Community. Glorify God. Encourage One Another. Share Jesus. United Methodist Church. the newsletter of. Easter Change. April 2014

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1 the newsletter of Community United Methodist Church April 2014 Easter Change by Pastor Markus Glorify God Encourage One Another Share Jesus Life is full of changes. Some of us get excited about change, for others it s a scary thing. When my wife Carrie and I learned that we will move to a new community and church this summer it s fair to say that it was a little more change than we had anticipated. We were expecting to stay with our congregations for many more years. For us here at CUMC in Waterford it feels that we ve just been there. It feels we just went through the change of transition to a new pastor 4 years ago and now it s all happening again. Deep down we know that God is solidly in control of his church and that this change is held securely in his great hands; but on the surface I m sure we are a little shaken because this is what change does to us. This month we will gloriously celebrate Easter. Easter itself is a time of change in God s great plan for his world. When Jesus went into Passion Week his friends were not ready to let go of him even though he explained to them many times the absolute need for it. They weren t ready for the change from life to death and all the way back to life again. What a dramatic change, what a surprising change, what a way for God to bring about his love to the world. It took Jesus friends quite some time to understand the blessings of this dramatic Easter change but eventually they were more than excited about it. May we too get more than excited about the change that God brought into our lives through the resurrection of Jesus; and may we trust that even the surprising changes of our lives are opportunities for God to show us that he is in control.

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4 Youth Beautiful Women of God May 2-3 6pm at CUMC Registration is $35 (includes Dinner & Color Run registration) Register for Girls Night before April 17th to get your free t-shirt. Bring pajamas and bedding (we no longer have couches to sleep on!) Also, make sure you have clothing that can get colored during the Color Run. (Don t worry, running isn t actually required!) Questions? contact Krystal at or cumcyouth@hotmail.com As always friends are welcome! Registration forms are available at WiReD or in the office. At the Sears Center April $90 for the weekend Breakfast will be provided each morning at our host church, you will be responsible for dinner on Friday as well as lunch and dinner on Saturday. You may want to bring extra spending money for snacks and merchandise. We will be leaving CUMC Friday at 3:30 and will be home before noon on Sunday. Contact Krystal to sign up cumcyouth@hotmail.com

5 Start cleaning and saving now! Items you have outgrown, replaced, or no longer need can help us offer Vacation Bible School and share the good news of Jesus with the children of our church and community. Spring Rummage Sale April 12, am - 2 pm Items can be dropped off in the Fellowship Hall the week of Wednesday April 6th. If you would like to help set-up or work the day of the sale please call Karen Larson, Paper and plastic bags are needed for the sale! Thank you for your donations and help. To all of my Church Family I do not know how to begin this note, but I want to express my gratitude to all of my church friends for your prayers and concerns for me. THANK YOU for the prayers, the notes, flowers, phone calls, sweets, visits and the BIG GET WELL card brought to me at the hospital. You all have been a true blessing to me and I sincerely appreciate your thoughts and prayers. THANK YOU Betty Potokar Sunday Treats Do you want to bring a treat in for a Special occasion on a Sunday... Please let the Coffee Crew know this a few weeks in advance, so we can get you into the schedule. Your special treats are so very MUCH appreciated! March Baptisms & Dedications Saturday, May 3, K Run 7AM Registration 8AM Run PRIZES for Best Dressed, Most Colorful, Best Finish Line Runner, and More! Location: Whitford Park 625 North River Road Waterford, WI Must be in attendance by pavillion picnic tables after race (approximately 9:30) to receive prize awards. icare FUN AFTER THE RUN 9:30AM - 1:30PM Volleyball Tournament (Volleyball Register at Brunos) Informational Booths Food, Cops & Bobbers, Soccer & Baseball Clinics Racine Co Sheriff s K9 Unit, Face Painting - Bounce House Waterford/Rochester Fire Departments DRUG DROP OFF DISPOSAL All Drugs Accepted-No Questions Asked (No Dirty Sharps) Makenzie Whalen Baptized March 9, 2014 Youngest daughter of Rob and Melissa, baby sister of Emily. New Members Trevor Masiakowski Dedicated March 16, 2014 Son of Devon & Jamie, who were also Baptized the same day! Gerald & Jennifer Matranga and Duane Licht were received into membership on Sunday, March 23rd. We are excited to be serving our awesome God with you!

