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“There are two kinds of people in this world: Those who believe there are two kinds of people in this world and those who are [wise] enough to know better.” – Tom Robbins
The word of the day this coming Palm-Passion Sunday is ‘dichotomous”. It means ‘involving two completely opposing things…or themes.’
One of the featured readings (Luke 19:28-40) is concerned with Jesus’ triumphal entry into the holy city of Jerusalem. Picture a parade and people spreading their cloaks on the road as Jesus rides on a colt: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
The other featured reading (Luke 22:14-23) is concerned with the Lord’s Supper – the final meal that Jesus shared with his friends before his suffering. That setting is where the greatest story ever told takes a sudden turn from pageantry to treachery: “But see, the one who betrays me is with me, and his hand is on the table.”
Christian faith challenges us to be the kind of people who can deal with dichotomies. I’ll say more when I see you.
Be a blessing. Be the church.
Rev. Fredd
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Altar Flowers
Our Altar Flowers this week are donated Pam Hastings, Linda Hastings Rosania, and family, in loving memory of Richard and Lorain Hastings, Richard Hastings III, Mr. and Mrs. R. Cleveland Hastings, Marcia Hastings Peck, and Charles and Lucy Jaworski.
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Light the Steeple
Our steeple is lit by Judy Schmidt in loving memory of her father, Bradley Piper.
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Please join us for the following Holy Week activities at First Church:
- April 13 - Palm Sunday - 10am worship service with music and palm fronds
- April 18 - Good Friday - 7pm service in the Meeting House & Open Chapel from 12-1pm
- April 20 - Easter Sunday - 10am worship service featuring a brass ensemble followed by an Easter egg hunt.
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A Celtic Service of Healing
April 27 at 5 p.m.
First Church Chapel
Join us at First Church Chapel for an evening of gentle healing and reflection. Whether you're facing emotional, physical, relational, or spiritual challenges—or if painful memories continue to trouble you—this service will help to help restore your spirit. We also hold in prayer those in our lives who need healing, particularly when they cannot or do not ask for help themselves. Prayer cards will be available for you as you enter. The service features soft candlelight, the laying on of hands, and compassionate prayer, all led by
Rev. Tom Carr.
For any questions,
please reach out to
Liz Oman-Wilfred or
Jennifer deSimas.
| Try something new for Lent! Instead of giving something up for Lent, why not try adding a spiritual element to your Lenten journey by singing with the choir or learning to play with the Handbell Choir. No experience is necessary! We will teach you everything you need to know. See Jim Boratko or Jessica Berube-Sengupta for more information. | |
JPWL Seed Library Opens!
WeHa Grows is back with a variety of flower, herb, and veggie seeds for your garden. Stop by the JPW Library during the week, or visit the Bookmobile during Coffee Hour and “seed” for yourself! Four seed packets per family, please. Thank you for your support!
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Please drop off donations in the marked blue bins outside the auditorium and around the building. Specific needs include: baked beans, canned fruit/applesauce, pasta and sauce, cold cereal, canned chicken and tuna, 1 lb. packages of rice, 16-18 oz sized peanut butter, soup, macaroni and cheese.
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New Art Exhibit:
Don Bonner,
American Artist
JPWL Gallery
Through April 29
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New Member Info Session - Sunday, April 13th 11:15am Following Worship
We expect to receive new members into the life of the church during the 10am worship service on Sunday, April 27th. Contact Rev Fredd:
(860) 233-9605 x101
fredd.ward@whfirstchurch.org
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Coffee and Conversation!
Join Rev Fredd and friends at Nero Kitchen at 13 South Main Street in West Hartford Center on Wednesdays at 10am for coffee and conversation!
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Easter Donations
This is a wonderful opportunity to make a donation in honor of, or in memory of, a loved one! Easter Lily and Organ & Carillon donations can be made online HERE. Click HERE for a printable form and return it to the church office with your payment. If you wish to have your donation listed in the Sunday Bulletin, please make your donation by Sunday, April 13.
Contact Bethany office.manager@whfirstchurch.org 860-233-9605.
| Thank you to everyone who took an Easter basket to fill for Covenant to Care. Thanks to your generosity, Easter will be a little more special for 46 children! As a reminder, please return the baskets by Sunday, April 13th. - Diane & Molly | |
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. We 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.
All Dates in April are open!
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A Great Green Gift!
Here’s an opportunity for a local, “green” gift – cute clutches and lunch bags sewn from upcycled church banners! These one-of-a-kind First Church-branded totes and clutches will be available during the Hospitality Hour. Suggested Donation: Totes $15 each, clutches $10 each, or 3 for $15. All proceeds will be used by the Outreach Team to support nearby environmental charities.
| Family News! We now have a family news page on our website: click here. Family news will be shared when it is submitted to Amy Melvin or Joy Taylor. Send your photo(s) with caption(s) any time! We may edit content to fit. Please keep in mind that this is a public page. | |
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Let's Make Lunches!
Every month as part of our Outreach mission, we make 80 sandwiches and fill lunch bags for folks in the Asylum Hill neighborhood with “very low food security.”
