UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST BISMARCK, ND October 2018

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1 UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST BISMARCK, ND October 2018 Bismarck-Mandan Area United Church of Christ 1200 E Highland Acres Rd ~ ~ bisucc@midconetwork.com ~ ~ Like us on Facebook October 2018 A GLOBAL MINISTRY CHURCH Pledging to Live Your Values by Rev. Gretchen Deeg, Senior Pastor Once a year, we take a month to rededicate ourselves to this church family with our pledges of time, talents, and financial gifts. This month is a big month for all of our lives, because it is the month in which we are reminded to take a look at our schedules and finances with this question in mind: Do my finances and schedule reflect my core values? As your pastor, there are few things I want more for you than to see every single one of our members and friends grow fully into the loving, generous, and creative individuals God created you to be. I want this church to give everyone who comes through its doors a home where they know without a doubt they are loved, a community with whom they can work to transform the world around them, and a place which pulls them closer to God. I hope you value that too and join me in ensuring our vision thrives in OUR LIFE TOGETHER Consecration Sunday During the month of October we ask you to focus in growing God s mission to one another and our community. Bring your pledge cards and join the celebration on October 28 th! This month, pledge cards will come in the mail or be available at church. See the blanks on them as an opportunity to realign your lives with your values. On your pledge cards you will see two blanks. One blank is for the amount you pledge to give to Bismarck United Church of Christ in The second blank is for OCWM or Our Church s Wider Mission. I hope this entire newsletter breathes the core values of our church. However, OCWM may be unfamiliar to some of you. OCWM is the support we pass on to the Northern Plains Conference (state-level) and the National UCC. You may ask, what does this money do? And I would respond with, A lot! These funds plan mission trips to Ecuador, Puerto Rico, and the Maah Daah Hey Trail. They provide grants to churches doing social justice work, partnering with charities, and reaching out into the community. These funds give scholarships to children attending summer camp and they plan regional youth events every fall and summer and an annual Women s Retreat. The OCWM money supports churches through pastoral searches, natural disasters, and conflict. It offers continuing education for all UCC clergy and licensed ministers in North Dakota and Winnipeg, gives support to clergy, and oversees the ordination process for prospective pastors. Beyond this and more, OCWM helps to hold churches accountable to the inspiring word of God s love. If you value any of this, please take the time to reflect on your lives and finances and embrace the opportunity to make the pledge card blanks match your values. Worship with us every Sunday at 10:00 AM! & Buffalo Supper Mark your calendar and join us for our annual Buffalo Supper on Saturday, Oct. 20 from 4:30 to 8 pm. See page 4. CROP Walk to stop hunger Sunday, Oct. 14 th at 1:30pm on the State Capitol Grounds. See page 4. Study the Bible with us on Mon, Wed, & Fri.

2 UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST BISMARCK, ND OCTOBER Vision Statement Adopted January 2016 The Bismarck-Mandan UCC is a thriving church transforming our lives and community: Where all are unconditionally welcomed, affirmed, accepted and loved; Where the good in every person is recognized and their talents are encouraged to be shared; Where children, youth, and adults learn that God is love and all are welcome to freely explore spirituality in a safe and nurturing environment; Where we can bring our personal needs and struggles and count on support from our church family which is the loving family we all deserve; Where powerful messages inspire and challenge us to be caring and compassionate to all in our church, community, and world, seeking opportunities to put our faith into action with courage to go beyond what we think we can do; Where we embrace the still-speaking God and live in today s world. LIVING OUR VISION HIGHLIGHT Where children, youth, and adults learn that God is love and all are welcome to freely explore spirituality in a safe and nurturing environment. On Sept. 19, Wednesday Kid s Bible School (KBS) filled the church basement with laughter, God s word, and birdseed! The kids had a great time and we re all looking forward to the next two KBS classes on Oct. 3 and 17 at 6pm. The kids are the only ones having a blast. Monday s adult Bible Study has outgrown the library and continues to grow every week. Whether you re a kid or adult, jump in on the fun and learning at Bismarck UCC! Council Corner by Mike Stein, Moderator We had a very productive August meeting. One of the main items we discussed was the Buffalo Supper. This is scheduled for October 20 th. We have a great group of people behind the scenes putting all of this together. We are hoping for another great turn out because the entire proceeds will go to the Charles Hall Youth Services. Please place October 20 th on your calendar and try to attend this event. A few items that were on the agenda and discussed are the 2019 Sabbatical, the Custodian position opening, and the snow removal position for the sidewalks. As we move into the cooler months Our lives seem to click into a whole new gear. The long summer days are now behind us. We are now involved with more daily activities and organized events. When you gather with family and friends, please tell them about our church family. Let them know about the wonderful things the UCC church is doing. Let them all know that everyone is welcome at our church. Take care!

