|
|
May 11, 2017
First Congregational
United Church of Christ
Memphis, TN 38104
901-278-6786
|
|
Julia Hicks and Marsha Walton shopped
all day on Wednesday, choosing furniture and materials for the Nursery & Sunday School rooms because the renovations from the fire in January are now finished and it's time to move back in! If you like to assemble things - REPLY and let us know - we've got lots to do!
|
|
|
|
We worship on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m.
|
- 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 radical 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.
- We feel more alive when we're living from our sense of connection - with God, with each other, and with life itself.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
A Note from our Senior Pastor:
We check our smartphones about 81,500 times each year - an average of once every 4.3 minutes of our waking lives! No surprise. Our lives are getting more and more consolidated on our phones. They carry our cameras, our photos, our credit cards, our maps, our weather, our email . . . My husband's sister, Dana, worked on the team that guided Apollo 11 to the moon, and she reminds us that the entire Apollo mission had less "memory" to work with than the average phone. Far less! The GPS app on most phones has 30,000 times the processing speed that was available to them.
So it makes sense that we grab for those phones so often! The challenge is to not let them become dangerous distractions! We all know the temptation of putting off the visit to a friend, procrastinating on dealing with the complicated financial matter, making focused time to be with our child. It's a challenge to think through that Big Question: What do I want to do with my life? What matters most to me? And rather than making time to actually live the values we espouse, we push the "Like" button on our Facebook app!
As the school year ends for some, and summer approaches for all of us, make time for First Congo! As we celebrate our families through Mother's Day this weekend - make time for the relationships that matter! Make time to worship. Make time to volunteer. Put the phone down or whatever else distracts, and make time for real relationships, growth and challenge. This can become your Best Summer Yet if you make time for God, for the love of friends and for projects that transform. We've got plenty of them! Make First Congo count this summer!
Blessings,
|
A
n
n
o
u
n
c
e
m
e
n
t
s
|
Upcoming Topics for Adult Forums
Sunday mornings at 9:45 in the Conference Center
- The topic for this Sunday, May 14, is "Farming and Faith," led by Chris Peterson. Join us at 9:45 am in the Conference Center!
- On May 21st & 28th, the topic is "Sabbath keeping" - a little history of the concept of Sabbath, followed by a discussion of how you might keep the Sabbath in today's world.
MISSION COUNCIL MEETING
after church on Sunday, May 21st
 Who is Graduating?
Each May we like to congratulate the First Congo folks who have graduated from any kind of school, college, graduate studies, or trade schools! If you know of a graduate - please reply and let us know ... and send a photo if you have one (if not, we might have a photo we can use). We'll be publishing this in the Congo Beat on May 25th.
Next Newcomers' Gathering is June 4th
Due to scheduling conflicts, we will not have a newcomers gathering in May - but we WILL enjoy our next after-church luncheon for those who are NEW to First Congo right after church on Sunday, June 4th. This is an opportunity for newcomers to meet and visit with our pastors and some of our church leadership ... to learn about First Congo ... and to introduce yourself to us! No reservations needed, just save the date if you'd like to come.
|
This Week at First Congo:
(above) Here's Bill & Cindy Tupis, working with Danny Grubbs and Eugene, to prepare last Sunday morning's coffee hour.
Our worsh
ip assistants last Sunday included layreader, Mike Robertson (left) and Joe Pfeifer (below), lighting our worship candle
.
You can enjoy Sunday's anthems by clicking here:
 (above) Here's Anthony and Michael Serino, enjoying some outdoor painting with Max Bartlett-Detrie at the semi-annual Family Potluck Picnic at Ms. Marsha's house on April 29th, attended this time by four of our households with young children. Thanks again to Ms. Marsha for hosting!
(above) DaMarco Randle created a "Bob Ross Painting Party" in our Art & Design Studio to celebrate his birthday - what a cool idea! FYI -(because your editor didn't know either)
Bob Ross was an instructor on TV, known for being able to teach anyone to paint, and for painting "Happy Trees".
Sam Griffin, Ron Marion, and Joy Winkler set-up the studio and everyone had a great time!
|
Thanks to our volunteer photographers & videographers:
Mark Ratay, Roger Courts
and Chris Cooper!
|
.
