Join Evangelical Reformed UCC’s 10:30 AM Worship Service in our Main Sanctuary and online.

Epiphany Sunday | Baptism of Christ Sunday

We trust our belovedness

Luke 3:21-22

We began our series by acknowledging our weariness and we conclude with trusting our belovedness; ultimately, our joy is rooted in the fact that we belong to God. In the story of Jesus’ baptism, the heavens part open and the voice of God wraps Jesus in joy and loving care. Some translations of Luke 3:22 read, “in you, I find happiness and delight.” Therefore, we can conclude that we are also the source of God’s joy. When we trust our belovedness, we live and give fully—we are compelled to treat all of creation with tenderness and care. When we trust our belovedness, we have endless reasons to rejoice.

We will be sharing communion at the chancel rail this morning as well as receiving our star words for the coming year. This day, we celebrate Jesus’ baptism and remember the role our baptism has played in our lives. It is a day we also remember that along with Jesus we are beloved by God and empowered to participate in God’s healing work in the world. The Senior Choir will be singing.

Click here to WATCH the 10:30 AM Worship Service Live or On-Demand

Click here to to VIEW the January 7 Worship Bulletin

ERUCC also holds a healing worship service with Holy Communion at 8:30 AM.

Join Evangelical Reformed UCC’s 10:30 AM Worship Service in our Main Sanctuary and online.

First Sunday after Christmas

We root ourselves in ritual

After eight days have passed, Mary and Joseph circumcise their child and give him the name Jesus. They return to the temple in Jerusalem to enact the sacred birth rituals of their culture and tradition. While they are doing what is customary, the unexpected occurs. A man named Simeon is led by the Spirit into the temple to proclaim Jesus as the “light of revelation.” Then, a prophet named Anna suddenly approaches them; she praises God and speaks about Jesus to everyone longing for redemption. Rituals mark sacred turning points in our lives. They can help us make meaning of celebrations, losses, and transitions. As new parents to Jesus, Mary and Joseph could feel weary for what lies ahead, but perhaps these sacred rituals—and those who bear witness to them—bolster them and give them courage for the journey. How do our sacred rituals root us and help us live into new chapters with courage?

The service will include the “Letting Go and Letting God” ritual. This is a time when the congregation will be invited to write down on a piece of paper those things which each person wants to let go of from the old year of 2023, receive God’s grace and move into the new year with divine blessing and hope. The dissolving pieces of paper will be placed in a bowl of water at the front of the chancel. The Rev. Rebecca Shillingburg will be preaching. The Senior Choir will be singing.

Click here to WATCH the 10:30 AM Worship Service Live or On-Demand

Click here to to VIEW the December 31 Worship Bulletin

ERUCC also holds a healing worship service with Holy Communion at 8:30 AM.

Join Evangelical Reformed UCC’s 7:30 PM Candlelight and Carols Service in our Main Sanctuary or online.

Luke’s Gospel tells us that when Mary gives birth to Jesus, she lays him in a manger, for there was no place for them in the guest room. Scholars argue about where, exactly, the birth occurs—and why. Was it in a stable or the living room of a simple peasant home? Was Bethlehem teeming with visitors who were also there to be counted in the census? Was Joseph’s family inhospitable because they disapproved of his marital situation? Regardless of where the birth occurs, we know that Christ is born in a crowded, unlikely place. And yet, God makes a place here anyway. God draws the circle wider as shepherds and unexpected guests arrive. This Christmas, let us also make room—for strangers and neighbors alike. For this is good news of great joy for all people.

Click here to WATCH the 7:30 PM Christmas Eve Candlelight and Carols Worship Service Live or On-Demand

Click here to to VIEW the Christmas Eve Candlelight and Carols Worship Bulletin

ERUCC also holds a Children’s Christmas Eve Service at 5:30 PM and a Christmas Eve Communion and Candlelight Service. All are welcome!

Join Evangelical Reformed UCC’s 10:30 AM Worship Service in our Main Sanctuary and online.

