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Christ Church Quaker Farms, 470 Quaker Farms Rd, Oxford, CT 06478 www.ccqf.org ccqf@att.net (203)888-4936

The Rev. John Donnelly, Rector jdonnellyccqf@aol.com

THE MESSENGER September 2016

Editor : Tammy Borkowski

HOMECOMING SUNDAY SEPT. 11TH

11:20A.M.

HOMECOMING TAILGATE PARTY

w/ LUNCH & FUN FOR ALL

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THE TRIUMPHANT RETURN

of CCQF SMALL GROUPS Premiers the week of September 25, 2016

Although most of us believe that personal prayer has

some value, many of us meet obstacles when it

comes to prayer. Why? Answer for yourself---

Some of us do not feel motivated to pray, even

though we know that our lives would be

enriched and empowered as we pray for

ourselves and those we love?

Others of us do not feel like we know ‘how to

pray’?

Others of us say that we are “too busy” to pray?

Come on. We can do better than that. If you

answered “Yes,” to any of the points above, then our

Sept. ‘16 Small Group Program is meant for you.

“Too Busy Not to Pray” has helped millions of

Christians throughout the world. Draw closer to God.

In this 4 week study, the author, Bill Hybels offers

practical-time tested ideas on how to slow down to

pray.

4 to 5 Small Groups will be offered on different week

days, meeting for 90 minutes for 4 sessions. A 20

minute video will be followed by discussion, prayer,

and fellowship. If you miss one of 2 sessions, no

problem. You will still get a lot of the program,

which also provides the unique opportunity for

making new friendships and catching up with old

friends. So, sign up by picking up a registration card

@ church, or call and we will mail you one: 203-

888-4936

WHY DO YOU FINANCIALLY

GIVE TO GOD THROUGH

CCQF? From the 2016 Stewardship Committee

BEACUSE.....

" I receive God's blessings...I know that he is

with me...I can always trust Him."--Mike Evancho,

Vestry

" Satisfaction: You cannot just be a listener

of God's Word, you must be DOERS...I get a

double bonus, because I give back to God , who

has already given to me."--Mike Gibbons,

Stewardship Committee Chair

"Personal satisfaction in knowing that I am

giving to the Lord. It is nice to know that I am

giving my fair share."---Barbara Taylor

"I feel like its my duty to give to God

portion [of my income] and to support the good

work we do at CCQF." --Celeste Hawthorne,

Vestry

"Jesus carries me, as I am leaning on Him.

There came a point in my life [when I stopped

focusing on 'what I was receiving' and]... started

asking myself,"What did I give today?"--Bob

Knapp, Vestry Clerk

"I am a cheerful giver, because Jesus has

given me all that I have and made me all that I am

and hope to become." --Fr. John

-----------------------------------------

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also

reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will

also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give

what you have decided in your heart to give, not

reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a

cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you

abundantly, so that in all things at all times,

having all that you need, you will abound in every

good work.—2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Remember your church in your will

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NEWS FROM EPISCOPALIANS TOGETHER IN OXFORD By Bob Knapp, CCQR Mission & Outreach Chair

Chapel on the Green Service on Sunday

July 31st, 2016 at 2PM CCQF and St. Peters Church co-sponsored a

Church service and Lunch Meal at the Chapel on

the Green in New Haven. At this weekly event our 29 combined

volunteers served 125 homeless or displaced persons. St. Peters and

CCQF put together 200 bag lunches and donated many socks and

bags. Our love for Jesus Christ and His people was on full display

that day and our volunteers of all ages got a spiritual thrill from

helping out those in need. We plan to do this mission again in the

coming year so please come join us for this fantastic opportunity to

reach out to the larger community around

us and sew the Lord’s seeds.

Charity Steak Dinner

CCQF and St. Peters Church are co-sponsoring a Charity Steak Dinner on Saturday, Oct. 1, at St. Peters

Church in Oxford from 5PM to 7:30PM. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for kids. Our mission with this

dinner is to raise funds for the Upendo Children’s Home for orphaned children in Kakamega, Kenya. We

call this mission “Our Kids in Kenya” (OKIK) and it is a joint outreach ministry of Episcopalians Together in

Oxford (ETO). St. Peter’s and Christ Church, Quaker Farms are working this mission together to serve the

world in Jesus’ name.

