During the month of May we will be worshiping in alternate locations TWO weeks in a row. Do not come to 700 Poyntz on May 6th or 13th. You won't find us here. Look below for information about what we'll be up to on those Sundays. We will re-gather here on May 20th for Pentecost. 

MAY 6 - SHARED WORSHIP AT FIRST CHRISTIAN
​​Join us at First Christian Church (115 Courthouse Plaza) at 10:45am for a shared worship service featuring the Thundering Cats Big Band! Our pastors will lead worship together and we will all enjoy this special service of beautiful music. Communion will be shared and the table is open to all. Sunday School will still take place at First Congregational at 9:30am. Additionally, the Thundering Cats are hosting a special benefit concert that same afternoon at 2pm, also at First Christian Church. A free-will offering for ECM (Ecumenical Campus Ministry) will be received at the afternoon concert.​ | Facebook event

PLEASE NOTE: We will have Sunday School on May 6th in our regular location (700 Poyntz). Adults will finish up the We Sing Freedom! class and nursery care/Sunday School is also available for the kids. May 6th  is the final day of Sunday School before we take a break for the summer. ​

May 13 - WORSHIP IN THE PARK & BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS

Join us at Long's Park for our annual worship in the park and blessing of the animals. Please bring along your own chair if you've got one. During worship, we'll bless our pets. Childcare staff will be on hand to care for young kids who want to explore the playground or the rest of the park. After worship, stick around for a good ol' fashioned potluck. Bring a dish to share and your own plates/silverware. Drinks will be provided by our Board of Deacons. | Facebook event

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​May 20 - PENTECOST + CHRISTIAN ED RECOGNITION + FLOORING DEDICATION
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It's Pentecost! We celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit in worship on this Sunday each year and you are encouraged to wear red, yellow, or orange to worship so we can make a flame together. This year, Pentecost is also Christian Education Recognition Sunday. We will celebrate and bless children, youth, and adults who have participated in or led education activities. After worship, we will dedicate our new flooring during Fellowship Hour. Don't miss it!

​​Sunday, August 20 we will have a Blessing of the Backpacks during worship. Children are invited to bring their backpacks and receive a blessing as they return to school. We are thrilled that the Ministry of the Decorative Scissors is again providing the custom-made backpack trinkets for our children. "Big kids" and adults are welcome to bring along their briefcases, diaper bags, work uniforms or other items that represent their daily work in the world. We will also bless those who are returning to teaching – whether that’s in a college classroom, an elementary school, or at home with young children. 

Children in elementary school are invited to join us for acolyte training on Sunday, August 27th at 10am. Kids will leave Sunday School early that day to meet up with Andria and Pastor Caela in the sanctuary. We'll invite the older kids who have already been acolytes help train the younger and new ones. We look forward to welcoming a new group of acolytes into our rotation. If you have questions, please contact Andria. 

School supply lists are out. College students will soon be filling the town. Summer is coming to a close. This August, join us as we go back to school with Jesus. We'll spend the month of August exploring some of his parables during worship and we kick off this four week sermon series on August 6th with a special Jazz Worship and a sermon on what it means to be a disciple. And...save the date for August 20th. We'll be blessing backpacks and teachers during worship that day and partying at Feast and Festival that night. The 20th is also our kick-off date for new classes for kids, youth, and adults at 9:30 a.m. 

The Vitality Committee is ushering in the “year of love” addressed in Pastor Caela’s MLK sermon series with a Dinner and Decorating event in the month of love – February.  On Saturday, February 11, at 4:30 in Pioneer-Blachly, we’ll have materials to make Valentines, decorations, appreciation cards, and more for friends, family, and anybody to whom you want to send a message of love.  The Ministry of the Decorative Scissors will provide materials and ideas, but feel free to bring more to share.  We’ll also have heart cookies to decorate (and eat).  Supper will be pizza and salad. Come and bring a carload for an intergenerational evening of fun, food, and LOVE.

Usually in worship we have "the Word FOR children" but this upcoming Sunday we'll hear the word FROM our children. Our kiddos have been hard at work for over a month now, preparing their lines and music for the pageant. Come and hear familiar words from scripture and Christmas music presented by our preschool and elementary-aged children. Join us for worship at 10:45am. 

Full details about all the Advent and Christmas events at First Congregational available here. ​

Calling all children! Rehearsals for the 2016 Christmas Pageant begin this Sunday, Nov. 6th at 9:30 a.m. (don't forget to set your clocks back before you go to bed Saturday night). The pageant is for children of all ages and will be under the director of our Director of Children's Ministries, Andria Anderson. To learn more or volunteer, contact Andria.

The pageant will be offered as the sermon during worship on Sunday, Dec. 11th. 

Adults are welcome to drop their children off for pageant rehearsal or join us for our Adult Sunday School opportunities. 

If you are pregnant or have a baby, toddler, preschooler, or elementary school aged child, Mrunch is for you! Parenting young children is hard work....and it's better done with a village. We gather about once a month for a moms-only brunch on Saturday morning (child care available upon request). There is always a topic of the day and we take turns facilitating conversation. From time-to-time we read a book together or plan other social events. 

This month we gather on Saturday, Nov. 5th at one of our members' homes. We'll be making freezable dinners for one of the families in our congregation that is about to welcome a new baby.