Tree Lighting Festivities

Cocoa & Cookies – December 1, 2024

During the Reading Holiday Tree Lighting from 2-5 PM on Sunday, December 1, we open our doors to provide a little warmth and holiday hospitality. Cookies and cocoa are now being served throughout the duration of the event (no longer only after the conclusion of the event) from the Woburn Street steps. All are invited to come warm up inside the sanctuary, which has been decorated for the season.

Creative Arts will once again perform A Christmas Carol in the sanctuary at 3 PM. All are welcome.

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‘Phantom of the Opera’ Silent Film – Oct. 18 at 7 PM

Free Admission
$10 Suggested donation welcome
Registration not required, but encouraged! Go to https://tinyurl.com/PhantomEvite

Part of First Congregational Church’s Sanctuary Arts Series to highlight arts and cultural programming in the historic sanctuary in the heart of downtown Reading. Go to www.churchofreading.org/sanctuaryarts

Screening of the black and white film on the big screen in the historic sanctuary with live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent films.

The show will allow movie-goers to experience the silent ‘Phantom’ the way it was intended to be seen: on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience.

All are welcome to this family-friendly event. Admission is free, with a suggested donation of $10 per person. …

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Memorial Service for Leslie Turner

Please join us to celebrate the life of Leslie Turner on Saturday, June 8 at 11 AM EST at First Congregational Church of Reading, United Church of Christ. To read Leslie’s obituary, click here.

Parking is available in the Reading Town Hall Parking Lot (enter 16 Lowell Street, Reading MA into you phone or car GPS, which will take you to Town Hall and the adjacent parking lot). Enter through church door adjacent to the parking lot.

If you can’t be there in-person but would like to attend on Zoom, please fill out the form below. An email will go out the morning of Saturday, June 8 with a Zoom link for the service.

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April Mission Project – Hygiene Kits

Hygiene Kits For Church World Service

At no time in history has the United States and the World experienced such a horrific series of natural disasters. Millions of people have been forced to leave their homes abruptly and not even have time to pack the things they need on a daily basis, such as a toothbrush and soap. Our Hygiene Kits offer a daily boost to those when supplies are hard to come by.

Each Kit contains the following 7 items:

  • 1 hand towel measuring 15 x 28” to 16 x 32
  • 1 washcloth
  • 1 wide-tooth comb removed from the package (with at least 6” of teeth)
  • Fingernail or toenail clipper
  • Bath-size bar of soap ( in package)
  • 1 toothbrush in the original package
  • 10 standard size bandaids

All items should be packed in a gallon Zip-loc bag and left in the collection box outside the church office. Zip-loc bags for your use will be located there. This program will begin on Sunday March 31st and end on Sunday April 28th.

Monetary donations are also welcome. The cost of a Kit is $15.00. …

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Order Christmas Poinsettias

Contribute to our Christmas display by dedicating a plant in honor or in memory of a loved one.

Order Deadline – December 10th

Prices and options are as follows:
4 inch red – $5
6 inch red – $8
6 inch white – $8

Contact the church office at 781-944-0205 or office@churchofreading.org with any questions.

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Service of Celebration for the Life of Joe Kingston

A Service of Celebration and Thanksgiving for the Life of Joe Kingston will be held on Saturday, September 23 at 11 AM followed by a collation at First Congregational Church of Reading.

If you are unable to attend in person, and would like to receive the Zoom link, please add your email below and click “submit.” We will send an email out with the Zoom link the morning of the service.

If you already receive the weekly E-News and Sunday Zoom links, you are already on the mailing list.

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Spring Recital & Fundraiser

Join us for a special concert at 6:45 PM on Tuesday, May 9!

The concert will be held in the sanctuary with free admission (as well as online on Zoom & Facebook Live). The Zoom link will be sent out via church e-news.

If you are attending in person, we invite you to stay afterwards for a reception with refreshments downstairs in the Dining Hall.

This concert will feature the musical talents of our sabbatical Minister of Music, Jeongweon Lee, accompanied by friends and guest musicians. The concert is free, and guests are invited to contribute a free will donation which will go towards Jeongweon’s visa process.

If you’re unable to attend, but would still like to make a donation, please go to www.churchofreading.org/donate and select “John Lee Gift” from the drop-down menu. …

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