March 11, 2012 Third Sunday in 10:00AM FOR REFLECTION: Psalm 19 Pew Bible pg.488 ASSURANCE OF PARDON Leader: The who brought the Israelites out of Egypt, Please respect this time of meditation and reflection by remaining quiet for the benefit of is the power that frees us from our sin. those around you who may be in a spirit of prayer. Live in the grace of God’s love as you walk in the way of Jesus and surely you shall find mercy at the end of that road. WELCOME AND ANNOUNCMENTS All: Amen.

PRELUDE “Largo” -Handel *THE GLORIA PATRI #35 Hymnal

THE CALL TO WORSHIP from Deuteronomy 6:4-5 -Walter Dunbar, THE CHURCH AT PRAYER Leader: Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Prayer Requests All: We believe that you, Lord, alone are God. Silent Prayer Leader: You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, Pastoral Prayer with all your soul and with all your might. All: Lord, to whom can we go? Who else is out there that we could turn to? THE LORD’S PRAYER (Unison) You alone have the words to eternal life. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, as we * OF PRAISE “How Great Thou Art” #33 Chalice Hymnal forgive those who sin against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen INVOCATION Leader: Eternal God, companion of all who seek you and seeker of all who turn away OFFERING OUR GIFTS TO GOD from you, draw near to us that we may draw near to you and grant us the grace Sentences to love and serve you that we may find in your will our true freedom; through Dedication Prayer Jesus Christ, the way, the truth and the life. Offertory “Verso in E minor” -Zipoli All: Amen. * #46 Chalice Hymnal Offertory Prayer LESSON Deuteronomy 6:4-9 Pew Bible pg. 162 *HYMN OF DEDICATION “We Are Walking” #442 Chalice Hymnal ANTHEM “Love Is Our Shepherd” -Keesecker -The Senior Choir THE LESSON John 6:66-71 Pew Bible pg. 973

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (Unison) Paraphrased from the writings of Ruth Duck “Now That You’re Standing, It’s Time to Walk” -The Rev. Ed Rawls God of the hilltops and of low places, Revealer at Sinai and Reassuring One in the valley of the shadow of death, you have created us and given life to all things. But we have chased *CLOSING HYMN “Here I Am, Lord” #452 Chalice Hymnal after other and ridiculed those who practiced their faith too seriously. We have tried to put you to the test but have not wanted to be tested ourselves. We have expected much but given little. Help us to never forget the price you were willing to pay for us and the price we must be willing to pay if we are to follow you.

*THE COMMON COMMISSION (Unison) Let us go forth into the world in peace, being of good courage, holding fast to that which is Our Vision: Praising God and meeting the needs of people through good, rendering to no one evil for evil, strengthening the fainthearted, supporting the weak, worship, study, outreach and fellowship, in the name of Jesus Christ. helping the afflicted, honoring all people, loving and serving the Lord, and rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.”

BENEDICTION

MUSICAL “Shalom to You Now” #436 Chalice Hymnal

POSTLUDE “Improvisation”

*Those who are able, please stand Before you leave, warmly greet those around you. Note and welcome visitors and newcomers. As a gracious host, help them find their way among us and invite them to join us for coffee hour. God cares about them and so do we!

First Congregational Church 2301 Main Street Stratford, Connecticut 06615 203-378-2644 – Fax 203-377-6749

Website: Firstchurchstratford.org

WORSHIP 10:00 AM Sunday School 10:00 AM – Sept. to May

March 11, 2012

The Rev. Edward Rawls, Minister Dr. Joe Utterback, Director of Music Don Coulson, Financial Secretary Bill Hickey, Facilities Manager Anne Larsen and Jane Hartigan, Parish Nurses Sandy O’Neill, Church Administrator Kristine Bacon, Director of Christian Education Tammy Langston, Youth Director

