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Office Hours: Mon - Fri, 9:30 am - 1:30 pm
Closed on Federal and State Holidays or where otherwise noted
For those unable to attend worship in person, our Sunday service is also
The Sunday worship bulletin is also posted to our website
to make it easier to follow the service when watching online.
Thurs, Jan 19
8:30 - 9:30 am Coffee Chat, Thrive Tribe Cafe
1:30 - 3 pm Women of Faith Reading Group, Library
Sun, Jan 22
10 am Worship Service (in-person and online), Church School
2 pm Installation Service for Racquel Ray, Sanctuary
Reception following in Fellowship Hall
Mon, Jan 23
10 - 11 am Bereavement Group, Library
10:30 am Memorial Service for Flo Fairfield, Sanctuary
6 - 7 pm Youth Group, Fellowship Hall & Room 9
Tues, Jan 24
10 am Staff meeting, Dale's office
Wed, Jan 25
10 am Prayer Service, Sanctuary
4 pm Pack bags for LFRI Backpack Program, Fellowship Hall
7:30 pm Choir rehearsal, Vestry
Thurs, Jan 26
8:30 - 9:30 am Coffee Chat, Thrive Tribe Cafe
Sun, Jan 29
10 am Worship Service (in-person and online), Church School
After Worship: Annual BUDGET meeting, Sanctuary
Mon Jan 30
3 pm Governance/Ministry Task Force meeting, Library
6 - 7 pm Youth Group, Room 9 and Fellowship Hall
Tues, Jan 31
10 am Staff meeting, Dale's office
Wed, Feb 1
10 am Prayer Service, Sanctuary
7:30 pm Choir rehearsal, Vestry
Thurs, Feb 2
8:30 - 9:30 am Coffee Chat, Thrive Tribe Cafe
1:30 - 3 pm Women of Faith Reading Group, Library
6:30 pm Green Team meeting
Sun, Feb 5
8:45 am Faith Formation & Youth Ministries (FFAYM) meeting, Library
10 am Worship Service (in-person and online), Church School
11:30 am Staff Parish Relations Team) (SPRT) meeting, Dale's Office
| | Racquel's Installation Service is this Sunday afternoon! |
All are invited to the
Installation Service of
The Rev. Racquel Ray
as Associate Minister of Congregational Life
of Barrington Congregational Church, United Church of Christ
on Sunday, January 22nd, 2023
at 2 p.m. in the sanctuary of BCCUCC.
A reception will follow in Fellowship Hall.
There will be a number of visiting clergy as well as family and friends of Racquel and we look forward to welcoming them all. We hope that many from the congregation will be able to attend as we officially mark the beginning of Racquel's ministry as our Associate Minister of Congregational Life.
| | BCCUCC Loaves & Fishes Backpack Program - food donations needed |
Our next collection date for food to fill 25 bags for DelSesto Middle School in Providence is this Sunday, January 22. If you're unable to bring it on Sunday, items may also be dropped off in the kitchen of the Education building by Tuesday, January 24.
We collect the following items in the box in the narthex as you go up the stairs to church: peanut butter, bread, jelly, oatmeal, canned tuna, rice, beans, pasta and sauce, fruit cups, granola bars and shelf stable pudding.
A number of food donations are still needed so please take a look at this sign-up genius link to see what's needed and if there's anything you'd be willing to purchase. Please be sure to indicate the number of items you are signing up to donate.
Packing of the bags will take place Wednesday, January 25 at 4 pm in Fellowship Hall for anyone interested in helping put the bags of food together. Contact Jay Buckley pbuckley6@cox.net or 578-6533 if you can help, or with any questions.
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Visiting with us this Sunday, January 22 will be Kathryn Botelho, the Rhode Island representative from Communities for People (CFP). CFP is a foster care organization that works with the Departments of Children and Families in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. They work to place youth and adolescents with caring families to help these young people grow up safe and transition into adulthood. Perhaps you or someone you know would make a good foster parent. To learn more visit www.cfpfostercare.org or call 401-481-8410. Kathryn will have a table in Fellowship Hall during coffee hour to share information and answer questions.
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Our church's Annual Budget Meeting will be held in the sanctuary immediately following the 10 am worship service on Sunday, January 29. All church members are encouraged to attend. Child care will be provided.
The 2023 proposed budget and a letter will be emailed to the congregation prior to the meeting.
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Warrant for the ANNUAL BUDGET MEETING
Barrington Congregational Church, Barrington, Rhode Island
Sunday, January 29, 2023
The annual budget meeting of the Barrington Congregational Church, UCC, is hereby called to take place in the sanctuary following the 10 a.m. worship service on Sunday, January 29, 2023. The business to be transacted is as follows:
- ARTICLE I: To call the meeting to order.
- ARTICLE II: To review and vote on the proposed church budget for January 1
—December 31, 2023
- ARTICLE III: To consider any other business that may properly come before the
meeting.
- ARTICLE IV: To adjourn the meeting.
