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Church Schedule |
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Sunday, Feb. 5 - 10:00 am |
Communion service |
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Sunday, Feb. 5 - 11:00 am |
Retirement luncheon to honor Jackie
Ward |
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Sunday, Feb. 12 - 10:00 am |
Family worship |
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Sunday, Feb. 19 - 10:00 am |
Family worship |
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Sunday, Feb. 19 - 3:00 pm |
Riverboat Ramblers concert |
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Sunday, Feb. 26 - 10:00 am |
Family worship |
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Sunday, Mar. 4 - 10:00 am |
Communion service |
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Sunday, Mar. 11 - 10:00 am |
Family worship |
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Sunday, Mar. 18 - 10:00 am |
Family worship |
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Sunday, Mar. 25 - 10:00 am |
Family worship |
- Adult Bible Study is held
every other
Wednesday at 7:00 pm.
- Taiwanese Christian Church service each Sunday at 10:00 am
- Casa De Gozo “House of Joy”
service each Sunday at 2:00 pm
- Thrift Shop: Thurs-Sat from 9:00 am - 12:00 noon.
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Jackie Ward
Retirement Party
- Feb. 5, 2012 |
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First Church members honored Jackie Ward, financial secretary of
the church for the past 20 years, on the occasion of her
retirement. The event was held following worship service on Feb.
5, 2012. A luncheon of beef barley soup and assorted sandwiches
along with desserts was followed by the presentation of cards
and gifts. Boy scouts from Troop 10 also participated in the
service.
Photos courtesy of Ken Muravnick and Bill Wheaton. |
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Christmas Pageant
- Dec. 24, 2011 - 5:30 pm
Photos courtesy of Ken Muravnick |
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Mercy
Touch
Luncheon
Nov. 20, 2011 |
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A total of 65
people attended the 8th annual Mercy Touch luncheon
at the First Congregational Church of Meriden, held immediately
following worship service on Sun. Nov. 20. After folks sat down
at the brightly decorated tables in Smith Hall, Rev. John Clarke
updated everyone on the current status of the Mercy Touch
orphanage in Ndola, Zambia, including recent developments on the
75 acre farm. Peter Burch then presented a PowerPoint slide show
of the current status of Mercy Touch (including a recent work
visit by 13 volunteers from Alberta, Canada), followed by a
thank you to all who donated to this mission during the past
year. He then joined Bruce Burchsted with ukuleles in leading
the gathering in a enthusiastic sing-a-long of “He’s Got the
Whole World in His Hands”,
Dinner prepared
by Sharon Burch, Jennifer Collachio, Kerry Muravnick and Pat
Magrath was served, consisting of "Kate's chicken" (chicken
breasts with stuffing and cheese in a cream sauce), marinated
green beans, dinner rolls, and a variety of desserts and
beverages. It was a wonderful event enjoyed by all. |
Some children at Mercy Touch |
Mercy Touch luncheon
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Mercy Touch feeding program
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Canadian volunteer team
painting feeding station |
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Rally
Day/Music
Picnic
Sept. 18, 2011 |
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Back
To
School
EXPO!
Tues. Aug. 23, 2011 |
Recently, a
unique opportunity arose for our church and Center
Congregational Church to jointly support the annual
Meriden Book Bag Drive (Back to School EXPO). This is
sponsored by the Beat the Street organization, along
with the Meriden Rotary Foundation, the Meriden NAACP
and the Record-Journal. Last year, this drive
distributed 1500 book bags filled with school supplies,
ranging from pencils to calculators, to needy Meriden
school children.
This year, each of our churches offered to match,
dollar-for-dollar, any monetary donation made by a parishioner of
either church, up to a maximum of $500 per church (from the
Christian Outreach Committee Fund of First Congregational Church and
the Parish Nurses Fund at Center Congregational Church). This meant
that if, for example, a parishioner donated $25, each church matched
it so the donation actually became $75.
The response was strong in each church. Fourteen First
Congregational Church members donated a total of $460. Along with
individual donations by Center Church members, each church also
donated its $500 maximum, resulting in a remarkable total donation
to this book bag drive of $1882. It’s a wonderful partnership
between the two churches with great benefits for our community.
Thank you to all who contributed!
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106th
Annual
May
Breakfast
Wed. May 5, 2010 @
6:00-9:30 pm |
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On Wed. May 5,
2010, the First Congregational Church presented its 106th Annual
May Breakfast in Smith Hall. Large throngs of hungry patrons
enjoyed a delicious breakfast of halved grapefruit, juices,
eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes with real maple syrup, hot
rolls and muffins (blueberry, along with coffee, tea and milk. A
small army of volunteer cooks, servers, wait staff and coffee
pourers saw to it that everyone left pleasantly full. Also
available for purchase were May Baskets filled with candy/fudge,
home baked breads, cookies and cakes, garden flowers and plants.
This year was the 106th anniversary of a much
cherished tradition provided by the Women’s Fellowship of First
Congregational Church to its church members and to the
community. |
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First
Congregational Church
celebrated its
275th anniversary during 2004.
In
commemoration of this event,
First
Church
is offering 3 sets of historic note cards.
Click
for details. |
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News
Items
Our Church has
a New Church!
Casa De Gozo “House of
Joy”
Once
again your church has welcomed a new congregation into its ministry.
Casa De Gozo “House of Joy” church began services on
September 24th. The church is led by Luis and Martha Rolon who
Co-Pastor the church.
They started their ministry while serving in the U.S. Military in
Hawaii. Luis served as an assistant chaplain and faced all of the
many joys and concerns that are part of the military life. They
placed a strong support system of fellowship, friendship and
spiritual guidance.
