http://www.fcc-elgin.org/ The First Congregational Church of Elgin is a welcoming, inclusive community of believers in Jesus Christ who live and share God's unconditional love. en-us Mon, 6 Nov 2006 19:55:06 GMT Mon, 14 May 2012 15:01:25 GMT http://www.fcc-elgin.org/rss FCC's Custom Built RSS Generator, version 0.1 beta sermons@fcc-elgin.org webmaster@fcc-elgin.org http://www.fcc-elgin.org/sermons/sermon.asp?y=2012&m=5&d=13A few summers ago, as is our custom, my extended family gathered at Cape San Blas, Florida for our annual vacation together.  My niece, Melissa, showed up with an entourage.  We expected her to arrive with the neighbor girl whom she befriended years ago and practically raised, but this yea...Mon, 14 May 2012 15:01:25 GMThttp://www.fcc-elgin.org/sermons.asp#2012513First Congregational Church of Elginhttp://www.fcc-elgin.org/sermons/sermon.asp?y=2012&m=4&d=29There used to be a radio personality in Atlanta who called himself Ludlow Porch.  Ludlow hosted one of those call-in radio shows where people talked about nice, fun things, and they were actually cordial to each other, and even when the topic of conversation was politics, people were actually c...Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:59:02 GMThttp://www.fcc-elgin.org/sermons.asp#2012429First Congregational Church of Elginhttp://www.fcc-elgin.org/sermons/sermon.asp?y=2012&m=4&d=15Last Sunday I was invited to the Mitchells' for an Easter celebration.  Let me tell you they know how to celebrate! The house was full of people, the conversations were full of laughter, the kitchen was full of fragrant aromas, (Beth is the best cook). and the tables were full of all kinds of g...Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:03:45 GMThttp://www.fcc-elgin.org/sermons.asp#2012415First Congregational Church of Elginhttp://www.fcc-elgin.org/sermons/sermon.asp?y=2012&m=4&d=22Some things in life just come too late.  There was a preacher serving a rural church who wanted to buy a horse he could ride to make his pastoral visits.  So he went to an old farmer who had a horse for sale and said he would like to try out the steed to see if he could handle him.  T...Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:00:47 GMThttp://www.fcc-elgin.org/sermons.asp#2012422First Congregational Church of Elginhttp://www.fcc-elgin.org/sermons/sermon.asp?y=2012&m=4&d=8One of the lessons that has come to me with age is the wisdom to be careful about my assumptions.  When I was younger I knew everything, but now I'm painfully aware of how much I don't know, and I try to be careful making pronouncements about what will happen in the future as well as the meanin...Mon, 9 Apr 2012 15:40:57 GMThttp://www.fcc-elgin.org/sermons.asp#201248First Congregational Church of Elginhttp://www.fcc-elgin.org/sermons/sermon.asp?y=2012&m=4&d=1I love Palm Sunday.  I love seeing the children process into the sanctuary.  I love singing "All Glory, Laud, and Honor."  And I love the palms.  They add such texture to the service, and they remind me of Spring, and I love holding my palm branch in front of Lois' hymnal while s...Mon, 2 Apr 2012 17:33:03 GMThttp://www.fcc-elgin.org/sermons.asp#201241First Congregational Church of Elginhttp://www.fcc-elgin.org/sermons/sermon.asp?y=2012&m=3&d=25One of the bittersweet things about being a pastor is that God puts a lot of people in our lives - some we journey with for a long time and others for only a moment.  As I look around this congregation I can remember many of the ways our lives have connected - through joy as well as sorrow.&nbs...Tue, 27 Mar 2012 11:15:27 GMThttp://www.fcc-elgin.org/sermons.asp#2012325First Congregational Church of Elginhttp://www.fcc-elgin.org/sermons/sermon.asp?y=2012&m=3&d=18I don't remember his name.  He was a college freshman just like I was at the time, and we shared a class together - a class I was struggling with, and a class I decided to drop.  I had rationalized my decision to cut and run in ways that made sense to me.  Truth be told, I was just la...Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:17:37 GMThttp://www.fcc-elgin.org/sermons.asp#2012318First Congregational Church of Elginhttp://www.fcc-elgin.org/sermons/sermon.asp?y=2012&m=3&d=11 "Everything happens for a reason."  Ever heard that?  You hear it a lot in hospital waiting rooms, funeral homes, and divorce courts.  You hear it quoted to the parents whose child has just been hauled off to jail.  You hear it quoted to the worker walking out of the building...Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:23:26 GMThttp://www.fcc-elgin.org/sermons.asp#2012311First Congregational Church of Elginhttp://www.fcc-elgin.org/sermons/sermon.asp?y=2012&m=3&d=4As I have been preparing for this study and sermon series on grief I have reflected many times on my career as a hospice chaplain.  Though it was a brief career, I learned so much, and met lots of interesting people - some who lifted my spirit and the spirits of everyone around them, and others...Mon, 5 Mar 2012 11:54:48 GMThttp://www.fcc-elgin.org/sermons.asp#201234First Congregational Church of Elgin