HIGHLIGHTS AT FCC


November 16, 2023


419.756.3046

www.mansfieldfcc.com

SUNDAY WORSHIP

8:30 am - Chapel

10:30 am - Sanctuary


The message and music will be LIVE on Facebook

and on the webpage later in the day.

It will also air on Wednesday at 7 pm on WMFD-TV.



Pastor Brad's Message this Week:


What I'm Thankful For


Please join us in Blymyer Hall following the

10:30 Worship Service for coffee and fellowship.

STEWARDSHIP 2024 UPDATE!

For those of you who have returned your cards - THANK YOU!!! If you haven't turned your card in yet, please do so at your earliest convenience so we can continue our planning for 2024. Follow-up calls will begin next week.


TO DATE (November 16):


No. of Pledge Cards Returned: 174


Amount Pledged: $405,533


2024 Stewardship Income Goal: $410,000


2024 Total Budget Income: $475,620

Join us THIS Sunday, November 19th, for Heritage Sunday, as we worship around the theme of gratefulness. Church Life will host a gathering in Blymyer Hall following the 10:30 Worship Service and ask that everyone attending bring their favorite Thanksgiving treat to share.


FCC’s Heritage Sunday will take the place of the annual Thanksgiving Eve service. This will be a special Sunday as we look towards the Thanksgiving week. 

Thank you for your generous donations over the past several years towards FCC's Giving Tree. Between the holiday busyness, pastoral transitions, as well as Covid, not much has been said about the Giving Tree over the past couple of years. However, this year, Debra Wherry Bey of AmeriCorps-IConnect in Mansfield recently approached us to assist them with items for 20 local children. The Mid-Ohio Youth Mentoring Association also partnered with them. With your previous donations, FCC supplied hygiene items, winter caps & mittens/gloves, socks, and scarves. Thank you again for your support, and next year we look forward to continuing our partnership with agencies that bring Christmas cheer to our Mansfield families.

THANK YOU to all who participated by donating goods, setting up, pricing, cashiering, selling, buying and tearing down the Holiday Bazaar. YOU helped Ladies League exceed their goal for the Holiday Bazaar!


You can still help as you cull through your Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations. We will accept donations for the 2024 Holiday Bazaar through JANUARY 15TH.


Please place your items in the Bell Choir room located in the undercroft.

LISTENING TOUR SEMINAR

Sunday, December 3rd, 9:15 am, Blymyer Hall

As of July 1, 2022, the NACCC comprises 312 congregations and 28,715 church members. Our Executive Director, Rev. Dr. Ashley Cleere, kicked off an Executive Director Listening Tour and will visit every NACCC church in three years. We look forward to her visit. She is eager to learn more about First Congregational Church’s mission and ministry in Mansfield.


Ashley assumed the role of Executive Director of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches in June 2021. Previously, she served as Chaplain, Director of Church Relations and on the faculty at NACCC-related Piedmont University. She has experience as a local church minister at Congregational churches in Pennsylvania, Oregon, and Connecticut. A graduate of the Congregational Foundation for Theological Studies, Rev. Cleere obtained her M.Div. at Union Theological Seminary in NYC. She also holds degrees from Hamilton College and Columbia Theological Seminary.

We have another fun and tasty opportunity for you to support FCC Youth in December. We will be hosting our annual Cookie Walk on December 10th, following the 10:30 service. We would ALSO like to ask for cookie/sweet treat donations from the congregation so bring your favorite cookie to add to the cookie walk table. Please bring your donated baked goods to the kitchen prior to the 10:30 service on 12/10. Thank you!


RECIPES: Copies of the recipes for the breakfast casseroles served at the Holiday Bazaar/Brunch are available in the church office.

CONGO BOOK

DISCUSSION GROUP

The book discussion group will meet THIS Monday, November 20, at 2 pm, in the library. The group will be discussing the book, The Rose Code, by Kathy Quinn. Everyone is invited to join the conversation!

PLEASE NOTE:

The Church Office will be closed on Thursday, November 23rd and Friday, November 24th for the Thanksgiving holiday.

The Youth poinsettia sale continues! Flowers will be delivered to the church and will be available for pick-up on December 10. The cost is $18 each or 2 for $30 for 6.5” plants with 4 color options. The 8.5” plant is $32 and available in red only. Please make checks payable to FCC with “poinsettia” in the memo line. Order forms are available at the various entrances or in the church office. You may also call the church office. Deadline for ordering is December 3. Thank you for supporting the FCC Youth!

THE SOARING GROUP

The group will celebrate the Advent season at festive Westbrook Country Club on Friday, December 8th, at 6:00 pm.


Reservations are needed by Friday, December 8. For reservations or questions, please contact Lucy at 419.756.6871.

2024 FLOWER CALENDAR

You may now sign-up to give flowers during the 2024 calendar year. The chart is located on the cupboard behind the copier in the church office. A reminder card will be sent to you in advance of your scheduled date.

FCC CHURCH LIBRARY

Just a reminder, the church library is available for anyone who attends church here at FCC. When checking out a book, please be sure to fill out the card located at the back of the book and leave it on the table with the catalog file. We kindly ask when checking out a new book (one located on the round display) you return it within 14 days so other people get the chance to enjoy it.


Lastly, please double check and make sure you do not have any books you have checked out from the church library and not returned. We have a few books we cannot locate. Thank you!

Library Committee

NEW SUNDAY SEMINAR OFFERING BEGINNING IN JANUARY

January 14, 21, & 28, (9:15 am - 10:15 am), Blymyer Hall

The Promised Land: A Christian framework for relating to the Holy Land (Its terror, war, and shalom). Pastor Brad will be discussing, over a three-week period, aspects of Just War Theory, Just Peace Theory, the blessings, and curses of Abraham's first born (Genesis 17-21), and interfaith dialogue and service.

MONDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY...

...10:00 am, in the Sauter Meeting Room. Together we will explore how we can support one another on our faith journeys over the coming weeks and months.

MONTHLY BOARD MEETINGS

Deacons Meeting - First Thursday of every month, 5:30 pm, Sauter Meeting Room.


Church Council Meeting - Second Tuesday of every month, 5:00 pm, Sauter Meeting Room.


Trustees Meeting - Third Tuesday of every month, 5:30 pm, Sauter Meeting Room.

Monday thru Thursday, 9:00 am - 4:30 pm

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