Billings First Church Journal Calendar 2021-22

Share earthly and spiritual resources.

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Love God.

Be kind to yourself.

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BFCC 2021-2022

C alendar & C ommunity R esource

Welcome Members & Friends,

I

am so excited to share our 2021-2022 Calendar and Community Resource with you. Last year we offered this resource as a way of connecting during a difficult time of separation, as a way to engage with each other and remember our belonging in each other as God’s holy community. At First Church, we believe that community is sacred and, here again, we invite you into community life with us!

In this new issue, you’ll find information on the services, spiritual practices, seminars, Bible studies and celebrations that we have planned - for all ages and seasons! You’ll meet the incredible people who make up our team. You’ll also find ways to join our church community, support our ministries and engage with and love on our campus partners. Be sure to have your coloring pens and pencils handy, too, because this is a piece meant to inspire your creativity and expression!

We invite you into the life and leadership of Billings First Congregational Church, an open and affirming church that believes in your goodness and worth, a church that works for the wholeness of all of God’s people. Join us for a year of discovery and wonder and celebration as we stretch ourselves, pursue justice, care for the earth, and walk the path to discipleship with each other and with our on-themove, diverse, loving, and liberating God. Looking forward, with you, in hope and in Christ,

Pastor Lisa Lisa K. Harmon Senior Pastor Billings First Congregational Church Billings First Congregational Church is located in the heart of the Elk River watershed on the unceded, sacred homelands of Crow, Northern Cheyenne, Sioux and Blackfeet people. We repent of the violence and genocide perpetuated against our indigenous peoples everywhere in the name of the church. We are a church and congregation that moves in love and in solidarity with our indigenous sisters and brothers.

P.S. Many thanks and praise to graphic designer and artist, Dixie Yelvington, of Yelvington Studio, who has made this publication possible. Thank you, Dixie!

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B eloved C ommunity O fferings

WORSHIP Sunday Worship Service Worship is meant to change us.

It is meant to be a deeply felt, transformational experience, held together by the Spirit of God. This is our hope every Sunday. Join us 10:30am all year round, in-person and online.

Scan this QR code to billingsfirstchurch.org/ adult-offerings SUNDAY SEMINAR Sunday Seminar is a new format for adult ‘sunday school’! These seminar series’ will take us on a journey of issues before us as a church as well as a local and global community that we might grow stronger in our public witness of reconciliation, liberation and love. All offerings are open to the public and take place before service.

Sunday Seminar I (October) Indigenous Knowledge Seminar. Creating sacred space for community conversations around indigenous life and resiliency. This 4-part book seminar will draw on the book Stringing Rosaries: The History, the Unforgivable, the Healing of the Northern Plains American Indian Residential School Survivors, written by Denise K. Lajimodiere, an enrolled Citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Belcourt, North Dakota. This series will be led and moderated by Charlene Sleeper, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Advocate for the Billings and surrounding region.

Sunday Seminar II (November) On Fire for Passion and Purpose.

River of Fire: On Becoming an Activist.

Sister Helen Prejean, for our 4-week study and discussion. Sister Helen will join us on Zoom as we work through the module and materials. Written in accessible, luminous prose, it speaks to how to live a spiritual life that is wide awake to the sufferings and creative opportunities of our world. This series will be led and moderated by Rev. Lisa K. Harmon

Sunday Seminar III (January): It’s time we had a talk. In this 4-week series, we’ll be discussing the book Shameless: A Sexual Reformation. Best-selling author, pastor and public theologian, Nadia Bolz-Weber is calling for a reformation in her latest book, Shameless, which offers a fullblown overhaul of harmful and antiquated ideas about sex, gender, and our bodies.

Newsflash! Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber will be speaking in Billings at MSU-B, April 2022. This is made possible through the good work and efforts of United Campus Ministries Pastor Rev. Dwight Welch and United Campus Ministries. Join us for this exciting study and chance to engage with the author! Discussion will be led and moderated by Rev. Dwight Welch.

Sunday Seminar IV (March): Informed faith, bold action. This 4-week series uses the book, Rooted and Rising: Voices of Courage in Time of Climate Crisis, to lead us to think deeply about how we sustain and care for our sacred Creation and ourselves. This series will be led and moderated by the Director of Youth and Young Adult Programming, Charlie Smillie.

Sunday Seminar V (May): White feminism - a weapon of white supremacy? We’ll be discussing the book, White Tears, Brown Scars, which take a look at white feminism and its impact upon women of color, from stereotypes of non-white women thorughout history to the modern impact in the workplace and media. This series will be led and moderated by Nina Hernandez and special guests.

BIBLE STUDY Fall Bible Study: The Call to Welcome: How Congregations can support Refugee Resettlement Start Date: Wednesday, September 29th, 6pm. How can we be (should we be?) a refugee-receiving community and what roles might we as a congregation and community be open to and called to fulfill in extending God’s welcome and love to the stranger in a foreign land? This 5-week series, co-facilitated with Reverend Amy Carter of Mayflower Church, provides the opportunity to learn about the issues, about the difference between asylees, refugees, and

immigrants, and the refugee resettlement processes. This evening, Zoom class is open to Billings First Congregational Church and Mayflower Congregations as well as the public.

Winter Bible Study: Meeting the Bible Again for the First Time Start date: Wednesday, January 12th, 6pm.

Historical narratives, binding documents, political commentary, genealogy, poetry, song...what exactly is the bible and does it still speak to us today? This 6-week study explores the bible using several wonderful resources including What is the bible? by Rev. Anne Robertson and Marcus Borg’s, Reading the Bible Again for the first Time. Join us for this 6-week, evening, Zoom study as we encounter the Bible in a fresh, new way that rejects the limits of simple literalism and opens up the rich possibility of living a life of authentic faith. Co-facilitated by Rev. Lisa K. Harmon and Church Council Member and Professor Walt Gulick.

SERIES Courageous Communtity Concert Series December 3rd at 7:30pm and December 12th at 2pm. Free concert $5 suggested donation. Concert series featuring “A Willy D & Friends Christmas.”

Lenten Series - Cultivating and Letting Go Lent is a season of spiritual gardening, of inviting God to unearth in us what lies fallow, what needs to be tended, and what needs to die for new life to emerge.

This Lent, we’re embracing the literal and spiritual practices of cultivating and letting go. In addition to visual prompts, we will use scripture for group discussion, journaling and personal reflection. This 6-week, evening, Zoom class will be facilitated by Rev. Lisa Harmon and Rev. Amy Carter (Mayflower Church/UCC) and is open to our congregations and to the public. Start date TBD.

To register visit www.billingsfirstchurch.org click Get Involved and choose Education Faith Formation.

O fferings to the public. Bring your mat, props encouraged. Must sign a liability waiver.

BOOK CLUBS Tuesday Morning Book Club with Walt Gulick On Tuesday, September 14, at 8:00 a.m., this venerable group will meet in person in the Sweetgrass Room to begin discussing Witness to Spirit: My Life with Cowboys, Mozart, and Indians, by Robert Staffanson, founder of the Billings Symphony and the American Indian Institute. Coffee will be available. Walt Gulick (wbgulick@ bresnan.net) facilitates this group which discusses non-fiction works of importance, suggested by its members, that deepen our understanding of the social, historical, political, religious, economic, and scientific forces that illuminate our place in the world. A few copies of the Staffanson book are available at This House of Books. Newcomers are welcome!

All-Church Book: “Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul: Celtic Wisdom for Reawakening to What Our Souls Know and for Healing the World” by John Philip Newell (JPN) is this year’s selection to read together from September to May. Discussions will take place on the 3rd Tuesday of the month, 7:00-8:00 p.m. on Zoom followed by 30 minutes of contemplative Celtic Evening Prayer. We will also make use of podcasts of conversations between JPN and Rob Bell and submit questions to JPN. Be sure to purchase your book in time to be ready to discuss the Introduction and Chapter 1 for the first meeting on September 21.

Register for the Zoom call by contacting Barbara Gulick at barbaragulick@ firstchurchbillings.org.

