The Lamplighter. March 2019 Salem United Church of Christ Higginsville, Missouri

Transcription

1 March 2019 Salem United Church of Christ Higginsville, Missouri Dear Friends, In our polity as the United Church of Christ, the administrative and spiritual leader of the denomination is the person in the Office of General Minister and President. The GMP does not speak for us, either as individuals or congregations, but speaks to us as sisters and brothers in covenant with one another and with the Church on all levels. Our current GMP is the Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer, a former pastor at Zion Church in Mayview and well known to many of us. Dr Dorhauer recently felt a calling to speak to us about the current political and religious climate of our nation. I offer these words to us all for us to consider thoughtfully and prayerfully. January 28, 2019 Dear Partners in Christ: 1 Grace and Peace, Tommy A Pastoral Letter: That They May All Be One The vision of a body united in purpose, in mission, in vision is one that inspired the birth of our denomination. All of our spiritual impulses reverberate in an effort to call us into a more perfect union. Throughout our shared history as a people of faith and as a part of the Body of Christ, we have challenged ourselves to widen the circle of inclusion. Widening the circle has always come with growth pains as we shed old skins and welcome those whom we had previously thought unwelcome. And, with each new articulation of a more fully expressed Body of Christ we have realized new joy. Through it all we remain focused on the call to be one and committed to meeting the challenges inherent in that call. We are now living in and through a season when the threats to unity are legion. Talk of walls that mark refugees as threats, labels like terrorist that attach too easily to Muslims, overt racial bias that normalizes fear and hatred, a pandemic of abuse to women with the trigger reflex to forgive the men who author that abuse have turned America into a land many of us no longer recognize and that too many of us are finding harder and harder to reconcile with our faith. Now more than ever, the Holy Spirit of the Living God and the Risen Christ is seeking to partner with anyone committed to unifying the human community. The gospel mandate to love our neighbor as we love ourselves resonates deep within us. It calls for the better angels among and within us to always resist impulses to hate, to condemn, to vilify, or to castigate. In such a time as this, the United Church of Christ s call to fulfill the prayer of Jesus, that they may all be one, stands as an urgent mandate to disciples who envision a just world for all. United with you in God s service, The Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer General Minister and President

2 March 2019 Page 2 Special Days in March March 1 World Day of Prayer March 3 Transfiguration of Our Lord March 6 Ash Wednesday 7:00 p.m. Combined Service at Central Christian Church (Salem UCC, Presbyterian, Central Christian Church) March 10 First Sunday in Lent Daylight Savings Time Begins March 13 6:30 p.m. Lenten Service March 17 Second Sunday in Lent Children's Sunday (10:30 a.m. Worship Service) YOM Pie and Cake Auction St. Patrick's Day March 20 First Day of Spring 6:30 p.m. Lenten Service March 22 April Lamplighter Article Due March 24 Third Sunday of Lent March 27 6:30 p.m. Lenten Service March 31 Fourth Sunday of Lent One Great Hour of Sharing Offering Dedicated Are available in the back of the Sanctuary. Women s Fellowship Circle Schedules for March Esther Circle Wednesday, March 6, 10:00 a.m., at Meyer Care Center, Betty Rinne hostess. Ruth Circle Not meeting in March Eve Circle Tuesday, March 5, 7:00 p.m., at Sharon Hoefer s Home, Sharon Hoefer hostess, Mary Dickmeier program. Meet at Salem, 6:45 p.m., to share rides. The comfort of our middle-c God During college, while living in a boarding house, author Lloyd Douglas befriended a retiree. The man, a homebound former music teacher, shared a morning ritual with Douglas, who would walk down to the man s floor, open his door and ask, What s the good news? Every day the man responded by tapping a tuning fork against his wheelchair and saying, That s middle C. It was middle C yesterday. It will be middle C tomorrow. It will be middle C a thousand years from now. The tenor upstairs sings flat, the piano across the hall is out of tune, but, my friend, that is middle C! If middle C s pitch value isn t exactly Hz, then your piano needs to be tuned. How comforting that dependability is for musicians and their listeners. Like middle C, God is steadfast and reliable. In this fast-paced world, praise God for the good news he declares to us: I the LORD do not change (Malachi 3:6). 