Weekly E-News

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November North Star

Our YouTube Channel

Happy Thanksgiving

The Church Office wil be closed on November 27th and 28th for the Thanksgiving Holiday!

Worship

Sunday, November 23, 2025

at 10:30 AM

11:30-12:15 - Celtic Christian Advent Discussion

The Old Arrow Maker

Edmonia Lewis,

Modeled 1866, carved ca. 1872

Marble 20 x 14 x 14 in.

Crystal Bridges Museum

Edmonia Lewis was the daughter of a Chippewa (Ojibwa) mother and an African American father. Educated at Oberlin College, the first college in the United States open to African Americans, Native Americans, and women, she eventually moved to Rome where she created many sculptures in a classical style that often focused on

racial themes.

Watch on Youtube

Bulliten

ZOOM

Dial by your location

• +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

• +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)

• +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)

• +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

• +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

• +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

Meeting ID: 898 5728 4935

Passcode: 120786

Attendance Last Week

Sunday, November 16 (Jazz Sanctuary)

In-Person: 37

Zoom: N/A

YouTube: 21 views as of November 18

2025 Advent & Christmas Activities and Services

[We are following the Celtic Christian tradition of 40 days of Advent this year, which makes for 2 additional Advent Sundays]

Sunday, November 23rd

10:30-11:30 am - Thanksgiving & Second Advent (Holy Spirit)

11:30-12:15 - Celtic Christian Advent Discussion

Sunday, November 30th

10:30-11:30 am - Third Advent (Hope)

11:30-12:15 - Celtic Christian Advent Discussion

MONDAY, December 1st

2:30-3:30 pm - Blue Christmas Service

Sunday, December 7th

9:30-10:30 am - Greening the Chapel

10:30-11:30 am - Fourth Advent (Peace) with Communion

11:30-12:15 - Celtic Christian Advent Discussion

Sunday, December 14th

10:30-11:30 am - Fifth Advent (Joy) & Hanging of the Chrismons

11:30-12:15 - Celtic Christian Advent Discussion (?)

Sunday, December 21st

2:30-4:30 pm - Jazz Sanctuary; Sixth Advent (Love)

Wednesday, December 24th

6-7pm - Candlelight Christmas Eve Service (Christ)

Sunday, December 28th

10:30-11:30 am Worship service with Christmas Hymn Sing

Sunday, January 4th

10:30-11:30 am Epiphany worship service with Communion

11:30 Coffee hour

Circle Gatherings

Prayers for the Nation

Join Rev. Reneé Rouse as she guides participants through group prayers for our nation and the world. These sessions take place on Zoom every Wednesday from 1:00-2:00 PM.

Join on Zoom

Dial in by phone:

• +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)• +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)

• +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

• +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

• +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

• +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

Meeting ID: 811 7129 7350

Passcode: 475344

Racial Justice Steering Team

This coming program year (Sept-May), the Racial Justice steering team is reading Black Portsmouth: Three Centuries of African-American Heritage by Mark Sammons and Valerie Cummingham, a comprehensive history of the Black community in Portsmouth from 1648 until the early 21st century. We’ll be reading and discussing this book, in addition to taking action to learn more about those of African descent in New Hampshire, and we invite you to join us! You can purchase the book at Gibson’s Bookstore (look in the “Local Authors” section), order through blackheritagetrailnh.org, or through Amazon.com.

The next meeting will take place on January21st on Zoom

from 2:30-4:00 PM.

ZOOM Link

Dial by your location

• +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)

• +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington

• +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

• +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

• +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

• +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

Meeting ID: 853 7898 6356

Passcode: 596356

OUTREACH

Ministry of Outreach

Kid Kits and Clean Up Buckets

Please consider sewing or purchasing a bag for the kid kits. Directions for sewing the bags can be found on the bulletin board or at cwskits.org

Don't forget to take a sticky note from the bulletin board for the cleanup buckets.

Zimbabwe

$90 was raised for the Daisy Dube Orphanage. Thank you for helping raise money to rebuild the orphanage. They plan to rebuild and instead of one large orphanage, they will construct four cottages on the original site. Each cottage will house eight children and a caretaker. The cost of each cottage, including labor and materials is estimated at $80,000. They hope to complete at least three cottages before November, when the rainy season could delay construction.

Strengthen the Church

We raised $115 for Strengthen the Church. Thank you for your donations. This is one of UCC "five for five" offerings which we support. The money goes towards expansion of ministry and growth of UCC local congregations.

Neighbors in Need

Offering amounts received will be reported in the next North Star.

Salvation Army Christmas Angels

Looking ahead to Christmas, we plan to work with the Salvation Army and help ensure that children experience the joy of Christmas morning. Please plan to take an "angel" from the bulletin board and purchase the requested gift for a child. Watch the bulletin board for the angels.

Did you miss worship last week?

Bulletin for 11.16.2025

Worship Assistant Schedule

Would you like to be a worship assistant? Please email Pastor Emilia.

Sheila Swenson (Sunday, November 23rd)

Sara Nichols (Sunday, November 30th)

Rev. Renee' Rouse (Sunday, December 7th)

Phil Kimball (Sunday, December 14th)

Jazz Sanctuary - December 21st (No Reader)

Annie Papinsick (Sunday, December 28th)

Jim Wildman (Sunday, January 4th)

Eleanor Kimball (Sunday, January 11th)

Jazz Sanctuary - January 18th (No Reader)

November Birthdays

Kellie Heath – 11/2

Irene Park – 11/2

Nancy Sanborn – 11/13

(If you would like your birthday listed, please email

Kathy at secretary@concordsfirstchurch.org)

PRAYER CONCERNS & PASTORAL CARE

If you would like your name included in the weekly prayer list, please contact our church administrator, Kathy secretary@concordsfirstchurch.org

We invite you to keep these people in your prayers this week:

Carol Hovey - Healing

Matt Wildman - Healing

Jim J - Healing

Family & Friends of Howard "BJ" Steinberg - Peace

Family of Carol Emery - Peace

Kellie Heath - Healing

Family of Franklin Richardson Rouse - Peace

No one from First Congregational Church will ever contact you by email, text, or any other type of message to ask you to purchase gift cards on our behalf. If you receive a message asking for a "favor," or that you do something "discreetly," please give us a call right away.

Copies of our church directory are available in the church office. Please stop by in person during office hours if you need one.

Staff Information