“The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of

the wise seek it out.” – Proverbs 18:15

Over the last several days, I have seen so many posts online from friends and family members as the children in their lives get ready to head back to school. Many of the posts have a photo of these young people heading off to school for the first day of a new year and a written message marking the occasion. From this, I have noticed a pattern. Almost every message I have seen seems to come with at least two things. The first, is a sense of disbelief, whether it is disbelief that the summer is (almost) gone or the fact that their child is already a freshman in High School. My, how time can fly! The second is a prayer or message of hope, whether spoken or unspoken, for a good and safe year to come.

This year, as we think of the teachers and students in our own lives and prepare to send them off for another year, I offer this prayer and hope that you will join me:

Dear God, with the beginning of another school year, we ask for

your presence to be with all who begin this journey once more.

Bless our teachers with wisdom, compassion, and energy to

guide and accompany their students for another year. Bless our

students with knowledge, drive, and kindness as they journey

with their teachers and one another. Bless all the administrative

and support staff with guidance and care as they run and main-

tain the schools, feed and lead our children, and enhance our

students’ experiences. Fill the schools with love, the hallways

with kindheartedness, and the classrooms with the joy of learn-

ing, keeping all safe as they teach, learn, and grow! In the name

of Jesus, our Teacher and our Christ, we pray. Amen.

Peace,

Josh

Rev. Josh Fitterling

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September 2018

FOCUS GROUP: The Vitality of Our Church

The Pastoral Relations Committee invites you to our next focus group on Sunday, Oc-tober 7, 2018 at noon at Sarah’s Café. We will be exploring your thoughts, ideas, and impressions of the vitality of our church. Everyone is welcome to attend! Feedback from all areas of our Christian life will help us as we continue to grow together in love. Look for the sign up sheet in Fellowship Hall in the next few weeks.

From the Diaconate

The Diaconate would like to welcome Oscar and Linda Wallace to the board. We ap-preciate their willingness to serve and look forward to working with them. A huge thank you to Dan and Zoë Bigley for their many years of service to this board. You will be sorely missed but we are glad that we will continue to see you in worship. Thanks to all of you who ushered over the summer and provided beautiful flow-ers to grace our altar. The need for both of these continues as we move into fall. Please find sign up sheets in Fellowship Hall.

THANKS! from Suki Flanagan, Head Tide Church Committee President

The Old Head Tide Church Committee sends its thanks to you and the congrega-tion of the First Congregational Church for their thoughtful gift of the old pew cushions. They fit perfectly, still look very nice, and are very comfortable. They will be much appreciated at our organ demonstration this July, and for many years, I am sure.

Don’t forget – flockings are still available!

Are you celebrating a milestone or event in the life of a friend? Do you just want to spread some cheer to a friend or neighbor? Then why not have them flocked!

Our church’s “herd of sheep” (pictured here), along with a personalized note from you, will be delivered by our “shepherd” and placed on the recipient’s front lawn for 3 days (but can be removed earlier if requested. No problem!).

During that time, the sheep will be a reminder of your and our love and care for them!

So far we have had 12 flockings for a variety of reasons, including the celebration of birthdays, get well messages, or just to say thank you! This is a FUNdraiser and FUNDraiser for the church. There is a suggested minimum donation of $25 for the one arranging the flocking. All recipients must be approximately 10 miles or less from the church and all flockings must be done in good fun (no ill-intent allowed!).

Do you have a friend you would like to flock? Contact the church office 207-882-7544

for more details or to schedule your flocking today!

Fifth Sunday Hymn Sing

September 30, 2018 at 10:00am

Noisy Offering for August = $171.20!

On the fourth Sunday of every month, First Congregational Church collects a “Noisy Offer-ing” as part of the children’s message. This offering of loose change and dollar bills goes in its entirely to the St. Phillip’s Episcopal Church food pantry and is one way we partner with other organizations that offer important services to our community.

We appreciate your generosity!

September 2018 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 Rev. Josh Vacation

Sept. 24-30

2 Family Worship & Communion 10am

No Bible Study

3 LABOR DAY

OFFICE CLOSED

Game Night 6pm

4 Healthy Kids 10am-12pm Garden Club Board Mtg 1:30pm

5 Organ Society 9:30am

No Bible Study

6 Garden Club 10am-12pm

Choir 4pm

7 8

9

10 am Worship & Church School Potluck & Picnic

CHOIR back! T-Shirt Delivery Civility 7pm

10

Game Night 6pm

11 HK 10am-12pm

Sheepscot Chorus 7pm

12 Organ Society 9:30am

Civility Study 11:30am

13 OFFICE CLOSED

Choir 4pm

14 15 Stewardship 9am

Speedway Open-ing Prayer by Rev. Josh

16

10am Worship & Church School Diaconate AW 4pm Blessing of the Animals Civility 7pm

17 CIS 4pm

Trustees 5pm

Game Night 6pm

18 HK 10am-12pm

Sheepscot Chorus 7pm,

19 Organ Society 9:30am Communications 11am Civility Study 11:30am

20

Choir 4pm

Council 7pm

21 22

23 10am Worship & Church School

Summerfest AW

Civility Study 7pm

24

Game Night 6pm

25 HK 12am-12pm

Sheepscot Chorus 7pm

26 Organ Society 9:30am

Civility Study 11:30am

27

Choir 4pm

28 29

30 10am Worship 5th Sunday Hymn Sing 10am

Church School Barbeque Picnic Lunch

Sunday, September 9th at 11:15am

Come celebrate the first day of the Church School Year with our parents and children after the church service. Please bring a salad or dessert to share. Hot dogs or burgers provided as well as drinks. For more information, call Sarah Joyce (207) 882-7567 or Colleen Crowley (207) 837-4013

Join us on September 2 to

celebrate these birthdays!

