First Congregational Church of Southington

About First Congregational Church of Southington

Our podcasts will have highlights from our weekly worship services here at First Congregational Church of Southington. They will contain the sermon and scripture reading from that day and sometimes featured music or announcements.

Publisher

First Congregational Church of Southington, CT

Category

religion & spirituality

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

16 Oct 2025

Latest episode

8 Mar 2026

Latest episodes

19 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   8 Mar 2026

   Love is Greater than Fear

   Our scripture reading for the third Sunday in Lent is on the story of Peter’s denial. Peter didn’t just deny Jesus once, but three times and in doing so is also denied who he himself was and is. How did Peter end up in this position? To answer that, I decided to take a bit of a different approach and open with two imaginative letters. The first is a rather accusatory letter to Simon Peter from some imaginary future followers of Jesus Christ and the second is a response to that letter. Through Peter’s denials, the action of a guard of the high priest, and Jesus’ steady calm presence and commitment to the truth we can ask ourselves questions like, How am I like Peter and How do follow in the path of Jesus?

2. 

   1 Mar 2026

   Welcome Our Guest Preacher, The Reverend Leslie Jackson

   This week, we welcome the Reverend Leslie Jackson to the pulpit of First Congregational Church. Since late last year, Rev. Jackson has served as the Area Conference minister for the South Central Region of the SNEUCC, of which we are a part. As an ACM, Rev. Jackson supports clergy, congregations, and associations of the Region as they live out the love and justice of Jesus in their communities. He works closely with Committees on Ministry, supporting their leadership within seven Associations and guiding congregations through the search and call process with strategic insight and steady accompaniment. Over the past decade, Rev. Jackson has served as a pastor, preacher, and justice advocate in Houston and New Orleans. His work includes nonprofit collaboration, interfaith engagement, and board service with organizations across Texas. His ministry centers on justice, transformation, and helping communities rise with hope.

3. 

   22 Feb 2026

   If You Can't Learn to Weep, You Can't Be a Good Christian

   Jesus wept. ~John 11:35 It’s the shortest verse in the Bible—the first scripture verse I memorized—and perhaps the most important one I’ll ever remember. Jesus wept. When his friend Lazarus was sick, Jesus did not come right away. When he finally comes, he asks Martha an odd question. “Do you believe in resurrection?” Martha says she believes, but true to the Gospel of John training plan, she misunderstands. She believes in resurrection on the last day, but Lazarus has been dead in the tomb for four days. As the coroner in the Wizard of Oz says, “he’s not only merely dead, he's really most sincerely dead.” But there is a part of this story that has always amazed me. It is verse 35, “Jesus wept.” At least that’s what old King James says. Our translation says, “Jesus began to weep.” Either way, it is the shortest verse in the Bible. I have come to believe, over 40 plus years of ministry, that it is also one of the most important verses in the Bible. But why did Jesus weep when he knew that Lazarus would live again? I will suggest in my sermon on Sunday morning, borrowing a phrase from my friend, the Rev. Mary Luti, that Jesus knew if you don’t learn to weep, you can’t be a good Christian. And so, Jesus weeps, to show us how.

4. 

   15 Feb 2026

   Jesus, the Light of the World

   The man answered, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. ~John 9:30-31 This Sunday, we will read a story from the Gospel of John that unfolds like a one-act play, complete with a surprisingly large cast of characters. The story opens with a question about sin and closes with accusations of sin—but sin is not the point. The disciples ask Jesus, “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answers, neither—and then invites us to look more closely. If we are willing to see, we may just glimpse the glory of God. What follows is a heated theological dispute, with competing certainties on all sides. But on Sunday, I won’t be taking sides in that argument—because Jesus doesn’t. Jesus is not interested in winning debates, but in revealing God’s glory and doing God’s will. That is where we will place our focus together, and I invite you to join me in that discernment.

5. 