Gathered 1639

First Congregational Church, 2301 Main Street, Stratford, CT 06615 Contact Office Phone: 203-378-2644 Fax: 203-377-6749 Please contact the church at 203-378-2644 or [email protected] if someone is Email: [email protected] sick or is in the hospital, so we can be praying for them. Minister: The Rev. Edward Rawls Bulletin Supplement, March 11, 2012 ********* ’s letter of the week: TODAY, March 11, 2012-Third Sunday in Lent Is a letter written by the Reverend Ed Rawls, sent via email, containing important information on the events 10:00am Worship and Sunday School that are happening at the church. We would like to send it to everyone who has email. If you are interested in 11:15am Fellowship receiving the Pastor’s letter of the week, please fill out and put into the offering plate or email the church Stewardship Committee Meeting 12:00pm-3:00pm French Speaking Baptist Church-Sanctuary administrator at [email protected]. 4:00pm-7pm The Unitarian Universalist Church- Sanctuary and Lower Packard Hall Name:______5:00pm-7pm Pilgrim Fellowship Youth Group MONDAY, March 12, 2012 Email address:______4:00pm Bell Rehearsal 6:30pm-8pm Girl Scouts-1st/2nd Grade classroom Let’s Go Green and receive the Courier by email. 7:00pm Board of Trustees Meeting It has come to our attention that we are using a great deal of paper each month in sending out the Boy Scouts-Scout Room and Lower Packard Hall Courier by regular mail. We send out over 270 Couriers each month that are sometimes over fourteen pages 7:30pm Sister Cities Rehearsal TUESDAY, March 13, 2012 long. Over a year, that adds up to a lot of trees. It also adds up to a lot of money. In a time when we 5:00pm Table Tennis-Lower Packard Hall seriously want to cut our deficit, switching from regular mail to email is a rather painless way to do it. 7:00pm All Staff Meeting We know that some of you do not have email addresses and some don't use a computer. That's fine. French Speaking Baptist Church We plan to keep sending it to you as usual. But for those who use the internet, we would like to encourage 7:30pm Palm Sunday Choir Rehearsal you to move from receiving your Courier by mail to email. Believe it or not, if over a hundred people would WEDNESDAY, March 14, 2012 do this, it could save the world a lot of trees and save the church a lot of money. 7:00pm Alcoholics Anonymous Planning Meeting If you are interested in helping the church save money by going green and receiving your Courier by THURSDAY, March 15, 2012 email, please notify the church administrator by email at [email protected] or by leaving 1:00pm Baldwin Chamber Players Practice-Sanctuary 7:15pm Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting-Lower Packard Hall this notice in the offering plate with the following information: 7:30pm Senior Choir Rehearsal FRIDAY, March 16, 2012 Name:______4:30pm-7pm Lenten Fish Fry-Lower Packard Hall SATURDAY, March 17, 2012 Email:______9am-12pm French Speaking Baptist Church 10:00am Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting-Lower Packard Hall SUNDAY, March 18, 2012-Fourth Sunday in Lent Electronic Fund Transfer(Pledges): Parishioners of the church are now able to have 10:00am Worship with Children’s Moment and Sunday School their weekly or monthly contribution pledge transferred directly from their checking account 11:15am Fellowship into the church’s checking account. Thus, we have eliminated the need to write a check or be Music Committee Meeting concerned about missing payment while on vacation or away for any reason. The history of 12:00pm-3:00pm French Speaking Baptist Church-Sanctuary direct deposit indicates that there is a direct correlation between an increase in direct deposit 4:00pm-7pm The Unitarian Universalist Church-Sanctuary and Lower Packard Hall and an increase in contribution income. One only needs to complete a short one-page form. 5:00pm-7pm Pilgrim Fellowship Youth Group Call the church office or ask an usher to obtain the form. Concerned that you will have *********************************************************************************************************** nothing to place in the basket? Why not place a short note in the basket indicating what you GOOD MORNING! And welcome to worship at First Congregational Church. To all our guests and are thankful for during the past week. visitors: we are especially pleased you are joining us for worship this morning and hope that your spirit is uplifted, your soul nourished and you will be able to face the days and week ahead. We invite you to complete one of the pew cards in the pew and place it in the offering plate. If you would like to meet with the Pastor, please complete the request card in the pew holder. please call Sue Wilson at 203-375-3074 and leave a message, we will call you for your choice of dinner and the approximate time of delivery. Today Sunday School is in session, children are to go to their classrooms. Childcare is available in our Crib and Toddler room. For those parents who wish to keep their baby with them, we ask that if the SILVER LAKE SUMMER CONFERENCE REGISTRTION child should become fussy, please feel free to make use of the rocking chair located at the back of the The brochure for Silver Lake Summer Conferences for children and youth is hanging on the sanctuary. The glass doors, which are located at the bottom of the stairs leading from the Narthex to the bulletin board outside the church administrator’s office. Early sign-ups are encouraged as some lower level, will be locked on Sunday mornings. If you need access to the lower level during worship, please of the conferences fill up before summer. You may also sign up online by going to see an usher. The restroom is located out the doors of the sanctuary and to the left in the Narthex. www.ctucc.org and click on Silver Lake. Information on scholarships for Silver Lake Summer Conferences will be announced soon. USHERS: Our Ushers today are Greg Carleton, Walter Dunbar, Andy Byrne, Don Reaney, Jim Perman, Bill Wilson, Pat Pert, Liza Hickey, Steve Bump and Marilyn Francis. Special Music Fund: Donations are being received in honor/memory of Shirley N. Anderson. The following statement will appear in the Bulletins and COURIER as we strive to recognize the donors to the : Our Deacons today are Carol Haberlin, Walter Dunbar, Susan Yermes, Chris SMF. This statement was approved unanimously by the Music Committee. Companik and Carolyn Ross. "Thoughtful donations have been received in honor and/or memory of Shirley N. Anderson. Inasmuch as the Gail Robin Anderson Window Fund was utilized at the time of Gail's death, it is the desire of Shirley's husband Bob, that any and all contributions be put into the Special Music Fund to honor Shirley's OUR for today is Joshua Bacon, son of Bernard and Kristine Bacon of Milford. long association with the Music Program of this church through her choral and handbell association.

