Announcements for the week of August 18, 2024

by | Aug 16, 2024 | Sunday Announcements | 0 comments

QUICK LINKS

  • Sunday Morning Worship – Sundays @ 10:30am; Join Zoom Webinar here
  • Off-Topic Scripture Circle – Mondays @ 10am; Join Zoom Meeting here
  • Morning Café and Discussion – Tuesdays @ 10am;Join Zoom Meeting here
  • Scripture Reader sign up – Click here (needed 09/01)
  • Usher sign up – Click here (needed 08/25 & 09/01)
  • Flowers sign up – Click here
  • Coffee Hour Host sign up – Click here (needed 08/25 & 09/01)
  • Communion Server sign up –Click here (needed 09/01)
  • Community Kitchen sign up – Click here (needed 09/17)
  • Online Commitment/Pledge Card – Click here
  • Donate to First United Online – Click here
  • First United Vimeo Channel – Click here

DON’T FORGET

Youth Connections

Youth in grades 6 and up are invited to gather with Pastor Jessica and one another in Room 6 following worship one Sunday each month to consider your questions, big and small, and explore faith matters as they are relevant to your life. Our next meeting day is THIS Sunday, August 18th, 12pm-1pm. We are using “Living the Questions: The Wisdom of Progressive Christianity” by David L. Felten and Jeff Procter-Murphy as our guide and jumping off point for discussion. If you or your youth are interested in getting involved, please contact Pastor Jessica.

New Leaf, New Life Special Offering

Throughout 2024, the Board of Outreach invites you to offer support to a variety of local organizations and ministries through monthly special offerings. THIS Sunday, August 18th, a special offering will be received to support the New Leaf, New Life program; Executive Director Stacy Flynn will be with us during worship to share about their impactful work. New Leaf New Life supports incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals who reside in and are soon returning home to Monroe County, IN, by supporting them in finding material and educational resources. This impactful organization is focused on volunteer-driven programs offered inside the Monroe County Jail based on life skills, self-care and educational therapy. Thank you for considering offering your support.

First News – Quarterly Newsletter

After a few months hiatus from our regular monthly newsletter, church leadership has decided to explore offering a quarterly newsletter that supports our programming and makes sense given our church year. The first issue of the quarterly newsletter is set to come out in early September. If you have an item to share, please have your information to Lisa Stanger by Monday, August 19th. The next newsletter will be issued in mid-November in anticipation of the Advent/Christmas and Epiphany seasons (deadline for items, November 4th).

NEW/UPDATED THIS WEEK

Start of a New Music Season

The Bell and Vocal Choirs are very excited to begin their 2024-2025 season this Fall! Rehearsals for both groups will begin on Thursday, August 29th. The Bell Choir rehearses weekly on Thursdays in Roger Williams Hall from 6:15-7:15pm, and the Vocal Choir rehearses weekly on Thursdays from 7:30-9:00pm in the Choir Room. If you are interested in joining either or both of the choirs, please reach out to Eric Meincke (ericdmeincke@gmail.com). Hansol Kim, whom we are delighted to have in her new position as Assistant Music Director, can also answer questions about joining the Bell Choir (mitsol919@gmail.com). No prior experience is required to join either group! If you love music and want a way to express that love through fellowship, the First United Church Music Ministry is the place for you!

Happy Birthday!

Please remember in your prayers and give thanks for those who will be celebrating their birthdays in the week ahead: Sara Cole (August 18), Vera Murphy (August 18), and Eric Sader (August 23). We are blessed to have you in our lives!

Happy Anniversary!

On Friday, August 23rd, we will celebrate 19 years of having the fabulous Lisa Stanger as First United’s Office Manager. Lisa, we appreciate you, we love you, and we celebrate this tremendous milestone with much gratitude and thanks!

First Sunday Food Drive

The Board of Outreach invites you to offer food donations on the first Sunday of each month. On Sunday, September 1st, we encourage you to bring donations of non-perishable food items for our community members in need placing them on the marked table in the narthex. As always, all of the collected food and cleaning/hygiene items will go to Monroe County United Ministries (MCUM), and pet food will go to Area 10 Agency on Aging. Click here to for a list of MCUM’s ongoing needs; note their special request for Carrots, Potatoes, Tomatoes and tomato sauce, Ramen, Baking mix, Crackers, Laundry soap, Shampoo, Conditioner, and Feminine hygiene products.Thank you for your donations to meet ongoing community needs.

Office Closure

The church office will be closed for regular hours Monday, September 2nd through Friday, September 6th for the Labor Day holiday and while Lisa Stanger is away on vacation. Please contact Mitchell Farmer should you need immediate assistance on September 2nd, or Rev. Petersen-Mutai September 3rd-6th.

Pizza & Play

Members and friends of First United of all ages and family configurations (and your friends and family) are encouraged to gather for Pizza & Play on Friday, September 6th, 5:30pm-7:30pm. We’ll enjoy a time of informal, unprogrammed fun and fellowship in Fellowship Hall and surrounding areas, both inside and out (weather permitting). As the name implies, pizza, drinks, and dessert will be provided, so please let Pastor Jessica know by 5pm Thursday, September 5th if you’re planning to attend.

UPCOMING WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Sunday Morning Hybrid Worship

Join us for worship each Sunday morning at 10:30am. This Sunday’s service will feature Rev. Jessica Petersen-Mutai in the pulpit; she will also offer a special message for the young and young at heart. Laurie Eynon will present the day’s scripture and serve as our congregational lead. Additionally, Mitchell Farmer will highlight some of the many ways we are invited to engage in the life of the church and our wider community. Eric Meincke and Hansol Kim will lead us in song, and Megan Merrick will offer special music. Dave Meyer and James and Jen Lane will offer a warm welcome to all those who will gather in the sanctuary. And, Kyle Hetrick and Jim True will welcome all who join via Zoom as they ensure the audio/visual pieces run as smoothly as possible. Sam Troxal will provide flowers, remembering the marriage of Donovan Walling and Sam Troxal. Finally, be sure to join us in Fellowship Hall after worship for a time of fellowship and refreshment hosted by Rebecca Keith and Mary Peckham.

