First Congregational Church in Bristol
An Open and Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Christ
Bring a dish to the Potluck Supper and add your 2 cents to the ongoing discussion of our Vision for FCC. All ideas are welcome. Come even if you didn’t attend the first “Ideas” Potluck. You can enter the discussion at any point!
Plan to join the party as we all lend a hand in doing a Spring Cleanup of the church grounds and help out some friends after worship service on Sunday, April 23.
UCC Bristol youth learned about an exciting summer opportunity during our March 12th Children’s Sermon. Star Island offers the best in seaside fun for children of all ages, attending on their own or with family. Star Island, off the New Hampshire coast, is home to a retreat center with a faithful community of summer attendees. All are invited to join in at the beautiful and emotionally accepting, beloved Star Island community for fun, relaxation, bonfires, lime rickeys, games, softball, swimming, and making life-long friends! Jen Johnson, who has attended for many years with her children, will gladly answer questions.
The Star Gathering YOUTH Conference is for youth entering 9th grade through newly graduated high school seniors. It focuses on relationship-building, renewal, and spiritual growth for up to twenty vacationing high school students. Its culture centers on faith-building and exploration, rather than traditional bible camp studies, and emphasizes having fun.
This year’s theme is Love – How do we show our love language to others? How do we receive love from others? How do we express our love if we disagree? Regarding relationships with ourselves, our peers, siblings, parents, to God, and to the world at large.
Fees for the Youth Conference are $774 for room and board plus $150 conference fee. For financial aid information, please email SG1registrar@stargathering.org. (Conferees typically bring extra money for the snack bar and gift shop.) Further details and online registration can be found here, https://starisland.org/program/sg1youth/.
The Star Island FAMILY Conference program will focus on celebrating and nurturing the vision of Beloved Community. Through art, music, conversation, reflection, and fun we will create a more inclusive and intentional community, to help spread more empathy and understanding in the world. During chapel, we will explore various stories in the gospels where Jesus encounters people in ways that were unexpected or where the script gets flipped. The Theme Speaker will be Rev. JaQuan Beacham from Yale Divinity School and the Minister of the Week will be Rev. Anna Flowers from United Church in Walpole, MA.
Relax and build community in program while the children have their own chapel and program in the morning, and then rejoin them for some intergenerational activities or island exploration in the afternoon. Don’t miss the Rutledge Marine Lab or the Talent Show! Fees for adults start at $1169 for room and board plus $150 conference fee. For financial aid information, please email SG1registrar@stargathering.org. (Conferees typically bring extra money for the snack bar and gift shop.) Further details and online registration can be found here, https://starisland.org/program/sg1/.
Our CE Class at work. After a lesson on “Living Waters,” we made urns out of clay to symbolize carrying the water of life.
Welcome to the First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ in Bristol, located at 300 High Street. Wherever you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here!
March 5th Second Sunday in Lent
Worship 10:00am;
March 12th Third Sunday in Lent
Worship 10:00am;
March 19th Fourth Sunday on Lent
Worship 10:00am,
One Great Hour of Sharing Offering;
March 26th Fifth Sunday in Lent
Worship 10:00am;
April 2nd Palm Sunday Celebration
Worship 10:00am;
April 6th Maundy Thursday
Worship 7:00pm;
April 7th Good Friday
Labyrinth Walk,
Open noon-3pm and 5pm – 7pm;
April 9th EASTER
Sunrise Worship at Colt State Park 6:15am
and Intergenerational Easter Worship 10:00am.
Officiating all worship will be Rev. Deborah Tate Breault
We are an open and affirming congregation and believe that God is still speaking.
You know the old story about how Shrove Tuesday came to be — because everyone had to use up their naughty oil and meat before Lent started on Ash Wednesday. Whatever! I just like bacon and sausages and pancakes — blueberry, chocolate chip and plain old plain. It seems a lot of people at FCC Bristol do, too. On February 21, some 50 church members and members of the community gathered on a winter evening to enjoy some good food and some good fellowship. The Christian Education Committee and other kind souls prepared a Mardi Gras feast that was so delicious that most people came back for seconds — and SOME people came back for thirds!
Many thanks to all the talented chefs, servers and busy hands that set up the DeWolf Chapel dining room and helped with clean up.
Between the recent Potluck Supper, the Valentine’s Day Senior Luncheon, and this Shrove Tuesday Pancake extravaganza, everyone had so much fun that there are rumors of Potluck Dinners after church once-a-month. Thanks, again, to all who worked to make this a great night. And — stay tuned.
At 7:00pm, Wednesday, February 22, 2023
This coming Tuesday — February 21, 2023 at 6:00pm in the DeWolf Chapel.
Come and enjoy our fabulous pancakes with all the fixings! This is always a great night to dine with family and friends and to prepare ourselves for the Lenten season.
There will be a free will offering to help offset the cost of the supper.
Please sign up on the RSVP sheet on the DeWolf Room Bulletin Board or email the church office at Office@FCCBristol.org.
Thanks to our hardworking Deacons, the Seniors at FCC Bristol again enjoyed their Valentine’s Day Luncheon after a multi-year COVID hiatus. Favored with a bright, sunny day, the occasion brought many hugs and kisses for friends who had not been seen for a while, as well as for friends seen every Sunday. Travelers from Portsmouth’s Atria senior community, including Anne Archibald, Charlotte Griffith, and Grace and Bob Wilson were warmly welcomed. The presence of others who have been kept away due to health issues was deeply appreciated. Many thanks to all the Deacons and especially to Bob Evans who took care of the catering arrangements and Grace Steere who handled the lovely (and tasty) decorations. Everyone enjoyed the high-paced news-sharing and the delicious food. Lots of laughter and exclamations. It feels good to break bread with dearly-loved friends.
