FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
WELCOME TO OLDTOWN
North Attleborough, MA—October 23, 2022
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 the nursery, 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
GATHERING MUSIC
WELCOME
WORSHIP WAYS
SETTING THE TABLE
CENTERING TIME
Come to the Table of Grace
Come to the Table of Grace
This is God’s Table, it’s not yours or mine
Come to the Table of Grace
CALL TO WORSHIP
People of God, open your eyes and look around!
The presence of God here among us and within us.
God’s healing grace is close at hand,
Even nearer than we realize.
Open your hearts and minds to the Spirit.
Let us worship God together!
OPENING PRAYER
SHARE
⇑ HYMN C#628—”Precious Lord, Take My Hand”
⇑ TIME OF SHARING
Open our eyes, Lord. We want to see Jesus,
To reach out and touch Him, and tell Him we love Him.
Open our ears Lord, and help us to listen.
Open our eyes, Lord. We want to see Jesus.
SCRIPTURE READING: Genesis 37:25 (Oldtown Bible: OT 43)
REFLECT
SERMON—”The Healing Table”
PREPARING OURSELVES FOR PRAYER
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.
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
WORK OF THE CHURCH
⇑ SENDING HYMN—C#501 “There Is a Balm in Gilead”
⇑ BENEDICTION
⇑ BENEDICTION RESPONSE
Sent forth by God’s blessing, our true faith confessing,
The people of God from this dwelling take leave.
The service is ended, O now be extended
The fruits of our worship in all who believe.
The seed of our teaching, receptive hearts reaching,
Shall blossom in action for God and for all.
God’s grace did invite us, and love shall unite us,
To work for God’s realm and to answer the call.
POSTLUDE
*** Our worship has ended; let our service begin! ***
The Oldtown Message
October 23, 2022
OLDTOWN CALENDAR
Sun Oct 23: Household Huddle 9am
~ Worship 10am
Tue Oct 25: To Everything There Is a Season 6pm
Wed Oct 26: Coffee Connection 10am-noon
Sun Oct 30: Household Huddle 9am
~ Worship 10am
Wed Nov 2: Coffee Connection 10am-noon
Sun Nov 6: NO HOUSEHOLD HUDDLE
~ Worship 10am
Tue Nov 8: To Everything There Is a Season 6pm
Wed Nov 9: NO COFFEE CONNECTION
Fri Nov 11: Oldtown Church Fair 5pm-8pm
Sat Nov 12: Oldtown Church Fair 9am-2pm
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
Gordon C., Kaya, Joan M, Carolyn D., Ed, Dawn, Lucy Elizabeth, Mark, Linda, Max D., Lynne, Carol, Kathy, Michelle, Peggy, Kathleen Z, Doug, Ray, Maureen, Rod, Jeanine, Joseph, Linda, John, Maryam, Jared, Nelson & Judy, Don, Linda, Bob, Katie & Scott, Roxanne, June, Phoebe, Lori, Edie, Doug, Ben, Rhonda, Drew, Levi, Sue, Elain, Stephen, and the family and friends of Leo Lehr.
(If you would like to add a name to our prayer list, drop a note in the offering plate, use our online prayer request form, or email Pastor Kelly at PastorKelly@oldtownucc.org)
TO EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON
In the book of Ecclesiastes, we are told that “to everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die…a time to mourn and a time to dance.”
The holiday season can be a difficult time for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. We have many families in Oldtown that have experienced loss, so we are starting a grief support group to help our church family through those difficult days. The group will be meeting every other Tuesday night at 6pm starting on October 11th . All are Welcome!
HELP FEED OUR COMMUNITY
Throughout the fall, we will be collecting non-perishable food items to share with our local food pantries. If everyone brought one item per week, the baskets would quickly become bountiful and help so many hungry neighbors.
STEWARDSHIP CORNER
Weekly Giving
- Last week, the total giving was $506.34, which is $945.58 less than expected for the week.
- Our total giving for the year is $5,250 less than we expected it to be.
Monthly Finances for September
- Our fundraising for September was $300 more than expected for the month, but our total fundraising as of the end of September is still $3,700 less than expected.
- Our total income as of the end of September is $6,300 less than expected.
- Our total expenses as of the end of September are still $10,500 less than expected. We continue to do an outstanding job keeping our expenses down!!!
- For the year, our total income is $7,500 less than our total expenses. Even though we’ve been doing great at keeping our expenses down, we still need to work on increasing our income in order to catch up for the year.
As the leaves turn from green to glorious reds and yellows, our attention in the church turns towards volunteering our time, talents, and treasures. In the coming weeks, we’ll be discussing the fact that, as a Congregational church, our congregation–every one of us!–is responsible for making everything happen at the church, from worship on Sunday mornings, to fellowship during the week, to keeping the lights on and the heat going. We are ALL stewards of the church! It’s a big job, but if we all work together and we all take a part, it becomes an easy and a rewarding one. Spend some time in thought and prayer about how you can help your church in the days, weeks, and months to come!
“Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.”
~ 1 Peter 4:10-11 (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
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Learn more about our denomination: www.ucc.org