Join us on Sunday to learn about native plants! | | Thanks to all who made our Pancake Breakfast + Egg Hunt a success! | | Worship with us during Holy Week... | | |
April 13, Palm and Passion Sunday, Sixth Sunday in Lent (both services in the Meetinghouse)
Music: 8:00 a.m. Chris Hart, Tenor; 10:00 a.m. Caroler, Cantate and Chancel Choirs
The beginning of the service will focus on Palm Sunday and will be followed by the reading of the Passion narrative with tableaus, including the events of Jesus’ suffering and death. The service will end with a soloist singing “Jesus Walked that Lonesome Valley.”
The children will bring in their One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) banks, so bring your change and bills to support our OGHS collection!
Childcare is available during our Sunday services and Church School meets during our 10:00 a.m. service.
April 17, Maundy Thursday
12:00 p.m. Maundy Thursday Service in the Micah Chapel. A solemn service of Scripture and music, symbolic of the flight of the disciples and the passion of our Lord.
7:30 p.m. Service of Tenebrae in the Meetinghouse. A solemn service of Scripture lessons and hymns accompanied by the gradual extinguishing of lights, symbolic of the flight of the disciples and the passion of our Lord. Special music will be sung by the Chancel Choir.
April 20, Easter Sunday (services at 6:30, 9:00 + 11:00 a.m.)
6:30 a.m. Outdoor Sunrise Service on the Micah Chapel Lawn
9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. We are happy to welcome back the Constitution Brass to celebrate the miracle of the Risen Christ with hymns, organ and brass selections. These two services will include festive anthems by our Jubilate Ringers and Cherub and Chancel Choirs at the 9:00 a.m. service, and by the Chancel and Cantate Choirs and Mallet Ringers at the 11:00 a.m. service. Childcare is available. Church School will not be in session.
| | |
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 April 6 worship service online, just click below!
| | |
This week...
Interested in learning more about Glastonbury zoning and housing issues? Glastonbury Friends of Housing invites you to its next meeting, on Wednesday, April 9, at 6:30 p.m. at South Church, Glastonbury, Room 201/202. Glastonbury resident and land use attorney Brian Smith, a member of the Connecticut Bar Association’s Planning & Zoning Law Section, will give a presentation and field questions on local planning and zoning basics, including our ordinances and zoning map and their relationship to state zoning and housing laws. All are welcome. If you have questions, please email Rob Dakers at julrob.dakers@gmail.com.
Join our ongoing Bible Study with a focus on the Book of Luke led by church member Rev. Pam Vollinger. The group meets on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. in the Parlor and on Zoom. Please contact Nicole Struth if you have questions at nicole@glastonburyfirst.org.
On April 10 and 24 at 9:30 a.m. in the Lehman Library, Thursday Morning Study Group will host an Art Series: Black Visual Artists Who Have Broken Barriers. “By working outside of convention in their respective fields, these Black artists have defied cultural and professional stereotypes. Collectively, their bodies of work should not only be seen as a narrative of the African American experience of their time, but also a powerful expression of cultural protest.” – Eudie Pak. All are welcome! For more information, please email Sally Brown at saldaybrown@aol.com or Deanna Tiffin at deetiffin52@gmail.com.
| | |
What defines a native plant, anyway? Find out at our next Micah Moment on Sunday, April 13, at 11:30 a.m., sponsored by Glastonbury Pollinator Pathway. Master Gardener Ted Johnson will share information on using natives, hybrids and cultivars in your home garden. Join us for a beautiful and informative virtual garden tour. Questions? Contact Karen Fecko at 860-916-8360.
| | |
Next week and more...
Join the Merry Weeders on Monday, April 14 (3:00-5:00 p.m.), or Wednesday, April 16 (3:00-5:00 p.m.), to spruce up our grounds before Easter. If you are willing to help for an hour or two on either day, please contact Merry Weeder coordinator Suzy Fisher at 860-416-9484 or suzy.o.fisher@gmail.com. Bring weeders, clippers and/or pruners, and a bucket or bag.
