Holy Week is upon us! Join us as we enter this time of reflection and celebration.

Tonight in the sanctuary music minister Kelly Takunda Orphan Martinez will be in conversation with San Francisco Chronicle columnist Jon Carroll, beginning at 7 pm.

Admission is $20 and is a benefit for Park Day School in Oakland, where Kelly teaches.

And check out the current Seminary of the Street class schedule and online Holy Week discussion on Facebook

Added a page for Holy week 2009

This Sunday, March 29th, there will be a short film about neighborhood recyclers as part of the service.

Bring your recyclable bottles and cans (not paper!) to give to the recyclers in attendance.

Check out the new pages for the Children, Youth and Families ministry as well as the Toddlers ministry. Thanks to Allison, Craig and Dawn for the first in what will be an ongoing newsletter highlighting First Congo's committment to our children and families with children.

Yes, I am aware Pastor's sermon from yesterday has a low recording level, especially at the beginning. I'll look at it tonight to see if I can fix it, but my audio editing abilities are not great.

I fixed some navigation recently, particularly on the Staff Page.

Dr. Joanne M. Braxton's sermon, Dissident Disciples is online (you can get the feed here), but I have yet to get a photo and a bio for her.

It took a while to do so, but I have re-established the links to the 2007 sermons on the Sermon Archive page. It will be another project to add them to the podcast feed.

Dear Members and Friends of First Congo,

There will be a congregational meeting on this Sunday, December 7, 2008, from 1:15 - 3:15. The meeting room will be announced. The purpose of the meeting is for the congregation to:

Elect Board members.

The Nominating Committee's slate is as follows:

For election to an initial two-year term: Victor Lewis and Webb Mealy.
For re-election to a second two-year term: Charley Lerrigo and Karen Moore.

Receive updates on our infrastructure.

1. Pastoral Relations Committee membership.

2. Former CAP (i.e., capacity building) Team.

3. Infrastructure for ministry programs.

Provide input to the Board on allocation of the congregation's mission money.

Each year the church tithes 10% of its annual income from congregational giving and makes donations to other organizations whose missions are aligned with ours. The decision-making policy adopted by the congregation is for the Board to make recommendations, and the congregation to give further input to the Board for its final decision.

Approve in principle the proposed 2009 budget.

Final budget approval will be made at the Annual Meeting in February-March of 2009, after the 2008 financial books have closed.

Determining our leaders and the use of our financial resources are vitally important decisions in the life of our community. Please participate in learning and conversing about these topics. Everyone is welcome, and all members may vote.

I am profoundly thankful for your presence in this Body of Christ,

Pat Bruce-Lerrigo
Moderator
First Congregational Church of Oakland, United Church of Christ.