Tuesday Tidbits 10/6/26

First Congregational Church of Vernon United Church of Christ

Tuesday Tidbits

October 6, 2026

Happy Birthday to all who are celebrating a birthday in October.

Church Office Closed

The church office will be closed Monday, October 12th in observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

Monday Morning Bible Study

In observance of the holiday next Monday the 12th, there will be no Monday Morning Bible Study. Class will resume on the 29th.

Church Inning: Putting Your Garden to Bed, October 19th at 7pm

Presented by Vicki DeLeo, UConn Master Gardener and the Program Coordinator for Tolland County. Learn what you can do now, to have success with your gardens in the Spring! Meeting in Fellowship Hall, of First Congregational Church of Vernon. Free and open to the public!

*This event is being run by the Vernon Garden Club, and is being presented as an "Inning", for our program Innings and Outings, which are events of all sorts, for adults of all ages to hang out and do things together!

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!

Join the Choir!

Next practice will be Saturday, October 17th at 10am in the Sanctuary to sing during the October 18th 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.

Handbell Workshop

Join us for a handbell workshop after choir rehearsal on the 17th, from 11:00am–12:00pm in the Sanctuary.

We’ll take a look at the bells and music and spend some time getting familiar with playing the bells and reading the music.

Come learn, explore, and have some fun ringing!

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!

Come to Sermon Salon, where we can explore our thoughts and questions together! Thursdays at 2pm in the church library. For more info, please contact Sarah in the Church Programs office (sromangreaves@gmail.com).

This week's sermon for discussion is below. If you need a paper copy, please contact the church office: "Held in Love" (sermon October 4th 2026)

Wear Your Costume to Church on October 25th

On Sunday, October 25th, let’s wear our costumes to worship—even if you can’t participate in Trunk or Treat.

Trunk or Treat

Coming up on Sunday, October 25th, we will have “Trunk or Treat" on the side lawn near Center Road, after worship.

If you would like to participate in handing out candy/treats after church from the trunk of your car, please contact Sarah Roman Greaves (church programs office- sromangreaves@gmail.com) so we can reserve a spot for you. There is also a sign-up in Fellowship Hall at the Church Programs table. You are invited to come to church dressed up in costume to be a part of the festivities! Invite your friends and their families to join in.

Women's Fellowship will have a craft table, so that kids can enjoy seasonal crafts before or after they get their candy.

RAINY DAY PLANS: If it rains, all of our "trunk" displays will move into Fellowship Hall, and we will hold the event indoors.

Jewelry Donations for the Holiday Fair!

Do you have jewelry you no longer need? We are accepting gently used jewelry donations for our jewelry booth at the Holiday Fair!

Items may be dropped off at the church office. Please bring your donations in soon so the committee has time to sort and price everything before the Holiday Fair on November 7th.

For more information, please speak with Valerie Sexton or contact the church office.

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.

100 More Acts of Kindness- can we do it by Nov 13th?

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. But November 13th is World Kindness day... can we do it? Could we complete our Kindness Campaign by November 13th?

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 150 acts of kindness...

Why make our own kindness more visible? I've been told by a few people that going out of their way to do kind things, rather than doing them naturally, feels uncomfortable. Shouldn't we be doing kind things every day anyway? Well, yes! But here's the thing. Studies show that we tend to think of other people as less kind, less generous, less altruistic than they actually are (cited below). To make our kindness more visible is to renew our faith in the goodness of one another. Please join us in making a more visible culture of kindness- in this church and beyond!

Studies:
Recognizing Kindness and Generosity Increases Them | Psychology Today
Finding hope in a cynical world | Stanford Report
On the illusion of moral decline:
Are we worse people than we used to be? Big Brains podcast with Adam Mastroianni | University of Chicago News
Also, what can stop us from being kind?:
What stops people from being kinder?

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!

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.

Youth Group

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 Night Live (starts October 18th)

Sunday Night Live will begin on October 18th from 4:30pm-5:30pm. This faith-based program is for children ages 2 through fifth grade on Sunday evenings. 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.

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.

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 19th, 7pm: Putting Your Garden to Bed - Vernon Garden Club, Fellowship Hall

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.

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 had a pre-walk celebration of Fall and Fall birthdays this past week. Happy Birthday to all born September 22nd through December 21st. New walkers are encouraged to join this fun group. Just stop by the Church Street parking lot at 9am, introduce yourself and join the walk. 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.

Women’s Fellowship

Women’s Fellowship will be holding a craft night tomorrow night, October 7th at 6:30pm. All are welcome.

Men’s Fellowship Breakfast

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

Theology on Tap

Theology on Tap meets on Thursdays, from 6 7pm 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.

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:

Joanne M- preparing for major back surgery on Wednesday, Aleah- navigating medical complexities, Rachel and Joe as they seek to start a family, Carson & Hudson- Devon's sons, Rich- Andy and Joanne’s son-in-law, Amanda, Max and Alison- Emily’s friends, 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, 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, and Dave S

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.