   1 Feb 2026

   Readers Theater: A Conversation on John 4

   Searching for living water “The woman said to him, “Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water?’” ~John 4:11 This Sunday, worship invites us into a conversation: one that happens around a well, in the middle of an ordinary day. In John 4, Jesus meets a woman who has come simply to draw water. What she doesn’t expect is to be transformed by an encounter with a stranger. Jesus doesn’t rush her. He doesn’t lecture. He starts with a simple request and then offers something deeper: living water. This is a story about thirst in all its forms. The kind we feel in our bodies, yes; but also the thirst for belonging, for dignity, for a life that feels whole. Jesus names that longing gently and promises a water that does not run out, a grace that keeps flowing even when our own wells feel dry. We’ll experience this story through a Readers Theater, hearing the dialogue unfold through several voices. As the story is shared, we’re invited to listen and imagine ourselves at the well, overhearing the conversation, maybe even recognizing our own questions and hopes in the woman’s words. If you’re feeling weary, curious, hopeful, or unsure… there is room for you in this story. Come and listen for the living water Jesus offers, flowing freely, offered without condition. Come to the well. All are welcome.

6. 

   25 Jan 2026

   Born again... and again... and again

   Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” ~John 3:3 The King James Version of the Bible translates John 3.3 as “Ye must be born again.” Some understand Jesus’ teaching as a command, something one must do to be a Christian. Sometimes this verse in the third chapter of John becomes a label that puts Christians into categories rather than a miracle that binds all followers of Jesus Christ together in a community of faith, which I believe was Jesus’ intent. Even though I grew up in a church where the importance of being born again was stressed each week. I see it a bit differently now. I have come to believe that being born again is something that happens to every Christian. I am equally convinced that neither you nor I can do anything to cause this rebirth. That’s what we will talk about on Sunday morning.

7. 

   18 Jan 2026

   Speaking Truth to Power

   Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, with the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.. ~John 2:15 Have you ever seen Jesus this mad? He is livid! All four gospels record the story of Jesus driving the animals out of the temple and overturning the tables of the money changers. But in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus cleans out the temple after Palm Sunday, just before his death. He has listened to religious leaders take their jabs at him for months, trying to find ways to trap and discredit him. I understand his anger then. He makes a whip, overturns tables, pours out coins, and runs the sheep and cattle out of the temple. It makes sense there. The people haven’t listened to Jesus. He sees the path to the cross in front of him. His actions force the religious leaders’ hand. But John tells us about it at the beginning of the Gospel, right after Jesus has left a wedding party where he turned water into wine! He hasn’t said anything to anyone yet. They don’t really know what he is up to yet. But he clears the merchants out of the temple anyway. And is he mad! Why? That is the question we will explore on Sunday morning.

8. 

   11 Jan 2026

   The Gospel of John Training Plan

   “The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” ~ John 1:29 What if faith were something we practiced — stretched, strengthened, and returned to week after week? This Sunday we begin a new, extended journey through the Gospel of John, approaching it not as a quick read but as a kind of training plan for discipleship. Over the coming months, we’ll study a new portion of the Gospel of John each Sunday in worship. This is our fourth year in the Narrative Lectionary. We have studied the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. Now we get to dive into the Gospel of John, one of the most poetic and mysterious of the gospels. It’s fitting that we begin with John the Baptist’s opening witness, where he refuses the spotlight and instead points beyond himself. “I am not the Messiah,” he says. John the Baptist didn’t seek out attention or glory. This story invites us to consider how our faith inspires us to look, to listen, and how to recognize Christ in our midst. Many years ago, I trained for my first half marathon race. Attempting to run a big race, like 13.1 miles for a half-marathon, requires a plan. There were about 16 weeks in the plan of specific runs I needed to do before race day. I had never run that far in my life! The training plan gave me a sense of comfort by breaking down the big goal into something smaller. Week by week, I faithfully completed my training runs and saw my weekly mileage grow. When race day arrived, I still had some nerves, but I had the confidence of knowing that I had trained well and arrived as prepared as possible to do a new thing. Like any good training plan, this season studying the Gospel of John will invite curiosity, commitment, and practice. I hope we will grow in our faith through worship and discerning how God is still speaking!

9. 

