Singing together brings out the best in everyone! It’s FUN!!! Join us!
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, “CHURCH HAS LEFT THE BUILDING”
Next Sunday, October 18, we will have our annual “Church Has Left the Building” experience when we don orange vests with the church’s name and move beyond our church walls to help our community. This year, we will be walking around town in teams to help clean up the streets in our neighborhood. Each year, our children have been doing this work. This year, our adults will join them in a very visible display that First Congregational Church cares about Bristol. In addition, Chuck Ramos is organizing a team to go to homes of some of our members where help is required with specific house projects. For those who need volunteer options with fewer steps, join Rev. Nancy in the DeWolf Room to write cards to our homebound members and others we know who need our support at this time. So, come to the DeWolf Room on Sunday, October 18, to get your visit, join a team, and do some good work for our neighbors and friends.
Rev. Dr. Nancy Soukup’s Installation, Sunday, October 4
My Installation as the 26th Settled Minister of First Congregational Church in Bristol took place on Sunday afternoon, October 4, and was a spirited worship service. (Feature photo: (l-r) Members of Rev. Nancy’s family—Monique Pete, Catherine Craig Soukup, Betty Soukup Blackburn, and Rev. Nancy; and the Rev. Darrell Goodwin, Executive Conference Minister, SNEUCC.)
I am very thankful for the work of the Deacons both to make possible the service and the reception.
Two anonymous donors helped to provide the catered food and beverages, and members of the church provided wonderful sweets. More people attended the service and reception than anticipated, filling the Sanctuary and the DeWolf Room for the reception.
There were surprises all throughout the afternoon. One of the most significant is that our Executive Conference Minister, the Rev. Darrell Goodwin, appeared to join the service. He had been preaching at Edgewood Congregational Church in Cranston, and my colleague the Rev. Bill Sterrett mentioned that our Installation was happening that afternoon. Darrell decided to stay in RI, along with his husband, and his 6-month old daughter, Kyrie, in order to attend our service.
Another surprise was the beautifully decorated Sanctuary and DeWolf Room. Barbara Watts surprised us with gold pennants in both rooms and other gold decorations on the tables in the DeWolf Room. Celeste Bernardino and Susan Morettini brought gorgeous flowers from their gardens to add to the decorations in the DeWolf Room.
My friend, Professor Charlotte Carrington-Farmer, provided a message that spoke directly to the need to understand our history in order to embrace our spiritual future.
Many have commented on how much they appreciated her words. Her message was recorded by Dr. David Weed of the Sowams Heritage Area Project and will be added to our website. Thanks to Nikita Zabinski and the FCC Choir; the music was amazing from start to finish, which ended with a rousing rendition of “Oh Happy Day.
“Thanks” is not enough for all that so many did to make this a special day for me and the entire church, especially the Deacons gift to me—a beautiful stole that I will wear for many years to come.
Blessings, Rev. Nancy
Come for the FUN! Come for the FRIENDSHIP! Come to test your LITTLE GREY CELLS!
A Night at the Movies for FREE!!!
Bring on the popcorn! Special accompaniment to the silent films by our own Nikita!
THAT’S THE LAST BOX!!! Our new kitchen is almost complete, thanks to the many hands that helped!
This past Saturday, August 29, a bunch of kind and energetic parishioners got together to open up 52 (! ! ! !) cartons of kitchen equipment that had been packed up after the Halloween fire last fall and taken to the PuroClean warehouse for storage. Now, 10 months later, with the smoke and soot removed from the entire complex, with all of the damage from the fire restored in the DeWolf and Wardwell rooms, the vestibule and kitchen, and all new appliances installed, we were finally ready to unpack all the cartons that PuroClean delivered to the Dimon Room.
Boxes and boxes and boxes . . .
Maryellen, Sandy, Roger & Donna, Karyn, Sandie, Dyan & John, and the Rev. Dr. Nancy all generously gave of their time and effort to open up and unwrap each and every item in all 52 boxes.
Then they organized and moved it all to the other end of the building and installed what seemed like tons of equipment onto the shelves and drawers of the church’s new kitchen.
A huge thanks to everyone who helped. It must have felt pretty satisfying.
Caregivers Talking to Caregivers: A New Support Group
STARTING MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2026
The Caregivers Support Group was scheduled to start on Monday, September 14; however, this was postponed until Monday, October 19, at 6:00 p.m. in the DeWolf Room due to illness. Moving forward the group will meet on the second Monday of each month, at the same time, at the same place.
Long-term and end of life care is exhausting, isolating, and a heavy load. You may feel alone, but you do not have to be alone during this time because there are others who are or have been caregivers and understand.
A new peer support group for caregivers is beginning at First Congregational Church on the Second Monday of each month, 6:00 p.m., in the Guiteras House, at 281 High Street in Bristol. The inaugural meeting will take place on Monday, September 14.
What can you expect from this group?
- Caregivers who truly understand through shared experiences
- Open, honest, confidential conversations
- Practical resources and support from our community
The group facilitators are Karen Satti and the Rev. Nancy Hamlin Soukup. For more information contact First Congregational Church at 401-253-7288, or office@fccbristol.org
Give the Gift of Life — Join the Blood Drive on Rally Day
Join us for the Church Rally Day Luncheon & Come Early if you can donate to the Blood Drive!
Volunteers Needed for Unpacking Kitchenware Party, Saturday, 8/29, 9am-12pm
It is very exciting to give you regular updates on the progress with the kitchen. This coming week, we will enter a new stage of the recovery from the fire. We will have kitchen furniture and the salvaged kitchenware arrive at the church. A small team of members will be working in the Diman Room over the next week to receive and assemble the kitchen rolling tables and shelving. Next Thursday, August 27, PuroClean will be delivering the 52 boxes of salvaged kitchenware from the fire to unpack and begin to place back in the kitchen.
WE NEED YOUR HELP!!! We will be having an Unpacking Kitchenware Party on Saturday, August 29, from 9am-12pm in the Diman Room. We hope we can get 8-10 people who can help unpack the boxes and organize the contents of the boxes in the restored kitchen. If you can’t spend the entire three hours, then perhaps you can do hour and a half.
Contact Rev. Nancy at 401-338-4606 or nhsoukup@gmail.com to let her know you will join the party. This is the time we REALLY need your help.
Blessings, Rev. Nancy