April 2016 SOUP & BAKE SALE

Transcription

1 The Good News April 2016 St. Paul United Church of Christ Mound Road Warren MI / Worship Service Sunday, 10 am Office Hours: M-Th, 9am-1pm SOUP & BAKE SALE Betty Wolgast & Sue Regier Spring, what a fabulous season! It brings us so many beautiful things, especially Easter, and of course, the RUMMAGE, SOUP & BAKE SALE. It was scheduled for March, but, being a very busy month, it was rescheduled for April 23. Sorry you were not able to buy an Easter dress or suit for the occasion, but Mother s and Father s Day are right around the corner. Joking aside, we do get in some beautiful clothing. We are again going to set up the room for Rummage Prime, special treasures. The schedule is: Wednesday, April 13 7:00 pm Set up tables/racks in large dining room Saturday, April 16 9:00 am Chain Gang Monday, April 18, Tuesday, April 19 & Wednesday, April 20 9:00 am Sorting Wednesday, April 20 9:00 am Soup Making** Thursday, April 21 6:00 pm Prepare the bread for baking Friday, April 22 8:30 am Bread baking Saturday, April 23 BIG SALE Arrive early to prepare for early bird sale 8:00 am-9:00 am $1 admission 9:00 am-2:00 pm Free admission 2:00 pm-3:00 pm Fill a grocery paper bag for $2 Please keep this schedule in a handy spot where it will remind you of the much needed help we need for the sale! Don t forget to make your most delicious desserts for the bake sale! **Soup will be made for the Sale Day lunch and customers. On May 11, Diane and her helpers will again be making their delicious soup for all of you. She will be taking orders ($6 per quart, $3 per pint).

2 Page 2 Erich Regier Consistory met on March 8. The Interim Pastor search continues and we are moving forward. This is taking longer than we all want, but trying to find a half-time time pastor is proving difficult. We do have some ideas and plan to move forward. More should develop in the coming weeks. The Parsonage sale has been completed. We closed on Friday, March 11. The church received the check and after all parties received their percentage (realtors), the church received a check for $125, This will help in replenishing our funds used for the roof of the church. This will also help in the coming months and years for any other items that need updating or repairing. The Community Dinners continue to be a great success. The food and friends have been wonderful. Our group continues to grow. We had a good week doing the Warming Center. Food and company were great. Thank you all who put a lot of time and effort into helping others who are not as blessed as us. Unfortunately, sometimes we need to step back and take a hard look at things and decide if we can continue doing what we want to do. It was not a very easy decision, but looking at how much work and time goes into the Warming Center, it was decided that it might be best if we put our effort into helping other churches with the Warming Center. We can always revisit the idea of hosting the Warming Center in the future. We had a wonderful Easter. Thank you to Pastors Jacquie Patt and Paul Kuntzman for their services. We are truly grateful for their help during our interim search. As always if you have any questions on the pastoral search or anything else, please feel free to let me know.

3 Page 3 Dear Members of St. Paul UCC, Brandon Ebel An interesting article came in the mail recently that contained a lot of great information. "College behind bars: An old idea with new energy," is the name of the article. From that, I want to share with you these new developing statistics. The national prison rate of return is a staggering 68 percent within three years of release. Those who participate in any kind of educational program are 43 percent less likely to reoffend. Even greater than that, prisoners who are able to take college courses have a return rate of less than 5 percent! The simple equation is, education equals opportunities. Not that my fire ever went out, but all of this ignites my flames to lift higher. I'm in a great position to be able to reach and teach many and lower that rate of youth returning to prison. This all definitely assures me of what is possible beyond this barbwire. As another semester approaches, I look forward to teaching the Introduction to Business class I've developed. I'm just in my element when I'm on this subject and it is one most youth are very intrigued by. When I start my class, I give the students routes they can go in the broad world of business. I love this piece out of the book, "The 4-Hour Work Week," that really opens their mind. It is great and really brings a new way of thinking toward business and what the real goal is. I'll write it here as well, I hope you enjoy it. Here s an excerpt from 'Mini-Retirement' chapter: A businessman took a vacation to a small coastal Mexican village on doctor's orders. Unable to sleep after an urgent phone call from the office the first morning, he walked out to the pier to clear his head. A small boat with just one fisherman had docked, and inside the boat were several yellow fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of the fish. "How long did it take you to catch them? the American asked. Only a little while." The Mexican replied. "Why don't you stay out longer and catch more fish?" the American then asked. "I have enough to support my family and give a few to friends," the Mexican said as he unloaded them into a basket. "But...what do you do with the rest of your time?" The Mexican looked up and smiled. "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, Julia, and stroll into the village each evening, where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life senor." The American laughed and stood tall. "Sir, I'm a Harvard M.B.A and can help you. You should spend more time fishing, and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. In no time, you could buy several boats with the increased haul. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats." He continued, "instead of selling your catch to middlemen, you would directly sell to the consumers, eventually opening your own Camry. You would control the product, processing, and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal village, of course, and move to Mexico City, then to Los Angeles, and eventually New York City, where you could run your expanding enterprise with proper management." The Mexican fisherman asked, "But senor, how long will all this take?" To which the American replied,"15-20 years. 25 tops." But then what senor?" The American laughed and said, "That's the best part. When the time is right, you will announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You would make millions." Millions senor, then what?" "Then you would retire and move to a small coastal fishing village, where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, and stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play guitar with your amigos..."

