News and Announcements
Special Thanks
• To the following people who have read scripture passages for our online worship services:
March 28 - Eric and Tina Olson
and Phil Stepanski
March 21 - Ryan and Jodi Cowen
and Bruce Laabs, Jr.
March 14 - Jean and Ruby Hoffmann
March 7 - Mark Pasten and Ralph Perez
February 28 - Emma Jacque and Cathy Jones
• To Kathy Bretl for her solo on Maundy Thursday, April 1.
• To Kylee Olson for playing special piano music on March 21 and to Lily Dimmer for playing special piano music on March 14. Thanks also to Glenyss Gilliam, a friend of Pru Palecek, for offering multiple piano pieces for our online services.
• To Jeanne Mantsch and the Olson Family for delivering all of the donated goods to the Family Promise of Ozaukee County main office.
• To the Olson Family (Eric, Tina, Kylee and Collette) for creating a fun promo video to help encourage us all to donate to our Family Promise Paper Goods Drive.
• To Barb Olson for continuing to help Amy Gilhooly make website enhancements. Thanks to Barb for adding PayPal buttons on the site.
• To members of the Fellowship Team for offering to bake cookies for Pastor Scott to deliver to houses. Special thanks to Marti DeMario, Terry Sdun and Holly Ternes for their ongoing coordination efforts and cookie baking. Thanks also to Jennifer Dimmer, Jean Hoffmann, Alice Ruffin, Jane Schwacher, Roberta Blumenburg and Jeanne Mantsch for baking cookies in February. Thank you to Tracy Bretl, Sherrie Dimmer and Lorraine Halls for baking cookies in March.
Archives
March 7, 2021
February 24, 2021
February 3, 2021
January 27, 2021
January 20, 2021
January 13, 2021
January 6, 2021
December 30, 2020
December 22, 2020
November 1, 2020
October 21, 2020
October 14, 2020
HOLY WEEK ONLINE SERVICES
MAUNDY THURSDAY - Thursday, April 1
The Maundy Thursday Tenebrae service will be a virtual worship service of lessons accompanied by the gradual extinguishing of lights. “Tenebrae” is the Latin term for shadows. This night we remember the shadows lengthening as Jesus celebrates the Last Supper with his disciples, the betrayal, arrest and trial. Our Confirmation kids will each contribute a reading to the service.
GOOD FRIDAY - Friday, April 2
Please join us for an online Ecumenical Good Friday worship service. The mood of the service is rather solemn, but there is also hope, as we look forward to the great celebration of Easter. We will lift the story of the passion using readings known as the seven last words. This important worship combines scripture and prayer so we may all hear again “the old, old story of Jesus and his love.” Kelly Lemons, Director of A Place to Be Spirituality Center, is coordinating the worship service and our church will be joined by Parkside UCC in Saukville, St. John XXIII, Grand Avenue United Methodist Church and other community churches.
EASTER SUNDAY - Sunday, April 4
The moving narrative of Jesus’ trials and sufferings recalled during Holy Week makes the glory of Easter morning even more wonderful and triumphant! We hope everyone can join online for our special celebration of Easter. As the women witness the empty tomb and begin the joyful proclamation, “He is risen! He is risen, indeed!”—we too, will know the joy of Jesus’ resurrection!
LAST WEEKLY LENTEN CONNECTIONS - HOLY WEEK GUIDE
For our sixth and final week of Lenten Connections, Pastor Scott put together a Holy Week guide, filled with scripture, stories, and prayers. Click here to read a Holy Week Letter from Pastor Scott. You can click here to follow along each day. There are also a few paper copies in our Little Free Library.
We hope you find it meaningful!
EXCITED TO WELCOME BACK SMALL GROUP MINISTRY TO CHURCH!
On April 7th the Wednesday Noon Group will be the first small group to start up again meeting in the church. The group suspended in-person gatherings at the beginning of the pandemic, and now, just over a year later, we are all excited that they will be able to start up again. If you are interested in being a part of this small group, please call or email the church office to reserve your spot. At this time, we can only have nine participants, plus Pastor Scott. As we begin meeting again, we are going to keep it simple and not share in food and drink. The group will discuss the Lectionary scripture passages for the coming Sunday morning worship. In keeping with Reopening Committee guidelines, the group will meet in Fellowship Hall, will need to wear masks, and will stay socially distanced.
MARCH E-NEWSLETTER
Click here to view the entire March e-newsletter, or click on specific pages. Our April edition of "Congregational Connections" will be rolling out at the start of next month!
Pages 1 & 2: Pastor Scott's Article, March Scripture Passages
Page 3: Welcome
Pages 4 - 7: Lenten Connections and Holy Week Services
Page 8: Easter Giving Form
Pages 9 - 11: Financial Info (including PayPal) and More
Pages 12 - 14: Reopening Updates
Page 15: Our Liturgy Team
Page 16: One Great Hour of Sharing
Page 17: UCC Church Camps
Page 18: Miscellaneous Updates
Pages 19 - 21: Council Minutes and a Baptism
Page 22: Ash Wednesday Photos in the Newspaper
Page 23: Lighthouse Youth Ministry - Wildfire!
Page 24: 2020 Yearbook Report
Page 25: March Calendar
Page 26 & 27: Birthdays and Anniversaries, Contact Info
new! PAYPAL ONLINE GIVING
Good news! We have PayPal up and running to help make giving to the church as easy as can be. You will see the PayPal button on the home page. Please contact us if you have any questions or any problems using this new giving feature.
PASTOR SCOTT'S FIRST MONTHS AS OUR PASTOR
Our new pastor, Rev. Dr. Scott McLeod, has enjoyed a great start here at our church. One of his priorities is getting out and meeting our members and friends. Pastor Scott will continue to deliver cookies to everyone's houses in the coming months. Thank you to the Fellowship Team for baking the cookies! Scott invites you to call or email anytime, his new email address is pastorscott@portucc.org.
If you have a chance, check out the two newspaper articles on Pastor Scott's transition:
Ozaukee Press - FCC welcomes new pastor on Jan. 1
Elkhorn Independent -
Pastor takes a leap of faith
And, for your enjoyment, check out two videos that Pastor Scott and his wife, Rev. Laura McLeod, have recorded together:
Rappin' with Rev. Laura featuring Scott McLeod (Feb. 2021)
Virtual Meet and Greet with Pastor Scott and Rev. Laura
(recorded the week before Call Weekend back in Sept. 2020)
OUR CONFIRMATION PROGRAM
You might be interested to know that Pastor Scott is conducting a Confirmation program for our current 8th graders with the expectation they will be confirmed on May 23rd, Pentecost Sunday. They have been meeting twice a month via Zoom but hope to be able to meet in person soon. Please be thinking of these individuals as they continue their Confirmation journey: Brady Calder, Gabe Chandler, Hope Gilhooly, Cash Mantsch, James Mitchell, Sam Pasten, Carter Schlehlein and Mya Ternes.
"STAYING THE COURSE" - OUR STATUS
Our traditional in-person church services continue to be suspended at this time. First Congregational Church will continue to provide spiritual guidance and care. During this time, we welcome you to call or email if you have any pastoral needs or questions.
MAKING PLEDGE PAYMENTS
Since we are not currently conducting in-person church services, we wanted to let you know that you can drop off your pledge payments by using our mail slot to the right of our Webster Street entrance. Or you can simply mail it to the church. Thank you!
PS M T W MT GF S ES
