News from the Organ and Piano benches: "It takes a village", a saying which seems very appropriate given the huge shoes to fill from Matt's retirement. Janet Holmgren is working her magic piecing together a musical alternative with multiple musicians utilizing both the organ and the piano. Our own Thomas Kirby, once again, will pick up some Sundays playing on the piano with two talented Williams College student organists, Jonathon Hartanto and Graham Omerod, playing as their schedule permits. Jonathan, a sophomore, and Graham, a freshman, both play beautifully and we hope they will stay with us for the foreseeable future. Also, David Vredenburg from the Albany area will be rejoining us as organist over the summer. He remembers our congregation fondly and sends his greetings. Thomas' former teacher, Ed Lawrence, retired musical director of First Church and part of the Williams community will also be sharing his musical talent. Clearly it's taken a village! Please welcome all of these musicians heartily!
Rev. David Hurst
🎶🎶 Notes from the Music Director: As we enter December in the Berkshires, the season invites us into a time of reflection, anticipation, and light. The chill in the air and early dusk remind us of the coming of Christ, the light who shines in the darkness. Music continues to guide us into stillness and peace, carrying God’s love straight to our hearts. At Second Congregational Church, worship this month will be filled with carols, anthems, and instrumental offerings on the organ, violin, and viola—each note a reminder of the joy and hope Advent brings.For those seeking music beyond our sanctuary, the North County Chorale presents North County Christmas, a free community concert of traditional songs, sing-along carols, and a candle-lighting finale. It will be held at the First Congregational Church of North Adams on Sunday, December 14 at 3 PM, with an optional freewill donation benefiting the North Adams Council on Aging. May this season of music, light, and reflection bring warmth, peace, and renewed wonder to your hearts.
ASP 2025 Trip Overview – Davy, West Virginia
This year, the ASP youth team will be traveling to Davy, West Virginia, located in McDowell County, the southernmost and one of the most remote counties in the state. The journey will be longer than previous years, approximately 12 hours, but the commitment to serve within West Virginia continues.
About Davy and McDowell County:
Geography: A rugged, mountainous, and flood-prone region.
Economy: Once a bustling coal mining area (100k population in 1950), Davy has now declined to around 17,000 residents.
Income & Poverty:
Per capita income: $15,000/year (lower than previous counties last year and the year before at $22k and $30k).
Poverty rate: 38% of the community lives below the poverty line.
Local Employment: Mainly in coal mining, education, healthcare, and retail (e.g., Dollar General).
Living Arrangements:
ASP'ers will be staying at the local elementary school – expect indoor camping-style accommodations (e.g., sleeping bags on the classroom floors).
Work Assignments:
Teams will receive specific project assignments just days before departure. As always, expect a focus on home repair and community support, with flexibility and teamwork essential.[🛠️]
SECOND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
Rev. David F. Hurst, Pastor
December 14, 2025
En-Ting Hsu, Music Director
THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT - LOVE
PRELUDE ANNOUNCEMENTS
CALL TO WORSHIP LITANY OF LOVE
Leader: In the midst of waiting, God sends us a wonderful invitation.
People: A lit candle in the window bids us to come home.
Leader: The wreath on the door welcomes us to come in.
People: The sounds of people talking. The hustle and bustle of life calls us to be engaged and be a part of it all. Let us worship God and be a part of God’s grace. Let us receive God's gift in our hearts and learn to love one another.
OPENING HYMN Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus Pg 121
[En-Ting will play the first verse through on each hymn; to help us get the tune. Then we will begin to sing the first verse.].
INVOCATION
Leader: O great and wondrous God, come into our presence as we gather to celebrate your love and grace.
People: Instill in us the desire to learn to love rightly and fairly. Include us in your family, O Lord, so that we can be part of life that is greater than ourselves.
Leader: Come to us, O God, in ways that only you understand, so
we may discover the overwhelming joy of your gift of your Son.
LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH
1st Reader: As we gather around the Advent Wreath, we rejoice that
this is a time of gratitude and prayer. We relight the candles of HOPE
and FAITH for we understand how waiting can strengthen us to be
ready for the Light of God [relight the 2 purple candles]
2nd Reader: As we sing songs of joy and to God's love, help us to
pause in wonder and draw near to God. [light pink candle]
3rd Reader: O God help us to remember that true love comes from
serving one another. When the hungry are filled with good things,
the lowly are lifted up and relationships are restored.
ALL: As the love of God flows through us, out into the world, it gives birth to a full sense of joy that guides our steps and is such an integral part of our being.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION Barry Graumen
Leader: O God of the star and the sign, lead us into the depths of mystery. Guide us to forgiveness and place in us songs of love.
