VOL12I2_Advent_v08

Conversation First Congregational Church

ADVENT | CHRISTMAS | EPIPHANY

VOLUME 2 | ISSUE 2

ADVENT 2025

Welcome to Conversation SENIOR MINISTER R E V . C H R I S B R A U D A WA Y - B A U M A N

W

elcome to the Advent issue of Conversation. In these pages, you’ll find news for December, January, and February and for the seasons of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany.

Advent arrives just before the turning of the calendar year. It’s a season of darkness and longing as we wait for Christ to be born in us anew.

Luke’s Gospel begins with a quiet line: “In the time of Herod…” At first, it seems like background detail. But it tells us everything about the world into which God’s light came, a world ruled by fear and filled with instability. Into that shadowed world, angels spoke a gentle yet audacious message: “Do not be afraid.”

Advent invites us to wrestle with those words.

The story that follows isn’t one where fear vanishes, but one where love and wonder endure and refuse to be diminished.

So, perhaps in this season we might cultivate a different relationship with fear – acknowledging it without letting it rule us? What if we insisted on hope this Advent? What if Christmas and then Epiphany beckoned us to step into the brave future God is shaping?

After Christmas, during the months of January and early February, we’ll explore Scripture’s Prophetic Imagination in worship and consider how the prophets help us see both the world as it is and the world as it can yet become.

On February 13 and 14, we will welcome Dr. Erica Chenoweth, author of Civil Resistance, as our MacKenzie Lecturer. Together, we will reflect on the call to nonviolent action and consider how God invites us to live courageously, faithfully, and with hope in these anxious times.

These winter months hold sacred rhythms, cherished traditions, and the quiet promise of new beginnings. May the yearning of Advent, the joy of Christmas, and the wonder of Epiphany draw you into God’s light and strengthen you to live courageously, faithfully, and with hope.

Grace and Peace,

Chris Braudaway-Bauman

Insisting on Hope An Advent Devotional

Daily art, poetry, and reflections invite you to enter the Scriptures of Advent and Christmas.

Even in fear, hope endures. God meets us where we are, calls us forward, and whispers that good news is louder than fear.

A print edition of the devotional, What Do You Fear: Insisting on Hope this Advent is available in the narthex of the Sanctuary and in the Link at church. A special e-reader version, ready for computer, tablet, or phone, will be linked in every Friday and Sunday morning church email throughout Advent. Let these daily reflections guide you into the quiet wonder and daring hope of the season.

Advent Calendar for Kids and Families Are you looking for a way to celebrate Advent at home? Be sure to pick up an Advent kit! They are available to take home after church starting 11/23.

Included are materials for you to make your own Advent wreath at home and daily devotional cards.

We hope that these materials will bring light to your home and help us all prepare our hearts for the coming Christ.

Advent Photo a Day 2025 Facebook Group Deepen your engagement with our Advent Devotional. In the Advent Photo a Day 2025 Facebook group, we are following a calendar of daily word prompts, words which connect to the readings, poetry, songs, and artwork in the Devotional. Participants post a photo or short video (either a photo they have taken or one they have found) that connects to or reflects their experience with the daily word.

Join the group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2025adventphotoaday

Advent Season December Events

Youth Christmas Party Sunday, December 7, 5:00-7:00 p.m. , Grace Gallery Let’s kick off December with a Christmas Party!

All youth grades 6-12 are invited for a night of cheery fun including improv games, a white elephant gift exchange, and a pasta bar. All youth are invited to bring a small gift (under $20) for the gift exchange and to be ready for a night of goofiness and laughter! See you there!

St. Lucia Celebration Friday, December 12, 5:00 p.m. | Sanctuary St. Lucia’s Day, celebrated on December 13, is one of Sweden’s most cherished traditions – filled with candlelight, white robes, and songs that bring warmth to the darkest time of year. The story of Lucia, whose name means “light,” began in Sicily in the 3rd century and came to symbolize hope shining through darkness.

In Sweden, Lucia’s story blended with old winter solstice customs, becoming a joyful celebration of light, generosity, and community.

