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Welcome to The Church of the Open Door. Our door is open to you at whatever point you are in your journey of faith.

Welcome, Visitors! Information about our church and ministries is available on the Welcome Table near the main doors. Standing nearby are church members who will be happy to answer your questions. Interested in joining the church? Our next Membership Exploration will be January 18, 9:00 AM–11:30 AM. For the convenience of those who need to leave the Sanctuary during worship, the service is video broadcast in the Chapel, Upper Lounge and Nursery. References to God References to God in traditional prayers, readings, and hymns in our worship may sometimes be gender specific. As we pray and sing together, you are invited to substitute terms that reflect your understanding of the full inclusiveness of the spirit of God.

Children in Worship Childcare for infants and toddlers is available in the Children, Youth and Family Center. The Family Worship Area is open during our worship services for children ages 3-10, unless otherwise noted in the bulletin.

Land Acknowledgement Our church is located on the ancestral homelands of the Menominee Nation. We acknowledge this indigenous community who stewarded this land throughout the generations and pay respect to their elders past and present.

Sensory Boxes First Congregational offers Sensory Boxes for any of our friends on the autism spectrum—adult or child–to use during worship. Please let us know if you or a loved one needs one of these tools.

Donating to First Congregational UCC If you are enrolled in automatic contributions, you may still participate in the weekly offering by submitting a Giving Card, found in the pews. Pledge cards are available in the pews and may be placed in the offering plates at any time.

Online Streaming and Podcasting Now Available! Audio and video recordings of our sermons and a written transcript are accessible from www.firstcongoappleton.org/sermons. You can watch a live stream of First Congo services on YouTube at tinyurl.com/ybtlv9c6 or on Facebook at tinyurl.com/yayd8cud.

Online Documents and Information Official documents of First Congregational and links to announcements, news and other information reside on our website: www.firstcongoappleton.org.

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December 8 Highlights at First Congregational TODAY Masterworks in Worship: Vivaldi’s Gloria TODAY: Family Worship Area not available TODAY: Poinsettia Sunday ................................................................ p. 14 TODAY: Back Bay Mission Shrimp Sale ........................................... p. 19 December 11/18: Rehearsals for Christmas Eve Choir 9 PM Service ............ p. 18 December 12: Advent Service of Remembrance and Hope ....................... p. 18 December 15 No Church School ................................................................ p. 16 December 15: Children’s Christmas Pageant in Worship December 15: Fox Valley Flute Choir Concert – 4:00 PM ......................... p. 18

Flowers Cindi Ritcey Fox designed this morning’s sanctuary flower arrangement. Communion We celebrate communion the first Sunday of each month. Our communion elements are gluten-free; however, they are made in a facility that also processes wheat products. Baptism Our next scheduled Baptism Sundays are December 15, January 12 and February 9. If you would like to be baptized or have a child baptized, please request a baptism registration form from the church office or download and print one from www.firstcongoappleton.org/worship/baptism. Please return baptism registration forms to the church office a month ahead of your desired baptism date.

Members in Service This Week Friday, December 6 9:00 AM Bulletin Assemblers Pat Hirby, Cathy Houst Sunday, December 8 8:45 AM 10:30 AM Main Door Greeter Sharrie Robinson Bridge Greeters Welcome Desk Gordon and Marjorie Berg Lay Readers No Lay Readers needed No Lay Readers needed Usher Team Captains Rick and Sue Detienne Rick Behm Multi-Media—audio Tim Hanna Mark Mauthe Multi-Media—video Shannon Glenn Sue Mauthe

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THE ORDER OF WORSHIP SECCOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT / MUSIC SUNDAY

December 8, 2019 8:45 and 10:30 AM Rev. Dr. Stephen P. Savides, Senior Pastor

Rev. Nicholas J. Hatch, Pastor for Youth and Family Ministries Rev. Kathryn Kuhn, Pastor for Congregational Care and Missions

PRELUDE Allegro from Sonata in D major (G.1) Guiseppe Torelli (1658–1709)

John Daniel, trumpet, and orchestra

(Please sign the registration form on the end of the pew, pass it down the row, and then return it, that all may know the names of those sharing in worship today. Prayer request cards are collected at the ends of the pews as well.)

STEWARDSHIP MOMENT

*WELCOME AND GREETING

*CALL TO WORSHIP “In December Darkness” by Ann Weems Leader: The whole world waits in December darkness For a glimpse of the Light of God. People: Even those who snarl “Humbug!” and chase away the carolers have been seen looking toward the skies. Leader: The one who declared he never would forgive has forgiven, People: and those who left home have returned, Leader: and even wars are halted, if briefly, as the whole world looks starward. People: In the December darkness we peer from our windows Leader: watching for an angel with rainbow wings All: to announce the Hope of the World.

