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Hi All:
February is often called the month of love. We see hearts in store windows, hear love songs on the radio, and celebrate Valentine’s Day with cards and candy.
But the greatest love story ever told is not written in chocolate or flowers — it is written on the Cross.
The love of Christ is not seasonal.
It does not fade.
It does not depend on feelings.
It is steady, sacrificial, and saving.
February might remind us of our love for one another.
March reminds us of growth.
Outside, winter begins to loosen its grip we hope. The days stretch a little longer. The light lingers more and more each day. Something is shifting, even if we can’t quite see it yet.
That’s how faith works too.
God is always moving around us.
As we move from February into March, we shift from celebration to preparation. From warmth to reflection. From love to renewal.
Soon we begin the journey of Lent, a season not of sadness, but of focus. A time to clear distractions. A time to return to prayer. A time to prepare our hearts for the joy of Easter.
Growth always begins quietly. Let this be a season where we can grow deeper in prayer and stronger in faith. Grow kinder in spirit. The cross comes before the empty tomb, but the resurrection is coming.
As we move into March, let us take some time to focus our prayers on Spiritual renewal, Strength for those facing hardship, Wisdom for our church leadership and Opportunities to serve our community.
Preparing for Lent is not about giving up just to give up. It’s about making room for prayer, more gratitude, more intentional faith and most of all more awareness of Christ’s sacrifice.
Consider setting aside a few minutes each day for quiet reflection. Even small steps create lasting change.
Always keep looking ahead at what is coming. Easter is coming. Hope is rising. The Light is increasing. Stay connected. Stay encouraged. Stay rooted.
Lenten Challenge
Consider one of these commitments for the next 40 days:
· Give up something that distracts you.
· Add 10 minutes of daily prayer.
· Read one Gospel from beginning to end.
· Perform one quiet act of kindness each day.
· Fast from criticism and practice encouragement.
Let me sign off with this blessing
May our God who brings spring from winter
and brings renewal to your heart.
May He strengthen your faith
and fill you with hope for the journey ahead.
I look forward to seeing you all this Sunday
God Bless,
Rev. Carmen
We are on Facebook. Please be sure to "like" our page.
https://www.facebook.com/Union-Congregational-Church-of-Oakville-CT-588659578254820/
• Please know that due to the HIPPA laws, the church will not know if you or a loved one are hospitalized or sick. You will only get a visit if you notify us. Please contact Rev. Carmen 203-598-2984
. • Sandy Ramponi, Outreach Chairman sends "Caring Cards" to people who experience loss, are hospitalized, etc. If you know of someone who would like to receive a card please contact Sandy at 860-417-3416 or email her at momramponi@yahoo.com
• Stories, artwork, photos, and other newsletter input is welcome and encouraged…please send to ucc.oakville@gmail.com or to Joe LeClair on any Sunday. We are on Facebook. Please be sure to "like" our page. https://www.facebook.com/Union-Congregational-Churchof-Oakville-CT-588659578254820
Ladies Aide
The Ladies Aide will be starting our sleeping mat project again. We will meet on March 13th and 27th. If there is any change in the schedule, it will be announced during our worship service.
To date, we have made over $400 at our pop-up store that we started in September. We are still looking for small tag sale items and spring crafts to sell. We change our merchandise with the holidays and seasons.
Remember Ladies Aide meets the first Sunday of the month following our worship service.
The Board of Trustees has been very busy lately!
At our February 10th meeting we welcomed Steve Nypert to our team. Steve's experience in industry should make him a valuable addition to the Board of Trustees.
We decided to promote renting our refurbished parlor for small meetings and parties. The fee will be $35 per hour without the use of the kitchen, and $50 with the kitchen. Please pass the word to friends and organizations who need a place to meet. As you know, the room includes WiFi and a television with HDMI cable.
We are working on submitting an application to be a 501c organization. For some reason the church never applied before.
Now that the parlor is done, Oscar Bartlett is working with the Ladies Aid to build closets on each side wall of the stage in the Fellowship Hall. These closets will be mostly used by outside groups like AA, Al-Anon,etc. A new floor will be installed at the same time.
A young man working toward Eagle Scout is preparing to repaint our Fellowship Hall.
During the cold spell our furnace had two major issues. We did not get the bill yet, but we think it's going to be in the thousands of dollars. As you might expect, utility bills (gas, electricity, water and sewer) are very high! Church Treasurer Steve Ramponi reported that we will soon start receiving monthly payments from our investments to help balance the budget. Some of us are behind in our offerings because of canceled Sunday Services. Please "catch up" and consider giving a little extra if you can afford it.
Members of the Board of Trustees are: Oscar Bartlett, Kathy Gelinas, Kate Falotico, Peter Gelinas, Larry Scholl, Steve Nypert, and Joe LeClair. Ex-officio members are Rev. Carmen Cavallaro, Diane Cavallaro, and Steve Ramponi.
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Vote On Time Change
Just a reminder that we will be voting on whether or not to change our Sunday Worship Service time. Our service currently begins at 9:30 a.m.
On March 15th we will vote (by paper ballot) to see if we should change the time back to 10:00 a.m.
If you have any questions, please contact Rev. Carmen or Chlora Beaudry.
We are now the proud owners of an automated external defibrillator (AED)!
This critical lifesaving equipment was paid for by a generous grant from the Thomaston Savings Bank Foundation.
It is located in the upstairs hallway on a wall outside the minister's office.
We will offer CPR/AED training on March 31 at 6PM. Please click on the link below to sign up. We will need a $25 payment for each trainee by March 15th. Checks made out to "UCC" or cash will be accepted.
If there is an injury on our property it is imperative that you notify us immediately. Please be as thorough as possible.
Here is a link to our incident report.
Please keep this link handy.
Paper copies will be outside the office if needed.
Please contact Joe LeClair with any questions or concerns.
Link to sign up for training:
The Fundraising Committee met on November 23rd to outline a plan for 2026. Chairman Joe LeClair recommended moving away from selling frozen items because it is too cumbersome to sell much and then distribute it before it thaws. It was suggested to do more in-person events to draw potential members into our building. This is what we are proposing:
January: A class on cooking by Jamilo. (Thank you Peg Cozza for the idea about a class of some sort.) Jamilo is willing to do this and has several ideas.
March : Bunco Game Tables of 12, and with each 'turn' 2 participants change tables. Great interaction and fun. We can sell refreshments in addition to the admission fee. Sue and Chlora are familiar with the game and we will play it after church soon to learn it and do a dry run.
Fall: Sell fire blankets. Promote the idea of buying them as gifts for loved ones. We are checking to see if a company offers fundraising.
December: Christmas Bazaar Should an event fail, we have two ideas to make up lost revenue: 1) Wayback burger night 2) Take orders for homemade chocolate chip cookies. We would love to hear your feedback on these ideas. Fundraising Committee: Chlora Beaudry, April Carrara, Kathy Gelinas, Irene LeClair, Joe LeClair, Helen Reinke
Annual Meeting
Annual Meeting
February 1, 2026
Dedication of the Parlor
Dedication of the Parlor
February 8, 2026
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