Join us at First Congregational Church on Friday, December 12 at 5:00 p.m. as we celebrate Saint Lucia. All are welcome to gather in the Sanctuary to watch Lucia and her attendants enter in candlelight and share the beauty of traditional Swedish songs.

Kwanzaa Celebration Wednesday, 12/10, 5:00–7:00 p.m.

Boulder Public Library, Canyon Theater 1001 Arapahoe Avenue, Boulder Join a vibrant evening of music, poetry, and community at the 4th Annual Kwanzaa Celebration, hosted by CU’s Center for African and African American Studies (CAAAS).

First Congregational Church and our Racial Justice Ministry are honored to be among the event sponsors, supporting this joyful celebration of African and African American heritage, creativity, and unity.

The evening will feature performances by CAAAS artists-in-residence: Maputu Mensah, Marcia Douglas, and Hugh Ragin. Come celebrate culture, community, and the spirit of Kwanzaa.

RSVP (https://tinyurl.com/2jkcupwz)

Boulder Lights of December Family Potluck and Parade Saturday, December 13, 4:00-7:00 p.m.

Bring something delicious to share for a Potluck Dinner at 4:00 p.m. in Plymouth Hall. At 5:00 p.m. put on a costume and get ready to join Boulder’s Lights of December Parade, beginning at 6 p.m.

Be an angel, a shepherd, or one of the magi to walk with the First Congregational Church’s “We take PRIDE in Christmas” Float. Contact Lianna Campos at lianna@firstcong.net.

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT Sunday, December 14

Jingle Mingle Saturday, December 13, 7:00 p.m. | Plymouth Hall As the Lights of December Parade winds down, we open our doors to invite the city to join us for cookies, cocoa, cider and crafts. Congregational Bells will be ringing! Everyone is welcome whether or not you go to the parade. Join us for a Jingle and Mingle.

Children & Youth Caroling Stroll 10:30 a.m. | Meet in the Link Keep your coat and mittens on and your voices ready! We’ll walk together to the Pearl Street Mall with Lianna Campos, spreading Christmas cheer through song, then return to Plymouth Hall for hot apple cider.

Still, Still, Still — Contemplative Prayer Worship 8:15 a.m. | Chapel Gather in the Chapel for a quiet, reflective service of Advent Scripture and poetry, extended moments of silence, gentle carols, and soft prayers.

Let your spirit rest and listen in the stillness of the season.

Music Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary and online at firstcong.net Blue Christmas Evening Prayer Thursday, December 18, 6:00 p.m. | Chapel Advent shimmers with twinkling lights and cheerful music, yet for many, the season also brings shadows – grief, loneliness, weariness that can make the joy of Christmas feel distant.

On this evening near the Winter Solstice, the Longest Night, we gather in gentle community to honor the fullness of our hearts, both bright and blustery. Surrounded by Scripture, poetry, soft carols, and the glow of candlelight, we make space to name our pain, seek hope, and embrace healing together. A simple soup supper follows in the Standish Room.

Music Sunday

Sunday, 12/14 at 10:30 a.m.

Gaudete, arranged by Swedish composer Anders Öhrwall.

Each year on the third Sunday in Advent, the anticipation and excitement run high in the sanctuary. Choir members gather in groups by the piano, frantically rehearsing last minute sections that need extra attention, instrumentalists warm up, go through tricky runs, and join in to tune their instruments. Someone has lost their music, or a shoe, and Music Director Kajsa is running around. It is time for our annual Music Sunday at FCC, a tradition that goes way back, and that presents a major musical work as part of our 10:30 a.m. service. The music varies from year to year, from Haydn and Vivaldi to contemporary composers like Dan Forrest and Elaine Hagenberg.

Just as the repertoire varies, so does the musical settings and instrumental ensembles. The one constant every year is our beloved Chancel Choir.

