Our Re-Entry Team met December 1, 2021. The team approved the request of Dan Inglis, Music Director, to bring back the choir during the holiday season. The choir will rehearse and perform masked and socially distanced in the sanctuary.

We will continue to discuss sanctuary seating and will review the policy in January. For now we will maintain the every third row policy. Currently there are seventy seats available in the sanctuary.

Altar Flowers: December 12, 2021

Flowers on the Altar given in honor of Frank’s Mother Olga Toledo Smith By Frank and Ann Smith

The Flowers will be arranged by Ann Smith

Live Stream Worship Online & LCTV Worship Recordings

We continue to offer online live stream worship services through our Facebook and YouTube pages. Please click one of the links below to join our online worship service on Sundays at 10:00 AM. You can also view our Sunday Worship Service recordings on Longmeadow Cable Access Television (LCTV) Sundays @ 8 AM and 12 noon. (previous Sunday's worship)

FCC Families and Youth Celebrate Kat Romoser!

Congratulations to Kat Romoser on becoming an Eagle Scout! On Oct. 12 Kat became the first girl in Western MA to earn the rank of Eagle Scout. Kat was presented with her Eagle Scout award on Sunday, December 5th. In 2019 Kat joined the Scouts BSA (formerly called the Boy Scouts) and joined Troop 180G in Ludlow. Her Eagle Scout project was installing a Monarch Watch Waystation for the St. John the Baptist School in Ludlow (next to where her troop meets every week.).

Congratulations to Kat, brother /Eagle Scout Geoff Romoser, father Matt Romoser and mother/Asst. Scoutmaster Beth Elam! Here are some images from the event

Family Ministries Advent Activity

This Advent season families are again invited to light the candles on their Advent wreaths and say the accompanying prayers either at home during remote worship or at a special designated time each Sunday. Family members can also share their chocolates from their Advent calendars and read the accompanying Bible verse for each day in December up to Christmas.

The Aka Family From Afghanistan Needs You!

Dear First Church Family, 

Our church is partnering with the Unitarian Universalist Society of Greater Springfield and Jewish Family Service of Western MA to welcome a family from Afghanistan. The Aka Family of ten will be arriving in Springfield on Friday, December 10! The family includes a mother and father and eight children ranging in age from two years to eighteen years of age. At this point we know little else about the family. They have a home in Springfield arranged for by JFS, and our team of volunteers will be helping to set up the house for them this coming week before they arrive. 

We have attached a list of some things that are needed. If you have furniture to donate, please take a picture of it and send it to Linda Cardillo at lcardilloplatzer@gmail.com or text to 413-847-6676 or Anne Landry at anne.llandry@gmail.com or text to 860-705-2404.There will be movers next week who can help pick up donated items. If you have an item that needs picking up besides furniture, please contact Linda, Anne Landry, or Mary Friedman (413-244-2065).

Thank you in advance for your generosity! 

From the FCC Environmental Justice Team

We learned Tuesday, of the death of the highly respected environmental and social activist, Dr. Marty Nathan of Northampton. 

 Initially, Marty became known to our congregation when she spoke twice at our adult education seminars. Afterwards she continued to work closely with our Environmental Justice team, meeting us at various rallies, and educating us with her numerous articles in the Northampton Gazette. One of her favorite sayings was “ If you see injustice or benefit from injustices and remain silent, then you are adding to the problem"

May her life continue to inspire and motivate us all. 

For more information about Dr. Nathan and her accomplishments, click HERE.

Interfaith Coffee and Conversations (Zoom)

December 7th @ 9:30 AM

Each week, on zoom, we’re hosted by a leader from diverse faith traditions inviting us to reflect and share on a topic through the lens of our faith. You are welcome!

We gather with curiosity and mutual respect, to learn from each other and find common ground. Won’t you join us? (The zoom link will be available in the Monday eblast)

Click the image for the latest Youth News!

Feeding the 500 Youth Can Drive

We are continuing to collect cans of food. Will you help us? Collection bins and updates are in the Narthex and outside Rev. Dallas' office.

An Update from Haiti

Bishop Fracoise Villiers sent our church this video clip with two of the Bishops of CONASPEH present and "Junior" translating to say "Thank You" to our church for the donations we have sent after the earthquake that struck the south of Haiti in August.

Susan Kennedy and Mary Friedman have worked hard to find a safe way to send the money directly to CONASPEH. So far we have sent $5,697.41 from individual donations and expect to send an additional $2,000 from the Mission Team to help with relief efforts and rebuilding.  Bishop Francoise has been in close contact and says:

"We would like the church to understand how good is the offering (you have sent). We are in a difficult time here in Haiti.It is not easy. By the grace of God we have not had too much COVID. It did not attack us in the same way. We say 'thank you.' "

Advent is a time of preparation and waiting, a season of shadow and light, a remembering of Christ’s birth at Christmas and an active hoping in Christ’s promise to come to earth again.

As a church family we’ll have opportunities to worship and study and decorate and be COMMUNITY throughout this season.

Keep an eye on this section for more details and updates!

Adult Education Series: Hard Conversations

Sundays of Advent (12/5-19) at 2:00 pm

The Buxton Room

(with Zoom access)

For more information and to register for this event, please click HERE or call the church office 413-567-6287

Family Christmas Worship Service

Sunday, December 19th

at 12:00 noon

in the Buxton Room (or Zoom)

We will tell the Christmas Story with an Instant Pageant for all ages to participate!

*No church school Dec. 26th*

Advent Giving Tree

Please take an ornament from the tree, purchase, wrap, and place the gift - with the ornament attached - under the tree in the sanctuary

by the fourth Sunday of Advent, December 19.

Click the button for more detailed information and Contact Bev Sager with any questions: 203-305-7112

Blue Christmas Service

Thursday, December 16th at 7:00 PM

An outdoor contemplative service to light candles and remember losses we carry as we welcome softly the hope of Christmas. 

Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship

in the Sanctuary

Friday, December 24th at 7:00 PM

A Christmas Eve Worship Service. Pre-registration and masks will be required. Seating is limited.

(pre-register below)

Christmas Eve

Community Caroling

Friday, December 24th at 8:00 PM

After our Candlelight Worship in the Sanctuary, we will invite the community to bundle up and join us in singing Christmas Carols on the Portico.

As you know, First Church of Christ is a member of the Pioneer Valley Project

and we actively support all of their projects and events.

Click the headline above to see a list of upcoming events!

Called to Care

The Called to Care Team at First Church provides First Church friends connection during times of short term or long term illness or homebound status - offering visiting, phone calls, deliveries of Easter Lilies and Christmas Poinsettias, and cards. If you know of someone in the life of the church who could use this kind of contact, please reach out to the pastors or the church office to let us know!  office@firstchurchlongmeadow.org

Call for Ushers!

If you are planning to come to attend church in person on Sundays, will you consider volunteering to help out as an usher?

Click the button below to sign up for any dates you are available. Thank you for giving your time, talent and treasure to First Church!