April Volume 31, Issue 4

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Emily McKenzie
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1 April 2018 Volume 31, Issue 4

com, you ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.

2 C h u r c h H a p p e n i n g s Amazon Smile NO HASSLE DONATION WHEN YOU SHOP WITH AMAZON SMILE. What is AmazonSmile? AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to Fort Myers Congregational UCC. How do I shop at AmazonSmile? To shop at AmazonSmile, simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device. You may also want to add a bookmark to smile.amazon.com to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile. Can I use my existing Amazon.com account on AmazonSmile? Yes, you use the same account on Amazon.com and AmazonSmile. Your shopping cart, Wish List, wedding or baby registry, and other account settings are also the same. How do I select a charitable organization to support when shopping on AmazonSmile? On your first visit to AmazonSmile smile.amazon.com, you need to select Fort Myers Congregational UCC to receive donations from eligible purchases before you begin shopping. We will remember your selection, and then every eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.com will result in a donation. What a simple way to increase your giving to the church! Fellowship Committee Fellowship Committee will be meeting at 6pm on April 4, 2018 at 6pm in the Library. Knitter s Group We will not be gathering until the Fall. Just keep knitting over the summer! Nominating Update to the Congregation The Nominating Committee consisting of Nancy Rohde, Terri Crawford and Sandy Blackington, will continue to meet and to work with the committees, especially Deacons, to develop a full committee. As persons are identified to serve on various committees those names will be taken to Church Council for ratification. At this time, we are not filling either the Media Committee or the Health and Wellness Committee. The Media work is being done by Deanna Fisher and Jeff Trout on an Ad Hoc basis. The Health and Wellness Committee has recommended that we not fill that committee and wait to determine if there is a call for this committee as we move forward. NR Welcome baby Rebholz Congratulations to Pastor Dave and Barb Bucey who b e c a m e f i r s t t i m e grandparents on Tuesday, March 27, Malachi David Rebholz was born at 1:41pm to Jordan and Bobby Rebholz. He weighed 5lbs. 13oz. and is 20 inches long. Grandma is there spoiling Malachi already. I n s i d e t h i s I s s u e Church Happenings... page 2 Missions Board... page 3 Christian Education Welcome Center UCC Women... page 4 UCC Women Book Discussion Lunch Bunch Reading for Renewal Report Florida UCC Women s Annual Conference L.I.F.E... page 5 Thank You April Calendar... page 6 Sunday Servants... page 7 2

Board of Missions - Love Your Neighbor We ve had a bountiful month. Abundant Grace was delighted with the response to their socks and t-shirts drive from our church. They have said, Keep them coming.

Abundant Grace is so grateful for the work we do for the community they serve.

Abundant Grace and McGregor Clinic Christian Education Ministries We are so excited to begin a new year with our new members to the Board of Christian Education.

3 Board of Missions - Love Your Neighbor We ve had a bountiful month. Abundant Grace was delighted with the response to their socks and t-shirts drive from our church. They have said, Keep them coming. Socks and t-shirts can be nearly new or still in the wrappers. They accept both. Let s also not forget to sign up to bake, serve and transport food on the Wednesdays we assist them in their outreach. Abundant Grace is so grateful for the work we do for the community they serve. Vienna Sausages are collected all year for the McGregor Clinic and the drop off is in the Vienna Sausage box located in the Green Corner. Abundant Grace and McGregor Clinic Christian Education Ministries We are so excited to begin a new year with our new members to the Board of Christian Education. We look forward to networking with the congregation and listening to what offerings interest you and your friends. Please contact a member of our committee or contact the church office and communicate your ideas. We can t wait to hear from you! are on our year long donation list, so think of them when out shopping or cleaning drawers. Over $1,000 additional funds have been collected for the convent in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, and the money has been sent. The need is still so great in Puerto Rico that donations will continue to be accepted and sent to the convent. We thank the wonderful members of our church for their generosity. We welcome two new members to the Missions Board, Barb Bucey and Jean Carguilo. This rounds out our wonderful team and we will continue to do the best we can for FMCUCC. Welcome Center For those of you that have been coming for some time, you may have noticed a few changes in how we do things. Check out that big podium-like desk located out in the foyer. Some of you thought this was a Concierge Desk to book a hotel stay or a place to order various beverages, but no, it is our new Welcome Center. If you have worked the Welcome Center before you will notice a few changes in the current process. Don t be alarmed! We have a well-documented tutorial in place, which we prefer you review prior to working the Welcome Center. If you are interested in welcoming our visitors, please reach out to Eddie Stahl at eddiestahl@bellsouth.net or Jennifer Paul (Co-chair) Catalina Torres (Co-chair) Barbara O'Neil Karen Kelley Doreen Johnstone Bill Taylor April 1 st (Easter) Visitor Welcome Table Schedule Carol Downing Eddie Stahl April 8 th Tom Miller Eddie Stahl April 15 th April 22 nd April 29 th Ann Brockelman Carol Downing Deanna Fisher

U C C W o m e n The UCC Women s group at Ft. Myers Congregational United Church of Christ meets all year. All women are invited to join UCC Women for whatever activities appeal to you.

com B ook D iscussion G roup: Meetings of the UCC Women are held monthly (except December) on the third Thursday, 6:00 p.m. Dinner and discussion based on books from The Florida UCC Women s Reading for Renewal Book List and other titles will be shared.

4 U C C W o m e n The UCC Women s group at Ft. Myers Congregational United Church of Christ meets all year. All women are invited to join UCC Women for whatever activities appeal to you. If you have questions, suggestions or comments, please contact our President Barb Coons at or at kayebarb3344@gmail.com B ook D iscussion G roup: Meetings of the UCC Women are held monthly (except December) on the third Thursday, 6:00 p.m. Dinner and discussion based on books from The Florida UCC Women s Reading for Renewal Book List and other titles will be shared. Women are encouraged to borrow or purchase a copy of the book to be discussed and read it prior to the dinner (some copies are in the Church Library and the Lee County Library System has most of the titles). Even if you haven t had a chance to read the book, come for the lively discussions and fellowship. Please sign up on the UCC Women s Bulletin Board in Fellowship Hall. April 19 th The Perfect Horse: The Daring U.S. Mission to Rescue the Priceless Stallions Kidnapped by the Nazis by Elizabeth Letts. This meeting will also include a discussion of community agencies to receive donations this year and possible programs for the upcoming year. May 17 th Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger L unch B unch Meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 12:00 noon. Join us for a meal along with informal fellowship, conversation, and programs. Please sign up on the UCC Women s Bulletin Board in the Fellowship Hall. For the summer months, lunch will be held at area restaurants. April 10 th - April 10 is Salad Lunch, Part II - at the church. If you did not bring a salad in March, please sign up and plan to bring your favorite salad for the April lunch. Those who brought salads in March should sign up to enjoy the many kinds of salads brought this month. A discussion of community agencies to receive donations this year and possible programs for the upcoming year will be held. May 8 th to be determined. 4 R e a ding for Renewal Re p o r t s The time is approaching for us to complete a report and submit it to Florida UCC Women. If you read even one book on the Reading for Renewal List, please complete a record sheet and put it in the UCC Women s box in the office or leave it on the desk in the Library. Blank copies of the record sheet are in the hanging rack on the end of the Reading for Renewal Shelf in the Library. Please turn in your sheet by Sunday, April 8. F l o r i d a UCC Women s A n n u al Co n f e r e n c e M ay 4-6 The Annual Conference of the Florida UCC Women will be held May 4 6 at the Chateau Elan Hotel and Conference Center in Sebring. More information is on the UCC Women s Bulletin Board. Join other UCC Women for a weekend of fellowship, worship and programs with the theme Planting Seeds. During the conference we will plant seeds as we explore ideas for expanding the activities and actions we are offering in our churches throughout the state. A few of the planned presentation topics are: Community Justice Action; Storytelling and White Consciousness. There will also be time at the conference for socializing, recognition and celebration of Lay Woman of the Year, meal sharing, friendship building and fun! The mission study topic for , Haiti, will be introduced. The guest speaker will be from the Be Like Brit Foundation, Inc. The foundation s mission: Our commitment is to continue the compassion of Britney Gengel by serving the children of Haiti through sustaining a safe, nurturing home rooted in the virtues of Faith, Hope and Love while developing a sense of social responsibility, community involvement and unconditional love. Service project donations will be collected for the foundation. All Florida UCC women are welcome to attend the conference. The conference is scheduled for May 4 6, 2018 at Chateau Elan in Sebring. Registration and forms are on the UCC Women s Bulletin Board. If you have questions, please contact Registrar Barb C o o n s, o r kayebarb3344@aol.com.

Many left the Nehemiah Action upset our officials were not in attendance.

