About Us

News and Events

Ministries and Groups

* = Recently updated

Members Only

Volunteer

Documents and Forms

Pay Online

Outreach Ministry

Heartland Blood Drive Coming July 27
Our second drive of the year collected 20some units with 29 donors stepping up. Our next drive will be July 27 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Blood supplies are generally critically low during the summer months. Often in the summer, surgeries have to be postponed...Don't let that happen in our community! Our thanks to Charlie & Ellen Hanson and Taylor Irish for their leadership.
Loneman Elementary School Project --School Supplies on Their Way
We are building relationship with the children of Loneman Elementary School in conjunction with our Adult Work Tours to South Dakota. Thirteen boxes of clothes, sewing material and school supplies were shipped to the school in July in advance of school starting. Shocking but true, some native children do not attend school because they do not have adequate supplies or clothes. Thanks to Lloyd Mueller and his team for making a difference. Contact Lloyd 815-356-6285 with questions or to help.
FCC Outreach to Haiti--35 boxes of Shoes Sent to Soles4Souls
Walk a mile in their shoes...Led by Teresa Braasch, a group of FCC youth and moms coordinated with FCC and three District 47 schools to collect gently used gym shoes and flip flops for Haiti. By the end of June over 660 pairs of shoes had been sorted, paired, banded and boxed. Thanks to JA Frate they rapidly made their way to a Souls4Souls sorting facility and on to Haiti. Together we make a difference.
One Great Hour of Sharing--Thank You!
Over $14,000 was collected in this year's general One Great Hour of Sharing, which works through nine Christian church bodies and Church World Service to rebuild communities ravaged by natural disasters, resettle refugees into new lives, and create sustainable communities through partnerships.
CROP Walk 2010 will be Sept 26
FCC will be the host church for 2010--contact John Near, Chris Stasinopoulos or Pete Erbland to assist with planning and organization. Pete promises that Crystal Lake Area CROP 2010 will be something completely different! Check out www.churchworldservice.org to learn more about how CROP changes lives. The Crystal Lake Area CROP 2010 will be

In 2009, for the first time in living memory it did not rain on CROP Walk! 18 JFers walked with 100 members of other churches, raising an estimated $15,000 from our community. 25% of that will benefit the CL Food Pantry and McHenry County PADS. The rest, through Church World Service, alleviates hunger and the effects of poverty around the world. Thanks to all donors and walkers, especially our top collectors, John Near and Emilie Erbland.
Adult Work Tours: Roll Up Your Sleeves. Pick Up a Hammer. Change Your Life.
FCC sponsors two adult and one teen work tour each year. This summer there will be two groups volunteering on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota (www.re-member.org). This will be our fifth year. There are two or three openings for the May 28 - June 5 trip. There are three openings on the Sept 17 - 25 senior citizen trip concentrating on Native American spiritual life. Contact leaders Lorraine Anderson 815-444-8285 or Dorothy Cooker 847-639-3955, for information or to sign up.

For the sixth year, a group will work with Appalachia Service Project (www.asphome.org) in Jonesville, VA October 17 - 23, winterizing homes and building relationship. Total cost for the week including room, board and materials fee is $300. We share travel expenses and generally car pool. Contact Dave and Donna Eversman for more information 815-356-6119 or deversman@ameritech.net.

Our Pilgrim Fellowship (high school) runs a work tour annually. Summer 2010 will be to China Grove, North Carolina. In 2009 the group went to Somerville, Tennessee to work on home repair projects. See PF webpage for details.

Community Service Day a Success
FCC worked 13 project sites for 11 community agencies. We were featured in the Midwest Center for Children's Development newsletter: MCCD was pleased to have a group of volunteers from the First Congregational Church of Crystal Lake come to our Center on April 25th to help with redecking the floor of our 100+ year old barn. Their teamwork and camaraderie made for an enjoyable afternoon, despite the gray weather and hard work. This is the third year in a row that they have given of their time to help at the Center.