Respectfully submitted: Susan Seader, Clerk
| | Memorial Service for Flo Fairfield |
Long time church member Flo Fairfield passed away peacefully on January 16 at age 95. A memorial service will be held on Monday, January 23 at 10:30 am in the church. Burial will follow at Forest Chapel Cemetery. Visiting hours will be held at Smith Mason Funeral Home from 9 - 10 am.
Condolence cards may be sent to Flo's daughter, Gail DiPierro at 33 Prospect St, Barrington RI 02806. More info & obituary.
| | Lay Visitation - volunteers needed |
The Lay Visitation group is no longer going to meet on Mon, Jan 23 because of the memorial service (see above). They will instead communicate via email to catch up.
The group is in need of a few more volunteers. These dedicated people volunteer their time to make phone calls, send cards, and visit those in our congregation who are not able to join us in person or are going through a difficult time. Can you send a card? Make a call? Make a visit? Meet with the group once a month to check in? Please contact Rev. Racquel at racquel@bccucc.org or 246-0111 x104 to volunteer or with any questions. Lay Visitation next meets on Monday, February 27 at 11 am in Room 6.
| | Volunteers needed to keep the pew racks tidy and stocked |
On back of each pew are small racks containing pew envelopes, visitor cards, doodle cards, pencils and a whole lot more! These pew racks need to be tidied up and restocked on a regular basis. We’ve had a number of volunteers do this over the years, but currently have no one. If you’d like to volunteer to help with this task, please contact Christine in the church office at office@bccucc.org or (401) 246-0111 x101. She will supply you with all of the items that need to go into the racks, so all you need to do is come at a time convenient to you (it doesn’t have to be when the office is open) and spend some time in the quiet of the sanctuary as you take care of the racks. The more volunteers we have the less often any one person would be asked to do it. Thanks in advance to all who volunteer!
| | Membership Team revitalization |
Racquel writes......"As your new Associate Minister of Congregational Life, many members have shared with me great ideas about what we could, should, ought to be doing as a congregation. Ideas of potluck suppers, art receptions, movie nights, puzzle table at coffee hour, and intergenerational game nights. Does this sound exciting to you? What would you like to see from “Congregational Life” and our ministry?
The Membership Team will be exploring these ideas over the coming year. Please prayerfully consider joining us with your great ideas and a few volunteer hours to make great things happen! Email racquel@bccucc.org to join and keep an eye out for upcoming meetings." | | Who loves coffee hour??? We all do! |
As you know, Rev. Racquel’s husband Von has been making coffee for us since September. And at that time, we announced that we had enough zucchini bread to last until Advent. And so here we are. As the New Year begins we are out of zucchini bread. It now falls to you all – the congregation – to decide how to proceed with delicious treats at coffee hour. Von will gladly continue to brew coffee on the days when there is Church School. We will need volunteers to make coffee on the other Sundays. And, we will need the congregation to alternate bringing snacks (if the congregation wants snacks too). Von and Rev. Racquel provide the creamers and juice for Church School Sunday coffee hours. We will need to decide how to fund the rest of the weeks and how to ‘manage’ sign-ups. Who’s in??!! Contact Racquel at racquel@bccucc.org or (401) 246-0111 x104 if you're interested.
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We recently received a letter from St. Pauly Textile Inc, the organization that installed and collects the items left in the clothing shed that was installed in our parking lot in early June 2022. They let us know that between then and the end of the year, 23,628 pounds of clothing was donated which is enough to clothe an estimated 4,353 people all over the world. Based on this volume of clothing, the church received payment of $945.11.
Thanks to all who use the shed, plus special thanks go to Jay Buckley, Frank Lee, and Pat Stoddard who regularly move the bags from where they land inside the shed below the drop slot, and stack them up against the walls, making room for more donations.
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Ongoing groups / activities
listed alphabetically
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This support group is open to anyone (not just church members) who has lost a loved one at any time and new members are always welcome. The group meets once a month from 10 - 11 am in the church library. They next meet on Mon, Jan 23. For more information contact either of the facilitators, Betsy Brenner at betsybrenner3@gmail.com or 245-8031, or Aubrey Atwater at aubreyfolk@aol.com or (401) 392-1909. | |
The Book Group next meets on Tuesday, February 21 at 10:30 am in the church library. They will d iscuss Where We Come From by Oscar Casares. Book Review For more information about the group contact Helen Schall at helenschall@hotmail.com or 401 245-4724. All are welcome.
| | Coffee Chats with Racquel |
Rev. Racquel invites you to join her at Thrive Tribe Café, 60 Maple Avenue, Barrington from 8:30 am – 9:30 am on Thursday Mornings for Coffee Chats. She will be there every Thursday morning and hopes to see you there any time you can make it! All are welcome. | | Knitting for Others Group meets in person and online |
These knitters get together on the first Tuesday to knit items to be donated - prayer shawls, baby hats, etc. They next meet on Tuesday, February 7 from 6:30 – 9 pm and participants have the option to either meet in person in the church library or meet over zoom. Feel free to stop by the library or join the call at any time and stay as long as you like. All knitters and crocheters are invited to participate and new faces are very welcome. For more information on the group, contact Nancy Arena at (401) 246-0212 or nancy.arena@outlook.com.