People: O God of this holy place and God of our journey, walk with us in our times of trouble, hold us when we tremble and cry. Be with us when we face our darkness. Dwell in us each day. In the name of the Babe of Bethlehem, forgive us our sins.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Leader: If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just. Our Lord will
forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
People: Alleluia! Thanks be to God! Amen
OFFERTORY
DOXOLOGY Pg 44
JOY AND CONCERNS
PASTORAL PRAYERS AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
GLORIA PATRIA Pg 36
First Lesson Isaiah 35: 1-10 Pg 615
HYMN OF REFLECTION Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee Pg 112
Second Lesson Matthew 11: 2-11 Pg 844
Sermon Barry Grauman
CLOSING HYMN Lift Up Your Heads, O Mighty Gates Pg 127
BENEDICTION [by Robert Louis Stevenson]
Leader: Beyond the darkness, there is a star.
People: Beyond the noise, there is angel song.
Leader: Beyond the rush, there is a wondrous stillness.
People: May the God of Advent days, touch your lives with hunts of a holy night
POSTLUDE
Bulletins for the month of December are given in memory of Harold & Maggie
Guiden by Jean Richer
Blessings to all in this Advent season!
As we celebrate Thanksgiving and turn to the Advent season, the days darken. We can be overwhelmed with the lack of sunlight and with the state of our world today. We can tailspin into fear and anxiety. But what our Christian faith teaches us and what Albert Camus refers too; is that we have a built in ability to overcome sadness and disappointment through faith. Through the idea of thinking of a beautiful, perfect summer day, we can harken to a picture in our minds that testifies to an inner power, an ability to find strength and hope in even in the most difficult times. Through our faith and the belief that God is with us, we can be an example to others in times of crisis and recrimination. We are able through that inner voice to find our way forward ad not dwelling in the past.
Just a reminder! Our Christmas Eve Service is at 5pm December 24!
Thank you all for these wonderful days of church and service. We are blessed to have En-Ting as our music director and all our trusted servants. May we all pray for those on our prayer lists, and those in this turbulent world who need so much love and grace. Let us celebrate our holidays with the hope and enthusiasm of an invincible summer!
May God bless,
David
Past organists: Susan Matsui, Meg Dodds, En-Ting Hsu, Guest organists: Thomas Kirby, Jonathon Hartanto, Graham Ormerod, Ed Lawrence and David Vredenburg
WilliNet channel 1303 Sunday Worship 9am and 4pm. Rerun Wed at 10am and Friday at 7pm
The Week's Internet site is: https://reflect-willinet.cablecast.tv/store-3/12977-Second-Congregational-Church-Service-12-7-25-v1/vod.mp4
**Please scroll down to see the Weekly Bulletin below**
— Remember in Prayer —
A Prayer List is part of the weekly Bulletin. Please email the church (wmst2ndcongo@outlook.com) if you would like to make additions or subtractions to keep those on the list in prayer. . . It Works!
All of the First Responders who put their lives in jeopardy to care for all of us. For those working in grocery stores, gas stations, hospitals, nursing homes, health care facilities, food banks… who are working in spite of the danger to themselves. Prayers for anyone who is overwhelmed by this pandemic. Prayers for those who are feeling isolated or afraid. Prayers that God give us the mindfulness to reach out by phone to those who we are not frequently in touch -those on the outer edges of our friendship and family. Prayers for all people as we look to “love our neighbor” as God has commanded.
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Archived News of Note:
Music Director /Organist
Matt Alcombright
Thank you!!
December Calendar
Dec. 7th Morning Worship 9am
Communion
Coffee Hour following Worship
Food Pantry Christmas Item List Available
Take & Eat
Wednesday, December 10th
Memorial Service for Mickey Thaisz
at Noon
Dec 11th(Thurs.) Dorcas Christmas Mission 3 pm Deacons Meeting 3:30pm
Dec 14th Morning Worship 9am
Coffee Hour following Worship
Food Pantry Christmas Items Due
North County Christmas Concert
First Congregational Church North Adams 3 pm
Dec 18th (Thu) Dorcas Christmas Luncheon
Noon @ Water Street Grill
Trustees Meeting 4:15
Dec 21st Christmas Sunday
Morning Worship 9am
Coffee Hour following Worship
Dec 24th(Wed) Christmas Eve Service 5pm
Dec 25th(Thu) Christmas Day
Dec 28th Informal Morning Worship 9am
(Bring Bells, Poems, Bible Versus, etc.)
