Barre Congregational Church
Home30 Park Street
Barre, Massachusetts
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© 2021 Barre Congregational Church 30 Park Street, Barre, MA 01005
Welcoming & Serving the Quabbin Area
Worship Services:
Sundays at 9:30 a.m.
PLEASE NOTE: We are now holding in-person services in the sanctuary!
**see below for details!**
Community Friendship Suppers
Our Community Friendship Suppers have not yet resumed. Several people have asked as to
when they will resume. We feel that it may
still take some time until it is safe to meet
inside and in person. Stay tuned!
From the Church Committee
The Church Committee meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. We are looking for additional members. If interested, please reach out to the Committee.
The Church Committee would like to remind everyone that the daily functioning of the church continues. They remind you to please keep up your pledges and donations to the church even in these challenging times. Donations can be submitted through the "Donate" page on this website or mailed to:
Margaret Marshall
169 Sunrise Ave
Barre, MA 01005
A Message from Pastor Margaret
A Summer to find Deep Peace and Joy…
Since my last writing in the June Spire,
we all have been introduced to the beautiful
end of spring and the beginning of summer
here in the Northern Hemisphere. While
June offered us the fresh early morning
gentle breeze, we are now ushering in the
month of July with its warm, and hot
summer days. July is the month where many
of us come together with our loved ones,
searching for cool spots like the beautiful
New England rivers and lakes, swimming
pools and the ocean breezes along the
amazing coastlines, from Maine down to
Rhode Island. If you are lucky, you may go
down to Florida, or to the Jersey Shore, or
cross the many state lines, searching for the
place you have been yearning to visit. It is a
time we have been looking forward to, to break away a little after a long year of hard work and navigating life through a pandemic with its challenging circumstances.
Yes, it is time to relax in the shade of a maple or oak tree, enjoy the water from the stream running over our ankles, as we rub our feet across the beautiful stones. It is a time to watch the birds as they pay a visit to our backyards and porches, and yes, for many it is a time for the mind and body and soul to be restored and renewed.
As we enjoy these hot summer days at our favorite spots, we have the opportunity to find moments of solitude, reflecting on lessons learned, and taking the time to let go and emptying the mind from the many worries it has been consumed with the last year; time to enjoy the grandkids, spending the much-needed time with our elderly, and reconnecting with loved ones we have not seen for such a long time.
Rest and renewal also happen at a deeper level, the place of our souls where we seek to find peace, the peace that we find with God. We are reminded of the Prophet Jeremiah, who encouraged the people of Israel that their Babylonian exile will come to an end, and that Yahweh will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint. We have an opportunity to place all our cares in the hands of God, leaving them all there in prayer and petition and with thanksgiving for bringing us to this place and time where we are now; and as we do it, we will experience the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, guards our hearts and minds in Jesus Christ as the letter to the congregation in Philippi describes in Chapter 4 v 6-7.
As a church we will resume many of our activities we had to put aside during the pandemic. May this month of July and August give us the rest we need, so we can look forward to a fuller and richer experience with one another. May God help us and keep us safe here and across the world where the church is trying to find its way to minister and worship God.
May God bless you!
Pastor Margaret
Welcome to the Barre Congregational Church Website!
A congregation of the United Church of Christ, Barre Congregational Church (BCCUCC) is located on the Common in Barre, Massachusetts. We are a caring community of Christ committed to reaching out into the wider community. We offer ourselves as ministers of grace, healing, understanding, inclusiveness, reconciliation, and joy for the sake of showing our love for Jesus.
Our Pastor: Margaret Keyser
Barre Congregational Church is once again holding in-person indoor services at the church! Safety protocols will be in place to protect everyone from unseen virus threats.
1. Masks will be required of all in attendance.
2. Entry through the front door. The side door may be used for those needing the elevator. Exit through the rear door except for those that need to use the elevator where use of the side door is acceptable.
3. Sign in, with phone or email information, required to the notebook used for contact tracing.
4. Singing is not going to be permitted.
5. Some pews will be blocked from use to ensure safe social distancing.
6. Hand sanitizer will be available for use by all in attendance.
7. All areas used will be sanitized by a staff member before and after use.
8. Front and rear doors will remain open during services to allow for fresh air circulation.
We have members that are working on advancing the recording of services to be posted online and on social media. The church hopes to begin live streaming services in the near future.
If any members or friends of the church are interested in helping with the technology use and presentations, please call the church and leave a message for delivery to the people involved.
