The program will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The cost is $35. On the Saturday following the camp, the participants will perform a puppet show for their parents and guests.

The women voted to consolidate their meetings. They will not meet in January. February will feature the popular Valentine’s party, when the identities of secret sisters wil be revealed. There will be no meeting in March, but the women will have a bake sale at the VFW’s Sugarbush.

The April meeting will be spent planning the rummage sale and Family Night.  The former Mothers and Others event is expected to become a family event.

June will feature a tea party and in July the women will invite others to join them at the Medina County Home for bingo and refreshments. They will not meet in August, but will get together to go out to eat in September. After working at the Apple Butter Festival, they will not hold an October meeting.

A craft activity, such as Lisa McGraw’s recent jewelry making program, will take place at the November meeting along with election of officers. The December event will be a Christmas party for all women of the church.

The next meeting of the 2009 year  features a Christmas party to which all women of the church are invited. It will be held at the South Building on December 14 at 7 p.m. Participants should bring fingerfood to share, four dozen cookies if they choose to participate in the cookie exchange, and a white elephant gift.

Mark your calendars: Cookies are needed for Make It/Take It Day on December 5, the Living Nativity on December 12, and the Christmas boxes that will be packed on December 19.

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For some great coupons, recipes and more information about Box Tops for Education, visit www.boxtops4education.com.

The worship service featured hymns and readings that would have been  used when the church formed 175 years ago, including an affirmation of the Articles of Faith and Covenant the first members wrote and to which they swore allegiance.

A “love feast” or communion featuring snickerdoodle cookies, made by Rosalie VanGilder, and water ended the service. The ritual is one that most Methodists from the same period used.

Old hymns sung included “All People That on Earth Do Dwell,” “Amazing Grace,” “Take Time to Be Holy,” and “Love Divine.”

The choir anthem “We Are Called to Be” was written by Rev. Sharon Alberson, who was a guest  minister during the summer.

Also unveiled was a ribbon banner to commemorate deceased members and loved ones. The ribbon banner holds bells for each of the 20 original members of the Chatham Congregational Church. Bells will be added on each All Saints Day.

Historian Phyllis Siman and Joyce Siman set up a display of church artifacts that were exhibited at the Fellowship Hall. Both Chatham Historical Society museums were also open in observance of the anniversary celebration.

Special guests were Dudley and Judy Williams from our “mother church” in Plainfield, Massachusetts. They presented a framed painting of the original Plainfield church.

Former pastors, former members and friends were invited. Among the guests were Rev. John and Sandra McLachlan.

The Chatham Christian Women hosted the luncheon at the Fellowship Hall which included a special anniversary cake, which was cut by Phyllis Siman, who has been a member of the church longer than anyone else — 75 years.

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