Our Worship

About Our Worship

Worship is at the center of who we are as a church!  While all that we do can be done with an awareness of and sensitivity to God’s presence and therefore be worshipful, we take at least one hour a week as a community to ground ourselves again in God, through music, prayer, the reading of Scripture, the proclaimed Word and most importantly, the Living Christ in our midst.

Schedule

Sundays, 10:00 AM September to June

Summer Worship, 9:00 AM July and August

Children (in kindergarten and up) attend worship for the first 15 – 20 minutes, then are dismissed to their classes (see Children’s Ministries).

Childcare is available for children (2 and under) and the preschool begins at 10:00 AM

The Sacrament of Holy Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month

Sermons usually follow the Narrative Lectionary.

Children

At First Congregational Church, we acknowledge two important facts.  First, that we are “the people of God” when we gather in worship as a whole, inclusive congregation including children – whispers, squirming and all – because we value their presence and we long to share the reverence and celebration of worship with them.  Secondly, we acknowledge that children and adults need their own time, space, and age-appropriate activities to fully learn and grow in the Christian faith.

During worship, following the scripture reading, the children join the pastor, or a lay person, on the chancel steps to hear the “Children’s Moment.”  Prior to the sermon, the children are dismissed to their own classes.  At special times of the year we gather for intergenerational worship, celebrating as a whole church family.

Adult Sermon Archives

2025

 

 

 

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January
1/05/2025 Video unavailable
1/12/2025 Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 / Where is God leading us now in this New Year?
1/19/2025 John 2:1-11 / Save the best for last
1/26/2025 Luke 4:14-21 / We are connected with each other
February
2/02/2025 Luke 4:21-40 / Pick ourselves up
2/09/2025 /
2/16/2025 /
2/23/2025 /
March
03/02/2025 Video unavailable
03/09/2025 Lent I
03/16/2025 Video unavailable
03/23/2025 Video unavailable
03/30/2025 Video unavailable
April
04/06/2025 Lent V – part I
04/06/2025 Lent V – part 2
04/13/2025 Palm Sunday
04/18/2025 Good Friday
04/20/2025 Easter
04/27/2025 Easter II  / John 20:19-31 / Questions of faith
May
05/04/2025 Easter III / John 21:1-19 / Nets are full of possibility
05/11/2025 Easter IV / Confirmation
05/18/2025 Easter V / John 15:9-17 / Bullies / Sermon by Oliver Nemeth
05/25/2025 Easter VI / John 14:23-29 / Farewell discourse
June
06/01/2025 Easter VII / Acts:1:1-11
06/08/2025 Pentecost / Acts 2:1-21
06/15/2025 Trinity
06/22/2025 Video unavailable
06/29/2025 Pentecost III/Galatians 3:13-25/Live by the Spirit
July
07/06/2025
07/13/2025
07/20/2025
07/27/2025
August
08/03/2025
08/10/2025
08/17/2025
08/24/2025
08/31/2025
September
09/01/2024
09/07/2025
09/11/2025
09/21/2025
09/28/2025
October
10/05/2025
10/12/2025
10/19/2025
10/26/2025
November
11/02/2025
11/09/2025
11/16/2025
11/23/2025
11/30/2025
December
12/07/2025
12/14/2025
12/12/2025
12/24/2025
12/28/2025
09
08
0
0
04
2024

 

 

January
1/07/2024 No Service due to snowstorm
1/14/2024 1 Samuel 3:1-20 / Missing Calls
1/21/2024 Jonah 3:1-5, 10 / Personifying God
1/28/2024 Matthew 8:23-26 / God’s amazing world is in trouble / Sermon by Dawn Durning-Hammond
February
2/04/2024 Isaiah 40:21-32 / I don’t like to wait
2/11/2024 Mark 9:2-9 / A very big way
2/14/2024 Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 / What is the reward / Sermon by Pastor Christine VanDeWege