Join the Zoom Webinar by clicking here

Dial-in number: (312) 626-6799; Webinar ID: 828 3681 0281

The service will be posted on Sunday evening on First United’s Vimeo channel (where you can access all of our previous worship services).

Donate online by clicking here

COMMUNITY CARE

Keeping Up with Our Congregation

One of the gifts of being part of a community of faith is that we don’t face the ups and downs and middles of life alone. We invite you to share what is going on in your lives by contacting Lisa Stanger and/or Pastor Jessica so we can appropriately share information (with your permission) with our wider community of care that we might offer our support whatever you may be facing.

You are encouraged to offer your prayers and actions of support for:

Anne Wright (Mary Peckham’s sister)

Sara Cole

Sam Troxal

Danielle Sheets Ivey (Sara Ivey Lucas’s sister-in-law)

Lisa Kwong

Christopher Meincke (Eric’s brother)

Jeanne and Norm Overly

Poverty Simulation

All are encouraged to participate in a Community Action Poverty Simulation, hosted by SCCAP Thriving Connections in partnership with the Bloomington Multifaith Alliance Faith for Racial Equity Team. The simulation will take place on Saturday, September 7th, 1-4pm, at St Mark’s United Methodist Church (100 Indiana 46 Bloomington). Participants must be 14 years of age or older, and minors must be accompanied by an adult.

During the simulation, participants will be grouped into nuclear families and given a file on their family composition and income. They will then be given four 12-to-15 minute “weeks” to meet the needs of their family through interactions with employers, government agencies, and themselves. After the simulation, there will be a period to debrief and discuss the experience with a panel of Thriving Connections community members with lived experience. There is no fee to participate in the Poverty Simulation, but donations may be made to SCCAP Thriving Connections by clicking here, or sending a check to the SCCAP office at 1500 West 15th Street, Bloomington IN 47404 with “Thriving Connections” in the memo.

Click here to access the flier with additional information and here to visit the Eventbrite page (where you can register). Space is limited, and registration is required.

People’s Market

First United houses the People’s Cooperative Market in our Fellowship Hall regularly each Saturday, 9:00am-1:00pm. The People’s Market is an intersectional anti-racism farmers market and artisan vendor space that focuses on food justice work. All are welcome to attend the Saturday markets and/or order from their online CSA for pickup or delivery; food is always made available to anyone in need. You are also encouraged to consider volunteering with People’s Market; if interested, contact them directly at peoplesmarketmanager@gmail.com.

Additionally, we join People’s Market in celebrating 300 local Project DASH deliveries as part of Project DASH’s National 100 Million Meal Delivered Milestone. Project DASH is DoorDash’s initiative to empower food banks, food pantries, and other social impact organizations to deliver charitable food to people experiencing food insecurity. Learn more about the impact of this program here.

The Joy of Hosting

Our Member Relations Committee continues to offer support to weekly coffee hour hosts and encourage everyone to sign up to host—it’s easy, fun, and a great way to serve your church family with a one-time commitment. Sign up as buddies or families, invite someone you’ve been wanting to get to know, use the occasion to showcase a family recipe or try out a new one. Sign up to host by clicking here.

EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS 

Off-Topic Scripture Circle

You are invited to join members and friends of First United via Zoom (click here) each Monday morning at 10am to check in and explore the week’s lectionary scripture readings in a casual setting where you will never be asked to leave your brain or your heart at the door.

Tuesday Morning Café and Discussion

Join us in person or online Tuesdays at 10am-11:30am as we gather for a time of informal conversation followed by thought-provoking theological study and discussion. We are currently in the midst of a 24-sesson study: “The History and Archeology of the Bible” with Dr. Jean-Pierre Isbouts. Previous participation and perfect attendance are not required. Those interested and able are welcome to gather in Roger Williams Hall; those choosing to join online via Zoom can do so here.

Children’s Learning Time

Each Sunday morning, children in kindergarten and up will begin in the Sanctuary with their families and proceed to Room 2 with their adult leads for Children’s Learning Time (CLT) following the Children’s Time. Many thanks to Noel Koontz and Emily Mathes for leading CLT this Sunday.

Due to relocations, we have lost two of our regular CLT leaders. You are invited to consider whether you might be able to join our teaching rotation to enrich the program for the kids and gain so much from the experience yourself! Lesson materials and supplies are provided, and we have seasoned leaders to help get newer volunteers acclimated. If you are interested or have questions, please reach out to Molly Koontz, Pastor Jessica, or any member of the Board of Education.

Nursery Care

Our youngest children are welcome to spend time from 10am-11:45am playing in the nursery or on the playground, weather permitting. Lena Stosberg and Jessica McIntosh will ensure our little ones are safe and engaged in fun activities during worship this Sunday. We are always looking for additional volunteer assistants to help in the nursery occasionally. Contact Molly Koontz if you are interested and with any questions.

CONGREGATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS

2024 Offering Envelopes and Direct Deposit

We are using leftover 2023 offering envelope boxes for 2024. Envelope boxes are available on a table outside of the Sanctuary entrance closest to the chancel. Whether you’ve used them before or this is your first time, you are welcome to pick up a box! Alternatively, if you would like to give to the church through direct deposit, please contact Lisa in the office to make sure she knows you would like to give in this convenient way and has your updated information.

Contact Information

Email, RSS Follow