New Members will be Welcomed on Easter Sunday!

We are excited to invite new members to First Congregational Church on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025, at second service.

• If you are interested in joining the church as a member, please attend our new member classes in the Gerlinger Room
• March 16 - 9:30 am

Have any questions? Email the Church Office: FCC@firstcongucc.com

Prayer Garden Input Welcome

The gardening group continues to work on the prayer garden on the east side of the church. This project is to develop a perennial flower garden where people can come to meditate, pray or have a conversation. The area will have a stone walking path along with benches, tables, a birdbath and birdfeeders. We plan to make the garden handicap accessible for walkers, wheelchairs, etc.

Before we get too far, we would like to get any feedback (good or bad), or ideas people would like to share. If you have any input, please contact Mark Fausch by phone/text (605-310-9052), email (mmkfausch@sio.midco.net), or speak to him if you see him at the church.

Lastly, if you have any gardening talents that you would like to share, we would love to have you in the group. If you have garden designing skills, or would like to dig with us, please let us know. No gardening experience is necessary. We normally dig together once or twice a week when it is nice outside.

Spring Cleanout Rummage Sale for Camperships!

Let's do our spring cleaning to support Placerville camperships this year! InReach will host a rummage sale in the FCC parking lot near Minnesota Avenue during the first weekend in May. Set aside items you would like included. More details will be announced after the next InReach meeting. 

Meet Our Future Pastor

Rev. Carol Hallman's early religious formation was in the UCC and Presbyterian churches in her home state of Ohio. She received a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice; Master's Degree is Forensic Psychology; and Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School. She has served churches in Kansas, Maryland, and North Carolina. Rev. Hallman felt her call to ministry earlier in life but initially resisted it. After exploring careers in forensic psychology and public school counseling, she eventually embraced her call through prayer and encouragement from others, leading to her seminary education and ordination. She is deeply committed to the United Church of Christ's covenantal relationship and has actively served in leadership roles within the church, including in youth ministry and church associations. Passionate about God's inclusive love and grace, Rev. Hallman strives to create a more welcoming community for all. She told us, "The more I study scripture, the more I pray, the more I listen, what I hear is this: God is love and we are created by God to love one another. My continuing call is to challenge people, encourage people, help people to hear this most simple message."

As we prepare to welcome Pastor Carol into our community, we want to ensure a smooth and respectful transition for all involved. To uphold the integrity of our pastoral call agreement with Carol and employee expectations, we kindly ask that no direct work-related contact be made with Pastor Carol until her official start date on May 15th. This boundary is in place to respect her time of transition, allow for proper onboarding, and ensure that when she begins, she is fully supported in stepping into her role with clarity and intention. In the meantime, any questions, concerns, or planning needs should be directed to Pastor Sam at pastor@firstcongucc.org to maintain continuity in leadership. We appreciate your understanding and commitment to fostering a healthy and professional pastoral transition. Thank you for your patience and support as we prepare for this new chapter together.

Need Prayer or Support?

The FCC Staff and congregation is available to provide support for you and your family when hard times come. If you would like prayer, you can write prayer requests on your Prayer and Offering bulletin insert on Sunday Mornings, you can reply to this email newsletter, or you can email the Pastor for direct support: Pastor@firstcongucc.com

The Memorial Committee met on June 9, 2024. At the meeting, the committee approved a project application form. The form is available through the church office and completed applications should be returned to the church office. The current amount in the undesignated memorial fund is approximately $8,900 and individuals and church teams are invited to submit applications to fund small one-time expenses and projects. Proposals will be reviewed on a quarterly basis. Submitting a project narrative and estimated detailed budget, including expense quotes is encouraged.

Find the form here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CNK29za2On9Rqq15VZwf2Z3efyBq_y3E/view?usp=sharing

The Church Office has implemented a new process for advertising events, gatherings, volunteer opportunities, and more. To ensure proper publication of your advertisement, please fill out and submit the form no less than two weeks in advance if possible.

Use this link to fill out the form: https://forms.gle/9RfC94vpbxi33TFw6

The Behavioral Covenant

First Congregational Church adopted our Behavioral Covenant in 2023. You can find the document on our website:

https://www.firstcongucc.com/behavioral-covenant

If you would like a printed copy and do not have access to a printer, please contact the Church Office for a printout.