Christmas Eve Services
Two worship services on Christmas Eve
The 4 P.M. service will be joyful and family friendly celebration.
The 11 P.M. service will be full of candle light, music and the beauty of the season.
Warmest wishes for a wonderful Christmas Day
The Strawberry Hill Fair
The Strawberry Hill Fair
Nov 14, 2009
9 to 2
Start your Christmas shopping at the Strawberry Hill Fair! It is getting bigger and better every year. In addition to all the traditional items, we have 10 vendors this year. The Pampered Chef will be back, there will be jewelry, original Christmas stockings, birdhouses, and much, much more. The knitting room is full of great hand made items.
Take a chance on our great raffle baskets and donations from local merchants. Bid on a great find in the Silent Auction. Check out the Christmas Room for decorations. Take a break and have lunch in Russell Hall. Tell all your friends. It is a great way to get into the Christmas spirit.
Sunday School Begins
Registration: Sept 13, 2009 10 AM
Classes begin: Sept 20, 2009 10 AM/ followed by a Lunch with Pastor Doreen.
This year the children will be building an A.R.K.! The children will be learning about our theme- Acts of Random Kindness. We will play fun games, make cool crafts and learn how the simple act of being kind can make such a difference to someone.
We are expecting that this year there will be more family involvement in the Sunday School. Coordinators will work with family members of the students to see how they can participate. Perhaps you would like to come share about the ways you have shown kindness or others have been kind to you. There will be mentors available for family members or anyone who is interested in teaching a few classes, or you can participate as a guest/helper.
Jesus said, “Let the children come to me.” We all have a part in opening up the path to Jesus for the children in our church family. It will be a blessing for you and for them.
Picnic at Stiles Lake – Aug 23
Come and share a fun afternoon at the lake. Spend a few hours visiting with Doreen and Quentin and your church family.
Date: Sunday, August 23rd (RAIN DATE…….SUN, AUG 30th)
Time: Following Coffee Hour 12:30 PM ’til ???
Please bring:
· Swimsuits, towels, swim shoes (for tender feet), lifejackets for the children
· Something to share: salad, dessert, casserole, veggies, fruit, etc.
(Hamburgers and Hot Dogs will be provided)
Please let Cindy know when you have decided what you would like to bring (for menu planning) and about how many might be coming. For directions or if you have questions call Cindy & Ron at 508-885-9875.
FCC Calls Rev Doreen Oughton
On June 28, 2009, the First Congregational Church unanimously voted to call Rev. Doreen Oughton to be our settled pastor. She has accepted our call. Both the church and Doreen feel a sense of joy and excitement as we begin our journey together. The search committee was given many thanks for their unwavering commitment to finding the right candidate. Doreen will officially begin on Aug 3rd.
Search Committee – Important News Update to the Members of the Church
More than a year and a half ago, members of this Church entrusted the Search Committe with the responsibility of prayerfully selecting a candidate for your approval. Your requirements were that this candidate was an effective speaker, energetic, creative, have a positive and youthful outlook and obviously possess a strong religious belief. We have looked at profiles in excess of 70 candidates. We have conducted numerous interviews and have arranged to hear others preach. We have selected Doreen Cullen Oughton as the candidate we feel meets all your requirements to be the minister of the First Congregational Church of Leicester. Doreen will be with us on Sunday June 28th to conduct our church service and meet with the members of the Church. Following the church service you will be asked to vote on the recommendation that Doreen become our new pastor. We ask that you take part in this exciting moment in our ministry and we believe that you will share with us the excitement we felt when we interviewed and listened to her.
Thank you for placing your trust in us,
Search Committe Memebers:
Ron LaPointe, Jim Cathcart, Len Ivel, Marie Feeney, Ann Mulrain, Debbie Arsenault, Jackie Henderseon and Rhiannon Oris
Feb 25th – Ash Wednesday Service- 7 PM
Ash Wednesday, the seventh Wednesday before Easter Sunday, is the first day of the Season of Lent. Its name comes from the ancient practice of placing ashes on worshippers’ heads or foreheads as a sign of humility before God, a symbol of mourning and sorrow at the death that sin brings into the world. It not only prefigures the mourning at the death of Jesus, but also places the worshipper in a position to realize the consequences of sin. Ash Wednesday is a somber day of reflection on what needs to change in our lives if we are to be fully Christian.
In the early church, ashes were not offered to everyone but were only used to mark the forehead of worshippers who had made public confession of sin and sought to be restored to the fellowship of the community at the Easter celebration. However, over the years others began to show their humility and identification with the penitents by asking that they, too, be marked as sinners. Finally, the imposition of ashes was extended to the whole congregation in services similar to those that are now observed in many Christian churches on Ash Wednesday. Ashes became symbolic of that attitude of penitence reflected in the Lord’s prayer: “forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us” (Luke 11:4, NRSV).
Christmas on the Common
12th Annual Tree Lighting & Caroling
Leicester Town Common. [map]
Sat, Dec 6, 2008 6:00 PM
Lighting of the tree on the Leicester Common followed by refreshments and a Christmas Carol sing along inside the First Congregational Church.
Sponsored by the Leicester Historical Society, Bandstand Committee and the Leicester First Congregational Church update: view pictures from this event! click here
Strawberry Hill Fair
The Strawberry Hill Fair on Sat, Nov 8th was a big success. Click on photos to see how much fun everyone had. Thank you to all who contributed, worked and came to the fair.
Search Committee Update
The Search Committee has been meeting every week as they review the 25 potential candidates that have applied to be our new minister.
Jackie Henderson, Marie Feeney, Jim Cathcart, Rhi Orsi, Ron LaPointe, Anne Mulrain
The candidates are from all areas of the United State (Rhi Orsi kindly offered to go hear the minister that was stationed in Hawaii). There are a wide variety of backgrounds and experience to consider with these candidates.
After the potential candidates have been narrowed down, the committee will begin the process of interviewing.
Rev Richard Wright
Until we have a new minister, Rev. Richard Wright has accepted the position of permanent Sunday supply minister.
Rev Wright is a resident of Holden. Please join us in welcoming him to our church.
