Barre Congregational Church

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Stillspeaking Devotional

30 Park Street

Barre, Massachusetts

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Welcome to the Barre Congregational Church United Church of Christ (BCCUCC) website. BCCUCC is a center for community where we live the statement of ministry printed each week in the worship bulletin --

"The mission of the Barre Congregational Church is to serve God, and to spread the word and love of God's risen son, Jesus Christ, to all people through Christian faith and unity. By our words and actions, we will bring love, hope, and acceptance to family and neighbors, respecting all differences and diversities."

We live according to our statement of ministry in order to bring hope, justice, and love to people wherever they are on their path to knowing The Lord, Jesus Christ, whose ministries of compassion, extravagant hospitality, and love inspire us.

Welcoming & Serving the Quabbin Area

Worship Services:

Sundays at 9:30 a.m.

Maundy Thursday service -- Thursday, April 18 at 7:00 p.m.

Click here to see a video from one of our Sunday services!

More Information on Upcoming Events

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A Message From Pastor Margaret

Mothers’ Day is upon us, and it is one

of those days that affect us all in different

ways. For some it is a time to be celebrated

as mothers and grandmothers; for others it

is a joy to wish their mothers a wonderful

Mothers’ Day; for many others having had

an adult other than their own mother whom

they could look to, is a blessing; and for

many it is a day of sadness, because of the

loss of a mother, or not having had a mother. In whichever space we find ourselves, this Mothers’ Day is a day of celebration and remembrance.

I am so grateful for my own mother, whom I cherish dearly, and whose presence I miss often, but whose love, support and prayers I appreciate and value every day. We have created a life apart, and yet together, in our love for one another, and the stories we share every week during our hour-long conversations from Massachusetts to South Africa. As a former congregational church member herself, her support for my ministry here at our church is very special. Her curiosity and interest about my life here and our activities as a church is incredible. She is enormously grateful for everyone in our church… for your love for her daughter. Her instruction to me on a weekly basis, is to love and care for all of you. Her understanding of pastoral ministry and what it takes to be a pastor is a blessing to me, and it enriches our conversations enormously.

Whoever we see and experience as our mothers and grandmothers, let’s keep them in our prayers as they keep us in their hearts and prayers. When they’re young and vibrant, they do what they can to be there for us, in their imperfections. When they grow older, and becoming sicklier and more dependent perhaps, they’re still our mothers, and they need us more.

I am wondering about the love between Jesus and His mother, what that must have been like. The Bible only talks about their early life, and her presence during His difficult last moments. Surely, she must have been proud of Him, and learned from Him, and must have been concerned for His life throughout His earthly ministry and prayed for Him.

The church of Christ is at best our mother, with Christ at the Head, filled with love and compassion for all of us. We all are therefore instruments in this Mother Body, in service to many. We are called to love and serve, as our mothers would love and serve us. Let us therefore find within our congregation, the mothers who may need some extra attention, and be there for them, and care for them. And those who don’t have mothers of your own, maybe, just maybe you may find someone out there who needs someone like you, to care for. Perhaps this Mothers’ Day could be a day for you, too, to bless someone with your heart.

So, I imagine each one of us have a story about mothers, either our own, being mothers, being embraced by our aunts and other adults who act and have acted as our mothers. All these stories must be shared and celebrated on this Mothers’ Day.

May God bless us all as we look to celebrate this special day.

Pastor Margaret

From the Diaconate

The Deacons have been working

on the membership list. A letter from

the deacons and Pastor Margaret to

some of the members was sent out

before Easter.

A contract for Pastor Margaret is

being worked on and will be signed

sometime in May. Pastor Margaret’s

contract will start in June 1, 2019

and end on May 31, 2020, renewable

every year.

Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 12th and flowers will be handed out to the women of the church before the service.

From the Church Committee

A joint meeting with the Deacons and the Church committee was held in early April to discuss a 5% pay raise for Pastor Margaret and the employees of the church. A special meeting was called to the church members on April 28th. Twelve members attended this meeting. The pay raises were discussed; the raises for church employees will go back to the church committee for discussion and decision. The pay raise for Pastor Margaret will go back the Deacons.

The sanctuary lights in the ceiling facing the choir and the lights in the choir loft have been replaced with LED bulbs. Both kitchens in the church have two new microwaves, a donation from a church family. Thank you.

The refrigerators will be cleaned out this week. Please do not store left overs for more than a few days. Many groups use these refrigerators.

A generous $200 donation a been given to the church to repair the sound board in the piano in Fellowship Hall that is cracked. Thank you.

The outside water will be turned on and the hoses put out this upcoming weekend. Hopefully we can turn off the heat in early May.

April Worship Services

Worship and Sunday School at 9:30 a.m.

Sunday, March 3, 2019 ~ Transfiguration Sunday- Communion Sunday /Sunday School

Lectionary readings—Exodus 34:29-35, Psalm 99, 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2, Luke 10:21-24

Deborah Page, organist / the choir directed by Karla Peterson

Deacon— Lisa Holloway