Welcome to First Congregational UCC of Burlington
MEMORIAL SERVICE for CAROL SCHOONMAKER THIS SATURDAY at 2pm
All are invited to a Memorial Service for long-time First Church member Carol Schoonmaker – to be held on Saturday October 12 at 2pm at First Congregational Church UCC of Burlington (38 S. Winooski Ave.).
– You can read Carol’s obituary HERE.
– The service will also be live streamed on the First Church BTV YouTube Channel
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SATURDAY STORY TELLING EVENTFEATURES ELISSA JOHNK
Elissa will be a featured story-teller in this Saturday’s “Celebration of Showing Up” event at Hula in Burlington. There will be 6 stories and music by James Stewart. There will be a cash bar, and a limited supply of fresh baked snacks (from Brot Bakehouse) — so plan to arrive early!
The “Celebration of Showing Up” is organized by SolaVida, a non-profit organization whose mission is to draw new constituencies into the crucial push for a deeper and faster response to the challenges of climate change and carbon pollution. SolaVida’s website says: “Given the scope of this change to our shared environment, we need far more action by far more people. The most vulnerable communities on the planet are hit first and hardest. Their voices in particular can no longer be ignored.”
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Service Service Sunday is a collaborative time in worship and service with the College Street Congregational Church.
- Worshiping at the CSCC: Let’s gather at College Street Congregational Church (265 College St. – just east of the Fletcher Library in Burlington).at 10am. There is parking near the College Street Church ORpark at/near First Church and gather at 9:30am to walk over to College Street together.
- Participate by bringing a special donation: all are invited to support Service Service Sunday:
- Donate Cookies! We’ll be picking up litter in neighborhoods around CSCC and First Church and delivering bagged cookies to our neighbors with a thoughtful message from both congregations. All are invited to donate one or two dozen cookies – please be sure to bring a typed – or carefully printed – ingredient list that we can copy to include with your cookies. Thank you!
- &/or donate hygiene supplies for JUMP – the Joint Urban Ministry Project – and bring them to Service Service Sunday. For a suggested shopping list – use this LINK.
- Worshiping virtually on Sunday October 13? In addition to worshiping in person – you can join via Zoom using this LINK: https://zoom.us/j/442332400#
- How will we serve? Following a brief worship time, all are invited to participate in service projects for all ages/abilities including:
- Visiting neighborhoods around both congregations – picking up litter (work gloves and trash picker are helpful “bring-alongs”) – and delivering bagged cookies to many household doors.
- Clean up and do some gardening on the Fletcher Free Library property – work gloves, rakes, and your favorite gardening tools are good “bring-alongs.”
- Stay at the College Street Church to:
- Assemble hygiene bags for JUMP from donated supplies.
- Assemble harm reduction kits for the Howard Center Street Outreach Program.
- Bake cookies to distribute to people who do much for our larger neighborhood – like the Fletcher Library staff and the Burlington Fire Department and others.
Use this LINK to download the JUMP shopping list: https://bit.ly/shopforjump
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You are invited to worship in person at First Church at 10am on Sundays in our beautiful Sanctuary at 38 South Winooski Avenue in Burlington OR via the live-stream (or later recording) on the FirstChurchBTV YouTube Channel. Fellowship time follows worship at First Church.
Our Fall 2024 Sermon Series: “The Reclamation… redefine faith, reimagine love, reignite hope” – got underway on September 15. During the sermon series we will be reflecting on and reclaiming Christian concepts that have long been ceded to conservative, fundamentalist interpretations of Christianity. The sermons can be found on the First Church YouTube Channel linked below.
This coming Sunday – October 13 – is Service Service Sunday at 10am – a collaborative time in worship and service with, and at, the College Street Church (265 College St. – just east of the Fletcher Library in Burlington). See information about the worship, service, ways to donate and how to worship virtually above.
Worship at First Church is live-streamed (and the recording is available later) on the FirstChurchBTV YouTube Channel. The Order of Worship, Announcements, etc. for Sunday’s worship are updated prior to the worship service weekly and are posted here:
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Sally May’s Sunday Installation& Champlain Association Meeting
Sunday October 13
The Rev. Sally May – former Interim Associate Minister at FirstChurchBTV is being formally installed to serve as Minister of the Second Congregational Church UCC of Jeffersonville VT this coming Sunday afternoon – October 13.
The following invitation comes to First Congregational Church UCC BTV from the Vermont Conference UCC Champlain Association to all of the Churches and Clergy of the Champlain Association:
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! At the request of the Second Congregational Church of Jeffersonville, the Champlain Association of the Vermont Conference of United Church of Christ will gather for the Service of Installation of the Rev. Sally May as the Pastor of the Second Congregational Church of Jeffersonville, VT – 16 Church Street.
1 PM Champlain Association Fall Meeting
2:00 PM Service of Installation
All are invited to attend both the Association Meeting and the Service of Installation, as well as a reception immediately following the Service of Installation. A Special Offering will be shared between the Champlain Association Member in Discernment Fund and Cambridge Cares.
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New to First Church? Want to know more?
Join the Rev. Elissa Johnk for three sessions: Sundays at 11:15 on Oct. 20th, at 9am on Oct. 27th, and on Nov. 3 at 11:15am in the First Church Dining Room (upstairs/elevator). We’ll cover everything from the history of the church, what we believe, what it means to be a member, and why it can be an important step on your spiritual journey. Questions? Contact Ava Bilton, Dtr. of Congregational Life, [email protected]
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Fall Faith Formation Opportunities
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path
- *NEW* Book Group- The Universal Christ: How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope For, and Believe by Richard Rohr will meet on Thursdays Oct. 3rd, 10th, 17th, and 24th at 6:00pm at First Church. Register at https://bit.ly/fccbfallbooks
- *NEW*Book Group- Practicing the Pause: Jesus’ Contemplative Practice, New Brain Science, and What it Means to Be Fully Human by Caroline Oakes will meet on Sundays after worship, Oct. 20th, 27th, Nov. 3rd, 10th, 17th, and 24th. Register at https://bit.ly/fccbfallbooks
- Wednesday evening in-person Bible Study – 6:15pm at First Church – open to all!
- Thursday morning online Bible Study – 8:30am on Zoom. Check firstchurchburlington.org for the Zoom link.