2 OUR FRIENDS AND CHURCH FAMILY IN CARE FACILITIES Listed below are our members and friends (at the time of printing of the Lamplighter) now residing or recovering at our local and surrounding community nursing homes and care facilities. A card or visit from a church family member would be a delightful surprise! Meyer Care Center, 1201 W. 19th St., Higginsville, MO Al Dieckhoff Herb Echelmeier Mary Kirchhoff Grace Niemeier Glenn Nowack Anna Marie Rinne Robert Cobb Souder Earl Struchtemeyer Bob Tankesley Lutheran Good Shepherd Home, 202 SW St., Concordia, MO Winnie Knehans Ann Nuelle Jake Stoecklin Arthur Thaller Country Oak Village, 101 Cross Creek Drive, Grain Valley, MO Viola Meinershagen Riverbend Heights Rehab & Health, Lexington Nursing Home, 1221 South Highway 13, Lexington, MO Mark Gieselman Addington Place of Lee s Summit, 2160 SE Blue Parkway, Lee s Summit, MO Roberta Summers (Apt. 212) (Roberta s mailing address is Roberta Summers, C/O Carrie Tunison, 1207 SE Brookwood St., Lee s Summit, MO )

3 March 2019 Tyler Kaiser Karen Luehrman Alyce Stephenson Marissa Nowling Baylee Lou Thomas Alfred Dieckhoff Kevin Berry Taylor Collier Sabra Starke Gloria Gash Tiffany Short Adam Rauch Adam Catts Chloe Fischer Samuel Vincent-Benne Brian Wiley Nancy Rinne Best Wishes for March Birthdays go to Kay Hoflander Wanda Niemeier Lane Borchers Emma McCabe Jacob Bartlett Derek Cole Wayne Miller Janice Johnson John Baggs Gracie Augustine Aubrey Homfeld Sherri Siegfried Robert Aversman Blair Bergsieker Dylan Akin Betty Nieman Lester Homfeld Jeremy Nevels Emily Bergsieker Cassidy Brockman Earl Struchtemeyer Mary Homfeld Craig Homfeld Renee Fiene Carol Lefman Ellynore Salyer Maddy McDowell Clayton Lettau Stella Barnes Corey White Carolgene Romans Emmalee Thaller Page MARK YOUR CALENDARS: for our YUMMY annual Pie and Cake Auction to be held Sunday, March 17th! Youth on Mission will serve pulled pork sandwiches at the luncheon in the Dining Room following the 10:30 a.m. worship service. Then, the famous Pie and Cake Auction will begin at 12:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall! To God you shall return The traditional Ash Wednesday words Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return might seem depressing. But in our often death-denying culture, some might find it refreshing to hear the frank statement that we can do nothing to save ourselves, physically or spiritually that, no matter how we try to avoid sin, we can t untangle ourselves from self-interest. How liberating, then, to know we don t have to! God loves us as we are and sent Jesus to break sin s power over us. A pastor described Ash Wednesday as the point you can pinch in the middle of a long piece of ribbon, such that when you lift it high, the two ends one symbolizing our baptism and the other, our funeral meet and touch. We come from dust and will return to dust, but we also come from God and will return to God. Ash Wednesday reminds us that we re always safe in God s love. 3

4 March 2019 Page 4 From the Church Records Financial Report: General Fund Balance 1/01/19 Current deposits Current expenses Current Fund Balance 1/31/19 Building Fund: Current Fund Balance 1/01/19 Current deposits Current expenses Current Fund Balance 1/31/19 $15,321 $12,699 $18,902 $ 9,118 $7,571 $1,162 $1,595 $7,138 O.C.W.M. (Member Contributions for Jan.) $44 8:30 a.m. January Attendance 10:30 a.m Average Total Average 101 ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE: Salem UCC, Central Christian Church, and the Presbyterian Church will have a combined service Wednesday, March 6, 7:00 p.m. Central Christian Church is hosting the Ash Wednesday service this year. VESPERS AT MEYER CARE CENTER: Tommy will be leading Vespers at Meyer Care Center Sunday, March 24, at 3:45 p.m. Our Salem members at Meyer really enjoy the