 PANCAKE
BRUNCH
TOMORROW
MARCH 17
immediately
following worship
On St. Patrick's
Day, this Sunday, immediately following worship we will be having a pancake
brunch. It may not be green eggs and ham, but we will be serving up pancakes,
sausage, bacon, fruit salad, and muffins. The suggested cost is $5 per person,
with a family maximum of $20. Coffee and juice will be available to all free of
charge. Kids will be able to make a Trinity Lucky Shamrock Ornament after they
eat. All proceeds will go toward purchasing equipment and making improvements
to our kitchen.
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ONE GREAT HOUR OF
SHARING
TOMORROW
SUNDAY, MARCH
17
"And Jesus replied, "You
shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with
all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your
neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the
Prophets."
~ Matthew
22:37-40
This year, the theme for One Great Hour of Sharing is "Sharing Brings
Joy."
God knows joy when we take actions that restore the well-being of
God's children everywhere. When we reach out to others with helping hands, we
share love and justice with our brothers and sisters, with whom we are one. God
loves our joyful attitude when we share from our abundance!
The gifts made real by our support are transformed into gifts of
love, joy and restoration, as:
- families displaced by natural disaster or political unrest are
comforted by food, shelter and a safe place to begin rebuilding their
lives.
- worried mothers caring for their children in times of food
insecurity; are transformed to deep peace when sustenance arrives.
- a woman who has had to walk for miles for potable water smiles as she
draws fresh water from the new well placed in her community near her
home.
As you make your offering to One Great Hour of Sharing this year,
remember the numerous ways your gifts bring joy - to you, to all of God's
cherished children, and especially to the Holy One. Share cheerfully and
abundantly, knowing that you are not only sharing your resources, you are
helping to change lives.
May God be made glad by your cheerful generosity!
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 Please plan to attend an important all-church meeting on
WEDNESDAY,
MARCH 20
7 to 8:30 pm
In recent issues of
The Link, we have talked about "Crossroads,"
a church vitality
training program sponsored by the
United Church of Christ's
Massachusetts Conference.
We have recently learned that
our church has been accepted
into the Crossroads
program.
Representatives of the
program will be visiting our church on
Wednesday, March 20, to gather data for its
initial assessment.
A critical part of this
data-gathering is to meet with our congregation
in a meeting scheduled
that evening from 7:00
to 8:30 pm.
We are asking that
EVERYONE in our congregation
make an effort to attend
this important meeting.
Should you have any
questions, please speak to
Marcia Olson
(781-344-9547) or Paul Christensen (781-344-4793).
Thank you!
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CAPP Playground Meeting This Tuesday at 6:30 pm
The Stoughton Recreation Department will be holding a meeting on Tuesday, March 19, in our Fellowship Hall at 6:30 pm to discuss renovation/rehabilitation plans of the CAPP Playground.
All interested parties are invited to attend this meeting.
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Sign up sheets for the
following Holy Week activities
are now on the board in
the lobby.
Maundy
Thursday, March 28, at 6:00 pm
Christian Seder and Supper - please let us know that you'll be
joining us for this very special meal!
Good
Friday, March 29, 12 noon to 3 pm
The
sanctuary will be open for prayer and meditation
if we
can enlist people to be "on duty" each hour;
please
help us ensure that this tradition continues!
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The Stoughton food
pantry shelves are low and we are all feeling the pinch of high gas prices and
food costs. You all have responded so generously to our seasonal food drives to
benefit the local food pantries and we asking you to step up once again by
dropping an item or two in the basket in our church lobby when you come to
worship throughout the month of March.
In honor of St. Patrick's Day, we encourage you to bring some "green
food" -- a jar of pickles, a can of peas or green beans - but here are some other
ideasfor
non-perishable items that will provide high-quality proteins, good
carbs and healthy fats- plus offer a little variety: canned or pouched tuna or chicken,
canned black beans, canned chickpeas or lentils, canned soups, salsa (whole
grain chips optional), peanut butter, jarred spaghetti sauce (and pasta),
cereals and snack bars, oatmeal, microwave popcorn, herbs, spices and spice
blends, canola, olive, flax seed (linseed) or peanut oil, instant white or brown
rice, raisins and other dried fruit, olive oil, mayonnaise and other condiments,
wheat crackers, can of coffee or box of tea bags.
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"FAITH &
WORD"
During Lent on Sunday
mornings, we have our newest element of Faith-4-Life Youth Ministry called
"Faith & Word". "Faith & Word" is a fun and engaging
look at scripture taught by our very own Russ Clough, Stoughton's Middle School
Teacher of Year, assisted by Kevin Monahan. It will continue to run Sunday
mornings through March 24. All Middle and High School students are invited to
attend 10 am worship in the sanctuary and then leave for the Youth Lounge
downstairs after or "A Time for All".
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EASTER FLOWER
MEMORIALS
If you wish to donate a plant in memory, honor, or
celebraion of a loved one, please complete and return the purple insert
in the LINK or the bulletin to
the church office by Sunday, March 24.
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To aid you in your Lenten journey, please pick up a copy of Pastor Jean's booklet (available in the back of the sanctuary) entitled Lent: A Season of Spiritual
Renewal. It contains information about Lent and Holy
Week, as well as scriptures, prayers, and reflections for you to use during your private Lenten devotions.
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Please Be Considerate
Where You Park
Due to the limited number of spots that are in the parking lot, many
members of our congregation who have difficulty walking have not been able to
park close to the entrance of our Church. Therefore, we have put up signs that say, "Reserved For Those
Requiring Proximity Parking," and ask
that you leave these for
individuals who can only walk short distances. We ask all people who are
physically able to consider
parking in one of the spots in front of the park on Pierce Street. This frees up
spots in the lot for those who really need to park
closer to the entrance.
We would also remind you to not park in any spot that has a "No
Parking" sign, or in the Fire Lanes. Thank you for your cooperation.
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If you would like to sponsor Altar Flowers, please contact Gale
DiBeneditto at 781-344-4728, or leave your information with the church office,
781-344-2371.
Please give specific information as to when you would like the
flowers placed on the altar and if it is in celebration, remembrance or in honor
of someone and a telephone number where we can contact you. The cost to sponsor
a standard arrangement is $25.00. Checks for flowers can be made out to "Nancy
Sullivan."
If you have any questions you can contact Nancy Sullivan at the
church office @ 781-344-2371 or Gale DeBeneditto @ 781-344-4728.
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Blessed Children's
Nursery
Blessed Children's Nursery is open every Sunday morning, (even when
Sunday School is not in session) from 9:45 am - 11:15 am during worship and
Sunday School Classes for children up to age 3. For parents of children who will
be attending the Bible Top 40 Program, child care is also available following
worship for children ranging from nursery ages through Grade 5 until 1:00 pm.
Age appropriate activities will be provided during the Bible Top 40 Program. It
is staffed with two adults at all times, our Childcare Coordinators, Lisa
Antonius-El Kary and Rosemary Amadeo.
Our nursery room is located on the lower level; take a left after the
church office, it is the first room on your right. You can drop off your
children through age 3, prior to worship, get them settled, and come up to
church OR you can bring them down at anytime during the service. After worship,
children up through Grade 5 are welcome, if parents are attending the Bible Top
40 Program.
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First Congregational Church
of Stoughton
United Church of
Christ
An
Open and Affirming Congregation
Our Vision
We are called
together
to embrace God's
transformation
of our lives and our
world
by becoming and
serving
as Christ's
disciples.
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