First Congregational Church hosts its 4th annual Pet Memorial Service

It’s common to have a memorial service to celebrate the life of a loved one who has died. It helps us grieve the death of a loved one and provide an opportunity to start coping with the loss, so we can move toward healing. The same is true in the case of a beloved pet who has passed away. 

The Animal Ministries Group at First Congregational Church invites you to our 4th annual Pet Remembrance Service. During this special interfaith service we’ll share memories, we’ll laugh, we’ll cry; but most importantly, we’ll acknowledge our loss and pay tribute to these cherished members of our families. If you – or someone you know – has recently lost a pet, or simply would like to honor a pet (or pets) who has passed some time ago, please join or invite them to join us. 

This Pet Remembrance Service is from 10 to 11 am on Saturday, June 23 in the FCC Sanctuary. If you wish, you may bring a picture or favorite item of your beloved departed pet(s) to share with us as you say a few words about those you have lost. Those attending will get a memento to take with them as a remembrance of the service.

After the service we invite you to join us for refreshments in the church Lounge, so we can continue to share special memories about our pets.

This event is free and open to the public however, a freewill donation will be taken. First Congregational Church is located at 137 Algoma Blvd., one block west of the Sundial in downtown Oshkosh.

First Congregational Church hosts annual community-wide Blessing of the Animals Service

The Animal Ministries group of First Congregational Church (137 Algoma Blvd., Oshkosh WI) is proud to host its fourth annual Pet Blessing Service on Saturday, October 7 at 10 am. This service will be held in the church’s Fellowship Hall. If you have a pet or pets, and would like them blessed for the role they play in your life, please bring them to this special service being held in honor of pets, and St. Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of Animals and the Environment.

All pets should be well-behaved, current on all vaccinations, and either leashed or otherwise contained/controlled in a carrier, pet crate, etc., depending on the type of pet you have. If you don’t wish to bring your pet, or for some reason can’t, but want to attend the service and still have them blessed, feel free to bring a photo of them. We encourage you to let your family, friends and neighbors know about this event so that they can also participate.

We have invited working dogs from our community (K-9, service and therapy) and those attending will receive a special blessing during the service before going out to do the important, much-needed work that they each do. This event is free, but goodwill offerings will be graciously accepted. All attending will receive a special memento to take home from the service. We look forward to seeing you and your pets on Saturday, Oct. 7.

About FCC’s Animal Ministries Group:

The Animal Ministries Group of First Congregational Church was formed in January 2014 with a variety of goals in mind. The original intent of the group was to work toward providing multiple services for pet owners (and others, such as in nursing homes, etc.), and to do things that generally would be for the greater good of all animals, not just people's family pets. More specifically, as part of its overarching mission, it seeks to:

•       Discuss and try to practice the United Church of Christ's recommendations and theology on mindful eating, and other things they support as promoted by the Humane Society of the United States and its Faith Outreach program;
•          Support our local animal shelter in any way possible, especially with its in-house food pantry;
•          Assist fellow FCC members and friends with grief support, urgent pet care needs, and providing limited pet care while members are sick, hospitalized or otherwise convalescing. This also includes some members who wish taking their pets to visit those in nursing homes, etc.;
•          Volunteer at other animal-related events sponsored by other animal organizations, shelters or rescues.
•         Hold annual Pet Blessing services in October and Pet Memorial services in April or May, with an eye toward eventually doing a special Christmas Eve service for pets;
•          Promote discussions of animal rights, protections and welfare issues during meetings, including pending legislation that could affect animals, and provide information through our web site and other means of communication about animal and animal ethicacy issues, pet tips, vegan or vegetarian recipes, etc.

The group is open to anyone—whether members of First Congregational or not, and without regard to denomination, or place on one’s spiritual journey. To learn more or express interest in joining, call Cheryl at (920) 209-PETS.

About First Congregational Church:

First Congregational Church is a caring, compassionate community with a dynamic spiritual environment that values lifelong learning and creates joy, generosity, service, and exploration. As a welcoming and diverse community of faith, we commit to love God, ourselves and others by more fully ministering to and within creation.

Our "motto" is 'First Congregational Church: Different Paths. Same Journey.' We understand and appreciate the fact that each of us may take a different path(s) to make the same spiritual journey. First Congregational Church welcomes and embraces everyone, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, marital status, family structure, faith, or socio-economic status. No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey and your own spiritual travels, you are always welcome at First Congregational Church. 

First Congregational Church is located at 137 Algoma Blvd., one block west of the Sundial in downtown Oshkosh.  For more information about the church and the many things it offers, please call us at (920) 231-7520 or visit us online at www.fccoshkosh.org.

