6 Weeks of Daring Greatly by Brene Brown: Learn how the courage to be vulnerable can transforms the way you live, love, parent, and lead.

Transcription

1 EMANUEL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 16 EASTERN RD. DOYLESTOWN, OH EMANUELUCC@OHIO.NET REV. GAYE SANTORO, PASTOR February 2016 Dear Friends, Are you searching for something more? Tired of running in circles, but not really living life with direction, purpose or passion? It's pretty easy to get caught up in the drama of school, relationships, family, and work. Our lives are filled with distractions that take us away from living a life with Christ. We try to fill the emptiness inside us with mindless TV, meaningless chatter, stimulants, alcohol, too many activities or other irrelevant stuff. We run away from life and from God. Lent is a great time to repent -- to return to God and re-focus your life to be more in line with Jesus. It s a 40 day trial run in changing your life and letting God change your heart. I invite you try these life changing opportunities this Lenten season: Lenten Bible Study: 6 Weeks of Daring Greatly by Brene Brown: Learn how the courage to be vulnerable can transforms the way you live, love, parent, and lead. Join Pastor Gaye Wednesday evenings starting February 17 th for a challenging video course from author Brene Brown. Learn alongside others how to live fearlessly, with an open heart, daring to bring the whole God created you to everything you do. This video course accompanies her book Daring Greatly. Books are available through the church office or by ordering on Amazon if you wish to read it on Kindle or listen to it on Audible. Even if you choose not to read the book, you will learn and grow from the class. Classes are from 6:30-8:00 pm. Bring a sandwich to eat along with the soup we will provide. A new Lenten Sermon Series: Rising Strong: The Reckoning, the Rumble, the Revolution. We all fall down sometimes. Tradition tells us that even Christ fell while carrying the cross. It is what we do after we fall that determines how we rise up. Our Lenten series will use Brene Brown s Rising Strong to examine how we can rise up even stronger after any setback in our lives. Come and learn how you can live a Resurrection Life as we spend the 6 Sundays in Lent looking at our own stories in ways that lead to stronger, more whole-hearted lives. At Jesus' baptism the sky split open, the Spirit of God, which looked like a dove, descended and landed on Jesus, and a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, My Beloved, with whom I am pleased." Afterward, as told in Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus was sent into the wilderness by the Spirit. Where he fasted and prayed for 40 days. During his time there he found clarity and strength to resist live a life in accordance with God. Afterwards, he was ready to begin his ministry. I invite you to travel with me on this exciting journey through Lent this year. Dare Greatly and Rise Strong as we, like Jesus, prepare ourselves to live out God s dream for each of us. Blessings, Pastor Gaye

2 CHURCH BUDGET PERFORMANCE JANUARY - DECEMBER 2015 DECEMBER JAN.-DEC BUDGET YTD Total Income $30, $221, $ 168, Total Expense 25, , , NET $ + 5, $ +4, $ - 1,400.00* DATE ATTENDANCE TOTALS December 6, December 13, December 20, December 27, Total Attendance 338 Average weekly 85 Avg. attendance per week for the year 72 (*This was indicated when the budget was approved and covered by memorial monies.) Andrea S. Sammons, Church Treasurer CONSISTORY MINUTES - December 8, 2015 Present: Carl Hummel, Helen Tritt, Harriet Neiser, Forrest Swain, Andrea Sammons, Jean Holden, Ralph Lengacher, Ernie Lyons, Cheri Nemes, Amy Wagner & Rachael Weigand Absent: Pastor Gaye Santoro & Holly Poetter Secretary s Report was reviewed & accepted. Treasurer s Report was reviewed and accepted. Pastor s Report: Office will be closed Thurs. Dec. 24, and Dec. 31 st. Pastor is on vacation Dec 7 th Dec 13 th. Old Business: - Write up for use of fellowship hall was reviewed & accepted and will be put in newsletter. - Nexus gas pipeline is not going through church property. New Business: - Budget for 2016 was approved. - Nominating Committee to replace Jean Holden - Our Annual Meeting will be January 24 after worship Standing Committees: Missions - Mitten tree articles collected for Barberton Soup Kitchen on December 22, Christian Education- - December 20 th - Kids doing play & reading during children s time - December 29 th - Polar Express - January 17 th Beach Party Evangelism, Property, Pastoral Relations - No Report Music - choir sing on Easter Elders November minutes provided Respectfully submitted, Harriet Neiser, Secretary Family Community Service Opportunity Join us Saturday, February 13th at 10am at Emanuel to make and decorate sweet treats to be given out during our volunteer opportunity at the Barberton Soup Kitchen on February 16th. This is a great service project for all ages! Please see Helen Tritt with questions.

