Category: Events

September 2024 Fourth Sunday Forum

Cheri Simonet
Fourth Sunday Forum

With our new program year, our 4th Sunday Forum will resume on Sunday, September 22nd before the 10am worship service at 9am in the Fellowship Room.

Our speaker for the month of September will be, Outreach Committee Member and Board Member of the Presbyterian Pantry, Stephanie Fahringer. Stephanie will share with us stories about how the Pantry affects the lives of Pantry guests along with the Pantry’s history and the number of families that they impact in the community.

The Presbyterian Pantry has been assisting families for over 40 years. The Pantry began in the early 1980’s to provide basic food for Asian refugees when they settled into the area around the church. Over the years, the Pantry has grown to include all racial demographics, age groups and economic factors. As the needs of the Pantry grew, other Presbyterian Churches in the area were asked to join this effort. Today the Pantry is supported by First Presbyterian Church of Green Bay, First United Presbyterian Church of DePere and Wequiock Presbyterian Church. The Pantry is a 501(c)3 Charitable Organization. Please join us to learn more about the Pantry’s rich history and the needs that they serve in our local community.

Fall 2024 Women’s Retreat

Cheri Simonet
Women's Retreat

A Recipe for Connection

Would you be interested in a women’s retreat this fall? This was requested (maybe by you?) on a survey done a year ago and we’re finally going to try it. We plan to hold the event at Imago Dei Village retreat center in Clintonville, less than an hour’s drive from here. We will begin with dinner on Friday night October 25th and conclude after lunch on Saturday, October 26th. Accommodations are in a lodge with bedrooms for 2 or 3 women and private bathrooms with showers. Cost would be less than $75 for each participant, and scholarships are available. There is a full kitchen, so we would share cooking duties and provide 3 meals: dinner, breakfast, and lunch.

Our proposed theme for the retreat is A Recipe For Connection. We hope to spend the time together thinking about food, family, traditions, and the connections we create as women together. We will view the 2009 movie Julie & Julia, which is a wonderful biographical comedy drama written and directed by Nora Ephron starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams in the title roles. The film contrasts the life of chef Julia Child in the early years of her culinary career with the life of young New Yorker Julie Powell, who aspires to cook all 524 recipes in Child’s cookbook in 365 days, a challenge she described on her popular blog, which made her a published author.

We certainly can’t promise to “master the art of French cooking,” (the title of Julia Childs’ cookbooks) but we might attempt a few fun recipes from it together! We need a minimum of ten participants to hold this retreat. Please let Pastor Katie know if you are interested or sign up on the bulletin board at the church. 

Dinner for 2 @ the U

Cheri Simonet
2 for 2 at the U sloppy joe

The Outreach Committee is happy to be hosting our annual Dinner for 2 @ the U meal for college students at the UWGB Mauthe Center on Thursday, September 19th at 5pm. We’re anticipating an attendance of at least 25 people this time.

Fruits & Vegetables

But we can’t pull this off without your help – we need contributions to make this a delicious and nutritious meal!

The main course is sloppy joes, and we have both the vegan and non-vegan planned but we’re in need of an assortment of fresh cut veggies, fresh fruits, and desserts for our students. Please indicate on the bulletin board signup sheet what you’re able to contribute and have your contribution at the church by noon on September 19th.

If you’re able to volunteer to serve the meal, we could definitely use your service and there’s another sign up sheet on the bulletin board to volunteer. Thank you for your support!

Feed My Starving Children MobilePack 2024

Cheri Simonet
FMSC MobilePack

Are you ready to have some fun, and make a difference at the same time? 

Then plan to volunteer for the 2024 Feed My Starving Children MobilePack event in Green Bay! 

The 2024 FMSC MobilePack will be held at Green Bay Community Church from Monday, October 7 through Thursday, October 10. There are six different packing times available so you’re sure to find one that fits your schedule (the 2 times on Wednesday are reserved for Youth Group).

FMSC 2024 Packing Schedule

Registration opens on Sunday, September 1.

You can sign up at https://give.fmsc.org/greenbay, or you can sign up on the FMSC sign-up sheet at church. The sheet will be in the office during the week, and in the back of the sanctuary on Sunday. If you are unable to register online or visit church to register in person, please contact us at office@firstpresgreenbay.org or call (920) 437-8121 with the day and time you’d like to sign up, and we’ll take care of the registration for you.

If you haven’t packed or volunteered before, make this the year that you try something new and see what all the excitement is about! Please consider helping in this great cause! For more information or questions, please contact Kirke Ryder at Kirke.Ryder@gmail.com, or call (920) 883-6589.

And, please prayerfully consider a donation to FMSC through our church. Simply select the FMSC tile in the Give Now section of our website at firstpresgreenbay.org/give-now/, or note FMSC on your check.

Thank you for your support!

