Tuesday Tidbits 9/8/26

First Congregational Church of Vernon United Church of Christ

Tuesday Tidbits

September 8, 2026

Back in Church

This Sunday, we will be moving back upstairs for worship at 10am.

This Sunday, September 13th is Rally Sunday- you won't want to miss it!

We’re kicking off our 2026–2027 program year with worship, food, fellowship, and fun for all ages.

After our worship service Sunday morning, head to Fellowship Hall for...

Exploring our Programs- with a chance to win a prize! – Visit all five program tables to collect stamps. Five stamps get you a raffle ticket to win a fabulous prize, and a FCCV grocery bag while supplies last.

Bingo – Join us for Bingo, and we will have more great prizes up for grabs!

Bounce House & Kids’ Activities – Kids can enjoy a bounce house outside of fellowship hall, the playground outside, plus board games and coloring inside.

Lunch – We’ll provide sub sandwiches for lunch, and people have signed up to bring side dishes.

Bring someone with you! Rally Sunday is the perfect opportunity to invite a friend, neighbor, or anyone who has been thinking about coming to church.

Worship, eat, play, connect, and celebrate a new program year at FCCV. We are looking for a few kitchen volunteers- please contact Sarah in the Programs office if you can help out that morning (sromangreaves@gmail.com).

Cornhole Season Finale!

This Wednesday, September 9th at 6pm, will be our last night of cornhole for the season!

A big thank you to everyone who came out and participated throughout the season. We appreciate you making it such a fun time!

Hope to see everyone tomorrow for one last night of cornhole! All are Welcome!

Wednesday Night Craft Crew - Meeting September 9th at 6:30pm

Wednesday night craft crew will start meeting again on Wednesday, September 9th at 6:30pm. We will do some assembly of craft items, sort through our supplies and of course, there will be Jeopardy!

Giving Statements Sent

Giving statements as of the end of August have been sent to members via email and for those requesting hardcopy via mail or delivered in person. Final 2026 giving statements will be emailed or sent out after year-end by mid-January 2027.

Email delivery is encouraged, but those requesting physical statements are provided. Notify the church office as needed to make any changes.

Dave Grigg, Asst. Treasurer

New Member Class

Interested in Joining FCCV? If you’d like to hear more about our faith community and explore becoming a member, we invite you to join our upcoming New Member Class. This two-hour gathering will be held on a Sunday after worship, scheduled for a time that works best for everyone. We’ll share lunch together, learn about FCCV’s story and mission, and get to know one another. If you’re interested, please contact Pastor Alisa or the church office.

Coffee Hour Volunteers Needed!

Coffee hour fellowship runs September 13th – June 30th, and we need your help to keep it going!

There are three different ways to get involved:

Weekly Coffee Hour Leaders
Recruit your own group of volunteers to make coffee, set up, bring treats, and clean up for a week of coffee hour. This commitment comes around once every 6–8 weeks, depending on how many people sign up.

Coffee Hour Volunteer Coordinator
Help behind the scenes by building the volunteer schedule, sending out reminders, and finding substitutes when someone can’t make their week.

Team Member
Not ready to lead? We’ll add you to a team so you can pitch in with coffee, setup, treats, or cleanup when your week comes around.

If any of these roles sound like a good fit, please contact the church office to volunteer or ask questions. Thank you for helping make coffee hour possible!

Join the Choir!

Love to sing? The Choir is always looking for people to join in at any time! Choir will practice on the Saturdays before each service, at 10am. We would love to have you! Everyone is welcome.

First practice will be September 12th at 10am in the Sanctuary.

Monday Morning Bible Study is Returning

Our summer hiatus will be ending, and we will resume classes on Monday, September 14th at 10:45am in Kellogg Hall. All are welcome.

Sermon Salon

It’s a few days after the Sunday service and you’ve pondered the message of the Scripture reading and the sermon, but there’s no one to share your thoughts with. Well, you are not alone!

As part of your FCCV Church Programs, we are currently exploring the development of a “Sermon Salon’ for those who wish to have a deeper discussion regarding each week’s sermon and Scripture reading. For more info, please contact Sarah in the Church Programs office (sromangreaves@gmail.com).

You are welcome to join us on Thursdays at 2pm, in the church library- starting on Thursday, September 17th.

Theology on Tap – Starts September 24th, 6pm

Join us as Theology on Tap resumes on Wednesday, September 24th at 6pm at Vernon Diner, 453 Hartford Turnpike Vernon. We will gather in the indoor patio area (to the left as you enter).

This is a wonderful opportunity to gather for spiritual and theological conversation—all while enjoying good food and fellowship. For more information, please contact the church office.

FCCV Fall Festival, September 26th

Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 26th for a Fall Festival. This year’s event will include a mum flower sale, bake sale, and a huge tag sale - an excellent opportunity to donate previously loved items you no longer enjoy to the church. If you have items to donate for the tag sale, please bring them to church starting on Sunday, September 20th through Friday, September 25th at noon. Items can be placed at the far end of Fellowship Hall near the childcare area. Please no books, clothing or flammable items. Only working electrical items will be accepted. Also, we are in need of grocery and smaller sized paper bags for the tag sale shoppers. If you have any to spare, please bring them to Fellowship Hall as well.

If you are interested in baking, helping with the mum or tag sale, contact Greg Mias or the church office.

Apple Fest 2026

Mark this outing on your calendars, if you love everything fall, and everything apple!

The Apple Place in East Longmeadow is holding their annual Apple Fest, on October 3rd. We will gather from 12pm-4pm. There will be music from 2-4pm, and a corn maze will be open 12-6pm that afternoon. Great for all ages, there is a playground area for kids too. They have an assortment of baked goods (including gluten free) and ice cream that will be available for purchase (I have personally taste-tested both- and they are delicious), You may bring a chair, but some seating will be available.

