Religion Notes: Sept. 18, 2025

Church events

Sunderland – First Congregational Church of Sunderland, 91 S. Main St., Serendipity Shop is open on Saturdays, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with items for sale at bargain prices.

Weekly Sunday church service is offered at 11 a.m. in-person or on Zoom. Email scc1717@wordpress.com or visit the church on Facebook for more information.

Weekly schedule

Holyoke – St. Peter’s Lutheran Church weekly schedule, Sunday, 9:30 a.m. Worship and Sunday School, Facebook Live Worship Service; Monday, 10:30 a.m. a.m. Bible Study; Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., Prayers with Pastor, Facebook Live; Thursday, 7 p.m. Worship at church. The church is located at 34 Jarvis Ave.

Tag sale

Springfield – Immaculate Conception Church, 25 Parker St., in the Indian Orchard section will hold a tag sale on Saturday, Sept. 20 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot section between the school and the church, some items inside the parish hall. Featuring bedding, collectibles, jewelry, small furniture, kitchenware, luggage, handbags, small appliances, religious items, sporting goods, items from former IC School desks and chairs and more.

Church Steeple Fundraiser

Hadley – On Saturday, Sept. 20, at 7 p.m., the First Congregational Church of Hadley, 102 Middle Street will host acclaimed impersonator, “Sheryl Faye presents Susan B. Anthony.” Tickets are $20 and all proceeds will go to the church steeple project. Tickets will be sold at the door the night of the event (payment via venmo and credit card accepted at the door). Advance tickets will be available by calling the church office 413-584-4117. Refreshments at 6:30 p.m., ample parking on the lawn behind the church. All proceeds to benefit the Steeple Restoration Project.

Special Sunday Worship honoring all First Responders and their Families

Easthampton – The Easthampton Congregational Church, UCC, 112 Main St., cordially invites the community to a special Sunday Worship Service on Sept. 21 at 10 a.m. dedicated to honoring all First Responders and their families. On this special day, the community will come together to honor the dedicated service that First Responders provide. The theme of the service will focus on the importance of serving one another and embodying a love for our neighbors. The church welcomes First Responders from all faith traditions to join us as we celebrate and give thanks for their commitment and hard work. Prayers and a blessing will be offered. Following the service, all are invited to a reception in the church’s Fellowship Hall to further recognize their service and to strengthen the bonds of community together.

Church Relics

Chicopee – Discover the significance of relics in the history of the Church. Join us on Sunday, Sept. 21, at 2:00 p.m. at St. Stanislaus Basilica, 566 Front St., for a special DVD presentation with Fr. Carlos Martins, an internationally recognized speaker known for his expertise on saints and their relics. Following the presentation in the Lower Basilica, you will have the opportunity to view the many relics on display.

Jewish New Year at LYA

Longmeadow – Join LYA for the High Holidays that will include inspiring traditional services with meaning and melody. LYA will hold Rosh Hashana services on Tuesday, Sept. 23 and Wednesday, Sept. 24, at 9:00 a.m. Shofar blowing will take place at 11 a.m.

On Yom Kippur, Wednesday, Oct 1, Kol Nidrei will begin at 6:15 p.m. On Thursday, Oct. 2, Yom Kippur services will begin at 9 a.m. The closing service of the day will begin at 5:45 p.m. with a break-fast following Yom Kippur’s ending.

LYA is open to all members of the community regardless of affiliation. Come and join our warm and friendly atmosphere. There is no charge to attend.

A special Children’s Program will be held at 10 a.m. on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. The Children’s Program will include games, activities and snack. The Children’s Program is sponsored through a grant from the Harold Grinspoon Foundation.

Services will be held at LYA, 1148 Converse Street. For more information please call Rabbi Chaim Kosofsky at 413-567-8665 x 17.

Fall Festival

Holyoke – St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 485 Appleton Street, Holyoke will hold their Fall Festival on Saturday, Sept. 27, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Parish Hall and on the Church grounds. There will be something for everyone: gift basket raffles, $5 fun raising raffle, vendors, plants, bake sale, a Cafe’, and outdoor activities for families. Free ample parking is located behind the church and all are welcome. For more information, please call the church office at 413-532-5060.

125th Anniversary of the Rosary Society at St. Stan Basilica

Chicopee – All are welcome to attend the 125th Anniversary Celebration of the Rosary Society at the Basilica of St. Stanislaus, on Sunday, Oct. 5, with the Mass at 11 a.m. A dinner will follow at the Castle of Knights,1599 Memorial Dr. Chicopee, with cocktail hour starting at 12:30 p.m. and dinner served at 1:30 p.m. The guest speaker will be Sr. Andrea Ciszewski, FSSJ. Entertainment will be provided by Joey Dziok. Tickets for the dinner can be purchased for $40 per person at the Basilica of St. Stanislaus Parish Office, 40 Cyman Dr. or by calling 413-594-6669 or email BasilicaofSSRS@gmail.com.

Vendors & Crafters Wanted

Westfield – UCC Second Congregational Church, 487 Western Ave., is looking for Vendors and Crafters for their event on Oct.11, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you are interested, please reach out to the church office at 413-568-7557.

