Events In The Life Of The Church
September Meetings
- Personnel Committee – 9/5 @ 9 am
- Elders Mtg.: Sunday, 9/15 @ 12:15 pm
- Building Task Force Mtg.: Sunday, 9/15 @12:15 pm
- Community Ministries Mtg.: Wednesday, 9/18 @ 1 pm
- Worship Advisory Committee: Thursday, 9/19 @ 2 pm
- Executive Team: Wednesday, 9/25 @ 11 am
- Administrative Ministries Mtg.: Thursday, 9/26 @ 5 pm (via Zoom)
Time for Prayer
Time for Prayer: Every Wed., 11:00 am, check website for Zoom link.
Collaboration with Other Congregations
Great news! John Moore suggested forming a small group of leaders to reach out to similar congregations in the area. This collaboration will help us understand their challenges and explore potential partnerships.
Next Steps:
- We’ll keep you updated on additional ways to stay informed and share your thoughts on the different options.
- Together, we can find the best path forward.
Building Task Force Update
Thank you to everyone participating in our productive town hall meeting on June 30th! We had a fantastic turnout of around 40 people; your engagement was invaluable.
The task force presented various options, and while some great questions about alternative approaches were raised, they also acknowledged feeling a bit stretched thin exploring many paths simultaneously.
Moving Forward
Deep Dives on Specific Options:
- While task force meetings remain open to all, we also offer the opportunity to join focused discussions on specific options. This allows for deeper dives and focused brainstorming.
- For example, if you’re interested in exploring opportunities with the county, join the next meeting dedicated specifically to that option. We’ll announce these focused meetings soon.
Updated Security Measures
Our top priority is the safety and well-being of our congregation. To continuously improve the security of our church building, we’ll implement updates to our security presence and policies.
We understand that a place of worship should feel welcoming, and these changes are being made with that in mind. One important update is that the main doors will be closed and locked from outside entry at the start of each service. This will ensure a more controlled environment during service times. If you arrive after the doors are locked, please knock on the main sanctuary door, and a security team member will greet you to allow you entry.
You may also notice the security staff person around the grounds and building before, during, and after service helping mitigate and facilitate proper emergency responses to situations that may arise. Of course, we want everyone to feel welcome.
We’ll be sharing more details about the other security updates and our overall plan soon, but in the meantime, please know that these updates are designed to minimize risk and ensure a safe environment for everyone. If you have any immediate concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Keeper of the House, Trevor Eubanks at 360-562-0189.
Elders and Children's Program Workers, Mark Your Calendars!
Our congregation’s Reducing the Risk program, which educates all those who may work with children about how to spot and prevent child sexual abuse, will have a workshop during September (once Pastor Renee is on her feet again!). Lunch will be provided, and the workshop will end at 3 pm.
Our congregation’s elders and anyone who works with children (ages birth to 16 years old) should attend this workshop. Parents of children in our congregation are also invited to participate in this workshop to witness the work we do to protect their children from sexual abuse.
Watch this space for an announcement regarding the new date, and contact Pastor Renee at renee@heartofeugene.org for more information or if you have questions.
Thank You Teachers
A big thank you to the members of our congregation who volunteered to teach our Adult Education Classes over the last school-year. They include Sharon Warner, Michael Kennedy, Renee Windsor-White, Teffany Hefner, Chuck Sterms, Glenn McKerrow, Mary Robertson, and Jeanie Hagy. They presented a wealth of thought-provoking information and helped us grow in new ways.
Spiritual Formation Committee
What would you like to learn about this coming year? Please let the Spiritual Formation Committee know. You could contact Pastor Renee, Judith Ivy, Mary Robertson, or Jeannie Hagy. Maybe you are interested in teaching this year or have an idea for a guest speaker. Please let us know!
New 12-Step Meeting In Our Building
We are delighted to announce that we will have a new tenant joining us Monday through Friday from 12-2(ish) in the Chapel.
The group is a long-standing and well-established Narcotics Anonymous meeting. They have been at their previous location for 30 years! However, they lost their place because the organization is repurposing its space from a meeting room to pastoral housing.
We have offered them a very affordable intro price of $50 per month to match with what they are currently spending. They will be building their attendance up and formulating a new contribution structure to increase their giving for the use of the space. Their first meeting was July 1st.
Helping Hearts
The FCC Helping Hearts ministry serves our unhoused neighbors AND our underserved neighbors who have a place to stay and a job that barely covers their living expenses.
Our cupboards and clothes racks for MEN are almost bare. We need:
- Gently Used Men’s Pants: All waist and length sizes.
- Men’s underwear: We’re completely out and need ALL sizes of boxers or briefs.
- Men’s Shorts
- Hoodies: We have none, but we still get requests for them.
Can you help out? Bless you for praying for these neighbors. Donation barrels are in the sanctuary or the church office.
Recently, this ministry has been serving around 80 people per day. We need not only supplies but also more volunteers:
- Sorters: 10 – 12 Tues. or Thurs. (no client contact)
- Client Helpers: 12 – 2:00 Tues. or Thurs.
- Outside Crowd Control Team: 11:30 – 2:00 Tues. or Thurs.
To volunteer, contact the church office at 541-344-1425.
Thank you to our current donors and hard-working volunteers! Please join us if you are able.
Volunteers Needed
Many people in Eugene are hungry, so volunteers from faith communities meet at our church on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to make sandwich lunches. In April, we distributed 7379 lunches. Would you stop by the Church on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday (sandwich making) or at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church on Tuesday at 9:00 (cookie baking)?
If you have questions please phone the voicemail of Mary Ann at 541-343-4349 or call Verna Tjemsland sat 541-255-5788.
“We were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.” -1 Thess. 2:8
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