United Church of Christ (national site)Please click on the September 2010 Chronicle for church news and interesting events happening at First UCC this month!
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This was our 9th senior high mission trip living out our congregation’s Just Peace covenant in service with Habitat for Humanity and LaPuente enterprises in Alamosa, Colorado. We were privileged to serve and learn from many, especially the children at PALS (positive experiences life spirits). We helped with Samantha and Mark’s Habitat home, moved an emergency food pantry, staffed the local food pantry, cooked meals for LaPuente’s homeless shelter guests, shared time as big buddies with the PALS children and renewed our spirits during evening vespers. We are grateful to all who supported us on our journey ~ thank you. At the Sunday Forum, October 17, we will share our stories and photos. Cher Langley Duys, Director of Educational & Youth Ministries.
Work begins each Tuesday at 4pm and Saturday at 8am. They need a crew (willing to learn) of about 8 people, about 4 crew leaders (in the trade or highly skilled) a host (signs people in, sets up lunch, etc) and a meal for all of these people plus the partner family. For more information, contact Pam Hanson, Volunteer Coordinator, at 507-323-0170 or email ricehabitatvolunteer@gmail.com.
Following our time together will move outdoors and each will select an activity that will guide them to find God in the world around us. Worshippers from 6 years to 99 years can choose an activity to match their interest and physical ability. Child care will be provided for younger children. Come dressed for outdoor activities! Please bring: a lawn chair or blanket, insect repellant, raincoat or umbrella, and a picnic lunch. Beverage will be provided. Directions to Valley Grove Church:Go South on 246 (Division Street) past the High School. Continue on 246 for approximately 10 miles. Don’t forget to turn south(right) on 246 where it turns just before you get to Dennison. Turn west (right) on County 30. The church is on the south (left)side of the road – about one mile. Or take the scenic route:Go south on County 246 (Division Street) past the High School. At the sign for Valley Grove Road (Route 30, also Hall Avenue),turn south (right). At the stop sign, turn left on to 135th Street. At the next stop sign, turn right on Ibsen. At the following stop sign,turn left on Route 30, Johnson Trail. Valley Grove Church is on the right side of the road about 0.9 mile from the stop sign. For complete details, click here. Please click on the August 2010 Chronicle for church news & interesting events happening at First UCC this month!
Please click on the July 2010 Chronicle for church news & interesting events happening at First UCC this month! Please click on the June 2010 Chronicle for church news and interesting events happening at First UCC.
Jeff Barton has been in United Church of Christ programs and congregations since 1979 when he was a seminary intern at Parkview Congregational UCC in Aurora, Colorado. He has been a pastor, a campus minister, an associate pastor, a senior minister and a UCC conference association minister. Jeff has served the UCC in Idaho, New Hampshire and Montana for longer calls and in Wyoming, Wisconsin and Oregon for shorter terms and interims. He has served as an interim minister in four settings before ours, and is looking to continue to do intentional interim work for the extension of his active ministry career. Jeff has been with Casas Adobes UCC in Tuscon Arizona since February of 2009, with his last Sunday being July 11. He is a native of Minneapolis, and has academic degrees from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA and from the Iliff School of Theology in Denver. He now permanently resides among the mountains, rivers and people of the Portland, Oregon area, where he enjoys skiing in the winter and river rafting in the summer. He’s a 21 handicap in golf and prefers jazz and blues in his musical tastes. Jeff has two young adult children. Jed lives and writes in Billings, Montana. Katie (Carleton alum, 2007) has begin her graduate studies in medical school in Portland, Oregon. Jeff has a significant other, Rev. Mary Sue Evers, a UCC pastor in the Portland, OR, area.
Thanks to everyone for your generosity and good wishes, and may God’s blessings continue to shower down on this wonderful congregation. Grace and peace, Sandy
Blessings Numbers 6:22-27;Matthew 5:1-10; Psalm 23 (choir; arranged by Bobby McFarrin) There are two things that Ministers can do at the end of worship: they can send you forth with instructions about changing the world, or they can offer a blessing. Last week I gave you plenty of instructions (and copies of the handout are available for those of you who missed that sermon), so this week I will speak to you of blessings.
Sandy Johnson preached her last sermon at First UCC on Sunday June 27, 2010. It was a day of joy and sadness, food and fun.
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Rice County Habitat for Humanity is looking for volunteers to build homes for the needy in Northfield, Faribault, and Lonsdale!
The Women’s Spirituality Group will meet Monday, Aug. 23 at the church at 4:15pm. Jan Mitchell will guide the group on a nature hike (the group will carpool from the church). All women of First UCC and friends are invited. Questions? Call Cathy at 645-7532.
During these hot days, please feel free to bring bottles or containers of water with you into the sanctuary during worship service!
First UCC is happy to announce it has finalized an agreement with the Reverend Jeff Barton to be the interim minister. He will be with the church for at least one year, starting August 22. Jeff is committed to helping the church create a vision for the future and to restructure the church and programs accordingly. 
I am so grateful to everyone for the wonderful celebration of our ministry together, for the beautiful fabric art by Dawn Carlson Conn that was commissioned for the church in honor of my time with you, and for the substantial donations made to my seminary, Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley. 
My time as minister of First UCC has been filled with blessings, so that’s what I preached about on my last Sunday.
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