November 5th is Communion Sunday and Pastor Jeff is basing his sermon “The Crazy Kingdom of God” on the lectionary scripture Matthew 23: 1-12.
The Communion hymn will be one of our congregation’s favorites, “Let Us Break Bread Together” and by clicking here you will be treated to a wonderful sight and sound presentation of it. Continue reading Upcoming Worship Nov. 5, 2017
The 1st Congregational Church of Haverhill, NH will showcase its newly repaired Holtkamp 1895 tracker organ at a concert on Nov. 12 at 3 p.m.
The organist will be Beverly Caldon, music director/organist at the United Church of Christ in Keene, NH. Caldon holds a master’s degree in choral and organ from the University of New Hampshire and has taught organ as a faculty member at Keene State College.
The concert is free and open to the public. A free-will offering for the maintenance of the organ will be collected. There will be a reception in the Parish Hall following the concert.
(due to a widespread power outage, this sermon upload was delayed)
“The Crazy Freedom of Faith”
Rev. Jeffrey Long-Middleton
Bradford Congregational Church-UCC
Galatians 5: 1-6
October 29, 2017
” … For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1
So, what is this about? Why is Paul writing to the good folks in Galatia?
There’s a problem. The men of Galatia are thinking it might be a good idea to get circumcised. There not sure Jesus is enough. After all, Jesus was Jewish. Don’t you first have to become a Jew and then a Christian? And why not cover your bets?
For Paul, the stakes are high. In his mind you would only get circumcised if you were willing to go all the way – observe the law embedded in Judaism. But it is exactly the Law that Christ freed Paul from. Continue reading Sermon, Oct. 29, 2017
For this Sunday, Pastor Jeff says: Here’s a “yes” or “no” question to think about as we approach Sunday. Is following the dictates of one’s conscience the only way to steer one’s life with integrity? “Yes” or “No.”
And as we think about our personal response …
This year is the 500th anniversary of the start of the Protestant Reformation. For the back story on that there is a very good production by PBS which you can view by clicking here. It’s called Reluctant Revolutionary because when Luther tacked his list of complaints on the cathedral door it was not to spark a schism in the church but to help it get back on track.
Every year on Reformation Sunday (last Sunday in October) we sing “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” Continue reading Upcoming Worship Oct. 29, 2017
“Keeping the Mystery Alive”
Rev. Jeffrey Long-Middleton
Bradford Congregational Church-UCC
Exodus 33: 12-23
October 22, 2017
” … then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.” Exodus 33:23″
What does that look like? How did Moses get into the cleft of the rock? Did God point to where God wanted Moses to be and Moses scampered up? Did God pick up Moses? And what about God’s hand? It says God put God’s hand over Moses’ eyes so Moses wouldn’t see God’s face. Well, what does the “hand” of God look like – same size as ours or bigger? I can’t imagine God’s hand being smaller! Oh, what’s the problem with seeing God’s face? It’s not like God is trying to be totally illusive. Right? I mean, God let’s Moses see God’s back. No small thing. But the face, not that. Continue reading Sermon, Oct. 22, 2017
Enter into the fascinating world of sermon preparation this week as Pastor Jeff shares his outline:
Moses is allowed to see the glory of God but not the face of God. Why? Is it possible for human understanding to contain God’s fullness? If not, then, a degree of mystery seems necessary for faith.
PURPOSE: To convince the congregation that God is never possessed by the scope of human vision. Continue reading Upcoming Worship, Oct. 22nd, 2017
“Dressing for the Occasion”
Rev. Jeffrey Long-Middleton
Bradford Congregational Church-UCC
Matthew 22: 1-14
October 15, 2017
“Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:13 & 14
Hardly friendly – binding the poor bloc’s hands and feet, throwing him out. What did the other guests think of their host? Must have been rather shocking, right? And what’s the big deal? At least he came to the banquet. A lot of folks, good folks, didn’t bother. And now he’s on the outside looking in! Hardly friendly. Continue reading Sermon, Oct. 15, 2017
Sermon Title: “Dressing for the Occasion”
Read Matthew 22:1-14
A party is being thrown – a wedding, actually. All the invited guests have something better to do so they don’t show up. Did that stop the father of the bride? No. He told his slaves to go out and get anyone they can – good and bad, rich and poor. It didn’t matter. But wait. There is a problem some slob showed up in a tee shirt and shorts. Not okay. So the father has him thrown out and then Jesus says at the very end of the story, “Many are called but few are chosen.” With the sermon titled “Dressing for the Occasion,” what would you preach about?
This is the question Pastor Jeff is asking us to consider this Sunday, October 15th when we gather to worship at 10 a.m.
The final hymn of this week’s worship service will be the old revival “When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder.” Click here for a rare ukulele version to play as you read the back-story of how this hymn came to be. Continue reading Upcoming Worship, Oct. 15th, 2017
“Pressing On”
Rev. Jeffrey Long-Middleton
Bradford Congregational Church-UCC
Philippians 3:13-14
October 8, 2017
” … forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Let me begin by way of a story.
“A student from Maine attending Yale told in a class of the town of Flagstaff which was taken over as part of a hydroelectric development. The town in Maine would be submerged as a result of the dam that was being built. Continue reading Sermon, October 8, 2017
Wakantanka Taku Nitawa
“Pressing On” is the title for the sermon this coming Sunday by our Interim Pastor Jeff. He’ll be basing it on the reading from Philippians concerning breaking with the past.
A joyous highlight of the service will be the time when we all share in speaking the Liturgy of Blessing of the Interim ministry of Pastor Jeff. Continue reading Upcoming Worship, October 8, 2017