 | Fifth Sunday in Lent Worship Service 8:00 a.m., Walker Chapel Worship Service 10:00 a.m., Meetinghouse The Theresa Borchetta preaching
Reading: John 12:20-36 | We are excited to begin a new chapter of our historic church with Reverend Suzanne Personette this coming Tuesday, March 20th. Please welcome her with open minds, hearts and willing hands as we begin our faith journey together. | In the Hebrew Scriptures Joshua retells the story of God’s deliverance of the Israelites from the land of Egypt, their place of slavery. He tells this story to remind the people of how faithful and generous God has been to them. In Joshua’s recounting, God always delivers the people from their enemies. In our own personal stories, God is always inviting us to move out of our enslavements. If we look back on our lives, we can see how God has been our guide to greater spiritual freedom. There have been many graced moments and God continues to lead us out of whatever keeps us from being our true selves. We are constantly guided by God to be more loving people of integrity and goodness. Let us look back and recall how we have grown with God’s guidance. As we remember these graced moments, let us give thanks.
Theresa Borchetta | Congratulations! Ron and Sue Miller welcomed another grandchild on Wednesday, March 14th! Her name is Victoria Rose Miller and she weighs a healthy 7lbs 10oz! | Questions of Faith “Easter Edition!” On March 21st from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at the First Baptist Church, we will join our Baptist friends to consider Holy Week related queries, such as... “Why did Judas betray Jesus with a kiss?”
“Can we prove Jesus physically rose from the dead?” and more… Pizza, salad, dessert and quality child-care provided. | Scholarship Program The purpose of the First Congregational Church of Branford Scholarship program is to provide some financial aid to needy and worthy young men and women who are members or are children or grandchildren of members of The First Congregational Church of Branford (FCCB). Applicants for a scholarship grant must be a senior at a private or public secondary school, who are planning to attend a post-secondary school. Scholarship grants are given to the recipients for use during their first year of postsecondary education and are paid in two halves. The first half of the grant is paid to a recipient after confirmation of the school the recipient will be attending. The second half is paid to a recipient after the recipient provides to the Scholarship Committee a copy of their first semester transcript, showing they have achieved at least a “C” average. Applications are available in the office. The deadline is April 1, 2018. | Easter Lily Order Form
IN MEMORY OF: ……………………………………………………………………………………
IN HONOR OF: …………………………………………………………………………………… BY………………………………………………………………………………
(PLEASE INDICATE NAME(S) AS YOU WISH TO APPEAR IN BULLETIN)
CONTACT NAME………………………………………………………………………….. TELEPHONE……………………………………………………………………………………… PLEASE CHECK ONE:
Deliver my plant to a homebound person
I will take my plant home after 11:00 a.m. service on Easter Sunday
Cost $12.00 each plant Please drop this form in the collection plate or at the Church office or you can mail to: FCC Branford, 1009 Main St, Branford, CT. 06405 If you would like to remember or honor a loved one with an Easter lily, return this form to the Church office by Sunday, March 25th. Please make checks payable to:
First Congregational Church.
Mark Easter Lily on the memo line. | Take a Vet Fishing & Jersey Mike's Month of Giving Take a Vet Fishing, which was founded at the First Congregational Church back in 2007 has again been selected as the charity partner for the month of March for Jersey Mike's Subs in Branford. Beginning March 1 and running through the end of the month everyone who purchases lunch or dinner will be given the opportunity to purchase either a $1.00, $3.00 or $5.00 coupon. This will be added on to their total but will be coded for Take a Vet Fishing. TAVF will receive all of the proceeds from the coupons. Also on Wednesday March 28, 2018 Jersey Mike's has their Day of Giving. This day TAVF will receive 100% of the day’s sales, YES SALES! What can you do to help support TAVF, buy lunch or dinner or both. Does your business order lunch? If it is local TAVF will deliver. Please tell your local businesses to help support TAVF. It is a great meal and a great cause. Last year Jersey Mike's Subs Raised over $16,000.00 for the month of March for Take a Vet Fishing! We look forward to seeing you at Jersey Mike's Subs, 845 West Main Street, Branford, CT 06405. On Branford Hill on Wednesday, March 28, 2018 | Can you help the Hospitality Committee? Even if you don’t serve coffee/tea on Sunday or bake the cookies, you can greatly help – buy a $25 Shop Rite gift card to donate to the Committee. This money would buy milk, drinks for the kids, and possibly snacks. Here’s another win-win situation. You are not only giving needed support to Hospitality but buying the gift card helps support the church. Just ask Julia or the members who sell on Sunday to give to the appropriate people. Thank you for your support. | Lead Deacon The lead Deacon for the month of March is Nancy Beccia.