Most of the children have lost their parents to the AIDS epidemic. The orphanage provides the only home

and family these children have, as well as all the necessities of life: food, shelter, clothing, medical care,

and schooling. Because public schools are not free in Kenya, these children wouldn’t be able to go to

school without our help. There are currently 7 children living in the orphanage, ranging in age from 10 to

18.

We’re especially delighted with our 4 high school seniors, who will graduate at the end of this year. Many

of the children have been in the orphanage since the age of 2 or 3 years old. The children are very

thankful for our generosity. 100% of the proceeds of this dinner will go directly to the Orphanage. If you

would like to make a donation to OKIK, please make check payable to St. Peter’s with notation OKIK. They

may be given to Michelle Macisco or me; or mailed to The Rev. Ellen Donnelly, 421 Oxford rd., Oxford, CT

06478.

Thank you for your help! For tickets, more information or to make reservations call CCQF at 203-888-

4936 or call Bob Knapp at C: 203-240-6476. May God bless your work and your ministry.

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Progressive Dinner

11/12/16,

IE Party-On! Save-the-Date: Progressive

Dinner Saturday, 11/12/16.

Call, text JoAnn, 203-232-9452, if you

wish to host. We could use 1 main dish.

and 1 appetizer host homes. (We have

2 sets of hosts now.) Theme: KISS. A

sign-up sheet will be posted in

September. :)

joann.bredenberg@cbmoves.com

ACTIVATING & RE-ACTIVATING OUR CHURCH By Kim Keenan, New Friendship/ Fellowship Chair, & Bob Knapp

Scott Thumma, co-author of the well -known book, ”The Other 80%”, gave a workshop presentation of his

book which was well received by several churches from the Valley. The workshop, which took place on

Sat., July 9th, was attended by five parishioners of CCQF. The main discussion was regarding the declining

membership and attendance in churches across America and how to get more people to come and stay

active members.

First impressions are extremely important. Some research has indicated that newcomers decide within the

first 10 seconds if they are going to come back a second time! We must give newcomers the best possible

experience. Ushers are often too busy to be effective Greeters; therefore we should have people who are

only Greeters. Do we have some members of CCQF who would like to be official Greeters? Let us know!

Of course greeting and welcoming newcomers is really everybody’s job! Everyone must practice

hospitality. During the Peace, we can quickly invite newcomers downstairs after the service and have a

chance to speak with them. We should never leave a newcomer sitting or standing alone at Coffee Hour.

Perhaps we should consider setting up a table for newcomers where we can give them some information

about the church, and a small token of friendship from the church. We can get some contact information

from them so we can follow-up with them. We can introduce them to people of the same age group or

interest. We may be able to make Ministry /Mission teams with people of similar experiences?

We are very willing to listen carefully to our congregants and find out their needs or interests. Let us

know what you hope for at CCQFs! If you wish you can put an idea or concern in the offering plate or just

ask to talk to someone.

Why do we want to do this? Increased participation=increases commitment=increased spiritual growth.

Our purpose is to bring more people to Christ Jesus, to make more disciples, to give people what we have

and know to be true: The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit live in us and because we accept Jesus Christ

as Our Lord and Savior we will have Eternal Life!

This Homecoming Sunday, Sept 11th, let’s reach out to those we love, especially to former members and

inactive members and invite them back for a spirit filled service and to get reacquainted with our church

family.

ANNUAL

BLESSING OF

THE ANIMALS,

Sunday, Oct. 2,

@ time to be announced.

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he

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the August Shelter. We had an amazing and delicious

assortment of food. One resident commented that "she had never tasted better food" and a second person

commented that "donated meals always include a salad but she had never seen so many salads at one

meal". We fed 25 people from the Spooner House and we had 36 people from CCQF. The ECW donated 30

cereal bowls to the Shelter in thanksgiving for the many years of service that Lori Farrell has given to this

mission. She was also recognized by Spooner House and Father John honored both Lori and John Carson for

their years of service. Lori has moved to Deleware, but we are hoping to see her when she visits CT.

