Third Sunday in Lent

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

Worship Service 10:00 a.m., Meetinghouse

The Rev. Susan P. Trucksess preaching
Reading: I Corinthians 1:18-25

Lenten Meditation

We may be tempted to think that some lead an untroubled life. But in reality, none of us are immune from suffering. Nor do we suggest that we all experience difficulty in the same way. We do not. Lent is a reminder that soon Jesus and his disciples will go through great suffering. Some are devastated by it and have a long journey to recovery. Others seem to be more resilient and bounce back with new optimism. But for both groups the main question is: What can we learn from this experience?

Henry Nouwen suggests that “finding new life through suffering and death: this is good news. Christ’s death reflects that message. Suffering may seem senseless, but it need not have the last word. New hope can come from the ruins of previous expectations and plans. New life can come from disappointment as well. "

But this can only come if we embrace the pain of our lost hopes and grieve our losses to the point of relinquishment. Henry Nouwen says that it is at that place with nothing in our hands, that good gifts will come our way.

2018 Lenten Series

Join us for this week’s Lenten series focusing on

“Learning to Fear like Christians”.

“How/Why is faith always more (but not less) than a ‘personal relationship,’ more than just ‘me and Jesus?’ Can God make us holy (truly loving) in this life?”

We will be coming together for a soup supper on Wednesday, March 7th, from 6:00-6:30pm and then the program will be from 6:30-7:30pm.

Please click here for a link to the sign-up for soup, salad, bread,

set-up and clean-up.

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0d44adad2ba7fa7-2018

This year, UCC churches across the US and Canada will be receiving the annual One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) offering on Sunday, March 11th. The theme is “More than we can imagine”, based on Paul’s letter to the Ephesians 3:20;

“Now to God be the glory, who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can imagine.”

This offering provides funds for mission work in places lacking health and educational resources and/or where disaster has struck. In our generosity, we recognize that we are all part of God’s family. We imagine a world with enough food, water, resources, education, justice, laughter and freedom for all people.

As Archbishop Desmond Tutu said, “We are the agents of transformation that God uses to transfigure the world.”

Please give what you can on Sunday, March 11, 2018. Make checks payable to FCCB with OGHS on the memo line.

Thank you.
Mission Board

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.

For Our Prayers This Week

We give thanks for......
Continued opportunities to learn more about ourselves through our ongoing Lenten series
Glimmers of spring in our midst
Our Adult Bell Choir and the Deacons who served the family of Hugh Buchanan
with their ministries of hospitality and music

We pray for.....
Healing mercies for Rowena Gatta and Barbara Colley as they both recover from surgeries
The healing of all involved in the high school shooting in Parkland, FL
Both caution and action for the safety of all our school children, faculty and staff

We grieve with…..
All those still hurting from the loss of loved ones as anniversaries come and go
The family of Hugh Buchanan, whose memorial service was held here on February 24th

Ongoing prayers for…
Betsy & Peter Boynton, Daria Carlson, Edward DeFrancesco, John Paul Dineen, Dormer Family, Eleanor Eadie (Emily Fielding’s sister), 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 4 – Communion
8:00 am Worship Service Walker Chapel
10:00 am Worship Service Meetinghouse
11:15 am Christian Education Board Meeting Russel Room
12:00 pm Refugee Potluck Gathering Pilgrim Hall

Monday, March 5
10:00 am Branford Transition Program All Purpose Room
7:00 pm KPMT Meeting Russel Room

Tuesday, March 6
10:00 am Staff Meeting Russel Room
4:30 pm Youth Bells Sanctuary
6:00 pm Teen Talk Kitchen
7:00 pm Land & Building Meeting Room 25
7:00 pm Adult Bell Rehearsal Sanctuary

Wednesday, March 7
11:00 am Evergreen Woods Bible Study Evergreen Woods
6:00 pm Lenten Program Pilgrim Hall
7:30 pm Book Group Russel Room

Thursday, March 8
10:00 am Knitting, Purling, Praying Russel Room
10:30 am CDC – Happy Feet Pilgrim Hall
7:00 pm Choir Rehearsal Sanctuary

Friday, March 9
10:00 am Branford Transition Program All Purpose Room

Saturday, March 10
11:00 am Smile Anyway Meeting All Purpose Room
8:00 pm Branford Folk Music Society Pilgrim Hall

Sunday, March 11
8:00 am Worship Service Walker Chapel
10:00 am Worship Service Meetinghouse
11:15 am Music Board Meeting Room 25
6:00 pm High School Youth Group Pilgrim Hall

Practicing Joy Together program has been cancelled for March because of Lenten program*

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 