Rev. Dr. Glen Miles, Senior Minister

An old, grizzled, long-time pastor once wrote to the church in Thessaloniki, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances.”

He knew from experience that life is full of highs and lows — beautiful days and awful ones, pleasure and pain. Often, we don’t get to choose what we experience. As someone once said, “Life just happens.”

The pastor’s words to that early church aren’t some Pollyanna-like attempt to pretend everything is great no matter what. Nothing like that at all. Instead, he’s saying: Be willing to see the world as it really is — but always remember that God is present in the amazing days and the ugly ones too.

I didn’t really understand this until the day I learned that our firstborn, just three months old, might have spinal meningitis. I was leading a mission trip with twenty youth and ten adults, building a home for a family in rural Appalachia. Julie called me from San Diego with the frightening news. From that moment forward, I prayed — for our son Nate, for Julie, and for the medical team caring for them.

The group I was leading was heading home the next day in three vans and a trailer, driving cross-country. I began looking for a flight home and arranged for another adult to take my place. When I called Julie at our first stop, she shared the most beautiful, heart-warming news: Nate was okay. Further tests showed it wasn’t meningitis — just a virus that was easily treatable.

Even so, my prayers didn’t stop. They continued — with joy, thanksgiving, and yes, still a bit of worry.

I thought of that scary time again when I received a note from a dear friend who’d heard about my upcoming surgery. He wrote, “From this moment through the day of your surgery, I will pray without ceasing for you. I love you, my brother.”

There is something powerful about prayer that draws us together as a community. When we pray for one another and with one another, we are saying to the great God of the universe, “We are in this together — with each other, and with You, Holy One. No matter what, we will remain in relationship with You, the Sacred Mystery of all that is.”

I cannot begin to thank you enough for your prayers, well wishes, and kind words. I, too, have been praying this week for our church — without ceasing. Oh, to be sure, my prayers have been interrupted by meetings and ministry, but even then, my thoughts have never been far from you, dear members and friends of First Community.

With love,

Glen

The Gathering: Conversations That Matter

Wednesdays, November 5 & 12 |5:30–7 pm | First Community North

Led by Rev. Mary Kate Buchanan

Over the past few years, a common refrain has been heard in hospital rooms, hospice centers, and pastoral care offices: “I wish we would have talked about this.”

On November 5 and 12, join Rev. Mary Kate Buchanan for a two-part series called The Conversation Project, part of the Older Adult Ministry’s Getting Our Ducks in a Row series. Together, we’ll explore how to begin meaningful conversations about our wishes for care through the end of life—so those wishes can be understood and respected.

The goal is simple but profound: to start talking at the kitchen table—not in the intensive care unit—with the people who matter most to us, before it’s too late. It’s not an easy conversation, which is why we need encouragement, resources, and accountability to help us have it. This series is for everyone, no matter your age or life stage.

Each evening will include dinner and conversation around the tables:

• November 5: Soup Night – broccoli and cheesy chicken tortilla soups, salad, and dessert
• November 12: Walking tacos (black bean option for vegetarians) and dessert

Learn more about The Conversation Project at theconversationproject.org.

This year’s Thanksgiving food drive benefiting the Midweek Missions Thanksgiving Basket project and Heart to Heart food pantry is coming to a close. Please support our efforts by donating items to help us prepare baskets for 20 Franklinton families and provide Heart to Heart clients with the food they need to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal. 

The drive will conclude with a churchwide Thanksgiving food collection this Sunday, November 9 during all worship services. On that day, donated items should be brought into worship and placed on the chancel to be blessed.  

Look for boxes where donations can be dropped off close to the K-5 classrooms, in the Rose Wing entrance and close to the coffee station at First Community North. Donations at South can be placed in the marked box in the coatroom donation area.  

We are collecting:               

Midweek Missions also needs 20 frozen turkeys. Let us know we can expect a turkey donation from you by signing up here. All turkeys must be delivered to the First Community North walk-in refrigerator on either Sunday, November 23, 8:30 am -12:30 pm or Monday, November 24 before 11 am. 

