Here’s what’s happening this week at First Congregational Church!
Seattle Handbell Ensemble: Join the Bells of Sound on Saturday, May 12 at 7 pm for a journey through the cool sounds and hot rhythms of jazz. A suggested donation of $10/adults and $8/youth and seniors (children under 8 are free) will be collected at the door. Call (206) 931-7669 or visit www.bellsofthesound.org. Sponsored by the Arts and Worship Board.
Your Sunday Bulletin Announcements
The announcements sheet normally stuffed into your Sunday bulletin will be omitted, to reduce paper. This means that the announcements in this edition of This Week at FCCB are extended to include what would normally be in Sunday’s printed version. We ask that you consider this email your copy. Printed announcements will be available in the Narthex for those who wish a hard copy or who do not receive this emailed version. Thank you for your “Green” help!
Worship
Sunday mornings at 10 am in the Sanctuary.
Wednesday Worship: Our Wednesday Worship meets every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month. We begin with a shared meal at 5:30 pm. People are welcome to join in the meal whenever they are available. Worship begins at 6:30 and ends at 7:15 pm. Wednesday worship meets May 23rd. We specifically designed this worship to be more child- and family-friendly, so that all are truly welcome. Each service includes communion, music, prayer and a short reflection or meditation. If you have not yet tried this worship, we invite you to come check it out. If you are available to help with meals, please let us know by contacting the church office. Come and join us!
Upcoming Sundays
May 20 New Members Join
May 27 Pentecost Sunday
June 3 Senior Recognition
June 10 Music Sunday
Spirituality
Centering Prayer at FCCB: “God is at home. It is we who have gone out for a walk.” - Meister Eckhart
Centering Prayer meets Thursday mornings from 10-11 am in the Fireplace Room. 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.
In Stitches will continue to meet on Friday mornings from 10-11:30 am during the summer. We would love to have more people join us–both quilters and quilter wannabes. We help one another at various stages of making a quilt and make group quilts for auctions. We also have a quilt ministry for people with serious illnesses, going into a nursing home, or children who are hospitalized.
The Morning Knitting Group meets on the 2nd and 4th Fridays from 10 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.
Women with Wings: FCCB welcomes Women with Wings to our church. This non-profit group was formed to bring hope and healing song to those who are lonely, isolated, ill or dying. Regular song circles and bedside visits are held in facilities throughout Bellingham. All are welcome at our rehearsals at FCCB in the Chapel on the first and third Tuesdays of every month, 6:30 – 8:30 pm. Please contact Director, Linda Allen at 360-734-7979 or linda@lindasongs.com.
Justice
Community Meal: This month’s community meal is on May 27 at Assumption Church. Our shift is 1:15-3:15 pm.
Bike to Church Sunday - Sunday, May 20 is the second annual FCCB Bike 2 Church Sunday. Last year the Green Team inaugurated our Bike 2 Church Sunday on the weekend of Whatcom County’s Bike to Work or School Day. Hop on your bike and discover that Sunday mornings can be one of the most pleasant times of the week to ride. After the service join our bike parade as we circumnavigate the church grounds and pose for a group photo under the bell tower.
Support Marriage Equality. Our pastors and Open and Affirming Committee have challenged us to show our church’s support for marriage equality by turning in 1,000 signed petition cards by the first week in June. So far we have collected 220 cards and passed out another 100. Once we receive these 100, we can give out more. Timing is now critical! If you have taken any out, please have them signed, filled out and bring them in as fast as you can. You can drop them in the green box in the workroom during the week or in the Social Hall on Sundays. If 147 people commit to five cards each, we can make our goal! Will you help us? For more information, go to washingtonunited.org or contact Julie Gorrell (juliegorrell@comcast.net) or Rob Olason (Robolason@aol.com).
Habitat for Humanity auction - May 19 – Get your tickets! Habitat for Humanity in Whatcom County will hold its annual fundraising auction Saturday, May 19 at the Hotel Bellwether. Tickets are available to purchase in the social hall. Tickets include dinner and all auction events. Auction items include a Porsche for a weekend, vacation lodgings in Whistler and Mazatlan, and many items for your home or garden. Habitat is asking $75 each. But, if this sounds like too much and is the difference between you going or not, please don’t let it be! You can go for $30. Our Mission & Justice board is helping sponsor this event. We want FCCB members to fill at least one, if not two tables of eight!
Cell Phone Collection: Please help us protect victims of Domestic Violence through the Verizon Wireless Hopeline Campaign, a nationwide county competition. We are collecting used and no-longer-being-used cell phones through June 15th. The county that collects the most cell phones wins a $10,000 grant from Verizon. In Whatcom County, the $10,000 Hopeline grant will be used to fund the Domestic Violence Specialist (DVS), an advocate for victims of domestic violence. Verizon Wireless will clear the memory of donated phones; re-program them with free minutes and phone numbers for safety, such as 911 and the national domestic violence hotline; and then redistribute the phones to local victim service agencies, Womencare Shelter and Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services in Whatcom County, who will give them to victims who need a phone for their safety. Donated phones can be any carrier or brand, old or new, working or not. The collection box is in the Narthex.
