01.27.10
Annual Meeting
| February 28, 2010 | ||
| 11:15 am | to | 12:15 pm |
Please remember that the Annual meeting was rescheduled to Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010. The meeting will be held right after the service. All voting members are encouraged to attend!
Current Approved FCC of Bristol Bylaws
At long last, we are able to post our approved Bylaws! Please click here to see the new Bylaws.
Thanks so much to the Bylaws Committee for all of your hard work!
Haiti Relief Effort
You should know that our RI Conference is the only UCC Conference that has a direct relationship in Haiti. Our congregation has donated over $1,000 to the Haiti Task Force of the RI Conference, an outstanding response!
The Conference Haiti Task Force will be using the money for immediate, short-term, and long-term plans. Suzanne Swanson and others are planning to travel to Haiti the end of this week and will be coming back next week with specific plans for immediate relief work. The task force will then inform all of us of their short-term and long-term plans. 100% of the money given to the Task Force will end up in Haiti.
01.21.10
Food Pantry Orientations
| February 3, 2010 | ||
| 9:30 am | ||
| February 6, 2010 | ||
| 9:00 am |
From Anita Randall, Director of the East Bay Food Pantry:
For those of you who are or would like to volunteer in the food pantry, thrift shop, and/or office; we are offering an orientation on Wed. 2/3 at 9:30am and Sat. 2/6 at 9:00am. Now that we have been up and running for awhile, we are ready to add orientations and training on a regular basis.
Each active volunteer is required to complete an orientation and subsequent training in the area s/he is/will be volunteering. We will offer those at the most convenient times for the greatest number of people. Please see below for the flyer we have been giving out in the pantry and thrift shop…
To all Volunteers:
Please join us for our first Volunteer Orientation. We will have coffee and munchies for everyone and time for your feedback, questions, and ideas. We require all volunteers to attend one orientation with us. Thank you!
I am available to attend: Wed, Feb. 3rd at 9:30am or Sat, Feb.6th at 9:00am
Name:Please let me know ASAP if you will be attending either session. Feel free to call (396-9490) or email me with any questions you may have. Thank you!
01.20.10
Haiti Letter
The following is an excerpt from a letter written by Rev. Campbell Lovett at Newman UCC in Rumford:
The ravages of the recent Haitian earthquake shake all of us to the core. For those of our number who have traveled to Haiti, there is a real numbness as friends have died, homes have been destroyed, and possessions lost.
As members of the Haiti Task Force begin that difficult transition from shock to action, it is clear that this may be the moment for which the partnership was created. To paraphrase the book of Esther: “Perhaps we have come into this partnership for just such a time as this.” For just such a time as this, we are all invited to respond – prayerfully, generously, and courageously.
We will respond to the incredible need in Haiti with our prayers, our resources, and our hearts. Please remember that we are in this together – as a conference and with church members in Haiti.
It is fitting then that I close with this reflection from Suzanne Swanson, the chairperson of the Haiti Task Force: The spirit of the Haitian people is so strong. I initially wept as the calls slowly came in from people to let me know they were okay. Carter told me to be strong as we would all get through this one! It has been interesting and inspirational to learn how quickly some of the people in the community have pulled together to share resources for the common good.
May that same spirit be with us as we respond in such a time as this. Please send donations to Rhode Island Conference, Haitian Relief Fund, 8 Summer St., Pawtucket, RI 02860.
01.18.10
Haiti Special Offering and Providence Journal Article
Thanks to everyone who donated so generously to our Haiti special offering. We will give the congregation another opportunity to donate on Sunday January 24. There was a recent Providence Journal article about Seekonk Congregational and our RI UCC Conference coalition which partners with a church in Haiti. Perhaps FCC will want to become an active member of this coalition in the future.
01.13.10
More on Haiti and What You Can Do Right Now
The United Church of Christ has launched an emergency appeal for Haiti after a major earthquake struck the country. Hundreds of thousands of people are feared dead and countless have been left homeless.
The quake, measuring 7.0 on the Richter Scale, struck 10 miles southwest of the capital just before 5pm local time yesterday, January 12.
It is still too early to know the full extent of the damage, but One Great Hour of Sharing is expecting very high loss of life, widespread destruction of homes, schools and other buildings, and major damage to key water, electricity and road systems.
