First Congregational Church
United Church of Christ

Because final authority for decision-making lies with you - the congregation of FCC - our church gathers once a year for our Annual Meeting. As has been our practice in the past, the meeting will be held immediately after the 10:15 worship service. Both the service and the annual meeting will take place in Fellowship Hall. (The 8:15 service will be in the chapel as usual.) At the meeting you will be asked to approve nominations for officers, ministries, and committees. The 2006 budget will be presented for your approval. The Mission Grants Committee will present for approval their nominations for mission support at home and around the world. And all of this will take place around the tables with your family and friends and a delicious brunch provided by the Church Council. Please plan to attend. This is the business of your church.

Registrations have begun to come in for our Adult winter retreat, but there are still some openings. This is a refreshing winter get-away weekend on Friday evening, February 10th - late Saturday afternoon, February 11th. We'll gather in the winter beauty at our cozy retreat facility which is in Princeton, IL. The accommodations are motel-like and very comfortable. The cost is $85.00, which will include one night of accommodations, meals and meeting space. You'll be asked to bring a snack to share. Watch for a brochure with registration information and more details. However, please mark the date on your calendar now so that you can participate. You may turn in a deposit of $50 now to reserve your space. This will assure that you will get one of the nicest rooms in the retreat facility. Please make the checks payable to the church. Scholarships are available, so please do not let the cost keep you from participating. Please talk to Lois or Paris if you have a financial need (it will be kept confidential.) Any questions????? Please feel free to talk to Lois or Paris about this retreat.

From January 8th through January 29th adults at First Congregational Church UCC will have these opportunities for spiritual and personal growth. Each class begins at 9:15 AM & ends at 10:00 AM. Child care will be provided.

Telling a Story Through Photography - II
Last year Ron Whetstone presented a wonderful photography workshop and he is back again to brighten our January scene. Ron brings his background as a graphic design artist & photographer to this adult education workshop. He hopes that participants can use their imagination while telling a story thru pictures. The type of camera you use can be a "throw away" or any style or type of camera, as well as digital. This open workshop will be for sharing ideas and discussing ways to use creativity in image making. Please contact Ron if you have a question before the series begins.

Facilitator: Ron Whetstone

Footsteps of Peter and Paul -
An In-depth Study of the Book of Acts
We are off to follow Paul as he travels through modern-day Turkey and on to Greece. We've met some interesting characters so far as well as some familiar ones. Come sail into these biblical waters with us. No biblical expertise is necessary, and it doesn't matter if you haven't been in the class previously. Come join us for a close examination of a church filled with less than saintly saints and not-quite-unredeemable sinners. The class is discovering we all fit into the church quite nicely.

Facilitator: Paris Donehoo

Coming in February...

Gilead - A discussion of the novel by Marilynne Robinson
Footsteps of Peter and Paul: A Study of the book of Acts (continued)

1-01    Geneva Moody
1-02    Ron Schaaf
1-03    Angie Rea
1-08    Paul Rothlisberger
1-08    Ethan Peterson
1-10    Kaylen Bye
1-11    Abby Kottmeier
1-12    Leola Ellsworth
1-13    Nicole Steffen
1-16    William Sell
1-17    Violet Lohse
1-17    Lavon Bayler
1-17    Michael McMinn
1-17    Laura McMinn
1-21    Paul Mason
1-22    Martina Preradovic
1-23    Helen Hoffman
1-24    Camille Rea
1-25    John Hopkins
1-25    Mary Barbezat
1-28    Lindsay Iverson
1-30    Dorothy Gerber

• Dorothy Cook had surgery on her knee on December 16 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
• Ron Banwart had knee replacement surgery at Sherman Hospital on November 23. He is home and recuperating well.

• Betty Jones passed away on November 26. Pastors Paris and Lois led a funeral service at the church on December 2.
• Former church organist and founder of FCC's Lenten organ series, Jane Chipman, passed away on November 20. Funeral services were held on December 3rd at the First Methodist Church of Elgin.
• Former member Henry Kelley passed away on November 15. Funeral services were held in Arizona.

