FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
WELCOME TO OLDTOWN
North Attleborough, MA — July 30, 2023
Ministers: ALL of our Members and Friends
Pastor & Teacher: The Rev. Kelly Thibeault
Welcome to the Oldtown Church!
We are so glad that you have chosen to worship with us today. We invite you to join in on the bold print in the bulletin and to stand as you are able any time you see a ⇑. The restrooms are out the back door of the sanctuary to the right, as is a little space in case your little one needs a walkabout. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and please join us for fellowship after worship!
Please remember to mute your devices during worship.
BREATHE
PRELUDE
GATHERING MUSIC
WELCOME
WORSHIP WAYS
TIME OF CENTERING
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
OPENING PRAYER
CALL TO WORSHIP
Day by day, God leads us:
To the deep pools of peace, and the lush lawns of grace.
Day by day, Jesus calls us:
To pour out ourselves in service, and to greet the stranger with hope.
Day by day, the Holy Spirit shows us:
The community we could be, and the family we are called to become.
SHARE
⇑ HYMN C#339—”Just As I Am, Without One Plea”
TIME OF SHARING (C#323)
Sing them over again to me, wonderful words of life;
Let them more of their beauty see, wonderful words of life.
Words of life and beauty teach me faith and duty;
Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life.
SCRIPTURE READING: John 8:1-11 (Oldtown Bible: NT 122)
REFLECT
SERMON – “Scribbling in the Sand”
PREPARING OURSELVES FOR PRAYER (C#306)
Hear our prayer, O Lord. Hear our prayer, O Lord.
Incline Thine ear to us, and grant us Thy peace.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE and THE LORD’S PRAYER
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 debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
CHORAL RESPONSE
THANK
OFFERING OF OUR GIFTS
GIFT OF MUSIC
⇑ DOXOLOGY
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Praise God, all creatures here below,
Praise God above, Ye heavenly host.
Creator, Christ, and Holy Ghost! Amen.
⇑ PRAYER OF DEDICATION
FOR LOVE OF CHURCH
⇑ SENDING HYMN C#73—”There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy”
⇑ BENEDICTION
⇑ BENEDICTION RESPONSE (C#434)
God be with you ’til we meet again.
Loving counsel, guide, uphold you,
With a shepherd’s care enfold you,
God be with you ’til we meet again.
‘Til we meet, ’til we meet,
‘Til we meet at Jesus’ feet,
‘Til we meet, ’til we meet,
God be with you ’til we meet again.
POSTLUDE
*** Our worship has ended; let our service begin! ***
The Oldtown Message
July 30, 2023
OLDTOWN CALENDAR
Sun July 30: Worship 10am
Wed Aug 2: Coffee Connection 10am-noon
Sat Aug 5: Come and Sing 2pm
Sun Aug 6: Worship 10am
Wed Aug 9: Coffee Connection 10am-noon
Sun Aug 13: Worship 10am
~ Church fair meeting after worship
Tue Aug 15: Food, Faith and Fun – S’mores, Psalms, and Songs 6pm
Wed Aug 16: Coffee Connection 10am-noon
Check our Online Calendar for even more Oldtown, denominational, and local events, free webinars, and other resources!! Have something you’d like added to the calendar? Email calendar@oldtownucc.org with all the information, and we’ll get it posted.
OLDTOWN PRAYER LIST
Alice, Janice, Jeanne, Franke, Geddy, Wayne, June, Lynne, Celine, Stacey, Al, Bob, Edi, John, Katie, Lydia, Ben, Doug, Stephen, Kim, Beth, John, Perilene, Sheryl, Rose & Bill, Joanne, Michelle, Gloria, Tom, Mark, Patti, Marion, Gordon C., Skip, Phoebe, John, Jim, Barbara, James, Jean, Lynn, Cyndy, Maryam, Meena’s “growing young minds,” Karen, Marcia, Erica, Christina, Stephanie, Heather, Michelle, Richie, Brandon, Joe, Shane, Deborah, Nicole, Jasper, Armand, Dave, Carolyn, Bill, Ed, Doug G., Connie E., Britt, James & Aurora, Peter, Keli, Nadine, Roxanne, Rich, Tom, June, Nikki, Lee, Rhonda, Shawn, Nicholas, Mel, Matt, Peter, Jayne, Steve, Daniel, the family of Steven Grant, the family of Arnold Hinckley
Prayer requests can be placed in the offering plate, entered through our church website using our online prayer request form, or emailed to Pastor Kelly at PastorKelly@oldtownucc.org
MISSION COLLECTION
Next week is PERSONAL HYGIENE WEEK!! We will be collecting:
soap, shampoo, deodorant
Looking ahead:
Aug 13 – Fruit Week – fruit snack cups, fruit roll-ups, fruit bars
Aug 20 – Cereal Week – hot or cold cereal, cereal bars
Aug 27 – Lunch Box Snack Week – cookies, pretzels, crackers
OLDTOWN UPDATE EMAIL
Do you get our Friday Email, aka “The Oldtown Update”? Our Oldtown Update is like a weekly newsletter that lets everyone know what is going on in Oldtown. If you do not receive it and would like to, drop a note in the offering plate with your email address or let Pastor Kelly know. Subscribe to our Friday Email Updates online or let Pastor Kelly know your email address.
STEWARDSHIP CORNER
Weekly Giving
- Two weeks ago, we welcomed 39 in worship on Sunday, and our total giving to the church for the week was $405.74, which is $848.97 less than expected.
- Last week, we welcomed 49 in worship on Sunday, and our total giving to the church for the week was $1,129.78, which is $124.94 less than expected.
- So far, this year’s congregational giving is $5,800 more than we expected. Keep up the great work!!
Instead of judging ourselves and others based on how we look, how we feel, and what we’ve done, remember that we are all God’s beloved children, even those who occasionally misbehave. God’s grace is limitless, and God loves us for who we are, whoever we are, and wherever we are on life’s journey.
All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, doing the will of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else, but God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God
~ Ephesians 2:3-8 (NRSVUE)
First Congregational Church, UCC of North Attleborough
(Oldtown Church)
675 Old Post Road, North Attleborough, MA 02760
508-695-1713
Pastor Kelly’s email: PastorKelly@oldtownucc.org
Church Email: church@oldtownucc.org
Website: www.oldtownucc.org
YouTube: www.youtube.com/oldtownucc
Facebook: www.facebook.com/oldtownucc
Subscribe to our Friday Email Updates
Learn more about our denomination: www.ucc.org