To the Editor:

Now that the holiday season is over, the Second Congregational Church of Norway would like to deeply thank the Oxford Hills community for their help and support so that we have been able to share generous gifts with many people.
Advent Calendar donations yielded 36 boxes of food for local families. Boxes were delivered to Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, Oxford Hills Middle School, and to the Oxford Hills Food Pantry.

The Mabel Brown Mitten Tree was decorated with over 300 pairs of mittens and gloves, hats, and scarves. These items were given to children at Rowe School in Norway, Paris Elementary School, and Agnes Gray School in West Paris. Large and toddler sizes were donated to the RightStart Coat Room at the Oxford Plaza. In addition, the congregation and community donated over $900 to Heifer International, an organization that gives farm animals to needy families who live throughout the world.

Here in Norway, our youth group also adopted a local family to help them celebrate the holidays. And this month’s free supper served 150 people with Santa visiting to give hand-made wooden trucks and doll tables and benches to the children. Also in December, the church sanctuary was filled for two Christmastide concerts performed by vocal and handbell choirs made up of church members and many local friends. We are blessed to have so many people who join this celebration each year. They start rehearsing in September to bring the music of the season to the community.

Now our congregation begins a new year of Sunday worship and service. We again thank the community for all its support this past year. We welcome all people through our doors to give and receive the blessings of this new year.

Mickie Shibles, Chair
Jane Munn
Trudy Brown
Linda Porter
Karen Ellis
Bruce Davison

The Mission Committee