2/18/2024

Ash Wednesday

 Exodus 3:1-14 / A song of new beginnings / Sermon by Pastor Christine VanDeWege
2/25/2024 Mark 14:14-20 / How can we keep compassion burning?
March
03/03/2024 Luke 1:28-42 / Feisty Mary
03/10/2024 John 9:1-41 / The cross is a symbol of new beginnings
03/17/2024 Matthew 9:18-26 / People who need people
03/24/2024 Mark 11:1-11 / Step into the Easter story / Sermon by Pastor Christine VanDeWege
03/31/2024 Mark 16:1-8 / What’s the point of a mystery
April
04/07/2024 John 21:15-17 / The third movement of the Easter symphony / sermon by Pastor Christine VanDeWege
04/14/2024 Ruth 1:1, 3-5, 8-9, 14-22; Ruth 4:13-16 / Hesed (Faithfulness) / sermon by Pastor Christine VanDeWege
04/21/2024 No video/audio available
04/28/2024 John 15:1-8 / We are branches of a mighty vine
May
05/05/2024 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 / Unity means that. we stick together
05/12/2024 Colossians 1:16-17 / Creation vs. Religion / sermon by Rhodes VanDeWege
05/19/2024 Acts 2:1-22 / The Holy Spirit is about change
05/26/2024 John 3:1-17 / Called to a spiritual mission
June
06/02/2024 2 Corinthians 4:1, 5:16a / Peculiar Treasures / sermon by Rev. Amy Williams Fowler
06/09/2024 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1 / Be present in the moment
06/16/2024 Mark 4:26-34 / My kind of gardening
06/23/2024 Mark 4:35-41 / Jesus is an anchor in a storm
06/30/2024 Mark 5:21-43 / Share with God what is on our hearts and minds
July
07/07/2024 Luke 1:1-4 / Finding new strength in our history / Sermon by Rev. Peter Grandy
07/14/2024 Mark 6:14-29 / Summer of psalms: help, thanks, wow / Sermon by Rev. Amy Williams Fowler
07/21/2024 Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 / The covenant / Sermon by Rev. Amy Williams Fowler
07/28/2024 John 6:1-21 / Find it within yourself / Sermon by Mark Nemeth
August
08/04/2024 John 6:24-35 / How to become dependent on God
08/11/2024 John 6:35, 41-51 / Lost in the wilderness with an angel
08/18/2024 John 6:51-58 / You are what. you eat
08/25/2024 John 6:56-69 / Blessed 
September
09/01/2024 James 1:17-27 / Talk less, listen more
09/08/2024 Mark 7:24-37 / Jesus was having a pretty bad day
09/15/2024 Luke 5:36-39 / How the nature of reality is changing / Sermon by Rev. Pamela Anne Bro
09/22/2024 No video/audio available
09/29/2024 Genesis 2 / What can we do about climate change / Reflections from Climate Committee
October
10/06/2024 Ephesians 4:1-16 / Strive for unity
10/13/2024 Luke 10:25-27 / Who is our neighbor?
10/20/2024 Mark 10:35-45 / First in a life in Christ
10/27/2024 Psalm 46 / When God is a strength in your life
November
11/03/2024 Mark 12:28-34 / The hinge that opens the door for us
11/10/2024 Romans 12:1-21 / Finding a path forward through love
11/17/2024 Psalm 16 / In God is where I find my happiness
11/24/2024 Luke 17:11-19 / Inventory of gratitude
December
12/01/2024 Luke 21:25-36 / The promise of hope in the midst of chaos
12/08/2024 Luke 3:1-6 / Repentance is a reflection
12/15/2024 Luke 1:39-55 / Having the faith of Mary
12/22/2024 Pageant
12/24/2024 Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols
12/29/2024 Christmas I: Lessons and Carols
09
08
0
0
04
2023

 

 

