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Join us for a time
of
Lenten Prayer and Communion
9 am on Sunday, March 11, 18,
and 25
During
this holy season of Lent, Pastor Jean will be leading a special time of prayer
and communion beginning at 9 am in Fireplace Room on three Sundays: March 11,
18, and 25.
If you have special prayer needs, would like to pray for others,
or
simply desire an extra opportunity
for worshipful, sacramental time,
please join
us.
We will conclude no later than 9:45 am.
If you
have any questions, please speak with Pastor Jean.
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St.
Patrick's Day Dinner and
the
Wearin' of the Green
Let's celebrate St.
Patrick's Day by joining together
for a delicious
old-fashioned dinner.
SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012 Dinner served at 6:00 PM
Admission is $10 / $5 for children under 12
with a $25 max per
family.
Featuring your choice of traditional corned beef or tender smoked
shoulder, beginning with tasty appetizers, and ending with delicious home made
desserts and musical entertainment.
Buy your tickets or make advance reservations before the
deadline-Monday, March 12th. See John Baglole, Dottie Rother, or any member of
the Choir.
Don your favorite Irish (green) outfit and receive a commendation
from the Chancel Choir.
This dinner and evening of fun is sponsored by the Chancel Choir and
Deacons to raise funds in support of the Music Program at Stoughton UCC. Plan
to come and bring your friends and neighbors!
For those of you
unable to join us for dinner, a Music Fund donation in the form of cash or check
would be most welcome and greatly appreciated. Just drop your gift into the
"Pot of Gold" on the ticket table in Fellowship Hall. Checks can be made out to
First Congregational Church, with the notation: "Music Fund."
Thanks to all for your
support of Music in our Church!
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Office
Administrator on leave March 12 through 30
Our Office Administrator, Nancy Sullivan, will be on medical leave
from March 12-30. During this time, the office will not be staffed during the
normal hours, although Pastor Jean will be "holding down the fort," returning
phone messages, creating bulletins and Notes &
Notices inserts, doing the
weekly Constant Contact email, and getting the April Link started.
Needless to say, Nancy will be greatly missed, and she will be in our
thoughts and prayers during her surgery and recovery. Should you need to contact
the Church Office during this time, please be patient as we try to navigate
without her. If you have any Church Office business that can be deferred until
her return, your flexibility would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your
cooperation!
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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
ideas for
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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QUIET YOUR SOUL AT OUR
TAIZE PRAYER SERVICE
Do you long for peace in your
heart?
Is your soul
hungry for spiritual nourishment?
Do you
yearnfor something the world cannot
supply?
Then join us in the sanctuary at 7:00 pm,
Wednesday, March 14, for our
monthly prayer service,
which will last approximately 45
minutes.
Taizé (pronounce "Teh-ZAY"), worship is marked by a spirit of
contemplation, prayer, and extended periods of silence. One aspect of
Taizé worship is the repetitive singing of short
and simple chants, which enables us to let go of the clutter of our minds and to
listen and pray to God with our hearts.
If you long for
peace and quiet...
If you want to pray for yourself or for
others...
If you love to
feel the words of Scripture wash over you...
If you yearn for a
deeper connection with God...
Then please join us.
If you have any questions, please
speak with Pastor Jean.
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EASTER FLOWER MEMORIALS
Please complete and return
the purple insert in this issue of the Notes & Notices or the LINK
to the church office by Sunday,
April 1, 2012.
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If your child is interested in singing in the Good News Kids Choir or
participating in the Youth Music Ensemble for Easter, please join Chris
Nickelson and Adam Isbitsky for rehearsals following Sunday School until 12:00
on March 18, 25, and April 1. We will have snacks after rehearsal.
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You are
invited to
Student
Pastor Lance Wiser's
LENTEN
BIBLE STUDY
You are all invited to attend a Lenten Bible Study entitled "The
Terrible Surprise of Hospitality." We will begin at 11:30 am and finish up
before 1:00 pm on March 11, 18, and 25 and April 1. (Because of conflicting
schedules on March 4, we have extended the Bible Study to April 1.)
