FBC Young Bucks on line

Here are so photos from our second game last night. The Young Bucks ran their record to 6-1 with a victory over Sacred Heart. The game was close early on but the FBC team pulled away with solid defense and good play.

Cal

P.S. Could you pick out the New York Giant's fan in the crowd? Yes, he was the one with the big smile after their win in the Super Bowl. That's Ryan's dad!

A perfect season so far

Last night we had two games on our basketball schedule. The early game featured the FBC WildCats. They ran away with the game and improved to 7-0 on the season. Coach Leonard Miller is doing a good job keeping the kids focused. Here are some photos from last night's game.

Cal

The big day is coming

I received something in the mail yesterday that really gave me a wake up call. I received my AARP Card! Yikes! It is really true. I am turning fifty this year. The good news is that there are several others in the same boat rowing with me. Many of them are regulars at church. Others come on occasion. They include Pete Adams and Mark Rogers (Pictured to the right) Patty Bell, Leon Dalbec, Mark Damien, Ray Deptulski, Sue Ferguson, George Fratoni, Fred Green, Elizabeth Isenburg, Stephanie Mattos, and George Rezendes.

As we approached new years I decided we were going to have some fun with this at church. We are going to celebrate with all these half century- arians and have a party. On June 1, 2008 we are going to have a reception in their honor after church. During worship we will also look back at 1958 and see what was happening in society and in church. We will recognize our fifty year members. They include Edith Robinson (1928), Doris Wilcox Regets (1937), Jean Wilbur Roscoe (1939), Lois Peckham Lopez (1944), Bruce Royce (1952), June Pendelton (1953), Doris Adams (1954), Marge Meyer Booth (1954), Carolyn Benker (1955), Charles Hamblen (1955), Bonnie Royce Koch (1955), Gorge Strouse (1956), Elaine Bromley Berrie (1957), and Jean Macht Smith (1958).

We are also going to recognize our couples who have been married 50 years or more. That includes, Jean and Steve Roscoe, Bob & Marge Booth, Dick and Elizabeth Strong, Al and Sue Damien, and Dot and Harry Calkins.

We may even recognize others who are celebrating big days. For example I know three of our members who will celebrate the big 6-0. We might include them in the celebration just so some of us can have hope that 50 is not the end of the world :-)

It is going to be a great day and lots of fun. Stay tuned and you will hear more about it in the coming weeks.

Cal

Now you know who does all the work

Today was like the calm after the rain storm. Between getting ready for the Annual Meeting and preparing the newsletter to go out, we have been working at full steam. This morning Sandy and I did some catching up in the office. Actually, I should say Sandy did the catching up in case you thought I actually did some work in the office. She was busy typing away and getting letters ready to go out announcing our next big event. On Sunday we will be recognizing our new church officers and committee members and asking God to bless them in their work. In order for that to happen we have to send out about fifty letters congratulating people and inviting them to join us for the installation and dedication.

While Sandy was slaving away at the computer, I was out running around. I stopped at Staples to buy some supplies. I dropped in to visit a few people and I came back to sort the mail! I have a tough job, I know :-) This evening I got to do some more running. I went to our church league basketball games and took a bunch of pictures. The Wild Cats beat Sacred Heart easily and improved to 7 - 0 on the season. Then the Young Bucksbeat Sacred Heart's Varsity team to improve their record to 6-1. I'll have some photos to share tomorrow. I am going to put a number of these together to form a slide show for Basketball Recognition Sunday on March 9th.

That's all for now. Cal.

A Super night

Final - New York Giants 17 New England Patriots 14
Congrats to the Giants fans for the victory! Congrats to the Patriots on a great season.

We watched Super Bowl XLII and saw the Giants come back to take the lead late in the game. This last quarter has gone back and forth. The Pats came back late but the Giants answered. It has been a defensive struggle with both teams looking very bad on offense until the very end. Some will say this was a great Super Bowl when they look at the score. But if the game was all there was, it would be a boring night.

The good news is that tonight we met to watch the game at Rosie Main's house in East Lyme. There has been some good conversation, good food and lots of fun, including the completion of another puzzle. Here's a few pictures from game time.

Cal

Together in Christ

Things will begin to settle down at church as we turn the corner into February. Yesterday I read that the ground hog saw it's shadow so we will have six more weeks of winter. Well I don't know if that means anything for our life at FBC. It is always busy no matter what season we are going through. This morning we worshiped with Central Baptist. I preached a message entitled, "Come Closer" and our combined choir sang "Holy Ground." We ended the morning around the communion table. I think the service was very inspiring.

The day actually began with Sunday School. We met in the sanctuary at Central and broke up into small groups that allowed us to share our stories and get to know each other. It was truly a generational event.

After worship we gathered in Bushnell Hall for a pot-luck lunch. It was fun sitting around the tables and chatting about life and church. Next month we will do it all again at First Baptist. The talks about merger are definitely on hold. They may or may not arise again somewhere down the road. I think that is in God's hands. For now, we can enjoy these moments of worship, prayer and ministry together and be blessed to know we have friends across the river.

Here are some photos from this morning's gathering. I'm sorry I didn't get any at worship but Janet Jeffcoat of Central took a few and I will post them when she gets them to me.

Cal

A Sunday in communion with each other

This Sunday we will take to the road and worship with our sisters and brothers at Central Baptist Church in downtown Norwich. Sunday School begins at 9:08 a.m. and worship will be at 10:30 a.m. I'll be preaching a message entitled, "Come Closer" based upon Moses' encounter with the burning bush in Exodus 32. The best part of the service is sure to be either the combined choir anthem or our coming together around the communion table.

A pot luck luncheon is planed for after the service so bring a dish to share.

Cal