Starting on February 1

WCC will be offering an amazing opportunity to explore the basic beliefs of our Christian faith through The Alpha Course ~ which originated in England and has been led all over the world. This course is for believers and non-believers alike.

This eleven-week course has but one requirement: that participants commit to coming every week. There is no homework to do during the week. Just come, be yourself, and enjoy getting to know others. It is a great introduction/refresher to our faith and we welcome adults from both within and outside of our congregation to join us on this venture.

Sunday School teachers, church lay leaders, parents, and all who are interested in growing deeper in both head and heart knowledge of our Living God ~ we hope you’ll prayerfully consider this opportunity. Anyone interested in being on the leadership team (coordinating dinners, babysitting, setting up, being a small group leader, etc.), please speak with Jill Wenker.

Some of The Alpha Course Topics:

• Christianity: Boring, Untrue, Irrelevant?
• Who is Jesus? Why Did Jesus Die?
• How Can I Be Sure of My Faith?
• Why and How Should I Read the Bible?
• Why and How Do I Pray?
• Does God Heal Today?
• How Does God Guide Us?
• Who is the Holy Spirit?
• How Can I make the Most of the Rest of My Life?
• How Can I Resist Evil?
• Why and How Should We Tell Others?
• What About the Church?

The Alpha Course is an exciting opportunity for adults to explore their own faith in a small group setting. Alpha includes a time of fellowship, as we join together for dinner (which is prepared for you!). This will be followed by an engaging lecture on a specific faith topic, after which we‘ll split into small groups for a time of discussion. The Alpha Course will be held on Wednesday evenings, from 6:15 – 8:40 p.m. starting on February 1. A daytime group is also possible. Speak with Jill Wenker if this daytime option interests you.

Here are some common questions we‘ve heard concerning Alpha:

Question: If Alpha is going to present specific tenets of our faith, then I‘m confused. I thought that the U.C.C. didn‘t tell us what to believe. How does Alpha fit into that philosophy? Answer: Alpha fits in beautifully. Alpha presents beliefs commonly held by Christians of all denominations (protestant and catholic). However, if you join Alpha to learn ―the right answer,‖ you may be disappointed. No one will tell you what you have to believe. But what you WILL get is a chance to examine your own beliefs, to grow deeper in your experience of God, and to develop a closer bond with others who are also seeking to grow in their faith.

Question: I‘m still not sure about this. Eleven weeks is a bigger commitment than I‘m used to. Answer: Eleven weeks may seem like a lot, but experience has shown that the bigger the commitment, the much greater the rewards. And a relational ministry opportunity like Alpha needs that amount of time for lasting relationships to develop. Besides, we suspect that the time will go quickly! Plus, there‘s no homework!

Question: Do I need to know a lot about the Bible in order to participate? I‘m nervous that I don‘t know enough. Answer: Alpha was originally developed for those who knew nothing of the Bible whatsoever. It is a very basic course ~ some call it ―Christianity 101.‖ There are no quizzes in Alpha! Plus, part of the reason for going is to learn more about our faith. So, whether you know a little, a lot, or nothing at all — give Alpha a try.

Fun for all ages!…. Experienced Bingo Callers!…..

Prizes!…….. Come with your family!…..

Just be HERE Sunday, Feb. 12, for a fun-filled afternoon of Bingo, for ages 0-110… sponsored by the Fellowship Committee.

A light lunch will be served directly after coffee hour that day, with bingo to follow. Anyone can play, no skill involved, just the ability to smile and laugh.

Please sign up in Fellowship Hall so we can prepare enough food and bingo cards. Soup and sandwiches served. $1.00 donation.

The 2012 budget and slate of financial officers will be presented for approval by the Congregation. The Board of Deacons will present this year‘s Tin Cup Award.

Winter Weather Advisory

With last year‘s extreme weather conditions, we want to remind everyone what to do if you aren‘t sure whether or not there will be Sunday School or any of our evening youth programs. When this happens, all the teachers and assistants are contacted, however, we aren‘t able to contact every church family.

If there are weather conditions that would make the roads dangerous, we recommend that you check WFSB (on television or online) to see if there is a closing. We are listed under  ̳First Congregational Church, Westbrook.‘ If we do cancel Sunday School or other programs, we will also put a recording on the church answering machine. There is a special mailbox set up for this purpose. The recording will be on that machine, as long as there is electricity and our phone lines are working.

Please note: If the weather is bad enough to warrant our canceling Sunday School, it also means we will not be providing any nursery care or programs for the children. If your family ventures out for worship, you will have the pleasure of keeping your children with you throughout the service — which is a nice opportunity for them to experience a full worship service with their parents.

• 5:00 pm – Family Worship with Instant Pageant
• 7:30 pm - Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols
• 11:00 pm - Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols

About the Candlelight Services of Lessons and Carols

We will read the Christmas story from the King James Bible, and sing Silent Night by candlelight. The 7:30 pm service includes music by our Adult Choir and nursery care.  The 11:00 pm service will not have the choir and does not have nursery care.

About the Christmas Eve Instant Pageant

This is a service for all ages with the singing of Christmas Carols and the reading of the Christmas Story. All children who wish to be in the pageant are invited to do so. Costumes for angels and shepherds will be available in Fellowship Hall before the service.

