News and Announcements
In Our Prayers
• Jim Melichar continues to undergo treatment for glioblastoma (brain cancer). Please keep Jim and Sherri, and their family, in your prayers.
Congratulations
• To Cecilia Ann Jagow, daughter of Caitlin Zozakiewicz and Andy Jagow, who was baptized into the Christian faith on Wednesday, July 22.
Special Thanks
• To the following church members who have been meeting regularly as the church's Racial Justice Team: David Franks, Bonnie Jacque, Jeanne Mantsch, Craig Modahl, Louise Mollinger and Don Niederfrank.
• To Joe Mueller and Claude Zimmerman for conducting weekly walk-throughs of the church building and grounds, and for completing a number of projects. Most recently, Joe and Claude rerouted an downspout on the west end of the church.
• To the following church members who have agreed to serve on the newly created Reopening Team: Phil Stepanski (Associate Moderator, Chair), Mike Spalding (Liturgy Team Representative), and Brett Dimmer (Music Staff, Technology). Amy Gilhooly, our Communications Director, will serve as a staff liaison to the Team.
• To the Stewardship Team for ordering two outside banners for the church, encouraging us to "Be the Church".
• To the following church members who have been appointed to serve on the Finance Team: Lorraine Halls (Church Treasurer, Chair), Ray Shupe, and Sherrie Dimmer. Owen Madson, our Financial Administrator, will serve as a staff liaison to the Team.
• To the following church members who have been appointed to serve on the Stewardship Team: Jason Jacque (Team Representative to the Council, Chair), Jodi Cowen, Bev Mueller and Craig Modahl.
• To Brett Dimmer for continuing to produce our "Worship in the Gap" and "Gap Chats" video series.
Archives
EXCITING MESSAGE FROM THE SEARCH COMMITTEE
As you recall, our Committee has been actively pursuing a new settled minister since June 2019.
On Thursday evening, August 13, we joined the Church Council’s monthly Zoom meeting to present a candidate for formal recommendation. We are excited to share with you that the Council approved our recommendation! In short, a candidate has been chosen!
Our work is not finished, however. The next step is to facilitate a Call Weekend where we welcome the candidate to meet our congregation and conduct a service, followed by a meeting where a congregational vote is held, as well as successful completion of the Call Agreement.
Due to the pandemic, we have had to make creative plans in order to conduct Call Weekend safely. Details will be provided in the next few weeks to prepare our congregation for the upcoming activities, which will likely occur as we move into our new church program year in September.
We have prepared an overview of our journey, we welcome you to to a look. Information specific to the candidate will be provided the week before Call Weekend. Stay tuned!
Thank you for your support!
The Search Committee
DRIVE-THRU COMMUNION PICK UP
The next first Sunday morning of the month, September 6, we will hold another Drive-Thru Communion Pick Up. We invite you to drive into the church parking lot anytime between 9:00 - 10:00 where you will receive sealed package(s) of wafer and juice to take home with you, as well as a blessing from Pastor Jim. We then invite you to watch Worship in the Gap with your communion elements handy.
"STAYING THE COURSE" - OUR STATUS
Our traditional worship services continue to be suspended at this time. First Congregational Church will continue to provide spiritual guidance and care. We welcome you to call or email if you have any pastoral needs or questions.
REOPENING TEAM
A Reopening Team was formed in July to take a deep look at when we might be able to resume in-person worship services and church activities. Their focus will be on reopening safely, and they will look at the recommendations of epidemiologists and public health authorities for guidance. In general, the recommendations all say similar things: reopening should proceed in gradual steps, and each step should only occur following several weeks of positive trends in controlling the virus in our community. By most measures, virus activity in Ozaukee and neighboring counties is high, so, at this time, we are weeks away from beginning the first of several steps towards in-person worship. The Team will use this time to work out details of what each phase will look like, and which specific criteria will allow us to proceed to the next phase.
MAKING PLEDGE PAYMENTS
Since we are not currently conducting church services, we wanted to let you know that you can drop off your pledge payments by using our mail slot to the right of our Webster Street entrance. Or you can simply mail it to the church. Thank you!
DONATIONS TO FAMILY PROMISE
Family Promise is currently in need of the following items: paper towels, toilet paper, laundry detergent pods, deodorant for women, body wash for women, shaving cream for women, new bath towels and gas cards.
