children to collect in their little metal buckets!!!!

MISSION COMMITTEE

Our summer has been filled with packing bags for the Pittsford & Florence Children Breakfast & Lunch Program. Unfortunately, this year the program ran for 10 weeks instead of the usual 9 weeks. Our funds ran out on the 9th week, and were unable to purchase food for the 10th week. The bags received all extra items remaining on week 9. Warning was given to each family to pick up bag #9 which was the last week. This program is run with the help of the church & community donations: this year funds were short and donation boxes were empty. These children are fed Breakfast & Lunch when school is open, but this program stops during the summer. This is why as members of the Mission Committee; we try to stamp out hunger. Hunger may be worldwide but Pittsford & Florence have hungry children here during the summer. The total families served were 17-19 with 3335 children between the ages of 5 thru 13. Bob & Jane picked up a gallon of milk for each family from Thomas Dairy at a reduced price every Monday morning at 7 am, and also received bread from Freihofers Discount Bakery free. The milk will be paid by a UCC grant through the PCC. This year the UCC amount was reduced, so will have mission pick up the difference. (Should be a small amount). Any funds received after 8/15 will be kept in the budget for next year. A full report of income & expenses will be in the Annual Report (see last year's report for an example). Robin & Jane pick up checks & deposit them in the Food Shelf Acct, so if you want your check to go to the summer program, please annotate on the check or by a note. I keep track of all money received for the Summer Program, and usually purchase cartons of cereal from the VT Food Bank free, but pay trucking costs. This really helps to cut down the expenses of this program. A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL WHO CONTRIBUTED ITEMS IN THE BOX, AND ALSO SENT MONEY, WITHOUT YOUR HELP WE WOULD BE UNABLE TO DO THIS PROGRAM. Mission also recently gave 9 duffle bags to SRS, and 3 big boxes of dolls & stuffed animals to RSP for their big Christmas Basket program--will take pictures to share with you at Christmas time. The Food Shelf benefits from this program with gifts for our children. Mission was unable to help the Women's Shelter because the basket remained empty all year. Please help these women at a difficult time in their lives. A donation will be made at Christmas time from Mission. Ever wonder what is out there for home parties these days? Want to see what is new with PartyLite, Pampered Chef, Madison Handbags and many more? Come check them out! All under one roof. They will be there to take individual sales and to book parties as well. September 21st, 2013 10:00 2:00pm.

Adult Bible Study

SW Assoc. Worship and fall meeting @ 10am at Grace Church, in Rutland

The Home Grown Hand Made Harvest Fair is coming soon! On Saturday, 9/28, from 10-4, rain or shine, we'll be gathered on the Village Green and our lawn to provide you with wonderful artisan makings from the local area. The Decorated Pumpkin Contest takes place on the Church steps - bring your decorated pumpkin (ALL ages accepted) for a chance to win in several categories. Food, jams, jellies, decor items, artistic renderings, woodwork, the unusual and the unique will all be here! Come join the fun and find a few new items to bring home.

September 2013
Sunday 1 Monday 2 Labor Day
Communion 4:30 Deacons

Tuesday 3

Wednesday 4
Bone Builders 10:00am Knit Wits 7:00pm

Thursday 5 6

Friday 7
Bone Builders 10:00am AA 6:00pm

Saturday

8
Historical Society Member Meeting 5:30pm

9
BowenWalker 7:00pm

10

11
Bone Builders 10:00am

12

13
Bone Builders 10:00am AA 6:00pm

14

Trustees 7:00pm

Knit Wits 7:00pm

15
Adult Bible Study Christian Ed Meeting 12pm

16

17

18
Bone Builders 10am

19
Newsletter Deadline

20
Bone Builders 10:00am AA 6:00pm

21
Mega Home Shopping Day 10-2pm

Council 7:00pm

Knit Wits 7:00pm

22
Adult Bible Study

23

24

25
Bone Builders 10:00am Knit Wits 7:00pm

26

27
Bone Builders 10:00am AA 6:00pm

28
Harvest Fair 10 4pm

PRC 7:00pm

29
Adult Bible Study

30