Schedule For the Week of September 14th
Office hours are Monday-Thursday from 9am-3pm.
Monday, September 15
Monday Morning Women’s Study - 9:30am-11am - Zoom*
Nominating Committee - 7pm - Zoom*
Pastoral Search Committee - 7pm - Youth Room & Zoom*
Tuesday, September 16
Morrison’s Gang (weekly fix-it group) – 8am-noon - Fellowship Hall
Fellowship Committee - 7pm - Room 2 & Zoom*
Stewardship Committee - 7pm - Zoom*
Wednesday, September 17
Children’s Choirs - 4pm - 5pm - Music Room
Bell Choir - 6pm - Meetinghouse
Fellowship Hall Financial Task Force - 7pm - Youth Room
Thursday, September 18
Bible Study - 10:30am-11:30am - Youth Room & Zoom*
Friday, September 19
Office Closed
Saturday, September 20
Men’s Fellowship – 8am-9am – Fellowship Hall
Women’s Fellowship – 8:30-9:30am – Youth Room & Zoom*
Barn Donations - 9am - noon - Barn
Thrift Shop - 9am - noon - Parsonage
Faith & Fellowship Campfire Chat - 6pm - 18 Merwin Brook Road, Brookfield
Sunday – September 21
8:30am - Meetinghouse Communion Worship with Church School & Nursery Care
10:30am – Meetinghouse Worship with Church School & Nursery Care
* For more information or to get Zoom links, please be in touch with office@uccb.org
Youth Fellowship Kick Off Service Project – Sunday, September 14ᵗʰ
We will kick off our Youth Fellowship ministry year with an opportunity to put our hands to work in
service to others. Youth in grades 6-12 are invited, along with their parents, to come and share in
making the hot meal for Dorothy Day Hospitality House. Along with the opportunity to cook, bake and
serve will be the chance to think and talk a bit about Youth Fellowship – what activities we would
like to participate in throughout the year. What important topics do we want to talk about? What
opportunities for service would we like to take? What kind of FUN do we want to have as we grow in
faith together?
More information about the timing of this kick-off event is to come, so if you are not already on
Pastor Jen’s email list for Youth Fellowship, please do be in touch and let her know that you would
like to be added. You can email at jennifer@uccb.org or call the Church Office at 203-775-1259 to
be sure that we have your best contact information for regular Youth Fellowship communications.
NOTE: We have two Youth Fellowship groups that meet throughout the school year. We have a Junior
Youth Fellowship (JYF) group for 6ᵗʰ-8ᵗʰ graders and a Senior Youth Fellowship group (SYF) for
9ᵗʰ-12ᵗʰ graders.
Faith & Fellowship Campfire Chat – Saturday, September 20ᵗʰ at 6pm
Faith and Fellowship is back after our summer hiatus! And we have planned our first event! If you
haven’t joined us before, please feel free to come and check us out.
What: Firepit Chat
Where: Wendy Elsen’s House (18 Merwin Brook Road, Brookfield)
When: Saturday, September 20th
Time: 6pm
As usual we will have s’mores. Soft drinks and a bit of wine will be available. Please feel free to
bring whatever beverage or snacks you might want.
We will catch up with each other, and chat about future Faith and Fellowship plans. So bring your
calendars! Please RSVP to either Wendy or Susan. We hope to hear from you!
Wendy Elsen - wendyjoelsen@yahoo.com Susan Dodd - susan.dodd@charter.net
We Welcome Rabbi Ari Rosenberg to Worship on September 21ˢᵗ!
Rabbi Ari is the Executive Director of the Association of Religious Communities (ARC) in Danbury.
Our youth mission team worked with ARC’s food pantry, La Comida, during their service week this
summer. La Comida will be one of the recipients of our Yankee Fair Mission Funds. Rabbi Ari will be
in worship on Sunday, September 21ˢᵗ to share about ARC and more.
We hope you will join us!
Church School – The Seasons of God’s Time
This year’s Church School theme is SEASONS OF GOD’S TIME: A Journey Through the Colors and Purpose
of the Church Year. Our children is grades pre-k through 6 will be learning about the seasons of
the church, what happens during each, what special details there are to know about them, and how
they help us grow in relationship with God.
Our older youth in grades 7-12 are welcome to assist in Church School or the Nursery, as well as to
participate in our Youth Service Sundays, which will take place roughly twice a month with
opportunities to put hands to work in service to the Church and the wider world.
If you would like more information about our Church School ministry, please be in touch with our
Church SchoolCoordinator, Barbara Crandell at barbara@uccb.org or through the Church Office.
What Feeds Your Spirit?
