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January 26
, 2017
First Congregational
United Church of Christ
Memphis, TN 38104
901-278-6786
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First Congo was well-represented at the Memphis Women's March last Saturday! Enjoy the photo album of marching church folks at the end of this newsletter!
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We worship on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m.
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We Believe ...
- That God created the world - and that every single one of us has good work to do in life.
- Our "good work" has to do with living in ways that reflect God's agenda of love, joy, compassion and hope for the world and all its creatures, even in the midst of struggle.
- Jesus showed us how to do this. He had radica
 l trust in the Goodness of God and our ability to share God's agenda of life for the world. We can have this trust and share this agenda too, by following in his way.
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We feel more alive when we're living from our sense of connection - with God, with each other, and with life
itself.
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A Note from Our Senior Pastor:
Coffee is the world's second most valuable traded commodity, second only to oil. Approximately 25 million farmers and coffee workers in over 50 countries are involved in producing coffee around the world.
The problem is in the origins of the industry. Coffee was really developed as a colonial cash crop with slaves or poorly-paid employees working on large plantations located in tropical climates. A cycle of poverty around the whole coffee industry continues to this day - which is why the "fair trade" movement has focused such energy on coffee, in particular, as symptomatic of a global market where the poor can't get ahead, no matter how hard they work.
For years, we've been committed to using "fair trade" coffee at First Congo, despite the fact that it costs more than coffee you might purchase off the shelf in a grocery store. We are committed to making sure that farmers and farm laborers get fair wages, that they work in safe conditions, that we not support unfair child labor practices and that our coffee support ecologically sound farming.
 You'll notice a small change around our church building. We are now using Community Coffee, unofficially recognized as the "state coffee" of Louisiana. Community Coffee is the largest family-owned coffee brand in the country, and since their founding in 1919, have supported direct partnerships with farm cooperatives in Latin America and Africa. They have been good neighbors through the "Cash for Schools" program in Louisiana. In 2001, Community Coffee established a special partnership with the Colombian Coffee Federation in Toledo-Lableca, one of the poorest regions of Colombia. Coffee farmers there are guaranteed a premium, fixed price for their coffee in exchange for a continued trade relationship. Community Coffee deposits money each year into an endowment for the building and maintenance of a secondary school in the region.
We feel that we are getting an excellent price on the coffee we use and living our faith at the same time! Community Coffee has supplied us with coffee makers, located in the Hub, the Hostel, the Retreat Center, and the Commons area. We appreciate supporting a fair trade business with a long history in the south, When you drink coffee at First Congo, you're supporting a network of partnerships based on justice!
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Blessings,
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This Sunday:
"Intersections" is visiting the NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM
Those who have signed up to go to the NCRM Sunday should bring
cash
to pay for their ticket(s). Lunch is free, but the museum costs $13 per adult, $11 per college student, and $10 children aged 4-17.
We will collect the money during lunch, which will start in the Hub immediately after the service ends on Sunday.
Tim Taylor will lead a meditative discussion of "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" at our Adult Sunday School class this week and next - at 9:45 am in the Conference Center.
TRIVIA NIGHT Winter Event
Saturday, February 11th at 6:00 pm
REPLY to this email to Register your Teams of 6 players
or let us know you'd like to join a team.
$20 per player - you can pay when you arrive.
Bring your own picnics & beverages!
Thanks SO much to question-master & scoreboard manager, Sherrie Walker and Martha Lanier, for creating these delightful evenings for over a decade ... raising tens of thousands of dollars for the church!
SAVE THE DATE:
Pastors' Birthday Celebration on April 9th
 We are excited to celebrate the birthdays of BOTH of our pastors on Sunday, April 9th! Pastor Cheryl is celebrating her 60th on April 2nd, and Pastor Sonia is celebrating her 80th birthday on April 10th, so we'll enjoy a wonderful celebration for the blessings of this "divinity duo"! This celebration is a fundraising benefit for our Mission & Vision Fund ... and more info will be coming very SOON - be sure to mark your calendars NOW!
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This Week at First Congo:
WELCOME to our newest church member, Jackie Blanchard!
