FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
Vol. 29, No. 1 January 2020
FROM THE PASTOR
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Christian Clichés Sermon Series
As we enter a new year, I invite you to think about how other people hear the things that come out of your mouth! This is particularly important as it relates to the things you say about God to others. How many of us, when talking to a parent who has lost a child might offer a platitude like “God called him home.” The awful message behind such a response is that God killed that child, or that it was God’s will that the child die.
Often when confronted with tragedy or grief we don’t know what to say or how to comfort another. And instead of having the courage and spirit to simply be with that person in their pain, we too often just fill the awkward space with words. Often those words are old clichés whose meaning we have not sufficiently explored.
During the month of January, I invite you to come to worship to explore together some well-known and sometimes over-used Christian Clichés. During this month-long sermon series, we will dig into the meaning behind phrases like: “God never give you more than you can handle,” and “God helps those who help themselves.” We’ll delve into “Let go and let God” and “The Bible clearly says…” as well as “When God closes a door, he opens a window.”
Before you let a cliché like one of those listed above slip out of your mouth, take a moment to think about how its message will impact the person to whom you are speaking. Think about what message you are
sending about God when you say to a friend who just lost a spouse that “it was God’s will.”
There are some really amazing and wonderful things we can share with others about our faithful, compassionate and loving God. “It was God’s will” usually doesn’t convey that message at all. In fact, it often makes people hate God who caused a terrible thing to happen.
Remember that God doesn’t cause cancer. It isn’t God’s will that anyone suffer from dementia or chronic illness or heart disease. Bodies age and sometimes fail us. God will walk with us through whatever hardship we face. People who are struggling are those who most need to
hear God’s word of hope. Often, they receive the message that bad things have happened to them because they are not good enough or because they have been bad people. This is the exact opposite of what Jesus teaches!
Come and explore how to talk about your faith in a way that doesn’t send messages of guilt or inferiority to others. Let’s contemplate how to introduce others to a loving, inclusive, welcoming, strong, ever-present God who loves us as we are and walks with us at every moment of our lives.
Rev. Dawn Garrett-Larsen
A Message From Our Moderator
The Annual Meeting will be here soon and so will the Annual Report which highlights all the achievement our church has made over the past 12 months. There is a lot to celebrate!
This year’s pledge campaign entitled New Beginnings was appropriately named. 2019 marked the completion of the Bell Tower project and the refurbishment of our historic organ.
2019 was also a year of transition and change as we welcomed Pastor Dawn Garrett-Larsen, as our new pastor. Thanks to the leadership of Sue Hawks and her committee that worked diligently on the search process.
Finally, thank you to the dedicated participants, volunteers, and worshipers who are the church! Without your efforts, along with the many others who call First Congregational their spiritual home, there would be no reason for any of the committees, fund raising, or restorations. Thank you and congratulations church members!
Hannah Morgan
Church Moderator
[pic] Happy Birthday![pic]
Jan 2 – Don DeSmith Jan 16 – Brad Bliss
Jan 2 – Larry Rowles Jan 17 – Sandy Cooley
Jan 4 – Evelyn Hopkins Jan 17 – Keith Harter
Jan 8 – Andy Platou Jan 19 – Denise Morphy
Jan 8 – Brian Weeden Jan 19 – Mike Ryan
Jan 9 – Carl Mabie Jan 20 – Jim Ely
Jan 11 – Jackie Lowe Jan 21 – Lori Vail
Jan 12 – Jill Wheadon Jan 23 – Phil Nevin
Jan 12 – Betsy Barrett Jan 24 - Karen Maxfield
Jan 12 – Hannah Morgan Jan 26 – Wes Hopkins
Jan 14 – Okke Postma Jan 27 – Phil Gerner
Jan 15 – Jerry Diver Jan 27 – Ava Ieda
Jan 15 – Anne Frost-Wehrheim Jan 27 – Aiden Ieda
Jan 15 – Jesse Garrett-Larsen Jan 27 – Betsey Stout
Jan 15 – Jean Landes Jan 29 – Jack Leasure
Jan 16 – Chase Morgan Jan 30 – Elaine Hilton
Jan 30 – Aidan Russell
Weathervane Deadline for Feb. issue is Jan. 15th.
New Members
Are you interested in joining First Congregational Church UCC of Canandaigua? We will be receiving new members into our fellowship at the end of January. You can join as a full member or as an associate member. Associate members retain their membership in another church at the same time they join ours. We hope you’ll consider joining us. Please let us know in the office if you’d like to join.
