December:
- December 13: Music Sunday
- December 24: Christmas Eve Service (We will worship virtually at 5:00 p.m., with an encore at 7:00 p.m.)
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Office Hours (suspended during this time of social distancing) are listed at the bottom of each Messenger issue.
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Advent Begins November 29
This season we are using a wonderful online devotional for your convenience. Please go to this link to view or download/print a PDF of the “Preparing to Hear God’s Call” Advent Devotional, created by Central Seminary as part of their Reshaping Church initiative.
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Interim Minister Search Committee Update
The Interim Minister Search Committee has continued their work through November. The committee has completed the first and second steps in the process, completion of the job description and developing a compensation package with guidance from the Illinois – Wisconsin Regional Office. This information has been sent to our Regional Minister, Rev. Teresa Dulyea-Parker. She will begin confirming potential candidates and send her recommendations to the committee for review. The committee will develop the initial interview slate and perform interviews throughout December and January.
The committee’s hope is to present a candidate and compensation package to PPR and the board for approval in February or March. The Interim Minister will have an effective start date of July 1, 2021.
Blessings,
Joe Bandy
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FCC Ministry Priorities and News
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Spiritual Growth/
Small Groups
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Small Groups — Build on what we’ve learned and do more of these
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Brown Bag Bible Bunch This weekly study group is taking a break while COVID-19 numbers are high in the area. When it resumes, the group meets Wednesdays from noon to 1:00 p.m. The topic is the scripture for the upcoming Sunday.
Small Groups Small groups continue to offer us another way to connect with one another. If you are interested in joining a group, contact Bill Robitske at bill.robitske.jr@gmail.com.
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Reach Out/Meet the Neighbors |
Meet the Neighbors — Beginning with existing relationships, take a deeper dive into who God has given us to love in this area – and how our lives might intersect
Reach out will continue to collect items for the Regional Alternative School. Items needed include gloves, hats, Chapstick and new grey and black hoodie sweatshirts. All sizes (adult small size to 3XL) are appreciated. Call Julie Robinson to arrange pick up or drop off.
Thanks for all you are continuing to do for our members and neighbors during this unprecedented time in our world. God is still in control!
Julie Robinson 309-838-4335
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Property Use – Help our property become a resource to the community and an entry point
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The Boys & Girls Club continues to use our building for their after school program when COVID restrictions allow. |
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Stewardship Campaign
Dear Friends in Christ,
I want to thank you for being a partner in the ministry and mission of First Christian Church. Through your giving of your time, talent, and finances, you are fulfilling our mission:
To invite and welcome all to the Lord’s Table, to strengthen our spirituality with God and one another through prayer, worship, study, and fellowship, and to serve our community with compassion.
Fulfilling our mission requires the investment of both our spiritual and financial gifts. Having financial pledges helps us plan for the future and ensure stewardship of our resources.
To date, we have received 46 pledges totaling $205,257 for 2021. This is 46% of our 2020 total pledges. We have not yet received pledges for 81 units that pledged in 2020. If you have not yet submitted your pledge for 2020, I encourage you to do so in the coming week. We have set up an easy-to-use commitment form on the church website in the member portal. When you click on this link and submit the form, you will receive an acknowledgement on the screen when you scroll back up. Please let the church office know (Debbie at 309-452-5219 or dstumm@blmfcc.org) if you have any questions or concerns. If you would prefer to mail in your pledge, you may request a pledge card from Debbie as well.
Thank you for your part in the life changing mission of this congregation.
Yours in Christ,
Susan Cleaver, Ministry Steward
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Red Cross Blood Drives
Please mark your calendars for blood drives we are hosting in the future. More information will follow about locations for each of these 2021 drives:
- April 20
- July 9
- October 19
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Advent Dates for 2020
November 29
December 6
December 13
December 20
December 24 (Christmas Eve)
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Thank You Received
Dear Christian Church,
I thank you for your card. It makes things better when you hear from your church. I'm home now but have my work cut out again. Thank you for the card.
Eddie Dill
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Worship at FCC Has Returned to a Live Streamed Format
We will continue to live stream Sunday Worship at 9:00 a.m. on Facebook and on our website, broadcasting the service as it takes place in the sanctuary. On our website, scroll down to the bottom of the homepage and see that the current or most recent broadcast is toward the top of the selections there. You can also watch older broadcasts. If you use Facebook, just go to our Facebook Page and see the broadcast start a few minutes before 9:00 a.m.
Are you in need of an audio recording on a CD? If so, contact Jen Petri at info@blmfcc.org. If you need a CD player, the church has a few extra and you may have one at no cost. Just email Holly Irvin at hirvin@blmfcc.org.
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FCC Swag!
T-Shirts Are a Great Christmas Gift for Spouses, Kiddos, or Grandchildren!
FCC t-shirts have been designed and you can order yours now! There are three styles: adult, youth, and FCC kids. Click Here to see details and order on our website.
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Red FCC grocery bags are available for purchase for $5 for your use and for ministry projects. Contact Jen Petri at info@blmfcc.org to purchase a bag. |
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A long obedience in the same direction…
Tradition
My children had a long and involved text chat the other day. The subject of the conversation was Thanksgiving, specifically what we were going to eat for Thanksgiving. They threw out many ideas and argued about what they wanted. In the end, they came up with a Thanksgiving menu almost exactly like every other Thanksgiving menu we’ve ever had.
Their conversation reminded me of the song Tradition from the Broadway musical Fiddler on the Roof. Tevye, the musical’s main character, opens the show with this song to demonstrate how important traditions are in ordering a community’s life.
