Notes for the Week of July 13, 2025
This week’s summer Office hours will be Tuesday-Thursday from 9am-12:30pm.
Monday, July 14 – Office Closed
Women’s Study – 9:30-11:00am – Zoom*
Tuesday, July 15
Morrison’s Gang (weekly fix-it group) – 8:00am-12noon – Fellowship Hall
Wednesday, July 16
Thursday, July 17
Bible Study – 10:30-11:30am – Youth Room & Zoom*
Friday, July 18 – Office Closed
Saturday, July 19
Men’s Fellowship – 8:00-9:00am – Fellowship Hall
Women’s Fellowship – 8:30-9:30am – Youth Room & Zoom*
Thrift Shop – 9:00am-12:00pm - Parsonage
Sunday – July 20
8:30am – Outdoor Worship in the Outdoor Chapel with Church School & Nursery care
10:30am – Worship in the Meetinghouse with Church School & Nursery care
* For more information or to get Zoom links, please be in touch with 
office@uccb.org.
Camelot
Welcome to Camelot! A night - or mid-day - of theater brought to you by the Welcome Committee!!
What: “Camelot”
Where: Brookfield Theatre, 184 Whisconier Rd, Brookfield, CT 06804
When: Weekends; first performance date is TODAY, Friday, 7/11 - last date is Saturday, 8/2.
Recommended arrival: 7:30pm; show starts at 8pm. There are Sunday matinees also.
· 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 - $28, Seniors - $24, Students (with ID) - $20
*The CCB2025 code will work if you order online - however, you will be charged a fee - thus you might just want to reserve by phone, then pay that evening.
Yarn Available for Prayer Shawls & Service Projects
Are you a knitter or crocheter? Or would you like to learn one of these skills?
We have yarn available for people who would like to contribute to our Prayer Shawl Ministry, our ministry with the Linus Blanket Project, or with another one of our mission partners who request items like hats and scarves when the weather turns colder.
If you are interested in participating in one of these ministries, we invite you to check out the collection of yarn we have stored in the classroom in the Church School wing closest to the Office. And if you have any questions about what is needed, how to get started, or who might be a good teacher, please be in touch with Pastor Jen (jennifer@uccb.org or 203-775-1259 ext 308).
Confirmation Project Thank You
Our confirmands would like to thank you for your support of their projects on behalf of
Because 4 Paws and Traveler On a Mission.
With gratitude for your generous giving, we were able to collect and deliver numerous cans/bags of dog food and treats, leashes and a dog collar, as well as cat food and treats, and kitty litter. You were also generous in sharing your gently used towels and blankets, which are in big demand at animal rescue organizations like Because 4 Paws. These items were so very gratefully accepted.
Thanks to your generosity, we will also be sending bags and boxes full of toothpaste & toothbrushes, deodorant, razors, soap & body wash, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, q-tips, toilet paper, tissues, feminine hygiene products, underwear, facecloths, and more to young adults who have come through the foster care system and are headed to college. Because these are items that cannot be purchased with any kind of special benefits, they are so very important to these young people who are trying to move on and establish healthy futures. These items will be delivered to Traveler On a Mission in the coming weeks.
Thank you so much once again for your generosity and for shining a bright light into the lives of these young adults and some special 4-leggeds!
Together Women Rise
Together Women Rise** will not meet this month, but we wanted to share information about the organization’s July Grantee.
The July grantee is:
Rural Health & Education Service Trust (RHEST) - Nepal
The mission of RHEST is to reduce social malpractices such as girl trafficking, early marriage, forced labor, domestic violence, and sexual abuse through education, and to empower and promote the health of Nepali girls and young women. The Stop Girl Trafficking (SGT) Program keeps at-risk girls in school, reducing their susceptibility to trafficking, early marriage, and forced labor. The program relieves the family of the financial burden of education by covering school fees; distributing necessary educational materials to support learning; assisting in the girls’ academic performance by providing additional coaching and tutoring; and implementing mentorship programs with alumni and other young women.
Together Women Rise (TWR) puts a heavy focus on keeping girls in school for as long as possible. Covering school fees is essential because poor families can’t send their girls to school if they have to cover the costs for both their boys and girls. If forced to choose, they will choose to educate the boy and marry off the girl as early as possible. The delivery of the program is through long-standing relationships with local, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the organization has a solid, lengthy record of accomplishment.