3 UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST BISMARCK, ND OCTOBER Leaving a Legacy A planned gift to your church is an expression of you and your family s values and commitment to Christian Stewardship. It is a way of saying that after your family and loved ones, these are the causes that matter most, and providing for them is important to you. A gift from your estate to the UCC strengthens our endowment and sustains God s Mission through the mission through the ministry of the church a lasting legacy and powerful response of God s generosity. Planned gifts are planned for during the donor s lifetime but not realized by the beneficiary until the donor s death. There are many other ways to plan a gift. There are gifts that pay you income during your lifetime and gifts that help reduce or avoid income and estate taxes. How you make your gift is important, but more important is the impact your planned gift will have on the cause that matters to you most. If you have any questions regarding planned giving, please talk to one of our Trustees. FINANCIAL STATUS January 1 to August Revenue General Offerings Actual = $ 88,085 Other Income (Dedicated, Earned) Actual = $ 12,886 Expenses Actual = $107,906 Total Revenue = $ 100,971 Total Expenses = $ 107,906 NET ACTIVITY = $ -6,935 SUPPORT OF OUR MISSION PARTNERS IN 2018 East Timor Education Fund $ 2,773 Charles Hall Youth Services $ 1,340 Our Church s Wider Mission $ 2,960 One Great Hour of Sharing $ 863 Strengthen the Church $ 473 Neighbors in Need $ The Christmas Fund $ Total Shared Ministry $ 8,409 WHAT SHALL WE BRING? by Marcia Patrie, Stewardship Do you imagine what all the gifts you give to the church do? When you drop your check or dollars into the offering plate do you think, This goes to keep the doors of our church open so that when someone hungry comes to the door we have food to share? How about the opportunities we give our children to learn to be compassionate and to care about God s creation or the time we spend together sharing and lightening the load of a heavy burden with friends and compassionate people we see on Sunday. It isn t just a place of worship, but a space that God uses to carry out a mission of Hope. Over the month of October you will be hearing about this year s Stewardship campaign, What Shall We Bring. During this time we ask you to focus on what part you can play in growing God s mission to one another and our community. Imagine what love in action can do. Through our stewardship focus and campaigns, we continue to dream life and love through our gifts, our ministries, and our missions. Watch your mail the second week of October for your 2019 Pledge Cards! *Pledge Cards can also be picked up in the church office. You re invited to bring your pledge cards to church throughout the month of October and join us for the dedication of our gifts of finances, time, and talents in worship on Sunday, October 28. Start thinking now about which of your passions meet the needs of your church family. Here a just a few gift ideas to get your creativity started! Support the church financially Play an instrument in worship Join a worship team in planning creative worship services Serve on a Committee Perform handiwork trim/weed, painting, etc. Give rides to worship or other church events Assist with event/service project planning Teach adults on Monday, kids on Sunday, or kids on Wednesday Post events and photos on social media and community calendars Pray for the church, East Timor, and Charles Hall Youth Services Be a church photographer