One of the themes of Fiddler on the Roof is the tension between tradition and change. The play is set during a time of seismic upheaval in tsarist Russia. Tevye and his fellow Jews find their traditional way of life threatened and are forced to adapt to the changes thrust upon them. The question is how will their traditions fare in this time of immense change.
I see my children’s insistence on a traditional Thanksgiving meal as, in part, a reaction to the tremendous changes they’re encountering in their lives. Like Tevye, they’re seeking to hold on to something “normal” in a time of profound change. Their mother’s passing a year and a half ago has occasioned many of these changes in their lives. She was such an important part of our Thanksgiving celebrations that replicating her holiday meal is one way to preserve her presence.
The coronavirus has also disrupted their lives significantly. My kids haven’t been in school since last March. They’ve had to learn an entirely new way of doing school, and I know that’s been frustrating at times. In their Thanksgiving meal they’re trying to find something that feels familiar and comfortable.
COVID-19 has upset many Thanksgiving plans. Many people are limiting family gatherings and foregoing travel. I think too of the quarter of a million empty chairs that will be at Thanksgiving tables this year because of COVID-19. How have your holiday plans changed this year because of the pandemic?
Although my family’s Thanksgiving will be very different this year, I know that we still have much to be grateful for. It will still be a day to give thanks for our many blessings.
What about you? How will you express your gratitude to God for your many blessings? Are there traditions you’ll maintain, even in this strange year of 2020, even with so much change happening around us?
Regardless of how you choose to observe Thanksgiving, I pray that your celebrations will be filled with much joy and love. Have a happy Thanksgiving!
Jim Warren
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Serving Schedule
We publish serving schedules in the Friday Email/FCC Connected when we are worshipping in person.
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Tech Team Volunteers Needed
When we once-again return to in-person worship, we could use volunteers! We typically have a three-person crew: a person who runs the computer PowerPoint presentation, another who works the sound board, and a third (and sometimes fourth) working the cameras. Interested? Contact Brian Metz at medzy65@gmail.com or James Nussbaum at masterbimmertech@gmail.com.
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Contact Us
Senior Pastor: James Warren
Minister Emeritus: John Trefzger
Dir. Music & Youth Ministries:
Holly Irvin
Organ/Piano: Lou Ann Fillingham
One and All Music Coordinator:
Bill West
Communications Coordinator:
Jenifer Petri
Office Receptionist: Maggie Burton
Financial Secretary:
Deborah Stumm
Child Care Coordinator: Trish Logan
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Witness of the Faithful
November 1: $12,333.51
November 8: $15,388.70
November 15: $1,873.70
November 22: $9,838.70
Prayer Concerns
Carle BroMenn: Eddie Dill
Treatment: Jim Frizzell
COVID-19:
- Rob Blessing
- Rose Blessing
- Donnie Engel
- Chuck Smalley (home health care)
- Deb Underhill
- Jim Underhill
- Carolynn Warren
Aftercare:
- Penny Bland
- Gunner Cox
- Kelly Geigner
- Susan Hinrichsen
- Phyllis L. Miller (Heritage, Blm. Rehab)
- Mary Smart
- Robin Wilt
Hospice: Marilyn Kopp
Military:
- Sean Montoya (Air Force, Belgium)
- Harley Scott (Phillis niece/Navy, VA)
Birth: Wren Scarlett Fietsam was born to Megan and Jeff Fietsam on October 28. Marty and Kathy Sallee are the grandparents, and Dorothy Sallee is the great-grandmother.
Sympathy to:
- Danny Harmon and family on the November 3 death of his mother, Floy Harmon
- Shelly Krause on the November 18 death of her husband, Brett. Shelly is Rob Blessing’s daughter.
Please be in prayer for essential and emergency workers, of which our congregation has many.
Reminder: Please let the church office know if there’s someone who needs a call or is in the hospital. Email office@blmfcc.org.
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Hospital Patient Visitation Restrictions
Specific visitor restrictions took effect recently at Carle BroMenn and Carle Eureka. Other area hospitals have similar restrictions. In general, no visitors will be permitted with limited exceptions (contact hospital for specifics). No outside faith leaders are allowed to visit general inpatients, regardless of unit. If a faith leader is visiting an end of life patient, they would be considered one of the two support people allowed at the bedside at a time and would be allowed to enter.
All support persons must be over 18 (except in end of life situations or if the support person is a patient’s parent). All support persons must wear required PPE and will be provided a sticker.
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Deadlines for Publications
Please follow these deadlines for publications to ensure that your item is included!
The Messenger (mailed last Wednesday of the month with some exceptions)
Deadline Friday at noon before mailing date as a general rule (verify with church calendar on FCC website or in previous issue of The Messenger)
Upcoming Messengers:
- December 24 deadline for December 30 mailing
- January 22 deadline for January 27 mailing
Beyond the Bricks (mailed two weeks after the Messenger, on Wednesday)
Deadline Sunday the week of mailing
FCC Connected/Friday Email
Deadline Wednesday, 4:30 p.m.
Announcements/Prayer Concerns
Deadline Thursday noon, unless it is an emergent prayer concern
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Office Phone 309 829-9327 Fax 309 829-2865
Address 401 W. Jefferson St. Bloomington, IL 61701
Hours The office is currently closed every day out of caution during the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff members are working from home as needed. Normally, the office is open Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. through 4:30 p.m. The office closes for lunch from noon to 1:00 p.m. The best times to contact the church office are while Maggie is there, from 9:00 a.m. to noon, and 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
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