Category: Events

Ash Wednesday 2024

Cheri Simonet
Ash Wednesday

February 14, 2024

What are you doing for Valentine’s Day this year? Want to avoid the crowded restaurants and skip the overpriced greeting cards?

Here’s a completely different option: Wednesday, February 14th is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent. Lent is the forty days (not including Sundays) leading up to Easter, and is a time set aside in the church year to reflect on our Christian walk.

An Ash Wednesday worship service will be held virtually via our Facebook Livestream and in person at 6:30pm on February 14th in the Sanctuary, and features candlelight, scripture, contemplative music and the imposition of ashes on each person’s forehead as a reminder of our own mortality. We wear ashes not to brag about our humility or piety, but to mark ourselves as part of the community of faith and recognize how far we are from God’s will for us. While some feel like this is primarily a Roman Catholic practice, the distribution of ashes has been a part of Protestant and Reformed traditions for many years.

Please come join in the family of faith as we begin our Lenten journey together.

Scout Sunday

Cheri Simonet
Scouts of America Logo

February 4, 2024

Calling all scouts: young, old, and in-between!

The first Sunday of February is set aside as a day to lift up and celebrate scouting in our midst.

We have invited the scout troop who meet in our facility to join us for worship at 10am and we will recognize them and offer a blessing. We also hope to include others in our congregation who are currently involved or have been involved in the past in the Scouts program.

If you were or are a Scout, please wear your shirt or other garb and help us in this celebration.

Souper Bowl of Caring 2024

Cheri Simonet
Souper Bowl of Caring

February 11, 2024

As Super Bowl Sunday approaches that means it’s time for our annual Souper Bowl of Caring which takes place on Sunday, February 11th, following our 10am worship service in Banner Hall.

Since 1990, close to $193 million has been reported donated to local food charities across all fifty states with over 305,000 unique groups participating. Every dollar donated to Souper Bowl of Caring creates over $18 for food charities. The cause unites all communities to Tackle Hunger.

Our #FirstPresGB Souper Bowl of Caring is led by the Christian Education Committee along with Youth Group and is held annually on Super Bowl Sunday. The event is meant to bring an awareness to hunger and to curb hunger through soup. The cost will be $5 per person and there will be 8 different soup stations for people to experience. Each soup sampler will have a chance to vote and judge our Souper Bowl winner. Proceeds from the event will go toward the Presbyterian Pantry.

We invite each person to bring a muffin tin to hold the soup samples. (One muffin tin per person.) Disposable cups will be available to place in your muffin tin to avoid the mess that we experienced last year. You will be required to try all the soups but you can only vote for one. The Souper Bowl awardee will receive the cherished Golden Ladle that’s passed on year after year to the awarded winner. The current Golden Ladle holder from our 2023 Souper Bowl of Caring is Georjeanna Wilson-Doenges for her Christmas Corn Chowder.

There’s no need to sign up—ALL are welcome—we hope to see you there!

An Evening in the Highlands

Cheri Simonet
An Evening in the Highlands

Join First United Presbyterian Church of De Pere on Saturday, February 17, at 5:30pm for a one-of-a-kind event – “An Evening in the Highlands” at the Green Bay Distillery.

It’ll be a very special evening celebrating the music, poetry, and dance of Scotland and Ireland. Special entertainment will include The Irish Heritage Dancers and The Clan Donald Pipe Band as well as trivia, games, haggis, raffles, and much more. 

Dinner will include your choice of either salmon with dill sauce or Steak Stew Puff Pastry along with a baked potato and neeps (turnips), plus Scottish Shortbread and Tablet (sugary confection) for dessert. There will be an optional Scotch Tasting session beginning at 4pm. Tickets are on sale NOW through the church office (during business hours) or you can purchase them online below. There are only 150 tickets available, so don’t delay. Cheers! 

Event Ticket Prices: Dinner is $60 per person & Scotch Tasting is $25 per person

Purchase Tickets Online

Annual 2024 Congregational Meeting

Cheri Simonet
Congregational Meeting

February 18, 2024

Sunday, February 18th is an important day in the life of our congregation as we hold our Annual Congregational Meeting to review 2023 and look forward to plans and dreams for 2024.

The annual report, available in print and digitally by February 11, will include reports of committees, statistics, and financials including the approved budget for 2024. As a congregation we will vote on changes in the terms of call for our Pastor.

The meeting will take place immediately following the 10:00 am worship service in the Sanctuary, and all members are encouraged to attend. Please note that while our worship service will be livestreamed as usual, we apologize that we cannot livestream the Annual Meeting due to the confidentiality of certain portions of the meeting.

If you cannot be with us in person, feel free to contact any member of the Session with any questions or concerns you may have.