Eye on Oshkosh - Oshkosh Area Humane Society, taped 8-3-17

In this episode, host Cheryl Hentz is joined by Cheryl
Rosenthal from the Oshkosh Area Humane Society. The two discuss the shelter's
annual Walk for the Animals, coming up on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017. This event
is open to the public, whether they own a pet or not, and is the shelter's
largest fundraiser, which is critical to its $1 million dollar plus annual
operating budget. They also discuss a variety of other things the shelter is
involved in, how it helps the community and its residents, how to volunteer
with the shelter, etc. Watch the episode here: https://youtu.be/HavrfGUjSFM.
 

Eye on Oshkosh - Better Business Bureau consumer protection tips, taped ...

Join Cheryl Hentz for this edition of Eye on Oshkosh, in
which she spends the hour talking with Susan Bach, regional director for the NE
Wisconsin Better Business Bureau office. Learn about the latest scams and other
ways people may be trying to cheat you out of your hard-earned money. Watch the
show here: https://youtu.be/7xiOuyw0D-w

Eye on Oshkosh - Animal Welfare and HSUS, taped 5-18-17

Animals and Animal Welfare subject of latest Eye on Oshkosh

The latest edition of Eye on Oshkosh is now online. In this edition, host Cheryl Hentz talks with Melissa Tedrowe, Wisconsin State Director for the Humane Society of the United States, about a variety of animal welfare and protection issues. Included in the conversation was the role HSUS plays in animal welfare and protection, and what specific role Tedrowe plays in accomplishing its goals and mission; how something becomes a law; where Wisconsin ranks in comparison with other states when it comes to animal protection laws; and how people can get involved in helping HSUS help animals, or just helping animals in general whether its volunteering at your local animal shelter, or working with an animal rescue group. You can see the show here: https://youtu.be/EcohbTEIMuY

Pet Remembrance Service offered at First Congregational Church

Pets give us unconditional love and years of joy; they’re often regarded family members. So, when we lose them, the grief we experience can be as powerful as it is with the loss of any other family member; in some cases, more so. Because of that, pet memorial services have become popular in recent years. They give us a chance to celebrate the life of a beloved pet and grieve their loss. They also provide an opportunity to start coping with the loss and moving toward healing. 

The Animal Ministries group at First Congregational Church in Oshkosh is hosting a citywide Pet Remembrance Service.  At this special service we’ll share memories, we’ll laugh, we’ll cry; but most importantly, we’ll acknowledge our loss and pay tribute to these cherished members of our families. If you – or someone you know – has recently lost a pet, or simply would like to honor a pet who has passed some time ago, please join or invite them to join us. 

This Pet Remembrance Service will be held from 10 to 11 am on Saturday, June 24 in the FCC Sanctuary. If you wish, you may bring a picture, collar or favorite toy of your beloved departed pet or pets to be blessed during the service, and you’ll have an opportunity to share a few words about those you have lost, if you so choose. Those attending will also receive a special memento to take home to remember the service by. While the service is free and open to the public, a freewill donation will be taken.

If you have any questions regarding this service, or would like information on becoming a member of the FCC Animal Ministries Group (you needn't attend First Congregational to be a member), please call Cheryl Hentz, facilitator at 920.209.PETS (920-209-7387). We hope to see you at 10 am on Saturday, June 24 to celebrate and honor the life of your dearly departed pets. First Congregational Church is located at 137 Algoma Blvd., one block west of Main St., near downtown Oshkosh. 

Adopt a Pet; Save a life

May is National Pet Month and May 5-7 is National Pet Adoption Weekend. This is a perfect time to make an addition to you family. But before doing so, make sure you have done due diligence to determine what is the most appropriate pet for your home and family. If you are a crazy, busy family, always on the go, or away from home a lot, then perhaps a pet that requires less care and attention is the way to go. Fish and certain birds could fall into this category. If you have more time, a dog or cat might male the perfect addition. Only you know what your schedule is like and the amount of time you have to give. So do your research and consult your local humane society for the best pet for you.

If you are adopting a four-legged pet, especially a dog or cat, PLEASE do not get a pet from a pet store, puppy mill, or even a backyard breeder. Rescue and adopt a pet from your local humane society or an actual dog or cat rescue group. There are professional breeders out there who do a could job and thoroughly vet prospective adopters to make sure their dogs and cats are going to responsible, loving homes. But others are only irresponsibly adding to an already-burgeoning pet overpopulation. So save a life and help control the pet population by adopting from a shelter or rescue group.And never get or giveaway an animal on Craig's List or some other similar means. the horror stories about what either has happened to that animal, or what could happen are too numerous to mention.

Again, if you want more information about responsible pet adoption and being a responsible pet owner, consult with your local humane society, or the Humane Society of the United States at www.hsus.org.

One of the best ways to experience unconditional love is through pet ownership!