First Congregational Church E-Newsletter

Sunday's Service   

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This Sunday:

 4th Sunday Together @ 10

Choir practice at 9:00, but no Educational Activities

First Sunday in Advent
We "prepare the way of the Lord" with worship for all ages that includes wonderful music, give-aways, and learning about John the Baptizer!
Come hear Joanne, The Chancel Choir with a guest soloist, Noah Bossert, Jon Gibson, and join in the singing yourself!
Enjoy your Thanksgiving and we'll see you Sunday.

 

 

In Our Prayers:

Nancy Norgord, recovering from a hip replacement at Evergreen.

Tom Heft as he is in treatment for cancer.

Life Long Learning this SUNDAY November 27

9:00-9:45

   DAY BY DAY WARMING SHELTER

    Presenter: Tina Haffeman

The Day by Day warming shelter opened last month and Tina Haffeman will be here to give us an update on how things are going so far, the things they’ve experienced and what needs they still have as winter gets ready to roll into Wisconsin and the Fox Valley.

Thanksgiving Offering:

Tri-County Dental Clinic

As we learned from our guest in worship November 13th, the dental clinic is performing an invaluable service in our area: 122 dentists and hygienists volunteering 2,368 hours in 2010, serving 9,000 patients!  The clinic is funded solely by donations from individuals and groups like FCC.  If you have not given, we encourage you to do so.  THIS SUNDAY there will be special offering envelopes in the bulletin for this Thanksgiving Offering.  Or, you can mail a check to the office, indicating that you want to support the work of the dental clinic, as part of your giving thanks to God this year. 

Day by Day Warming Shelter Donation Box for Christmas bags

From now until Christmas, the Social Justice Ministry Group will collect items for guests at the new Day by Day Warming Shelter.  FCC members and friends are encouraged to bring gloves, hats, ski masks, small home-baked loaves of banana-type breads, small gift cards to New Moon, Hardees, small packs of wipes, warm socks, large- sized sweat pants, bus tokens, thermal coffee cups, sunglasses, small umbrellas, candy and gum. A bin is situated to the left of the main doors to the church to collect the donations, and just before Christmas, the Social Justice group will make up gift bags for the guests.

 

Day by Day Warming Shelter serves those with no other sheltering options on winter nights. Since opening on October 24th, we have provided 350 shelter nights and 700 meals.

At this time we need cleaning help at the shelter. We are looking for 2 – 4 people to come in on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00am – 12:00am. These are hours when the shelter is empty. Mopping floors, sanitizing bathrooms and the kitchen, vacuuming TV area, and wiping down all counters and tables are duties that need to be performed. If this is something you think you could help with even on a once a month basis, it would be a huge help. Guests do have chores to do but a twice weekly a more thorough cleaning is important.

If you are interested, please call Angie McCarthy at 203.4536 of email the shelter at shelteroshkosh@gmail.com

ANNUAL TEEN TINSEL GIFT TREE

We kicked off our annual Teen Tinsel Tree gift project on Sunday, November 6.  Teens who are at-risk or from very low income families are often overlooked by holiday assistance programs. We’re inviting our congregation to help brighten the winter holidays for these teens by filling a stocking.  Handmade Christmas stockings, donated by the Senior Center Wisconsin Warmer Quilters, will be available in the Narthex for you to “check-out and fill-up”.  Donations will be due back by December 4.  Cash donations are also welcome. For more information contact Dorry Wilner, 236-5714.


HANGING OF THE GREENS

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011

Following the worship service there will be a potluck meal in Fellowship Hall (please bring a dish to pass) and then we will decorate the sanctuary for Advent and Christmas with our traditional Hanging of the Greens.  The congregation is urged to participate – it is a wonderful event for the entire family!

Join us in any of the following activities:  Setting up for the potluck meal; decorating trees; creating and installing pew swags; hanging garlands; crafts with children; child care; cleaning up following the potluck meal; etc.  Afterwards we gather in the choir loft and sing carols. 

Please plan to attend for a very memorable experience.

 

Laura Wilner

The 23-year old daughter of Gary and Dorry Wilner, Laura has been a lifelong member of First Congregational Church. Laura has attended other churches when she lived elsewhere, most recently Colorado - where she lived until October 2010 - but has always loved the warmth and feeling of family she gets when attending services or other events at FCC. She describes it as a feeling of "coming home." One of the things that makes FCC feel like such an extension of family for Laura is having people in the church address her by name and either know what's going on in her life, or asking. One of the things Laura is doing these days is working with the re:TH!NK program through the Winnebago County Health Department. Among many things re:TH!NK does is work to conquer drug, alcohol and tobacco issues in our community. In her position of County Youth Coordinator, Laura talks with kids in schools and other youth organizations about the hazards of using those substances. She sees her job as educating, empowering and engaging today's youth.

 

ORDER YOUR POINSETTIAS!

Order due date extended to Sunday December 4th!

This year we are again taking donations for general Christmas decorations. You may donate money (any amount you decide) which will be used to purchase poinsettias, wreaths and garlands. Your donation may be IN MEMORY OF or IN HONOR OF someone. These remembrances will be listed in the bulletin. If you would like to take a poinsettia home, you may do so after the 7:30 Christmas Eve worship service.

For the complete printable order form

click here.

 

 Interfaith Festival

of Gratitude

TONIGHT!

 
This great tradition continues -- the gathering of people of many faiths, giving thanks to God as each understands that God.  Come to the Grand Opera House on TONIGHT, at 7:00 p.m., to enjoy presentations of many traditions, joining as a interfaith community in truly a Festival of Gratitude!   An offering will be received, supporting the Day by Day warming shelter just opened.  Christians of various sorts, Jews, Muslims, Baha'is, Hindus, Zen . . . Eckankar -- a cornucopia of faiths!
 
Something new this year:  After the Festival, people will be coming to our Fellowship Hall for conversation and refreshments, and opportunities to learn more about each other.  All the groups are bringing light refreshments -- We hope to see you at the Festival!
 
 

Got a

Flat Screen TV?

We're hoping to find someone who has a TV monitor -- at least 36-inch -- that they could donate to the church. We'd like to mount it where all the great photos that are taken each week can be displayed.  Questions?  See Ralph

Aunt Marnie's

Carmel Corn

Just in time for the holiday season Women's Fellowship will be selling carmel corn in the narthex before and after church on Sunday December 11. We will be making Marnie Hackbarth's famous recipe. There will be bags with pecans and without, so plan to come and buy for family and friends. It makes a great present, if you don't it eat all first!!!

All proceeds go to the matching kitchen fund.