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Being the Church Together!
| | Get ready to find some treasures at our Super Giant Tag Sale on October 3 (noon – 6:00 p.m.) and 4 (9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.)! And get involved in the fun of the First Church Potato Booth! | | |
Worshipping together...
Sunday, October 5
Two services at 8:00 (Micah Chapel) and 10:00 a.m. (Meetinghouse). Childcare available. Church School during the 10:00 a.m. service.
World + Family Communion Sunday
Preacher: Shari Prestemon
Worship Leader: Kate VanDerzee-Glidden
Music: 8:00 a.m. Chris Stone, baritone; 10:00 a.m. Cantate and Chancel Choirs
The Rev. Shari Prestemon began her service as Acting Associate General Minister and Co-Executive of Global Ministries for the national setting of the United Church of Christ on January 16, 2024, and was elected to serve in this role fully by the 35th General Synod of the United Church of Christ last month. Shari previously served as the Minnesota Conference UCC Conference Minister (2013-2023), as Executive Director at the UCC’s Back Bay Mission in Biloxi, Mississippi (2000-2013) and as a local church pastor. We are glad to welcome Shari to First Church!
Join us on October 5 for our Justice Fair after 10:00 a.m. worship! During common fellowship, we will have a justice fair featuring information about important ministries here at First Church, including our Social Justice Team, Greater Hartford Interfaith Action Alliance (GHIAA) team, Mental Health Ministry team, Micah Children’s Initiative, Board of Christian Service, Children's Ministries and Youth Ministries. Contact Nicole Struth at nicole@glastonburyfirst.org if you have questions.
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Our services are livestreamed and are also available for viewing later on our YouTube channel. Please let an usher know if you would like a large print bulletin, large print hymnal or a hearing device to use during the worship service. Large print bulletins are also available on our website home page. We offer accessible and limited mobility parking. Masks are optional.
If you would like to enjoy our September 28 10:00 a.m. service online, just click below!
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Giving together...
Our 2026 Stewardship Campaign is underway! You can pledge online or return your pledge letter in the offering plate on Sundays, drop it off or mail it to the church office by October 19. If you have questions, please contact Rebecca Fleahman in the church office at rebeccafleahman@glastonburyfirst.org. We are Bee-ing the Church Together, and your generosity is greatly appreciated!
The Stewardship Committee is now offering a free bottle of HONEY (from our local busy bees) for any new pledger!
An important measure of engagement in our congregation is the percent of our church leaders and board and committee members who pledge. For the 2025 Stewardship campaign, 120 of the 135 households of our leaders pledged. While 89% could be good enough for a B+ grade, let’s see if we can get to a perfect 100% pledge rate for our leaders and board and committee members in our 2026 Stewardship campaign!
| | Get ready to find some treasures at our Super Giant Tag Sale on October 3 (noon – 6:00 p.m.) and 4 (9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.)! You can also sign up online to join our dedicated team helping at the sale! Be sure to spread the word to your family and friends! Our proceeds all go to other organizations to help our neighbors in need! Please contact Merryl Rees if you have questions at mprees8@outlook.com. | | Register ASAP if you want to join our annual Intergenerational Mission Trip to Biloxi, MS, from January 4 – 10, 2026. The work is varied, and participants don’t have to have construction skills. Details and are available on our website. (An online payment option is available, and we kindly ask you to consider covering the transaction fee.) If you have questions, contact Diana Ruddick at 860-463-3049 or dianakate525@gmail.com. | | Our Prayer & Share group meets on Tuesdays from 9:45-11:00 a.m. in the church Parlor. We will be studying the parables of Jesus with the book The Parables: Understanding What Jesus Meant by Gary Inrig, which you may order on Amazon. For more information, please contact Sandee Brown at seapearl44@gmail.com. | | |
Join us on Tuesday, October 7, at 7:00 p.m. in Schultz Hall to learn about the Smith sisters of Glastonbury. Diane Hoover, representing the Historical Society of Glastonbury, will present an exciting historical recounting (in costume as Julia Smith) of the life and times of the Smith sisters! We hope you’ll join us for an evening of history, stories and connections to Glastonbury’s past. If you'd like more information on this free event or our Social Justice Team, please contact Deborah Willard at 860-334-1983 or deborahgladdingwil@sbcglobal.net.
Join our Mental Health Ministry and First Church Outside for our annual Wellness Walk on Sunday, October 12, at 1:00 p.m. at Earle Park, Glastonbury. The hike will be on the trail located behind the former Audubon site off Main Street in South Glastonbury. Contact Nicole Noonan at nicolewnoonan@gmail.com if you have questions.
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On Monday, October 13 and Tuesday, November 11, we will be providing a crew of five to serve lunch at Hands on Hartford’s “Gather 55” restaurant at 55 Bartholomew Avenue in Hartford from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. We will also be providing homemade chocolate chip cookies to add to the meal. If you would like to join us in Hartford or bake two dozen cookies and package two each in sandwich bags, please sign up online. For more information, please contact Terry Darr at terrydarr@sbcglobal.net.
The annual First Church Potato Booth at the Glastonbury Apple Harvest and Music Festival will be in full swing this year during the weekend of Friday, October 17, to Sunday, October 19, and your help is needed! This is a fundraising event for our youth mission trips. We need adult and youth volunteers to wash, wrap and bake potatoes, bring cooked food to the booth, sell potatoes and clean up. Come join the fun and sign up online! If you can’t volunteer, you can still support us by buying a baked potato with your choice of toppings at the festival or at our grab and go station on Sunday, October 19. If you have questions, please contact Meredith Krauss at meredana@aol.com.
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Carol’s Closet paper pantry serves those who are struggling, and supplies are needed – especially toilet paper (four-packs or individually wrapped rolls), paper towels (individually wrapped rolls), tissues, bar soap (individually wrapped or two-pack) and shampoo (standard size). Please place items in the Carol’s Closet box in the back lobby of the church. Contact Judi Barber with questions at jjbarber0623@gmail.com or 860-836-5374.
Our October food collection of canned veggies, cake or brownie mix, pasta and other items will support the Manchester Area Council of Churches (MACC). Items can be dropped off in the back lobby or in the Narthex. If you have questions, please contact Susan Lambert at sjlambert22@gmail.com.
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Office updates...
Please be alert for email and text scams: Our pastors and staff would never reach out to you via email or text to ask for help buying gift cards or send you other requests for personal assistance.
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First Church of Christ,
Congregational, UCC
2183 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033
www.glastonburyfirst.org, 860.633.4641
We are an open, welcoming and affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ.
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