Fourth Sunday of Advent
We sing stories of hope

Today we celebrate our annual lessons and carols service with our college students reading the scriptures. The Rev. David Cooney will be leading us in worship. The Senior Choir will be singing and the Cambridge Bell Choir will offer special music.

Click here to WATCH the 10:30 AM Worship Service Live or On-Demand

Click here to to VIEW the December 24 Worship Bulletin

ERUCC also holds a healing worship service with Holy Communion at 8:30 AM.

Join Evangelical Reformed UCC’s 10:30 AM Worship Service in our Main Sanctuary and online.

Third Sunday of Advent
We allow ourselves to be amazed

Luke 1:57-66

After Elizabeth gives birth, her neighbors and family celebrate with her. When it comes time to name the child, Zechariah affirms the name given by the angel and by Elizabeth. In that moment of affirming the promise, Zechariah’s speech is restored. Everyone is filled with awe. How often do you allow yourself to be amazed? Wonder is all around us—can we recognize it? As we learn how to rejoice in a weary world, can we live in a way that allows amazement and wonder to surprise us often? Amazement is a balm for the weary.

The Rev. David Cooney will be preaching. The Senior Choir will be offering their Christmas Cantata – The Winter Rose, by J.M. Martin, this morning.

Click here to WATCH the 10:30 am Worship Service Live or On-Demand

Click here to to VIEW the December 17 Worship Bulletin

ERUCC also holds a healing worship service with Holy Communion at 8:30 AM.

Join Evangelical Reformed UCC’s 10:30 AM Worship Service in our Main Sanctuary and online.

Second Sunday of Advent
We find joy in connection

Isaiah 40:1-11 | Luke 1:24-45

In community, our joy expands. When we can’t rejoice, we can carry each other’s joy. That is what Elizabeth and Mary do for each other. The good news begins to take shape in Elizabeth’s womb, but scripture tells us that she stays secluded, hiding her pregnancy from others—that is, until Mary arrives at her door, also pregnant. Perhaps Mary’s arrival is the inbreaking that changes everything for Elizabeth, for in that moment, her child leaps in her womb and she is filled with the Spirit. She can’t help but rejoice. Her joy is contagious and wraps around Mary like a hug. Through the prophet Isaiah, we hear God speak tender words of comfort; this is the comfort we can give to and receive from each other during this season.

The Rev. David Cooney will be preaching. Spirit will be sharing in music leadership this morning.

Click here to WATCH the 10:30 am Worship Service Live or On-Demand

Click here to to VIEW the December 10 Worship Bulletin

ERUCC also holds a healing worship service with Holy Communion at 8:30 AM.

Join Evangelical Reformed UCC’s 10:30 AM Worship Service in our Main Sanctuary and online.

First Sunday of Advent
We acknowledge our weariness

Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 | Luke 1:1-23

As Advent begins, we start by acknowledging the weariness, grief, rage, and hopelessness we carry—and we also affirm that we are made for joy. Joy is designed to live in a full house of other emotions. We start the season with Zechariah and Elizabeth; they have battled infertility and have lived many years steadfast in their faith. Perhaps they feel the weight of hopes and dreams unattained. The angel comes to Zechariah with promise of good news, but Zechariah can’t fully receive it, and he is cast into silence for the duration of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. Sometimes weariness can harden us and prevent us from living fully. We’ve had hard journeys. Grief has left a scar on us. This is how we show up to Advent. Let us acknowledge the ways we, too, are hardened by disbelief. Like the psalmist, let us ask, “how long?” and plead for restoration.

The Rev. John Shillingburg will be preaching. The Senior Choir will be singing and the Cambridge Bell Choir will offer special music. Communion will be shared at the chancel rail.

Click here to WATCH the 10:30 am Worship Service Live or On-Demand

Click here to to VIEW the December 3 Worship Bulletin

ERUCC also holds a healing worship service with Holy Communion at 8:30 AM.