Plans are underway for the 2006 Mission Trip. We have selected the week of July 7th - 15th for our trip to the Native American Reservation at Pine Ridge, South Dakota. We will be building bunk beds for children and then placing them in homes on the reservation. We will participate in a POW WOW and other activities on the reservation which will help us understand more about the plight of the Native American communities. (Registrations and non-refundable deposits of $75 are due by January 22nd.) Please let Lois or Lori Kemmler know if you are planning to join the group this summer.

Sister to Sister will be meeting on Thursday, January 13th at 7 p.m. in the library. Please plan to join us as we talk about highlights from our holidays and the new year. Bring something interesting to share with the group. This group is very informal. All of the women of the church are invited to participate.

This dining out women's group will be meeting on the fourth Thursday, January 26th, to eat at Alexander=s Restaurant on Route 31 near the toll way in West Dundee. We will gather at 6:30 for an evening of dining and conversation. Please join us. If you have any questions talk to Lois or call Lee Ellsworth.

We are encouraging the children to be present each week in Sunday School. Their regular attendance makes it easier for them to learn about our faith without gaps in their learning. We want to recognize these people for perfect attendance during the month of November: Savannah Lile, Cassidy Sell, Alyssa Steffen, Nicole Steffen, & Cassie Kemmler.

Congratulations! We hope that more children will try to be present each week. We will be recognizing perfect attendance for December in the next newsletter.

Just a reminder that FROG Friday will NOT be meeting during the month of December. We will resume our FROG (Friends Relying on God) Friday program on the third Friday in January which is January 20th 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. The payment of $15.00 for the winter session (Jan., Feb., Mar.) will be due at that time. The cost is $15.00 per person for three sessions. This cost includes dinner, craft, story and games. FROGS are having a hopping good time learning more about being faithful friends relying on God. Plan to come and invite someone new to join us too.

Paris and Penny Donehoo are hosting a trip to Greece and Turkey and would like for you to go along. You will walk the places where the apostle Paul once trod and visit some other sites important to the early church. Athens, Corinth, Philippi, and more - you will see them all. You will cruise the Aegean Sea and stop at places like Patmos (where John wrote the Book of Revelation), then it's on to Ephesus, Antalya, and other sites in Turkey, ending your tour in Istanbul; i.e., ancient Constantinople. Tour price of $3749.00 includes round trip air, 3 day cruise, overnights at 3 & 4 star hotels, entrance to all sites, fully qualified guides, air-conditioned motorcoaches, and many meals. The trip of a lifetime! See Paris or Penny for details and to sign up.

Because of deadline obligations last month we were unable to introduce our new members, Rob and Beth Taylor, along with the rest of the class.

Rob and Beth Taylor
Sponsors: Mike and Lori Kemmler
Rob was born in Sterling, IL but grew up as a "railroad brat" in Texas, Arkansas, California, Missouri, and Illinois. He is employed by SM&P Utility Resources where he locates underground utilities for Com Ed and Comcast, and also investigates damaged utility lines. He enjoys fishing, camping, golf, football, and auto racing. Beth is a native of Elgin (she's Sandy Magana's daughter) where she went to Larkin High School. Currently she works as a mail processor for Zurich Insurance, and in her spare time she enjoys cooking, arts and crafts, and an occasional game of bingo. Rob and Beth have two sons: Thor (11) and Cody (5).

On December 4th the mission trip group held a soup luncheon after church. This luncheon was to raise funds for our trip. It looks like we made more than $500. Obviously, it was a success. Thank you to all who made a pot of soup to share. Everyone raved about the different varieties. We are hoping to put together a soup cook book with all of the recipes. We really appreciate all the support being offered to our mission trip group. Thanks.

The new ChristCare group called Crafty Christians has been putting their crafty talents together to make items that have been sold during coffee hour. During November they made over $200 on turkeys and angels they sold. This past Sunday they sold snowmen and angels and again made over $100. All of their profit is going to support the 2006 mission trip. THANK YOU crafty Christians!

