1. education
2. school

First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ
T H E
B E A C O N
VOLUME 4, ISSUE 9
MAY 10, 2015
Deadline for the next BEACON is Thursday, May 21, 2015—Send entries to [email protected]
The Church Office is open Monday—Friday, from 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.
Looking Ahead in Worship
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
For those who live without
sufficient food, water, shelter,
or safety; for veterans and
those in active service; for
peace and peacemakers; for
areas in strife around the
world.
Prayers for Patrick Miller, at
Falmouth by the Sea.
Prayers for Maxine Wright,
in hospice care at the South
Portland Nursing Home;
Prayers for Ruth Cline,
recovering at home;
Prayers for Herb Strom,
recovering at home;
May 17
Seventh Sunday of Easter—Confirmation Sunday
8:30 a.m. Chapel Worship
10:00 a.m. Sanctuary Worship with Confirmation, Meetinghouse Choir
and Sunday School. Fellowship time follows in Guptill Hall.
5:00 p.m. Pot Luck Dinner
6:00 p.m. Folk Worship
May 24
Pentecost Sunday
8:30 a.m. Chapel Worship
10:00 a.m. Sanctuary Worship, with Meetinghouse Choir. Cindy Maddox
will give the message. Fellowship time follows in Wright
Pavilion.
May 31
Trinity Sunday
8:30 a.m. Chapel Worship
10:00 a.m. Sanctuary Worship with Meetinghouse Choir and Sunday
School. Cindy Maddox will give the message.
11:30 a.m. Annual Meeting
June 7
Second Sunday after Pentecost—Founders Day
Children’s Sunday
8:30 a.m. Chapel Worship with Communion
10:00 a.m. Sanctuary Worship with Communion and Meetinghouse
Choir. Fellowship time follows in Guptill Hall.
11:30 a.m. Elders Luncheon
Church Office Hours: 8:30 a.m.—4:00 p.m.
Phone: 207.799.3361
Fax: 207.799.4095
E-mail: [email protected]
FINANCIAL UPDATE
At its May meeting, the Church Council considered the many suggestions offered by the Congregation
during our Winter Town Hall Meeting. Several of those suggestions included various fundraisers; and
after much discussion, we agreed that we need to be mindful in considering where to spend our energy.
Specifically, we decided we do not want to compete with the schools and sports teams as they conduct
car washes and bottle drives. On the flip side, we do want to follow the interest and energy for ideas as
they arise. For example, having a table at the Cape Elizabeth Family Fun Day is a way for our church to
have a presence in the community. (See the article by Holly Culver below to learn more.) We also put out
a basket for donations at coffee hour and may soon have a vase for spare change donations. So we are
continuing to consider and implement the ideas that we think meet our fundraising criteria. If you have
additional thoughts about stewardship, we are always open to hearing your ideas. Thanks for your creativity and your generosity.
~ Elinor Redmond
FAMILY FUN DAY
Often considered the “unofficial” kickoff to summer in Cape Elizabeth, Family
Fun Day is a nonprofit event that encourages and supports the numerous
groups and organizations from the South Portland/Cape Elizabeth area. This
year this fun event will happen Saturday, June 13, with a rain date set for
Sunday, June 14. This event will be a day of lighthearted pleasure with games, food, music and
possibly fireworks in the evening. The day starts out with a parade at 10:00 a.m. and continues
down the parade grounds in Fort Williams.
Our church has been invited to participate in the day and we are looking for your thoughts and volunteer commitment to make our presence fun and worthwhile in connecting with the community
at large. Some ideas we have are selling water balloons and orchestrating a related game or selling
cotton candy and cookies. Please contact Holly Culver (767.9072) if you would like to help with the
planning or would like to volunteer.
THE EMERGENCY FOOD PANTRY theme for May is Breakfast.
CHILDREN’S MUSEUM & THEATRE OF MAINE
On those rainy summer days, don’t forget that our church has a membership pass to the
Children’s Museum & Theatre! Church members may use this pass for free admission to
the Museum for up to six people (in one group) per day. Please call or stop by the Church
Office to reserve the date that you would like to visit the Museum and we will issue a pass.
For information about Museum activities and hours, visit the Museum web site at
RUMMAGE SALE
Thank you to my volunteers and all involved in the sale on April 25. We made $2,300 for our budget!!
Special thanks to the men that helped move and carry the tables, as we could not have done that without them. We now have our thoughts on the October sale, so start saving your “stuff,” as we need a lot
to make a lot! ~Prudy Wiggins
VOLUME 4, ISSUE 9
Page 2
STEEPLE LIGHTING
May 10—in loving memory of James
Corbett Otis, by his son Jim, daughter
Kathy Hollis and their families.
To light the steeple in memory or
celebration of loved ones, contact
the Office at 799.3361, or e-mail
[email protected]
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
MEMORIAL/CELEBRATION FLOWERS
May 3—in loving memory of
Dorothy Jean Mills, from her son
Chris Mills.
May 10—In loving memory of Frank
Potenzo from his wife Bea Potenzo
and children JoAnne Freeman, Frank J.
Potenzo, Jr. and Anthony J. Potenzo.
May 17—In celebration of the six
young people confirming their faith
today, from Carolyn Foster.
