FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, UCC
WELCOME TO OLDTOWN
North Attleborough, MA • November 30, 2025
Making Room for Hope
Finding glimmers of optimism and new possibilities in challenging times.
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.
PRELUDE
GATHERING MUSIC
WELCOME / WORSHIP WAYS
A TIME OF CENTERING
No room, only a manger of hay,
No room, He is a stranger today,
No room, here in His world turned away,
No room, no room, (no room.) 2x
A TIME FOR MAKING ROOM / OPENING PRAYER
CALL TO WORSHIP
We gather in hope
To begin the journey of Advent
We gather in hope
To prepare for the coming of Christ!
We gather in hope
As we worship God together.
⇑ HYMN C#119–”O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”
SHARING TIME
God rest ye merry, gentlemen, let nothing you dismay;
For Jesus Christ, our Savior, was born on Christmas Day;
To save us all from Satan’s pow’r when we were gone astray:
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.
LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH
We are a people of hope.
Our hearts are full of anticipation for the coming of the baby in the manger.
For God is to be among us, hope abounds, and we will see a great light in the midst of our darkness.
Let us light the candle of hope.
SETTING UP THE STABLE
SUNG RESPONSE (C#147)
Away in a manger, no crib for His bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky looked down where He lay.
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.
SCRIPTURE READING: Luke 2:11-12 (NT 71)
SERMON: “Sharing Signs of Hope”
PREPARING OURSELVES FOR PRAYER (C#144, verse 4)
O Little Town of Bethlehem, descend on us we pray;
Cast out our sin and enter in; be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels, the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel.
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#151, verse 5)
Then entered in those wise men three,
Full reverently upon their knee,
And offered there, in his presence,
Their gold, and myrrh, and frankincense.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel, born is the King of Israel.
⇑ PRAYER OF DEDICATION
LOVE OF THE CHURCH
⇑ SENDING HYMN C#122–”Comfort, Comfort You My People”
⇑ BENEDICTION
⇑ BENEDICTION RESPONSE (C#445)
Go in peace, and the peace of God be with you this day.
Go in peace, and the peace of God be with you always.
Celebrate and share the joy! Celebrate new life!
Go in peace, and the peace of God be with you always.
POSTLUDE
*** Our worship has ended; let our service begin! ***
The Oldtown Message
November 30, 2025
OLDTOWN CALENDAR
Sun November 30: Household Huddle 9am
~ Worship 10am (Undie Sunday)
Wed December 3: Second Serving Thrift Shop 9am-noon
~ NO COFFEE CONNECTION
Sat December 6: Winter Art & Craft Fair 10am-3pm
Sun December 7: Household Huddle 9am
~ Worship 10am (Communion)
Wed December 10: Second Serving Thrift Shop 9am-noon
~ Coffee Connection 10am-noon
Sat December 13: Second Serving Thrift Shop 9am-noon
~ Pet Vaccination Clinic 10am-noon
Sun December 14: Household Huddle 9am
~ Worship 10am (Communion)
~ Church committee meeting following worship
~ “Angels in the Light” grieving parents service 6:30pm
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
Edi, Lynn, Tim, Mark, Cyndy, Joan, Justine & Nolan, Dana, Miranda & K family, Jan & Kylie, Steven, Tegan, Ken, Lynne, Kaye, Karen, Samantha, Robin, Donna, Winnie, Carl, Michael, Sue C., Laura, Jim, Daniel, Nancy, Muriel, Michelle, Joe, Bob, Gloria, Barry, Magda, Erik, Hailey & Bryce, Al, Denise, Rhonda, Jake, Cindi, Henry, Roxanne, Val, Myrtle, Deane, Rusty, Gianna, Kelsey & Nick, Bill, Autumn, Judy, Kayla, Edie, Renee, Perilene, Newell Family, Paul, Diane, Carol, John, Liesel, Robert, Joey, Matthew, Buddy, Cherrie, Jayne, Uncle Bill, the Gird Family.
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.
ADVENT PRAYERS FOR THE WEEK AHEAD
Morning Prayer – Loving God, as I walk through this day, help me to make room in my heart so that I might see glimpses of hope. Remind me that no matter how stressed I am or how difficult things may seem, there is always a positive light to shine through. Amen.
Evening Prayer – This evening, help me to sit quietly and put the busyness of the world aside. Then let me take a deep breath and make room for the hope within myself. Amen.
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, our total giving to the church last week was $974.78, which is $448.30 less than expected.
- So far, this year’s congregational giving has been $5,400 more than expected. Keep up the great work!!
Today’s world is experiencing a desperate shortage of hope. Throughout history, a lack of hope has led to a focus on selfish hoarding of resources and to dehumanizing others, seeing them as taking something from us. Hope is not just optimism, or convincing ourselves that “everything will turn out okay,” or that all of our challenges will magically disappear. Hope can help us through our tribulations and can actually be strengthened by perseverance through suffering. It provides us with strength and fills us with joy and peace. And the best news of all is that, like grace, true hope is a gift from God through the Holy Spirit, given to us freely, unconditionally, without needing to be earned, and without qualifications or limits.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
~ Romans 15:13 (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
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