This year, we proudly present Gaudete, gathered and arranged by Swedish composer Anders Öhrwall. It was originally composed for the Youth

Choir of the Swedish Radio in 1962. The musical material was found in a collection known as Piae Cantiones (Holy Songs), which is the oldest Swedish song book for schools. The collection was first published in 1582 and contains 74 Latin sacred and secular songs. Many of the tunes could be found in various countries around the same time; therefore one could also identify them as English Christmas carols, French noels, and so on. Öhrwall’s arrangement of these ten carols is not an attempt at 17th-century authenticity, but a vibrant reimagining for modern choirs and ensembles. Scored for two flutes and a bassoon, with flexibility for other instruments, it captures the timeless joy of voices joined in celebration.

We invite you to join us on in the Sanctuary and online at firstcong.net, Sunday, December 14, for this year’s Music Sunday, a radiant celebration of song in the season of Advent. May the music lift your spirit and ready your heart for the joy of Christmas soon to come.

Alternative Gift Markets

Gift-Giving with Impact, Sundays, 11/30-12/21

“I knew there were many people in the world who have nothing, and we have everything. So, I thought, why not send gifts and buy things that they need, … It’s a model for the real meaning of gift-giving and to make giving authentic.”

- Harriet Priitchard, AGI Founder (LA Times article in 1985 by Marina Milligan) This year marks the 31st year that our congregation is supporting Alternative Gifts International (AGI). Our past contributions have totaled over $212,000. The alternative gift market will be open during Advent at coffee hours in the Link. A big appeal of alternative markets is the concept of “gifting” support of good causes to people you care about. When you shop at the market table, you receive greeting cards and descriptive notes about your selected projects to give to your friends and family.

AGI’s focus is on helping individuals, offering access to supplies, health care, and training; and providing means for them to break the cycle of poverty. The projects supported by AGI are more important than ever with the dissolution of USAID and the devastating effect on poor people around the world.

Not only do alternative gifts keep on giving, but their impact is also huge for the amount invested.

For example, $5 provides a 3-month supply of antibiotics in Burma, $36 provides a month of seamstress training to girls in India’s lowest social class, and $22 provides 30 books for children in Ethiopia.

Pick up a catalog at the gift market table to learn more. Please be green: return it so others can use the same catalog.

The Board of Missions and Justice in Action has also identified two additional projects near and dear to members of our congregation for targeted

outreach this Advent season. These projects have been added to the market “shopping list” so that you can easily support them.

• Noor El-Salam – Light & Hope for Refugee Children in Lebanon (coordinated by Susan Bryant and Amine Tarhini) combats illiteracy and hopelessness by providing schooling, supplies, and support for displaced Syrian children in Lebanon.

Susan says, “It is hoped that one day some might go on to university and return to Noor Academy to teach, or go into government, or otherwise contribute to rebuilding their country, whether that be Syria or Lebanon.”

• The Kenya Education Foundation (championed

by Jim Knopf) provides tuition, books, and supplies for students in Kenya, where tuition must be paid for a secondary education. The amount raised through the market last year, combined with support from Benevolence Funds, covers one student for all four years of secondary education!

It is hoped that this student will interact with youth in our church through Zoom or Facetime conversations.

The gift markets will also feature sales from local mission partner, Mindful Works, which helps individuals overcome obstacles to employment by creating authentic opportunities for skillbuilding and meaningful work. If you’re looking for something beyond mass produced items for holiday gifts, Mindful Works will be selling handcrafted items and baked goods--creative gifts that make a difference in the lives of the program participants!

Advent Art Brunch

Sundays,11/30-12/21, 11:45 a.m.

H O S T E D B Y M C M A N E A RT S M I N I S T RY

I’ve been a seeker as long as I can remember.

Growing up in a Christian environment, the first story to capture my attention was the Christian story. I quickly learned that I was called, not merely to believe in this story, but to actually be like the characters of the story, especially the main character. I was called to be like Christ. In fact, among many of the contemporary Christian authors I read, there was a clear directive to become Christ myself. This was a teaching that appeared to cross all theological lines, from “flighty” progressives to “rigid” traditionalists.

