Sermon Series - February 21 to April 4
Again & Again: A Lenten Refrain
In Lent, we’re reminded that, again and again, suffering and brokenness find us. We doubt again, we lament again, we mess up again. Again and again, the story of Jesus on the cross repeats - every time lives are taken unjustly, every time the powerful choose corruption and violence, every time individuals forget how to love. With exacerbation we exclaim, “Again?! How long, O God?” And yet, in the midst of the
motion blur chaos of our lives, God offers a sacred refrain: “I choose you, I love you, I will lead you to repair.” Again and again, God breaks the cycle and offers us a new way forward.
This week, we reflected on over-turned tables, intended and unintended. You can watch the service here.
Next Sunday, we will engage one of Christian scripture’s most well-known passages. If we have memorized any scripture verses, we have memorized John 3:16. Join us this week as engage one of the foundations of our faith, the amazing grace God shows to us.
After inviting Nicodemus to be born anew, Jesus tells him in John 3 that God so loved the world that God sent his son to restore it. Therefore, when we read John 3:16, we remember that Jesus is speaking in metaphor and poetry. Ultimately, love is where God begins and ends. This love, like grace, is a gift we do nothing to deserve. Again and again, love is our refrain. Before we act, think, or believe, can love be first for us, too?
See the order of service here.
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Each Sunday during Lent, our Threshold Moment will include a poem read by...us.
We encourage all who are willing and able to record themselves reading the poem and then send it to Pastor Jason.
You can find the Week 4 poem and instructions here.
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- Gary Sitler (surgery Wednesday 3/3)
- Mark Stanford
- Harvey Littlefield
- Lauren Thibideau (John and Meredith Button’s granddaughter)
- Bev Fortney
- Rebecca Daniels (Marilyn Stone’s cousin diagnosed with breast cancer)
- Jim Lester
- Kim Taylor and family (our bookkeeper, Covid)
- Missy Geisler (friend of Ginny Somerville)
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This year, on March 22 at 7:00 PM, our annual Nehemiah Action is going virtual. See more information on our website.
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Thursday Morning Chat & Fellowship
Join us on Thursday mornings at 10:00 for virtual chat and fellowship in our “virtual parlor.”
You can join us by clicking here. The password, if you need it, is fcclw. If you join us by computer, clicking the link will download the necessary software and take you right into the “parlor.” If you are joining on your smart phone or pad, you will need to download the Zoom app from the Apple App Store or Google Play. You can also call 646-558-8656 and enter Meeting ID: 718 419 400 and then Passcode: 839769.
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As another way of connecting with our congregation and our community, we have started a YouTube channel. Here, you can watch (and share) sermon and teaching videos as well as videos from our life together.
Go to our channel, subscribe to it, and share it with others. When we get to 100
subscribers, it unlocks some additional features we can use.
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Facebook
First, go to our page and "Like" us. However, just liking us does not mean that you will see everything we post. Each of our Facebook posts only goes to about 2% of the people who like our page. To make sure you see everything, after you like us, go to the pull-down menu on the "Like" button and click
"Get Notifications." This way everything that we post will show up on your own Facebook wall. If you are on Facebook, you can keep up with what is happening "between Sundays" on our Facebook page.
| Facebook Live
As much as we love gathering together on Sunday mornings, there are times when we are out of town or otherwise unable to be there in person.
You can now watch our worship service live on Facebook right on your computer, tablet, or smart phone. At 10:30 on Sunday just head over to our Facebook page and join us!
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Thank you for your consistency and your generosity in your giving during our current unique and challenging circumstances.
Have you explored the opportunity of electronic giving? You can choose to have a set amount taken from your bank account on a regular basis or you can make a one (or more) time gift by checking account or credit card on our website. Your regular electronic giving means that your gift is available for ministry even when you are away (or forgot your checkbook!). Thank you for your continued
support of the ministry of First Congregational Church!
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