*PROCESSIONAL CAROL (see bulletin p. 8) Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus HYFRYDOL

LIGHTING OF THE SECOND ADVENT CANDLE – PEACE Katie McGuire and Ryan Smith (8:45 AM); Faye Binsfeld (10:30 AM)

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INTRODUCTORY SENTENCES

READING OF SCRIPTURE Isaiah 9:6-7 (OT, p. 638)

LIGHTING OF THE CANDLE

UNISON PRAYER

Eternal God, we thank you that through all the years you have given peace to your people. Help us to have your peace in our lives. We pray that, in this Advent season, we may, by what we do, show your presence to the sick, to the hungry, and to the lonely, so that they too may have peace. Amen.

SUNG RESPONSE (Sung by ALL)

A Candle Is Burning AWAY IN A MANGER

A candle is burning, a candle of peace, A candle to signal that conflict may cease. For Jesus is coming to show us the way,

A message of peace humbly laid in the hay. A Candle Is Burning, Words © 1986 Sandra Dean, Hymn 6 from Voices United: The Hymn and Worship Book of The

United Church of Canada, United Church Publishing House, 1996, Used with permission.

CHILDREN’S SERMON (8:45 AM) (During the hymn, the prayer request cards will be collected. After the Children’s Sermon, the children will follow their teachers to Church School at 8:45 AM. Due to the need for additional space for musicians for our annual Masterworks in Worship, the Family Worship Area is not available today).

GATHERING OF JOYS AND CONCERNS Leader: The Lord be with you. People: And also with you. Leader: Let us pray.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (In unison) Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

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PRESENTATION OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

A MUSICAL OFFERING Andante from Sonata in D major (G.1) Guiseppe Torelli (1658–1709)

*CAROL OF PRAISE #135 Angels We Have Heard on High GLORIA

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION

UNISON PSALTER READING Psalm 29 (OT, p. 621)

BRIEF REFLECTION Rev. Steve Savides ______________________________________________________________________________

MASTERWORKS IN WORSHIP (see notes, p. 12-13) Gloria, RV589 Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) 1. Chorus Gloria in excelsis Deo Glory be to God in the highest

2. Chorus Et in terra pax hominibus bonae And on earth peace to men of goodwill. voluntatis.

3. Duet Emily Richter and Emma Milton, sopranos Laudamus te, Benedicimus te We praise Thee, We bless Thee

Adoramus te, Glorifi camus te We worship Thee, We glorify Thee

4. Chorus Gratias agimus tibi We give thanks to Thee

5. Chorus Propter magnam gloriam tuam. for Thy great glory.

6. Aria Emma Milton/Emily Richter, soprano Domine Deus, Rex coelestis O Lord God, Heavenly King Deus Pater omnipotens: God the Father Almighty:

7. Chorus Domine Fili unigenite Jesu Christe O Lord the only begotten son Jesus Christ

8. Aria Bea McManus/Sammi Block, mezzo-soprano (and Chorus) Domine Deus, Agnus Dei O Lord God, Lamb of God

Filius Patris: Son of the Father:

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9. Chorus Qui tollis peccata mundi Thou that takest away the sins of the world Miserere nobis. Have mercy upon us. Qui tollis peccata mundi Thou that takest away the sins of the world Suscipe deprecationem nostram. Receive our prayer.

10. Aria Karen Leigh-Post, mezzo-soprano Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris Thou that sittest at the right hand of the Father Miserere nobis. Have mercy upon us.

11. Chorus Quoniam tu solus sanctus For Thou only art holy Tu solus Dominus Thou only art the Lord Tu solus altissimus Jesu Christe Thou only art most high Jesus Christ

12. Chorus Cum Sancto Spiritu With the Holy Ghost In gloria Dei Patris. Amen. In the glory of God the Father. Amen.

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CLOSING PRAYER

*CLOSING CAROL #132 O Come, All Ye Faithful ADESTE FIDELES arr. Willcocks *BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE Angels We Have Heard on High GLORIA

arr. Timothy Albrecht TODAY’S MUSICIANS Jon Peterson, guest organist John Daniel, trumpet soloist John M. Albrecht, Director for Music Ministries

(see next page)

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Sanctuary Choir 2019-2020:

Soprano Alto Tenor Kristy Albrecht Marilyn Askari Jesse Baumgart Cheryl Benzschawel Sammi Block David Cook Marjorie Berg Cindy Cook Paul Eggen Joni Conrad Ellen Darcourt John Kellogg Kris Glenn Cheryl Foster Preston Parker* Jennifer Gray Brenda Gabrielson Adam Piepenburg Heather Hallett Annette Grunseth Chuck Spanbauer Emma Hamilton Pat Hansen Roger Spindler Elizabeth Keggi Tami Johnson Logan Willis* Gale Korth Hannah Jones* Bernie Wydeven Jennifer Kosloski Karen Leigh-Post Emma Milton* Bea McManus* Bass Bianca Pratte* Elizabeth Melchert Karl Bjornerud Emily Richter* Julie Meyer Daryl Brown Shelley Nulton Max De May Jan Scheibe Pete Ducklow Nancy Stanelle Nick Fahrenkrug* Beth Vercouteren Dave Frederick Phyllis Zeiss Phil Gabrielson Ron Hanson Steve Hirby Joel Jicha Jeff Murphy Max Muter* *LU Music Scholars Tyler Nanstad* Jim Sheetz Skip Wilson Orchestra: Violin I: Janet Sutter, concertmaster;

Greg Austin, Luis Fernandez Cello:

Laura Kenney Henckel David Veum

Violin II: Lori Murphy, Katy Marino Richard, Amir Rosenbaum

Oboe: Bass:

Stuart Sutter Mark Urness

Viola: Matthew Michelic, Laura Vandenburg Burke

Trumpet: Organist:

John Daniel Jon Peterson

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About John Daniel:

John Daniel is an Associate Professor of Trumpet at Lawrence University. He received the Specialist in Music degree from the University of Michigan, Master of Arts in Music from the University of Iowa, and Bachelor of Music from Ball State University.

His primary teachers were David Greenhoe, Richard Giangiulio, and Armando Ghitalla. Mr. Daniel previously held tenured positions at Penn State University and Abilene Christian University. He performs as principal trumpet in the Manitowoc Symphony Orchestra, co-principal trumpet in the Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra and first trumpet in Lawrence Brass. He has played recitals in Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, throughout South Korea, and throughout the United States.

As a jazz musician he performs with the Lawrence University faculty jazz group and has appeared with Lionel Hampton, Bill Watrous, Wycliff Gordon, Marvin Stamm, Vinnie DiMartino, Phil Woods, Ernie Watts, The Nelson Riddle Orchestra and many others. He conducts and solos annually for the West Texas Rehabilitation Center Telethon Orchestra. Mr. Daniel released “A Calling” in 2004, a jazz CD featuring his own compositions and is featured on a 2006 Mark Masters release, “Karel Husa Trumpet Concertos.” The Husa CD was on the entry list to be nominated for a Grammy Award in the category “best solo with orchestra” and “best classical recording.” He has been a member of North America’s finest brass band, The Brass Band of Battle Creek, since 1993 and plays Schilke trumpets, flugelhorn and cornets exclusively. He plays soprano cornet for the Tallgrass Brass Band in Eastern Iowa. In April of 2011, Mr. Daniel self-published a trumpet method, “Special Studies for Trumpet.”

The book represents a lifetime of practicing and teaching the trumpet. It is used by members of major symphony orchestras, leading freelancers in New York and Los Angeles, soloists and college trumpet teachers at major institutions including the Juilliard School. It is available at: johndanieltrumpet.com.

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Upcoming Worship Schedule December 15, 2019 Christmas Pageant Sunday 8:45 and 10:30 AM

Rev. Nick Hatch Music: Church School Christmas Pageant “Unexpected Miracles”; Youth Handbells

Members in Service Next Week Friday, December 13 9:00 AM Bulletin Assemblers Cathy Houst, Phyllis Wallis Sunday, December 15 8:45 AM 10:30 AM Main Door Greeter Cari and Matt Erickson Cari and Matt Erickson Bridge Greeters Kellan Glenn Kellan Glenn Welcome Desk Lay Readers No Lay Readers Needed No Lay Readers Needed Usher Team Captains Rick and Sue Detienne Rick Behm Multi-Media—audio Bob Barlament Rick Behm Multi-Media—video John Aaholm Kris Behm

Church School Schedule – 8:45 AM Please pick up children from the following classrooms today, December 8.

Kindergarten Theater 3rd Grade Theater 1st Grade Theater 4th Grade Theater 2nd Grade Theater 5th/6th Grades Art/Kitchen

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JOYS AND CONCERNS OF OUR FAITH COMMUNITY

Members of our church family benefit from our prayers, support, and words of encouragement as they celebrate special times or struggle with difficulties in their lives. Please keep these people in your prayers and greet them with a loving word when you see them.

