Worship Sunday with Rev. Rebecca! Lenten series! Membership meeting; Bible Study Monday and many more! Join us!
Photo credit: Bette Bailey and Mary Lou Bates
FIRST CHURCH
March 5 - 12, 2021
] Why Do We Wear Purple for Lent?
Reflection by Rev. Rebecca Pugh
Purple is one of the rarest dyes and in Biblical times was reserved for royalty. Lydia, the apostle in the Book of Acts, made purple dye from the shells of the Murex, a sea snail. Purple brings together the red of the struggle for justice and the blue of the wisdom of the deep sea and sky.
We honor Jesus, who God sent to be a new kind of royalty. He was born homeless, soon became a refugee, and never truly had a home. Jesus was completely aligned with the poor. He is the the royal one we wear purple to remember, and this purple takes on a new meaning along side of the old one. Purple still is the color of the monarch, but it also becomes the color of surrender: of bowing before God, realizing our own poverty.
Jesus was constantly speaking about the great family of beings, equal together, and how we must surrender to this. He insisted on building a community which would speak up for the refugee, which would live for the poorest of the world. So wear purple. But do not let the purple wear you. Let your actions bear your quiet faith.
What's Happening This Week in Lent
Sunday March 7, 7 am: Running Meditation with Alex Edwards and Rebecca Pugh. Run the dunes at Crane Beach. Meet at the outside gate. Text Rebecca to register.
Sunday March 7, 11:30 am: Membership workshop for all who are interested in joining First Church, and a chance to join at 12:45 in a gathering with the deacons. Face to face option in the Sanctuary (please wear a mask), and zoom option: call the church to register.
Monday March 8, 10 am: Bible Study with Rebecca Pugh. Live, in the church office (please wear a mask) and on zoom. Email Rebecca or the church office for the Zoom link.*
Tuesday March 9, 8 am: Yoga and meditation with Davis Thompson-Moss. Every week day at 8am, on zoom. www.crownheightshealing.com
Thursday, March 11, 2 pm: Singing meditation on this Facebook Live event. Join Diane Young for a prayer and Joanne McMahon for Taize songs, and Rev. Rebecca for a meditation, in a 15-minute Lenten devotion time. Go to your Facebook account and then to the church's Facebook page at facebook.com/FirstChurchIpswich. Scroll down the page to videos for liveand recorded meditations.
Thursday, March 11, 3 pm: Get out your mending, your broom, your letter writing, your firewood stacking, or any other work and join us on zoom in this ancient practice of prayers and labors. Ora et Labora--the Buddhists, the Benedictines, the Shakers, all taught the deep wisdom of chore prayers and meditation. Sign up at the church office for Zoom link.
Friday, March 12, 7 am: Walking Meditation. Join Beth Viehmann, Barta Hathaway and Rebecca Pugh for this four part prayer and grounding in gratitude and holiness, at the Labor in Vain Bridge. Contact the church office to sign up, or for a zoom link.
* To register or for Zoom links to any of the above events, 978.356.2211, firstuccipswich@gmail.com.
Membership at First Church Ipswich is about joining our joyful congregation on the hill, and our community that is connected on-line, and our wide community of the United Church of Christ and faithful disciples of all callings. You are welcome to join us for the next membership class
Sunday March 7, 11:30 gather; 11:45 class in person or Zoom
RSVP to Carmen for a Zoom link and so we can prepare you a packet and
be ready to welcome you.
firstuccipswich@gmail.com, 978-356-2211
Being and Creating with God Worship for Families
We are pausing this Sunday but looking forward to our grand finale of our four part series of outdoor services next Sunday. This final service will be a collaborative effort with the older youth help out our local blue bird population.. All 4-8th graders are invited to join Rev. Rebecca and Beth Viehmann at Greenwood farm (on Jeffrey's Neck Road) at 8:30 am next Sunday see details below. Families are invited to join the group at Greenwood at 10 am.
March 14, 10 am Greenwood Farm: Prayers and walking meditation, looking for God's "shimmers" and learning about the spiritual practice of listening and looking for birds with Rev. Rebecca. RSVP to The church office to RSVP for either/both offerings.
Facilitator: Stacey Keane Blagg Drawn from the books 'Earth: Our Original Monastery' and 'Awakening the Creative Spirit' by Christine Valters Paintner
firstuccipswich@gmail.com or keaneblagg@gmail.com
Love and blessings to you,
Stacey and Rev. Rebecca
A Blue Bird Project for Lent Grades 4-8
Bluebird landing
Photo credit, Carl Jappe
The bluebird houses are all falling apart at Greenwood, and without them, the bluebirds will die because there aren’t enough hollow trees for them to nest in. We invite the younger youth from the church, to meet for an outdoor retreat to welcome the bluebirds, build houses for them, reflect on homelessness and our Gospel, enjoy walking meditation.
Sunday March 14, 8:30 am,
Greenwood Farms (off Jeffrey's Neck Rd).
Call the church office to register.
Social Justice and
our Spiritual Convictions
Youth Retreat for Grades 8 - 12
Sunday, March 28, 10am through supper
at the church, socially distanced, and safely around a fire pit
Please wear a face mask
Prayer and Meditation
Human Rights Activism
Letter Writing
Community Service
Pizza Baking
Birthday Cake
Pocket Scriptures
Sacrament with Rev. Tom
Confirmation option
email Carmen at the Church for more information: firstUCCipswich@gmail.com
If you would like to send money securely to the church,
Click on the giving online icon above.
Edges
Photo credit: Kristen Ledson
Prayers
For members and friends in recovery: Barbara, Carol, Locksley, Gwen, Paula, Valeria
For members and friends who have died: Maureen, Ed, and Dodie For members and friends in prison: Patrick, Clare G, Carmen T, Martha H, Juan P, Charles B, Sayed M, David W, Danny L, Jack B, Steve K and Leonard P
For members and friends in Senior living facilities: Maggie C, Julie B, Mary Helen C,
Frank C, and Ruth H, Harry S
For members and friends seeking a cure for cancer: Noah D, Jim T, Charity B, and Carol H
For members and friends of the church in the military: Aaron T
For the release for the captives,
for an end to racism,
for end to warfare.
For freedom, for equality, for peace, for love, for understanding
For the youth groups as they pray and work this winter and spring.
May our powerful God hear all of our prayers
God is good, all the time
First Church in Ipswich, UCC AN OPEN AND AFFIRMING CONGREGATION Gathered in 1634