3 Missions - On February 21, we will be taking up a collection for Blanket Sunday. Church World Services has been providing emergency assistance to victims of disaster since its creation in A $5 donation can buy a blanket which will provide a person with temporary shelter in a disaster. It can be used for a coat, a shield against sand in a wind storm, bedding, flooring, and a means of transporting belongings when nothing else is available. Blankets play an important role in all our lives. Think of life without a blanket. When they wrap up in a blanket, it keeps them warm with the feeling that people care. A blanket becomes a gift of hope. Barberton Soup Kitchen - We re volunteering on Tuesday, February 16th. Please sign up in narthex. AWE (After Worship Eaters) will be gathering at Beef O Brady s on February 21st. Please make your reservation with Jean Grigalunas by Thursday, February 18th. Over 50 Fellowship - Join us February 28th for our next gathering. Further details about February s meeting will be in the bulletin. The Men's Fellowship Breakfast will be February 20th at Sweet Henrie s at 9am. Arts Fest Meeting If you re interested in helping out with this year s arts fest to be held July 10 th, please come to a brief meeting after church on February 7 th. Please see Glenn Lynn or Sandy Bee Lynn. Pastoral Relations committee will be meeting February 11 at 5:30PM. Emanuel s famous Swiss Steak Suppers are a large fundraiser for our church. Please help us continue this event by volunteering your time and talents. We are looking for set-up, cooking, serving, and clean-up help. We also run a bake sale which needs baked goods donated and volunteers to sell it. Please sign-up in the narthex and wear your Emanuel T-shirt if you have one. Spread the word to family & friends to join us for a great evening of food and fellowship. To our friends at Emanuel, Thanks so much for the cards, your thoughts and prayers, and phone calls at the recent passing of two of our grandsons, Matthew and Thomas. Matthew, the older, had a rare form of lung cancer. Thomas had cerebral palsy. It was quite a loss for us, and to receive your support has certainly given us strength. Your friends in Christ, Roger & Rae Weekley My Emanuel Church Family is the best in the world and I appreciate the honor that you gave me and the caring, friendship, and help with your support. The star that I chose was servanthood- God has shown me the way. In Christian Love, Jean Grigalunas Dear Emanuel- On behalf of His Bridge-Builders, I want to express our gratitude for the very generous Love Offering Emanuel UCC provided for our music ministry 10/25/2015. Warm smiles, mouthing the song words, affirmative nods all radiated the Presence of God s Spirit in worship. This faithful congregation is a wonderful servant of Jesus! Your love offering will assist us in purchasing new music copyrights. It will be used also in our on-going commitment to fund a church-planting servant on U of Akron campus. Paul Gordon is from SUMC. He is ministering to reach students with Christ & love to plant a new H 2 O Church. HBB receives no financial support per member. Sincerely, Dennis Rinehart Phil. 3:12b NIV

4 The technology committee is in the process of updating records for our new software program. Look for a technology committee member at the Second Sunday Social to update your information. Members are: Alex Huckriede, Chris Formet, Janel Baughman, Julie Huckriede, Kristen Robison, Tom Blanar, & Bob McCall. Please indicate whether you want any of your information to be unlisted in future directories, but available for church administration use only. We will also be scheduling pictures for a future directory. You can also submit your own digital pictures to the church emanuelucc@ohio.net (.jpg or.bmp file formats only). Thank you for your cooperation with updating our records. DIRECTORY UPDATES Mark & Jordan Perry 4532 Smith Rd. Cincinnati, OH Corrinne Foster 427 Valley View Ave. NW Canton, OH We would like to introduce everyone to Ava Jillian and Ella Jean. Ava was 4 lbs 9 oz and 17 inches and Ella was 5 lbs 8.5oz and 18.5 inches! They were born 12/21/15 to parents Josh & Meghan Barnes. Congrats! We had an awesome turnout of all ages. Thank you to all who attended and made this event possible!