If you are in the hospital, please let the church know, as we are not always notified. In cases of a pastoral emergency, please call (920) 810-2600.

Jill Anthony’s sister Jack Arter Katie Behl Judy Burdick, Megan Burdick-Grade’s mother Olive Bopp Alyssa Villarreal Brooks Jeannine Bultman Dick Casperson John Cawthon Lynn Cook Michael, Dick and Kathy Devries’ son-in-law Jim Edwards Margitta Furnner Esther Gehrt Ken Geiger Tom Giese, Lori Dougherty’s father Ivo Geurts Nanette Geurts, and her aunt, Maureen Linda Glancey, Lane Pittner’s mother Mary Guenther Maggie Hendrick Ken Hocking Shirley Hoft, Eilene Hoft-March’s mother Dan Huth Immigrants/refugees seeking a better life Drew Jamison Jean Jepson Ervin Klesmit Our Kenyan partners and students Rick Kramer, Richard Miller’s son-in law Ellie Kraus, Marilyn Askari’s mother Rev. Kathryn Kuhn

Mike Loomis Sandra Marcoe Mike Mathews Carrie Brooks McClory and her triplets Shari Mitchell Sandy Moynihan, Ted Sanderson’s sister Our country’s military around the world Pat Nelson Ellie Olson Families and children of Palestine Ken Rheingans Steve Reinkober, brother of Chris Brittnacher Don Roehrborn Mary Rowland Nick Salonen Jim Schwantes Frank Severin Jake Smasal Amanda Spindler Cole Stoffel All those in need of suicide prevention and

compassionate caregivers James Totzke and his mother, Leah Totzke Beverly Trombla Jean Van Wagenin Linda Uitenbroek, sister of Lyle Van De Hey

and Janice Schmitz Mya Wardle, Brian and Lecia Wardle’s

daughter Ruby Wells Jennifer Wild Gary Wisneski

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THE OPEN DOOR

December 8, 2019 Volume 19, Issue 49

Message from the Music Director Welcome to this morning’s worship and its presentation of Vivaldi’s Gloria, RV 589!

Some background on this work:

Antonio Vivaldi (1678 -1741) composed this Gloria in Venice, probably in 1715, for the choir of the Ospedale Della Pietà, an orphanage for girls. The Ospedale prided itself on the quality of its musical education and the excellence of its choir and orchestra. Vivaldi, a priest, music teacher and virtuoso violinist, composed many sacred works for the Ospedale, where he spent most of his career, as well as hundreds of instrumental concertos to be played by the girls’ orchestra. This, his most famous choral piece, presents the traditional Gloria from the Latin Mass in twelve varied cantata-like sections. The male choristers were most likely drawn from the conservatory’s staff or a neighboring church. The jubilant nature of the Gloria, with its distinctive melodies and rhythms, is characteristic of much of Vivaldi’s music, giving it an immediate and universal appeal. The opening movement is a joyous chorus, with trumpet and oboe obbligato. The extensive orchestral introduction establishes two simple motives, one of octave leaps, the other a quicker, quaver - semiquaver figure, that function as the ritornello. The choir enters in chorale-like fashion, syllabically declaiming the text in regular rhythms, contrasting with the orchestral ritornello, which contains most of the melodic interest of the movement. The B minor Et in terra pax is in nearly every way a contrast to the first movement. It is in triple rather than duple time, in a minor key, and at a slower tempo. Its imitative and expressive chromatic texture evokes the motets of the Renaissance era, the so-called "stile antico". Laudamus te, an energetic duet for two sopranos, gives us some hint of the skill of Vivaldi’s young singers.

Gratias agimus tibi is a very broad and entirely homophonic prelude to a fugal allegro on Propter magnam gloriam. The Largo Domine Deus, Rex coelestis is in the form of duet between the solo soprano and the solo oboe, followed by the joyful F major Domine Fili unigenite chorus in what Vivaldi and his contemporaries would have regarded as the

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'French style'. It is dominated by the dotted rhythms characteristic of a French overture. Domine Deus, Agnus Dei features the mezzo-soprano soloist, with the chorus providing an antiphonal response, qui tollis peccata mundi, to each intercession. The bold harmonies of the following section, Qui tollis, provide a refreshing change of tone color, and complement the intercessional alto aria, Qui sedes ad dextera Patris. The string accompaniment contains references to the opening movement, and prepares for the following movement, Quoniam tu solus sanctus, which takes the shape of a brief reprise of the opening movement’s broken octaves.

