Good News and good newsKeep reaching out...Thanks to all of you who have taken an active role in keeping the church body connected over the last weeks. Keep it up and reach out even farther this week. When God puts a neighbor or a “pew neighbor” on your heart, send a note or a card, call, text or email them.

If you have any concerns or needs, please contact:

Judi Sweeney • (508) 383-5384prayer@firstchurchnb.org

Volume 1, Number 4

good news....

He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with

shouts of joy... Job 8:21

Good News

First Congregational Church of North Brookfield

Who’s Fixing Breakfast for You?...

When I was growing up, my father always fixed breakfast on Saturday morning. He didn’t just pull out a box of Rice Krispies. He made eggs and sausage or ham. He set the table, and he cleaned up. Those were special times. They started the day off “right.”

My story always made the story of the breakfast Jesus fixed for his disciples more meaningful (John 21:1-14). After the resurrection, Jesus appeared or revealed himself to the disciples several times. The third time He appeared, He showed up on the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee preparing breakfast at dawn for seven of his disciples. Peter and the others (Thomas, Nathanael, and probably Philip and Andrew, John and James) had been fishing all night with absolutely nothing to show. No fish meant no breakfast.

At dawn, they saw a man standing on the shoreline. The disciples did not know that it was Jesus, though. Jesus called to them, “Children, do you have fish?” They an-swered, “No.” He instructed them to throw their nets on the other side of the boat. With the sun now coming up rapidly, this must have sounded ridiculous to these skilled fish-ermen. However, they did it, and their net was immediately full of large fish. In fact, it turns out that they had 153 large fish.

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View and Share Pastor Joe’s Mid-Week Meditations and Sunday Sermons... Link to YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/user/Firstchurchnb/videosLink to facebook

https://www.facebook.com/firstchurchnb/

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Jane Ingersoll-Mahoney just reported that her son-in-law, Jeff, was able to go home yester-day after four weeks in a hotel after getting a “negative “ on his Covid-19 test! A nice Easter gift for the family. She thanks everyone for their prayers.

Happy Anniversary to Shaler and Kay Combs who celebrated 60 years of marriage on April 9th! May God continue to bless and keep them.

Happy Birthday to our church family twins Pauline Dwelly and Paul Berry.

Happy Birthday to Milli Roberts. Milli lives in the Senior Housing in North Brookfield.

Easter Sunday was Crystal Caron’s birthday, and her neighbor children (Karen Bessette’s grandchildren) made her a cake.

Diane Buzzell has offered to make face masks for people in the congregation who need them. Please contact her at (508) 867-6823.

Pamela Keyes Minerd

by Judi Sweeney

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A Word from Pastor Joe...As many of you know, I have had a low-grade fever for the last 11 days along with other symptoms. I just had an online video doctor’s appointment this afternoon, and wanted to update everyone on how I am doing. Here is what I know: My fever is mild, my breathing is good, and neither are at the place of being dangerous. I don’t know if I have the corona-virus or not, and because I’m not displaying symptoms that are at a serious level, my doctor is not recommending that I get tested. However, to be safe, I do need to remain in isolation from everyone (I’ve been living and working out of our bedroom) until my fever is gone for three days without taking Tylenol. Next Monday I need to update my doctor on how I’m doing, and we will make a plan going forward from there. But please know I’m not in any danger and I’m still able to completely fill my schedule developing sermons, church online meetings and ongoing planning as well as still teaching my classes online, and participating in our now online college bible study.

Thank you all so much for all the prayers, well wishes and love shown to us all. Please keep those prayers coming! The most difficult thing is to be isolated. It certainly makes us all think about how valuable in person relationships are and how important it is to not take them for granted. We love you all greatly!!!! God Bless.

The prayers of the righteous...

Below is our growing list of health care workers associated in some way with our church. Please continue to hold them up in prayer.Denise Lalashius (UMass University

Hospital)

Christy Dever (UMass University Hospital)

Valerie Huard (Vibra Hospital Leicester)

Nancy Olson (Brookhaven)

Shawn Bemis (ER nurse at UMass Health Alliance in Leominster)

Shirley Delehanty (RN)

Sarah Waimon (Deb Arnold’s daughter) (South Central Hospital in Narragansett)

Bryden Moore (daughter of Connie Moore) (nurse on a COVID-19 Unit)

Chloe Lalashius (PCA at Memorial Hospital)

October Mountain (Susan Gainley’s grand daughter) (CNA at Duke Univ. Hospital – COVID 19 Unit)

Lisa Beaudry (friend of Claire Snow) (nurse at St. Vincent’s Hospital)

