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. ~Fourth Sunday of Advent~ Arrival into Bethlehem ~ Luke 2:6, 7. Women's Fellowship |
The Christmas Fund - this 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 this Sunday, December 18. Thank you for your continuing kindness. |
FAITH-4-LIFE CHRISTMAS PARTY this Sunday, December 18th 5 TO 6:30 PM! All middle and senior high students are invited to our Faith-4-Life Youth Group Christmas Party this afternoon from 5 to 6:30 pm, which will include supper, fun and games! Please bring an unwrapped toy to contribute to Toys for Tots. Also, if you want to participate in our Yankee Swap, please bring a wrapped item (non-gender-specific, $10 max value). If you have any questions, please speaks to Dana Barnes or Pastor Jean. |
 We are still looking for volunteers: We still need 1-2 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. |
| 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! |
PLEASE JOIN US FOR OUR FAMILY CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE Saturday, December 24, 7:00 pm Hear the familiar story once again, sing favorite carols, and be with others to celebrate Christmas! |
. You are cordially invited to a celebration ! FOR: The birth of Jesus DATE: December 25 (but the date is flexible, because he's always around). TIME: 10:00 am (but he'll be waiting for you whenever you're ready). PLACE: Our sanctuary (but he'll also meet you where you are). GIFT: Here's a twist - we don't have to bring anything but an open heart; he's the one giving the gift - himself. ENTERTAINMENT: Joy, Peace, Truth, Light, Life, Love, Forgiveness, Healing, and a deepened relationship with God. PARTY GIVEN BY: His family - that's us! Hope to see you there! |
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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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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