Calling all Social Action Members:
Please put our January 12 meeting on your calendars. We will share a light lunch and discuss current church missions and new ideas for mission projects that were listed at our October meeting. We will also plan the February coffee hours.
CHRISTIAN ED NEWS:
Calendar:
January 5: Regular Sunday School/Youth schedule resumes
January 12: Regular Sunday School and Youth
January 19: Family Sunday (MLK holiday weekend)
No Sunday School - nursery only
January 26: Regular Sunday School and Youth
Christmas Pageant Thanks
Many thanks to all who helped make the Christmas Pageant a success: Carolyn Hotchkiss, Carol Peters, Betty Lyon, Fred Henry, Jennifer Brownell, Jen Schneider, Ann Schwab, Adeline Rudolph, Jessica Casellas, Anne Piorkowski, and of course our narrators, performers, ushers and musicians! Thanks also to an appreciative audience, whose enthusiasm helped to make this a memorable experience for all!
Bell Ringing and Christmas cookies!
The youth got together before Christmas to help ring the Salvation Army bell, and to make Christmas cookies for our friends at home! Thanks to those who participated!
The Advent Workshop was wonderful! Thanks to Santa and Mrs. Claus as well as the entire CE committee and the youth helpers for keeping this fun tradition going strong!
Youth Retreat: Look for information from Jennifer Brownell on this year’s winter retreat for the youth!
Welcoming Others
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We think of ourselves as a friendly and welcoming church, and in many ways we are. One of the most important ways of making visitors feel welcome is to invite them to come to coffee hour and then to take time to get to know them and introduce them to others.
One thing sometimes gets in our way of this goal…we like one another too much. At coffee hour you’ll see people chatting and laughing and having a wonderful time. We enjoy connecting with our friends and talking with people we know, as well as enjoying the marvelous goodies that are served every week! It is easy to miss seeing someone new who is standing at the edge of the room or a new couple drinking coffee in the corner and talking to themselves but no one else.
We have a great group of people who are greeters and ushers, we have deacons and congregational life committee folks and still, there are those who have come to coffee hour and felt alone in a crowd. You may have noticed on the green “Time and Talents Survey” a place to check off if you are interested in helping others to feel welcome. Well, here is your chance.
We are developing a team of people who will be intentional about welcoming others during coffee hour. This may mean reaching out and talking to someone who you have seen around but don’t really know, or introducing a visitor to your friends.
This kind of welcoming is really the work of the entire congregation, but it doesn’t hurt to have a team of people who are being intentional about welcoming. And remember that this isn’t just about welcoming visitors. Perhaps you will find ways to reach out to people who have been a part of the church for a couple of years who still don’t know everyone.
This welcoming team is not a committee. It is simply a group of people who are committed to helping other to feel welcome, particularly at coffee hour. You don’t have to sign up for a particular week or attend any meetings. You simply commit to being intentional about welcoming others at coffee hour. You do this whenever you are at church and in the process, you make new friends and get more connected yourself. Let us know in the church office if you are interested in being part of the welcoming team! We hope you will!
Sign up to Attend our Winter Adult Education Class
Have you ever wondered who wrote the Bible? Why are there so many different versions and translations? Do you know the history and context in which the Bible was written and how that can inform the way we read the Bible?
Our Adult Education class this winter will be using “What is the Bible?” to help us think about how to approach and read the Bible. This is a six week course that covers basic Biblical literacy and it “assumes no prior knowledge of the Bible.”
Come and learn, come and discuss, come and explore together. This is a wonderful opportunity to deepen your own faith and to make lasting connections with others.
Please sign up in the church office if you’d like to participate. We will work to find a time that works for everyone!
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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
City of Canandaigua Celebration
Again this year, our church will host the Community MLK Celebration, at 12 noon on Monday, January 20. Students from the Canandaigua Academy Drama Department will provide a dramatic presentation of Dr. King’s words and the elementary school chorus will provide music. Award winners will be announced for the poster contests. There will also be a community choir to sing “Precious Lord”, directed by our own Edie Rice (choir will practice at 11am – please sing with us). Following the event, there will be a light lunch in the Dining Room. We are in need of cookies to be donated for this reception. Please see Sue Blaker if you can help with cookies. Please join us for this extraordinary event in our sanctuary!
