FIRST CHURCH CONGREGATIONAL, FAIRFIELD

Our Purpose is to love God and our neighbor as ourselves.

Our Mission is to welcome all, love all, and seek justice for all.

Our Vision is a just world for all.

I Will Pour Out My Spirit On All My People, by Marianne Gonzales Sims

MAY 23, 2021

THE DAY OF PENTECOST

10:15 AM AND 12 NOON

WE GATHER TO HEAR GOD’S WORD

Welcome

We seek to extend the extravagant welcome of God to all people, all the time. Regardless

of your race, class, ancestry, gender identity, marital status, ability, age, immigration

status, or sexual orientation you are always welcome at First Church. We affirm your

inherent dignity as a child of God. God created you just as you are and loves you just as

you are. We do, too!

Announcements

Prelude (10:15) Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott, BuxWV 199 Dietrich Buxtehude

(12:00) Veni,Creator Spiritus arr. Nancy Raabe

Call to Worship

Leader: Come, Holy Spirit! Ignite our hearts with joy and confidence!

People: For God has done wondrous things for us.

Leader: Come, Holy Spirit! Fill us with the rushing wind, serving you in all that we do!

People: For Christ has blessed us each and called us to be his disciples.

Leader: Come, Holy Spirit! Be with us today, the Body of Christ!

People: Empower us to boldly proclaim Christ is Risen! Amen.

(Rev. Nancy C. Townley, accessed at Ministry Matters™ | Worship Connection: Pentecost Sunday 2019)

*Hymn God of Tempest, God of Whirlwind

*Prayer of Invocation and Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be

done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our

trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever.

Amen.

Children’s Message Presentation of Bibles to Third Graders

(12:00) Jacen Ackley, Malia Daniels, Dwyer Dolan and Riley Saint

Pastors: We rejoice to present you with your own Bible, the Word of God.

We encourage you to learn the stories and study its words.

Its stories belong to us all and these words speak to us all.

Congregation: They tell us who we are.

They tell us that we belong to one another,

For we are the people of God.

We rejoice in this step in your journey with God.

We pray God will guide you, your family, and all of us

as you use this Bible at home,

here at church, and in our worship.

We will learn together and grow in our love for God.

Recipients: I receive this Bible with my hands, my heart and my mind, so that

when I read it I may feel the love of Jesus for me and all people.

All: The Word of God is a lamp to our feet, and a light to our path.

Thanks be to God.

Candle of Witness

Musical Response Come Down, O Love Divine Ralph Vaughan Williams

arr. Robert J. Powell

Scripture John 14 and Acts 2

Sermon “The Empowerment of Us All” The Reverend David W. Spollett

Musical Offering The Wind Blows Where It Wills Stephen P. Starke

Jacob B. Weber

The wind blows where it wills, we hear its sound,

We cannot tell its source or where it goes;

And so it is with all those born of God,

All those upon whom God has placed His name:

Come, Holy Spirit,

Breath of grace,

O Wind divine.

Your mercy will not break the trampled reed

Nor will You snuff the dimly burning wick;

With tender care, Lord, bind our broken lives

And fan again our smold’ring faith to flame:

Come, Holy Spirit,

Breath of grace,

O Wind divine.

Joys and Concerns

In lieu of flowers a generous contribution has been made

to the Deacon's Fund by Penny Stevens. To the glory of God

and in loving memory of her husband Wayne Stevens,

and her parents Mike and EB Read.

Prayers of the People

Invitation to the Offering and Prayer of Dedication

Hymn Come Down, O Love Divine

Benediction

God Be With You

Postlude (10:15) Toccata on “Veni, Creator Spiritus” Matthew Bellocchio

(12:00) God of Tempest, God of Whirlwind arr. Timothy Shaw

Go in peace and strength to love and serve the Lord and all God’s people! Amen.

LEADING US IN WORSHIP

The Reverend David W. Spollett

The Reverend Vanessa Rose

Alex Ackley, Director of Disciple Road

Dr. Frank Martignetti, Director of Music and Organist

Jane Barnes, Tim Clark and Michael Traum, Hymn Leaders

Members of the Chancel Choir (virtually)

Lindsey Ogilvy, Flute (virtually)

Cheri Evan, Alan Fuehring, Andrew and David McKinnis, Technical Team

God of Tempest, God of Whirlwind, by Herman G. Stuempfle. © 2000, GIA Publications, Inc.

