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First United Weekly Newsletter

Thursday, November 19, 2020

Monthly Woe-Be-Gone Gathering

Due to Thanksgiving next week, our November Woe-Be-Gone Gathering will be moved to TODAY (11/19) at 10am in the Family Life Center. If you come, please enter through the doors near the office and wear your mask. Come and support one another during this monthly time of sharing, prayer, and reflection. Everyone's welcome to attend!

"Parent Check In" Coming Monday at 8pm

Parents of children and youth - this night is for you! Get the kids to bed or send them to their rooms for quiet reading while you hop on Zoom to check in with other parents (jammies, drinks, and snacks encouraged). Managing living in a pandemic, virtual/in person school, and work can be exhausting, so come and unwind for a bit. Check in with others feeling the same way you do! Let Pastor Meggan know if you need the Zoom log-in information (meggan@firstunitedpc.org).

Advent Plans Update

Your 2020 Advent Resource Bag will be delivered to you sometime during the next week so you can be ready to use your goodies when we begin Advent on Sunday, November 29. “Advent” means “coming” or “arrival.” During the season of Advent, we celebrate Christ’s coming into the world and watch with expectant hope for his coming again. The four weeks of Advent present an opportunity for communal discernment and personal examination, as the church prepares to celebrate the Nativity of the Lord and looks with hope for Christ’s return.

Inside your Advent Resource Bag you'll find a daily “Where is It?” Advent Photo Devotional Calendar put together by the Worship and Music Ministry; a “Do Not Be Afraid” five week devotion; and a set of advent candles and wreath to color and complete. (*Please share your photos on Facebook or via email at info@firsunitedpc.org each week so we can share them in worship.) Let the office know if you do not receive your Advent Bag by Sunday, November 29, so we can check with your assigned Elder or Deacon and get it to you.

Elder & Deacon Calls

By now many of you should have received a call from one of our Ruling Elders or Deacons who are doing a quick check in and checkup. We know this is a trying time as we enter month nine of Covid-19 life! If you missed your call, please call your church officer back. We are hoping to make contact with everyone. This is one way we can “Share the Light of Christ” during this trying time.

Session Retreat

On Saturday, December 5, from 8:30 to 10am, our Session will be gathering via Zoom for a mini-Session retreat. Session members will have their Zoom information emailed to them prior to the meeting. We look forward to a fun and faith-filled meeting.

This Sunday's Worship Update

Thanksgiving is just around the corner! Join us this Sunday at 9:45am as we focus on Romans 1:8-17 and discuss why Christians are some of the most thankful people in the world. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to celebrate and learn why it is so important to have an attitude of gratitude! Hope to see you Sunday!

Here's How to Join Us for Worship

> In Person - Join us Sunday morning at 9:45 in the Sanctuary. For those who feel comfortable in person, we thank you for adhering to our safety protocols so we can continue to worship safely. Please wear a mask, enter through the Webster doors, use the provided sanitizer, and sit where an usher directs you. It's a blessing to socialize and fellowship with one another outside after the service.

> Live Online - You can also join us for a live stream of our service Sunday morning at 9:45 on our church Facebook page.

> Sound-only connection - You can listen by phone by calling Zoom at (312)-626-6799 around 9:35am. Enter meeting ID: 206 385 039 followed by #. (There's no need to enter a passcode. You'll "enter the meeting" after pressing #.)

> Watch Service recordings anytime - If it's more convenient, you can always watch recordings of our worship service on our Facebook page (shortly after the live stream is completed) or our website (anytime after 11:30am Sunday mornings)

Adult Zoom Sunday School at 8:30am

This Sunday our Adult Zoom Sunday School class will continue their study of Vanishing Grace: Whatever Happened to the Good News by Phillip Yancy. They'll be focusing on the transformative power of forgiveness. Learn how revolutionary Christian forgiveness can be in the world in which live.

* For a video link on Sunday, click here .

* For a phone connection on Sunday, dial +1 (312) 626- 6799... Meeting ID: 847 9119 8136 ... Passcode: 873976

"In Person" Sunday School for All Ages

Sunday at 11am

> "Coping with Covid" class for adults led by Chris Bivins will meet downstairs in the Youth Media Room.

> Our 6th to 12th Grade Youth class will meet in the Middle High room.

> The preschool to 5th grade class will meet in the Family Life Center to start recording scenes for our annual Christmas Pageant as well as enjoying a lesson and activities about Thanksgiving.

See you Sunday!

Will your Thanksgiving Day look a bit different this year? Are you bummed that instead of gathering around the table, you may be gathering virtually with your loved ones? Stay tuned for an email next week that will give you some activities and games that will work for your Thanksgiving Day festivities to build connections near and far.

