Newsletter Dec 21/Jan 22

Congregational Connections


First Congregational Church of Leicester
December 2021/January 2022 Issue

Housing the Holy – Advent Worship

Please join us for worship through this season of preparation and hopeful waiting. We’ll be exploring the biblical prophets that call us to “make room at the inn” for our neighbors and for those on the margins of society. We’ll be incorporating the threshold music from the Silent Night series of three years ago. There is still an opportunity to light the Advent candle, so please let Doreen know if you are interested in doing so.

Christmas Eve Worship – 6 p.m.!

I am so excited to be back in the Sanctuary for our service of Lessons and Carols after going strictly on-line last year due to the pandemic. There will be candlelight and beautiful music as we remember the Holy Love that has entered our world. The service will, of course, be streamed on Facebook for those who cannot or choose not to worship in person. If you are willing to do a reading at the service or light a candle on the Advent wreath, please contact Doreen.

Christmas Cantata

FCC Leicester will be hosting a performance of the Christian Community Choir singing the Christmas musical Hope of the Broken World on Saturday, December 11 at 7 p.m. Kathleen Hosterman directs the choir comprised of people from several area churches.

The performances are followed by a reception. If you can help with refreshments for the December 11 performance, please speak to Cindy LaPointe.

Additional performances will be held at:
East Brookfield Baptist Church on Sunday, December 19 at 3 p.m.
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church of East Brookfield on Sunday, January 9, 2022 at 3 p.m.

Pastor’s Note

Grace and peace and happy Christmas to you. I am so grateful have some of the worry and fear of the pandemic eased by the high vaccination rate in the congregation and in the community, such that we can welcome people into the Sanctuary again on Christmas Eve. Some who wish to come to worship may still feel vulnerable about the virus, so I encourage you to mask as an act of compassion and hospitality, especially when entering and leaving the Sanctuary, and while seated if there are people sitting near you whose vaccination status you don’t know. Our Advent worship series focuses on “housing the holy,” and we do well to remember that it is less about the building and more about the warm hearts and spirit of love that makes this place a home where God’s love might be experienced. We’ll be talking about Making Room, finding A Place at the Table, wondering How Much is Enough, and creating A Room With a View. To me, these themes resonate with the time of discernment the church has entered regarding our future. As we plan to hang our colorful welcome banner and explore justice issues, we are striving to make room for those who may have wondered about their welcome. As we explore what the needs of our surrounding community, we consider the bounty of our blessings and where we might be able to give more. And as we consider what makes for a viable church, we pray and listen to the spirit of whether and for how long we will have enough to truly serve God’s purposes.

I am so grateful to the eight people who have returned their action pledges and encourage more people to think about what you are willing to contribute to this discernment process. Several are interested in exploring the viability question, and I have some reading materials to get you started. Because some want to only meet in person and some only remotely, I will have to coordinate with you separately to dispense the materials. My hope is that you will all find a way to connect with each other as you read and reflect.

Advent is considered a time of waiting, but it is not passive waiting. It is preparing and clearing out, making room for what is to come. Our church is in its own time of advent, preparing, clearing out, and waiting for the movement of the Spirit to guide us forward. Let every heart prepare him room. In this time of darkening days, let us remember that God’s light came into the darkness, and the darkness could not overcome it.

Holiday blessings, Pastor Doreen

Advent Offering

You are invited to make a special offering to the church in honor of Advent / Christmas. For those receiving a hard copy of the newsletter, there is an envelope enclosed. For those receiving an electronic copy, please let me know if you would like to have an envelope provided. Blessings to all.

Prayer Concerns

You are invited to join your heart to others and to the heart of God by holding in prayer those named below. You might picture them being held in the palm of God’s hand or wrapped in a soft blanket. Or you might imagine them being infused with strength and wisdom and courage – whatever is needed (which God knows better than us). I believe our prayerful energy is dispersed in healing and meaningful ways.
For Phil and Claire Harding, healing and restoration in the face of health challenges
For Mary Ellen who will be having surgery
For those feeling the loss of loved ones which can be especially acute at the holidays
For continued discernment for the future of this church, that she will thrive in meaningful ways and serve as God intends.
For Alice Kelly and family on the loss of husband and father, and our friend Bob Kelly