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Hope /hōp/
noun 1. a feeling of anticipation or wanting something to happen.
verb 2. to desire with expectation of success or achievement.
The hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” conveys the church’s spiritual attitude during the season of Advent:
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appears.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
We sing those lyrics remembering the arrival of the Christ child long ago and looking forward to the Savior’s second coming in the future. Fittingly, the worship themes this Sunday are alertness and anticipation. The sermon is entitled “Hope Is a Verb with Her Sleeves Rolled Up”. Which is a way of suggesting that hope is not merely a feeling word. It is an action word too! Hope is more than wanting and waiting. It also involves working. I’ll say more when I see you.
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Fredd
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Call to a Congregational Meeting
Sunday, December 3, 2023
Notice is hereby given that a Congregational Meeting of the First Church of Christ Congregational of West Hartford, Connecticut, UCC, will be held on Sunday, December 3, 2023 at 11:15 AM following morning worship to address the following item of business:
1. To consider and vote on the recommendation of the Selection Committee in regard to the call of a new settled Senior Pastor for First Church of Christ Congregational, West Hartford, CT, United Church of Christ.
2. In accordance with the By-laws of First Church, action will be taken only on matters included in the Call to Meeting.
Notice given on November 16, 2023.
Linda Bronstein, Secretary of the Church
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Pledging for 2024 is underway.
If you would like to make your pledge online, you can do so by filling out the online pledge card HERE. You can also return your pledge card to the church office or place it in the offering plate during worship.
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A memorial service for Douglas P. Mix, son of Peggy Mix, will be held in the First Church Meeting House on Saturday, December 2 at 11 a.m. | |
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Share A Gift Tree for Our Covenant to Care Children
Take a tag from the tree in the auditorium starting December 3, buy a gift, and bring the unwrapped gift to the church office (or auditorium on Sundays) by December 17. Help our Covenant to Care children have a Merry Christmas! For any questions, please contact Maryanne Barry at (860-593-7248 or [email protected]) or Diane Bohman at (860-490-5908 or [email protected])
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Light The Steeple in honor of a Loved One
For a $25 donation, you are invited to "Light the Steeple" for one week in honor of a loved one. Similar to making a flower donation we will ask that you pick a date at least one week in advance of the desired week, and all donors will be acknowledged in our weekly Happenings. Please note more than one donor can fall on any given week. Donations will be added to the Save the Steeple fund. Click "Light The Steeple for a loved one" found on the “Save the First Church Steeple” web page or click here.
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Light the Steeple
Our steeple this week was lit by Sandra Ward in loving memory of Mother Inell Evans and in loving memory of Rev. Fred Ward, Sr.
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Christmas Angelicus Concert
Please join us for this “Arts in the Center” concert!
Sunday, December 17 at 4:00 p.m. in The Meeting House
Old and new arrangements of carols and seasonal songs, sung by Chorus Angelicus & Gaudeamus, are interwoven with stories, poems, and readings, topped off with traditional carols which the audience can join.
Tickets: $35 General Admission, $50 Priority Seating, $10 Students
Click HERE to buy tickets.
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Please join us for the following Advent festivities at First Church!
December 3 – First Sunday of Advent, Hope - 10 a.m. worship service with Communion.
December 10 – Second Sunday of Advent, Peace – Rev. Tom Carr will provide the message during the 10 a.m. service.
December 17 – Third Sunday of Advent, Joy – 10 a.m. worship service featuring a brass quintet.
December 17 – Arts in the Center Concert, Chorus Angelicus at 4 p.m. in the Meeting House.
December 24 – Fourth Sunday of Advent, Love – We will have 2 Christmas Eve Services of Lessons and Carols.
4:30 p.m. – Festive Service with a walk-on children’s pageant.
9 p.m. – Contemplative, candle-light service.
*(Please note there will be no 10 a.m. worship service on December 24, and there will not be a service on Christmas Day, December 25.)
December 31 – Colossal Puppets return during the 10 a.m. worship service.
Click HERE for more information about all of our Advent festivities!
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Help make holiday wishes come true! Mercy Housing and Shelter Corporation and My Sisters' Place are holding their annual Holiday Wish Program, which provides individuals and families served by Mercy Housing and My Sisters' Place with one physical gift and one $25. gift card the week of Christmas. Generous donors are needed to help fulfill this year's wishes. Please visit https://mercyhousingct.org/news-events/ or https://sistersplacect.org/news-events/ to access our gift registry. | | |
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Wreath, Poinsettia and Organ & Carillon Donations
Wreaths will adorn the doors of First Church during the season of Advent. Poinsettias can be used to brighten the holiday for another, taken home after worship on December 17th, or delivered to your doorstep if needed. Donations can also be made to the Organ & Carillon Reserve Fund. Online orders and donations can be made HERE or you can print a form HERE to mail in with your payment. All donations must be received in the office by Monday, December 11th.
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Update -- Covenant to Care Thanksgiving Baskets
We would like to extend our gratitude to the congregation. Due to your generosity, First Church provided enough food for 27 families in need of assistance on Thanksgiving. Maryanne Barry and Diane Bohman.
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Update from the First Church Academy Workgroup
In April of this year, our Coordinating Team, led by Moderator Wendy Wigglesworth, convened a work group to examine the relationship between the church and the First Church Academy for Young Children. The members of the work group were: Suzanne Carnes, Chair; Jenny Clark, Co-Chair; Diane Bohman; Linda Lacasse; Dawne Quinn, Lisa Reed, and Jim Warner.
