The Open Door Shelter Food Drive

Contactless Food Drive to benefit The Open Door Shelter

The Congregational Church of New Canaan
Saturday, January 30
10:00am-2:00pm

To contribute, please enter the circle in front of the church, drive up, pop your trunk and volunteers will remove your donation.

All non-perishable food items are welcome, however, the biggest needs right now are

  • Peanut butter
  • Jelly (grape or strawberry)
  • Canned tuna
  • Dried black or red beans
  • Spaghetti sauce
  • Canned vegetables
  • Reusable grocery bags

Food pantries everywhere are in desperate need for non-perishable food items so we are teaming up with Open Door Shelter to help stock their pantry this winter. Please consider donating on Saturday, January 30.

Christmas Eve on God’s Acre

Christmas Eve on God’s Acre

We have made one adjustment to our Christmas Eve plans, due to high winds and safety concerns arounds the tents, our 11:00pm service will be held indoors with a capacity limit of 100. We will, however, livestream the Candlelight Service for anyone who would like to view can do so above. 

We will continue to provide virtual and live-streamed worship all season long. While we will undoubtedly miss out on many Christmas traditions this year, the Deacons have decided to try something new. We hope that you will join us under the ‘Christmas-on-God’s-Acre’ tent this year.

We will be celebrating outside, 6ft distanced and wearing masks just as we did this summer – subject, of course, to all state and local regulations. Dress warmly and wear comfortable shoes. While we will be unable to sing, we WILL be able to be in community with one another, listen to wonderful music, and celebrate the Christmas story under the stars.

  • 4:00-4:30 pm – Outdoor Worship
  • 6:00-6:30 pm –  Outdoor Worship
  • 7:00-7:30 pm – Outdoor Worship
  • 11:00-11:30 pm – Candlelight Worship

In addition to these services, the Children’s Nativity Pageant will be safely recorded in advance and will be shown all evening in the youth tent.

VITALLY IMPORTANT: For our plans to work, we are counting on every church member and guest to wear a mask, to keep a safe distance, and to refrain from singing, as per the request and recommendation of the State of Connecticut and our Town Health Department.

Advent 2020

Advent Missions

Each year during Advent, we work with local partners to help ensure that children from low-income or homeless families receive gifts and that families and individuals in need have a full day of food on Christmas.

This year to keep everyone safe, our partners have asked us to send donations rather than shopping for toys and groceries. Need within our community has risen higher than ever this year due to the COVID crisis. We are grateful in advance for your help in making the lives of those struggling financially better this Christmas.

Online Angels for Inspirica

To participate, please use the link to Inspirica’s wish list on Amazon. You will need an Amazon account that you can sign up for at no cost. Gifts will be mailed directly to Inspirica. Contact Marianna Kilbride, marianna@godsacredev.wpengine.com to learn more.

Salvation Army Bell Ringing

One thing hasn’t changed! Walter Stewart’s Market welcomes us to ring the bells as per usual!

Families and bubbles can safely serve outside, masked (good for warmth!), and distanced while ringing the bells, spreading good cheer, and collecting for those with less. One hour shifts are available, sign up here.

Pivot Ministries Holiday Meal Train

This holiday season, we have the opportunity to support our Pivot friends by providing meals for them. New Canaan cooks are a favorite of the men, and restaurant meals or contributions are also much appreciated as they continue to deal with fewer food donations due to the pandemic. Click here to participate.

Caroline Ainsworth Hughes’ Ordination

Wilton Congregational Church invites you to join with us in celebrating the Ordination and Installation ceremony of Caroline Ainsworth Hughes.

Sunday, November 22, 2020, at 2:00pm
70 Ridgefield Road
Wilton, CT 06897

Please RSVP here to attend in-person.
The service will also be live streamed, check the WCC YouTube page.
COVID protocols and safety measures followed.

Any Questions call 203-762-5591 or email Coleen at coleen@wiltoncongregational.org

Clergy Members are invited to robe with red stoles.

