Putnam patriot., 1925-01-23
IA YEAR WITH FIRST CONGRE-
 GATIONAL CHURCH, WOODSTOCK
Annual Meeting Held Last Sat- urday.-Reports and Church
 History Read
Rev. David P. Hatch Called .s Pastor,
 Accepts

The annual church day exercises of i the Woodstock First Congregational church were held Saturday the 10th. ! commencing at f2 90. when dinner was served to nearly one hundred members of the congregation. The | social hour vas greatly enjoyed by | young and old The business session | began at 2 o'clock with devotional exercises followed by the calling Of | the roll of members.
 Reports were gwen of the work ! of the Church school. the Ladies f Benevolent Society. Cradle Roll and | committee of Every Member canvass. The treasurer's report of finances of the church vas encouraging.
 Lo.s Bank Fund For the last six months the church 1 has Iaborei under the necessity of l raising the assessment of the First I National Bank of Putnam. The loss Of I kf 400 besides the equal amount inI ! Assessment Is very serious one, wlp- l ing out funds tha. had been held by | the church for many generations | Generous friends have come to our rpRef resulting in gifts ;o meet these I Assessnents. \ little more than one [ half af the last assessment is still Co be raised.
 Activities of Church
 The review of the activities of the church was giv~n by Mrs Henry T. Child, whoeh was as follows:
 The opening of the year 1924 found us still carefully seeking a pastor. The first church service in January was taken by Rev Mir. Andrews of the Congregational Educational So- eiety of New York City. His special mission was to suggest plans for ad- l vancement in Sunday school methods | and work
 h the interval Of having a eandi- date Mir. Lawson of Union supplied I the pulpit on the second Sunday. Mir. | Haiton ef Boston supplied the pulpit Jan. goth
 Gave Csnt.t.
 On the evening of the same day the chajr of the Methodist church. l Webster. gave a Christmas eantata under the direction Of Mrs George Lyon. formerly of this church. A good number were present. the con cert being a very ereditsele pFodue- i ton
 Jan. 2f was our cnldest Sunday and services were held n the chapel con ducted by Mir. Craig Feb. 3 Ia the absence Of minister Maurice Childs conducted the service giving helpful sermon upon the character of Sam uel Feb 10th Mir Hatch of Hart ford Seminary came to Us as candi- l date He was al once considered fAyarablY. The following Sunday Mf Childs again filled the vacancy,
 Vote te Call Pastor
 4 meeting of the church was call ed Feb 18th to discuss the advts- ability of extending an invitation Co 10 David P Hatch. Jr.. to become our pastor al the close of his studies lnN Hartford Seminary. l. was unsni- nsusiy voted to extend the call toI h.m and was accepted hy the Eeelesl- sstiesi Society
 Rev. Hatch Accepts
 Mr Hatch occupied the pulpit Feb. 24. receiving cordial welcome from the large congregation present March End was observed as Commun- ion Sunday Mr Hatch officiating. al become our pastor The first Sunday evening service af the winter was held in the chapel with Mir. Childs in ] charge of the meeting The church committee sugEsfea the use of the booklet. The Fellowship of Prayer. through Lent wigh Sunday evening services March sth George Hamilton conducted the first of these meet inrS taking his subject from Dr Babeock's book Mir Hatch again oc- eupied the pulpit in the morning but the two following Sundays was un- able Co he present when services were conducted by Mr Childs and Mr, Law. son
 \ union service was held in the Swedish church under the leadership of members of the Bible school in Dudley.
 Easter Service
 Aprii 30 was observed as Easter Sunday with a very inspiring service. We welcomed to cur church fellow ship two of our young men upon con- fession of their faith May the con ference of the church of Windham county ~As held in Pomfret l. was attended by our delegates and a mum her ef others from this church report ed Sn interesting meeting with re- ports and a good attendance from the neighborinE churches
 Directly after the graduation of Mr, Hatch from Theological Semi nary in Hartford in May he was mar ried Go Mss Helen Shaw a. her home r iu Dauhary. \ H
 Academy SunS.y Academy Sunday. in the absence of Mir Hatch Rev Mr Baker had ehArsa of the services The sermon wss de- hYered by Rev John StaddAra, pastor of the Baptist church. Putnam. Mrs. John Masters again manifested her interest m the Academy and her home church ey her assistance in ar ranging fhe musical program with our orEAnist, Nr LAwton. which was of unusual merit ls consisted of violin and piano accompaniment wlfh the organ and twe solos were rendered eY Mrs Masters executed with fine expression and adding greatly to the interest of the serSlee-
 June ! s ~ss observed as Children's Sunday and My Barber of Middle town addressed the children. The primary department shared tn the exercises