Tuesday Tidbits 9/22/26

First Congregational Church of Vernon United Church of Christ

Tuesday Tidbits

September 22, 2026

FCCV Fall Festival — This Saturday, September 26th!

Join us this Saturday from 8:30AM–2:30PM for our Fall Festival!

Tag Sale Donations:
If you’re bringing items for the tag sale, please place them on the appropriate marked table (kitchen, toys, electronics, etc.).

Donation drop-off times:

Tuesday–Thursday: 9AM–2PM
Friday: 9AM–12PM

Please do not bring books, clothing, or flammable items. Only working electrical items will be accepted.

Come ready to purchase some beautiful mums, or delicious baked goods, and stroll through our tag sale tables for some great finds!

We hope to see you there!

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.

Wednesday Night Craft

Women’s Fellowship will be holding a craft night tomorrow night, September 23rd at 6:30pm. All are welcome.

Welcome, Pastor Chuck!

We are delighted to welcome the Rev. Dr. Chuck Williams to our staff as FCCV’s part-time Pastor of Congregational Care! Pastor Chuck officially began his ministry with us on September 8.

Pastor Chuck was ordained in 1994 and has served churches in Maine, New York, and Connecticut. He also served as a correctional chaplain, retiring in 2022 as Director of Religious Services, and most recently worked as a hospice chaplain.

Chuck has been part of the FCCV community since 2022. He lives in Tolland with his wife, Darinda, and enjoys fishing, motorcycling, reading, traveling, leisurely breakfasts, and spending time with friends.

Please join us in warmly welcoming Pastor Chuck to our staff team! We are grateful for the experience, compassion, and care he brings to our shared ministry.

Pastor Alisa Begins Doctor of Ministry Program

I am excited to share that I have begun the Doctor of Ministry program at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace!

I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to continue learning and growing in ministry. Thank you to FCCV for supporting me in this endeavor and for providing continuing education funds as part of my call. Your encouragement and investment mean so much to me.

I look forward to sharing what I learn and bringing new ideas, insights, and resources into our shared ministry at FCCV!

An Opportunity to Help a Family in Our Church Community

Many of us know Lisandra Laguna Lopez and her family, who have been part of our FCCV community for the past few years. As they continue navigating the immigration process, they have reached a point where the assistance of an immigration attorney is important—and the cost of that legal support is significant.

Lynn and Tom Sweet and Paul Shimer have been walking alongside the family and have helped secure an attorney. They are also contributing toward the legal fees and invite others in our church family to join them.

While we may not be able to address every challenge within our immigration system, we can make a real difference for a family we know and care about.

If you would like to help with attorney fees, please make your gift to FCCV and write “Immigration Attorney” in the memo. You may also speak with Lynn, Tom, or Paul for more information.

Thank you for helping us put compassion into action and care for our neighbors in a tangible way.

Neighbors in Need: Love in Action

What does it look like to be a good neighbor? Sometimes it means showing up, speaking out, sharing what we have, and standing alongside communities working for justice.

The United Church of Christ’s Neighbors in Need offering helps make that possible across the United States. One-third of the offering supports the Council for American Indian Ministry (CAIM), while the remaining funds provide grants and support for UCC churches and organizations engaged in advocacy, direct service, and justice work in their own communities.

On Sunday, October 4th, we will receive a special Neighbors in Need offering during worship. You may also give by mailing a check payable to FCCV with “Neighbors in Need” in the memo line, or by giving online through the link below. Please note that online donations are processed securely.

Together, our gifts help neighbors near and far turn compassion into action.

World Communion Sunday, October 4th

In celebration of World Communion Sunday, our worship table will display items collected from around the world. If you have a special item we may borrow, please bring it to the church office by Thursday, October 1st, with your name and contact information attached. Items may be taken home after worship on October 4th.

Thank you for helping us celebrate the beauty and diversity of God’s world!

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!

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.

Join the Choir!

Next practice will be Saturday, October 3rd at 10am to sing during the October 4th service at 10 am

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.

Next practice will be October 3rd at 10am in the Sanctuary.

Apple Fest 2026

If you love everything fall, and everything apple, join us for the Apple Fest!

The Apple Place in East Longmeadow is holding their annual Apple Fest, on October 3rd. We will gather from 12pm-4pm.

There will be live music, 25+ vendors, and a corn maze will be open from 12-6pm. Great for all ages, there is a playground area for the kids and animals they can visit. 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.

