CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES! Photo features Bekki Maxfield (left) & Annika Mogck (right) VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

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1 Volume 7, Issue 5 Becoming The First Congregational United Church of Christ, Fargo June/July 2017 IN THIS ISSUE Pastor s Ponderings, Page 2 Church News, Page 3 Prayer Concerns, Page 5 Important Dates, Page 7 SPECIAL DATES June 4 Pentecost June 11 Trinity Sunday June 14 Flag Day June 18 Father s Day June 20 First Day of Summer July 4 Independence Day CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES! We celebrated Graduation Sunday on May 14. Thanksgiving for all of our graduates! Photo features Bekki Maxfield (left) & Annika Mogck (right) Zach Azure, West Fargo High School Annika Mogck, Fargo Davies High School Bekki Maxfield, Fargo North High School Hunter Seminole, Son of Becki Hegeholz and Dan Seminole, grandson of Connie & Steve Olgaard, great grandson of Ardys Olgaard, Moorhead High School Mercedes Van Vleet, West Fargo Sheyenne High School Allison Widmer, Oak Grove High School Jessica Sauvageau, Bachelor s Degree from Concordia College Arie Stende, Granddaughter of John and Joyce Stende, Bachelor s Degree in Anthropology/Human Resources from Vanderbilt University Kimi Booth, Ph.D. from NDSU (last December) Shauna Eberhardt, Ph.D. from Capella University VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES SERVE MEAL AT CHURCHES UNITED We will be serving the meal at Churches United for the Homeless in Moorhead on Friday, June 30 at 5:30 p.m. First Congregational United Church of Christ th Avenue South Fargo, ND (701) EMERGENCY FOOD PANTRY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED We are invited to volunteer this year on July 3-7; it is closed on July 4. Either morning or evening shifts are available. It s not that hard, and it means a lot to the many, many people who come seeking assistance! If you are interested in volunteering for either of these opportunities, please contact Carol Roth at rothca@mnstate.edu or Thank you!

2 Page 2 The Becoming June/July 2017 PASTOR S PONDERINGS Rev. Dr. Kevin Cassiday-Maloney This year, we celebrate Pentecost on Sunday, June 4th. With so much of our Christian energy going into celebrating Christmas and Easter, it s easy to overlook Pentecost, especially when it arrives during the summer when our minds and even spirits might be on vacation. But the three Christian holidays are actually interwoven in a kind of Trinitarian sort of way. Without Christmas, there d be no Jesus, and we wouldn t have that amazing set of teachings and compelling modeling of a life so filled with love and compassion. Without Easter, we d be stuck with Jesus skeleton in the tomb and our hopes for resurrection and newness of life eaten away by the maggots of life. And without Pentecost, we d have no church, for that s the day when the early Christians receive a stunning outpouring of God s Holy Spirit, and this is the birth of the Christian Church, bringing us around fullcircle to the birth of Jesus. As we celebrate Pentecost we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit, what we might see as the energy of the traditional doctrine of the Trinity, that presence of God that awakens and inspires us, that draws us into radical community with people across many different languages and even belief systems, that emboldens us to be the church in our time and place as we share the love of Christ and as we work to bring the values of Christ into the mix of how we live in community with each other on this third rock from the Sun. We might see the Holy Spirit is that part of God that helps us discover what s needed in any given moment. It is the wherewithal we need to meet life on life s terms, as the members of Alcoholics Anonymous who fill our building every Saturday morning would put it. The Holy Spirit is what drives our curiosity and exploration, what opens our hearts and minds and sets us forth on a journey of lifelong spiritual formation and learning. And I believe it is the Holy Spirit that s at the heart of humor and laughter, that wondrous experience of letting go and being caught up in a moment of lightheartedness that makes everything seem not quite so overwhelming. The Bible never mentions Jesus laughing, but it s not much of a stretch at all to imagine Jesus laughing in many of the stories of the Gospels, to see the twinkle in his eye as he shares his parables that so often end with a gotcha moment. A good Samaritan? Really?! The people of Jesus day would have found such an idea absurd, an oxymoron. But Jesus and the Holy Spirit seem to bring that trickster quality to our faith, and sometimes we just have to laugh at the ideas we once held so firmly that may not be true at all. Laughing at ourselves and our prejudices, we can then truly dream dreams and see visions as God s Spirit works in us and through us. Happy Pentecost! Blessings, Pastor Kevin Help is only a phone call or text away! If you would like a visit from Pastor Kevin, or just want to bend an ear, please call (701) or send a Facebook message to Kevin Cassiday-Maloney.