When interpreting stories in the New Testament, like the Christmas story, this basic teaching never seemed consistently applied in the Christian circles of my youth. Doesn’t it follow that if I am to be a little Christ myself, that I should identify myself in the role of Christ in the Biblical narratives? That would mean the Christmas story is as much about my own special “birth” and calling, metaphorically speaking, as it is the baby Jesus’.

Detail from ‘Mystic Nativity’,” by Sandro Botticelli

However, during the holiday season, when my mother would put out our beautiful and prized nativity figures, I never imagined myself in the scene. I wish I had. It would have been a fun and fascinating exercise. Not playing this imaginative game seems strange to me now.

In my upcoming Advent Art Brunch Series for your community, I will invite your community to play this game with me. Art will guide us to use our imaginations, and in the process, discover the Christ child within ourselves. We will rely particularly on a very strange, enigmatic nativity painting from a famous Renaissance artist. At first glance, the painting appears like many other nativity works from Medieval times to the 17th century - Mary is kneeling over the baby Jesus, with a perplexed Joseph close by, the magi and shepherds also present. But a close examination of the whole work will reveal that it is as much about the end of the Christian story, the Apocalypse, as it is the birth of the Savior’s story. By analogy, this painting is a call to each of us to use the nativity story to reckon with our own “end times”.

I hope you will join me for this fascinating examination of nativity art, and in the process, discover vital truths about our own nature and legacy.

Waverly Matthews

Waverly Matthews is the founder and host of the weekly WaMa Art Asylum (Art Brunch) and Director of the Off Broadway Gallery in Boulder. With a background in theology, philosophy, and history, Mr. Matthews explores the wisdom of art, spirituality, and great ideas at the Art Asylum, on his podcast, and on Art Pilgrimages across the globe.

Plymouth Hall and Zoom https://tinyurl.com/zs66x7sc

Faith & Democracy Update Faith in Action

B Y L A U R A R I I H I M A K I & L I N D A K O WA T C H

In 2022, our congregation adopted a strategic plan that includes a goal to engage in advocacy as a means to counter systems of injustice. We promised to drive that transformation by deep listening to our congregation, our community, and the Holy Spirit, to incorporate it into the life our community as a faith practice, and to help train the congregation with new skills to act.

And we are so proud of how the congregation is leaning into this new work! Here are some ways we have been living out this calling in the last few months.

This summer we spent time listening to the congregation’s desires to act in this current political moment through house meetings where we heard from more than 60 people.

Four main threads appeared: Faith & Democracy, Ideas to further the work of the Social Justice Ministries, Immigration, and learning to Dialogue with Differences. https://tinyurl.com/bdfzvxwb This fall we have learned examples of how our faith and democracy are intertwined through our worship series through the book of Exodus. We learned about the midwives of Shiphrah and Puah as they acted in love while directly disobeying Pharoah’s decree to kill Hebrew babies. When called by God, Moses confronted Pharoah. And the Israelites learned not to make graven images of God. For us today this looks like standing up for our siblings who are immigrants to this country, to protest and confront government officials and policies that are unjust, and to resist and call out Christianity in forms that are not rooted in love, inclusion, and equality.

In response to what we heard in house meetings, we led a four-part series on immigration where we learned about the biblical narrative on immigrants, the state of immigration law & the situation of our immigrant neighbors, and how to

engage in Colorado. If you missed it you can find more info online (https://tinyurl.com/2u8u2t3s).

You can also join the immigration focus group within the Racial Justice Ministry to get more involved.

As we finish out 2025 and look to the future, our work has just begun. Please mark your calendars for a forum on December 9th at 9:00 a.m. with our community partner Together Colorado, a non-partisan, inter-faith advocacy organization that is working to transform public and economic institutions in Colorado to build a more equitable future for all of us. Together Colorado will share with us their plan for 2026 and beyond to make sure that justice and equity for all Coloradans is part of the public conversation.

Christmas Eve

Wednesday, December 24

Family Worship with Children’s Pageant 4:00 p.m.

