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Newsletter of Barrington Congregational Church United Church of Christ
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Church Office Hours are Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm and 1:30 - 4:30 pm unless otherwise noted.
Thurs, Mar 15
3 - 5 pm Brendan's Community Office Hours, The Coffee Depot
Sat, Mar 17
8:30 am - Noon Planning Sessions for Strategic Teams, Fellowship Hall
1 - 3 pm Outside rental of Fellowship Hall
Sun, Mar 18 A Day of Healing
9 - 9:50 am Meet our new consultant and learn about the Renewal Process, Fellowship Hall
10 am Worship Service, Church School
11:15 am Information session about our church's finances, Library
5 - 7 pm Senior Youth group, Room 9
Mon, Mar 19
7 - 8 pm Mindful Monday, Meditation Room
Tues, Mar 20
11 am Staff meeting, Dale's Office
6 - 8 pm Feasting at Fireside Parsonage
Wed, Mar 21
12:30 - 1 pm Mid-Week Recharge, Meditation Room
6 - 7 pm Viewing of 'God in America'
Episode 5, Library
7 - 8 pm Discussion of Episodes 4 & 5 of 'God in America', Library
7:30 - 9 pm Choir Rehearsal, Vestry
Thurs, Mar 22
3 - 5 pm Brendan's Community Office Hours, The Coffee Depot
Fri, Mar 23
2 pm Usher Meeting, Library
4 pm Youth leave for Confirmation Retreat at Craigsville
Sat, Mar 24
Evening Confirmands return from retreat
1-3 pm Primrose Hill Bowl-a Thon
Sun, Mar 25 Palm/Passion Sunday
10 am Worship Service, Lenten Lollapalooza during Church School time
11:15 am Sing & Celebrate Choir rehearsal, Room 6
Mon, Mar 26
7 - 8 pm Mindful Monday, Meditation Room
Tues, Mar 27
11 am Staff Meeting, Dale's Office
Wed, Mar 28
Noon Deadline for the eBridge
12:30 - 1 pm Mid-Week Recharge, Meditation Room
6 - 7 pm Viewing of 'God in America' Episode 6, Library
7 - 8 pm Discussion of 'God in America', Library
No Choir Rehearsal
Maundy Thursday, Mar 29
3 - 5 pm Brendan's Community Office Hours, The Coffee Depot
7 pm Tenebrae Service with Communion, Sanctuary
7:45 pm Choir rehearsal after service, Vestry
Good Friday, Mar 30
Noon Good Friday Walk through town, starting at the church
Easter Saturday, Mar 31
9 am - 12:30 pm 'Healing Hands, Healing Hearts' Retreat, Meditation Room
Easter Sunday, Apr 1 EASTER
6:15 am Ecumenical Sunrise Service with Communion, Osamequin Point
9:15 am Worship Service for All Ages, Nursery Care only
10:15 am Easter Egg Hunt for elementary age children and younger
11 am Worship Service for All Ages, Nursery Care only
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The deadline for information to be included in the next eBridge is
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Maple Sugar Overnight Camp
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For Gds 7-12, it will be held
6 pm Fri, Mar 16
– 2 pm Sat, Mar 17
at Irons Homestead in Glocester, RI. Teens are invited to come play in the woods while learning to make sugar from maple trees. More information and registration
at this link
or call 401-710-9478. There is also an option for Saturday only.
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Come early to church to meet our new consultant and learn about the Renewal Process!
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This
Sunday, March 18th from 9 - 9:50 am before church, Rev. Steve Sterner, our new consultant, along with members of the Renewal Team, will be in fellowship hall to talk informally about the renewal process. You are free to stop on by, get to know Steve, ask any questions you may have, or just listen. (If you’re lucky, we might have a few finger foods available too!).
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Come learn about BCCUCC's finances this Sunday!
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Do you have any questions about our church's finances? This
Sunday March 18th
at 11:15 am in the library, Co-Treasurers John Loerke and Barbara Wuth; Finance team members Dick McWhirter and Tom Colby; Endowment team chair Kate Colby; Buildings &Grounds team chair Paul Dennis; and Stewardship team member Bill Block will dig into the numbers but more importantly be there to answer your questions. Guaranteed to last no more than one hour. If we can’t answer your questions in that time we’ll get back to you ASAP. Grab a coffee and cookie. Meeting will start promptly at 11:15. All are invited.