3 Page 3 The Becoming June/July 2017 NEWS FROM AROUND THE CHURCH FROM THE KITCHEN If you have brought something to church in a plastic or tin to share, please pick up your container. They are accumulating on the pie shelves in the kitchen. Thanks! STRENGTHEN THE CHURCH OFFERING - June 4 Strengthen The Church (STC) is a special mission offering to reimagine and build the future of the UCC. Shared at the conference and national levels, STC largely supports youth ministries and full-time leaders for new churches in parts of the country where the UCC voice has not been heard. As God calls our congregations to be the church in new ways, your generosity will plant new churches, awaken new ideas in existing churches and develop the spiritual life in our youth and young adults. STC funds will also be used to award grants to help congregations communicate the God is still speaking, message. Our goal is $600 thanks for your generosity! JOINT UCC POTLUCKS & WORSHIPS This summer our three Fargo-Moorhead UCC churches will again come together with each of our churches hosting a joint worship and picnic. We will host the first gathering at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 28. First Congregational UCC, Moorhead will host on Wednesday, July 26 at 6 p.m., with Plymouth Congregational UCC hosting on Wednesday, August 23 at 6 p.m. We are grateful for our shared UCC presence in the community! SUMMER SPECIAL MUSIC OPPORTUNITIES We are hoping to have a variety of people providing Special Music through the summer months, whether vocal solos or ensembles or instrumentals. If you re interested in sharing in this ministry, please contact Pastor Kevin or our Organist, Mariann Astrup ( ) so we can get you scheduled. Thanks! REQUEST FOR BIRTHDAYS, ANNIVERSARIES, PHONE & ADDRESSES We are seeking to update our database, and we would love to be able to include everyone s birthday and/ or anniversary in our monthly newsletters (if you wish). Please our Office Manager, Lora Wehrung at 1stcongregationalucc@gmail.com, or call her at church: Also, if you have had a change in phone or , we d appreciate your letting us know. Thanks! PETE YOUNG PREACHING ON JUNE 11 We are grateful for Rev. Pete Young serving as Guest Preacher on June 11. Pete brings 70 years of preaching experience and a lively curiosity to his continued learning and growth. Thanks, Pete! WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK Are the bulletins and hymnals difficult for you to read? Would you benefit from a large display at the front of the sanctuary? Or would you prefer we not add a screen at First Church? No matter what your opinion is, we want to know. Please complete our short online survey to give us your feedback. The survey can be found at Thank you for your participation.

4 Page 4 The Becoming June/July 2017 PRAYER CONCERNS & THANKSGIVINGS We pray for Bev Thompson as she grieves the death of her husband, Lloyd. We are grateful God led them together in these latter years and for the ways they brought such joy into each other s lives. May God s blessing bring healing and strength through this time of loss and remembering. We pray for Maida Gilbraith who is recovering at home following her recent hospitalization in which she received a pacemaker. May God bring good health to Maida and Jerry! We pray for Arlyn Mogck as he prepares for back surgery this month at Essentia. May he come through this with flying colors and feel much better as a result! Thanksgiving for the baptism of JT Fogle, daughter of Jimi and Tammy Fogle. May God s blessings be upon JT as she grows and finds her own path as a follower of Christ. Thanksgiving for wonderful attendance at the Fargo-Moorhead Gay Men s Chorus concert we hosted last month. They did a great job, and we re grateful to share our space for their weekly rehearsals! Thanksgiving for Marrion Walsh being part of the most recent Veterans Honor Flight, the only woman on the trip. We re grateful for Marrion s service in the WAVES and for all our veterans! Thanksgiving that Tom Nankivell received a new defibrillator this past month as a backup just in case his heart needs to be restarted. Tom has spread some of his wife Beda s ashes in Florida, and soon they will be spreading the remainder in her hometown area. May God bring continued healing and newness of life to Tom! Thanksgiving that Duane McIntyre is making good progress as he recovers from a challenging knee replacement. May God be with Duane and Paula through this time of healing! Thanksgiving for a wonderful year of Christian Education! We are grateful for the ministry and leadership of our Christian Ed. Director, Jae Utke, our Christian Education Board, our teachers and helpers and for the children and youth who teach us all! Thanksgiving for another year s worth of music from our Choir! Thanks so much to our Director, Jared Hoeft, to our Accompanists, Mariann Astrup and Em Laskey, and to all our singers! SEPTEMBER HOSPITALITY LIST I am taking this opportunity to express my most sincere THANK YOU to all of you for providing treats and making coffee for our Hospitality Hour this past 9 months. I am honored to work with all of you. Now during the summer months of June, July and August we are looking for volunteers to choose some Sunday to provide refreshments. Just choose a Sunday that works best for you. Nothing elaborate or fancy just keep it simple. The sign-up sheet is in Fellowship Hall on the small round table near the kitchen door. Bless you for helping us show hospitality. The Hospitality List for September is: Georgia Bettenhausen Bonnie Bernardy Margaret Briske Ardis & Milt Carvell Frank & Linda Froysland Shane & Kristie Heisler David & Chris Maxfield Matt & Kendra O Brien Freeland & Lorraine Pletcher Arlyce & Harris Widmer Keith & Lisa Widmer Maggie & Jerry Gee David & Emily Gee If you have any questions, please feel free to call me, Joan Mogck, at