If you have questions about TWR, please speak with Olivia Quinsland (ctquinsland@gmail.com), or about RHEST, you can go their website: http://rhest.org/ If you would like to make a donation to this month’s grantee through Together Women Rise, you can visit togetherwomenrise.org, click on grantees. You will see RHEST under July. (Please put Olivia’s name as the chapter leader.)
**Together Women Rise is a ministry at CCB that meets in person 5 times per year for a potluck dinner and to learn about the month’s grantee. There are hundreds of local chapters of TWR across the U.S. where members learn about and advocate for gender equality issues, give grants to organizations that empower women and girls in low-income countries, and build community to forge meaningful connections that increase our strength and collective impact. The thrust of the work is to help families and communities rise out of poverty through education, work loans, social education, abuse & trafficking prevention and more. Women AND men are invited to join in the potluck dinners, where you are invited to bring a dish to share and to make a support donation. All donations made during these dinners or through the Together Women Rise website go directly to the month’s grantee organization.
Summer Lunch Drive
CIS will be collecting non-perishable lunch items through 8/15 to support the Brookfield Social Services Food Pantry and their initiative to provide lunches for children in need over the summer break. We are looking for donations of bread, peanut butter, jelly, apples, small water bottles and more! Please see the full list of needed items posted on the Giving Tree in Brooks Hall and consider contributing some items or taking a bag to fill with donations and return. Thank you so much! ~ Your Friends on the CIS Committee
Sharing to Build, Building to Share Campaign & Project Update
Two months ago, we thought the Fellowship Hall project would be completed by the end of
June. Due to a faulty hydraulic cylinder for the elevator, the project was delayed. The good news, however, is that this issue affected only the schedule. No additional costs were incurred. The faulty hydraulic cylinder has now been replaced, and work continues.
The Fellowship Hall ceiling tiles and lights have been removed. Both the ceiling tiles and lights will be replaced with new ones. Wiring for the public address system and internet has been installed in the ceilings. Painters will be painting the walls in the coming weeks, and then the floors can be installed.
Behind the scenes, work continues monitoring income and expenses closely, determining details in beautifying Fellowship Hall and organizing closets. A big shout out to those folks who have been supporting these important aspects of the project. And a big shout out all of you for your continued support of the project. Your continued commitment to giving, completion of your gifts, giving above and beyond your gift and bringing in redeemable cans and bottles is an inspiration. Every dollar matters, and we couldn’t be more grateful.
Thank you all for your continued encouragement, inspiration and prayers. We’re getting there!
If you wish to learn more about the details of these happenings, 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.
Media Team Looking for Additional Members
Have you ever wondered how our services get live streamed and recorded – or what that little window is in the balcony? Do you like technology and learning new things? If so, our Media Team may be just the place to share your gifts, and training is available.
What does participating on the Media Team entail?
· Recording the 10:30am service from the upstairs balcony media booth & occasional
other services (as available).
· Serving once a month (or less) starting at 10am until about 11:45am.
If you are interested in learning more, please contact office@uccb.org, and we will put you in touch with our Media Team leads for more information.
Keep It Super Simple (KISS) Summer Coffee Hour
We are seeking weekly Coffee Hour/Fellowship Time hosts beginning in July after the 10:30am service.
Fellowship Committee provides the paper goods, coffee and tea (if you choose to make it).
What do you need to do as a host?
· Provide a beverage or two. This can be as simple as iced tea & lemonade or water.
(Please provide the cream, if you choose to make coffee or tea.)
· Provide a snack or two for roughly 40 people - homemade or store bought.
· Set up a table inside Brooks Hall or outside in the Courtyard. (Tables are located in Brooks Hall.)
If you are interested in helping, you can reach out to Elayne Schwartz at elayne0614@gmail.com or to the Office at office@uccb.org. Directions can be shared, and a Fellowship Committee member is happy to meet with you or answer any questions ahead of time.
Notes for the Week of July 6, 2025
We have moved to summer Office hours, which are Tuesday-Thursday from 9am-2pm.
