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August 2023 Brat Fry

Cheri Simonet
Brat Fry

Thank you to everyone for supporting our July Brat Fry when we raised $645.40!

We need your help to make our August Brat Fry just as successful!

Please consider volunteering to serve or cashier on Sunday, August 13th at Festival in Bellevue which will be hosted by the Outreach Committee. Proceeds from the August brat fry will benefit the Pantry.

There are two volunteer shifts to choose from:

9am to 1pm and 1pm to 5pm

If you can help out as a volunteer sign up sheets are on the bulletin board or contact Kevin Kabacinski at 920-619-4458.

And, as a thank you bonus, all volunteers receive a FREE brat. Now, there’s nothing better than that!

We’re hoping for good weather, hungry customers and outstanding volunteers to feed them.

Thanks in advance for considering to help!

July 25, 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!

What was the cost of the first building that First Presbyterian Church of Fort Howard built in 1876?

$2,500

$5,000

$3,250

Answer:

The first building for the First Presbyterian Church of Fort Howard was completed on July 22, 1876 at a cost of $2,500. It was located on Chestnut Street between Main and Hubbard. The church was dedicated on Christmas Eve 1876 by the first pastor, Rev. David Street

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!

August 2023 – Faith Facts:

Cheri Simonet
Faith Facts

Our Name that Member! feature gave us the opportunity to learn just how well we really know each other, our Did you know? Tuesday Trivia! shows us how well we know our church but we’re pleased to ask yet another question—How well do we know our faith?

Well, we’re excited to tell you that our newest newsletter feature is Faith Facts: which aims to tell us just how well we know our faith. Our August Faith Facts is courtesy of Russ Christensen. Thank you, Russ, for your contribution!

Are you ready to play?

QUESTION:

In the Lord’s Prayer why do Presbyterians historically use “debts” instead of “sins” or “trespasses”?

A) Presbyterians always did it this way. Using “trespasses” and “trespass” were too Catholic. 

B) In the 1500’s when the Bible was translated by John Calvin and John Knox, blue collar, working class people could relate to the word “debts” and “debtors” more than “trespass” and “trespasses”.

C) The Anglican Church of England used “trespass” and “trespasses”. John Knox of Scotland preferred to use “debts” and “debtors” to maintain a sort of separation between England and the Anglican Church and that of Scotland and the Presbyterian Church.

D) All the above

D) All the above

Did you guess correct, or did you learn something new?

Thanks for playing!

If you have Presbyterian faith facts to share, please contact Pastor Katie at kestes@firstpresgreenbay.org and become a contributor to an upcoming Faith Facts:

Worship Service July 23, 2023

Cheri Simonet

This week we welcome Pastor Nancy Zorn Micke to the pulpit as guest preacher while Pastor Katie (and 13 others from our congregation) are at Synod School in Storm Lake, Iowa. Our scripture focus is Matthew 13: 24-30, 36-43 https://bit.ly/3O2lQ49 and the sermon will be “Weeds or Wheat—Pick One”

Worship Service July 16, 2023

Cheri Simonet

On Sunday July 16th we are privileged to ordain and install new deacons and elders for this congregation, and pleased that Bruce Deadman will provide special music on the euphonium for the service. Our scripture focus will be Romans 8: 1-11 https://bit.ly/43p7tfR and Pastor Katie will reflect on the question “What Will You Do?”

July 11, 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!

What year were furnaces installed to heat the church parlors?

1900

1914

1918

Answer:

On October 14, 1914 the Trustees minutes reflect that it was moved and seconded by Mr. DeForest and Mrs. Wilcox that the Brotherhood of the church be given the privilege of installing a furnace to heat the church parlors. The motion carried.

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 July 9, 2023

Cheri Simonet

“Come to me, all you who that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Jesus’ words from Matthew 11: 25-30 https://bit.ly/3rkcQQc will focus our attention on the scriptural mandate to rest in these lazy days of summer, while Pastor Katie’s meditation “If the Yoke Fits” will help unpack a way to do it together as the family of faith.

