1st Congregational UCC Votes Overwhelmingly to Become Open & Affirming
On Sunday, June 4, 2023, after a full year of study, discussion, book groups, panel discussions, and guest speakers, our congregation voted overwhelmingly to become an Open and Affirming church as the United Church of Christ defines it. This vote makes official what our congregation has felt for a long, long time, namely that we want our purple doors to be open to everyone…period. Just as our communion table has a place for everyone, so does the full range of activities and ministries that our church provides. Here is our church’s official statement, the covenant we made with each other and with God when we voted to become Open and Affirming:
We, as participants of 1st Congregational United Church of Christ, Charlevoix, Michigan, seek to follow the life and teachings of Jesus in all we do, so that we may obey the Great Commandment to Love. We will open our purple doors more widely to all people who seek God.
In this particular age, we seek to be especially sure that people of any sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or family configuration will find safety, love and full inclusion among us. We affirm people in the LGBTQ+ community as children of God and enthusiastically invite their full participation in the life and leadership of this congregation.
We officially adopt the UCC’s Open and Affirming designation. With the Holy Spirit’s guidance, our family of faith will continue to learn and grow by ongoing education, sensitivity, language, and action to truly become a spiritual home for all people.
We will never exclude anyone on the basis of their gender identity, expression, or family configuration. If you want a church that celebrates and fully includes all people, the church with the purple doors at 101 State St. in Charlevoix may be the right one for you. Check us out!
This Week’s Service Information:
Online Worship Services
Please join us for our live-streaming online worship each Sunday at 10:30 am
Jan./Feb. Reaching Out Focus: Developing Our Guatemala Mission
This Sunday, the people of 1st Congregational United Church of Christ will gather to explore the truth that God shows no partiality nor favoritism and what the implications of this truth are for us today. It’s a fitting topic on the eve of the celebration of Martin Luther King Jr day, and we welcome all people to join us at our Open and Affirming church located at 101 State St. in Charlevoix. We gather every Sunday at 10:30a in our Sanctuary. We welcome ALL to come and worship with us!
Can’t make it? Join us online by clicking on the following link: January 19, 2025.
Be sure to check out the weekly podcast entitled “Toby’s Take”. It can be found on Spotify, where new episodes drop every Thursday. Follow this link: Toby’s Take. Each episode is less than 10 minutes long, and, as Toby likes to say, “If you give me ten minutes, I’ll give you a whole new way of seeing something.” Check it out!
SCAM ALERT!!
We have been made aware of a phone scam going around to participants in our church. It is in the form of a text message and/or an email sent seemingly by our Pastor and/or our Office Manager, Stacey. In this message, they are asking if the recipient is available and to respond by text, and they sign off as “Rev. Toby Jones” or “Stacey Luoma Office Manager.”
The first thing to recognize the scam is that the Pastor and Office Manager will NEVER text you to ask to respond to them only by text. If they needs to reach you, they will call you or email you from the church accounts.
They will NEVER ask to have someone buy gift cards for others, or try to solicit any money for anything.
The Pastor will NEVER refer to himself as Rev. Toby Jones. Those who attend 1st Congregational know what he refers to himself as.
The best thing to do is to NOT respond to the text and block this number. If you respond in any way, the scammer will know they have a “Live Person” on the other end and you might get more texts from different numbers with the same scam.
We are looking into what we can do on our end to figure this out. In the meantime, the Login Required page of our website has been removed. Please contact the office if you need to access any reports. Church Directories will be available at the church for pickup, or you can call us directly to request one be sent to you.
Thank you for your understanding as we work to try to rid ourselves of these scammers.
Streamers! We Need to Hear From YOU!
We need to know who you are and where you are. You have become such an important part of our family of faith that we really want to connect with you. More importantly, we want to be able to connect with each other as streaming participants. We are in the process of setting up a Virtual Coffee Hour for our streamers that we hope will happen once a month. To make this happen, we need you to take two minutes right now and go to this link:
Please simply fill out your information at the bottom of the page it sends you to and click “Submit.” Then we will send you a Zoom link the week before our next Virtual Coffee Hour, which will take place immediately after the worship service. Toby will be your host and you’ll all have a chance to “see” each other and have some casual conversation.
If you have already notified us that you are a Streamer, you don’t need to fill out the form again. We have already noted this in your profile and you will get updates and invites automatically.
We look forward to hearing from you soon! Thank you for being a part of our community!
Centering Prayer/Meditation Group
Feeling down? Stressed? Tired of winter yet? Come join the warmth of Divine Love and friendship in our new meditation/centering prayer format each Wednesday evening from 5:00 til 5:45 pm in our beautiful sanctuary. Relaxing piano sounds, candles, and guided imagery to help you connect and open to Divine love.
Participation is FREE and there is no registration needed. Just show up and join in. ALL are welcome here!
Scripture Discussion Group
Did you know that we have a Scripture Discussion Group here at FCUCC? Every Tuesday from 10a-11a we meet LIVE in Ransom Hall and share coffee, snacks, and a lively discussion of the scripture that will be a part of the following Sunday’s service. There are questions that stimulate conversation, and help us better understand the Word and each other. Everyone is welcome!
Feel free to stop in – you will be glad you did! Can’t make it to the in-person group? No problem, we also live-stream by Zoom, and you can also participate that way. Call the church office at (231) 547-9122 to be added to the Scripture Group’s Zoom list.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
Our church community seeks to embody God’s Spirit and live the teachings of Jesus. We offer a sense of belonging to each other and to all our neighbors, as we build a just and sustainable world for all.
On Sunday, June 4, 2023, after a full year of study, discussion, book groups, panel discussions, and guest speakers, our congregation voted overwhelmingly to become an Open and Affirming church as the United Church of Christ defines it. This vote makes official what our congregation has felt for a long, long time, namely that we want our purple doors to be open to everyone…period. Just as our communion table has a place for everyone, so does the full range of activities and ministries that our church provides. Here is our church’s official statement, the covenant we made with each other and with God when we voted to become Open and Affirming:
