Activities
Upcoming Activities
String Theory Music Series
We are excited to have a wide variety of guest musicians who will be providing the music for our worship services. Join us as we explore and embrace opportunities to widen and deepen our experience of worship music.
March 15: Jon Short – Hill Country Blues – tap into and tap along with folklore songs-the core of American music
April 19: Rich Leufstedt &, Helen Sheldon – Old-timey , sing along music with a hint of gospel
May 31: Tara Strong- Gospel Singer
SOUP-ER BOWL TUESDAY TIME
Every Tuesday during Lent (beginning on March 3rd), First Congregational Church will be cooking up a variety of soups for lunch and the cost is FREE!
This is the 4th year serving our church friends and neighbors and it has become a rousing success. Please join us for lunch and fellowship from 11:30 to 1 in Russell Hall (accessible from the parking lot behind the church). In case of inclement weather, lunch will be cancelled with no alternate date.
We gratefully accept all offers of help or donations to support this outreach ministry. Carol Mulrain is the contact person at 508-867-3741 or talk with me after church.
Hot Dogs, Popcorn and Pastries
Every Wednesday Evening
Leicester Concerts on the Common
March 1, 2017 @ 7 PM – Ash Wednesday Service
September 19, 2015
Harvest Fair – Rain or Shine
We will be selling Apple Crisp and Ice Cream again this year on the common, and soda / floats from the church lawn. Friday afternoon/evening (the 18th) we will be making the Apple Crisp in the church kitchen with anticipation of that wonderful aroma that fills up the whole church the day of the fair.
September 13, 2015
Pet Rock
This wonderful event is coming to Becker’s Leicester campus, which means mobs of people coming through our town. The police chief will ensure there is parking for our worship service that day, but you might want to plan for a little extra time getting around.
Animal Blessing: Pastor Doreen will get into the “Spirit” of the event by stationing herself out on the church lawn to offer blessings to pets. You are invited to bring your furry / feathery creature by for a blessing.
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This Sunday – March 8, 2015- at 5 p.m. Share the Spirit hosts its last worship meal with Communion of the season (non-meal services continue through April). We’ve got chicken and veggies on the menu along with the bread and cup; and conversation about what it means to be human.
We would love for you to join us downstairs in Russell Hall. If you know you are coming, a quick response saying so would be helpful. But certainly not necessary. There is always room at the table.
And if you forget to turn your clock ahead, well, you probably will have figured that out by 5 p.m. Come and eat, come and worship. Just come.
Blessings,
Doreen
Share the Spirit: Engaging Worship and Faith Formation: Sundays at 5 p.m.Next gathering on Feb. 8 This alternative worship service is held onthe 2nd and 4th Sundays each month. It was developed withbusy families in mind, and all who would appreciate a briefer, less formal, andmore active worship experience combined with creative expression or deeperfaith discussions. Come check it out! Bring a friend!
December 24, 2014 at 11 p.m.
Please join our worship of lessons and carols and the lighting of candles
Bunny Day Eggstavaganza
Sat, April 12, 2014 from 2-4
Peter Cottontail’s Easter Party “EGGSTRAVAGANZA” will be held at the First Congregational Church of Leicester, 1 Washburn Square, from 2 to 4 PM. The event is for children 10 years old and under. Crafts and an Easter Basket Raffle will be held indors beginning at 2 PM and an Easter Egg Hunt will be held outdoors at 3:30 PM. Bring your cameras for pictures with the Easter Bunny! Admission will be a non-perishable food item for the benefit of the Leicester Food Bank.
STRAWBERRY HILL FAIR
NOV 10, 2012 9AM TO 2 PM
ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE
March 9, 2011 at 7 PM
You are warmly invited to start the season of Lent in community at this service with ashes and Communion
Labyrinth Workshop & Open Walk
Saturday, March 12, 2011 from 1 to 3
Click here to for more information
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STRAWBERRY HILL FAIR – NOV 13, 2010 from 9AM to 2 pm
Lots of wonderful homemade baked goods!
Click here to see our post about the Fair.
