Here’s what’s happening this week at First Congregational Church!
Worship
Sunday mornings at 10 am in the Sanctuary.
For these five Sundays preceding Lent, we are taking a look at our proposed Purpose Statement: Welcoming all, growing in faith, living God’s love, justice, compassion. We invite you to join us in worship as we look at each phrase in this statement.
January 22 – Welcoming All
January 29 – Growing in Faith
February 5 – Living God’s Love
February 12 – Living God’s Justice
February 19 – Living God’s Compassion
Ash Wednesday is February 22 at 6:30 p.m. This Wednesday we enter into the season of Lent. Come join us for an Ash Wednesday service, beginning at 6:30 pm in the Sanctuary.
Flowers for the Sanctuary! Help brighten up the Sanctuary by providing flowers for Sunday worship. Please sign up on the Flower Calendar on the workroom door.
Wednesday Worship: Come join us on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday evenings of the month, for a new expression of worship at FCCB, designed to be prayerful, joyous, intergenerational, and child-friendly. We begin with a shared meal at 5:30 pm, followed by worship from 6:30 to 7:15 pm. Fellowship time follows. Come early or late. We welcome help with leading worship and preparing the meal. Please contact the church office for more information at 734-3720.
Spirituality
Save the Date and plan to join the Board of Adult Ministries this Lenten season for the Lenten Soup Supper and Program March 7, 14, 21 and 28. The theme for this year will be Sabbath. Watch for details in the upcoming Full Circle and Sunday bulletins.
Centering Prayer at FCCB: Centering Prayer meets Thursday mornings from 10-11 am in the Fireplace Room. If you have questions please contact Mike Hoffman at mmhoffman-76@hotmail.com or 201-4668 or Elizabeth Beglin at elizabethbeglin@gmail.com or 319-2164. All are welcome to join us — no experience necessary.
Evening Prayer Shawl Group meets alternating nights with Wednesday Worship on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Wednesdays in the Fireplace Room from 5:30 – 6:30 pm.
The Morning Knitting Group meets on the 2nd and 4th Fridays from 10:00 am—12 pm in the Fireplace Room. If you have any questions or need additional information please contact Sarah Jacobson at 319-5104 or sarahwjacobson@yahoo.com.
Lenten Quiet Morning: Join Elizabeth Beglin Saturday, February 25 from 8:30 – 11:30 am in the Chapel for Gentle yoga, meditation/centering prayer, free time, tea and snacks. All are welcome; no experience necessary. Childcare available. Please register: elizabethbeglin@gmail.com or 360-319-2164 Elizabeth is a member of FCCB and for 10 years was the co-owner and director of the Yoga Room in Bellingham.
Justice
imagining the ONA Committee at FCCB. As part of the upcoming Just Peace Roundtable Discussions, we will be exploring the issues that led to the formation of FCCB’s original ONA Committee, namely recognizing and welcoming the LGBT Christian into the full life of our community. The Washington State Legislature and the Governor have approved legislation to grant marriage equality to same sex couples, and an initiative to overthrow the legislation is likely. Faith communities opposed to marriage equality will be vocal in their opposition and will appear to speak for the entire Christian community. A group of our members are exploring ways to support the legislation and offer an alternative faith voice to this initiative discussion. One simple way would be to re-constitute the ONA Committee, which dis-banded after our successful 2010 revision of our ONA Resolution. The very busy Mission & Justice Board assumed the responsibilities and projects of the ONA Committee, but needs additional help for this initiative. If you feel moved to participate in the effort, send an email to robolason@aol.com.
Come to the Round Table - Occupy is an Economic Just Peace Issue. Currently Occupy Wall Street is a hot topic in our country and our local community. We all come to this issue from different points of view and perspectives. The Just Peace Committee and the Mission and Justice Board would like to bring some light to the subject. We invite you to join us for a discussion. Our hope is that we can gather together and share our concerns, ask questions and become more educated about the Occupy Movement. Please join us after church today at 11:30 am in the Chapel. We have invited folks from the Occupy Bellingham Movement to join us for discussion, to field any questions you may have about Occupy Bellingham, as well as provide some information about the larger OWS movement.
Community Meal: The next Community Meal is February 26th at Assumption Church. Our shift is from 1 to 3:15 pm. See Donna Romjue or sign up on the bulletin board in the Narthex.