Mary and Joseph join angels dancing, shepherds scurrying, and magi searching to find the newborn Jesus lying in a manger. Congregational Strings will provide music, while Joyful Noise and the Faith Singers lead choral offerings. Vocal Soloists will share seasonal favorites as the congregation lifts beloved carols and sings Joy to the World.

Candlelight Services of Lessons and Carols 7:00 p.m. & 9:00 p.m.

Rejoice in the promise of Christ’s coming, the starlight guiding, and the new life being born among us. Both services culminate in the soft singing of Silent Night, the gentle glow of candles, and the magnificent sounds of Joy to the World!

7:00 p.m.

Experience the season’s music with our Chancel Choir and Congregational Bells, filling the night with joy and wonder.

9:00 p.m.

Delight in the rich sounds of our Brass Ensemble and Vocal Soloists as we celebrate the birth of Christ.

Epiphany Brunch Church Sunday, January 4, 10:30 a.m.

Plymouth Hall (Livestream begins at 11:00 a.m.)

One Service Only on this Sunday Celebrate the journey of the magi with worship, fellowship, and a joyful feast! On this bright and festive Sunday, we’ll worship together around tables in Plymouth Hall to lift our hearts in praise, share laughter, and enjoy the gift of community. Brunch includes vegan and gluten free options. Children of every age are invited to join in the fun, though childcare for tots will also be offered.

If you’d like to help with set-up, baking at home, or clean up, please watch your Friday Weekly update and the Sunday morning bulletin for opportunities to sign up.

The Carols of Christmas: Stories and Singing Sunday, December 28 at 10:30 a.m.

Sanctuary and online at firstcong.net One Worship Service Only on this Sunday It seems that the Christmas Season is too short and there is not enough time to sing some of our favorite Christmas Carols. Join us for worship on December 28th at 10:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary as we hear the stories behind some of our favorite carols and then sing them together. Join us as we celebrate the birth of Christ during the Christmas Season.

No reservations needed. Just bring your spirit of celebration! Together, we will honor the star that guided the magi, rejoice in the light of Christ shining among us, and begin the new year with gratitude, hope, and joy. Come hungry, come ready to sing, and come ready to celebrate!

SoulCollage®

A Fun, Positive Way to Gain Insight | Sunday, January 11a.m.

R E V. M A RT I E M C M A N E

What if you could discover wisdom, encouragement, and fresh insight simply by working with images? Would you enjoy spending a few hours with others, exploring a creative way to receive positive encouragement?

Why not give SoulCollage® a try!

SoulCollage® invites participants to choose images that speak to them from hundreds provided, then arrange and paste them onto a 5” x 8” mat board.

With gentle guidance from a trained facilitator, participants “read” their cards and uncover the wisdom these images reveal about their lives and questions.

The practice was created by Seena Frost, a therapist and Yale Divinity School graduate, who drew inspiration from psychologist Carl Jung’s belief that images and archetypes connect us to the deep wisdom of the unconscious. Frost envisioned SoulCollage® as a way for people to access healing and wholeness through the power of imagery.

Upcoming Workshop Martie McMane, a certified SoulCollage® facilitator and our featured artist for the fall, will be offering this workshop on Sunday, January 11 from 11:45 a.am-2:15 p.m.

Lunch will be included and registration is requested. https://tinyurl.com/mr6jdz84

As a spiritual director, Martie has used SoulCollage® extensively in retirement for nearly a decade, helping people find balance, encouragement, and a sense of God’s presence on their life journeys. “It is a way to bring forth wisdom from ‘the God within,’ who Scripture calls Sophia, the personification of divine wisdom,” she explains.

We warmly invite you to come to one of the workshops and experience this safe, creative space for self-discovery. You don’t need to feel “artistic” or “talented” to participate. As Martie says, “It’s not about making a work of art. It’s about using imagery to evoke truths about the beautiful essence of who God has created us to be.” Come and see what wisdom your images have to share with you.

