Worship, November 16

"Jesus Has Left The Building" Outreach Event

It's finally here! Our "Jesus Has Left the Building" outreach event takes place, this Sunday at 10am.

Everyone meets together for preparatory worship in Memorial Hall. At about 10:20, we'll all sing a Benediction and then separate into our two projects.

Project 1. Assembling Care Bags which can be given to folks on the street. This project is a suitable activity for adults and kids both. After the bags are filled, if you would like to take some with you for distribution, there will be instructions provided for how to go about that.

Project 2. Worshiping with St. John the Beloved Community, UCC

Experience worship with a largely African American UCC congregation. Members and friends will be carpooling to attend worship at St. John the Beloved Community on Grand, in St. Louis, at 11:00am.

PLEASE NOTE that, because worship is not being conducted in the Sanctuary, there will be no live stream of the service. We'll be back on YouTube, next Sunday.

Churches Together for Justice

Collecting Signatures against Redistricting

Margaret and Bill Rowe, friends of the church and volunteers for Churches Together for Justice, are collecting signatures for the Redistricting Referendum. The deadline for all signatures is in 2 to 3 weeks. They plan to collect signatures from willing First Church congregants on their way into worship services on Nov 2 and 9, and potentially on Nov 16.

Here's a brief explainer from KOMU on the referendum push.

Sunday Volunteers

Please consider signing up for one or more of the following opportunities. The names of the opportunities are links to Google Sheet signups.

Worship staff will provide training:

Liturgist

Slideshow Presenter

A/V Volunteer

Lost-and-Found Items

Greetings,

In an attempt to get lost items to their owners in a more prompt and efficient way, I will now from time to time post the items currently in the lost-and-found. Currently, we have:

• A cane left in the kitchen for two weeks
• A women's black shirt
• An American Eagle bag with a beige sweater in it

Contact me with any questions via phone or email. Thanks!

--Adam Levin, Office Administrator

Can You Offer a Ride?

Two church members - Helen Moody and Martin Mills - have given over their keys and are no longer driving. Helen lives near the church, at Sunrise Senior Living. Martin lives in Lemay, just off of Lemay Ferry Rd. If you can provide transportation to either (they attend separately), some Sunday soon, please find their signup sheets on clipboards in the office to volunteer a ride. Thank you!

A memorial service in celebration of the life of Philip S. Roush has been scheduled for 3:00PM on Tuesday, November 25, in the Sanctuary of First Church. A reception will follow in Memorial Hall. All are invited. Interment will be private.

Facilities & Finance Update

Several of us on F&F are going to paint the kitchen walls on Monday December 1. If you would like to join us, we start @ 9:00 AM.

The company that is now doing our lawncare/landscaping has renewed the Jubilee Garden. Look for a revitalized garden next spring.

Every week I bring in a baggie full of plastic bottle caps. We've collected 211 lbs as of 10/29/2025! We still need to collect some 200 lbs of caps for our ONA Rainbow Bench. That's a lot of baggies! If you're not already doing so, please contribute to this effort. The collection bin is in the Narthex, and you can check the chart here to learn which caps are acceptable.

--Phil Shoulberg, Chair

Pecans!

Pecans are coming, in time for your holiday baking! Each one-pound bag of Mammoth Pecans costs $15. That's less than $1 an ounce!

Watch next week's Covenant News for information about how to purchase yours!

Webster Rock Hill Ministries 
Food Donations Needed

Because SNAP benefits are still in limbo, there will be more families needing assistance. The St. Louis Area Food Bank donates up to 3 tons of food monthly to WRHM and other food pantries. Unfortunately proteins have been uncommon. If you can donate peanut butter (and jelly), cans of chicken, tuna, salmon and ham, it would be really helpful.

Also, Thanksgiving is coming, and it is a great time to provide food for a family. No list has been provided yet, but think about what a family would need, including mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberries, pumpkin pie filling, pie shells and all the regular dinner items. Bring your bag of Thanksgiving dinner food, and there will be boxes to put it in.

--Rosemary Hensley

Hanging of the Greens Sign-up



Cathy Buerk will be tabling this Sunday for Hanging of the Greens. Make sure to stop by and sign up! This year's Hanging of the Greens worship will take place on Sunday, December 14.

Churches Together for Justice (CTJ) is partnering with Rebuilding Together St. Louis (RTSTL) to help homeowners with limited income repair their residences. How might our church or you as an individual be able to help? Read the invitation from CTJ, here. Thanks to Doug Miller for bringing this to our attention!

