A JOYFUL COMMUNITY

DIVERSE IN SPIRITUAL BACKGROUNDS & BELIEFS

SEPTEMBER 5 - SEPTEMBER 12

IN THIS WEEK'S EDITION

Senior Pastor's Message
Fall Opportunities Booklet
Homecoming & Friends and Family Festival
New Sunday Morning Drop-In Bible Study
Strategic Vision Plan Congregational Conversations
Member Survey Coming In September
Church School and Regional Youth Ministry
Community Corner
Regular Weekly Happenings

THIS WEEKEND

HOMECOMING SUNDAY!

SENIOR PASTOR'S MESSAGE

Greetings friends,

This Sunday at First Church, we’ll step into the wonder of Genesis 1 and remember that each of us is created in God’s image, made to be co-creators with God. Together we’ll explore what it means to create with balance, beauty, and space for all.

Our worship will take a fresh shape this week, letting God’s Spirit flow freely through music, prayer, and word in a unique, Spirit-led form. Come and experience the sacred rhythm of creation, and the joy of being part of it.

Grace & Peace,

Patrick

Fall Opportunities At First Church

This year, we've created a booklet to highlight some of the many ways to get involved at First Church. Download the booklet HERE or click on the image to the right.

Homecoming - Sept. 7 Friends And Family Festival - Sept. 14!

Vision Strategy: Congregational Conversations

New Sunday Morning Drop-In Bible Study

Just Drop-In: A First Look at Sunday's Scripture

9:00-9:45 AM in The Lounge

Starting September 14th, join Pastor Cydney on Sunday mornings for a drop-in time of conversation around the day’s scripture. Together we’ll explore the passage, gain context, and notice fresh insights before entering worship.

No need to prepare — just bring yourself. Come for the whole time, or even 15 minutes, and trust that God will give you something good to carry into worship and beyond.

Membership Survey Coming In September

This September, FCCOG will send out a brief member survey with opportunities to connect, serve, and grow—both in faith and in friendship. From music to caring ministries, teaching children to welcoming newcomers, community outreach and more, there’s a place here for everyone to belong.

The survey was thoughtfully created by a Member Survey Task Force (Linnea Stenberg, Meg Dempsey, Laura Erickson, Jenny Gartner, Meaghan Gruppo, and Pat Larrabee) to help everyone find a place where they feel both joy and purpose.

Please complete the survey by September 30th—because First Church isn’t just a church, it’s your church.

Church School & Regional Youth Ministry (RYM)

- COMMUNITY CORNER -

HAPPENINGS IN OUR FIRST CHURCH BUILDING

STICK YOGA: Saturday mornings, from 10.30 - 11.30 am

FREE TRIAL CLASS for members of First Church and after that $20 per class.

Bamboo stick yoga is a captivating fun way to explore stretching, balancing, conscious breathing and coordination, using a long light (bamboo) stick. It improves spatial awareness, posture, mobility and a mind-body connection, releasing stress. Supporting flexibility, stability and ease in our bodies, appropriate for any age. Some movements come from a Qigong method.

Please bring a yoga mat, and a yoga stick. You can purchase one online (e.g. the Karma Heart Yoga Stick), or make one, or use a broomstick. The stick should be approximately as tall as you. It could also be helpful to have a blanket if you like support for your head or knees. Email teacher Herma Hale for more information: hermahale@hotmail.com

TAI CHI: Monday or Thursday (with advance sign up). All monies go directly to First Church. Please sign-in before class.

Contact Will Morrison for more information: wdmorrison@gmail.com

Classes

Monday, 9:30 - Drop-in / Fundamentals Form

Thursday, 8:30 - Drop-in / Fundamentals Form

Please confirm your attendance in advance

New joiners:

Where: 108 Sound Beach Ave, Old Greenwich. Enter the church’s parking lot from Forest Avenue and park anywhere. Please give the parents dropping off their children lots of room.
Which entrance: Enter through the door labelled Church Offices noted by the arrow. Once inside, go up the stairs immediately to your left which lead directly to the Auditorium, where we will be playing.

REGULAR WEEKLY HAPPENINGS

Bring your little ones to church -

we completely EMBRACE them.

At First Church, we believe the way we welcome children in worship directly affects the way they respond to God, to the church, and to one another.

To welcome children as they are in worship, we have our PrayGround, located in the Chapel (front right side of the Meetinghouse), where children and others of all ages can engage in worship through movement, sensory materials, and prayerful play.

The presence of all God’s children is a gift to the church, which offers hope for all. Scan the QR code to access PrayGround FAQs and Helpful Tips.

GET YOUR FAMILY WEEKLY CHURCH SCHOOL &

RYM (REGIONAL YOUTH MINISTRY) NEWSLETTER

Using your smartphone camera, scan the QR code here to sign up for our weekly Family Ministry newsletter. You can read about Church School, Regional Youth Ministry, and more!

FCCOG VOLUNTEER SIGNUP CENTER -

One location for all volunteer sign ups!

We have consolidated all volunteer signups for all Committees and events at FCCOG. This will help Committees fill volunteer needs and will help volunteers easily signup for projects and events of interest.

There is a link on the FCCOG website homepage titled

FCCOG VOLUNTEER SIGN UP CENTER

This link will also be publicized in every Friday e-blast and the Sunday Bulletin. You can also access the Volunteer Signup Center by scanning this QR Code. Thank you so much for the time you give volunteering for First Church!

THE RUMMAGE ROOM

The Rummage Room's store's donation hours are

Monday - Thursday 11am - 3pm.

Closed Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR DONATIONS

Every donation directly helps those in need.

This basket is in the Meetinghouse near the front door, and donations can be dropped to the Church Office. Most needed items include canned meat, cereal, canned fruit, canned vegetables, and shelf-stable milk.

We have a sign-up-page to read scripture, usher, or read a call to offering. All of the previous individual pages are now combined in one, with tabs at the top of the page to flip between each signup.

Simply click on each to navigate to the appropriate signup. To access that signup, click here