First Congregational Church
United Church of Christ

Do you ever wonder who is really in control of your life? Does it ever feel like your possessions possess you instead of the other way around? Do you ever wish you could celebrate God’s claim on your life rather than the world’s claim on you? On Sunday, February 25, the first Sunday in Lent, you can make such a bold statement by “re-claiming the Sabbath” for your life. Bring to worship some item that represents, for you, the cultural entanglements that snare you and keep you from fully enjoying God’s grace. It could be your cell phone, or car keys, or credit card, or calendar, or any one of a thousand items that seem to dictate what you do with life every day. During the first hymn you will be invited to come forward and place that item on the communion table, thereby symbolizing your willingness, for that hour of worship, at least, to let your life be controlled by God alone. During the closing hymn you will be invited to retrieve the item and take it with you back into the world - perhaps now with less of a claim on you than before. On the first Sunday in Lent let’s remind ourselves who is really in charge and to whom we truly belong.

Walk with Christ through His last days on earth. This study, authored by Bill Crowder, sheds new light on the story of Christ’s suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension; makes a personal application to your own life; and reveals the great grace of God and the great need of humankind. Patti Scroggins & Sandy Taenzer will lead the group, beginning February 25 and going through Palm Sunday.

Help! I Need Somebody! will feature Desmond Raftery who will speak on Spirituality & Mental Illness. Join us on March 11th.

Save the date and time of March 18 at 6:00. Different faith communities from all over Elgin will be gathering at the Salvation Army Community Center, 316 Douglas Avenue, for an interfaith Passover Seder to raise awareness about the plight of the homeless as well as funds for PADS. The basic outline of the Passover service will be followed but modified to include all faiths represented in the group. This is a unique opportunity you will not want to miss! Special music will be provided by Paris’ folk group, “Pastor Prime and the Good Examples.” Tickets are $30 per person and you will need to RSVP by March 4th.

• John Schneck had colon and hernia surgery at Sherman Hospital but developed adhesions and had to undergo another surgery to clear the obstructions. He is hoping to be released from the hospital soon.
• On March 8th Dale Ells will be having rotator cuff surgery.
• Doug MacKinney had rotator cuff surgery on February 21.

• Dorothy Schock was admitted to St. Joseph Hospital twice during the weeks between January 22 and February 12 for cardiac issues. She is recuperating at home now.
• Margaret Schmoldt continues to struggle with severe nausea. She hopes to have a consultation soon with doctors at Rush-Presbyterian Hospital in Chicago.
• Kathy Turnquist spent nearly two weeks having tests at the Mayo Clinic. She is home now and feeling better.
• Helen McClure will have back surgery on February 26.
• Aiden Garcia had kidney surgery on January 30. He is home and doing fine.
• Maury Munch had outpatient surgery on February 16. He is home and doing fine.

• Dorothy Gerber passed away on January 29. A funeral service, led by Paris and Lois, was held at Madison Funeral Home on February 3.
• Former member Ed Powell, father of Tom Powell, passed away at his home in Arkansas on February 11.

We who are the First Congregational United Church of Christ are “Five for Five” in respect to our generous giving to all five special UCC offerings during the church year. The opportunity for One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) will be with us on March 18.

What is OGHS? UCC members reach out in the name of Christ to:

1. Build sustainable communities. OGHS supports self-help programs in more than 80 nations to build sustainable communities that enable people and communities to stand against and rise above hunger, disease, illiteracy, and other forces of injustice that deny and destroy dignity.
2. Respond to disaster. OGHS provides emergency and long-term assistance to people in the aftermath of hurricanes, tornados, storms, floods, tidal waves, fires, explosions, technological disasters, civil strife, war, or other natural or human-caused events. On average, OGHS responds to a disaster once every 2.5 days.
3. Minister to refugees. OGHS responds with advocacy and help, hope and hospitality for people who have been uprooted from their home of origin. More than 30 million of the world's people are uprooted at any given time.
4. In cooperation with Global Ministries, Church World Service, Action by Churches Together, Interchurch Medical Assistance, Foods Resource Bank, Oikocredit, Freedom from Hunger and hundreds of local partners around the world, One Great Hour of Sharing is part of a remarkable network of service and caring that is efficient, effective and faithful. Administrative costs are typically less than eight percent annually! The UCC unites with Christians in eight other Protestant denominations and Church World Service in OGHS, multiplying the effectiveness and extent of our witness many times over. We are in covenant with nearly 6,000 United Church of Christ congregations across the United States and Puerto Rico to connect UCC members to the world. The UCC annually channels more than $3 million dollars through One Great Hour of Sharing to humanitarian needs in the world. Be sure to join us faithfully again, either with the enclosed envelope or on March 18; our brothers and sisters in need will be thankful - even though we do not know each other.