FCC Bentonville & WaterWay

06/07/2026

05/29/2026

Happy Friday, friends! Remember... our Summer schedule of COMBINED WORSHIP begins THIS SUNDAY!

From this Sunday, May 31 and running thru June & July, we'll have one combined service, 10am at FCC. Due to remodeling at WaterWay, that facility will be closed for the next two months. We plan on returning to our normal schedule in August.

Also...
This Sunday, May 31, we have a few baptisms that will take place just after the start of worship - so be on time! 😉 And if you or someone you know is interested in being part of that, it's not too late - just let me know!

This Sunday is also the day we vote as a congregation to accept our new Welcome Statement, the final step in officially becoming Open & Affirming. We've been Open & Affirming in practice for years, but it will be great to make it official so that the community knows when we say all are welcome, we mean it! That statement reads:

First Christian Church & Waterway strive to be a community where love knows no bounds and everyone is welcome. In our church, we hope you find a home where you are loved as the unique person God created you to be. Together, we will continue to learn & work toward ensuring that this space is safe, inclusive, & full of exuberant love. Each week in worship, you are invited to God’s communion table & welcomed into full church participation & leadership — just as you are.

Also coming up one week from tonight is this year's OUT IN THE OPEN event to help kick off Pride month. It will be next Friday, June 5 at FCC. We're excited to be screening the film 1946: A Mistranslation that Shifted Culture - a documentary about a mistranslation in scripture that strongly contributed to anti-LGBTQ rhetoric & views in Christianity. It's a GREAT film! I hope you will plan on joining us that evening at 6pm - and please invite friends to join us as well for the movie, refreshments, and discussion afterwards.

Last but not least, Summer also means our Finding the Sacred in the Secular series is almost here! The movies we plan to discuss include Wake Up Dead Man (June 14), Superman (June 28), Sinners (July 12), and Life of Chuck (July 26).

We'll kick off the series a week from Sunday with a week of Finding the Sacred in some secular music as we sing & talk about several Songs of Inclusion.

05/28/2026

We have been open and affirming in practice for years, but this Sunday we will officially commit to this by adopting our new Welcome Statement! This is part of the process we have embarked on over the past year to be officially recognized as an Open and Affirming congregation in our denomination, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

We'd love for you to join us for worship at 10 AM at First Christian Church as we celebrate baptisms and we have a congregational vote to adopt this statement!

05/24/2026

Resurrection of Solidarity

05/23/2026

Please excuse our mess at WaterWay as we started preparing for renovations today.
And take a look at all the decor, furniture, etc. we’re giving away.
Grab it tomorrow before or after service.
We also need hands to help with moving more items to the worship space before construction begins. Stay after worship to please.

05/22/2026

“Many hands make light work.”
“The more the merrier.”
“Teamwork is the dreamwork.”
“The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.”
Hopefully you get the point here.

Hope you’ll join us Saturday and/or Sunday to move furniture, supplies, decor, etc. to the worship space prior to renovations beginning.

05/15/2026

Happy Friday, friends! I hope you've had a great week. We have some changes just around the corner at FCC & WW, so PAY ATTENTION! 😉 Here's a bit of what's happening in the life of FCC & WW...
Join us this Sunday for Graduation Sunday and next Sunday for Pentecost Sunday. Those two weeks will wrap up "Resurrection Redefined" series - and both of those weeks worship will be at the same times as usual - 9:30am at WaterWay, 11am at FCC. I say that because...
Two weeks from Sunday we are moving to a SUMMER WORSHIP SCHEDULE! Starting Sunday, May 31 and running thru June & July, we are going to have one combined worship service. Due to remodeling construction at WaterWay, that facility will be closed for those two months, so we will have combined worship at FCC each week at 10AM. We plan on returning to our normal schedule in August. Look for a printout this Sunday with details about some special things going on in worship this Summer.
That first Sunday of combined worship, on May 31, we have a few baptisms planned for worship! If you or someone you know is interested in being part of that, please let me know. We'd love to include them!
Sunday, May 31 is also the day we'll be voting as a congregation to accept our new Mission Statement, which is the final step in the process of becoming officially Open & Affirming. We have been Open & Affirming in practice for years, but it will be great to make it official so that those in the LGBTQ+ community know that when we say all are welcome, we really do mean it.
The summer also means we are moving into Finding the Sacred in the Secular time, when we look at secular movies & music and talk about how they intersect with our faith. The movies we plan to discuss include Wake Up Dead Man (June 14), Superman (June 28), Sinners (July 12), and Life of Chuck (July 26).
Summer also means our Youth & Kids groups take a break from their Wednesday night meetings. But they do have a few special gatherings planned. Talk to Mark or Kaci for details about how to get your kids involved.
Last but not least, this week is Taco Tuesday at the Salvation Army Shelter. If you'd like to help out, just click HERE!
Thanks - and remember: normal worship times this Sunday & next!
Don Morrow
Senior Minister