The middle portion of the barn is being converted into an indoor play / therapy area with swings, a slide and a climbing wall, as well as other therapeutic tools. This will provide our therapists with an area that can be used rain or shine to address a variety of physical and occupational therapy needs.

www.Midwest_Council_for_Children_wit@mail.vresp.co to see photos.
FCC PADS Site Closed for Season
Thank you to our 50-some volunteers and MCC Promise Students who provided hospitality and shelter on Sunday nights to women who are homeless.
FCC Staffs CL Food Pantry
FCC staffs the Crystal Lake Food Pantry on some Mondays and some Wednesdays (6/30, 7/28, 8/25, 10/4, 11/1, 12/27) from 9:30 AM - 2:30 PM and needs volunteers for any period within that time. Demand has doubled and the food pantry is serving up to 80 families per day. They are considering opening an additional day per week. The pantry is currently open Mondays and Fridays from 10 - 2:30 and Saturdays 9 to 12. We also need people with strong backs to unload commodities from the government every Thursday from 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM. Contact Ardelle Legel at 815-459-1141 if you can help.

The Crystal Lake Food Pantry, now in its 25th year of operation, offers temporary food assistance to those in need. 22 local churches work together, providing volunteers and materials to meet the needs of the local hungry. Items always needed include flour, sugar, coffee, paper towels, facial tissue, 4-roll packs of toilet tissue, toothpaste, and baby food. These can be brought to church and placed in the Food Pantry cart. Monetary donations make possible the purchase of perishables, such as eggs, cheese, meats, carrots, potatoes, and onions. Checks, payable to the Interfaith Food Pantry, may be sent to the FCC office or placed in the offering plate on Sundays.
Christmas Giving Tree
For the thirteenth year FCC collected gifts and gift cards for our neighbors at Turning Point, Friendship House, Family Health Partnership and Pioneer Center. 181 gifts were collected and $2760 in pre-paid gift cards for prescription assist were donated. Our thanks to the Thomas family for organizing this wonderful opportunity to help contribute to someone else's Christmas.
Heifer International
This year, FCC sent $782 directly to Heifer International from the Sunday School collection and congregation donations. Countless other gifts were sent by members independently purchasing goats, chickens and honey bees for their loved ones' Christmas gifts. Heifer takes animals, education and vet support around the world so families help themselves to a better life. Last year, in partnership with the Sunday School children, FCC raised an "Ark Plus" overshooting our goal of $5,000.
Good Samaritan Ministry
This all volunteer community agency is hard at work raising funds to meet the basic needs (utilities, rent) of some of our neighbors. Your Outreach Ministry sent the proceeds of Shop Outreach ($405) to GSM this year. Please consider writing a check to FCC with GSM in the memo line or sending it directly to them c/o Bethany Lutheran Church 76 E. Crystal Lake Ave or voluteering at your convenience M Wor F from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Contact Susan Ling, board member representing FCC, at 815-347-4318 for more information.
Sharing the Gifts of Advent
The second annual Sharing the Gifts attracted young families that enjoyed lunch and Christmas crafts which they later delivered to special FCC members. Thanks to Jeanne Mahlebashion, Julie Hallock and Shari Chakoian for organizing this lovely opportunity. Contact Melody Shannon to assist with 2010's event.
UCC Coffee
In partnership with Equal Exchange, we guarantee a fair price to farmers who grow organic products (coffee, tea, nuts, cranberries and cocoa) while helping support their communities. For each coffee purchase we make, UCC makes a donation to the Small Farms Ministry. All products are available for sale once a month in Fellowship Hall between services from September through May with the Christmas Gift-Wrapped Goodies a much anticipated event! Products can be purchased year round in the church office during normal business hours. Questions? Contact Carolyn Grobe 815-477-9252 or cgrobs@aol.com.
Service People Prayer List
Lt. Derec Baxter, Navy--Cathy Baxter's son
Lt. Commander Marc Carlson, Navy--Fred & Heidi Fitzpatrick's son-in-law
Brian Coe, Marine in Iraq--Paul King's cousin
Lt. JG Christopher Foss--Judy Porter's nephew
Lt.Col. Forrest Hare, Air Force--Helga and Forrest Hare's son
Greg Hastings in Afghanistan--friend of Rev. Ron Woodruff
Lt.Col. Ashley S. Hoffman - Suzanne and Robert Hoffman's daughter
Lt. Col. Alan R. Holck-- Doug Holck's brother
PV2 Bradley Jensen,Army--Amy Barry's son
LCpl Mike Kuntz, Marines--David and Cathy Kuntz's son
PFC Thomas Phelps, Army National Guard--Melanie Ward's nephew
Major Erin Reeder, Army--Bonnie Weck's nephew
Keil Schaedel, Coast Guard--Melanie Ward's son-in-law
LT Katie Suhrhoff, Air Force—Tom & Dottie Suhrhoff’s daughter stationed in Little Rock, Arkansas
Pvt. Amber Thornton—friend of Chelsea Vance
Pvt. Chelsea Vance—Ray & Bev Tower’s granddaughter
Pfc. Harvey Van Cleave III, 82nd Airborne in Haiti--Dave & Sue Pieplow's son-in-law
Matthew Wallace, Marine Corp--Jerry & April Knobloch's son
Pfc Joe Zawada, Marine Corp in Afghanisthan--brother of Amy Zawada-Bills

