Sept. 9 – 16, 2020
Dear Friends,

I hope this note finds you well and enjoying this much needed rain and the cooler temperatures. Like many of you, I love Autumn and look forward to the colors that grace our trees in the coming weeks. They may portend the coming of winter, but I find the beauty of Autumn leaves joyful. Another sign and sound of joy is the return of our Preschool, which began its new year today! The sounds of children in our hallways is such a gift and I’m so grateful to hear their joyful and excited voices.
 
I hope you have seen in Gatherings and/or heard in worship that we begin two outdoor, in-person worship services this Sunday — weather permitting. The times for worship are familiar: 9 and 10:30am. However, they will be a bit shorter (about 35 minutes) and you do need to sign up online for one of the times. Families are welcome and every service has a first step with Hope! Bring your own chairs or blanket!
 
We will continue with our wonderful digital worship as well. It is usually available by Saturday at 5pm and many of you worship at that time. 
 
Also, as this new program year unfolds, please pay attention to the weekly emails and Gatherings (didn’t this month’s look great?!) These contain lots of important info as we try to resume some semblance of a rhythm and pattern to our church life. 

If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to your clergy or any staff person. 
 
Miss you,
Rich
Our website is still down.

We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause.

We hope to have it back up and running soon!

Thank you for your patience and understanding!!
To sign up for either of the outdoor worship services,
Pre-recorded services will continue to be available every Sunday.
The pandemic has resulted in a decrease in the number of ushers available for church services. We are in need of healthy individuals who are willing and comfortable ushering for Sunday services at the church. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, ushers will be orientated to a physical-distance method of seating the congregation and will act as Well-Being Ambassadors by role modeling mask-wearing and social distancing.

Perhaps you might like to serve as an usher on the Sundays you are coming to the service? If you are interested in becoming an usher, please contact Don Spangler, Head Usher at dspangler519@aol.com or Jeannette Lloyd at jeannette@wscongo.org. You may also indicate your interest in serving when registering online for Sunday services.
This Sunday's FIRST STEPS:
A LOOK INSIDE A BEEHIVE!
Congo Families, watch First Steps this Sunday to see how bees live! Then CLICK HERE to take our QUIZzzz by Sept. 18 to win a bottle of Joe’s Prairie Garden Honey!
THROUGH THE TUNNEL:
Encouraging Songs for These Trying Times
Sunday, Sept. 13, 4:30pm

The Band holds its first ever outdoor “Words & Music” with encouraging stories and songs that look forward to the transition from these troubled times. We’ll gather on the Chestnut Street lawn for a 45-minute event. Seating is limited and reservations are required.

To sign up, CLICK HERE or visit www.bit.ly/WordsandMusic9-13. Questions? Contact Ray Klemchuk at ray@wscongo.org.
KEMPER SCHOLARSHIP FUND RECIPIENTS

The Kemper Scholarship was established at CTS in 2001 in honor of First Congo's recently retired senior pastor Robert G. Kemper. It was funded by contributions from the church, Woman's Society and members of our congregation totalling nearly $80,000.

Since 2001, additional gifts have been made to the Kemper Scholarship fund, which now has a value of about $350,000, yielding annual income of about $25,000. This income is distributed as scholarships to at least two CTS students every year. The scholarship recipient is a student at the seminary who intends to pursue ministry to underserved and economically challenged populations.

For more than 20 years, 20 students have received tuition assistance from this fund. We receive words of gratitude from our 2019–20 and 2020–21 Kemper Scholarship Recipients and hear their thoughts about being Kemper scholars (to view the video, please click on the images below):
Thursday Morning Women’s Book Group
Thursdays, 9 – 11 am, via ZOOM
Women of all ages gather to engage with books and one another to deepen our theological understanding and help walk the Christian path with integrity, purpose, and passion. We also laugh a lot! We are currently reading and discussing 60 Days of Faith for Women, by Rev. Cameron Trimble.