Women’s Spiritual Growth Book Group Julian of Norwich: Wisdom in a Time of Pandemic—and Beyond, by Matthew Fox, continues to be a timely book. This group, which has been meeting since 2006 in various forms and formats, meets on the 2nd Tuesday of the month, 3:00-4:30 p.m., presently at the Billings Public Library. Barbara Gulick (barbaragulick@ firstchurchbillings.org) facilitates. New members are welcome! For our first meeting of the year on September 14, we will discuss Chapter 3.

Communitea Meet every 2nd Thursday of every month at 11am (following Yoga with Lisa) in the Sweetgrass Room at Billings First Congregational Church. Communitea is a combination of some of our favorite things: community, tea, and honest conversation.

ONGOING Listening Post Tuesday mornings, 9:00-11:00 a.m., Spiritual Director Barbara Gulick will be available in the Church Narthex for “Holy Listening.” Just drop in; no appointment is necessary.

Artwalk First Friday, 5pm-9pm, every other month starting in October. ArtWalk Downtown Billings began in 1994 when a group of visionary folks created a recurring event to highlight the ever-growing community of artists and art galleries in downtown Billings.

Billings First Congregational Church is a proud Artwalk member. ArtWalk in the Chapel Gallery October and December 2021.

For more dates and information, contact Edward Barta, edward2b@yahoo.com.

Intentional Healing Circle This is a powerful, prayerful group that focuses on the wellbeing and healing of others and the planet. This dynamic collective, based on the book and journey of Lynne McTaggart called ‘Power of Eight’, meets the 1st & 3rd Thursday each month, on Zoom, 4:15pm-5:15pm to hold prayerful intentions for those in our congregation and community. To join, please contact Jean Guy, jean1945wheat@yahoo.com.

Yoga with Lisa Join Pastor Lisa for yoga, community and giggles! Thursdays at 10 am, in the chapel at BFCC. In this class, foundational yoga postures are practiced to align, strengthen and promote flexibility in the body.

Breathing techniques and meditation are also integrated. You can expect an emphasis on simplicity, repetition, and ease of movement.

This all-levels yoga class is free and open

Meditation with Sarah Hoffman You are invited to join Sarah for a beautiful guided meditation adventure every Monday at 4pm on Zoom. All are welcome! Register online.

Take Back Tuesdays Join us the first Tuesday of every month, 8:30am, at the Jameson Federal Building (corner of 4th & 29th Street in downtown Billings) for prayer and song in solidarity for and with our immigrant sisters and brothers.

This event is sponsored by Billings Sanctuary Rising, a group that accompanies advocates on behalf of the immigrant and refugee.

Billings Sanctuary Rising Join us the 3rd Monday of each month, 5pm-6pm, in-person at the church or on Zoom. Billings Sanctuary Rising is a compassionate, fierce group that accompanies and advocates on behalf of the immigrant and refugee community.

Billings Montana Interfaith Empowered by the wisdom of our traditions, we will name injustice, act in love, affirm the interrelatedness of all creation, and advocate for the dignity, sanctity, and equality of every human being. This powerful, interfaith group meets the 3rd Wednesday every month, at noon, in-person at the church or on Zoom.

To register visit www.billingsfirstchurch.org click Get Involved.

O fferings SEASONAL

WORKSHOPS

Sound Bath with Cara Gunhild A sound bath is a healing and meditative experience utilizing quartz crystal singing bowls. Join Cara in the Sanctuary to experience the beauty of these instruments and her gifts during the Equinox and Solstice. September 19th; December 19th; March 20th, 2022. To join, register at info@ firstchurchbillings.org. Limited attendance.

Boost Your Intuition: Join Reiki Master and Intuitive Coach Jean Guy, certified by the Intuition Wisdom Institute, for a 2-hour Zoom Session called Boost Your Intuition. Jean will show you how to work with the energies of Universal Intelligence to clear the effects of ego/internal saboteur and connect more fully to your True Self/Higher Self/True Essence. Learn powerful tools to create a still mind and connect to pure consciousness, self-love, and self-belief to help you better communicate who you truly are in the world. Limit 10 per class. Fee-based. Date: TBD. This class will be held on Zoom.

The Longest Night Labyrinth First Church’s beautiful candlelit 11-circuit labyrinth in the Chartres cathedral design will be available for walking on Tuesday, December 21, 7-9pm as we celebrate creation, the rhythms of the earth, and the coming of the Christ light into the world’s darkness. Barbara Gulick (barbaragulick@ firstchurchbillings.org) facilitates.

Good Friday Labyrinth First Church’s beautiful candlelit 11-circuit labyrinth in the Chartres cathedral design will be available for walking on Good Friday, April 15, 2022, 7-9 p.m. as we contemplate the Crucifixion, enter into the darkness of the tomb, and yearn for the light of Easter new life. Barbara Gulick (barbaragulick@ firstchurchbillings.org) facilitates.

Women’s Christmas Spa for the Spirit Retreat “Praying the Labyrinth” will be the theme of the Retreat on Saturday, January 8, 10am-3p.m. In many cultures, women are the ones who make Christmas “happen” and so, according to a custom now being revived in some Irish counties, women are given the day off on January 6 to enjoy each other’s company. This event is an opportunity to recover from the holidays and to reset one’s direction for the New Year. Barbara Gulick (barbaragulick@firstchurchbillings.org) will facilitate.

Upgrade Your Reality: (prerequisite is Boost Your Intuition) Using the tools learned previously, Reiki Master and Intuitive Coach Jean Guy, certified by the Intuition Wisdom Institute, will guide you deeper into connection with our True Selves, exploring the subconscious beliefs which limit our lives in 5 areas: life purpose, finances, relationships, health and connection to Higher Self. This is not an intellectual process but rather a look inward to find the truth from within. This, then with practice, can be integrated into our conscious lives for a fuller, richer, more authentic expression of self.

2-Hour Zoom Session. Limit 10 per class. Feebased. Date: TBD Reiki I Reiki is an ancient healing technique that clears your energy and promotes improvement in body, mind and spirit. In this training you will receive a Reiki attunement which allows you to open more fully to universal life force energy. You will learn hand positions for treating yourself and others and have time to practice these. Jean Guy, Essential Reiki Master/Teacher, has taught Reiki for over 20 years. Cost: Fee-based. Date: TBD. Masking required, vaccination recommended.

Reiki II In this class you will receive a Reiki II attunement and then you will learn the three symbols which are the essence and formula for Reiki. We will focus on how to use these symbols for distant and hands-on healing and explore other non-healing uses of the symbols. Finally, you will be introduced to Ki power exercises as taught by Diane Stein in her Essential Reiki classes. These allow you to increase the flow of Ki energy in a safe manner.

Taught by Jean Guy, Essential Reiki Master/ Teacher. Prerequisite is Reiki I either from Jean or another Reiki Master. Cost: Fee-based.

Date: TBD. Enneagram 101 An Introduction. The enneagram is a system of 9 personality types with ancient roots and a modern expression initially popularized by the Jesuits. It is an amazing tool for knowing oneself at a deep level and for facilitating the ability of working groups, such as boards and staffs, to understand the dynamics of their group in order to work together more effectively. This workshop will explore the origins of the enneagram, its three intelligence centers, and the 9 personality types. Spiritual Director Barbara Gulick (barbaragulick@ firstchurchbillings.org) and Shelly Ellison, Behavioral Health Specialist at St. Vincent Healthcare, are the instructors for this workshop on Saturday, March 12, 10-3 p.m. in the Sweetgrass Room. Fee-based.

Enneagram 201 A Deep Dive. Prerequisite: Enneagram 101 or previous knowledge of one’s personality type. In this workshop we will explore the spiritual and relational aspects of this amazing enneagram tool. Spiritual Director Barbara Gulick (Type 7) (barbaragulick@ firstchurchbillings.org) and Shelly Ellison (Type 1), Behavioral Health Specialist at St. Vincent Healthcare, are the instructors for this workshop on Saturday, May 14, 10-3 p.m. in the Sweetgrass Room. Fee-based.