fellowship you bring when you join them in this service. Please consider sharing your time. 77 JOHN KNOX VILLAGE AND MEYER CARE CENTER BIBLE STUDY John Knox Village and Meyer Care Center have a weekly Bible Study that is led, on a rotational schedule, by the Ministerial Fellowship. Greg Fine (First Baptist) will be leading during the month of March. The Bible Study is held every Wednesday, 10:15-10:45 a.m. in the Gathering Room. HARVESTERS SCHEDULE First Assembly of God Church of Higginsville hosts a Harvesters Community Food Network distribution of food on the third Thursday of every month. The work day begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends approximately at Noon. After the food is distributed, volunteers are asked to stay and help clean up the area. Anyone willing to help is asked to call , (First Presbyterian Church), and leave your name, phone number, and mailing address. Wear comfortable clothes. TA TRUCK STOP-CONCORDIA COUNTRY PRIDE: Travel Centers of America-Concordia, MO-Country Pride Restaurant is now starting a Church Program! We are offering 10% of your ticket price to be donated back to your local church. All you have to do is come in to dine with us, eat, and inform your server that you would like to participate in the program, give your church s name, your name, and we will take care of the rest! Come see and enjoy our new buffets and get one of our Buffet Punch Cards buy 5, get 1 free! 2019 CHURCH CAMP: Camp MoVal s 2019 Brochures/registration forms are available outside the church office. Early Bird registration date is April 1, WORLD DAY OF PRAYER: Church Women of Higginsville and Corder presents World Day of Prayer. The program will be presented by Rev. Terry & Linda Cook Mission Trip to Puerto Rico. This event will be held Friday, March 1, 1:30 p.m. at Corder Methodist Church, 316 N Main, Corder, Missouri. Fellowship time will follow the meeting. 4

5 March 2019 Page 5 CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING JANUARY 17, :30 pm The regular meeting of the Salem Church Council was held Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019 at 7:30 pm in the Board Room. The members present were Pastor Tommy, Delbert Goetz, Felicia Leonard, Peggy Pragman, Ronnie Bergsieker, Marc Jensen, Barb Nolte, Kevin Berry, and Mark Hook. President Delbert Goetz called the meeting to order. Pastor opened with devotion from Psalms 36 Verses 5-10 and prayer. Minutes were read and approved. Felicia gave the treasurer s report with balances of $15,320 in General Fund and $7,571 in Building and Grounds Fund. The Pastor s mileage of 515 miles for $ was presented for payment. Motion was made and seconded to approve the treasurer s report. Motion to pay bills also made, seconded and approved. Pastor reported the Christmas Eve service was beautiful as always, He also commented on how good it was to see so many younger members helping with communion. The past month has been a busy period in terms of members needing pastoral care. The holidays are often time of stress in our lives and this can manifest in illness or worse. Even so, many of us were surprised at the death of Margaret Soendker on Jan., 1 st. Her illness lasted longer than many of us new, but when it became clear that her situation was serious, everything happened very quickly. Hugo and family were all very appreciative for all that Salem Church did for them. Keep Hugo in your prayers in the coming weeks. Tommy led Vespers at Meyer Care Center on Sunday, Jan. 6 th. On Sunday afternoon, Jan. 20 th, the Higginsville Ministerial Fellowship will present a showing of the theatrical film Selma, beginning at 1:00p.m. at St. Mary s Catholic Church. Following at 3:00 p.m., there will be a prayer service in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Souper Suppers in 2019 will be Jan , Feb , and March Once again Salem will provide the meals, along with the help of the Lutheran women, on Monday in each of these weeks. The Evangelism Committee is making plans for the meals. YOM will meet Sunday, Jan. 20 th, to distribute new shirts and to take pictures for an invitation card that we will send out, advertising the Pie and Cake Auction. The auction will be on March 17 th. It is always the largest single fundraising event for YOM. Salem Church has a long history of