our purpose our mission our vision is a just world for all
TRANSCRIPT
FIRST CHURCH CONGREGATIONAL, FAIRFIELD
Our Purpose is to love God and our neighbor as ourselves.
Our Mission is to welcome all, love all, and seek justice for all.
Our Vision is a just world for all.
I Will Pour Out My Spirit On All My People, by Marianne Gonzales Sims
MAY 23, 2021
THE DAY OF PENTECOST
10:15 AM AND 12 NOON
WE GATHER TO HEAR GOD’S WORD
Welcome
We seek to extend the extravagant welcome of God to all people, all the time. Regardless
of your race, class, ancestry, gender identity, marital status, ability, age, immigration
status, or sexual orientation you are always welcome at First Church. We affirm your
inherent dignity as a child of God. God created you just as you are and loves you just as
you are. We do, too!
Announcements
Prelude (10:15) Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott, BuxWV 199 Dietrich Buxtehude
(12:00) Veni,Creator Spiritus arr. Nancy Raabe
Call to Worship
Leader: Come, Holy Spirit! Ignite our hearts with joy and confidence!
People: For God has done wondrous things for us.
Leader: Come, Holy Spirit! Fill us with the rushing wind, serving you in all that we do!
People: For Christ has blessed us each and called us to be his disciples.
Leader: Come, Holy Spirit! Be with us today, the Body of Christ!
People: Empower us to boldly proclaim Christ is Risen! Amen.
(Rev. Nancy C. Townley, accessed at Ministry Matters™ | Worship Connection: Pentecost Sunday 2019)
*Hymn God of Tempest, God of Whirlwind
*Prayer of Invocation and 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
trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever.
Amen.
Children’s Message Presentation of Bibles to Third Graders
(12:00) Jacen Ackley, Malia Daniels, Dwyer Dolan and Riley Saint
Pastors: We rejoice to present you with your own Bible, the Word of God.
We encourage you to learn the stories and study its words.
Its stories belong to us all and these words speak to us all.
Congregation: They tell us who we are.
They tell us that we belong to one another,
For we are the people of God.
We rejoice in this step in your journey with God.
We pray God will guide you, your family, and all of us
as you use this Bible at home,
here at church, and in our worship.
We will learn together and grow in our love for God.
Recipients: I receive this Bible with my hands, my heart and my mind, so that
when I read it I may feel the love of Jesus for me and all people.
All: The Word of God is a lamp to our feet, and a light to our path.
Thanks be to God.
Candle of Witness
Musical Response Come Down, O Love Divine Ralph Vaughan Williams
arr. Robert J. Powell
Scripture John 14 and Acts 2
Sermon “The Empowerment of Us All” The Reverend David W. Spollett
Musical Offering The Wind Blows Where It Wills Stephen P. Starke
Jacob B. Weber
The wind blows where it wills, we hear its sound,
We cannot tell its source or where it goes;
And so it is with all those born of God,
All those upon whom God has placed His name:
Come, Holy Spirit,
Breath of grace,
O Wind divine.
Your mercy will not break the trampled reed
Nor will You snuff the dimly burning wick;
With tender care, Lord, bind our broken lives
And fan again our smold’ring faith to flame:
Come, Holy Spirit,
Breath of grace,
O Wind divine.
Joys and Concerns
In lieu of flowers a generous contribution has been made
to the Deacon's Fund by Penny Stevens. To the glory of God
and in loving memory of her husband Wayne Stevens,
and her parents Mike and EB Read.
Prayers of the People
Invitation to the Offering and Prayer of Dedication
Hymn Come Down, O Love Divine
Benediction
God Be With You
Postlude (10:15) Toccata on “Veni, Creator Spiritus” Matthew Bellocchio
(12:00) God of Tempest, God of Whirlwind arr. Timothy Shaw
Go in peace and strength to love and serve the Lord and all God’s people! Amen.