Each Sunday, we will take a biblical story - two from the Old
Testament and two from the New Testament - pertaining to hospitality and weave
them into the narratives that have come out of this Holy Land experience, and to
also see how they connect with our own lives.
We hope you will join us!
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Sunday
Evening Lenten Study
"BENEATH THE CROSS:
LETTERS
FROM A GOOD FRIDAY WORLD"
Sundays, 7 to 8:30 pm
This study focuses on a fictional series of letters that were
"written" on Good Friday immediately after the death of Jesus. The letters could
not be mailed the next day, as it was the Sabbath. By Sunday, the world had
changed. These "letters" are intended to teach and to provoke thought about the
importance of Christ's resurrection.
These studies are not cumulative, so if you were not able to join
us last week, please feel free to join us this week.
March 11 No Class
March 18 Letter #5 From: The Centurion To: His
Commander
March 25 Letter #6 From: Mary Magdalene To: Her sister,
Esther
April 1 Letter #7 From: Judas Isacariot To: Whomever Finds This Note
Led by Pastor Jean. We hope you will join us!
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Interested in joining our church?
Want to have your child baptized?
Please join us at our next series of
If you are interested in
joining our church or parentswho are interested in
having their child baptized. and you missed last week's Covenant Class, but are
still interested in joining our series of classes, please see Pastor
Jean.
Other classes in the series
will be held on April 1 from 11:45 to
1:00 pm and on March 18 and (for new members only) April 29 from 11:30 to 1:00 pm.
Parents who want their
child baptized and are not regularly-attending Active Members of the church are to attend
these Covenant Classes which will cover in depth the covenantal vows the
parent(s) will be making during the sacrament. Once the Covenant Classes have
been completed and the parents feel ready to carry out their covenantal vows, a
date for the baptism can be scheduled.
Because the baptismal vows
parents make on behalf of their children are almost identical to the vows new
members make when they are received into membership with our church, any
persons
interested in being formally received as a member of the First Congregational
Church of Stoughton are also to attend these Covenant Classes. A fourth class
for prospective members only will cover subjects specific to membership,
including spiritual gifts assessment, opportunities for serving the church, and
the importance of stewardship.
New Members will be
received during worship at a mutually convenient date later this spring.
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A Special Announcement to All ladies of Our Church Family:
In 1978 the ladies of the UCC churches of New England joined together
in a weekend meeting of fun, worship, and learning. This time came to be called
CELBRATION I. Now in the works are plans for CELEBRATION IX for March 28-30,
2014. You see, these celebrations have taken place every four years since then.
Most of the ladies who have come, come back time after time. The last one
expanded to include the young ladies of the UCC, and girls 12 and over were
invited with special activities and plans for them. There were some women there
of three generations of the same family worshiping and learning together. The
theme for Celebration IX will be "Together" based on Psalm 131:1.
So mark your calendar now, start you Celebrations fund and plan to be
a part of this in Portland Maine in 2014.
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On Sunday morning when you
are sitting in worship and see the beautiful altar flowers, have you ever
thought you would like to sponsor them? Here is how you can!
Located on the
board outside of Fellowship Hall is a poster made by Alyssa McGillicuddy!
Attached to the poster are request forms to fill out and payment envelopes. If
there is any conflict with the date you request, Nancy or Gale will contact
you. The cost to sponsor a standard arrangement is $25.00.
If you would like to
make a special request, you can do so by contacting our church florist, Nancy
Sullivan at 781-254-6261. For special orders we ask for at least a weeks notice
and an additional cost may be incurred. Checks can be made out to Nancy
Sullivan.
Once you have completed your form and enclosed your check you can
leave it in the church office or in the offering plate. If you have any
questions you can contact Nancy Sullivan at the Church Office at 781-344-2371 or
the number above or Gale DeBeneditto @781-344-4728.
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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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