News & Notes

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"Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
make known among the nations what he has done. " Psalm 105:1

News

Church Missions and Opportunities

Ella Tessman held a fundraiser over Facebook and through her selfless efforts raised $360 dollars for a local charity. She would like to donate this money to the Freedom Service Dogs. They train dogs to be companions and helpers to those with disabilities such as autism, MS, spinal injuries and more. They also train dogs for Veterans with PTSD. With your help, Ella hopes to raise $500. If you would like to add your donation to this gift, please bring a few extra dollars earmarked for "Freedom Service Dogs" to worship on Sunday or send a check to the church with "Freedom Service Dogs" in the memo line. Freedom Service Dogs is currently offering matching gifts which will potentially translate into a gift of $1,000. For more information, go to https://freedomservicedogs.org. update: we are at $410 so far, we are so close to Ella's goal.

Our next Food Drive will be held from Sunday August 30 through Wednesday morning, September 2. You may bring non-perishable items to the outdoor worship service on Sunday, or drop them off on the back porch of the parsonage all day Tuesday or Wednesday morning. They'll be brought to Amazing Grace Food Pantry on Wednesday afternoon, September 3.

Middlesex Habitat for Humanity(still waiting for Habitat) has a new project in Westbrook. Kim is in the process of obtaining a few potential dates for a group from our church to volunteer for the day. She will be sending out more information soon. Watch for upcoming emails if you are interested in participating in this project.

St. Pauly Clothing Shed: Please note that our clothing shed is closed for now. The company was overloaded with inventory and could not keep up with the donations. We will let you know when it reopens.

Please note that beginning next week, the worship service begins at 10AM.

Sunday School Corner
We are fast approaching the beginning of our Sunday School year. We will be doing a short lesson and a Scavenger Hunt on September 13th which is our regular Rally Sunday. We are opening up our Scavenger Hunt to any adults that would like to partake. We have 7 Clues and 7 Puzzles to solve throughout the church grounds. We will have teams of 2 or more scheduled every half hour beginning at 11:30AM. If you want to take part, please email Johanna at dre3church@gmail.com.

Check your email for updates for families and students in the next few weeks. We will be sending out registration forms that are necessary for any publicity that we may place as a church along with information about our classes. We can't wait to see everyone again.

Just a Thought
I found this paper while cleaning my desk this week. I wanted to share it with you.
What if we began to treat our Bibles the way we treat our cell phones? What if we:
carried it with us everywhere? turned back to get it if we forgot it? checked it for messages throughout the day?
used it in cases of emergencies? spent an hour or more each day using it? What would our lives look like?
What if we prayed to God each day, did not forget to bring God along everywhere, checked in for messages, spent a few minutes each day talking with God in prayer or just conversation? What would our world look like today?

Outdoor Summer Service Guidelines

If you have a fever or feel unwell, please remain at home.
Wear a face mask and maintain a six foot distance between yourself and others who are not members of your household.
Enter the outdoor worship area from the sidewalk on Miner Street.
Some folding chairs will be set-up following the recommended six feet of social distancing. Please do not move these chairs. (Bring your own chair if you prefer.)
Congregational speaking and singing will be kept to a minimum and held to the end of the service.
Exit after the service by following the exit sign. Walk between the garden shed and the church building to the parking lot.
No congregating in the parking lot before or after the service. If you must have a conversation on church grounds maintain 6 feet of distance and remain out of the path of other congregants going to and from their cars.
In case of inclement weather, the service will be taped indoors with only the worship leaders and photographer present. If the in-person service is cancelled, the church will send out an email by 8:15 am Sunday morning announcing the cancellation.

Support Our Church through Amazon Smile

If you purchase items through Amazon.com, please consider making Third Church the charity of your choice. If you do, Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchase price to Third Church, whenever you order through smile.amazon.com. To choose us:

1.    Visit smile.amazon.com.
2.    Sign in with your Amazon.com credentials.
3.    Search for "Third Congregational Church."
4.    Select the one in Middletown, CT as the charity of your choice.

Current Office Hours

Pastor Nancy and Kim Kennedy are now in the office on Tuesdays from 1-4 pm and Thursdays from 9 am - 12 pm. Voicemail and email are checked daily.

Upcoming Meetings Via GoToMeeting
Deacons 8/30 11AM
Trustees 9/8 AM
Update: We will be changing to Zoom for our online meetings starting in September.

Prayers of the People

*Please continue to pray for Sharon, sister of Carol and Patti, she has finished chemo and is waiting on test results for next procedure.
*Please pray for Larry and Lisa, friends of Dennis, who are awaiting test results.
*Please pray for Karen, friend of Joyce, who lost her husband Gary to cancer.
*Please pray for Marti, mother of Becky, in hospice care.
*Please pray for John and Betty, brother-in-law and sister of Nancy J., who are Covid positive.(8/9)
*Please pray for Randy's mother, moved to rehab for a few weeks following her surgery. (8/23)
*Please pray for Rose, friend of Jane, who is out of remission and dealing with Pancreatic Cancer again.
*Please pray for our friend, Joy, who is recovering at home. 7/12
*Please pray for Linda, Christopher and Cindy on the passing of Jonathan. 7/2
*Please continue to pray for our friends, Arlene and Bill, who are experiencing health issues.
*Julia asked for prayers for Richard who is learning to live with a new disease and walking with a cane.
*Please continue to pray for Karen, she is having some health problems. 6/20
*Prayer request for Julianna going through chemo treatments for ovarian cancer. Please pray for Gary who is experiencing health issues.
*Janice asks for continued prayers for her uncle, Ralph, who is battling pneumonia for the third time not related to Covid. 8/23

Pray for Our Shut Ins
Betty Behn, Sally Parker, Bettye Nosenzo and Evelyn Macensky

Our mailing address is:
94 Miner Street, Middletown, CT (860)632-0733
thirdchurchmiddletown.org- website
thirdchurch94@gmail.com
YouTube Channel
Rev. Nancy Lois, Pastor (413) 250-9895
Kim Kennedy, Secretary (860)788-3575

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Third Congregational Church · 94 Miner St · Middletown, CT 06457-1747 · USA