Next Sunday, January 10/Communion/
First Sunday after Epiphany/Baptismal Renewal
10:00 am Worship online
Our thanks to Rev. Marc Blakesley for leading our worship this morning while Pastor Jill is out of the office until next Sunday, January 10. Marc is on call for pastoral emergencies and he may be reached at 6 1 2 3 2 5-1 4 6 7.
“Tree of Lights:” The Missions Committee is so grateful for your amazing generosity in supporting our ”Tree of Lights” project for this season. We have received more than $2,185 so far!! We will continue to take donations until January 12th. Please get donations to the Church by that date with the notation, “Tree of Lights.” After that date, the Missions Committee will notify local businesses of the amount of meat needed to fill about 250 food bags for the January 28 United Way Food Drop. We will also include a note in the grocery bags that this gift is from the members and friends of First Congregational United Church of Christ in Alexandria. We can use volunteers to help on January 28 during the food drop. Please contact Barb Brown if interested in helping. They are asking us to commit to a 2-hour shift. Thank you again for your generous giving.-Missions Committee
Our Missions Committee is also reminding us of the annual Conference campaign, ”Christmas Fund,” which provides emergency support for our retired UCC Clergy. Please indicate on your check “for Christmas Fund.” Thank you for your generosity.
Prayer Connection is on a brief sabbatical until Monday, January 11, when Pastor Jill returns. During this interim,
please continue your prayers for each other and perhaps make some telephone contacts or have your own face-time session with the people who make your life special.
We have online giving available on the Church website: www.firstcongregationaluccalex.com. Click on the “give” button to give directly. Or you can text the word “Give”
to 1-(844) 913-1752. We have several folks who have been taking advantage of this means to support the Church they love. Thank you for your generous and ongoing support!
Status of Giving: A statement of your Church giving to date can be prepared at any time. Just contact the Church office!
Stewardship reminder: It’s not too late to turn in your pledge for 2021. It will greatly help with creating the Church Budget for the coming year. Thank you!
We have the following birthday coming up:
January 11: Randy Sukovich
We are excited to share your special days with everyone, and we have been compiling a list of dates so we can all celebrate together. We hope to hear from more of you!
Please note: We will close the financial books for 2020 very soon. If you wish to have your gift recorded for 2020, please send it to the Church before next Sunday, January 10, with a notation that it is intended for the year 2020. Otherwise, we will credit your giving statement with the gift for 2021. Thank you so much for your faithful support in this very “different” year.
THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN JANUARY
Our worship service on Sunday, January 10, will be a renewal of baptism. Please have a bowl of water handy when you join us on YouTube that morning.
Pastor Jill is offering a weekly Virtual Coffee time on ZOOM beginning Wednesday, January 13, at 2:00 pm.
It’s a BYOC (bring-your-own-cup) event; no agenda, just a chance to “catch up.”
To connect to Zoom, click the following link—https://zoom.us/j/9990015170 Meeting ID: 999 001 5170 or to Dial in, call: +1 312 626 6799 (audio only)
Thursday, January 14, is another opportunity to go for a walk outdoors with Joy and the Board of Spiritual Life. Meet at the west door of the Church at 10:00 am unless it’s a very cold wind chill, icy, or snowing.
Sunday, January 17 – Annual Financial Meeting on Zoom
when the finances of the past year will be reviewed and discussed, and the Budget for 2021 will be presented for a vote by the congregation. Connection information will be made available ahead of time for this important meeting.
Thursday, January 28 – is the United Way Food Drop when we will participate by way of our gift of funds collected from the “Tree of Lights” campaign to provide meat/protein for groceries for those in need in our community. Let Barb Brown know if you’d be available that day to help.