Announcements
Dear Friends,
The season of Advent has always been one of my favorite times of the church year. I am grateful for the opportunity it provides us to slow down, to pause, to yearn, and to reflect on what the arrival of the Christ Child will mean to us and to our world this year.
Advent is sometimes called an “in between” time, one in which we remember both the first coming of Jesus over two thousand years ago and his promise to come again. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem on that first Christmas night so long ago, what was once a promise from God to a people God loved became a reality. The promise was fulfilled - Christ our Savior came to live among us as one of us to show us the path that leads to life. And so, we rightly celebrate his birth, but it’s important to remember that it’s not the end of the story, for Christ has promised to return.
So, we live in between what God has done and what God will do. Advent is a reminder of this - a time of “already” and “not yet.” I believe that every member of the First Congregational Church of Stoughton can relate to the notion of being in the midst of what has happened and what will be - it’s where we find ourselves right now. We have grown in our faith through God’s faithfulness to us in the past and we are anticipating the many blessings that are yet to come as we deepen our relationship with our siblings at Christ Congregational Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
I can see signs of new life in our blended church family already beginning to appear - glimpses of heaven, manifestations of hope, and occasions for joy even in the midst of a major transition, and I encourage you to be watching for them too.
I hope that you will engage your faith in new ways this Advent season, as together with our Christ Congregational family, we long for God’s kingdom to come, and for God’s will to be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Advent blessings, Pastor Mary
Uniting for Judah
Judah Lee Kardisco was born on September 30th. There were some concerns at birth and after seeing several
specialists it was found that Judah is in kidney failure. He started dialysis at 2 weeks old and will eventually
need a transplant. A Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/579106504013334) has been
created as a communal space for the Kardisco's tribe to unite for Judah, Ivyn, Dani, and Pastor Jeff: for
updates, encouragement, praises + prayers, supportive initiatives, connections, etc. "In this family nobody
fights alone" Judah will be living at Boston Children’s hospital for at least 3 months as he receives treatment. If
you would like to make a donation to help support the Kardisco family through this season, please go to
https://www.gofundme.com/f/uniting-for-judah?utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-
1&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer. Any donations given will be used for gas, parking, hotels,
food, medical bills, childcare for Ivyn, or other things that come up regarding care for Judah.
Sunday Worship:
We are gathering for worship each Sunday morning at Christ Congregational Church, 1350 Pleasant St., Brockton at 9:55 AM (music starts at 9:50 AM). Our friends at Christ Congregational are ready to give us a warm welcome but if will be easier if we all wear our name tags. Name tags from UCC Stoughton have been taken to Christ Church. Please stay for a time of fellowship after the service. All parking is in the rear of the building and is handicapped accessible.
You can find information about the Sunday morning worship service, including an order of worship and links to access the service online on the Christ Congregational website (https://brocktonucc.org/).
If you know of someone who is unable to get online to access the service, there will be an option to call in and hear the service over the phone. To do so, call the number below and enter the meeting id, followed by the # sign when asked. +1 929-205-6099 US
Meeting ID: 896 5156 4024
The season of Advent has always been one of my favorite times of the church year. I am grateful for the opportunity it provides us to slow down, to pause, to yearn, and to reflect on what the arrival of the Christ Child will mean to us and to our world this year.
Advent is sometimes called an “in between” time, one in which we remember both the first coming of Jesus over two thousand years ago and his promise to come again. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem on that first Christmas night so long ago, what was once a promise from God to a people God loved became a reality. The promise was fulfilled - Christ our Savior came to live among us as one of us to show us the path that leads to life. And so, we rightly celebrate his birth, but it’s important to remember that it’s not the end of the story, for Christ has promised to return.
