Welcome! Thank You for Worshiping With Us Today!
Welcome to the First Congregational Church of Southington, dating from 1724, & worshiping in this Meetinghouse since 1830. We are one of the larger, more vibrant United Church of Christ churches in New England. Our purpose is to love & worship God; extend God’s radically-inclusive love to all people everywhere; make more & better disciples of Jesus Christ; & inspire people & society to become more & more just, loving, compassionate & Christ-like. You will find here an accepting, caring, non-judgmental community, where lives are transformed, faith is renewed & power for positive living is received. Welcome!
January 1, 2006 T.G. I. Sunday: Contemporary Worship 11:15am & 6:00pm
The only things that matter in life are the imprints of love which we leave behind us after we are gone.
-- Albert Schweitzer --
Prelude
The Welcome & Welcoming One Another
*A Time for Singing
*Prayer of General Confession (unison)
Amazing God, we give You thanks for the amazing message of this holy season. It is better than
good news! Forgive us when we take the wonder and mystery of life for granted and fail to
remain aware of Your presence in our lives. We confess that we do not always find the
Christmas message of peace, hope, joy and love an easy one to live out in our daily lives. Guide
our thoughts, words and deeds, and empower us to live our faith each and every day. Hear now
in the silence our personal prayers of confession.
*Prayer of Personal Confession (in silence)
*Assurance of Forgiveness
Video Clip from Princess Diaries
Scripture Lesson LUKE 2:25-40
Sermon HAPPINESS IS … Dr. Gordon E. Ellis
Prayers of the Church
The Sharing of the Bread and Cup (Please come forward, break off piece of bread & dip it into cup.)
The Act of Blessing (A blessing by anointing is offered during communion to all who wish it.
After partaking of communion, go to either kneeling bench, & kneel or stand.)
*Prayer of Thanksgiving (join hands)
*Song & Offering (An offering will be received during this song. Please pass baskets through your pew &
then to pew behind you. If you are a visitor, worship is our gift to you. We urge those
who worship here regularly to share the costs of our church & worship life. Thank you!
*Benediction
*Response Lord, I Lift Your Name On High!
PLEASE JOIN US DOWNSTAIRS NOW FOR COFFEE & CONVERSATION
Joys & Concerns for Prayer: We celebrate the birth (12/22) of Lauren Elizabeth Bottino, daughter of Chris & Becky Bottino; granddaughter of Sue & John Parsons. Hosptalized: Jeannette Faitella, Lucille Gemmell & Gwen Sunderland. Andrea Sinclair goes to NYC on 1/16 for very intricate, extensive back surgery. We continue to pray for Jacqui Maddy; Bill Bennett; Diane Lamb; Judy Costa; Maureen Curtis; Walter Smith; Pat Diego; Janis Leger; Dorothy & Clive Greenough; Mary Lou Thompson; Donna Morin; John O’Connor; Matthew Currao; Pat Livingstone; our Stephen Ministers & care-receivers.
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PASTA DINNER: Sr. C.I.A. (gr. 9-12) will host a Pasta Dinner on Saturday, January 14 (note date change), 5:00-8:00pm, in Memorial Hall for support their February Youth Mission Trip to work in Washington, D. C. $6/adults & $3/ages 6 & under: tickets on sale TODAY at Coffee & Conversation.
2006 CALENDAR FOR EVERY DOLLAR FEEDS KIDS: To thank you for a minimum donation of $26, our EDFK Board of Directors will give you a 2006 Wall Calendar which, thanks to local merchants & board members, provides a weekly thank you gift (average value: $25) to the person whose name is drawn from the names of those who purchase calendars (or those they designate if calendars are given as gifts). The person selected each week will be contacted & the gift may be either mailed or picked up at our Church Office. All names will be included in all drawings, regardless of how many times each is drawn. View & order your calendars TODAY at Coffee & Conversation!
YOUTH SKI TRIP: Youth, grades 6-12, & their parents are invited on Monday, January 16. Watch for more details soon & sign-up next to Gordon’s office. For info, call Rick Haverly (860/620-0513).
LOCAL MISSION WORK: THANKS for a great response to our Covenant to Care & Angel Tree gift tags! 168 gifts (valued at $3,192) were purchased by our members & delivered to our many D.C.F. kids, as well as 7 kids of incarcerated Southington residents. Our Salvation Army bell-ringers on 12/10 raised $1,408 for Southington Social Services. 17 of our members helped deliver 379 Christmas food baskets to neighbors in need around town on 12/17. AND our Christmas Gift Cards raised a total of $1177.50 to benefit 4 wonderful mission organizations: Prudence Crandall Center, Southington’s Manna Fund, Hartford Habitat for Humanity & Every Dollar Feeds Kids. Doesn’t it feel GREAT?
SAFE CHURCH TRAINING: NEXT Sunday (1/8), 7:30-9:00pm, & Wednesday, January 18, 7:00-8:30pm, rooms 201/202.
CPR & AED TRAINING: John Arens will teach full training (3 hours, get card) on 2 Wednesdays, January 11 or 25, and refresher training (90 minutes, get card) on 2 Wednesdays, January 4 or 18. All begin at 7:00pm. Please sign-up next to Gordon’s office ASAP.
2006 ENTERTAINMENT BOOKS AVAILABLE from Rose Dunlap (860/628-8778). Choose Hartford area, New Haven area, or out-of-state for $30 each. Great gifts!
QUIET WORSHIP IN THE STYLE OF TAIZE is offered EVERY Tuesday, 6:30-7:00pm, in our chapel. It includes 10 minutes of silence, along with scripture, prayers & simple choruses. Join us!
CHECK OUT OUR CHURCH’S WEBSITE, www.firstchurchsouthington.org. You’ll love it!
VIDEOS OF SUNDAY SERVICES & SPECIAL EVENTS are available in our Church Library.
CHILD CARE for infants/toddlers is offered at all 4 Sunday services in our Infant/Toddler Nursery.
EVERY DOLLAR FEEDS KIDS OFFERING ENVELOPES are available next to Church Office.
THE WORK OF CHRISTMAS
by Howard Thurman
When the song of the ANGELS is STILLED,
When the STAR in the sky is GONE,
When the kings and princes are HOME,
When the shepherds are BACK with their FLOCK,
THEN, the WORK of Christmas begins:
To FIND the LOST,
To HEAL the BROKEN,
To FEED the HUNGRY
To RELEASE the PRISONER,
To REBUILD the NATIONS,
To bring PEACE among ALL people,
AND, to make MUSIC in the heart.