Where everyone is welcome...NO EXCEPTIONS!
Welcome to Central Congregational Church United Church of Christ
An Open and Affirming Congregation
WELCOME
You are Welcome Here...
We are officially an ONA Church - Open and Affirming.
You are welcome here. You are celebrated here with all the diversity you bring in race, background, country of origin, beliefs and doubts, class, education, age, abilities. You are celebrated here with all the diversity you bring in gender orientation, gender identity; our LGB TQ+ siblings you are welcome here ….
In a world where it sometimes feels unsafe to be who you are you are safe here;
You are seen here
This is God’s home
This is sacred space
God is here with us and we are here with God.
We are a people who honor God experienced by us as father and mother, Christ and Holy Spirit, but we don’t have a religious test for participation. So come with your beliefs, questions and doubts. Just come…with an open heart to where God is still speaking in your life and ours.
Because, we seek to honor the dignity of every human being, speak the truth to one another in love, listen with compassionate hearts and walk humbly with each other and our God. We’re not perfect, neither are you, and you don’t need to be.
So bring your traumas and triumphs, your fears and fervor, your anxieties and awakenings, your worries and weariness, your joys and laughter.
Bring the sounds of children and the sounds of silence and the songs we sing together.
You are welcome here, you are safe here, you are loved here, you are home here.
About Us
Worship
Please join us - no matter your age or stage in life - young families, singles, seniors, empty-nesters or young adult - there's a place for you here at Central Congregational Church.
Come and see!
Worship is held at 10:00 am each Sunday in the Sanctuary September through Memorial Day.
Join us for Worship at 9:30am June - August in our Air-Conditioned Sanctuary.
Our Church building is easily accessible and air-conditioned.
We have plenty of accessible parking and an elevator
with trained staff to assist you.
Join us - come as you are! You are welcome here!
Pastor's Ponderings
February 2026 -
ASH WEDNESDAY – FEBRUARY 18TH – LENT BEGINS
Ash Wednesday begins the Lenten season in the church’s year. It is a moment to reflect on our human nature and remember who and whose we are with humble honesty. Many folks mark the day with the imposing of ashes on their foreheads or hands.
Our church has not typically offered an Ash Wednesday service. However, last year we began an experiment that we are continuing this year. We provided a small bag of ashes and a take home prayer service that folks could use as part of their own spiritual journey. This year we are updating that service and offering it again.
We’ll have the prayer service and ashes in church on Sunday mornings if you want to pick them up. While the ashes typically are made from the burning of previous year’s Palm Sunday palms, there is nothing sacred about those ashes. If you can’t get to church you can find a link to the service here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/laurwk7eazup1jupjv146/ASH-WEDNESDAY-PRAYER-AND-REFLECTION-HOME-SERVICE-2026.docx?rlkey=38wt6uguxwy0z48kjrp233oej&dl=0 And you can use any ashes that you feel comfortable using, or, as an alternative you can use oil or water as part of the service.
We can also email you the service if you contact Kathy at our church office by 12noon on Tuesday, February 17th. May it be a blessing to you as we journey together towards Easter’s rebirth.
Persevere
Margaret Wheatley in her book, PERSEVERANCE, writes:
“The word “perseverance” in Latin means, “one who sees through to the end,” “one who doesn’t yield.” In English, it describes how we maintain our activity in spite of difficulties. Tenacity, steadfastness, persistence, doggedness—these are all common synonyms.
In Chinese, the character for perseverance is often the same as the one used for patience.
Human experience is the story of perseverance. Throughout space and time, humans have always persevered. We wouldn’t be here without them.
Think of all the people you know—family, friends, strangers—who have just kept going, who didn’t yield, who were tenacious, steadfast, patient.” (pg 3)
Throughout Lent we’ll be exploring the concepts in this book as we look at ourselves, our faith, our relationships, our country and our world. In all of that we’ll be discovering how to build our capacity to faithfully persevere in such a time as this. It’s a skill, it’s a capacity, it is innate in our temperament, it is essential to our faith. Bring a friend and journey together. And, one day, people will tell of your story of perseverance.
You can also pick up the book at a local bookstore or online if you would like to read along with our worship themes. The book is divided up into 5 sections; one for each week of our Lenten series. Since we can’t cover everything from each section in any one service, you may enjoy reading the book for all of its insights.
MARDI GRAS AND BIRTHDAY SUNDAY
Lent has long been a season of sacrifice. Folks ‘give up’ something during the 40 days that lead up to Easter. It spiritual practice traditions this was intended to deepen our ability to deny ourselves as Christ denied himself in order for us to be more fully alive and faithful. Part of this was to build our inner ‘muscle’ for sacrificing for others. Part of this was to let the experience of that sacrifice each day become a daily reminder to pause in prayer and openness to God’s Spirit. It was not a duty or obligation, nor was it trite. Instead it was an opportunity to deepen our faith.
Mardi Gras emerged as a time of indulgence before the time of sacrifice. As if we needed an excuse to give in to our hungers. It too, originally, was a spiritual practice of gratitude for the abundance of God available to us.
We are planning to reconnect with that spiritual practice of gratitude on Sunday February 15 at our fellowship hour. It is the last Sunday before we begin the Lenten season. Just before we hold our Annual Meeting we will have 12 cakes, one for each month of the year. So you can gather with folks who share the same birthday month (or with folks who like the same kind of cake as you). It is a time of fellowship and celebration as we prepare for Lent’s austerity.
Our Associate Conference Minister is Retiring
Our Associate Conference Minister is the person from our Conference staff who offers support and resources and guidance to churches and clergy in a region of our Conference. The Rev Patty Kogut has served our region here in southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island for the past several years. She offered support to our church as it considered visioning. She provided resources to the church during Rev Carole’s illness. She’s helped the church as it began the search for the interim. And she has coached our Local Church Profile Writing Team this past year. And those are only a few of the points of direct contact she has had with our church. Her ministry role is both broader and deeper than that and has impacted us in many less seen ways.
Patty is retiring this spring. She’ll be exploring all the ministry and personal opportunities that retirement brings. Her time serving our region comes to an end as Easter approaches this year. Our Conference will be letting us know who will fill in for Patty as our Conference’s engages in its own search for the next regional ACM.
There will be a retirement and ministry celebration for Patty on March 8th here in Attleboro at the Second Congregational church at 2:30pm. You are welcome to join us for this time of memory and release.
Save the Date!
Celebration of Ministry & Service of Releasefor Rev Dr. Patty Kogut
Sunday, March 8, 2:30pm
Second Congregational Church, Attleboro, MA
Reception to follow
