Terryville Congregational Church November 2016 Newsletter Terryville Congregational Church November 2016 NEWSLETTER 233 Main Street Terryville, CT 06786 US.A. ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED Inside This Issue: PASTOR’S MESSAGE Play: It’s a Wonderful Life Form to order Poinsettias for Christmas Trustees Listing Bingo Schedule, 2016/2017 Updated Coffee Hour List
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Terryville Congregational Church November 2016 Newsletter
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Terryville Congregational Church
November 2016 Newsletter
Terryville Congregational Church
November 2016 NEWSLETTER
233 Main Street
Terryville, CT 06786
US.A.
ADDRESS CORRECTION
REQUESTED
Inside This Issue:
PASTOR’S MESSAGE
Play: It’s a Wonderful Life
Form to order Poinsettias for Christmas
Trustees Listing
Bingo Schedule, 2016/2017
Updated Coffee Hour List
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TERRYVILLE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
NOVEMBER, 2016
Dear Members & Friends of Terryville Congregational Church,
We all love our church! Over the years, the church has meant something to us in a variety
of ways: weekly worship has uplifted and inspired us; our outreach ministries have
helped us to serve in the local and wider world; our dinners and fundraising events have
provided fun and fellowship; our Vacation Bible School has been a summer highlight for
our children; our music program has enriched us; our Sunday school and Confirmation
Class have shaped our children in amazing ways; our Bible studies have provided much
learning, fellowship, and growth; our Spirited Sisters group, Church Mice, and Youth
Fellowship have provided meaningful retreat experiences; our Theatre has impressed us
all; and on top of all of this we have had Holy Communion, weddings, Baptisms,
Memorial Services, Ecumenical Events, Holiday Services, and much prayer that has
meant the world to us.
What is it about our church that has touched your life? Perhaps when your family was
going through a difficult time, our church was here for you? Perhaps you've been coming
here for years, or you just recently connected with our church? Either way, you
experience a warmth and a caring in our congregation that touches you deeply, and you
appreciate having a community to gather with weekly for worship? Perhaps you are proud
that our church goes out of its way to welcome community groups into our building,
hosting both Cub Scouts & Boy Scouts, as well as Daisies & Brownies (Girl Scouts) & Al
Anon? Our church really does a lot in our community, and beyond -- all because of God
and our faith in God, thanks be to God!
It's important for all of us to support our church so that we can keep going strong in the
future. A Biblical tithe is giving 10% of one's income. How much do you give? If
you're currently at 1%, you can increase your giving a little each year so that eventually
you get closer to that 10%. It's also important that we support our church with our talents.
If you sing or play an instrument, please do so in worship. If you are handy, please help
us with our events. If you are theatrical, be in the play! If you are good with paperwork,
help our committees! If you are good on the computer, we're always looking for tech
help. What is your talent or skill? How can you better serve our church in 2017?
Please think, pray, and act on this. Currently, our church is relying too heavily on
endowed funds which are quickly running out. We all know we love our church. We are
called to support it and keep shining God's light in the world! In this Season of
Thanksgiving, I am thankful for you and for our church, and I want to see our
congregation continue strong into the future!
With Christ’s Love,
Rev Zack
PS- We have online giving on our website www.terryvillecongregationalchurch.org. It is
a secure system through paypal. You can use this for a one-time gift or for your recurring
pledge, or both!
PSS – We have over 300 members which translates to about 190 individuals or family units.
Currently only about 102 out of 190 have submitted a pledge. Please help us get all 190!
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Our Prayers Go To:
Members: Paul and Marie Hawes, Bill Fickett, Dick Foote, Rachel Reynolds and family,
Wagoner (Paula Wnderson’s friend), Paul and Betty Bowers (former members of TCC,
requested by Ross Bondeson), Jim Divine (brother-in-law of Dave Nichols) Joel
Cerniglia, Kellie and Allen Martin (friends of Sue K.), Clinton Witik
Nursing Facility: Grace Spring, Callie Goodfield, Marilyn Kosak, Ralph Davis, Amy
Young, Betty Day (moved back to Cook Willow in Plymouth), Glenda Conopask,
(Sheriden Woods), Irene Taylor (The Landings, in Farmington)
Please help us to support our Food Pantry by remembering to bring non-perishables each week. You can place your food donations into our “food pantry wagon” when it is pulled down the aisle during morning announcements.
Military: Our collection for the Support the Soldiers Drive is at $324.00, we are
hoping to reach a goal of $500.00 by December of this year (that’s when the THS
LEO Club begins gathering supplies to be shipped in March. The red, white and
blue container located in the Narthex is available for donations twenty four/seven.