Sharing the Light of Christ Update

Thanks to those of you who've turned in your 2021 Estimate of Giving form and Talent/Volunteer list to help share the light! Your commitments so far total almost 89% of our goal! Your estimates are used by our Session to help finalize next year's Ministries missions, activities, and operating budgets. If you haven't sent in your estimate as of yet, please mail it or drop it off at the church office today. Thank you from your Stewardship Ministry!

Winnebago Presbytery News

All local Presbyterian Churches in certain geographic locations belong to a Presbytery. Our church is a part of the Winnebago Presbytery. Our Presbytery's General Presbyter, Sarah Moore-Nokes, will be retiring on December 31, 2020. At the last Presbytery Meeting, members celebrated her ministry and dedication to serving the congregations of Winnebago. On behalf of our congregation, the Session sent a letter of thanks as well as a gift that expressed our gratitude. We wish Sarah all the best in the next chapter of her journey.

New Minister at First Presbyterian, Green Bay

We rejoice with our brothers and sisters at First Presbyterian upon the calling of their new minister, Rev. Katie Estes. She began her Green Bay ministry at the beginning of November. We look forward to a bright future for First Presbyterian as we serve and bear witness to the Good News together in Brown County. Special thanks to Pastor Luke who served as their moderator during the last year plus; Pastor Meggan for regular pulpit supply and pastoral care; and Corday Goddard, who preached for them regularly. What a blessing to help our brothers and sisters in Christ!

Women's Book Club is Back!

Our 4th Tuesday Readers Group will be meeting next Tuesday (Nov. 24) at 1pm in the Family Life Center with masks and social distancing. Members decided that most of them would rather meet in person. This month they are reading The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. For more information about the group, contact Sandy Steffen at steffensandy@hotmail.com.

2020 Christmas Store Update

For saftey, our D.P.C.O. Christmas Store Committee has decided to forego the shopping set-up this year and instead provide the families we're helping with gift cards so they can shop for themselves for the holidays.

We really need your help! So far, we've received donations totaling $1,350 of our church's $6,000 goal, and there's less than two weeks left!

You can still help by purchasing any of these gift cards:

> Amazon, Walmart, or Kwik Trip (Value $50 or less)

> De Pere Fast Food Restaurants, Culver’s, McDonald’s, Starbuck’s, or Subway (Value $25 or less)

You can also "take a tag" for various gift cards from the small Christmas Tree in the church Narthex. Monetary donations are also being accepted and will be used to purchase gift cards. Checks should be made out to De Pere Christian Outreach with "Christmas Store" in the memo line.

Please mail or drop off all donations to the church office by Monday, November 30.

Thanks to everyone who can help!

*D.P.C.O. Member churches are: First Congregational UCC, First United Presbyterian, Hope Lutheran, Our Lady of Lourdes, St. Anne’s Episcopal, St. Francis Xavier, St. John Lutheran, and St. Mary Catholic

A Tasty Way to Help!

How would you like a very yummy way to help raise funds for the D.P.C.O. Christmas Store? We'll be hosting a Chicken Noodle Soup Sale on Sunday, November 29, beginning at 11am in our church parking lot. You'll be able to purchase a quart of fresh soup for $10, and all the profit will support our activities with the Christmas Store. Be sure to mark you calendar!

Wednesday Night ZOOM Check In

The community that's developed between those who have been attending these Wednesday evening check-ins is awesome! We would love to have you be a part of this quick way to connect with one another. Join your church family from 7-7:45pm via Zoom every Wednesday evening!

For a video link next Wednesday, click here .

* For a phone connection on Wednesdays, dial 1 (312) 626-6799...

Meeting ID: 740 456 986... Passcode: 120171

Book Study: Paddle for a Purpose: A Memoir

by Barb (Hoops) Geiger

(former member of our church)

A special thanks to Barb and Gene Geiger for joining us yesterday evening (Wednesday) via Zoom as we discussed Barb's book Paddle for a Purpose. It was a wonderful and inspiring discussion that was enjoyed by all who were able to join in.

Talbot Circle Update

For the health and safety of our circle members, the decision has been made to postpone all circle gatherings for the rest of this year. The members will reevaluate the situation in January. Updates will be published as soon as any future decision is made.

Contemporary Readers December Plans

Our Contemporary Readers Group will be reading Having Nothing, Possessing Everything: Finding Abundant Communities in Unexpected Places by Michael Mather. The author explores discovering the extraordinary gifts of those he was called to serve. Everyone's invited to read the book and then join them via Zoom on Sunday, December 13 at 5:30pm for a review and discussion led by Jean Hamersky.