O fferings SPIRITUAL DIRECTION

MUSIC

Barbara Gulick - Spiritual Director Barbara is available for Spiritual Direction either at the church or at her home office by appointment. Spiritual Direction is a communal spiritual practice that brings together a director and a directee on a regular basis, usually once a month, for an hour in person, on Zoom or Skype, or by phone, for the purpose of exploring and bringing to clarity the directee’s inner life journey.

A potential directee might seek out a spiritual director:

•To find a spiritual practice that nourishes and sustains •To explore a closer relationship with God •To develop a more conscious experience of the Holy in one’s daily life •To identify and trust one’s own experience of God •To share one’s hopes, struggles, and losses •To integrate spirituality into one’s daily life •To discern and make difficult choices •To develop a sensitivity for justice and concern for the marginalized •To live the essence of one’s spiritual affiliation with integrity

“The Listening Lady” will also be offering spiritual direction to children and youth, especially those whose families have no religious affiliation or who are in crisis, such as homelessness. Contact Barbara Gulick at barbaragulick@ firstchurchbillings.org or 406-661-4831 to schedule an appointment to see if spiritual direction is right for you. There are no fees; donations for spiritual direction may be made to Billings First Church.

Here at Billings First Congregational Church, we offer a variety of musical offerings and invite you to join us!

From the BFCC Chorale, the BFCC Handbell Choir, the BFCC Courageous Concert Series, instrumentalist, music library archival & upkeep, concert series volunteer, response leader, BFCC Chorale soloist, to special music during services, your desire to be “in-thespotlight” or “behind-the-scenes” will be completely accommodated and very welcome.

The BFCC Chorale The chorale here at BFCC explores all styles of music ranging from classical to contemporary pop/rock. The time commitment is mimimal, 1.5 hour rehearsals, 1-2 times per week, concentrating on service performances during Advent, Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost. No audition and no experience necessary, just a willingness to learn and have fun! Oh, and if you can actually carry a tune, I found that proves to be helpful.

The BFCC Handbell Choir Handbells here at BFCC this past year have been exciting! We’ve been exploring original arrangements of contemporary Christian pop/rock tunes while performing with soloists, piano, and pipe organ. No audition, and the time commitment is only one 1.5 hours rehearsal per week. Previous handbell experience is absolutely NOT required, but previous music-reading ability is.

Even if the last time you read music was in your teens, we can make that work!

Rehearsals for choir and handbell choir start in October!

William Demaniow- Music Director William is a fairly recent transplant to Billings from NYC, having worked professionally for two decades in the theatre world and Broadway community.

His private voice clients have appeared in over 75 Broadway productions ranging from Wicked to Frozen to Phantom of the Opera. He loves dividing his time as a music director, vocal coach, pianist, actor, singer, composer, arranger, and visual artist. The William Demaniow Arts Gallery is located right here throughout BFCC. Please visit www.

WilliamDemaniowArts.com for more info, upcoming events, or a private gallery tour. Contact William at 347351-5573 or willydwillyd@hotmail.com

Billings First Church is pleased to offer groups, classes, and events to help us keep growing in Biblical/theological literacy, cultural literacy, spiritual literacy, and spiritual practice.

www.billingsfirstchurch.org

C ampus Partners & Tenants 406 Pride is a volunteer based, community funded non-profit organization that is working to bring LGBTQ+ equality to Eastern Montana.

We are always looking for community members to volunteer. Contact us at 406pride@gmail.com, or visit our Facebook page: Facebook.com/406pride.

White Eagle Talking Circle is a Wellbriety group that provides culturally based healing for individuals seeking recovery.

Smudge the Streets, 2nd Wed. & last Fri. of each month.

The Phoenix’s mission is to build a sober active community that fuels resilience and harnesses the transformational power of connection so that together we rise, recover, and live. The only cost of membership is 48 hours of continuous sobriety. Contact Program Director & Fitness Coordinator, Stephanie Robinson at 406-749-0925 to get involved. Class preregistration online at thephoenix.org.

https://my.lwv.org/montana/ local-leagues/billings

At Western Native Voice, we inspire Native leadership so our communities flourish. Our Mission is to foster positive social change in our communities through leadership development, education, engagement, and public policy advocacy. To volunteer, donate or become a member go to: www.WesternNativeVoice.org or contact 406.869.1938

Elk River Intertribal Center A safe, beautiful environment to strengthen cultural identity, advance Tribal and community health, and generate economic growth and prosperity. Intermediate location at Billings First Congregational Church.

MARY V’S PANTRY Standing Buffalo Strong Suicide Prevention and Early Intervention Program through BUHIWC and NADC. Outreach Office is located on the second floor of Billings First Church.

Riverstone Health’s food and grocery pantry to support people living with HIV and AIDS. Located on the 2nd floor of BFCC.

Other Campus Partners: BELLISSIMO Billings Montana Interfaith Network

Riverstone Health: Mary V’s Cupboard Humanists

Billings Sanctuary Rising

Western Native Vote

Billings Urban Indian Dance & Crafters

Greater Reality

Native American Coalition

Eat. Share. Give We believe all people should have access to healthy food regardless of ability to pay. We are piloting the community fridge project with our first location at Kirk’s Grocery and soon with our second location at Billings First Church. info@eatsharegive.org

Jean W. Guy

Grateful Connections LLC

Reiki Master and Intuition Life Coach/ Trainer Over 20 years of reiki teaching experience.

406-780-0293

Unspoken Words A Native podcast group that discussing the issues of Indigenous peoples with insight, experience and humility.

Covering a wide range of topics we hope to promote mental, emotional, physical and spiritual Wellbriety with our traditional culture in a contemporary world. You can listen to their podcast by searching for Unspoken Words a Native Podcast on Spotify, & Apple Music, or on Podbean at unspokenwords2020.podbean.com

jean1945wheat@yahoo.com

Jean Guy Jean Guy is a Reiki Master/Teacher with over 20 years of experience. Check out the Offerings page under workshops for more information on her upcoming workshops.

406-780-0293 Jean1945wheat@yahoo.com

Julie Solberg Julie is a Licensed Massage Therapist with 18 years of experience. Her services are personalized to fit the client’s individual needs from therapeutic to relaxation. She uses different modalities but specializes in Swedish Massage.

406-855-5645

www.projectlunch.biz

William Demaniow Arts Gallery The William Demaniow Arts Gallery showcases accessible abstract acrylic, epoxy resin, & combined media artwork, featuring ‘The Space Between Series’ utilizing oxidized and aged copper, bronze, and iron infused paints. The gallery showcases over 90 pieces, all sizes and all budgets. Call or text 347-351-5573 for a viewing & holidays hours or contact him on the website WilliamDemaniowArts. comArtWalk and Gallery Show December 3rd from 5–10pm The William Demaniow Arts Gallery is featuring ‘100 under 100’ series 100 will feature pieces under $100. Great gift ideas!

406-530-5820

YelvingtonStudio@gmail.com

Artist · Graphic Designer · Entrepreneur · Aerialist

YungBen’s YOGA

Yoga •Acro•Aerial Fitness•Teacher•Performer•Artist

Offering mat, aerial, partner yoga and performance YungBen’s Yoga

406-209-8642

YungBen@gmail.com

Yelvington Studio Inc. Dixie offers graphic design services focused in print media and creates dramatic fantasy portraiture using the power of Photoshop.

