5/5/10

Pastor, teacher, and sculptor Dr. Charles McCullough presents The Art of Parables on Wednesday, May 12 at noon in the sanctuary. The presentation will be repeated at 6:30 P.M. that evening. Dr. McCullough has served as a church pastor and teacher. He worked nationally as the director for adult education for the UCC inPhiladelphia and New York. He has taught art and social ethics in colleges and seminaries. Dr. McCullough also pursued his love and talent for art, studying sculpture. He became fascinated with the word pictures that Jesus created in his 30+ parables and began reading everything he could about the parables, interpreting each through sculpture. Dr. Charles McCullough, a theologian and an artist, knows the parables intimately and offers a unique, two-pronged approach to each of the 31 parables contained in the New Testament. Bring a friend and join us for this special presentation at the church!

SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS & ROOM PICK UP

Children begin in worship this Sunday for Teacher Appreciation. They will then be dismissed to a Sunday Special in Room 4.

We appreciated all that our 2009/10 teachers and helpers have done this year to help our children become more connected to each other and to God! Thank you to:

Marnee Chapman, Christeen Collins, Gloria Collins, Bruce Cusker, Syneva Heupel, Stacy Hopkins, Janet Koostra, Liz Lee, Heather Lucero, Zach Nelson, Cathy & Annie Petersen, Tom & Jan Robitaille, Betsy Rogstad, June Rovero, Kenny Staigmiller, Beth Thomas, Tammy & Katie Townsend, Barbara Walters, Bonnie Warren, and Cindy Woods.

With June 1 being the start of our new 2010/11 fiscal year, we are into the final preparation of our budget. Thank you to the 159 folks who have sent in pledges and responded to our letters and phonecalls. Your pledges total $215,985, for an average of $1,358 per pledge. We are still shy $10,000 of our proposed budget. If you have not sent in your pledge, please do so. If you have sent in your pledge and care to increase it, please feel free to call the office. Thank you!

Let this serve as the official call to our congregation's 120^th Annual Meeting, being held on Sunday, May 23^rd at 12:00 P.M. in Fellowship Hall. Lunch will be served by our Fellowship Board and we will receive reports, elect officers and board members, vote for the 2010-2011 budget, as well as conduct old and new business. CHILDCARE WILL BE PROVIDED DURING THE ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Memorial Fund Corporation will be held immediately following. We look forward to seeing you there.

A quote from Rev. Jim Petersen's May 2^nd sermon: "And finally, a fourth Resurrection theme: we will find the Risen Lord like the disciples as we journey to Emmaus. We will find the Risen Lord on the roads of life, or upon the seas of Galilee, or in the urban habitations of Jerusalem, or in the wilderness of Judah. We will find the Risen Lord wherever we live and toil, wherever hospitality is offered to the stranger, wherever sinners are forgiven, and wherever care is provided to the least of God's children, yes, especially where care is provided to the least of God's children? Easter faith occurs where common people live amidst the ordinary, routine, sometimes disappointing, and even broken events of life? You see, Easter is celebrated as the Lord meets Mary with her tears, the women with their fears, Peter with his failures, Thomas with his doubts, and the disciples ambling aimlessly along the road of life. Where else would we expect to meet the Lord of life, but right where we are on the road of life?"

CASCADE QUARTET CONCERT

SUNDAY, MAY 9, 2:00 P.M.

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

GUEST PIANIST, CINDY ADDISON

Please stop by the church to get a cd made especially for you of Confirmation Sunday. For more photos, visit the Photos link on this website.

WESTERN REGIONAL YOUTH EVENT
42 Conference youth (7 from our congregation) are registered for the July 6-10 event at MSU-Billings.
But we know there are HUNDREDS of other UCC youth who have not signed up yet! This is the closest and least expensive UCC event we've ever had. And don't forget - the WRYE only happens every four years!
BECAUSE SCHOLARSHIP DOLLARS ARE STILL AVAILABLE, REGISTRATION DEADLINES HAVE BEEN

FRIENDLY REMINDER-

MONDAY MEETINGS

Joint Facilities, 12:00 P.M.

Memorial Fund, 4:00 P.M.

Business Affairs, 6:15 P.M.

Church Growth, 6:15 P.M.