Worship Bulletin – November 9, 2025

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, UCC

WELCOME TO OLDTOWN

North Attleborough, MA   •   November 9, 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
God is good!
For God teaches us to serve others.
God is good!
For God protects us in times of trouble.
God is good!
For God loves us unconditionally.
God is good!
For God teaches us to rest.

⇑ HYMN C#254–”Breathe On Me, Breath of God”

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
Kirk Byron Jones
“When I run and work nonstop, eventually I begin to feel negatively about the work that I so love. In so doing, I make an enemy of the work when the real enemy is an imbalance that does not allow time for respite – a backing away that yields perspective and potency for new engagement.”
from “Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints” by Daneen Ackers

WONDERFUL WORDS FROM THE PSALMS
Psalm 46:4-10 (OT 636)
“There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns. The nations are in an uproar; the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice; the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
Come, behold the works of the Lord; see what desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. “Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations; I am exalted in the earth.”

WONDERFUL WORDS FROM THE EPISTLES
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (OT 756)
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

SERMON: “Stop, Breathe, Rest, and Receive”

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

LOVE OF THE CHURCH

⇑ SENDING HYMN C#5017–”There Is A Balm In Gilead”

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 9: NO HOUSEHOLD HUDDLE
 ~ Worship 10am
Wed November 12: Second Serving Thrift Shop 9am-noon
 ~ NO COFFEE CONNECTION
Sat November 15: Second Serving Thrift Shop 9am-noon
Sun November 16: Household Huddle 9am
 ~ Worship 10am
 ~ Church Committee 11:30am-1pm
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, 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, Matthew.
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 49 people to worship with us. Our total giving to the church last week was $2,161.14, which is $738.06 more than expected.
• So far, this year’s congregational giving has been $6,700 more than expected. Keep up the great work!!

Thank you again to everyone who helped out at our fall fair yesterday. All of our visitors appreciated the welcome and hospitality, and we are especially thankful for the help of our high school volunteers. When we work together, it makes things not only easier but truly more enjoyable. Today’s message about the importance of rest is quite appropriate and timely. Rest is a vital form of self-care, and it’s important that we take care of ourselves so that we can care for and extend God’s hospitality and grace to all.

The apostles gathered around Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves.
   ~ Mark 6:30-32 (NRSVUE)

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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