Introduction to using Photoshop lessons available upon request. 406-530-5820 YelvingtonStudio@gmail.com YungBen’s Yoga offers Mat Yoga, Aerial Yoga, and Percussion Yoga to church members starting at $60/hour. YungBen specializes in beginners, strength, balance, mindfulness and shoulder pain. 406-209-8642 YungBen@gmail.com

O ngoing C ampus M eetings White Eagle Talking Circle - Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday 7p, Thursday 7:30p

Coda - Codependency Group - Thursdays 6:15p

True Colors Narcotics Anonymous - Meeting Fri 6–7p

True Colors NA - Fri 6p

406 Pride - Resource Center Hours: Wed 1-5, Sat-Fri 10-2

Recovery Circle - Wed 6p

South East Montana Prime Timers - (Gay Men’s Group) Board Meetings Second Sat at 2p

Unspoken Words - Podcast Airs Sun 1p

Greater Reality - Monday, Wednesday, Friday - 7p

Gamblers Anonymous - Sun 7p, Wed, Fri 8pm

Humanists - Sun 1p Hours may vary due to COVID

Y outh C ommunity Dear First Church Family,

I

was baptized and confirmed right here at 310 N 27th Street, and have been nurtured, supported, and uplifted by our congregation every step of the way between. To return here as the Director of Youth and Young Adult Programming therefore feels at once very natural and an astonishing blessing. I am on the record as claiming to be the luckiest guy in the world, and it seems to be proven true once again. To give back one thimble of what First Church has given to me is such an honor.

In the midst of such great uncertainties, our sacred community becomes that much more vital. My role in leading up our church’s youth offerings is an opportunity to bolster that vitality through serving our kids and families. How can we enrich our youth’s spiritual and practical lives, or just make it a bit easier and funner, day in and day out? I am especially eager to work with folks of all ages in the congregation to meet that challenge with alacrity, joy, and humility over the coming year.

Most importantly, though, I look forward to getting outside, getting a bit dirty, and having some adventures, so be on the lookout for more details about our outdoor offerings this year. And even though I’m focused on our kiddos, I know that the young at heart of all ages are the strength of our family. It’s my honor to invite the whole congregation to renew our collective commitment to raising up our young ones, just as I have been raised up.

With Immense Gratitude, Charlie Smillie

Y outh O fferings Sunday School School-age youth explore their faith through the Whole People of God curriculum, creative expression and spiritual practices.

Sunday School is during worship service following Time for Young at Heart. Sunday, September 19, 2021 through May 30, 2022. For more information email charlie@ firstchurchbillings.org.

First Wednesday Evening Youth Groups Youth of all ages gather the 1st Wednesday each month for projects focused on creating, learning, and growing through service. Past projects include making art for Mary V’s Pantry and creating valentines for Billings’ homeless population. 5:30-7pm, beginning October 7, 2020 and ending May 5, 2021.

For more information email charlie@ firstchurchbillings.org.

Vacation Bible School Elementary-aged youth gather to celebrate First Church’s week of PLAY! We’ll focus on experiential learning, movement, and kicking off the summer with a spirit of FUN! Older youth are encouraged to join and help. June 6-10, 2022; 8:30am - 11:30am. To register email charlie@ firstchurchbillings.org.

Youth Drum Group On Mondays from 4-6pm starting Sept 13, 2021, Josiah Hugs will be hosting a Youth Drum Group for Grades 6 through 12.

Parents are welcome to stay, masks will be provided.

Downtown Trick-or-Treating In collaboration with the Downtown Billings Alliance, youth, their families and any lovers of the spooky season transform into vampires, unicorns, superheroes, and more, to greet trick-or-treaters with candy and games! All are encouraged to join! 12-5pm. Date is to be announced.

For more information email charlie@ firstchurchbillings.org.

Christmas Pageant First Church youth bring their joyful gifts to the Christmas story. Music, humor, and heart will be on display! Adults are invited and all are welcome to participate. December 19, 2021, during worship. To sign up, email charlie@firstchurchbillings.org.

Easter Scavenger Hunt Youth and families race on a guided gratitude scavenger hunt at home and/or on church grounds. All ages are welcome! To participate, email charlie@firstchurchbillings. org. April 17th, 2022 (immediately before Easter Service).

Membership

N ew to the C hurch?

Thinking about membership in our diverse and loving church?

Wanting to know more about our denomination, the United Church of Christ?

Membership 101 Events

Sunday, 1pm on October 17, December 5, 2021, February 13, April 3, 2022, 1pm

All-Church Meetings

Sundays, January 30, 2022 June 26, 2022 (following church service)

Contact Us about Becoming a Member.

Call our office at 406-245-6477 or email Pastor Lisa at Lisa.Harmon@FirstChurchBillings.org

Y our S upport

A lready a M ember?

Make sure to stay current on all things BFCC!

Your support and gifts bless our ministries and our campus partners. Please consider giving:

• Join our Breeze App! Request a Breeze invite by visiting our web page at billingsfirstchurch.org/ join-breeze. You can also download the Breeze App for our membership and event directory, for ways to give and much more! Just look in your app store for “Breeze” with the sailboat icon.

Questions? Give Morgan Satterfield, our Front Office Administrator, a call at 406-245-6477. You can also email her at info@firstchurchbillings.org.

To Donate, Text Any Amount to:

406-412-6477 Go to our website at

Breeze App

• Sign up for the newsletter for email updates and

monthly newsletters! Sign up directly from our Facebook page (Billings First Church) and click the sign-up button. Don’t have Facebook account? Contact Morgan Satterfield in our front office to get set-up.

BillingsFirstChurch.org/Giving Checks can be mailed to

310 N 27th Street, Billings 59101 If you’d like information on Legacy Giving or would like to make a contribution to our endowment fund, please reach out to Pastor Lisa at 406-245-6477 or email lisa.harmon@firstchurchbillings.org.

J oin our M inistry T eams - We need you to lead!

Our Congregational Life • Extravagant Welcome • Called to Care • Celebrations & Gatherings

Our Convenantal Life

• MT Association of Christians (MAC) • MT-NWY Conference & BMIN

Faith Formation

• Education for All Ages (Theological, Biblical, Spiritual and Cultural Literacy & Spiritual Practice) • Our Whole Lives Sexuality Curricula

Finance and Stewardship • • • •

Budget Memorial Fund & Endowment Fund Stewardship Membership & Pledge Campaigns

Worship and Arts • • • • •

Music, Choir, Handbells Communion Sanctuary (Liturgical Seasons) Worship Services Ushers & Liturgists

Justice and Witness • • • •

Social Justice Outreach Community Engagement WISE Task Force (Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive and Engaged - working toward becoming a Wise Congregation about mental health)

Our Church Home

• Care of Building and Grounds • Care and maintenance of Native Flags • Light Maintenance

R enewal

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.” -Romans 12:2

Sunday

N otes & R eflections

5

12

Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost Church Service 10:30a

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost Rally & Pride Sunday 10:30a Enjoy live music, food and fun!

A ctions

19

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost Church Service 10:30a

Sunday School Begins (during service) Sound Bath with Cara Gunhild, 6p

26

Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service)

American Indian Ministry Sunday White Eagle Talking Circle (Speaker Meeting), 7p

National Hispanic Heritage Month

S eptember 2021

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

1

Thursday

2

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

3

Friday

Saturday

4

Intentional Healing Circle 4:15p

6

7

Labor Day

Take Back Tuesdays 8:30a

Meditation with Sarah 4p

Listening Post 9-11a

13

Meditation with Sarah 4p Youth Drum Group begins 4-6p

14

8

9

Yoga with Lisa, 10a Communitea, 11a

10

11

Smudge the Streets 8:30a Pride Festival Family Day at North Park 12-6p

15

16

17

18

22

23

24

25

29

30

Tuesday Book Club with Billings Montana Interfaith Yoga with Lisa, 10a Walt Gulick begins, 8a Network, 12p Intentional Healing Circle Listening Post 9-11a 4:15p

Women’s Spiritual Growth Book Club with Barbara at Billings Library begins, 3p

20

Meditation with Sarah 4p

21

Listening Post 9-11a

Fall Equinox

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

Billings Sanctuary Rising All-Church Book Discussion 5-6p with Barbara begins, 7p

27

Meditation with Sarah 4p

28

Listening Post 9-11a

Bible Study “The Call to Welcome.” 6p

Every Child Matters: Healing Walk 9a at Skypoint

All-Ages Wilding Out

D eep L istening “The perfect church service would be one we were almost unaware of; our attention would have been on God.” -C.S. Lewis