To remind our children that Christmas is about the birth of Christ, we hope that they will come to church on ―the night before Christmas.‖ The Youth Choirs are scheduled to sing. Nursery care is provided.

The Instant Pageant is a simple, yet very moving, unrehearsed reenactment of the Christmas story, narrated by Rev. Wilson. All children (visitors included) are encouraged to be involved.

When Is It? On Christmas Eve, during the 5:00 p.m. service. Any children who

wish to participate should come to Fellowship Hall between 4:30 and 4:45 p.m. to put on their costumes. Costumes will not be given out before 4:30 p.m.

What Should I Wear? To be a shepherd, wear a plain, dark bathrobe. To be an angel or a

farm animal, wear a simple costume from home if you have one. We will also have costumes available in Fellowship Hall for children to wear who don‘t have something suitable from home.

Tell Me More! Children participating in the pageant will sit with their parents in

costume. Our oldest Sunday School and Confirmation students are eligible to fill the roles of Mary, Joseph, Gabriel and the three Kings. Those selected will sit at the very back of the sanctuary with Mrs. Wenker until it‘s time for them to come forward.

After the offering, Rev. Wilson will narrate the Christmas story and each group of children will come forward during the appropriate Christmas carol. Mrs. Wenker and members of the Board of Christian Education will be there to guide them.

Experience the real meaning of Christmas through this  ̳still life‘ worship experience. You can even decide to do this as a family! This is a great activity for Confirmation students to do with their parents. The Living Crèche will take place after caroling, so it is possible (and fun) to do both. Hot chocolate and Christmas cookies will be served to all who participate. Bundle up! Costumes are provided.

To participate in the Living Crèche, sign up in Fellowship Hall or speak with Jill Wenker. You can choose one or more shifts and the role you‘d like to play. You‘ll need to arrive at the church 20 minutes before your shift begins.

For the less adventurous, come out to the front lawn of the church just to observe this worshipful time. This is a worship experience, so we do ask that you remain silent. Soak in that special moment, so very long ago, yet still so poignant over 2000 years later.

An Intergenerational Event!

Come join us! We‘ll be driving to the homes of some of our Homebuddies to bring them a touch of joy this season. We invite people of all ages (and all singing abilities) to come along ~ the more, the merrier! We will be carpooling, and do need adult drivers.

We‘re also asking folks to bring cookies, fudge or other goodies both to share with our homebuddies, and to eat between caroling and the Living Crèche. We‘ll take what everyone brings and put together plates of goodies to give each of the Homebuddies we carol to. After caroling, we‘ll come back to the church to share cookies and hot chocolate.

This is a special time of fellowship and celebration! Come share in this wonderful chance to spread joy and Christmas cheer to some of our church family. (And if you‘d like, you can stay around afterwards and either take part in the Living Crèche, or come out and watch it.)

The Board of Christian Education is hosting the annual Advent Festival which includes a delicious light lunch while we enjoy a time of fellowship. There will then be the opportunity to make a bright and festive wreath embellished with colorful jingle bells.

Individual adults and families are encouraged to come out for this festive celebration to kick off the advent season. Children need to be accompanied by an adult. A fee of $5.00 per person or $10.00 per family will be collected to offset the cost of materials.

There will be a sign up sheet on a bulletin board in Fellowship Hall and you are requested to sign up in advance so the Board can plan accordingly for lunch and the craft materials. So please sign up by November 30.

Please feel free to bring a dessert to share! We hope you will join us for this fun event!

Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty

Some 2,000 communities in our country take part in a CROP walk every year. Together people with age, faith, and cultural differences walk to take a stand against hunger in the world.

Why do we walk? Because worldwide over 852 million people go to bed hungry every night. Because of poverty they walk to accomplish things we take for granted; for food, water, firewood, to escape violence, to seek shelter, to farm their fields, to find employment, to go to school. Hungry people in developing countries typically walk as much as six miles daily. We walk because they walk.

Donations can be made during coffee hour on the weeks leading up to the walk, and walkers can pick up their donation packets then. On the 30th, walkers will meet in Fellowship Hall to turn in their donation packets, and will leave from there at noon. The walk will end at the Wilson’s home on Old Salt Works Road where participants will be treated to a cook-out. Tired walkers will be picked up on route. Drivers will be available to take participants back to the church following the meal.

25% of the monies we raise will be sent to the Shoreline Soup Kitchen and 75% of our funds will be sent to Church World Service for world- wide hunger relief. Please help us again this year to have a successful CROP walk. When you walk in a CROP Hunger Walk, you walk with the world. Thank you.

Our Third Graders are eagerly anticipating the special gift of The NIV Adventure Bible for each of them! They will be presented with these study Bibles during the 10:15 worship service, after which they and their parents will be invited to Fellowship Hall for a special celebration with their teachers.

The children (and their parents) will each have an opportunity to make a photo bookmark to use in their Bible, and will decorate special cloth Bible covers made exclusively for them by Jan and Steve.

The entire congregation will join in the celebration with a special cake donated by the Board of Christian Education. The Bibles have been purchased through the Louise Fiske Bible Fund.