The winter Youth Retreat is planned for Martin Luther King weekend, January 13-15, 2006 at Pilgrim Park. We will leave Elgin at 5:00p.m., and return late Sunday afternoon (no school on Monday!). The cost for this retreat is only $30.00 per person. (Scholarships are available) Details and information will be mailed home in early December, so watch for them. This will be a great weekend of fellowship, fun, and food. Save the date now!

The Cross I'd Players and the Youth Group will be sponsoring and participating in a late winter dinner and entertainment extravaganza on March 11. Get ready for this - there will be old time radio excerpts, music, comedy acts, and more for this evening. This announcement is the first, so get ready. Anyone who would like to participate can contact John Kauffman or any of the Cross I'd Players - jksts@aol.com

The several ChristCare groups that are functioning here in First Congregational involve many of us in uplifting activities. For each of the groups there is fellowship, fun, community building, prayer and worship, some Bible study and missional outreach. We all have a great time, so consider one of these or contact anyone in ChristCare to learn how to become trained as a leader to start your own group. We have Movie Maniacs, Crafty Christians, Cross I'd Players, Writers in the Storm, Pray It Isn't So, Exploring our Path, Opening Doors (to the Bible), "Son" shine readers, Beginnings (an overview of ChristCare), or (take a deep breath) Quiet Moments - ChristCare is here for you. Pick up a ChristCare brochure and contact any of the leaders for a Terrific experience with ChristCare-a circle of care with Christ at the center. We know that God is still speaking because... "Our church is a Christian covenant community exclusively devoted to Jesus Christ and inclusively committed to God's unconditional grace. In joy and gratitude we live out the call of Christ to worship God, make disciples, support one another, and share God's extravagant welcome. Is that right?"

Messiah Lutheran Church, 500 Church St., Elgin, 60123 will be the location for the 2006 Day of Prayer focused on PADS and the needs of the homeless in the Elgin community. First Congregational UCC has time available from 7 a.m. - 8 a.m. for persons who are interested in participating. Our goal is a minimum of 12 persons to fill six 10 minute time slots. We need your help. As a member of this Christian covenant community Christ is calling each of us to do what we can to help sisters and brothers in Christ who have no place to call home. Depending on your schedule you can make a brief stop on your way in to work or join us for the whole hour, To sign up please contact Pat Lindquist.

The day will conclude with a very meaningful and thoughtful ecumenical service at First Congregational United Church of Christ. The service begins at 7:30 pm and coffee will be served following the service. If you are not able to join us on Friday morning please make a commitment to Christ and the other members of this covenant community to be here for the evening service.

Our Church denomination collects a Christmas offering each year to help support retired UCC ministers and widowed spouses. Many of these people, who have served God and the church so faithfully, do not have sufficient pensions to provide an adequate lifestyle. Your generosity can help us meet their real needs by:

• Providing pension supplements
• Awarding emergency and disability grants, and
• Supplementing health care costs.

When you see the green Christmas Fund envelope, please respond by giving generously to those who have kept their covenant with us. May your holidays give you many blessings.

Ministry of Missions and Social Concerns

Once again we have fulfilled our responsibility to deliver Meals on Wheels, this time for two weeks in November. Our faithful volunteers were:

• Provena-St. Joseph Hospital
  • Ellie and John Hopkins
     
  • Carl and Mary Ellen Flaks
     
  • Geneva Moody
     
  • Bonnie Turk
     
  • Larry Rothlisberger
     
  • Dolores Zimmerman
• Sherman Hospital
         
  • Kay Durham
         
  • Lee Ellsworth
         
  • Chuck and Dolores Zimmerman

Many thanks to all.

And a special thank-you to Geneva Moody who, after more than 30 years of taking part in this particular service, is "retiring" and will use her talents in other areas. She will be greatly missed as she always volunteered to deliver for several days during each period.

