This Week At First Church

A JOYFUL COMMUNITY - DIVERSE IN SPIRITUAL BACKGROUNDS & BELIEFS

THIS WEEK AT FIRST CHURCH

IN THIS WEEK'S EDITION

Senior Pastor's Message
New Artwork In Main Office
New Member Classes
Souper Bowl Soup Sale THIS SUNDAY
Christmas Tree & Wreath Sale Results
February Friendsgiving
Women's Day Luncheon Volunteers
Community Hour Help Signups
Church School
Annual Giving
Community Corner
Regular Weekly Happenings

Click on the image above to see our Sunday Bulletin

IMPORTANT NOTICE

There is a winter storm watch through Sunday noon this weekend. Should the weather turn much worse, we will make the decision to cancel church for everyone's safety. As we do for beach services in the summer, that decision will be made around 6 a.m. Sunday morning. There will be a notice on the church website (www.fccog.org), social media, and an email will be sent out to everyone. Watch either or both places for that notice.

If we do have church, please take extra care in the parking lot and walkways.

While our snow removal/cleaning company does an excellent job of clearing these places,

they may be slippery.

First Church Staff

SENIOR PASTOR'S MESSAGE

Greetings Friends,

In his first sermon to his friends and family in Nazareth, Jesus proclaimed boldly and controversially that God’s mercy, grace and compassion was not just for his friends, family and fellow Jews, but was for everyone. Our reading this week finds Jesus putting that bold proclamation into action.

In extending healing and restoration to people outside of what was expected Jesus put into practice exactly what he preached, which for most of us is harder than it seems.

See you Sunday!

Grace & Peace,

Patrick

NEW ARTWORK

Pastor Patrick commissioned his friend and colleague, Reverend Eric Biehl, to paint a piece of art for the stark office wall where Wendy, Patrick, and Cydney's offices are. Stop by and see this beautiful work! Rev. Biehl was with us in 2019 to assist in Pastor Patrick's installation as Senior Pastor.

NEW MEMBER CLASSES COMING SOON

If you are interested in learning more about First Church and joining as a full member, please save the date for our upcoming new membership classes on Sunday, March 2 at 11:00 a.m. & Wednesday, March 26 at 7:00 p.m.

SOUPER BOWL SOUP & CHILI SALE THIS SUNDAY

THE 2025 “SOUPER BOWL” SUNDAY SOUP & CHILI SALE

The sale is THIS Sunday, February 9, 2025 following worship. Quarts of homemade soup and chili will be sold for $10 each. You may pay with cash or check. There is a varied selection of items guaranteed to delight your palate! Please bring a shopping bag from home!

CHRISTMAS TREE AND WREATH SALE RESULTS

THE RESULTS ARE IN!

The results for the Christmas Tree and Wreath sale are in! Our net profit was $58,650 (7.5% over 2023).

We have the honor of presenting our gifts to our charity partners on February 16 during the 10 a.m. worship service. Michelle Fanwick of Pacific House will also offer brief remarks on the Young Adult Program.

Please help us welcome representatives from:

The Greenwich Alliance for Education

Kids in Crisis

Mothers for Others

New Covenant Center

Pacific House Young Adults Program

The Undies Project

The United Way Youth Mental Health Initiative

The YWCA Harmony Project

Thank you again to everyone who volunteered their time, effort and expertise! You sold 528 trees, 300 wreaths and 28 spools of roping. Without your help, making these gifts to local charities would not be possible!

FEBRUARY FRIENDSGIVING SIGNUPS ARE READY

Scan the QR code below to go to Signup Genius to attend a gathering

or click on THIS LINK which takes you to Signup Genius.

VOLUNTEER FOR WOMEN'S LUNCHEON MARCH 8

Scan the QR code below to sign up to help!

COMMUNITY HOUR VOLUNTEERS

STARTING IN MARCH

Please join us in making community hour a warm and welcoming gathering after the 10 a.m. service each Sunday along with a committee already assigned to that particular month.

You can drop off your food to the upstairs kitchen before the service and the sextons will take it from there. You may also drop off your food during the week - just label it for community hour.

Click Here to head to Signup Genius.

CHURCH SCHOOL

Church School continues February 9.

ALL AGES WORSHIP (AAW)

AAW is a Sunday morning experience for the whole family of faith

to sing, pray, hear stories and partake in communion together!

March 2

April 13– Palm Sunday

ANNUAL GIVING 2025

Update from the Annual Giving Committee!

As of February 5, we have received 196 pledges (89% of potential giving units) for over $643,488 (almost 99%) toward our goal of $650,000 for 2025. To those who have already pledged, we thank you. There is still time to make your pledge count for 2025 to help First Church continue to provide the services for our community and beyond.

As January departs and February arrives, it is a great time to click on this link to make your pledge: https://www.fccog.org/giving/

Annual Giving Committee

Click Here for instructions on how to Pledge online.

DID YOU KNOW?

