First Congregational Church

300 S. Minnesota Ave | Sioux Falls, SD 57104

(605)336-3072 | fcc@firstcongucc.com

Thinking Faith. Unbounded Welcome. Creative Worship. Generous Service.

April 25, 2024 | The Good News

April/May | At a Glance

Saturday, April 27: Watercolor painting with Rodger Ellingson

Sunday, April 28: Annual Program Meeting

Wednesday, May 1: Wednesday Night Dinner

Thursday, May 2: Altar Guild, Food To You Volunteering, Grille Girls, and Men's Fellowship

Sunday, May 5: Confirmation Sunday

Sunday, May 12: Thrive Together (visitors) and Lorah Houser Jankord's Ordination Service

Saturday, May 18: Spring Cleanup Day

Sunday, May 19: Becky Pagone's Ordination Service

Thursday, May 23: Dow Rummel Visit

Watercolor Painting with Rodger Ellingson

This Saturday, April 27th, at 9:00 am, Rodger Ellingson will host a Watercolor Painting time at FCC. If the weather is in our favor, painting will happen outside, so bring a chair with something to hold a cup of paint water. If it rains, we will paint inside the church.

All are welcome! There will be paints, paper, and brushes provided.

Two Rivers Annual Meeting

On April 28 the Joint Parishes of Beresford and Centerville will be hosting the Two Rivers Association Annual Meeting at the Centerville Church.

We will gather at 2:00 pm and begin the annual meeting at 2:30 pm.

On the agenda will be the election of officers and who will host in the fall. In the spirit of the Brave Space initiative we invite the churches to share what is going on their church through the lens of "Looking Back and Looking Forward."

We will end with a meal at 4:30 pm and hope to have everyone back on the road home around 5:00 pm.

Please RSVP to Rev. Janel Fillingsness Bak at jfillingsnessbak@gmail.com

Food To You Volunteer Opportunity

OutReach has coordinated with Food To You for FCC Volunteers to serve again on May 2nd. For those who would like to come earlier, arrive by 4:15 pm, and work until 7:30 pm to box and distribute food. All other volunteers should arrive by 5:10 pm and work until 7:30 pm. The food of the month is Peanut Butter! Bring by Fick Hall in the shopping cart jars of peanut butter to donate, or bring money to donate to Food To You and they can purchase more jars. Sign up to volunteer in Fick Hall.

Wednesday Night Dinner - May 1

We will celebrate the end of Spring together with a potluck dinner on Wednesday, May 1, at 5:30 pm in Jones Hall. Bring a dish to share and a board, card, or any other type of game to play.

The next Wednesday Night Dinner will take place on September 11, 2024. We can't wait to see everyone back!

Ordination Services

We are excited to announce two Ordination services happening in May!

May 12: Lorah Houser Jankord - Representatives from Oahe, Prairie Lakes and Two Rivers Associations will participate. Clergy are invited to wear red or multi-colored stoles. All are welcome to come to the worship service and the reception to follow.

May 19: Becky Pagone - The Two Rivers Association and the Tri-Conference of the United Church of Christ invites you to the Ordination and Installation of Becky Pagone. The service will take place at 3:00 pm in the Sanctuary with a reception to follow in Jones Hall.

Lois Nicholas' 90th Birthday Celebration!

Celebrate Lois on Sunday, May 12, from 2:30 - 4:30 pm in the Prairie Creek Residence Dining Room. RSVP to 970-213-4533 or Sarah@jubilationranch.org

Send birthday cards to:

4400 Creekside Drive #201

Sioux Falls, SD 57106.

Take Me Out to The Ballgame!

Out & About will be heading to the Birdcage to watch the Canaries vs. Fargo Morehead! This is their opening game of the season with fun things in store (like fireworks)!

Details:

Hosts: Dick and Lori Menke

Date: Friday, May 17th

Time: 7:05 pm game

Address: 1001 N. West Ave. SFSD

Tickets: $13/person (food, beverages, etc. available through concessions)

IMPORTANT INFORMATON: Please contact Lori Menke directly @ 605.261.2833 if you are interested in attending. We need to have a definite number of attendees by Thursday, May 9th!! The Menke’s will meet you in front of the Birdcage to get your tickets to you. See you at the game!

Mighty Middles Mother's Day Open House

All are welcome on May 12th, from 9:15 am - 10:15 am to tour through the Mighty Middles Sunday School Room to learn about the class and what the students have learned in the last year. We are excited for the new Middle School students to join the Mighty Middles in the upcoming school year!

Building and Grounds Spring Cleanup Day

The Building and Grounds Team is hosting a Spring Cleanup Day on May 18th, from 9:30 am - 12:00 pm, to help spruce up the Church for a fresh start to the Summer. Bring gloves if you have them.