You can contact some of our service people:
Private Jensen, Bradley,D CO 187th ORD BN, 2nd platoon class 71, 2285 Magruder Ave, Fort Jackson SC 29207

You can also donate a telephone calling card through "Operation Uplink" a program coordinated by the VFW and Ladies Auxiliary. So far, according to their web site 2 million cards to service members have been donated since 1996. More info? Check web site www.operationuplink.org for more information on how to contribute. USO Care Packages can also be donated for service members overseas. Go to the USO web site www.usocares.org
Disaster Response Team
Responding to disaster--how does that work exactly? For starters, when natural disasters strike, the UCC responds with disaster relief kits for cleanup, personal care or school supplies. FCC provided 30 clean up kits to the Quincy, Illinois area following last summer's flooding. We are a regional storage depot for these supplies.

What if the disaster were in McHenry County? Does the county or the city have a disaster response plan? How would FCC fit into the picture? Great questions! If these intrigue you, contact Pete Erbland pcerbland@yahoo.com to help sort out (and create) the answers.
Denominational Collections
FCC participates in two of the five United Church of Christ denominational collections. This year, our intention is to contribute 4% of the church's total contributions to Our Church's Wider Mission, which uses 70% of this for support of the local denominational structure. Much of this comes back to us in parish support and denominational resources. 20% of OCWM is devoted to national and 10% to international organization and mission needs.
Meals on Wheels
FCC provides volunteers for a two-week period 3 times a year to deliver meals to sick, elderly or homebound people. Volunteers transport meals from Centegra Medical Center on Rt 31 and Bull Valley Road to homes in the Crystal Lake area between 11:15 AM and 1:00 PM Monday through Friday. To sign up, please contact the church office at 815-459-6010.
Community Rehab
This is a grass roots offshoot of the Adult Work Tours whose answer to their own question of "why not bring our compassion and rehabbing skills to those in need locally?" was answered by a first project in Spring 2007. The crew did a tear down and reroof of a local home. If you are interested in contributing volunteer time as an organizer or worker for this new endeavor, please contact Kathryn Gooding at gooding6@juno.com.
Who do I See About Getting Involved in the McHenry County Social Safety Net?
We are presently creating a list of FCC members who are active within organizations comprising the county's social services safety net to increase awareness, access and volunteerism. Please contact Kathryn Gooding at goodingfam@att.net if you'd like to be included.