4 UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST BISMARCK, ND OCTOBER CROP WALK by Marcia Patrie, Stewardship Help support local and national organizations working on hunger relief! Become a member of the UCC CROP Walk Team and walk away hunger on Sunday, Oct. 14 th at 1:30pm (registration at 12:30pm). The walk will begin on the Capitol Grounds. Contact Marcia Patrie to sign up or donate! Hunger is one of the greatest injustices facing our world, but it doesn t have to be this way. Ending hunger is possible, and it is possible in our lifetime. You can help make it happen. For nearly half a century, CROP Hunger Walks have ensured that more people worldwide have access to nutritious, sustainable food sources. From combating droughts in Nicaragua to providing agricultural training in Indonesia to stocking shelves in hundreds of food pantries across the United States, CROP Hunger Walks help end hunger by raising funds to support local food programs and the international anti-hunger work of Church World Service. Stand with neighbors in your community who rely on food assistance programs. Partner with parents worldwide as they ensure a bright future for their children. Support those struggling in the face of grinding poverty and open up new doors of opportunity for them. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Ticket Sales Cooks Servers Bakers for cookies and potatoes Tickets available at the church office OCTOBER 20 TH 4:30 8 PM United Church of Christ 1200 E Highland Acres Rd PROCEEDS SUPPORT Mission Trips Puerto Rico February 2019 Volunteer alongside our UCC brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico to rebuild the communities devastated by 2017 s hurricanes. This trip is filling up fast, so contact Pastor Gretchen ASAP with interest. Maah Daah Hey Trail June 2019 Join UCC members from across North Dakota as we perform trail maintenance, camp together, and deepen our spirituality through service in Creation. Ongoing Classes Friday Morning Bible Study A group for the early risers! This dedicated group meets every Friday at 6:30 am in the church library for Bible study and fellowship. All are welcome. Monday Evening Bible Study Using video clips from The Bible Project, this class is for both entry-level and experienced Bible readers. Learn more about the historical and literary context of each book as well as its relation to today. Meets on Mondays at 6:30pm. United Church Youth (UCY) A group of middle & high school youth. Gathers throughout the year for education, service, and fun. See page 6 for upcoming events. Wednesday Kid s Bible Class A class for Pre-K to 5 th graders. This Vacation Bible School style kid s class meets the first and third Wednesday of every month. Sunday School Classes for the youngest kids to high school aged are held on Sundays. See the youth page for details. Confirmation Contact Pastor Gretchen if you are interested in affirming your faith. Have an idea for a class? Contact Pastor Gretchen ( ) or Christian Ed with your ideas.

5 UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST BISMARCK, ND OCTOBER Ministry & Fellowship Groups UCC Choir UCC choir meets for practice on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 pm. New members are always welcome so if you like to sing, just come to one of our rehearsals and we will be glad to have you join us. Choir is always way more fun than work. Craig DeVos, Choir Director Mayflower Circle This women s fellowship group meets every second Thursday of the month at noon. Mayflower Circle leads various ministries throughout the year including funeral luncheons, annual rummage sale, numerous fundraisers, and others. Join us this month on Thursday, October 11 th at noon or contact Jane Thomson to learn more. Knitting Group Knit, purl, tell stories, and have a great time with this group of knitters. Bring your own project or knit a prayer shawl to be blessed and gifted to another. This group will meet on Tuesdays, October 9 th & October 23 rd at 1pm. Threads of Love All are welcome to come join us at our Tuesday gatherings from 2 to around 6 pm. Experience or even participation sewing, quilting, crocheting, knitting are NOT required we LOVE to fellowship with any and all. Hope to see you soon! Primrose Worship Team Have a passion for serving those in care centers? This team preaches and leads worship services at Primrose Retirement Community on College Dr at 2 pm on various Wednesdays throughout the year. Talk with Marcia Lerberg with interest in joining this group of worship leaders. Fall Clean Up by Dave Archer, Trustee Outdoor List Wash doors Weeding Clean Gutters Kid s List Check markers Sharpen pencils in sanctuary Restock giving envelopes Make sure each pew has the correct number of hymnals & straighten hymnals SAVE THE DATE Saturday, October 13 Jack s Food Pantry by Dawn Archer, Deacons Pantry Mission: To provide short-term, emergency food & supplies for people in need, no questions asked. Indoor List Wash kid s toys Clean kitchen refrigerator Clean basement refrigerator Wash windows Care less for your harvest than for how it is shared and your life will have meaning and your heart will have peace. ~Kent Nerburn Fill the Wagon and Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat Coming to a food pantry near you soon! October is the month we come back to church in full swing, we celebrate our harvest and share it with others. Our congregation will take part in Fill the Wagon the entire month of October. Toward the end of the month, our Sunday School youth will take part in Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat. All of this takes place as we prepare to celebrate the 20 th Anniversary of Jack s Place Food Pantry in November! Please watch for the food pantry display in the narthex, and consider ways you can help with this mission of our church. Our thanks to those who have volunteered to pack bags! September: Marcia Patrie, October: Sofia Augustadt, and November: John & Eunice Toman. *If you have time to help, please check out the sign-up sheet in the narthex at church. Remember Jack s Place accepts donations of nonperishable food items, cash, or check. Make payable to UCC. Write Jack s Place or pantry in the memo line or on the envelope. Thank You! In the last month we shared 4 bags of food with families in our communities.

