We mean it when we say, “Everyone is Welcome here!”

October 14-20 , 2026

This Week @ First Church

Wednesday October 14

Mindful Meditation – 6 p.m.

Come every Wednesday evening and leave the troubles of the world outside as you spend an hour in meditation. Enter the church through the Delaware Street entrance.

Thursday October 15 – 5:30 p.m.

DOGS – (Dining Out Group)

Once a month parishioners and friends of First Congregational United Church of Christ meet at a local restaurant for an evening of socializing. The restaurant for October 2026 is The Boulevard Bar & Grill at 1311 Bayou Rd Dr Clear Lake, IA 50428. Everyone is welcome to come. For reservations call the church office at (641) 423-0105

Friday October 16 – 7:30 p.m

Narcotics Anonymous Meeting

Enter the church through the alley parking lot entrance.

Sunday October 18

Worship Service – 10 a.m.

Worship Service In-Person and on Facebook

SERMON “From God to God” by Tom Seeberger
Based on 1 Thessalonians: 1-10 and Matthew 22:15-22

Notes on 1 Thessalonians: 1-10

This is the Apostle Paul’s earliest surviving letter. It is written to congratulate the church in Thessalonica for being great Imitators of Christ and His Apostles by remaining resilient, active and faithful during times of persecution.

1 Thessalonians: 1-10

Paul, Silas [a]  and Timothy,
 To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ:
 Grace and peace to you.
 2  We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.  3  We remember before our God and Father your work
produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
 4  For we know, brothers and sisters [b]  loved by God, that he has chosen you,  5  because our gospel came to you not simply with words
but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.  6  You became imitators
of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.  7  And so you
became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.  8  The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and
Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it,  9  for they themselves report
what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,  10  and to wait for his Son
from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

Notes on Matthew 22:15-22

Here two groups of people (who don’t like each other) come together in an attempt to trick Jesus to answer a no-win question which would weaken his following or have him imprisoned possibly!

Matthew 22:15-22

15  Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words.  16  They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are.  17  Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax [a]  to Caesar or not?”

18  But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19  Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They
brought him a denarius,  20  and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

21  “Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

22  When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.

HYMNS

“10,000 Reasons”

“CALLED AS PARTNERS IN CHRIST’S SERVICE ”

“LEAD ON, ETERNAL SOVEREIGN”