The Midweek Missions program and Heart to Heart food pantry are happy to collaborate for this year’s Thanksgiving food drive. Whether used by Midweek or Heart to Heart, please know that your food donations will be received by a family in need this holiday season.  

This week in Sunday school

• K–1st grade classes (9 and 11 am): Will explore the spiritual gift of joy with the picture book Katie Loves the Kittens by John Himmelman. Katie is extremely excited when her family gets new kittens, but she can’t seem to do the right thing. Finally, in a quiet moment she finds true joy.  
• 2nd–5th grade (9 am), and 2nd–3rd grade (11 am): Classes will hear the Old Testament story of The Exodus. Moses led his people out of slavery in Egypt to the edge of the Promised Land.  
• K-5^th grade class (10 am): The class will read the book, On Noah’s Ark by Jan Brett. This beautiful book tells the story of how God told Noah to build an ark because there was to be a great flood. The animals came to join Noah’s family on the ark.  
• 4th–7th grade class (11 am): Will learn about the Holy Troublemaker, Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg. As a young woman, she experienced a moment of deep amazement and wonder that inspired her to reconnect with and deepen her Jewish faith. Today, she encourages others to practice radical amazement—to slow down and appreciate the gifts of creation. 

Please go here to register for all K-12 programs.

by Kristy Glaser, Director of Membership Engagement

Welcome New Members

(Left to right: Kim McDonald and Linda Watson

Not pictured: Sarah Girard, Bridget Granger, Kollo Pollipo, and Steve Sims)

We are delighted to welcome six new members into the life of our church family! On Sunday, November 2, we received six individuals into membership: two in person and four in absentia. Each brings unique gifts and stories that enrich our shared ministry, and we look forward to growing in faith and fellowship together.

Coffee with Glen

If you are considering membership, we invite you to attend Coffee with Glen on Saturday, November 8, from 9:30 am – 11 am at FC North. This informal gathering with Senior Minister Glen Miles is a great opportunity to enjoy coffee and conversation while learning more about First Community Church and what it means to be part of our community of faith.

To RSVP, please contact Kristy Glaser at kglaser@FCchurch.com

Heritage Sunday, November 16

On Heritage Sunday, First Community will joyfully celebrate the enduring commitment of members who have reached the remarkable milestone of 40 years or more of membership.

During the 10 am worship service at South, we will recognize our newest 40-year members by name in the Sanctuary. Following the service, all are invited to a festive reception in the Weist Room and Gallery Court, where we will continue the celebration in fellowship.

In each service, all members who have reached or surpassed 40 years of membership—whether through consecutive or cumulative years—will be invited to stand and be honored for their lasting dedication to our church community.

If 2025 marks your 40th year as a member, we would be delighted to include you in this special recognition. Please contact Kristy Glaser at kglaser@FCchurch.com to confirm your membership details.

Let us come together in celebration of faith, legacy, and the enduring spirit of First Community.

Rev. John Girard, Executive Minister

As we enter the final stretch of the year, our financial journey at First Community continues to call for patience, faith, and shared sacrifice. Our overall operating position at the end of September was slightly better than budget, largely due to delayed repairs and projected future expenses.

Year-to-date, we remain carefully ahead of budget through faithful stewardship, disciplined restraint, and our shared commitment to living within our means. The spending freeze we’ve put in place is being felt across our ministries and staff, yet it also reflects our collective commitment to doing the hard, necessary work of financial responsibility.

We continue to receive contributions for the Finish Strong campaign—just under $1.123 million to date—while you faithfully continue your annual Estimate of Giving contributions. All of this is incredibly helpful as we chip away at our operating cash deficit. Currently, the projected cash deficit is $348,000—down from $626,000 when we began the Finish Strong campaign in May. This is incredibly encouraging progress! Still, we have more work to do as we approach the end of the year. To date, more than 300 households have contributed to the Finish Strong campaign.

