Welcome! Thank You for Worshiping With Us Today!
Welcome to the First Congregational Church of Southington. Ours is an open & affirming congregation dating from 1724 & worshiping in our present Meetinghouse since 1830. One of the larger, more vibrant United Church of Christ churches in New England, our church’s 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 our church to be an accepting, caring, non-judgmental community, where faith is renewed, lives are transformed, & power for positive living is received. It’s a church where the Spirit is alive & miracles happen! Welcome!
January 21, 2007 CHAPEL COMMUNION 8:00AM
Biblical scholar, William Barclay, wrote: We hear a great many sermons about the might & the majesty & the power of God; we would do well sometimes to think of the helplessness of God, that without what we can do, God is quite & totally helpless. I think Barclay overstates his case by saying God is helpless. But his point was that the church is essential in the achievement of God’s purpose & will for the world. More than just a community that keeps Christ’s memory alive, we are, figuratively speaking, the hands & feet & voice that does His work & speaks His word. We are called to be the flesh & blood manifestations of the Holy Spirit as it reveals the reconciling love of God.
INFANT & TODDLER CARE BY ADULTS DURING ALL SERVICES IN CHURCH NURSERY
PREPARING TO WORSHIP GOD
Gathering Music
The Welcome/Welcoming One Another
Church Family Announcements
PRAISING GOD
The Call to Worship (an ancient Jewish hymn):
PASTOR: If my lips could sing as many songs as there are waves in the sea;
PEOPLE: If my tongue could sing as many hymns as there are ocean billows;
PASTOR: If my mouth filled the whole firmament with praise;
PEOPLE: If my face shone like the sun and moon together;
PASTOR: If my hands were to hover in the sky like powerful eagles and my feet run across the
mountains as swiftly as the deer;
PEOPLE: All that would not be enough to pay You fitting tribute, O Lord my God.
UNISON: Let us lift up our hearts and voices ! Let us praise our Creator and Sustainer!
Hymn of Praise: #377 Forward Through the Ages St. Gertrude
*Prayer of General Confession (unison)
Patient and loving God, how often You have spoken to Your people and we have closed our ears
because Your words disconcerted us? How often have You given us new vision and we have
closed our eyes for lack of courage to see what You would have us see? How often have You
nudged us to take risks for the sake of love and we have turned aside, missing divine opportunities?
Forgive us, O God, for not listening, not seeing and not acting. Forgive us for not heeding Your
call. Now in the silence, hear our personal prayers of confession.
*Prayer of Personal Confession (in silence)
*Assurance of Forgiveness
HEARING GOD'S WORD
Scripture Lesson 1 CORINTHIANS 12:12-31
Sermon MANY MEMBERS, ONE BODY Dr. Gordon E. Ellis
RESPONDING TO GOD'S WORD
Prayers of the Church & Lord’s Prayer (using sins….)
THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
The Invitation
The Sharing of the Bread and Cup
(Please come forward, pew by pew, starting with the entire left side, front pew first. The right
side can then follow, beginning in the rear. Break off a piece of bread & dip it into the cup.
Inside gold container are gluten-free, wheat-free, corn-free, soy-free wafers for those with allergies.)
Prayer of Thanksgiving (join hands)
Benediction
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Our 2007 Flower Chart to provide flowers in honor/memory of loved ones is now available in Memorial Hall.
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Joys & Concerns for Prayer: Alan Beaudoin will have surgery on 1/29 at Yale-New Haven Hospital. We continue to pray for Pat Diego; John Zigmont; Mary Carter; Shirley Penfield; Janet Crocker; Betsy Roberts; Maureen Curtis; Pat Livingstone; & our Stephen Ministers & care-receivers.
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SOUPER BOWL OF CARING: 2/4 (Super Bowl Sunday) is Souper Bowl of Caring Sunday. Our youth join youth nationwide collecting money for the hungry & hurting. In 2006, 11,000 groups in all 50 states & beyond generated over $5 million. All money is donated to local charities selected by the participants. Organizers just ask participants to report collection amounts so that national totals can be announced. Our young people will hold soup pots at all exits on Souper Bowl Sunday for Bread for Life, our community soup kitchen. Since 1993, over $33 million nationwide has helped those in need. Please support our youth in loving our neighbors by dropping $1 into a soup pot on 2/4.
ALL-COMMITTEE MEETING NIGHT IS TOMORROW for Christian Education, Missions, Stewardship & Trustees, beginning with a brief worship service for everyone at 7:00pm in our Chapel.
PEACE CAFÉ: Our Church Council has officially re-named Fellowship Hall (under Meetinghouse). It will now be called Peace Café. Plan to join us on Saturday, February 10, for our grand opening, starting with a wonderful church family pot-luck supper in Memorial Hall at 6:00pm to get acquainted with new and long-time members. Then we will adjourn to Peace Café for a special dedication of our new coffee house and theater, followed an evening of fun, music (by very talented church friends) & film. Anyone wishing to perform a song or two should contact Dee Elloian (860-674-8844) ASAP. You’ll LOVE it!
PASTA DINNER: Join us on Saturday, 1/27, 5:00-8:00PM, Memorial Hall, for a Pasta Dinner to support our February Youth Mission Trip to Mississippi, where they will help with Hurricane Katrina reconstruction. $7.50/adults & $5/children (5 & under).
SEEDS OF HOPE GROUP has been rescheduled from tonight until NEXT Sunday, 7:30pm.
PUZZLE SWAP on Sunday, 2/25, all day in Memorial Hall. Bring in & take home puzzles for adults & children (children’s puzzles not more than 100 pieces). For info, contact Lois Hall (860-828-4219).
SACRED CIRCLE COVENANT GROUPS will be offered during Lent. As a Lenten discipline, we hope all church members & friends will attend one. It’s a 5-week commitment (2/26 - 4/1) spending 2 hours/week in a group with 6 to 8 others from church exploring & learning to live according to The Sacred Circle of Discipleship that Gordon presented in a 3-part sermon series in October. Groups will be offered at different times on different days for your convenience. Watch for sign-up sheets soon.
WINTER ART CAMP: Award-winning artist & teacher, John Baker, will offer an Art Camp during February vacation (2/19 - 2/23) for kids (with lessons in painting, drawing, clay, collage, mixed media & illustration) in our new Peace Café (formerly Fellowship Hall). Sessions will be 2-hour: grades 1-3 meet 9:30-11:30am & grades 4-7 meet 1:30-3:30pm. Children will also learn about art from around the world & help their friends create artwork for our new Peace Café. Cost: $150 (includes all materials). Register today; space is limited. Contact John (203-536-5642 or at Johnnysings@excite.com).
TRIP TO SEE GODSPELL: Join your church family to see Godspell on Sunday, April 15, 2:00pm, at The Warner Theater in Torrington (small theater across from main theater). We have reserved 25 seats at $18.50 each (less if we fill all 25 or more). Sign-up next to Gordon’s office by March 1st or contact Cynthia Enright (860-276-0138 or ccenright@yahoo.com) with questions. Adults must accompany children.
A QUIET CANDLELIGHT PRAYER SERVICE in the style of Taize is held EVERY Tuesday, 6:30-7:00pm, in our Chapel. All welcome & encouraged to attend for quiet, reflective worship.
CHECK OUT OUR CHURCH’S WEBSITE, www.firstchurchsouthington.org. You’ll love it!