5 Page 5 The Becoming June/July 2017 FIRST UCC BOARD OF DIRECTORS APRIL 27, :30PM Members Present: Glen Kirk, Pastor Kevin, Darin Mogck, Jimi Fogle, Jerry Gee, Carol Roth, Carolyn Stenseth, Bill Simpson and Heather Karstens 1. Moderator Glen Kirk called the meeting to order. 2. Pastor Kevin led us in devotions. 3. Jerry Gee moved to accept the minutes of the last meeting as written. Caroyln Stenseth seconded the motion, and it passed. 4. Pastor s Report: Jimi Fogle moved to accept the Pastor s Report; Darin Mogck seconded the motion, and it passed. 5. Correspondence: (1) Glen Kirk had correspondence regarding a possible contemporary service. (2) Pastor Kevin reported that the Northern Plains Conference of the United Church of Christ (NPCUCC) held a special meeting and determined to change the role of conference minister from 0.6 time to full time. (3) Pastor Kevin indicated that the purchase of a large screen TV for various uses including Christian Education is under consideration, possibly using memorial funds. (4) A Liberian church is looking for a worship space to use and is seeking information about our building. St. Odilia American National Catholic Church is as well. 6. Standing Committee Reports: Worship (Bob Stone): No report. Pastor-Parish (Jimi Fogle): (1) Discussion took place regarding the possibility of a contemporary worship service and music. (2) Discussion took place regarding the possibility of a large screen for the sanctuary. Treasurer (Jerry Gee): (1) The Cable One contract has been renewed. (2) Tuckpointing fundraising has reached $10,049 as of April 26, A down payment of $2, has been made and work has begun on the project. Stewardship (Bill Simpson): No report. Clerk (Heather Karstens): No report. Communications (Brenna Naseer): The Deadline for The Becoming is the 21st of each month. The June/July issue of The Becoming will be a combined issue. Buildings and Grounds (Darin Mogck): (1) We have raised enough funds for tuckpointing and the work has started. (2) A reminder to all using the building for various groups and events to please clean up and lock up before leaving. (3) Jerry Gee moved and Carolyn Stenseth seconded to upgrade the security cameras. Christian Education (Jae Utke submitted via ): Report submitted via . (1) The March family activity during Lent, Game Night, was a huge success. The April family activity, swimming, went well. Four youth and three adults enjoyed it. (2) Wednesday Night Church School has begun at the request of the youth. The first week, we had five youth and two adults. We did not meet the second week due to scheduling conflicts. We intend to continue through May. (3) Youth will be participating in the church service on Sunday, May 14. There will be no Sunday School to allow youth to be present and participate in the church service. (4) May 14th is also Graduation Sunday. (5) The last day of Sunday School for the school year will be May 21. We will go to the park, weather permitting. (6) The Christian Education (CE) and Youth Director has agreed to an improvement plan. (7) The CE board has added a new member, Dominique Dejournette, and is looking for at least one more new CE board member. (8) We have a beautiful new laptop and are going to obtain a couple of accessories such as a mouse, a bag and a DVD drive. continued on page 6

6 Page 6 The Becoming June/July 2017 Youth NewsYouth NewsYouth YOUTH CHURCH CAMP Youth Church Camp is set for July 23 - July 28. This year s theme is Christmas in July and camp is intended for 4th - 9th graders. Please stay tuned for more information about the camp and how to register. VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL VBS is schedule for Wednesday, August 9. It is for ages 3 years old through 3rd grade. Our theme is Big Problems and Little People, based on the story of David and Goliath. We will have a light supper from 5:30-6PM and lessons, songs, games and activities from 6-8PM. Please Jae Utke if your child(ren) would like to attend. Also let me know if you would like to volunteer to help. Without volunteers, even the best plans don t succeed. Any and all help is appreciated!! Thank You! THANK YOU! Thank you to our Church School Teachers: Carol Roth, Tammy Fogel, and Dominique DeJournette. Thank you for planting the seeds of faith in our children, and helping them to nurture and grow. As the next Church Year approaches, please consider volunteering to teach. The more, the merrier, and it DOES make a difference in the lives of our young people. Thanks! FIRST UCC BOARD OF DIRECTORS Family Fellowship (Chris Maxfield): The Board thanks Chris for a great job with the Lenten Wednesday meals! Evangelism and Nurture (Paula McIntyre): Visits are underway. Memorial (Carolyn Stenseth): One memorial has been received so far for Ron Cantler. Missions (Jon Nelson): Pentecost Sunday, June 4th, is the suggested date for collecting the Strengthen the Church offering. Community Service (Carol Roth): (1) We served at Churches United for the Homeless on March 31, 2017 with a large turnout of both servers and guests. (2) The Emergency Food Pantry is in need of contributions. We will also be looking for volunteers for our week to help out there. (3) Our next turn to serve at Churches United will be June 30, Women s Fellowship (Joan Mogck): No report. 7. Carolyn Stenseth moved to accept the reports; Darin Mogck seconded. Motion carried. 8. Unfinished Business: Discussion continued regarding the stained-glass windows. 9. New Business: No new business. 10. The next meeting will be May 25, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. 11. Pastor Kevin offered a closing prayer. 12. Carol Roth moved to adjourn, Jimi Fogle seconded. The meeting was adjourned. Respectfully submitted, Heather Karstens, Clerk continued from page 5