   4 Jan 2026

   Star Gift Stories: Trust, Humility, Release

   “When they had heard the king, they set out, and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen in the east until it stopped over the place where the child was.” ~ Matthew 2:9 Epiphany is not just about a star in the sky—it’s about the courage to begin a journey without knowing exactly where it will lead. The Magi didn’t start with certainty. They started with curiosity and a willingness to follow a small glimmer of hope through unfamiliar territory. That star didn’t shout directions. It didn’t overwhelm the night. It simply moved—slowly, faithfully—inviting those who were watching closely to keep going. Along the way, the Magi asked questions, made mistakes, took detours, and still trusted that God was at work in the unfolding. On Epiphany Sunday at FCC, we celebrate the ways God continues to meet us like that: not always with blazing certainty, but with quiet guidance—nudges of wisdom, moments of clarity, invitations to pay attention. Receiving a star gift is not about prediction or destiny. It’s about presence. It’s a reminder that God’s light often shows up just enough for the next step. Where might God be inviting you to follow this year?

10. 

    25 Dec 2025

    When You Are Ready to Hear

    On Christmas Eve, we gather to celebrate the birth of Christ and the light of God’s love among us.

11. 

    14 Dec 2025

    Joy is an Ember

    For you shall go out in joy and be led back in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.. ~Isaiah 55:12 The four traditional themes of the four Sundays of Advent are: hope, peace, joy and love. This Sunday we celebrate joy! The beautiful poetry of Isaiah 55 invites us to notice the ways that joy surrounds us in nature. One of my favorite writers is Ross Gay. He has authored several books of poetry and essays. One is titled, “Inciting Joy.” He writes about how joy is an ember and joy is inherently relational. He reminds us that joy comes from connection. What a natural celebration of church and the ways we are connected to each other!

12. 

    8 Dec 2025

    Enough

    The Christmas season can be joyful, but it can also be tender and difficult—especially for those carrying grief, loss, or heavy memories. If you’re needing a quiet space this season, a moment to breathe, or a place to honor loved ones, we invite you to join us for our annual Service of Healing & Remembrance. This gentle, reflective service offers: Quiet music, A message of hope, A chance to write names of loved ones on doves, Candle lighting to guide our way toward Christmas All are welcome—whether you’re grieving, supporting someone who is, or simply needing a peaceful night in the midst of a busy season. The service will also be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person. You are not alone.

13. 

    7 Dec 2025

    'Dem Dry Bones

    Thus says the Lord God to these [dry] bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. ~Ezekiel 37:5 Israel was in exile. Nearly 600 years before the birth of Christ, the world power at the time, Babylon, conquered Jerusalem. The educated class from Jerusalem was deported, and Ezekiel, a young priest, was among those exiles. Being ripped from their homes in Jerusalem was difficult for all of them, but can you imagine what it would have been like for a young priest? To be forced to leave the Temple, God’s dwelling place, and wrenched away from the holy city—it is like being cut off completely from God. As Psalm 137 laments, “How are we to sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?” Christmas is coming. Some feel in a kind of exile as the day of Christ’s birth approaches. How can we sing the Lord’s song in this foreign land? In times of division or uncertainty, many may feel estranged or out of place in their own communities or nation, as if exiles in a land that no longer reflects their values or hopes. Yet, the prophecy of Ezekiel assures us that God has not abandoned us. As Christmas approaches, I will use the lens of Ezekiel’s prophecy about “dem dry bones” to explore where we might find Christmas hope this year.

14. 

    23 Nov 2025

    The Generosity of Exile

    But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. ~Jeremiah 29:7 I think about being an exile sometimes. Oh, you are kind to tell me I fit in here in the land of the Yankees, in the geographical sense, not the baseball sense, but I know you know that I’m a southerner at heart—always will be. Don’t get me wrong, I love New England—but my heart will always be held in the majestic blue ridges of the North Carolina mountains. God’s people have always been familiar with exile. The very first people we meet in the Bible, Adam and Eve, end up being exiled from paradise. Noah comes next, and he winds up on an ark. Abraham and Sarah travel halfway across the known world to a land that God promised to their descendants. They were exiles their entire lives. Abraham and Sarah’s descendants ended up in exile in Egypt. And we haven’t even gotten through the first two books of the Bible! Maybe exile isn’t always a bad thing. Maybe, in exile, God’s plan for a future with hope is revealed. We’ll explore that future on Sunday morning.

15. 