Bible Study Returns

Cheri Simonet
Bible Study

Beginning September 11th & 12th

One mark of the Presbyterian and Reformed tradition is a focus on learning and an educated community of faith, so we regularly offer opportunities to gather as adults to learn about God’s Word and study together. Knowing that some seasons are busier for people than others, we usually limit each study to six weeks or so, hoping participants will come and go as time allows.

This year our options will be Wednesday nights on Zoom from 6:00 to 7:00pm and Thursday mornings in person at church from 10:30 to 11:30am. Both of these times represent a change from last year, so please plan accordingly. All are welcome, and as the study is the same, you may move back and forth between the Wednesday and Thursday sessions as needed.

We begin this fall on Wednesday, September 11th and Thursday, September 12th with a six-week study of Creation written by William P. Brown. Rather than limiting ourselves to the two(!) creation narratives from the book of Genesis, this study presents diverse portraits of creation from all across the scriptures. From the Psalms to Genesis to Job to Romans and Revelation, we will look at plenty of biblical perspectives on creation to give us a wide vision of the God we worship and what God has done in establishing the cosmos of which we are a part. Brief readings, good discussion, shared experience, and visuals from the newest deep space telescope will all be included. The book is available for $5.00 from Pastor Katie in the church office. Please join us!

Let Justice Roll Down – A New Esther Circle Study

Cheri Simonet
Esther Circle

Esther Circle, our long-standing Presbyterian Women’s group, begins a new study this month.

The group meets on the third Monday of each month from September through May at 1:00pm at the church, and all are welcome.

Let Justice Roll Down: God’s Call to Care for Neighbors and All Creation is written by Patricia K. Tull, a professor emerita of Hebrew Bible at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Together we will learn about ecological systems, the challenges we face in this time of accelerated climate change, and the possibilities available to address or counter the impact of human-made stress on our environment, while considering the theological questions that point us to act and engage in small and large ways.

Books are available from Nancy Siewert for $10.00 each.

2024 Back to School Supply Drive

Cheri Simonet
Lincoln Elementary School Logo

August 1-31

August 1st thru 31st are the dates for our annual Back to School supply drive! Due to Tank Elementary School’s closure, we will now be supporting Lincoln Elementary School. Most students who previously attended Tank Elementary will attend Lincoln Elementary in the fall. Our long history of supporting and interacting with the school and students at Tank will now transition to supporting Lincoln Elementary students.

Every child should have new pencils, crayons, glue, etc. for school. The electronic list of supplies can be found at https://lincoln.gbaps.org/academics/school-supplies or copies are on the table in the narthex and there’s a copy on the following pages. There will be a table at the back of the Sanctuary to deposit your donations when you are here on Sundays, or any other day Monday – Thursday 9:30am to 2:00pm through August 31st.

THANK YOU for your support!

August Confirmation Social

Cheri Simonet
Confirmation

August 18, 2024

Confirmation students and their mentors are having one more summer gathering since we’ve had so much fun so far! Sunday, August 18th beginning at 5:00pm we will gather at Bruce & Sandy Deadman’s (6375 Sturgeon Bay Road, Luxemburg) for brats on the grill and maybe even a ride on the boat out on the Bay.

Please bring a side dish to share. If transportation is needed, contact Pastor Katie or Joel in the church office in advance.

See you there!

2024 Choir Camp

Cheri Simonet
Music notes

Calling All Singers!

If you’re interested in becoming part of the music ministry of First Presbyterian, mark your calendars for Choir Camp that will take place on Saturday, September 7th beginning at 10am till 2pm. Lunch will be provided.

This will be a time to preview music for the upcoming year and to socialize a bit, welcoming back current choir members and welcoming new singers interested in joining our music ministry.

Our regular rehearsals will take place on Sundays at 9am prior to the Worship Service and we’ll be providing special music for the first time the day after camp on Sunday, September 8th.

If you’re interested in attending, there’s a sign up sheet on the bulletin board. Please RSVP so we can plan accordingly for lunch and if you have any questions please contact Michael at MRFR920@aol.com.

Hope to see you at camp!

2024 Ordination and Installation

Cheri Simonet
Deacons
Elders

Sunday, July 14th

“There are varieties of gifts, but it is the same Spirit who gives them. There are different ways of serving God, but it is the same Lord who is served…Together we are the body of Christ, and individually members of it.”

These words, taken from the service of ordination and installation in the PC(USA), are a reminder of our calling to service in the church. This is the time of year when our Deacons and Elders complete terms of service and begin new ones.

With many thanks to outgoing Deacon Linda Christensen and outgoing Elders Jane Bies and Jon Tessier, we are pleased to welcome new Deacon Mike Melton, as well as new Elders Kirke Ryder and Deb Shober to service! They have each served in various ministries prior to this term and bring a wealth of experience to their roles. The Session has set the date of Sunday July 14, 2024 for their ordination and installation in worship and they begin their service officially at the scheduled July meetings of the respective boards. Please take a minute to thank them all for their willingness to serve and keep them in your prayers as they lead us.