Worship Bulletin – November 2, 2025

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, UCC

WELCOME TO OLDTOWN

North Attleborough, MA   •   November 2, 2025

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. Here in Oldtown, we are all about being curious, so don’t be afraid to ask questions, and please join us for fellowship with coffee and snacks after worship!
Finally, as a way of honoring our time together and truly loving our neighbor, we ask that you please silence your phone or, better yet, turn it off, allowing yourself to be truly present in worship.

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PRELUDE

GATHERING MUSIC

WELCOME / WORSHIP WAYS

HOW’S YOUR HEART? / A TIME FOR LETTING GO

OPENING PRAYER

CALL TO WORSHIP
We gather here to worship God
Surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses.
We gather here to worship God
Remember those who have gone before.
We gather here to worship God
For God is our refuge and our strength.

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LITANY OF REMEMBRANCE

We remember the great ancestors of our faith, from Abraham and Sarah to Paul and Phoebe:
Ancestors of the faith, we remember you.
We remember the prophets and priests, the ministers and teachers who have taught us the way of God:
Teachers of the faith, we remember you.
We remember our grandparents and parents, aunts and uncles, those who have gone before us in our lifetime:
Family of our faith, we remember you.
We lift up the memories of children and grandchildren, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, and parents whose lives ended too soon:
Those close in our hearts, we remember you.
We lift to You, O God, the names of all of the saints and souls…

(A reading of the names of those family and friends who have passed into eternal rest and a tolling of the bell in our steeple. After the reading of the list, we will have a moment of silence to remember others who have died.)

Family of God,
We remember you, and we honor you. We know you are with us in the spirit of worship, and you will not be forgotten.

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

⇑ HYMN C#648–”Some There Are Who By Their Living” (vs. 1, 2, & 4)

TIME OF SHARING (C#323, v.1)
Sing them over again to me, wonderful words of life;
Let me more of their beauty see, wonderful words of life.
Words of life and beauty, teach me faith and duty;
Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life,
Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life.

THE SHARING OF WONDERFUL WORDS

WONDERFUL WORDS FROM THE WORLD
Alice Paul
“When you put your hand to the plow, you can’t put it down until you get to the end of the row.”
from “Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints” by Daneen Ackers

WONDERFUL WORDS FROM THE PSALMS
Psalm 46:1-2 (OT 636)
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea.

WONDERFUL WORDS FROM THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
1 Peter 4:10-11 (NT 285)
Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

SERMON: “Passionate Hearts & Legacies of Love”

PREPARING OURSELVES FOR PRAYER (C#306)
Hear our prayer, O Lord, hear our prayer, O Lord,
Incline Thine ear to us, and grant us thy peace.

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

OFFERING OF OUR GIFTS
GIFT OF MUSIC
⇑ DOXOLOGY (C#47)
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

CELEBRATION OF COMMUNION

Song of Preparation
The Sacred Story
The Invitation
The Blessing of the Elements
Sharing of the Bread & Cup

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Gracious God, we give you thanks for satisfying our hungry hearts with this meal. Send us out into the world to reveal your love, as we do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with you. Amen.

LOVE OF THE CHURCH

⇑ SENDING HYMN C#637–”For All The Saints” (vs. 1-3)

HOW’S YOUR HEART?

⇑ BENEDICTION

⇑ BENEDICTION RESPONSE (C#495)
Weave, weave, weave us together.
Weave us together in unity and love.
Weave, weave, weave us together.
Weave us together, together with love.

POSTLUDE

*** Our worship has ended; let our service begin! ***

OLDTOWN CALENDAR
Sun November 2: Household Huddle 9am
 ~ Worship 10am w/Communion – All Saints Sunday
Wed November 5: NO COFFEE CONNECTION
Fri November 7: OLDTOWN FAIR 4-8pm
Sat November 8: OLDTOWN FAIR 9am-2pm
Sun November 9: NO HOUSEHOLD HUDDLE
 ~ Worship 10am
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.

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OLDTOWN PRAYER LIST

Edi, Lynn, Tim, Mark, Cyndy, Joan, Justine & Nolan, Dana, the Miranda & K family, Jan & Kylie, Steven, Tegan, Ken, Lynne, Kaye, Karen, Samantha, Robin, Donna, Winnie, Carl, Michael, Sue C., Laura, Jim, Paul, Daniel, Nancy, Paul L, Jake, Muriel, Michelle, Joe, Bob, Gloria, Barry, Magda, Erik, Hailey & Bryce, Al, Denise, Rhonda, Jake, Cindi, Henry, Roxanne, Paul Garvey & family, Val, Myrtle, Deane, Rusty, Gianna, Kelsey & Nick, Jayne, Bill, Autumn, Judy, Kayla, Edie, Renee, Perilene, Newell Family, Paul, Diane, Carol, John, Liesel, Robert.
To add a name to the list, email Pastor Kelly at PastorKelly@Oldtownucc.org, text 508-695-1713, or drop a note in the offering plate.

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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.

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STEWARDSHIP CORNER

Weekly Giving

• Last week, we welcomed 46 people to worship with us. Our total giving to the church last week was $826.78, which is $596.30 less than expected.
• So far, this year’s congregational giving has been $5,900 more than expected. Keep up the great work!!

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” Notice that He says “peaceMAKERS” and not “peaceKEEPERS.” It may seem like a subtle difference, but the Bible teaches us that our actions reveal the depth of our faith and even deepen it. Adding a like or sharing a post on social media is good for spreading the word, but also consider what actions you could take in our community and in our world to support the issues you care about.

How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? Little children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us, for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God, and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him.
   ~ 1 John 3:17-22 (NRSVUE) (emphasis added)

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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