BELLOWS FALLS
First Baptist Church
This week the First Baptist Church of Bellows Falls welcomes Interim Pastor Eric Feustel from Antrim, N.H.
On Sunday the congregation celebrates the coming of God's Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The symbol of a dove is often used to represent the Holy Spirit, yet that symbol is based on only one incident in the Bible. However, the Spirit is connected with wind over 200 times in the Bible! Wind is both powerful and subtle, both gentle and strong. This Sunday the congregation will be considering the possibilities that can spring from a deeper understanding of the Holy Spirit as the Wind of God.
Traditional worship service is at 10 a.m. Coffee time follows the service. For more information, like how to join a weekly bible study, contact the church at 802-463-3220. Offerings and donations can be mailed to 9 Church Street, Bellows Falls, VT.
Immanuel Episcopal
Services at Immanuel Episcopal Church are offered at 20 Church St. and via Zoom, at 10 a.m. on Sundays. To attend via Zoom, email immanuelepiscopal@gmail.com. Telephone: 802-463-3178.
St. Charles Catholic
The Mass schedule at St. Charles Catholic Church, 31 Cherry Hill Street, is as follows: Wednesday through Friday at 9 a.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m., and Sundays at 9 a.m. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered every Saturday from 3 to 3:30 p.m.
For more information, contact the church or Father Agnel Samy at 802-463-3128 or stcharlesrectory@comcast.com, or visit the website at stcharles.vermontcatholic.org.
United Church
Everyone is invited to join in at the United Church (UCC) of Bellows Falls, 8 School St. Worship service starts at 10 a.m. Stay after the service for refreshments and fellowship.
For more information about the church and the many services it offers, call 802-463-4323 or find the church on Facebook.
BRATTLEBORO
All Souls Church
All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church at 29 South St. will offer worship this Sunday at 10 a.m., with the theme, "Cultivating Hope," with the Rev. Telos Whitfield. Sobering and inspiring, "Active Hope" written by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone offers tools to “face the mess we are in and the role we can play in collective transition to a life-sustaining society.”
This service will be both in-person and on Zoom. Go to the website at www.ascvt.org shortly before 10 a.m. to join via Zoom.
Brattleboro Area Jewish Community
On Friday, June 2, during Gallery Walk, the Brattleboro Area Jewish Community will host a Taste of Shabbat at the Centre Church Parlor Room at 7 p.m., immediately following Nitro Cats on Lawn.
This will be a participatory Shabbat Candle-Lighting and Singing. Come welcome the Shabbat and humm a few niggunim (wordless melodies) with Rabbi Amita Jarmon of the BAJC, aka Shir Heharim, "Song of the Mountains." Participants will say the blessings over the grape juice/wine and Challah.
For more information visit, https://bajcvermont.org or call 802-257-1959.
Centre Congregational
This Sunday, Centre Congregational Church will begin its summer series of union services with other Congregational churches in the area and will be worshipping at the First Congregational Church in West Brattleboro beginning at 11 a.m.
Calendar: Sunday Spirit Book Discussion Group at 9 a.m. in the Heritage Room (reading “The Sacred Journey: a Memoir of Early Years” by Frederick Buechner); Tuesday, Dharma evening at 7 p.m. at the Brattleboro Zen Center, Centre Church third floor; Wednesday, Contemplative Prayer at 5 p.m. online; Thursday, Quilting Ministry at 1 p.m. at the home of Carlene McCarty, Women’s Spirit at 4:30 p.m. in the Heritage Room (reading "Braiding Sweetgrass" by Robin Wall Kemmerer.).
The Annual Congregational Program Meeting will be held in the Sanctuary on Sunday, June 4, immediately following the worship service.
There will be a meeting on June 7, from 3 to 6 p.m. in the parlor to undertake a community asset mapping event, part of the church's long term planning process. Contact Lynn Herzog or April Harkness for more information.
