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!
February 12, 2006 T.G. I. Sunday: Contemporary Worship 11:15am & 6:00pm
Evangelism is one beggar telling another beggar where there’s a crust of bread. -- D. T. Niles --
The Prelude
The Welcome & Welcoming One Another
*A Time for Singing
*Prayer of General Confession (unison)
Holy God, we dare to come again asking for forgiveness. Too often we have tossed and turned
through nights of emptiness, with little hope. We have seen clouds without rejoicing over their
refreshing rain. We have confused freedom with license and mistaken humility for weakness.
Forgive us, O God, and help to hear and believe the Good News of Jesus Christ, that we might
have full, meaningful and joyful lives. Now in the silence, hear our personal prayers of confession.
*Prayer of Personal Confession (in silence)
*Assurance of Forgiveness
Scripture Lesson MARK 1:28, 32-45
Sermon LET’S NOT FORGET THE MISSION ! Rev. Dr. Gordon E. Ellis
includes unison reading: The Purpose of the Church: #A-1 (Worship Book)
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 Susan, Jessica & Jake Gagnon and Brenda Mabery 6:00pm Kathryn Patenaude
Coffee Hour Hosts: 11:15am Joe & Karri Crispino 6:00pm Joyce Fritz
Joys & Concerns for Prayer: We pray for the Weitzke family, grieving the death of Bill’s mother, & the Silva family, grieving the death of Barbara’s brother-in-law. Hospitalized: Jeannette Faitella & Fran Child. Clive Greenough will have surgery this Thursday. Pat Livingstone will have surgery on 2/27. We continue to pray for Diane Lamb; Matthew Plourde; Andrea Sinclair; Judy Costa; Maureen Curtis; Pat Diego; Janis Leger; Dorothy Greenough; Mary Lou Thompson; Donna Morin; John O’Connor; Matt Currao; our Stephen Ministers & care-receivers.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
USHERS NEEDED: Would you usher 1 Sunday/month at 9:30AM starting in March? Training provided. Substitutes available. Get to know more people! Sign-up next to Gordon’s office TODAY.
JIM COLE IN CONCERT: Jim Cole, the James Taylor of Christian music, is known around the world for songs like Humble Yourself as a Child, Master of My Heart, Every Generation, & In Bethlehem Tonight. Mark your calendar: Jim Cole will be with us all day on Sunday, March 26. He’ll sing alone & with our choir or band at all 4 services, then offer a wonderful, Spirit-filled concert in our Meetinghouse at 7:30pm! Tickets: $10 ($5/under 18) from Church Office. DON’T MISS IT !
YOUTH MISSION TRIP SPONSORS: Would you like to be a sponsor for our February Youth Mission Trip to Washington, D.C. Youth will be at Coffee & Conversation TODAY.
MOVIE DISCUSSION TONIGHT: Fiddler on the Roof. Join us, 7:30pm, rooms #201/202.
MOVIES THAT MATTER happens again Friday, 3/10, 7:00pm, with Academy Award-winning movie: Life is Beautiful with a discussion on 3/12, 7:30, led by Sharon Vocke & Clare Lindsey. Join us for discussion whether you watch movie at church or home. FUTURE Movies: ; April 21 (7pm) The Scarlet & the Black with discussion: 4/23, 7:30pm, led by Gabe Selmi & Alice Niemczyski & May 12 (7pm) 12 Angry Men with discussion: 5/14, 7:30pm, led by Gordon Ellis & Sue Meissner. JOIN US for these Movies That Matter!
MAUNDY THURSDAY ACTORS NEEDED: 12 actors/actresses are required for our drama on Maundy Thursday, 4/13. Please contact Crystal Sullivan (860-276-8614 or Kencryss@sbcglobal.net).
MUSIC OF THE AGES FOR ALL AGES: A CONCERT BY OUR MUSIC MINISTRY: Our church is blessed with a fantastic music ministry! Join us to hear all of our musical groups: Senior Choir, Mustard Seeds Children’s Choir, The Celebration Ringers (handbell choir) & Branches (our T.G.I. Sunday worship band & singers). It’s Saturday, March 11, 7:30pm, in our Meetinghouse. A free-will offering will be received for Southington Social Services. DON’T MISS IT!
ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICES OF PENANCE: The holiest season on the year, Lent, begins on Ash Wednesday, March 1st. We offer 3 brief Ash Wednesday Services of Penance, when you may receive ashes. Services are at 7:00AM in Chapel (30 min.), 12:00Noon in Meetinghouse (30 min.) & 7:00PM in Meetinghouse (45 min.). Plan to attend one. A luncheon ($3) follows the 12:00N service.
SUMMER CAMP FOR KIDS: Our United Church of Christ runs a wonderful summer camp for children & teens at Silver Lake Conference Center in Sharon, CT. Brochure & registration are available on-line at http://silverlake.ctucc.org. A limited number of brochures are available in our C. E. Office (see Karlene Archambeault or Carole Lantz). Some scholarship $ available (see Gordon Ellis).
JOHN ARENS TO PREACH NEXT SUNDAY: At 9:30am only, John Arens will preach & lead the bulk of our worship service. A Search Committee from another church, which has been considering John to be their minister, will be here to listen to John. Please join us to welcome & support John.
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.