Worship Service July 2, 2023

Cheri Simonet

On this holiday weekend we will celebrate the sacrament of communion by intinction (dipping the bread into the cup) and focus on Psalm 63: 1-8 https://bit.ly/43XGfxQ and Matthew 10: 40-42 https://bit.ly/44k5uKw. Pastor Katie will reflect on “Overflowing Hospitality” and there will be a special gift for each person present in worship!

July 2023 Rundown

Cheri Simonet
Monthly Rundown

Church Chix Socials

The Chix had an amazing June social, dining at the Ten-O-One Club. There were 10 Chix in attendance and while service was slow, the food was delicisou! Our July social is planned for Thursday, July 6th at 6pm. We’ll dine at the Cheesesteak Rebellion located at 1301 S. Broadway. To RSVP email office@firstpresgreenbay.org or there’s a sign up sheet on the bulletin board. Hope to see you then!

Softball Stats

We ended our 2022 Season as the Division Champions so we were moved up to the highest Division in the League for 2023. Although last season we knocked it out of the park, with our new Division placement we haven’t prevailed as often as we’d have liked with more losses than wins so far this year but we’re not going to let that get us down. Thank you to all who’ve come out to support our team on game day and for those who haven’t made it yet, please check out the schedule on the bulletin board and join us for an upcoming game. Hope to see you at the ballpark!

Outdoor Worship & Potluck Picnic

We had a spectacular Sunday for our outdoor worship service on June 18 and are grateful to the more than 50 people who attended. The orientation was turned around this year so that more people could set up chairs on the sidewalk and avoid the uneven grass. It also allowed us to see how many cars drove by on Ashland Ave and waved or honked as they noticed us! Fourteen members assisted with the story sermon about the Sower and the Seeds or ushered, read scripture, and sang for the service. Then we all joined together inside for a great picnic lunch. Let’s do it again in August!

Ginney Amen’s Celebration of Life

A celebration of our beloved Ginney Amen’s life was held on the occasion of what would have been her 104th birthday on June 9 at Lyndahl Funeral Home. While we were all sad not to have the opportunity to celebrate her here at her church, many members attended the visitation with her family and plenty of stories were shared. Ginney has completed her baptism and lives on in her heavenly home, thanks be to God!

Congregational Meeting

A congregational meeting was held on June 11 following worship to elect new deacons and elders. We also approved revisions to the Bylaws of the church, bringing them up to date regarding sizes of the boards, number of congregational meetings to be held each year, and other details. The updated bylaws are available for anyone to read—please contact the church office for a copy.

Gestures of Generosity, July 2023

Cheri Simonet
Gestures of Generosity

Thank you for your Gesture!

We are blessed with so much generosity in our family of faith that it is hard to recognize it all!

In the past month the church has received special gifts from members to help pay for the new softball jerseys our team wears, a very generous contribution to help cover the cost of the new server for the computer system in the office, and several very helpful gifts to the Emergency Assistance fund that allows us to purchase gas cards and provide rent assistance to those in need.

The Outreach Committee reports that our response to the Pentecost offering, one of the four annual special offerings we receive for the PC(USA), was the largest in recent years by a huge margin!

This offering is divided, with 60% going to denominational programs that support children and youth especially, and 40% remaining in our local community to be given to a program or agency that also supports young people in our midst. The committee decided to divide this portion of the offering between a new YMCA program for children on the autism spectrum and sponsorship of Fly A Kite Fest 2023 with Family and Childcare Resources of N.E.W. That event was held on Saturday, June 24 and celebrated its tenth year. Our church name was included in advertising and flew on a flag at the event grounds. Your generosity to the Pentecost offering allowed us to be generous with both these excellent programs in our community.

Presbyterian Pantry & Brown County United Way
Presbyterian Pantry & Brown County United Way

Also, the Presbyterian Pantry was given thirteen cases of canned veggies from Brown County United Way. This is a gift of their annual campaign to help all the pantries in the area. A special thanks to Sierra who serves as the co-coordinator for this event.

If you have a Gestures of Generosity story to share, please contact Cheri at communications@firstpresgreenbay.org and tell us your story.