“With gratitude my heart is filled. I find deep joy in being part of a church where I am encouraged to be who I am.” This past Sunday we blessed and celebrated our gifts to the Church as we brought forward our pledges, prayers and thoughts about what calls us together. Thank you to all and particularly to John Bisceglia and Keith Lance who shared the importance of the church in their lives. We love your prayers anytime, but pledges - we want them ASAP! The Stewardship Team will begin contacting people within the next few days, so don’t delay! If you have not yet pledged, please go online right now and get it done. Many thanks.

Your donations support the important work of EFFA (Emergency Family Assistance Agency) and BCAP (Boulder County AIDS Project). EFAA needs cereals, dried & canned beans, brown & white rice, canned tomato products, dish & laundry detergent. BCAP needs canned meats and soups, canned fruits, canned beans, bath soap & shampoo. NO glass containers, please. Collection on the Link every first Sunday!

Please contact  Don Reed with any questions -720-226-8337

Starting Wednesday, February 5 from 5:30 to 6:45 pm

Join this ongoing small group as we begin a new book of the Bible – Revelation. Full of strange and beautiful imagery, Revelation was written as a book of wisdom to bring hope to a Christian community experiencing persecution. Join us whenever you are able as we take a slow walk together through this often misunderstood book together. Facilitated by John Bisceglia with alternating company from Chris Braudaway-Bauman and Pedro Silva.

Wednesday, February 5

We're looking for volunteers to serve a meal to Bridge House Path to Home members on February 5th. The event is rewarding and much fun. The meal is served at 2691 30th Street, Boulder, from 4:30 to 6:30 or anytime in between that you are available. Sign up at the bottom of the update under Useful Links.

Friday, February 7 at 6 pm

We are pleased to welcome back the NoBo Group show to First Congregational Church. Art from 120 artists using various mediums will be on display. The show will run from February till the end of April. Please join us for the reception when there will be music by Jeremy Mohney (swing!) as well as refreshments and opportunities to meet and thank the artist. 

Trine Bumiller, a Denver artist, will exhibit paintings in the Sanctuary on the theme of the Stations of the Cross. Using natural elements to describe Christ’s last day, she alludes to the expressive and emotional elements of the theme and the period of Lent. Please join us for the First Friday reception on February, 7 from 6-9 pm, and a talk by the artist on Sunday, February 16 at noon in the Sanctuary.

Sunday, February 9, 2020

Lorraine will preach at both Sunday morning worship services and will lead a conversation at 9:30 am on "What is Palliative Care?" Lorraine is a church member and Minister in Covenant with us who recently moved to Seattle to serve as a palliative care chaplain for Swedish Medical Center. She works as part of a care team to provide patients and their families relief from the stress of serious illness and to improve their quality of life.

She is delighted to be back at First Congregational Church Boulder to share more about her passion for this topic.

Sunday, February 9, 2020

Join us for FPL Lite on Sunday, 2/9/20 in Plymouth Hall following 10:30 am worship. Every mission trip attendant and their family will host a Pick-a-Party and there will be opportunities for all to sign up - plus food, music and a raffle drawing for great prizes. Contact Matthew for more info.

Sunday, February 16, 9:30 am - Standish Room

Come learn about Nablus, Palestine from a man born and educated there. Dr. Numan Mizyed, now lives in Littleton but frequently returns to his home town and the university where he was a professor. First arriving in the US in 1986, he began graduate school at CSU where he met Cindy, the American woman who became his wife. Together they spent 25 years in the West Bank teaching university students. Numan and Cindy will talk and show pictures about life in the West Bank and Nablus.

Lecture: Friday, February 21 at 7 pm - Sanctuary

Indigenous Wisdom for Modern Times - The Four Sacred Gifts... The Power To Forgive the Unforgivable, The Power of Unity,

The Power of Healing, The Power of Hope in Action.

Workshop: Saturday, February 22 at 9 am - Plymouth Hall

Indigenous Wisdom for Modern Times -

Embracing the Four Sacred Gifts

Worship: Sunday, February 23 at 8:30 am - Sanctuary

Sunday March 1, 2020 after 10:30 Worship

The congregation will gather in Plymouth Hall, fill our plates with lunch, and find a good seat. Along with the business meeting--passing the 2020 budget and electing officers and board members--we will also be hearing updates about changes to our Financial Policy, a new photo directory, Mindful Works Ministry, and reflections on the coming year from Rev Chris Braudaway-Bauman. Everyone is welcome. Voting members are strongly encouraged to attend. Childcare and lunch will be provided. 

March 6-8 - YMCA of the Rockies Estes Park

All are invited to this year's Men and Friends Retreat. Each year,

we gather for fun, fellowship, food, and reflection. This year's topic is Managing Crossroads. Each topic is designed to help us challenge one another to use the space we’ve created to contemplate, be in wonder, and use our blessings to bless others. To learn more, click here.

To register click here.

Lecture: Friday, April 24

Workshop: Saturday, April 25

Worship: Sunday, April 26

Tuesday, May 19

The Central College Choir, (50 voices) will give a concert at 5 pm and then spend the night. FCC is providing dinner before the concert. We

are looking for families who can provide overnight accommodations, breakfast on Wednesday, and rides back to the church. Most likely, the students will prefer to be housed in pairs. To sign up as a host family, contact David Skaggs To help out with the coordinating/preparing the pre-concert dinner, contact Joanne O’Keefe Thank you in advance!

For years, many in our congregation who serve on Boards, Committees, or Ministries have used the ChurchLife App to find contact information for various people in the church. However, since our move over to Realm (onrealm.org), the ChurchLife App has not been updated. Going forward, if you would like the most up to date Online directory, simply follow the instructions here.

On the 4th Sunday of every month, our church hosts the local Soup Kitchen. The role of the Soup Kitchen Coordinator is to ensure that there are enough people signed up for our day. We currently have a Primary Coordinator. We are seeking someone to serve as a back up for this person should there be a need. The coordinator is not obligated to serve on any shifts, but are welcome to do so. If you are interested, please contact Rev. Pedro Silva.

On December 20th, Governor Jared Polis issued a full pardon to Ingrid Encalada LaTorre who has been in sanctuary for the past several years, most recently at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder (5001 Pennsylvania Ave.) While Ingrid will remain in sanctuary for the time being, this pardon was a critical first step in a path toward citizenship.

As a member congregation of the Sanctuary Coalition, we are invited to join them on Saturday, February 1, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. at UUCB to celebrate Ingrid’s pardon. It will be a potluck so feel free to bring something to share. Snacks/finger foods will be provided as well. 

First Congregational is hiring a full-time Office and Facilities Manager. Check out the job description on our website and share it with any well qualified people outside the church that you may know. Please note that we have a policy of not hiring church members. If you know someone who is a great multitasker, would care about our covenants, and would enjoy a job with a lot of variety, please let them know we are looking. 

Meanwhile, we are very grateful to Julie Griffitts for filling in during

this time!

If you have a recurring pledge payment set up in your FCC Realm account, be sure to edit the payment amount to your new pledge amount. You will also need to change the fund paid from “2019 Annual Budget”

to “2020 Annual Budget” so your current payments will be credited

to pay THIS year’s pledge!

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