Today

Sr. High Youth Group is going to Amesbury Sports Park for snow tubing today from 12:00 - 4:00 p.m.!  Cost is $24.  We'll leave from and return to Fellowship Hall.  Dress warmly, snow tubes provided!  Questions?  Call John Knight at 207-251-0001.

Membership Conversation: All members and friends of First Parish Church who want to know more about our history and The United Church of Christ are invited to come to a conversation from 11-12 in Fellowship Hall following coffee hour on Sunday morning with Pastor Verlee Copeland. All who wish to unite with the church will be invited to join the following week, January 27.

Church school students second grade and older, will stay in church to hear today’s special gospel music.  Children in Preschool and K-1 will have their regular class.

Guests: We are grateful that you joined us in worship at First Parish Church today.  If you have any questions, please talk to one of the Welcoming Committee Members wearing a    yellow name tag.  We hope you will come over to Fellowship Hall following the service where there is a Welcoming Table filled with information where you can sign-up for a name-tag.  We encourage you to fill out a pew card and greet our pastors at the end of the service.  Please tell them your name, even if you think they already know--we have a big congregation.

Please wear your name tag in church to help our new pastors and guests get to know us.

Infant and toddler nursery care is provided downstairs in the church lounge.

Greeting  today:  Scott and Nancy Stevens.

Coffee Hour:  Hosted by members of the Diaconate.

Please notice the hand sanitizers available in the sanctuary and fellowship hall. Help us lower the incidents of colds and flu in this season when so many have suffered illness.

This Week

Confirmation Begins This Week: Parents of 8th Graders, Please call the church office now to sign up your youth for Confirmation which begins on January 24 with a parent/youth orientation and pizza supper in Fellowship Hall at 6:30.

Membership: Please call the church office by tomorrow morning at 207-363-3758 if you would like to unite with the First Parish family next Sunday, January 27.

Mission Opportunity – We have sufficient interest to move forward with a May 20-May 27 trip to Antigua, Guatemala with Common Hope. Please e-mail or call Pastor Verlee this week if you want to know more and/or will be joining the trip. You can reach her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Pastor Verlee has worked with Common Hope and Habitat for Humanity in Guatemala, Nicaragua and Mexico.

Women’s Mediation walk/snow shoe Saturday January 26.  Join Heidi Oliver, Pastor Verlee, and other outdoorswomen for this opportunity to explore the woods of the York Water District and meditate and pray on scripture inspired by nature.  We will meet at church at 9:00 a.m. to carpool over to the Water District and return to church approximately 11.  We will cover approximately 3 miles of moderately easy trails stopping along the way to hear scripture and meditate.  Contact Heidi Oliver 363-7340 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you are interested in attending.  She will send out final information the week of the 26th.

Next Sunday

New Members unite with the First Parish Church Family during worship.

The Seacoast Community Chorus will present its annual Winter Concert entitled “Mozart and Friends” next Sunday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. in the sanctuary.  Accompanied by piano and string quartet, the program will feature music of Haydn, Salieri, Beethoven and Mozart.  Several members of the sanctuary choir sing with the ensemble; Wendell is the conductor and Kim is the pianist.  Tickets will be available at the door.

Coming Event

Pledge envelope boxes are here:  If you pledged for 2013 and asked for envelopes, your box of envelopes is in Fellowship Hall waiting to be taken home.  If you haven't pledged yet but plan to and want to use envelopes, there are plenty of boxes still available.  To make your pledge for 2013, pick up a pledge card in either the narthex or at the Welcoming Table during coffee hour.  Many thanks to all who have pledged so far!

Earn Your Bible  is back again this year!  For students entering fourth through seventh grades you can earn your Bible.  Just come to Church School!  If you earned your Bible last year, bring your Bible to class with you.  If you started last year and could not finish, I have all of your information, so you can start where you left off!  These classes are a lot of fun!  Really!

Coffee Hour Needs YOU! Coffee Hour is a fun time of fellowship right after worship each Sunday, made more fun by the congregation taking turns to provide the refreshments. Why not team up with a couple of friends to host an upcoming Coffee Hour? It's easy to do! You provide the goodies for about 75 adults and 30-40 kids, and serve the refreshments during Coffee Hour. The Java Mama or Papa on duty makes the coffee, so you don't have to worry about that part! Please sign up on the Coffee Hour poster in Fellowship Hall! Thank you!

