The Good News. ONA Workshop offered. Spaghetti Dinner set for September 24. New members join our church family!

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1 S P E C I A L P O I N T S O F I N - T E R E S T : Meditation will continue on the third Thursday of each month. In September we will meet on September 15 at 6 p.m. These sessions are led by Jeff Smith; all are welcome! Men s Breakfast meets at Mama s Place at 8:00 a.m. on the first and third Tuesday mornings! The Good News F I R S T C O N G R E G A T I O N A L U C C A N G O L A, I N S E P T E M B E R ONA Workshop offered Andy Lang, the coordinator of the Coalition for LGBTQ rights for the national setting of the United Church of Christ, will be with us on Sunday, October 9 for worship and for an afternoon workshop. The workshop is structured for churches that are already ONA churches and will focus on how we continue to live into an inclusive life together. We hope as many folks as possible can be a part of these activities. I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : Pastor s 2 Screen Church 3 Council News in 3 Brief What the kids 3 say! Volunteer 4 Schedule September 5 Calendar Spaghetti Dinner set for September 24 We will have a Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser from 5-7 p.m. on Saturday, September 24th. The dinner will be in Fellowship Hall and will be served to those who purchase tickets prior to the event; the meal may also be prepared for carry out by calling prior to pickup. Cost for the dinner is $9 and tickets may be purchased by contacting Deb or Cec Fugate or Marty Diller. The dinner will feature spaghetti with homemade meat sauce! You won t want to miss it! New members join our church family! Angola City Auction! 6 On August 14, we welcomed six new members into our church family! They include JoAnn Lewis, Doug Drumm, Claudia & Rosie Camargo and Carol Brooks & Jeannie Hetrick. We are so glad they are now officially a part of our church family!

2 P A G E 2 From the Pastor s Screen Pastor Judy Goodrow In church we can share our worst moments and our greatest successes. "So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ." -Romans 10:17 NRSV I am addicted to podcasts. I listen whenever I have time, and sometimes when I don't. The hosts feel like friends. They're cheerful, entertaining and inviting. But that's not why I keep listening. Podcasts expose real life, including painful moments. We hear stories about real people, like those who struggle to smile, or a woman whose mental illness caused her to pull out her eyelashes, or a blue-collar worker under such severe emotional distress that he forgot his own name. But that's not why I keep listening. We need to hear those positive messages - especially now, when the nightly news is so filled with stories of violence, terror and political madness that we begin to feel hopeless. All that bad news provides a great opportunity for the Church. Church can be one place where we hear a hopeful message. Faith grows when we hear the stories - not only the stories of old, but our own stories. In church, we can share our worst moments and our greatest successes. We can share our Godsightings and our burdens. We speak of a God who loves us and shows us how to love one another; a God who encourages us to keep trying. Even if we forget our own names, this God remembers. A good podcast includes the struggle, but it doesn't leave us there. The best episodes describe real people overcoming the odds. Listeners learn the power of a smile. We learn that unconditional acceptance is far more effective than trying to fix one another. We find out how powerful our brains really are, how resilient people can be, and how resourceful we are. That's why I keep listening. That's why we keep listening. Judy Goodrow This reflection was first published in the IK Conference s Epistle. Judy is an ongoing contributor to the conference s Blog. T H E G O O D N E W S

3 F I R S T C O N G R E G A T I O N A L U C C P A G E 3 News in Brief Women In Black Soup & Scripture Out-of-the-Bible Study Out-of-the-Bible Study will resume meeting on Wednesday, September 7; we will continue the discussion of Marcus Borg s The Last Week. Women in Black will stand on Saturday, September 9 in front of the courthouse. Folk are invited to gather from a.m. and stand in protest of war and domestic violence. WIB is an international movement to end all forms of violence. Write Tribe Jennifer Decker will engage you with writing cues on Saturday, September 9 at 11 a.m. at Cahoots! Bring a notebook and pen for Write Tribe! Pastors Deb or Judy will lead a Soup & Scripture session at Cahoots each Tuesday at 12 noon. Join us for a look at the lectionary scriptures for the next Sunday. Friday Prayer Group The Friday Morning Prayer Group meets each Friday at 9 a.m. at Cahoots. All are welcome to be a part of this group. Women s Book Study will meet on September 12 & 26 to watch videos and then discuss The Bible and the Qur an: A Comparative Study. Join us at 2 p.m. in Pastor Deb s office. Church Council highlights Church Council met on Sunday, August 14, and the following items were among those discussed/approved/ reported: Treasurer: Income is below budget YTD. In Balance Accounting has been contacted about doing payroll, bank deposits and bill paying; monthly cost would be $350. Deacons: Health kits were distributed to the Faith Community Health Clinic, Cahoots and the church office. The plan is to now create health kits specific to the needs of the women living at the TLC house. Christian Education: Numbers were low for Wacky Wednesday this year so the program may need to be reevaluated before next summer. Trustees: Veryl put in a new donated access door in the Mason House garage. The parking lot work is still being bid. Video cameras are being tested in various locations before being permanently installed. A protocol will be established for who wears the panic buttons. Welcoming: Six new members joined the church in August and there are six more who have expressed interest in joining. Next Meeting: Council will meet on Sunday, September 11 following worship. Submitted by JoAnn Lewis, Clerk Six new members joined our church in August.

