Chime Notes news & updates
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Thank YOU - Christmas Offering 2023 | |
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The First Church in Swampscott Missions Ministry thanks everyone who was part of our Christmas Offering(s) in December and early January.
Coats - at least 30 were donated to Peter Cipriano's ongoing collection. Fabulous!
Gift Cards for My Brothers Table - MBT thanks YOU!
Alternative Gifts Market - Julia Wistran and family thanks YOU!!
Christmas Offering to Shelter Box, see blurb below...many thanks to ALL.
ShelterBoxes help people who have lost everything – not just their home and belongings, but practical tools and equipment that create a framework for everyday life. Since each disaster is different and each affected community is different, they customize their aid to suit the needs of the affected population. They provide necessities like tents, kitchen supplies, water filters and carriers, blankets, mosquito nets, solar lights, saws, tarpaulins, and shovels. Where education systems are affected, they send school supplies. They are also innovating with other organizations to create transitional shelters to provide families with safe, durable homes.
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Stewardship Drive this month
As we learned from Jim Kinchley and the Stewardship Committee recently, our annual drive is underway! During January, we will be hearing from several church members about the ways that First Church continues to be at the center of their lives. On Sunday, January 7th, we heard an inspiring message from Lynn Lindsey, about her faith journey, that involved an intriguing warning about the weather, birds, mission trips, times of COVID, and more! Click the link to hear Lynn's message. --------->
Thank you for this gift, Lynn. We look forward to future messages in the coming weeks.
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As we enter 2024, we look forward to the ways God is moving in our lives and in our church. If you want to be inspired for this journey, please listen (or listen again) to the 12/31 sermon by Amanda Grant-Rose, and the 1/7 sermon by Pastor Ian! These can be found on Facebook or YouTube. | |
Over the last several years we have developed a close collaboration with Bethel AME church in Lynn, with their congregation joining us for worship 3-4 times each year. We will continue this exchange on Sunday, January 14, this time worshiping in their sanctuary at 72 Silsbee Street. We look forward to seeing Pastor Bernadette Hickman-Maynard, Pastor Teddy, and the Bethel flock on Sunday. | |
The youth of the church did an amazing job with telling the story of the birth of Jesus on Sunday, December 24th! Thanks to all of them, and the adults who helped them to pull together all the elements that are involved in telling the story that is central to our Christian faith. | |
^ The Road Ahead - January 2024 ^ | |
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Sunday morning Coffee and Conversation
This group has resumed meeting in the Library on non-Communion Sundays. Each week, a member of the group will lead a discussion of spiritual topics, and how the words and stories of the Bible can inform and influence modern day issues. We begin at 9:10 am. During January, we will meet on 1/21 and 1/28.
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MINISTRY HIGHLIGHT - CLUTTER CREW | |
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The Clutter Crew is a ministry team that meets on most Friday afternoons for lunch in the church library at 12:30 pm, followed by a time of cleaning around the church. We seek to create order out of the mess that at times can accumulate, even in the house of God!
We welcome new members to join in the work, and the food/fun. If interested, please contact Karen Rose Brown. ------------->
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We did have some fun over the Christmas Holidays, with a challenge to create an ornament with a uniform set of materials found around the church. Here are a couple of the entries, and sorry that I cannot find all the submissions to share with you. They were quite creative, given the humble nature of the ingredients. | | |
We are back doing the work of the church, from weekly worship to meetings to activities! Come join us! | |
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The First Church in Swampscott (MA) | [ Website] | |
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