June 1, 2023

Dear Road Church Friends,

This Sunday we celebrate not only Communion, but also the founding of our congregation 349 years ago. Our Official Church History states that “the church was organized formally on the 3rd day of June, 1674.” What ceremonies were observed in the formation of the church does not appear. The record is simply this:

“The names of those who began the Church of Christ at Stonington, June 3, 1674, were Mr. James Noyes, Mr. Thomas Stanton, Mr. Nathaniel Chesebrough, Mr. Thomas Miner, Mr. Nehemiah Palmer, Mr. Ephraim Miner, Mr. Thomas Stanton Jr., Mr. Moses Palmer, Mr. Thomas Wheeler. They established a covenant when they formed the church. Though there were but nine persons mentioned as beginning the church, yet the entire population had participated in laying out the ministry land… and in the erection of the meetinghouse; and before 1696 nearly all of them were admitted to the church. Mr. Noyes ministry was eminently successful, and was sustained by his parishioners with great unanimity.”              

                            History of First Congregational Church, Wheeler, p. 45

Join us for celebration of Christian Communion and a remembrance of our Founders’ story presented by one of their descendants, Mrs. Donna Brandelli.

         SCRIPTURE READINGS            FOUNDERS’ DAY MESSAGE:   Donna Brandelli

Psalm 121

     We lift our eyes to the hills—from where will our help come? Our help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let our feet be moved; he who keeps us will not slumber nor sleep. The Lord is our keeper; the Lord is our shade at our right hand. The sun shall not strike us by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep us from all evil; he will keep our life. The Lord will keep our going out and our coming in from this time on and forevermore.

Matthew 28:16-20

     Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

  PASTORAL PRAYER

Our Father in heaven, be present as we celebrate the 349th year since the founding of our congregation by the first generation of settlers in this community. We give thanks for your grace that has sustained and blessed us to the present day. Through all these years you have been our Helper and Keeper. Help us to keep the Faith entrusted to us. Establish our faith in the goodness of your creation, that it is a world worth saving, that we have a dream worth sharing, and a heritage worth keeping, even as we reinvigorate it to have meaning for us now. Help us to keep faith in you and not to lose faith in ourselves, because faith is the substance of our hope and the assurance that our labor is not in vain. To you be glory and honor through all generations. Amen.

I BIND MY HEART

by Laughlan MacLean Watt

I bind my heart this tide to the Galilean’s side,

To the wounds of Calvary,—to the Christ who died for me.

I bind my soul this day to the brother far away,

To the brother near at hand, in this town, and in this land.

I bind my heart and thrall to the God, the Lord of all,

To the God, the poor man’s Friend, and the Christ whom He did send.

I bind myself to peace, to make strife and envy cease,

God! Knit Thou sure the cord of my thralldom to my Lord.

Blessings to you all,

Pastor Norm Erlendson

This Service on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/fiZuPXNjTp0?feature=share