Dear Church family,
As I mentioned on Sunday, Lynn and I will be away this weekend and much of next week on a little vacation in Virginia with our older son Toby.  I am so grateful that Terry Ryan will be leading worship this Sunday in my absence. 
A couple of items--
—As you have seen from Tracy Atwood’s email, Falls Village will again be participating in the CROP efforts for hunger relief, refugee care, and clean waters efforts.  You’ll be receiving more information about walk opportunities, but he has given information about how to be part of the Falls Village team and to contribute online. 
--A group of folks in the Litchfield North Association of Congregational Churches has been eager to bring our various churches in a fellowship event.  They have planned an all-church picnic and brief worship for Sunday, September 10 at 1 p.m. at Winchester Center UCC.   A flyer is attached, and  you may want to get that on your calendars as an opportunity to get to know some of the other churches in our area.
There will not be a Good Word next week, so I thought I’d give you the information for communion Sunday, September 3.  We continue our series on family faith stories (we’re almost done!!) with Genesis 41:25-49.  The sermon is “When God Gives Us a Chance.” The New Testament reading is Matthew 15:21-28.
Have a good week and see you in church soon.
Rich