Look what's
happening in
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 from 11am till 1pm.
The Clothes Closet
is open Tuesdays & Thursdays from 11am till 1pm.
If you'd like to help provide groceries - please pick up the following items that are regularly needed for our lunches:
- olive oil 
- stick butter
- milk
- yellow or white onions
- celery
- tomatoes
- plastic grocery bags
(right) Volunteers Nancy White, Antonio Cannon, and Amy Oyler served lunch to 115 hungry guests on Monday - folks just keep coming!
|
|
|
Senior Pastor:
Rev. Cheryl K. Cornish
Associate Pastor:
Rev. Sonia L. Walker
Director of Mission:
Julia
Hicks
Revolutions Bicycle Co-op
Director: Sylvia Crum
Artist Intern:
Ron Marion
Minister of Music:
Dennis W. Darling
Music Ministry Team:
Music Ministry Team:
Chris Burgess
Music Ministry Team:
Lisa Gaddy
Custodian:
Bryant Wilhite
Maintenance:
Mark Allen
Danny Grubbs
Housekeeping:
Amy Shaw
Minister of Child Care:
Kenitra Higgins
Anitra Higgins
Hostel Memphis Staff
901-273-8341
Kim Kamga,
Resident Manager
Hostel Resident Advisors:
Dalton Jones
Ron Marion
Jamie Jones
Parks Dlugach
MaryPat Harris
|
|
|
.
All Food Justice Ministries for the month of May are sponsored by an anonymous FJM volunteer in memory of a deceased loved one.
.
|
Also located in The Hub ...
GLOBAL GOODS
Fair Trade Store
OPEN on Saturdays
9am till 3pm
& after church on Sundays.
Men's Batik Shirts at Global Goods
Every year we order some of these wonderful shirts - there are three patterns each year -- because they are much-loved by the men of First Congo (and beyond!!). This year we want to be sure we get enough in the sizes and patterns you want. SO - we'll be taking your requests after church for the next couple of Sundays. They are all-cotton shirts, dress collar, button front with a front pocket and side slits. We sell them for $36.50. You can wear them almost anywhere and show off your global fashion sense! Check in at the Global Goods store to make your request, or contact Jackie Nerren at
[email protected]. Perfect for Father's Day or your favorite graduate.
|
Here's What's Coming Up ...
Thursday, May 11:
- 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
Friday, May 12:
- 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, May 13:
- 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 Forum: 9:45 in the Conference Center
- Children's Sunday School: 9:45 am in temporary classroom location on 2nd floor
- Nursery: Childcare is available for babies & toddlers in temporary location on 2nd floor from 9:45 till noon
- Coffee & Fellowship: 9:45 am till 10:30 am in the Commons
- 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 their classroom 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
- Open Shop in Revolutions Bicycle Co-Op: 2:00 - 6:00 pm
- The Hub is OPEN for Cafe Congo and the Food Pantry: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
- Mission Development Committee & Officers Meeting: 5:00 pm in Pastor Cheryl's office
- Open Shop in Revolutions Bicycle Co-Op: 6:30 - 9:00 pm
- Open Art Studio: 6:30 - 9:00 pm
Tuesday, May 16:
- The Hub is OPEN for Cafe Congo and the Clothes Closet: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
- Finance Committee Meeting: 5:30 pm in Pastor Cheryl's office
- Tuesday Evening Prayer: 6:00 pm in the Sanctuary
Wednesday, May 17:
- The Hub is OPEN for Cafe Congo and the Food Pantry: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
- Marketing Committee Meeting: 5:30 pm in Pastor Cheryl's office
-
Vocal Choir Rehearsal:
7:00 pm in the Sanctuary
Thursday, May 18:
- 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
|
.
Congregational Potluck & Quarterly Meeting
Sunday, June 18th after church
Saturday, September 16th
.
Taste of Cooper Young
Thursday, October 5
|
|
First Congregational Leadership 2017:
Officers:
    
Moderator, Co-Moderator, Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer,
Teddy Crum Kevin Williams Angela Richards Joe Pfeiffer Bill Tupis
Committee Chairs:
|
|
|
Juan Salter (left) encouraged us to attend the 