4 Page 4 APRIL 3 Rev Jacquie Patt 10 Rev Paul Kuntzman 17 Nan Schrier 24 Gail Popyk APRIL 3 Dick Schuster 10 Gail Popyk 17 Darcy Sufnar 24 Joyce Karner FREE April 6, :30-6:30 pm Gail Popyk It is with great pride (pun definitely intended) that we announce that St. Paul UCC is participating in Ferndale Pride this year on Saturday, June 4 on 9 Mile Rd. in Ferndale. Our participation is made possible by partnership not only with Trinity-St. Mark s as in previous years, but with Salem United Church of Christ, a new partner in this venture. One of our members, Bonnie Meek-Miller, is an associate minister at Salem, who has helped to make this partnership possible. Bonnie graduates from seminary on June 4 (yes, the same day as Pride!) and we look forward to seeing more of her and her partner, Loretta thereafter. We also hope that our partner church from previous years, the First Congregational Church of Rochester, will also participate in Pride this year, but are still awaiting a definitive answer from them. Both Salem and Trinity St. Mark s are extremely enthusiastic about their presence in Pride and will provide individuals to staff the booth, as will we. Team and congregation members from St. Paul UCC are encouraged to join us in the fun of meeting individuals to spread the good news about Christ and St. Paul by spending time staffing the booth at Pride. If you have an interest in doing so, please just let one of us know. You need not stay for a full two hour shift. Pride is open from noon until 8:00 pm, although booths are frequently taken down at 6:00 pm. You are also encouraged to circulate through Pride rather than staff the booth to see the various vendors, which are retailers, non-profits and restaurants, as Michael and Stacey DeMarco did last year. As in previous years, we at the booth will also be distributing bottled water, rainbow book marks, maps to St. Paul, and temporary rainbow tattoos (get that sponge ready, Dick!). We will display our St. Paul feather flag as well as the UCC Detroit Metropolitan Association flag, but in addition Salem has some neat ideas for some new rainbow flags for all partnering churches. As in past years, we plan to share all major costs among the participating churches. Come join us in the fun!

5 Page 5 Please Pray For Madeleine Goldstein Andrew Schwartz Matt Sufnar Ruthie Kuntzman Vigna Family Reva Prosnitz Linda Samulski Geri Thatcher St. Paul UCC New Beginnings Process SPUCC Community Supper Those Serving our Country Washington Decision Makers Michigan s People & Economy People Who Seek/Need a Community of Faith Safety for People of the World Seminarians and Members in Discernment PFLAG/Ruth Ellis Center The Warming Center Sacred Conversations on Race Middle Eastern Conflict & Refugees Flint Water Crisis Detroit Public Schools Cancer Bonnie Fagon Barbara Delmoral Shirley Jean Donna Eugene Hardy Lynn Tom Carol Anna Nancy Lillian Howard Dubois Irene Marian (Bendik) Yaeger Hannah Aunt Debbie Rachel James Karen Powell Mary Fritz Sandra Smith Shirene Cece-Clements Helen Szylak We continually strive to keep our prayer lists updated. If you know someone on this list, please take a moment and let Barbara Stephens or Cindy Weiler know how they are doing. New additions will be lifted up during our community prayer time in worship. Each Monday, updated copies will be available on the black countertop. Emergency requests will continue to be called down the prayer chain as they are received. The names on our Cancer list is ongoing. The names on our Please Pray For list will remain on for one month. If a name is removed and you would like it to continue on the list, please let Maria know. Mable Adamson Evangelical Homes Shoreline Dr Sterling Heights MI Marilyn Dopp (HOSPICE) Evangelical Homes Shoreline Dr Sterling Heights MI Esther Hornyak Sanctuary of the Abbey E 12 Mile Rd Warren MI Ruth MacRae Walton Woods at Main 1401 N Rochester Rochester Hills MI Wally Paczkowski Garfield, Apt 115 Clinton Twp MI Virginia Park Sunrise of Troy 6870 Crooks Rd, #224 Troy MI Joan Pinegar River Rd Warren MI Anne Pyciak Cherrywood Nursing Ctr Mile Rd, C204-2 Sterling Hgts MI Mae St Clair Hayes, #108 Clinton Twp MI Dorothy Zink Hope Landing Assisted Living 1252 North Cochran Charlotte MI 48813