The powerful stile antico double fugue on Cum Sancto Spiritu that ends the work is an arrangement by Vivaldi of the ending of a Gloria for two choruses composed in 1708 by an older contemporary, the now forgotten Veronese composer Giovanni Maria Ruggieri, whom Vivaldi seems to have held in high esteem, as he used a second adaptation of this piece in another, lesser-known D Major Gloria setting, RV 588.

Today Vivaldi is one of the most popular of all composers, who during his lifetime enjoyed considerable success and fortune, which he squandered through extravagance, and when he died in Vienna he was buried in a pauper’s grave. For two centuries after his death, the Gloria lay undiscovered until the late 1920s, when it was found buried among a pile of forgotten Vivaldi manuscripts. However, it was not performed until September 1939 in Siena in an edition by the composer Alfredo Casella. This was by no means an authentic edition (he described it as an "elaborazione”), as he embellished the original orchestration of trumpet, oboe, strings, and continuo, while reducing the role of the continuo, and cut sections from three movements. It was not until 1957 that the now familiar original version was published and given its first performance at the First Festival of Baroque Choral Music at Brooklyn College, NY.

Used with permission, Peter Carey, Royal Free Singers (rev. Albrecht)

______________________________________________________________________________

May your Advent and Christmas be filled with joyous refrains of “Glory to God in the highest!” as we again celebrate the birth of our Savior.

In music ministry with you,

John Albrecht, Director for Music Ministries

Congregational Life Embracing God, welcoming others,

knowing ourselves.

Poinsettia Sunday TODAY • December 8

Poinsettias and addresses will be available to deliver to our home-bound and older members. Don't forget to include one of the cards made by our church school students!

Drop off one or more on your way home from church TODAY.

Friends in Christ members – please contact Jean Coenraad (920) 739-3943 or jmcoenraad@aol.com to ensure that your names and flowers are in the library for delivery.

Alternative Christmas Market Looking for a unique Christmas gift for that hard-to-buy-for person? Consider an alternative Christmas gift!

Alternative Christmas Market gifts can be purchased in the Narthex between Sunday worship services through December 15.

19th Amendment Centennial Kick-Off Brunch

Saturday • December 14

Join us for the 19th Amendment Centennial Kick-Off Brunch presented by the Fox Valley 19th Amendment Centennial Coalition on Saturday, December 14 from 10:00 AM–12:30 PM.

The event will take place at the Kimberly-Clark Theater in the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center (400 W. College Ave., Appleton). The Keynote Speaker is Dr. Sally Roesch Wagner, Ph.D.

Women have long been written out of history, from the early influence of the Haudenosaunee (Iriquois) women to the work of the members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and Japanese journalist Madame Kimura Komako, to the LGBTQ suffragists such as Vera “Jack” Holme and many more. The Centennial Coalition has chosen to highlight the stories of those women both written into and written out of history throughout our Centennial Celebration.

We will kick-off our journey with Dr. Sally Roesch Wagner, lecturer, author and story-teller of women’s rights history, examining the influence of the Haudenosaunee women on early American suffragists. Following her presentation, Dr. Wagner will be available for a book-signing, including her books Sisters in Spirit – Haudenosaunee Influence on Early American Suffragists, and The Women’s Suffrage Movement; an intersectional anthology of works by the

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known and unknown women that shaped and established the suffrage movement.

The cost is $5.00 per person and includes a brunch buffet with scrambled eggs, bacon, American fries, mini-muffins, scones, fresh-cut fruit, coffee and juice.

The registration deadline is Thursday, December 5. Registration is available online at www.lwvappleton.org or send check payable to League of Women Voters of Appleton to Irene Strohbeen, (W6400 Firelane 8, Menasha, WI 54952) with your information.

A Greener Christmas As the Christmas season approaches, we find ourselves once again slipping into the buying frenzy that surrounds the holiday. As grateful recipients of the gift of Christ, we should honor him by sharing gifts with others that also honor God’s creation. How do we give in an environmentally sound way? Here are a few ideas:

1. Give gifts from First Congo’s Alternative Christmas Market! Not only do these gifts serve people in need, but they are environmentally friendly if they replace other gifts you may have purchased with

plastic packaging and transportation costs.

2. Shop local. Purchase from regional farmer’s markets for holiday meals. Shorter transportation of goods means less fuel is burned, less air pollution, as well as reduced highway costs and fewer accidents.

3. Make your own gifts. People appreciate the personal touch!

4. Provide experiences or services instead of gifts. We are relational beings, and in the end cherish our relationships more than things.

