Community Church News April 2018

Transcription

1 The Community Church P.O. Box 14 Boulder Junction, WI Phone Non Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 2 Community Church News April 2018 Come Worship With Us Community Church of Boulder Jct Main St P O Box 14 Boulder Jct WI Telephone: commchbj@centurytel.net Website: Service: Sundays at 9:30am Church Staff Organist Helen Townsend Telephone: Choir Director Glen Wildenberg choirdirector@commchbj.org Treasurer Bruce Greenhill treasurer@commchbj.org Council Chair Lorine Walters Telephone: Christian Ed Coordinator: Jamie Zogata Youth Director: Adam Zogata Telephone: Custodian Cindy Wildenberg Telephone Grounds Raphael Moraczewski Telephone Office Manager Mary Anderson office Tues 9 a.m. 1 p.m. Wed 9 a.m. 1 p.m. Thu 9 a.m. 1 p.m. Fri 9 a.m. 1 p.m. Pastor James McKenzie office by Appointment Tues 9 a.m. 1 p.m. Wed 9 a.m. 1 p.m. Fri 9 a.m. 11 a.m.

2 CONNECTIONS I ve been working on a new magic trick lately. It s really eye-popping as I make a dollar bill, credit card, quarter or small flashlight float about in mid-air. I d like to share it with you sometime soon but first I d like to perfect it, so I don t appear too foolish if it doesn t work. What I like about magic, beyond the entertainment value, is what it has to tell me about reading the Bible. What looks like one thing at first glance, might actually be a bit different if I would just take the opportunity to look a little deeper. I can read the Bible with a quick glance or I can study it as I would something wonderfully intricate and complex. It s one thing to open my Bible, pick a passage and close the book as if I have paid proper attention to the greater context instead of just to the particular words. The danger with the pick and pop is that I read into the passage what I want it to say rather than reading what the passage has to say to me. Either way, I might get something out of it; it s just that the way of serious reflection is sure to pay me better than two to one. Some people think the Bible is just a book of ethical principles, moral judgments, and tales about exemplary people. You can certainly take that perspective if you want. But if you look a little deeper and open yourself a little wider, you might just begin to see it as book with a plot or storyline which can be readily followed and stated. God makes the world in love. For one reason or another, the world chooses to reject God. God will not reject the world but continues his mysterious and relentless pursuit of it to the end of time. That s it! That s what God is found doing through all the passion, prose and poetry. And that s exactly what God was and is doing in the person and event of Jesus Christ. Until we can read the broader stories of Adam and Eve, of Abraham and Sarah, of David and Bathsheba, Mary, Peter and Judas, as our own story, we have not yet understood it. The Bible is a book not just about them but about us, our own betrayals, battles and blessings, how we are at the same time crook and crusader, saint and sinner, all forgiven by the good grace of God. It is as surely our story as it is the narrative of the Jewish people and the early Christian Church. And because it is our story, it beckons us to look closely with our mouths wide open with a sense of wonder and appreciation for all the things God has done and is doing in and among us. If what you are looking for in the Bible is magic, I suppose there are stories where you might look at it that way (Balaam s talking donkey, Joshua s sun standing still, or the feeding of 5,000). If, on the other hand, what you are looking for is a way to see these stories as something that relates to your life, that speaks to your complex spiritual journey, then rest assured that that message is there for those who want to see it (let the reader understand that not everyone does). The biblical record comprised over time has been wonderfully preserved for our reading. I, for one, respect and love it enough to want to give it my finest attention and faithful following. Pastor Jim

3 APRIL 2018 Birthdays & Anniversaries 1 st Easter Sunday Jen Beda 2 nd Nelson & Ruth VanDeursen 3 rd Mike & Allyson Duwe 4 th Helen Townsend Julia Malicki 6 th Arnie Bolin Terry Simeone 8 th Jay Christgau Ken Perry 9 th Peter & Ruth Johnson 11 th Hannah Loew 12 th Carrie Spencer 15 th Andy Kerecman Ken Carlson 16 th Gary Buchert Wiley Miller 18 th Ron Winter 20 th Joni Hensley 28 th Paul Kulas Don & Lois Osborn 29 th Ty & Becky Prigge April 1 st April 8 th April 15 th April 22 nd April 29 th April 1 st April 8 th April 15 th April 22 nd April 29 th Darrell and Betty Clough Bruce and Shirley Meriwether Pete and Ruth Johnson Glen and Cindy Wildenberg Harold and Joanne Eick Mike Duwe Dillon Duwe Tom and Deloris Zimmerman Paul Newberg Ruth Johnson Bob and Mary Anderson Maggie Wolf Joni Hensley Dillon Duwe Ken Carlson Stephanie Miesbauer Pete Johnson Harold Eick

