Thursday, March 28th
Maundy Thursday

Candlelight Communion Worship and the service of Tenebrae at 7:30pm. 
You can live stream this service form the following link:  External link opens in new tab or windowhttps://youtube.com/live/ctziCJZhTdI?feature=share

Good Friday, March 29th

Guided Meditation on the Final Words of Jesus on the Cross - on Zoom at 7:00am

Guided Meditation on the Final Words of Jesus on the Cross - in the Meetinghouse at 12noon



Sunday, March 31, 2024

Easter Sunday

6:00am Easter Sunrise Service

8:30am and 10:30am Worship Services

"Awaken To the Light: From Shock to Service"

(with 10:30am Live Stream)


We will meet at Happy Landings at 6am for our Ecumenical Easter Sunrise Service, complete with a bagpiper and "God's masterpiece" as we begin in darkness and Awaken to the Light of the sun coming up over the hill. 


Then we will gather for 8:30 & 10:30 am Easter Worship in our Meetinghouse with Communion at 8:30am and special Chancel Choir music and the "Hallelujah Chorus" at 10:30am.  Church School will also meet at 10:30am with Hospitality Time and an Easter Egg Hunt to follow.  Nursery Care is available at both 8:30 & 10:30am services. 


Rev. Jennifer Whipple will be preaching on the Easter story in Mark 16:1-8, “Awaken to the Light: From Shock to Service," as we consider the courage of the women who first encountered the empty tomb and helped spread the message of Jesus' resurrection.  How are we called to follow in their footsteps, to bear witness to the things of life and miracles with one another, and to share the story of our faith in word and deed?  How can we move from shock at the things of our lives and world today to service? 



Our 10:30am service is regularly LIVE STREAMED and RECORDED.

    You can live stream our 10:30am service for March 31st from the following link:


      Additional recordings of our worship services can be found on our YouTube page "External link opens in new tab or windowuccbvideo".


      Church School & Nursery Care are available: If you have questions about Church School, please be in touch with our Church School Coordinator, Barbara Crandell at External link opens in new tab or windowbarbara@uccb.org.  The Nursery is open for both Sunday services as well.



      Thursday, March 28th – Maundy Thursday

      Good Friday, March 29th

      Guided Meditation on the Final Words of Jesus on the Cross - on Zoom at 7:00am
      Guided Meditation on the Final Words of Jesus on the Cross - in the Meetinghouse at 12noon


      Sunday, March 31st – Easter Sunday
      “Awaken to the Light: From Shock to Service”

          • Ecumenical Easter Sunrise Service at 6am – Happy Landings, 55 Whisconier Rd, Brookfield, CT 06804

          • Worship at 8:30 & 10:30am  Chancel Choir sings. Pastor Jennifer preaches.
          • Easter Egg Hunt after 10:30am Worship


          “Awaken to the Light”

          You may know that the liturgical season of Lent is the 40 days (excluding Sundays) that precede Easter every year. Maybe you also knew that word “Lent” comes from the Old English word lencten, which means “lengthen,” as the hours of daylight lengthen into spring. So Lent is a church season to move us spiritually from darkness to light. Traditionally, Lent has been a purple season of repentance and spiritual preparation for Easter. It evokes for us the 40 days of fasting and challenge that Jesus underwent in the wilderness following his baptism, and it also reminds us of the 40 years the Israelites struggled in the wilderness after Moses led them out of slavery in Egypt. Many of us know this path of hardship and loss all too well. We have had so many funerals at our church this past year, it seemed we were constantly changing the paraments on the pulpit from the color of the liturgical season (purple or green) over to white again. We do that to awaken us to the light of Christ in our time of sad darkness. When we give thanks at a memorial service for the life of a loved one, we recall our Christian promise of resurrection – and the brightness of Easter. So, just as we do in that other purple season of Advent, during Lent are called by God to lift up our heads from this world’s suffering and look ahead with hope, to Christ’s light and life eternal. This feels far different from the often escapist quest most Americans would call the “pursuit of happiness.” Instead, people of faith acknowledge suffering, while offering one another comfort and holding to the deep joy that comes from knowing the truth of Christ risen, present with us, and in the end, welcoming us home into the Divine Light. The Greek Orthodox word charmolypi, which translates as a “bright sadness” or “joyful sorrow,” is a wonderful phrase to capture the spirit of Lent. As we walk the way of the cross with Jesus this season, we can acknowledge both the joy than can emerge from the midst of grief and the tears of wistful sadness that can arise from our deepest joy and gratitude. We thank our Deacons and others who wrote or contributed to this year’s Lenten guide, as well as our faithful editors, Deacons John Pondiccio and Jim Eagan. May your reading and your prayers bless you and truly help you “Awaken to the Light” this Lenten season,

          Pastors Bryn & Jennifer

          Click on the following link to download the External link opens in new tab or window2024 Lenten Devotional PDF.



