First Congregational Church of Braintree
United Church of Christ
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Alive in faith, welcoming to all!
In the event of winter weather that causes dangerous road conditions, a decision will be made by 7:30 a.m. on the morning of the worship service regarding cancellation.
Notice will be posted on the website
STORM CANCELLATION POLICY
As always, please make your own decision about safety and driving on the roads.
Contact Us:
(781) 843-3616
office@firstchurchbraintree.com
12 Elm Street, Braintree, MA 02184
Office Hours Mon-Fri 9-1
Church Calendar
There's a lot going on at 12 Elm Street!
Scan the QR Code for calendar details
Sunday, March 15, 2026
Fourth Sunday in Lent
Worship @ 9:30 am
In the Sanctuary and Streaming Live on YouTube
Rev. Karen E. Gale preaching
"Keeping Up Appearances"
1 Samuel 16 and Ephesians 5
If you imagine standing in front of God, and God looking you over, top to toe, what comes to mind? Are you excited, anxious, shy, ashamed or some other combination of emotions? Does it bring back anxiety dreams of showing up to school without your pants on or standing in front of a room having forgotten your notes for what you were going to say?
We all hide things from God, which doesn't really make much sense if we believe in an all-knowing God. It is kind of like young children standing in front of their parents and claiming not to have eaten the cupcakes while sporting icing on their lips. God knows us to our core. And loves us unconditionally.
In Lent we work at exposing those parts of our lives and selves that we are not proud of, that we might fix them or change them. This doesn't mean changing our bodies to be more like traditional beauty standards, but changing our hearts to be in line with the standards of compassion and love.
God chooses David in this week's scripture. Is it because David is beautiful, "ruddy in cheek and fair" or because God saw David's heart? Paul tells early church members to bring everything into the light instead of letting darkness hide what they do not wish shown. What do we see, what does God see, when we come fully into the light?
WELCOME
Welcome, and thank you for visiting First Congregational Church of Braintree, UCC online. We hope that our website highlights the wide variety of worship, fellowship and service opportunities available. Please feel free to read more about our church on this site, or come in for a visit. We would love to meet you!
United Church of Christ
God is still speaking...
First Congregational Church of Braintree is a member of the United Church of Christ. Drawn together by the Holy Spirit, UCC members are a distinct and diverse community of Christians that come together as one church, joining faith and action.
