Barre Congregational Church
Home30 Park Street
Barre, Massachusetts
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© 2019 Barre Congregational Church 30 Park Street, Barre, MA 01005
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
A Message From Pastor Margaret
Like a Fireplace During the Wintertime
Barre Congregational Church is like a fireplace
during the wintertime, where we come and
huddle together, and a cool, refreshing place
during the summer to find comfort as we work
together. It is a place of inspiration, warmth and
loving commitment to all the activities, but
especially to one another. Whether we hear
our children sing together, “Jesus loves the little children,” or enjoy the monthly Thursday Community Friendship Suppers, where the breaking of bread has evolved into a caring, community gathering, the church is a place of belonging and inspiration. It is a place for everyone to come and offer their services, to give and receive the help that is needed.
As members of the Body of Christ, we are all called to engage in diakonia, that is, to serve God and this congregation. All of us have the energy of the Holy Spirit working through us. All of us have the gifts of the Spirit, the charismata, energies of new life, that lead to service. Growing up in, or joining a church where one feels rooted, and developing a sense of belonging, is important for the health of the congregation as well as for one’s own spiritual well-being. The environment that is created by this rootedness and sense of belonging, encourages one to serve and be present when needed.
I see this call to service among the deacons as they join me in the planning and preparation of worship and special services, organizing and discussing our visitations to the sick and elderly, and being there for those who have lost loved ones. I see this call to service among church committee members, in their care for the church building, as well as their commitment to the sustainability of the church. Our Music Committee, organist, choir directors and all the choir members have done so much to bring joy and harmony to our worship services. It is especially good to see our youth and children participate with the choir and engaged with other music initiatives. Our Sunday School teachers are leading and guiding our children on their spiritual paths and engaging them in activities that grow them in ways that we will appreciate as time goes by. Reaching out to those in need, bringing together members and friends of our congregation during the Thursday Community Friendship Suppers, as well as our Saturday Church Suppers, annual tea, annual fair and making and selling the Christmas wreaths, are awesome activities we must treasure, and we want to thank our Missions Committee, Supper Committee and Women’s Fellowship for all they do in their reaching out as well as raising funds through these initiatives. Our Stewardship Committee makes it possible for the congregation to think and reflect on their giving of themselves and their resources to the church. They make us think beyond the giving of money, about the essence of being the church and our relationship with Christ.
We are also being called to reflect on our deeper existence, that of loving one another as Christ would want us to do, forgiving one another and being reconciled with one another as Christ expects from us. We are also called to hear one another's stories, our love for the church and how we feel called to serve the church here at Barre Congregational Church.
Hearing one another’s stories will help build mutual understanding and trust and will help us open ourselves up to a deeper engagement with one another and perhaps lead to new growth and new possibilities. I pray that every person in the congregation will feel they live out their purpose and see our congregation as a place of worship and learning, and that those who know more or have a longer history will share their knowledge with others who are new and younger, so that everyone’s gifts will come together in the whole, and that there will be giving and sharing for the glory of God.
Thanks to all of you who are making this congregation a place of inspiration and warmth. I pray for God’s blessings upon us during 2019 and beyond.
Blessings to all,
Pastor Margaret
From the Church Committee
Our work on the kitchen ceiling
project is nearly completed. The goal
is to have it ready by Feb. 9, 2019
for the first Church Supper of the year.
We ask everyone to remember our
commitment to repaying the loan
to replace the church roof. We have
about $5,900.00 to go. Great work
by a wonderful congregation -- let's
see if we can pay this off by the
end of 2019.
A reminder if you turn up the thermostat, please put it back when you leave. Also, lights have been left on overnight on several occasions -- please check and turn out the lights before you leave the building.
We welcome Sue Musnicki and Jack Lathrop to Church Committee. Our next meeting is February 6, 2019 at 6:30 p.m. in the chapel. All are welcome.
February Worship Services
Worship and Sunday School at 9:30 am
Sunday, February 3, 2019 ~ Fourth Sunday after Epiphany Communion Sunday /Sunday School
Deborah Page, organist / the choir directed by Karla Peterson
Deacon— Steve Morrall
Pastor Margaret Keyser, preaching
Sunday, February 10, 2019 ~Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
Sunday School
Deborah Page, organist/ Dr. Russell Killough-Miller, cellist
Deacon— Jim VanWert
Pastor Margaret Keyser, preaching
Sunday, February 17, 2019 ~ Sixth Sunday after Epiphany
NO Sunday School
Deborah Page, organist/ The choir directed by Scott Bryant
Deacon— Toni Brown
Pastor Margaret Keyser, preaching
Sunday, February 24, 2019 ~ Seventh Sunday after Epiphany Sunday School
Deborah Page, organist
Deacon— Lisa Holloway
Pastor Margaret Keyser, preaching