5. Minimize packaging waste. Bring your own shopping bags to stores. Be imaginative in gift wrapping with reusable materials.

6. Avoid expedited or overnight shipping by planning ahead. Sending items as quickly as possible is inefficient, as trucks and planes are sent out before they are full.

7. Check the internet for other ideas on eco-friendly holiday decorating, wrapping, and entertaining.

Let’s thank God for the gift of Christ by sharing with others in ways that honor God’s creation.

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Servers Needed for Evening Meal at Pillars

January 7–January 11

It’s the time of year when we decorate our homes and start planning special holiday meals with our families; a gentle reminder of how much we have to be thankful for.

It is also a great time of the year to share our abundance with others less fortunate than ourselves. Our congregation will be providing and serving the evening meal at Pillar’s Adult Shelter January 7–January 11, 2020.

By providing and serving this meal we offer HOPE to our less advantaged brothers and sisters. Please consider signing up to provide part of a meal or help serve a meal. Past participants have found this to be such an enlightening and rewarding experience that many sign up year after year!

Sign-up sheets are in the Narthex. Please call or text Amy Lewis at (920) 205-1091 if you have any questions.

Stewardship Putting faith into action with our time,

passion, skills and financial gifts.

Stewardship Campaign Update – The Clock is Ticking!

We have one week left in the official Stewardship campaign. We are very grateful for pledges received from 208 individuals / families and the commitment for $506,000 in pledges.

However, we have quite a way to go if we are to match, let along exceed, last year’s results.

This is where the JOY comes in for your Stewardship Team! To reach last year’s numbers, we need to receive an additional 154 pledges valued at $481,000! This is where “keeping the faith” and many generous, free will gifts are needed to come together to fulfill our “I am the way,…” Stewardship campaign. We are blessed with a loving and supportive congregation. We know we will be successful through your loving investment in the life and mission of First Congo.

Love, gratitude and joy, - Your Stewardship Team

Youth and Families Faith, fun and service.

No Family Worship Area Today Today is our annual Masterworks in Worship Christmas Music Sunday. Due to the need for additional space for musicians, there will be no Family Worship Area available.

Important Church School Dates Church School resumes with the last lesson of Rotation Two TODAY. Please be sure to thank the wonderful teachers who have given of their time and talents

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for the children: Katie Jahnke, Emma Slowinski, Julie Michels, Nancy Koehler, Amy Bowman and Brenda Gorges.

There will be no Church School on December 15. This is the day of the Christmas Pageant and we encourage families to watch the pageant with their children.

There will be a Church School group event on Sunday, December 22. However, this event will be for children Kindergarten through 6th grade only; there will be no programming for the 3- and 4-year old children on that day.

Poinsettia Delivery and Caroling Wednesday • December 11

6:00–7:30 PM

Join the Middle School Youth Group as they carol and deliver poinsettias to area homebound residents and nursing homes. Open to any interested middle school youth and their families. Permission slips are needed for the youth. Dress warm. Snacks and hot cocoa will be provided. For more information, contact Renee Taylor at rtaylor@firstcongoappleton.org.

Donations Needed for Fish Fry Fundraiser

Help us host a Spring Fish Fry fundraising dinner for the Youth Costa Rica Mission Trip. We need your generosity to help make this a successful event! The Youth Program needs donations for purchasing fish or commercially packaged fish fillets. We estimate the total cost to be about $500.

If you are able to donate all or a portion of the requests, please contact Renee Taylor at rtaylor@firstcongoappleton.org or Pastor Nick at nhatch@firstcongoappleton.org.

Worship and Music A diverse community practicing faith,

finding spiritual connection and experiencing the Holy through artful sound.

Come Sing in the 9:00 PM Christmas Eve Choir!

Rehearsals begin Wednesday, December 11 at 7:00 PM

Our Sanctuary Choir will again welcome additional high school and adult singers for our 9:00 PM Christmas Eve Service of Lessons and Carols. Each year we include familiar carol arrangements, as well as some exciting new music. Returning college students, young adults, family members, spouses and partners of choir members, members and friends who love singing, etc. . . . all are welcome!

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We ask that you join us for rehearsals at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, December 11 and/or Wednesday, December 18 to learn the music. (Your attendance at BOTH rehearsals is preferred, of course!) A string quartet and wind instruments will make music with us, too.

Interested? Questions? RSVP via e-mail to John Albrecht at jalbrecht@firstcongoappleton.org. You can also contact John at (920) 733-7393 or sign up in the Narthex. Please let us know if you are interested so that we can prepare a choir folder for you. Thank you!