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Chancel Fund donations sought
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We are once again taking donations for our Chancel Fund. Money collected is used to pay for the flowers that decorate the sanctuary at Easter as well as for the plants delivered to our homebound, sick, and recently bereaved. Learn more about the Fund and download a donation form
at this link. Deadline for donations is Monday, March 26th. Thank you.
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'One Great Hour of Sharing' offering
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Thank you to everyone who made a donation last Sunday. If you didn't get a chance it's not too late to make a donation.
Checks should be made out to ‘BCCUCC’ with “OGHS” in the memo line.
Donations can be sent to the church office or put in the offering plate. You can also give on-line at
www.ucc.org/oghs
where you can learn how the money is used.
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We are once again collecting money to provide an egg a day for needy children in Haiti. The RICUCC Haiti Task Force now provides eggs to 2,000 children in a number of different schools! There will be a table in Fellowship Hall at coffee hour where you can make a donation, or take home a plastic egg and bring it back next week with money inside. Checks should be made payable to ‘BCCUCC’ and write ‘One Egg Haiti’ in the memo line. The collection will just run thru March 31st so please donate while you can. Thank you.
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‘Sugar Eat’ Fundraiser for Outdoor Ministry at Irons Homestead
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Sunday, March 18th from 2 – 4 pm at Irons Homestead, 688 Snake Hill Road, Glocester RI. Come enjoy hot maple syrup poured over snow to create instant candy! Plus pickles, plain doughnuts, and deviled eggs. $5 adults, $3 children under 12.
More info
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Special Opportunities for Lenten Spiritual Practices
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Lent began on Ash Wednesday (Feb 14th) and lasts for 40 days leading up to Easter Sunday. A number of different programs are being offered at BCCUCC this year to help make your Lenten experience more meaningful. Check them out below - and also be sure to read Dale's Feb 1st blog From the River's Edge, titled
An Invitation for Lent...
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Adult Faith Formation: God in America
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In this 6-part series meeting on
Wednesday evenings Dale is guiding us through the PBS special “God in America” and in-depth discussions on how the subject matter impacts our religious experiences today.
Learn more.
Because a session was canceled due to bad weather, participants are being asked to watch Episode 4 at home. Episode 5 will be viewed on
Wednesday, March 21st
from 6 – 7 pm in the library. A discussion of both Episodes 4 and 5 will follow from 7 – 8 pm.
All are welcome.
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Lenten Meditation Options:
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Brendan is offering two separate interfaith mediation experiences this Lent.
Mindful Mondays meets
Monday evenings at 7:00 pm, and
Mid-Week Recharge meets
Wednesdays at 12:30 pm for a quick spirit-boost. Both take place in our new Meditation Room (Room 8),
Learn more
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Healing Retreat - rescheduled to Sat, March 31st
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Brendan will be holding a meditation retreat on
Saturday, March 31st in which participants will engage in many Christian meditative and healing practices. All are welcome.
Learn more
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Holy Week and Easter at BCCUCC
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We have a number of special services and opportunities during Holy Week and Easter as we remember Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem, his trial, crucifixion and death, and his resurrection. We invite you to join us as you are able. All are welcome.
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Sunday, March 25th Palm / Passion Sunday
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10 a.m. Worship Service
with
Lenten Lollapalooza
during Church School time. All are welcome to join us for a special worship service that will include both the distribution of eco-palms and straight palms, and a special liturgy ‘Jesus Encounters Six Women’. During church school time the children will have a Lenten Lollapalooza when they will do a variety of crafts and activities in Fellowship Hall.
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Mindful Monday 7 pm in the Meditation Room.
Learn more
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Mid-week Recharge, 12:30 - 1 pm in the Meditation Room
Learn more
'
God in America' Episode 6. 6 - 7 pm video, 7 - 8 pm discussion
Learn more
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Maundy Thursday, March 29th
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Service of Communion and Tenebrae. 7 pm in the Sanctuary.
All are invited to join the Deacons and Clergy as they celebrate communion then read the story of the Passion with the extinguishing of candles in the traditional Service of Tenebrae. This is a particularly meaningful way to prepare for Good Friday and Easter.
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Good Friday Walk
at Noon from the church. You are invited to join the ministers on a prayerful walk through town during which we will pause at certain points to reflect on each of the 7 final statements uttered by Christ from the cross. On the walk we will take time to honor Christ’s passion together and meditate on the presence of the cross as well as the living Christ in our own community and in our lives. We hope you can join us for this sacred time.
