Worship – We are the First Congregational Church in Winchester

Join us for Pledge Sunday (November 8, 2026)

Sarah Marino — Thu, 05 Nov 2026 20:05:59 +0000

Our designated scripture from the Hebrew Bible for Sunday, November 8th comes from the last chapter of Joshua and is a pivotal moment in the history of the people of Israel. The whole dramatic and sordid tale sets us into a meditation on God and nation, which seems appropriate this Sunday after a dramatic week in our own nation. What does Israel have to teach us here? It’s also pledge Sunday when we wrap up our stewardship drive with a Time For the Young and a slideshow to highlight our commitment to our church. We hope you’ll join us on-site or on-line at 10am.

Download the Bulletin Here: OOW 11-08-26.docx

Join Us for All Saints & All Souls Sunday (Nov. 1, 2026)

Sarah Marino — Fri, 30 Oct 2026 17:47:16 +0000

This Sunday, we will celebrate All Saints & All Souls season. Our sermon will ask these questions: Is the world not with us enough, as poet Denise Levertov would suggest, or with us too much? And, how does our faith connection with the Resurrected Christ shape this season? It is Stewardship Season, and we will hear from Guest Steward Laurie Roby on her faithful giving to the church. Following the Sacrament of Communion, the Choir and special guests will offer a beautiful sung prayer: Come, Healing by Leonard Cohen, arranged by Becky Sun. We invite you to register for our special All Souls & All Saints Death Café at 11:45 AM. More information can be found below. Music, fellowship, prayerful liturgy, contemplative connection with Christ, and the worship of our Divine Creator held in the Sanctuary and online.

Download the Bulletin Here: OOW 11-01-26.docx

Last Sunday Bible Study

Sarah Marino — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 18:09:47 +0000

Sun. Oct. 25, 2026
8:45-9:45am – Tucker Room

Join us this Sunday, October 25th, for our Last Sunday of the month Bible Study in the Tucker Room before worship. We’ll consider together the most famous sermon of all time – Jesus’ Sermon on The Mount and the particular passage that we’ll be considering later in the worship service – “where your treasure is there your heart will also be” from Matthew 6:19-21. Come with your own Bible or we’ll have Bibles available. Come with a ton of Bible knowledge or none whatsoever. Come with questions, doubts, wonderings and ponderings and together we’ll dig into the sacred text and see how it speaks to our lives.

Stewardship Sunday: Join Us in the Sanctuary at 10 am for Worship

Sarah Marino — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 18:07:38 +0000

We return back inside to worship this Sunday after a beautiful morning of worship with all our animals last week. We begin our Stewardship season where our theme is “There Will Your Heart Also Be” based upon the portion of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount where he challenges us to consider what we treasure most and how our lives will tend to be determined by that treasure. Join us on-site or online at 10am.

Download the Bulletin Here: OOW 10-25-26 Stewardship Sun.docx

All Souls/All Saints Death Over Pizza on Sunday, November 1

Sarah Marino — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 16:54:15 +0000

Death Café is an international movement based around open and honest conversations on death and dying. On Sunday, November 1, we will divide into groups in the Tucker Room and share our personal experiences and responses to death and dying. Speaking openly and honestly about our fears, sorrows, concerns, and hopes helps us prepare to “die well” when our time comes, and as we accompany others in their process as well. Food and drinks provided, with gluten-free and dairy-free options. All are welcome. Please register, so we know how much food to get.

This Week in Worship, October 11, 2026

Sarah Marino — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 15:34:43 +0000

This Week in Worship

Join us on this special Sunday of Indigenous People’s Day Weekend for a worship service focused on what it means to remember. Remembering is a central spiritual practice of our Christian faith. Those of us who went on the Pine Ridge Service Learning Trip this past summer will remember with you what the experience was like and share our reflections of that remarkable, tragic, beautiful land, history, and people. The choir will present a haunting and evocative arrangement of Joseph Renville’s 1842 Dakota Hymn, one of the few Native American songs included in hymnals globally, with voices, violin, cello, flute, djembe, and piano.

Download the Bulletin Here: OW 10-11-26 IPD.docx

Join Us for our Jazz Blessing of the Animals

Sarah Marino — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 18:34:44 +0000

Sunday, October 18, 2026, 10 AM, Town Common
Rain Location: Chidley Hall

Please join us on the Town Common where we will swing, celebrate and give thanks for all of God’s creatures, blessing our animal companions. We welcome all pets—furry, scaly, hairy, feathery and even plush! Photos of beloved pet companions are welcome in place of those who can’t be there. And a special seating section will be set aside for those who are more comfortable sitting away from the animals.

To serenade both congregation and pets, FCCW’s own house band will offer jazz music before, during and after the service. We will sing and move and praise all of creation with fun and upbeat music, readings, prayers and blessings. From “Amazing Grace” to “All God’s Critters Got a Place in the Choir,” there will be an opportunity to sing, to listen and to share our cherished pet companions.

World Communion Sunday

Sarah Marino — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 17:36:15 +0000

This Sunday, October 4th, is World Communion Sunday in the church across the globe. As we gather together we’ll consider how the specificity and humbleness of the communion table connects us across borders and other lines of distinction to the heart of humanity. Our faith does not direct us above and beyond the earth and our place herein but rather situates us here more fully and helps us to become more fully human. The choir will sing a beautiful anthem called “Peace Between” which uses Hebrew, Arabic, and Latin statements of peace as a lyrical call for unity. We hope you’ll join us in person or online at 10am.

Download the Bulletin Here: OOW 10-04-26 World Communion.docx

Join us this Sunday, September 27, 2026 at 10 am

Sarah Marino — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 17:46:26 +0000

We are honored to share the Sacrament of Baptism with the congregation as we baptize Archil Gvakharia, child of Lindsay Sutherland-Gvakharia and Sandro Gvakharia, during Time for the Young. Our sermon will consider this question found in Matthew 21:23: “By what authority?” Special pick-up choir, music, prayers, contemplation, fellowship – all in the worship of our Creator God. We hope to see you in person or online.

Download the Worship Bulletin Here: OOW 09-27-26.docx

Join Us This Week in Worship at 10 am in the Sanctuary (September, 20, 2026)

Sarah Marino — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 15:17:19 +0000

“Laborers in the Vineyard” from stained glass window in the back of our sanctuary

This Sunday in worship Jonah experiences the generosity of God and is none too pleased with it. And Jesus reveals something of the nature of God’s generosity in his parable of the laborers in the vineyard. Both stories speak to human hardheartedness in the face of divine grace. Join us on Sunday at 10am on-site in the sanctuary or on-line (we really do hope to have our livestream up and running this week!) for song, prayer, praise and worship.