Later they were stationed in Norfolk, Virginia where they became
part of a larger ministry off base. They worked closely with the
Senior Pastor in church planting (starting new churches),
administrative, and other varied ministerial duties. They were
involved with the community in providing education outreaches such
as GED, English, and computer classes, translation services,
assistance with job placement and other local mission concerns. They
bring that experience with them as they pastor here in Meriden.
Following retirement from the Military Luis and Martha relocated to
Florida. While there, they became part of a dynamic community
oriented ministry which provided many essential assistance programs
to families. They were on staff at a large church and were actively
involved in counseling, media and telephone counselor’s, pastoral
care and church planting.
Now here in Connecticut they begin ministry in Meriden. House of Joy
will be celebrating worship each week at 2:00 pm, and holding bible
study, and praise every Thursday at 7:30 pm. in Smith Hall. They
seek to show forth the beauty of God’s love, mercy and grace to
those who are broken hearted, lonely and wounded by the issues of
life. They believe that once people discover God’s love that lives
will be transformed and made whole once again.
We welcome Luis and Martha and their congregation into our church
family. We have so much to learn from one another and so much work
to do in the name of the One who calls us to ministry, even our Lord
Jesus Christ. If you have Spanish speaking friends and neighbors,
please let them know of this new ministry in our midst.
Historical
Note
Memorial
Chimes for First
Church
Organ
(Printed in the Meriden Republican April 10, 1906)
Presented
by White Family in memory of Edward H. and Howard White
and played for the first time on Easter Sunday.
The members of the congregation at the First Congregational
Church looked at each other in pleased surprise Sunday morning as
they heard mingled with the tones of the organ as organist F. B.
Hill played his prelude, the beautiful tones of a set of chimes
which had been added to that already fine instrument.
Most of the congregation were at a loss to account for the
chimes and a first thought that they were outside the building.
The effect was very beautiful.
At the offertory they were used again and the Rev. Mr. Lord
announced that they had been presented to the church by one of the
well known families in the parish in memory of two deceased
relatives.
The chimes were presented by members of the White family in
memory of Edward Hollingford White and Howard White, sons of Henry
Kirke White and brothers of James H. White of this city.
James H. White, together with members of the family, has had
the matter under consideration for some time.
Mr. White was a member of the committee that purchased the
First church organ a number of years ago and has always wanted it
completed with a set of chimes.
The chimes are known as tubular chimes and were installed
last week by the Austin Organ Co.
There are twenty in the set arranged chromatically.
They are played in the swell organ and when played give the
effect of distant bells. Organist
Hill when seen Sunday by a Record man was very happy because of the
addition to his organ. With
it he will be able to produce many beautiful effects and the music
of the church will be much better.
The presentation of the chimes was especially appropriate as
it was the fifty-first anniversary of the birth of Edward
Hollingford White. Mr.
White was born in Washington, N. J. April 15, 1855.
In 1876 with his father, Henry Kirke White and his brothers,
he came to this city and established the Wilcox & White Co.
For twenty-five years he was a valued member of the firm and
had charge of the tuning and voicing department of its works.
Mr. White was the inventor of the Angelus, which has become
known the world over as one of the best instruments of its kind.
He married Mary Carter, a daughter of Bela Carter, who
survives him and makes her home in this city. Edward H. White died
December 8, 1897
and was buried in Walnut Grove.
This beautiful memorial will keep alive in the minds and
hearts of the members of the First
Church, the memories of the two noble men whose families have presented
them. The cost of the
addition to the organ has not been made public, but it is estimated
from $800 to $1000.
Compiled
by Richard J. McBride
Church Historian
10/23/2004
Food
Pantry
It is usual at this time of year for our church to ask you to donate
to the annual “Neighbors in Need” offering. However, because of
the fact that we have many “Neighbors in Need” who show up at
our church seeking emergency food assistance, I thought it a good
idea to change the “Neighbors in Need” to “Our Neighbors in
Need” and keep the donations right here in Meriden.
A box is placed at the church office. When you are grocery
shopping, pick up an additional can of food or a box of a
non-perishable food and bring it with you
when you come to worship. In this way we can better serve the needs
of those within our community who are “Our Neighbors in Need.”
Our Food Pantry mission distributes its food
through the New Opportunities of Greater Meriden Food Pantry on Pratt St., and reaches people who find themselves
in a tough situation. We all have the ability to do something
positive to help. Our Food Pantry mission is one of the most important
outreach ministries of this church. YOU have the unique opportunity
to be a part of our effort to “Talk the talk - and Walk the Walk.
Thank you for your help,
John Clarke, Pastor
First
Congregational Church Thrift Shop
USED CLOTHING in good condition is needed. Infant's, Children’s, Men’s and
Women’s of all sizes. As you clean out your bureau drawers and closets, please remember the
ongoing need for clothes. They may be dropped off at the Thrift Shop Thurs.-Sat.
from 9:00 am-12:00 noon. Please call the Church Office
before bringing a donation.
Wanted
- articles of interest to be published in future VISITORS. If you have a birth or a
death to announce, a special birthday or anniversary, a graduation, a change of
address, or perhaps the name of a church member who is now in a Rehab Facility
or a Convalescent Home…… any bit of news you would like to share, please
call the church office at 235-5704 and we will be glad to help you spread the
word!
If you go to the
hospital, please call our office as soon as
you know you will be admitted. In your admitting process, you will be asked if
you are part of a faith community. If so, please answer YES, and give the name
of your church. You will also be asked if you want your name released to
representatives of your church. If so, please answer YES. If you say NO, or you do not give the name of your church,
the hospital will not be able to release your name to us. |
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