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'Healing Hands, Healing Hearts' Retreat. 9 am - 12:30 pm in the Meditation Room. The retreat, led by Rev. Brendan Curran, will include Celtic Christian prayers and meditations on healing. Over the three hours, we will explore Christian contemplative and embodied prayer as well as the Christian healing traditions of anointing with oil and the laying on of hands. Participants are invited to come with open hearts and minds to learning about and experimenting with healing traditions. This will be a wonderful way to enrich our spiritual lives and our knowledge of prayer practices on this Easter Saturday. All are invited.
Learn more.
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Ecumenical Easter Sunrise Service with Communion 6:15 am at Osamequin Point. All are welcome to attend this outdoor service held jointly with St James Lutheran Church.
Osamequin Point is located 1.1 miles north of the church on the Wampanoag Trail (Route 114)
Worship Services for All Ages 9:15 am and 11 am in the Sanctuary. (Nursery Care only). All are welcome.
Easter Egg Hunt for Elementary aged children: 10:15 am (between the two services). Bring a basket!
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Passion of Christ Retreat
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6 pm
March 29th – March 31st after breakfast, at Irons Homestead. A retreat involving shared meals, time outdoors, an interactive Way of the Cross and a number of spiritual practices, including but not limited to art, music, meditation, movement, silence and sharing, will be offered. All participation is voluntary. Details and registration at
www.ricucc.org. Deadline is 3/26/18.
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'Church: Alive and Thriving' workshops - some here at BCCUCC!
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Rev. Chris Davies from the national UCC office, along with other leaders from Southern New England, is coming to Rhode Island to lead four exciting workshops and talk about exciting ministries in RI and beyond. These workshops are intended for both clergy and laity. The cost is $15 for one day or $25 for both, lunch included.
Friday,
April 13th
, 10 am – 3 pm at Seekonk Congregational Church, UCC and
Saturday, April 14th
, 10 am - 3 pm at Barrington Congregational UCC.
More info and register
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New England Women's Celebration X "A Seat at the Table"
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The New England Women’s Celebration takes place every 4 years at various locations in New England. The purpose of the Celebration is to reach women in the pews and to involve them in learning and sharing their faith beyond the local church and Conference setting. It is organized by women from United Church of Christ (UCC) congregations across New England, however women from all denominations and religious traditions are welcome to attend. This year Celebration X will be held April 6th – 8th, 2018 in Portland, ME. More info at:
http://www.uccwomenscelebration.org/home
or contact Helen Schall at
helenschall@hotmail.com
or 245-4724.
Registration is $150 and deadline is March 26th.
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'From the River's Edge' - The Pastors' Blog
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Leaves for the Healing of the Nations
by Rev. Brendan Curran, Assoc. Minister - March 15, 2018 Dear Church, This year's mission trip is going to be a wonderful service-learning experience in Navajo Country. As part of our preparation for the journey we have already had several...
Read more
www.bccucc.org
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If you missed reading any posts you can find them all on the church website
at this link. There are also links to the most recent ones from the homepage of our church website
www.bccucc.org
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More new info in this eBridge!
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Starting April 1st, Rev. Dale Azevedo will be taking Fridays as his day off. This is being done for a number of reasons, the most important of which is that it allows him to be more available to the congregation throughout the week. He will once again be in the office and open for evening meetings on Mondays. Since this also means that Dale and Brendan will share the same day off, one of them will always be “on call” each Friday for pastoral concerns. The “on call” pastor will be listed on the church calendar everywhere it is available. We hope this is a positive change.
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The staff has updated the church directory so that it more accurately reflects households who are active in our church. It was emailed out to everyone in the directory with an email address. If you don’t have email, (or you do, but didn’t receive the directory email because we don't have your correct address), please contact the church office (246-0111 or
office@bccucc.org
).
Please note that for privacy reasons, the directory is only being made available to those who are 'active' households in the church.
Please check your entry and notify the office of any corrections needed by March 18th.
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Altar Flower Donors needed
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If you would like to pay for either one or both of the arrangements of altar flowers on
Sunday, April 15th,
please contact Audrey Rogers at
adrogers8@cox.net or
246-1727. Flowers may be given in memory of, or celebration for, someone or something, and a dedication of your choice will be included in the bulletin.
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Information about all of the church groups that meet regularly - including who to contact - is available
at this link
. Meeting dates are in the calendar above.
