The First Church is a place to meet and get to know people of all ages and interests. Some of our programs include:

• Family Events
• Youth Groups
• Habitat for Humanity Missions - Local and National
• Koinania Support within our Community
• Service to our Local Community
• International Service and Missions

We are a small church within a global community. Join us! We have a lot of fun while serving around the world.

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Come to Jeffrey Stevens Ordination January 27! You are ALL urged to take part in the worship service celebrating Jeffrey Louis Stevens’ ordination into the Christian Ministry on Sunday, January 27, at 3 pm. As we have done our best to support Jeff during his years of study and training, so shall we come together at the culmination of his journey with joy and thanksgiving. It is very rare that a Congregation has the honor and privilege of ordaining one of its “children.” Please help us to make this a memorable day for all of us. There will be a reception after the service.

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Our Youth Group’s Habitat for Humanity crew leaves for their mission to St. John’s Island, South Carolina on February 16th.  They depend upon our generous support to help them pay for travel, meals and other expenses while they labor to build affordable housing.  Last year on St. John’s Island they framed two houses and helped students from McMasters University with a third house frame. Two of those frames were erected on St. John’s. The third frame was de-assembled, placed in a container and shipped to New Orleans to help with the continuing critical housing shortage in post-Katrina Louisianna. This Spaghetti Dinner is their final fund-raiser before boarding the train for a week worth of challenging work and well-earned experience. Come join us and send them off with a smile!

The Habitat Crew Spaghetti Dinner
Saturday, February 9, 5 to 9 pm
Relax and enjoy our full service dinner with live music

$10 adults, $5 children
$8 seniors/students, $25 family of four

Tickets are on sale in the church office during weekday office hours. Reservations by phone at 413-458-4273 or E-mail fcc.willi@verizon.net

Menu
Salad, Garlic Bread,
Spaghetti with Meatballs or Vegetarian Sauce
Choice of Beverages
Dessert
Sweet Potato Pie
to celebrate the cuisine of our destination,
John’s Island, South Carolina

The Habitat Crew is the high school service group sponsored by the First Congregational Church. Participants work on Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity projects and complete many other local service projects. Dinner proceeds will benefit a week-long trip to South Carolina to volunteer at Sea Island Habitat for Humanity. For more information call Beth Parker at 458-4273 x105, 662-2660, or elizabeth_dorothy@hotmail.com

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Sunday, January 20 is Ecumenical Sunday when we celebrate what God is doing through the many ecumenical agencies — local, regional, national and international — that make up the modern ecumenical movement. As we continue our special prayers “that all may be one… that the world may believe” (John 17:21), we take time to familiarize ourselves with the work that The Williamstown Ecumenical Association does to promote understanding and cooperation among Christians and others in our community.

The annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity began on the Friday, January 18, with the first lighting of the ecumenical candle at 8:45 a.m. at St. Patrick Church, continues with a progression of candle lightings in the various churches, and a prayer service at noon on Wednesday, January 23rd, at St. John’s Episcopal Church, and concludes Friday, January 25, with the final extinguishing of the ecumenical candle.

All are welcome to join us at the Wednesday prayer service. Today we welcome Clare Morrison, our Ecumenical Visitor from Second Congregational Church.

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Lenten Study Group: Wednesday evenings, starting February 6, and for eight or so weeks thereafter.

Format: pot luck, 6-7 p.m., DVD presentation and discussion, 7-8:15 p.m.

Content: a brand new DVD entitled “Eclipsing Empire: Paul, Rome, and the Kingdom of God.” It’s blurb reads: “Join preeminent New Testament scholars Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan on location in Turkey as they trace the Apostle Paul’s footsteps throughout the Roman Empire. This 12- session DVD and web-based study explores fresh insights into Paul’s message of the Kingdom of God, its challenge to Roman imperial theology, and the apostle’s radical relevance for today. Participant Guide written by John Dominic Crossan. Filmed in High-Definition across Turkey, Greece, and Italy.” In September of 2004 Jina and I, along with 40 others, took s similar pilgrimage with Dom and Marcus, traveling across western Turkey. There will clearly be some overlap in content with last year’s study group but that will be offset by Marcus’ and Dom’s new contributions and the visual excitement provided by the new DVD. — Dick Ford

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Habitat Crew 2006-2007 - The crew consisted of 14 youths, both church members and non-church members who met regularly with leader Beth Davis and advisors John MacDonald, Jodi Green, and Lisa Hiley to do community service projects and raise funds to finance a trip to Charleston, South Carolina during February vacation to work for Habitat for Humanity. The crew completed frames for Habitat houses during their stay. They gave a presentation about their experience on Children’s Sunday in May.

