1stcong.weblogger.com

• Sunday, June 22, 5:00, Mackenzie Hooper’s house
• Sunday, June 29, 5:00, Jill Price’s house

All are welcome! For more information, contact Jacqueline Johnson, 428-0370 or Ben Robinson, 332-3455.
Letís all go FISHING! (Friends In Senior High Informal Night Gatherings ~ )

All 6th-8th Graders: Jan. Camp at Pilgrim Pines will FUN (January 18-21).  Contact Nancy Bacon if you are interested.

Calling all 4th - 6th  Graders: Come to our event on Sunday Jan 6 at 11:45 (right after church) in the Fireside Room.

Friday-Sunday, September 21-23:  

7th-12th graders are invited to attend an experiential ìGlobal Villageî  weekend at Heifer Project near Ceres, CA.

We will be assigned to one of six different dwellings in places such as Africa, Central America, Appalachia, and Cambodia.
For one day, we will live as people from that area. This is a great opportunity to learn about peopleís lives in places served by Heifer Project International.  

We will be joining UCC teens from Pasadena and Claremont. The cost is $30 per person for the weekend.  RSVP before 9/16 to assure we have enough drivers and chaperones!  665-1699

There will be a Youth Group trip to Heifer Project in Ceres California July 21. We will meet at the church at 8:15am, have a picnic lunch on the grounds, take our tour mid-day, and stop fro dinner on the way home. Youth and famlies are encouraged to go with us! Cost is $5/person. You MUST RSVP to Lara by Wednesday July 11th.

Inspired by comments from our senior high youth, the Board of Ministries has unanimously endorsed the planting of a ìPeace Poleî on our church property. A Peace Pole displays the message, ìMay Peace Prevail on Earthî, in several different languages. (See worldpeace.org or peacepoles.com and peacepoles.org
for more details.) The idea behind a pole, or poles, is to create a
space for anyone passing by to be mindful of peace, to perhaps stop and
meditate or pray for peace. It becomes a sacred monument offered to the
community. When they are planted, people from throughout the community
are invited to come and help ìplantî or dedicate the pole. There are
peace poles all over the world.  Pope John Paul II, Mother Teresa,
and Jimmy Carter are but a few of the people who have helped to
dedicate them. There is one on the North Pole and one where the twin
towers stood in New York, NY. A team of interested people will assist
our youth in making this happen at First Congregational Church. We will
invite the community and religious leaders of other faiths to join us
in the dedication. Please watch for more information to come and join
in as you desire.

Serendipitously, some of our youth will be going to Pilgrim Pines this summer, where the theme will be ìPeace Talksî. 
The programming looks amazing. Additionally, youth that partake in our
work trip will get a chance to experience different religious and
ethnic traditions. Our work trip will be August 7-12, near Morro Bay. Contact Nancy Bacon or Bruce Jones for more information. Both of these summer camp weeks will lead up to the dedication of our Peace Pole, hopefully around the 1st of October. May peace be upon you.

Janboree Camp was Sweet

Report on Janboree Camp 2006 at Pilgrim Pines

FEB Camp

Time Off For Louise

more…

Junior High-Circle of Friends

2-15-06 Wed.  Youth Group in Room 6

2-26-06 Sun.  Bowling 11:15am

Junior High Bowling

[Macro error: Can't call the script because the name "PictureRef" hasn't been defined.]
Our Youth will be collecting food and
money for the Bakersfield Homeless Shelter on Sunday, February 5, 2006.
While some people may be preparing to watch the Super Bowl Game on TV,
our Jr. & Sr. High will be joining thousands of other young people to fight hunger and poverty in their communities.

The Souper Bowl of Caring is a youth-led
movement resulting in over $28 million raised for charities across the
country. The donations that are collected at our church will stay in
our community and will be taken by the Youth to the Homeless Shelter.
Please mark your calendar to help our youth make a difference in the
lives of those less fortunate. Donations will be accepted in the church
narthex on Sunday, February 5th or contact Louise Brummett in the
church office. ìLord, as we enjoy the Super Bowl football game, help us
be mindful of those who are without even a bowl of soup to eat.î

JUNIOR HIGHóCircle of Friends
1-25 Wed. - Yth Grp in Room 6
2-1 Wed. - Yth Grp in Room 6
2-8 Wed. - Yth Grp in Room 6
2-12 Sun. - Yth serve as ushers and greeters
Wednesday - Group meets at 6:45 p.m.

SR. HIGHóFISHóFriends in Sr. High
1-29 Sun. - Bowling
2-5 Sun. - Souper Bowl Sunday
2-12 Sun. - Youth serve as Worship Leader, Ushers, Greeters,  wash
dishes    at coffee hour & deliver food to Homeless
Shelter
2/17-20   - FEB Camp at Pilgrim Pines

FEB Camp
Registration
forms have been sent to all the Senior High Youth and hopefully you
have talked with your parents about the great experience coming up at
Pilgrim Pines. February 17-20, 2006 will be a weekend of fun, inspiring
programs, music and worship. Cost is $155 and Camperships are
available. Carpool arrangements are available. Please contact Louise at
327-1609 for more information or more registration forms. 

JAN- boree Camp
Here
is one great way to spend the three day Martin Luther King Jr. holiday
weekend ó head up to Pilgrim Pines. We will be leaving this Friday
afternoon and spend three nights and days learning more about
ourselves, each other, and God. Thank you for your prayers and
financial support. Weíll share our experiences with you when we come
back down the mountain!