4 From the Church Office... COMMUNION The Sacrament of Holy Communion will be observed at the worship service April 8, COUNCIL MEETING Church Council meets Tuesday, April 10, at 7 p.m. in the Conference Room. Prior to the Council meeting, CE Department meets at 5:45; Elder and Worship/Music Departments meet at 6 p.m. Watch the Sunday bulletin for announcements of when other departments or committees meet. MAUNDY THURSDAY Service on Maundy Thursday (March 29) will be at 7 p.m. There will be no Good Friday service, however the sanctuary will be available all day for prayer. EASTER SUNDAY Easter Sunday schedule on April 1, will be the same as last year: Sunrise service at Boulder Lake Boat Landing 6:30 a.m. Easter Breakfast in Fellowship Hall 7:30 a.m. Easter Worship Service 9:00 a.m. FLOWERS The chart for donating flowers for worship has traditionally been posted on the bulletin board next to the office. At their meeting last month, Worship and Music Department decided to move the chart to the table in Fellowship Hall. You can sign up to provide flowers for the worship service in celebration of special events, in memorial of a loved one, or simply to add a bit of color to the worship service. AND SPEAKING OF FLOWERS... There will be the usual sign-up sheets in the narthex for signing up for Easter lilies in honor or memory of loved one(s). Also for Easter breakfast. SAVE THE DATE Spring is here and the all church Strawberry Social to be held on Tuesday, July 17th is getting closer. Please get this date on your calendars! THANK YOU To Community Church of Boulder Junction: Our humble words cannot express to all of you for your thoughts, prayers, cards, notes, letters, flowers and even a cuddly Teddy Bear during my seven month disaster. The delicious meals that graced our home were unbelievable, from yummy soups, casseroles, chicken, beef, and pork, plus scrumptious desserts, homemade rolls and various breads. A crowning gesture came when Shirley Meriwether and Joyce Marquardt presented me with a beautiful hand knitted blue shawl, made by someone s loving hands from Community Church. I would like to know who knit it, and I personally would like to thank her. My closing thoughts are these: yesterday is the past, tomorrow a mystery, today is a gift. The greatest gift God gave me was to be a member of Community Church. I will forever treasure our memories. Again, many thanks. Anita & Ned Pierce UPDATE ON DAVID This is the last update I will be writing. It has been six months since David went to India for the stem cell procedure for his MS. Right after Christmas, Pete and I saw him in North Carolina where he lives. Jen gave him a drone for Christmas. He was showing us how it worked. He said it would follow him. He ran across the empty lot we were in. We have not seen him run in probably twenty years. It was just the fact that he could run. Again, I say thank you to all the people who have contributed to his cause and prayed for him. He is a miracle. He is coming back to see all of you sometime this summer. He wants you to see how he has progressed. PS: I asked Jennifer how she thought he was doing, she said he has not had any MS symptoms since he came home in August. Ruth Johnson TREASURER S REPORT Income Expense February $ 14, $ 15, Fiscal Year to Date $202, $147,271.66

5 Christian Education / Youth In preparation for the celebration of Jesus resurrection on Easter Sunday, the Y.E.S. kids planted Resurrection Gardens. In a simple, yet meaningful way, they are a wonderful representation of Jesus suffering on the cross, but also His glorious resurrection for our eternal salvation. The kids will be able to roll the stone away, witnessing the empty tomb and experiencing the joy of what Jesus has done for each one of us! Covenant Point Bible Camp representatives, Kennedy and Zoe, recently visited with the children and youth of CCBJ. They expressed extreme excitement about camp activities and the fun in store for all participants. More importantly, they shared how great camp is for spiritual growth and drawing closer to the Lord. Simple suppers continue to be a wonderful way for fellowship with one another. Many members or groups have pitched in to host an evening, coordinating food preparation, setup and cleanup of fellowship hall, and genuinely creating a spirit of hospitality. Thank You to all it s a beautiful thing!