Habitat Crew, 2007-2008 - This year’s Habitat Crew consists of 16 youths, both church members and non-church members, in grades 10-12 who meet regularly with their leader Beth Parker to do community service projects and raise funds in order to return to Charleston, South Carolina during February vacation for an intensive work-week with the Sea Island chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

Activities have included leaf-raking, volunteering at the Habitat Christmas Tree Showcase event, baking pies for the Berkshire Food Project, and cookie-baking. The winter and spring activities will include working at a local Habitat site and a Spaghetti Supper for the community. Youths from the surrounding area participate.  They are enthusiastic, hard-working, have lots of fun and are well-supported by the congregation and community-at-large.

In addition to Beth Parker, adult advisors and trip chaperones are: Beth Davis, Elizabeth Smith, and Sam Smith.

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Our weekend Meals on Wheels project, part of the larger ecumenical “Take and Eat” program, has been cooking on Saturdays and delivering approximately 70 meals on the fourth Sunday of each month since September of 2005. Our recipient list includes people referred by Elder Services, local churches and a few members of our congregation.

We are blessed with a talented and dedicated cooking crew who have prepared everything from mounds of mashed potatoes to mini meatballs, bagged innumerable baked goods, produced dozens of cookies and bars, served up approximately 850 meals and keep the kitchen and our supplies in good order.

We have seven delivery routes each month and our faithful delivery drivers not only get the meal to the recipient but deliver cheer and companionship, reporting back if they encounter any concerns.

In 2007, over twenty persons have tied on aprons to help cook and/or package and bag the meals: a dozen more have baked the luscious desserts and twenty or so have lent their time and autos to deliver the meals.

We will be continuing our participation in the program for 2008 and welcome all who wish to be part. Cooking skills are not required.

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Saturday, September 6, 2008 9 am-2 pm

The First Congregational Church Williamstown will hold its world-famous (well, at least here in Williamstown) annual tag sale on Saturday, September 6, 2008. We welcome donations of household items, such as refrigerators and dishes, furniture, including sofas, desks, lamps, chairs, and couches, laundry items, toys, videos, and more from January 1 through August 31.

We do NOT accept mattresses, computers, or televisions. Donations of used books my be made to the David & Joyce Milne Public Library for their annual book sale. Donations of used clothing and bedding may be made to the ABC Clothing Sale by calling 413-458-5777.

From the middle of August on we need volunteers to help sort, clean, move and price items. Call the church office at 413-458-4246 if you are interested in donating or volunteering.

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First Congregational Church, Williamstown, covenants with Northern Berkshire Habitat to commit financial and human resources in the following ways:

• Pray for the ministry of Habitat for Humanity;
• Actively participate in the Day of Prayer and Action for Human Habitat, held each year on the third Sunday in September;
• Spread the word throughout the church community about Habitat for Humanity’s ministry;
• Provide financial support for Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity;
• Organize volunteers to help build homes (with at least two work efforts this year);
• Support members of this church who serve as Board and Committee members of Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity, and encourage others to serve.

(This covenant is considered for renewal each year by vote of the congregation.)

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The Habitat Crew is an interfaith youth service group for high-schoolers. Participation in Habitat Crew does not require membership in any religious community.

Habitat Crew Is An Opportunity To:

• Make a lasting change in the lives of hard working families. The homes we help built can change the course of many generations as children grow up with basics they once lacked.
• Work hard (and have fun) with friends and advisors as a team.
• Learn new skills.
• To learn and teach others about how Habitat for Humanity is working to eliminate substandard poverty housing while building communities.

Habitat Crew Requires:

• Willingness to work hard and serve others.
• Maturity, teamwork, and communication skills.
• Wise use of resources.
• Adherence to a two part covenant for safety and building a healthy community.

Part 1: A Covenant with Advisors and our sponsor, The First Congregational Church of Williamstown. During any Habitat Crew meeting, activity, fundraiser, or trip the following behaviors will result in immediate dismissal of participant:

• illegal use of drugs, tobacco, or alcohol
• use of any type of weapon
• inappropriate physical contact
• absence without leave from advisors

Part 2: A Covenant for living together in community will be written each year by the participating youth before any major trips.

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