Fellowship and Congregational Life

Kristi Clover and Bill Platt, Co-Councilors
Team members: Matt Clover, Connie Day, Carolyn Frederick, Steve Hirby, Hope Karth, Elllie Olson, and Deb Burich

Anyone is welcome to our Ministry Team meetings!

Our Goal:

"To become a community so suffused with Christ's love that strangers are welcomed, the barriers that separate us from others are overcome, and those different from us become our friends."

The following fellowship and service programs help us move toward this goal:

 

Fellowship Activities

Women's Fellowship

This group meets three times a year for a meal and a time of sharing and fun. The following events/dates have been scheduled:

Watch The Open Door for reminders!

 Wild Women of the Congo

Wild Women of the Congo gatherings are a great way to meet and talk to other women, from young adults to seniors.  It is a hassle-free gatheirng -- bring nothing but yourself.  We get together monthly on the first Tuesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. at Cheyenne's (Lawrence and Appleton Streets).  You can order dinner and/or beverages.  Come one month or every month.  No RSVP needed.  Please contact us if you have questions or would like to be put on our monthly e-mail reminder list.   Contact Gayle Chatfield (gardenart@tds.net) or Barb Uehling (731-6370).
 

Men's Fellowship

This is an opportunity to gather with other men periodically for fellowship.  They sponsor the Men in Aprons dinner in February.
 

Brunch Bunch

An opportunity for empty nesters, retired members, new members and others to get acquainted or reacquainted and enjoy informal fellowship. This group meets at noon at Riverview Country Club for brunch and a program on the following Sundays:

Call the Church Office to make a reservation for brunch.  Suggestions for future programs are welcomed.  Thanks to Judy Tonnell for overseeing this program.
 

Other fellowship opportunities throughout the year:

Rally Sunday (September 9, 2007) -- We kick off our new program year with an all-church brunch and party following worship. 

Square Dance and Soup -- October 20, 2007

Family Sunday Brunch -- Brunch and fellowship between services on Family Sundays.

Men in Aprons  (February 16, 2008) -- Annual Lasagna and Asparagus Dinner

The Pentecost Picnic and Party (June 1, 2008) -- We celebrate the birth of the Christian church and wrap up the program year with an old-fashioned church picnic after worship.

Punch on the Lawn  --  A summer tradition that offers members and visitors the chance to spend a few minutes between services greeting new and old friends.

Can 'N Jam -- Summer and Fall opportunities to preserve foods together in the church kitchen.

Service Activities

Membership, Hospitality, and Belonging

Encourage Involvement by matching members, based on skills and interests, with volunteer service opportunities supporting our church program. (Deb Burich)

Be a greeter or welcomer for each service of worship -- Provide Christian hospitality to everyone attending.  (Jan Gerlach)

Arrange occasional group outings to local performances.  (Ellie Olson)

Initiate and organize new fellowship opportunities -- We need volunteers to organize outings or other social gatherings (e.g. biking, hiking, senior fellowship, singles fellowship, etc.)

Support systematic, consistent outreach to visitors.

Help publish an annual directory of members, including a pictorial directory, every five years.  (Pictorial Directory published in 2004)

If you would like to assist in any of these programs, please contact  Kristi Clover (268-9202, Bill Platt (996-9028) Deb Burich (733-7393)  or the contact person listed in parenthesis.
 

Connection with the United Church of Christ

This team helps select and equip delegates to the annual meetings of the Wisconsin Northeast Association and Wisconsin Conference of the United Church of Christ. Delegates and members of this team report to the congregation about these meetings and other initiatives of the regional, state, and national UCC so that our members will know and understand better our relationship to and interdependence with these wider church bodies.

To help with this area of ministry contact Deb Burich (733-7393).
 

Communication, Publicity, and Promotion

This team is working on improving our church's Web site and developing systems to keep it fresh and useful.  They are also developing ads, continuing our Sunday radio broadcasts of the early service, and working with other UCC churches through the God Is Still Speaking initiative.

To help in this area, contact Steve Hirby (731-2056).
 

Office Volunteers

This is a dedicated group of members who regularly help in the church office with publications and mailings. Every Friday members assemble the bulletin for Sunday worship; every other Tuesday several people meet to assemble The Open Door; and a few times each year a larger group gathers to collate the Annual Report, the Program Directory, and other special mailings. A member of the church, Phyllis Wallis, organizes the volunteers and schedules for these various opportunities. In addition to serving the church, these people have the chance for fellowship with other members.  New volunteers are always welcome!

If you are interested in this ministry, please call the Church Office (733-7393).
 

History Committee

Our mission is to organize, preserve, and disseminate the history of our church and to establish guidelines for continuing historical preservation.

The History Committee gathers every Tuesday morning at 9:00 a.m. to work at organizing the historical materials stored in the church archives. This group convened originally for the book project supporting our sesquicentennial anniversary.  It now meets regularly for the purposes of preserving our history and heritage and educating our members about the history of our ministry at First Congregational Church.

Help is needed and welcomed. Contact Andrew Smith (268-8585).

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