Category: Children

World Communion Sunday and Global Foods Potluck

Cheri Simonet
World Communion Sunday

Sunday – October 1, 2023

This Sunday we will join Christian churches all over the world to celebrate World Communion Sunday as we gather at Christ’s table for the sacrament.

Following worship that day, all are invited to continue the celebration at a global foods-themed potluck in the Fellowship Room.

Plan to try out a new recipe or bring a favorite from your own ethnic background, but the point is to have a wide variety of foods from around the world as our lunch together.

All items should be labelled with ingredients listed, and we’ll enjoy fellowship around the tables as we sample foods we may have never tasted before!

Please join us!

Trunk-or-Treat 2023

Cheri Simonet

Has your neighborhood ‘aged out’ of trick-or-treating? Do you buy too much candy and then get stuck eating it all on your own? Or, are you happy enough to turn off your lights and hide in the basement on Halloween?

We have a deal for you!

It’s time for our 2nd annual Trunk-or-Treat when we seek to meet our neighbors and community where they are.

Trunk-or-Treat will happen in our church parking lot from

4:00—5:00 pm on Sunday, October 29th

The trunks of our cars will be open and decorated for the Halloween season, parked around the perimeter of the lot. Each car needs to be hosted by its owner. Children of this church and those from the neighborhood are invited to come trick-or-treat at our trunks, moving from one car to the next collecting treats and perhaps play a game or otherwise interact with each trunk host.

Sounds like fun, right? Now we need the trunks to make it happen!

With your trunk open and your heart wide, please volunteer to join us!

To participate, sign up on the bulletin board or call the church office at 920-437-8121 or email office@firstpresgreenbay.org to get on the list.

Check out a few trunks from our 2022 Trunk-or-Treat!

  • Trunk-or-Treat 2022
  • Trunk-or-Treat 2022
  • Trunk-or-Treat 2022

Outdoor Worship and Ice Cream Social

Cheri Simonet
Outdoor Worship

September 10, 2023

“Back to school” sales are in full force and that means it is time for us all to come back to church after summer vacations and breaks! We celebrate the beginning of this new program year with a fun and casual outdoor worship on Sunday, September 10th at 10:00 am (weather permitting) on the front lawn. Bring your own chair or sit in one we’ve set up on the sidewalk—please don’t let navigating the grass keep you away.

Our worship service will feature a playful re-telling of the creation story and a special blessing of backpacks for all those headed back to school. If you are a student of any age, a teacher or administrator or helper in a school setting of any kind, please bring your backpack or other school bag on this day to receive a blessing including a special keychain to add to your bag. Let’s see how many backpacks and bags we can bless this year!

Following worship, we welcome everyone into the Fellowship Room for an ice cream social featuring dipped ice cream with all the toppings—plan to build your own sundae. This is a perfect day to bring a friend or neighbor or grandchild to worship, so please join us!

Sunday School Begins September 17, 2023

Cheri Simonet
Sunday School

It’s back-to-school and back to Sunday School, too!

Sunday school class for preschool through fifth grade children begins on Sunday, September 17th. We leave the worship service at the conclusion of the children’s message and head upstairs to rooms 204/206 for a Bible story, lesson, craft or project, and prayer. All are welcome—bring a friend along!

This fall we are using a brand new curriculum from Illustrated Ministry that is based on the lectionary, the same scriptures we will hear in worship most weeks. The lessons feature a brief video Bible story, discussion and sharing, a coloring sheet and more. Easy to teach and easy to adjust for the ages and size of group, we are excited to try this new program. If you might be willing to teach a week or a month or more, please contact Joel Morien at ce@firstpresgreenbay.org or call (920) 437-8121.

Feed My Starving Children MobilePack 2023

Cheri Simonet
Feed My Starving Children. Blue letters with white background

October 2nd through October 5th

Are you ready to have some fun, and make a difference at the same time?

Then plan to volunteer for the 2023 Feed My Starving Children MobilePack event in Green Bay!

The MobilePack will be held Monday, October 2nd through Thursday, October 5th. This year’s event will continue to be held at Green Bay Community Church, and is open to everyone – young and old alike.

There are 8 different packing shifts to volunteer and we have reservations for our congregation on the 6 shifts which are indicated below.

FMSC 2023 packing schedule

Registration opened Sunday, August 27th. The FMSC registration sign up sheet can be found in the office during the week and in the back of the sanctuary on Sunday or Register Online. Spots fill quickly! Register early to get your desired time.

If you’re unable to register online or visit church to register in person, please contact us at office@firstpresgreenbay.org or call (920) 437-8121 with the day and time you’d like to sign up for and we’ll take care of the registration for you.

If you haven’t packed or volunteered before, this is the year to see what all the excitement is about. Please consider helping in this great cause. For more information or questions, please contact Kirke Ryder at kirke.ryder@gmail.com.

And, please prayerfully consider a donation to FMSC through our church. Simply select FMSC in the drop down menu in Give Now section of our website or note FMSC on your check.