Please sign up so that we know who and how many people to look out for! Sign up by contacting Sarah in the Programs office, or in person on Sunday morning, at the Programs table.
The address is:
540 Somers Road/ Route 83, East Longmeadow, MA, United States, 01028

Talent Show

TALENT SHOW Do you sing? Dance? Perform magic? Play an instrument? Speed draw? Whatever your talent may be, show us what you've got at our upcoming TALENT SHOW, on October 23rd at 7pm, in the church sanctuary. We will be looking for a few volunteers to help with the setup (moving the mic around) on the rehearsal October 21st at 6:30pm, and on the day of the show. We are also looking for people to help run the reception after. Contact Leanne or the church office to sign up!

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.

Jewelry Donations for the Holiday Fair

Do you have some jewelry that you don’t need anymore? We are accepting donations of gently used jewelry for our jewlery booth for the Holiday Fair! Items can be dropped off at the church office. For more information, please speak with Valerie Sexton or contact the church office

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.

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 131 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

Registration for Children and Youth Activities

If you haven't registered your children already, we have some programs underway and some programs beginning in early October! We are always happy to welcome back our children and youth every fall. Registrations are up on our website under "Children and Youth", but if you require assistance in registering, please call the church office. Please see information regarding each program below.

Sunday Night Live

This faith-based program is for children ages 2 through fifth grade on Sunday evenings, from 4:30pm to 5:30pm. Each session features a new program. A great option if you can't make it to Sunday Funday on Sunday mornings, or if you are looking for more fun activities for your child(ren). For more information click here.

Youth Group (starts October 4th)

FCCV Youth Group is for middle and high school students. Need not be a member for youth to attend! Youth Group typically meets twice a month on the first and third Sunday of the month from 5-6:30pm. Youth will gather in the Youth Group room, which is located off of the balcony hallway in the back of the sanctuary. For more information click here.

Sunday Funday

Children who are age five up to grade twelve are welcome to join our Sunday School education program- it is fun, interactive and taught by seasoned volunteers. For more information click here.

Childcare Room

All children are welcome in worship! But if you would like to, you can bring your young children (age four and younger) to our childcare room drop them off before worship and pick them up when worship ends. For more information or to register click here.

Historical Note

Centennial #10: An Early Endowment

We have been following the planning of the Celebration held to commemorate the building of the 1826 Meeting House of the Vernon Congregational Church. The celebration weekend was held on Saturday and Sunday the 25th and 26th of September 1926…so 100 years ago this coming weekend. We”ll “wrap up” the coverage of this big event next week, but for now, I will mention one of the most impressive results to come from this event. As recorded in a letter that went out introducing the Centennial year:

We are entirely convinced that our church will be of value to the future as it has the past, and we are earnestly hoping that one permanent result of this celebration will be the formation of an endowment fund, the income of which will ensure the preservation of the necessary buildings in creditable condition and adequately insured.

Over $2000.00 (a healthy amount in 1926) was raised for this new fund during the weekend, and it was anticipated that additional gifts would be received. The endowment was initially called the Centennial Fund and was later changed to the General Maintenance Fund. Since 1926, the church has benefited from many endowments which are looked after by our Finance Group. The Centennial Endowment Fund was a special acknowledgement by people of the 1926 Vernon Church that they could envision a long and positive future for the church we now, in 2026, call FCCV!

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.

Wednesday Walkers

The Wednesday Walkers were warned about a tree down on the trail. They decided to stand (sit) guard for a bit to warn cyclists and runners who might run into it. DEEP quickly came to the rescue.

Join us at 9am at the Church Street parking lot for the Vernon Rails to Trails. It's a great group!

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.

Cornhole is Done for the Season

Cornhole is done for the season. Thanks to all who have participated.

Men’s Fellowship Breakfast

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

Monday Morning Bible Study

Feel free to drop by and bring a friend!

Join us every Monday (excluding holidays) at 10:45 a.m. in Kellogg Hall for our Monday Morning Bible Study.

Our current study is focused on learning what other religions believe and gaining a better understanding of different faith traditions.

Next week — September 28:
We will be learning about the Hindu faith.

All are welcome to join us!

For questions, please contact Millie or the church office.

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:

Carson & Hudson- Devon's sons navigating difficult challenges, Rich- Andy and Joanne’s son-in-law, Amanda, Max and Alison- Emily’s friends, Steve and Nancy Bright, healing for Anna, 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, 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, all who are navigating a difficult season of mental health and their loved ones who walk beside them, and love, care and connection for animals currently in shelters.

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.