During this busy season, we hope you will take a moment each Sunday morning to consider the changing scenes of the Christmas story as told by the figures on the table in the church lobby. ~Third Sunday of Advent~ Journey to Bethlehem ~ Luke 2:4, 5. Women's Fellowship |
Please join the First Congregational Church of Stoughton's children, Chancel Choir, and guest musicians for an hour of music celebrating the Christmas season and the story of Jesus' birth. The performance will be this Sunday, December 11 at 5pm. A light reception in the Fellowship Hall will follow. This event is open to the whole community and there will be no admission charge -- so invite a friend! . |
CHRISTMAS CONCERT AND PLAY THIS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11TH AT 5:00 PM
Rehearsal for our annual Christmas Play will be this Sunday, December 11, during Sunday School!
Youth and Good New Kids Choir rehearsals will take place on Sunday, December 11 at 11:30 am in the choir room. |
SERVICE OF COMFORT AND PEACE DECEMBER 12 - 7:00 PM In the midst of the busyness this time of year, come to quiet your soul, light a candle, spend time in silence, listen to music of the season, and hear God's word of hope. If you are struggling this season due to a loss, a broken relationship, poor health, or other difficult circumstances, this service is especially for you. |
ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS FLOWERS If you wish to donate a plant in memory, honor, or celebration of a loved one, please use the green order form that is enclosed with the Notes and Notices or in the December LINK. In order to have your memorial appear in the Christmas Bulletin, your donation must be received no later than Sunday, December 11th. In order to purchase good quality plants that will last, a suggested donation is $10.00, but all donations will be accepted. After the Christmas Service, members of the Diaconate Board will deliver the plants to our sick and shut-ins. If you have any questions, please call Gale DiBeneditto at 781-344-4728. |
 We are looking for volunteers: We still need volunteers to serve dinner at Mainspring House in Brockton Wednesday, December 21. We had a wonderful response from our congregation to prepare the food, but servers are still needed that day from 3:30 - 6:30. Can you think of a better way to celebrate the birth of our Lord than to serve and help the marginalized and struggling to whom He came to share the Good News of God's love. Please see Marcia Olson or sign up in the church lobby. |
| The coming season is busy for all of us, to relieve editorial stress please submit your articles in a timely manner. Please submit any Sunday worship bulletin notices or blue prayer sheet changes tothe church office by 8:30 am on Wednesday. Please submit articles for the January LINK by Dec. 17th. If you have a group that will be meeting during the upcoming months, please let Nancy know so that she can put it on the calendar. If you have something specific you need to say about an upcoming event, now is the time to write your article. Thanks! |
 FAITHFUL GENTS As usual the "Faithful Gents" a group of men from the church have meet on the last Saturday of every month for the last six years. Due to the celebration of the December holiday's our 9:00 am: Bickford's Restaurant, Oak Street, Brockton will be held on December17, 2011. January will start off our 7th year. Thank you all so much, or church brothers, our Faithful Gents. You are all a great addition to our church family. God Bless. Any questions or a ride please contact; Jon Taggart at 781-344-3940. PS (John 15:12) |
| WOMEN'S FELLOWSHIP Annual Christmas Celebration Monday evening, December 19, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. CHRISTMAS MEMORIES This will be a time of fellowship together, a time to share our personal memories of Christmases past...our earliest, our happiest, our saddest, and those most meaningful to each of us. What are your most poignant and treasured memories of Christmas? Take time to let your mind drift back to your childhood, youth, young and older adulthood. If you wish, bring a gift to swap that may represent one of your memories. Our program and devotions will be led by Marcia Olson and Elaine Henriksen. Hostesses are Charlene Smith and Bonnie Bittner. All women are welcome! |
Evelyn House Linen Drive Our annual Linen Drive for Evelyn House continues into early January. Evelyn House is always in need of a few NEW basics to replenish the supplies within the facility to help those who are transitioning to their housing. Please drop off any of the following items in the big gift boxes in the church lobby throughout the Advent and Christmas season. * Twin bed sheets * Towels (all sizes) * Socks & Underwear (male & female) * T-shirts/Sweatshirts (male & female) * Grocery, Target or Wal-Mart Gift Cards (helpful to those moving into new housing) |
MITTEN TREE Please remember to decorate our Mitten Tree, beginning this Sunday, with warmth and love, in the form of hats, scarves, mittens and gloves. Non-knitters are invited to add items purchased at the fair or store-bought items to the Tree as well. At the end of December we will donate the collected items to the Pediatric Unit at Brockton Hospital.
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The Christmas Fund - Sunday, December 18 The Christmas Fund for the Veterans of the Cross and the Emergency Fund is the primary source of annual income for the work of the United Church Board for Ministerial Assistance, one of the corporations comprising the Pension Boards of the United Church of Christ. You can honor the Christ Child during this season by bringing gifts that will be used to support and honor those who have served, and are serving this beloved church. Your gifts will truly represent the incarnational nature of the church at its best. Gifts to the Christmas Fund help provide pension and health premium supplementation to low-income retirees, emergency assistance to the families of clergy and lay employees and Christmas "Thank You" Gift Checks to hundreds of annuitants. The Christmas Fund provides a lifeline of hope to many lower-income active and retired clergy and lay employees in the United Church of Christ. Due to the lingering effects of the economic recession, there have been many instances in which gifts from the Christmas Fund have made a critical difference in the lives of people living literally on the edge. The United Church Board for Ministerial Assistance and the staff of the Pension Boards are confident that, through your continuing faithfulness, we will be able to provide the same level of care and compassion as has been our tradition for more than a century. We will be taking our collection on Sunday, December 18. Thank you for your continuing kindness. |
Please take a moment today to reflect upon the tree in the Narthex. The word, "Chrismon" is a combination of Christ and monogram meaning, Monogram for Christ. The letters are Latin, Greek and Hebrew. Geometric figures, crosses, stars, sun and creatures of the earth help tell the story. Colors of the symbols are white and gold; white standing for the purity of Christ, gold for his majesty and glory. The clear lights remind us that Christ is the light of the world. The Chrismon are placed on an evergreen tree which suggest eternal life won for us by Christ. The Chrismon were made by women of the church. |
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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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