This Week at FCCLW 1/18/15

Published: Thu, 01/15/15

January 18, 2015

The City of Lake Worth is holding its 21st annual MLK Day Celebration this Sunday and Monday. You can find out about events and participation on our website.

Painting the Stars We had a great first night of this new teaching and conversation series, exploring the intersection of science and faith. This is a great opportunity to invite those you know who question spirituality in light of scientific knowledge. For more information see our website. Contact Pastor Jason for more information. Community Christmas Offering Thank you...again! As of January 4th we have collected over $5500 of our $3500 goal for this year's Christmas offering. Thank you for your commitment to our community through sharing your resources to help those in need. See more about the people and organizations we are helping this year (including those we have been able to add!) on our website. Souper Bowl Sunday Join us Sunday, February 1st after worship for all of your game day favorite foods - along with some healthier choices. Also, don't forget to bring your change (and your bills) to donate for Souper Bowl of Caring, going to CROS Ministries of Palm Beach County. Prayer Circle Join us Sunday at 10:00 AM at the front of the sanctuary as we resume our Sunday Morning Prayer Circle after the craziness of Advent and Christmas. We spend 5 - 10 minutes praying for our Sunday morning ministries, one another, and other needs brought to the circle. Sermon Videos We are now caught up with posting our service videos on the website. If you missed Rev. Stone's message and the music from Godspell on December 28th, you can see it now! Click on "Sermons" on our website. Remembering Our Baptism This Sunday, Pastor Jason preached about what our baptism does for us. You can see the service here. Farm Worker Immersion Day On January 30, Edie Rsssell, our UCC Minister for Economic Justice from Cleveland, and Rev. John Vestigan, our new Florida Conference Minister, will be leading a group visiting with farm workers in Immokalee, Florida. The meeting and lunch with farm workers and a tour of their facilities will take place from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. Anyone interested in participating in this immersion experience, please contact Carol Lewis. Music Ministry As our Sunday morning worshiping congregation continues to grow in diversity, the desire has been expressed that we explore a wider variety of music and worship styles when we gather. To do that, we need your help! Do you play an instrument? Did you play an instrument and are you willing to pick it up again? We want to worship in ways that connect with people of many cultures and generations. Would you be willing to accompany congregational singing on a guitar? How about a flute solo at the offertory? How are you willing to participate in our worship service? Let Pastor Jason know.		Renewal Book Club Jessica Soffer's Tomorrow There Will Be Apricots will be discussed at the Renewal Book Club meeting on January 20 at 6:30 pm. Join us in the church parlor for tea and fellowship. New Contemplative Prayer Opportunity For the past several years a group has met weekly to practice contemplative prayer as part of the ministry of the Cenacle Sisters Mission in Lantana. The mission has recently closed, with it's waterfront property being sold. While we mourn the loss of this deep spiritual resource in our community, we are thrilled that we will provide a space for the ongoing centering prayer group. They will meet at 7:00 PM on Thursday nights, beginning January 22nd, in the parlor and they invite any who would like to practice or learn more about centering prayer to join them. Justice Ministry News Our justice ministry is starting out strong in 2015. Check the website to see how you can be involved in our work with PEACE to change the tide of youth arrests in our county! Online Giving Have you explored the opportunity of electronic giving? You can choose to have a set amount taken from your bank account on a regular basis or you can make a one (or more) time gift by checking account or credit card on our website. Your regular electronic giving means that your gift is available for ministry even when you are away (or forgot your checkbook!). Thank you for your continued support of the ministry of First Congregational Church! We're On Facebook! If you are on Facebook, head over to our Facebook page and "Like" us to keep up with what is going on at First Congregational United Church of Christ "between Sundays." Hey, Thanks! You're sharing this newsletter with your friends! More people read (or at least opened) our newsletter than we send out. If there is something here that interests you, it may interest someone else. If a friend sent this to you and you would like to receive it regularly, you can subscribe on our website.