A Sincere Thank You To:
Edie Rice and the Children’s Choir for singing “Away in a Manger” on Christmas Eve and to all who make this a special time of year for our congregation – our musicians, choirs, Worship Committee, Visitation Committee, and many more!
The Salvation Army Bell Ringer Volunteers for their support and all who sponsored our Salvation Army families by gift buying or donating to the Church Christmas Card; proceeds enabled us to purchase additional gift cards for extra families this year. Thanks to Barb Henry and Kelly Meath for coordinating our gift-giving efforts and to Fred Henry for coordinating our Salvation Army bell-ringing. Thank you to all who gave coats, mittens, hats and scarves to warm children and adults this winter!
A huge thank you to Pam McGuire for directing our wonderful Bell Choir, which played at the worship service on December 15th and at the Christmas Eve candlelight service. A special thank you to all the members of the Bell Choir for bringing the wonderful sounds of the hand bells to the sanctuary!
Thanks to all who helped with the Messiah Sing-Along: all who helped with the refreshments, to Edie Rice who directed, and to Denise Morphy for playing the organ.
Thank you to: Debbie Lyon for directing the Christmas Pageant, Advent Workshop, assembling the Christmas Eve candles, and the numerous Christmas activities with our children and youth, The Worship Committee (and coordinators Tim Schneider and Jerry Diver for decorations; Marilyn Clary, Kelly Meath and Jerry Diver for the poinsettia arrangement!), and for all of the preparations for Christmas Eve…The Adult and Children’s Choirs, Edie Rice, Denise Morphy, Katarina Schwarz, for our spectacular Christmas Eve music…Sidney Klass, Cecelia Harris-Maxwell and Michael Ogden, our readers on Christmas Eve, the Women of the Choir for singing “What Child Is This?,” the angels, the ushers, the angel helpers…and a BIG THANK YOU to Cheryl Bootes for assembling the Christmas Eve bulletins, as well as coming in regularly to organize & replenish the Prayer Request and Visitors Cards… and to Jamie Varney for her extra cleaning efforts during this busy season! It is TRULY a joint effort! Happy New Year!
~ Alicia and Rev. Dawn
Parking Reminder:
Please note: We have permission to use the funeral home parking lot across the street for overflow parking on Sunday. We also have cones and flags to help cars on Main Street to be made aware that there are people crossing the street.
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The Canandaigua Academy Madrigal Choir
will present their annual Madrigal Dinner on Saturday, January 18th, and Sunday, January 19th, 2020, with the dinner being held in our chapel. Dinner will be at 6:00 pm Saturday and 2pm on Sunday. Catering will be provided by Eric’s Office. Tickets are now on sale. Tickets are $35.00 per person, with seating limited to 84 per show. The event has sold out the last ten years. For more information and/or to order tickets please contact Sean Perry, Academy Vocal Director, at: CAMadrigalDinner@.
NO Tickets will be sold at the door; advance ticket sales only.
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January 2020 Calendar
Wed. 1/1 Church office closed for New Year’s Day
Sunday 1/5 Choir, Worship & Sunday School; Communion; Congregational Life 11:45
Monday 1/6 Nominating Committee 10:00
Tues. 1/7 MLK Meeting 3:30 Hayes Room
Wed. 1/8 BCC 6:00 Hayes Room
Thur. 1/9 Staff Meeting Hayes Room 3:00
Sunday 1/12 Choir, Worship & Sunday School; Social Action luncheon/meeting 11:45
Monday 1/13 Trustees 4:00
Tues. 1/14 Council 7:00
Wednesday 1/15 Feb. Weathervane Deadline; BCC Hayes 6:00
Thurs. 1/16 Annual Report Assembly 1:00
Saturday 1/18 Madrigal Dinner 6:00 Chapel
Sunday 1/19 Choir, Family Sunday Worship; Annual Report Distribution; Madrigal
Dinner 2:00 Chapel
Monday 1/20 MLK student rehearsal 8:00 am, Choir 11:00, MLK Celebration 12:00
Noon, Luncheon 1:00
Wed. 1/22 BCC Hayes 6:00
Thurs. 1/23 Small Group at Nancy & Mike Parson’s 5:30
Sunday 1/26 Choir, Worship & Sunday School; Presentation “Understanding Options for
Older Adults and Tips for Finding the Right Place” given by Alice Berry
11:45 Social Room
Wed. 1/29 BCC Hayes 6:00
Friday 1/31 Prayer Shawl Sally Mueller’s 2:00
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