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NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS

The neighborhood meetings are a time we can come together to dialog and listen to each other. There will be time to express your feelings about where we are today and share your hopes for what is to come. Your ideas and suggestions will help to determine church priorities over the next several months.
If you cannot attend a meeting and would like to talk with someone on Church Council, please feel free to call Moderator, Sharon Camblin 715-0933, Vice Moderator, Pete
Rittmueller, 647-0308, or anyone of the at-large members, Paula McGrath, 734-5604, Carol Garguile, 733-7762, Janet Ott, 758-7247, Delilah Bragg, 714-1145, Brandon Adams,
920-6417, or Jeff Smith, 647-2746.

* Childcare will be provided for these meetings.
** These locations are accessible for those with mobility issues.

Pastoral Staff Office Hours:

Pastor Jane will be reliably in the church office on Mondays and Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Wednesdays from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. You can reach her at those times, or you can phone her at 734-3720 or email her at jane@fccb.net in order to arrange a time that works for your schedule. (If you call and reach her voice-mail, take heart: she will call you back!)
 

Celebrations
 

We celebrate the birth of Grant Calvin Geraghty to parents, Kevin and Lisa Geraghty and big brothers, Reece and Colin.
Concerns…
We ask you to keep Jenny Sisson Browne, Bart Sproule, Bart Clendenen, Tom Hunter, and Lara Wepprecht in your prayers.
We extend our deepest sympathies to Brent Harrison and his family for the death of his mother.
Thank You…
Mark Schlichting and his Orchestra for offering their musical gifts in worship on June 1.
 

Check in on Lara Wepprecht at larasonestepatatime.blogspot.com

HELPING THE HUNTERS
If you would like to support the Hunter's please contact Liz Herdman, who is helping coordinate opportunities for volunteering to help the Hunter Family-ebherdman@gmail.com or check out the blog www.tomhunterblog.blogspot.com.


Thank You
 

Thank you to the hardy, energetic folks who brought wheelbarrows, rakes, shovels and cheer to the task of spreading compost and bark around the church grounds. Thanks for all your great work, our church grounds look wonderful!
 

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Our Church's 125th Celebration

"On a Sunday afternoon in mid-summer, (actually July 22) 1883, Tabernacle Church of Whatcom was organized at the Sehome school house near present Cornwall Street and Maple." (Centennial Churches of Washington's Fourth Corner, Keith Murray). That was the beginning of what is now our First Congregational Church. We are celebrating our 125TH BIRTHDAY this July 13, 20, and 21. Save the dates!

LEGACY SUNDAY
Legacy Sunday, July 13th. In worship, we will honor the pastors who have served our church over the years. We will honor the teachers, workers, builders and the people who gave us our Endowment Funds. We will honor those who have been members of our church for 50 or more years. All of these make up the LEGACY we have received from others. Join us in worship on July 13th.

BIRTHDAY SUNDAY
Birthday Sunday is July 20th. In worship, we will ask how do we say thank you to God for our Legacy?
Certainly by recognizing the people who have given us all that we have in our church - our history, our traditions, our programs, and our mission. We will offer prayers of praise and thanks in worship. We will provide an envelope for those who choose to give a BIRTHDAY GIFT to our Endowment Funds. We will sing our thanks in song and hymns. And we will commission our youth and adults who will be going to the National Youth Event in Knoxville, Tennessee. Sunday, July 20th will be a great and glorious Sunday.

CELEBRATION DINNER
Celebration Dinner is Monday, July 21, in our Social Hall. We will begin at 6:00 p.m. Michael Guelker-Cone is our Chef. A generous member has underwritten part of the cost of the dinner, thus we will not need tickets. Donation baskets will be on the tables to make up the difference. We will sign up who is coming and how many on the two Sundays before the dinner. We have a lively program lined up with two singing groups, stories, letters of congratulations, and who knows what else by July 21st. Please be sure to turn your name in and let us know how many will be coming with you so we will have the correct number of chairs, tables, knives, forks, and spoons, and coffee cups, and Michael's delicious meal. Please arrive with joy and gladness. No tickets - just come! Monday, July 21.
 

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VACATION CHURCH SCHOOL 2008: It's time to register your children, commit to volunteer and plan to join us for an incredible week of VCS June 23-27, 2008. This year's theme is "Connecting with God". Registration and volunteer forms are available on the table in the Narthex. Registration is $35 per child and is limited to the first 150 children (age 4 to those entering the 6th grade). So please register your children and grandchildren early. Scholarships are available. For more information contact Sharry Nyberg 734-3720.
CHURCH SCHOOL TEACHER RECRUITMENT 2008-09: The Board of Christian Education is currently planning the 2008 -09 church school year. Opportunities are available to teach and share your gifts with the children and youth of our congregation as a church school teacher : in Pre School or the Fourth /Fifth grade class, teaching a Middle School "mini course" for one month or volunteering in the Nursery one Sunday a month. The board invites you to explore the ways you are called to be involved in the exciting year to come. For more information contact Sharry Nyberg 734-3720.
 

