| December 3, 2025 |
| You can find all of our Advent and Christmas services and activities on our website—we hope you’ll join us during this special season! |
| WORSHIP SERVICES: December 7, 2025 |
| 8:45AM and 10AM: We continue our Advent theme of Insist on Hope, even in the midst of fear. This week the Gospel reading brings us once again to a story including John the Baptist. This time John is in prison and seems to be losing hope. Was it all worth it? Did anything I spent my life doing have meaning? Was it all for nothing? These are the questions John is asking as his life takes an unexpected turn. Most of us don’t like unexpected turns. Especially when they make us call into question the big things like our life’s purpose and what kind of legacy we will leave behind. Maybe there is something we can learn from John and Jesus this week as we return to the Gospel. Come along – online or in person – and let’s see if we can tend to our fears (and our hopes!) together. Sunday School and Childcare will all take place this Sunday! And don’t forget to come up to Plymouth Hall for Gifts of Hope and yummy treats! And, please remember, any remote viewers can use the YouTube Chat to post joys and concerns or email Meredith@wscongo.org by today to have these announced in worship. |
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| Breakthrough Christmas GiftsIt is a cherished tradition at First Congo to support our mission partner, Breakthrough Urban Ministries, by providing Christmas gifts for the children served by their organization. Breakthrough partners with people to build connections, develop skills and open doors of opportunities in the East Garfield Park community. |
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 Who’s hungry? Girls Bite Out is coming in January! Ready for a night out that’s all about food, fun, and a little breathing room? Girls Bite Out is a new dinner group for First Congo women (and friends) who want to enjoy a good meal and great conversations. We’ll meet at a local restaurant about once a month from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm starting in late January. Come when you can — no pressure and no prep. Interested? Reach out to Kathy Vega (kathleen@kbvega.com) or Lisa McTigue (lisa@wscongo.org) to be added to the Realm group. REACH OUT TO KATHY REACH OUT TO LISA  PLAN AHEAD FOR END-OF-YEAR CONTRIBUTIONS! Pledge payments and other gifts intended for your 2025 tax statement (deductible in 2025) must be: Received in the church office by 9 AM on Tuesday, December 30 Dated December 31, 2025 or earlier These payments will be deposited into our bank account at noon on December 31. Please note that the church office is closed on December 31, although checks arriving by mail on December 31 will be opened and deposited. Payments through Realm will be recorded on the date of the transaction (which may be several days later than the date of your Realm submission). Please make your gifts through Realm by December 26 if possible. Contributions of securities will be dated on the day the stock is sold by our transfer agent (not the date you request the transfer), so please plan ahead! This process often takes a several days or more. For all 2025 and 2026 pledge payments and other gifts, kindly note the purpose of your payment on the memo line of the check or Realm transaction. Please contact Nancy O’Brien at 708-391-0448 (church phone), 708-927-2357 (cell or text) or nancy@wscongo.org for assistance with Realm payments or with any other questions. We are so grateful for your faithful and generous support of our ministries, programs and operations! REACH OUT TO FINANCE NANCY MAKE YOUR 2026 PLEDGE HERE  |
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| Let us weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. Prayers of Concern Ann Miklosz was joyful for family visiting and asked for prayers for everyone to have safe travels back home after the holiday. Mike Savage mentioned the ability to be thankful for so many things while others do not have as much and to be mindful of the needs of others. Prayers of Joy Lee McIntosh was grateful for her neighbor who bakes bread for all of the residents on her block. Nancy Kurth shared the joy of her son with 16 months sobriety and that he’s coming home to see his son perform in his first play! May God’s Love Abound… |
| If you have Joys & Concerns that you would like to share with the congregation in this weekly email, please email them to Meredith by Tuesday at 12PM. We try to include the joys and concerns of every church member. If we’ve somehow missed yours, please email Meredith so we can include it in next week’s edition.EMAIL YOUR JOYS AND CONCERNS |
