Scott’s Column: State of the Church 2023 by Katie Foster | Jan 31, 2023 | NewsYet again last week I saw another article on one of the major national news websites detailing how difficult times are for churches. That longtime trends of decline...
FCC Takes Action Against Anti-Trans Legislation by Katie Foster | Jan 24, 2023 | NewsOn Sunday, Senior Minister Scott Jones talked in his sermon about the anti-trans legislation introduced in this year's session of the Unicameral. As an Open and...
A Letter from Rev. Katie Miller by Katie Foster | Jan 24, 2023 | News To First Central: Around 6.5 years ago, I arrived at First Central to be your Associate Minister for Student and Family Life. I wasn’t fully sure what to expect...
Scott’s Column: Clergy on the Beach by Katie Foster | Jan 17, 2023 | News Last Monday morning I exited my hotel room and was greeted with the sunrise over the bay. I then walked around the corner and there were the calm waters of the...
Scott’s Column: Armageddon or Awesome, CE 2022 by Katie Foster | Dec 27, 2022 | NewsWhat a year filled with wonders it has been! Just a couple of weeks ago humanity made a breakthrough that the Washington Post described as “the biggest news of the...
Scott’s Column: Yet Another Vigil by Katie Foster | Dec 6, 2022 | NewsSunday afternoon I attended a vigil at the Gene Leahy Mall for the victims of Club Q—the recent mass murder at a gay bar in Colorado Springs. A vibrant group of folks...
Family Night Year-End Schedule by Katie Foster | Nov 10, 2022 | Events, NewsFamily Nights will be off and on until the end of the year. Check out our handy guide for upcoming Wednesday nights below!
Scott’s Column: What Are You Feeling by Katie Foster | Nov 8, 2022 | Mental Health, News“Learning to label emotions with a more nuanced vocabulary can be absolutely transformative.” According to Harvard psychologist Susan David, quoted in the introduction...
Scott’s Column: JAM Report by Katie Foster | Oct 25, 2022 | NewsIt was so good to see people, to talk, to laugh, to hug. Last week Katie Miller and I attended the Joint Annual Meeting of the Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota...
Scott’s Column: Blackstone Tour Experiences by Katie Foster | Oct 11, 2022 | NewsSaturday morning I woke up early—at least early for a Saturday—and headed down to the church to unlock the doors for the set-up of the Blackstone Neighborhood tour. I...
Scott’s Column: Our Medicine by Katie Foster | Oct 5, 2022 | News"These communities — islands of biological and cultural diversity in the ever-rising deluge of development and urbanization — are humankind's "Archipelago of Hope," for...
Scott’s Column: Generous Citizen of Loss by Katie Foster | Sep 20, 2022 | NewsAt the end of June I was working on some house projects, mostly painting, including touching-up the front porch and parts of the house exterior that I could reach...
Scott’s Column: Watershed by Katie Foster | Sep 13, 2022 | NewsSebastian and I left for our big summer trip to Yellowstone one Sunday evening in early July. We stopped in Kearney the first night and enjoyed the hotel swimming...
Scott’s Column: On Consolation by Katie Foster | Sep 6, 2022 | NewsMy sabbatical began in June with a focus on clearing my mind and destressing. The first day of the sabbatical, June 1, I went to Fontanelle Forest and walked for half...
Scott’s Column: Arrange for Change by Katie Foster | Aug 31, 2022 | News "Arrange for change" is one of the catchphrases in the National Park Service brochure on "Climate Change in National Parks." Given that studying resilience in...
Scott’s Column: My Sabbatical by Katie Foster | May 31, 2022 | Events, News“What are you doing for your sabbatical?” people are asking. Well, the simple answer is that after two years of managing the church through the pandemic and my family...
Lent Forums 2022 by Sara Sharpe | Feb 28, 2022 | Events, NewsJoin us on Sundays throughout Lent for a series of informative forums related to our Lenten theme of "A Long Walk." We'll hear from experts in our congregation and do...
Scott’s Column: 2022 State of the Church by Sara Sharpe | Jan 31, 2022 | NewsIn recent months there have been a number of articles in major national publications about the effects of the pandemic on churches. Particularly how difficult this...