Sunday

N otes & R eflections

3

Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost Sunday Seminar 9:30a Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service)

Mental Health Awareness Week

10

Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost Sunday Seminar 9:30a Conversational Church Service 10:30a Sunday School (during service)

Wise Task Force Commissioning

A ctions

17

Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost

24

Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost

31

Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost

Sunday Seminar 9:30a Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service) Membership 101 1p

Sunday Seminar 9:30a Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service) Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service) Halloween White Eagle Talking Circle (Speaker Meeting), 7p

LGBT History Month

Monday

4

O ctober 2021 Tuesday

5

Meditation with Sarah 4p Take Back Tuesday, 8:30a Listening Post 9-11a

Wednesday

6

Evening Youth Group 5:30-7p Bible Study, 6p

11

Indigenous People’s Day

12

Listening Post 9-11a

13

Bible Study, 6p

Meditation with Sarah 4p

Thursday

7

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

1

Friday

Saturday

Art Walk 5-9p

2

Smudge the Streets 8:30a

8

9

15

16

Intentional Healing Circle 4:15p

14

Yoga with Lisa, 10a Communitea, 11a

18

Meditation with Sarah 4p

19

20

21

22

23

25

26

27

28

29

30

Billings Montana Interfaith Yoga with Lisa, 10a Network, 12p Billings Sanctuary Rising All-Church Book Discussion Intentional Healing Circle 5-6p with Barbara 7p Bible Study, 6p 4:15p

Meditation with Sarah 4p

Listening Post 9-11a

Listening Post 9-11a

Bible Study, 6p

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

Smudge the Streets 8:30a Downtown Trick-or-Treat 12-5p

H ealing

“Action on behalf of life transforms. Because the relationship between self and the world is reciprocal, it is not a question of first getting enlightened or saved and then acting. As we work to heal the earth, the earth heals us.” -Robin Wall Kimmerer

N otes & R eflections

1

7

Sunday

Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost Sunday Seminar 9:30a Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service)

Stewardship Sunday

A ctions

14

Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

21

Reign of Christ

Sunday Seminar 9:30a Conversational Church Service 10:30a Sunday School (during service)

Sunday Seminar 9:30a Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service)

Thanks-Taking Sunday

28

First Sunday of Advent Sunday Seminar 9:30a Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service) White Eagle Talking Circle (Speaker Meeting), 7p

American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month

1

N ovember 2021

Monday

2

Tuesday

Meditation with Sarah 4p Take Back Tuesday, 8:30a Listening Post 9-11a

8

Meditation with Sarah 4p

9

Listening Post 9-11a

Wednesday

3

Evening Youth Group 5:30-7p

10

Thursday

4

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

5

Friday

Saturday

6

Intentional Healing Circle 4:15p

11

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

Smudge the Streets 8:30a

12

13

Communitea, 11a

15

Meditation with Sarah 4p

16

17

18

19

20

22

Meditation with Sarah 4p

23

24

25

26

27

29

30

Billings Montana Interfaith Yoga with Lisa, 10a Network, 12p Billings Sanctuary Rising All-Church Book Discussion Intentional Healing Circle 5-6p with Barbara 7p 4:15p

Meditation with Sarah 4p

Listening Post 9-11a

Listening Post 9-11a

Listening Post 9-11a

Thanksgiving Day

Smudge the Streets 8:30a

W inter - H oly R eading L ectio D ivina

H oly R eading with C hildren

Lectio Divina, a practice established by St. Benedict in the fourth century, combines elements of both discursive and contemplative prayer. The four movements of lectio divina include: reading, meditation, prayer, and contemplation.

Spiritual formation with children is not an “add-on” that places additional demands on parents whose lives are probably already stretched to the max. It’s a qualitative way of interacting with your children while doing things that you would be doing anyway.

We begin by taking a passage of Scripture or an evocative poem and reading it slowly and deliberately – as if savoring a delicious plate of the finest and most exquisite food.

This opens the door to deep reflection and meditation. This is the point at which questions are asked, possibilities are turned over in the mind, new patterns of insight are sought, and applications of the biblical story are applied to our personal human story.

As we enter into the passage or poem and see the intersection between ourselves and God, we easily move into a time of discourse or conversation with God. Our spirit is moved by what we have thought and considered, what we have tasted and twirled in our mouth like fine wine, and the result is a yearning to be in an encounter of prayer with the One who is beyond us and as close to us as the steady beat of our heart.

When all our words have been expended, and our thoughts have been emptied into the heart of heaven, we are ready to simply rest in God. We are ready to be still. We are ready to have our mind cease its activity and come to a point of absolute quiet. In the soft movement of our breath, and the peacefulness of our mind, we find the hand of God massaging our soul into something new.

We make a commitment to a small step of action and feel ready to go forward with gratitude for the time we have spent with God. This is one way to do lectio divina. In a group setting it is done differently.

What passages of Scripture or whose poetry is recommended for use with lectio divina? Short passages from the Gospels or Psalms are good for starters. We sometimes have difficulty with over familiarity with a passage of Scripture, thinking that we know how this “story” turns out, but we are not reading for information.

In this practice, we are listening for the voice of God. Recommended poets are: Wendell Berry, Carl Dennis, Jane Kenyon, Denise Levertov, Mary Oliver, Luci Shaw.

Holy reading with a child happens perhaps at bedtime and involves asking questions about feelings. I wonder how the dog felt when…? What about this story made you feel the happiest? The saddest? Most good children’s books lend themselves readily to these kinds of questions. If you would like to know recommended titles for reading with your child, or if you would like to donate a book to First Church’s children’s library, please contact Barbara Gulick at 406-259-3622 or bjgulick@bresnan.net.

P otato L atkes (gluten & dairy free) Ingredients • 2 cups baking potatoes, peeled and grated • 1/2 small onion, minced • 3 eggs, beaten • 2 tbsp all-purpose, gluten-free flour • 1 1/2 tsp salt • 1/3 tsp black pepper • 1/4 tsp cayenne • Canola oil* Toppings (optional) • 3 scallions, chopped • Vegan sour cream (like Tofutti) • Apple sauce Directions 1. Peel and grate the potatoes.

2. Using paper towels, wrap the mixture and squeeze to remove as much excess moisture as possible.

3. Place potatoes in a large bowl then add the onion and eggs. Stir well to combine.

4. In a small bowl, mix together flour, salt, pepper and cayenne.

5. Add the seasonings to the potato mixture and stir well.

6. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium to medium-high heat.

7. Add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan.

8. Place spoonfuls of the mixture and press lightly to spread to 1/4-1/2-inch thick patties.

9. Brown each side roughly 3-5 minutes. If potatoes are browning too quickly, reduce the heat a bit.

10. Transfer to paper towel and lightly pat to dry.

11. Serve immediately and with toppings (optional).

Notes *Canola can be substituted with peanut or sesame oil as well.

