First Congregational Church of Essex Junction, 1 Church Street, Essex Jct., VT 05452 | (802) 878-5745
Yard Sale and Jamaica Lunch
/in Events /by Andrea SharpAugust 14th – Save the Date!
FCCEJ Yard Sale and Jamaica Lunch
Start Collecting items to Donate!
Spend the morning with us!

The Craft Fest Committee and the Heavenly Cents Thrift Shop at the First Congregational Church of Essex Junction, Essex VT will be again holding an outdoor Nearly New Sale on Saturday, August 14 from 9-1. No early birds please. Drop offs for Nearly New will open that morning at 7 AM.
Enjoy baked goods and hot coffee at the Missions’ Committee bake sale to benefit the Jamaica Service Program.
Please use the SignUp button below to volunteer to help at the Nearly New Sale.

And after you shop, join us for lunch! To highlight the mission work of FCCEJ at St. Thomas Parish in Jamaica, the food truck, Jamaican Supreme will be on-site selling delicious, authentic Jamaican food from 11-1:00. Trip leaders will be there with a slide show and information about our service projects.
Please pre-order food online using the SignUp button below. The pre-order deadline is Friday August 13th at 4:00 pm.
Hope to see you there!
Easter: Sunday, April 4th, 2021
/in Events, Weekly Bulletins /by adminEaster Sunrise: Sunday, April 4th @ 6:30am via http://facebook.com/firstcongregationalej/ We will not be physically meeting for our Easter Sunrise Service this year, unfortunately. However, Rev. Mendes will again have a live sunrise service in some beautiful location on the church’s Facebook page where we will all experience a Vermont sunrise as we celebrate the miracle of Christ’s resurrection. This will be a special ecumenical event for Rev. Mark Mendes will be welcoming Rev. Karen Mendes and the First Baptist Church of Burlington to this sacred event. Rev. Karen Mendes will save Rev. Mark and our entire community by bringing her angelic voice to the occasion. Together, they will worship Jesus, commemorate his resurrection, and proclaim the continuing presence of Jesus within our world and our midst. You will not want to miss this once in a lifetime occasion. They will begin their live stream at 6:30 a.m. on April 4th.
Easter Celebration: Sunday, April 4th @ 10am via http://youtube.com/c/fccej. With Easter being such a high and grand occasion, the Staff and Executive Committee determined to pre-tape the service and play it at 10 a.m. on Easter morning. With so many churches planning streamed services at 10 a.m. on Easter morning, we did not want the most sacred of all services to suffer a technological crash. Both the Sanctuary Choir and Finally @ First are busy recording some magnificent music. The Staff and Deacons are all preparing their parts and Rev. Josh is ensuring that it is all expertly pieced together and ready to go. You will be able to reach the Easter Celebration by going to our webpage and clicking on the live service tab.
Note: The Bulletin for this service is linked below.
Palm Sunday: March 28th, 2021
/in Events, Weekly Bulletins /by admin
View the service on our official YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/fccej
Everyone likes to wave palms and remember when Jesus entered Jerusalem. And many of us like to keep our palms from Palm Sunday and put them up somewhere to remind us of last year’s Holy Week remembrances and celebrations. And those of us that are religious fanatics like to save our palms to burn them for the following year’s ashes on Ash Wednesday. So, despite not being in worship on Palm Sunday we are going to place palms on a clearly marked table out in the parking lot on March 28th / Palm Sunday. You are free to come by any time between 9:00 a.m. and 12 noon. Enjoy and be sure to wave them out the window on your way home!
Special Service: Ash Wednesday 2021
/in Events, Weekly Bulletins /by adminAsh Wednesday. Wednesday, February 17th, 2021 @ 7pm via Zoom.
Zoom ID# 882 4274 4962 or use this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88242744962?pwd=RU9CNW1VUHc0N1RwWGg4TTVsa1daZz09
Lent is one of the sacred times in the life of the Christian Church. It is a time to reflect on our faith and how we live it out in today’s world. It is also a time to remember some of the more difficult experiences in Christ’s life that culminated in his death. Christians have long used this time as an opportunity to delve into life issues that might be a bit deeper and more meaningful than usual. During this Covid time, we will be trying to continue this long tradition and offer some of the usual offerings with a technological twist. Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, a time when we place ashes on our head to remember our shared humanity; traditionally we remember our shared culpability in human sin, but we also remember that ashes ground us in the earth, a common element in all our creation and a sacred gift from God. Traditionally, the ashes come from last year’s palms that we waved to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem and each year I burn last year’s palms. However, with Covid, I invite all of you to burn your own palms [if you saved one and if my stash of last year’s palms will be available in the Church Street entryway] and place ashes on your own forehead or wrist or those of your family’s when we invite you to do so during the service. Hope to see you there.
Grab ‘N Go Chili Dinner
/in Events /by Andrea Sharp
Friday, February 26th
The First Congregational Church of Essex Junction is hosting a Grab ‘N Go Chili Dinner! Choose between contact-less pick-up or free (local) delivery. Each meal-to-go contains a quart of homemade chili (either meat or vegetarian), 2 pieces of cornbread, and shredded cheese for a topping. Plan on 1 dinner for every 2 adults in your household.
All of this for only $10!
Reserve by Wednesday, February 24th using the SignUp Genius links below. Orders can be paid with cash or check at pick up or delivery. Proceeds benefit the church’s outreach projects.
Thank you for your support!
Donations
Drop-off Feb. 26th from 9am – noon
FCCEJ members – to donate chili and/or cornbread, click on the SignUp Genius button below.
Reservations
Pick up Feb. 26th from 4 – 6:00 pm
This event is Sold Out – we hope to repeat this event next year.
For contact-less pick up, pull into the parking lot and your order will be brought to your car. Delivery is available within 15 minutes drive of the church, and will arrive between 4-5 pm.
Sunday, February 7th, 2021: Annual Meeting Sunday
/in Events, Weekly Bulletins /by adminWARNING FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING: Sunday, February 7th @ 11:15am via Zoom Teleconference
/in Agendas, Church Life Updates & News, Events /by adminWARNING FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF ESSEX JUNCTION
Sunday, February 7th, 2021
11:15 A.M.
To the members of the First Congregational Church of Essex Junction,
GREETINGS IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST:
The Annual Meeting of the First Congregational Church of Essex Junction will be via Zoom (using this web link: https://bit.ly/31dXQ76)* on Sunday, February 7, 2021 at 11:15 A.M. to act upon the following business:
Article I: To hear and act upon the reports of the Church Officers, Committees and Recognized Groups of the Church.
Article II: To act and vote upon the proposed budget for 2021.
Article III: To elect all church officers and committees required by the by-laws of the Church and others as may be necessary.
Article IV: To give authorization to the Finance Committee to borrow money and sign notes pledging the credit of the Church, if needed, to meet the current expenses of the Church.
Article V: To transact any other business which may properly be brought before this Annual Meeting.
On behalf of the Church,
Christine Sinkewicz, Church Clerk
2020 Annual Report:
Christmas Eve 2020: 5pm & 9pm Worship Services
/in Events, Weekly Bulletins /by admin
Watch both services on our official YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/c/fccej