For more information about programs and activities, call the church office at 802-254-4730 on any weekday, or e-mail Centrechurchvt@gmail.com, visit the church website at centrechurchvt.org or on Facebook at Https://facebook.com/groups/80441531855.
First Baptist/First United Methodist
Join in this Sunday for Pentecost at First Baptist/United Methodist churches, 18 Town Crier Drive. There will be a Sacred Dance to celebrate Pentecost, with a troupe of eight dancers performing to, “I Can Only Imagine.” Service begins at 10:30 a.m. Holy Communion is offered each Sunday. First United Methodist and First Baptist have formed the Beloved Community of Brattleboro; a Center for Story, Spirit & Justice. Visit the website at belovedcommunityvt.org.
“The Fire, the Wind, the Water: A Dramatic Reading for Pentecost,” will be offered by the three Pastors: Rev. Ralph Howe, Rev. Ingrid Lukas-Howe, and Rev. Suzanne Andrews. Local jazz artist Dan DeWalt plays music on the church Estey pipe organ and the Grand Piano.
For Thought & Prayer: Holy Spirit, we praise and thank You for the love of Christ in which you create a special bond. Holy Spirit, we seek and earnestly crave to be in your presence, to feel the inner work of You in our own hearts and minds so that we can feel closer to God. You so graciously give comfort, truth, and love. Holy Spirit, we welcome You in our daily lives and ask for guidance and wisdom in all we do. In the Name of Christ Jesus, Amen.
The Scripture reading on Sunday is from the Book of John 7:37-39. “Streams of Life-Giving Water.” “On the last and most important day of the festival Jesus stood up and said in a loud voice, ‘Whoever is thirsty should come to me, and whoever believes in me should drink. As the scripture says, ‘Streams of life-giving water will pour out from his side.’ Jesus said this about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were going to receive. At that time the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not been raised to glory.” (Good News Bible)
Bible Study is offered every Thursday, with dinner at 5 p.m. and the study of Luke from 6 to 7 p.m. Free workshops are offered every Saturday. Pastor Sue teaches a Beginners’ Sacred Dance Class and a Gentle Stretching Exercise Class from 11 a.m. to noon. Donations welcome.
Remember to bring non-perishable food, baby items, and hygiene products for the homeless. If you need a ride, call the church office at 802-254-1234.
First Church of Christ, Scientist
First Church of Christ, Scientist offers worship services in person every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. A Wednesday testimony meeting is held at 7:30 p.m. For more information, visit csbrattleboro.org.
First Congregational Church
Everyone is invited to join with the members of Centre Church, Dummerston Congregational Church, Guilford Community Church, and West Dover Congregational Church for a Union Service at First Congregational Church of West Brattleboro this Sunday at 11 a.m. Pastor Jeremy Kirk’s message, based on the story of Pentecost in the Book of Acts, is titled “Too Small to Fail.” A Union Choir will sing two celebration songs arranged by Steve Rice and Peter Amidon. Anyone interested in singing is welcome to come to the rehearsal at 9:45 a.m.
The church is located at 880 Western Ave. Reverend Kirk’s office hours are Wednesday, 10 a.m. to noon and on Thursday and Sunday by appointment. The church office is open Thursday and Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Contact the church at fccwb1770@gmail.com or 802-254-9767.
The Sunday services are streamed live on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082044649121
Insight Meditation Center
The Vermont Insight Meditation Center offers hybrid meditations on Zoom or in person at the Vermont Insight Meditation Hall at 11 University Way.
Schedule: Saturday Retreat with Bodhipaksa, 9:30 a.m. to noon (Zoom only); Sunday Meditation and Talk with Susan Dreyer Leon, 10 a.m. to moon (hybrid); Monday through Thursday Morning Meditation, 7 to 7:45 a.m. (hybrid); Tuesday Evening Meditation, 6:30 to 7:30 pm (Zoom only); Friday Morning In-Person Meditation, 7 to 7:45 a.m. (in-person only); Friday Morning Group Awareness Practice, 7 to 8 a.m. (Zoom only); Friday Evening Meditations, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. (Zoom only).
