First Congregational Church

The Spire is the weekly newsletter of First Congregational Church in Mansfield, Ohio.

The book discussion group will meet on Monday, February 20, at 1:00 pm, in the church parlor. The book that will be discussed is The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. The book for the March discussion is Ragtime by E. L. Doctorow.

Not only will the Mardi Gras themed pot luck being held immediately after church on Sunday, February 12th, be a fun social event but, you will also learn the religious significance of FAT TUESDAY that leads us into LENT. All you need to bring is your particular dish as we will provide the table service, drinks and dessert. Those with last names beginning with A-H are being asked to bring a salad, I-Q a side dish and R-Z a Meat/Main Dish. To help us plan, please give the church office a call or sign the attendance sheet.

We have installed a chair lift to allow our members with stair difficulties to get from the sanctuary via the elevator down to the lower hallway then up the chair lift to the hallway leading to the office, library and Blymyer Hall.

The library committee is conducting their Annual Book Sale in Blymyer Hall. Donations are appreciated. Proceeds go to toward the purchase of new books! Be sure to stop by and take a look!

At our January gathering we learned about the do’s and don’ts of eating—not just relative to weight issues. This month Jolee Hill, Senior Advocate at the Y, will share with us the importance of staying active. Mark your calendar for Thursday, February 23rd, to learn about (or perhaps reinforce) the need for daily activity even on a limited basis.

As usual the social hour begins at 12 noon, with lunch at 12:30 pm. The lunch, which is catered by Bess Brown, cost $5 and must be paid when you make your reservation. Reservations are due by Monday, February 20th.

We continue to have a nurse available for blood pressure checks but on a bi-weekly basis. To assist you in knowing when the checks are available, a sign will be posted outside the Health and Well-being office on the Sundays the nurse will be in. Also, please try to make a point of stopping in immediately following the 10:30 am service. The person is giving her time; therefore, she should not have to wait a long period of time. You are encouraged to avail yourselves of this service.

Our Fifth and Sixth graders had a great time at Splash Harbor and now it is the Third and Fourth graders turn to spend a night here at the church. Our annual Lock-In will begin at 4 pm on February 24th and end at 1 pm on Saturday the 25th. The theme is called “That’s Not Fair” and we will explore the concept of what it means to be fair—or not!! If you are interested in attending this activity please call Jerry Bennett at the church by February 15th.

In God’s Garden our lesson is called “Four Friends” where we will explore how Jesus touches our lives through the lives of others. We will learn about the four faithful and creative friends who believed in the power of Jesus to heal their paralytic friend and the extraordinary measures they took to get him to Jesus. Our memory verse is Mark 2:12,”And he stood up and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this!’

Matter of the Heart, Saturday, February 18th, 6 pm, Blymyer Hall. Escorts, waiters, roses, personal card, pictures by Neil, toast, expertly prepared meal, special cake, drinks, introduction of our ladies, entertainment by the Heart Throbs, Wayne Schmidt at the organ, Wayne Fisher at the piano, plus special guest Paul Lintern. Tickets for this candlelight dinner event are $12 and may be purchased in the office during the week and in Blymyer Hall on Sundays. Who knows who else may appear as a guest? Always, a night not to be forgotten!

On Thursday, February 16th, Lynn Eckardt Īley of our congregation will provide information relative to a November trip she is organizing. You will be visiting Barcelona, Spain and Paris between November 6-14, 2012. Join us in The Meeting Room on February 16th at 7:00 pm for complete details. (If you are unable to attend the informational meeting, but you are interested in the trip, you may contact Lynn).

During these winter months, you may find you are somewhat isolated, perhaps family members are enjoying the sunshine of Florida, etc. The church is ONLY a phone call away should you need some assistance—taking you to an appointment, picking-up a prescription, helping with grocery shopping, etc. We represent your extended family; we are here to assist in any way possible! PLEASE call us when you have a need (or your family should call us if they see the need during their absence.) Throughout the years you have touched the lives of many within The First Congregational church family. We want to “thank you” by reaching out to you.

One final note: we would very much like to share communion with you when we have communion at church. Simply call Ellen Eckert and she will make arrangements for one of the ministers to share the communion experience with you.

Members who have regularly attended the Seminar class met on Sunday, January 8th to think through the role of the Seminar class in the church. The Seminar has a long and rich history but has had low attendance for the past year or more and some difficulty in finding presenters. It is the desire of the church staff to see the Seminar continue. Numerous ideas were shared during the meeting. The group will meet this Sunday, Feb. 5, to continue the discussion and planning. If you have attended the Seminar in the past and have an interest in seeing it continue, please be sure to attend the next meeting THIS Sunday, February 5, at 9:15 am in the Chapel.

Congratulations to Eric and Dorothy Britcher on the adoption of their new kitty, Arrow Eve. Arrow Eve was featured on the front page of the News Journal on Monday, January 30th.