The people who generally make for effective stewards are those who have a vision. Some long-term goal of great meaning provides the best incentive for short-term decisions about how to manage our resources. Whether it is saving for a home, college education for our children or a comfortable retirement, a compelling vision for life which identifies what is of most value to…
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Posts by First Congregational Church Of Westminster, MA
Our church will be holding a basket raffle at the Westminster Cracker Festival on October 19, 2019. Last year was a glorious day at the festival, and we were very successful at having the First Congregational Church participate in this community event. Donna Molet and Carolyn Hemman will be basket coordinators for this year’s table. …
Sharing the Vision The Generous Giving Ministry will be collecting glasses for the Lions Club this September and October. There will be a box at the side and front entrance for your donation. Thank you for your donation.
Every two years, General Synod brings together thousands of faithful members of the United Church of Christ from across the nation for formal church witness, inspirational worship, and fellowship. The theme for the General Synod 2019 in Milwaukee was based on the scripture Matthew 5:16 In the same way let your light shine before others . . . One of the most important…
Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus: A Holy Land Pilgrimage! This pilgrimage will be led by Rev. Dr. Jay Terbush and Pastor Ray Medeiros and facilitated by Educational Opportunities Tours. The tour will take place from February 3 through 14, 2020. Price for the tour is $3658 and is all inclusive except for lunches and…
Buried amid chapter after chapter in the Book of Exodus of tedious instructions concerning the building materials, dimensions, and craftmanship required to construct the Tabernacle for worshipping God, you will find one of the most amazing stories in the Bible. Moses had appealed to the Israelites to bring offerings of silver, gold, precious gems, fine linens and acacia wood to build a…
The theme of the Good Friday Walk to the Cross this year as we neared the close of Lent, was “In the Footsteps of Jesus.” It was an opportunity to use our imaginations to prayerfully walk with Jesus in the path of discipleship. Just before the beginning of Lent in 2020 (February 3-14) an opportunity to literally walk in the footsteps of…
What is Amazon Smile? AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will…
In the North Sea, above the land we now call Scotland, lie the Orkney Islands. The rule of these islands, was split between two cousins, Earl Hakon, a mighty warrior, and Earl Magnus, also mighty in battle but gifted in peacemaking. Together they ruled peacefully for seven years until evil men gained the ear of Hakon and turned him against Magnus. There…
The forty days of Lent (not counting Sundays) commence with Ash Wednesday and conclude with the day before Easter. This span of days commemorate the time Jesus spent in the wilderness wrestling with temptation before beginning his ministry. Historically, Christians have used Lent as a season for confronting their own temptations and rededicating themselves to faithful discipleship. Lent contains some of the…
“Would you like to join the Diaconate?” asked an older church member. She was a nice person, diligent in her service to the church. Most every week, she showed up early on Sunday morning to prepare the sanctuary for worship. She put up the hymn numbers, checked the candles and arranged the flowers. On Communion Sundays, she set the table, cut the…
On Sunday, May 6, the Central Association will be holding their Annual Meeting in West Boylston. I am pleased to say that my name will be on the list of new officers and committee members to be voted in at that gathering. I will be serving on the Central Association Committee on Ministry. According to UCC polity, Associations are delegated with the…
Once upon a time, churches were looked upon as safe havens to which even fugitives could go for protection. “Church” and “safety” were all but synonymous. The exposure of clergy abuse scandals changed all that. Gone forever were the days when it could be taken for granted that any church was a safe sanctuary. Suddenly, “Safe Church Policies” were needed, primarily to…
It feels like an unusual number of calendar dates have been pulling double duty this year. Christmas Eve fell on a Sunday, which meant worship in the morning, early evening and late night. Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day doubled up for the first time in almost 75 years. And now Easter and April Fool’s Day will be sharing the spotlight on April…
Years ago, in the city of Muenster, Germany, a strange love story unfolded. A female black swan who was given the name Petra, became so attached to a paddleboat shaped like a great white swan, that she refused to leave its side. If you look closely at this picture, you can spot Petra floating contentedly alongside her “beau.” Even when winter arrived,…