"Life@First Congregational" 8/26/08
Published: Wed, 08/27/08
 Loving God, Loving Others, Serving the World Volume 3, Number 3 August 12, 2008 |
| Cooking With Susie
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 Tuesday, September 2nd, will be our first "Cooking With Susie" class of the fall. Join Sue Cone as she demonstrates and samples complete meals. Those that participated in this last year had nothing but glowing reviews for the instruction, the food and the fellowship. If you would like to come, sign up in church on Sunday, or email or call the office so we know how many to prepare for. |
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LifeGroups
Over the next few weeks, we will be highlighting some of the LifeGroup opportunities that will be available beginning in October.  A LifeGroup is a small group of 6-10 people who meet on a regular basis either at the church, in a home, or at another location to encourage and support one another in their spiritual lives. One of the groups we are really excited about is "Living the Questions." This group will be an excellent opportunity to explore and practice the Christian faith from a more progressive perspective. Each of us knows someone who might be a "seeker," someone who is looking for a spiritual path or maybe a "church alumi/ae," someone who was once a practicing Christian, but has since left or been left by the church. You might want to invite them as together we "live the questions" and explore Christianity's relevance for the 21st century. |
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This Week's Sermon "Dealing With Discouragement"  One thing that I have learned, and that I continue to learn, is that "It is always something." It is so easy to get discouraged. This week we discuss external causes of discouragement, internal causes of discouragement, and some ways to handle the discouragement that we encounter. You can listen to the sermon here. Next week we will talk about what is left to do after the building is complete. | |
75% This is a follow-up to my musings from the last issue, 80%. 80%, remember, is the percentage of people in church who began their relationship with God before the age of 18.Now, 75% is the percentage of young people who the Barna research group found left the church after high school. Shocked and curious about this number, Group Magazine dug a little deeper. They found that among children and youth who were actively engaged in their church on a regular basis, that figure dropped dramatically--to 25% leaving after high school. Two thoughts occurred to me when I learned of these statistics. First, we as the church need to be proclaiming and modeling a faith that is relevant to our children. We need to be engaging them on their level and in their language. My second thought is this: as parents, we need to be sharing and modeling a faith that is relevant to our children. When Emerson looks at me, does he see one who is serious about his relationship with God, one for whom participation in his faith community is a priority (and not just because it is my job), and one who lives his faith by working with and for the marginalized, following the example of Jesus. If my boy sees that, I have no doubt that he will get excited and see his own relationship with God as something relevant and worthy of his time and effort. Peace, Pastor Jason This Week's Opportunities Thursday, 8/28 10:00 AM Romans Bible Study, Parlor Friday, 8/29 7:00 PM Meditation and More, Parlor |
Parents Night Out
All parents of children and youth, infants through 21, are invited to a special dinner on September 19 at 6:30 p.m. Baked ziti, garden salad, garlic bread, and beverages will be prepared by Pastor Jason Fairbanks, Beth O'Donnell, and Carol Lewis. After dinner, there will be some music and time for sharing about your talents, needs, and desires for your children and our church family. There is no charge for the meal, but you are encouraged to bring a photo of yourself doing something you enjoy or an object that shows some special talent or interest. For example, bowlers might bring in a bowling ball or singers might bring in some sheet music. Please sign up at the Welcome Table in the church sanctuary. If you need childcare for your pre-schoolers and elementary age students, p lease note that on the sign-up sheet.
B.I.G. Sunday School We are expecting a great year this year in our Sunday School classes. B.I.G. stands for "Belief in God" and that is what will be nurtured in your child as she or her participates with our loving and talented teachers beginning September 7th. Register this week or contact Carol to let us know your child will be there! You Know Someone... ...(we know you do, we have our ways) who will benefit from something mentioned in this newsletter. Show them a little love and forward it to them! If a friend forwarded this email to you, first of all, thank them! Then subscribe for yourself at our website. For archive of previous editions, click here. |