Upcoming retreats: May 27 with Bodhipaksa -- Meditating With the Eyes; June 18 with Kiim Weeber -- Heavenly Messengers; and June 24 outdoor retreat with Amanda Kenyon
Look for courses and retreats posted on the website. Visit www.vermontinsight.org or contact Drew Kovach at 802-257-1213.
Quaker
The West Brattleboro Quaker Worship Group meets for unprogrammed worship, both in person and on Zoom, Sundays at 10 a.m. In-person worship is indoors at the Brattleboro Area Jewish Community, 151 Greenleaf St. To join via Zoom, email WestBrattQuakers@gmail.com for more information.
St. Michael’s Episcopal
Each Sunday St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 16 Bradley Ave., offers an 8 a.m. service with Eucharist and a 10:15 a.m. service with Eucharist and music. Nursery care for infants to age 3 is available at 10:15. The 10:15 service is also available on livestream and weekly on Brattleboro Community TV at channel 1078 on Comcast cable. The services, which can be viewed each Sunday at 11 a.m. and each Wednesday at 2 p.m., are shown the week after they occur.
This Sunday St. Michael's will celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, which marks the final day in the season of Easter. This is the occasion to remember the gift of the Holy Spirit, the birth of the Church and the sending of the apostles into the world to proclaim the Good News of God in Christ. Everyone is invited to wear red in honor of the Holy Spirit. At the 10:15 service there will be a reading from the Acts of the Apostles in different languages and incense will be part of the celebration.
The Christ Church Guilford Society is planning outdoor events this summer to be held on the lawn of Christ Church, St. Michael’s mother church and the first Episcopal church in Vermont. The first will be a free, outdoor jazz band concert by the Brattleboro Union High School Jazz Band at 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 1. Refreshments will be served. Church leaders will also explain the reconstruction work being done on this classic 1817 church and offer guests a peek inside the historic sanctuary. For information on upcoming concerts, go to www.christchurchguilfordsociety.org.
A volume of The Saint John's Bible will be at St. Michael’s for viewing by all in the community during Sunday morning, June 4, and by appointment on Saturday afternoon and evening, June 3, and on Sunday afternoon and evening. Commissioned by Saint John's Abbey and University in 1998, this is the first hand-illuminated Bible created in over 500 years. To make an appointment to view the Saint John’s Bible between 2 and 9 p.m. on June 3 or between 1 and 9 p.m. on June 4, contact David Treadwell at 734-657-0023.
Pride Sunday will be celebrated at St. Michael’s on June 11. The Rev. John Michael Longworth, a member of the “Church in the Cloud,” will be preaching at 8 a.m. and 10:15 am. John Michael is a Methodist minister, a member of the Order of Ecumenical Franciscans, and a graduate of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. They are a trained spiritual director and counselor living in Rutland.
Morning Prayer is offered each weekday at 8 a.m. on Zoom and in-person in the Chapel on Tuesday and Wednesday. “Breakfast with the Psalms” is each Wednesday from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at The Works on Main St. Centering Prayer is in the Chapel from 11:30 to 11:55 a.m. each Wednesday and at 8 a.m. each Saturday. Eucharist with the Saints is each Wednesday from noon to 12:30 p.m. in the Chapel. Contemplative Worship is in the Chapel and on Zoom each Thursday from 5:30 to 6 p.m.
Links to the monthly newsletter, The Guardian, as well as bulletins for the services and to the livestream via Vimeo are on the church website, www.stmichaelsvermont.org. Contact the church office, open 8 a.m. to noon Tuesday through Friday, by calling 802-254-6048, ext 104 or by emailing jeanie@stmichaelsvermont.org.
St. Michael Roman Catholic Church
Saint Michael Roman Catholic Church, 47 Walnut St., offers weekend Mass on Saturdays at 4 p.m. (also livestreamed, ch. 1078) and Sundays at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. There is a coffee social after the 10:30 a.m. Mass on Sundays. Father Henry Furman is the Pastor and Father Gregory Caldwell is the Parochial Vicar.