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ELECTED AT ANNUAL MEETING 2/21/2016 COMMITTEES, LAY LEADERS, CHURCH STAFF, AND MEETING TIMES
Below is the list of names of folks who are elected Lay leaders in our congregation and who are “go to” people if you have an idea, suggestion, question, concern, etc. We will post the new meeting times as soon as they are established. Church Council continues to meet on the 3
rd Wednesday of each month at 7 pm in the Chapel. All are welcome. Please contact Jerry
Wunsch, Moderator, if you would like to be placed on the agenda.
CHURCH COUNCIL AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Moderator - Jerry Wunsch (Council Member)
Vice-Moderator/ - Charlotte Audet (Council Member)
Personnel Committee Chair
Clerk/ - Charlotte Crockett
Communication Chair
Treasurer – Candace Telke
Asst. Treasurers –Alison Reed
Tricia Kovaleski
Collectors – Sue Dillane
Don Cushman (as of 5/18/16)
Members at Large - John Layton (Council Member)
Jim Hannon (Council Member)
Spiritual Task Group Leader – Diane Pratt (Council Member)
Diaconate - Jean Goodwin
Roseann Hannon
Linda Lamy
Music Committee - Sandy Kamens
Sylvia LaFreniere
Sandi Ehmer
Christian Education Committee - Ryan DellaVecchia
Crista Furtado
Joanne Keenan
Business Task Group Leader –Ray Zalaski, Jr. – (Council Member)
Communications Committee
Finance Committee - Bob Grosof
Wayne Harnish
Jackie Merchant
Trustee Chairperson
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Trustees Committee- Jake Armbruster
John Wallingford
Dave Morrell
Service Task Group Leader – Danielle DellaVecchia (Council Member)
Outreach Committee - Laurie Ross
Cindi Harnish
Carol Barbieri
Fellowship Committee - Ellen Cifone
Jean Mariano
Rose Balowski
By-Law Manager - Curt Wilbanks
Safe Conduct Advocate – Brenda Purney
Personnel Committee - Mike Dumas
Donna Wunsch
Roberta Layton
Church Historian - Charlotte Crockett
Floral Sub-Committee - Ellen Cifone, Sue Kozikowski, Roberta Layton
Ad Hoc Committees: RESTRUCTURING TEAM Audit Committee Mike Dumas Jake Armbruster, Ken Beicke,
Sylvia LaFreniere Charlotte Crockett,
Pam Eggleston,
Historical Committee- Charlotte Crockett -Chair Sandy Kamens, Sue Piercy,
Dick Foote -Co-Chair Diane Pratt
Ray Douyard Iris Soto, Annalee Wenslow
Annalee Wenslow Curt Wilbanks
Jennifer Zalaski, Ray Zalaski
Chicken BBQ – Jake Armbruster/Trustees
Roast Beef Dinner – Jerry Wunsch
June Fair – Diane Pratt, Joann Keenan, Jake Armbruster
Terryville Fair Booth – Ray & Jeanne Zalaski
Church Bazaar – Diane Pratt
Bingo – Sue Piercy
Theater Plays – Alison Reed, Jonathan Zalaski
Revised 2/22/16
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Operation Christmas Child Project: a Mission Project of the Outreach
Committee of TCC
Submitted by Linda Lamy
The dedication ceremony and collection date for this year’s
project is November 20 during church service. We will pray for the
children and families who receive these gifts. Please, bring your
filled boxes to church that morning or drop off in the church office
during the week. Please remember to attach a packing label and
place an elastic band around your box to keep it closed.
Why do we participate in this mission project? Operation
Christmas is a worldwide project started by Billy Graham to help
share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with children and families who
wouldn.t have an opportunity to learn about our Savior’s love for
all of us. A simple shoebox gives an impoverished child a
wonderful gift of Christian love! Will you fill a shoebox to help
spread the good news of Jesus’s love for all of us? It is a very
powerful message that we can share with the world!
A medium sized cardboard shoebox or a plastic shoe box can
be used to fill the box with items such as simple toiletries, small
dolls, jump ropes, hats, mittens, flashlights with extra batteries,
small blankets, pens, pencils with sharpeners, t-shirts or socks.
Please, remember not to send any liquids or war items. Bars of
I thought it would be an added benefit to start writing to you all quarterly so you are more aware of the
financial climate of our church before the forecast scares you. I would encourage anyone that has questions
or is interested in more detailed information to reach out to me or please, visit a council meeting once in a
while to see how these funds are being used and what your church is involved in doing. I have often heard
people say they don’t know how much it can cost to run a church, and I was definitely one of those people
before, but now, I can say, quite a bit actually!