Thanksgiving Stuff-a-Thon

Our traditional All-Church Thanksgiving Project may look different, but the wonderful thing is the approximately 1000 individuals we usually feed will have a Thanksgiving meal all the same! To keep everyone safe, instead of the one-day large group gathering of past years, our packing, stacking, and decorating will be done by our fit and fabulous church youth during their regular Youth Ministry meeting times. YGers and their families will be our delivery teams on November 22.

Thank you for your support! We have reached our goal and collected over $5,000 to feed those in need this Thanksgiving. The plate offering will continue to support this project until the end of November as the demand is particularly high this year due to the pandemic. Thank you for the generosity you so faithfully show to our neighbors who need it!

Congregants wishing to support this beloved church tradition may make a monetary donation to this project by visiting our website, using the GIVE button, and designating the gift to “Thanksgiving Project”. Parents, let your kids help by earning donation dollars with chores! One thing the pandemic hasn’t slowed down is poverty. A longtime partner in Norwalk noted that food requests for individuals and families have increased by 80% over this time last year.

Contact Caroline Leather, caroline@godsacredev.wpengine.com or Marianna Kilbride, marianna@godsacredev.wpengine.com.

November on God’s Acre

Click here to view the November Newsletter and learn about all we have to offer on God’s Acre this month!

November Virtual and Indoor Worship Services

  • Virtual Service – sent to you each Sunday morning will continue throughout the program year to view wherever you are, whenever you have time
  • Wednesdays at Noon (Livestream available) – this service will include lots of music, a message, and prayer
  • Sundays at 8:00am – our traditional service focused on adults, with a message, music, and prayer
  • Sundays at 10:00am (Livestream available) – this service will focus on families, with a message, music, prayer, and a children’s moment

We hope you find our plans to be an invitation to continue to hear the word of God, stay connected to your brothers and sisters in Christ, and give thanks for all that has been given to us.

Don’t forget to RSVP!

Please visit www.godsacre.org/worship to RSVP. Our indoor worship limit is 100.

Click here to learn more about “Our Program Year: A Pilgrim Journey” or download your week-by-week program guide.

Youth This Week

Sunday, October 25
YG
TRUNK OR TREAT – YGers should arrive to decorate at 3:30pm. Our event runs until 5:30pm! Don’t forget your decorating materials!
YG Cohort 1: Meet in front of Church on God’s Acre
YG Cohort 2: Meet in back of Church in parking lot

Monday, October 26
MSYG Fall Super Day 
7th & 8th Grades: 5:00 – 6:30pm (DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP at Nature Center)Tuesday, October 27
K, 1st, & 2nd Grades: 4:00 – 5:00pm
Quest (High School): 8:00-9:00pm at church

Wednesday, October 28
5th Grade: 1:00 – 2:30pm – cancelled
3rd & 4th Grades: 3:00 – 4:30pm – cancelled
6th Grade: 5:00 – 6:30pm – cancelled

Due to the inclement weather and an unexpected, but necessary heat installation that will be happening in our tent today we will not be having programming this afternoon. With the weather getting colder we find it important to heat the youth tent to ensure our kids won’t unnecessarily become sick. We look forward to seeing your children next Tuesday for Election Day Spectacular!

 

Sunday Worship

We invite you to join us this Sunday, October 25, for the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost.

Our virtual worship service will be held at 8:00am here.

Please join us from home as we worship together.

The sermon is titled “Message in a Mason Jar” and the Scripture Lesson is Exodus 16 (Excerpts).

Click here this week’s virtual bulletin.

 

For all our sermons and podcasts, click here.

 

Trunk or Treat
on God’s Acre

Join us as we celebrate Halloween distance-style! 

Dress up in your creative best,
We’re setting up for a Halloween fest,
YGers will set the scene,
We promise to keep our event distanced and clean,
Likely we don’t need to ask,
But please remember to wear a mask!

 

Trunk-or-Treat on God’s Acre!

Sunday, October 25th 4:30-5:30pm
Children Preschool-6th Grade
Parents must remain with their children
4:30-5:00pm Last names A-L
5:00-5:30pm Last names L-Z