So, we live in between what God has done and what God will do. Advent is a reminder of this - a time of “already” and “not yet.” I believe that every member of the First Congregational Church of Stoughton can relate to the notion of being in the midst of what has happened and what will be - it’s where we find ourselves right now. We have grown in our faith through God’s faithfulness to us in the past and we are anticipating the many blessings that are yet to come as we deepen our relationship with our siblings at Christ Congregational Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
I can see signs of new life in our blended church family already beginning to appear - glimpses of heaven, manifestations of hope, and occasions for joy even in the midst of a major transition, and I encourage you to be watching for them too.
I hope that you will engage your faith in new ways this Advent season, as together with our Christ Congregational family, we long for God’s kingdom to come, and for God’s will to be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Advent blessings, Pastor Mary
Uniting for Judah
Judah Lee Kardisco was born on September 30th. There were some concerns at birth and after seeing several
specialists it was found that Judah is in kidney failure. He started dialysis at 2 weeks old and will eventually
need a transplant. A Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/579106504013334) has been
created as a communal space for the Kardisco's tribe to unite for Judah, Ivyn, Dani, and Pastor Jeff: for
updates, encouragement, praises + prayers, supportive initiatives, connections, etc. "In this family nobody
fights alone" Judah will be living at Boston Children’s hospital for at least 3 months as he receives treatment. If
you would like to make a donation to help support the Kardisco family through this season, please go to
https://www.gofundme.com/f/uniting-for-judah?utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-
1&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer. Any donations given will be used for gas, parking, hotels,
food, medical bills, childcare for Ivyn, or other things that come up regarding care for Judah.
Sunday Worship:
We are gathering for worship each Sunday morning at Christ Congregational Church, 1350 Pleasant St., Brockton at 9:55 AM (music starts at 9:50 AM). Our friends at Christ Congregational are ready to give us a warm welcome but if will be easier if we all wear our name tags. Name tags from UCC Stoughton have been taken to Christ Church. Please stay for a time of fellowship after the service. All parking is in the rear of the building and is handicapped accessible.
You can find information about the Sunday morning worship service, including an order of worship and links to access the service online on the Christ Congregational website (https://brocktonucc.org/).
If you know of someone who is unable to get online to access the service, there will be an option to call in and hear the service over the phone. To do so, call the number below and enter the meeting id, followed by the # sign when asked. +1 929-205-6099 US
Meeting ID: 896 5156 4024
We Are Blessed
Thanks go out this month to all those who have been working on the church inventory: Janet Clough, Bonnie Bittner, Kevin Monahan, Dee Hayes, Susan Hill, Caroline Cesario, Colleen Cesario, Drew Cesario, Joanne O’Reilly, and Maurine Upton. We also thank Laura Kittery for the invaluable help she has given our church during this time of transition. We are very blessed!
Ways to stay connected:
Thursday Morning Prayer: Thursday morning prayer will be held via conference call on December 1, 8, and 22 from 10-10:30 am. Pastor Mary will read a passage from scripture and then we will have the opportunity to share our joys and concerns with one another. All are welcome to participate. To join, just dial 1-253-215-8782 and enter Meeting ID 862 2469 5175.
Pastor Mary has set up a private Facebook group called UCC Stoughton Prayer. No one sees the posts except group members, so it is a safe place to share your prayer requests, pray for others in our community, or just vent. If you have a Facebook account and would like to join the group let Pastor Mary know.
Also remember to check our church Facebook page and church website (http://www.uccstoughton.org/).
Church Council/Trustees meet this month on Monday, December 5 at 7:00 PM via Zoom. These meetings are open to everyone. Contact Pastor Mary if you would like to attend via Zoom and she will send you the link to the meeting. If you prefer to attend by telephone, call 1-253-215-8782 and enter Meeting ID 837 8927 2962.
Christ Congregational December Happenings
Christ Congregational December Happenings
Dec 17 (Sat) - A Journey Through Bethlehem Event: A walk-through activity event that CE and Vitality are co- hosting in the Fellowship Hall, narthex, and sanctuary. Join the journey from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
Dec 23 (Fri) – Rose Conservatory Christmas Concert. The concert begins at 6:00 PM. The Rose Conservatory provides access to exceptional arts education and performance for the Brockton community, fostering creativity, artistic growth, and well-being for individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Dec 24 (Sat) - Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, December 24 @ 7:00 PM.
