FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
WELCOME TO OLDTOWN
North Attleborough, MA — March 17, 2024
Ministers: ALL of our Members and Friends
Pastor & Teacher: The Rev. Kelly Thibeault
Welcome to the Oldtown Church!
We are so glad that you have chosen to worship with us today. We invite you to join in on the bold print in the bulletin and to stand as you are able any time you see a ⇑. The restrooms are out the back door of the sanctuary to the right, as is a little space in case your little one needs a walkabout. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and please join us for fellowship after worship!
Please remember to mute your devices during worship.
BREATHE
PRELUDE
GATHERING MUSIC
WELCOME & WORSHIP WAYS
⇑ OPENING HYMN C#53—”Morning Has Broken”
CALL TO WORSHIP
God be with us,
And whisper in our ears.
God be with us,
And write upon our hearts.
God be with us,
As we worship together.
PRAYER FOR LETTING GO
Loving God, we have given more weight to our successes and our happiness than your will. We have eaten without a thought for the hungry, spoken without an effort to understand others, kept quiet instead of telling the truth, and taken the gifts you have given us for granted. Forgive us and help us to live as Your disciples. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
WORDS OF ASSURANCE
⇑ HYMN OF PRAISE
Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers,
Nor trials in the present, nor any trials to come,
Neither height, nor depth, nor all of creation
Can ever separate us from the love of God
Poured out in Christ Jesus our Lord.
SHARE
SHARING TIME
Change my heart, O God. Make it ever true.
Change my heart, O God. May I be like you.
You are the Potter. I am the clay;
Mold me and make me. This is what I pray.
Change my heart, O God. Make it ever true;
Change my heart, O God. May I be like you.
SCRIPTURE LESSON: Jeremiah 31:31-34 (Oldtown Bible: OT 899)
REFLECT
SERMON–”Written On Our Hearts”
PREPARING FOR PRAYER (C#259)
Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me,
Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me.
Break me, Melt me, mold me, fill me.
Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE and THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
CHORAL RESPONSE
THANK
OFFERING OUR THANKS
GIFT OF MUSIC
⇑ DOXOLOGY
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise God, all creatures here below
Praise God above, Ye heavenly host,
Creator, Christ, and Holy Ghost! Amen.
⇑ PRAYER OF DEDICATION
FOR LOVE OF THE CHURCH
⇑ SENDING HYMN C#452—”Here I Am, Lord”
⇑ BENEDICTION
⇑ BENEDICTION RESPONSE (C#434)
God be with you till we meet again,
Loving counsels guide, uphold you,
With a shepherd’s care enfold you:
God be with you till we meet again.
Till we meet, till we meet, till we meet at Jesus’ feet,
Till we meet, till we meet, God be with you till we meet again.
POSTLUDE
*** Our worship has ended; let our service begin! ***
The Oldtown Message
March 17, 2024
OLDTOWN CALENDAR
Sun Mar 17: Household Huddle 9am
~ Worship 10am
Tue Mar 19: Christian Education Ministry Meeting 7pm
Wed Mar 20: Coffee Connection 10-12noon
Sun Mar 24: Household Huddle 9am
~ Worship 10am – Palm Sunday
Wed Mar 27: Coffee Connection 10-12noon
Thu Mar 28: Maundy Thursday Worship 7pm
Fri Mar 29: Good Friday Worship 7pm
Sun Mar 31: NO HOUSEHOLD HUDDLE
~ Worship 10am – Easter Sunday
Check our Online Calendar for even more Oldtown, denominational, and local events, free webinars, and other resources!! Have something you’d like added to the calendar? Email calendar@oldtownucc.org with all the information, and we’ll get it posted.
OLDTOWN PRAYER LIST
Edmond, Sarah, Edi, Nancy, Teagan, Cindi, Dan, Judy, David, Sherri, Roxanne, Lynne, Louis, Nick, Frank, Catherine, Ben, Jim & Marcia, Brianna, Duane, Samuel, Jill, Tammy, Bob, Cyndy, Christi, Marianne, Hailey, Don, Claudia, Megan, Mike & Lori, Melissa, Matthew, Maria, Madison, and the Roux/Dorr family
To add a name to the list, email Pastor Kelly at PastorKelly@Oldtownucc.org or drop a note in the offering plate.
OLDTOWN UPDATE EMAIL
Do you get our Friday Email, aka “The Oldtown Update”? Our Oldtown Update is like a weekly newsletter that lets everyone know what is going on in Oldtown. If you do not receive it and would like to, drop a note in the offering with your email address or let Pastor Kelly know. Subscribe to our Friday Email Updates online, or let Pastor Kelly know your email address.
STEWARDSHIP CORNER
Weekly Giving
- Last week, we welcomed 51 people in worship, and our total giving to the church for the week was $3,355.75, which is $1,971.13 more than expected for the week.
- So far, this year’s congregational giving is $3,000 more than we expected. Keep up the great work!!
Monthly Finances for February
- Our February fundraising was $289 less than expected. Traditionally, fundraising gets off to a slow start for the year, but things are already starting to ramp up with our suppers, yard sales, and our upcoming Art and Craft Fair in May!
- In February, our total income was $700 less than expected, while our total expenses were $141 more than expected.
- For the year, our total income is $2,100 less than our total expenses.
As you can see, the beginning of the year usually brings higher-than-normal expenses with more heating oil deliveries, snow plowing, and other large quarterly expenses. We do have some work to do to catch up, but Oldtown has always been up to the task. If you’d like to help with fundraising, please see Ed Clavette or Jim Fennell.
So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all and especially for those of the family of faith.
~ Galatians 6:9-10 (NRSVUE)
First Congregational Church, UCC of North Attleborough
(Oldtown Church)
675 Old Post Road, North Attleborough, MA 02760
508-695-1713
Pastor Kelly’s email: PastorKelly@oldtownucc.org
Church Email: church@oldtownucc.org
Website: www.oldtownucc.org
YouTube: www.youtube.com/oldtownucc
Facebook: www.facebook.com/oldtownucc
Subscribe to our Friday Email Updates
Learn more about our denomination: www.ucc.org