Blog

2024 Continuing Education Event

Cheri Simonet
APCE 2024 Conference Come all who are Thirsty

In late January, Pastor Katie Estes and CE Director Joel Morien will be in St. Louis, Missouri attending the annual conference of the Association of Partners in Christian Education (APCE).

“Let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift” from Revelation 22 is the theme of this year’s event for pastors and educators in in the PC(USA) and partner churches.

Keynote speakers and worship leaders include Mark Yaconelli, Jerry Cannon, Melanie Marsh and others. Katie and Joel will also choose from among 70 different workshops and experience Sabbath with colleagues from around the country.

Thank you for making continuing education possible for our staff!

January 2024 Rundown

Cheri Simonet
Monthly Rundown

Church Chix Socials

The Chix had an amazing social in December when we dined at Old Mexico Cantina & Grill and we had 6 Chix that attended. The service was great and the food was even better! Our January social is planned for Thursday, January 11th at 6pm at Greystone located at 3711 Monroe Road in East De Pere. To RSVP there’s a sign up sheet on the bulletin board or email office@firstpresgreenbay.org.

Advent Workshop

Our Sanctuary was beautifully decorated for the first Sunday of Advent. Following worship we all moved to Banner Hall for our traditional Advent Workshop. THANK YOU to all who attended! We packed 75 socks of love for St. John’s Shelter guests and Kevin’s chili was delicious as always. Check out our photo Gallery!

2023 Advent Workshop
2023 Advent Workshop
2023 Advent Workshop
2023 Advent Workshop
2023 Advent Workshop
2023 Advent Workshop
2023 Advent Workshop
Advent 2023
Advent 2023
Advent 2023
Advent 2023

Christmas Toy Shop

This year’s Toy Shop on December 12th for our Pantry guests was a great success! We served 79 families and gave away toys for 345 kids! Thank you to everyone for your generous support with monetary gifts and toys, and special THANKS to our elves that were personal shoppers. Thanks to everyone’s support there’s 345 kids who found presents under the tree on Christmas morning! Check out our photo gallery!

2023 Christmas Toy Shop
2023 Christmas Toy Shop
2023 Christmas Toy Shop
2023 Christmas Toy Shop
2023 Christmas Toy Shop
2023 Christmas Toy Shop
2023 Christmas Toy Shop
2023 Christmas Toy Shop
2023 Christmas Toy Shop
2023 Christmas Toy Shop

Thank you Red Lobster!

A BIG thank you to Red Lobster Manager, James, for his team’s generous donation to our Toy Shop of more than 50 toys! Each year we’re blessed with their generosity and this year there was another overflowing dolly with toys. Red Lobster also donates frozen potatoes, salmon and Red Lobster biscuits on a weekly basis to our Pantry.

Red Lobster 2023 Christmas Toy Shop Donation
Red Lobster 2023 Christmas Toy Shop Donation
Red Lobster 2023 Christmas Toy Shop Donation

Christmas Prayer Baskets

Our three adopted families had a beautiful Christmas thanks to so many wonderful people! All the tags were taken from our baskets to fill each family’s wish lists. Many people within the church and several outside of our church helped make this possible. The Outreach Committee thanks everyone so much for the wonderful presents and for spreading joy! Special thanks to our family coordinators: Patti & Kevin Kabacinski for the Angel Family, Olivia Crooks for the Jesus Family and Lisa Olson for the Star Family.

Youth Lock-In

The Youth Group had their annual lock-in on the weekend of December 15th and wrapped all the Christmas Prayer Basket gifts. It was a great night of fellowship filled with games and fun plus reflection on how fortunate we are for all the gifts in our life. Special thanks to Mike Melton for providing the group with an amazing breakfast!

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 December 17, 2023

Cheri Simonet

On this Third Sunday of Advent, we light the candle of Joy and reflect on Luke 1: 46-55 https://bit.ly/3NsHxKZ, a portion of Mary’s Magnificat. Georjeanna Wilson-Doenges will sing “Breath of Heaven” by Amy Grant and Pastor Katie will focus on “Magnified Joy.”

Worship Service December 10, 2023

Cheri Simonet

On this Second Sunday of Advent, we light the candle of Peace and focus our attention on what peace means in our world today. The children will sing an introit in our worship service: “What Do You Hear?” Pastor Katie will share Mark 1: 1-8 https://bit.ly/3Rvr0bG and reflect on “Only the Beginning”. We welcome our dear friend Micah Zuelke as substitute organist.

December 5, 2023 – Did you know?

Cheri Simonet
Did you know? Tuesday Trivia!

Our Name that Member! feature gave us the opportunity to learn just how well we really know each other. But how well do we know our church?

Here’s this week’s Did you know? Tuesday Trivia!

From the 37th Annual Report dated 1913 – what was this year’s membership?

A) 125

B) 257

C) 200

Answer:

B) From the 37th Annual Report, dated 1913. Rev. H.W. Knox, Pastor. “Last year we reported 242 members, and this year 257 members — a net gain of 15. The membership six years ago was 150, so that the net gain during the present pastorate has been 107. The organization of our women into eight neighborhood groups has contributed largely to the efficiency of our work. The idea is that the women in a certain district of the parish from a church extension center so that all our families in that part of the town get to know each other well and help one another in sickness or in sorrow.”

