Posts by First Congregational Church Of Westminster, MA

Posts by First Congregational Church Of Westminster, MA

CE Update

When looking up the definition of a Pastor in the dictionary it tells us that it means “a clergyperson serving a local church or parish.”  When I read that line it seems like such a standard description for such an important person.  A basic and even boring statement that could be used to describe anyone that has even the most basic of knowledge of the Bible or just any simpleton who can lead a group of people.  However, with conviction, I…

Help wanted

Virtual Worship Service We are looking for volunteers to assist with the recording, editing, and posting of our Sunday Worship Service. Since its early development, Pastor Ray has continuously improved the process towhere we are today.  If you’re comfortable navigating around a couple of websites, the learning curve should be short. The more volunteers the better, as long as each Sunday is covered. If you’re interested, have questions or know of somebody, please let contact me.Thank you for your consideration Doug…

From The Pastor’s Pen

Maintaining healthy boundaries is an important part of every minister’s vocation. Ministers are entrusted with intimate details about parishioners’ lives. Appropriate boundaries at the time of a minister’s departure are also important. It is essential for the health of the congregation that they are able to devote themselves to forming a relationship with the incoming Pastor without the shadow of the departing Pastor getting in the way. The Ethical Code for Ministers defines what healthy boundaries should be adhered to…

Happy Spring!

Hi Families! I am happy to announce that we are officially mask-free at church school!  Families have the option of doing whatever works best for their children, (either in masks or without masks) but now the masking is optional.  We will still continue to keep the windows open to allow for fresh air circulation and we will still social distance whenever possible as well as sanitize all items regularly. This year we will be celebrating Palm Sunday together as a…

From The Pastor’s Pen

Jesus had a knack for never being where you would expect to find him. What could be more unexpected than a child who was conceived in the womb of a virgin? As an adult, he always seemed to be found among the people who were considered to be forsaken by God. He died on a Cross, which was the last place anyone ever expected to look for the Savior of humanity. After they took his dead body down, they laid…

Changes to COVID restrictions in the church

At the March 2, 2022 meeting of the COVID Response Group, the following motions were passed: MOTION: To lift all Covid-19 restrictions previously put in place, effective immediately. MOTION: We support any individuals who may choose to continue wearing masks, and understand if individuals choose not to attend in-person due to concerns for their well-being and/or that of others. Both motions passed unanimously. In practical terms, this means that required masking is no longer in effect. However, those who are…

One Great Hour of Sharing

One Great Hour of Sharing is one of four special offerings of the United Church of Christ.  This Lenten Offering supports the disaster, refugee, and development ministries of the  United Church of Christ within Wider Church Ministries. When you give to One Great Hour of Sharing, you deploy resources to people in need all around the world, and in our own communities.  When man-made or natural disasters strike, love responds.  Not just for the immediate future, but for the long…

Update from CE

The days are getting longer, the sun is feeling warmer and we are starting to plan for our annual Holy Week and Easter activities at church!  This year we hope to be able to do the Easter egg hunt outdoors (weather permitting) and while keeping socially distant, we hope to all be able to hunt at the same time!  Although we don’t know what the Easter service will look like at the time I am writing this, we are having…

From The Pastor’s Pen

In January of 2013, I was called to serve as Pastor and Teacher of this congregation. Sometime after that, a Service of Installation took place to celebrate our covenant relationship with each other and to “make it    official.” It has been a blessing and a privilege to have spent the last nine (plus) years since then as your pastor. Together, I believe we have been faithful stewards of what has been passed down to us by those generations who preceded…

Hello church families!

Hello church families! As we continue to make our way through these unchartered covid waters, I want to thank you all for bearing with us and allowing us to continue to be flexible with our programming. We are working hard in these ever-changing times to continue to provide accommodations for classes and Spiritual learning for our littlest members of the church. At this time we have decided on meeting in person. Please Continue to follow the church school Facebook page…

From The Pastor’s Pen

As we approach our third Lent since the onset of the pandemic, we will once again face the challenge of adapting our traditional pre-Easter observances in order to mitigate the risks that persist with large gatherings.  While that may feel like a burden and an intrusion upon this sacred season, Lent and quarantine actually have more common than one might realize. We all know that Lent lasts forty days (not including Sundays). What is less well known is that during…