Our Prayer and Share group meets on Tuesdays at 9:45 a.m. in the Parlor. You are invited as we connect and uplift each other in a supportive environment. For more information, please contact Sandee Brown at seapearl44@gmail.com or Pat Weibust at pweibust@cox.net.
| | |
Join our team in our annual Walk Against Hunger in support of Connecticut Foodshare in their mission to address food insecurity. Our walk on April 26 will once again be at the Addison Bog at 10:00 a.m. You can sign up and make donations during common fellowship on April 13. You can also donate online to Connecticut Foodshare. Please contact Sally Riddell at sally.m.riddell@gmail.com if you have questions.
The second annual Glastonbury Holocaust Remembrance Evening will be held here at First Church on Wednesday, April 30, at 7:00 p.m. Registration is required and attendance is limited. You can find out more information on the Glastonbury Holocaust Remembrance Project website.
Music scholarship applications are available online for student musicians in the First Church family or the Glastonbury community and are due by May 2. First Church is pleased to offer music scholarships of up to $1,000 towards private lessons. The selection process will focus on an applicant’s interest in classical and contemporary music. Please contact Cheryl Gaudette, Music Scholarship Committee Chair, with questions at cagaudette123@gmail.com.
| | |
Join us for our spring Mission Immersion Day on Saturday, May 3, when we will come together to brighten the day of those who may need it. You can sign up online or contact Terry Darr with any questions at terrydarr@sbcglobal.net. Our two opportunities are Cookies + Visits (make a care package at home or make cookies at church with other families, then visit a church member) and ABC House Spring Clean-Up. Glastonbury A Better Chance (ABC) offers young men of color from underserved communities with demonstrated ability and good character the opportunity to live in community in Glastonbury and obtain an excellent education.
| | |
On Monday, May 12, we will travel to Hartford to serve a community dinner at Hands on Hartford. We will be both providing the food and bringing in a crew to serve. We will need a main dish (recipes provided), prepared salads, dinner rolls, fruit, beverages, and dessert. You can sign up online or contact Rich Baber at richbaber@yahoo.com for more information.
| | |
Ongoing collections...
Our April food collection of pasta, pasta sauce, beef stew, rice and other items will support MACC (Manchester Area Conference of Churches). 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.
Carol’s Closet, the paper pantry in town, needs toiletries and paper products – toilet paper (4-packs or individually wrapped rolls), paper towels (individually wrapped rolls), tissues, bar soap (individually wrapped or 2-pack) and shampoo (standard size). Please place items in the Carol’s Closet box in the back lobby of the church. Please contact Suzanne Schwartz with questions at 860-490-7336.
| | |
2025 Easter offering...
We are called to share God’s beauty and love with one another and the world, and one way we do that is by giving generously to our Easter offering. The money we receive in donations is what goes out into the world. Our gifts will be divided between the ecumenical development and relief program, One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS), and a $3,000 donation to Manchester Area Conference of Churches.
| | |
When OGHS dollars are allocated to the United Church of Christ’s Wider Church Ministries, we immediately respond to a variety of global and local concerns by providing advocacy, sustainable development resources, short and long-term disaster recovery support and assistance for refugee and asylum seekers.
| | |
MACC began over 50 years ago with 14 founding churches who laid the foundation for MACC to begin service to a community in need. MACC’s mission of building partnerships to break cycles of poverty in our community is done through their community kitchen, community food pantry, community outreach and emergency services and community thrift store.
Friends, let us “Be the Light” in the world by giving generously to our Easter offering. You can give online or write a check made out to "First Church" with "Easter Offering" in the memo line.
| | |
Office update...
The deadline is April 10 for the May + June issue of The Reminder. Please email your items to publications@glastonburyfirst.org.
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.
| | | | |
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.
| | | | |