Advent Service of Remembrance and Hope

Thursday, December 12 7:00 PM • Chapel

Many holiday preparations focus on joyful gatherings, bright lights and carols. For those grieving, struggling, or feeling otherwise, it becomes easy to think the Christmas message isn't for them. On Thursday, December 12, we will offer an Advent Service of Remembrance and Hope at 7:00 PM in the Chapel. All are welcome.

Here you’ll find quiet time for worship, light candles in hope, renew your spirit, and prepare yourself to hear the good news that Christ is born for you.

If you find the holiday season leaves you feeling empty, or you need time to center your soul around thoughts of peace and hope or if you want "time out" from everything being asked of you, please consider attending our Advent Service of Remembrance and Hope.

Please note: In the past, this service was called, “Blue Christmas.”

Fox Valley Flute Choir Christmas Concert

Sunday • December 15 4:00 PM

The Fox Valley Flute Choir will present a Christmas concert on Sunday, December 15, at 4:00 PM in the First Congo Sanctuary.

The concert opens with Johann Pachelbel Nun Danket Alle Gott for two antiphonal flute choirs. The next composition on the program is Abelardo Albisi Miniature

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suite No. 2. This four-movement work reflects on life in sunny Italy.

A jazz version of Greensleeves arranged by Green Bay composer and flutist Victoria Jicha features the low flutes of the group. This is followed by Sonate 2, a church sonata in four movements, by Georg Philip Telemann. The concert concludes with ballet music from La Boutique Fantasque or The Fantastic Toyshop by Rossini. The four movements are Overture, Can-Can, Tarentella and Danse Cosaque.

The Fox Valley Flute Choir is comprised of flutists from the Fox Valley area and is under the direction of Patricia George and Marc Sackman. The 18-members have been playing together for nine years and perform on piccolo, C flutes, alto, bass and contra bass flutes. The hour-long concert is free and open to the public. For information contact georgeflute@hotmail.com.

Music Programming

Intergenerational Musical Open to second graders through adults. All are welcome to explore and develop their musical and theatrical gifts!

Rehearsals begin in January for our annual spring production, March 21 and 22, 2020. Contact Rev. Steve Savides or Dee Savides at ssavides@firstcongoappleton.org.

Mission and Service Building relationships, serving others,

pursuing justice.

Back Bay Mission Shrimp Sale TODAY, December 8

Your purchase of gulf shrimp by-the-pound supports our March 2020 service trip to Back Bay Mission.

Shrimp will be sold in 1-lb packages. Our price of $15 per pound allows you to enjoy delicious gulf shrimp, and generously support our mission at the same time!

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Back Bay Mission Trip March 15-20, 2020

(additional travel time may be required)

Join us for our next trip to Back Bay Mission, March 15-20, 2020. Volunteering at Back Bay Mission includes providing home repairs for low-income homeowners, helping at Back Bay’s Micah Day Center for the homeless or assisting at the food pantry. During this time, you will learn about the Mississippi Gulf Coast’s poverty. Back Bay’s Mission House dormitory provides comfortable housing for volunteers. We prepare our own meals in the Mission House kitchen. Interested? Sign up in the Narthex or contact Ken Jahnke at (920) 427-5996 for more information.

Sign up for Pine Ridge Mission Trip

August 7–August 14, 2020

Pine Ridge county, home to the reservation of the Oglala Lakota nation, vies every year for the sad title of poorest

county in the US. Our mission partner on the reservation, Re-Member, is a non-profit that organizes volunteers to participate in work projects to improve the quality of reservation life and to rebuild homes and relationships.

Work projects include: insulating mobile homes, constructing bunk beds, making outhouses, building accessible entries to homes, and roofing homes.

Volunteers get on-the-job instruction (most volunteers have little or no experience as handy persons) and considerable time getting to know Pine Ridge residents, the problems they face, and the Lakota culture they are trying to preserve.

We have reserved 6 spaces for a mission trip scheduled for August 7 to August 14, 2020. We need firm commitments and deposits by March.

Information sessions will be scheduled after January 1, 2020. Can’t wait? Contact Eilene Hoft-March at Eilene.Hoft-March@lawrence.edu or (920) 735-0166.

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Administration Mystery Stock Donation

The church received a gift of Northrop Grumman stock on 11/21/2019. However, when stock comes into our broker account, the donor’s name is not included and we have not received any notification of this gift.

If you made this stock contribution, please contact the church office at (920) 733-7393 so we can credit the proper member’s pledge information. Thank you.