CONGRATULATIONS to our amazing youth who are graduating from high school this year:

SUMMER CHURCH SCHOOL: begins Sunday, June 15th for children in Pre School through Fifth grade. The Pre School class will meet in Room 24, Kindergarten through Second Grade in Room 34 and the Third through Fifth Grade class in Room 11. Middle School youth are invited to join their families in worship for the summer.

SUMMER HELP NEEDED: The Board of Christian Education is currently looking to hire a summer church school teacher for the Pre School class on Sunday mornings. Salary is $17.50 per Sunday. For more information contact Sharry Nyberg 734-3720.
Volunteers are needed to assist Jennifer Huffman in the Nursery/Toddler room on Sunday mornings during the summer. This is a wonderful opportunity to spend time with the babies and toddlers in our congregation. Please sign up for a Sunday ; the list is outside Room 33.

 

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN YOUTH GROUP
 

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TELLER HELPFUL HINTS
Every Monday, we have a dedicated group of people who come to church to process the prior Sunday's offering. These tellers, Barb Green, Etta Kirk, Marijo Fox, Marcia Catey, Kay Porter, Susan Belben, Nettie Raber and Libby Weiss, work hard to ensure that your donations are handled according to your instructions. But at times these instructions are a little foggy! So here are some helpful hints to assist our tellers:
Use your pledge envelopes if you have them and be sure to fill them out. Don't have envelopes? Find out what your pledge number is. All church members have an envelope/pledge #. Leave a message for Denise @ Ext. 4 to get your # or look on your quarterly giving statement. Donations are entered in the computer by number not by last name. Tellers have to look up all missing numbers which can be very time-consuming. Please write your # on your check.
Be sure to designate what your donation is for. Tellers do not have access to pledge information. Combine pledge and building funds together in one check. Please make a separate check for any other donations or special offerings.
Thank you for your help.
 

FOOD BANK DONATIONS: We collect a donation for the Food Bank the 1st Sunday every month. The last Sunday of every month bags will be available for you to fill and bring back the next Sunday. Thank you to all who contributed last Sunday-the bin was overflowing!
 

SUMMER MUSIC: Do you or anyone you know have a talent you would be willing to share at one of our summer services? Please call Kay Marsh at 527-1323 or the office at 734-3720 and we'll put you on the schedule.
 

MIDWESTERN TRANSPLANT WANTS TO GET DIRTY! Do you need help in your garden? Are you already dreading that special time in August when you have thousands of tomatoes that you don't know what to do with? Well, fear no longer. I can help. I am a 25-year-old woman who would love to help you in your garden for a share of the produce. I am originally from South Dakota where I served as a delegate to Synod for the UCC and I am currently working here in Bellingham as an AmeriCorps member for The Power of Hope. I am specifically looking to help someone who is maturing and may not be able to do all of the bending work that a garden entails. Please let me know if I can be of help! E-mail me at jen.dickenson@gmail.com or call me at 612.741.0443.
 

FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES::
 

BOOK CLUB: All women who enjoy reading are invited to join the daytime book club as we gather at Village Books (1210 11th St.) Thursday, June 19th! We will meet with Chuck & Dee from 5:15 - 6:30 p.m. and then go to Skylarks for dinner. Please RSVP Linda Crawford at 671-5158 if you are able to stay for dinner.

ALLEGRO BELLS AT FCCB COMING SOON! The Allegro Handbell Ensemble from Hinsdale, Illinois will be in concert in our sanctuary on Wednesday, June 18 at 7:30 p.m. The members will be staying with host families the night of June 18. If you have any questions please contact Allison Thomas at 671-2555.

CALLING ALL FLUTE PLAYERS - DUST OFF THOSE FINGERS: Please join with other flute players to share flute choir music in worship on August 17th. If you are an active performer, play in your middle or high school band or haven't played since high school, come and enjoy this musical fellowship. All ages and experience welcome! Call or email Sharon Camblin to get the music and dates for the two, short summer rehearsals. 715-0933 or camblins@comcast.net.
 

FROM THE FCC LIBRARY BOOKSHELFThis new acquisition is featured on the book cart in the library and is available for check-out.
 

The FCCB Library is generally open Monday from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday from 9:00am-5:00pm, Fridays from 9:00am-1:00pm, Sundays before and after worship as well as during late afternoon and evening events. The library is used as a meeting room and may not always be available during those times.