5 L. I. F. E. Nehemiah Action Follow-Up Report Action: April 17** Fort Myers UCC had a strong delegation at the LIFE Nehemiah Action held at St. Columbkille Church on March 20 (over 10% of the 716 people who attended). The next step is to bring every available Justice Ministry person to an upcoming Lee County Commission meeting on April 17. Many left the Nehemiah Action upset our officials were not in attendance. Well, when Commissioner Frank Mann takes the Children's Service Council (CSC) proposal to the commission we will be there to show our support; all of us standing for our children. Brothers and Sisters: big things are happening. Since the Nehemiah Action not only has Commissioner Hamman agreed to meet with us to discuss a Children's Service Council, but Commissioner Mann has placed The CSC on the agenda of the April 17 Board of County Commissioners meeting. And on Easter weekend Governor Scott signed a Civil Citations Bill! On Tuesday, April 17th the Children's Service Council will go before the Lee County Commission for a vote. We still do not have enough votes for it to pass and this hearing will be our opportunity to let our voices be heard. The County Commissioners were not at our Nehemiah Action so we are bringing our action to them. You are invited and encouraged to join us on Tuesday, April 17th. Members of LIFE congregations will gather outside the old courthouse at 2120 Main Street Fort Myers, FL at 8:45 in the morning for a rally before the 9:30 meeting. Those from our church who wish to carpool will meet at FMCUCC at 8:00 a.m. and leave the church parking lot at about 8:15 a.m. If you have a desire to speak at the County Commission meeting or if you have questions contact our Team Leaders: Jim Boler, John Rohde, Lyn Pegg, John Pegg, Evie Lawrence, Cliff Lawrence or Pastor Dave. A B o l d T H A N K Y O U! As we begin our new fiscal and leadership year here at FMCUCC, it is fitting to extend a message of gratitude to those who served as Board Chairs and are now stepping down from that post. Thank you, John Rohde, for serving for two years as Chair of the Board of Finance. You have stepped down from that post, but you remain a valuable member of the Board. We hope this gives you time to pursue other interests such as Disaster Response and social justice projects! Thank you, Gara Kreider, for serving as Chair of the Board of Missions. You will remain on that Board, amidst demanding work responsibilities and growing family responsibilities. Thank you, Lynne Holden, for serving as Chair of the Personnel Board for five of your six year tenure on the Board. So much has occurred in those years! There were changes in the Parish Nurse Position and Nursery Attendant position, retirement of our Office Manager and Music Director, hiring a new Office Manager, and the search for and hiring of our Music Director. All of this was addressed and handled by our Personnel Board with your leadership. And, those are the very visible accomplishments there are more! But, now you will give attention to Education, both youth and adult. You are an Educator and 5 Administrator, and a seasoned Minister. Those treasures of talent are destined to be interwoven into good things for our church. We are looking forward, with you, to what is next. And, thank you Deanna Fisher, for serving as Chair of the Board of Deacons for five of your six year tenure on that Board. Most recently, you and the Board have worked to call transition Pastors, implemented and integrated changes brought about by each and every one, and attended to the usual Deacon responsibilities. Much of your leadership was conducted from faraway places, as you travelled with husband Roger, which you managed all by internet and cell phone as service was available. One interest of yours has been our FMCUCC Website, to which you have given increasing attention in the past few years. You will now give leadership to our Media and will continue to work on our FMCUCC website to keep it crisp, inviting and an effective face of FMCUCC. We hope you enjoy being able to focus on this ongoing project as you strive to market FMCUCC!

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A p r i l S u n d a y S e r v a n t s Date Time Ushers Anne Peiffer

Tuberosa 239-267-9823 Coffee Hosts Freda Cooper* 239-433-0250 Door

239-482-1892 1 10:00 AM Ron Dillman Adam Schaub Doreen Johnstone

10:00 AM 15 10:00 AM 22 10:00 AM Ron Dillman Doreen Johnstone Tony

Stahl Ron Dillman Jeff Trout Doug Stewart Peter Challen David

Challen Gulf Coast Sandy Boler HealthPark Joyce Judas 29 10:00 AM

7 A p r i l S u n d a y S e r v a n t s Date Time Ushers Anne Peiffer Head Usher: Riva Wharton Liturgist Joan Tuberosa Coffee Hosts Freda Cooper* Door Openers Deanna Fisher* Hospital Visitors Anne Peiffer :00 AM Ron Dillman Adam Schaub Doreen Johnstone Mary Ellen Parker Sharon Tilbe Mary Ellen Parker Ellen Barton 8 10:00 AM 15 10:00 AM 22 10:00 AM Ron Dillman Doreen Johnstone Tony & Ann Brockelman Bev Cramer Gabe Spuckes Willie Middleton Eddie Stahl Ron Dillman Jeff Trout Doug Stewart Peter Challen David Minnick John Clark Pegg Eddie Stahl March Lee Memorial Peter Challen Gulf Coast Sandy Boler HealthPark Joyce Judas 29 10:00 AM Ron Dillman Malcolm Youngquist David & Alicia Shaw Berneda Taylor HealthPark Hospice Tom Poe 7

8 FT. MYERS CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 8210 College Parkway Ft. Myers, Fl RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED To everyone at the home of: THE MINISTRY All in this community of faith who seek to follow the Way of Jesus. Rev. David K. Bucey, Pastor Cell phone: Lisa Riehl, Office Manager Cezar Muñoz, Music Director Thad Goodwin, Organist Linda Fairleigh, Accompanist Laura Wunderly, Financial Coordinator Custodian Church Telephone: Fax: Website: Church Facebook: Myers Congregations UCC 8 OUR PURPOSE We are a growing and inclusive congregation alive with inspirational worship and life-changing outreach.

Fort. Myers. Pilgrim. LIVE GENEROUSLY Be ready! Look for it! It s coming!

Fort. Myers. Pilgrim. LIVE GENEROUSLY Be ready! Look for it! It s coming! Fort Myers Pilgrim I n t r o d u c i n g o u r s t e w a rd s h i p t h e m e f o r 2 0 1 8 LIVE GENEROUSLY Be ready! Look for it! It s coming! Do you remember the questions you asked as a child or the