Monday, July 7 – Office Closed
Women’s Study – 9:30-11:00am – Zoom*
Tuesday, July 8
Morrison’s Gang (weekly fix-it group) – 8:00am-12noon – Fellowship Hall
Church Council – 7:00pm – Youth Room & Zoom
Wednesday, July 9
Thursday, July 10
Bible Study – 10:30-11:30am – Youth Room & Zoom*
Friday, July 11 – Office Closed
Saturday, July 12
Men’s Fellowship – 8:00-9:00am – Fellowship Hall
Women’s Fellowship – 8:30-9:30am – Youth Room & Zoom*
Sunday – July 13
8:30am – Outdoor Worship in the Outdoor Chapel with Church School & Nursery care
10:30am – Worship in the Meetinghouse with Church School & Nursery care
* For more information or to get Zoom links, please be in touch with office@uccb.org.
Camelot
Welcome to Camelot! A night - or mid-day - of theater brought to you by the Welcome Committee!!
What: “Camelot”
Where: Brookfield Theatre, 184 Whisconier Rd, Brookfield, CT 06804
When: Weekends; first performance date is Friday, 7/11 - last date is Saturday, 8/2.
Recommended arrival: 7:30pm; show starts at 8pm. There are Sunday matinees also.
· 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 - $28, Seniors - $24, Students (with ID) - $20
*The CCB2025 code will work if you order online - however, you will be charged a fee - thus you might just want to reserve by phone, then pay that evening.
Summer Lunch Drive
CIS will be collecting non-perishable lunch items through 8/15 to support the Brookfield Social Services Food Pantry and their initiative to provide lunches for children in need over the summer break. We are looking for donations of bread, peanut butter, jelly, apples, small water bottles and more! Please see the full list of needed items posted on the Giving Tree in Brooks Hall and consider contributing some items or taking a bag to fill with donations and return. Thank you so much! ~ Your Friends on the CIS Committee
Sharing to Build, Building to Share Campaign & Project Update
Two months ago, we thought the Fellowship Hall project would be completed by the end of June. Due to a faulty hydraulic cylinder, the project was delayed. The good news, however, is that this issue affected only the schedule. No additional costs were incurred. The faulty
hydraulic cylinder has now been replaced, and work continues.
The Fellowship Hall ceiling tiles and lights have been removed. Both the ceiling tiles and lights will be replaced with new ones. Wiring for the public address system and internet has been installed in the ceilings. Painters will be painting the ceiling grids and walls in the coming weeks, and then the floors can be installed.
Behind the scenes, work continues monitoring income and expenses closely, determining details in beautifying Fellowship Hall and organizing closets. A big shout out to those folks who have been supporting these important aspects of the project. And a big shout out all of you for your continued support of the project. Your continued commitment to giving, completion of your gifts, giving above and beyond your gift and bringing in redeemable cans and bottles is an inspiration. Every dollar matters, and we couldn’t be more grateful.
Thank you all for your continued encouragement, inspiration and prayers. We’re getting there!
If you wish to learn more about the details of these happenings, 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.
Media Team Looking for Additional Members
Have you ever wondered how our services get live streamed and recorded – or what that little window is in the balcony? Do you like technology and learning new things? If so, our Media Team may be just the place to share your gifts, and training is available.
What does participating on the Media Team entail?
· Recording the 10:30am service from the upstairs balcony media booth & occasional
other services (as available).
· Serving once a month (or less) starting at 10am until about 11:45am.
If you are interested in learning more, please contact office@uccb.org, and we will put you in touch with our Media Team leads for more information.
Keep It Super Simple (KISS) Summer Coffee Hour
We are seeking weekly Coffee Hour/Fellowship Time hosts beginning in July after the 10:30am service.
Fellowship Committee provides the paper goods, coffee and tea (if you choose to make it).
What do you need to do as a host?
· Provide a beverage or two. This can be as simple as iced tea & lemonade or water.
(Please provide the cream, if you choose to make coffee or tea.)
· Provide a snack or two for roughly 40 people - homemade or store bought.
· Set up a table inside Brooks Hall or outside in the Courtyard. (Tables are located in Brooks Hall.)
If you are interested in helping, you can reach out to Elayne Schwartz at elayne0614@gmail.com or to the Office at office@uccb.org. Directions can be shared, and a Fellowship Committee member is happy to meet with you or answer any questions ahead of time.