Scott’s Column: Kentucky Tornado Response by Rev. Dr. E. Scott Jones | Dec 21, 2021 | NewsDawson Springs, Kentucky is a town I know. You’ve heard of Dawson Springs in the news lately because it was one of the towns that took a direct hit from the Kentucky...
The Reza Family by Sara Sharpe | Dec 9, 2021 | NewsA Note on the Reza Family by Melanie Naughtin After the announcement in church Sunday, November 28, regarding the decision to offer assistance to an Afghan family who...
Scott’s Column: Thanksgiving by Rev. Dr. E. Scott Jones | Nov 8, 2021 | NewsThis autumn marks the 400th anniversary of the meal between the Pilgrims of Plymouth and the indigenous Wampanoags. Often our current annual Thanksgiving events...
An Interview With… Katie Foster by Kerrie Kleppin-Winn | Oct 28, 2021 | Interview With . . .When Sara headed off into retirement last month, there was a gaping hole in the offices downstairs. This week, we welcomed Katie Foster into our midst, so we thought we...
Scott’s Column: Neighborliness by Rev. Dr. E. Scott Jones | Oct 6, 2021 | NewsAll through the summer, as Sebastian would walk from my house to my Mom's apartment, he would get annoyed at the trash he'd see on the ground. "We need to come pick...
Just My Thoughts – Out of the Darkness by Kerrie Kleppin-Winn | Sep 22, 2021 | Mental HealthI had plenty of things to do last Saturday - projects, laundry, you know the normal weekend stuff. Instead, I put on my sneakers and drove across town and joined...
Scott’s Column – Exciting Neighborhood by Kerrie Kleppin-Winn | Aug 11, 2021 | NewsEleven years ago, the week we moved into our new home here in Omaha, Midtown Crossing also opened. One reason I came to First Central was it seemed possible that this...
Scott’s Column: Gratitude by Rev. Dr. E. Scott Jones | Nov 18, 2020 | NewsMy sister ordered Sebastian an Advent calendar. He knows it has arrived but hasn't seen it yet. The other day he asked what day he could open it up and begin opening...
Scott’s Column: Mayflower Compact by Rev. Dr. E. Scott Jones | Nov 11, 2020 | NewsOn November 11, 1620 the Mayflower floated in Provincetown Harbor (the landing at Plymouth was a month away). The crew was grumbling. The voyage had been delayed,...
An Interview With… Barb & Bonnie by Kerrie Kleppin-Winn | Oct 28, 2020 | Interview With . . .Long time finance guru, Lou Lamberty recently stepped down from keeping the books at First Central. He left it all in the very capable hands of Barb Switzer and Bonnie...
Katie’s Musings – But/And by Kerrie Kleppin-Winn | Oct 14, 2020 | katie's musingsI’ve been thinking a lot about language and the way we use it to talk about life and each other and about God, particularly in the present covid/election/world-on-fire...
Tug, My “AA” Buddy by Kerrie Kleppin-Winn | Oct 7, 2020 | Events, NewsThank you Kathy Hoyt sharing this story of her faithful Tug at this year's Pet Blessing! Unlike the rest of us, Tug is getting older. He’s not the same one or...
Gospel Encounters: Fall Worship Theme by Rev. Dr. E. Scott Jones | Sep 1, 2020 | News"The encounter with people who are different from others, in whose lives you can see a new intelligence about reality, a fully awakened desire, a tireless initiative, a...
Pandemic Stress Relief – The Labyrinth by Kerrie Kleppin-Winn | Aug 19, 2020 | NewsIn the midst of a pandemic, any activity that relieves a little stress is a welcome distraction. First Central Congregational United Church of Christ offers the...
Katie’s Musings – COVID Consent by Kerrie Kleppin-Winn | Aug 12, 2020 | COVIDTo mask or not to mask… that is the question. …. no actually, it really isn’t a question. #WearAMask and #ListenToTheScientists Realistically, unless there are...
Pandemic Spirituality by Rev. Dr. E. Scott Jones | Jun 24, 2020 | NewsThis spring Senior Minister Scott Jones wrote a series of five essays connecting our pandemic and quarantine experiences with the spiritual wisdom of the church. Here...