Looking ahead, the forecast suggests we’ll finish the year slightly better than budget as we continue reducing expenses and addressing the deficit. Until then, cash remains tight, and while we’ve made meaningful progress, we continue to walk a narrow path. Even so, we remain steadfast in our focus: to reduce spending, meet our obligations, and move steadily toward eliminating the cash deficit and addressing our capital debt.

In all of this, we are deeply grateful for you—the people of First Community. Your generosity, your prayers, and your steady faith sustain this church’s ministries and mission through both challenge and change.

If you have not yet supported the Finish Strong campaign, please consider doing so. Every gift, no matter the size, helps lighten the load we share. You can make an online gift here.

And as we continue to envision our future together, I ask that you hold First Community in prayer. May God guide our leaders, strengthen our resolve, and remind us that even in times of constraint, we are being shaped into a community of faithful followers, building a stronger foundation for future generations of First Community families.

Rev. Seth Stearns, Director, First Community Foundation

As of the end of September, the Foundation has awarded over $776,000 in grants supporting First Community and other non-profits doing great work in serving those in need. Here is the allocation of grants to date:

We’re excited to share that the Planned Giving page is now live on the Foundation website. There you’ll find clear, helpful information about planned giving—and you can subscribe to a monthly newsletter with updates on options and strategies. Visit the new page here: Home – First Community Foundation.

For many years, the Foundation has recognized those who give generously through current gifts and by including the Foundation in their estate plans. We’re pleased to announce that our two legacy programs—Legacy Circle and Heritage Society—are now combined into one recognition program: The Burkhart Legacy Circle.

Membership in the Burkhart Legacy Circle is open to donors who either:

• make active gifts of $1,000 or more per year to the Foundation, or
• have documented the Foundation in their estate plans.

If you’ve included the Foundation in your plans, please let me know so we can update our records and confirm your membership. If you’d like more information about the Burkhart Legacy Circle, I’m glad to talk.

Remember, every gift matters to the ministries of First Community. You can contribute to an existing fund or establish a new named fund. And don’t forget to speak with your financial advisor about how your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) might add impact to your charitable giving.

Founded in 1961, the First Community Foundation exists to sustain the future of First Community Church’s programs and ministries through immediate and planned gifts. We are committed to honoring donor intent so that each legacy gift benefits the church as intended.

Foundation impact areas include:

• Camp Akita
• Facilities, landscape, and maintenance
• First Community Village
• Missions
• Worship & Arts
• Youth Programs

I’d love to help you explore your planned giving options.

Rev. Seth Stearns, Director, First Community Foundation

Email: sstearns@FCchurch.com | Phone: (614) 488-0681

Rose Konrath, Governing Board Chair

Hello and welcome to November! We enjoyed so many mild, sunny days earlier in October that it felt like a real shift to reach for warm jackets and gloves later in the month. My family and I spent time in the Hocking Hills at the end of October for some rest and hiking. The weather was less than perfect—or maybe it was just perfect. Dark skies and on-again, off-again rain created a sense of quiet and peace, an invitation to be present and to notice.

Towering rock walls and stretches of sand beneath a massive recessed cave were beacons of beauty. Patches of bright gold leaves dotted the canopy, connecting spring to fall to winter. Such splendor—just waiting for us.

October Governing Board Highlights

The Governing Board met on October 22. Here are a few highlights from our meeting:

• Finance – Chair Mark Hollinger, Executive Minister Rev. John Girard, and Rev. Glen Miles reviewed our financial results, current status, and the process for developing the 2026 budget.
• Personnel – Chaired by Jennifer Short, this committee continues to work with Rev. Girard on the enhanced First Community staff onboarding process.
• Nominating Committee – Led by Chair April Howe, this group is finalizing the list of candidates for the new Governing Board class.

Governing Board Committees: Personnel

The Personnel Committee meets regularly with Rev. Girard, focusing this term on the enhanced staff onboarding process. The committee brings a wealth of experience and deep appreciation for our staff to this important work.

(Caption: Left to right – Dr. Dan Davis, Kristyn Anderson, Chair Jennifer Short, and Charlie Boltwood.)

