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11/24/2019 11:00 PMThe First Congregational Church in Madison, the Church on the Green at 26 Meeting House Lane, invites everyone to join them for various services throughout December to celebrate the Christmas season.
The Church has also announced that the collections during both the 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. services on Christmas Eve will be donated to those in need.
FCC, an open and affirming community, will host both solemn services, which will offer time for peace and reflection, as well as some celebratory services, like the 10 p.m. Christmas Eve candle lit service that will feature pieces from Joseph Martin’s cantata Appalachian Winter with both full Choir arrangement and FCC’s newly restored 1929 Moller Pipe Organ. The cantata combines both traditional music with more modern folk music sounds.
There will be Advent services at 10 a.m. on each Sunday in December to celebrate Hope, Peace, Joy and Love throughout Christmas. The fourth Sunday of Advent, on December 22, will feature the annual Christmas Pageant.
“This gives us the opportunity to not only celebrate our children, but to celebrate the Christmas story through the eyes, voices and faith of our children,” said FCC Senior Minister Rev. Todd C. Vetter.
And while the rehearsals for the popular Pageant have already started, there will be an opportunity for any child who attends to participate. If any children would like to join the procession of Angels and Shepherds in the Pageant, there will be costumes available as they come into the Church.
The schedule of services includes:
Dec. 1, 8, 15 and 22, at 10 a.m., Sunday Advent services.
Dec. 22 at 7 p.m., Long Night Advent Candlelight Service of Hope and Healing.
“This is a quiet, peaceful and meditative service for people to come together in God’s presence to feel comfort, support and love,” Rev. Vetter said of the service. “This will be a good place to find a moment of peace."
Dec. 24, Christmas Eve, at 5 p.m. Stories and Songs of Christmas; and at 10 p.m., Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship.
"The Christmas story is good news and provides hope for the whole world, especially at a time when the world seems so troubled," said FCC Minister of Community Life Sarah Vetter.
FCC undertakes numerous environmental and social minded projects throughout the year, such as by hosting forums on Plastics & the Environment and Racial Justice. FCC members are also working on projects to help Refugees and conduct Beach Clean-ups. FCC recently celebrated the 18th anniversary of becoming an Open & Affirming community. “We seek to serve God by serving others, by being generous with our time and resources and creative in how we serve,” Rev. Sarah Vetter said.