Bunny “EGGSTRAVAGANZA” – March 27, 2010 2 – 4 PM
Peter Cottontail’s Easter Party “EGGSTRAVAGANZA” will be held at the First Congregational Church of Leicester, 1 Washburn Square, from 2 to 4 PM. The event is for children 10 years old and under. Crafts and an Easter Basket Raffle will be held indors beginning at 2 PM and an Easter Egg Hunt will be held outdoors at 3:30 PM. Bring your cameras for pictures with the Easter Bunny! Admission will be a non-perishable food item for the benefit of the Leicester Food Bank.
Click Here for more pictures of last year’s Eggstravaganza
Christmas Services:
- Dec 20th – Christmas Sunday: the Sunday School Children will hold their annual Christmas Pageant during the regular Sunday morning church service @ 10 A.M.
- Dec 24th – Christmas Eve Services
- 4 P.M. – Children Friendly Service
- 11 P.M. – Traditional candle light service with Christmas carols and readings from Christmas scriptures
Sunday School:
- Sept 13, 2009: Sunday School Registration: There will be activities for the children in Russell Hall following the Children’s Moment in our church service.
- Sept 20, 2009: Sunday School Classes Begin: Click here for more details about our program for this year.
- Sept. 26, 2009: Zoo Field Trip: The Sunday School is sponsoring a Church wide field trip to Southwick’s Zoo. The cost is $5 for adults and all children are free. This is welcome to ALL! We will meet at the church at 9 AM to arrive at the zoo at 10 AM. We sill be meeting for lunch at noon. It will be left up to each carpool as to what time they wan to leave. The zoo closes at 5PM. There is a sign up sheet in Russell Hall.
Harvest Fair – Sept. 19, 2009 – Leicester Town Common
We will have our booth again this year selling Apple Crisp and Ice Cream. Last year was a WONDERFUL day; beautiful weather and we sold over 40 trays of apple crisp. We will also sell popcorn and soda from the corner of the church lot. Click here to read about last year’s Harvest Fair
We will need LOTS of help, so please sign up to help put the apple crisp together on Friday evening as well as throughout the day on Saturday. MANY hands are needed and if we have enough people sign up, then we can take time to enjoy the events of the fair also. This is a wonderful event, and we reap the benefits from being involved in such a great “happening” right here on the common and within our own church.
If you can’t work outside, perhaps you could spend a few hours inside and around the sanctuary being a “welcoming committee” and intoducing the hundreds of people who come to the fair to our beautiful church and share a bit of our history for those who walk through our building to view the art show, artisans, crafter, puppet show, etc.
Ongoing Religious Activities
Worship
Each Sunday morning at 10:00AM Worship services are conducted in the sanctuary.
Holy Communion Service is held on the first Sunday of each month. The Worship service format is very traditional consisting of scripture readings, anthems, responsive readings and the minister’s sersom. Children who will be attending Church School attend the initial portion of the worship service concluding with a children’s segment with the minister.
The theme of the service is usually related to the church calendar with an emphasis on relating the various elements of the service to each other and with the world of today.
A Coffee Hour is held immediately after the worship service during which time members of the congregation and their children have the opportunity to visit with each other and meet new people.
Church School
The Church School or Sunday school provides Christian instruction to children form age 4 through their early teens. Teachers employ a professional curriculum throughout this period. Each Sunday the children begin with attending the first portion of the Worship Service in the sanctuary. This approach provides the children with exposure to the Worship Service and also provides a convenient schedule for parents to attend the Worship Service at the same time their children are in Church School. Additionaly a nursery is provided for the very young who’s parents would like to attend the worship service.
Choir
The sanctuary includes a choir loft and organ and offers excellent acoustics thus providing a wonderful setting for wonderful music. The Sunday Worship service is interspersed with hymns, anthems, & solos performed by the choir and selections for the choir and congregation. Choir rehearsals are at 5:00PM on Mondays and 9:00AM Sundays.
Historically our church has been blessed with persons of fine musical talent. We continually seek and welcome new talent to join and help carry on the delights of music.
Bible Study
A Bible Study is an important part of our personal spiritual growth. We hope to resume these classes as soon as a settled minister is called.