To remember or celebrate loved ones
with flowers on the altar,
contact Dana Wiggins
[email protected]
STEEPLE DEDICATIONS
Our beautiful steeple is a local landmark and a
celebration of our faith. It is even more beautiful
when it is illuminated in memory or celebration
of those we love.
For many, many years, the suggested donation to light the
steeple has been $25. Beginning July 1, we are increasing the
suggested donation to $35 to help defray our maintenance
costs.
We do have postcards with a picture of our steeple that can be
requested when you make a dedication. You can also purchase
a postcard for 50 cents.
SAM ACTIVITIES
Our church has formed a new group called “SAM.” If you are 55 or
over, please join us in our activities and fun. We are SENIOR ADULT
MINISTRIES! We hope you will participate and say, “SAM, I am.”
The annual 90th Birthday Party will be held on
Thursday, May 21. Those turning 90 this year and
those over 90, will receive an invitation. If you don’t
receive one, it is because we don’t know your age.
Please call the church office and tell us. Those younger than 90
are encouraged to attend and celebrate with us. For those
younger than 90, the cost is $10 for the lunch and birthday
cake. Ninety year olds and their guest attend for free, so
please RSVP and tell us you’re coming.
Thursday, June 4—SAM meeting at 1:00 p.m. in 2nd/3rd
grade classroom above the church office.
CHILDREN’S CUPCAKE CONTEST—JUNE 7
The contest will be held during Coffee
Hour on Children’s and Founders Sunday.
FALL SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER SIGN-UP
Please see Anne Fuehrer if you would like
to help out or be part of a teaching team
for a particular grade.
DISCOVERY CENTER PRESCHOOL
We are in our last month of school
and are grateful for our wonderful
families. We are excited to announce
that we have two openings
for the fall.
~ Kathy Jones, Director
VOLUME 4, ISSUE 9
Friday, June 12—leave for a trip to the “Ewe With a View”
sheep farm in Paris. We will stop for lunch in South Paris,
then travel another 15 minutes to visit with the
sheep and chickens. We hope to have lambs, as it’s
fun to watch them frolic and jump. Please RSVP by
June 8 so we can organize transportation.
Wednesday, June 17—meet at church to go to lunch at Ken’s
Place on Pine Point Road in Scarborough. RSVP by June 12.
Thursday, June 25—at 11:00 we’ll leave for lunch at Cole
Farm Dairy in Gray. RSVP by June 22.
If you enjoy 60’s music, put August 26 on your calendars. We
will be going to a matinee performance at the Arundel Barn
Playhouse to see “Beehive: The 60’s Musical,” with songs like
Downtown, It’s My Party, Respect and others.
We are no longer SAGES, but SAMS. Please join us.
Page 3
Dream Initiative Update
The members of our Dream Initiative Implementation Team have been hard at work. Here is a
quick update of where we stand.
We are pleased to announce that our new Communications Coordinator is our own Tess
(Wiggins) Gionet. Much of her professional career has been working in the field of social media,
marketing, and communications. Plus, having grown up in this church, she already has a wonderful awareness of who we are. Tess is a perfect fit, and we are thrilled to have her guiding our
efforts.
We are currently interviewing for the Director of Youth Ministries and hope to have a decision
soon. Stay tuned!
Our sub-committee for the game room has been painting, organizing, and gathering materials for
this great addition to our children’s program. We will have a grand opening within the next few
weeks.
We are still working on researching video equipment, and still trying to work with an audiologist
to improve our sound quality in the sanctuary. We hope to make progress on both areas this
summer.
And finally, see below for the first announcement of our art contest.
As always, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact me. I would be happy to
hear from you. ~ Cindy Maddox
IMAGES OF THE DIVINE ART SHOW—October 17, 2015, from 1:00 PM - 4:00 p.m.
Announcing the Images of the Divine Art Show, funded by the Dream Initiative!
The First Congregational Church UCC invites the entries of all artists from the church and the wider
community wishing to exhibit original paintings, drawings, photographs and prints in its first art
show. Entrants are encouraged to interpret the theme - Images of the Divine - in their use of light,
color, form, figures or pattern. The show is open to students, amateur and professional artists. A
panel of three judges will award cash prizes in the following categories:
Middle School $100
High School $250
College/Art School $600
Amateur/Professional $600
Registration forms with show guidelines will be available July 1st at fccucc.org.
If you have questions about the art show, please feel free to contact art show committee members
Mary Anne Wallace, Leslie Gatcombe-Hynes, Debra Honey, Tim Honey, or Cathy Counts.
VOLUME 4, ISSUE 9
Page 4
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH,
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
301 Cottage Road
South Portland, ME 04106
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Portland, ME
Permit No. 944
(207) 799-3361
Post Office
Time Sensitive Newsletter
OFFICIAL CALL TO ANNUAL MEETING
The members of the First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, are hereby called to
meet on Sunday, May 31, 2015, following the 10:00 a.m. service of worship for the following:
1. To receive the annual reports of the Officers of the Church, the Minister and Staff,
Boards and Committees;
2. To elect Church Officers, Council and Team members for the 2015-2016 program year.
3. To vote on the nomination and election of Elders;
4. To hear and act upon any other business which may properly come before the Church.
Janet B. Butler, Clerk
MUSIC NEWS
There are still several openings for soloists on Sundays for the month of August.
(June and July are filled.) Please see Shirley Curry if you are interested.