Ryan Berg, youth worker and author of No House to Call my Home, which reports on the plight of disowned LGBTQ youth in New York City, will be speaking to the public in Bellingham, Saturday May 18, at 6:30 pm at First Congregational Church at 2401 Cornwall Avenue.

A committee has been hard at work updating our church constitution. The proposed changes are now ready for your review.

As I write this, we are just days away from the beginning of Lent: the 40-day liturgical season between Ash Wednesday and Easter which represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness. For some, Lent is traditionally a time of reflection, prayer and “giving something up,” such as chocolate, caffeine, sweets, Facebook, etc. For others, Lent can be an opportunity to “add something new” such as meditation, a daily devotional, journal, prayer, creative expression.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you. –Isaiah 43:2

Thank you all volunteers who have kept track of various needs throughout the past weeks since a couple of sprinkler lines burst above the ceiling in our sanctuary. Your hours of cleanup, connecting with contractors and insurance, moving pews, and other acts of care have been a gift to our whole congregation.

What a joy it is that The Ground Floor is open and serving young people! Every day at the church, our staff excitedly watches from afar as young people find their way to the space. We know they are accessing food, clothing, warm showers and quiet places to rest, and we know that they are also receiving high quality care from well-trained staff and volunteers, connecting them with mental health care, housing resources, vocational training and more.

Being Mortal II will happen on Friday January 25 with lunch from 11:00 am-1:00 pm. Our Faith Community Nurses and Health Minister will facilitate this meeting to support any who wish help with filling out the Peace Health Advance Directive called Honoring Choices.

We are excited to share with you a new way to give to the church — GivePlus Church is a mobile giving app that enables you to make one-time or recurring gifts from your smartphone. Visit the App Store or Google Play and search for “GivePlus Church” to download the app for free and start donating today!

Our church is now officially a provider of Hospital to Home Transitional Care with the Health Ministries Network (HMN). Our Faith Community Nurses (FCN) have been offering this transitional care for some years, but we are now signed up as the first faith community provider through the HMN.