Women’s Retreat and More! The Women’s Retreat “A Garden in Winter: Befriending the Soul” lead by Senior Pastor Verlee Copeland and women of the church.  Save two dates for the retreat which will be held March 8 - 10 at The Franciscan Monastery in Kennebunkport.  Please note that it is for two nights this year.  The price is $140. for the weekend, and we have space for 40 women.  PLEASE REGISTER EARLY through the church office. join us  For specific questions, please contact Kathy McQueeney at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (603-580-1184) or Julie Alexander at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (207-415-9113).

Women of Faith "Believe God Can Do Anything" Conference -- Hartford, CT- Nov. 1, 2013 to Nov. 2, 2013.  God can do anything! —Luke 1:37 NCV  Don’t miss the all-new Women of Faith Friday night-Saturday event packed with compelling stories, dynamic music, engaging speakers, inspiring worship, Bible-based teaching, and more. FPC will be purchasing 15-20 tickets ahead as this is guaranteed to be a quick sell-out. Please contact the Church Office to sign up if you are interested in reserving tickets.  Sponsored by the FPC Women's Planning Group.

The Caregiving Ministry will meet upstairs in the Parish House on Monday, January 28 at 10:00 a.m.  All are welcome.

This Week at First Parish

Today:

11:00 a.m. New Member Class

11:00 a.m. Men’s Ensemble rehearsal

12:00 - 4:00 p.m. Sr. High Youth Group snow tubing

5:00 p.m. Sanctuary Choir rehearsal

Monday:

7:00 p.m. Men’s Bible Study

Tuesday:

2:00 p.m. Women’s Book Club

Wednesday:

9:00 a.m. Women’s Bible Study

Thursday:

2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Children’s Choir homework help

3:30 - 4:30 p.m. Children’s and Youth Choir rehearsal

6:00 p.m. Coed Bible Study - 23 Saltwater Drive

6:30 p.m. Confirmation Class begins

7:00 p.m. Sanctuary Choir rehearsal

Next Sunday:

9:30 a.m. Children’s/Youth Choirs sing during worship

Sunday, January 20, 2013       Second Sunday after Epiphany       9:30 a.m.

*All who are able please stand

Prelude:  Largo (from New World Symphony)                Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904)

The principle melody of this movement is based on a well-known spiritual, “Going Home,”

which the composer heard while visiting the United States during the mid-1890’s.

The Invitation: Open now the quiet sanctuary of your heart as we prepare to worship God together

Chimes for Prayer and Meditation

Welcome and Announcements

*Call to Worship:

Leader: This is the day the Lord has made.

People: Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

(Repeat 3 times)

Leader: Let us worship God together with joy.

*Processional Hymn #457:  “Lord, I Want to Be A Christian”

*Hospitality Moment

Prayer Rev. Eric Redard

Holy One, Creator of Heaven and earth, the whole world is full of your glory.  We give you thanks and praise for all you have made, for all peoples in every time and place, and for the privilege of serving you through this, our church.  We thank you that here in this place you have given us companions along the way, forgiven us when we have been unfaithful to you, and restored us to the joy of life as you have promised. With deep gratitude for all your perfect gifts, we pray…

The Lord’s Prayer:  Our Father.  .  .(“debts”)

Anthem:  “Jesus, Oh What A Wonderful Child”                       Spiritual, Lloyd Larson

First Parish Sanctuary Choir

Message for Children of All Ages and Prayer:  “Jesus Loves Me”

With Pastor Verlee and Pastor Eric

Testimony                                                                                 Barbara Elkhorn

Hymn Medley  (Sing Two Verses of Each Hymn)

#426: “Blessed Assurance”

#473: “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”

Parish Celebrations and Concerns

Pastoral Prayer and Prayers of the People

(Children are dismissed for Church School following the prayers)

Anthem:  “Let All the People Say Amen”                                          Pepper Choplin

First Parish Sanctuary Choir

Reading of the Word

John 2:1-11 (page 80 N.T.) (Returning to the Gospel of Luke next week.)

Sermon:  Against All Odds

Offering and Offertory Anthem:  “Every Time I Feel the Spirit”

Spiritual, Arr. Moses Hogan (1957-2003)

First Parish Men’s Ensemble

*The Doxology (#34) and Prayer of Dedication

*Recessional Hymn #504:  “Just a Closer Walk with Thee”

*The Benediction and Threefold Amen #744:  (sung by the congregation)

Postlude:  Improvisation on Three Spirituals

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Flowers are given in loving memory of

Al Cole

by family and friends

Flowers are given in loving memory of

Ruth White and Barbara Miller

by Bob, Kris, Matt and Greg White

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