Jackie is a long-time friend who has been a worshiping here for many years. Her children, Cory and Bridgette, have grown up in our midst. and having lived out of town for several years, Jackie is glad to be home and able to become a First Congo "regular"!
 Thanks to this week's worship assistants: layreader, Tim Maness (above) and our candlelighter is newcomer, Daniel.
 Sunday School teacher, Ms. Marsha, enjoyed sharing during the Children's Sermon how important it was for our church folks to participate in the Memphis Women's March.
If you'd like to enjoy our recent worship music, just click below:
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Enjoy these fun photos from last Sunday's
Congo Cabaret:
That's Entertainment!
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Senior Pastor:
Rev. Cheryl K. Cornish
Associate Pastor:
Rev. Sonia L. Walker
Director of Mission:
Julia
Hicks
Director of Food Justice Ministries:
Mark Ratay
Revolutions Bicycle Co-op
Director: Sylvia Crum
Minister of Music:
Dennis W. Darling
901-289-0513
Music Ministry Team:
Music Ministry Team:
Chris Burgess
Maintenance: Mark Allen
Danny Grubbs
Custodial Assistant:
Bryant Wilhite
Minister of Child Care:
Kenitra Higgins
Anitra Higgins
Pilgrim House Hostel Staff:
www.hostelmemphis.com
901-273-8341
 Kim Kamga
River Park
Dalton Jones
Ron Marion
Jamie Jones
Parks Dlugach
MaryPat Harris
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Thanks to Joel Chapman, who produced, directed & created magical stage & lighting for the show ... and to Muley & Friends (aka Kevin Williams) for being our hilarious MC's - we raised $2527 for First Congo's Food Justice Ministries!
Also thanks to Jeron Smart & Gary Dawson for cooking up supper for our packed house, to Caroline Rubenstein for selling out our tickets, and to Frank Armstrong, Terry Clark and Zach Ferguson for beverages!
Our performers were Mark Allen & Cheryl Cornish, ZB Davis, Sonia Walker, Muley & FrankenSinatra & Joel Chapman, Jon Devin, Randall Rushing, Catherine Dixon & Julia Hicks, Sibella (Sarah Dietche & Tamar Love), David Winter, Brennan Villines, Chris Burgess, and Muley & Friends!!
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Look what's
Our free Community Lunches are served at
Cafe Congo on weekdays at 11:00 am till 1:00 pm.
- The Food Pantry is open on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays during lunch hours.
- The Clothes Closet is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays during lunch hours.
The congregation enjoyed filming our THANKS to local restaurants & food suppliers, including Strano's, Celtic Crossing, Barksdale's, Memphis Pizza Cafe, Pho Bihn, Whole Foods, Panera Bread Company and The Curb for their support of our Community Lunches!
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If you'd like to help provide groceries:
The following items are regularly needed for preparing the Community Lunches.
If you can pick up a couple of these items during your own grocery shopping - and then drop them off at The Hub on weekdays between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. or bring to church with you on Sundays, this is a VERY helpful way to contribute. And WELCOME & THANKS to our newest volunteer (below) helping out each week in food prep - Andrea Sheehan!
- white sugar in 5 pound bags
- powdered coffee creamer
- white paper dinner napkins
- liquid chicken and beef broth
- roasted chickens
- stick salted butter
- Blue Bonnet 48 oz tub butter
- organic 2% and whole milk
- iceberg lettuce
- Romaine lettuce
- tomatoes
- celery
- green and red bell peppers
- cucumbers
- green, white, and yellow onions
We can also NEED your plastic grocery bags in the pantry ASAP! You can drop these in the large black containers at the Hub entries and in the breezeway by the Sanctuary. THANKS!
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The Food Justice Ministry for January has been given by
Barbara B. Murray and R. Cote Trout
in honor of Bettye Hunter, in memory of Audra Wienke,
and for Mark Ratay's work with the Food Justice Ministry.
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 Also located in The Hub ... 
GLOBAL GOODS
Fair Trade Store
is OPEN on Saturdays
9am till 3pm
and after church on Sundays.