Our charge from the Coordinating Team was to “discern the pros and cons of a legal separation of the Academy from the church” as its own entity.
After consulting with several church leaders, staff members, our insurance provider and three attorneys, we completed our work in October. The final report was sent to the Business Team, which in turn presented it to the Coordinating Team.
Our unanimous decision was that the First Church Academy should remain as part of First Church. It should not be separated as its own entity.
To see the complete report, please click HERE
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FAITH FORMATION
Create Your Own Advent Wreath- Sunday after worship!
There will be a table set up next to the stage in the auditorium with all the materials you need to make an Advent wreath to use at home. Daily devotional booklets also included. See Jennifer with questions.
Christmas Pageant
The Faith Formation team is happy to announce a retelling of the beloved Nativity story will take place at the 4:30 Christmas Eve service! In addition, we are inviting you – and you – and you! – to tap your inner shepherd, magi, or angel and join in the telling. Costumes will be available at the door the evening of the service – first come, first served. A brief practice will be held for Sunday School students during class on 12/17. Volunteers are also needed for special backstage tasks, including child wrangling, prop allocations, and a little heavy lifting. See Jennifer to join the production!
Sunday School Students -- be sure to pick up a copy of the 2023 Reverse Advent Calendar at the entrances to the Meeting House!
Advent Devotionals Available
The JPWL is offering two Advent devotional options this year. Please pick up yours at the entrances to the meeting house:
Glow: The 2023 Advent-Christmastide Devotional
Once again the Stillspeaking Writers Group offers a daily devotional to guide us through the days of Advent, then Christmastide, and on to the celebration of Epiphany. Glow includes candle-lighting liturgies for home use as well as daily readings with scripture and prayer.
Slow Down. Quiet. It's Advent.
This illustrated calendar poster suggests ways to mark the days through the Advent season. Daily line drawings and quotations march across the calendar blocks, offering ideas for prayer, helping others, or reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas. Perfect for posting on the fridge!
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Calling all Crafters, Artists, Collectors:
Do you have something that you’ve created or curated – something you’d like to share with others? Consider a display in the JPWL Gallery! There is plenty of wall space, a flexible hanging and lighting system, and a secure display case. That collection of antique bottles or lace? Yes! Your assortment of paintings by Appalachian folk artists? Absolutely! Photos from your trip to Galapagos? Sure! If you’d like to share it – or have a friend who might – please see Jennifer to discuss it!
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Book Group News
The church’s John P. Webster Library coordinates two regular book groups.
Copies of the books are provided for participants. New members are always welcome! For more information, please contact Jennifer or Molly at 860-232-3893 or [email protected].
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Awakening the Spirit, led by Rev. Tom Carr, meets Mondays from 12-1:30 p.m. Bring a bag lunch; beverages and desserts are provided. The group is reading Thich Nhat Hanh’s classic Living Buddha, Living Christ (20th anniversary edition).
Food for Thought’s next meeting is December 5 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. to discuss Everything Beautiful in Its Time: Seasons of Love and Loss by Jenna Bush Hagar.
Their next book will be Horse by Geraldine Brooks: Based on the remarkable true story of the record-breaking thoroughbred Lexington, Horse is a novel of art and science, love and obsession, and our unfinished reckoning with racism…A discarded painting in a junk pile, a skeleton in an attic, and the greatest racehorse in American history: from these strands, a Pulitzer Prize winner braids a sweeping story of spirit, obsession, and injustice across American history.
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Family News and Reception of New Members
The following new members were received into the church on Sunday, November 26: Dale Comstock, Ray Epps, Nicole Jackman, Kathy Joy, Miles Lawrence, Nina Lawrence, Liz Murray, Maria Soaft, Yvonne Tafuto, Sara Thompson, and Christine Thomson.
To read more, click HERE.
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December Reach Out: Christmas Fund
The Christmas Fund for the Veterans of the Cross and the Emergency Fund has been caring for active and retired clergy and lay employees of the United Church of Christ for over 100 years. Funds provide direct financial support to those who serve the church and are facing financial difficulties. Active and retired clergy, lay employees, and their surviving spouses may be eligible for the Supplementation of Small Annuities, Supplementation of Health Premiums, Emergency Grants, and/or Christmas “Thank You” Gift Checks. Your generous support will be a blessing to servants of the church old and young, retired and active, lay and authorized”. Thank you for your support!
For more information: https://www.ucc.org/ocwm_special-support/ To donate online thru the church: HERE or you can donate directly at: Giving Opportunities - United Church of Christ (ucc.org)
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Spreading Your News
The Communications Team is made up of members of our Outreach Ministry, and the church Office Administrators.
Sunday Notes/Happenings submissions are due by noon on Tuesdays to Sarah and Linda
Website, flyer, and Social Media additions or changes can be sent to Amy and Joy anytime.
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Taking Photos in Church and Sharing Policy
Taking photos and documenting life events is commonplace now and more and more common in church settings. Lots of members are asking about taking photos at church events and wondering how to share them and to avoid confusion, we came up with some guidelines. Most important: be sure phone is in silent mode and skip solo selfies when tagging church events! Laminated copies of guidelines are at each entrance to the Sanctuary and at auditorium entrance, or view policy here or go to website>Photo Gallery page. Thank you, Amy and Joy.
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Please use the links below to find us all over the internet, and you can also email the office by clicking the envelope. | |
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Hours: The church office hours are Monday thru Thursday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Main number is 860-233-9605 | Email: [email protected]
Copyright © 2022 First Church West Hartford, All rights reserved.
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