Personnel Announcement For those who may not have seen it, the following announcement was sent out via e-newsletter on Friday, November 29. _____________________________________

We wish to inform you that, effective immediately, Jon Riehle will no longer be serving as our church organist here at First Congo. While we understand that there may be some who may desire some more specific information regarding the circumstances that have led to this decision, please understand that we are very limited in the details that can be shared due to the appropriate respect and confidentiality associated with any matter related to personnel and performance management.

We would like to assure you that this matter was not taken lightly. It involved a long and arduous process to obtain and carefully consider all of the relevant facts

and with a steadfast and faithful commitment to remain true to the policies and mission of our church. This decision was made with the unanimous consent of all members of our committee and with the full support of the Pastoral staff and the Director for Music Ministries.

We would like to thank Jon Riehle for blessing us with his exceptional musical talent during his tenure here and wish him every success in his future endeavors.

In faithful service, The Human Resources Committee: Kris Henke, Jim Olson, Bob Pagel, Cheryl Spindler, Ruby Wells

Open Door Holiday Deadlines With the holiday season upon us and the multiple bulletins that need to be printed, the deadline for submitting articles has been modified. Bulletin Date Deadline Sunday, December 15 Tuesday, December 10

Sunday, December 22 Tuesday, December 17

Sunday, December 29 Tuesday, December 17

Sunday, January 5 Friday, December 27

Please submit all articles to hvolkman@firstcongoappleton.org. Thank you for your cooperation.

Calendar for December 8–December 14 Sunday, December 8 8:45 AM–9:45 AM Worship – Sanctuary 8:45 AM–9:45 AM Child Care – Infant Room/Nursery, Toddler Room 8:45 AM–9:45 AM Church School – Scripture Tent, Theater, Art/Kitchen, East

Conference Room, Computer Lab, 4-year old room 10:15 AM–11:30 AM Christmas Pageant Rehearsal – Fellowship Hall 10:30 AM–11:30 AM Worship – Sanctuary 10:30 AM–11:30 AM Child Care – Infant Room/Nursery, Toddler Room 5:00 PM–6:00 PM LU Music Scholar Rehearsal – Choir Room 6:00 PM–8:00 PM First Things First AA Meeting – South Fellowship Hall,

Common Grounds Monday, December 9 5:30 PM–7:00 PM Technology Team – Library 6:45 PM–9:00 PM Fox Valley Flute Choir Rehearsal – Sanctuary 7:00 PM–8:30 PM Boy Scout Troop 8 – Fellowship Hall, West Conference Room 7:00 PM–8:30 PM Prayer Shawl–Common Grounds Tuesday, December 10 09:00 AM–10:00 AM ADRC StrongBodies – South Fellowship Hall 12:00 PM–1:00 PM Lectionary Bible Study – Upper Lounge 6:00 PM–7:30 PM Mission and Service Team Meeting – Upper Lounge 6:00 PM–8:00 PM Wild Women of the First Congo – Stone Cellar Brewpub 7:45 PM–8:45 PM Fireside AA Group - Common Grounds Wednesday, December 11 9:30 AM–11:00 AM Friends in Christ – Library 12:15 PM–1:00 PM Loving Acceptance Meditation Group - Upper Lounge 4:30 PM–5:30 PM Children’s Choir Rehearsal – Choir Room 5:45 PM–6:25 PM Youth Handbell Rehearsal – Amistad Room 6:00 PM–7:30 PM Poinsettia Delivery - Community 6:30 PM–7:30 PM Confirmation Class – No Mentors – Chapel 7:00 PM–8:30 PM Church Mice – East Conference Room 7:00 PM–8:30 PM Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal – Choir Room, Sanctuary 7:30 PM–8:30 PM High School Youth Groups – Common Grounds Thursday, December 12 9:00 AM–10:00 AM ADRC StrongBodies – South Fellowship Hall 11:30 AM–1:00 PM AA - Search for Serenity Group – Common Grounds 1:00 PM–2:30 PM Prayer Shawl – Common Grounds 4:30 PM–6:30 PM ESTHER Leadership Board Meeting – River Room

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7:00 PM–8:00 PM Advent Service of Remembrance and Hope – Chapel 7:00 PM–8:00 PM Fox Valley 94 AA – Common Grounds Friday, December 13 7:00 PM–8:30 PM Al-Anon – Upper Lounge 7:00 PM–8:30 PM N.A. – Common Grounds Saturday, December 14 9:00 AM–12:00 PM Christmas Pageant Dress Rehearsal - Sanctuary 7:00 PM–8:00 PM Fox Valley 94 AA – Common Grounds

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