•After Sunday worship in the Auditorium
•Half-hour activity for all ages
•Lunch bag contents includes: sandwich, chips, apple, and homemade cookies
Upcoming dates:
April 27, May 25, June 22,
July 27, Aug 24
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Altar Flower Donations
Donating altar flowers is a meaningful way to honor loved ones and is part of our Inreach ministry. Each week the altar flowers are broken down into smaller arrangements and delivered to members of the congregation. We have many weeks available in the new year. If you would like to donate, CLICK HERE or reach out to Bethany in the church office at 860-233-9605 office.manager@whfirstchurch.org
These dates are open:
May 18, July 6, 13, 20, and Aug 31, 2025.
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Lenten Wednesday Together Last Session!
Wednesday, April 16, 6-7 p.m. (in-person)
Fellowship Room (Rm. 303); light refreshments served
Rev. Dr. Laurie Andersen, curator and facilitator
A time for centering the soul, by way of a Bible story and reflection, meditation, silence, prayer. Rev. Anderson, along with her husband Mark Goodwin, is soon to be a new associate member of First Church. Laurie is a graduate of Union Theological Seminary and holds a Doctorate in Counseling from Hebrew Union College. She is currently a Board-Certified Chaplain for Trinity Health Care. In this series Laurie ties themes of Scripture together with deep psychological insights and wisdom gained through her years of counseling and hospice ministry. Please see Jennifer with questions.
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Yoga in the Chapel
Wednesdays from 9:30-10:45am
(3/26 9:00-10:15am)
in the First Church Chapel
Join Cynthia Wolcott for drop-in, in-person Yoga. Bring a mat and a blanket (Cynthia has extras you may borrow). Attend as you wish; payment is accepted at the start of each class: $20 per class - cash, Venmo, or check to Cynthia Wolcott. Contact Cynthia at cjwolcott@gmail.com.
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April Reach Out: South Park Inn
Established in 1982, South Park Inn provides a range of programs and services to assist people experiencing homelessness as they transition back to permanency. The agency’s goal is to provide a safe, temporary place to stay as individuals identify the supports and opportunities that will yield long-term housing solutions.
South Park Inn’s emergency shelter, opened in 1984, operates 24/7/365 and provides 55 beds to men and women.
South Park Inn has 15 Transitional Housing beds for Veterans, ten of which are dedicated for high–barrier Veterans exhibiting acute and/or active substance use and mental illness.
South Park Inn also operates 17 respite beds to provide people recovering from recent medical or behavioral health hospitalizations with a safe place to stay that includes staffing to monitor for complications/side effects, follow-up care, treatment compliance, and/or medication errors; case management, and rehousing support.
To learn more and donate please use the links provided or donate in church (note South Park Inn on your envelope) or online thru the church: https://whfirstchurch.ccbchurch.com/goto/giving
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GHIAA joins movement to protect CT's immigrants | In response to the federal government's increased efforts to deport immigrants -- often without any due process protections -- GHIAA is joining CT immigrant advocates in efforts to strengthen CT's 2019 Trust Act, and to raise awareness of the constitutional rights that all persons here have. | | | | |
Watch Live-Streamed Worship in the Church Library
First Church’s worship services are live streamed every Sunday in our bright, comfortable
John P. Webster Library. Come watch while your toddler plays in our children’s area or if you need a separate place to worship for any other reason.
The JPW Library is also open Monday-Thursday 9-5!
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Book Group News:
The John P. Webster Library coordinates and sponsors three book groups that meet regularly in the library. Copies of the books are provided for participants. New members are always welcome to either group!
For more information, please contact Jennifer or Molly at 860-232-3893 or at jpwlibrary@whfirstchurch.org.
Awakening the Spirit
The Choice: Embrace the Possible by Dr. Edith Eva Eger
Mondays from 12-1:30 p.m.We have the capacity to hate and the capacity to love. Which one we reach for is up to us. – Edith Eger
A “mind-blowing memoir of surviving Auschwitz” (New York Times).
Food for Thought
The Choice: Embrace the Possible by Dr. Edith Eva Eger
First Tuesday of the month from 5-6:30 p.m.
Next Meeting: May 6
Food for Thought also is reading The Choice: Embrace the Possible by Dr. Edith Eva Eger (description above). This incredible story of hope, courage, and grace is a must-read, and we are sharing it with both of our discussion groups!
Believe in YourSHELF Tween Book Group
Meets on the Third Sunday of the month at 10:15 a.m.
Next Meeting May 18
Uprooted: A Memoir About What Happens When Your Family Moves Back by Ruth Chan.
1993: When Ruth’s parents decide to move back to Hong Kong from Toronto, she can’t help but focus on the negatives. Not only will she leave her school and friends behind, but she has unpleasant memories of Hong Kong, and she barely speaks Cantonese. A great story about how courage, perseverance, and time help ease big changes.
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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.
| | Please use the links below to find us all over the internet, and you can also email the office by clicking the envelope. | | |
The church office hours are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Main number is 860-233-9605 | Email: Office.Manager@whfirstchurch.org
Copyright © 2024 First Church West Hartford, All rights reserved.
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