Please contact Meredith Onion at meredith@wscongo.org for more information or to be added to the group!
PARENTS OF TEENS
1st Wednesday of the month
Parents of Teens is a peer learning and support community of parents of youth in junior high and high school. We are actively discerning the shape of this ministry for fall, so contact Katherine at katherine@wscongo.org to be added to the Realm group.
Book & Bible Study
3rd Wednesday of the month, 7pm. 
We'll meet in person, if possible, with all precautions. That being said, if folks feel uncomfortable gathering in person, we'll schedule virtual gatherings as well.

- On Sept. 16, we'll discuss Paul's epistle to the Philippians.
- On Oct. 21, we'll discuss the book Fire by Night: Finding God in the Pages of the Old Testament by Melissa Florer-Bixler. (What do we do with the Old Testament? How do we read words written in a world so different from ours, stories so ruthless and so filled with grace? In Fire by Night, pastor Melissa Florer-Bixler invites readers to marvel at the Old Testament. Page after page, in stories and poems and prophecies, the Hebrew Scripture introduces us to a God who is unwieldy and uncontrollable, common and extraordinary, and who brings both life and death.) 

Keep posted for more information regarding a study of Convictions by Marcus Borg led by John Rodgers later this fall.

Contact Katherine at katherine@wscongo.org to sign up for the Book & Bible Study.
Contemplative Worship Services
Last Sunday of Sept., Oct., & Nov., 7pm via ZOOM

Rev. Katherine Willis Pershey, Nanette Farina, and the Christian Ventures Committee will be hosting a series of three Contemplative Worship services centered on the theme of Hope & Healing. Each service will be approximately 25-30 minutes, after which participants will be welcome to stay on the Zoom call for fellowship.

  • Sept. 27 at 7pm: Finding Hope & Healing during a Pandemic of Grief and Disappointment
  • Oct. 25 at 7pm: Finding Hope & Healing During a Time of Division and Struggle in our Nation
  • Nov. 29 at 7pm: Finding Hope & Healing During the Season of Advent

To register to indicate your interest, please CLICK HERE. A Zoom link will be sent out via email the week before each service.
Check out this special offering from one of our mission partners!
Join us for a 3-part series as we focus on
Cultivating Mindfulness: Addressing Household Stress
Presenter: Adenia Linker, MEd, SAYD, CYT

October 4, 1:30 – 3pm
October 11, 1:30 – 3pm
October 18, 1:30 – 3pm
You may attend the entire 3-part series or just some of the sessions
Families who are navigating at-home learning for the first time may be experiencing challenges that are increasing household stress. One strategy that can strengthen our coping skills and support our well-being is developing a mindfulness practice.

Mindfulness, the skill of being present, involves honing our awareness and deepening our acceptance in order to cultivate greater mental and relational peace. It has been used to address stress, anxiety, pain, and help with relaxation. Join us for this three-session series to learn more - both parents and youth are welcome! You may attend all three sessions in this series or just one.

Attendance is free, and CEUs are available for a fee of $15.
The Fall Rummage Sale may be a victim of COVID-19, but our Woman’s Society is still thriving! We would love to welcome any woman who is a church member or friend of the church to join in our mission of fellowship, service and hospitality. We meet as a Society monthly (via Zoom for the time being) and also meet monthly in small chapter groups (either on Zoom or in socially-distanced gatherings). We have chapters available for those wanting either daytime or evening meetings, or an ADA-accessible venue (church), and we are pleased to have a robust Plymouth Place chapter. 

Please contact Nancy Sutherland at nancysutherland@msn.com or Nancy O’Brien at kjoneo@gmail.com for more info. Won’t you join us?
Blessing for a Face Mask

We are thrilled to debut Blessing for a Face Mask, a short film created by member Lauren Trail in collaboration with Rev. Katherine Willis Pershey and the UCC-published resource, "Emerge: Blessing and Rituals for Unsheltering." The blessing was written by the Rev. Mary Luti.

Perspective changes everything. Rather than curse our masks, let us cultivate gratitude for the ways they keep us — and our neighbors — safe. CLICK TO VIEW THE FILM.
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 or the Congo Calendar to see what is coming up in 2019.