Zoom information is not included here for security reasons but was in the version emailed to the congregation.
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On Wednesday mornings in the Sanctuary at 10 am all are invited to join Rev. Racquel for a brief prayer service to pray for the church congregation and clergy, the community, family and friends, and themselves. | | Women of Faith Reading Group |
The group meets for discussions on books, faith and life on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month from 1:30 - 3 pm in the church library. They welcome women of all ages from BCCUCC as well as other churches and faith traditions. Upcoming meetings are on Thursdays January 19, February 2 & 16. For more info contact Jane Tonn at 289-2349 or jtonn2@cox.net
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The Youth Group is led by Rev. Racquel and welcomes all in Grades 5 - 8. They gather most weeks throughout the year on Mondays from 6 - 7 pm for fun and fellowship, a simple dinner (usually pizza) and a closing prayer service.
Note: Youth participating in programs at church must be registered.
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The latest blog was written by Racquel and titled Rest. If you missed it earlier, you can read it here.
| | 2023 Contribution Envelopes |
If you would like to start using contribution envelopes in 2023, please contact Financial Secretary, Pat Stoddard (pat@bccucc.org or 246-0111 x 102) to let her know and she will provide you with a set.
| | Keep up to date with our Conference - SNEUCC |
The Southern New England Conference, UCC (SNEUCC), publishes several newsletters - one of which comes out weekly and is titled '5 Things to Know and Share'. Read the latest edition at this link and sign up to subscribe and get it sent to your inbox.
Click on this link to see the archive of all of the different SNEUCC newsletters - and subscribe to any that are of interest to you.
| | Sunday mornings at BCCUCC | | Services livestreamed to Facebook, website and YouTube |
All are invited to join us for our multi-platform worship service at 10 am. Masks are optional but we do ask that if you're feeling unwell or have symptoms, that you please stay home and watch online. We continue to run large HEPA air filters in the sanctuary and also have HEPA air filters in most spaces in our Education building.
For those unable to join us in person, the services are livestreamed so they can be watched online - either live or later - in three different places*:
*Occasionally, Facebook doesn't allow us to stream to their platform, and on those occasions it's not possible to watch the service on Facebook. However, you should still be able to find the service on YouTube and on our church website at the links above.
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The Nursery is open every Sunday morning to provide loving care for infants and children aged 0 - 3 years old. Parents/guardians are welcome to drop off their child/children in the nursery located in the Education building before going to the worship service.
The Nursery Nook, located directly below the sanctuary, is another option for parents with wiggly children of any age to retreat to and still hear the service on the loud speaker down there.
We love the sound of children in worship so parents are welcome to keep their infants and children with them in the sanctuary if they wish. For those who would prefer to worship without distraction, we provide these other options.
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Children from PreK through grade 8 attend the first part of worship service in the sanctuary with their families, then after the children's message (or communion on the first Sunday) they leave to go to their Church School classes in the Education building. Their teachers will accompany them. More information about the different church school classes are on pages 9 & 10 of the 2022-2023 Guide to Faith Formation
On All Ages Worship Sundays, the children remain in the sanctuary for the entire time and the service is more child friendly.
| | Deadlines for Announcements and eBridge |
The deadline for receiving information for inclusion in the eBridge and the Sunday Announcements is Noon on the Wednesday prior to publication.
Deadline for next eBridge is Wed, Feb 1. Send information to Christine at office@bccucc.org.
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If you would like a nametag please contact the church office at office@bccucc.org or call (401) 246-0111 and let us know what name you’d like on the nametag and your preference for a clip, pin or string holder. Nametags are stored on the rack in the vestry hallway, or you can keep it in your car or purse where you can easily find it on a Sunday morning.
| | Online donations to the church through our website |
Our church website ( www.bccucc.org) is capable of accepting online donations. Watch a brief video (30 secs) on how to do this, or read the following instructions: There’s a red ‘DONATE’ button on the right side of the black menu bar near the top of each page of the website. Clicking on it will take you to the ‘Giving to BCCUCC’ page. In the middle is a link to Tithe.ly through which you can make a donation to the church either using a credit card or directly from your bank. (No need to set up an account). You are also able to designate where you would like your donation to go (pledge, gift, memorial gift, Deacons’ Fund, etc). | |
Questions? Contact Pat Stoddard, Financial Secretary at pat@bccucc.org or (401) 246-0111 x 102.
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Racquel racquel@bccucc.org (401) 246-0111 x 104 Associate Minister for Congregational Life
Christine office@bccucc.org (401) 246-0111 x 101 (or just stay on the line) Office Administrator
Church Office Hours: Open Monday – Friday, 9:30 am – 1:30 pm.
Closed on Federal and State holidays.
Building Security: The Education building will remain locked at all times, even when the office is open. Please ring the bell for entry and we'll be happy to let you in - or use the code on the keypad if you have it.
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