January
1/01/2023 Ecclesiastes 3:1-14a / Eat, Drink, and Be Merry
1/08/2023 Matthew 2:1-12 / Becoming a manifestation of God
1/15/2023 John 1:29-42 / To Be a Light
1/22/2023 Matthew 4:12-23 / This is our calling
1/29/2023
February
2/05/2023 Matthew 5:13-20 / Seeing the light and the salt in each other
2/12/2023 Matthew 5:21-37 / Jesus cares about relationships
2/19/2023 Matthew 17:1-9 / Jesus is by our side
2/22/2023 Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 / To mend our brokenness / Ash Wednesday
2/26/2023 Matthew 4:1-11 / Shortcuts
March
03/05/2023 Romans 5:1-5 / Life Needs a Theme Song / Sermon by Rev. Amy Williams Fowler
03/12/2023 John 4:4-30 / Christ’s living water / Sermon by Christine Van DeWege
03/19/2023 John 9:1-41 / Let the shepherd enter our lives
03/26/2023 John 11:1-45 / Live a life of the spirit
April
04/02/2023 Matthew 21:1-11 / There is a better way
04/09/2023 Matthew 28:1-10 / Easter Sunday
04/16/2023 John 20:19-31 / Questions and some answers
04/23/2023 Luke 24:13-35 / A place to be your authentic self
04/30/2023 John 10:1-10 / What’s on the other side of the door?
May
05/07/2023 John 14:1-4 / What are the promises that we make?
05/14/2023 Luke 24:44-53 / Look around
05/21/2023 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 / Confirmation Sunday
05/28/2023 John 7:37-39 / Standing in the corner
June
06/04/2023 Luke 3:21-22 / The world of threes / Sermon by Rev. Bert Cote
06/11/2023 Philippians 4:1-8 / Origin of the Peace Sign / Sermon by Shel Frohlich Tscherne
06/18/2023 Matthew 9:35-10:8 / God’s harvest is great 
06/25/2023 Matthew 10:26-32 / God sees you / Sermon by Christine VanDeWege
July
07/02/2023 Matthew 10:40-42 / The little things
07/09/2023 1 Samuel 1:1-20 / God’s automat
07/16/2023 Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 / We are the soil
07/23/2023 Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 / Living with ambiguity
07/30/2023 Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 / Kaleidoscopes
August
08/06/2023 Matthew 14:13-21 Jesus is not a magician
08/13/2023 Matthew 14:22-23 / Trust Falls
08/20/2023 Matthew 15:21-28 / What do you want. to do? / Sermon by Eric Harting
08/27/2023 Matthew 16:13-20 / You are not alone
September
09/03/2023 Matthew 16:21-28 / Jesus is there for everyone
09/10/2023 Matthew 18:15-20 / When I’m right and everybody else is wrong
09/17/2023 Matthew 18:21-35 / Freedom in forgiveness
09/24/2023 Matthew 20:1-16 / Categories
October
10/01/2023 Philippians 2:1-13 / A special day / Sermon by Rev. Amy Williams Fowler
10/08/2023 Matthew 21:33-46 / Gotcha! / Sermon by Rev. Amy Williams Fowler
10/15/2023 Matthew 22:1-10 / The idolatry of busy-ness / Sermon by Rev. Amy Williams Fowler
10/22/2023 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 / Faith in action / Sermon by Todd Keiller
10/29/2023 Matthew 22:34-40 / Listen, love, and forgive
November
11/05/2023 Matthew 5:1-10 / God occasionally drops a handkerchief / Sermon by Rev. Peter Grandy
11/12/2023
11/19/2023 Matthew 5:43-45 / Helpful roles / Sermon by Dawn Durning-Hammond
11/26/2023 Matthew 25:31-45 / Acts of genuine compassion / Sermon by Rev. Bert Cote
December
12/03/2023 Mark 13:24-37 / It’s everything rolled up together
12/10/2023 Mark 1:1-8 / Inner peace / Sermon by Rev. Bert Cote
12/17/2023 Pageant
12/24/2023 Christmas Eve
12/31/2023 Psalm 42:1-8 / Just say yes to the call / Sermon by Mark Nemeth
09
08
0
0
04
2022