If you wish to schedule your giving for 2025 in weekly, monthly, or other ways, First Church has the capability of auto-payments from your bank account or credit card! Please use this link to access the church’s ACS system and enter the necessary information.

https://secure.accessacs.com/access/memberlogin.aspx?

If you set up, changed, or plan to continue your automatic monthly online through MyFirstChurch.com for 2025 please know that you still need to submit a pledge form. Pledges can be submitted through the digital pledge form at www.fccog.org or by returning a paper pledge card to the office.

If you have any questions, please contact Greg Girolamo at the church office or Philip Wentworth at 203-992-9500.

COMMUNITY CORNER -

HAPPENINGS IN OUR FIRST CHURCH BUILDING

STICK YOGA: Saturday mornings, from 10.30 - 11.30am

FREE TRIAL CLASS for members of First Church and after that $20 per class.

Bamboo stick yoga is a captivating fun way to explore stretching, balancing, conscious breathing and coordination, using a long light (bamboo) stick. It improves spatial awareness, posture, mobility and a mind-body connection, releasing stress. Supporting flexibility, stability and ease in our bodies, appropriate for any age. Some movements come from a Qigong method.

Please bring a yoga mat, and a yoga stick. You can purchase one online (e.g. the Karma Heart Yoga Stick), or make one, or use a broomstick. The stick should be approximately as tall as you. It could also be helpful to have a blanket if you like support for your head or knees. Email teacher Herma Hale for more information: hermahale@hotmail.com

TAI CHI: We meet at the First Congregational Church of Old Greenwich 9:30am Monday or Thursday (with advance sign up). All monies go straight to First Church. Please sign-in before class. Contact Will Morrison for more information: wdmorrison@gmail.com

This week’s classes

Monday, 9:30 - Drop-in / Fundamentals Form
Thursday, 8:30 - Drop-in / Fundamentals Form Pls confirm your attendance in advance

Next week’s classes

Monday, 9:30 - Drop-in / Fundamentals Form
Thursday, 8:30 - Drop-in / Fundamentals Form Pls confirm your attendance in advance

New joiners:

Where: 108 Sound Beach Ave, Old Greenwich. Enter the church’s parking lot from Forest Avenue and park anywhere. Please give the parents dropping off their children lots of room.
Which entrance: Enter through the door labelled Church Offices noted by the arrow. Once inside, go up the stairs immediately to your left which lead directly to the Auditorium, where we will be playing.

REGULAR WEEKLY HAPPENINGS

Bring your little ones to church -

we completely EMBRACE them.

At First Church, we believe the way we welcome children in worship directly affects the way they respond to God, to the church, and to one another.

To welcome children as they are in worship, we have our PrayGround, located in the Chapel (front right side of the Meetinghouse), where children and others of all ages can engage in worship through movement, sensory materials, and prayerful play.

The presence of all God’s children is a gift to the church, which offers hope for all.

Scan the QR code to access PrayGround FAQs and Helpful Tips.

Amalia Samuel, a staff member, is the PrayGround Supervisor.

Announcing….. the new FCCOG VOLUNTEER SIGNUP CENTER

One location for all volunteer sign ups!

We are consolidating all volunteer signups for all Committees and events at FCCOG. This will help Committees fill volunteer needs and will help volunteers easily signup for projects and events of interest.

There is a new updated link on the FCCOG website homepage titled

FCCOG VOLUNTEER SIGN UP CENTER

This link will also be publicized in every Friday e-blast and the Sunday Bulletin. You can also access the Volunteer Signup Center by scanning this QR Code.

Thank you so much for the time you give volunteering for First Church!

BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENING

Sue Asselin, Parish Nurse, is available for blood pressure screenings and health consultations following the worship on Sunday, February 9. During community hour find her in her office, just to the right of the Auditorium stage. During the week, she is available by appointment. Call 203 637 1791 ext 821 or email susana@fccog.org

GET YOUR FAMILY WEEKLY CHURCH SCHOOL &

RYM (REGIONAL YOUTH MINISTRY) NEWSLETTER

Using your smartphone camera, scan the QR code here to sign up for our weekly Family Ministry newsletter. You can read about Church School, Regional Youth Ministry, and more!

FIRST CHURCH OFFICE HOURS

This coming week the Church Offices will be open regular hours, M to F, 9 am to 4:30 pm. Please remember to make an appointment with any member of staff you wish to meet with. Find staff contact details here.

THE RUMMAGE ROOM

The Rummage Room is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday,

11 am to 3 p.m., for shopping and to receive donations. Come and see us!

NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR DONATIONS

Every donation directly helps those in need.

This basket is in the Meetinghouse near the front door, and donations can be dropped to the Church Office. Most needed items include canned meat, cereal, canned fruit, canned vegetables, and shelf-stable milk.

CALL TO OFFERING, OR USHER

We have a sign-up-page to read scripture, usher, or read a call to offering. All of the previous individual pages are now combined in one, with tabs at the top of the page to flip between each signup.

Simply click on each to navigate to the appropriate signup. To access that signup, click here