Cathy Daniels, better known as Mama Cat, is the founder of Potbangerz Feed the Body Mission. The Potbangerz have cooked in our church kitchen for several years, serving nourishing meals to the unhoused of St. Louis. Mama Cat will be moving to Florida to continue the work she is passionate about there. The Potbangerz will continue their work in St. Louis as well. This Sunday we will honor Mama Cat during our worship service.

Also, check out the interview Mama Cat did with St. Louis Public Radio recently! You can find it online HERE.

Our Zoom Coffee Hour discussion this Sunday will focus on an article from Gallup: U.S. Church Membership Falls Below Majority for First Time by Jeffrey M. Jones. Drop into Zoom this Sunday at 11:20 to discuss this article and check in on one another!

Neighbor 2 Neighbor is an exciting new Fellowship & Outreach program being brought to you by Membership & Fellowship as a program that Rev. Mia has used very successfully with past congregations. We’ve divided the church into 15 smaller geographic groupings of 4 - 6 households/families who can check in on each other, provide support & form a smaller more close-knit group within the larger congregation. It’s an opportunity to get to know those in the church close to you geographically - and to be a way to share resources when needed - from help during a power outage - to meals during an illness - to something as simple as a referral for a good dentist or handyman in your area. Eventually it can also be a way to reach out to other neighbors and friends who may be interested in a way to get to meet other folks at First Church. As it says in Mark “Love your Neighbor as Yourself” - and this is a wonderful way to share the love! Expect to hear from your Neighbor 2 Neighbor leader in the next few weeks - to give you an update on our plans for Kickoff Sunday on Aug. 29th! (Note to Leaders - our final orientation will be this Tuesday 7:00 pm by zoom - check your email or contact Carol Klein at carolsklein@me.com for the link.)

To take advantage of before-school sales, Isaiah 58 is asking FCC to contribute 500 boxes of 24-count crayons for next year's Back-to-School Fair. Target currently has a great sale going through September 11! Bring your donations to church by Sunday August 22 so they can be taken over to Isaiah 58 that week. Contact Jim Hartley (314-832-2723) if you have questions.

Update: We have now pushed past 300 boxes of crayons and we are on our way to our goal of 500. We have one Sunday left before we have to deliver what we have to Isaiah 58, so bring your donations this Sunday or you can drop them by the church office on Tuesday. The children & families are helping out with their own drive for contributions. Remember that Target still has their sale on Crayola brand crayons for 50 cents a box. They also have another brand for 25 cents a box of 24. The Mission and Outreach Committee give thanks to God and to all of you for your contributions to this worthy cause.

Join us for Kick Off Sunday on August 29! Worship will be uplifting, our choir is back, and children's Sunday school begins (outdoors - see Emily Stokes for more information.)

Calling all 7th and 8th graders! Our confirmation program is beginning soon, which is an opportunity to explore your faith and become a full member of our congregation. If you'd like to learn more, contact Emily Stokes.

Join the Eden community in marking the beginning of the new academic year with Opening Convocation on August 31. Eden is overjoyed to welcome the Rev. Michelle Higgins as the preacher. Rev. Higgins is senior pastor of St. John's Church (The Beloved Community) UCC in St. Louis. You can join the service in person (with Covid protocols) or online. See more information HERE.

In loving memory of their daughter Molly, Jane and Bill Beavers established The Molly Suzanne Beavers Memorial Scholarship Fund to help students pursue higher education. This fund helps college and graduate students who are members of FCC pay for books and other incidental expenses. Chrissy Paterson, sister to Molly and daughter of Jane and Bill, continues to oversee this scholarship fund. To apply for the 2021-2022 academic year (if you are a previous recipient, please re-apply), please send a letter to the church office and address it to the Molly Beavers Scholarship Committee by September 1. In your letter, please include: Where you will be attending school; What your major course of study will be (if known); A statement of need and how you plan to use any scholarship funds you may receive; A little information about yourself, your academic interests, and other personal interests.

All FCC families are invited to a night at a Gateway Grizzlies game on September 3rd. Tickets are $11/person and will be purchased in advance. Please RSVP to Emily Stokes and turn in your payment to the church office by August 15th.

The 10th Anniversary Interfaith Concert sponsored by Arts & Faith St. Louis will feature soprano Christine Brewer and the Interfaith Youth Chorus, with performances by choirs and ensembles of many faiths on stage at the Sheldon Concert Hall. You can stream the concert live at www.hecmedia.org and YouTube. Stay up to date on the concert and other Arts & Faith St. Louis news on Facebook (@artsfaithstlouis), Twitter (@ArtsFaithSTL), and Instagram (@artsfaithstlouis).

Join Interfaith Partnership for a free virtual course this fall. In "What We Believe," Dr. David Oughton, former IP Board President and retired professor of religion at Saint Louis University, will interview guests in each of the major non-Christian religions, including Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism, Ethical Humanism, and the Baha'i Faith. The course is free and open to all. Learn more HERE.

Calling all tech-minded folks! Currently Hannah Rice is the only person trained to run our Sunday morning livestream. Since she will occasionally be on vacation or otherwise unavailable, it is necessary to train others to help with our online ministry. It is not hard to do, but does take someone a little tech-savvy, preferably with their own laptop or tablet they can bring. We're hoping to gather at least four volunteers. If you are interested, please contact Hannah.

Now that we are back to worshiping in person together, we are welcoming volunteers to help serve on Sunday mornings. We need greeters/ushers and liturgists. If you're interested in learning more, contact Hannah Rice, or sign up online HERE.

If you would like to continue to give offerings to First Congregational Church, you may do so online HERE.

Alternatively, you may mail your offering to the church at 6501 Wydown Blvd. 63105.