Shirley Barton Gail Burke Dianne Davis

Josh Fitterling Pam Frenier Bill Leibenguth

Deborah Miller Ron Sanchez

Sally Sherman Bill Speed Ken Sullivan

Raymond Whitney Jim Wright

To our Coffee Hosts for September:

Christian Education

Oktoberfest is Coming!

Oktoberfest will be on Saturday, October 13, 10am to 2pm. We will be selling yard sale items left over from Summerfest, Organ Society crafts, limited Silent Auction items, apples, hot drinks, baked goods, pumpkins, and bratwurst and sauerkraut and hot dogs with chips. Volunteers are needed to bake harvest-themed items (think pumpkin and apple goodies), set up and clean up, and staff the kitchen to sell hot drinks, lunch items, and a griller or two for the brats and hot dogs. Look for the sign up sheet in Fellowship Hall. Please contact Beth Maxwell (phone 207-882-6180, or email emaxwell@myfairpoint.net) with questions or ideas.

Civility: American Politics and Christian Responses A 3-week study group offered and led by Rev. Oscar Wallace

What happened to civility in public discourse? While civility has long been a factor in Christianity and even in American politics, more recently it seems that our society suffers from an appalling lack of it. When everyone is screaming at each other it be-comes difficult to conceive of a different, better way of thinking about politics and public debate. In three sessions we will explore ways to think about political discus-sion between people who disagree in light of the four virtues of civility and the prin-ciples of civility found in Christianity. There will be two opportunities to join the con-versation each week on Sunday evenings at 7pm or Wednesday midday at 11:30am.

First session – Sunday, Sept 9 @ 7pm or Wednesday, Sept 12 @ 11:30am. The ideal of civility is deeply rooted in American politics. Key scriptures are: Matthew 5:1-16, Matthew 5:38-48, 1 Peter 3:8-12

Second session – Sunday, Sept 12 @ 7pm or Wednesday, Sept 19 @ 11:30am. Civility has deep moral roots in Christianity. Key scriptures are: Genesis 1:27, Luke 6:37-38a, John 15:12, Ephesians 4:1-6, 1 Thessa-lonians 5:13-14, 2 Timothy 4:2

Third session – Sunday, Sept 23 @ 7pm or Wednesday, Sept 26 @ 11:30am. What kinds of commitments, behaviors, and practices does civility actually require? Key scriptures is John 13:34-35

If you have any questions or would like to know more, please contact Oscar at (508) 207-3537 or oscar.wallace@gmail.com.

Thank you Bob Bond!

Bob Bond of 40 Federal Studio in Wis-

casset, volunteered his time, energy, and

expertise to design our new t-shirt logos

(pictured here). We give thanks for his wonderful gift

to our congregation!

Church in Society

We will be having the Neighbors in Need offering on October 7th! This offering sup-ports the UCC’s ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. Two-thirds of this offering is used to fund a wide array of local and national justice initiatives, advocacy efforts and direct service projects including voting rights, immi-gration, health care, hate crimes, civil liberties, and environmental justice, and one-third supports our American Indian neighbors in the UCC. For more info, visit ucc.org/nin.

Directory Update!

As of Sept. 1, Rev. Josh will officially be a Wiscasset resident! His new apartment is located at 60 Main Street, Apt. 2. His mailing address will be:

P.O. Box 813, Wiscasset, ME 04578

The phone number to reach him at will be his cell: 610-750-2688

Third-Quarter Giving Statements

In recent years we have changed our tradition of distributing giving statements on a regular quarterly basis, instead attempting to make them responsive to individual needs throughout the year. This fall all individuals who made a 2018 pledge will receive a third-quarter giving statement in October, letting them know what they have contributed to date. Thank you to all who have supported and continue to support the ministry of our church fi-nancially and through the offering of many other gifts! Know that anyone who has contributed financially to the life of the church can also receive a giving statement at any time throughout the year! You can request this by contacting Office Administrator Janet Leonard (882-7544 or fccw@myfairpoint.net) or Financial Secretary Bud Lewis (563-1433 or shlewis@tidewater.net). Thank you!

Meeting House Chimes

First Congregational Church, U.C.C.

P.O. Box 350, 28 High Street

Wiscasset, ME 04578

September

2018

First Congregational Church

United Church of Christ

28 High Street, PO Box 350

Wiscasset, Maine 04578

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.