This week begins the season of Advent which is a time of long-waiting and hopeful anticipation. This year our theme for the season (now through Christmas and Epiphany which we will celebrate on January 4) is What Do You Fear? Our exploration of this theme begins with the story of Zechariah who was a priest and the father of John the Baptist - but he doesn’t yet know about his son. So as we remember Zechariah’s story, we begin to place ourselves in his shoes. What did he fear? How did the world he lived in, his historical context, evoke those fears for him? How can we relate (or not) to him? And what is our faithful response in our own context? Come along - online or in person - and let’s see if we can tend to our fears (and our hopes!) together.

Link to Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3EFuujoELA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Link to Start of Sermon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3EFuujoELA&t=2130s

If you are new to our faith community and are interested in learning more, please go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Welcome to First Congo Online - First Congregational Church of Western Springs

Our Words & Music Podcast brings the Words of our speakers directly to you in podcast format.

The All in Band presents Words & Music Season 25-26:

Every City Is A Living Being

Join us for an unforgettable evening where story and song bring the world's great cities to life. Featuring songs by Petula Clark, Billy Joel, Journey, The Eagles and more. Come wander with us.

They say don't come alone - It's true. Bring a friend to Plymouth Hall with you!

All are welcome to join us at the intersection of pop culture and faith! Our monthly Words & Music programs take place typically on the 2nd or 3rd Sunday of the month at 5PM in Plymouth Hall from September to May! During these popular services, All In features songs interspersed with personal stories from guest speakers on a unique theme, and at every performance, a free will offering is collected to support ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BANDWITH CHICAGO⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Founded in 2015, BandWith is a Chicago-based non-profit organization whose mission is to provide lasting access to high quality music and performing arts instruction to underserved Chicago communities. Beginning in Chicago’s East Garfield Park neighborhood, BandWith is now providing free access to programs around dance, drumline, instrumental, choral ensemble and sound engineering activities.

Find more of our Musical opportunities by going to:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.wscongo.org/music/⁠⁠

Our Words & Music Podcast brings the Words of our speakers directly to you in podcast format.

The All in Band presents Words & Music Season 25-26:

Every City Is A Living Being

Join us for an unforgettable evening where story and song bring the world's great cities to life. Featuring songs by Petula Clark, Billy Joel, Journey, The Eagles and more. Come wander with us.

They say don't come alone - It's true. Bring a friend to Plymouth Hall with you!

All are welcome to join us at the intersection of pop culture and faith! Our monthly Words & Music programs take place typically on the 2nd or 3rd Sunday of the month at 5PM in Plymouth Hall from September to May! During these popular services, All In features songs interspersed with personal stories from guest speakers on a unique theme, and at every performance, a free will offering is collected to support ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BANDWITH CHICAGO⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Founded in 2015, BandWith is a Chicago-based non-profit organization whose mission is to provide lasting access to high quality music and performing arts instruction to underserved Chicago communities. Beginning in Chicago’s East Garfield Park neighborhood, BandWith is now providing free access to programs around dance, drumline, instrumental, choral ensemble and sound engineering activities.

Find more of our Musical opportunities by going to:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.wscongo.org/music/⁠⁠

Our Words & Music Podcast brings the Words of our speakers directly to you in podcast format.

The All in Band presents Words & Music Season 25-26:

Every City Is A Living Being

Join us for an unforgettable evening where story and song bring the world's great cities to life. Featuring songs by Petula Clark, Billy Joel, Journey, The Eagles and more. Come wander with us.

They say don't come alone - It's true. Bring a friend to Plymouth Hall with you!

All are welcome to join us at the intersection of pop culture and faith! Our monthly Words & Music programs take place typically on the 2nd or 3rd Sunday of the month at 5PM in Plymouth Hall from September to May! During these popular services, All In features songs interspersed with personal stories from guest speakers on a unique theme, and at every performance, a free will offering is collected to support ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BANDWITH CHICAGO⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Founded in 2015, BandWith is a Chicago-based non-profit organization whose mission is to provide lasting access to high quality music and performing arts instruction to underserved Chicago communities. Beginning in Chicago’s East Garfield Park neighborhood, BandWith is now providing free access to programs around dance, drumline, instrumental, choral ensemble and sound engineering activities.

Find more of our Musical opportunities by going to:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.wscongo.org/music/⁠⁠

Our Words & Music Podcast brings the Words of our speakers directly to you in podcast format.

The All in Band presents Words & Music Season 25-26:

Every City Is A Living Being

Join us for an unforgettable evening where story and song bring the world's great cities to life. Featuring songs by Petula Clark, Billy Joel, Journey, The Eagles and more. Come wander with us.

They say don't come alone - It's true. Bring a friend to Plymouth Hall with you!

All are welcome to join us at the intersection of pop culture and faith! Our monthly Words & Music programs take place typically on the 2nd or 3rd Sunday of the month at 5PM in Plymouth Hall from September to May! During these popular services, All In features songs interspersed with personal stories from guest speakers on a unique theme, and at every performance, a free will offering is collected to support ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BANDWITH CHICAGO⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Founded in 2015, BandWith is a Chicago-based non-profit organization whose mission is to provide lasting access to high quality music and performing arts instruction to underserved Chicago communities. Beginning in Chicago’s East Garfield Park neighborhood, BandWith is now providing free access to programs around dance, drumline, instrumental, choral ensemble and sound engineering activities.

