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First Presbyterian Church Sesquicentennial

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150th Anniversary

Celebrating how we got here!!

The 150th Anniversary of our church is May 2, 2026. It’s time to plan our celebrations!! We have set dates for our big event (place to be determined) for Saturday, May 2, 2026 and our celebratory church service on Sunday, May 3, 2026. Please save those dates on your calendar.

We are looking for logo ideas.

  • The logo colors will be gold and black. Ideas for a logo don’t need to be in their final form. We have people who can assist you in bringing your ideas to life either by putting them on paper for you or putting on the finishing touches.
  • Things you might want to include as part of the logo are our church name, dates of the anniversary (1876-2026), 150th Anniversary.
  • The logo needs to be simple and look good in different sizes since it will be used in a variety of ways – invitations, banners, clothing, and much more.
  • Logo ideas need to be submitted to the church office by January 23, 2025 so there will be time to put the finishing touches on your idea. The Steering Committee will make their decision in February.

If you have old pictures or articles about our church’s life and are willing to share them, please let the history committee know. All pictures and articles will be returned to you.

We are very excited about planning for our 150th Anniversary – we have a lot to celebrate. Events are in the works and we would like to have everyone involved in making this a special time of celebration for our church.

150th Anniversary Committees are looking for members, so if you have an interest in a special area, please contact a co-chair.

Sesquicentennial Committees

Worship Service December 15, 2024

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On this third Sunday of Advent, we welcome the Griffon String Quartet to provide special music in worship. Our children will also sing, and Jeff Verkuilen will substitute at the organ. Our From the Manger theme will have us consider how joy comes from the manger. Texts include Isaiah 12: 2-6 https://bit.ly/3PbBJpX and Luke 2: 8-20 https://bit.ly/3ZuCIpW and the sermon title is “Stirring Up Joy.”

Worship Service December 8, 2024

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On this Second Sunday in Advent, we continue our series on what comes From the Manger with a look at Luke 2: 8-16 https://bit.ly/49klVKs and Luke 10: 1-6 https://bit.ly/3OFugPq to discover how PEACE comes. Pastor Katie’s sermon is “The Peace of Christ.”

Worship Service December 1, 2024

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This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent! Our Advent theme has us considering what comes From the Manger: hope, peace, love, and joy. We will light the first candle on our Advent wreath as we look to Luke 2: 1-7 https://bit.ly/3ZoYj46 and see how the birth of the Savior brings hope to a weary world.

Thanksgiving Worship Service November 25, 2024

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Please join us for our Thanksgiving Worship Service when we celebrate with members of First United Presbyterian in DePere and Wequiock Presbyterian. With members from each church we have a full choir of 22 singers.

December 2024 Rundown

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Monthly Rundown

Commitment Sunday Dinner

What a glorious Sunday to IMAGINE our future together! November 10 was our Generosity Commitment Sunday and we had a grand time. Jesse Nummelin of the Griffon Strings blessed us with special cello pieces and many pledges for the 2025 budget were submitted. Everyone enjoyed a delicious pork loin dinner in Banner Hall that was catered by Renard’s, and Jane Bies’ cupcakes were better than ever. Thanks to all!

Thanksgiving Worship Service & Dinner Celebration

Thanksgiving worship on Monday, November 25th was a wonderful chance to gather with members and friends from this church and First United Presbyterian in DePere and Wequiock Presbyterian. We had 83 people in attendance and a full choir of 22 singers, and we enjoyed a beautiful piece by the handbell choir from DePere as well. Apple, pumpkin, and pecan pies were featured during our time of fellowship.

Confirmation Sunday

Confirmation Sunday was a joyful celebration on November 24th with four young people confirming the faith into which their parents baptized them. We welcome Maame Yaa Berko, Alaina Erickson, Vic Jimenez, and Elliott Stenson as full members of the church. Cupcakes were enjoyed following the service—thanks, Jane!

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!

2024 Advent Workshop

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Advent Workshop

Sunday, December 1st

“Advent” means coming or arrival. Rather than just waiting for Christmas to get here, we use the season of Advent to prepare for Christ’s coming. Advent begins this year on Sunday, December 1st and we will kick off the season with our annual Advent workshop following worship.

Open to all ages, this event will feature crafts, activities, and Kevin’s famous chili lunch. Brenda has designed some great crafts once again, including reindeer ornaments and Loni has an aroma therapy potpourri project for us to create. And of course, as always, we’ll have Loni’s cut-out cookies to decorate (and eat!).

New this year is a reverse Advent calendar. With this project we’ll provide you with a list of items and a box. For each day of Advent you’ll place an item from the list in the box and by Christmas you’ll have a full box of items that include dried and canned goods, hygiene items and cleaning supplies that you can then donate to a local pantry, homeless shelter or other organization that helps members of the community that are in need and less fortunate than ourselves. We believe that it’ll prove to be a very enriching experience for everyone.

Please join us for this all-church celebration.

2024 Season of Advent

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Season of Advent 2024

Our theme for this year’s 2024 season of Advent is From the Manger.

Hunger is a universal human experience, drawing attention to our most basic needs for food and nourishment and our more complex needs—peace, liberation, and meaning in this life. So, it’s no wonder the story of Jesus—the one who came to feed the hungry—begins, ends, and centers around food.

From the Manger gathers around the birth story in Luke 2, embracing the playful symbolism of a newborn Jesus being laid down to sleep in a feeding trough in a town called “House of Bread”. Beginning Advent with the birth of Jesus may feel a bit unconventional, but we hope this liturgical dissonance will invite you to reflect on the life-sustaining hope, peace, joy, and love Jesus brings and notice how the baby born in a bread town continues to feed a hungry world today.

Christmas Eve 2024

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Christmas Eve

Our Christmas Eve worship service will be held at 6:00pm on Tuesday, December 24th in the sanctuary.

Adult and children’s choirs will sing, the children’s message will be an extended story time, and familiar carols will be sung. Bring your family and friends to celebrate this special evening together.

2024 Blue Christmas

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Blue Christmas

Thursday, December 12th at 6pm

For any of us who have experienced loss or are in the midst of struggles, the holidays can be a particularly painful time, stirring up grief in acute ways. As a result, churches of every denomination and style have adopted the practice of a “Blue Christmas” service. We continue this tradition with a Blue Christmas service on Thursday, December 12th at 6:00pm in the sanctuary.

This time of worship is designed to provide space for prayer, reflection, and remembrance in the midst of the holiday hustle and bustle. It will include special music, candle lighting, and the sacrament of holy communion.

All are welcome to join us for this contemplative service of worship. A dessert reception will follow in the Fellowship Room. Invite a friend or neighbor!