Coffee Hour following Worship
Upcoming
January 1st (Thurs) New Years Day
January 11th (Sunday) Church Council Meeting
following Worship
December Youth News: If you know of someone who would benefit from a home improvement project this spring, as part of Leadership Work Camp, reach out to Mia or Janet. The youths (Mia, Nina, Max) volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in Williamstown on Nov. 15th on the Hall Street Home Project. Tommy, a regular, was also there.
Mia volunteered for Warm the Children again, a program that provides new winter clothing to local children in need. Through this effort, families receive warm coats, boots, and other essentials to help them stay comfortable through the cold months.
There are two more Take and Eat dates in 2025: 11/30 and 12/7.
Take and Eat 2026 dates are: 1/4, 2/1, 3/1, 4/5, 5/3, 5/31, 9/6, 10/4,11/29, 12/6
Tommy and Mia will offer a cello–piano duet in worship on November 30th, the first Sunday of Advent. En-Ting and the Music Committee are moving to update the idea of “Special Music” to “Meaningful Music,” a vision that seeks to enrich the musical life of SCC and further strengthen our church community. As part of this renewed focus, En-Ting hopes to occasionally invite musical guests to share their gifts with the congregation as a form of outreach and inclusion. My own family first came to SCC through Sue’s music ministry, and En-Ting is thinking along similar lines—using music as a welcoming entryway into the life of our church.
Wishing you ALL a Merry Christmas!
The Trustees have asked the Treasurer to send a check to WilliNet for $200 in appreciation of their broadcasting Pastor David's service each week. The water issue in the oil retaining pit has been reduced to the point where the pit can be epoxy coated. The tenants have been informed of a rent increase in January. The Trustees have completed the budget for 2026 and it will be included in the Stewardship Letter going out the first week of December. Paul will be applying for our annual kitchen inspection in December. The furnaces are scheduled to be serviced in December also. There is no more mowing, we wait for snowing!
Christmas Plants in memory of loved ones are welcome again this year. The Deacon on duty will have forms for you to fill out until 12/16th in order to publish the entire list in the Christmas Sunday and Christmas Eve bulletins. You can also email the church... wmst2ndcongo@outlook.com by Monday 12/17th to be listed. The form is also attached.
The Mission Committee is happy to report we had a wonderful response to our Thanksgiving Food Pantry. We delivered two turkey breasts and a whole car full of food from the tags on the Corn Stalks for two weeks. We would like to express our sincere thanks to our members, friends of the church and the Dorcas Society for all generosity. Carol DeMayo sends her thanks and wants us all to know we are still on top with all the donations she receives from others in town.
The Veteran’s pantry was delivered two weeks ago, and I thank Mia Holmgrem and her mother for bringing the items to their pantry in North Adams. Donations are still welcome, you can place them in the box located in the Fellowship Room labeled “Veterans”. They are still looking for hats, gloves/mittens and warm boots.
We met briefly on Sunday to discuss the Christmas Food Pantry, A new list was made for items Carol DeMayo has suggested. There will be a table in front of the tree next Sunday, November 30th with cards and a list of the items suggested. There is no need to wrap gifts. Cards will be available for members to take the ones they prefer to shop for. There is a nice variety besides food. Children’s books and activities are also requested. Gift cards are welcome at $5.00 amounts and up. The Dorcas will be providing two hams and two gift cards for food stores.
We received a nice thank you letter from the Louison House in North Adams for our generous donation this year. I put the letter on the bulletin board for all to read. Also, I received a nice letter from the Board of Directors President, Tim Faselt for the Berkshire Food Project thanking us for our $300.00 donation this year. They also invited us to join them for a meal at the First Congregation Church in North Adams. Monday-Friday, 11:30am-1:00 pm. To learn more about their project or volunteer contact him at director@berkshirefoodproject.org.
The dates for getting the Christmas Food Pantry list are November 30, and December 7th, cards will be available. We will deliver to the pantry on December 14th.
ITEMS NEED FOR THE VETERANS:
(Please place them in the tub in the SS Room)
SOAPS SHAMPOO CONDITIONER
LAUNDRY DETERGENT HOT COCOA
Memorial Bulletin Sign-up The sheet for signing up to purchase a month of Memorial Bulletins for 2024 is now posted in the SS Room. Please fill in the information for the month that you select. The cost is $30/month.
The Dorcas will be having a Christmas luncheon on December 18th at noon at the Water Street Grill. If you have not told me you are coming, please do. Thanks so much. We have had a great year...Missing and praying for our good friend Mickey Thaisz.
For those that were not able to be at the final service or need additional time to consider their 2023 Giving, you may send in your gifts and pledges to:
Jean Richer 124 S. Hemlock Brook, Williamstown, MA 01267.
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Thank you from our Church: Thank you, Matt, from the whole Second Congregational Church family and community!
