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Your final
opportunity to join us for a time of
Lenten Prayer and Communion
9 am on Sunday, March 25
On Sunday,
March 25, Pastor Jean will lead one final time of Lenten prayer and communion
beginning at 9 am in Fireplace Room. 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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Office
Administrator on leave through March 30
Our Office Administrator, Nancy Sullivan, is on medical leave through
March 30. During this time, the office is not being staffed during the regular
hours, although Pastor Jean is "holding down the fort," returning phone
messages, creating bulletins and Notes &
Notices inserts, doing the
weekly Constant Contact email, and doing the April Link.
Needless to say, Nancy is greatly missed, and she is in our thoughts
and prayers as she recovers from successful surgery. 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 this month, 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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EASTER FLOWER MEMORIALS
Please complete and return
the purple insert in Notes &
Notices or the LINK to the church office
by Sunday, April 1.
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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 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 the last two installments of Student
Pastor Lance Wiser's 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 25
and April 1.
Lance will take an biblical story pertaining to hospitality and
weave it into the narratives that came out of his experience traveling to the
Holy Land this past January. He will also lead a conversation on 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
attend our previous sessions, please feel free to join us now.
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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Attention All Middle and High Schoolers
GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE Rehearsal
Next two Sundays, March 25 and April 1
5 to 6:30 pm in the Sanctuary
We will spend the entire time going over the
service; PLEASE NOTE: NO SUPPER WILL BE
SERVED.
This rehearsal as well as next Sunday's are
mandatory for youth
who want to participate in the Good Friday overnight lock-in and activities.
If you have any questions or special
circumstances, please speak with Pastor Jean.
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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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WOMEN'S FELLOWSHIP
A Lenten Table Conversation
Monday, March 26 @ 6:30 PM
Lent has traditionally been a time of self-denial,
fasting and praying. It is also a time when we reflect on
the last days of Jesus' life on earth. It is a time when we wonder
if we are truly faithful to be called a "Christian." We wonder
just how well we are doing in following the teachings of this man we call the
Christ.
On Monday,
March 26 at 6:30 pm, we invite the women of our church family to gather together to
share a simple soup and sandwich supper as we seek to nourish both our bodies
and spirits. The meal will be provided by Marcia Olson.
Following supper, we will share a time of devotions as we contemplate the
Passover meal shared by Jesus and his friends in the upper room.
We will then have our regular business meeting followed by a time of
fellowship and refreshments. Please
note the change from our normal start time. See Marcia Olson for
details.
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Mainspring House Dinner
Wednesday, April 18
Our church will be serving dinner at
Mainspring house in Brockton on Wednesday, April
18. We still
need 1 more casserole (please see Marcia Olson for a tin) and about 6
dozen brownies. We also need 3 or 4 servers - it's a great way for a family
to serve together during the Spring vacation.
Casseroles can be made ahead and frozen; they just need to be
delivered to the church freezer by Sunday, April 15. We are so grateful to all
of you who faithfully volunteer to make meals or serve every time we ask, living
out Jesus' most basic tenet: "whatsoever you do for the least of my brothers, so
you do unto me." We will be handing out recipes and salad/ casserole tins in
mid-March.
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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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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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