For Lent this year we will be engaging a new worship series, Wandering Heart: Figuring Out Faith with Peter. In Peter, we see a person who is both steadfast and unsteady, a dear friend and a betrayer, a follower and a wanderer. In Peter, we often see ourselves. By following Peter’s journey, we watch the story of Jesus unfold through the eyes of a very normal human trying to figure it all out—just like us. 

We will have tools available to help us on the journey including a devotional book, cards, and opportunities to explore the satages of our own faith. Keep and eye on our website for more information. The series will begin on Sunday, February 25th.

Gleaning Success!

We had a great morning gleaning tomatoes at Mecca Farms in Boynton on Saturday. The weather was beautiful and we picked 85 boxes of tomatoes in about an hour and a half. Those tomatoes went to Palm Beach County Food Bank and be distributed to 100 of plates this week. 

Join us at 10:00 on Thursday mornings onsite at 1415 North K ST in Lake Worth Beach or online here (note new link) for coffee and conversation!

Bring a dish to share and your own place setting and let's share a meal together.

This Sunday, bring your extra coins and cash as we collect for CROS Ministries.

Join us for a brief service of scripture, prayer, and the imposition of ashes as we mark the bginning of Lent on Wednesday, February 14th, 12:00 PM at 1415 North K ST in Lake Worth Beach.

One of the most important things you can know about anything spoken or written is who is responsible for the material. The who and when questions are vital to understanding the material. Another way to say that is context is everything. For the most part, we are good at this but when it is the Bible we give up because; it is about what we believe and that is just belief and not burdened by knowing the who and what because, well it’s God’s book. I have been teaching the who and when of biblical text for over 50 years. Rev. Nelson Stone, facilitator, was told in seminary that this was a foolish thing to do. "But, as foolish as I am going to be doing it again." Starting Wednesday, January 17 running for 6 weeks. We will meet in person at 1415 North K St. and online.

Book Study

Coinciding with our Wandering Heart worship series, we will discuss together Faith After Doubt: Why Your Beliefs Stopped Working and What You Can Do About it by Brian McLaren. Drawing on the vast literature regarding stages of faith, McLaren offers his own map. His four stages―Simplicity, Complexity, Perplexity, and Harmony―offer a path forward that can help sincere and thoughtful people leave behind unnecessary baggage and intensify their commitment to what matters most. We will meet for four weeks to discuss this book, beginning Thursday, February 29th at 7:00 PM, in person in our office at 1415 North K ST in Lake Worth Beach and via Zoom here.

On Sunday, February 18th, we will be moving our service from the sanctuary to the fellowship hall, have some waffles, and gather around tables for worship. We will talk about Mardi Gras and Lent and what makes us happy and what makes us sad. This is a great opportunity to bring the whole family to worship together in a casual atmosphere. There will be something for everyone!

We had good conversation after worship on Sunday. We discussed our feelings and experience of the way we say the Lord's prayer in worship and Pastor Jason shared some of the reasons we currently recite it the way we do. 

We also talked about our experiences of engaing with loved ones who have different theological and social views from our own and the difficulties that causes in many of our relationships. We acknowledged our pain in this. The subject of good boundaries came up as a possibie help in maintinging relationships when there is significant disagreement.

If you weren't with us, we missed your voice! We will gather again after worship on February 25th.

Thank you Marilyn and Janet for setting up and cleaning up!

IMPORTANT: Writing Checks

Our bank has cracked down on what checks they deposit for us. Please make your check out to "The First Congregational Church of Lake Worth." Yes, they need the "The." We will let you know when our name changes with the bank. Of course, you can always cut out the middle person and give online here.

UCC Resources and Education

Our local church is a part of the United Church of Christ. We are in covenant with approximately 4,600 churches in the United States, 90 in Florida. You can read the newlsetter of the Florida Conference of the United Church of Christ, Celebrate Florida, here to see what our churches are up to. 

There are many opportunities for learning and connection with the national setting of the United Church of Christ as well. This Thursday at 3:30 PM you can attend the series launch of "Woke" Lent with Curtiss Paul DeYoung, the author of the new book The Risk of Being Woke: Sermonic Reflections for Activists. You can find more information and register here. And on Sunday from 3:00-5:00, we are invited to join Friends Congregational Church in College Station, TX for the lecture, Changing the Conversation: The Theology of Reproductive Justice. 

Sojourners Magazine "seeks to inspire hope and build a movement to inspire hope and build a movement to transform individuals, communities, the church and the world." Each issue tackles themes of spirtuality and justice. Their January/February issue engages the subject of sports and social justice and includes the great article, "The Hidden Story of Christians and Racial Justice in U.S. Sports."

The Historical Jesus

Homebrewed Christianity and the Westar Institute are presenting a class this Lent, The Historical Jesus: The Evolutionary Challenge of a Mediterranean Jewish Peasant. The class is being taught by Tripp Fuller and John Dominic Crossan with special guests including Diana Butler Bass and Brian McLaren.

• Grocery Bags
• Peanut Butter
• Pouches of Tuna and/or chicken
• Canned Vegetables (tab top and/or single serve sizes are best)
• Ravioli, Spaghetti, Beefaroni (tab top)
• Canned Soups/Stews (tab top)
• Single serve ready to eat meals

We are in desperate need of the following mens' clothing items: 

• T-Shirts sizes L & XL
• Socks
• Boxer Briefs sizes L & XL
• Athletic shorts sizes L & XL
• Backpacks