Saturday, January 21, 2012

Sunday at First Church: The Third Sunday after Epiphany

January 22, 2012
Worship begins at 10 a.m.
The Second LessonFinding Direction

First Church of Christ
,
Congregational (UCC)

190 Court Street
Middletown, CT

First Church is an open and affirming church. Wherever you are on life's path, you are welcome here. Worship begins at 10 a.m. with our Interim Pastor, the Rev. Dr. Brench Pelc-Faszcza. Sunday school meets during worship and child care is provided.

During the coldest months of the year we move to worship in our Parish Hall. (Worship services will remain in the Parish Hall through March 11th.) Come worship with us this Sunday in the Parish Hall.
Music
Prelude: Praeludium I, J. S. Bach Hymn: Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You
Hymn: You Walk along Our Shoreline
Offertory: Prelude in D minor, J. S. Bach Hymn: Sent Forth by God's Blessing
Scripture Reading: Mark 1:14-20
Sermon: The Second Lesson--When Jesus calls the first disciples to follow him, their response appears to be immediate, unhesitating, easy. But it wasn’t, really, as the rest of the gospel stories make clear. Spiritual awakening always involves the effort of passage from one place or stage to another. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin says, “We are impatient…. but it is the law of all progress that it passes through some stage of instability…” So, to follow Jesus means to allow ourselves to be disoriented in some way, so as to be reoriented in a new way.
Moment for Mission and Second Hour Art Show
During worship, we will hear from a guest, Brian Zelesky, of the Connecticut Juvenile Training School and celebrate the renewal of First Church’s Covenant with CJTS. During Second Hour, we will enjoy a display of art pieces created by the boys from CJTS. These pieces, among others, will also be available for purchase. Please come and enjoy the art – and maybe you will take one of the pieces home with you. Both the image at left and the image of Jesus with the cross images of creations of the boys of CJTS.

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