From the River's Edge

by Rev. Dr. Dale Azevedo, Sr. Minister   I am so thankful to the BCCUCC congregation for the opportunity to take a sabbatical this year. It all came about on relatively short notice and has been a bit of a whirlwind getting everything ready (both in the church and personally). Thank you for your support in this endeavor. Below, I lay out some of what I want to accomplish during this time...

By Racquel Ray, Assoc. Minister (Acting) Children’s presence in the community has been acknowledged from Jesus to today. However, at times, the church failed to recognize the importance and contributions of children in its mission. Here at Barrington Congregational Church United Church of Christ, our young folks are integral members of the community. This is in keeping with the Gospel message....

by Rev. Dr. Dale Azevedo, Sr. Minister   I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.  (Psalm 121:1-2) Where do you find your strength? We each find ourselves in moments of tiredness and exhaustion. Times when we feel overwhelmed or under-able. Where is it that you turn during those times to find your strength? Your...

by Racquel Ray, Acting Assoc. Minister Welcome Home. About twenty-five years ago when I began ministry, a family member sent me this wooden church as a Christmas present along with a replica of the Barrington Town Hall. I have since added to my collection with a House of the Seven Gables and a replica of the home of Elizabeth Winslow in Salem, MA.  At the time my husband and I were in the United...

by Rev. Dr. Dale Azevedo, Sr. Minister That’s the answer. I wish I knew. The question is, “What’s this up-and-coming year going to be like?” As your church staff and lay leaders have been hard at work over the past month preparing for the start of a new program year at BCCUCC, we’ve all been wondering this. No one (that I know of, at least) expected the pandemic to carry on “from a few weeks to...

by Rev. Dr. Linda Hartley, Assoc. Minister It’s hard to believe, but this will be my last blog for the Barrington Congregational Church. I had never written blogs before. And in fact, when asked during interviews with churches if I would be blogging, my usual response was “No, I don’t think I’ll be doing that.” However, as the saying goes – “Never say ‘never.’” During the pandemic this past...