6 Praise and Healing Service Sunday, April 13, 2014 at Join us in the sanctuary as we gather together to pray for your healing. Come and see: Our group may be small, but we will pray to our Mighty God for your physical, emotional, financial and spiritual healing. Come and see: As we commemorate Jesus triumphal journey from Bethphage and Bethany to the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem. Come and see His destination and destiny as five days later He was crucified. It wasn t the nails that held Him to the cross. It was His great love for your that held Him there. Jesus is the great Miracle Worker- Come and see! Meets every Tuesday evening at, in room 13 on the lower level here at CUMC. My Grace is Sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness 2 Corinthians 1:9 The next Men s Breakfast will be Saturday, April 5th at 8:00 AM. Who will you invite? Send Your Kids to Summer Camp! Information is available on the kiosk and in the office for United Methodist Camps at Pine Lake in Westfield, WI and Lake Lucerne in Neshkoro, WI and Covenant Harbor Christian Camp in Lake Geneva, WI. You can also look it up on line at or

7 M April Noisy Can Life Choices Crisis Pregnancy Center in Burlington Prayer Sunday April 6th 9:00-9:30 AM & 12:00-12:30 PM Providing: Free laboratory quality pregnancy tests, Information on pregnancy, abortion and alternatives, Sexually Transmitted Disease Education Information on RU486 and the morning after pill, Friendship and emotional support, Assistance in obtaining pre-natal care, Referrals to community resources and agencies, Parenting classes, Mentoring program for first-time parents,information on abstinence, Layettes, formula, diapers and cribs, Pre-abortion education, Post-abortion care and education, 24-hour helpline The March collection for the Milwaukee Rescue Mission was $ Thank you! Easter Cross Witness The Easter Cross Witness seeks to be a catalyst for all of the branches of the church to come together in unity to jointly testify to the single most important event in history. That event is the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Easter Cross Witness believes that celebrating this event together with joy will give those who participate in this witness the opportunity to share with others the hope that is within them. Specifically, since Jesus has been raised from the dead, those who put their trust in Him by faith through grace for the forgiveness of their sins will not die but will be given life eternal. The Easter Cross Witness believes that this is something to celebrate. The Easter Cross Witness officially runs for two weeks, beginning on Palm Sunday. The crosses are placed blank side out before Easter and are turned on Easter Sunday to display the message that He is Risen! JOIN THE EASTER CROSS WITNESS! Don t have a cross? Contact the office we have a few left from last year, or would be happy to order more. Do you know someone who needs prayer? Invite them to prayer Sunday! Teams of prayer warriors are ready and willing to pray for those who need it for many different concerns. Bring your need before our Mighty God! Alzheimer s Caregiver Support Group This group meets here on the second Thursday of each month from 6:30-8 PM. In room 14 on the lower level with parking and entry from the back of the building for easy access. The purpose of the group is to provide caregivers with updated information, emotional support, and problem solving as related to the challenges of giving care to those living with Alzheimer s disease or other dementia. This group is for caregivers only, not patients with dementia or Alzheimer s. Questions about the group? Call the church office at Thursday, April 10th Special Speaker Marilyn Joyce- Caregiver support Specialist from the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Racine County - She will share stories and resources on a variety of help available to families coping with Alzheimer s. This meeting is open to anyone looking for help. Electronic Giving is Available Contributions can be debited automatically from your checking or savings account. This service offers convenience for you and much-needed donation consistency for our congregation. If you are currently giving on a regular basis, you will no longer need to write all those checks each year! And, when circumstances prevent you from attending services, this program will allow your offerings to continue on an uninterrupted basis. Authorization forms and a frequently asked questions flyer s are available in the church office. The Newsletter is available by and on the website at If you would like to stop receiving the newsletter by mail contact the office at or office@extremefaith.org to let us know.

