10:00 AM-3:00 PM - Thrifts and Gifts

9:00 AM-7:00 PM - Salvation Army Bell Ringing

10:00 AM-3:00 PM - Thrifts and Gifts

2:00 PM - Serving at Community Kitchen

8:30 AM - Choir Rehearsal

10:00 AM - Worship & Nursery Care

10:15 AM - Children's Worship

11:00 AM - Fellowship

11:30 AM - Bible Study

3:00 - Building Belonging Committee Meeting

Office Closed

8:00 AM - Virtual Lectio Divina

10:00 AM - Men's Coffee Group

12:00 PM - Virtual Contemplative Advent Journey

1:00 PM - Mah Johngg

4:30 PM - Off-site Pastoral Relations Committee Meeting

7:00 PM - Virtual Contemplative Advent Journey

9:00 AM-1:00 PM - Pastor's Office Hours

10:00 AM - Thrifts and Gifts Sorting and Prep

10:00 AM-3:00 PM - Thrifts and Gifts

10:00 AM-3:00 PM - Thrifts and Gifts

9:00 AM-7:00 PM - Salvation Army Bell Ringing

8:30 AM - Choir Rehearsal

10:00 AM - Worship & Nursery Care

11:00 AM - Fellowship

11:15 AM - S3 Youth Group

11:30 AM - Bible Study

5:00 PM - Community Longest Night/Blue Christmas Service @Zion Lutheran Church, 815 E. 16th St., Loveland

Dig deeper and learn about the historical and literary contexts of the scriptures we hear during worship. Who are the stories about? Why do the gospels differ so much in how they tell Jesus’ origin/birth stories? What can we learn from them?

Christmas will be here before we know it! We are working with the Namaqua Center to bring holiday joy to some of their children and have the Angel Tree set up in the narthex. A child’s name, age and a requested gift are listed on an ornament. If you would like to spread some Christmas cheer, just take an ornament, replace it with an angel, buy the suggested gift and deliver it to the narthex by December 15. Please attach the tag to the wrapped present.

We appreciate your participation in bringing joy to these special children. For questions, please call Linda Arndt at (970) 203-4828.

Tuesdays through January 6, 12 pm and repeated at 7 pm, on Zoom

Facilitated by Rev. Chuck Wright

Using daily readings from the Advent scriptures read in Sunday worship, and diverse art forms, participants will explore contemplative thought and practices to gain deeper understanding of our personal experiences with fear, the impact fear has in our lives, and individual strategies we can develop to use, overcome, and heal our fears.

All are welcome! For questions and more information about our Advent journey, please feel free to contact Chuck at wrightrev@aol.com

First Congregational Church will again be ringing the Salvation Army Red Kettle bells this year and needs volunteers. Our last Saturday to ring is December 20 at the south King Soopers on Eagle Drive in Loveland.

We will also need counters for the kettles. Please call Mary (970-290-4152) for signups and location.

Please sign up to ring for your favorite time slot at the trophy case. Contact Mary Kauffman (970-290-4152) or Judy Bernard (970-689-8336) with any questions.

January 10

Help us serve an afternoon meal on the 2nd Saturday of each month! Please sign up at the trophy case. Have questions? Contact Karin Schwols at 970-218-8902 or karin.schwols45@gmail.com.

We are open one more weekend before Christmas - still time to come in for gifts for your favorite peeps and/or to get "something new to you" to wear for the holidays!

Please join us in collecting socks for Greg Greaves’ annual Birthday Sock Drive! Socks may be dropped off in the church narthex.

We will again be accepting donations for the Love Gift Offering to recognize our staff for their service this year. Our staff includes Thandiwe, Nikki, Staci, Robert, and Jenna.

The offering will be given to staff on Christmas Eve. If you wish to donate, please note “Love Gift” on your check/offering envelope. You may drop it in the offering plate or in the Love Gift Offering box on the trophy case by December 21.

The Christmas Fund for the Veterans of the Cross has been caring for active and retired clergy and lay employees of the United Church of Christ for over 100 years, providing emergency grants, supplementation of small annuities and health premiums, and Christmas “Thank You” gift checks each December to our lower-income retirees.

This year, as we anticipate the hope and joy of the Advent and Christmas seasons, we also know that challenges remain for many of our pastoral leaders who continue to experience loss of income as congregations struggle with budget shortfalls.

Please show your continued gratitude for our active and retired UCC clergy who need our support by giving to the Christmas Fund this year. Gifts to the Christmas Fund bring relief and hope to those who have dedicated their lives to serving our churches. By supporting the Christmas Fund, you make a huge difference and bring great joy!

To contribute, please write the check to FCC and note “Christmas Fund” in your memo line.

Join us in a safe and sacred space to share anguish, plead with God to remember us, and pray for justice and restoration. This service can be especially meaningful for those who have lost a loved one, pet, relationship, or hope during the last year. Tea and light refreshments will be available for those who’d like to stay after the service.

Geared towards our youth and children. We hope to have many children participate in helping to tell the story of Christmas through word and song. We will close the service with candlelight Silent Night.

Join us for our traditional Christmas Eve service with communion, candles, and a “Silent Night” verse in German.

The office will be closed and all staff will be on vacation during the week between Christmas and New Year’s (Thursday, December 25, through Thursday, January 1). The office will reopen on Monday, January 5. Pastor Thandiwe will be taking vacation December 25 through January 1. 

Join us for a shared worship service at 10 am at First Christian Church (2000 N Lincoln Ave.). There is no service in our sanctuary that day.

Officers, the annual report for your committee is due December 31! Please email your report to Staci at office@lovelanducc.org. Please let me know if you need to see a past report for reference.

Would you like to be a lay reader during Worship? The lay reader generally leads the Call to Worship, reads the Scripture, and may lead other sections determined by the pastor. Please contact Staci in the office to be placed on the schedule.

Slammin’ Famine (or Feed My Starving Children) is set for Saturday, February 14, 9 -11am. Our Mission and Outreach team has made a generous donation that will purchase food to pack and will feed many starving children. We need 26 ambitious people to fill the role of packing meals on February 14. Any youth under 18 need to be accompanied by adult.

Please sign up on the trophy case. Go to https://www.slamminfamine.org/ for more information about the program or see Brian Kukus with any questions.

A box is in the lower level entry to collect used prescription bottles for a local veterinarian who will recycle them to use for pet medicines. The labels MUST be removed before placing in the box. If you have questions, please call Elizabeth Endicott, (507) 440-4934.

We are collecting toiletry samples for the Community Kitchen. If you have any of those toiletries that you collect from hotel visits that you never get around to using, please feel free to drop them off in the basket  in Fellowship Hall.