Global Ministries personnel, Kim, Patrick and Solomon Bentrott have reported in that they are safe.
One Great Hour of Sharing funds are being rushed to our Haitian partners to support their initial emergency response. As damage assessments are made and plans for relief, recovery and rehabilitation are developed, additional support will be shared. The need is massive.
How You Can Help:
1. Pray for the people of Haiti their leaders and emergency and humanitarian aid workers.
2. Please help the people of Haiti by sending gifts payable to your congregation marked for “OGHS – Haiti Earthquake Relief” with the request they be sent through your Conference office on to Wider Church Ministries.
OR
Send gifts, made out to Wider Church Ministries and marked in the memo portion “OGHS – Haiti Earthquake Relief” to Wider Church Ministries; 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115.
OR
Make a secure online donation to the Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund.
Thank you for your compassion and support.
Haiti Earthquake
This news from the RI Conference:
A 7.0 earthquake hit Haiti just before 5:00 pm on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 with major damage and loss of life feared. Striking 10 miles west of the capital city of Port-au-Prince, with a population of over 2 million, the shallow quake has been followed by several significant aftershocks.
Initial reports of damage are sketchy, but Haiti’s Ambassador to the U.S., his Excellency Raymond Alcide Joseph fears the earthquake is “a catastrophe of major proportions.” Mike Godfrey of USAID in Haiti reported seeing a “huge cloud of smoke and dust” over Port-au-Prince which appeared shortly after the initial earthquake and lingered for 20 minutes. Such a cloud is likely to arise from the cement dust released in the collapse of buildings.
Attempts by UCC and Global Ministries staff to contact partners and Global Ministries personnel in Haiti will continue into the night. Land and cell phone service is severely disrupted.
One Great Hour of Sharing funds are being rushed to our Haitian partners to support their initial emergency response. As damage assessments are made and plans for relief, recovery and rehabilitation are developed, additional OGHS funds will be shared with our partners.
On the more immediate, personal front from our Haitian task force; Suzanne Swanson reports that she has talked to Alex and Jeanette Dorisca who both report that they are unable to be in touch with people in Haiti at this moment. Suzanne will be doing a television interview with a local station during the day and will be mentioning that our Conference will be a place where donations can be sent. Because communication is so difficult we are not able yet to make wire transfers directly to our partners in Haiti.
We have also heard from Susan M. Sanders, Minister for Global Sharing of Resources and our One Great Hour of Sharing Administrator. Susan was our Annual Meeting presenter when we were in Kingston and one with whom we have deep respect for her work and savvy. Susan reports:
Dear Friends:
The earthquake which struck Haiti Tuesday afternoon appears to be devastating. Felix Ortiz, David Vargas and I continue to try to make contact with our partners and Global Ministries mission personnel in Haiti, but as of Tuesday late evening, have not yet had direct contact.
Initial emergency response grants from One Great Hour of Sharing funds have been approved and attempts will be made to transfer the funds to beginning Wednesday morning. As the extent of the disaster becomes clear we anticipate we need for substantial designated gifts
Susan M. Sanders
How to Help: We have two ways which your congregation can help provide emergency relief to our brothers and sisters in Haiti.
1. Working with the Haitian task force we have established a emergency relief fund and the Conference and will be working directly with the Dorisca family to look for ways to be supportive immediately as well as longer-term work projects. It will take us a little while to reestablish connections with our local Haitian bank in order to be able to transfer funds. Please send to Rhode Island Conference Haitian relief fund, 8 Summer St., Pawtucket, RI 02860
2. Disaster relief ministries of the wider Church ministries of the national UCC church has already established funding routes to Haiti through their connections and as of this morning has already send funds from one great hour of sharing funding. They have a website where you can donate directly or you can designate funds labeled “OGHS – Haitian Relief” and send them to our Conference. Visit the website.
Either way we will be able to get funds not only to the region served by our Haitian task force and to all of Haiti through our One Great Hour of Sharing funds.
We will keep you advised when we are able to get more information from the Dorisca family.
01.12.10
Annual Meeting Date changed to Feb 28
Tonight, the Church Council voted to change the Annual Meeting date to Sunday, Feb 28 instead of Sunday February 14. February 14 coincides with a school, national and romantic holiday. Enjoy Feb. 14th in your own way and we will hold the Annual Meeting on the 28th after our services.