For every person packing we’re hoping to receive a $60 donation.

Please help us reach our goal of $60/packer.

Why are we looking for a $60 donation for every packer from our congregation?

To pack a half million meals (500,000) we have to raise $145,000 because every meal we pack is at the cost of 29 cents each. If everyone who came to pack had someone donate $60 on their behalf, we’d cover the cost of the food purchased that a volunteer is going to pack. Without that donation we rely 100% on fundraisers and despite the number of fundraisers we have, there’s always a shortfall to cover the cost of the food that we’re packing. Please consider sponsoring one of our First Presbyterian volunteer packers and donate $60 to cover the cost for what they’ll be packing.

Thank you for your support!

United Church Camps Outdoor Ministry—2023 Summer Youth Camps

Cheri Simonet
United Church Camps logo

July 2nd thru August 16th

UCCI youth camps take place at Daycholah Center on Green Lake. Week-long youth camps for those in Pre-K through 12th grade run from Sunday through Friday. Activities and adventures include traditional camp activities like campfires, time in/on the water, arts and crafts, games, and delicious meals. Each week of programming also sets aside some time to explore the unique and special interests of the individual. Our team is ready to answer your questions and help you with registration. Email us at daycholahcenter@ucci.org.

Program Descriptions and Ages:

& Me is a shorter camp experience for young campers along with an adult they love. K-2nd graders are welcome to bring their special adult and spend time doing their favorite camp activities. There will be swimming, kayaking, arts & crafts, archery and more! Recognizing that all children develop at their own pace, there is a session for preschoolers (ages 4-6) and a “One More Time” session for 3rd-4th graders. Programming is planned by age and allows for plenty of one-on-one and exploration time.

Tenderfoot is for young, overnight campers. This 4-day, 3-night camp introduces campers to all thefun activities at camp: swimming, boating, archery, crawfishing, arts & crafts, and an early morning favorite–the polar bear swim. This is a great experience for campers who are not ready to take on a full week but want to experience cabin life for the first time! Grades 2-3

NEW! DC Elements Summer Camp
Join us for the timeless, all-around adventure of summer camp! Enjoy a week of swimming, boating, target sports, campfires, singing camp songs, all-camp evening programs, arts & crafts, sleeping in cabins, games, and cooking over the fire. Campers will be grouped by age. Young campers will focus on building friendships, connecting with nature, and having fun! Older campers will do the same while working together to plan their daily activities. The theme for DC Elements will be based on “The Fruits of the Spirit” curriculum. Grades 3-12

Enthusiasts can go deep into a special interest and activity. Con, Night Owl, and Sailing, each offer an immersive experience along with traditional camp activities. Detailed descriptions can be found on our website. Grades 7-12

Juniors in Leadership develop group dynamics as well as problem-solving and camping skills found in future staff. Campers spend one week learning and another week volunteering. Ages 17-18

SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE!

For more information, contact our Director of Children, Youth, and Families, Joel Morien, by calling (920) 437-8121 or email ce@firstpresgreenbay.org.

Check out the camp schedule dates below!

United Church 2023 Summer Camps

2023 Vacation Bible School

Cheri Simonet
VBS Ready-Set-Move

August 7 – 10, 2023

The Christian Education Committee is excited to begin preparations for our 2023 Vacation Bible School! Our theme this year is Ready, Set, Move! Follow Jesus Here, There and Everywhere!

Ready, Set, Move Vacation Bible School will inspire kids to: DO What He Says, BELIEVE Who He is, LOVE Who He loves, SHARE What he did, and GO where He leads.

Bible School is led by members of our CE Committee and is open to children aged 4 through those who have completed fifth grade. Older children and youth are welcome to participate as volunteers.

This year we have four fun-filled evenings planned from August 7 through 10. We ask that children are dropped off shortly before 5:30 so our light meal can begin at 5:30, and our evening ends with class concluding at 7:30.

This is an excellent opportunity for friends, neighbors, cousins, and grandchildren. Please spread the word to members and non-members alike, the more the merrier!

Registration is online only.

REGISTER NOW!

To volunteer or for questions please contact our Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministries, Joel Morien, at (920) 437-8121 or ce@firstpresgreenbay.org.

We look forward to seeing the children at VBS in August!

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!

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.

April 2023 Rundown

Cheri Simonet
Monthly Rundown

2—4—2 @ the U

Thank you to all who helped make 2-4-2 @ the U happen! We served 22 kids plus workers and all were happy. The menu was homemade chili (vegetarian too!) with all the fixings along with wonderful desserts. The kids were appreciative about everything. Thank you again for your support!

Dear Souper Bowl Makers and Tasters

The Outreach Committee would like to extend a thank you to all for the Souper Bowl Sunday! The Pantry appreciates your gift and thanks to your contributions raised we’re giving each Pantry family a ham for Easter. Blessings to all who helped us succeed in giving our folks a beautiful Easter dinner!