COnnect

There are many ways to get involved.

Our lives and our faith community are enriched by the connections we make here and in our larger community. There are many ways that people at FCC Bellevue connect through small groups for youth and for adults, around specific interests, volunteer activities, outreach efforts, participation in worship and church committees and of course we connect around the table through small group dinners, potlucks, our annual Thanksgiving Pie Share Sunday and more.

Children and Families

Kids age pre-K through 5th grade typically attend worship for the first part of the service. We often have kids join up front for a story in a Time With Children, and then leave for Faith Formation activities upstairs in the Education Suite. Kids can decide to go to their age based class or stay with their family through worship. In Faith Formation we typically gather in circle time and read a story and do an activity to build relationships between the children and volunteers. Children under age three can spend worship time in the nursery or remain with family in worship. There are activity packs at the back of the church for those who might like to be drawing or doing puzzles.

We also have activities for the wider Faith Formation community (the kids and their grown ups) such as play-dates, a fall trip to a cornmaze, faith growth, and community volunteering opportunities such as making sandwiches for Congregations for the Homeless or helping baking bread for Communion.

Middle and High School Youth

The focus of our youth group is to build community, support each other, and be a soft place to land during hard times. We want youth to know that they are beloved children of God, that they are loved by the church and by each other, and that if they are ever in need, they have lots of people to turn to.

We have active Middle School (6th – 8th grades) and High School (9th – 12th grades) Youth Groups. These two groups meet separately twice per month, once with a social meeting on Sunday morning where we focus on conversation and donuts, and once with a Sunday evening activity (Game Nights, Escape Rooms, Fun Centers, etc.). We also have several additional service activities each year, along with lock-ins and youth retreats. The focus of both Youth Groups is creating a community where everyone is accepted and feels comfortable.

Care Ministries – Providing Support, a Listening Ear

We support one another through times of challenge, grief, struggles. Caring work is the work of all of us and is specifically supported by a parish visitor and pastoral staff care@fccbellevue.org. Additionally, our church has a Stephen Ministry program with the mission of providing Christian, God-centered, personal and confidential care so that no one experiencing life’s challenges and difficulties needs to walk alone. A Stephen Minister is a member of our congregation who has received training. Individuals may request a Stephen Minister to support them through any type of need from life stage transition to illness, loss or other concern.

Small Groups – Interest Groups

Through the years members of the congregation have come together to create small groups around specific interests, hobbies or needs and to provide an additional opportunity to get to know people from the congregation in a small group setting. These groups include Monday night book group, social justice studies, dinner group, environmental justice group, chancel choir, bell choir, Women in Transition, men’s group, knitters group, prayer shawl ministry, quilters and more. If you are interested in any of these groups or if you have an idea for a small group that doesn’t exist yet, reach out to our pastor and help make it come to life.

Retreats and Camps

We believe that getting together for a few hours, a few days or more helps strengthen our connections and build our faith. Several groups (women, choir, men, youth) within the church hold retreats through the year.

We are also active members of the Pacific Northwest Conference of the United Church of Christ (PNCUCC.) The PNCUCC operates two camps – Pilgrim Firs Camp and Conference Center located near Port Orchard, Washington and N-Sid-Sen located on Lake Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Summer camp programs for families, children, youth and young adults are offered each year.

Volunteer, Share Your Talents

Have you wondered how you might share your time and talents in community? There are many ways to make a meaningful contribution through different volunteer roles in church life through our five ongoing commissions and several committees as well as short term or adhoc projects. If you are interested in learning more, please reach out to our office at welcome@fccbellevue.org or call 425-454-5001.