Quarterly I will start writing to you with our pledge income and our expenses as of that previous quarter. If
there are any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. Thank you all for your generous
donations to our church, without them we wouldn’t be here! May God continue to bless you each and
every day!
1. Income and Expenses: As of September 30, 2016, our pledge income for the calendar year-to-date was $55,489.16 compared to the budget of $58,348.50 (95%) and our ordinary expenses were $184,371.15 compared to the budget of $242,106 (76.2%).
2. Balance Sheet: Balances of Thomaston Savings Bank Accounts as of 09/30/16:
General Fund acct #9025 = $24,391.11
Endowment Savings acct #4832 = $681.45
Contingency Savings acct #4833 = $27,090.44
Woodford Music Savings acct #1192 = $2,601.06
Book of Remembrance Savings acct #2522 = $3,504.44
Youth Group Savings acct #1530 = $1,163.28
Preston Fund Savings acct #0880 = $28,731.48
3. Seniors: For those of you with IRAs and “minimum required distributions” – Included in legislation
enacted into law in December 2015 was an expansion of the popular IRA provision allowing
individuals aged 70½ or older to make direct charitable gifts from traditional and Roth IRAs to
qualified charities in a total amount up to $100,000 per year and exclude the amount of the gifts from
income subject to federal income tax. This provision applies only to IRAs and not to 401(k)s, 403(b)s
and other tax-favored retirement plans. Gifts must be made directly from the custodian of your IRA to
Terryville Congregational Church or another qualified charity. Please consult your tax advisor or
contact us for assistance in utilizing this provision.
4. Gifts of Securities: If you choose to meet your pledge with, or make a gift to TCC of, securities, please
call the Treasurer or the office for instructions as to how to effect the transfer to TCC.
5. Quarterly statements: 3rd
quarter statements have been mailed. If you do not receive your statement by
November 1 or recognize a discrepancy, please e-mail me or call me – [email protected]
860-992-5429 cell or at home 860-845-5890
6. Pledges: 2017 Pledge Forms were offered and collected Sunday, October 23rd
. If you have not
completed and sent yours in, please do so as soon as possible so we can start our annual budget
SPECIAL DONATIONS FOR PER COST OF WINDOWS: We would like to suggest to anyone who would like to, to donate whatever amount they feel they can to go toward payment of a new window. The cost per window is $400, but a partial donation would be fine. We would like to put name plates under each window that has a donation
We now have online giving on our church website. It is a secure system through paypal. Go to www.terryvillecongregationalchurch.org and click on “donate”. You can make a one-time donation or a recurring donation/pledge. Thank you.
UPCOMING MUSICAL CONCERTS Presented by Matt Miskin
7:00pm in Sanctuary -- $10.00 per ticket
November 19 – DUO ALTERITY DREAMSCAPES (works for flute & guitar)
January 14 - TBA
ATTENTION BIBLE STUDY LOVERS!
Our Bible Study group has collectively decided to move our
weekly Bible Study from Thursdays to Mondays. Same time
and place as always – 11am in my office. This move in date is
because many of our current attendees are active in the Red
Hat group as well as the Plymouth and Prospect Seniors
groups, and many of their events take place on Thursdays. We
hope this new day will be a great way for all of us to kick off
the week! We currently have around nine in our group, and
we are always open to newcomers. We have a lot of deep
discussions as well as many laughs, sharing about our lives, and
we pray together. Throughout the year we also watch
religious-themed movies together, periodically have lunch
together, and do other kinds of projects such as make the ashes
for Ash Wednesday. All of us make a special bond and
thoroughly enjoy exploring the Bible together. Join us!
Please be aware of your belongings at all times. Yes, we are a
church, and yet we have to be careful and mindful not to leave
purses or other personal belongings unattended. If it is a
church event, such as the fair, we will provide a locked room
where everyone can store their purses. Thank you!
CALL TO A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
CONGREGATION, Sunday, November 13, 2016
Warning and notice is hereby given to all members of
the Terryville Congregational Church that this Special
Meeting shall be called to order on Sunday, November
13, 2016 preceding the morning service to review the
future financial status of the Terryville Congregational
Church.
Respectfully submitted,
Jerry Wunsch, Moderator
CHRISTMAS BAZAAR- Saturday, November 12, 2016 We are asking for your help to make this Bazaar another success. We would like to ask for baked goods for the bake sale; cookies for the Cookie Walk; items for the Teacup Auction and any used Christmas decorations for the Christmas Past Room which has been dedicated in Marianne Hogenson’s name. You may drop things off to the church office whenever possible. If you have further questions please call Diane Pratt on her cell phone: 860-329-6401