Church Offices Closed as of April 1st

Beginning Wednesday, April 1, the church building and offices will be closed until further notice. If you need to contact the office, please call 374-2891, or email info@bluehillcongregational.org. Voicemail and email will be checked regularly, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Materials for at-home worship and other resources will be shared here on our website, as well as on our Facebook page.

Sunday, March 29 

Dear People,
 
We are now coming into the second weekend of not being able to gather physically for worship, prayer, and supporting one another as we seek to serve others.  It’s a hard place to find ourselves in, especially as neighbors and dear friends suffer in illness and isolation and need for companionship. But physical distance does not mean we are not one with each other, and cannot be present with and for others. We are finding many ways to connect and be present from phone calls, to emails, to cards, to volunteering to shop for those who cannot get out, cooking meals, volunteering in other ways in the community. I want to thank each and all of you for all the ways you are sharing your love and compassion.
 
This week at First Congregational Church of Blue Hill, UCC we are offering two ways to worship together yet physically apart.
  • The first is a live interactive and informal worship through the church’s ZOOM meeting account. We will gather live over the internet at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday morning, March 29. If you’d like to join, please send us an email!
  • The second way we can worship together is in our own homes and on our own schedule using the resources provided in the attachments below. These attachments include; a worship bulletin with prayers and music links recorded by Ann Boudreaux and Sarah Schneider, scripture readings, and a written sermon by Rev. Deb Jenks.  *Find links below!
One of the great gifts we have as a church is the gift of prayer together and for others. It is a spiritual energy of presence and healing that we can offer to the world. It is how we may serve even when we are not able to be physically present. Our praying is not bound by time or space and so is never too late. In prayer we are all bound together by love.
 
I’m so looking forward to being with many of you this Sunday through ZOOM. Also don’t hesitate to be in touch through email and by phone.
 
Be Well, Take Care, and God Bless,
Rev. Deb

Sermon:
5th Sunday of Lent, yr. a, 3/29/2020
Ezekiel 37:1-14; Psalm 130; John 11:1-53
Unbound – Rev. Dr. Deborah M. Jenks


Scripture Readings:
Old Testament Reading: Ezekiel 37:1-14
New Testament Reading: John 11:1-45


Worship Bulletin with Prayers & Music:
5th Sunday in Lent, March 29, 2020
Service of Worship for Home
Hymn for Meditation, Audio File 1
Hymn, Audio File 2

Sunday, March 22 

Hello everyone!

I am posting scripture readings and a sermon for you to read in lieu of Sunday morning worship. Our plan beginning next Sunday is to hold a live worship and sharing time at 10:00 a.m. for folks through our ZOOM account. During the week you will receive by email an invitation and a link to log on at the appropriate time. We can also use this for meetings and other gatherings.

I will miss us all being physically together in worship and in fellowship. Let us hold one another in prayer and in God’s love, and stay in touch.

God’s Grace and Love be With You All,

Rev. Deb

Sermon:
4th Sunday of Lent, yr. a, 3/22/2020
1 Samuel 16:1-13; John 9:1-41
Here’s Mud in Your Eye – Rev. Dr. Deborah M. Jenks

Scripture Readings:
1 Samuel 16:1-13 and John 9:1-41

UPDATE ON WHAT’S GOING ON AT CHURCH

As most of you know we have suspended worship services and any gatherings and meetings at the church for two weeks. In light of the latest and best information to date we are extending this until the end of April. We will regularly reassess and keep you informed as we go along.

During the corona virus pandemic we are focusing especially on communications, care for one another, and how to provide spiritual support through worship and devotions.

Here is what we are doing right now:

  • The Care Team has organized church folks into neighborhood groups with a contact person for each group who will be in touch on a regular basis. Think of this as a way to let us know of needs as well as how you might like to help with things such as shopping for others and running errands for those who can’t get out.
  • We will expand the e-visitor to include more information and as a means of support for one another. What is published in the e-visitor will also be posted on the church’s Facebook page and on the website. Please use all these resources to stay in touch!
  • We have opened a Zoom account for the church. We can now use Zoom to hold virtual meetings and hopefully a worship experience on a regular basis. This gives us the capacity to host meetings of up to 100 people at a time 24 hours a day. Instruction on how to connect with Zoom will be provided as needed.
  • We are in conversation with the other congregations in Blue Hill to find ways to share worship experiences especially during Holy Week and Easter, work together to meet the needs of folks in the community, and be supportive of one another.
  • With school closures and people not being able to work because of lack of childcare or lay-offs, many will be economically stressed more than usual. At First Congregational Church in Blue Hill we will continue to assist folks on the Blue Hill peninsula with help from the Dolly Fisher Fund.

The church staff will continue to work and the office will be open. The work of the church continues. Let us “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” and be unafraid as we seek to support one another on the Blue Hill peninsula.