First Congregational Church, PO Box 350, Wiscasset, ME Church School Teacher & Coordinator: Colleen Crowley. In Easter Anticipation,

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1 MEETING HOUSE CHIMES First Congregational Church, PO Box 350, Wiscasset, ME (207) Minister: Rev. Josh Fitterling Acting Organist/Choir Director: Linda Adams Church School Teacher & Coordinator: Colleen Crowley Sexton: Mary McKinney Office Administrator/Editor: Janet Leonard March 2018 Look to Love and after three days rise again. Mark 8:21 As we prepare to celebrate the Third Sunday of Lent, I am reminded just how long this season in the life of the Church can feel. Top it all off with the beginning of March, which for many can be a long month as numerous hearts prepare to welcome spring. In this stretch of time, I m keeping my eye on Easter which will soon be upon us! I am constantly reminding myself of why we journey through Lent and through the longest months of life it is to get to the resurrection hope of which Jesus foretold the disciples. To prepare ourselves to welcome and be refreshed by the love of God, witnessed so powerfully through Christ. A love that does not let us slumber in the darkness, but that rises into the light of new life. So as we continue our journey toward the cross, may we look to the love revealed that first Easter morning. May it encourage us through this season of Lent and life, and may we be challenged to live that love. I find myself asking these questions, as I prepare for Easter: What are the areas of our world, our community, our lives, where there is a need for an infusion of love? What can I do to be a part of the resurrection power witnessed at Easter that can bring about new life in me and to those around me? I invite you to join me in asking these questions as we soon welcome the resurrection joy. May our journey to celebrate the greatest love ever witnessed be a life journey guided by that same love. In Easter Anticipation, Josh Rev. Josh Fitterling

2 SUMMERFEST 2018 Yes, really, it s time to start planning for SUMMERFEST 2018! Our annual all church summer fair will be held Saturday, July 28th. Set the day aside now we need everyone s help to make Summerfest 2018 a success. We have a great time working together and all the proceeds are donated to local community outreach groups. Last year we raised almost $7,000 and supported 22 outside agencies as well as our own Special Needs Fund. The first Summerfest planning meeting will be Sunday, March 11th, following the service. If you were a captain last year, please try to attend this meeting; if you are unable to come, please contact either Dan Bigley or Nancy Roby to confirm if you are willing to captain your table again this year. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend. We appreciate your help and look forward to another great Summerfest! Church World Service s Kit Program The kick off for this year s CWS Kit Program will be coming soon keep your eyes peeled for information from our fearless leader of Church World Service, Nancy Roby. We have been notified that there is a shortage of the Emergency Clean-Up Buckets in the CWS warehouse again this year, so we look forward to participating again in this important work. To our March Coffee Hosts: Diaconate

3 Holy Week Services 2018

4 March 2018 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Rev. Josh will be on vacation Tuesday, March 6th through Monday March 12th. In the event of an urgent pastoral care need, please contact Rev. Susie Craig at or Family & Communion Worship 10am Lenten Bible Study 6pm 5 Game Night 6pm 6 Healthy Kids Play- Group Sheepscot chorus 7pm 7 Organ Society 9:30am No Bible Study 1 10:30am Garden Club Book Orders for Heaven is Beautiful due Choir 4pm 8 Choir 4pm Worship 10am CE AW Summerfest AW One Great Hour of Sharing Offering No Bible Study 18 Game Night 6pm 19 Healthy Kids Play- Group Heaven is Beautiful books here Sheepscot Chorus 7pm 20 Organ Society 9:30am Communications 10:30am CIS 4pm Lenten Bible Study 11:30 21 Choir 4pm 22 St. Patrick s Day Boiled Dinner Worship 10am Diaconate AW Lenten Bible Study 6pm 25 Vitality 3:30 Publidk House, Newcastle Trustees 5pm Game Night 6pm 26 PEO 9-12am Healthy Kids PlayGroup (upstairs) Pastoral Relations 4pm Sheepscot 7pm 27 Organ Society 9:30am Lentent Bible Study 11:30 am Chase Point Service 10:30am Choir 4pm Council 7pm PALM SUNDAY Worship 10am Youth Group 7:00pm Wiscasset Green Coffee 9-11am Game Night 6pm Healthy Kids Playgroup Sheepscot Chorus 7pm MAUNDY THURSDAY Service 7pm at FCCW GOOD FRIDAY Service 6pm at St. Phillips FCCW Sanctuary Open 12-3pm