6 Page 6 DMA 2016 Spring Association Meeting Working for the Good of All April 16th, :00 AM-3:00 PM Keynote Speaker Aku Budu-Watkins (Human Rights Advocate, Shrine of the Black Madonna, UCC Detroit) $20 per adult and $5 per youth (Registration and Continental Breakfast 8:00-9:00 AM) Mayflower Congregational United Church of Christ 7301 Curtis, Detroit, MI UCC Women of Metro-Detroit Spring Meeting Sat, April 23rd, :00 AM-2:00 PM Plymouth UCC 600 E Warren, Detroit, MI Marge Murrell WARMING CENTER WEEK FEBRUARY 2016 Our Warming Center week was from Feb. 21 through the morning of Feb. 28 and it went quite well with the census going from a low of 65 guests to a high of 87 guests. The only unusual event we had was that one gentleman missed a step and fell all the way down the stairs to the lower level and scared us to death. Somehow he was not injured and was back the next night just fine. That was the first time in the seven years we have hosted the Warming Center that anyone has fallen that way. After the Warming Center week was completed, I had a discussion with the kitchen staff and others and it was decided that it has become too exhausting for us to continue to host the Warming Center. Our stamina is just not what it used to be when we started in We will be glad to help other churches who continue to host it next year as we are able and continue to support the Macomb County Warming Center organization. Any money we have left over from what we raised this year for our Warming Center week, will be forwarded to them to use as needed in their continuing operation. It is with regret that we have reached this decision because we loved doing it and the guests were always grateful and great to interact with, but as we said in the New Beginnings process, there are some things we will have to cease doing, even if the event is close to our heart. Thank you to all the volunteers who helped over the years and to the people who contributed money and/or food goods. We could never have hosted the seven times without you! Also, thank you to Troop (First Presbyterian Church of Mt. Clemens) for their generous donation of socks from their Rock Your Socks Off fundraiser.

7 Page 7 If you remember the story, you will remember how good the soup tasted when everyone contributed something to the pot. That is still true today when we make our famous soup, it is only good because everyone helps. Maybe you are not able to help on soup making day, but there is another way to help you can donate to the cost of the ingredients. This is a great way to increase our profit. Any amount is appreciated and Diane will do all the shopping. Put your donation in an envelope and give it to Diane. Let s make this the best soup ever! Sue Regier April 3 Mary Fritz 6 Richard Weiler 10 Janet Kolman 11 Darcy Sufnar 13 Gail Popyk 23 Krystal Wolgast 26 Mable Adamson 28 Dayton Regier This includes: Barbara Stephens April is National Volunteer Month when people are recognized for their outstanding caring about their community. St. Paul fits that quite well! To make that happen, we have so many members who give and give faithfully, not only in love offerings, but with their time and talents. Preparing for morning worship with music and song. Cleaning, fixing and keeping up the church and grounds throughout the week. Caring about those who are in need of food, gas, and baby items. Getting ready to do Community Dinners on the first Wednesday of every month. Sorting items and making soup, baking bread, etc. for the Rummage Sales. Serving the less fortunate at the Warming Center, which we have done for several years. A very warm experience for us all. Remembering and praying for all our shut-ins. We also lift up people who are in need of prayers each Sunday. Ministering in Prison. ALL these things I have spoken to, plus many more, takes YOU (each and every one of YOU) who give so much to our church and community. You are all very special people of God.

8 Page 8 He works miracles. He's got a better idea. He's the real thing. Good to the very last drop. You're in good hands with Him. He cares enough to send His very best. He gets the stains out others leave behind. He brings good things to life. Try Him, you'll like Him. He has everything. He's ready when you are. Aren't you glad you have Him? Don't you wish everybody did? Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet nor ice will keep Him from His appointed destination. The heart beat of America. He s the quicker picker upper. He can handle the tough jobs and He won't fall apart on you. He holds through all kinds of weather.