This service includes music by an ecumenical choir made up of members from participating Webster Groves congregations. If you are interested in being part of the choir, please be in touch with Pastor Glen Connoley (email him here) who will provide further details.

Scout Troop 301 Rummage Sale
December 6, 8am - 12pm

Yankee Swap Is Back, December 7

Look for a map in the office with DETOUR information.

On Sunday, December 7, from 1:15 to 5:00, we will enjoy a potluck meal and do our swapping of gifts. 

  Who? YOU! 

  Where? Mike Lenard’s home 

  When? 1:15 to 5:00, December 7 

  What? Yankee Swap

  Please bring

1. a dish (main dish, salad, or dessert) for the table.
2. A homemade/handmade gift (one per person) (unwrapped) for the gift exchange.
3. A donation for Webster Rock Hill Ministries.

PLEASE RSVP before December 4 to:

Garie Perry  314-698-2614

or

Jane Porchey 314-961-0283

Questions? Call Garie or Jane

Mike’s address is:

  1467 Heritage Valley Drive

  High Ridge, MO

  Phone: 314-740-9589

Detour directions in the church office!

Jazz Noel: Seeking The Light

Reimagining the Christmas Story for Today

Sunday, December 21

The program will begin at 2:30PM. Throughout the course of the program award winning artist Michael Anderson will paint his interpretation of our Jazz Noel theme: Seeking the Light. The Logos Actors will portray the story of four shepherds who witnessed the angelic light breaking across the sky. And the Terra Nova Early Music Consort will offer a pre-concert.

All are welcome. A free-will offering will be received for MICA.

Laurel Hayes Retires

After 23 years as a campus minister at Webster University, Laurel Hayes is retiring! We are happier to announce that on November 26, 2025, Laurel will celebrate her 30th ordination anniversary! Give your regards when you see her.

November Meal-a-Month
Shopping List

Canned Salmon or Tuna (in water) • Canned Spinach (no salt)

Applesauce (in plastic, no sugar added)

Powdered Milk, shelf stable milk, soy milk

Soap • Deodorant • Toilet Paper

What’s Going on at First Church

For a complete calendar of all church events and building use,

please click here for our online calendar.

Sunday, November 16

"Jesus Has Left the Building" Outreach Event

9:45AM Nursery Care Available

10:00AM Worship in Memorial Hall

10:20AM Outreach Projects

Monday, November 17

7:00PM Executive Ministry - Zoom

Tuesday, November 18

10:00AM Stewardship Committee - Library

10:30AM Staff Meeting - Church Office

Wednesday, November 19

9:30AM Yoga w/ Jeanene - Inglis Room

Thursday, November 20

6:00PM Canterbury Bells - Sanctuary

7:30AM Chancel Choir - Sanctuary

Sunday, November 23

Majesty of Christ Sunday

New Members Received

Thanksgiving Sunday

9:45AM Nursery Care Available

10:00AM Worship

10:15AM Kids' Church

11:05AM Coffee Fellowship

Keith Moore - November 5

Benton Prange - November 5

Trina Hill - November 7

Andrea Welnick - November 9

Jan Ver Hagen - November 11

Nina Thompson - November 12

Joseph Weyhrich - November 13

Marilyn Barton - November 15

Carolyn Woodsmall - November 18

Jennifer Monaco - November 19

Chris von Weise - November 25

Kristy Barton - November 27

Pat Schutte - November 27

Joan Musbach - November 30

The Listen Everywhere system is our new accommodation for people who need assisted-listening. Listen Everywhere can be downloaded to your phone and can be used with or without hearing aids. If your phone is incompatible with the Listen system, we also have stand-alone units available. Please see Mark Metcalf, this Sunday, to get started using the Listen system, or email him at markmetcalf@firstchurchwg.org.

Let Breeze Serve as Your Church Directory

If you would like to access the church directory, change your listing there, or check on your donations, Breeze is the app for you!

Here are a few simple steps, for you to access information from and about the church on your personal devices:

1. Download the breeze app from the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play store (Android phone)!
2. The app will ask you to provide your Church ID, which is is: fccwgstlmo
3. Last, use your Username and Password to log into the app! (If you don't know your Username, contact the Church Office.)

To download a flier about using the Breeze website or app, including further instructions, click here.

To access the Breeze website, click on this link.

Give to First Church

CLICK HERE to donate online,

to make a pledge to the church.

Otherwise, you can send a check payable to “FCCWG” to:

First Congregational Church

10 W. Lockwood Ave.

Webster Groves, MO 63119

Sunday bulletins can be found by clicking here. They are uploaded by Friday for the upcoming Sunday.

Watch recorded videos of Sunday worship and other events on our YouTube page.