5 Join us on March 4 to celebrate these birthdays! Lori Munson Shirley Barton Hannah Olson Linda Winterberg Fred Pease Greg Shea Marjorie Knight Noah Doughty Corrine Joyce Fred Winterberg Coming March 20th! And remember to Spring Forward on March 11! CASHMAINE.org CASHMAINE is a collaboration of ten coalitions, comprised of 50 non- and for-profit partners (including United Way of Mid Coast Maine, CEI, and Mid Coast Charitable Foundation), working together to help empower Maine individuals and families to achieve long-term financial stability. The group serves Greater Bath, Brunswick, and Lincoln County. If your household income in 2017 was less than $54,000, you may quality for free tax preparation. Check them out at Cashmaine.org, phone

6 Let s prepare our sanctuary for Alleluias on Easter! It is once again time to order Easter Flowers to decorate our sanctuary for the celebration of Christ s Resurrection. Easter is on April 1 st, so orders for 6 lilies and/or tulips must be in to the church office by March 12th. Both types will cost $11.00 each. Please return this form with payment (checks to First Congregational Church with the notation Easter Flowers ). Your Name: # Lily 6 - $11.00 In honor/memory of # Tulip 6 - $11.00 In honor/memory of Total $ Flowers can be taken home after worship on Easter. Remaining flowers will be delivered to members of the community who must work on Easter (police officers, firemen/women, nurses, caregivers, etc.) as an expression of our gratitude for their service.

7 One Great Hour of Sharing Special Offering March 11 It is easy to feel overwhelmed when we look at all the areas of need in God s world: there is hunger, sickness, and injustice in so many communities. It is easy to feel there is nothing we can do to help. We can feel trapped by hopelessness and fear that what little we can do won t have an impact. But there is hope! Better yet: We are that hope! Wishing and dreaming of a better world means nothing if we don t realize that God gives us community to practice love and compassion. We cannot only care for ourselves, but we must also care about those around us, both near and far. Working together we can make a difference beyond what we can imagine! Please support this work by contributing to the One Hour of Sharing offering on March 11. Coming Soon Updated Church Directories! Spring is our time to update our Church Directories. Starting in March, forms will be available in the Narthex, Fellowship Hall, in the office and on the literature tables in the office area. If you have any changes or if you THINK we might have incorrect information for you please fill one out and leave it in the mailbox next to the office door by March 25. Reminder s will be sent to help everyone remember! And if you are a new member or supporter, definitely fill one out just to be sure! We hope to have the new directory out no later than mid-april.

8 Leela's Last Sunday Sunday, February 25th was Leela Koilpillai's last Sunday as our Organist & Choir Director. We celebrated Leela's 4 1/2 years of service among us. We gave thanks for her ministry and blessed her as she continues to follow God's call. We continue to hold her in prayer as she embarks on life's next adventure! Thank you, Leela! Revenue Raisers Report Thanks to all who helped with planning, preparing, and participating in our first two Revenue Raisers, A Night in Florence and a Courthouse Lunch. We raised over $1,000.00! Our next event will be a St. Patrick s Dinner on March 17, with a traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage dinner, Shepherd s Pie, and Vegetarian Shepherd s Pie, with Irish Soda Bread. We will be serving from 5:30 to 7:00 PM. Trustees have appointed a Revenue Raiser sub-committee and we have a few volunteers but would be happy to have some more folks join us in planning and hosting Revenue Raisers through the rest of the year. We plan on several more Courthouse Lunch sessions, plus our big event in October, Oktoberfest, and perhaps a few more theme dinners.

9 Pilgrim Lodge Registration Now Open! Pilgrim Lodge, owned and operated by the Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ, is a seasonal retreat center and summer camp located on Lake Cobbosseecontee in West Gardiner, Maine. During the summer months Pilgrim Lodge is the central location for the youth ministry program of the Maine Conference. The program also includes trip camps at other locations and weekend events for adults. Campers come to Pilgrim Lodge for one week in the summer. Each week is geared toward a particular age group. The youngest campers have finished second grade and the oldest campers are in high school. Programs are available for adults, too! Check it out at Our church will cover half the cost of a campership per camper per season! Heaven is Beautiful by Peter Baldwin Panagore Book Group If you are interested in being part of the discussion about this wonderful book, call the office no later than March 1 to be included in the group book order, or you can order your own copy. The discussion will be led by Rev. Josh at the Wiscasset Library on Friday, April 20th at 10:15 am. All are welcome!

10 Meeting House Chimes First Congregational Church, U.C.C. P.O. Box 350, 28 High Street Wiscasset, ME March 2018 First Congregational Church United Church of Christ 28 High Street, PO Box 350 Wiscasset, Maine We welcome you to the First Congregational Church of Wiscasset. We are an open and affirming congregation and are open theologically, growing spiritually, and concerned socially.