LEADING US IN WORSHIP
The Reverend David W. Spollett
The Reverend Vanessa Rose
Alex Ackley, Director of Disciple Road
Dr. Frank Martignetti, Director of Music and Organist
Jane Barnes, Tim Clark and Michael Traum, Hymn Leaders
Members of the Chancel Choir (virtually)
Lindsey Ogilvy, Flute (virtually)
Cheri Evan, Alan Fuehring, Andrew and David McKinnis, Technical Team
God of Tempest, God of Whirlwind, by Herman G. Stuempfle. © 2000, GIA Publications, Inc.
Reprinted by permission, OneLicense.net #A-731937.
Maria Ferrante is working remotely and can be reached by email:
[email protected] or on her cell (203) 394-8738.
Please hold in your prayers…
Disciples at First Church: Mary Ann Bamford, Sandy Bromer; Carol Callahan; Ken and
Betsy Dalling; Sonia Gutierrez and Henry Hernandez; Gayle Hand; Joyce Hutchings;
Christy Jefremow; Cathy Kane, her brother Scott and great niece Amelia; Adelaide
Kitchen; Alice and Jerry Krenke; Lillian Klein; The Nazzaro Family; Gerry Kuroghlian;
Madeline Lee; Mimi Maniscalco; Gerry O’Donovan; Tommy Petraglia; Jack Robinson;
Elizabeth Saint; Donna Schmidt; Esther Sotolongo; Rachel Spollett; Joe and Lauren
Strickland’s five grandsons in Libya; Arlene Studer; Joann Van Esselstyn; Bill Verdier;
Elinor Wilber; and Edith Zambo.
Serving in the military: James Classy, Sam Classy, Trevor Dawson, David Elmore,
Sean Lomnitzer, and Christopher Muschett.
Those on the Front Lines of COVID-19:
Members of First Church: Eric Anderson, Michelle Baker, Laura Burr, Pertrinea Cash,
Brooke Hine, Greg Jefremow, Kristin Koch, Kristin Lupo, Beth McKinnis, Kim Chaffee
Trupp, Edite Weddle; Friends of First Church: Marguerite Dolan (Matt Dolan’s mom),
Fairfield EMS, Ericka Gordon, Stephen Huelskamp, Tracie and Devon Lingenfelter,
Lauren Redler McGrath, Maria Pellegrino, Diane Marble, Casey Redler, Maria Sutton
(First Baptist Church) , Anna Taft, and Ann Yergeau.
Family and Friends: Thelma Anderson (David McKinnis’ Aunt), Jack Campbell (Mike
Traum), Connor, Mike & Jess Callahan (friends of Rita Skog); Clara Chokenea (Clara
Harmon’s Mom); Elizabeth Clark (friend of the Gindek family); Brandon Deedon
(Pertrinea Cash’s son); Tom Dwyer (Phil’s brother); Sharon Friedlander (Connie
Sargent's cousin), Greg Fregio; David Green (David McKinnis’ high school teacher),
Greenawalt and Darnall Families (Gindek family); Christina Holms (Connie and Bill
Sargent’s niece); Norma Jenkins and Family (friends of the Gindek family); Nancy and
Paul King; Tim Marble (Charlotte Dyslin’s brother); MaKayla and John McGovern
(friends of Donna Kersten); Artie Quinn; Sara Redeghieri (the Spollett’s “Italian”
daughter); Jenna Sargent (Connie and Bill’s gradaughter), Nan Scarbrough (David
McKinnis' dad's wife), Levi Schmidt (friend of Penny Stevens); Darlene and Bobby Scaia
(Pat Bilotto’s cousins); Dorothy Steinman; Seth Sullivan (Jacque Paige’s nephew);
Hayder, Nada, Ali, and Leith Tawfiq (friends of First Church); David Tilley (friend of
David McKinnis), Clarence Traum (Michael’s Father); and Danielle Taal and her five
sons (Lauren and Joe Strickland’s daughter and grandsons).
