Donations in the Church School envelopes go directly to the 2017-2018 Church School Mission Project, Little City Sprouts. We suggest a children’s donation of $1 per week. Other designated envelopes are available for your pledges and Easter offerings.

April 1, 2018

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tFIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST,

CONGREGATIONALMember of the United Church of Christ

An open, welcoming and affirming congregation2183 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033

860-633-4641E-mail: firstchurch@glastonburyfirst.org

Website: www.glastonburyfirst.orgPodcasts: http://firstchurchglastonbury.podbean.com/

Mission Immersion Day on April 21Come one, come all, to share God’s love in the world! Spend time on Saturday, April 21 volunteering and helping others. If you can spare just a few hours, we

invite you to sign up to serve a meal and help at South Park Inn homeless shelter in Hartford, build at a Habitat for Humanity house in East Hartford or make soup and cards and then deliver them to friends and members of our congregation. For more information or to sign up for this mission experience, go to the table during coffee hour or contact Lisa Hapgood at lisa.hapgood@yahoo.com or 860-614-9380.

A donation of $10 per person is suggested. $20 family maximum.

Music at the Meetinghouse Presents...

A Blend of Celtic, Flamenco and

Americana Saturday, April 28, 2018

7:30 p.m.

ACOUSTIC EIDOLON

Food Donations NeededFirst Church has a long tradition of collecting food items for the Horace Bushnell Children’s Food Pantry in Hartford and Manchester Area Conference of Churches (MACC). Please be sure that items are not expired or open. In April, we’re asking for tuna, pasta sauce, cereal and other items. Thank you!

Serving Lunch on April 9On Monday, April 9, we will provide the food and servers for a lunch meal through Hands on Hartford. Please contact Jackie Mumford at jacquelynmumford@gmail.com or 860-288-4337 to volunteer.

Lenten Series - here or BulletinEzdehar dinner

Foodshare Warehouse Volunteers Needed! We just celebrated our first year of volunteering at the regional market! In that time, we’ve had 24 events, 172 volunteer shifts (average of 7 people/event), 516 volunteer hours, 58,000 pounds of produce or 159 pounds available PER DAY for the past year. That means our volunteers have provided fruits and vegetables for 48,333 meals for Foodshare clients. Come be part of our team who sorts and packages produce that is given out on the Mobile Foodshare truck every other Wednesday morning or you can help occasionally. Volunteers gather in the church parking lot at 8:00 a.m. to drive in together, and the shift is from 8:30-11:30 a.m. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Jim Hartung at ctsdncmnfolk@gmail.com or 860-430-2123.

First Church Photography Show – We Need Your Pictures!In celebration of the beautiful and ever changing natural world that God has given us, First Church Outside would like to invite all church members, including children, to be a part of a nature photography exhibit at church. Please submit an 8x10 print of your favorite nature photo you have already taken, or go out and explore the beauty of nature and take a brand new one. Photos can be taken with fancy cameras or even our phones. Please submit only one photo per person. When submitting your photo, please include your name, where the photo was taken, what it’s a picture of and, if you are a child, your age. First Church Outside will be mounting all of your photos and hanging them around church for everyone’s enjoyment. There is a collection box for the photos in the back lobby. This exhibit will begin on Earth Day, April 22. If you have questions, please contact Tracy Kavanaugh at lilypadprints@gmail.com or 413-250-3838.

Take a Hike with First Church Outside!All are invited to join First Church Outside for an upcoming scenic hike! Please meet in the church parking lot to carpool at the time listed below.April 8, 12:30 p.m. - Mt. Higby (Meriden) - strenuous, 5 milesFor more information, please contact Bruce Munshower at bruce.munshower@gmail.com or 860-633-1408, check the new First Church Outside page on the church website under the “Fellowship” tab or click the link on the hikes when they are listed on the Home Page under “Upcoming Events.”

Join the Annual Walk Against Hunger on May 5Foodshare’s 35th Annual Walk Against Hunger on May 5 is the region’s largest event raising funds and awareness in the fight against hunger. Here in Hartford and Tolland counties, the area served by Foodshare, there are 137,000 people who are not sure where their next meal is coming from. THAT INCLUDES ONE OF EVERY 6 CHILDREN IN

THE AREA. It will be held at Dunkin’ Donuts Park, home of the Hartford Yard Goats. Step up to the plate and help make an impact on hunger in Greater Hartford! Check-in starts at 8:30 a.m. and the walk steps off at 10:00 a.m. FREE parking available. Bring along your friends and family and be a part of this event. You can sign up on April 8, 15, 22 and 29 during coffee hour or register online at http://site.foodshare.org/site/TR/Walk. We plan to carpool from the church to the walk. Please contact Sally Riddell at sally.m.riddell@gmail.com with questions.

Cookbooks to Support Little City Sprouts!Thanks to those who pre-ordered our church cookbook to support Little City Sprouts! If you’re still interested in ordering a cookbook, please email Karin Carlino at ceadmin@glastonburyfirst.org. They will be ready to pick up during coffee hour on April 29.

VBS July 30-August 3Vacation Bible School 2018 will be held here at First Church July 30-August 3. Register at http://www.glastonburyfirst.org/vacation-bible-school or stop by the registration table during coffee hour on April 22 to register your child or sign up to volunteer. For more information, please email Karin at ceadmin@glastonburyfirst.org.We’re looking forward to another great year!

