TODAY!
Christmas Eve Worship at 5:00 p.m.
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This Sunday, December 27th
10:00 a.m.
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Our Christmas Eve worship service today will be a recorded service featuring FCC musicians, youth, and staff. We’ve been working hard on this very special service that will include carols, readings, candles, prayers, and reflection.
There will be a special Zoom gathering on Christmas Eve at 4:00 p.m. for children and their families – though it’s open to the whole church family. Rev. Stacy will share the Christmas story, and then the littles can share any Christmas art they have made, their Advent wreaths, and any special meditations that have helped them this year.
The gathering will be casual, lots of fun, and a place for them to relax and see their church buddies. (Contact Children's Pastor, Rev. Stacy, for the Zoom link.)
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Just an FYI...there will be no Comma next week! |
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The Christmas Fund
Special Offering
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The Christmas Fund has been caring for active and retired clergy and lay employees of the United Church of Christ for over 100 years, providing emergency grants, supplementation of small annuities and health premiums, and Christmas “Thank You” gift checks each December to our lower-income retirees.
Over the past nine months, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the emergency financial needs of many who serve the church have increased dramatically.
In such a time as this, the need for the Christmas Fund is more urgent than ever.
United Church of Christ congregations and members have blessed the Christmas Fund with their generosity for many years. This year, your care and compassion will be especially appreciated by those servants of the church who are facing a time of need.
We usually collect this offering on Christmas Eve, so we're relying on folks to take an extra step. Donations can be sent to FCC with "Christmas Fund" in the memo, made via Vanco (see article at the end for link), or dropped off through the front door mail slot.
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FROM ANN CARTWRIGHT, CHAIR OF CHRISTIAN SERVICE: We will all miss working with our partners at South Hills Christian Church and the Day Resource Center to host Room in the Inn this holiday season, providing safety and hospitality to the homeless community.
Here are a few ways to give to the homeless community suggested by the DRC.
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Hope for the Holidays is a drive sponsored by The Center for Transforming Lives. They provide starter baskets for women and children after placing them in safe and secure housing. Click here for more info and for a secure way to donate.
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WhenWeLove.org is an amazing organization that serves the DRC by providing services for many in need. Homeless individuals, families, and school-sponsored programs are supported by this organization. Click here for more info or to donate.
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We know many of you missed participating in our annual Thanksgiving bag donations to the South Central Alliance of Churches, but there is a way you can still help. SCAC provides rent assistance, groceries, etc. for families in need. If you would like to help, you can donate directly here or send your donation to the church with "SCAC" in the memo line.
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Here is a need that was just shared from Liesl Manone of the Day Resource Center. (This letter has been edited.):
Barbara--a DRC client--is currently living in a crowded, dirty campsite. She uses a wheelchair and has a support dog with her. She cannot refrigerate her insulin, and her medications are repeatedly stolen. She has no way to keep clean or eat regularly. Her health has declined to a point that it is CRITICAL that Barbara become housed ASAP.
But there is good news: An apartment is coming available at The Palm Tree, a permanent supportive housing complex where the DRC provides case management support. Unfortunately, these apartments are empty, but for approximately $2,000, the DRC can outfit Barbara's apartment with everything needed.
If you would like to make a cash gift to support Barbara's transition from a homeless camp to a home of her own, click here, or mail a check to: DRC Solutions, P.O. Box 0871, Fort Worth, TX, 76101. Mark your gift "Move In Support."
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However you choose to participate, pray for our homeless families and individuals here in Fort Worth. |
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Weekly Building Reno Update |
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We'd only be showing you a photo of concrete drying, so nothing new to share. |
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Come join us for worship! |
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Our services stream live on YouTube (click here) and on our FCC website (click here) each Sunday starting at 9:50 a.m. You can also find us on Facebook Live, but it may shut down unexpectedly if they believe there is a copyright infringement with our music, so YouTube is the better choice.
And don't forget...if you miss any Sunday sermons, they will still be posted on YouTube. Just click here to catch up. You can also find them on our website and on our Facebook page as well.
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ADULT EDUCATION
Adult Ed is taking a holiday break, but our fabulous student pastors Lucas and Kearstin will be back in January with an intergenerational series on the Marcus Borg book Reading the Bible Again for the First Time. We hope to see you then!
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.ADVENTURE VILLAGE
Adventure Village is on a holiday break until Sunday, January 10th.
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The FCC Book Club will gather on Zoom next Tuesday, December 29th, at 7:00 p.m., to share what they have been reading this holiday season. It doesn't have to be a holiday book...just whatever might be of interest to others.