Advent

S tillness

“In the stillness of the quiet, if we listen, we can hear the whisper of the heart giving strength to weakness, courage to fear, hope to despair.” -Howard Thurman

Sunday

N otes & R eflections

5

Second Sunday of Advent

12

Third Sunday of Advent

Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service) Membership 101 1p

Conversational Church Service 10:30a Sunday School (during service)

Mental Health Sunday Courageous Community Concert Series 2p

A ctions

19

Fourth Sunday of Advent Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service)

Christmas Pageant Sound Bath with Cara Gunhild, 6p

26

First Sunday after Christmas Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service) White Eagle Talking Circle (Speaker Meeting), 7p

Advent/Winter Solstice/Yule Month

D ecember 2021

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

1

Evening Youth Group 5:30-7p

6

Meditation with Sarah 4p

7

Listening Post 9-11a

8

Thursday

2

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

Intentional Healing Circle 4:15p

9

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

3

Friday

Art Walk 5-9p

Saturday

4

Las Posadas, 11a-2p

Courageous Community Concert Series 7:30p

Smudge the Streets 8:30a

10

11

Communitea, 11a

13

Meditation with Sarah 4p

14

20

21

Meditation with Sarah 4p

Listening Post 9-11a

Winter Solstice

15

16

17

18

22

23

24

25

29

30

31

Billings Montana Interfaith Yoga with Lisa, 10a Network, 12p Intentional Healing Circle 4:15p

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

Christmas Eve Service

Listening Post 9-11a Billings Sanctuary Rising 5-6p All-Church Book Discussion Longest Night Labyrinth with Barbara 7p 7-9p

27

Meditation with Sarah 4p

28

Listening Post 9-11a

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

New Year’s Eve

Christmas Day

I magination

“To accept your country without betraying it, you must love it for that which shows what it might become. America -- this monument to the genius of ordinary men and women, this place where hope becomes capacity, this long, halting turn of ‘no’ into the ‘yes’ -- needs citizens who love it enough to re-imagine and re-make it.” -Cornel West

2

Second Sunday after Christmas

9

The Baptism of Christ

16

Second Sunday after Epiphany

23

Third Sunday after Epiphany

30

Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

N otes & R eflections

A ctions

Sunday Sunday Seminar 9:30a Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service)

Sunday Seminar 9:30a Conversational Church Service 10:30a Sunday School (during service)

Sunday Seminar 9:30a Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service)

Sunday Seminar 9:30a Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service)

Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service)

All Church Meeting (following Service) White Eagle Talking Circle (Speaker Meeting), 7p

Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month

Monday

3

J anuary 2022

Meditation with Sarah 4p

4

Tuesday Epiphany

Take Back Tuesday, 8:30a

Wednesday

5

Evening Youth Group 5:30-7p

Listening Post 9-11a

Thursday

6

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

7

Friday

Saturday

1/8

New Year’s Day /

Intentional Healing Circle 4:15p

Women’s Christmas Spa for the Spirit Retreat 10a All-Ages Wilding Out

10

Meditation with Sarah 4p

11

Communitea, 10a

Listening Post 9-11a

12

Bible Study “Again for the First Time,” 6p

13

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

Smudge the Streets 8:30a

14

15

Communitea, 11a

17

Meditation with Sarah 4p

18

19

20

21

22

24

25

26

27

28

29

Billings Montana Interfaith Yoga with Lisa, 10a Network, 12p Billings Sanctuary Rising All-Church Book Discussion Intentional Healing Circle 5-6p with Barbara 7p Bible Study 6p 4:15p

Meditation with Sarah 4p

31

Meditation with Sarah 4p

Listening Post 9-11a

Listening Post 9-11a

Bible Study 6p

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

Smudge the Streets 8:30a

B eloved C ommunity

“Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love.” -Martin Luther King Jr.

Sunday

N otes & R eflections

A ctions

6

Fifth Sunday after Epiphany

13

Sixth Sunday after Epiphany

20

Seventh Sunday after Epiphany

27

Transfiguration

Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service)

Conversational Church Service 10:30a Sunday School (during service) Membership 101 1p

Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service)

Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service) White Eagle Talking Circle (Speaker Meeting), 7p

Black History Month

F ebruary 2022

Monday

1

Tuesday

Take Back Tuesday, 8:30a Listening Post 9-11a

7

Meditation with Sarah 4p

8

Listening Post 9-11a

Wednesday

2

Evening Youth Group 5:30-7p

9

Thursday

3

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

Bible Study 6p

Intentional Healing Circle 4:15p

Bible Study 6p

10

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

4

Friday

Art Walk 5-9p

Saturday

5

New Member Orientation 9-10:30a

Smudge the Streets 8:30a

11

12

18

19

25

26

Communitea, 11a

14

Meditation with Sarah 4p

15

Listening Post 9-11a

16

Ash Wednesday

17

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

Billings Sanctuary Rising All-Church Book Discussion Billings Montana Interfaith Intentional Healing Circle 5-6p with Barbara 7p Network, 12p 4:15p Bible Study 6p

21

Meditation with Sarah 4p

28

Meditation with Sarah 4p

22

Listening Post 9-11a

23

24

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

Smudge the Streets 8:30a

S pring - H oly L istening T he D aily E xamen This is a great practice to do at the end of the day and prepares you for a good night’s sleep. It’s also a good guide for journaling. Every so often you may want to review what you have journaled to see where God is leading you.

Relax your body and quiet your mind. Ask to be shown what the Spirit wants you to see, feel, and understand.

Look back slowly over the events, persons, circumstances of the day—hour by hour, person by person, event by event. Notice the smallest gifts—an honest exchange with another, the scent of pine, a taste, a warm embrace, a deep sense of peace, a word of challenge, comfort or insight.

Go back over the day paying attention to all of your feelings. Notice joy, pain, turmoil, anger, harmony, anxiety, fear, admiration, shyness, etc. Notice the direction of the feelings. Are they leading you to more intimacy with God or to more distance from God? Spend a moment reflecting on their source.

Choose the feeling/memory that most captures/attracts your attention and let this feeling be the focus of your meditation. How does it speak to you? Is Christ inviting you into a new freedom, a shift in consciousness, a letting go, a deeper gratitude, a new humility? What theme/s were present in the day? Is there an image for the day?

Express specific gratitude for the sacred moments you discovered during your reflection. Pray specifically for the needs of tomorrow.

H oly L istening with C hildren Spiritual formation with children is not an “add-on” that places additional demands on parents whose lives are probably already stretched to the max. It’s a qualitative way of interacting with your children while doing things that you would be doing anyway.

If you are fortunate enough to be able to share an evening meal with your children, this is an excellent opportunity to do this practice as part of normal dinner conversation.

Your children do the speaking. You do the listening. Ask what was the best thing that happened to you today? How did it make you feel about yourself ? Then ask what was the worst thing that happened to you today? How did it make you feel about yourself ? Then encourage your children to ask the same questions of you!

B uffalo W ild R ice “B ullets” with C hokecherry S auce This recipe is named by the Turtle Mountain Chippewa, who commonly call meatballs “bullets”. Fiber-rich wild rice is grown and harvested by the tribes.

Meatball Ingredients: 1 ½ pounds buffalo meat (or ground beef ) ¾ cup wild rice, cooked ½ cup onions, minced 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon garlic, minced ¼ cup bread crumbs ½ cup milk 1 egg Choke Cherry Sauce: 4 ounces chokecherry jelly 1 (12oz) bottle chili sauce 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper To make meatballs: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine meat, rice, onions, salt, garlic, breadcrumbs, milk and egg; shape into 1-inch balls. Arrange on tinfoil-lined baking pan. Bake until browned, about 10-15 minutes.

To make sauce: Combine jelly, chili sauce, and cayenne pepper in saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until warm, about 10-15 minutes.

Combine sauce with meatballs to cover; arrange on a tray and serve warm. Serves 4-6. Enjoy!

Source: Roots of a Sovereign Nation

O rigami 2.

1.

3.

5.

4.

6.

7.

9.

8.

10.

11.