Thanks for playing!

We want you to do more than just play Did you know?, we’d also like you to contribute! If you have some church fun facts to share, please send those to Cheri at communications@firstpresgreenbay.org and we’ll have your contribution added to an upcoming Did you know? Tuesday Trivia!

Worship Service December 3, 2023

Cheri Simonet

On this first Sunday of Advent, we begin the new church year looking at Mark 13: 24-37 https://bit.ly/3T1YD5Y as Pastor Katie reflects on “Ready and Waiting.” The children will light the first candle on the Advent wreath and we will celebrate the sacrament of Communion as well.

The Season of Advent

Cheri Simonet
Advent

Join us as we prepare our hearts during this Advent season for the coming of Christ—Emmanuel, God With Us. Our Sundays will follow the ancient rhythm of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love as we light candles on our Advent wreath and focus our attention on God’s promises for us.

The Psalm readings for this season invite us to see the brokenness of the world as it is, with a growing hunger crisis made worse by climate crisis and violent conflicts around the world that disrupt food systems, force migration, and disproportionately impact marginalized communities. The Psalms also remind us that we can trust in God’s promises of restoration of the world. We stand together in hope, peace, joy, and love to keep us grounded in these promises.

The four Sundays of Advent welcome us into prayer and reflection as we wait in anticipation for the One who brings hope, peace, joy, and love to this broken world.

May Christ’s light bring us on the path toward justice and righteousness for all.

In Our Church Library

Cheri Simonet
Hostage Bound Hostage Free Bookcover

From Mike Melton —

During a recent Christian Education meeting I offered to put in a recommendation for a good book someone might want to check out in our church library.  I was perusing the shelves when I saw it; Hostage Bound Hostage Free by Ben & Carol Weir.  I remember when I got my copy of this concise book back in the early nineties because I purchased it at a Presbytery meeting where the Weirs were speaking.  

If you’re not familiar with their story, Ben had been a Presbyterian pastor in Beirut, Lebanon for over thirty years but was kidnapped off the streets by Shiite extremists in front of his wife Carol on May 8th, 1984.  Ben was a captive for over a year and the book’s chapters alternate between Ben’s horrifying ordeal with his faith sustaining him and Carol’s increasingly more public campaign seeking government action for his release.  Just a modest couple in a whirlwind of madness. Now I see all the news of Hamas and Israel.  I hear the shock and despair in the victim’s voices.  We see people kidnapped and the tears of their families.  As Christians, we pray for all these suffering today knowing their stories are yet to be told, but we can read the Weir’s story now. I recommend you read it and pray that God gives us the heart to grow ever more compassionate.      

December 2023 Rundown

Cheri Simonet
Monthly Rundown

Church Chix Socials

The Chix had an amazing social in November when we dined at Luigi’s Italian Bistro. We had 11 Chix that attended. The waitress was phenomenal and the food was absolutely delicious! Our December social is planned for Thursday, December 7th at 6pm at Old Mexico Cantina & Grill located at 11884 Velp Avenue in Suamico. To RSVP there’s a sign up sheet on the bulletin board or email office@firstpresgreenbay.org.

Trunk-or-Treat was so Sweet!

We had 11 trunks participate in this year’s Trunk-or-Treat and Jane Bies kept count and said we had 200 kids! They were lined up and ready as soon as we opened our trunks at 4pm and kept right on coming until 5pm. Church provided hot chocolate to keep the trunk hosts warm. Michele Erickson came to the rescue of many of us who ran out of candy, as she had lots to share! Check out our photo Gallery!

Trunk-or-Treat 2023
Trunk-or-Treat 2023
Trunk-or-Treat 2023
Trunk-or-Treat 2023
Trunk-or-Treat 2023
Trunk-or-Treat 2023
Trunk-or-Treat 2023
Trunk-or-Treat 2023
Trunk-or-Treat 2023
Trunk-or-Treat 2023
Trunk-or-Treat 2023
Trunk-or-Treat 2023
Trunk-or-Treat 2023
Trunk-or-Treat 2023
Trunk-or-Treat 2023
Trunk-or-Treat 2023

Thanksgiving Worship Service & Dinner Celebration

We Gathered Together! Our joint service of thanksgiving was held on Saturday, November 18th at First United Presbyterian Church in De Pere. Sixteen voices in our combined choir shared a lovely seasonal anthem. The service was followed by a delicious turkey dinner for everyone present, and the dessert table was overflowing with treats from our congregation. Check out our photo gallery!

Thanksgiving Worship Service & Dinner
Thanksgiving Worship Service & Dinner
Thanksgiving Worship Service & Dinner
Thanksgiving Worship Service & Dinner
Thanksgiving Worship Service & Dinner
Thanksgiving Worship Service & Dinner
Thanksgiving Worship Service & Dinner

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 November 26, 2023

Cheri Simonet

On this Thanksgiving Sunday, we’re pleased to have some members of our Confirmation class doing a reader’s theater skit in worship called “What We’re Thankful For.” Our scripture focus will be on Deuteronomy 8: 7-18 https://bit.ly/47ovwye and several different members of the church will offer reflections on gratitude in their own lives.