Throughout the year we try to have opportunities beyond Sunday morning worship for our adults to
grow in faith and fellowship as well. We have Men’s & Women’s Fellowship on Saturday mornings,
Monday Morning Women’s Study, Thursday morning Bible Study, Serendippers Lunches, and our Faith &
Fellowship Group Activities – alongside various Welcome & Fellowship activities.
However, we want to know what would feed your spirit and work in your schedule. Is it a second-hour
program about a particular topic? A one-minute video message shared occasionally? A meditation
space and time during the week? A book study? Theology on Tap? A conversation about current events
from a faith perspective? A movie series?
If you have thoughts or ideas about a particular topic that interests you, the type of study you
would like to engage in, and/or what timing would be best for your schedule, we invite you to reach
out to Pastor Jen at jennifer@uccb.org or Caitlyn Doenges (Christian Education Chair) at
caitlynkennerly@gmail.com.
Yankee Fair Update
Things are moving along in preparation for our Yankee Fair and Barn Sale on Saturday, October 18ᵗʰ.
If you are wondering if there are ways you can help, here are some ideas:
• Donate wicker baskets for the Silent Auction. These can be left under the stairs that lead up to
Brooks Hall as you enter through the courtyard door.
• Donate other goods to the Barn on Saturdays in September from 9am-12noon.
• Volunteer to spend a few hours helping the week leading up to the Fair or in a booth on Yankee
Fair Day. Email jackjbrown57@gmail.com if you would like to help.
• Grab a few posters and place them in spaces around the community to help advertise this great
event.
This year’s Fair Theme is Sharing the Love, Loving to Share. We know that the Fair doesn’t happen
without everyone, so we thank you for your willingness to share your gifts, time, and talents!
Children’s & Bell Choirs Beginning
Ring & Sing is Back!
Our Children’s Singing Choirs and Adult Bell Choir are starting up again, and we can’t wait to make
music together! Whether you love to sing, ring, or both, there’s a place for you. Come join the
fun, make new friends, and lift your voice (or your bells!) in joyful praise.
Children's Choir rehearsals will be on Wednesdays. Grades K-2 will meet at 4:00-4:30pm. Grades 3-6
will meet at 4:30-5:00pm. All kids are welcome — no experience needed!
Adult Bells has their Shine & Dine on September 10ᵗʰ and will look forward to holding the first
rehearsal on September 17ᵗʰ at 6pm in the Meetinghouse.
Let’s make a joyful noise to the Lord!
The Welcome Committee presents a night (or matinee) of theater!
What: “M Butterfly” by David Henry Hwang
For details about the content as well as showtimes, PLEASE see:
https://www.brookfieldtheatre.org/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._Butterfly
Where: Brookfield Theatre 184 Whisconier Rd, Brookfield, CT 06804
When: September 12, 2025 - October 4, 2025
What to do:
● Call 203-775-0023 to reserve tickets (pay by credit card, check, or cash that evening).
● When calling and picking up, inform the box office that you are from the Congregational Church
of Brookfield and use the code “CCB2025”.
● General Admission CCB Discount Tickets: $20, Senior and Student Admission CCB Discount Tickets: $16
● To use the discount - with no handling fees - do not order on-line.
FISH Drivers Needed – An Opportunity to Serve the Community
FISH is a volunteer program that arranges free car transportation for Brookfield residents for
medical appointments between 9am-2pm. The drivers are all volunteers. Right now, there is a
significant shortage of drivers. If you or someone you know might be willing to be a driver helping
to get people in need of transportation to their appointments, please call 203-616-9678 and leave a
message with your contact information, and one of the FISH coordinators will get
back to you.
Sharing to Build, Building to Share Campaign Update
The elevator in our newly renovated and now accessible Fellowship Hall passed state inspection! Now we wait for the Building Inspector to issue our Certificate of Occupancy.
If you haven’t seen Fellowship Hall recently please stop by and walk around. It looks open and fresh, and there are no tables and chairs being stored against the wall! The cabinets are the highlight of the room. We have a very talented cabinet maker amongst us. A big shout out to Ken Arifian!
We look forward to celebrating this accomplishment in our new space on Sunday, September 28th after a SINGLE 10:30am service of worship with a Ribbon Cutting and special Fellowship Time. We hope you will be able to join us!
We continue to be in awe of your continued financial support. Thank you to:
● all who have already fulfilled their pledge
● those who gave generously over and above their pledge gift
● everyone who made a gift to the campaign without pledging
Each and every one of these gifts, along with those that continue to come in on track to fulfill pledges and donated cans and bottles we continue to redeem, are making a significant impact. All of your giving is truly appreciated. Thank you!
