Haiti Relief
The United Church of Christ has mounted a national effort to raise money to support disaster response work in Haiti, and many churches across the UCC are participating. The UCC has missionaries on the ground in Haiti and we have local partners there, so any aid we send can be very specifically targeted to help people. If you want to give, send a check made out to First Congregational UCC and put "Haiti Relief" in the memo line. Thanks a lot.

Hold the Date!! April 24, from 5-8:30pm, join in the fun and festivities of our “Bid to Build” auction, which supports FirstCong’s commitment to Habitat for Humanity. Silent auction begins at 5:00pm, dinner at 6:30pm, and live auction at 8:00pm. Be there, or be talked about! :-)

Scripture Readers Needed
Become more engaged in the life and ministry of FCC by reading Scripture one Sunday morning this year. It's a simple and rewarding way to volunteer your time, and anyone can do it! If you're interested or for more information, please contact Susan Shands at 608-213-6853 or susan.shands@gmail.com.

New Member Orientation
If you are thinking about joining First Congregational UCC or would like to know more about the church, please join us for New Member Orientation sessions. The next two sessions have now been scheduled.

Next session: May 9, 16, 23

You only need to attend the February or the May classes. This will give you the opportunity to see which set best fits your schedule. We meet in the Student Lounge from 9:00-9:45 am.

We will get to know each other and some current members, learn about the UCC, and more specifically about First Congregational Church. Childcare will be provided. Please let Eldonna know if you will be attending, or if you have any questions.

Don’t forget---House Dinners!
There are still spaces for guests at all of our upcoming House Dinners, so check your calendar and sign up next Sunday for a date that works for you. It’s a chance for food and informal fellowship with a small group of FCC folks. New members are especially encouraged to attend. When?
Sunday, March 6, hosted by Leilani, Joyce & Sarah Robertson-Hoyt
Friday, March 12, hosted by Joanne & Bob Lenburg
Saturday, March 20, hosted by Gloria & Mike Green

2010 Flowers
The poster to sign up for Sunday flowers in 2010 is in the back of the Sanctuary. Add your name to the list.

McDonald’s Coupons, Bus Tickets Needed!
Please help–you can get $5 coupon books (preferred over the plastic cards) from any McDonald’s restaurant. Donations are needed for bus tickets, as Metro Transit will only sell individual bus tickets to the church.

First Congo Welcomes All
How can you play an active role in welcoming all to our community of faith? It’s easy. Commit to coming 20 minutes early, one Sunday a month to help greet visitors and members as they walk through our doors. Volunteer as an individual, as a couple, or as a family. We are looking for men and women greeters of all ages and walks of life. Interested? Call Liz Michaels 845-9260.

Gathering Dinner and Study
Dinner will be offered at 5:30 as we do for four upcoming Wednesday evenings in Lent. Two kinds of soup, salad, pizza and beverages will be available.

Lenten Study Topic
Fred Coleman will lead the Lenten Gathering class this spring on several of the issues that were of major importance at the Parliament.

March 3 – The Religious Imperative to Present the Other Faithfully – Do we choose out of our faith to talk about the person who is different from us in a way that faithfully describes the “Other”.

March 10 – The Indigenous Peoples’ Statement to the Parliament – Who first walked the land on which we live? How have we treated them in the past and how do we treat them today? What is the Doctrine of Discovery?

March 17 – Just War Theory – When war breaks out, political leaders often describe their war as “Just”. What do the world’s major faiths say about Just War? Has this changed in the light of changes in warfare in the last century?

March 24 – What Youth Can Do – Hear Hugh Evans, a young Australian, and view the Global Poverty Project’s response in the light of the Millennium Goals of the UN.

Dinner begins at 5:30pm and the class will begin at 6:20pm for all four remaining Wednesday sessions, from March 3 through March 24.

Dead Sea Scrolls in Milwaukee
These documents, found in desert caves in the Holy Land in 1948, contain writings of the earliest known copies of the Old testament. They shed light on Jewish culture in that ancient time and are considered by many scholars as the "greatest biblical discovery of all time." Please consider joining other members of our church for a trip to the Milwaukee Public Museum on Saturday, April 10, 2010, to see the scrolls. The admission is $24 for seniors, teens and students with ID, and $26 for other adults. With 15 or more participants, we can rent a 15 person van(s) which would cost about $10 per person and get a $2 per person discount on the admission price. An audio tour headset is available for $6. The average time it takes to see the exhibit is two hours. We are planning on leaving from the church around 10am, having lunch at the museum cafeteria, and going into the museum around 1pm. We would plan on being back in Madison by or before 5pm. If we don't rent a van(s), we will arrange carpools.

If you would like to go on this church trip on Saturday, April 10, to see the Dead Sea Scrolls at the Milwaukee Public Museum, please contact the church office as soon as possible so we can buy tickets.

Palestine 29 AD is a Sunday School event taking kids back-in-time to experience life as Jesus might have lived. On Sundays February 21 and 28, the children of the Sunday School (Kindergarten – Grade 5) will gather during their class time in the Dining Room, which will be transformed into a bible-times village complete with family homes, weavers, woodworking, calligraphy, and a marketplace. Parents should pick up their kids directly from the Dining Room, a.k.a. Village. (Parents please note that the Pre-Kindergarten kids will meet in their classroom for regular classes.)

Youth Movie Meditation Church Youth will be viewing and discussing PHENOMENON following worship on Sunday, February 28 in the Student Lounge. $5/person for Pizza. Adults are welcome to join! The event should run till about 2:00pm.

YOUTH LOCK-IN March 13–14. Sign-Up in Youth Room by March 10.

MATCH GAME! Sunday, March 21. Following Worship. Lunch and Laughter! This event is a fund raiser for the Sr High Youth Summer mission trip. Mark your calendars today!

Choirs rehearsal times:
Cherub Choir 11:15 a.m.
Coventry Ringers 6:30 p.m.
Chancel Choir 7:30 p.m.
Celebration Ringers 5:00 p.m.

As always, new members are always welcome to join the Cherub Choir (age 5 through grade 5), the Celebration Ringers (grade 6 through grade 12), and the Chancel Choir (age 16 and up). Experience is not required, neither is amazing talent; just the desire to help enhance worship. You don't even have to be able to read music. If you have any questions, please contact Don DeBruin.

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Worship Totes Available
A crew of First Congregational workers has been busy creating colorful worship totes for our younger worshippers. The cloth bags, which will hang on a rack in the back of the sanctuary, contain books, scratch paper, crayons and other items for quiet activities for young children during worship. After use, families are asked to pack up the bags and return them to the rack. Please only take home artwork created on the scratch paper. Questions? Please contact Jeff Rabe.