All is Calm, All is Bright
Come worship with us throughout the Christmas Season. This Advent and Christmas, we will focus on the Christmas Carol, Silent Night, which was written two hundred years ago.

Each Sunday in Advent, we light candles on the Advent Wreath and talk about the light that entered the world through Jesus Christ.

We celebrate anew each year the miracle that God came to us as one of us to bring God’s peace and love.If you have friends or family members who do not have a church, Christmas is a wonderful time to invite them to experience worship at First Congregational. On December 24, there will be a 5:00 p.m. Christmas Eve service with lessons and Christmas carols, beautiful music, and candlelight.

Thank you everyone for another successful fair.  We appreciate all the hard work, donations and those who came to support us. Such a wonderful community spirit.

Thank you Trustees!  And  kudos to Campanale Painting for an excellent job.

We are thrilled to welcome Annie as our new music director / organist. She has many years of experience as a church musician and choir director, most recently at Hadwen Park Congregational Church in Worcester. She starts with us on Sunday, August 5. Annie hopes to bring her family to the church picnic on August 18, so that will bea great opportunity to show her our gift for hospitality and welcome.

The Music Committee promises to interview her for the next newsletter (Oct/Nov), so you can hear more about her experience and philosophy of music and its power to elevate our worship. Meanwhile, you can experience her musical gifts during regular Sunday worship beginning August 5. Hope to see you there!

Maundy Thursday: Service of Communion and Tenebrae

Thursday, March 29, 7:00 p.m. Come hear the story of Jesus’ Passion – the events from his last supper through his crucifixion and burial. READERS NEEDED. Please contact Doreen if you are willing.
Good Friday Stations for Reflection

Friday, March 30. The deacons are once again hosting a time of quiet reflection with seven stations to engage you in prayer, in thanksgiving, in reflection. The Sanctuary will be open from 3 through 7 p.m. Drop by any time, stay as long as you like. I am confident you will find it moving, and will draw you into the gift of Jesus’ great love for us.
Easter Sunday

April 1. Come celebrate the Good News of Christ’s resurrection. The Sanctuary will be adorned with spring flowers and it will be a joyful occasion. Please join us if you can, and invite a friend or family member. It’s a great season to share the good news.

Ash Wednesday

February 14, 2018 at 7 PM

This service of reflection

will include

Ashes and Communion

This Sunday, Jan. 14, we will have a Council meeting. All are welcome to attend, and Council members are urged to do so.

Next Sunday, Jan. 21, we will have a pot-luck lunch followed by a video hosted by the ONA Team. It is about 90 minutes long and is called The Bible Tells Me So. It features several religious families dealing with a family member coming out as gay. It is a thoughtful film offering various perspectives. We hope it will be helpful as we explore whether this church is called to declare itself Open and Affirming (more about what that means in the Feb/March newsletter). I strongly urge everyone to attend this gathering. This Sunday there will be a sign up sheet for pot-luck contributions. If you can’t be here to sign up, please touch base with me if you plan to bring something on the 21st. In case of inclement weather, this event will be rescheduled for Jan. 28.

The Old Testament Video Series continues beginning Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. It requires no previous participation, so all are invited.

FOOD PANTRY: For January, we are requesting donations of toiletries (soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, toothpaste/brush, feminine hygiene). No set goal, but these types of items are especially appreciated by the Food Pantry since they cannot be purchased as part of the significant discount they get on food items.

Please join us in ushering in the Christ child once more. There will be a worship service with a Pick-Up Pageant at 10:00 a.m., and the traditional Lessons & Carols Candle-light Service at 5:00 p.m. Hope to see you there! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

The Old Testament Video Series

The Monday night Bible study group will be hosting a video series on the Old Testament. Presenter, Amy-Jill Levine, PH.D of Vanderbilt University thoughtfully explores selected passages from the Old Testament. She provides clear examples of how various approaches to biblical research and interpretation can enrich your understanding of this inexhaustibly fruitful and powerful text. Reviewers of the course say Levine is dynamic, exciting to listen to and her knowledge of her subject is organized and well conveyed.

Join us on Monday nights, beginning September 18th at 7:00 p.m. We will meet in Russell Hall and view the series on the wonderful new large screen TV, provided by our trustees. No commitment is necessary. Attend any Monday that you are able. Bring friends. We serve snacks!