The Narrative Project of The Christian Century

Reading Circles Forming Now Two stories dominate the public imagination in American Christianity today. The “mainline decline story” sees historic, often progressive churches as fading into irrelevance, and the “Christian nationalism story” paints more rigid communities as powerful because they have attached themselves to right-wing extremism.

About The Christian Century As “the flagship journal of the mainline Church,” The Christian Century has a proud legacy. On June 12, 1963, The Century was the first national publication to publish “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by one of their editors, Martin Luther King Jr. Now we have the opportunity to be part of the story that is still unfolding.

The Narrative Project responds by lifting up alternative stories of faith that are vital, inclusive, and rooted in Christian witness. Through actionoriented storytelling and theological reflection, we’re taking these stories public.

The Approach: See – Reflect – Act Using a Jesuit-informed framework, we’ll:

About the Circles Our congregation has been selected by The Christian Century to join churches from around the country to participate in this important initiative!

Reflect: Consider these experiences through the lens of Christian faith, Scripture, and tradition.

We’re forming reading circles that will meet at least monthly throughout the program year, starting in late January or early February, to engage with selected content from The Christian Century, respond creatively to what we encounter, and then share the story of what happens next.

What Participation Includes Reading Circles: Monthly gatherings in facilitated groups of 12 during the program year to deepen theological reflection and action in our lives and community.

Subsidized Subscriptions: All participants receive a subsidized subscription to the magazine for the year.

See: Observe how the themes of each issue manifest in our own lives and communities.

Act: Respond thoughtfully and faithfully to local and broader societal challenges.

Interested in being part of a group?

Register: https://tinyurl.com/ystvkhed

January

Special Events

MARTIN LUTHER KING SUNDAY Sunday, January 18

YOUTH AND FAMILY ACTIVITIES

Youth Movie Night Contemplative Prayer Worship Sunday, January 11, 5:00-8:00 p.m., Grace Gallery 8:15 a.m., Chapel PJ’s, pizza, and a movie! All youth grades 6-12 are Gather with others in the Chapel for a service invited for an evening of fellowship at our January of readings by Martin Luther King, Jr., extended movie night. We’ll build a blanket fort and pick moments of silence, African American Spirituals, out a movie to entertain us for the evening, eat and songs of the Civil Rights Movement. some pizza, and maybe even break the church’s Catchphrase record. Feel free to rock those Service of Justice and Peace pajamas and get cozy for a movie night with some 10:30 a.m., Sanctuary and online at firstcong.net friends!

Join us as we honor the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Together, we will Youth Ice Skating lift our voices in song, prayer, and reflection, Sunday, February 8, 2:00-4:00 p.m. remembering Dr. King’s dream of Beloved Roosevelt Park at 725 8th Ave, Longmont Community and recommitting ourselves to the All youth grades 6-12 are invited to shred some work of love in action. Through scripture, spoken ice at the Longmont Ice Pavillion. We’ll have some word, and music, we will celebrate the call to cocoa to warm up and encouraging words for all be peacemakers and truth-tellers in our own regardless of ability to balance on skates. Meet up time, those who, in King’s words, “refuse to be at this outdoor ice skating rink in Longmont for satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and some chilly winter fun! righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Parents Meetings 4th Sundays, 11:45-12:45 Location TBA Starting January 25th, Parents are invited to stay after church on the 4th Sunday for a Parents Lunch’n Chat! Each month, we will have sandwiches and chat about different topics affecting parents today. This gathering is for all who are raising kids of all ages. May we spend this time connecting with and learning from one another!

Sledding Trip!

Saturday, January 24, 12:00-2:00 p.m.

Location TBA, Weather Dependent Bundle up and meet us on the slopes for some family sledding! Families with kids of all ages are invited to gather for an afternoon of snow and sleds. Don’t have a sled? Don’t worry! We’ll bring some extra so everyone can have fun sliding down a snow-covered hill.

Winter/Spring Semester Dates January 25, February 22, March 22, April 26, May 24

Family Movie Night Saturday, February 28, 4:00-7:00, Plymouth Hall Families with kids of all ages are invited to dinner and a movie together! We’ll have pizza and snacks, some party games, and a movie on the big screen.