As you may recall, our campaign pledge gifts are scheduled to be completed by November. As of this update, we are still hopeful that we will receive nearly $56,000 in outstanding pledge gifts in these final 3 months. However, based on information we know today, expected committed pledge gifts may be short by $20,000 - $25,000 from originally pledged amounts. We will know our total pledge gifts received in early December.
The project and final payments to the contractor will be within the next 4-6 weeks. With pledge gifts being completed in November, we may need to borrow funds to cover the anticipated cash flow gap.
Please remember that accelerating pledge giving (or any additional gifts!) will greatly reduce any borrowing. If you are able to complete your pledge before November, we would be grateful to hear from you. Please contact Jim Sugden
at jim@jimsugden.com. If it is not possible, we understand and thank you for your continued giving, commitment, prayers and support!
If you wish to learn more about these income and expense details and project completion timeline,
please feel free to reach out to any member of the Fellowship Hall Financial Task Force: Ken Arifian, Laurie Matson, Michael Matson, Monica McInerney, Alan Peck, Jim Sugden, and Rod Wutzl.
Congregational Church of Brookfield Church Council Meeting Notes- September 9, 2025
• The Associate Pastor search committee begins again September 15th.
• Personnel is finalizing the Office Administration role description and will be finalizing the decision soon!
• The Music Committee will be posting the job description for the Music Director in the very near future on multiple sites. It is noted that it will be hard to find one person to lead all of the ministries, so the job description has been set up appropriately. They are considering paid auditions.
o Thank you to Patty Taylor and Kristen Dorell as they have stepped up to get the Children’s Choir and Bells started up again. They and the other musicians that help lead worship will be compensated.
• It was decided that the Yankee Fair mission portion of the proceeds will be split equally between two groups which offer assistance on the rising need for food in our area; Dorothy Day Hospitality House, and La Comida at the Association of Religious Communities (ARC).
• Committees have been asked to review the ByLaws and make note of updates that need to be made.
• Dave Goral discussed the progress made to date on needed upgrades to the Media Booth and Sound System. He is working with Dave Honeyford. They noted more issues need to be resolved than originally voted on at the Annual Meeting.
o Council approved taking steps to explore an additional $15,000 in funding to supplement the already approved $20,000 for Media Booth and sound system upgrades, bringing the total project budget to not exceed $35,000.
• Fellowship Hall Accessibility Project Ribbon Cutting will be on Sunday, September 28, 2025
o Elevator has passed inspection.
o The Fellowship Hall Space will not be used until that date.
o Outside users will not be able to use the space until the Certificate of Occupancy is in hand.
• Facilities Use Update
o Blood drives will come back in December and next year.
o Deirdra has been very helpful in creating a tracking form on use and payments. She is willing to
contact organizations when they fall behind.
o The Facilities Use Group will update the forms that are presented to the users of the spaces.
• A Pie Fundraiser to supplement funds for the beautification of Fellowship Hall will be held on November 23. A SERRV sale will be held in conjunction with the pie sale.
• A newcomers gathering will be scheduled in the near future.
• Stewardship advised 6 month statements will be going out in November.
• Church Council celebrated the milestone that the thrift shop has reached $100,000 in proceeds since the inception! A recent decision to distribute $6,000 of the Thrift Shop receipts to several organizations will be shared with the congregation.
• Fellowship shared planned activities scheduled in the coming months:
o Observatory visit rescheduled to 10/19,
o Patty Kiely will be back with cake decorating
o Kerri Colombo will hold an organization discussion
o Dave Goral will lead a haunted tour of the church
• Preliminary budgets are due to the Vice Moderator by November. Alan will send out reminders.
• Any thoughts on the new blast email format, let Deirdra know.
• Jen has contacted Rabbi Ari Rosenberg and others for pulpit support.
Schedule For the Week of September 7th
Office hours are Monday-Thursday from 9am-3pm.