ECW will provide the funds to cover Lori's share of the bus to transport (thanks to John C for arranging this)

from Spooner House to CCQF. We are the last group to bring them to our location to eat dinner together.

Shelter Dinners are the first Monday of the month. Due to the Labor Day holiday, the next dinner at CCQF

will be October 3. We will post a sign-up sheet for food, and volunteers for setting up and clean up are

always needed. This is a wonderful opportunity to serve the people in our community. Volunteers of all

ages are welcome. For more information please contact Bob Knapp or Kathie Osborn.

ECW News

REPORT FROM CCQF FACILITIES COMMISSION From Vinnie Keenan, Warden & Chair

The following projects have been successfully completed on our property:

Electrical work and other repairs.

Fix office door.

Well and tank: New water pump and reserve tank installed. Organize required water tests.

Parish Hall floor—Prep for floor removal; oversee removal of old floor tiles by stqte licensed

contractor; oversee successful state inspection; securing estimates for new flooring.

Many thanks to Ted Pallman, Kevin Katrenya, Michael Bawlick, Rory Waldorf, Chelsea Richards, and for

their assistance.

Volunteers are needed to work on these property projects:

Complete cleaning of deep dive in Kitchen & Youth Room.

Clear brush from church parking lot to new shed.

Clean & install shelving in sheds, under supervision of Vinnie Keenan.

Prep handicap ramp for recoating.

Pull up weeds around church building.

If you would like to help and/or learn more, leave a message for warden Vinnie Keenan at the church office:

203-888-4936

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SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS

Sundays @ 10:00

Begins Sept. 11, 2016

Christ Church Quaker Farms

is Kid & Family Friendly

SUNDAY SCHOOL

Grades Pre K- 5

Our Vision for the CCQF Sunday School:

To lead and nurture our children in a personal relationship with Jesus

Christ, through exciting, fun, dynamic, and

age appropriate learning activities.

This year’s SS will include

More one to one attention

Fast paced activities

Engaging skits, dramas, interactive learning

Sr. Hi Teen SS Coaches

Each week will be an independent learning experience, so that your child misses classes,

he or she will not feel behind.

“For where two or three are gathered in my Name, there am I among them.” Matthew 18:20

When a parent is asked “What is most important to you?” …the answer is inevitably,

“MY CHILDREN.”

When a Sunday School Helper is asked “What is most important to you?”…the answer is

“ALL THE CHILDREN.”

--------------------------------------

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2016 VBS CANCELED By Molly Turchuk

It is with sadness that I report that CCQF Vacation Bible School –

2016 is being cancelled for this year.

There are a couple of building items being addressed (Parish Hall and Water). We had initially thought both

would be resolved prior to VBS but as the process is now underway, new information was presented which

is causing the project to extend beyond August.

While access to the building is still allowed, I felt it better to cancel versus dealing with the logistics of not

being able to use the Parish Hall. It is my aim that all campers and volunteers have an amazing experience

and I don’t want anything to distract their focus from their Journey with God.

We will postpone Deep Sea Discovery until next summer and I hope everyone will attend. I truly appreciate

all the interest and support (and patience) with me this summer. This was not the outcome I had hoped for

but I know He has a reason.

While keeping with the Kid Focus – I’m very excited to report that Sunday School will commence on

Homecoming weekend, September 11th at 10am. We have a new program this year that will bring more one

to one interactions, fast paced learning sessions and more teen involvement. Please see flier attached.

As always, feel free to reach me directly with any questions/concerns. In His name, Molly

SUNDAY SCHOOL NOTES

We believe that regular Sunday School attendance is vitally important to the spiritual development of

our children. Frankly, we of Christ Church share different beliefs and morals than unbelievers.

Psychologists say that the moral compass of a child is basically determined by age 7. HELP US TO

REINFORCE WHAT YOU TEACH AT HOME--FOR THIS WILL HAVE LASTING VALUE FOR YOUR CHILDREN.