Women’s Fellowship Holiday Fair - November 7th

Planning and crafting are underway for the holiday fair which will be on November 7th this year. If you would like to get in on the ground floor of organizing, please let us know. We would love new ideas and fresh perspectives.

If you have helped run a table on the day of the fair and would like to do so again, we'd love to hear from you...and you may already be on our list!

If you have a church group looking for a fun fundraiser, we would love someone to run the luncheon. We have instructions and a menu/shopping list, or feel free to try something different. It typically earns $300-$500.

250 Acts of Kindness

As part of the United States of Kindness campaign by Kindland, we have committed to doing 250 acts of kindness by the end of 2026.

There are two ways we are counting acts of kindness. For every kind act you go out of your way to do, bubble in one of the bubbles on the tracker (colored markers are by the suggestion box). You can also submit a shout-out if you'd like to bring attention to the kindness of someone else in the congregation. Do not include names if you wish to remain anonymous. These will be read during worship services.

For every new bubble and shout-out, we will add a heart to our kindness trail, as a more visible representation of how we are doing.

Here's our progress so far! We are up to 120 acts of kindness... please join in adding to our kindness trail, and soon we will have these hearts trailing out into the halls!

Church Programs Office

Members and friends of the church are welcome to stop by the Church programs office during Sarah's office hours, which are published here in Tidbits weekly (subject to change due to appointments).

Sarah coordinates our Innings and Outings program, which is for adults of all ages in the church to get together and do fun activities. If you have an idea for a fun activity we can do together inside or outside of the church, and you cannot meet during office hours, e-mail Sarah at sromangreaves@gmail.com.

Upcoming Innings/Outings:

October 3rd - Apple Fest 12-3pm

Food Donations

Many in our community are struggling to feed their families. Your donations to Cornerstone and Hockanum Valley Food Pantry help fill those empty shelves.

Suggested donations include cereal (not family size), peanut butter and JELLY in plastic containers, canned goods, boxed sides, Mac and cheese, and individual packs of snack sized cookies and crackers.

Please leave donated food items in the white bins in the Narthex or downstairs in the entryway. Double bagging heavy items helps our deliverers.
More information can be found at the website for Cornerstone (cornerstone-cares.org) or Hockanum Valley Community Council (HVCChelps.org). Thank you for your generosity.

Help for Our Furry Friends

They are especially in need of dry cat food.

The Vernon Pet Pantry has partnered with the Hockanum Valley Community Council to support pets in need. Sadly, many animals are going hungry or being left behind as families struggle to afford their care.

You can help by donating wet or dry cat and dog food, treats, or other pet supplies. Donations may be placed in the new plastic bin located in the lower-level entryway or dropped off directly at the Vernon Pet Pantry at HVCC.

New at the library from the bookworm-

Wednesday Walkers

The Wednesday Walkers show up and have a few laughs no matter the weather. One picture shows the group pretending to wait for a train at the Vernon Depot. Two of our walkers are modeling some Halloween attire for an upcoming "Family and Friends Fun event" on October 25th at 1pm on the trail at Bolton Notch. It's a two-mile walk sponsored by the Hop River Trail Alliance. Hoping to see many of our walkers at this event. Of course the regular walks on Wednesday are still at 9am starting at the Church Street parking lot for the Vernon Rails to Trails. Remember ALL are welcome!

Caregiver Support Group

A caregiver support group is being offered to members of our church. We meet every Wednesday in the church library from 1:30pm-3:30pm. This is a lay led group that is very supportive and caring and offers much needed help and encouragement to caregivers. If you are or recently have been a caregiver, consider joining us. Conversations are confidential.

Men’s Fellowship Breakfast

Men’s Fellowship Breakfast meets at 7am on Thursdays at the Vernon Diner.

Grief Support Group

The Grief Support Group continues to meet on Tuesdays at 10am in the Church Library. Anyone who has lost a loved one is invited to attend, and the group is not limited to FCCV members. ALL are welcome and you can bring other family members and/or a friend to the group. Any further questions, please call the FCCV Church office at 860-875-7580.

Remember to Pray for:

Connie & Jeremy- Joe’s mother and friend, Carole – Bettye K's sister, Kelly- Jeannie Peirce’s friend, , Lenora- Ellen's sister, Val M, Burkie-Linda's friend, Doug- Addi's grandfather, Sue- Cindy S’s friend, Dana-Sandy D’s friend, Emilio L- Emily and John’s friend, Christina- Andy and Joanne’s daughter, Doug Bacon- Marilyn's nephew, Herb Slicer, Bill- Sue's neighbor, Mary-Marjorie's friend, Amy S- Joanne's friend, Kay and Horst, Leesa S, Shirley- Ginger's sister, Angie- Ruby-Richie-and Barbara K, Brandon, Lucy- Elly's sister, Bonnie and Paula-Millie’s friends, John Stevens- Susan Nolet’s brother, Betsy G, Delight C, Tammy and Jim, Marjorie F, Ernie & Janice—Nancy’s friends, Barb Fox, Pat L, Jim Muro, Lisa A, Nicholas—Karen’s grandson, Jane Morse, Thomas E, Pat M, Susie—Barb’s daughter, Linda D, Mary M—Pat Melville’s sister, Janis R, Steven S, Chrissy and Ella—Jim and Cheryll’s daughter and granddaughter, Donald M, Dave S, those living with HIV/AIDS, and all who are navigating a difficult season of mental health and their loved ones who walk beside them.

Prayer Request

We strive to keep our prayer list as accurate as possible. If you have an update for us, to add or to remove someone, please contact the office by email or call (860) 875-7580. Or click here to fill out a form.

Pastoral Emergency

If you have a pastoral emergency, please call 860-266-5761.