GOOD NEWS. I was just looking around my office and noticing the stuff hanging on its walls and I realized how much the church is part of my history.

Transcription

1 GOOD NEWS Congregational United Church of Christ M ay 2017 I was just looking around my office and noticing the stuff hanging on its walls and I realized how much the church is part of my history. There s a wooden cross my grandmother gave me when I was ordained in There s a little knit church a parishioner gave me when I was a pastor in Platteville and a fake Frito s stock certificate the folks in Sheboygan Falls gave me when I left (I ate a lot of Fritos before my doctor told me to knock it off). There is a brass set of church bells from a Catholic Church given to me by an artist friend who, like my grandmother, is now with God. There s plastic Chicago Theological Seminary sippy cup a former associate pastor gave me for Christmas one year. None of these artifacts is particularly spiritual, well, except for the cross, I guess. They are just part of my life and looking at them makes me feel secure and comfortable. Our sanctuary is another such part of my life. Whenever I walk in, I am reminded of my friendship with Josh Crowell, who 46 years ago was your pastor and who baptized my two sons. Inside this issue: In Our Prayers, From The Pastor, Endowment News Confirmands & Mentors Summer Worship Women s Fellowship Need a Mother s Day Gift? Sometimes people in my line of work like to talk about church in terms of theology or action programs and theology and action are certainly a huge part of what it means to be church. But church is also a place where we can feel secure and valuable, a place where we can remember our roots, a place that helps us recall who we are. When I look around on Sunday morning, I am struck by how many of you have told me you were baptized in our church, confirmed in our church, spent eight or nine decades as members of our church. This congregation is part of who you are. Thank yous Pastoral Search Update Magic Moments 25th Anniversary Concerned & Caring Meeting Birthday & Annivesaries Soon, you will have a new pastor with new ideas and new ideas can be threatening to us because they involve changing an institution that defines much of who we see ourselves as being. Continued on page 2

2 Page 2 IN OUR PRAYERS Mary Pitas Oscar & Norma Bjugstad Pastoral Search Committee Roger Schnabel as he recovers from surgery. Jeanette Fellows FROM THE PASTOR continue from page 1 Don t be afraid. We haven t existed all these years by resisting all change. Instead, let s use the security and courage we ve found in our membership here to embrace and define the changes we need to make if the church will be here for those who follow. ENDOWMENT NEWS The Mission Outreach portion of the Endowment Fund has $2,000 which can be used for a worthwhile purpose within our church or community. If you have any suggestions please share your idea with on of the following committee members: Linda Miller, Elvina Patterson, Emmy Hurtley, Gordy Andrew or Ardis Zwicky. Please contact anyone on the board with request by May 12.

3 2017 CONFIRMANDS AND MENTORS Page 3 L to R: Zamara Vroman, Mentor Margaret Brigham Fiona Hermanson, Mentor Susan Kruser Makenna Eckhoff-Ringhand, Mentor Ardis Zwicky May 28 we start our summer hours. Sunday Morning worship will be at 9:30

4 Page 4 Women s Fellowship May 10 1:30 Co-hostesses: Bonnie Luchsinger & Sonja Heiser Devotions: Nancy Havey MISSION BOARD NEWS Cans of fruit were collected in March and personal care items in April for the Evansville Care Closet. A big thank you to all who contributed. April showers bring May flours (flowers). We will be asking for contributions in May for baking items. Such items might include flour, sugar, oil, vanilla, baking powder and boxed mixes. Mother s Day is May 14 th. We will have a special worship honoring mother s on that day. The Mission Board is having a Mother s Day special on cookbooks. The cookbooks contain recipes from UCC congregation members. The cost has been reduced to $5. They are available in the coffee room. The Mission Board members are making special treats for coffee hour for three Sundays using recipes from the cookbook. Monies from the sale of the cookbooks will be used for camp scholarships. City-wide rummage sale is the first Saturday in August. The church will be participating this year. Please keep us in mind as you are doing your spring cleaning. Donated items can be put in the first classroom at the church.

5 Page 5 Thank you to the Trustees, Alan Pitas, Jerry Beckwith, Norm Patterson, J. Peter Shaw, Bonnie Luchsinger and Wally Vroman for all the work they have been doing around our church. Thank you to those who provided treats for Coffee Hour in April: Bonnie Luchsinger, Elvina Patterson and the Mission Board. Thank you to Emmy Hurtley and those who helped with the Easter lilies for the sanctuary. It was beautiful.

6 Page 6 Join us to celebrate Magic Moment s 25th Anniversary! April 30 at 10:30 We will recognize Magic Moments during a special worship service and immediately following we will have ice cream sundaes downstairs in the fellowship hall.

7 Page 7 Concerned & Caring: Am I really a caregiver? Is your loved one showing signs of forge ulness, less engaged in rou ne ac vi es at home and community, increased health issues? Is it causing stress in your rela onship? Do you fear telling your family and friends? Am I really a caregiver? Are you having trouble with finding balance? Do you have a plan for if something changes? Are there specific topics you would like to learn more about? Respite, Managing Stress, Housing, Driving Issues, Assis ve Devices, Social Isola- on, In-Home Services, Transporta on, Legal & Financial Assistance, Feeling Guilty Is there interest in a separate grief support group? Is there a be er to a end future mee ngs? Mornings A ernoons Evenings You are not alone. Please a send this confiden al group for a safe place to take a break, and to talk through your challenges with others. A trained facilitator will lead the monthly discussion with topics you would like to talk about. WEDNESDAY, May 17 1:00 to 2:00 PM Congrega onal United Church of Christ Ques ons: Contact Sue Hawrylo at or shawrylo2@gmail.com A partnership through the Congrega onal UCC and Alzheimer's Associa on.

8 Page 8 May 2 Eve Craig May 4 Gordon Andrew Carolyn Winger May 5 Carsyn Strommen Aspyn Gray May 6 Melissa Gray May 11 Kale George May 13 Matthew Patterson May 18 Blaze Weeden May 23 Melanie Gallman May 25 Glenn Kruser May 31 Hank Youngman May 12 Rachel Ammerman May Anniversaries John & Jacqueline Sornson Kendall & Debbie Schneider 18 th 31 st

9 Page 9 Four second phone interviews and two more first phone interviews are being scheduled for the first two weeks of May. Most of our pastoral candidates have led Congregational United Church of Christ churches and several have their doctorate degrees. We will continue to update everyone on our progress. Sue Hawrylo Chair, Search Committee If anyone is interested in attending Church Camp this summer please contact Beryl Gribbon Fago at or at Beryl28@att.net