Happenings - April 9, 2025

Easter Flower Dedications

Celebrate someone special in your life - or Remember a beloved family member - or Give thanks for an extraordinary blessing - and sponsor the beautiful Easter Flowers that will adorn our sanctuary!

The deadline is this Sunday, April 13th. Paper forms will be available on Sunday at worship, (which you'll need to turn in then as well), or save yourself time and click here to fill out the form right now!

Thank you!

Holy Week & Easter Schedule

Sunday, April 13th - Palm and Passion Sunday, 10am, with the distribution of palms

Thursday, April 17th - Maundy Thursday, 7pm, Informal Worship via Zoom

Friday, April 18th - Good Friday, 12 noon, Prayer Walk at the Labyrinth

Easter Sunday Sunrise Service, 6am, in the field 1/4 mile past the town line of New Marlborough on County Road. Potluck breakfast at the Graham/Kelly home following the service.

Easter Worship, 10am, with guest violist, Bram Fisher

Simon's Rock Faculty Recital

This Sunday afternoon, April 13th, at 3:00pm you are invited to attend the Simon's Rock Faculty Recital at the Kellogg (this has two 'g's) Music Center.

Admission is Free.

Note: Bram Fisher, viola, will also join Manon for our Easter Sunday celebration!

Easter Egg Hunt

Easter joy, children in the yard and loads and loads of Easter Eggs! Spread the Word!

The Easter Egg Hunt will be at 11:15am on Easter, April 20.

Please register by emailing office@firstuccsheffield.org

Thank you to everyone who has donated candy, stickers and other small items as well as plastic eggs. We have 1000 eggs to fill, so your donations are still welcome! To donate plastic eggs or fillers, please email Rania Markham at raniamarkham@yahoo.com

Sheffield Historical Society

On Saturday, April 26th at 7pm, historian Phil Holland will present a talk at Old Parish Church on The Black Presence in the Revolutionary War.

Military records, original discoveries and scholarship old and new paint a more diverse picture of Vermont’s iconic battle and its Green Mountain Boys than that depicted in most histories.

To read more and to register, click here.

Fundraising Concert

On Saturday, April 26 at 2pm, Christ Trinity Church presents a fundraising concert with singer/songwriter Willy Welch. The $20 suggested donation benefits Berkshire Bounty.

Probably best-known for his tune "Right Field," (recorded by Peter Paul & Mary, among many, many others), Willy has been a professional singer/songwriter since age fifteen. He has toured nationally, often with his wife Wendy, and played such venues as Folk City, The Speakeasy, The Bitter End, Uncle Calvin's, and Berkshire Busk! See the flyer.

Holy Humor Sunday

Our 16th annual celebration of Holy Humor Sunday will be held on the Sunday after Easter, April 27th, with the theme of 'honey bee' to Celebrate Resurrection - Come join us!

Put a friendly bee in your bonnet, let joy flow, and gather in community to truly 'Bee' Alive!

Artists and busy bees are invited to gather at the church at 10am this Saturday to create décor for the service.

Community Tag Sale

The Community Tag Sale will take place from Friday, May 23 to Sunday, May 25!

Collection of items for the Tag Sale starts the week of May 5th. Please call Rania Markham at (413) 854-8611

or email raniamarkham@yahoo.com for drop-off times, or bring your items to church on Sunday prior to service.

April Steeple Lighting

The Steeple is lighted for the month of April by Alicia Brazie.

May the steeple shine bright

for peace and harmony.

Sponsorship of the May

Steeple Lighting is open!

Perhaps it will be you!

Additional sponsorships for 2025 are available. To claim a month, please email the church office with your request. It is a lovely way to honor a friend, an occasion, a memory or loved one.

A donation of $50 is greatly appreciated.

Our banner over the front door continually reminds us to 'Be the Church.' And we are! Being a place of extravagant welcome, our support of neighbors in need of added healthy food, our partnership with local organizations who share our values, our joy of life, love of creation - and so much more!

Your regular financial donations to the church directly impact ministries that bless others' lives. We are the church together! Thank you for your support.

Financial donations are welcome during Sunday worship, via the donate button here, or by mail:

First Congregational Church of Sheffield

PO Box 387

Sheffield, MA 01257

Donate

Upcoming Dates

Saturday, April 12 - 10am, Artists gather to create backdrop for Holy Humor Sunday

- 2pm, Spring church yard clean-up

Sunday, April 13 - 10am, Palm Sunday worship

- 3pm, Faculty Recital, Kellogg Music Center

Thursday, April 17 - 7pm, Maundy Thursday Informal Worship via Zoom

Friday, April 18 - Good Friday - Noon Prayer at the Labyrinth

Saturday, April 19 - 6:30-8:30pm - Mothers With Hope

Easter Sunday - 6am, Sunrise Service, Country Road, New Marlborough, 1/4 mile from the Town Line, followed by potluck breakfast

- 10am, Celebratory Easter worship with guest violist, Bram Fisher joining Manon

- 11:15am, Community Easter Egg Hunt

Saturday, April 26 - 2pm, Celebration of Life for Marion Whitman

- 2pm, Fundraising Concert at Christ Trinity Church

- 7pm, Sheffield Historical Society Talk: The Black Presence in the Revolutionary War

Sunday, April 27 - 10am, Holy Humor Sunday - A Celebration of Resurrection - "Bee Alive"

Ongoing

Sunday evenings - 7pm, AA meditation group in Parish Hall

Mondays - 9am, Sheffield Food Assistance Program

Wednesdays - 4:30-6:30pm, Berkshire Children's Chorus rehearsal

- 5:00pm - Weekly Zoom Social Hour

Thursdays - 10:30am, Village Family Food Distribution

Fridays - 7pm, ACA Twelve Step meeting in Parish Hall

125 Main Street

PO Box 387

Sheffield MA 01257

413-229-8173

office@firstuccsheffield.org

grahamj@firstuccsheffield.org

You are invited to worship with us.