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 8, 2006 T.G. I. Sunday: Contemporary Worship 11:15am & 6:00pm
The Prelude
The Welcome & Welcoming One Another
*A Time for Singing
*Prayer of General Confession (unison)
God, our Creator and Savior, we are creatures who need Your constant assistance. Without it
we will never completely break free from those forces, sometimes subtle and sometimes blatant,
that compromise our spirit, and make an unholy alliance with the evil in the world around us.
Our need is not for a quick-fix, with cheap forgiveness, followed by pious but impractical good
intentions. Rather we pray for an ongoing radical transformation within our deepest being. We
ask for more and more of Your saving grace, for the ability to discern our own secretive sins and
to muster the desire to sincerely repent. We need a mercy that reaches into those depths where
spiritual hungers and furtive corruptions co-exist. We want You to forgive our self-treachery, to
eradicate any mutiny, and then to liberate those holy desires which long to rise up into loving
thoughts and faithful deeds. Please immerse us in Your healing waters of love. Baptize us with
Your Spirit. Let us know that we are truly made in Your image and destined for heights more
beautiful than we can ever imagine. Through Christ Jesus, who for our sake was baptized by
water and the Spirit. Now in the silence hear our personal prayers of confession…
*Prayer of Personal Confession (in silence)
*Assurance of Forgiveness
A Baptism of Older Children (11:15am only): A-2 (Worship Book)
Children’s Message (6:00pm only)
Children & Teachers Exit to Church School
Scripture Lessons ACTS 19:1-11 & MARK 1:4-11
Sermon THE NEW & IMPROVED MODEL Rev. Rick Haverly
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 & Lord’s Prayer (using sins….. please 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
Greeters: 11:15am = Donna Jean & Amanda Lavoie 6:00pm = Liz Rogers
Joys & Concerns for Prayer: These older children receive The Sacrament of Christian Baptism at 11:15am today: Chad Peter Mehmel, son of Ed & Marsha Mehmel, and Jack William & Joseph Anthony DePaolo-Boisvert, sons of Valerie DePaolo & Michelle Boisvert. Hospitalized: Gwen Sunderland, Jeannette Faitella & Lucille Gemmell. Ken Sullivan had knee surgery this week. Lyndsey Ellis and Michael & Jennifer Miceli are on a mission for Every Dollar Feeds Kids in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Andrea Sinclair goes to NYC on 1/16 for very intricate, extensive back surgery. Matthew Currao, a U. S. Marine, is now in Fallujah, Iraq. 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; Pat Livingstone; our Stephen Ministers & care-receivers.
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GORDON ELLIS will be in Florida this week attending Conversations, an educational conference for senior ministers of large churches in our United Church of Christ. He returns Saturday & preaches & leads worship NEXT Sunday.
PASTA DINNER: Sr. C.I.A. (gr. 9-12) will host a Pasta Dinner THIS Saturday, 1/14, 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.
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: 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 Wednesdays, January 18. All begin at 7:00pm. Please sign-up next to Gordon’s office ASAP.
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!
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!
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.