Adult Education
Breathing New Life into the Lord’s Prayer
Most Christians are familiar with The Lord’s Prayer. While this familiarity may not necessarily breed contempt, it can breed complacency. We will examine the Lord’s Prayer and attempt to answer the question “How can we, in 2012, hear and live into the words of this prayer in ways that impact our daily lives?” This will be a five-session, interactive class with an opportunity to deepen our relationship to prayer.
Co-facilitators: Janet Ott and Rody Rowe
Time: 9 – 9:50 am
Sunday mornings: February 5, 19, 26, and March 4.
Community
Images of the Heart: After church on Sunday, February 19 & 26, Don Reinke will demonstrate a photographic technique intended to put you more closely in touch with your heart. With the technique, you suspend your mind, and let your heart tell you when and how to snap a picture. Portraits are especially amenable to this process. Find out more near the piano in the Social Hall.
Dining in Faith: Friday evening, March 2 is our next Dining in Faith evening sponsored by the Board of Adult Ministries. Dining in Faith is a great way to get to deepen relationships and make new church friends. Please sign up in the Social Hall. If you can host a group, please indicate this on the sign up sheet. People will be randomly assigned to different homes and you will receive a telephone call from your host at the beginning of the week to let you know where to go and what to bring. If you have any further questions, please contact Sharry Nyberg at 734-3720 or Marilyn McClellan at 671-9842.
Lenten Series Help Needed: If you are interested in helping out during the Lenten Series the four Wednesdays in March, you will find the sign-up sheet in the Social Hall after worship on Sundays. We need folks to set up, serve, clean up and make soups. Your help will be much appreciated. If you have any questions, please call Krista at 312-1291. Thank you.
Office Closed: The office will be closed tomorrow, February 20th in observance of President’s Day.
Baptism: Please join us Saturday, February 25, from 1-1:30 pm in the Sanctuary as we welcome Connor Jameson into the Christian faith. Connor is the son of Janessa and Raven Jameson and the grandson of Andy and Jim Wolf.
Staff Schedules: Sharry is on vacation February 16-26.
Full Circle Deadline is February 22nd.
Art sharing and appreciation dessert potluck Sunday, February 26 at 7:00 pm. Members and friends are encouraged to share their own personal spiritual art pieces, either created, found, inherited, collected or bought. This is Arts in Worship 2nd year of hosting a sharing event of how each of us incorporates art into our spiritual lives. A suggested focus, but not limited to, is Nativity sets. Bring your piece and please take a few minutes to tell about it. Also bring a dessert to share.
Annual Talent Show and Comfort Food Pot Luck: This is everyone’s opportunity to be a star. Sign up in the social hall! Then get out those favorite recipes and make some comfort food to share at the pot luck.
Date: March 9th (Friday evening)
Time: 6 pm for dinner and then 7 pm for the Talent Show.
Contact Peggy Wepprecht at 733-4220 or Brian Rapp (talent questions) at 232-4482.
Save the Date: The Pilgrim Circle Rummage Sale will be on Friday, April 20 and Saturday, April 21 from 8:30 am to 3 pm in the church basement. A special evening event for our church family will be Thursday, April 19 from 6 – 8 pm. You may bring your donations to the designated area in the church basement. Proceeds from the sale will benefit community and church projects. For further information, call Barb Green 671-7622 or Etta Kirk 733-6745.
Come One, Come All!
An ALL ages concert, sing-a-long, DaNcE! To benefit the High School young people going on the mission trip this summer to National Youth Event. Our very own Daemian Allen (Tara’s husband) will be playing all kinds of music with his parents- Flash and Tina Allen-to raise money for the young people. These guys are SO much fun! There may also be a SPECIAL GUEST or two… Please come join us!!! Friday, Feb 24 from 7—9:30pm at First Congregational Church Suggested donation of $10 per person or $15 for the whole family!!! Bring your dancing shoes and Be ready to have fun!
Youth
Youth Group Times: (Unless otherwise noted.)
Middle School meets 5:30-6:45 pm, Snack Together at 6:45-7:15 pm, High School meets 7:15-8:30 pm.
February 19: The service opportunity at Northwest Youth Services needs to be postponed until sometime in March. No youth group tonight. Enjoy the long weekend!