Category: Adults

Congregational Meeting – June 11, 2023

Cheri Simonet
Congregational Meeting

The Session of First Presbyterian Church has called a meeting of the congregation for Sunday, June 11th immediately following the worship service.

The purpose of this meeting is to hear a report from the Nominating Committee and elect new elders and deacons to serve the church, and to approve changes to the By-laws.

The By-laws have been thoroughly reviewed and updated to reflect our current practices and future needs by a small task force of the Session and will be presented for discussion and approval at this meeting.

Gestures of Generosity, June 2023

Cheri Simonet
Gestures of Generosity

Thank you for your Gesture!

It was a wonderful turnout and a delightful time to learn and share together in early May when the Generosity Team hosted The Rev. Kyle Nolan of the Presbyterian Foundation for our Legacy luncheon workshop. Thanks to all who attended and helped focus our attention on how to give in new and different ways to our church.

One attendee was inspired to go directly to their bank the next day and set up a special account that will come straight to the church upon their death. This is a restricted account that was opened with a particular amount of money, but can be added to over the years. What a gesture of generosity!

Other attendees liked the presenter’s suggestion that one way to think about leaving a legacy when dividing your estate is to consider the church as another “child.” This couple has three adult children among whom the estate will be divided—but as they are all doing fine for themselves, they’ve decided to add the church as a fourth recipient and let the kids know about the new plan. Again, a wonderful gesture of generosity!

We all took away a new understanding of the importance to our congregation of legacy gifts—how they have sustained us in the past, continue to do so today, and will provide for a long and healthy future for this church. The amount of your legacy gift doesn’t matter so much as the heart with which it is given: your generosity demonstrates your faith today and tomorrow as well.

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

Church Chix Gather June 1, 2023

Cheri Simonet
Church Chix

Please join us, women of all ages, for our June Church Chix Social on Thursday, June 1st!

Our dinner reservation is for 6:00pm at the Ten-O-One Club located at 1001 Main Street.

Some Chix like to meet up for a cocktail the hour before dinner so that’s an option and before our evening wraps up, we’ll decide where next month’s dinner will be, trying our best to alternate the east side of town with the west side of town. There’s no monthly commitment required – join us when you can.

To attend, you can email an RSVP to office@firstpresgreenbay.org or there’s a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board.

For more information, please contact Linda Michael at lindan9woa@gmail.com or by calling 920-347-0261.

So, if you haven’t already RSVP’d, do it today and join the Church Chix June social for a great night of laughter that’s sure to be memorable!

Letter Carriers Food Drive 2023

Cheri Simonet
Letter Carriers Food Drive

The Letter Carriers food drive is on Saturday – May 13, 2023. We need to supply two individuals to help out at the Cofrin post office that day (this is very important, as if we don’t provide people, we will not be able to participate in the food drive next year).

You can either help at 9:00 a.m. by being given a route to pick up food on, or at 2:30 p.m. by loading bags into totes.

We are also in need of people to help at church at 3:00 p.m. that day by unloading, sorting, and putting away the food that our Presbyterian Pantry receives.

Please contact Gene Stenson at 920-241-4370 if you are able to help. Thank you in advance for your Gesture of Generosity!

May, 2023 – Composing a Legacy Workshop

Cheri Simonet
Gestures of Generosity

How do we tell the story of God’s grace and love—not just today, but for generations to come?

We have been blessed with many special gifts and estates over the years of our history in this church, and our endowment provides a great support to who we are and what we can do together in the kingdom.

We have set aside Sunday – May 7, 2023 as a time to focus our attention and intentions on legacy giving, from wills and bequests to life income plans that will benefit this church for generations to come.

The Rev. Kyle Nolan, a Ministry Relations Officer for the Presbyterian Foundation, will be with us on that day to preach and lead a workshop after the 10 am worship service offering tools to help us craft our faith legacy. He will cover topics including donor advised funds, charitable trusts, retirement accounts and more.

A luncheon will be served following the Fellowship coffee hour for all who wish to attend this workshop—please make your reservation by signing up on the bulletin board or calling the church office at (920) 437-8121 by May 4, 2023.

Pentecost Party: Happy Birthday to the Church!