Nancy can be reached via phone at: 203-483-1268 or by email at nbeccia@comcast.net. | For Our Prayers This Week We give thanks for......
All those that participated in the OGHS offering last Sunday
Deacons who have come forward during two very difficult memorial services to usher
and provide hospitality for a very large reception
Continued opportunities to learn more about ourselves through our ongoing Lenten series We pray for.....
The families of the victims of the shooting at the veteran’s home in California
The family of Jennifer Gonzalez who had a special connection to Rev. Theresa We grieve with…..
The family of Jennifer Gonzalez, who was killed in the California shooting
The Giordano family at the death of Mike and Janet’s nephew Lucas Giordano Ongoing prayers for…
Betsy & Peter Boynton, Daria Carlson, Barbara Colley, Edward DeFrancesco, John Paul Dineen, Dormer Family, Eleanor Eadie (Emily Fielding’s sister), Rowena Gatta, Robert & Margaret Gehm (parents of Nancy Gehm), Mary Gundersen (Lynda Barker’s mother), Alison Hobbie (Betsy Gay’s daughter), Frank Malinconico, Ethel Marchesseault (Linda’s mother), Joe Mele (Jen McCaughtry’s uncle), Maria & Adam Melillo, 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, March 18
8:00 am Worship Service Walker Chapel
10:00 am Worship Service Meetinghouse
12:30 pm Cooking Class with Youth Pilgrim Hall/Kitchen
5:30 Youth Cooking Class Dinner Pilgrim Hall Monday, March 19
10:00 am Branford Transition Program All Purpose Room
7:00 pm Stewardship Board Meeting Room 25 Tuesday, March 20
12:00 pm Staff Meeting Russel Room
6:00 pm CDC – School Readiness Program All Purpose Room
4:30 pm Youth Bells Sanctuary
5:30 pm Seder Meal Pilgrim Hall
7:00 pm Adult Bell Rehearsal Sanctuary Wednesday, March 21
10:30 am CDC – CrossFit Pilgrim Hall
11:00 am Evergreen Woods Bible Study Evergreen Woods
6:00 pm Questions of Faith Lenten Program First Baptist Church
7:45 pm Church Council Meeting All Purpose Room Thursday, March 22
10:00 am Knitting, Purling, Praying Russel Room
10:30 am CDC – Happy Feet Pilgrim Hall
7:00 pm Choir Rehearsal Sanctuary Friday, March 23
10:00 am Branford Transition Program All Purpose Room Saturday, March 24
5:30 pm Vision Meeting (outside group) Pilgrim Hall Sunday, March 25 – Palm Sunday
Fresh Salad Collection
8:00 am Worship Service Walker Chapel
10:00 am Worship Service Meetinghouse
11:00 am Welcome Reception for Rev. Suzanne Personette Pilgrim Hall | 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/ | Amazon Smiles Donations PLEASE shop at smile.amazon.com, and First Congregational Church can receive donations from AmazonSmile. StartWithaSmile at smile.amazon.com/ch/06-6042800 for your purchases and Amazon donates to First Congregational Church. | 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 | | |
