First Congregational United Church of Christ Appleton, Wisconsin Ministries

Pastoral Care

We, at First Congregational, seek to build caring, Christ-centered relationships within the congregation. We are especially concerned that people feel cared for and have someone to journey with them in faith, particularly during times of life transition and crises. We seek to provide active caregiving programs led by church members and clergy to help respond to the personal and spiritual needs of the congregation.

We welcome your participation in our church and are most open to being of service to you or having you be of service to others.

Jesus said, "Lord, when did we minister unto you?" He replied, "As you have done it unto the least of these, so have you done it unto me." We are the body of Christ, the arms and hands of God, called to do the work of God in the world.

Friends in Christ

We have a visitation team who visits with our elderly and homebound on a regular basis. Currently we have thirty-six (36) people serving in this capacity, but we need more. We meet at least once a quarter to gain wisdom from one another’s experiences without violating confidentiality and to learn more about how we can be more helpful to our Friends In Christ. If you would like to be a part of this important ministry, please contact Reverend Jane Anderson.

All Friends in Christ are welcome!

Stephen Ministry

This is a one-to-one caregiving ministry. All of us experience times of transition and crises in our lives. In being the Body of Christ, we are called to journey with one another in faith. How helpful it is to have someone from the community of faith who is equipped with special skills to journey with us in a caring, Christ-centered relationship! Stephen Ministry seeks to do just that by matching a trained caregiver with a carereceiver and building a confidential loving relationship during a particular time of need. Stephen Ministry trains lay people and equips them with skills needed to journey with others in the community of faith during times of life transition or crises.

If you are experiencing a time of crises or are going through a life-changing time, please do not hesitate to contact Reverend Jane Anderson to see if having a Stephen Minister is right for you. We currently have nine (9) trained Stephen Ministers serving and will offer to train more ministers in the future. Please contact Reverend Anderson to learn more about this Christian caregiving ministry and to see if Stephen Ministry is a place for you to make the most of your gifts and talents in the church.