Contact Us
Senior Pastor
Director of CEd
Director of Music
Church Administrator
Men's Ministry Fasc.
1125 Wilmette Ave.
Wilmette, IL 60091
(847) 251-6660
(847) 251-6130 (fax)
Office Hours:
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday - Friday
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Our Mission
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The First Congregational Church of Wilmette
welcomes
all to Christ's table;
nurtures people's minds & souls on their spiritual journeys;
learns across faiths & generations;
serves God's vision of peace & well-being for all creation; and
practices compassion & service as a way of life.
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Dear Friends,
It is time for our Rally Day fall Reunion! I hope to see all of you in worship on Sunday, and hope you'll enjoy lunch catered by our mission partners at Curt's Café. There will be karaoke, games for children, and a reunion with all your FCCW friends. Stay for a sandwich, and make a sandwich for those served by our partners at Connections for the Homeless. Throughout the summer, we gathered two Sundays a month to make bag lunches for the Connections daily drop-in center. This Sunday, we'll be taking up a special Rally Day Offering to support the continuation of this project throughout the program year!
As you know, we will also be recognizing Daniel Smith on Sunday and thanking him for his three years of service as our Church Administrator. Please be on hand to wish Daniel well as he begins his new staff position at the Styberg Library at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary on the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston. The Personnel Committee of the Board of Trustees has joined Jason Okrzynski and me in conducting interviews for a new Administrator, and we should have more news to share this coming week!
See you Sunday,
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Worship Service with Holy Communion
Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Rally Day!
September 9, 2018
10:00 a.m.
Preacher:
Dr. Stephanie VanSlyke
Presider:
Dr. Jason Okrzynski
Scriptures:
For the bulletin, click
here
.
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Sunday Servers
Sunday, September 9
Ushers: John Flanagin (HU); Dave Chapman
Greeter(s): Andrew Stewart
Coffee Hour Servers:
Jan & Don Klingberg; Melanie Mallin & Bill Loumpouridis
Communion Table Decorator(s): FCCW Staff
Communion Bread: Mary Fulton
Counter: Bill Ieuter
Sunday, September 16
Ushers: Neil Ferrari (HU); Dave Chapman
Greeter(s):
Gretchen Alexander
Coffee Hour Servers: Mary Smoley; Suzanne & Keith Ross
Communion Table Decorator(s): Jan Klingberg
Counter: Dave Chapman
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Children's & Youth Announcements
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Weekly Calendar
9:45-11:20 a.m. - Nursery Care (Nursery)
9:45-11:15 a.m. - Godly Play I Class (Good Shepherd Room)
9:45-11:15 a.m. - Godly Play II Class (Creation Room)
9:45-11:15 a.m. - Kairos Class (Upper Room)
Wednesday, September 12
4:30-5:30 p.m. - Kids Club (Creation Room)
6:00-7:00 p.m. - Confirmation (Upper Room)
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Led by Jason Okrzynski and Stephanie VanSlyke,
Kids Club is a simple program for kids from kindergarten to fifth grade ; it is all about being together and having fun. Wednesday afternoons, from 4:30-5:30 p.m., all elementary age students are invited and encouraged to come to FCCW to engage God and each other through singing, games, crafts, and snacks. Fun will be had.
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Adult Spiritual Formation
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Contemplative Prayer
Each week Stephanie VanSlyke and Jason Okrzynski lead a time of contemplative prayer, an ancient Christian practice of centering and silence, focused upon one of the scripture readings for the week. If you would like to experience this time of quiet meditation, or go deeper into your own practice,
please join us
on Thursday mornings at 10 a.m.
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Rally Day!
We will celebrate the beginning of another year with our annual Rally Day celebration this
Sunday, September 9, at 10 a.m. This is always a joyous and festive time when we reunite together after the summer. We will celebrate our work with
Connections for the Homeless and
Curt's Café. The Nursery and Church School will resume their regular schedules, and the Chancel Choir will return as well. After worship, we will gather for a luncheon from Curt's Café, with children's games on the lawn.
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Mary Supper
The Mary Supper is a monthly women's gathering led by Pastor Stephanie VanSlyke. The hostess assigns participants to bring a soup, salad, bread, dessert, or beverage. Over a shared meal, we also share spiritual conversation, prayers, and wisdom. The Mary Supper takes its name from the sisters Mary and Martha of Bethany in the Gospel of John, women who opened their home to Jesus and shared spiritual conversation with him.
The first gathering with be on Tuesday, September 11, at 6:30 p.m. Susan Hodges and Kirsten Haake will host. They live at 118 Lockerbie Lane in Wilmette. RSVP to hodgeswrites@gmail.com or 312-351-2373.
The next gathering with be on
Tuesday, October 9, at 6:30 p.m.
Paula Delehanty will host. She lives at 726 Carriage Hill Drive in Glenview. RSVP to pauladelehanty@gmail.com or 847-927-0987.
Dates for 2018-2019:
September 11, October 9, November 13, December 11, January 8, February 12, March 12, April 9, & May 14
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The Men's Group
The Men's group is led by Rev. Dr. David Hogue, and meets select Mondays at Hackney's Restaurant,
1514 E. Lake Avenue in
Glenview, for dinner and conversation. The first meeting of the year will be Monday, September 17, at 7:00 p.m.
Dates for 2018-2019:
September 17, October 15, November 12, January 14, February 11, March 18, April 15, & May 20
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Interfaith Book Study & Lecture
Join us as we explore the teachings of Bruce Feiler on
Thursdays, October 4 and 11, from 7:00-8:30 p.m.
at FCCW.
Reverend VanSlyke and Rabbi Gordon will lead two class sessions in anticipation of the visit and lecture of Bruce Feiler.