 

 

January
1/02/2022
1/09/2022 Luke 3:15-17;21-22 / Finding Your Calling
1/16/2022 Malachi 2:17-3:5 / Witness / Sermon by Rev. Amy Williams Fowler
1/23/2022 Luke 4:14-21
1/30/2022 Luke 4:21-30 / The Greatest of These is Love
February
2/06/2022 Luke 5:1-11 / Sharing Your Abundance
2/13/2022 Luke 6:17-26 / An Alternative to the Binary / Sermon by Rev. Elizabeth Garrigan-Byerly
2/20/2022 Luke 6:27-38 / Embracing Differences
2/27/2022 Luke 9:28-36 / Lift the Veil
March
03/06/2022 Luke 4:1-13 / Moving Closer to God
03/13/2022 Luke 13:31-35 / A Mother Hen
03/20/2022 Luke 13:1-9 / God Doesn’t Give Up
03/27/2022 Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 / My Friend Anne
April
04/03/2022 John 12:1-8 / Flawed People are Enough
04/10/2022 Palm Sunday: Luke 19:28-40 / When the Risk Gets Too High
04/17/2022 Easter: Luke 24:1-12 / This is the Day!
04/24/2022 John 20:19-31 / The Doors that are Locked / Sermon by Rev. Sarah Hubbell
May
05/01/2022 John 21:1-19 / The Barbecue on the Beach
05/08/2022 John 10:22-30 / The Complexities of Mother’s Day
05/15/2022 John 13:31-35 / What Other Choir do we have?
05/22/2022 John 14:23-29 / The New Jerusalem
05/29/2022 Acts 1:1-11 / Mary Poppins
June
06/05/2022 Acts 2:1-21 / The Holy Spirit Calls Us
06/12/2022 John 16:12-15 / The Trinity / Sermon by Connor Wood
06/19/2022 Luke 8:26-39 / I am Legion
06/26/2022 Luke 9:51-62 / Fruits of the Spirit
July
07/03/2022 Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 / Christians are a Team / Sermon by Rev. Bert Cote
07/10/2022 Luke 10:25-27 / In a Pious Coma / Sermon by Rev. Amy Williams Fowler
07/17/2022 Luke 10:38-42 / Hospitality is Life Saver / Sermon by Rev. Amy Williams Fowler
07/24/2022 Matthew 6:25-29 / God and Nature / Sermon by Rev. Peter Grandy
07/31/2022 Luke 12:13-21 / Greed is Bad / Sermon by Eric Harting
August
08/07/2022 Luke 12:32-40 / Give for the Sake of Giving
08/14/2022
08/21/2022
08/28/2022
September
09/04/2022 Luke 14:25-33 / The Potter and His Clay
09/11/2022 Luke 15:1-10 / All Are Welcome
09/18/2022 Luke 16:1-13 / Systems
09/25/2022 Luke 16:19-31 / God love the poor
October
10/02/2022 Philippians 2:1-13 / Christian Unity
10/09/2022 Luke 17:11-19 / Allies
10/16/2022 Luke 18:1-8 / Prayer changes us
10/23/2022 Luke 8:9-14 / Bring on the inside/outside
10/30/2022 Titus 3:5 / Not by my might, but by Your Spirit, Lord / Sermon by Christine Van De Wege
November
11/06/2022 Luke 19:1-10 / We are all human
11/13/2022 Luke 21:5-19 / God is always creating
11/20/2022 John 6:25-35 / We have the Savior we need
11/27/2022 Matthew 24:36-44 / Hang on, the time is coming
December
12/04/2022
12/11/2022 Matthew 11:2-11 / Waiting for Jesus
12/18/2022 The Christmas Pageant
12/24/2022
12/25/2022
09
08
0
0
04
2021

 