2024 Epiphany Sunday

Cheri Simonet
Epiphany

January 7th

“Epiphany” is a word meaning manifestation, revelation, or showing forth. At the Epiphany of the Lord (observed on the calendar on January 6th, or the Sunday closest to it) we celebrate the manifestation of God’s saving purposes to all the nations of the world.

Just as the Magi came from a distant land to worship the Christ child, God’s covenant of grace is extended to all people who believe the good news of Jesus Christ. In Epiphany, the symbolism of light is important—not only because of the star that guided the Magi, but also as it suggests the bright dawning of God’s self-revelation in Jesus Christ. As Christians, we are called to bear Christ’s light in the world.

Our liturgical color changes from the blue of Advent to white for Epiphany, and we focus our attention on images of light and the showing forth of the Messiah in our lives. One way to celebrate the season of Epiphany is to start out the new year with a “star word.” A star word is a random word that becomes a prayer guide, a focus, a way to watch for God. God can use anything to speak to us. There is nothing magical about a star word. But a star word begins as a mystery; typically you do not choose it. And so, it invites investigation, attentiveness, waiting. A star word orients you to watch for God in a particular way, to be receptive to the Spirit who is moving right now in the world around you.

On Sunday, January 7th our worship celebration of Epiphany will include the distribution of “star words” for everyone present. Come and see what word might guide you in 2024!

2024 Cozy Kids Campaign

Cheri Simonet
Cozy Kids 2024

January 1st—31st

The Cozy Kids Campaign, formerly for the children at Tank School, will this year benefit Presbyterian Pantry guests. Our community at First Presbyterian aims to keep those kids cozy with a collection of items needed this year of:

• Hats • Mittens • Boots
• Jackets • Underwear • Socks
• Chapstick • Kleenex

Anything that will help the kids of our Presbyterian Pantry guests get through the winter would be greatly appreciated. All donations can be gently used – we’ll find a home for them. Please place the items – by January 31 – on the table at the back of the sanctuary.

Please help keep Presbyterian Pantry guest’s kids COZY this winter.

The Outreach Committee thanks you for your support!

Save-the-Date for Souper Bowl of Caring 2024

Cheri Simonet
Souper Bowl of Caring

Souper Bowl of Caring—February 11, 2024

As Super Bowl Sunday approaches that means it’s time for our 2nd annual Souper Bowl of Caring!

Since 1990, close to $193 million has been reported donated to local food charities across all fifty states with over 305,000 unique groups participating. Every dollar donated to Souper Bowl of Caring creates over $18 for food charities. The cause unites all communities to Tackle Hunger.

Our #FirstPresGB Souper Bowl of Caring is led by the Christian Education Committee along with Youth Group and is held annually on Super Bowl Sunday. The event is meant to bring an awareness to hunger and to curb hunger through soup. The cost will be $5/person and there will be 8 different soup stations for people to experience. Each soup sampler will have a chance to vote and judge our Souper Bowl winner. The awardee will receive the cherished Golden Ladle that’s passed on year over year to the awarded winner. The current Golden Ladle holder from our 2022 Souper Bowl of Caring is Georjeanna Wilson-Doenges for her Christmas Corn Chowder.

More details will follow in February’s newsletter but in the meantime, we’re looking for 8 soup chefs to help us pull this off! All you need to do is craft a crock pot full of your favorite soup.

If you’re able to be one of our 8 soup chefs, please contact Director of Children, Youth and Families, Joel Morien, at ce@firstpresgreenbay.org or sign up on the bulletin board.

January 2024 Fourth Sunday Forum

Cheri Simonet
4th Sunday Forum - Internet Safety

January 28th

PART 2—“Internet Safety: How To Protect Yourself Online”

Last November’s Fourth Sunday Forum featured our very own Lisa Olson who talked to us about internet safety. It was a great opportunity for learning and there was so much content to cover that we’re continuing the conversation where we left off and offering Part 2 on January 28th at 9am.

But don’t worry if you weren’t at Part 1 because Part 2 will cover different information. We’ll discuss how to look at apps to see the Privacy and User Agreements before you load something into your phone that could put your Personally Identifiable Information in jeopardy, and refresh everyone on how to make a safe password. 

Bring your questions and your concerns—coffee and treats will be available, too.

January 2024 Luncheon

Cheri Simonet
Luncheon

New Ministry Opportunity

Interested in being part of a new ministry opportunity in our congregation?

Come to a soup and sandwich lunch on Monday, January 29th at 11:30a in the Fellowship Room. 

We’ll talk about the gifts that older adults bring to our church and community as well as how our church can enhance our lives as we grow older.

Anyone is welcome–you decide if you are an “older adult” or simply want to support older adults in our midst!   

A sign up sheet will be on the bulletin board or you can call Nancy Siewert at 920-609-2051 if you would like to attend.