Here is the link to todays service
Announcements January 24, 2021
Our in-person Sunday services continue to be suspended for now, and virtual services continue to be made available on YouTube. John sends out the link by e-mail as soon as the service has been uploaded each week, hopefully in time for our usual 10:30 service time. Along with the link, he sends out a full script of the service, which can be printed for anyone who doesn’t have internet access. Printed copies of the script can be mailed out from the church office as well, although after the Sunday in question. Please call John at the church office if you would like to receive them.
This Week in First Church:
– Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. – Bible study, by Zoom
– Wednesday, 1:30 p.m. – Soup Kitchen Committee meeting
– Thursday, 7:00 p.m. – Session meeting, by Zoom
Coming Up:
– Sunday, 7 February – Deadline for reports for the Annual Report
– Sunday, 21 February – Annual Meeting
Annual Report – If you are preparing a report for the 2020 Annual Report, please send it to Lisa Sneesby (bsneesby@mymts.net) by Sunday, 7 February. The Annual Meeting is currently scheduled for Sunday, 21 February, and we hope to have the Annual Report ready for distribution a week in advance. Of course, it remains to be seen when and how we will actually be able to hold the Annual Meeting, but for now, we’re aiming for 21 February.
Announcements January 17, 2021
THE 2ND SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY
17 January 2021
Our in-person Sunday services continue to be suspended for now, and virtual services continue to be made available on YouTube. John sends out the link by e-mail as soon as the service has been uploaded each week, hopefully in time for our usual 10:30 service time. Along with the link, he sends out a full script of the service, which can be printed for anyone who doesn’t have internet access. Printed copies of the script can be mailed out from the church office as well, although after the Sunday in question. Please call John at the church office if you would like to receive them.
Today’s sermon will be preached by Raymond Reichelt, one of our lay preachers. We thank Raymond for this contribution to today’s service!
This Week in First Church:
– Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. – Bible study, by Zoom
Announcements January 10, 2021
THE BAPTISM OF JESUS
THE 1ST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY
10 January 2021
Our in-person Sunday services continue to be suspended for now, and virtual services continue to be made available on YouTube. John sends out the link by e-mail as soon as the service has been uploaded each week, hopefully in time for our usual 10:30 service time. Along with the link, he sends out a full script of the service, which can be printed for anyone who doesn’t have internet access. Printed copies of the script can be mailed out from the church office as well, although after the Sunday in question. Please call John at the church office if you would like to receive them.
This Week in First Church:
– Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. – Bible study, by Zoom
– Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. – F&M Committee meeting, by Zoom
Announcements Dec 20 – 26
Our in-person Sunday services continue to be suspended, up to and including the 3rd of January, at least. A “virtual” service will continue to be made available on YouTube each Sunday, however. John will send out the link as soon as the service has been uploaded each week, hopefully in time for our usual 10:30 service time. Along with the link, he will send out a full script of the service. Our Christmas Eve service also will be virtual, and will be made available in the same way. It should be available by 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, the 24th. We will have to wait until the first week of January to find out what the new public health orders will be.
This Week in First Church:
– Thursday, 7:00 p.m. – Christmas Eve Service, on YouTube
New Beginnings – We are currently working with Ian Fraser, our New Beginnings coach, on plans for “Phase 4” of the process, the “Introduction to Transformational Ministry” weekend. It will include a) a workshop for the entire congregation, b) two training sessions for the people who will be leading the small-group meetings, and c) the Sunday service, at which Ian would be the preacher. Because of the pandemic restrictions, all this will likely have to be done online, unfortunately. Under ordinary conditions, Ian would come here for the weekend, and meet with us in person. The dates still have to be determined; the Session has decided that we will need to wait until our Health Region’s status has gone back to “Orange” before we proceed with this phase.
The small-group meetings (Phase 5) will take place as soon as possible following the Introduction to Transformational Ministry weekend. Each group will meet four times, possibly once per week.
Bible Study – The Bible study group is taking a two-week break, and will resume on Tuesday, 5 January (the 12th day of Christmas!), with “Week 7” of the study on Ruth and Esther, beginning on page 49 of the study book.
Announcements Dec. 13 – 19
Due to the most recent public health order, our in-person Sunday services continue to be suspended, up to the 3rd of January, at least. This means that there will be no Hanging-of-the-Greens service this year. A “virtual” service will continue to be made available on YouTube each Sunday, however. John will send out the link as soon as the service has been uploaded each week, hopefully in time for our usual 10:30 service time. Along with the link, he will send out a full script of the service. Our Christmas Eve service also will be virtual, and will be made available in the same way.
This Week in First Church:
– Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. – Bible study, by Zoom
– Thursday, 8:00 p.m. – Service of Remembrance and Hope, by Zoom
Announcements Dec 6 – 12
Due to current pandemic restrictions, our in-person Sunday services are suspended until the status of our Health Region returns to Orange. An abbreviated service will continue to be available on YouTube each Sunday, however. John will send out the link as soon as the service has been uploaded each week, hopefully in time for our usual 10:30 service time. Along with the link, he will continue sending out a full script of the service.
Scripture Readings – The readings for today’s service are
– Isaiah 40.1-11 – “Prepare the way of the LORD!”
– Psalm 85 – “You, LORD, showed favor to your land”
– 1 Corinthians 1.3-9 – “Blameless on the day of our Lord”
– Mark 1.1-8 – The ministry of John the Baptist
If we’re unable to have the Hanging-of-the-Greens service next Sunday, the readings for that service will be
– Isaiah 61.1-4, 8-11 – “Good news to the poor”
– Psalm 126 – “When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion …”
– 1 Thessalonians 5.16-24 – “Blameless at the coming of our Lord”
– John 1.6-8, 19-28 – “Are you the Messiah?”
