Coffee Donations

When you get your coffee on Sunday mornings after worship, please remember to leave a donation in the “little coffee pot” by the coffee hour window.  Your donation helps to defray the cost of coffee and supplies.  Thanks for your continuous support.

Rummage Sale

Save your stuff!!!  Our annual Rummage Sale will be held July 26-28.  Watch for further details in the upcoming newsletters.

Next Meeting

Join the Guild at our next meeting on Monday, April 9, at 11:00 am.  Bring a brown bag lunch.

                   This year you will have many opportunities to share in worship
                               and fellowship during Holy Week and into Easter.

On Palm Sunday during our morning worship we will share in the celebration of the day. In addition, our Chancel Choir will share special music of the season. It will be a joyous day!

On Holy Tuesday at the Ogden Senior Center there will be a special worship service that is shared by the clergy of Spencerport Ecumenical Ministries. Bring your brown bag lunch and join with us for luncheon fellowship followed by a time of worshipping together. This begins at 11:30 a.m.

On Maundy Thursday here in our Fellowship Hall we will share a catered meal (menu TBA) at 6:00. The program for that evening will be a church family meal, so it will be shared throughout the time together.

On Good Friday there will be two opportunities for worship. At noon in our sanctuary we will join with folks from SEM churches as we remember the sorrow and redemption of that day’s experiences. That evening at 7:00 we will share in a Tennebrae worship in our chapel as we prepare our hearts for Easter.

On Easter Sunday morning, at 7:00 a.m. at the Gazebo in the Village, we will share with folks from our community in greeting the morning of resurrection. Those who have attended in the past know what a joyous celebration this is as we gather with Christians from the area.

Each Wednesday - 10:30 am

Bring your Bible. Come and share
with us as we study the lectionary
 texts together. 

To All GVA UCC Churches!

As part of our Lenten Learning Series, "Lenten Faith Practices," the United Church of Christ, Congregational of Webster is doing a mission project.  We have set a goal of putting together 100 "Care Kits" for the guests at Salem Nutrition Center - to be distributed at their Easter Meal.  The kits contain:  1 travel size deodorant, 1 travel size body wash/soap, 1 travel size toothpaste, 1 toothbrush, 1 wash cloth, 1 comb.  (All placed in a small zipper-seal plastic bag.)

We would like to challenge all other UCC churches in the GVA to match that goal, to put together another 100 Care Kits - so that Rev. Kay can distribute the kits to the projected 200 guests.

These travel-sized items can be found in special sections of your local grocery or drug stores at very reasonable prices.  Please have your kits ready by March 24th.  Items could also be purchased at the Dollar Store.
                                                            __________________

The Board of Christian Action felt that we could participate in this challenge.  The kits can be prepared for $3-$4, or you could bring individual items and the Board will package them.  Please place the kits or items in the box marked Salem Care Kits in the Fellowship Hall.  Thanks.

                                        "THROUGH THE YEAR IN 40 DAYS"

The theme for our Lenten Programs for this year is “Through the Year in 40 Days.” We’re going to celebrate the major Christian festivals each week as we study and play and sing together. So, plan now to come and share a meal at 6:00 and then be a part of our celebration following. We’ll have decorations and games and some of the theology about each festival. So, you might even want to dress appropriately for each one!

                        February 29 – Advent, Christmas, Epiphany
                        March 7 – Lent, Easter
                        March 14 – Pentecost
                        March 21 – All Hallow’s Eve, All Saint’s Day
                        March 28 – Thanksgiving

                                              ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING
                                                                March 18
  “Did you know One Great Hour of Sharing responds to disasters on average every 2.5 days, while it changes lives 365 days each year? Your gift to OGHS is hard at work in 138 countries, including the United States. When you make a gift to the offering you become a partner in the refugee, disaster relief, and community development efforts of the United Church of Christ.”

When we give to One Great Hour of Sharing, we join with Christians of many denominations to help others. The theme for the offering for this year is: Sharing Brings Joy! And it does. If you give to this offering, you may not know exactly where your money goes, but it will bring joy to many people who need help. AND it will bring you joy in sharing. Plan now to help with this outreach effort on March 18, and know that your Sharing will Bring Joy.

LENT

Lent is the season of the church that is the 40 days (not counting Sundays) leading up to Easter. And it begins with Ash Wednesday. Lent being a season of fasting and repentance, the day is often marked by a time of worship when ashes are lightly rubbed onto the foreheads of worshipers as an outward and visible sign of their intention to repent.

This year we will share in a worship for Ash Wednesday on February 22 at 7:00 in the sanctuary. Plan now to attend this time of remembrance.

 MARDI GRAS WORSHIP

If you’ve been here the past two years, you know that the Sunday before Ash Wednesday is our Mardi Gras celebration. Mardi Gras is traditionally celebrated on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday when homes are prepared for the season of Lent. We’ll have our own style of Mardi Gras at our worship on Sunday, February 19. Plan now to be here as we share in the fun celebration.

WOMEN’S SUNDAY

On Sunday, February 12, we will celebrate women during our morning worship.
Members of our Women’s Guild will take leadership roles that morning
and share with us all the ministry that they do within and on
behalf of our congregation. Plan now to be present as
we share with them in worship.

The First Congregational Church was established in the Village of Spencerport in 1850-1851.  One year later in 1852, the church burned and then was rebuilt.  The parsonage was erected in 1903.  In the 1960’s, the elevator was installed.

Because of the various needs within the church, the Adult Women’s Sunday School classes gathered to form the Church Women’s Guild which was open to all ages and provided social activities.

In the oncoming years, membership grew in both the church and the Women’s Guild.  There were family dinners, teas and luncheons.  Later, it was decided to change by forming several small groups that would share in the planning of newer programs that would fit their style and availability to participate.  One could choose which group they wanted to join depending on their life schedule.  These groups went by various Biblical names, Bethany, Naomi, Rachael, Debra, etc.

Later, these groups went back to only having one monthly meeting as an entire membership group.  The Guild of today meets several times during the year, either at noon or in the evening.

The Sunday coffee time after church worship is funded by the Guild which purchases coffee and paper supplies, as well as getting volunteers to prepare and serve the refreshments.

The financial source of income is gained through projects such as the Annual Rummage and Baked Food Sale as well as the Chr