amazing support for YOM, and I expect this year will be no different. In the early years of YOM, there were campers from other churches, and we are seeing some more of that now. We have participants from several churches and at least three different high schools. It is very exciting for YOM, and Tommy hopes and trusts that Salem shares that excitement. Crystal and Tommy are taking a week of vacation Jan. 29 th Feb.5 th. Betty Thaller will preach on Feb. 3 for Tommy. Correspondence: Donation request from Show Me Christian Youth Home. Motion made and seconded to send donation of $150. Thank Yous were read from the staff for their Christmas Bonuses. Thank you also was read from Ministerial Fellowship for the donation of $1, for the Heat and Hunger Fund. Christian Ed: Mark reported cookie sale for YOM made $677, June will be taking care of Bible School June 1 st - 8 th, 3 vehicles will be rented for YOM, 21 campers so far going, Judy will be going in June, and June will take place of Mentor. 5 Building and Grounds: Kevin reported repairs to wall need to be made in hall going to dining room at door way. Motion was made and seconded to call Lance Tieman to do repair and painting. North door to sanctuary needs repair. Building and grounds will meet on Sat. 26 th to try to repair. Kevin had looked into prices for chairs for Board room and a motion was made and seconded to order one chair first to see if it is what would be needed. Cemetery: Barb reported committee is planning on purchasing and installing a new sign at cemetery. Clean up date at cemetery is planned again for this year, like it was done last year. Reported some damage to the gate. There are 3 unmarked graves that were discussed to try to get more information about them. Memorial: Peggy reported no meeting. Stewardship: Ronnie reported no meeting. Evangelism: Felicia reported 80 turkeys were purchased and there is $ surplus that will be used to start next year. Worship: Marc reported meeting will be the following Wed. Ushers: Marc reported: Good. Unfinished Business: Kitchen remodel update: Delbert reported that he had talked to Gash and he promised that kitchen will be usable for congregational meeting on the Jan. 27 th. There are still some things to be done but it will be workable. Discussion of the main door to kitchen was held and the idea of a Barn door to be used as the main door, was discussed with Delbert saying his brother Gary Goetz offered to make it for us. Pastor then informed the council the women were hoping for a barn door, (Minutes continued on Page 6)

6 March 2019 Page 6 (Continued from Page 5) so motion was made and seconded to follow that. Social Media guide lines were reviewed and a motion was made and seconded to accept and to present to congregation at meeting this coming Sunday for voting. Discussion of Van was held. Motion was made and seconded to wait for warmer weather to be able to remove letters from Van, and then notify Hoflander s it is ready to sell. Date for Service Master to clean carpets scheduled for 1/24/19. The news on new chairs for board room was discussed under Building and Grounds report earlier in minutes. New Business: Mileage change to.58 a mile. A.A. donated $400 and a Motion was made and seconded to put this in Building and Grounds account. Motion was made and seconded to sign the Alumbaugh service contract for the amount of $970 the year. This includes all furnaces and air conditioners in the church and parsonage. This will be paid out of Building and Grounds. Heartworks suggestion was brought up about an AV system. After discussion the council decided to check into cost of Wi-Fi being installed throughout the church. Depending on cost the council thought this might be the way to begin. MMSC Money & Ministry workshop is Feb. 23 Tommy is planning on going. Motion was made and seconded the church will pay registration of $20 for any member interested in going. Please notify Sarah if plan to go. Van fund was brought up and no action was taken at this time. Announcements: Next Council meeting Date: February 21, 2019, 7:30 p.m. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned by saying the Lord s Prayer. Respectfully submitted Peggy Pragman, Council Secretary Children s Sunday We are planning another Children s Sunday for March 17th during the 10:30 a.m. service. The Children ask that everybody wear GREEN for St. Patrick s Day! NOISY OFFERING! Please bring $$$ change $$$ for our noisy offering during the 10:30 a.m. worship service on March 17th during Children's Sunday. While we are collecting regular offering the kids will also come around with noisy cans for your change. The noisy offering will go to the Heifer Project. THANK YOU! The Sr. High Sunday school class would like to thank everyone that supported the Souper Bowl Sunday collection for the Food Pantry. We collected $ because of everyone s generosity. Faith journey A family was heading on vacation: two little ones were nestled in car seats; the van was packed. As Dad locked the house and Mom secured the garage, an adult neighbor the kids knew walked up and spoke through an open window. Where are you going? The kids shrugged. Well, what road are you taking? the friend asked with a knowing smile. Of course, they had no idea. Do you know where you ll eat today, or where you ll spend the night? Blank stares. Then the friend asked, Who are you traveling with? The children broke into grins and shouted, Mommy and Daddy! On the journey of life, we don t know precisely where we re headed or how all our needs will be met. But we know who we re traveling with: our loving God who is fully aware of the twists and turns ahead; the loving Parent who promises to care for us wherever we go. 6 PASTORAL VISITS OR PRAYERS Anyone who would like a pastoral visit or are in need of prayers, please call the church office, (660) TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE Transportation is available to any worship service. Please call the church office to make arrangements, (660) CHURCH INFORMATION Tommy s tlfaris@ctcis.net Tommy s cell phone: Church Telephone: Church salemucc@ctcis.net Church Website: salemucchigginsville.org Fax number:

7 March 2019 Page 7 LAFAYETTE AREA UCC WOMEN S FELLOWSHIP PRESENTS Phenomenal Women of History Women's Retreat program presented by Cynthia Fuller (Reader s Theater Presentation). Let us all celebrate Women's History Month by celebrating women s contributions to history, culture and society. This event will be held Saturday, March 30, 2019, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Ebenezer UCC, Levasy, MO. Registration will be from 9-9:30 a.m. -$10.00 at the door and lunch will be served at Noon. The presentation will be in the morning and then after lunch we will break into groups to discuss Women of the Bible. There will be music to enlighten the soul and will close the afternoon with communion. Please notify Sandy Zeller, , dszeller1@centruylink.net at Levasy by March 25th for accurate head count for lunch. Child care will be provided. MARCH SOUPER SUPPER SCHEDULE: (All suppers are 5:30 6:30 p.m.) Sunday, March 24- First Presbyterian Church: Phone: Monday, March 25- Salem UCC: Phone: (Immanuel Lutheran Church partnering) Tuesday, March 26- First Baptist Church: Phone: Wednesday, March 27- St. Mary s Catholic Church: Phone: Thursday, March 28- Grace United Methodist Church: Phone: WE EXTEND OUR SYMPATHY TO: Jeff and Denise Kirchhoff and family. Denise s mother, Helen Erdman, passed away Tuesday, February 5, Her funeral was held Friday, February 8, at Waverly United Methodist Church. ALSO Bob and Peggy Pragman and family. Peggy s cousin, Carol Pregge, passed away Monday, February 4, Her funeral was held Saturday, February 9, at Blue Ridge United Methodist Church in Kansas City, Missouri. Beyond the door To better love God and Christ, our friend, We pass through death s door; but it s not the end. It s only the birth of something more The eternal joy earth s prepared us for! Peggy Ferrell Amazing gratitude John Chrysostom was an early church father who lived in Constantinople in the fourth century A.D. He spoke plainly against all kinds of iniquity. Unfortunately, his preaching made immoral people uncomfortable, so he was exiled from the city. When Chrysostom wrote letters to people who had befriended him, he ended every letter with the words, Praise God for all things! Faithful souls truly do praise God for all things. After all, it is life s hurtful, painful blows that compel us to seek his mercy and guidance. God s love enables us to praise him for everything no matter what. 7

