News and Announcements
Special Thanks
• To Savannah Anderson who was re-elected as Team Representative for Christian Education, Eric Olson who was elected as Team Representative for Community Outreach, and Ric Probst who was elected as Team Representative for Staff Support and Review at our annual Spring Congregational Meeting on Sunday, June 28.
• To Mike Spalding for being appointed to serve as Team Representative for Liturgy and Jason Jacque for being appointed to serve as Team Representative for Stewardship.
• To Bill Bond for continuing to serve as Clerk, Lorraine Halls for continuing to serve as Treasurer, Marti DeMario for continuing to serve as Team Representative for Fellowship and Jim Clements for continuing to serve as Team Representative for Property.
Special Thanks
• To Ray Shupe for serving as our Moderator for the past two years, and Associate Moderator before that.
• To Alex Funk for serving as Community Outreach Team Representative for the past four years.
• To Sherrie Dimmer for serving as Staff Support and Review Team Representative for the past four years.
• To Terry Sdun for serving on the Church Council for the past five years (four years as our Fellowship Team Representative and one year as our Liturgy Team Representative).
• To the following church members who have been appointed to serve on the Finance Committee: Lorraine Halls (Church Treasurer, Chair), Ray Shupe, and Sherrie Dimmer. Owen Madson, our Financial Administrator, will serve as a 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 all of the folks who responded to the invitation to "Adopt-a-Flower/Shrub-Bed" to improve our church grounds: Kelly Blum, Mike Dimmer, Jennifer Garven, Christa Karrels, Lori and Mark MacRae, Miriam Mitchell, Joe and Bev Mueller, Beckie Perez, Jeanne Weir and Jana Zimmerman. Special thanks to Jeanne Mantsch and Jane Spalding for their consultations, and to Joe Mueller for ordering the mulch.
• To Brett Dimmer for continuing to produce our "Worship in the Gap" and "Gap Chats" video series.
In Our Prayers
Archives
SUMMER FELLOWSHIP
We will be holding socially distanced Summer Fellowship outside from 9:00-10:00 on the second and fourth Sunday mornings. Together we can enjoy coffee and conversation on the church lawn to the west of the building (adjacent to the outdoor pool). Please bring your own lawn chair and coffee. The area can get sunny, so consider bringing your sunglasses and sun hat.
We look forward to gathering again on July 26 and August 9 and 23 (weather permitting). We hope you can join us!
DRIVE-THRU COMMUNION PICK UP
The next first Sunday morning of the month, August 2, 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. Pastor Jim provides several updates in a letter to the congregation sent out the last week of May.
Read Jim's full letter here
Our Church Council feels that it is best to continue to "stay the course" as outlined in a letter written by our Wisconsin Conference Minister, Franz Rigert. Franz and the Conference recommends that UCC congregations not resume in-person worship or other activities in our church buildings until the public health gating requirements are met.
Read the Wisconsin Conference letter here
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.
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!
WE’RE ROLLING OUT THE (FOOD PANTRY) BARREL
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 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