January
1/3/2021 Matthew 2:1-12 / Be a Part of the Good
1/10/2021 Luke 3:1-22
1/17/2021 Luke 4:14-30 / Jesus’ Inaugural Sermon
1/24/2021 Luke 5:1-11 / Deep Waters
1/31/2021 Luke 6:1-16 / Keeping the Sabbath
February
2/7/2021 Luke 7:1-7 / The Power to Heal
2/14/2021 Luke 9:28-45 / On the Mountaintop
2/21/2021 Luke 10:25-42 / In the Ditch
2/28/2021 Luke 13:1-9, 31-35 / Fig Trees
March
3/3/2021 Luke 15:1-32 / Lost Things / sermon by Rev. Bert Coté
3/14/2021 John 3:14-21 / Trust Falls
3/21/2021 John 19:1-10 / Zacchaeus Transforms
3/28/2021 Passion According to Mark
April
4/4/2021 Luke 24:1-12 / Resurrection People
4/11/2021 Luke 24:13-35 / My Hope Has Been Dashed
4/18/2021 Luke 24:36-48 / Bringing People Together in Faith
4/25/2021 Acts 8:26-40 / What Is to Prevent Us? / sermon by Rev. Amy Williams Fowler
May
5/2/2021 John 15:1-8 / The Vine in Us
5/9/2021 Galatians 1:13-17, 2:11-21 /
5/16/2021 Luke 24:44-53 / Jesus on the Loose
5/23/2021 Acts 2:1-12 / Bound Together
5/30/2021 John 3:1-17 / What is our Calling?
June
6/6/2021 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1 / The Power of God
6/13/2021 Mark 4:26-34 / Parables vs. Fables
6/20/2021 Mark 4:35-41 / Abundant Thinking
6/27/2021 Mark 5:21-43 / Moving Forward
July
7/4/2021 Luke 15:11-24 / The Prodigal Son I / sermon by Christine Van De Wege
7/11/2021 Luke 15:11-32 / The Prodigal Son II / sermon by Christine Van De Wege
7/18/2021 Deuteronomy 6:4-7; Luke 15:21-32 / The Prodigal Son III / sermon by Christine Van De Wege
7/25/2021 Isaiah 42:5-7; Luke 15:1-7 / The Prodigal Son IV / sermon by Christine Van De Wege
August
8/1/2021 John 6:24-35 / Service at Christ the King, Lutheran
8/8/2021 John 6:35, 41-51 / Service at Christ the King Lutheran
8/15/2021 John 6:51-58 / Service at Christ the King Lutheran / sermon by Pastor Mark Peterson
8/22/2021 John 6:56-69 / Service at Christ the King Lutheran
8/29/2021 Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 / Service at Christ the King Lutheran / sermon by Pastor Mark Peterson
September
9/5/2021 Mark 7:24-37 / Jesus and the Syrophoenician Woman
9/12/2021 Mark 8:27-38 / Embracing Goodness 
9/19/2021 Genesis 21:1-3; 22:1-14 / God Had a Plan / Sermon by Rev. Bert Coté
9/26/2021 Mark 9:38-50 / How can we open the love of Christ to others
October
10/3/2021 Mark 10:2-16 / Taking care of the most vulnerable
10/10/2021 Mark 10:17-31 / Love God, Not Possessions
10/17/2021 Mark 10:35-45 / Who’s With Me? / Sermon by Rev. Amy Williams Fowler
10/24/2021 Mark 10:46-52 / Cast Our Lot with the Lord
10/31/2021 John 11:32-44 / The Escape Artist
November
11/7/2021 Mark 12:38-44 / Saying Thank You / Sermon by Rev. Peter Grandy
11/14/2021 1 Samuel 1:4-20 / A Hannah Moment
11/21/2021 John 18:33-37 / What is Truth?
11/28/2021 Luke 21:25-36 / The In-Breaking of Light
December
12/5/2021 Luke 3:1-6 / Out in the Wilderness
12/12/2021 Luke 3:7-18 / A Different Kind of Joy
12/19/2021 Christmas Pageant
12/25/2021 Christmas Eve Service
12/26/2021 The First Sunday after Christmas
2020
January
1/5/2020 Three Astronomers Went Home by a Different Road
1/12/2020 Forgiven and Healed
1/19/2020 Do You Want to Know a Secret
1/26/2020 What Jesus Wants
February
2/2/2020 Experiencing Prayer, Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep
2/9/2020 Some Days Are Better Than Others
2/16/2020 What Really Matters to God
2/23/2020 A Glimpse of History
March
3/1/2020 Identity
3/8/2020 Born From Above
3/15/2020
3/22/2020
3/29/2020
April
4/5/2020
4/12/2020
4/19/2020
4/26/2020
May
5/3/2020
5/10/2020
5/17/2020
5/24/2020
5/31/2020
June
6/7/2020
6/14/2020
6/21/2020
6/28/2020
July
7/5/2020
7/12/2020 The Sower and the Seeds
7/19/2020
7/26/2020 Elijah and the Widow at Zarephath
August
8/2/2020 Feeding the 5000
8/9/2020 Jesus and Peter on the Water
8/16/2020
8/23/2020 A Piece of the Church
8/30/2020 At the Crossroads
September
9/6/2020 Dissension in Church
9/13/2020 Limits
9/20/2020 The Race for Justice
9/27/2020 Is God with Us?
October
10/4/2020 Set Us Free
10/11/2020 God is an Interactive God
10/18/2020 The Vulnerable Places in Us
10/25/2020 Letting God and Letting God
November
11/1/2020 An Unlikely Couple
11/8/2020 Connecting on the Human Level
11/15/2020 Prophets of God
11/22/2020 Co-creating with God / Sermon by Christine Van DeWege
11/29/2020 Please, Stand Here / Sermon by Cynthia Listewnik
December
12/6/2020 Peace
12/13/2020 Joy During Covidtide
12/20/2020 Christmas Pageant
Act I
Act II
Act III
12/27/2020 Christmas Courage