C ommitment

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and community, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” -Acts 2:42

Sunday

N otes & R eflections

A ctions

6

First Sunday in Lent

13

Second Sunday in Lent

20

Third Sunday in Lent

Sunday Seminar 9:30a Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service)

Sunday Seminar 9:30a Conversational Church Service 10:30a Sunday School (during service)

Sunday Seminar 9:30a Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service)

Mental Health Sunday Spring Equinox - Sound Bath with Cara Gunhild, 6p

27

Fourth Sunday in Lent Sunday Seminar 9:30a Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service)

Palm Sunday White Eagle Talking Circle (Speaker Meeting), 7p

Women’s History Month

Monday

M arch 2022

1

Tuesday

Take Back Tuesday, 8:30a Listening Post 9-11a

7

International Women’s Day

8

Listening Post 9-11a

Wednesday

2

Evening Youth Group 5:30-7p

9

Thursday

3

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

Lenten Series, 6p

Intentional Healing Circle 4:15p

Lenten Series, 6p

10

Meditation with Sarah 4p

Yoga with Lisa, 10a Communitea, 11a

4

Friday

World Day of Prayer

Saturday

5

11

12

Smudge the Streets 8:30a Enneagram 101 Workshop 10a-3p

14

Meditation with Sarah 4p

15

16

17

18

19

21

Meditation with Sarah 4p

22

23

24

25

26

28

29

30

31

Billings Montana Interfaith Yoga with Lisa, 10a Network, 12p Billings Sanctuary Rising All-Church Book Discussion Intentional Healing Circle 5-6p with Barbara 7p Lenten Series, 6p 4:15p

Meditation with Sarah 4p

Listening Post 9-11a

Listening Post 9-11a

Listening Post 9-11a

Lenten Series, 6p

Lenten Series, 6p

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

Smudge the Streets 8:30a

B ecoming

“Mother Earth needs us to keep our covenant. We will do this in courts, we will do this on our radio station, and we will commit to our descendants to work hard to protect this land and water for them. Whether you have feet, wings, fins, or roots, we are all in it together.” -Winona LaDuke

Sunday

N otes & R eflections

A ctions

3

Fifth Sunday in Lent

10

Sixth Sunday in Lent

17

Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service) Membership 101 1p

Conversational Church Service 10:30a Sunday School (during service)

Easter Easter Scavenger Hunt (before service) Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service)

24

Second Sunday of Easter Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service) White Eagle Talking Circle (Speaker Meeting), 7p

National Child Abuse Prevention Month & Arab American Heritage Month

A pril 2022

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

1

Friday

Saturday

2

Art Walk 5-9p

4

5

Meditation with Sarah 4p Take Back Tuesday 8:30a Listening Post 9-11a

11

Meditation with Sarah 4p

12

Listening Post 9-11a

6

Evening Youth Group 5:30-7p

13

7

Smudge the Streets 8:30a

8

9

Maundy Thursday

15

16

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

Good Friday Labyrinth 7-9p

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

Intentional Healing Circle 4:15p

14

Good Friday

Holy Saturday

Communitea, 11a

18

Meditation with Sarah 4p

19

20

21

22

25

26

27

28

29

Listening Post 9-11a

Billings Montana Interfaith Yoga with Lisa, 10a Network, 12p Billings Sanctuary Rising All-Church Book Discussion Intentional Healing Circle 5-6p with Barbara 7p 4:15p

Meditation with Sarah 4p

Listening Post 9-11a

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

Earth Day

23

Smudge the Streets 8:30a

30

All-Ages Wilding Out

S tory

“I hope you will go out and let stories, that is life, happen to you, and that you will work with these stories... water them with your blood and tears and your laughter till they bloom, till you yourself burst into bloom.” -Clarissa Pinkola Estés

N otes & R eflections

A ctions

Sunday

1

Third Sunday of Easter

8

Fourth Sunday of Easter

15

Fifth Sunday of Easter

22

Sixth Sunday of Easter

29

Seventh Sunday of Easter

Sunday Seminar 9:30a Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service)

Sunday Seminar 9:30a Conversational Church Service 10:30a Sunday School (during service)

Sunday Seminar 9:30a Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service)

Sunday Seminar 9:30a Church Service 10:30a - Sunday School (during service)

Church Service 10:30a

Last Day of Sunday School (during service) White Eagle Talking Circle (Speaker Meeting), 7p

Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month & Mental Health Awareness Month

Monday

2

3

M ay 2022

Tuesday

Meditation with Sarah 4p Take Back Tuesday 8:30a Listening Post 9-11a

9

Meditation with Sarah 4p

10

Listening Post 9-11a

Wednesday

4

Evening Youth Group 5:30-7p

11

Thursday

5

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

6

Friday

Saturday

7

Intentional Healing Circle 4:15p

12

Yoga with Lisa, 10a Communitea, 11a

13

14

Smudge the Streets 8:30a Enneagram 201 Workshop 10a-3p

16

Meditation with Sarah 4p

17

18

19

20

21

23

24

25

26

27

28

Billings Montana Interfaith Yoga with Lisa, 10a Network, 12p Billings Sanctuary Rising All-Church Book Discussion Intentional Healing Circle 5-6p with Barbara 7p 4:15p

Meditation with Sarah 4p

Listening Post 9-11a

Listening Post 9-11a

Ascension Day

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

30

Memorial Day

Meditation with Sarah 4p

31

Listening Post 9-11a

Smudge the Streets 8:30a

S ummer - H oly L ooking N oticing

M acrame W all H anging:

For the past two years we’ve had all-church books, both by Diana Butler Bass. In Grounded: Finding God in the World she helps us to see the Holy in the world around us, the sacredness in the everyday. She calls our attention to seeing God in the natural world--in dirt, water, and sky—and in the human world—in our roots, our family, our neighborhood, and in the commons. It is a way of practicing the presence of God in the everyday tasks of living—making our bed, cooking our meals, doing the dishes, doing the laundry, and cleaning the toilet. For me it’s being thankful for my husband as I hang his socks on the clothesline in the summer sun.

Materials and Tools • 2 shirts for fabric • Branch • Twine • Rotary Cutter & Matt and/or Fabric Scissors

Our “noticing” gives way to gratitude. Bass’s more recent book is Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks, in which she explores gratitude in two aspects of our experience: emotions—feelings in response to gifts, and ethics—actions in response to gifts—as they function in the two arenas of our lives: the personal— the “me” of individual life, and the public—the “we” of community. Quoting Robert Emmons in his Little Book of Gratitude, Bass reminds us that “Gratitude amplifies goodness, rescues us from negative emotions, and connects us to others in meaningful ways.” Bass encourages us to “see differently, developing “soft eyes,” the eyes of compassion.

N oticing with C hildren Spiritual formation with children is not an “add-on” that places additional demands on parents whose lives are probably already stretched to the max. And you’ve probably noticed that it’s not particularly “churchy.” It’s a qualitative way of interacting with your children while doing things that you would be doing anyway.

Noticing how God is present in the world and giving thanks go together. Your everyday conversation can guide your children toward knowing that God is with them in the everyday as well as at church and that gratitude is an appropriate response. Mealtimes and bedtimes are natural times for these conversations, but opportunities crop up in surprising ways. Just be ready for them!

Instructions 1. Cut 1cm wide strips from two worn out shirts.

2. Loop strips around the branch to secure.

3. Space strips with the longest in the center and shortest at the edges.

4. Alternate fabric patterns as desired.

5. Attach twine & hang!

Beautiful World

P lay

“Never, ever underestimate the power of having fun.”

-Randy Pausch

Sunday

N otes & R eflections

A ctions

5

Pentecost Sunday

12

Trinity Sunday

19

Second Sunday after Pentecost

Church Service 10:30a

Conversational Church Service 10:30a

Church Service 10:30a

Summer Solstice

26

Third Sunday after Pentecost Church Service 10:30a

All Church Meeting (following Service) White Eagle Talking Circle (Speaker Meeting), 7p

Immigrant Heritage Month; LGBTQI+ Pride Month

J une 2022

Monday

Tuesday

Take Back Tuesday 8:30a

Wednesday

1

Listening Post 9-11a

6

Vacation Bible School 8:30-11:30a

Meditation with Sarah 4p

7

Vacation Bible School 8:30-11:30a

Thursday

2

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

3

Friday Art Walk 5-9p

Saturday

4

Intentional Healing Circle 4:15p

8

Vacation Bible School 8:30-11:30a

Listening Post 9-11a

9

Vacation Bible School 8:30-11:30a

10

11

Vacation Bible School 8:30-11:30a

All-Ages Wilding Out

Yoga with Lisa, 10a Communitea, 11a

13

Meditation with Sarah 4p

14

20

Meditation with Sarah 4p

15

16

17

18

21

22

23

24

25

28

29

30

Listening Post 9-11a

Listening Post 9-11a

Yoga with Lisa, 10a Billings Montana Interfaith Network, 12p Intentional Healing Circle 4:15p

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

Billings Sanctuary Rising 5-6p

27

Meditation with Sarah 4p

Listening Post 9-11a

R econciliation

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.”