Cheri Simonet
Pentecost Sunday

Sunday – May 28, 2023

The Festival of Pentecost is probably the least-known of all the church holy days. It occurs 50 days after Easter, marking the arrival of the promised Holy Spirit.

Will there be gusts of wind, flames dancing over our heads, doves descending from on high, unknown languages emanating from our mouths? Who knows?! What we do know for sure is that Pentecost has become known as the official birthday of the Church, the time when the disciples and others understood their charge to go out and preach, teach, heal and make disciples of all nations.

So we’re going to have a birthday party! Join us on Sunday, May 28th in worship at 10 a.m. and following worship during the fellowship hour for a grand birthday party.

All are welcome—no presents, just your presence!

New Bible Study begins in May, 2023

Cheri Simonet
Bible Study

The Bible looms large over our culture. It has been the impetus for both much good and much terror. Most of us learned certain Bible stories as children and may not have moved on from those teachings or understandings.

Think about the story of Noah and the flood, or Jonah and the whale, or the sacrifice of Isaac—they all were probably part of the formation of your concept of God. Then think about Zacchaeus up in the tree, or some of the tricky parables, or all the healing miracles—those were probably part of the formation of your concept of Jesus. But might we read those stories through a different lens now, as adults?

Bible Stories for Grown-Ups: Reading Scripture with New Eyes by Josh Scott is our new six-week Bible study which begins on Wednesday May 3 and Thursday May 4. Come join us for this six-week study if you are ready to consider how to take these stories seriously but not literally.

Groups meet on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. online over Zoom, or Thursday mornings at 11 a.m. in person at the church. No matter how much you know or don’t know, you are welcome to join us in prayer and study together! To purchase a book for $10, contact Pastor Katie at (920) 437-8121 or email kestes@firstpresgreenbay.org.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Cheri Simonet
Mental Health Awareness Month

The PC(USA) Store has resources for children and adults.

For information on mental illness contact the National Alliance on Mental Illness. NAMI provides advocacy, education, support and public awareness so that all individuals and families affected by mental illness can build better lives.

The NAMI HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., ET.

Call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), text “HelpLine” to 62640 or email at helpline@nami.org.

In an emergency dial 911. Ask the operator for police officers trained in crisis intervention or trained to assist people experiencing a psychiatric emergency.

988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline – 24/7 free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Dial or text 988.

Crisis Text Line  – Text HOME to 741-741
Connect with a trained crisis counselor to receive free, 24/7 crisis support via text message.

Gestures of Generosity, May 2023

Cheri Simonet
Gestures of Generosity

Thank you for your Gesture!

We are still basking in the glow of a spectacular Holy Week and Easter celebration, and it took a village to make it all happen. From Palm Sunday to Maundy Thursday and Good Friday to Easter morning, we had worship, music, food, fellowship, scripture, prayer, and praise together.

We are grateful for the generosity of all who made it happen: Mary Steeno and Amy Wittman for leading the children’s choir, the folks who put together our second-annual Palm Sunday brunch, the Worship Committee who hosted dinner and foot-washing and a lovely Last Supper on Maundy Thursday, the faithful few who came on Good Friday to walk through meditation stations and consider the sacrifice of Jesus, Patcee Bucher and Jane Bies who picked up and arranged 42 pots of Easter flowers for display on Easter morning, Becky Christianson who made beautiful bows for each pot, all those who donated the flowers, Tom Schoffelman and Andy Parks who pulled together our Easter choir, and all who sang. Thanks be to God for each one!

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

Church Chix Gather May 4, 2023

Cheri Simonet
Church Chix

Please join us, women of all ages, for our May Church Chix Social on Thursday, May 4th!

Our dinner reservation is for 6:00pm at Cheesesteak Rebellion located at 1301 S. Broadway Avenue.

Some Chix like to meet up for a cocktail the hour before dinner so that’s an option and before our evening wraps up, we’ll decide where next month’s dinner will be, trying our best to alternate the east side of town with the west side of town. There’s no monthly commitment required – join us when you can.

To attend, you can email an RSVP to office@firstpresgreenbay.org or there’s a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board.

For more information, please contact Linda Michael at lindan9woa@gmail.com or by calling 920-347-0261.

So, if you haven’t already RSVP’d, do it today and join the Church Chix May social for a great night of laughter that’s sure to be memorable!