Crafters wanted

Ludlow – Crafters Wanted for the Rosary Sodality’s Saint Nicholas Craft Fair and Raffle on Saturday, Nov. 8, at Christ the King Church, 41 Warsaw Avenue, from 9 a.m.to 3 p.m. The cost is a non-refundable $40 fee for an 8-ft table, which will be provided by the church. To reserve a table/s or for more information contact Debbie Martell at 413-547-8739 or Lorraine Bernier at 413-519-7658. Light refreshments will be available.

Sacred Heart Church Travel Club

Springfield – Sacred Heart Church Travel Club presents the following upcoming trip on Saturday Nov. 8, Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular. Cost: $180 per person. Includes: roundtrip bus from Sacred Heart Church parking lot, free time on your own in NYC (sightsee, shop, explore, lunch), orchestra seating at the 5 pm Christmas Spectacular (90-minute performance), and driver gratuity. 7:15 a.m. departure and return to parking lot at approx. 10:30 p.m. Payment is requested at the time of reservation. For all trips please contact Jim and Caroline McAleer (413)734-3676 or via email at mcaleer2006@verizon.net.

Upcoming church trips

Springfield – St. Catherine of Siena Church, Parker St., is sponsoring a trip On Dec. 9, the church is sponsoring a trip to the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville Conn., for a Christmas special featuring The Cartels. The cost is $149 per person and your fee includes a welcome snack of coffee and donuts, musical entertainment and a family style dinner and driver gratuity. The bus leaves the parking lot at 9:50 a.m. and returns approximately around 4:30 p.m. These trips with first choice tours cancellation insurance is available. For reservations, call Betty at 413-896-8801.

Church events

Springfield – South Congregational Church, an open and affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ in downtown Springfield, invites everyone to its regular worship services, Sundays at 10 a.m. in person at 45 Maple Street in Springfield or on Zoom. Find the Zoom link and more information about us on our website at www.sococh.org. Childcare is also available. The Bible Study group on Zoom will now take place on Mondays at 7 p.m. (use the Zoom worship link) — whether you are new to bible study or have a lifetime of experience, you are welcome. Other programs include regular knitting and quilting circles as well as an upcoming Lenten Book Group. In addition to church services and events, South is particularly engaged in the downtown community, and many public programs are offered in their spaces. If you’d like to know more, receive our weekly email newsletter, or have any questions, please email admin@sococh.org or call ‪(413) 732-0117. Find them on Facebook or Instagram.

Church events

Wilbraham – Wilbraham United Church at 500 Main St., welcomes the community to Sunday morning services at 10 a.m. On the first Sunday of every month, communion is served with bread and grape juice. Following all Sunday services, there is a Friendship gathering in the Fellowship Hall. Coffee and other refreshments are served and all are welcomed. Wilbraham United is a merged congregation of the Congregational and Methodist Societies. They celebrate as both a congregation that recognizes the traditions and values of both the United Church of Christ and the United Methodist denominations. Wilbraham United Church is a place where someone from any walk of life can feel comfortable. They are committed to service and sharing their space for the good of the community and to the glory of God. The church is especially welcoming to children, who are gladly received in the worship service. There are church school classes for children who wish to attend for ages 3 through 13 during the worship service time. The church is handicapped accessible with a large parking lot in the rear. For any questions contact the church administrator at 413-596-2511 ext. 100 or email admin@wilbrahamunitedchurch.org.

Additional adoration times

Agawam – St. John the Evangelist Church, 833 Main St. will offer weekly adoration ceremonies on Wednesdays between noon and 5:30 p.m. The Holy Mass takes place at 6 p.m.

Free weekly Veterans lunch

Holyoke – Community Roots Neighborhood Services offers a free hot lunch for Veterans and their adult immediate family (Parents or spouse). The lunches are every Thursday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 485 Appleton St. Questions? Email Gina Nelson at crnsholyoke@gmail.com.

Church service hours

Springfield – Christ Church Cathedral, 35 Chestnut St., Weekly Sunday service hours are as follows: 8 a.m.-Holy Eucharist with no music; 10 a.m.-Holy Eucharist with music; 12:15 p.m.- service in Spanish with music. A healing service is held at the church on the first Sunday of each month.

Grace Academy upper school classes to be held at First Central Bible Church Chicopee – First Central Bible Church of Chicopee and Grace Academy of Springfield announced that on Sept. 3 they received approval from the City of Chicopee School Board allowing Grace Academy’s Upper School classes to be held at the church.

Due to an ongoing surge in enrollment, Grace Academy had outgrown its facility and needed more classrooms. The school approached multiple churches and found First Central to be the best option not only from a spacing perspective but also in distance between campuses, creating a smooth transition for students.

First Central Bible Church, is located at 50 Broadway Street. Sunday service is held at 10:30 a.m. All are invited to join in for worship. For more information, please visit https://www.firstcentral.church.

Grace Academy is a private Christian School located at Bowles Park, Springfield. Their vision is to assist parents in fulfilling their Biblical mandate to train their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Academic instruction utilizes Classical tools of learning and a Biblical worldview. To learn more, visit https://www.graceacademyspringfield.org.