Church News, Past Sermons

Sermon April 1, 2018 Easter

“Why Go Home”
Rev. Jeffrey Long-Middleton
Bradford Congregational Church-UCC
John 20: 1-18
April 1, 2018

Then the disciples returned to their homes. – John 20:10i

What a strange thing to do. Jesus has risen from the dead. Peter and the other disciple come to believe that Jesus lives. Instead of running back to tell the other disciples, they “returned to their homes.” They have come to an existential awakening. The world has been turned upside down and the defeat of Jesus and their cause has become the greatest victory in history. They go home? Continue reading Sermon April 1, 2018 Easter →

Church News, Lenten & Holy Week Resources

When Easter Wasn’t Our Thing

Due to our Puritan roots, New England-based Congregational churches have traditionally been much more reserved in their Easter traditions and expressions than other more liturgically based denominations. For them Easter was the joyous culmination of a series of elaborate rituals and observances: Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, Passion Week, Grand Processions, and Great Vigils. And here’s why Bradford Congregational Church didn’t always celebrate in kind. Continue reading When Easter Wasn’t Our Thing →

Church News, Lenten & Holy Week Resources

2018 Holy Week worship

HolyWeekEasterScheduleSunday, March 25
Palm Sunday morning worship, we receive our palms, 10 a.m.

Thursday, March 29
Maundy Thursday evening Tenebrae, the Last Supper, 7 p.m.

Friday, March 30
Good Friday prayer vigil, sanctuary open noon to 3 p.m.
(Evening worship at Grace UMC, time to be announced)

Sunday, April 1
Easter Sunrise Service, at village gazebo, 6:30  a.m.
Easter Family Worship, 10 a.m.

Church News

Palm Sunday Fesitival

2018 Annual Palm Sunday Choir Festival
March 25th
7pm at the Bradford Congregational Church

Alto Bass

Festival Combined Chorus alto/bass section 2016

For more than 50 years Bradford has hosted this annual service of musical praise featuring the choirs of surrounding town churches, instrumental musicians (organists, pianists, guitarists, flutist), the Tabor Valley Singers, the Jeremiah Ingalls Singers, and the annual Festival Combined Chorus.

Many traditions have endured over the years, such as the singing of five hymns with descants and organ embellishments. Also, the final hymn is always the great “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.” This year’s exciting new thing is that professional videographer Tim Swaan of Haverhill will be making a video of the festival!

Please come, join us, sing with us!

Past Sermons

Sermon, March 18 2018

“We Wish to See Jesus”
Rev. Jeffrey Long-Middleton
Bradford Congregational Church-UCC
John 12: 20-33
March 18, 2018

“They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”  – John 12:21 i

Where were you on February 16th? Did you hop a plane and go to China? I didn’t. They were celebrating the Chinese New Year but that has nothing to do with me. I don’t even know why it’s held on the sixteenth of February. Me going to China makes about as much sense as these Gentiles trekking to Jerusalem for Passover. I mean, really. Do these Greeks even know what Passover commemorates? I suppose they could have been “Greeks considering Judaism.” The text is silent on that point. The one thing we know is that they wished to see Jesus. Continue reading Sermon, March 18 2018 →

Church News, Lenten & Holy Week Resources

Palm Sunday here and world-wide

The tradition of handing out and waving palm fronds is relatively new for mainstream Protestant churches. It grew in popularity after Word War II when access to palm trees expanded. In our church, the fronds are ordered well in advance and usually originate from points south of the border.

ourkidspalms2017Sometimes we have the children march in ceremoniously waving the palms. Sometimes we have handed out the palms to congregants as they entered the sanctuary. A few times the palms were strewn on the front of the altar platform and congregants came forward to get them. Continue reading Palm Sunday here and world-wide →

Church News

Congregational Half-Way Covenant

The Half-Way Covenant  Image result for halfway covenant

Our early New England Congregational forebears became members of the church by experiencing a conversion. Their children were baptized as infants, just as we do now. When these children grew up they of course wanted full church membership and to partake of the Lord’s Supper. But, in order to be granted that membership and communion they were expected to give evidence that they, too, had experienced a conversion.

Many couldn’t report such a conversion and were therefore considered quasi-members: permitted to be baptized only because they had had parents who had experienced a conversion. The membership was partial; they did not partake of the Lord’s Supper, could not vote, and could not hold office. Continue reading Congregational Half-Way Covenant →

Church News, Past Sermons

Sermon, March 11 2018

“Loving the Light”
Rev. Jeffrey Long-Middleton
Bradford Congregational Church-UCC
John 3: 14-21
March 11, 2018

“…those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.” – John 3:21i

It travels at 186,000 mi/s. As a phenomenon it has the nature of being both a particle and a wave. We arise in the morning and we behold its presence. We rest at night and the stars and Moon abide. It is with us at the dawn of day and in the contrasting darkness of night. It sustains life on earth. It illuminates our way. The psalmist would have us sing:

1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    you discern my thoughts from far away.
3 You search out my path and my lying down,
    and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
    O Lord, you know it completely.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
    and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
    it is so high that I cannot attain it. Continue reading Sermon, March 11 2018 →