A “Heads Up” for Heads Up Hartford!Heads Up Hartford Camp 2018: June 21 – June 28. Heads Up Hartford (HUH) is a wonderful program for high school students founded several years ago by First Church members. Each year, over 100 high school aged students from the Greater Hartford area come together for a week of service and fellowship, helping to bridge the gap between urban and suburban youth while helping out local organizations. Registration is going on NOW! Go to the HUH website: headsuphartford.org for registration materials, and contact Elizabeth Gleich to let her know that you are attending!

Join Our Thursday Morning Study GroupTMSG will complete their study of the question, “Is the true history recorded in the Bible?” later this week on April 5. Come join us. The Thursday Morning Study Group gathers in the Lehman Library at 9:30 a.m. on most Thursdays.

Youth Mission Trippers’ Blog!Senior High Fellowship will be in Memphis from April 7-14 for their annual mission trip. They’ll be doing a combination of service in the city and learning about the history of civil rights in Memphis. Follow them on their blog at https://seniorhighfellowshipmissiontrip.wordpress.com/ where there will be daily updates about their adventures!

Our Church School Mission Project What if you could help end both hunger AND obesity for families right next door in the city of Hartford? What if you could help preschoolers learn how to grow vegetables or how to cook a healthy

meal? Little City Sprouts is a Farm to Preschool program of Hartford Food Systems, providing preschool children with the opportunity to know about, grow and taste fresh, healthy food through food-related field trips, gardening, nutrition and cooking lessons designed for them. The program encourages preschoolers across the city of Hartford to get excited about adopting healthy lifestyles. Little City Sprouts encourages healthy nutrition habits at a young age, as these habits will shape child development and continue into adulthood. First Church’s support will help Little City Sprouts expand their reach and broaden their efforts to impact the lives of many more Hartford “sprouts” and their families! Thank you for donating to this important Church School Mission Project!If you would like to make a contribution to this special project, please make your check payable to “First Church of Christ,” with “Little City Sprouts” in the memo line. We’re already three-quarters of the way to our $10,000 goal, so thank you for your continued support!

Stay up to date with what’s going on around church, and “like” us!

Thursday, April 5, 20189:00 a.m. Prayer Shawl Ministry, Quiet Room9:30 a.m. Thursday Morning Study Group, Lehman Library4:00 p.m. Cantate Choir5:00 p.m. Mallets Bell Choir5:00 p.m. Ribbon Work6:00 p.m. Cantabile Choir7:15 p.m. Chancel Choir

Saturday, April 7, 201811:00 a.m. Send-off brunch for youth mission trippers, Schultz Hall

Sunday, April 8, 20188:00 a.m. Worship Service & Child Care8:45 a.m. Board of Lay Life and Ministry, Room 20210:00 a.m. Worship Service & Child Care10:15 a.m. Church School11:00 a.m. Cherub Choir, Room 11211:20 a.m. Board of Christian Education, Lehman Library12:30 p.m. First Church Outside hike, off-site (meet in parking lot)6:00 p.m. Micah Celebration Committee, Lehman Library

This Week at First Church Monday, April 2, 20187:00 p.m. Board of Christian Service, Rm 2067:00 p.m. Board of Deacons, Parlor7:00 p.m. Board of Trustees, Schultz Hall Tuesday, April 3, 20187:30 a.m. Potpourri, Kitchen9:45 a.m. Prayer and Share, Parlor Wednesday, April 4, 20188:30 a.m. Foodshare warehouse, off-site (meet in parking lot at 8:00 a.m.)4:30 p.m. Caroler Choir5:45 p.m. Board of Youth Ministry, Rm 2026:30 p.m. Board of Music, Lehman Library6:30 p.m. CPR/AED Training, Schultz Hall7:00 p.m. Moms’ Group, Quiet Room7:30 p.m. Jubilate Ringers, Meetinghouse

Karin Carlino, Church School AdministratorValerie Escalera, Program Administrator

Susan Feller, Publications Specialist

MINISTERSAll the members of the church

Pastor Emeritus The Rev. Dr. Carl F. Schultz, Jr. (1932 - 2012)

PASTORSThe Rev. David T. Taylor, Pastor; The Rev. Kate VanDerzee-Glidden, Pastor;The Rev. Elizabeth Gleich, Associate Pastor for Children and Youth Ministries

Peggy Hartman, Director of Handbell Program and Children’s Choirs

Rebecca Fleahman, Office ManagerWes Grove, Facilities ManagerThe Rev. Gordon Bates, Minister of Visitation

Angela Salcedo, Director of Music Ministries Kathy Ciolkosz, Administrative Assistant

Cheryl Foley, Child Care Provider

Syrian Dinner April 14Please join us on Saturday, April 14, at 6:00 p.m. for our quarterly Syrian Dinner, expertly prepared by Ezdehar and her family. Contact

Diana Ruddick to sign up at dianakate525@gmail.com. $35 per person. Bring checks to the dinner written to First Church with Syrian Dinner in the memo line, or cash is always accepted! For more information, please contact Diana, Danae Dwyer at danaedwyer@me.com or 860-967-2269, or Kathleen Milazzo Swahn at 860-983-4729 (call or text) or kathleenswahn729@gmail.com. Volunteers welcome to help with preparation and clean up.

Thanks for Supporting Choir Camp!Thank you to all who ordered Munson’s chocolates and supported our Choir Camp fundraiser!