You may drop off donations in our church entryway Tuesday through Friday mornings, or you can drop them off directly to Family Promise (136 W. Grand Avenue here in Port Washington). If you would like to make a financial donation, please send it to the church marked Family Promise.
DONATIONS TO THE FOOD PANTRY
We have placed a Food Pantry Barrel outside the church, near the entryway doors. We invite you to stop by to make contributions of non-perishable food items so that we can continue to support the Port Washington Food Pantry.
Items on their request list include: progresso soup, pudding, flour tortillas, rice-a-roni, knorr sides, mustard, ketchup, spaghetti sauce, cookie mix, vegetable oil, shampoo, bar soap and dish soap.
WORSHIP IN THE GAP
As a way to continue to stay connected while our church services and activities are suspended, we are pleased to provide you with our YouTube video series, Worship in the Gap. Huge thanks to Brett Dimmer for producing the series!
Click on the links below to view each episode:
Episode 51: Worship in the Gap - September 6, 2020
Episode 50: Worship in the Gap - August 30, 2020
Episode 49: Worship in the Gap - August 23, 2020
Episode 48: Gap Chat - Dealing with Anger
Episode 47: Worship in the Gap - August 16, 2020
Episode 46: Worship in the Gap - August 9, 2020
Episode 45: Gap Chat - August 8, 2020
Episode 44: Worship in the Gap - August 2, 2020
Episode 43: Worship in the Gap - July 26, 2020
Episode 42: Worship in the Gap - July 19, 2020
Episode 41: Gap Chat - Standing in the Need of Prayer
Episode 40: Worship in the Gap - July 12, 2020
Episode 39: Worship in the Gap - July 5, 2020
Episode 38: Gap Chat - Congregational Meeting Update
Episode 37: Worship in the Gap - June 28, 2020
Episode 36: Worship in the Gap - June 21, 2020
Episode 35: Gap Chat - The Congregation's Work
Episode 34: Worship in the Gap - June 14, 2020
Episode 33: Gap Chat - Racial Justice
Episode 32: Worship in the Gap - June 7, 2020
Episode 31: Gap Chat - Dedicated to our 2020 Graduates
Episode 30: Gap Chat - Invitation to Pick Up Communion
Episode 29: Worship in the Gap - Pentecost Sunday
Episode 28: Gap Chat - When Will We Open Church?
Episode 27: Gap Chat - Dedicated to Confirmation Class
Episode 26: Worship in the Gap - May 24, 2020
Episode 25: Worship in the Gap - May 17, 2020
Episode 24: Gap Chat - The Sabbath
Episode 23: Worship in the Gap - Mother's Day
Episode 22: Gap Chat - Church Update
Episode 21: Worship in the Gap - May 3, 2020
Episode 20: Gap Chat - The Gatekeeper
Episode 19: Gap Chat - Social Contracts and Covenants
Episode 18: Worship in the Gap - April 26, 2020
Episode 17: Gap Chat - Anxiety and COVID-19
Episode 16: Gap Chat - We're All Connected
Episode 15: Worship in the Gap - April 19, 2020
Episode 14: Gap Chat - Faith or Folly?
Episode 13: Gap Chat - What Changes After the Gap?
Episode 12: Worship in the Gap - Easter Sunday
Episode 11: Worship in the Gap - Maundy Thursday
Episode 10: Worship in the Gap - Palm Sunday
Episode 9: Gap Chat - A Search Committee Update
Episode 8: Gap Chat - Jim explains "Interim Ministry"
Episode 7: Worship in the Gap 3/29
Episode 6: Gap Chat - Jim & Don discuss Ministry
Episode 5: Gap Chat - Harold Kushner's Book
Episode 4: Worship in the Gap 3/22 -Man Born Blind
Episode 3: Gap Chat - Baptismal Heresy
Episode 2: Gap Chat - Jim and Don Discuss John 4
Episode 1: Worship in the Gap - March 15, 2020
SPRING CONGREGATIONAL MEETING
Our annual Spring Congregational Meeting was conducted via Zoom on Sunday, June 28. The primary item of business was the election of Church Council Officers and Team Representatives. Thank you to the almost two dozen members and friends for joining the meeting! If you were unable to attend, please take a look at the Meeting Summary prepared by Jeanne Mantsch, our Church Moderator, and view Gap Chat #38 as Pastor Jim and a few members of the Council recap the meeting.