Reprinted by permission, OneLicense.net #A-731937.

Maria Ferrante is working remotely and can be reached by email:

mferrante@firstchurchfairfield.org or on her cell (203) 394-8738.

Please hold in your prayers…

Disciples at First Church: Mary Ann Bamford, Sandy Bromer; Carol Callahan; Ken and

Betsy Dalling; Sonia Gutierrez and Henry Hernandez; Gayle Hand; Joyce Hutchings;

Christy Jefremow; Cathy Kane, her brother Scott and great niece Amelia; Adelaide

Kitchen; Alice and Jerry Krenke; Lillian Klein; The Nazzaro Family; Gerry Kuroghlian;

Madeline Lee; Mimi Maniscalco; Gerry O’Donovan; Tommy Petraglia; Jack Robinson;

Elizabeth Saint; Donna Schmidt; Esther Sotolongo; Rachel Spollett; Joe and Lauren

Strickland’s five grandsons in Libya; Arlene Studer; Joann Van Esselstyn; Bill Verdier;

Elinor Wilber; and Edith Zambo.

Serving in the military: James Classy, Sam Classy, Trevor Dawson, David Elmore,

Sean Lomnitzer, and Christopher Muschett.

Those on the Front Lines of COVID-19:

Members of First Church: Eric Anderson, Michelle Baker, Laura Burr, Pertrinea Cash,

Brooke Hine, Greg Jefremow, Kristin Koch, Kristin Lupo, Beth McKinnis, Kim Chaffee

Trupp, Edite Weddle; Friends of First Church: Marguerite Dolan (Matt Dolan’s mom),

Fairfield EMS, Ericka Gordon, Stephen Huelskamp, Tracie and Devon Lingenfelter,

Lauren Redler McGrath, Maria Pellegrino, Diane Marble, Casey Redler, Maria Sutton

(First Baptist Church) , Anna Taft, and Ann Yergeau.

Family and Friends: Thelma Anderson (David McKinnis’ Aunt), Jack Campbell (Mike

Traum), Connor, Mike & Jess Callahan (friends of Rita Skog); Clara Chokenea (Clara

Harmon’s Mom); Elizabeth Clark (friend of the Gindek family); Brandon Deedon

(Pertrinea Cash’s son); Tom Dwyer (Phil’s brother); Sharon Friedlander (Connie

Sargent's cousin), Greg Fregio; David Green (David McKinnis’ high school teacher),

Greenawalt and Darnall Families (Gindek family); Christina Holms (Connie and Bill

Sargent’s niece); Norma Jenkins and Family (friends of the Gindek family); Nancy and

Paul King; Tim Marble (Charlotte Dyslin’s brother); MaKayla and John McGovern

(friends of Donna Kersten); Artie Quinn; Sara Redeghieri (the Spollett’s “Italian”

daughter); Jenna Sargent (Connie and Bill’s gradaughter), Nan Scarbrough (David

McKinnis' dad's wife), Levi Schmidt (friend of Penny Stevens); Darlene and Bobby Scaia

(Pat Bilotto’s cousins); Dorothy Steinman; Seth Sullivan (Jacque Paige’s nephew);

Hayder, Nada, Ali, and Leith Tawfiq (friends of First Church); David Tilley (friend of

David McKinnis), Clarence Traum (Michael’s Father); and Danielle Taal and her five

sons (Lauren and Joe Strickland’s daughter and grandsons).