6 UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST BISMARCK, ND OCTOBER Youth News United Church October 3 rd Wednesday Kid s Bible School 6 pm 7 th Sunday School 10:10 am 7 th Lunch & Fun at Papa s Pumpkin Patch 11:30 am 14 th Sunday School 10:10 am 17 th Wednesday Kid s Bible School 6 pm 21 st Deliver Trick or Treat Fliers 10:10 am 28 th Pick-up Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat 10:10 am 31 st Halloween Trick or Treat 5 to 8 pm - stop by and show off your costumes! All Youth are invited to walk to STOP HUNGER! SUNDAY, Oct. 14 th STATE CAPITOL GROUNDS Registration 12:30 pm ~ Walk Begins 1:30 pm Did you know: Food insecurity and hunger is on the rise in North Dakota? Let s walk together to raise awareness and funds to end hunger! ~ Ask Family and Friends to *Sponsor you or join you on walk day To register contact Marcia Patrie or text Pastor Gretchen at FALL YOUTH RALLY PAPA S PUMPKIN PATCH Join us at Papa s Pumpkin Patch on Sunday, October 7 th after worship! We ll have tacos-in-a-bag for everyone and $5 in activity tickets for every child. Admission is $5 per person & children under 2 are free. Let us know if you can come! CAMP OF THE CROSS GARRISON, ND October Grades 6 th 12 th Contact Pastor Gretchen with interest

7 UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST BISMARCK, ND OCTOBER African Immigrant Services & the UCC by Paul Zondo, Director of AIMS A short history of African Immigrant Services (AIMS) and the vital role of Bismarck United Church of Christ. On a windy cold day in April last year I was driving westbound on Divide Avenue in Bismarck and saw a gentlemen walking to the Work Force Center. He is originally from Tanzania. He had gone to the wrong building. This seemingly unintentional error would cost him another long walk to his exact destination-the job service center. Having lived in small and large cities and aware of the challenges we faced I discussed with my wife the idea of having a resource center centrally located in Bismarck for immigrants. We decided to use our own experiences (successes and failures) to help guide primarily African immigrants to a seamless transition in Bismarck. Some of the challenges we faced are been faced today which includes language, cultural, social, economic and legal barriers. These challenges are not imaginations but are documented challenges as well for many African Immigrants. As my wife and I discussed the idea and did some research we discovered that there were no such organization in Bismarck-Mandan that was a grassroots organization of African immigrants who were trying to help other immigrants assimilate better. We decided to call it African Immigrant Services or AIMS. After naming it, we knew that it was worth sharing. Hence, I ed a friend whom I met at a car repair shop a few months back and asked him to look at the idea. His name is Bill Patrie. Bill and I meeting was more than coincident. At first we talked about basketball, our common humanity, and the statistics of recidivism in our state. Never did we imagine that we would later discover we had so much in common such as bridging cultural barriers. Bill and his wife, Marcia, notified their colleagues about the idea and have been instrumental in its formation, grant application, and continuous follow up. He and his wife with their combined leadership and education skills have helped AIMS in many ways. We could not have come this far without the help of BIsmarck United Church of Christ under the leadership of our eloquent Pastor Gretchen Deeg. She and Bill (who also belongs to the UCC) have helped in many ways such as church building meeting space, planning and outreach. AIMS was able to secure a grant last year from the Consensus Council to increase its outreach efforts. Thanks to UCC for the platform it provides to engage and bridge cultural barriers in Bismarck! 03 Katie Vanderlaan 10 Marciana Mitchell 10 Kira Whitmore 11 Gail Erickson 13 Elijah Meidinger 17 Larry Heinle 17 Karen Beck May God s gift of life be a blessing to you and may your life be a blessing to others on this special day of your birth and all year long! 18 Dustin Schmidt 20 Jordan Kramer 21 Austin Crowley 21 Riley Benson 21 Tristin Benson 26 Chase Stockert 28 Shaylee Weil *Please contact the church office or sign up in the narthex if you would like your birthday listed in the newsletter. UCC Northern Plains Conference News NPC Council October 13 at 10 ~ Zion UCC, Medina All Northern Plains Conference committee members are members of the Council and requested to attend.