Sow 2 Grow

God is a surprise, and so are our garden bags! This Summer, all youth from the Terrific 2's through High School students are invited to take a garden bag home with them starting in May.

There is a mystery assortment of vegetables and plants inside each one, and whatever it yields, children are able to keep the produce or bring it to church or school, and are encouraged to take pictures of the plant throughout the summer and send it to the church office to share in the newsletter.

Living Quilt Garden

Work has begun in the back of our church for a meditation space including a Living Quilt Garden. Like a patchwork quilt, it represents our community that is vibrant,

life-giving, sometimes messy, and full of love and variety! To reflect these qualities, we are offering space for any congregants to bring a perennial plant or two from your own garden that brings you joy, and plant it in our Living Quilt Garden outside by the back door. This space will be open for contemplation, meditation and prayer. Contact John Pagone with questions: JPagone@firstcongucc.com

South Dakota Educational Scholarships

The South Dakota Conference UCC values education, young people, and those who answer a call to ministry at any age. To support all those who God calls to serve in many professions for the work of ministry, we offer scholarships each year to high school seniors, undergraduates, graduate students, and seminarians active in their South Dakota UCC congregations.

Scholarships may also be available to applicants pursuing programs not offered in South Dakota institutions. Some special funds are earmarked for those who are entering into ministry as a second career and have the challenges of family, jobs, and extra travel.

The amount given varies from year to year.

https://ucctcm.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2024-Scholarship-Application.pdf

All applications require the following:

General application with essay and transcript
Pastor reference
Educator reference

If you have any questions, please feel free to call the SD Conference office at 605.338.8738 or send an email to info@ucctcm.org.

Please note you will have to download, print and fill out the application and return it with your references to info@ucctcm.org

2024 Mission Trip Commitments

Save the Date for August 11-17, 2024 for the OutReach Mission Trip to Alamosa, CO. Youth (Middle School students with a chaperone and High School Students) and Adults will be traveling to serve the La Puente Home with various projects you can choose from including:

Painting, stocking and reorganizing shelves in the thrift store, and doing basic maintenance
Maintaining the V.E.G.I. Program Vegetable Garden
Cooking and serving meals at the community center
Serving at the food bank

Transportation costs will be covered by FCC. Two nights of hotel stays for traveling there and back will need to be covered by participants, along with evening meals.

Please sign up in Fick Hall before June 9th to let us know if you can commit to going on the Mission Trip.

The Week Ahead

Sunday - 04/28/2024

Worship Service - 8:30 am

Breakfast - 9:15 am

Sunday School - 9:45 am

Worship Service - 10:30 am

Annual Program Meeting - 11:30 am

Monday - 04/29/2024

Contemplative Prayer - 6:00 pm

Tuesday - 04/30/2024

Staff Meeting - 10:00 am

Tuesday Night Yoga - 6:00 pm

Wednesday - 05/01/2024

Wednesday Night Dinner - 5:30 pm

Confirmation - 6:00 - 7:00 pm

Chancel Choir Rehearsal - 7:30 pm

Thursday - 05/02/2024

Gentle Yoga - 9:00 am

Altar Guild - 9:00 pm

Fumble Through Bible Study - 10:30 am

Food To You Volunteering - 4:15 pm

Al-Anon Meeting - 5:30 pm

Grille Girls - 6:00 pm

Men's Fellowship - 7:00 pm

Sunday - 05/05/2024

Worship Service - 8:30 am

Breakfast - 9:15 am

Sunday School - 9:45 am

Worship Service (Confirmation Sunday) - 10:30 am

Fellowship Time - 11:30 am

Trustees

March Financials available at the end of the Newsletter.

Remember in Prayer

Search Committee | Our Future pastor, still unknown to us

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 Becky Pagone for direct support: BPagone@firstcongucc.com

Weekly Lectionary Scripture

John 15:1-8

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.

Next week's Scripture: John 15:9-17

Ways to Give

We want everyone to have the accessibility to give, serve, and be a part of this faith community, so here are a few ways that you can consider giving:

Cash
Check/ACH Withdrawal
PayPal Recurring Gifts
NEW! Venmo (https://www.venmo.com/u/fccsiouxfalls)
Volunteering with OutReach Opportunities
Volunteering for serving breakfast, offering childcare, teaching Sunday School, singing in the choir, building and grounds projects, and more!

Contact the Church office if you would like any information on how to get involved in any of these ways: FCC@firstcongucc.com

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.

Church Profile

View our Church Profile from the Pulpit Committee here:

https://www.firstcongucc.com/search-and-call

The mission of First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ is:

To create a Christian community based on the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth by growing in our relationships with God, each other, and our neighbors through a thinking faith, unbounded welcome, creative worship, and generous service.

Whoever you are, wherever you are on life’s journey,

you are welcome here.