Next Meeting

Our next Governing Board meeting will be Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at 7 pm, First Community North, Room 102.

(Note: This is one week earlier than usual due to the Thanksgiving holiday.)

Agenda topics include:

• Finance and Budget Review/Update
• South Assessment Team Update
• Nominating Committee Candidate Finalization

Until Next Month

The cyclical nature of the seasons, the church calendar, and our lives reminds me of this short poem by Robert Frost. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do:

Nothing Gold Can Stay

By Robert Frost

Nature’s first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf’s a flower;

But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.

If there’s something you’d like to ask, recommend, or discuss, please reach out to me—we can schedule a call or meeting.

Wishing you a happy Thanksgiving.

Gratitude and blessings,

Rose Konrath, Governing Board Chair

TC Brown Returns with a Spotlight on

Rev. Dr. Glen Miles

Guest contributor TC Brown concludes his firstnews series with a special feature on Rev. Dr. Glen Miles, Senior Minister of First Community.

In this final installment, TC reflects on Glen’s decades of faithful leadership, his vision for a church rooted in grace and inclusivity, and the legacy of love and purpose he leaves with our congregation.

We’re deeply grateful for TC’s thoughtful storytelling throughout this series—read on to discover new insights into Glen’s journey, ministry, and the heart that has guided First Community for so many years.

by TC Brown, Guest Contributor

God Called Early

God called the prophet Samuel to service at 12 years old—but Senior Minister Rev. Dr. Glen Miles couldn’t wait that long. He climbed into the pulpit when he was just four.

“I couldn’t see over it, so I scooted a chair across the chancel, stood on the chair, and preached like I was my dad,” Glen recalls with a laugh. The pews were empty, but his imagination was full. “My dad was a superstar,” he says.

Glen’s father was an evangelical preacher, first in Los Angeles and later in San Francisco, which Glen still considers home. The family moved often—by the time he was 17, he had lived in 14 homes.

Though it might not show today, Glen was once painfully shy. “I always tested as an introvert,” he says. What helped draw him out? Sports.

“I could play basketball. I was slow, couldn’t jump, couldn’t play defense—but other than that, I was pretty good,” he jokes.

In 1981, Glen graduated from Northwest Christian College (now Bushnell University) in Eugene, Oregon, with a degree in Biblical Studies and a minor in educational speech. He dreamed of teaching high school but instead accepted a position at a small church—First Christian Church in Hanford, California—as a youth minister and assistant coach for the seventh-grade basketball team.

The congregation soon saw something special in him. The church elders offered Glen $100 a month toward seminary, believing he was called to ministry. His childhood habit of keeping meticulous baseball box scores, he says, actually helped him survive Hebrew and Greek language studies.

Glen graduated from Emmanuel School of Religion in Johnson City, Tennessee, in 1988 and was ordained at First Christian. He later completed his Master of Divinity degree at the University of California, Berkeley.

When Dick Wing—who would later serve as pastor of First Community—invited Glen to join the staff at University Christian Church in San Diego, Glen accepted. During that time, he also earned his Doctor of Ministry degree from the Claremont School of Theology.

When Wing moved to First Community, Glen stepped into his first senior pastor role at Sandy Springs Christian Church in Atlanta, and later became senior pastor at Country Club Christian Church in Kansas City, Missouri.

In 2016, First Community came calling. Glen was happy in Kansas City and planned to retire there—until, as he puts it, “the Spirit nudged.”

“I was struggling,” he remembers. “I knew First Community was awesome, so I prayed on it. I told my wife, Julie, I need a nudge from the Spirit. The next day, I got an email from the search committee asking if I was interested. I went all in.”

The rest, as they say, is history. Glen began his ministry at First Community in March 2017.

“I am more free in the pulpit here than anywhere else,” he says. “There’s a historical sense of trust in the preacher at First Community.”

When he’s not preaching, Glen is a devoted fan of books and movies—he’s read The Hobbit nine times and The Lord of the Rings trilogy three. He avoids overt politics in the pulpit, preferring to take a wider view.