OUR GREETERS for today are Zoltan Toman, Joshua Toman and MaryAnne Hulford The Music Committee is very grateful to Shirley's family and to those listed below: Trygve & Judy Angell Mr. & Mrs. Michael Curry representing the Church Librarians. Donna & Richard Reynolds Mrs. Marilyn Lindmark Austin & Marie Sasso Mr. & Mrs. Roger Burritt FLOWERS: The flowers are given in celebration of the life of Robert M. Arthur & Joan Hannan Mr. & Mrs. Richard Ross Michael Healy Mr. & Mrs. Eugene McCarthy Kee with love by his daughter, Mary. Gale & Fred Whittemore Ray & Charlotte Severance Corned Beef Sandwiches: This morning, after worship, the Board of Christian Education will be taking orders in Upper Packard Hall for corned beef sandwiches. The cost is $7 for Adults and One Great Hour of Sharing Offering $6 for Seniors. All proceeds will go toward the Silver Lake Scholarship Fund. Sandwiches will be th available for pickup on Sunday, March 18th after the service. Next Sunday, March 18 , you will have the opportunity to offer your gift to One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS), empowering the United Church of Christ to offer disaster relief and refugee Lenten Dinners 2012 aid, meeting basic needs in Christ's name throughout the world. Checks should be made Lenten Dinners began on Friday February 24, 2012 and will continue thru Friday March 30, 2012. We payable to First Congregational Church with OGHS in the memo. Special One Great Hour of begin serving at 4:30 and finish at 7:00. We serve fresh fish that is baked or fried, french fries, Sharing envelopes will be available in the pew racks and you can write your regular church cole slaw, bread, dessert, and a beverage. The cost is $8.00 for seniors, $9.00 for adults, and envelope number on the back of the special offering envelope. Please refer to the special insert children ten and under eat free. We also offer fried scallops, clam cakes, and shrimp at market in today’s bulletin for more information about OGHS. – The Board of Benevolence price. If you would like to help at the Lenten Dinners please call Sue Wilson at 203-375-3074 for dishwashing, other help on Friday evenings, or for table set up on Wednesdays. We need waiters and waitresses to serve the customers on Fridays also. We have two shifts for the wait staff, 4:00 to 5:30 and 5:30to 7:00. Working at the Lenten Dinners is a great way to serve your church and a great way to enjoy the good fellowship that happens on the Fridays during Lent.

Don Robbins will deliver meals to any shut-in that would like to enjoy a fish dinner for the cost of $6.00 per meal for the regular meals or at market price for the specials. If anyone is interested in participating