Welcome To Women’s Fellowship

The fellowship of women in our church includes every woman, young  and old, member or “friend” of the church. We are a busy group that  plays a vital role in the life of this church in so many ways. Some of  those ways include the following: 

Knitting shawls through an active Prayer Shawl Ministry

Sending our own line of beautiful photo cards created by Diane Burgess to our “Cheer List” four times a year 

Hosting funeral and memorial service receptions when needed

Actively supporting our church fundraisers such as the December Christmas Cookie Sale and Easter Bake Sale

Sponsor our own fundraiser that for 25 years was our annual Mid-Winter Chocolate Fest held in February. That ended in 2023, but we will continue in 2024 with a new venture that will be a Mardi Gras Fest!  This will be held on Saturday, February 3, 2024 from 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. 

Occasionally plan programs and women’s retreats for all to enjoy

We have three business meetings a year where all women are invited to gather, to engage in meaningful discussions and make decisions of how to spend our financial earnings. These meetings, as well as, any other women’s events during the year will be posted through the Weekly Word and monthly Belfry Chimes. We are also informed  through emails from our Women’s Fellowship president.  

We are also a part of a wider fellowship of women who are connected through the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of  Christ. The SNE Conference of the UCC came into being on Jan. 1, 2020 with the coming together of the historic Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island Conferences. The Conference is one of 36 regional bodies of the United Church of Christ, a distinct and  diverse community of Christians that come together as one church to  join faith and action. The Conference comprises 615 churches, more  than 1600 authorized ministers and nearly 120,000 members. We are invited to join together with SNE Conference women at various times throughout the year including an annual Spring Gathering.  

WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP OFFICERS 2023 

PRESIDENT – Nancy Johnson  

VICE PRESIDENT – Diane Burgess

SECRETARY – Sandy Baines 

TREASURER – Linda Cunningham

WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP MEETINGS  OPEN TO ALL WOMEN! 

Please join us for our planning and decision making. Your voice is needed!  

Monday, September 18, 2023    6:00 p.m. potluck & meeting

Sunday, February 25. 2024        11:30 a.m. meeting

Monday, May 20, 2024              6:00 p.m.  potluck & meeting

Programs
Fundraisers
Retreat

SEPTEMBER

DATE:   Monday, September 18, 2023

TIME:    6:00 p.m.

TYPE:    Potluck/Board Meeting   

Celebrate Good Times – Come On!

You might remember that the lyrics above are from the song “Celebration,” a 1980 song by the American band Kool & the Gang. Celebrating is what we will do as we gather to honor the 187th birthday of the Women’s Fellowship in our church.  What was the Ladies Benevolent Society of 1836?  Who were the Ladies of the Missionary Union?  Join the celebration as we share a little history of our fellowship along with an historical display.  We will also plan for the future during our board meeting. 

As this is a potluck dinner, we ask that you bring your favorite hot dish or salad.  Beverages and dessert will be provided as a party would not be complete without a birthday cake.  Come on and celebrate the good times we always enjoy when our women gather together in fellowship.  Your presence is very important to us.  If you cannot make the dinner, please come for dessert and the meeting.

“We’re gonna have a good time tonight. 

Let’s celebrate, it’s all right.

Yahoo!”

    NOVEMBER      

                                                               

DATE:   November 5, 2023

TIME:    2:00- 4:00 p.m.

TYPE:    Covenant Living Visit  

       Blest Be the Tie That Binds

One of the wonderful blessings we enjoy in life is the opportunity to gather together with our friends and the words from this well-known hymn remind us of that:                               

Blest be the tie that binds, our hearts in Christian love;

The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above.

The hymn “Blest Be the Tie that Binds,” refers to the church as the family of God bound together by spiritual kinship.  It is a favorite for many because of its message of the bonds of Christian community; hearts bound in Christian love, deep fellowship, shared burdens and prayers, painful separations, and the blessed hope of reunification that lasts throughout eternity.

Whether near or far away, we are forever bound together by God’s love. We would like to share that love with those who are not as near to us as they once were.  Please join us this afternoon as we journey to Covenant Living to enjoy fellowship with some of our members who live there.  

Fellowship is the key ingredient in the tie that binds us together. It is also essential to our spiritual growth. Each time we assemble with our church friends, it not only brings joy to them, but also fills our soul with a sense of contentment and peace.

We will gather at church around 1:30 p.m. to carpool to Cromwell for this meaningful event.

DECEMBER                                           

DATE:   Wednesday, December 6, 2023

TIME:    7:00 p.m.

TYPE:    Program

A Festival of Trees and Traditions

Warm yourself in the Christmas spirit as we celebrate the advent season with our very own display of beautifully decorated trees and hear stories of your holiday traditions.  We invite you to help us fill our fellowship hall with a variety of themed decorated trees – small, large, tabletop, wall, etc.  Among the ones you will see include:  A Swedish tree…Bird tree…Angel tree…Portland Historical tree…and more.

We will also have time for people to share stories of their traditions.  These may include the ornaments you unwrap, the songs you sing, the gifts you give or the recipes you bake every year.  Let us share these stories as we honor the lives these traditions have touched.

Please contact Nancy Johnson if you have a tree you would like to share.  Also, our refreshment table will include a collection of everyone’s traditional cookie recipe – that cookie that you must have because Christmas would not be Christmas without it! Just one dozen of your favorite will do.  So, as you are baking your cookies for the Christmas Cookie Sale that is just three days after this program, set a dozen aside to share for dessert.  Please join us for this festive evening that will unite us all in the warmth and joy of the holiday season.

                                           

 MARDI GRAS FEST!

                                                                                                                            

        Saturday, February 3, 2024      

             9:30 am – 1:30 p.m.

Mardi Gras is traditionally celebrated on Shrove (or Fat) Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. The custom is to use up all the fats and fattening foods in your home before the season of fasting and Lenten abstinence begins.  This Christian holiday dates back to pagan times.   

Our beloved Chocolate Fest ended last year. However, we will still be celebrating with our new and not to be missed Mardi Gras Fest!  There will be new treats like beignets, gumbo, and authentic Café Du Monde coffee that you can enjoy while sitting in our Beignet Café. Of course, some of our traditional favorites will be there too:  Baked Goods, Children’s Crafts, our own line of Greeting Cards, baskets, and even some candy like UCONN chocolate paws and pecan turtles. 

Our gift for your presence will be a Mardi Gras necklace in one of three colors.  The purple, green, and gold color of the beads are the Christian symbols of justice, faith, and power, respectively. Get yours while supplies last. Please come and help us celebrate at this one-of-a-kind festival!!

MAY                             

DATE:   Monday, May 20, 2024

TIME:    6:00 P.M.

TYPE:    Potluck/Board Meeting   

Bee Blessed

We invite all women to join our hive of worker bees as we gather on this May evening for our annual potluck dinner and board meeting.  This day just happens to be World Bee Day that is celebrated on May 20 each year in honor of Anton Jansa who is considered a pioneer of modern beekeeping. World Bee Day is observed to draw attention to the essential role bees and other pollinators play in keeping people and the planet healthy.  Honeybees bless our lives as they are an integral part of our natural world. They pollinate the majority of our crops and trees, giving us the food we eat and the air we breathe.

Please join us as we share a bountiful feast together that you will help provide.  Bring your favorite salad or main dish for all to enjoy and you might even think of a recipe that includes honey.  The beverages and dessert will be provided.  Our business meeting will follow the meal. We do hope you will bless us with your presence.