Commitment Sunday and Dinner

Imagine Generosity Campaign 2024

November 10th

Imagine this: cello music by Jesse Nummelin of the Griffon String Quartet, an anthem by our own choir, and increased commitments of time, talents and treasure to the glory of God!

Our annual generosity campaign will conclude on Sunday November 10th as we dedicate our pledges in worship and imagine what God wants of us in our next year. We hope that you have ‘been framed’ in one of the picture frames and added to our gallery of imaginings, and that you have added your own post-it note visions for what our impact could be in the coming year to the frames in the sanctuary.

Your pledge to the work and ministry of our church in 2025 will help us all to imagine the next great things God is doing among us. Remember to bring your pledge card to worship and plan to stay for a celebration lunch in Banner Hall catered by Renards. All are welcome!

Joint Thanksgiving Worship Service – November 25, 2024

We Gather Together to Ask the Lord’s Blessing

It is our turn to host the joint Thanksgiving worship service with our sisters and brothers in Christ from First United Presbyterian Church in De Pere!

We will gather here on Monday, November 25th at 6:30pm in the sanctuary. Choir members from both churches will join to be directed by our Music Director, Michael Raught.

A homemade pie and hot apple cider reception will follow the service in the Fellowship Room. Come give thanks with us!

2024 Christmas Prayer Baskets

Christmas Prayer Baskets

We are excited to be ‘adopting’ three families from nearby Lincoln Elementary School to bless with our love, prayers and Christmas gifts and a meal. This will be our first Christmas adopting families from Lincoln School as the District closed Tank School last year who previously participated in our Christmas Prayer Basket outreach.

We will obtain wish lists for the children and adults in each family and those wishes will be in three separate baskets on the table in the back of the Sanctuary.

Members should take a tag or tags from the baskets and return gifts to the church unwrapped by December 12th. Our Youth Group will wrap the presents at their annual lock-in that weekend. Monetary contributions are also welcome.

Thank you for your support!

Confirmation Sunday

Confirmation

November 24th

In the Presbyterian tradition, young people confirm the faith their parents chose for them when they were baptized as infants.

Five students from our congregation have been working for more than a year on topics including scripture review, worship, beliefs, church history, and much more. They have contributed to the design of a Sunday morning service for November 24th and will share their personal statements of faith with the Session prior to that date.

Please join them in celebrating faith as well as doubt in the journey on Sunday, November 24th.

Take the Gospel of Mark Challenge

The Gospel of Mark Book Cover

Hello Church! It’s Mike Melton again with another word regarding books. Last year I recommended a good book in our church library, Hostage Bound Hostage Free by Ben & Carol Weir. Well now, I would like to offer Church members a modest challenge. Read the Gospel of Mark all the way through in one day. You can do it fairly easily; the book is less than 30 pages long in most translations which is only a couple of hours. Because of the structure of traditional worship, we chop the biblical books into sound bites and we may lose the context, the big picture, the vision of the biblical author. Read it in one day because there are messages in the flow itself.

So why Mark?

Mark is the first and shortest of a new form of writing; a Gospel!  Matthew and Luke admired it enough to it use as the template for their Gospels. The book rushes along, the word “immediately” shows up a lot and it sweeps you up to the crescendo of the cross.  You can feel Jesus sadness and frustration build as His disciples never seem to “Get it.”  So pick a date and take the “Mark Challenge.” If you need extra motivation, may I suggest you check out this beautifully illuminated presentation in rich and easily readable calligraphy. 

I’m making this book available in the Church Office. Before the printing press was invented there were Bibles!

November 2024 Rundown

Monthly Rundown

Church Chix Socials

The Chix had a fabulous time at their October social when they dined at Mackinaw’s Grill & Spirits. There were four Chix in attendance and they found the food to be excellent and the conversation lively. The Chix are taking a hiatus until February of 2025. Watch our new year’s newsletter for details on when and where the Chix will eat then!

Fall Clean-up

We had an absolutely beautiful day for our Fall Clean-up on Saturday, October 19th. The weather was more like summer than fall! The yard got cleaned up from bush and tree trimming to the garden beds to raking and the windows were washed as well. Following everyone’s hard work we enjoyed fellowship during lunch. Thanks to everyone who came out to help with the clean-up!

October Fourth Sunday Forum Recap

Our Fourth Sunday speaker for the month of October was our very own Bruce Deadman who spoke about his recent trip to Kenya with Sandy, their “son” Ben Mwai and his family. Bruce shared with us about the amazing wildlife encounters they had but mostly talked about his strictly personal impressions of the Kenyan people and culture. It was one of those old-time illustrated travelogues!

International Foods Potluck

Forty plus people enjoyed a tasty international potluck following our World Communion worship service.  Wonderful dishes were shared such as German potato salad with bratwurst, a Mediterranean soup with lamb, a spicy but not too hot dish from Africa, a casserole from Mexico just to name a few. The selection was so delicious that many went back for seconds!

Fall Women’s Retreat

The Women’s Retreat was a smashing success, even though Jacki Jensen took a tumble and sprained her wrist and bruised a few ribs! We enjoyed the camp, cooked great food, made potholders with Lyn Early, decorated our recipe booklet covers, and worshipped together. We will definitely do it again next year!

Trunk-or-Treat

Trunk or Treat saw its biggest turnout ever, with more than 300 costumed kids and lines backed up all around the parking lot. Many trunks ran out of candy several times. Gumby, the grim reaper, witches, a jellyfish, and more were there—and that was just those of us hosting the trunks! Check out our photo gallery!


Rundowns will publish with our Connections issue on a monthly or bimonthly basis. To submit rundowns for consideration contact us at communications@firstpresgreenbay.org by the 15th of the month to be included in the following month’s publication. And, as always, we look forward to receiving your Rundown of what’s been Happening Now!

Worship Service October 27, 2024

This 23rd Sunday after Pentecost, our readings are Mark 10: 46-52 https://bit.ly/3NFE9MJ and Ephesians 3: 14-21 https://bit.ly/4fm3lU7 and Pastor Katie preaches “Just Imagine”.

In need of a meal or a ride?

Deacon Carpool

If you are temporarily in need of a meal or a ride to church, the Deacons have a network in place to help you get through your difficult time.

Please let us know if you are recovering from an illness or surgery and are in need of a few meals to help you get by until you are recovered. You can call the church office at 920-437-8121 and we can get that arranged for you.

If you are in need of a ride to church the Deacons also have a network in place for you to be picked up and brought to church. Again, you can just call the church office and arrangements can be made.

As Deacons of First Presbyterian Church our primary goal is taking care of our members when difficult situations arise. If you are in need of a helpful meal or a ride to church please call the church office at 920-437-8121 or the Deacon Moderator, Linda Michael at 920-347-0261.

Worship Service October 20, 2024

On this 22nd Sunday after Pentecost, we continue our focus in Mark’s gospel with Mark 10: 35-45 https://bit.ly/4dJw97S and Pastor Katie’s reflection on “Reserved Seating”.