Children’s Moments Archives

2021

 

January
1/3/2021 Epiphany: Conjunction Junction
February
2/7/2021 Jesus Lived for Us!
March
3/3/2021 Never Have I Ever
3/28/2021 Hindsight
April
4/4/2021 The Light
May
5/2/2021 Staying Connected – Jesus and the Vine
5/23/2021 Pentecostal Popcorn
June
6/6/2021
July
7/4/2021
August
September
9/5/2021 The Persistent Parent
October
10/3/2021
November
11/7/2021
December
12/5/2021

 

2020
January
1/5/2020
1/12/2020
1/19/2020
1/26/2020
February
2/2/2020
2/9/2020
2/16/2020
2/23/2020
March
3/1/2020
3/8/2020
3/15/2020
3/22/2020
3/29/2020
April
4/5/2020 Palm Sunday2020
4/12/2020 Easter 2020
4/19/2020
4/26/2020
May
5/3/2020 Pentecost
5/10/2020
5/17/2020
5/24/2020
5/31/2020
June
6/7/2020
6/14/2020
6/21/2020
6/28/2020
July
7/5/2020 Where’s Miss Cynthia
7/12/2020
7/19/2020
7/26/2020
August
8/2/2020 Some Good News
8/9/2020
8/16/2020
8/23/2020
8/30/2020
September
9/6/2020 Fences or Bridges
9/13/2020
9/20/2020
9/27/2020
October
10/4/2020
10/11/2020
10/18/2020
10/25/2020
November
11/1/2020
11/8/2020
11/15/2020
11/22/2020
11/29/2020
December
12/6/2020
12/13/2020
12/20/2020
12/27/2020

 

Older Sermons

When You Come Through Our Doors, You Are Family!

We are a congregation who actively seeks to incorporate the gospel message of love, compassion and hope into our daily lives.

725 Washington St, Holliston, MA 01746

508.429.8608

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