Sunday School is one of the best investments that you can make in the future of your children.� �

However, for those times when your children cannot attend Sunday School, we encourage you to attend the

Sunday 5:00 to 5:30 pm X-Press Communion services. These inter generational services are for people of all

ages. (These services will continue through Aug. 28, and then resume on Sept. 18)

SUNDAY MORNINGS--THE WONDER OF THE LORD'S PRAYER. The Gr. Prek - 5 Sunday School, and the 9th-

10th Gr. SS, will also be studying the "Lord's Prayer," along with the adults in church. The "Lord's Prayer

Sermon Series" will be offered, Sundays, 8 & 10:00am, Sept. 25-Oct. 16

GRADES 11 -12 are being encouraged to serve as Coaches, once or more a month, for our Grades PreK-5

Sunday School during the fall. For more info, speak to Molly Turchuk. It’s fun.� �

FAMILY FUN SCHEDULE (so far)

Sept. 23--Friday night (tentative. Coordinator needed)

October 30 Halloween Party, after church

COL. BOB'S BIBLE BOOT CAMP, Fridays, 7:00 to 8:45 pm, Sept. 30, Oct. 7, 14 7 21. Bible learning activities

and games, plus exercise, while parents attend the Friday night Small Groups. Leader: Bob Knapp

2016 CHRISTMAS PAGEANT will be December 24, 4pm. Pageant Director: Susan Gibbons. Two assistant

directors are need. For more info, speak to Fr. John

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YOUTH MISSION TESTIMONIES

FROM KYLE SHARRON

I too had the privilege of spending this past week on the

eastern shore of Virginia, serving the people in more ways

than one. I've been on several mission trips, however this

one stood out; we had the opportunity to spend time with

the community and walk a day in their shoes, whether that

was bagging green beans at the local food bank or simply caring for the children of migrant workers at kid's

club. Serving God through these outlets opened myself up to his love and gave me an immense appreciation

for the lives we all live. From this I feel compelled to do more for my community.

FROM SHANNON SEARLES.

Hi I'm Shannon, so throughout this week the main topic was how our first love came from God and we love others

because he first loved us. During the course of this week I created relationships with new people and

strengthened the old ones. I went on this trip to serve and connect with others but I also connected with myself

I've realized who I am and what I want to accomplish. During my time at the kids club I really connected with this

little girl Marisa she spoke no English and I speak little Spanish, but that barrier didn't stop me from creating a

wonderful and sincere relationship with her she helped me realize my feelings for children and my feelings for

others. I came on this trip not knowing what to expect and anxious for what was about to come but I left with

reassurance about who I am and my feelings for God. This wonderful group of people calmed my nerves and

made this sad and happy experience so much easier for me to go through so thank you. I feel so blessed to

have had this opportunity to serve and help an open armed community with this amazing group of people.

FROM JULIA SHARRON

When I was packing for the mission trip I spent most of the time I was cutting jeans and making them into

shorts or what I like to call "granny pants", making sure they were the right length. And I focused on what I

was going to wear and that i wasn't going to bring any makeup and that i didn't have my phone. I've always

self-conscious about the way I look but God really showed me this past week that it didn't matter what I

was wearing. I went on this mission trip to become closer to God, and I did. He helped me realize that

people didn't care that I didn't have make up on, It

didn't stop me from connecting with the kids, and the

kids didn't care how any of us looked, they just wanted

someone to give them attention and love them. I'm

always caught up on the insignificant things in life but

at the end of the day, the only judgement we should

listen to is from God. Thank you Miss Jackie and Mr.

Peck for making this trip happen.

Back by popular demand! 5:00 to 5:30

X-Press

Continues through Aug. 28. Resumes on Sept. 18

Informal/Fun/ Kid & Family Friendly

We’re on the Web!

Visit us at: www.ccqf.org

Christ Church Quaker Farms

470 Quaker Farms Rd

Oxford, CT 06478

Sunday Services

8:00 a.m. – Traditional

10:00 a.m. – Contemporary

10:00 a.m. - Sunday School