This Week in First Church:
– Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. – Bible study, by Zoom
– Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. – F&M Committee meeting, by Zoom
Coming Up:
– Sunday, 13 December (tentative) – Hanging-of-the-Greens service (see below)
– Thursday, 17 December – Service of Remembrance and Hope, by Zoom
Advent and Christmas – The current pandemic restrictions are leaving our worship plans for Advent and Christmas up in the air:
– The Hanging-of-the-Greens service was originally scheduled for today. If we are able to resume in-person services in time for either next Sunday or the 20th, we’ll have the Hanging-of-the-Greens service on the first possible Sunday. Otherwise, we’ll have to forego it altogether this year, since it doesn’t lend itself to the recorded service format.
– There will not be a Communion service this month; it was originally scheduled for next Sunday (the 13th), so we will have a non-Communion service that day instead.
– Christmas Eve (Thursday, 24 December) – If we are still not able to resume in-person services by then, a recorded Christmas Eve service will be offered via YouTube, as we do for our Sunday services.
Announcements Nov. 29 – Dec. 5
Due to current pandemic restrictions, our in-person Sunday services are suspended until the status of our Health Region returns to Orange. An abbreviated service will continue to be available on YouTube each Sunday, however. John will send out the link as soon as the service has been uploaded each week, hopefully in time for our usual 10:30 service time. Along with the link, he will continue sending out a full script of the service. The link will also be posted on this website
Scripture Readings – The readings for today’s service are
– Isaiah 64.1-9 – “Tear open the heavens, and come down!”
– Psalm 80 – “Shepherd of Israel, hear us”
– 2 Peter 3.1-15 – “The day of the Lord”
– Mark 13.24-37 – Jesus’ second coming: “Watch!”
If we’re unable to have the Hanging-of-the-Greens service next Sunday, the readings for that service will be
– Isaiah 40.1-11 – “Prepare the way of the LORD!”
– Psalm 85 – “You, LORD, showed favor to your land”
– 1 Corinthians 1.3-9 – “Blameless on the day of our Lord”
– Mark 1.1-8 – The ministry of John the Baptist
This Week in First Church:
– Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. – Bible study, by Zoom
Coming Up:
– Sunday, 6 December (tentative) – Hanging-of-the-Greens service (see below)
– Thursday, 17 December – Service of Remembrance and Hope, by Zoom
Newsletter – The December issue of the Newsletter is being sent out by e-mail to everyone on our e-mail list, and hard copies are being mailed this week to those who don’t have e-mail. Many thanks to Lisa Sneesby for putting the Newsletter together, and to Mardine Garnham for printing and mailing the hard copies!
Advent and Christmas – The current pandemic restrictions are leaving our worship plans for Advent and Christmas up in the air:
– The Hanging-of-the-Greens service was originally scheduled for next Sunday, 6 December, but it’s doubtful that we’ll be able to worship in person by then. If we are able to resume in-person services in time for either the 13th or the 20th, we’ll have the Hanging-of-the-Greens service on the first possible Sunday. Otherwise, we’ll have to forego it altogether this year, since it doesn’t lend itself to the recorded service format.
– There will not be a Communion service in December; it was originally scheduled for the 13th, and we will instead have a non-Communion service that day.
– Christmas Eve (Thursday, 24 December) – If we are still not able to resume in-person services by then, a recorded Christmas Eve service will be offered via YouTube, as we do for our Sunday services.
Announcements Nov. 22 – 28
CHRIST-THE-KING SUNDAY
THE FINAL SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
22 November 2020
Due to current pandemic restrictions, our in-person Sunday services are suspended until the status of our Health Region returns to Orange. An abbreviated service will continue to be available on YouTube each Sunday, however. John will send out the link as soon as the service has been uploaded each week, hopefully in time for our usual 10:30 service time. Along with the link, he will continue sending out a full script of the service.
Charlie Clifford is preaching the sermon today, and also leading the Prayers of the People. We thank him for his contribution to today’s service!
This Week in First Church:
Nov. 22nd – Deadline for submissions for the December newsletter
Tuesday Nov. 24, 7:00 p.m. – Bible study, by Zoom
Thursday November 26, 7:00 p.m. – Session meeting, by Zoom
Coming Up:
Sunday November 29 – The First Sunday of Advent
SK Re-opening – The Soup Kitchen was going to re-open this past Tuesday, the 17th, and operate three days per week, initially: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. However, because of the increased pandemic restrictions that came into force on the 12th, the re-opening has been postponed, at least until our health region’s status returns to Orange.
Newsletter – If you have something to contribute to the December issue of the Newsletter, please give or email it to Lisa Sneesby (bsneesby@mymts.net) today (the 22nd). We hope to have the Newsletter ready for distribution in time for next Sunday, the 29th.
Announcements Nov. 15 – 21
Due to the new pandemic restrictions, we have had to suspend in-person Sunday services until the status of our Health Region returns to Orange. An abbreviated service will continue to be available on YouTube each Sunday, however. John will send out the link as soon as the service has been uploaded each week, hopefully in time for our usual 10:30 service time. Along with the link, he will continue sending out a full script of the service. Charlie Clifford will preach the sermon in our service next Sunday (the 22nd).
Scripture Readings – The readings for today’s service are
– Leviticus 19.1-2, 9-18 – “Do not reap to the very edges of your field”
– Psalm 112 – “Blessed are those who fear the LORD”
– James 2.14-19 – Faith vs. deeds
– Luke 14.1-14 – Whom to invite to a banquet
This Week in First Church:
– Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. – Bible study, by Zoom
– Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.- Finance & Maintenance Committee meeting, by Zoom
Coming Up:
– Sunday, 22 November – Deadline for submissions for the December newsletter