“I try to preach in a way that engages both heart and mind,” he says. “It’s my job to look at the culture through the eyes of Jesus.”

In this month’s Mission & Justice newsletter, read about the inspiring work of our Veterans & First Responders Ministry, including moving Witness Tree Ceremonies and community service at the annual Veterans Stand Down. You’ll also find details about the Thanksgiving Food Drive, the Christmas Kindness Project, and upcoming Mission & Justice meetings.

Veterans and First Responders

by Graham Webb

Over Memorial Day weekend, the Veterans and First Responders Group hosted Witness Tree Ceremonies at FC South on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. The purpose of a Witness Tree Ceremony is to remember and honor those who have fallen because of their military service. This includes those killed in action, those who died from physical wounds or “Soul Injuries,” and those who passed away due to exposure to harmful chemical agents such as Agent Orange or burn pits.

During the ceremony, survivors were invited to speak about their friend or loved one and to place a military-style identification “dog tag” on the tree in the prayer garden. Fellowship and prayer were shared, and the ceremony concluded with the playing of Taps and the lighting of a Purple Heart candle. The dog tags now hang outside in the prayer garden, and all are welcome to place a tag on the tree at any time.

Each October, the Central Ohio Annual Veterans Stand Down event provides vital services to veterans—including food, shelter, new clothing, VA health screenings, benefits counseling, and referrals to housing, employment, substance abuse treatment, and education programs. The First Community Veterans and First Responders Group offered support again this year, volunteering to help with setup, cleanup, and staffing throughout the day. Thanks to the group’s generous donations, we also supplied many hygiene care kits. This annual event is an important opportunity to serve and celebrate veterans from across 10 Central Ohio counties.

In honor of Veterans Day, the Veterans and First Responders Group will be handing out military veteran lapel pins following each worship service on Sunday, November 9.

For more information about the group, please contact Graham Webb at 614-296-9917 (call or text).

Christmas Kindness Project 

by Amy Caskie, Director of Missions

This program was created to ensure gifts under the tree for children of Heart to Heart food pantry clients. Participating families were chosen from current clients that have not been supported by Heart to Heart or First Community in the past three years. Twenty families will create a wish list of four gift ideas for each of their children.  

Then starting Sunday, November 23, this information will be available on the Christmas Kindness Project displays outside worship spaces at both church locations. Donors can choose which of those gifts to purchase and donate. Gifts must be returned for donation by Sunday, December 14. Once collected, the unwrapped gifts will be tagged with the children’s names and given to the families. 

LGBTQ+ Night at the Labyrinth

Rev. John Girard, Minister of Mission and Justice

The Community Justice Ministry’s LGBTQ+ Team hosted LGBTQ+ Night at the Labyrinth on October 27 at First Community North. Five participants gathered for a peaceful and engaging evening that began with pizza and conversation—a time to connect, laugh, and share stories before stepping into the quiet beauty of the labyrinth walk.

Rev. Seth Stearns led a thoughtful discussion on the history and mystery of labyrinths in the Christian tradition, offering insight into how this ancient symbol has guided spiritual seekers for centuries.

A labyrinth is not a maze—it holds no tricks or dead ends. Instead, it offers a single, winding path that leads to the center and back out again, symbolizing our spiritual journey toward wholeness and return. Walking the labyrinth invites reflection, prayer, and stillness, helping participants slow down and listen for the voice of the Spirit.

The evening was both meaningful and refreshing, blending community connection with contemplative practice. As the group walked in silence beneath the soft lights of the North Campus, it was clear this shared experience offered more than quiet time—it offered sacred space for belonging, reflection, and renewal.

The LGBTQ+ Team’s next gathering will be An Evening of Centering Prayer. Watch for more details coming soon.

Click on each image for more information or to register.

On a truly beautiful autumn day, October 21, First Community’s older adults embarked on a joyful journey to Logan, Ohio, to experience the wonders of Camp Akita.