Monday, September 8
Monday Morning Women’s Study - 9:30am-11am - Zoom
Together Women’s Rise Potluck - 6pm - Quinsland Home (40 Secor Road, Brookfield)
Tuesday, September 9
Morrison’s Gang (weekly fix-it group) – 8am-12noon - Fellowship Hall
Serendippers Lunch - 12pm - Brooks Hall
Church Council - 7pm - Youth Room & Zoom
Wednesday, September 10
Children’s Choirs - 4pm - 5pm - Music Room
Bell Choir Shine & Dine - 6pm - Brooks Hall
Christian Education Committee - 7pm - Zoom
Thursday, September 11
Bible Study - 10:30am-11:30am - Youth Room & Zoom
Friday, September 12
Office Closed
Saturday, September 13
Men’s Fellowship – 8am-9am – Fellowship Hall
Women’s Fellowship – 8:30-9:30am – Youth Room & Zoom*
Barn Donations - 9am - noon - Barn
Sunday – September 14
8:30am - Meetinghouse Communion Worship with Church School & Nursery Care 10:30am – Meetinghouse
Worship with Church School & Nursery Care Time TBA - Youth Fellowship Kick Off Service Project - Fellowship Hall
* For more information or to get Zoom links, please be in touch with office@uccb.org
Week of September 7, 2025 Announcements
Faith Formation Information:
Church School – The Seasons of God’s Time
This year’s Church School theme is SEASONS OF GOD’S TIME: A Journey Through the Colors and Purpose
of the Church Year. Our children is grades pre-k through 6 will be learning about the seasons of
the church, what happens during each, what special details there are to know about them, and how
they help us grow in relationship with God.
Our older youth in grades 7-12 are welcome to assist in Church School or the Nursery, as well as to
participate in our Youth Service Sundays, which will take place roughly twice a month with
opportunities to put hands to work in service to the Church and the wider world.
If you would like more information about our Church School ministry, please be in touch with our
Church School Coordinator, Barbara Crandell at barbara@uccb.org or through the Church Office.
Youth Fellowship Kick Off Service Project – Sunday, September 14ᵗʰ
We will kick off our Youth Fellowship ministry year with an opportunity to put our hands to work in
service to others. Youth in grades 6-12 are invited, along with their parents, to come and share in
making the hot meal for Dorothy Day Hospitality House. Along with the opportunity to cook, bake and
serve will be the chance to think and talk a bit about Youth Fellowship – what activities we would
like to participate in throughout the year. What important topics do we want to talk about? What
opportunities for service would we like to take? What kind of FUN do we want to have as we grow in
faith together?
More information about the timing of this kick-off event is to come, so if you are not already on
Pastor Jen’s email list for Youth Fellowship, please do be in touch and let her know that you would
like to be added. You can email at jennifer@uccb.org or call the Church Office at 203-775-1259 to
be sure that we have your best contact information for regular Youth Fellowship communications.
NOTE: We have two Youth Fellowship groups that meet throughout the school year. We have a Junior
Youth Fellowship (JYF) group for 6ᵗʰ-8ᵗʰ graders and a Senior Youth Fellowship group (SYF) for
9ᵗʰ-12ᵗʰ graders.
What Feeds Your Spirit?
Throughout the year we try to have opportunities beyond Sunday morning worship for our adults to
grow in faith and fellowship as well. We have Men’s & Women’s Fellowship on Saturday mornings,
Monday Morning Women’s Study, Thursday morning Bible Study, Serendippers Lunches, and our Faith &
Fellowship Group Activities – alongside various Welcome & Fellowship activities.
However, we want to know what would feed your spirit and work in your schedule. Is it a second-hour
program about a particular topic? A one-minute video message shared occasionally? A meditation
space and time during the week? A book study? Theology on Tap? A conversation about current events
from a faith perspective? A movie series?
If you have thoughts or ideas about a particular topic that interests you, the type of study you
would like to engage in, and/or what timing would be best for your schedule, we invite you to reach
out to Pastor Jen at jennifer@uccb.org or Caitlyn Doenges (Christian Education Chair) at
caitlynkennerly@gmail.com.
Yankee Fair Silent Auction Request
Silent Auction is requesting donations of wicker baskets. These can be left under the stairs that
lead up to Brooks Hall as you enter through the courtyard door. Thank you!
Can you arrive 10 minutes early to church? Join the Greeters
The Welcome Committee is looking for additional folks to serve as Greeters. Greeters arrive about
10-15 minutes prior to the service and welcome people at the door as they enter. Yes, it’s that
simple…and a great way to get to know people!
Please contact Carol Ryan at candlewoodcarol@sbcglobal.net if you are interested.
Coffee Hour Sign Up Sheet
The sign-up sheet for fall is now available inside Brooks Hall and outside of the church office.
Coffee Hour takes place immediately after the 10:30am worship service. As a host, you provide a
snack or two for about 40 people - homemade or store bought, cream for coffee and perhaps some
juice for our kiddos. (Paper goods, coffee and tea supplies are provided.) Contact Elayne Schwartz
at elayne0614@gmail.com or the Office at office@uccb.org for more info or if interested.
