mission trip

Youth Mission Trip

Sunday afternoon, seven youth and two adults will travel to Austin, Texas, for our summer mission trip. Working with a group called Reach Beyond Mission, we will work with several inner city agencies such as food banks and soup kitchens. As we send them off Sunday, we pray for the blessing of their hearts and their minds as they work with God's children. If you are interested, Rev. Katelin Warren will be posting pictures on Facebook© throughout the week; so check out the church Facebook page for updates!

Worth Reading

If you missed the Leonard Pitts column in Sunday's Houston Chronicle, you should take a look.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/07/06/3483892/leonard-pitts-a-universal-explanation.html#storylink=cpy

Here's one of my favorite lines:

“Finding is important,” said God. “But seeking is important, too. Seeking teaches patience, opens your mind, shows you your own limitations. That’s where wisdom begins.”

(Perhaps I should mention that the Seekers group meets on Wednesday evenings. Contact Sylvia for more information.)

This part made me giggle:

The kid behind the counter handed the water bottle to God, who handed it to me.
“Don’t forget to recycle,” He said. “My oceans are not garbage dumps.”

Did you look? What do you think? Leave a comment!

---Julia

Sunday, July 7, 2013

This Sunday's Service

This Sunday we consider the last of the four core values of First Congregational Church, openness. As our founding members declared in 1955, "let us build an open church." The challenge of being open to those who society has shunned has been a constant over the years at FCC. As we have opened our doors and our hearts to those of different ethnic backgrounds and sexual orientations, how do we continue to practice the value of openness as a faith community in the 21st century? These are thoughts to ponder as we journey through the long days of summer! Come and share the journey and share your thoughts and perspectives on this timely question.

This Sunday Melissa Fristche will sing Love Ye the Lord (Largo) by George Frederic Händel, then she will be joined by KeiCee Newton for The Voice of My Beloved Sounds from Melodious Accord by Alice Parker. Our congregational hymns will be God of Grace and God of Laughter (SOUTH BRANCH); Blessed Be the Tie That Binds (DENNIS); and Called as Partners in Christ's Service

(BEECHER).

Pride Parade

Pride Festival

Next Saturday ~ June 29 ~ 1-7 PM

FCC is joining with three other ONA (Open and Affirming Congregations) to host a booth at the annual Pride Festival from 1-7 p.m. on June 29. Our message is that UCC is a welcoming place. "We are a people of Extravagant Welcome," reads the card that we will hand out to festival goers, along with cool cloths to wipe their faces and colorful beads to wear.

The other host congregations are Bethel UCC, Grace UCC, and Plymouth United Church UCC. FCC's Church in Society Board (CIS) is coordinating our church's participation in this event.

FCC Play Date

Next FCC Play Date

Monday ~ June 24

Greetings Parents and Friends of FCC! If you are looking for something to do with your kiddos this Summer, then you are in luck!

Every Monday until school starts in August, from 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., parents and kiddos will be gathering at FCC to let our kids play on the playground and enjoy some games in the Assembly Room. Parents will need to bring a lunch for themselves and their kiddos if you want to eat. Plenty of water is encouraged as well. This is a great chance to get our kids together, but also to hang out with other parents! Contact Rev. Katelin Warren at katelin@fcc-houston.org with questions.

Our next play date will be on Monday, June 24th. Hope to see you there!!

Sunday, June 23,2013

This Sunday's Service

 

"As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God?" Psalm 42:1-2.

These opening words from Psalm 42 describe a deep longing within each one of us. We search for something beyond our everyday lives; something beyond that which we can explain or control. We call this desire by many names, but in Christianity we often say it is the sacred or the spiritual. The Christian church has been many things over the years but whenever it loses that sense of the Spirit, it usually loses its ability to affect people's lives. Our worship this Sunday addresses one of the four core values of FCC, the essence of the Spirit of God that we seek to know in our lives. During Adult Sunday School time, we will get together to discuss this topic further. How can FCC convey this sense of the Spirit to the world around us?

This Sunday the Summer Choir will sing Come All Who Thirst by Luigi Cherubini. Guest organist Mi Wha (Michelle) Choi will play Suite du ze ton (basse de cromorne) by Louis-Nucolas Cle'rambault, Prelude BWV 539 by Johann Sebastian Bach, and Sonata No. 5 in D major, Opus 65 Movement 1. Andante by Felix Mendelssohn. Our congregational hymns will be As Longs the Deer (O WALY WALY); Come, Living God, When Least Expected (RENDEZ À DIEU); and Many Are the Lightbeams (LAGORNA ÄR MANGA).

Sunday, June 16, 2013

We welcome Darnell Fennell, our guest preacher this Sunday. Darnell is a member of First Congregational Church and has just completed his second year at Pacific School of Religion, working toward a Master of Divinity degree. Darnell was recently granted "member in discernment" status by the Houston Association. The title of Darnell's sermon is "I'm Glad Someone Said Something." The scripture reading is Galatians 2:11-21.

This Sunday, LaVerne Meline and Naomi Black will sing Give Ear Unto Me by Benedetto Marcello and In the Garden arranged by Jerry Ray. Guest organist Mi Wha (Michelle) Choi will play Suite du ze ton (duo) and Suite du ze ton (plein jeu) both by Louis-Nicolas Clérambault. Our congregational hymns will be Great God, as We Are Gathering (MORNING SONG) reprinted with permission through onelicence.net #A-710879; O, Worship the King, All Glorious Above (LYONS); and Savior, Again to Thy Dear Name (ELLERS).