SUNDAY SERVICE START AT 10 AM
UPDATE: Masks are now optional. Masks will still be available at church for those who choose to wear them.
We will continue hold worship via Zoom for those who are not able or do not feel comfortable to attend in person
see full statement below
Join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/74850005919 or by phone: 1-646-558-8656 + ID (748 5000 5919)
*The FCC "waiting room" page will display until 9:45am or listen to past sermons HERE
UPDATE: Masks are now optional. Masks will still be available at church for those who choose to wear them.
We will continue hold worship via Zoom for those who are not able or do not feel comfortable to attend in person
see full statement below
Join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/74850005919 or by phone: 1-646-558-8656 + ID (748 5000 5919)
*The FCC "waiting room" page will display until 9:45am or listen to past sermons HERE
Current COVID-19 Guidelines (March 2022)
Dear Church Members and Friends,
In conversation with church leadership, we have decided to modify the church’s COVID masking policy. Masks are now optional. Masks will still be available at church for those who choose to wear them.
We will continue to offer our services via Zoom for those who are not able or do not feel comfortable to attend in person.
This change is based on new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and from the State of New Hampshire. It is a decision for now, not for always. If circumstances and guidance change, we will revisit this decision. For now, we may each make our own decisions about masks, and I know we will all respectfully honor the decisions of others when they differ from our own.
Dear Church Members and Friends,
In conversation with church leadership, we have decided to modify the church’s COVID masking policy. Masks are now optional. Masks will still be available at church for those who choose to wear them.
We will continue to offer our services via Zoom for those who are not able or do not feel comfortable to attend in person.
This change is based on new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and from the State of New Hampshire. It is a decision for now, not for always. If circumstances and guidance change, we will revisit this decision. For now, we may each make our own decisions about masks, and I know we will all respectfully honor the decisions of others when they differ from our own.
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU ATTEND SUNDAY WORSHIP
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Churches like ours, value music, prayer and the Word (sermons) and our worship services have all three. Our choir gathers us for worship with a special song and sings once more during the service. We pray for God’s presence, inspiration and healing for God’s people. In keeping with Congregationalist tradition, Pastor Peter seeks to inspire listeners by connecting the Bible with current day issues and events.
Components of Weekly Worship Services:
Meditation - A reflection helps to quiet the busy minds. Gathering - We share greetings & welcome God to join us. Connecting - Prayers connect with God’s everlasting love. Reflecting - The Bible is read, and a reflection is shared. Responding - The Choir sings as gifts/offering are presented. Sending - We are blessed & sent as God’s inspired people in the world. If all of this is a bit overwhelming, rest assured, there’s no need to wear a necktie or dress on Sunday mornings. Dress comfortably and know, you’re welcome at First Congregational Church, no matter who you, where you’re from, the questions you have, and the journey you’re on. Children are welcome in the service and they sometimes make scribbling noises and ask questions in the beginning of the service. That’s fine with us. About halfway through the service they come forward for a children’s story and then they leave for Sunday school. After worship, most people head for the fellowship hall to enjoy coffee and snacks.
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confirmation
The 2021-22 Confirmands are part of a regional class that meets monthly. Youth from UCC congregations from Plymouth to Wilmot share in this enriching experience for students in grade 8 through high school who wish to affirm their baptisms and become adult members of the church. Confirmands study the life and teachings of Jesus, learn about worship, are introduced to other religious practices, and learn about the United Church of Christ. They do a service project and write a personal statement of faith.
Sacraments
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The United Church of Christ has two sacraments: Holy Communion and Baptism.
We celebrate communion on the first Sunday of every month, to remember the last meal that Jesus ate with his disciples, and to look forward to the heavenly banquet in the world to come when all will be peace. This is the table of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and he invites everyone to partake, regardless of age or membership in the church. We serve both regular and gluten-free bread, and our cup is filled with grape juice. In the United Church of Christ, we baptize infants and young children to claim God’s promises for them until they are old enough to claim them for themselves. We also baptize adults. In 2019, we baptized people ranging in age from five months to 88 years old. We believe that baptism recognizes the entrance of the person into the worshiping community, so baptisms are generally performed during the worship service. |
Ecumenical Services
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We conduct several ecumenical services annually with friends from Trinity Episcopal Church and St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church. In the past, we have held a Blessing of the Animals service, a community Thanksgiving service on the Sunday afternoon before Thanksgiving, The Longest Night service (12/21). In 2021, high hopes for an ecumenical Christmas choir concert were scuttled because of COVID. If the number of infections drops, we hope for an “in-person” gathering in early March to begin the Lenten season. The location for these services rotates among the three churches.
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