Music Divina with Anton Faynberg: On the first and third Friday of every month at 6:00 PM Anton Faynberg will fill our sanctuary with sacred sound and music to help bring God's word to life. Deriving the name from the practice Lectio Divina (or divine reading) - where practitioners read, or listen to, scripture in different voices and different tempos - Anton has created an experience that is an hour of continuous sound and music accompanied by scripture readings, meant to bring God's word to life. Held in the sanctuary at Christ Congregational Church. Come for a meditative musical service that further reflects upon our readings and themes from the previous Sunday. For more information, please contact the church office at 508-586-3022 or office@brocktonucc.org.
Hand Bell Groups: Have you always wanted to try playing the handbells but did not want to come out at night? Then this group is for you! The Afternoon Handbell Group meets every Wednesday afternoon from 3:15 PM to 4:00 PM. If you prefer the evening, the Adult Hand Bell group meets every Wednesday from 6:00 PM to 6:45 PM.
Prayer Shawl Ministry – our beloved prayer shawl ministry has now taken root at Christ Congregational Church. The group meets each Wednesday morning from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM in the library.
Wednesday Bible Study is held at 10:00 AM each Wednesday on Zoom. For more details, or to get the Zoom link, contact Alice Farnsworth – grammy58@comcast.net.
Want to find out more about all that is happening at Christ Congregational Church in the upcoming months? Contact the church office at 508-586-3022 or office@brocktonucc.org to sign up for the church newsletters, The Courier and Nearly Weekly. Get on the church email list by signing up on the church website.
Want to find out more about all that is happening at Christ Congregational Church in the upcoming months? Contact the church office at 508-586-3022 or office@brocktonucc.org to sign up for the church newsletters, The Courier and Nearly Weekly. Get on the church email list by signing up on the church website.
Food Pantry Collection
Food Pantry: We collect non-perishable food items for the Ilse Marks Food Pantry. If you are in the church building, items can be left in the Giving Corner in the church lobby at any time. Or you can drop off items directly at the food pantry on Pleasant St. on Tuesday mornings between 8:00 – 10:00 AM. Please be sure to check the expiration date!
To donate by credit card:
Food Pantry Foundation of Stoughton
To donate by check please mail to:
Food Pantry Foundation of Stoughton
- Box 757 Stoughton, MA 02072
Dec 21 (Wed) Mainspring House: This is this next date we are scheduled to provide dinner for Brockton’s homeless shelter. If you can make a casserole or give a monetary donation to defray the cost of salad and dessert, please contact Anita Keenan (keenans21@gmail.com | 781-244-7742). Casseroles must be delivered to the church by Sunday, December 18 and stored in the downstairs freezer. Contact Anita if you need a foil baking pan and recipe or to make arrangements to drop off your casserole.
Needy Persons Fund:
Our church maintains a Needy Persons fund through which we can aid to individuals in our community who need a helping hand. If you are able, please mail your donation to the church office at 76 Pierce Street, Stoughton noting Needy Persons Fund on your check. Through your generosity, we can help many people. Thank you! If you are experiencing difficult financial circumstances and could use some help through our Needy Persons’ Fund, please speak to Pastor Mary in confidence.
Remember Your Pledge:
Just a friendly reminder from the Board of Trustees that church salaries and expenses still need to be covered through this period of transition for our church. If you are able, please honor your annual stewardship pledge to support our regular church operations. If you are away, you can mail your pledge to the church office, attention to the Offerings Clerk, or continue your giving online. For more information, please see the Online Giving section of our website at www.uccstoughton.org. Thank you for your continued faithful support of our church.
Sunday Worship
9:55 AM at Christ Congregational Church in Brockton
Wheelchair Accessible
The Link
Download our latest newsletter
The Link
Church Bylaws
Current bylaws