Nov. 18 – 25, 2020
Dear Friends: 

We are here for you and want to hear from you! One of the greatest challenges of the past several months has been trying to keep in touch with all of you in meaningful and supportive ways. We understand that we are all trying our best to stay hopeful, but we also know and have experienced days/moments/weeks when our spirits wain. When that happens, we want you to reach out to us. We want more than anything to hear how you are and to offer spiritual support. We are NEVER too busy to receive your phone call or email! We love you and miss you!

Blessings,
Your Pastoral Care Team – Rich, Meredith, Katherine & Jean
Because of the current rise in COVID-19 cases in our area, we are discontinuing our live-stream services and returning to our prerecorded worship services.
Visit our virtual Sunday School every Sunday on YouTube:
The winter edition of Gatherings is now available!
Just in time for the holidays, we're offering a selection of super cool CONGO SWAG so you can sport our new logo and tagline in style! Choose from face masks, 4" round car magnets, water bottles, canvas totes and t-shirts! All proceeds help raise money for PF’s (Plymouth Fellowship) programs. BONUS: Items will be hand-delivered to your mailbox by PF’ers.

The DEADLINE for all orders is Tuesday, December 1st!

TO ORDER YOUR CONGO SWAG, visit wscongo.org/first-congo-swag/.
This week's pastor song choice is from Pastor Meredith — The Temptations and the Four Tops Motown Medley. If the music alone doesn’t put you in a good mood, their dance moves surely will! CLICK HERE TO LISTEN.

This week's member song choice is from Bert Griffith — "O Happy Day" by The Edwin Hawkins Singers: I came across this uplifting song that the choir sang a couple of years ago. With all that is going on...post election nonsense, Covid 19 and more, we need something uplifting....”0, happy day” will definitely help. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN.
Looking to donate those Rummage items?The Woman's Society has compiled the list of places to which they donate gently used goods following each Rummage sale.

Please CLICK HERE or on the image to download the list and be sure to share with your friends! Please check before donating to make sure the organization is not closed or limiting donations due to COVID issues!

As part of our Advent Worship series, we would like to offer you a daily devotional for adults.
November Bible Study
Our November Bible Study will convene via Zoom on tonight, November 18th at 7pm. We will discuss a series of Lent/Holy Week scriptures that Katherine will be writing about for The Christian Century's "Living by the Word" column — your insights and interpretations will greatly enrich these essays! For more information or to sign up, please contact Katherine@wscongo.org.
Food Donations NEEDED!
Our area food pantries are very much in need of donations. Even though our church building is closed, you may use your keycard to drop off pantry items on the table just inside the Chestnut Street door of the Education building. Donations will be taken to HCS Family Services.

Questions? Feel free to contact Meredith, meredith@wscongo.org.
A NEW PODCAST on Teen Mental Health
Church member and high school student Grace McTigue recently started an impressive and thoughtful podcast about teen mental health. Please take a listen here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1i4iubdb5aJugowTlVQFir?si=lBil23e5QP2wQsfOUDN-BQ 

ABOUT The Fight Against the Invisible: Grace McTigue, a high school student with anxiety and depression, discusses mental health with classmates and mental health professionals. She welcomes people who are struggling and those who want to help the people in their lives that are struggling. You are important. You are worthy. And you are loved.
ARE YOU ABLE TO HELP?
The South Sudanese Mohammad family has lived here for a little over a year now. The family consists of a mom (Suaad), Dad (Nesreldin) and five children. The children — four boys and a girl — range in age from 7–16 years of age. They’ve experienced much hardship in South Sudan and that hardship continues in this challenging year here in the US.

Nesreldin works full time cleaning at Rivers Casino in Des Plaines and Suaad stays home and takes care of the children. The children are all trying to do online learning through Chicago Public Schools, but you can imagine that it’s very tricky when you’re still learning English.

Nesreldin works the night shift, 11pm – 7am. They live on the north side of Chicago in west Rogers Park. He leaves for work at 9pm and returns home at 9am. It takes him two hours each way on public transportation.

I’m checking with the congregation to see if anyone has a van to donate to this wonderful family. The vehicle would need to be able to seat seven people. This would enable Nesreldin to drive to work as well as being able to visit his brother in Wheaton.

He was an auto mechanic back home, so may be able to do his own car repairs. Please kindly consider this request and call Kim Nichol at (708) 306-1845 or email kbnichol@sbcglobal.net.

Thank you & stay safe!
Kim Nichol
Make a difference this holiday. Shop for gifts at smile.amazon.com/ch/36-2327265 to generate donations for First Congregational Church.
BE THE CHURCH. The greatest moment in worship is when we go back out into the world to Be the Church. Click here to discover the numerous opportunities to serve as the hands and feet of Christ in our community and beyond. 

First Congregational Church has many programs and offerings for everyone. Check out the Upcoming Events on the Congo Calendar to see what is coming up in 2020–21.