Notice Date Change! – Come to the Round Table – Homelessness is a Social and Economic Just Peace Issue – Please join us on June 10th after worship for a discussion about homelessness in our local community and our nation as a whole. Due to hard economic times and budget cuts many families are experiencing homelessness for the first time. The needs are great. At this event we hope to discuss ways we can work to end homelessness and what we can do to help our brothers and sisters in need in our local area. The care of our neighbors is supported by our purpose statement of “Welcoming all, Growing in Faith, Living Gods Love, Justice and Compassion…”
Community
Parish Nurse Hours: Parish Nurse, Maridel, is available Sunday for blood pressure checks and health questions.
Full Circle Deadline is Wednesday, May 16th.
Attention: College Age Young Adults! Join us at Honey Moon, 1053 North State St., Thursday, May 17th from 5 to 7 pm for Progressive Christian Company, Conversation and Connection. Come join us for “Com—MOON—ion.”
Men’s Breakfast meets May 18th at 8:30 am at the Bob’s Burgers and Brew in Barkley Village.
Junior Ski to Sea Parade: Come join the fun and march in the parade with others from FCCB! Bring your bikes, trikes, skateboards, roller skates or ?? to the church Social Hall on Friday, May 18 at 4:00 pm. We will make signs and decorate with ribbons and crepe paper to get ready to march in the parade. We will line up for the parade at 5 pm with the parade starting at 6 pm . Following the parade we will return to the church for banana splits.
Health and Healing Series: Sunday, May 20: Following worship at 11:30 am join Barry Meyers, local Elder Law Attorney for a presentation and discussion on “Attending to Responsibilities and Obligations at the End of Life.” This series will be followed up by a panel discussion in June (date to be determined) as we discern and discuss “Dying Faithfully: How does our faith and our Christian Community enrich end of life transitions?”
Office Closed: The office will be closed for Memorial Day on Monday, May 28th.
Church Council meets Tuesday, May 26th at 7 pm.
Encore– The social group for couples and singles over 50 will meet May 25 at 7 pm in the church social hall. Start your holiday weekend with great fellowship and lots of laughter. If you have questions, contact Roger and Dorothy Shimer at 778-2039 or r.d.shimer@gmail.com. We’ll see you there!
Do Good and Change Your Life: Let’s go to Nicaragua in early 2013 for a work trip, cross cultural experience, and vacation. Dick and Jackie Whitmore, Bellingham residents and Board members for El Porvenir, will present a slide show and information about El Porvenir, and share their personal experience. Work projects have focused on water access, sanitation, fuel-efficient cook stoves, and reforestation. All ages are encouraged to join this life changing experience. If this appeals to you, please join us for an informational meeting. No commitment necessary at this time, travel date has not been finalized. Meet on May 31, at 7 pm in the Mt. Baker room. Explore the website at http://elporvenir.org/. For more information contact Sarah Jacobson or Dorothy Shimer.
FCCB Day Camp 2012” Celebrating God’s Earth“: Save the date and plan to join us for an incredible week June 25-29. Registration is open to children in Kindergarten – Middle School youth (who will help and be mentors to the younger children). Registration fee is $30 per child and forms are available in the Social Hall. Registration deadline is May 15. We hope you can join us for our very first FCCB Day Camp. For scholarship information or questions contact Sharry at 734-3720 or sharry@fccb.net.
Need A Nametag? If you are a frequent visitor, friend of the church or lost your name tag, you can sign up for a name tag at our Welcome Table in the Narthex Please wear your name tag for both worship and coffee hour.
Council Highlights: Church Council Highlights are published after each meeting in the Friday E-Newsletter and the Sunday Announcements. If you would like to read the full council minutes, a copy of the minutes is placed in the Narthex on the Council News information board. Also, we now have an on-line reading option on Google docs. If you would like to use this option, send an email to fccbscribe@gmail.com and your email address will be added to the access list.
Illustrated Lecture: On Sunday, May 20 at 4 pm at the Nooksack Indian United Methodist Church, 6605 Mission Road, expert historical researcher, Candace Wellman will present a program about family & friendship connections between the Nooksack Tribe and mid-19th century settlers.
Youth
High School Church School: High School Church School class meets the 2nd and 4th Sunday mornings of the month in the Fireplace Room after Time with Children. Join us to listen, discuss, learn and explore your faith with other High School youth. Our last meeting for the year is Sunday, May 13. For more information, contact Scout Mitchell at 927-5431
May 13, After Church Cookie Sales by High School Mission crew
5:30-7 pm: Youth Group meets—with Ruthie Taylor
7—8 pm: Creation rehearsal with Janet. ALL are welcome!
May 20— 5:30-7 pm: Youth Group meets—with Ruthie Taylor
May 27— 5:30-7 pm: Youth Group meets—with Ruthie Taylor
7– 8 pm: Creation rehearsal with Janet. ALL are welcome!