January's book is The House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune--a modern fairy tale that will pique your imagination and touch your heart at the same time.
The first meeting of the new year is January 22nd, at 7:00 p.m. If you would like to join us for either or both of these events and you are not on our regular email list, please contact Peter Nichols for the link.
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Cultivating Mindfulness has guided meditations on Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m. and Saturdays at 10:00 a.m., and a virtual dharma discussion on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 10:30 a.m.--all via Zoom.(Contact Lisa November for the Zoom links.)
From Lisa: This beautiful wish comes from our dharma teacher, Terry, via her friend Christine:
In the heart of every person on this earth burns the spark of luminous goodness.
"May we who celebrate the Winter Solstice, by our lives, by our prayers and Love, call forth from one another the light and the love that is hidden in every heart." (Edward Hays, Catholic contemplative priest)
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The H2H gals get together every Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. to check in with one another, do something fun, and visit via Zoom. Contact Rhonda Grundy for the Zoom link.
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PRAYER PARTNERS
Prayer requests are shared via email, and everyone is welcome to be on the prayer team list. Contact the church office if you would like to join the team or if you would like prayer support.
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RA is on hiatus until January!
Using an approach similar to 12-step programs, the goal of RA is not to change others, but to eliminate racism in ourselves. (If you would like to know more about RA, click here.) Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend each Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. (CT)--no matter where you are in the country! To receive the Zoom link, or if you have questions, please contact Heather Goolsby
You can also find other RA meeting days and times at Meetup.
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Soul Sisters have gone virtual and meet via Zoom! If you have not joined the FCC Soul Sisters Facebook page, click here or contact Kim Haymon for the Zoom link.
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YOUTH
Youth is on a holiday break until Sunday, January 10th.
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"When will the church reopen?" |
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The short answer is that we will be in this holding pattern for some time to come.
In order to keep everyone safe, we want to be very conservative about returning to face-to-face worship in any form and so we plan to worship online indefinitely.
What we know about COVID-19 continues to change as more research is done, and we want a very clear understanding of the virus before we potentially put anyone at risk by gathering. There are many complicating issues related to being together, but please know that our Reopening Committee, Trustees, and Cabinet are researching and discussing how to safely reopen in the future.
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We are so grateful to all those who are able to continue their financial support of our church during these difficult days. We are trying to minimize trips to the bank, so we are waiting until we have a small stack of checks before making a deposit. If you have any questions or concerns, please let the office know.
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Rev. Lee Ann and Laurie Dobson, our office manager, are both still working, but mostly remotely. If you need assistance, email is a much better way to reach us as we are both checking our emails regularly.
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FCC's pastoral caregivers want to support you in times of need.
If you are ill, having surgery, or needing meals during recovery, please let the church office know. Rev. Kathy, Rev. Lee Ann, and our pastoral caregivers will support you with prayers or practical assistance as best we can. Social media is unreliable in communicating need.
Please let us know so that you may receive the support the church wants to provide.
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Please Keep in Your Prayers |
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Jeremy Skaggs
Stephanie
The family Amy Crawford (There is also a GoFundMe account set up to help with medical and funeral expenses. Here is the link.)
Tom (friend of Goolsbys)
Lisetta Thomas and family
Stacy Roberts and family
The family of Bob Nichols
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In May 2008, we declared: We, the congregation of First Congregational United Church of Christ, Fort Worth, declare ourselves to be Open and Affirming. We strive to be a congregation that includes all persons, embracing differences of sexual orientation, gender and its expression, marital status, age, mental and physical health and ability, racial and cultural identity or background, and educational or socioeconomic status. We welcome all to share in the life, leadership, ministry, fellowship, worship, sacraments, responsibilities, blessings, and joys of our congregation's life in Christ. |
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Address: 4201 Trail Lake Drive, Fort Worth, Texas 76109
Phone: 817-923-2990
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Instagram: FirstCongregationalFortWorth
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Article/Announcement Submissions |
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Articles for The Comma and announcements for the bulletin must be in to the office via email no later than Wednesday mornings. For events to be published on our Facebook page, please email the office with the details. PLEASE NOTE: Articles and announcements may be edited for length, grammar, etc.
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You can make a donation to FCC via Vanco--a UCC online giving website. Here's what to do:
1) Go to our web page fortworthucc.org click on "Giving" menu, then click on the "Give Now" button.
2) Once on the Vanco website, set up an account, and decide where you want your donations to go, how often, and from what account.
PLEASE NOTE: Credit/debit transactions incur fees payable to the credit card company. FCC will record the amount less the fees for IRS purposes.
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