Hope to see you there!

The 2026 MacKenzie Lecture February 13 and 14

We are honored to welcome Dr. Erica Chenoweth (they, them) as our 2026 MacKenzie Lecturer.

At a time when democracy faces unprecedented challenges and civil rights are under threat, Dr. Chenoweth’s research offers vital insight into how ordinary people can create extraordinary change through nonviolent action.

Internationally recognized for groundbreaking work on civil resistance, Dr. Chenoweth is known for articulating the “3.5% rule” – the principle, grounded in rigorous analysis of hundreds of movements worldwide, that no regime has withstood the active, nonviolent participation of at least 3.5% of its population. Their scholarship offers not only political wisdom but moral imagination and a vision for a more just and compassionate future.

Dr. Chenoweth serves as Academic Dean for Faculty Development and Frank Stanton Professor of the First Amendment at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. They are also the first openly non-binary faculty dean at Harvard University. During their graduate years at the University of Colorado, where they earned both a Master’s degree and Ph.D. in Political Science, Erica was actively engaged at First Congregational Church, making this homecoming especially meaningful.

About the MacKenzie Lecture The MacKenzie Lecture is made possible by the MacKenzie Endowment Fund of First Congregational Church, established in 2000 to honor the Rev. Bruce MacKenzie and his wife Jeanette upon Bruce’s retirement as Senior Minister. This lectureship celebrates their extraordinary service to the Boulder community during Bruce’s 27-year tenure (1970–1997) and his continued ministry as minister emeritus until his death in 2017.

Event Details Public Lecture Friday, 2/13, 7:00 p.m. | Sanctuary and Online Dr. Chenoweth will invite us to consider the role of nonviolent resistance in building a more just and compassionate world, and how communities of faith can participate in that sacred work.

Coffee & Conversation Saturday, 2/14, 9:00 a.m. | Plymouth Hall (Doors Open at 8:30 a.m.)

An opportunity for dialogue and questions with Dr. Chenoweth

PREPARING THE GROUND: Conversations Toward Nonviolent Change and Public Faith Three-Part Study Series Tuesdays, 1/6, 1/20, and 2/3, Dinner and Reading Room Tuesdays, 5:00-6:30 p.m. | Heritage Room Bring your dinner and the evening’s reading to prepare in good company before each session.

Study Session Series 6:30-8:00 p.m. | Plymouth Hall Before Dr. Erica Chenoweth (they/them) joins us on February 13 and 14, we’ll gather for a threepart exploration of their groundbreaking research on nonviolent movements and moral courage.

How does change really happen? What does faithful public action look like in our time?

Each session weaves together accessible readings, short videos, and guided discussion grounded in both social science and our faith tradition. Together, we’ll explore how faith, hope, and civic imagination prepare the ground for transformation both within us and in the world.

We’ll discover how God’s call to love our neighbors and pursue justice connects to the practical work of building movements that heal and restore.

Please note: This series requires reading from Erica Chenoweth’s book Civil Resistance: What Everyone Needs to Know (available at Boulder Bookstore – ask for the First Congregational Church bookshelf, 11 Street Entrance). Specific chapters and some additional articles will be assigned for each session. While we welcome participants who can’t attend all three sessions, completing the readings is important for meaningful participation in the discussions. Reading assignments will be sent to registered participants in advance of each session.

Please register for the series by Sunday, December 21 (https://tinyurl.com/582txu33)

Session 1 – Why Nonviolence Works: Understanding Power and Participation Exploring the core findings: why nonviolence succeeds, the 3.5% rule, and the roots of collective courage.

Session 2 – How Movements Work: Learning How Change Grows Examining how movements gain traction, shift systems, and sustain discipline through diverse tactics and unity. We’ll explore case studies, reflect on how communities of faith have been catalysts for change, and consider what that means for us today.