Together Women Rise Potluck Dinner – September 8ᵗʰ at 6pm
Women and girls in Cambodia face many challenges, most notably, deeply harmful gender norms,
gender-based violence, early pregnancies, limited employment opportunities, and political
underrepresentation. The Girls Access To
Education (GATE - one of the NGOs sponsored by Lotus Outreach) project helps girls overcome
barriers to education in impoverished rural regions of Cambodia. It inspires a passion for learning
and an understanding of the value of education among the girls, who often face severe poverty, risk
of exploitation, and lack of educational opportunities. This grant will ensure these young women
are able to complete secondary education, pursue
self-directed lives, and protect themselves from violence, exploitation, and trafficking. This
project targets high-performing girls who are at risk for leaving school. It works with girls,
their families, and community advocates with a focus on scholarships and safety, a rapid response
to problems, and a
participatory approach for continuous improvement.
Our potluck to support GATE will be at Olivia Quinsland’s house (40 Secor Road, Brookfield). Bring
food to share for dinner, a willingness to learn, and a monetary donation if able. Please let
Olivia know if you plan to attend (ctquinsland@gmail.com or 203-470-7700).
Serendippers Lunch – Tuesday, September 9th at 12noon
We are so excited to welcome you all back to our Serendippers Luncheon, as we begin again with a
wonderful lunch and opportunity to reconnect in Brooks Hall on Tuesday, September 9ᵗʰ.
Menu: Lemonade Punch, Italian Pasta Salad, Rolls, Watermelon, Peach/Blueberry Cobbler with Ice
Cream
Program: Our own Deirdra Wallin will present the Program. Deirdra is a Horticulture Therapist,
Advanced Master Gardener, Master Composter and Master Naturalist. She will provide the program,
"Local Birds and How to Support Them in Your Yard." Deirdra will share a pictorial presentation
about a variety of ways to support our resident, breeding, migrating and rare birds in your yard.
She will discuss a variety of plants that can be planted for the birds as we approach Fall.
Please RSVP ASAP to sue.ronan21@gmail.com or the Church office at office at 203-775-1259.
Faith & Fellowship Campfire Chat – Saturday, September 20ᵗʰ at 6pm
Faith and Fellowship is back after our summer hiatus! And we have planned our first event! If you
haven’t joined us before, please feel free to come and check us out.
What: Firepit Chat
Where: Wendy Elsen’s House (18 Merwin Brook Road, Brookfield)
When: Saturday, September 20th
Time: 6pm
As usual we will have s’mores. Soft drinks and a bit of wine will be available. Please feel free to
bring whatever beverage or snacks you might want.
We will catch up with each other, and chat about future Faith and Fellowship plans. So bring your
calendars! Please RSVP to either Wendy or Susan. We hope to hear from you!
Wendy Elsen - wendyjoelsen@yahoo.com Susan Dodd - susan.dodd@charter.net
Children’s & Bell Choirs Beginning – Wednesday, September 10ᵗʰ
Ring & Sing is Back!
Our Children’s Singing Choirs and Adult Bell Choir are starting up again, and we can’t wait to make
music together! Whether you love to sing, ring, or both, there’s a place for you. Come join the
fun, make new friends, and lift your voice (or your bells!) in joyful praise.
Children's Choir begins Wednesday, September 10th with a kick-off at the "Pj's and Pancakes"
celebration September 7ᵗʰ. All kids are welcome — no experience needed!
Rehearsals will be on Wednesdays:
Grades K-2 will meet at 4:00-4:30pm
Grades 3-6 will meet at 4:30-5:00pm
Adult Bells will have their "Shine and Dine" September 10th at 6:00pm with the first rehearsal on
September 17th.
Let’s make a joyful noise to the Lord!
The Welcome Committee presents a night (or matinee) of theater!
What: “M Butterfly” by David Henry Hwang
For details about the content as well as showtimes, PLEASE see:
https://www.brookfieldtheatre.org/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._Butterfly
Where: Brookfield Theatre 184 Whisconier Rd, Brookfield, CT 06804
When: September 12, 2025 - October 4, 2025
What to do:
● Call 203-775-0023 to reserve tickets (pay by credit card, check, or cash that evening).
● When calling and picking up, inform the box office that you are from the Congregational Church of
Brookfield and use the code “CCB2025”.
● General Admission CCB Discount Tickets: $20, Senior and Student Admission CCB Discount Tickets:
$16
● To use the discount - with no handling fees - do not order on-line.
FISH Drivers Needed – An Opportunity to Serve the Community
FISH is a volunteer program that arranges free car transportation for Brookfield residents for
medical appointments between 9am-2pm. The drivers are all volunteers. Right now, there is a
significant shortage of drivers. If you or someone you know might be willing to be a driver helping
to get people in need of transportation to their appointments, please call 203-616-9678 and leave a
message with your contact information, and one of the FISH coordinators will get
back to you.