8 Below is a copy of the letter that went out to the congregation on March 21st concerning our Pastoral change for those of you who may not have received it for some reason. While the prayer gathering indicated in the letter has already taken place, please continue to pray as the selection process for our new pastor continues and Markus and his family prepare to move. March 21, 2014 Dear people of Community United Methodist Church, I am writing you this letter that in my mind and heart is several years premature. A few days ago I received a phone call from my district superintended informing me about the Cabinet s desire for me to move to a new church this summer. This request came very unexpectedly to Carrie and me. We were expecting to be with you for many more years. Both Carrie and I know that this unexpected move is not out of God s control but part of His broader plan for His church - even though we can't see that yet in all clarity. Carrie and I will be moving two hours north from here. I will be the new pastor at First United Methodist Church in Appleton where the Cabinet sees the missional need for my presence. Carrie will be taking a leave and focus on being a mother for the next year. Kris Kirchner and our church's staff parish relations committee will work with our District Superintendent to find the right replacement for me here at CUMC in Waterford please hold them in prayer for this important work. In our struggle to figure out how God is in all of this Carrie and I were reminded of the many incidences in which the early church had to bid farewell. One passage in particular spoke to us. In the book of Acts, when the apostle Paul had to leave a church after a brief stay it says: " when our time was up, we left and continued on our way. All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. After saying good-by to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home. Acts 21:5-6 We do not have to say good bye to each other yet but I do want to invite you to come together with me and pray. This Tuesday, March 25th, I would like to invite you for a brief prayer service at 7pm at our church in which we lift up this untimely and unexpected transition into the hands of God. THE WAY TO GROW PRESCHOOL CELEBRATES GOD S CHILDREN April 6-12 brings The Week of the Young Child to our preschool and all early childhood settings throughout the U.S. It is a special time set aside to realize the importance of a quality early childhood education and to appreciate those that care for our youngest people. Thank you to the community of CUMC because you support the ministry of The Way To Grow Preschool and the future of the children that attend; not only as the world views education but also as God wants us to teach the children through knowing Him. Educating our very young has a long term impact on our community. Children that attend preschool are more likely to continue their education beyond HS, have higher paying employment and are less likely to visit the judicial system. These young children are our future teachers, pastors, politians, doctors, engineers and so on; they might not seem like they have much to contribute today but wait until tomorrow! The Way To Grow Preschool is a Developmentally Age Appropriate Program. We are proud of what we teach and how we teach our students; through a play approach as we teach to the children s level and their interests. Our teachers look at each individual child and makes weekly lesson plans tailored to meet each child s needs. We specialize in love, care and respect at The Way To Grow Preschool. Come see us in action! Enrollment for the Fall of 2014 is now on-going; if you or someone you know has a need for an enriching environment for a child please call or visit our website at thewaytogrowpreschool.org In the meantime I want you to know that being your pastor is the greatest privilege I can think of. This move was in no way or shape requested by me I care for you deeply and the shear thought of leaving CUMC pains me beyond measure. I find comfort in knowing that you are not dependent on me to continue to glorify God, encourage one another and share Jesus. I want to assure you that we will work through this time of uncertainty together and that God has never stopped being in control. Blessings to you, Markus Wegenast, Pastor Kris Kirchner, Staff Parish Relations Committee chair

9 April Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Prayer Sunday following both services Drop off Rummage Items this week 13 Palm Sunday 10:45 Service Kids Church Easter Cross Witness begins Praise & Healing Service 20 Happy Easter! (turn your Crosses) 9:30 AM Easter Breakfast 27 Easter Cross Witness ends 10:45 Service Kids Church Noisy Can - Life Choices 6-8:00 PM Grief Share Worship Committee Meeting Celebrate Recovery Glory Singers :00 PM Grief Share 7:00 PM Trustee Meeting Celebrate Recovery 14 Prayer Gathering Prayer Gathering Glory Singers Practice 15 SPRC Meeting Celebrate Recovery Glory Singers Practice Church Council Meeting Celebrate Recovery Glory Singers Practice 29 Celebrate Recovery Glory Singers Practice 4-5:45 PM Food Pantry WiReD Youth 9 WiReD Youth :45 PM Food Pantry WiReD Youth 23 No WiReD Spring Break 30 Time Out 5:45 Dinner 6:30-8 PM His Kids WiReD Adult Groups 8:00 AM Men s Breakfast 9-11:00 AM Step Study Groups AM - 2 PM Rummage Sale 17 No Finance Meeting 7:00 Missions Committee Meeting 9-11:00 AM Step Study Groups :00 AM Step Study Groups AM - 1PM Easter Eggsitement Extravangaza! 9-11:00 AM Step Study Groups The Way to Grow Preschool is accepting registrations for fall. If you know someone who has a 3 or 4 year old looking for a preschool please let them know. Registration forms are available on the kiosk. If you have questions please call Barb at

10 Community United Methodist Church 455 S. Jefferson St. Waterford, WI Church Easter Rummage Eggsitement Sale Eggstravaganza Saturday, April 12 8a-2p Saturday, April 19 11a - 1p Time Out Wednesday s April 30 - May 21 5:45 PM Dinner - 6:30-8 PM Activities for all ages!