8 March 2019 Page 8 One Great Hour of Sharing MORE THAN WE CAN IMAGINE IMAGINATION It may seem a weak word when compared with all the need that we see daily in the world. We hear the word imagination and we may think to ourselves fantasy. We hear the word imagination and we wonder if it is truly helpful in a world where some would say, clear-eyed realism is what is needed to face the challenges before us. IMAGINATION Yet far from being a light, weak, or un-real thing, imagination is actually one of the most powerful engines for change that human beings have! Long ago, the philosopher Aristotle said that Thinking itself begins in wonder, begins in imagination, and he was right. Imagination, particularly when it is fueled by a vision of God s hopes for all humankind, can keep us energized to do the good that is possible. IMAGINATION The theme for the 2019 One Great Hour of Sharing Special Offering is More than we can imagine! The theme, based on Ephesians 3:20, reminds us that we are not alone in our imagining a better world for all of God s children. For it is God s imagination that fuels and empowers ours! You see, God imagines a world where: No one is left to face the ravages of natural disaster alone - neighbor helps neighbor, stranger helps stranger - for we are the church together Even if things will never quite be the same after a disaster, God can work through all events to bring new life, new hope, and even more resilience Clean and abundant water and ample sanitation facilities are available to every person; Work brings security from hunger and the land is treated with respect Families displaced from their homes are able to build new lives Women are no longer subject to discrimination and gender-based violence And God also imagines Christians of many traditions, coming together to help make these things ever more a reality for more and more people! For you see, our imagination of what might be is founded and grounded in what God envisions and hopes for. We can help through our gifts of treasure and talent, prayer, and presence to make this world ever more like the way God imagined it would be! Please, give generously to the One Great Hour of Sharing special offering, so that your imagination might indeed be ever more joined with God s! An envelope is enclosed in this Lamplighter for you to return to the Church on March 31. Please make your check to Salem UCC One Great Hour of Sharing. If A Dog Was The Teacher Author Unknown you would learn... When loved ones come home, always run to greet them. Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride. Enjoy the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face. Take naps. Run, romp, and play daily. On warm days stop to lie on your back on the grass. On hot days drink lots of water and lay under a shady tree. Be loyal. Avoid biting, when a simple growl will do. Delight in the simple joy of a long walk. If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it. When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently. (Submitted by a member of Salem) The red-faced usher When an elderly woman asked a church usher to seat her close to the pulpit, he tried to talk her out of it. If you sit up front, you won t be able to sleep, he said. The woman looked the usher square in the face and asked, Do you know who I am? No, I don t, he responded. Well, she said firmly, I m the preacher s mother. Fully embarrassed, the usher asked, Do you know who I am? No, she answered. Good! whispered the fellow. Sit anywhere you want. 8

9 Salem United Church of Christ 1500 Main Street Higginsville MO Non-Profit Organization POSTAGE PAID Permit NO. 104 Higginsville MO Return Service Requested Is a monthly newsletter of : Salem United Church of Christ Rev. Dr. Tommy Faris Delbert Goetz, President 1500 Main Street Pastor Church Council Higginsville, MO Sarah J. Berry Mark Gross, President (660) Secretary Board of Elders Fax: Doris Jane Stoner Judi Knipmeyer, President salemucc@ctcis.net Organist Board of Christian Education Early Worship Jamie Smith June Howell 8:30 a.m. Music Director Christian Education Coordinator Sunday School Anne Iles Lindsey Rolf, Volunteer 9:15 a.m. Youth Music Director Assistant Church Secretary Worship Lowell Grumke 10:30 a.m. Custodian March 2019 Salem United Church of Christ Higginsville, Missouri 9