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          Lenten Devotional 2024.pdf

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          Inclement Weather Plans

          As the winter has decided to arrive in CT, we realize that may mean some potential weather incidents on Sunday mornings or when groups are scheduled to meet in person.  We invite you to PLEASE KEEP YOUR EYE ON YOUR EMAIL AND THE CCB WEBSITE (External link opens in new tab or windowuccb.org) for any updates.  If the weather is "iffy" on a Sunday morning, please be sure to check your email before you head out for Worship.  Our policy on weekdays for in-person gatherings is to follow the local public schools guidance.  If there is a delay or cancellation, in person morning programs will be canceled.  If you serve on a committee or participate in another group that meets in the evening, please be sure to check with the leader about meetings if there is a question due to inclement weather.  With our current Zoom and Hybrid meeting capabilities, many of our meetings/groups can join together despite bad weather, but regular email checking and communication will be important.



          10:30am Sunday Weekly Worship Recordings:

          If you are not able to watch the service live from the beginning, or if you need to join the service late, there will be an opportunity to view the entire recording in a few hours, after YouTube processes it and uploads it to our church YouTube channel. For instant notifications of Live Streams, you can also subscribe to that channel, uccbvideo, by clicking on the red "Subscribe" button on the YouTube page or click on the link above.

          Our 10:30am service is inside our air conditioned Meetinghouse and is LIVE STREAMED and RECORDED.  You can view the recorded live stream our 10:30am service for March 24th from the following link: External link opens in new tab or windowhttps://youtube.com/live/Ce_w4Pwn4sU?feature=share

           

          Sharing to Build, Building to Share…

          See the New Vision for Fellowship Hall!

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          Brochure link above

          Campaign Update

          It has been amazing to see the response from the congregation with our Fellowship Hall campaign results.

          Whether it was completing a giving commitment card, making an initial monetary gift or giving an entire pledge up front.

          Thank you all for participating, believing in our vision for this important project and showing your support!

          Each gift is a blessing; It truly shows the need and want for a fully accessible, updated Fellowship Hall, as it has been talked about for years.

          (Click here to read more)

          Because we are CCB, we have fun whenever we gather! Even as we worship each week in our historic Meetinghouse, fellowship is at the very heart of our church life and we believe Fellowship Hall should be accessible to all.  We invite you to contribute as generously as you can and help us extend God's extravagant welcome to everyone, "no matter who we are or where we are on life's journey."  Whether we walk or roll, we seek to follow Jesus together!



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          Pastors Fund Thanks & Information

          Our pastors wish to thank you so much for your generous support of the Pastors Fund during these difficult and ever-changing times.  With your help bills have been paid to cover housing costs, medical bills, and emergency repairs as well as to cover other everyday costs like food, gas, and clothing for members & friends of our church and wider community.  The Pastors Fund is supported through the honorarium from the funerals/memorials that our pastors officiate, as well as through the generous gifts of members and friends of our community.  The Thrift Shop has supported the Pastors Fund with gifts from sale profits, and the Pastors Fund is also one of the options for holiday support through our Virtual Giving Tree this year. 
          If you are feeling moved to make a direct gift to the Pastors Fund, gift cards for groceries and gas are always welcome, as are donations made payable to Pastors Fund.

           

          Your Pastors are Here for You!

          Pastoral Care Appointments

          Pastor Bryn and Pastor Jen are available for individual pastoral care appointments either in-person or via phone or Zoom.  If you have something that you would like to address or speak with them about, please feel free to reach out,  ( External link opens in new tab or windowbryn@uccb.org or External link opens in new tab or windowjennifer@uccb.org ) to set up a time to talk and pray together.

          Worship Opportunities

          Labyrinth & Children's Garden:

          One of our confirmands recently cleaned over at our Labyrinth - making sure the path is clearly outlined and instructions for use of the labyrinth are posted at the beginning.  We encourage people to stop over to the church and use the labyrinth during this nice weather (while maintaining physical distancing practices).  (Note: Our Labyrinth and the story of how it came to be were recently published in a book of New England Labyrinths, so we are excited to share that with people in our area and beyond.)  Work will also begin soon on our Children's Garden, a garden that will be planted in raised beds around our Labyrinth, where kids will be able to remember loved ones and go to play and pray at our church.


          Keep an eye on your email, the Congregational Church of Brookfield Facebook Page, or our website on Sunday morning for the links to join us (and please feel free to share the links with family and friends). Afterward, if you are willing to share a photo of you or your family worshipping with us online that may be used on our CCB Facebook page or website, please send it to External link opens in new tab or windowuccbsocialmedia@gmail.com.   If you have missed any of our online worship services you can find them linked below, and you can subscribe to our YouTube channel External link opens in new tab or windowuccbvideo, where our worship services are archived.

          ndayCB

          Church Office Hours

          Monday through Thursday - 9:00am - 2:00pm

          CLOSED on Fridays.


            The church door will remain locked for safety reasons, but our Ring doorbell system helps us to know who is coming to the door.

          If you want to ensure someone will be available to assist you, you can always call ahead to the Church Office at 203-775-1259.


          We are an Open and Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Christ.

          Know that "No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here!"

           

           

           At Home Electronic Worship Options

           

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          Congregational Church of Brookfield

          Listen to the Congregational Church of Brookfield's External link opens in new tab or windowPODCAST.

          Don't have time or an internet video connection?

          Subscribe to our podcast and listen on the go to past sermons.

          Click on:  External link opens in new tab or windowhttps://soundcloud.com/user-98392082