-Rev. 22:1-2

Sunday

N otes & R eflections 3

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost Church Service 10:30a

Independence Day

A ctions

10

Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

17

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

24

Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

31

Conversational Church Service 10:30a

Church Service 10:30a

Church Service 10:30a

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost Church Service 10:30a - All Church Meeting White Eagle Talking Circle (Speaker Meeting), 7p

National Ice Cream Month

J uly 2022

Monday

4

Meditation with Sarah 4p

Tuesday

5

Take Back Tuesday 8:30a

Wednesday

6

Listening Post 9-11a

11

Meditation with Sarah 4p

12

Listening Post 9-11a

Thursday

7

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

1

Friday

Saturday

2

8

9

15

16

Intentional Healing Circle 4:15p

13

14

Yoga with Lisa, 10a Communitea, 11a

18

Meditation with Sarah 4p

19

Listening Post 9-11a

Billings Sanctuary Rising 5-6p

25

Meditation with Sarah 4p

26

Listening Post 9-11a

20

21

22

23

27

28

29

30

Yoga with Lisa, 10a Billings Montana Interfaith Network, 12p Intentional Healing Circle 4:15p

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

J ourney

“The feeling remains that God is on the journey, too.”

-St. Teresa of Avila

Sunday

N otes & R eflections

A ctions

7

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

14

Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

21

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

28

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

Church Service 10:30a

Conversational Church Service 10:30a

Church Service 10:30a

Church Service 10:30a White Eagle Talking Circle (Speaker Meeting), 7p

Artist Appreciation Month

1

Monday

Meditation with Sarah 4p

A ugust 2022 2

Tuesday

Take Back Tuesday 8:30a

Wednesday

3

Listening Post 9-11a

8

Meditation with Sarah 4p

9

Listening Post 9-11a

Thursday

4

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

5

Friday Art Walk 5-9p

Saturday

6

Intentional Healing Circle 4:15p

10

11

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

12

13

Communitea, 11a

15

Meditation with Sarah 4p

16

Listening Post 9-11a

Billings Sanctuary Rising 5-6p

17

18

19

20

25

26

27

Yoga with Lisa, 10a Billings Montana Interfaith Network, 12p Intentional Healing Circle 4:15p

22

Meditation with Sarah 4p

23

24

29

30

31

Meditation with Sarah 4p

Listening Post 9-11a

Listening Post 9-11a

Yoga with Lisa, 10a

F all - H oly W alking T he L abyrinth

H oly H iking with C hildren

No matter who you are or where you are on your spiritual life’s journey, you are welcome in the labyrinth. Think about the labyrinth as a prayer path. Unlike a maze, there is only one path that leads you from the outer edge to the center and then back out again by the same way. Although labyrinths predate the Christian Era, early Christians appropriated the labyrinth as a tool for contemplation. Although there are several different labyrinth designs in use, most labyrinths mirror life in its twists and turns. One moment you think that you are approaching the center, and the next moment you find that the path has led you toward the outer edge!

Although the labyrinth can be anything you need it to be, there are traditional movements that many have experienced.

Spiritual formation with children is not an “add-on” that places additional demands on parents whose lives are probably already stretched to the max. It’s a qualitative way of interacting with your children while doing things that you would be doing anyway.

Illumination—Resting in the center of the labyrinth This is the time you remain at the center of the labyrinth. You may sit or stand as you’d like. This is a time of openness and receptivity. It is an expectant time in which you anticipate, receive, and rest in that which God has to offer you.

F estive T in C an L anterns:

Purgation—Walking into the Labyrinth After removing your shoes (you are, after all, standing on holy ground!), walk into the labyrinth, leaving behind distractions as you enter this sacred space. It is a time to take stock of life, to offer confession, and to sincerely see the power and presence of God. It is a time to focus, to draw close to the heart of life and faith and the Spirit.

Union—Walking out of the labyrinth This is the time of walking back into the world in union with God. Having received a gift from God, whatever that may be, you return to the world. You follow the same path outward that you followed inward, but this time you walk illuminated and in union with the divine. Often this movement is one of appreciation and gratitude. You are changed and empowered, and the spirit of God accompanies you.

First Church is fortunate to have an eleven-circuit Chartres-design canvas labyrinth which is set up in Fellowship Hall at special times during the year. During the 2022-2023 program year the illuminated labyrinth will be available for walking as follows: • Wednesday, December 21, 2022 at Sunset “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” ( John 1:5) • Good Friday, April 7, 2023 at Sunset “It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.’ Having said this, he breathed his last.” (Luke 23:44-46)

There are also hand-held labyrinths and labyrinths on paper to use when there is not a labyrinth for walking at hand!

There are two outdoor labyrinths in Billings that are open to the public: St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, 180 24th St. W. (across from West High) and St. Bernard’s Roman Catholic Church, 226 Wicks Lane (at the far end of the parking lot)

A walk in a natural setting at any time of the year is a wonderful opportunity for children to experience the created world and their place in it. Encourage a child’s curiosity and sense of wonder by not giving them too much information, but by allowing them to question and find answers themselves. For instance, if a child finds and brings you a pine cone, ask them where it came from. And when the child leads you to the pine tree, you might ask “I wonder” questions about the pine tree that the child can observe by using their senses, as in, “I wonder what that spot on the trunk of the tree feels like.” When in doubt, always turn to wonder!

1. Save the tin cans, give them a good wash, and you are set for making your own lanterns! Sand off any glue or sharp/rough edges.

2. Decide what type of design you want on your cans like stars or trees. Or maybe you want a random pattern. If you are going with the pattern, tape a piece of paper around the outside of the can, draw you pattern on the paper, and, with help from an adult, start drilling holes following the pattern. You might want to sand off any new sharp edges.

3. Paint with any paint color you love that you might have around your house. Let dry. Add a votive candle or LED candle and enjoy! If you make an extra one or two, we’d love to use them in the sanctuary for our Advent Season!

J

J ournaling

the ourney

Thank you for joining us on the journey!

C hurch L eadership Team & C ouncil Lisa Harmon Senior Pastor

Steve Plaggemeyer Organist

Charlie Smillie

Brandi Skinner

Barbara Gulick

Executive Admin Assistant

Morgan Satterfield William DeManiow Music Director

Youth Director

Bookkeeper

Spiritual Director

Nell Eby

Nate Moyer

Winter Chavez

Teylor O’Donnell

Karen Stainton

Elk River Intertribal Ctr.

Moderator

Daycare Director

Daycare Attendant

Treasurer

Jan Hawk

Cheryl Stewart

Tom Howard

Greg Anderson

Finance & Stewardship

Congregational Life

Our Church Home

Maintenance

S taff D irectory

Lisa K. Harmon Senior Pastor lisa.harmon@firstchurchbillings.org 406-606-1097

Barbara J. Gulick Spiritual Director barbaragulick@firstchurchbillings.org 406-259-3622

Charlie Smillie Director of Youth/Young Adult Charlie@firstchurchbillings.org 406-245-6624

Morgan Satterfield Executive Administrative Assistant info@firstchurchbillings.org 406-245-6477

Nell Eby Elder & Diversity and Inclusion Liaison Elk River Intertribal Center neby.ercc@gmail.com 406-245-6477

Brandi Skinner Bookkeeper brandi@firstchurchbillings.org 245-6477

William Demaniow Music Director willydwillyd@hotmail.com 406-245-6477

WHO WE ARE: We believe that Christ-centered living is formed by the

ways people worship, study and nurture each other. We submit ourselves in prayer and worship to God and celebrate with grateful ears and hearts God’s grace and forgiveness in the world. We seek spiritual growth in our life through study and practice. We express the inclusive hospitality of Jesus Christ by welcoming all into community. We are called to serve others, advocating for those most in need as we strive to create a more just and peaceful world.

BE THE CHURCH Billings First Congregational Church

a just world for all

MT-NWY Conference • United Church of Christ (UCC)

310 N 27th Street Billings, MT 59101 • BillingsFirstChurch.org