Session 3 – The Road Ahead: Hope and Challenge for Today Reflecting on contemporary struggles, emerging tactics, and what Chenoweth’s research reveals about the path forward. We’ll consider our calling as people of faith: How do we embody hope when despair tempts us?

Forum: Foundations for Faithful Action Preparing for Dr. Erica Chenoweth Sunday, 2/8, 9:00 a.m. | Plymouth Hall In a moment of ideological polarization, social unrest, and ongoing struggles for justice, how can peaceful movements for change make a difference? This one-session forum introduces the themes of our study series, drawing from Erica Chenoweth’s widely celebrated research and their book, Civil Resistance. We’ll examine what makes nonviolent movements effective and how communities of faith can act courageously in the public sphere.

Whether you’ve attended the full series or are joining for the first time, this forum provides a grounded foundation as our congregation prepares to welcome Dr. Chenoweth on February 13 and 14 as we engage the pressing questions of our time with both faith and courage.

Looking Ahead February and March

Ash Wednesday Dinner Church Wednesday, February 18, 6:00 p.m., Plymouth Hall Gather for a simple soup supper and worship service as we enter the season of Lent together.

Share a quiet evening of prayer, Scripture, song, Holy Communion, and the receiving of ashes, marking our journey with Jesus toward the cross.

This intergenerational service offers space for reflection, confession, and renewal.

All are welcome. No reservations needed.

We’ll begin at 6:00 p.m.

Annual Congregational Meeting Sunday, March 1, 11:45 a.m., Plymouth Hall The Meeting will begin with a meal of homemade chilis and soups. Gluten-free and vegan options will be available. Kids are invited to participate in special activities during the meeting. Everyone is welcome, and church members are especially encouraged to attend.

Along with our business meeting–passing the 2026 Operating Budget and electing Officers and Board and Committee Members – we will also be hearing updates on the Financial Policy, upcoming changes to the Church Constitution, and reflections on the coming year from Senior Minister, Chris Braudaway-Bauman.

2026 Lenten Musical Services It may seem early to speak of Lent, but Easter will arrive quickly in 2026, and with it the quiet turning of the season that leads us toward the cross and resurrection. Before the days rush on, we invite you to mark your calendars and prepare your hearts for this year’s Lenten Musical Services.

Last spring, our Lenten Concert Series filled the sanctuary with an extraordinary range of music – soloists and ensembles, voices and instruments – from both our congregation and the wider community. The music lingered like prayer.

This year, we are shaping something new: each Thursday evening during Lent at 6:00 p.m., we will gather for a brief worship service where music and Spirit meet. These gatherings will hold time for silence, song, and reflection – moments to listen for God’s presence in sound and stillness alike.

Our first Lenten Musical Service will be held on Thursday, February 19 at 6:00 p.m. While the full roster of musicians is still unfolding, we know that our beloved Congregational Bells will grace one of the evenings.

If you feel called to be part of this season’s offering – through music, hospitality, or prayer – please contact Director of Music, Kajsa Teitelbaum, at kajsa@ firstcong.net. Come, and let the music of Lent draw us closer to the heart of God.

2026 Men’s Retreat

Friday, March 6, 5:30 p.m.-Sunday, March 8, 11:00 a.m.

Save the Dates! The Men’s Retreat Planning Team invites you to attend the Men’s Retreat on Friday, March 6th at 5:30 p.m.-Sunday, March 8th at 11a.m. at the Highlands Camp & Retreat Center in Allenspark.

This retreat is designed to create new friendships and strengthen old ones through whole and small group discussions. It is a wonderful way to build relationships with other men in the church as we journey through life together.

We arrange for carpools to and from the retreat.

If you have a friend(s) with whom you would like to room, we try to accommodate those requests, but we also have lots of space for you to room with others. Registrations will begin after the new year, but we want you to mark your calendars now!

If you have questions, please feel free to contact Peter Oakes peteroakes44@gmail.com) or Linda Kowatch (linda@firstcong.net).

1128 Pine Street Boulder CO 80302 | 303.442.1787 | www.firstcong.net