For more information, call 802-257-5101 or email stmichael@vermontcatholic.org.
Trinity Lutheran
Trinity Lutheran Church (ELCA), 161 Western Ave., will hold worship services on Sunday at 9:30 p.m., focusing on the message, “At Threshold.” On Tuesday there will be a dinner and book group on “Thanks,” beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday, 7 p.m. AA (women) and NA; Thursday, 9 a.m. Tai Chi and 10:15 a.m. choir.
DOVER
Baptist Church
East Dover Baptist Church, 34 Dover Hill Road, welcomes everyone to worship service this Sunday, beginning at 9:30 a.m. The church also offers a simulcast of the service. For more information, visit eastdoverbaptistchurch.org or call 802-348-6366.
DUMMERSTON
Congregational Church
Dummerston Congregational Church, UCC will worship with sister UCC churches in the area in a Union Service held at the First Congregational Church in West Brattleboro (880 Vermont Route 9) at 11 a.m. The Dummerston congregation will return to their own sanctuary on June 4.
GRAFTON
Community Church
Grafton Community Church, 55 Main St., offers virtual worship services via Zoom. Visit graftoncommunitychurch.org or on Facebook (The Grafton Church).
JAMAICA
Community Church
Jamaica Community Church, located in the “Heart of the Village,” welcomes all on Sunday at 11 a.m.
To meet with Pastor Pete, call the church (802-874-7109) or his house (802-874-4181) or email him at carlsonpw56@gmail.com to schedule an appointment. His office hours are Tuesday from 10 a.m. to noon and Wednesday from 1 to 3 p.m. Donations to the Wardsboro/Jamaica Food Pantry may be left inside the front door in the large basket during these hours.
NEWFANE
PUTNEY
Quaker
Join in for worship and gathering at Putney Friends Meeting, 17 Bellows Falls Road, every Sunday at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. (hybrid). Thursday 6 p.m. online. Childcare provided for Sunday 10:30 a.m. worship. Meeting for Worship for Business monthly every third Sunday at noon. Contact clerk@putneyfriendsmeeting.org for online links. Handicapped accessible.
For more information, visit putneyfriendsmeeting.org.
TOWNSHEND
Community Church
The Townshend Church meets every Sunday at 10 a.m. Pastor Don Hashem leads the service and his wife Carmen leads the music. The church in the country where the difference is worth the distance.
WALPOLE, N.H.
St. John's Episcopal
Everyone is welcome to join in for Sunday services at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 26 Elm St., or via Zoom at 10 a.m. The congregation is currently led by long-term supply priest, Pastor Dan Wilfrid. There will be coffee and treats in the Parish Hall at 11 a.m. For more info and zoom link visit the website: www.stjohnswalpole.org or call 603-756-4533.
Walpole Unitarian
The Walpole Unitarian Church offers Sunday services for those fully vaccinated. Service begins at 10 a.m. led by the Rev. Elaine Bomford, the church’s affiliate minister, and other clergy and lay leaders. The church is located at the corner of Main and Union streets. The congregation embraces spiritual exploration, social justice and care for each other and the planet.
The church plans to continue a modified Zoom element to the service as technology permits. Visit walpoleunitarianchurch.org.
WARDSBORO
Yoked Parish
Worship services of the Wardsboro Yoked Parish are being held at Baptist Church at 101 Cross Road. Service each Sunday starts at 9 a.m. and will continue through Sunday, May 28.
WILMINGTON
St. Mary's
St. Mary’s in the Mountains Episcopal Church, 13 East Main St., holds services at 10 a.m. every Sunday in person and on Zoom. There will be coffee and refreshments after the service. For a Zoom link to the Sunday Service, visit smmvt.org and click on the link, “Join Our Service Virtually.” Links to hymnals and other materials used during the service are near the Zoom link.
