Category: Outreach

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

Composing a Legacy Luncheon Workshop

Cheri Simonet
Gestures of Generosity

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.

But what does our call to discipleship say about how we follow Jesus now in our lifetimes and later, after we die?

The Generosity Team is pleased to offer a special luncheon conversation and workshop called “Composing A Legacy” on Sunday, May 7th with Rev. Kyle Nolan, area representative with the Presbyterian Foundation.

This workshop is appropriate for all adults, whether you are thinking about your legacy yet or not! Kyle will provide resources and ideas for how our gifts can impact the ministry of our congregation today and in years to come. Sign up on the bulletin board or call the church office to make your reservation.

Gestures of Generosity, April 2023

Cheri Simonet
Gestures of Generosity

Thank you for your Gesture!

Sometimes the needs are not as focused on monetary donations but on caring people power. A member of our congregation was recently informed that she had to leave her apartment after 29 years of living there, and we all know that moving is a very stressful situation.

Through our Deacons, the word went out that this person needed our help. We were able to set up teams of two and three people at a time to go in and help with sorting, packing and the actual move.

Our deep gratitude goes to Judy Knutzen-Nerad, Judy Exl, Jacki Jensen, Lisa & Dave Solper, Nancy & Dennis Siewert, Becky Christianson, Lyn Early, Linda Christensen, and Pat McCormick for answering this call. Your gestures of generosity are much appreciated!

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

Augusta Jeffrey 2023 Awardee

Cheri Simonet
Augusta W. Jeffrey Rcognition Award

The Augusta Jeffrey Award was established in 2004 by the family of Augusta Jeffrey to recognize a member of First Presbyterian Church for outstanding volunteer efforts and service in our church. Areas of service may include: Mission, Worship, Member Care, Christian Education, Administration, and Evangelism. Nominations are gathered in the month of February every year and the recipient is chosen in March. The recipient receives a gift of $600 from the fund established by the Jeffrey family that is allocated to an area in the church chosen by the awardee.

Augusta Jeffrey 2023 Awardee Donna Jansen

On Sunday March 19, the 2022 Augusta Jeffrey Award was presented to Donna Jansen. She has been an exemplary volunteer over the years of her church membership, including serving as Elder, Deacon, Sunday School teacher, Reader, Chair of the Spring Craft Bazaar and Christmas Bazaar, President of the Women’s Circle, Crib Room Coordinator, and more.

Donna was an active member of Martha Circle and Esther Circle, represented our church on the CoCare Neighborhood Association Board of Directors for the Fort Howard Apartment Complex, and helped out with their rummage sales, participated in neighborhood walks in the community to invite and inform neighbors about First Presbyterian Church.

In more recent years Donna has remained active volunteering our Presbyterian Pantry, 2 for 2 at the U (UWGB Outreach meal), as chair of the Funeral Committee, and collecting travel-size hygiene and toiletry items for shelter residents.

Congratulations, Donna!

Gestures of Generosity, March 2023

Cheri Simonet
Gestures of Generosity

Thank you for your Gesture!

A devastating earthquake hit Syria and Turkey last month, causing irreparable damage and the loss of more than 35,000 lives so far.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance was very quickly on the ground with teams to help with rescue, recovery and rebuilding. We included an insert in the bulletin with information on how we could give directly to the cause, and a wonderful gesture of generosity demonstrated how to extend one person’s gifts to much more.

Sue Russell took home that bulletin insert and spent a few days walking door to door in her neighborhood, explaining the effort and soliciting contributions. After just a few hours’ work, she was able to send in a check to PDA for $650. Way to go, Sue!

Thanks for your generous heart!

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