Lindsay Olson Morin (Nancy Olson’s daughter)(CNA at Baystate Wing)

Dr. Liz Fuller

Ashley Fuller (Physician’s Assistant)

Julie Martin (Nurse Practitioner)

Julie Parker (Bev Mimeault’s daughter) (RN at Baystate Mary Lane and Wing)

Lyndsey DiGiorgio, (Bev Mimeault’s daughter-in-law) (Nurse Practitioner at Reliant)

Katie Bowman (grand daughter of Pastor Bob and Judy Bowman) (ICU nurse at UMass in the COVID-19 Unit)

Alicia Varney (grand daughter of Sylvia Varney) (ER nurse at Deaconess Hospital in Plymouth)

James Staney (Chelsea’s father) (works at COVID-19 testing lab at UMass)

Lisa Hamill (daughter of Brian and Linda Hamill)(Firefighter, Paramedic)

Madge Dunphe (UMass Pharmacy)

Marissa Dunphe (UMass Orderly)

Please let your Emergency Group Leader or Judi Sweeney know if you have a name to add to this list.

John was the first of the disciples to know that the man on the shoreline is Jesus. Peter responded to John’s knowledge and declaration, “It is the Lord!” and dove into the water to get to shore. When they are all on the shore, Jesus invited them to “Come and have breakfast.” He asked them to also bring some of their fish.

There is so much comfort in this story. The risen Lord is fixing breakfast for a small group of disciples who, in fear probably, have fled Jerusalem and gone back to their old occupations. Even with this familiar job, they have been unsuccessful. The “fishers of men” can’t even catch regular fish for food!

As they join Jesus for breakfast, there is no need for any more questions of Jesus. All now know it is Jesus who has fixed breakfast for them…and it’s not just the simple breakfast that most of them would have expected. In Jesus’ time, breakfast for most people included simple bread and/or a piece of fruit. Meat or fish were saved for the final meal of the day after all the work was done. This breakfast with Jesus had to be a special meal with a special meaning. Jesus served it to them, and they ate.

Earlier when the disciples had been with Jesus at the miraculous feeding of 5,000, Jesus had fed the crowd with fish and bread that had been collected and brought to Him. Here on the shoreline, Jesus revealed to them that He would continue to bless and multiply their efforts in the future. He would continue to feed them with His word and start each day with them. In their new occupation as “fishers of men” (Matt. 4:19), He would always provide them with what they needed if they were obedient to His call.

Who’s Fixing Breakfast continued from page 1

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So, I return to my original question? Who is fixing your breakfast? With what nourishment do you start each day? If you can come away from the sea of your life, the sea we all seem to be floating on without knowing where we are going right now, He is waiting for you, waiting to fix breakfast for you. When He calls to you, look for Him on the shore. Set your sail toward Him, jump in to the water and swim. Be obedient. He has nourishment for you. The resurrected Christ with His Father and the Holy Spirit want to care for you, call you, comfort you and feed you. Jesus wants to fix your breakfast…you only need to come to the table.

Larry Buzzell has started a Zoom Bible Buddies meeting 3 times a week and it has been very encouraging. They are using a guide to studying Salvation.

In Romans 8:28, we are told, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” This verse became very real for me last week. I was able to see my surgeon for a cortisone shot for my painful knee. While I was getting the shot, the doctor saw what looked like a painful burn on my wrist -- right where my Fitbit usually rested on my arm. He recognized it as a nickel allergy, and he knew I shouldn’t have a regular knee implant. Because of God’s timing, I am going to have a ceramic inplant and not have to suffer from my body’s bad reaction to a knee implant with nickel. Praise God!

good news... continued from page 1

Please pray...Melissa Luukko just suddenly lost her Uncle Joe. Keep her and the family in prayer.

Paul Berry has pneumonia and has been moved to a sick area in Quaboag Rehab. Please keep him in prayer.

Eddie Dwelly’s group home has a res-ident with COVID-19. The rest are being tested today. Pray for his safety.

Jan and Ted O’Neill’s son Russell is being tested today (Tuesday) for COVID-19. Please keep them all in prayer.

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Son-Rise on Easter • April 12, 2020What could get an entire group of adults to get up and out of bed before 6 am on a Sunday morning when the temperature was about 26 degrees? It’s Easter, and He is risen. When we watched the sun come over the horizon, it was His light right in front of us, His hope for

our future, His amazing love for us. The reflection on the water here at the lake reminded me of how He pours out His love for us. Thanks for all of you who shared your pictures from Easter morning. Here are just a few. May they bring you joy and peace now and forever.

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Psalm 91 Word Search(Be sure to read this Psalm!)