7 Page 7 The Becoming June/July 2017 FIRST CHURCH UPCOMING DATES Holy Communion first Sunday each month - ALL are welcome to partake! Bulletins and Bibles every Wednesday from 1:30-3:30. Bible Study begins at 2 p.m. Worship every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Mat Ministry second Wednesday each month at 10 a.m. Sunday, June 4 - Strengthen the Church Offering Friday, June 9 thru Sunday, June 11 - Northern Plains Conference UCC Annual Mtg. in Winnipeg, Rev. Pete Young, Guest Preacher Wednesday, June 28, 6 pm - Joint UCC Picnic and Worship here Friday, June 30, 5:30 pm - Serve Meal at Churches United Sunday, July 2 - Pastor Kevin out of town, Guest Preacher July Volunteering at Emergency Food Pantry (closed on July 4) Friday, July 21 - Deadline for August Becoming (please send your information to our Editor, Brenna Naseer at brenna.pratt.1@gmail.com) Wednesday, July 26, 6 pm - Joint UCC Picnic and Worship at First Congregational UCC, Moorhead MONTHLY COMMUNITY HOSPITALITY 4H - Second Monday of the month from 6-8 p.m. Heather & Thistle Bagpipers - Every Tuesday at 7 p.m. Codependents Anonymous - Every Tuesday at 4:30-6:00 p.m. MOMS Group - Third Friday of the month at 10 a.m. FM Gay Men s Chorus Practice - Every Sunday, 4-7 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous - Every Saturday, 9:30-10:30 a.m. June Birthdays 06/02 Alexander Maxfield 06/03 Kevin Cassiday-Maloney 06/03 Mary Dickson 06/03 Jordyn Fogle 06/06 Bergen Mogck 06/08 Lexie Alley July Birthdays 06/08 Emma Bueng 06/14 Jaime Rice 06/15 Dana Mogck 06/21 Dorothy Koch 06/23 Zella Wong June Anniversaries 06/01/1995 David & Chris Maxfield 06/02/1973 Tim & Renee Radloff 06/04/1950 Freeland & Lorraine Pletcher 06/13/1952 Wilmar & Em Laskey 06/15/1958 Harris & Arlyce Widmer July Anniversaries 07/03 Jordan Rice 07/04 Krisanne Mogck 07/10 Charles Buckhouse 07/10 Gunnar Mogck 07/11 Matt O Brien 07/16 Georgia Bettenhausen 07/11/1964 Ardis & Milton Carvell 07/20 Carol Roth 07/28 Stephanie Nicole Engstrom 07/30 Christine Maxfield 07/31 Truman O Brien For a current calendar, visit our church website at & click the Events link in the upper right.

8 Page 8 The Becoming June/July 2017 The Becoming is a publication of First Congregational Church, Fargo. FIRST CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST TH AVENUE SOUTH FARGO, ND This publication is published monthly and mailed to membters and friends of the Church. Articles are taken with permission from The Aware, UCC News, The Newsletter Newsletter and The Fargo Forum. Becoming Staff: Editor Brenna Naseer Advisor Kevin Cassiday-Maloney Production The Bible Study Babes & Dudes Welcome to First Church! OUR COVENANT We covenant here, one with another, in the love of truth and in the spirit of Jesus Christ, for the worship of God and the service of Gods creation; and, as the Lords free people, we agree to walk together in all of God s ways, known or to be made known to us. Kevin Cassiday-Maloney, Pastor Office Phone: Cell Phone: mrmetta57@gmail.com Facebook: Kevin Cassiday-Maloney Jae Utke, Christian Ed. Director Cell Phone: jae.utke@yahoo.com Facebook: Jae Utke Lora Wehrung, Office Manager 1stcongregationalucc@gmail.com First Church is on the web!