All groups invite and welcome your participation.
Included below is additional information that some groups need for their next meeting.
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M
eets
Thursday, April 5th
from 1:30 – 3 pm in the church library. They will be starting a new book
Girl at War
by Sara Novik. Copies will be available for purchase from the church office. The group welcomes women from BCCUCC as well as other churches and faith traditions. For more information contact Jane Tonn at 289-2349 or
jtonn2@cox.net
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Book Group - at a different time
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Meets at the Coffee Depot,
501 Main Street, Warren, on
Tues, March 20th
at 11:30 am (note the later time), to discuss
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio
by Terry Ryan. “A paean to a housewife in a small Midwestern town who saved her ten children from homelessness by winning hundreds of jingle-writing contests during the 1950s and ’60s.”
For more information about the group contact Helen Schall
helenschall@hotmail.com
245-4724. All are welcome!
What is the Book Group?
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Knitting for Others Group
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The group
will meet
Tuesday, April 3rd
from 7 - 9 pm at the new home of Marion Fodor, 12 Katie Drive, Warren.
All knitters and crocheters are welcome.
Participants work on a variety of items to be given away including prayer shawls and baby hats. Please
RSVP to Marion at
smfodor@cox.net
or 245-2003 so she knows how many to expect.
What is Knitting for Others?
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On
Sunday, April 29th from 5-7 pm there will be a community dinner in Fellowship Hall to support the 2018 Mission Trip to the Navajo Nation. Come enjoy a delicious meal and support the mission trip. Tickets on sale soon.
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Save the date of
Sunday, May 20th
at 3 pm, when the folk duo Atwater-Donnelly will return to BCCUCC to give another concert. Proceeds will support our church’s service-learning trip with the Navajo Nation in June 2018.
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Sing and Celebrate Choir rehearsals
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Rehearsals are now held every other week and boys & girls in Grades 1 and older are invited to come sing with us. The next rehearsal is on
Sunday, March 25th
at 11:20 am in Room 6. For more information or questions, contact Kate Colby 246-1743
kcolby@fullchannel.net
or speak with our organist, Marina.
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Church Renewal and the Strategic Plan
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Keep up to date with our Church Renewal program by checking out their
webpage. The Renewal Team recently released their Strategic Directions, based on input from the congregation during the Assessment stage in Fall 2017 and these can be read
at this link
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Brendan's Community Office Hours
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Brendan will be
at
The Coffee Depot
, 501 Main Street, Warren, from 3 - 5 pm on
Thursday afternoons
for anyone from the church or community who would like to stop by for a visit in this more informal setting. All are invited.
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BCCUCC Jar Openers on sale at coffee hour
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The handy blue jar openers have our church’s name, address, phone, and website printed on them and also the words “Our doors are open to all.” They are available at Coffee Hour or from the church office for a donation of $1. The money will be used for outreach and marketing.
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2017-2018 Calendar is available for viewing
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The church calendar is kept up to date and you can find it at
http://bccucc.view-events.com If you have any meetings or activities planned, please send them to
office@bccucc.org so that they can be added to the calendar. Also please notify the office or any errors or changes. Thank you.
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Sermons available on line
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If you miss church on Sunday or want to hear the sermon again, you can do so at the following link
Sermon Archive.
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Congratulations to Paul and Eileen Dennis on the birth of a grandson, Rory Hart Imhoff, born March 8th to their daughter Kelsey and son-in-law Mike Imhoff.
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Shop using Amazon Smile
for the first time and raise extra money for BCCUCC
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Amazon is tripling the donation rate on your first smile.amazon.com purchase - through March 31st! If you’ve never done it before, go to
smile.amazon.com/ch/05-0304531
and Amazon will donate 1.5% of the purchase price for eligible items to Barrington Congregational Church. All other purchases result in a 0.5% donation. It all adds up!
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Shop thru AmazonSmile and make money for our church!
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When you shop online at Amazon, if you log in thru AmazonSmile, every eligible purchase you make will raise 0.5% of the purchase price for our church, To learn more visit
http://smile.amazon.com and choose 'Barrington Congregational Church' as your charitable organization. Each quarter we receive a donation from Amazon and all you have to do is start your shopping at AmazonSmile. Thanks.
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Feedback wanted:
We hope you enjoy reading the eBridge and find it informative. Your feedback/comments/suggestions (good and bad!) are always welcome.
Email them to Christine
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