4 P A G E 4 September Birthdays & Anniversaries 7 - Donna Daeger 14 - Gregory Burns 14 - Cathy French 17 - John Eddy 19 - Adam Garza 20 - Aaron Camargo 21 - Alida Frizzell 23 - Susan Myers 27 - Kristy Couch 27 - Claire Grandienard 27 - Lynn Syler 28 - John Behee 29 - Margaret Frazier 3 - Ralph & Peggy McDowell 16 - Alan & Marj Stoudinger 17 - Craig & Lisa Johnloz 18 - John & Cathy French Youth were asked which disciple they followed in their lives and why. Here are their responses: I follow my sister because she has an I-Phone. -Taylor I follow my mom, dad, grandmas and Marley. I follow my cousin, Marley, because she is a free spirit and I m inspired. - Adelle September volunteers Date Liturgist Greeters Children's Sermon Sep 04 Jim Harris Greg & Kathleen Burns Marj Lilley Sep 11 Marj Lilley Norma Baker and Anne Eddy Vicki Harris Sep 18 John French Marj Stoudinger & Grandkids Rita Lechleidner Sep 25 Jim Simons Marty Diller Marj Lilley Date Usher Refreshments Counter Sep 04 Sue Myers Marty, Jeanine, Lauralee, Sally Dave Syler Sep 11 Sue Myers Bonnie & Dave Snyder Marj Stoudinger Sep 18 Jim Harris Lois & Jim McEntarfer Jim & Lynn Simons Sep 25 Sue Myers Roger & Chris Krueckeberg Linda Driver I follow my dad because he shows me a lot of things. - Dylan I look at God in my heart. - Brandon My mom. My dad. My grandmas. My sister. My cousins. - Max Upcoming this fall September 6 - Sunday school teacher training 6 p.m. September 7 - Out-of-the-Bible study begins at 9 a.m. September 18 - PULSE resumes September 24 - Spaghetti Dinner October 13 - Prayer Workshop October 9 - Andy Lang s ONA Workshop October 15 - Canoe Trip T H E G O O D N E W S October 31 - Trunk or Treat 5-7 p.m.

5 F I R S T C O N G R E G A T I O N A L U C C September Calendar 2 - Prayer meeting 9 a.m. Cahoots 4 - Worship 10 a.m. 5 - Labor Day - office closed 6 - Men s Breakfast 8 a.m. Mama s Place 6 - Soup & Scripture Noon Cahoots 6 - Sunday School meeting 6 p.m. classrooms 7 - Out of the Bible Study 9 a.m. Pastor s office 7 - Bell & Chancel Choirs 5:45 and 7 p.m. 9 - Prayer meeting 9 a.m. Cahoots 10 - Women in Black 10 a.m. Courthouse 10 - Write Tribe 11 a.m. Cahoots 11 - Worship 10 a.m Youth Sunday school 11:15 a.m Council Meeting 11:30 a.m Women s book study 2 p.m. Pastor s Office 13 - Soup & Scripture Noon Cahoots 14 - Out of the Bible Study 9 a.m. Pastor s office About the Community 14 - Bell & Chancel Choirs 5:45 and 7 p.m Centering Prayer 6 p.m. Sanctuary 16 - Prayer group 9 a.m. Cahoots 18 - Worship 10 a.m Youth Sunday school 11:15 a.m PULSE 11:30 a.m. Revisiting Transgender 20 - Men s Breakfast 8 a.m. Mama s Place 20 - Soup & Scripture Noon Cahoots 21 - Out of the Bible Study 9 a.m. Pastor s office 21 - Cancer support group 2 p.m. Rita s office 21 - Bell & Chancel Choirs 5:45 and 7 p.m Prayer Group 9 a.m. Cahoots 24 - Spaghetti Dinner 5-7 p.m. Fellowship Hall 25 - Worship 10 a.m Youth Sunday school 11:15 a.m Women s book study 2 p.m. Pastor s office 27 - Soup & Scripture Noon Cahoots 28 - Out of the Bible Study 9 a.m. Pastor s office 28 - Bell & Chancel Choirs 5:45 and 7 p.m Prayer group 9 a.m. Cahoots P A G E 5 Anonymous questions for our Sept. 18 PULSE Revisiting Transgender conversation may be submitted to the church office by September 16. Thanks to all who donated to our health kit project! We were able to give 10 kits to Cahoots and our office for distribution as well as 35 kits to the Faith Community Health Clinic. The kits contain toothbrushes, full-size toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, hand towels, comb, soap, and nail file. Thanks to all who assembled the kits, too! Homebound Maryellen Hays In Nursing Homes Mac McEntarfer (Northern Lakes) From the Prayer Chain We thank you for your word of governance; we do not want to be addressed by dreams, breaks, or possibilities. We most certainly do not want to be bearers of such dreams, breaks, or possibilities, because we are mostly agents of steady equilibrium. Nevertheless, we dare yearn for your word and occasionally utter it. We thank you that we do not live in a world unaddressed. We thank you that you are not a God unuttered. So, we pledge, as we are able, to listen and to speak, being available for your word that is full of grace and truth. - Walter Brueggemann, Prayers for a Privileged People

6 First Congregational United Church of Christ First Congregational United Church of Christ, as an inclusive and caring Christian community, welcomes into its full life and ministry persons 314 West Maumee Street Angola, Indiana Phone: Fax: Office: Pastor Judy: Pastor Deb: Web Site: of every race, ethnic background, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, marital status, criminal history and faith background. As we serve those within our church family, the community and the world in the name of Jesus Christ, we celebrate each person s uniqueness and look forward to the gifts they bring to us. God is still speaking, Calendar Marker Marj Lilley bought some old chairs from the Brokaw Theater, Marty Diller refurbished them in a coffee motif, and they will now be the Cahoots donation to the city s auction on Wednesday, September 21, during the annual city Cruise-In. The proceeds from the auction will be used for the city s Christmas decorations! Thanks to Marty and Marj for being in cahoots with this great fundraising idea!!

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