Katie’s Musings: COVID Time by Katie Miller | Jun 24, 2020 | NewsI think the weirdest thing about COVID life is the passage of time. June is almost gone. But May was only yesterday. Remember the Australian wildfires? No? Don’t...
Living Well During the Pandemic: Zoom Forums by Rev. Dr. E. Scott Jones | May 26, 2020 | EducationWe are living through a public health crisis with profound implications for all other aspects of human living—morality, psychology, culture, politics, economics, etc. ...
From the Health Team by Kerrie Kleppin-Winn | May 13, 2020 | Education, EventsSubmitted by Bonnie Harmon, First Central Health Team In preparation for this week’s Adult Forum on Mental and Spiritual Well Being, I’ve tried to do more...
From The Refugee Team by Kerrie Kleppin-Winn | May 5, 2020 | EventsWe received word last month that our (current) refugee family was struggling during this time of pandemic. The bread-winner of the Khamis family had been having...
From The Health Team – Mask Mastery by Kerrie Kleppin-Winn | Apr 24, 2020 | EventsYour mask protects me, and my mask protects you. I hope you have heard this many times by now. It is the crux of why everyone who goes out of their home should be...
An Interview With… Sally Lewis by Kerrie Kleppin-Winn | Mar 18, 2020 | Interview With . . .Late last year, the Council - with guidance from the Health Team - asked First Central member Sally Lewis to step into the roll of Professional Heath Advocate to our...
State of the Church 2020 by Rev. Dr. E. Scott Jones | Jan 27, 2020 | NewsAt yesterday's Annual Meeting, Senior Minister Scott Jones delivered his annual "State of the Church" address. This being my tenth Annual Meeting as your Senior...
TAGG – One Easy Way to Give to First Central! by Kerrie Kleppin-Winn | Nov 20, 2019 | News, StewardshipTAGG, which is an acronym for “Together A Greater Good” is a non-profit organization unique to Omaha. The phone app was launched a few years ago my two busy moms who...
From the Health Team: Cold & Flu Season by Kerrie Kleppin-Winn | Nov 19, 2019 | NewsHere we are again, right at the onset of cold and flu season. We are all interested in things we can do to keep ourselves and others healthy. Of course, we always start...
Education Spotlight: What’s Happening Downstairs? by Kerrie Kleppin-Winn | Nov 6, 2019 | Education, NewsOn Sunday mornings, the kids all head out of the sanctuary after the Children's Sermon. But then what happens? Most Sundays, the FIRSTKids time actually starts with...
First Central’s All Church Retreat by Cassie Williams | Sep 20, 2019 | Events Registration Form Super Station Signup Form
Parables: Wednesday Night Bible Study by Rev. Dr. E. Scott Jones | Sep 11, 2019 | Education, Events"The parables give us access to the way Jesus re-imagined the possibility of living, of being in the world."--Brandon Scott Our Wednesday Night Bible Study this autumn...
Scott’s Column: Resolution 8 by Rev. Dr. E. Scott Jones | Aug 27, 2019 | News“The covenant communion of the congregations with each other gives each the responsibility of engaging in a common conversation,” writes historian Randi Jones Walker in...
Peace Works: Summer Camp at First Central by Rev. Dr. E. Scott Jones | Jul 24, 2019 | Education, NewsOur campers this summer explored the topic of peacemaking from a variety of cultural and theological perspectives. Now Katie and Scott are bringing the camp experience...
First Central Library by Cassie Williams | Jun 21, 2019 | Education, NewsEver wondered what books are available in the church library? The First Central Library catalog is now online. You can access it from home or office or wherever you...
Katie’s Musings: Church/Theater by Katie Miller | May 21, 2019 | NewsOne of the first theatrical productions I was a part of took place in a decommissioned Episcopalian church. In retrospect, it was a bit of an odd setting for a musical...
Scott’s TED Talk by Rev. Dr. E. Scott Jones | Apr 2, 2019 | NewsIn February Scott was an invited speaker to this year's TEDxUNO where the theme was Resilience. His talk, "Living Open" has now been published. Watch it here.