Our next session will be in February, and with Geneva retiring and the Hopkins going off to Florida we'll be needing some new folks to help out. If you can give us two hours total - from home to home - one or two days for a week or two, please let me know. It's so rewarding to visit with these housebound folks and bring not only food but a bit of fellowship into their lives. Please contact me if you would like to help out.

Dolores Zimmerman

Our next meeting is Tuesday, January 10, 2006, at 4:00 pm in the library. There is room for anyone who wishes, join us. Hope to see you there.

Church Life deadline for the next issue will be Friday, January 20, 2006.

A & D Medical Digital blood pressure monitor - small size cuff. Please see Pat Calvin in the office.

This is the Church Life article I write each year following our annual campaign when I say thank you to all who take church membership seriously enough to commit to financially supporting the work and mission of this church. You literally "put your money where your heart is." Thank you! Thank you!

In any undertaking of this type, you set a goal in order to measure the success of what you are attempting to do. In this case the goal is to raise the funds with which to operate this church for the next year. The goal should be high enough to make a difference, yet realistic enough to attain. I thought the goal of 130 pledging units (an increase of 15) was attainable, but the 10% overall increase in pledges was "pie in the sky." I guess I didn't realize the level of your commitment.

To date we have 104 pledges in for a total of $231,300. Did we make our goal of 130 pledging units and a 10% increase? Not yet, but if those of you who pledged last year would please turn in your estimate of giving cards, we have a great opportunity to actually realize this goal!

I am so proud and excited about what is going on here. Can you feel the excitement? On Sunday December 4th, I came early to attend Adult Education. I looked across Fellowship Hall and I saw the other Adult class going on, members were setting up the SERRV sale, the New Beginnings ChristCare group was setting up the Boutique in the Library, members of Youth and Young Adults were setting tables for the "Souper Lunch" to benefit the mission trip, and Barb Burton was making coffee so all the "workers" could have a cup before the service. A feeling of peace came over me and I thought the poster that is hanging on the first floor hall door says it best: "It's Who We Are." Christians working together, sharing our gifts for the betterment of us all - that's who we are.

Unfortunately, not every church is like this one. We are so blessed. Our future is so bright it hurts my eyes. If you've turned in your estimate of giving card, thank you. If you haven't, please turn it in. Become a part of our exciting future!

Peace,
Patti Scroggins

The past two years have been an experience that I will never forget. Frustration and disappointment are a part of life and they didn?t pass me by this past twelve months. The Tempo Calvario deal that we thought was ours to decide fell apart in front of us. But now as heating and insurance costs rise, I?m sure that some divine intervention may have saved us from ourselves.

As a teacher for many years I have had to deal with the occasional irate parent and disruptive student - but I have never had to "let go" anyone for any reason. Being part of the process this year with our previous custodian has taught me that I hope I never have to go through it again. Catherine and Tom are fine additions to our staff and they have made a great team to clean and maintain our building.

Adversity can be a motivating force. Our financial situation was the reason for the "Reduce the Deficit" campaign that started mid summer. Thanks to Bob Baylor, Gail Yauch, Patti Scroggins, and many others for their inspiration of "Dollar a Day." That push and the inspirational messages of Paris and Lois have greatly improved our situation. As of the beginning of December our pledging units are up, the amounts pledged and up, and as I reported last year our ship is running a true course and the seas are calming. As we are nearing our goal there are only a couple of speed bumps in our path: energy costs and insurance. But with the crew in place and those ready to take their turn at the wheel, I?m sure we can overcome.

Life is a continual set of challenges and rewards. Our challenges have been a rallying point for this church. We have responded to adversity and come together as a family to overcome these challenges. More and more of us are finding the reward that comes from time and effort. Paris and Lois, Jon, and the rest of the staff are amazing. Their energy and guidance are an inspiration to all of us and a big part of the reason we continue to grow while others around us continue to struggle. The ministry heads, their members, and the congregation have always been supportive and encouraging.

Thanks for making this moderator enjoy and appreciate the time spent.
Tom Powell