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The Week Ahead at First Congo
- The Hub is OPEN for Cafe Congo and the Food Pantry: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
- MAGY Meeting: 7:00 - 10:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall
Saturday, January 28:
- Global Goods Fair Trade Store is OPEN: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm in The Hub
- "No Hungry Seniors" Food Pick-up: 9:00 am at the back entrance of The Hub
- Adult Sunday School: 9:45 am in the Conference Center
- Children's Sunday School: 9:45 am in Classroom C
- Nursery: Childcare is available for babies & toddlers in Classroom B from 9:45 till noon
- Coffee & Fellowship: 9:45 am till 10:30 am
- Worship: 10:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary
- Children's Church: After the children's sermon at worship, our leaders will take the children to Classroom C (the children's Sunday School room) where they will have their own "church" and activities. Parents may pick up their children here after worship.
- Global Goods Fair Trade Store is OPEN: after Church in The Hub
- Intersections Lunch & Trip to the National Civil Rights Museum: gather after church in The Hub
- Facilities Committee: meet briefly in Julia Hicks' office after church
- Open Shop in Revolutions Bicycle Co-Op: 2:00 - 6:30 pm
- The Hub is OPEN for Cafe Congo and the Food Pantry: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
- Open Shop in Revolutions Bicycle Co-Op: 6:30 - 9:00 pm
- Open Art Studio: 6:30 - 9:00 pm
Tuesday, January 31:
- The Hub is OPEN for Cafe Congo and the Clothes Closet: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
- Sung Prayer & Silence Service: 6:00 pm in the Sanctuary
Wednesday, February 1:
- The Hub is OPEN for Cafe Congo and the Food Pantry: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
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Vocal Choir Rehearsal: 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary
Thursday, February 2:
- The Hub is OPEN for Cafe Congo and the Clothes Closet: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
- Revolutions Bicycle Co-Op Open Shop: 6:30 - 9:00 pm
- Open Art Studio: 6:30 - 9:00 pm
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Looking a bit Further Ahead -
Mark
Your Calendars for these upcoming events in the next few weeks & months
Saturday, February 11th at 6:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall
Congregational Quarterly Meeting & Potluck Lunch
Sunday, March 19th after morning worship in the Fellowship Hall
Pastors' Birthday Celebrations!
Sunday, April 9th
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First Congo Friends at the Memphis Women's March!
 
ZB Davis, Robin Clochard & Jill Berghel, Vernessa Lester & Joli Williams
 
Tom Carlson &
Sue Westmoreland
Sandy Smegelsky & Anne Hagler
on their 7th
Anniversary!
Mike Prater
Mary Beth Burnett & Janice Hill
Martha Lanier & Sherrie Walker
Marsha Walton
& Sandy Furrh
MaryPat Harris
Ayaka Koga & Leslie Roberts
in Washington DC
Sharon Pavelda & Randall Mullins
Stacy Smith &
Mary Button
Linley Schmidt, Tim Combs &
Rickey Lee Bates
Kelly & Mark Lee
David Lindstrom & Judy Drescher
Katy Musolino,
Joe Hawes &
Gail Murray
Angela Moore &
Jamilyn Cole
Jill Berghel & Tim Taylor
Catherine Dixon & Julia Hicks
Cheryl Cornish & Sonia Walker
George Grider & David Lindstrom
Kelly Jo Foley, Tim Shiu & Liam
Danny Grubbs
Dennis Darling
Slyvia Crum & friends in DC
The Rollens Family!
Edwina Hackett & her son, John Hackett
Janet McCraw & friend
Carrie Allison Brooks & Teddy Crum
Audrey Rollen & Xan Lester
marched
for the
youth group!
Kristina Luckett & Mandi Balduf
Hope Martin with friend & little ones
 Lila Jane Miller, Donna Palmer & drumming friends
THANKS SO MUCH to Sally DiScenza & Debra Langston for serving a chili & salad lunch to our weary & hungry marchers!
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First Congregational Leadership 2017:
Officers:
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Moderator, Co-Moderator, Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer,
Teddy Crum Kevin Williams Angela Richards Joe Pfeiffer Bill Tupis
Committee Chairs:
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