The Baptism of Christ

Worship Service 8:00 a.m., Walker Chapel

Worship Service 10:00 a.m., Meetinghouse

The Rev. Sarah Vetter, preaching
Reading: Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast

Come celebrate the legacy of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Monday, January 15th at a community-wide breakfast. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter” is this year’s theme; the speaker is State Senator Ted Kennedy, whose father was instrumental in making Rev. King’s birthdate a national holiday.

The event starts at 8:30am at St. Therese Church Hall, 105 Leetes Island Rd. in Branford. Tickets will be sold after Sunday services in January and are $10 for adults, $5 for students and under 5 free. A family of 4 is $20. And, patrons who wish to support this event, may make their checks out to Martin Luther King Breakfast Committee. Proceeds will be donated to the Shoreline Fuel Assistance Program.

For more information please email Margot Hardenbergh, margot529@outlook.com.

From the Nominating Committee

We are nearing the Annual church meeting which is on the last Sunday in January 2018. All of our boards and committees are in need of 2-3 new members due to expiring terms. If there was ever a time you thought you might share your gifts and talent on one of the boards, NOW is the time to serve your church. The Nominating Committee is eager to reach out to all who want to discuss the functions of the boards and how your talents and gifts can enrich you and serve the church. Please email me at doconnell28@comcast.netor call 203-483-8039. Someone from the Nominating Committee will contact you.

Deanna O’Connell
Nominating Committee, Chair

Please drop in offering plate if you have talents and gifts to share.

Yes, I want to share my talents:

____Deacons ___Christian Education ___Finances

___Music ___Other

Name: __________________________________________________________________

Please contact me by email at: ________________________________________________

Or call me at: _____________________________________________________________

For Our Prayers This Week

We give thanks for......
The return of Pastor Theresa to active ministry
The spirit and participation of all who contributed to our Christmas season’s
worship services and activities
The generous response to the special Christmas offering

We pray for.....
The light of Epiphany to shine brightly over all the earth
God’s guidance and grace in the new year
Fruitful discussions between nations
Those enduring extreme weather conditions

Ongoing prayers for…
Betsy & Peter Boynton, Daria Carlson, Edward DeFrancesco, Dormer Family, Eleanor Eadie (Emily Fielding’s sister), Robert & Margaret Gehm (parents of Nancy Gehm), Alison Hobbie (Betsy Gay’s daughter), Frank Malinconico, Joe Mele (Jen McCaughtry’s uncle), Mary, Kirsten & Rosabelle (Sharon Reynolds’ niece and family), Barbara Mehring, Rose & Tom Moore (mother & brother of Sharon Reynolds), Sylvia O’Brien, Debbie Pearl (friend of Lil Sakai), George Spear, and Janet Young.

Church Calendar

Sunday, January 7 - Communion
8:00 am Worship Service Walker Chapel
10:00 am Worship Service Meetinghouse
10:40 am Youth Chimes Rehearsal Room 25
11:00 am Youth Choir Rehearsal Music Room
11:15 am CE Board Meeting Russel Room

Monday, January 8
9:30 am CDC – Music All Purpose Room
7:00 pm Stewardship Board Meeting Room 25
7:00 pm SAA Meeting All Purpose Room

Tuesday, January 9
10:00 am Staff Meeting Russel Room
4:30 pm Youth Bells Meetinghouse
6:00 pm Finance Meeting Room 18
7:00 pm Diaconate Meeting Russel Room

Wednesday, January 10
8:30 am WIC All Purpose Room
11:00 am Evergreen Woods Bible Study Evergreen Woods

Thursday, January 11
8:30 am WIC All Purpose Room
10:00 am Knitting, Purling, Praying Russel Room
10:30 am CDC - Happy Feet Pilgrim Hall
7:00 pm SAA Meeting All Purpose Room

Friday, January 12

Saturday, January 13
8:00 pm Branford Folk Music Society Pilgrim Hall

Sunday, January 14
8:00 am Worship Service Walker Chapel
10:00 am Worship Service Meetinghouse
10:40 am Youth Chimes Rehearsal Room 25
11:00 am Youth Choir Rehearsal Music Room
11:15 am Music Board Meeting Room 25

Monday, January 15 – MLK Jr. Day
Church Office Closed

Sanctuary Flowers

The 2018 Sanctuary Flower chart has now been placed on the bulletin board where the board minutes used to be located, outside of the Russel Room.

Please come and fill in the dates!

A $35 donation to the flower fund is suggested.

Check Out The Church Facebook Page

This is a public page for everyone to be able to see everything going on at OUR church.

Please be reminded that this page is open to the public and therefore no pictures should be shared of children unless the parents are asked specifically. The FCCB Youth Ministries CLOSED GROUP is where pictures including children can be posted.

Click the link below to be brought right to the page and like it! And be sure to share with your friends.

https://www.facebook.com/FirstCongregationalBranford/

Information Regarding The eSpire

• The deadline for an article to be published in the weekly e-spire is 12pm on Tuesdays.
• There is no longer a monthly paper spire. Those who have requested a paper copy now receive a copy of the weekly e-spire in the mail.
• The e-spire is only mailed out weekly if it can be done in a timely fashion.

Are You Connected?

Make sure you get all emails and updates from First Congregational Church. It’s easy and automatic to sign up for our email list – just go to www.firstcongregationalbranford.org and there is a sign-up form. Don’t miss another issue!

The eSpire is now available on our website at http://www.firstcongregationalbranford.org/newsletters.html

Grocery Cards

Grocery cards are on sale Sundays after service or in the church office,
Monday-Thursday 9:00-3:00 pm.

 Big Y  Stop and Shop  Shop Rite 