    16 Nov 2025

    The Generosity of Light

    The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. ~Isaiah 9:2 The prophet Isaiah spoke of a people who walked in darkness but saw a great light. We often hear those words by candlelight on Christmas Eve. No, we aren’t celebrating Christmas this week because that promise of light is not limited to one holy night. It shines through every season, every shadow, every challenge we face. This Sunday, I will invite us to consider how God’s light continues to break into the world—not just at Christ’s birth, but in the ordinary and often difficult days of our lives. How does that light dispel the darkness around and within us? And where, in that light, do we find our hope renewed? Even though it isn’t Christmas yet, it is good to be reminded that the light still shines, and the darkness has not overcome it.

16. 

    9 Nov 2025

    Before the Earthquake

    “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth” ~Psalm 100:1 I remember the first time I heard my friend Martine sing. She is a classically trained opera singer and for a period of time she made her living busking (singing in the NYC metro stations). Her voice is beautiful. When she sings, anyone who listens can’t help but be overwhelmed with emotion. If she is singing a song of joy, your mood is lifted and you want to sing along. If she is singing a sorrowful ballad, don’t be surprised if tears come to your eyes. Music can evoke emotion in powerful ways. The wonderful thing about music in church is that God doesn’t want only people who sound like my friend Martine to sing. God delights in all voices and abilities! When we join our voices together in song on a Sunday morning in worship, we are praising God for all the ways the Spirit sustains us, through the joy and sorrow. I hope you will join us this Sunday as we continue our Season of Generosity. This weekend we are in for a treat with The Many joining us in worship for our 10:15 AM service. And don’t forget our special Saturday evening worship experience with The Many, November 8 at 7:00 PM in the meetinghouse!

17. 

    2 Nov 2025

    The Generosity of Silence

    [Elijah] answered, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts, for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.”5 Then the Lord said to him, “Go…I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”. ~1 Kings 19:14-18 We have lots of special things happening this week. It is All Saints Sunday, the Sunday nearest All Saints Day (November 1), when we remember members of First Congregational Church who have departed this past year for God’s eternal shores. We will light candles and ring a bell in memory of five of our beloved members. We also begin our Season of Generosity. Our theme this year is A Chorus of Generosity. We will hear from members of our Generosity Team as they introduce our annual pledge drive. And we continue our fall journey through the Old Testament, turning now to the prophetic voices we find there. Elijah thought he was alone, the only one left in Israel who was faithful to God. Have you ever felt that way? Well, maybe not that you were the only faithful person left in the world, but maybe that God wasn’t who you expected God to be. In the story we read on Sunday, Elijah discovers that he isn’t alone, but he doesn’t hear God’s voice in the wind, earthquake, or fire—he hears it in the sound of sheer silence. We will explore the sound of silence during this week’s sermon.

18. 

    26 Oct 2025

    God's Living Call

    King Solomon is called to build a Holy Temple for the Ark of the Covenant. A task in which King David desired to do. King David’s call was different from Solomon’s, just as many of our calls are different from one another. David’s call was to bring unity, whereas Solomon’s call was to build. Our story starts out with King Solomon preparing to build the temple for he recognizes that it is a time of peace. It then skips over the seven years to build the temple and we return to the story when the Ark of the Covenant is brought into the temple. It was a beautiful festive time of coming together. The Ark is placed beneath the wings of the cherubim. Then when the priests withdrew from the Holy Place a cloud filled the temple. Showing everybody that the Spirit of God was in this place. We then continue the story beyond our scripture and dive a bit more into King Solomon as a leader; looking at the difference between his leadership from our narrative scripture reading and the end of his reign. I bring this lesson closer to today’s time period where we will look at different world leaders as well as leaders close to home. We will also look at some of the things leaders can do to mitigate a fall like King Solomon’s.

19. 

    16 Oct 2025

    Seen, Known, Loved

    But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him, for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” ~1 Samuel 16:7 This Sunday, we will read one of my favorite stories, the time when Samuel the prophet anoints one of the sons of Jessie to be king. In that moment, God says to the prophet Samuel, “The Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” And when Samuel anoints the king, it isn’t the oldest or best-looking of his sons, but the youngest, David. Too often, I am tempted to judge by what’s visible—the polish of things. But God sees something more. God looks beneath all that, straight to the heart—to our intentions, our courage, our capacity to love. This week, I want to talk about what that means for us today. What if we tried to see others—and even ourselves—the way God sees us? What if we trusted that we are already known and loved by God just as we are? I hope you’ll join me as we think about what it means to be seen, known, and loved—not for how we appear, but for who we really are.

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