FOR OUR GUESTS

 

 

The members and friends of the Roxbury Congregational Church, United Church of Christ,

welcome you to this church.  We are truly pleased that you are considering worshipping with us. We hope you will make this your church home and find strong friendships in our family of faith.

 

A printed bulletin will guide you through the various parts of the service; our hymns are generally found in the red hymnals in the pews.  We stand for some parts of the service (indicated in the bulletin) and sit for more of it. 

 

Hearing Assist Receivers are provided each Sunday for those who have difficulties hearing the service normally. They are available in the Narthex (vestibule), near the front doors.

 

Large Print Bibles and Hymnals are also available on the last pew, just as you enter the Meetinghouse.

 

Infants and Toddlers up to age four are welcome in our supervised nursery located off Fellowship Hall.  Greeters can assist you.

 

There are special children’s bulletin worksheets for ages 6 to 9 and coloring sheets for the younger ones.  They and pencils and crayons are found in a basket on the last pew. 

 

Church School takes place at the same time as worship in the Fellowship Hall classrooms. Children begin worship seated with their families and are then dismissed to class. Children from toddlers through grade eight participate.

 

Refreshments and Conversation (with coffee, juice, and food) is served each Sunday after worship services in our Fellowship Hall, through the right-hand side door, near the front of the Meetinghouse. Many have a better chance to greet one another and share their news concerns and strengthen friendships and offer support in Christ’s name.

 

We are a part of the United Church of Christ - a community of faith that seeks to live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed.  Each of us has our own personal responsibility to come to our own understanding of faith and to say what the gospel means to us. Each of us must, also, put our faith into daily actions.

      

The United Church of Christ was founded in 1957 as the union of four different Christian traditions.  From the beginning of our history, we have been a church that believes that Christians do not always have to agree to be able to live together in communion. More information about the history and beliefs of the UCC can be found in the back cover of the Bibles in the pew rack or at www.ucc.org

 

How should we dress?

What makes you comfortable and ready to worship God?  You will find some folks in a suit and tie at Roxbury Church on a Sunday; some in jeans; and kids in Sunday dresses or soccer uniforms.  Come as you are, or as you would like to be!

We celebrate Holy Communion once a month, usually on the first Sunday, as well as other special holy days. Everyone is invited to participate in the symbols of bread and wine without regard to religious heritage or church membership. 

The actual serving of the sacrament happens in a couple of different ways:

• one way is “in the pews”, which has historically been the most prevalent practice among Congregationalists and other Christians in the Reformed tradition.  When we serve in the pews, following the Great Prayer of Thanksgiving (the main Communion prayer), communion servers will bring the elements–first the bread and then the cups–via trays to each row of seats.  The elements are passed down the row, with worshipers serving each other. In the serving tray, the inner rings of cups are filled with grape juice while the outer ring is filled with wine.
• the other way is at communion stations in the front via “intinction”.  When we serve at communion stations, following the Great Prayer of Thanksgiving (the main Communion prayer), worshipers are invited to come forward to communion servers stationed at the front of the church.  A piece of bread is received from the first server, then dipped in the chalice of juice held by the second server, and then consumed.

 

Which method for serving communion is being used, as well as any other special instructions, will be clearly indicated by the printed worship bulletin and by verbal instruction.

 

Membership – Roxbury Congregational Church welcomes anyone to become a member who is ready to commit their loyalty to Jesus Christ as Savior and who will accept the joys and responsibilities of being a follower of Jesus in this church, this family of the faith. As a person on the journey of faith, you come to membership by your own personal statement of faith, by transfer from another church or by baptism into the universal church. There is usually a discussion and information class for prospective members before they make their membership vows during worship.

 

Offering - (Giving our financial gifts to help the church and others) is a basic responsibility for every member of the church The Congregation supports a number of mission activities here and beyond the church that receives our financial support. Your first time as our guest, feel free to use the offering envelopes found in the hymnal rack if you wish.

 

If you would like more information about participating in the life of our church, please speak with our Minister following worship, or write your message on the yellow “Church Notes” card located in the hymnal rack. Feel free to pick up a copy of the church newsletter either in Fellowship Hall or in the Narthex (foyer) or visit us on the web: www.roxburychurch.org 

Roxbury Congregational Church, UCC

24 Church Street ~ Roxbury, CT 06783

860-355-1978   info@roxburychurch.org