The Needs of God’s Beloved World:

● People targeted by all hatreds, especially anti-Asian messages and violence

● All who have suffered from the COVID-19 pandemic, especially suffering the

surges in India, and Brazil. Worldwide over 165 million people infected, many

living with chronic conditions, and over 3.4 million deaths; in the US more than

33 million infected, with over 587 thousand deaths – 1 out of every 557 people

● Those who are suffering so severely in the ongoing economic crisis

● Health care workers as they care for COVID-19 patients and all who are sick

● Essential workers who have continued to work in spite of the risk

● The victims and their loved ones who have been killed and wounded in our

nation’s epidemic of gun violence: 15,677 gun deaths so far this year including

200 mass shootings that have taken 300 lives, wounding 929 people

● Survivors of sexual assault, abuse, and harassment and those who love them

● All who are committed to the work of antiracism

● All who are involved in education: parents, teachers, administrators, and staff

● All who suffer from loneliness, depression, all mental illnesses, and their families

● All who work to prevent domestic violence and to care for the victims

● The Uighur, Rohingya, and Karen people who are subjected to genocidal violence

● The people of Darfur, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Mozambique, Central African Republic,

Chad, Nigeria, Syria, Libya, and Yemen suffering so gravely the ravages of war

● Nearly 80 million refugees and displaced people around the world

● All who are addicted, their loved ones, those in recovery, & those who have died

● Our community partners: FaithActs for Education that works for equity in funding

public education; Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport (CCGB); School

Volunteer Association; Mercy Learning Center; Operation Hope; Westbridge;

Simply Smiles; Make the Road Connecticut; Congregations Organized for a New

Connecticut (CONECT); and the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and

Immigrants (CIRI)

Reports can be downloaded from our homepage @ www.firstchurchfairfield.org

Portrait by Rogerio Pedro

"Helping Hands Near and Far!”

For our "far" helping hands, we are collecting "Coins for

Care" to help support the on-going construction of Simply

Smiles and their Children's Village on the Cheyenne River

Reservation. The Simply Smiles children’s village is a community of foster families

offering a child placement option that fulfills the spirit of the Indian child welfare act by

ensuring that native children who have been removed from their homes can remain with

kin and community." One foster home is already built, the second is underway now, and

the hope is for more to come!

We are excited to see how far our coins can go in supporting this effort. Is that change

weighing down your pockets? We'll take it! The penny you pass on the street, please pick

it up for us! We will have a donation container kept in the office. Due to COVID, please

drop off your donations on THURSDAYS between 9-2 when Maria is in the

office. The collection will continue through the end of May.

2 Ways to Help!

Weekly Meals for Operation Hope

Sign up to make a meal and feed our brothers and sisters in the community!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080e4da5a62eaafd0-operation1

If you have any questions, please contact Lauren Winston at winston.lauren@gmail.com

We have been able to lift the moratorium on in-person volunteering for our Community

Kitchen and are in need of regular volunteers to serve lunch Monday through Friday,

11:30am-1:00pm. The Community Kitchen is located at 50 Nichols Street, Fairfield.

Volunteers must be 18+ and follow COVID protocols. Send us an email

to info@operationhopect.org to let us know which days of the week you can regularly

help. Thank you!

You Can Help!!

Deliver Non-Perishable Food, Diapers, Checks, and Gift Cards to Wakeman

Hall

By Thursday Noon for delivery

to the Food Pantry at Mercy Learning Center on Friday Morning!!

These are basic items that will help right now:

· bags of rice and bags of any type of dried beans, lentils, etc.

· tomato paste, tomato sauce, or diced tomatoes

· oatmeal, cream of wheat, corn meal,

· pasta, cooking oil, flour

· powdered or evaporated milk

· canned meats, canned fruit, canned vegetables

· toilet paper, bars of soap, other toiletries

· Diapers: sizes 4, 5, and especially 6

· Gift cards: Stop and Shop, Shop Rite, Walgreens, CVS

· Financial Donations: Mail to First Church, check payable to Mercy Learning Center.

SAVE THE DATE

Confirmation and New Members Join

June 13

12 Noon on the Lawn

Come to worship and welcome our Confirmands and New

Members into our community of faith.

Reopening Soon!

The Store will be reopening on July 12th! Stay tuned for more information on days and

times of operation.

In the meantime, If you have items to donate please contact us via email

at managers@thestoreatfirstchurch.org. We will be accepting donations by appointment

only before July.

We are also looking for a few additional volunteers so, if you are interested in joining the

fun please reach out to me! Amy Watson amywatson8@gmail.com

Looking forward to seeing everyone soon!