Bruce Feiler is
the
author of Walking the Bible, Abraham, Where God Was Born, and many other books and articles.
As our guest scholar on Sunday, Nov. 4,
at 7 p.m.
at Sukkat Shalom,
Feiler will speak on
KEEPING THE BIBLE ALIVE: What Two Decades Walking the Bible Taught Me About Life, Land, Love, and Camels.
We hope that you will join us for the study and the lecture. For more information, contact Pastor Stephanie.
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Upcoming Musical Events
Here are two upcoming musical events for you to put on your calendar(s):
Sunday, September 30, 4:00 p.m. -
The Agape Ringers, Chicago's premier handbell ensemble, will be giving a concert practically in your backyard at St. John UCC in Arlington Heights. This is one of the last concerts with David Weck directing us (he is retiring after our Sounds of the Season concert in December). For complete details, please visit our website:
AgapeRingers.org
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Sunday, October 14, 4:00 p.m. - To celebrate the completion of 20 years of service at FCCW, Kurt is giving an organ recital. It will be a mixture of standard organ literature, as well as hymn arrangements and other surprises, encompassing pieces from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern eras. You will not want to miss it! |
Service Opportunity: Connections
Lunches
Our friends at Connections for the Homeless have re-opened their daytime drop in center five days a week and need bag lunches for those served.
FCCW has committed to making bag lunches twice a month. Please join us after worship in the church kitchen on the Second and Fourth Sundays of the month. We will provide the materials; you will provide the helping hands to make thirty sandwiches and bag thirty lunches! The next opportunity will be this Sunday, September 9!
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Our friends at Connections for the Homeless are in need of men's/women's shoes, belts, and toiletries. If you can donate these gently used/laundered or new items, we will gladly accept them in the Church Atrium. Thank You!
Check out the Connections Amazon wishlist here!
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Supporting Refugee Families
Thank you to all who have donated household and personal items to the Stock the Shelves ministry for refugee families. Our congregations aim for a monthly distribution on the last Wednesday of each month, so keep your donations coming! To read more about "Stock the Shelves," check out the link in the weekly newsletter.
We will gladly continue to receive these items: paper towels, toilet paper, diapers (all sizes), hand lotion, body soap, body wash, toothpaste, shampoo, dishwashing soap, baby formula, and Ventra/public transportation cards.
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Book Discussion Group
On
Thursday, September 20, at 3 p.m.
, FCCW's book group will meet. They will be discussing
Principles of Navigation
by Lynn Sloan
. This is an informal group, and all are welcome! No RSVP is needed. If you have questions, please contact Jennifer Kelleher at
jen.kelleher2@gmail.com
or 847-864-0763.
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Upcoming Author Talk
On Thursday, September 20, at 3 p.m., Lynn Sloan, author of Principles of Navigation, will be
at the church to discuss her book. She is a local Evanston resident, and she has agreed to meet with our book group and church members. All are welcome to attend, even if you have not attended book group in the past.
If you have questions, please contact Jennifer Kelleher at jen.kelleher2@gmail.com or 847-864-0763.
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Book Discussion Group
On
Thursday, September 20, at 3 p.m.
, FCCW's book group will meet in the Library. They will be discussing
Principles of Navigation by Lynn Sloan
. This is an informal group, and all are welcome! No RSVP is needed. If you have questions, please contact Jennifer Kelleher at jen.kelleher2@gmail.com or 847-864-0763.
Upcoming Dates/Books:
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Wilmette Food Pantry
For
September, the pantry is requesting these items:
1.) Oatmeal (Any Size Container)
2.) Canned Chicken, Salmon, or Tuna (Any Size)
Any and All non-perishable healthy food donations are welcome and greatly appreciated! Throughout the month, you may place your donations in the shopping cart under the stairwell in the Wilmette Avenue atrium entrance, across from the nursery and church office. Please feel free to contact Peg Kocian at 847-528-0632 for questions and/or concerns, or if you need assistance with your donations.
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Joys & Prayers
To contribute a prayer request, please e-mail the
Church Office
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Sunday, September 9 - Rally Day
9:15 a.m. - Chancel Choir Rehearsal (Sanctuary)
9:45-11:20 a.m. - Nursery Care (Nursery)
9:45-11:15 a.m. - Godly Play I Class (Good Shepherd Room)
9:45-11:15 a.m. - Godly Play II Class (Creation Room)
9:45-11:15 a.m. - Kairos Class (Upper Room)
10:00 a.m. - Worship Service with Holy Communion (Sanctuary)
11:15 a.m. - Luncheon (Dining Room or Church Lawn)
11:30 a.m. - Sandwich Making for Connections (Downstairs Kitchen)
Tuesday, September 11
6:30 p.m. - Mary Supper (Home of Kirsten Haake & Susan Hodges)
Wednesday, September 12
4:30 p.m. - Kids Club (Creation Room)
6:00 p.m. - Confirmation (Upper Room)
7:30 p.m. - Chancel Choir Rehearsal (Music Room)
Thursday, September 13
10:00 a.m. - Contemplative Prayer (Stephanie's Office)
7:30 p.m. - Handbell Choir Rehearsal (Music Room)
Sunday, September 16
9:15 a.m. - Chancel Choir Rehearsal (Sanctuary)
9:45-11:20 a.m. - Nursery Care (Nursery)
9:45-11:15 a.m. - Godly Play I Class (Good Shepherd Room)
9:45-11:15 a.m. - Godly Play II Class (Creation Room)
9:45-11:15 a.m. - Kairos Class (Upper Room)
10:00 a.m. - Worship Service (Sanctuary)
11:15 a.m. - Coffee Hour (Pilgrim Hall)
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