Five years have indeed flown by and we all appreciate your contributions of music, voice, and stability that you brought with unwavering consistency, beautiful quality and perfect humbleness. Much appreciated!! Our thoughts and prayers are with you in your next chapter.
News from the Organ and Piano benches: "It takes a village", a saying which seems very appropriate given the huge shoes to fill from Matt's retirement. Janet Holmgren is working her magic piecing together a musical alternative with multiple musicians utilizing both the organ and the piano. Our own Thomas Kirby, once again, will pick up some Sundays playing on the piano with two talented Williams College student organists, Jonathon Hartanto and Graham Omerod, playing as their schedule permits. Jonathan, a sophomore, and Graham, a freshman, both play beautifully and we hope they will stay with us for the foreseeable future. Also, David Vredenburg from the Albany area will be rejoining us as organist over the summer. He remembers our congregation fondly and sends his greetings. Thomas' former teacher, Ed Lawrence, retired musical director of First Church and part of the Williams community will also be sharing his musical talent. Clearly it's taken a village! Please welcome all of these musicians heartily!
**Church Organist needed!**
Please contact The Second Congregational Church
if you are interested in the position or know of someone who might be!
Looking Back and Looking Forward. God is so good!! Over the last 10-15 years we have seen a lot of changes at Second Congregational Church. We have had people pass away and others move away. We have had new people join the church. Through it all God has provided funds to allow us to meet our needs. The parsonage was upgraded and returned to a place we could be proud to lease out and for a much greater income. Funds that God provided and a lot of volunteered labor got it done. New Hymnals most given in memory of a loved ones arrived. New bathrooms and choir storage were built, once again volunteers and funds God provided. Both buildings painted. Another project that you all contributed to and some of our neighbors made donations but it was God leading the way. The Trustees were looking forward when they decided to replace the oil tank at church and build a retaining pit at the parsonage to insure we would not be facing thousands of dollars of environmental cleanup in the years ahead. Again, God provided those funds through your weekly offering, building fund offering and special gifts. We have been able to increase our income by renting a section of the Sunday School room to Morais as they provide an office for MADOT. God provided that opportunity through a chance encounter at the coffee bar at the corner store. The Trustees had to purchase a new stove for the parsonage but God provided. They just bought a lawnmower and leaf blower to help maintain the grounds. In that process we discussed where we might draw the money from. General fund, Building fund or Memorial fund. We chose the Building fund but God led us to taking a serious look at the Memorial fund. We discovered there are many smaller amounts donated in someone's memory as the original size of the gift or left over from a purchase made from a larger gift that is over three years old. These gifts together amounted to almost $6500 with the money setting in a low interest savings account. We will be coming to the October Council meeting looking for your approval to set a policy to move these funds to the Raymond James account annually if they have not been used after 3 years. We would also appoint a Trustee to work with families that are in the less than 3-year group to mutually agree on a needed project or moving the funds to the higher interest Raymond James account. Looking back 15 plus years, we had a sizable donation to set up that account and have used the interest funds that it acquires to meet the everyday needs of our yearly programs, pay staff and handle surprise expenses. God provided these funds to allow Second Congregational to continue to be a witness to this community and the world. A detailed proposal will be part of the October newsletter. Thank you all for following God's leading as you support this church in all the ways He leads you.
The Trustees continue contact with our insurance carrier looking toward an accurate budget number for 2026. We expect that the church and parsonage values will rise. We were able to avoid that last year when we installed oil spill protection in both buildings. A new stove has been purchased for the parsonage. MADOT has the sense that they will continue to need the office space through next fall and maybe longer as the roundabout takes shape and the added details of a memorial wall and historic signage are added. The lawn continues to be cut and the new blower removes the clippings from the parking area and sidewalk with Wayne at the controls. The parsonage twin front shrubs, the greens around the handicap ramp and the front sidewalk were reclaimed from the snowball bushes with a trim to all. We continue to look at repair needs ahead of them being issues and deal with them head on. We are very grateful to Jean and Missy providing us detail financial information. We look forward to the return of Worship following the August shutdown and would remind everyone that we have had nearly normal expenses while closed. Please be sure to catch up on your pledges and gifts if you didn't prior to the break. Thank you for your support.
In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer!
Albert Camus
“The time is always right to do what is right! Martin L King Jr.
“All love that has not friendship for its base
is like a mansion built on sand.” Ella Wheeler Wilcox
“Sometimes I go about pitying myself. And all the while I am being carried
across the sky by beautiful clouds.” Ojibway Indian saying
Arab proverb; “To have a good neighbor you must be one.”
Welcome to
The Second Congregational Church
81 Hancock Road • Williamstown, MA 01267 • (413) 458-3467