Scholarships

Educational Scholarship Funds

First Congregational United Church of Christ is blessed with scholarship funds for members of our congregation who are pursuing higher education.  Active membership in First Congregational Church is a common requirement for all scholarships.  There are funds available for most any kind of additional education thanks to the generous forethought of past and present members of this congregation. View a brief summary of our scholarship funds.

Read and print our Cover Letter and then print and complete the 2023 Application.  You may also secure an applicant letter and application by contacting the church office.

Submit the following documents to the church office: a completed application; a personal statement of qualification; 2 years of grade transcripts from the last school attended; 1 letter of recommendation from outside of family members; and a picture.

The application deadline for 2024-2025 is March 31, 2024.

2023-2024 Scholarship Funds Awarded:

First Congregational United Church of Christ awarded a $6,000.00 Saenger, Frick, McBlair, Lee Endowment Scholarship to Kira Myers who is attending UW-Whitewater.

In addition $7,500 from the Saenger, Frick, McBlair, Lee Endowment was distributed equally to Lakeland College, Northland College, the Chicago Theological Seminary, the Eden Theological Seminary and the United Theological Seminary.

Brief summary of our scholarship funds

BIDWELL FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS
In 1997, Ted and Faye Bidwell established the Bidwell Scholarship Fund to assist congregational members under the age of twenty-seven (27). Criteria for this scholarship are active participation in the life, ministry and mission of First Congregational UCC, high scholastic achievement and financial need. Awards from this fund are limited to two years per person.

SAENGER, FRICK, McBLAIR, LEE SCHOLARSHIPS
Criteria for consideration for funds are First Congregational UCC membership, financial need, application quality and educational goals.

GENERAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND
A criterion for this scholarship is First Congregational UCC membership. There are no restrictions to age, frequency of grants, or education sought. This is our most open and flexible fund.

 We Value Education

First Congregational UCC Seminary Graduates
First Congregational UCC Seminary Graduates

Educational attainment is highly valued by the members of First Congregational Church. The generous gifts of members of our congregation which have established our scholarship funds assure that members desirous of obtaining an education will not be prevented from achieving their educational goals because of inadequate personal resources.Youth in our congregation have a high rate of attainment of post-secondary educational goals. Pursuit of their goals is encouraged and supported.

First Congregational Church is especially blessed by having several members who have chosen to pursue a seminary education.

 

 

First Congregational UCC Seminarians

David Huber

Union Theological Seminary
Ordained 2004
Called to serve as Pastor at Plymouth Congregational UCC, Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Bryan Olson

United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities
Ordained 2006
Called to serve as Pastor at Cottage Grove UCC, Cottage Grove, Minnesota

Gayle Tucker

United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities
Ordained 2010
Called to serve as Pastor at the Congregational Church of Jefferson Park in Chicago, Illinois

Kerri Parker

Chicago Theological Seminary
Ordained 2010
Serves as executive Director of the Wisconsin Council of Churches