6 Upcoming C.E. events Please watch bulletin for additional details 5/20 Confirmation Sunday 5/30 Y.E.S. concludes for this academic year 2018 Generations of Growth Like many of you I ve been stuck at times in my life. The most intense times of stuckness (yup, that s a word where I come from) usually involved extreme conditions like excessive snow, mud, or ruts from an agricultural plow. I ll never forget the time when I was 10 years old and I buried my dad s 150 HP farm tractor, trying to cross the creek in the back 40. Luckily, our neighbor owned an excavating business and was able to pull us out with his 375 HP end loader. What s better is the only payment he would accept was a few freshly butchered chickens and steaks from the farms latest slaughter. What a neighbor! Another time I was really stuck was when I buried my friends truck while mudding during lunch hour as a junior in high school. No big deal we just skipped our afternoon classes and fortunately a kind soul helped us out after a few hours. I honestly think it was just to show that his truck was tougher than my buddies. We thought we would escape punishment upon returning to school, but it s pretty hard to hide the mud covered truck when pulling into the parking lot. Would you believe the Associate Principal wasn t born yesterday? Lesson learned! In fact, as some of you will likely relate to, I was stuck several times this past week pulling a dear friends ice shanties off the lake. Still plenty of snow and slush on the lake to make our efforts count in ways we had not anticipated. Good news the shanties made it to dry land! But the kind of stuck I m referring to regarding our theme Generations of Growth is about the first 3 months of actions. I m stuck on the idea for us to PRAY, CONNECT, and SHARE. Already when I wrote last month s newsletter, I was suspicious of this happening. I m stuck on this cycle of PRAY-ing, CONNECT-ing, and SHARE-ing. Why? Because it represents a beautiful pattern of generational growth in any church or home, especially ours. There is no testimony more impactful than a life lived for Jesus and willingly sharing it with those around us, especially our younger generation. So for the rest of the year, as far as I can tell, the CE portion of the newsletter will give examples and testimonies of how this is or could happen in our midst. Be encouraged it s your time to PRAY, CONNECT, and SHARE! You ve probably heard this story before, but it is a great reminder of how important YOUR efforts are: I heard a story of a young man whose dad said to him, Let s go fishing. They sat all day long and didn t catch a thing. Years later, the man was going through his journal and found a journal of his son. This dad had written in his journal on that day that he took his son fishing, Didn t catch a thing; a whole day wasted. He opened the journal to the same day and saw his son s entry. It read Spent the whole day with my dad greatest day of my life. Remember EVERY EFFORT MATTERS! What are you giving your Time, Talents, and Treasures to? Invest in others, especially the youth you will never regret it! Love and Abundant Blessings to each and every one of you!!!

7 Meet Our New Member Luella Doss Born in Champaign, IL, of Dean and Viola McCartney, with sister Patricia Ann and brother Eddie. I loved growing up on a farm near White Heath. There I learned to cook and sew and tend my angus calves. Our community of caring Centerville Methodist Church was the center of our lives, along with a close-knit extended family scattered throughout Piatt Co. Our family believed in lovingly serving God and did so. I remember a quilt always being in a frame in the attached community building where we had Sunday School classes. Little did I know that the presence of that quilt would have so much impact on my life. In June of 1963, I took my first train ride to Boulder Junction, WI. My HS best friend, Jane Reed, had invited me to her folk s cabin on Trout Lake. Her cousin, Jud Doss, came over to take us fishing, when I caught my first musky! (At this time Jud was employed by the Wilsies at Aqualand.) Seven years later, Jud and I married, and two years later, we gave birth to our son Dwight Brian, who now resides in Colorado. Since 1973, our family lived in Grafton,WI where we attended the Community Methodist Church in Cedarburg. We were often in the Northwoods, enjoying Boulder Junction. Jud served our nation as a federal employee and I was a mom and quilting teacher. I noticed that when a woman created a quilt, her life changed forever. I saw the Grace of God there and decided to dedicate my life energy to this dynamic expression. Jud succumbed to invasive bladder cancer April 4, Privileged and honored to be a member of Community Church of Boulder Junction, thank you for accepting me in my new Home. (if desired, please Google :Luella Doss to learn about her quilts,etc.)

8 Pastoral Search The last few weeks have been very busy for the Pastoral Search Committee. After the committee met almost weekly since August of last year, and lots of prayers were offered for God s direction, things heated up and started to move quickly in February and March. In early February, we held phone/skype meetings with the three candidates that we thought were the best fit for our congregation. As a result of those conversations, all committee members present felt strongly led by God to pursue Pastor Scott Jorgenson. On February 18, three Search Committee members journeyed to Hudson, WI for a visit to Scott Jorgenson s current church, First Baptist Church. We were greeted by a very friendly congregation who had no idea who we were. All three of us enjoyed his soft-spoken, Biblical preaching. After a tour of the historic church, we had lunch with Pastor Scott and his wife Lisa and were drawn to their warm, welcoming personalities. After a long conversation on the way back home, we passed on to the committee our strengthened opinion that this is the person to whom God has been leading us. The decision was unanimous. Through conversations with Pastor Scott, we settled on the weekend of March 9-11 for them to visit Boulder Junction and for Pastor Scott to preach a sermon on Sunday. On March 4, we held an informational meeting with the congregation to update everyone on our progress and encourage them all to attend worship and the meeting afterwards on March 11. Scott s whole family, including their two daughters and fiancé, spent the weekend getting familiar with our community and enjoying fellowship with us. A special congregational meeting after church resulted in a 74-4 vote in favor of issuing a call to Pastor Scott Jorgenson. For the next week, we began stepping through the hoops that are necessary before extending a call. The call is underway. Dillon Duwe Sue Fehlandt Joni Hensley Jim Hornbrook Mindy Poisson Don Pollard Lorine Walters Karla Westphal