News and Info
from First Congregational Church of Battle Creek
“Out in front of us is the drama of [people] and of nations, seething, struggling, laboring, dying. Upon this tragic drama in these days our eyes are all set in anxious watchfulness and in prayer. But within the silences of the souls of men an eternal drama is ever being enacted, in these days as well as in others. And on the outcome of this inner drama rests, ultimately, the outer pageant of history.” (Thomas Kelly, Holy Obedience)
Read More“How’s your heart?”
These three words, succinct and stunning, bounced around the hallways and greens and chapels of my undergraduate campus with such frequency that they were as much a part of the infrastructure as the mortar holding together century-old brick facades on the campus’ aging buildings.
Read MoreI had a deeply impactful mentor during my early ministry preparation as a young adult. Let me tell you, she had her hands full. At 22, I was exceptionally full of myself and lacking in life experience (which is never a great combo.) It didn’t take long for me to find myself in over my head in a situation I was wholly unprepared for in ministry. She went to immense lengths to support me, including opening up her home as a safe haven for me to land as I wrestled with my personal, spiritual, and vocational calling. At the time
Read MoreFirst Congregational Church of Battle Creek is excited to announce its partnership with Partners for Sacred Places and the beginning of a community-wide Discovery Study starting in July 2022. FCCBC is working with national non-profit Partners for Sacred Places to imagine and discern new and creative uses for our historic facility. The Discovery Study uses individual interviews and independent research to analyze
Read MoreSince calling together the entire congregation for every decision is not practical, the Church Council is entrusted with much of the work and discernment of business and spiritual oversight in between the January and June Congregational meetings. The twelve member Church Council is elected by the congregation at the June meeting each year. Minutes from Congregational meetings are posted…
Read MoreThe Parish Relations team is a small group that works to support the relationship between our Pastor Nate, Jaimie Fales (Administrator), and congregation members. They meet monthly with Nate and Jaimie to support the relational and emotional parts of their work at FCCBC. They also serve…
Read MoreAre you new, new-ish, or newly returning to FCCBC? I'd like to personally invite you to join me and a few other folks from our community for lunch after worship on May 22nd here at the church.
Read MoreThis month, are partnering with SAS for Child Abuse Prevention and Sexual Assault Awareness Month. At the Welcome Center, you will find a pinwheel display along with ribbon pins and information about the services offered by Sexual Assault Services,
Read MoreIt's been three years since we were last able to gather in our physical space to celebrate the power, pathos, and mystery of Holy Week. We're excited to be able to invite you and your loved ones to join us as we encounter anew the story of Jesus' death and resurrection through story, song, art, movement, embodied practices, and deep presence.
Read MoreOn Sunday, March 20, we will be holding a Special Offering during our worship service to aid refugees fleeing violence from the war in Ukraine. The United Church of Christ is appealing for support for refugees who have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries and for elderly and other vulnerable people who are displaced within Ukraine and unable
Read MoreCOVID Test Positivity rates have fallen dramatically over the last month. Currently, Calhoun County's rate is no longer in the "high transmission rate" category. Therefore, starting on Sunday, March 6, 2022, worship and congregational gatherings will be mask optional.
Read MorePlease plan to join us for a Q& A session with staff from Partners for Sacred Places on Tuesday, March 22nd at 6pm to get more information about the upcoming Discovery Study. A Zoom link and phone number for calling in will be available soon. If you are unable to attend, you can submit questions/comments to Jaimie in advance and the meeting will be recorded to view after the fact.
Read MoreWhat would FCC look like if, in the next five years, we grew not just in the strength of our hearts and our spiritual practice, but also in our numbers? What if our Sunday attendance doubled in that time, or even tripled? How much more of an impact would we be able to make on our communities and our city? How much stronger would our witness for peacemaking, justice, equity, and inclusion be?
Read MoreStarting March 2nd, the labyrinth will be available in the sanctuary…
Read MoreIn a newly-released memoir about forgiving her Greatest Generation father through spirituality and acceptance, author Emily Thayer Guziak writes of her experience at the First Congregational Church in Battle Creek, from 1967-77, in reaching that level of forgiveness.
Read MoreThe pandemic has been difficult in so many ways. Specific to our church community, we remember that Pastor Nate arrived, then within days after that we went to virtual only worship services and meetings, with staff generally working remotely. We stayed virtual for over a year.
Read MoreWe’re coming up on the beginning of Lent, that wonderful season where we deepen the wells of our being so that Easter joy can fill us more profoundly and overflow into the world around us. This year, the artists and clergy of A Sanctified Art will be leading us through our Lenten season with art, poetry, liturgy, music, and other resources gathered around our Lenten theme, Full to the Brim!
Read MoreFor several years, FCCBC has been preparing itself for and researching how it can transition to a new model for managing its building and transforming the building into a community space. Some of this work has been slowed by the pandemic, but it continues to be a goal we have been slowly working toward. FCCBC has an opportunity to develop a road map for a way forward into making this idea a reality.
Read MoreThis past Sunday, FCCBC hosted a memorial service for Tom Neal, the primary gardener at the Fremont Garden just up the street from our building. Tom spent thousands of hours planning for and working in the garden. He loved the idea that he was planning, building, planting, watering and growing so that his community could have access to fresh vegetables each summer. If Tom was working in the garden and someone stopped to chat, he would often talk them into helping him with whatever project he was working on. He would post
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