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Join us for a Baby Blessing on 5/9/21 in both services $$PLAIN_TEXT_PREVIEW$$
First Congregational Church300 S. Minnesota Ave. | Sioux Falls, SD 57104 (605) 336-3072 | fcc@firstcongucc.com
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Thinking Faith. Unbounded Welcome. Creative Worship. Generous Service.
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Good News — April 29, 2021
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I have often said that I can get behind a god that makes wine for a party. And for his inaugural miracle, that is just what Jesus did. With his mother’s prompting, he takes water and makes wine for the wedding feast at Cana. Furthermore, he makes the wine spectacular and in large quantities. The one thing that concerns me about this story is that it never tells us what kind of wine it was. I would hope that it was sparkling, because I love bubbles. Champagne has been a favorite wine of mine since my earliest memories. This effervescent nectar was a staple at family fêtes and used to usher in the New Year, a new birth, a new marriage and to toast one’s health at holidays and receptions. (Whiskey was used for funerals, but that will be discussed during some later letter.) Champagne always seemed to elevate the party to the level of a celebration. Champagne, as the librettists Karl Haffner and Richard Genée wrote for Johann Strauss’ Die Fledermaus, is “king by acclimation, the monarch of libation and in ebullient coronation’. It therefore makes sense to me that the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords would have make the Cana wedding wine bubbly. Champagne, by its very name, connotes an understanding of luxury and quality. When the steward of the party tastes the superior wine from the work of Jesus’ hands, he is taken aback and comments on the lack of protocol. But with God, who lavishes upon us abundant blessings, mediocrity is never mandated and his quality never lacks. I wonder if the steward’s palate was discriminating enough to judge the fresh and fine details of the Cana vintage. I wonder if the wine exemplified the finesse of Roederer’s Cristal or Krug’s Clos du Mesnil? How I wish that we were more like Jesus. The Gospel tells us that he knew that his road led to a cross, yet he spent time at wedding receptions and dinner parties enjoying himself. He spent time at fun social outings, wore high quality garments, poked fun and enjoyed living. And … he started and ended his ministry with wine. That is a god that I can get behind. Live Jesus, Martell
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OPENING THE CHURCH: The church is open for regular services at 8:30 & 10:30 am. Social distancing and mask wearing protocol is required by all in attendance. There will also be an online stream of worship at 10:30 am. Sunday School will remain online, and Fellowship time between services will not resume. In this reopening process we realize this is still a time of concern for many. The safety of the congregation is of the utmost importance. However you choose to participate in the life of the church whether it be online or in person, this reopening process is only meant to add another layer of possibilities.
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Announcements & Coming Events
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New MembersLet us give a warm welcome to all of our new members who joined our church on Easter Sunday this year! It is truly wonderful to welcome 10 new members into the life of the church and this wonderful community of faith. Our new members are: Todd & Lana Vetter David & Meagan Konz Brian Goettsch Sue Brandsrud Amanda Pratt Lee Milk Emily Pogue Ashley Lundquist
We as a congregation are called to embrace everyone in our community, if there is someone you haven’t met yet, introduce yourself! After all, we are a church of extravagant welcome!
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Men’s Fellowship - aka Monk’s MenJoin Monk’s Men for conversation and fellowship at Monk’s Ale House at 420 East 8th St. downtown on Thursday, May 6th at 7:00 pm. For more information, contact the church office or Tom Herman at ttherman74@gmail.com. For more information on Monk’s go to: www.monks-sf.com
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Senior High & Mid-High ActivitiesWe are offering in-person activities for Senior High! We are offering in-person activities for Mid-High too! Joint Senior High & Mid-High Event
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Mother’s Day Mission ProjectOur church will be providing mothers and infants of the Rosebud Reservation with much needed diapers through Sicangu Child & Family Services in Mission, SD. Collection bins and monetary contribution envelopes will be located in Fick Hall for your convenience through May 9th, Mother’s Day. Thank you for reaching out to those in need! The Sicangu Mission Committee
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Musical EnsemblesThe FCC Chancel Choir is now having regular rehearsals. Chancel Choir is on Wednesday evenings from 7:00 - 8:00 pm. All are welcome and no auditions are required! Bell Choir has finished for the season, and will resume in the fall. Be on the lookout for Summer Ringers! All are welcome! Contact Spencer Smith at ssmith@firstcongucc.com for more info.
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Church NurseryThe church nursery is now open. If anyone would like to volunteer to help, please contact Becky at bpagone@firstcongucc.com
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Greetings from Placerville Camp!We are excited to send out this email to let you know that we will be opening up for summer programming! YAY!! Obviously with COVID still in full swing, as of right now, there will be some changes from the norm and we hope that by the time summer reaches us, we can change our course of action. First off, all campers and staff will be wearing masks while indoors, except while sleeping. Second, we will be restricting the number of campers that can attend. Youth camps will have a limit of 30 campers so that we can keep a ratio of 1 counselor to 5 campers. Women’s Camp will also have a limit of 30 participants. Third, registration will be on-line only, so a camp brochure will not be mailed out. On-line registration will allow us to keep track of the numbers as registrations are made in real time. We can keep track of numbers better this way. This can be done at placervillecamp.net. On-line registration also allows us to notify campers as guidelines change where we might have the need to adjust our protocols. ~Placerville Camp FCC will support youth participates with covering the cost of transportation ($90) and 50% of the camp cost. If you are planning to use conference scholarships or support from FCC, please contact Becky Pagone via email at bpagone@firstcongucc.com for more information about the registration process.
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Online Parenting GroupJoin parenting group on Sunday mornings at 9:30 am. If you have any questions contact Becky Pagone at bpagone@firstcongucc.com
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Online Keeping the Faith Bible StudyThursday mornings at 10:30 a.m.
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Remember in PrayerBarb Kloster | Rhonda & Dale Ostendorf | Terri, friend of Judy Haushalter | Lloyd & Marjorie Ostebee & Family | Dar Algra | Family & Friends of Nelda Vellek | Allan Fisher | Allen Wienk | Joyce Burhenn, friend of Marge Anderson | Margaret Neal, sister-in-law of Joyce Anderson | Kyle Engel, father of Maren Engel | June Weber, sister of Mary Scheel | Jane Bell | Nathan Foote & Family | Barbara Chamness | Barbara Wepking, mother of Jill Grogan | Melissa Olivier | Judy Roddel | Phyllis Bitterman | Bob Schenk, friend of Marge Anderson
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The Week AheadSunday - 5/2/21 - Communion Monday - 5/3/21 Tuesday - 5/4/21 Wednesday - 5/5/21 Thursday - 5/6/21 Sunday - 5/9/21 - Mother’s Day
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The mission of First Congregational Church 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 Whoever you are, wherever you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here. |
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Meet the StaffRev. Dr. M.G. Martell Spagnolo, Senior Pastor Rev. Kathryn J. Timpany, Pastor Emerita Spencer Smith, Director of Music and Arts Ministry Becky Pagone, Christian Education Director Lisa Hastings, Financial Administrator Paul Vincent, Custodian
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