The adventure began with a creative and reflective activity—painting rocks. Participants were invited to write or draw something that brought them happiness. These colorful creations later became part of Pastor Mary Kate’s afternoon devotion on Vesper Hill.

After a delicious lunch and warm fellowship, the group was joined by Naturalist Greg Wittman, who shared fascinating insights into the science and beauty of fall foliage. Greg then led a nature walk through a prairie area restored by Camp Akita’s own Andy Frick—once inaccessible land, now transformed into a thriving pollinator habitat. Along the way, Greg introduced an app that identifies birds by their songs and offered stories and details about various native and invasive plant species. Some participants ventured even farther, hiking to Bald Eagle and taking in the crisp air and breathtaking scenery.

The day ended peacefully with a meaningful devotion led by Pastor Mary Kate on Vesper Hill. Through guided meditation and prayer, participants reflected on the joys of creation and community. The painted rocks were placed in the sacred space as small, blessed reminders of gratitude and happiness for future visitors to discover.

It was a day filled with beauty, learning, laughter, and spiritual connection—a perfect reminder of the gifts that come from time spent together in nature.

On Saturday, October 11, sixty women and girls entered Grace Hall through a cheerful pink balloon archway—beautifully crafted by Erika Carlson—for an inspiring in-town women’s retreat sponsored by the Women’s Guild. The day’s theme honored the International Day of the Girl and celebrated the “girl” within each of us.

Upon arrival, guests were greeted with homemade coffee cake lovingly prepared by Women’s Guild members. At each place setting waited a name tag and a small memory book to decorate and fill with reflections throughout the day. The morning began with introductions at each table, as participants shared a photo of something that brings them joy and delight.

A morning devotion featured a reading from Mother God by Teresa Kim Pecinovaky, setting a reflective and empowering tone. Rev. Mary Kate Buchanan and Rev. Sarah Kientz then shared stories from their own journeys as women in ministry, offering honest insight into the blessings and challenges of serving in a traditionally male-dominated field. They also shared background about the United Nations’ adoption of the International Day of the Girl in 2011—created to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges they face around the world. This year’s theme, celebrating girls as leaders and changemakers, beautifully echoed throughout the retreat.

Following table discussions and reflection, participants were invited to create prayer beads. Tables overflowed with colorful assortments of beads—each one unique in size, shape, and texture. Some beads were handmade from clay and purchased from Kindway, a non-profit organization that supports individuals impacted by incarceration. Proceeds from bead sales provide funds for women re-entering their communities, a meaningful reminder of hope, empowerment,

and faith at work.

A delicious lunch followed, featuring a bountiful salad bar from Steven’s Catering, cookies from Freedom a la Carte—a catering company supporting women recovering from human trafficking—plus mini sandwiches and fresh fruit from Giant Eagle.

The afternoon offered a variety of creative and contemplative activities: photo booth fun with playful props, a meditative labyrinth walk, prayers written on dissolvable paper, candle lighting, thoughtful table conversations, writing “blackout poetry” inspired by scripture, posting reflections on women-centered questions in the Narthex, joyful movement and stretching, and moments of quiet rest and reflection.

As the day drew to a close, participants gathered once more to share their experiences. The room buzzed with laughter, warmth, and renewed energy—a joyful reminder that the spirit of the girl within each of us continues to shine brightly.

Resources from the event are linked below.

Dreaming with the Angels: An Advent Journey

This Advent, we invite you to pause, breathe deeply, and listen for the dreams of God stirring within and around us. Before the angels sang and shepherds ran, before Mary whispered her yes, God was already dreaming—a world remade by grace.

Our Advent series, Dreaming with the Angels, written and preached by Rev. Dr. Glen Miles, invites us to join in that holy imagination. Each week, Glen will guide us through the dreams of hope, peace, joy, and love—the divine longings that still take shape in our world through Christ.

Together we’ll light candles, share stories, and open our hearts to the God who is still dreaming through us.

Come and dream with us this season as we follow the starlight toward Bethlehem, trusting that the same God who dreamed creation into being continues to awaken love in every heart.