The Needs of God’s Beloved World:
● People targeted by all hatreds, especially anti-Asian messages and violence
● All who have suffered from the COVID-19 pandemic, especially suffering the
surges in India, and Brazil. Worldwide over 165 million people infected, many
living with chronic conditions, and over 3.4 million deaths; in the US more than
33 million infected, with over 587 thousand deaths – 1 out of every 557 people
● Those who are suffering so severely in the ongoing economic crisis
● Health care workers as they care for COVID-19 patients and all who are sick
● Essential workers who have continued to work in spite of the risk
● The victims and their loved ones who have been killed and wounded in our
nation’s epidemic of gun violence: 15,677 gun deaths so far this year including
200 mass shootings that have taken 300 lives, wounding 929 people
● Survivors of sexual assault, abuse, and harassment and those who love them
● All who are committed to the work of antiracism
● All who are involved in education: parents, teachers, administrators, and staff
● All who suffer from loneliness, depression, all mental illnesses, and their families
● All who work to prevent domestic violence and to care for the victims
● The Uighur, Rohingya, and Karen people who are subjected to genocidal violence
● The people of Darfur, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Mozambique, Central African Republic,
Chad, Nigeria, Syria, Libya, and Yemen suffering so gravely the ravages of war
● Nearly 80 million refugees and displaced people around the world
● All who are addicted, their loved ones, those in recovery, & those who have died
● Our community partners: FaithActs for Education that works for equity in funding
public education; Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport (CCGB); School
Volunteer Association; Mercy Learning Center; Operation Hope; Westbridge;
Simply Smiles; Make the Road Connecticut; Congregations Organized for a New
Connecticut (CONECT); and the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and
Immigrants (CIRI)
Reports can be downloaded from our homepage @ www.firstchurchfairfield.org
Portrait by Rogerio Pedro
"Helping Hands Near and Far!”
For our "far" helping hands, we are collecting "Coins for
Care" to help support the on-going construction of Simply
Smiles and their Children's Village on the Cheyenne River
Reservation. The Simply Smiles children’s village is a community of foster families
offering a child placement option that fulfills the spirit of the Indian child welfare act by
ensuring that native children who have been removed from their homes can remain with
kin and community." One foster home is already built, the second is underway now, and
the hope is for more to come!
We are excited to see how far our coins can go in supporting this effort. Is that change
weighing down your pockets? We'll take it! The penny you pass on the street, please pick
it up for us! We will have a donation container kept in the office. Due to COVID, please
drop off your donations on THURSDAYS between 9-2 when Maria is in the
office. The collection will continue through the end of May.
2 Ways to Help!
Weekly Meals for Operation Hope
Sign up to make a meal and feed our brothers and sisters in the community!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080e4da5a62eaafd0-operation1
If you have any questions, please contact Lauren Winston at [email protected]
We have been able to lift the moratorium on in-person volunteering for our Community
Kitchen and are in need of regular volunteers to serve lunch Monday through Friday,
11:30am-1:00pm. The Community Kitchen is located at 50 Nichols Street, Fairfield.
Volunteers must be 18+ and follow COVID protocols. Send us an email
to [email protected] to let us know which days of the week you can regularly
help. Thank you!
You Can Help!!
Deliver Non-Perishable Food, Diapers, Checks, and Gift Cards to Wakeman
Hall
By Thursday Noon for delivery
to the Food Pantry at Mercy Learning Center on Friday Morning!!
These are basic items that will help right now:
· bags of rice and bags of any type of dried beans, lentils, etc.
· tomato paste, tomato sauce, or diced tomatoes
· oatmeal, cream of wheat, corn meal,
· pasta, cooking oil, flour
· powdered or evaporated milk
· canned meats, canned fruit, canned vegetables
· toilet paper, bars of soap, other toiletries
· Diapers: sizes 4, 5, and especially 6
· Gift cards: Stop and Shop, Shop Rite, Walgreens, CVS
· Financial Donations: Mail to First Church, check payable to Mercy Learning Center.
SAVE THE DATE
Confirmation and New Members Join
June 13
12 Noon on the Lawn
Come to worship and welcome our Confirmands and New
Members into our community of faith.
Reopening Soon!
The Store will be reopening on July 12th! Stay tuned for more information on days and
times of operation.
In the meantime, If you have items to donate please contact us via email
at [email protected]. We will be accepting donations by appointment
only before July.
We are also looking for a few additional volunteers so, if you are interested in joining the
fun please reach out to me! Amy Watson [email protected]
Looking forward to seeing everyone soon!