The First Church

Pastor

From Blessing of the Animals, 2020:

The First Church. Preaching the Gospel of Jesus.

29 Howard St., West Bridgewater, MA Established 1651.

Sunday worship, 9:30 a.m. (for July and August) (508) 587-3118

Bible study on Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.

Sunday Worship

We have resumed in-church services

limited to 75 in the sanctuary and 50 in Fellowship Hall. Mask-wearing is optional, if you have been vaccinated. The service is also broadcast on the radio (within a half-mile of the church) on 102.9. Come join us at 10:00 am.

The pastor pre-records the sermon at home and posts it Sunday morning at Facebook.com/Stephen.Finlan1. You can click on the videos that'll be there. Video links of the most recent sermons are also posted here.

Our folks at the School on Wheels fundraiser, May 2019:

Pastor Steve Finlan (MTS, Boston University, 2013; Ph.D. University of Durham, 2004) began serving at First Church in August 2018. Some of his sermons are posted below.

Bible Study:

We have a Bible study on Thursdays, at 10:30 am. It has resumed at the church, downstairs with social distancing but mask-free now. It can be reached by Zoom. We are reading Sirach now.

United by love and guided by the teachings of Jesus,we maintain a

welcoming house for the worship of God.

We study the Bible, and teach in Spirit and in truth. We seek to build

a sustaining and caring community of faith. Reflecting our

history, we have affiliation with both the UCC and the UUA.

Quote of the Week:

“Oh, the cowardice stories I could tell! How much of me I’ve kept hidden, out of fear of rejection; how warily I’ve let out my kite string; how often I hold my breath in fear. Wedge me open, I pray. These kids will have their own cowardice stories someday. We all do. The fear of dying, of living, of making mistakes, of being known, of anyone anywhere being mad at us. I’m so brave in many ways that it can make people teary, and so often afraid.”

— Anne Lamott, Dusk, Night, Dawn: On Revival and Courage, 35–36

Partial Index:

Micah
3:3 > 6-16-19
6:6-8 > 1-29-17, 2-11 & 12-23-18, 10-6-19
6:7 > 10-27-19

Zechariah
4:6 > 1-29-17, 7-15-18

9:9-10 > 8-19-18, 4-14-19, 10-18-20, 3-7 & 3-21-21
12:10 > 1-27-19

Luke
1:33 > 12-6-20 1:35 > 2-7-21

1:35-45 > 12-20-20 1:39-53 > 12-22-19

2:10 > 2-7-21 2:22-40 > 12-27-20

2:25-32 > 7-18-21 2:25-36 > 12-24-19

2:30 > 7-26-20 2:38 > 7-26-20

2:42-52 > 12-30-18 3:1-6 > 12-9-18

3:7-9 > 1-10-21 3:15-17 > 12-16-18

3:21-23 > 1-13-19
4:16-21 > 8-19 & 12-30-18, 2-3-19 4:18, 21 > 1-10-21

4:24-30 > 9-9-18, 2-3-19 4:29 > 8-9-20

5:10 > 1-24-21 5:31 > 6-27-21

5:31-32 > 9-15-19 6:17 > 6-14-20

6:17-21 > 2-17-19 6:20 > 3-21-21

6:27-36 > 2-17-19

6:35-36 > 9-9-18, 6-28-20 6:42 > 1-31-21

7:50 > 10-7 & 12-23-18, 1-31-21

8:15 > 10-7-18,2-7-21 8:17 > 2-17-19, 7-25-21

8:19 > 7-25-21 8:48 > 1-31-21

9:4 > 6-14-20 9:52 > 6-14-20

9:52-55 > 1-28-18 9:54 > 1-3 & 1-10-21

10:5-11 > 7-7-19 10:16 > 5-10-20

10:18 > 3-14-21 10:18-20 > 8-26-18, 7-7-19

10:25-37 > 9-9-18, 7-14-19
10:39 > 4-12-20 10:42 > 4-7-19, 4-12-20

11:50-51 > 3-17-19 12:13-21 > 8-4-19

12:28 > 1-10-21 12:32 > 4-5 & 8-30-20

12:32-36 > 8-4 & 8-11-19 13:1-5 > 3-17-19

13:20-21 > 9-8-19 13:31-35 > 3-17 & 12-22-19

14:7-11 > 9-22-19 15:8-10 > 9-15-19

15:11-32 > 3-31-19 16:10-13 > 9-22-19

17:11-19 > 10-13-19
17:21 > 8-12-18, 7-14 & 10-6-19
18:1-8 > 10-20-19 18:8 > 7-19-20, 4-11-21

18:9-14 > 10-27-19 18:19 > 12-27-20

18:25, 27 > 1-31-21 18:38-42 > 5-10-20

18:42 > 10-7-18 19:1-10 > 11-3-19

19:9 > 5-10-20 19:12-24 > 12-22-19

19:29-40 > 4-14-19 19:41-44 > 2-14-21

19:46 > 7-11-21 20:27-38 > 11-10-19

21:2-4 > 7-11-21 22:31-34 > 4-5-20

22:43 > 2-7-21 22:54-62 > 4-5-20

22:61 > 1-28-18 23:34 > 12-1-19

23:43 > 12-1-19 24:10-11 > 4-12-20

24:11 > 4-4-21 24:13-32 > 4-26-20

24:35 > 4-4-21 24:38 > 4-4-21

24:47 > 5-16-21 24:49-52 > 6-16-19

Colossians

1:15 > 5-10 & 6-28-20

1:16 > 10-7-18, 5-24 & 8-2-20, 4-25 & 5-16-21

1:19 > 5-16-21 2:9 > 5-16-21

2:9-10 > 12-22-19 2:15 > 8-26-18, 5-16-21

3:3-4 > 6-21-20 3:10 > 8-9-20

3:12-17 > 1-6-19 3:22 > 9-8-19

James

1:17-22 > 9-2 & 9-30-18, 7-14 & 12-1-19, 6-28-20

1:27 > 9-2 & 9-30-18 3:9-11 > 10-7-18
2:12-18 > 9-9 & 9-30-18
2:24 > 6-28-20 3:1-6 > 9-16-18
3:16-17 > 7-15 & 9-23 & 9-30-18 4:1-8 > 7-15 & 9-23-18
5:13-20 > 9-30-18

Easter, 2021:

READ A SERMON: Click on a title. A tab will open at far lower left of screen. Click on that to open the Word file.
2017:
1-29: The Pure in Heart
3-19: In Spirit and in Truth
10-22: Forgive, Hand It On
2018:
1-21: Pour Out Your Heart
1-28: No Deceit
2-11: Healing the Broken Hearted

SERMONS AT THE FIRST CHURCH:
7-8: Who Does He Think He Is?
7-15: Righteousness and Peace Will Kiss
8-5: Bread from Heaven
8-12: Be Imitators of God
8-19: That I Should Lose Nothing
8-26: What Gives Life
9-2: Be Doers
9-9: Children or Dogs?
9-16: Divine Things
9-23: First Pure
9-30: Whoever Is Not against Us