Find more of our Musical opportunities by going to:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.wscongo.org/music/⁠⁠

Our Words & Music Podcast brings the Words of our speakers directly to you in podcast format.

The All in Band presents Words & Music Season 25-26:

Every City Is A Living Being

Join us for an unforgettable evening where story and song bring the world's great cities to life. Featuring songs by Petula Clark, Billy Joel, Journey, The Eagles and more. Come wander with us.

They say don't come alone - It's true. Bring a friend to Plymouth Hall with you!

All are welcome to join us at the intersection of pop culture and faith! Our monthly Words & Music programs take place typically on the 2nd or 3rd Sunday of the month at 5PM in Plymouth Hall from September to May! During these popular services, All In features songs interspersed with personal stories from guest speakers on a unique theme, and at every performance, a free will offering is collected to support ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BANDWITH CHICAGO⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Founded in 2015, BandWith is a Chicago-based non-profit organization whose mission is to provide lasting access to high quality music and performing arts instruction to underserved Chicago communities. Beginning in Chicago’s East Garfield Park neighborhood, BandWith is now providing free access to programs around dance, drumline, instrumental, choral ensemble and sound engineering activities.

Find more of our Musical opportunities by going to:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.wscongo.org/music/⁠⁠

Our Words & Music Podcast brings the Words of our speakers directly to you in podcast format.

The All in Band presents Words & Music Season 25-26:

Every City Is A Living Being

Join us for an unforgettable evening where story and song bring the world's great cities to life. Featuring songs by Petula Clark, Billy Joel, Journey, The Eagles and more. Come wander with us.

They say don't come alone - It's true. Bring a friend to Plymouth Hall with you!

All are welcome to join us at the intersection of pop culture and faith! Our monthly Words & Music programs take place typically on the 2nd or 3rd Sunday of the month at 5PM in Plymouth Hall from September to May! During these popular services, All In features songs interspersed with personal stories from guest speakers on a unique theme, and at every performance, a free will offering is collected to support ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BANDWITH CHICAGO⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Founded in 2015, BandWith is a Chicago-based non-profit organization whose mission is to provide lasting access to high quality music and performing arts instruction to underserved Chicago communities. Beginning in Chicago’s East Garfield Park neighborhood, BandWith is now providing free access to programs around dance, drumline, instrumental, choral ensemble and sound engineering activities.

Find more of our Musical opportunities by going to:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.wscongo.org/music/⁠⁠

Come and celebrate Accessibility Sunday! On this special day, we remember that sometimes people can feel left out because of stairs, or hard to read words, or not being able to hear, or because people don’t understand their needs. Sometimes we can’t see what someone needs but our calling as a church is to be like Jesus, making sure everyone is included, and that church is a place where no one feels left out. We’ll be hearing from three of our members about what accessibility means to them. We will also be celebrating our recent designation by the United Church of Christ as a congregation that is Accessible to All (A2A). A2A is the terminology used within the UCC to refer to congregations that have completed the Accessible to All process and thereby made the commitment to be physically and attitudinally welcoming of people with disabilities. The A2A process has for many years been defined by the A2A resource “Any Body, Everybody, Christ’s Body”

Link to Livestream: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUk6jFv9Gno⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Link to Start of Reflection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUk6jFv9Gno&t=3998s

If you are new to our faith community and are interested in learning more, please go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Welcome to First Congo Online - First Congregational Church of Western Springs

Come and celebrate Accessibility Sunday! On this special day, we remember that sometimes people can feel left out because of stairs, or hard to read words, or not being able to hear, or because people don’t understand their needs. Sometimes we can’t see what someone needs but our calling as a church is to be like Jesus, making sure everyone is included, and that church is a place where no one feels left out. We’ll be hearing from three of our members about what accessibility means to them. We will also be celebrating our recent designation by the United Church of Christ as a congregation that is Accessible to All (A2A). A2A is the terminology used within the UCC to refer to congregations that have completed the Accessible to All process and thereby made the commitment to be physically and attitudinally welcoming of people with disabilities. The A2A process has for many years been defined by the A2A resource “Any Body, Everybody, Christ’s Body”

Link to Livestream: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUk6jFv9Gno⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Link to Start of Reflection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUk6jFv9Gno&t=2650s

If you are new to our faith community and are interested in learning more, please go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Welcome to First Congo Online - First Congregational Church of Western Springs

Come and celebrate Accessibility Sunday! On this special day, we remember that sometimes people can feel left out because of stairs, or hard to read words, or not being able to hear, or because people don’t understand their needs. Sometimes we can’t see what someone needs but our calling as a church is to be like Jesus, making sure everyone is included, and that church is a place where no one feels left out. We’ll be hearing from three of our members about what accessibility means to them. We will also be celebrating our recent designation by the United Church of Christ as a congregation that is Accessible to All (A2A). A2A is the terminology used within the UCC to refer to congregations that have completed the Accessible to All process and thereby made the commitment to be physically and attitudinally welcoming of people with disabilities. The A2A process has for many years been defined by the A2A resource “Any Body, Everybody, Christ’s Body”

Link to Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUk6jFv9Gno⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Link to Start of Reflection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUk6jFv9Gno&t=1914s

If you are new to our faith community and are interested in learning more, please go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Welcome to First Congo Online - First Congregational Church of Western Springs