Worship with us beginning Sunday, November 30, and each week of Advent as we dream with the angels and prepare our hearts for Christmas.

The 51st Annual Carols for Christmas

Saturday, December 6 | 4 pm | North Sanctuary

Celebrate the season with one of First Community’s most beloved musical traditions! Join us for the 51st Annual Carols for Christmas concert, featuring the Cambridge Choir, Chancel Choir, Whitechapel Ringers, and Marble Cliff Singers. This festive afternoon of choral and instrumental music will lift your spirit and fill your heart with the beauty and joy of Christmas. Bring your family and friends to share in this inspiring holiday tradition.

(Program to include works by a variety of celebrated composers—details to be announced soon.)

Harmonies for Hope

Wednesday, December 10 |

Dinner at 5:30 PM | Concert at 6 PM | FC North

Join us for Harmonies of Hope: A Common Grace Christmas Worship Concert — a joyful evening of music, community, and celebration. This special night will feature inspiring contemporary and traditional Christmas music led by the Common Grace Band, along with a festive sing-along for all ages.

Come early to enjoy dinner and fellowship at 5:30 PM, before the concert begins at 6 PM. Bring your family and friends to share in an evening that lifts the spirit and celebrates the true hope of the season!

Christmas Workshop

We hope your child will join us for the 72nd Annual Christmas Workshop at  First Community North on Wednesday, December 10, from 6–7:15 pm. 

This cherished tradition is a joyful evening where children create handmade gifts and Christmas decorations for family and friends. It’s a wonderful way for them to experience the true spirit of Christmas—learning that giving from the heart is just as meaningful as receiving. 

Christmas Workshop projects are designed for elementary-age children, but younger children are welcome to participate with a grown-up helper. 

Please register by December 7 so we can prepare materials for your child. We can’t wait to celebrate the season with you! 🎄Register now  

“Camel Lot”

Sunday, December 13 | 4 PM | FC North

Join us for a joyful Christmas musical presented by our Youth Choir! This year’s production, Camel Lot from Little Big Stuff Music, takes us on a hilarious and heartfelt journey to the royal stables of Bethlehem—where young camel keepers learn that no one is too small for God’s big plans.

Through catchy songs, creative storytelling, and a few unforgettable camels, our children will remind us that the greatest gift of all isn’t found in a palace, but in a humble stable where love was born.

Bring your family, invite your friends, and come ready to smile, sing, and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas together!

The First Rose of Advent:

A Tradition of Caring and Blessing

Each year during Advent, a cherished First Community tradition unfolds — one that has been passed down through generations. Known as Sweetheart Roses, this simple act of love brings beauty and blessing to our older adults during the season of preparation and hope.

Members of our Congregational Care Ministry and First Community clergy make home visits throughout Advent, delivering a single, beautiful red rose — a gentle reminder of love, connection, and care.

For more than 70 years, the red rose has symbolized caring at First Community, a tradition begun by Rev. Dr. Roy Burkhart. Through the decades, this gesture has remained a visible sign of the congregation’s enduring affection for our “Sweethearts” — members aged 70 and older — who have been the roots and heart of our faith community.

This Advent, roses will once again be delivered to those on the Rose Call list. Anyone aged 70 and over is invited to be included, but we need your help to ensure no one is missed.

If you or someone you love would like to receive a rose and a friendly visit this Advent season, please contact Jane Torbica, Care Coordinator, at jtorbica@FCchurch.com or (614) 488-0681 ext. 235.

More Advent Details Coming Soon

Watch your inbox for our special Advent edition of firstnews, arriving on November 26. It will include everything you need to celebrate the season—worship schedules, special events, music offerings, and our full Christmas Eve service times. Don’t miss this joyful guide to all that’s happening throughout Advent at First Community!

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During worship on November 2, we remembered and gave thanks for the lives of the saints of First Community who entered eternal life this past year. Their names were read aloud in a moment of reverent remembrance, as the congregation paused to honor their faith, their service, and the lasting impact of their lives within our community.

*Some content in this newsletter was generated with artificial intelligence.