5 LOVING YOURSELF Inside and Out akrongeneral.org/lifestyles Stewardship Corner Every day we re bombarded by the media s message of what is considered beautiful: a stick-thin figure, flawless skin, plump lips and perfectly proportioned features. The reality is that many people don t fit this mold, including many celebrities whose photos are airbrushed to give the idea of perfection. For the average person, these images can encourage a negative and distorted sense of self. Women with curves may feel pressured to slim down, naturally thin people may eat unhealthily or exercise obsessively to maintain their figures and aging individuals may turn to risky procedures to preserve a youthful appearance. Feeling Comfortable in Your Own Skin When you look in the mirror, what do you see? One of the first steps in creating a positive body image is learning to recognize your best features, both inside and out. Perhaps you have a sparkling smile, a beautiful head of hair or a vivacious personality. There s power in words give yourself little compliments and pep talks throughout the day. You can help accentuate the positive by highlighting your best features wear flattering clothes designed for your shape; highlight your eyes, cheeks and lips; get a new hairstyle; or play up your personality by participating in activities you enjoy. Accepting who you are, and feeling good about it, can help boost your self-esteem, give you added confidence and reduce the risk of depression, eating disorders and emotional distress. Good Habits = a Healthy Body There are several ways to help keep your body and mind in the best shape possible. Eating nutritious foods and getting plenty of sleep are key to maintaining a healthy appearance your hair, skin and teeth will thank you for it. Besides giving you energy and reducing stress, exercising on a regular basis promotes good heart health and helps with weight management. Avoiding smoking will also help you maintain a healthy body. It may be hard to ignore outside pressures to look a certain way, but being comfortable and confident with who you are conveys a positive message. Not only will you feel good about yourself, but you may help others realize their potential. A More Confident You Committing to the following I statements can help get you out of a rut and into a new, positive way of thinking about yourself. 1 I will give myself a compliment every day. 2 I will engage in hobbies and activities that have meaning for me and that I enjoy. 3 I will occasionally step out of my comfort zone to experience new things. 4 I will not let negative comments get me down. 5 I will focus on what makes me happy. MY WELLNESS A negative self-image can take its toll on both the body and the mind. The good news is that negative thinking can be reversed into something positive and empowering. New Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Project This year we are starting something new. We will be collecting different items each month for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. There will be a box in the Narthex to collect donated items. On November 11, we will have a packing party to fill shoeboxes with our donated items. You are also welcome to continue packing your own shoeboxes as we have in the past. February: toothpaste, toothbrush March: bars of soap, washcloth April: Band-Aids, comb, brush May: socks June: t-shirt, solar calculator July: crayons (24 ct. or less), pencils/sharpener, colored pencils August: pens, markers, notepads, coloring books, small cinch bags September: small toys, dolls, trucks (no military) October: flashlight (with extra batteries), small stuffed animal November: small box puzzles Anything else you think you be nice in shoeboxes would be great! THANKS!

6 Written with love for Bob, We want our lives to be a breeze Just filled with happy days, But life is often filled with twists And many bumpy ways, When traveling s easy we enjoy Each daily twist and bend And hope the happy, sunny times, Will somehow never end, Bob understood those twists and bends That life can throw a curve, When facing hurdles seems to stretch and Shatter every nerve, Courageously he fought things that Would crush a lesser man, Relying on the Lord to show The meaning of His plan, Through all he faced, he trusted God And always understood That love is all you need in life To make it truly good, The love he shared with family dear, Became a healing balm That touched his soul with happiness And brought a sense of calm. Love still lives on though Bob has passed, Beyond this earthly place, Rejoice for someday very soon You ll see your Fuzzy Face, He ll meet you there in paradise, That heavenly realm above, Then together you will share the joy, Of God s eternal love. $2500 from Robert Bob Rutherford Memorial Fund was used towards basement waterproofing project. Written with love for Hugh, In just the twinkling of an eye, God took Hugh by the hand And led him into paradise That glorious, heavenly land, A place devoid of pain and tears Where love and joy abound, How happy Hugh must finally be In heaven; where he's found God's welcoming, embracing arms Securely holding fast, Erasing any doubts or fears He held within his past, Immersed by grace, reborn again A new creation now, He dwells in heaven's loving realm Where saints and angels bow, And though we grieve that Hugh has gone, We'll treasure all our love And hold it close, till we meet again In paradise above. Written with love for Cal, Today we honor one we call A pillar of our flock, A man whose life was firmly built On Christ, the solid rock, God graced him with so many gifts He used them oh so well, To count the lives he blessed, Would be impossible to tell. He was such a faithful teacher, With wisdom deep and true, And a gift for loving others In a way few others do, As he shared the gospel story, He was teaching from his heart, A leader and a servant, Always there to do his part, We could see his strength and courage As he lived his earthly days, Smiling; always positive, And filled with grateful praise, Always trusting that the Savior Held his life within His hand, Guiding every moment As he walked this earthly land, Till the Lord would call him gently, Come home Cal, your work is done, Be at peace, my faithful servant, Now your victory is won. Poems written with love by: Karen Foster Family of Hugh Gottwalt Family of Cal Tritt Lana Baker Lee & Nancy Dean Glenn Lynn Paul & Shirley Poetter Family of Craig Bailey Family of Jason Jones Family of Ron Kanya Cheyenne Adams Birth of Ava & Ella Barnes Paul Barnes Ronnie Barnett Bennett Bill & Dory Bob & Elly Tom Braman Claude Casey Dave Sam & Don Davidson Ana Paula de Oliveria Joe Cheri Lancaster Vicki Martin Mary Kay Matt & Julie Kate Moore Brenda Rohaly Earl Riley Sherrie Joan Speicher Stecz Family Mike Stoner Kathy Toth

7 Church Office Hours Rev. Gaye Santoro, Pastor Tues. - Thursday: 10 am - 1 pm May Sweet, Secretary Tuesday - Thursday: 9 am - noon In case of an emergency, you may contact Rev. Santoro at home (330) SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT Doylestown Pantry Items of the Month: Pasta, spaghetti sauce, mac & cheese 7 Worship 10:30am Communion American Legion breakfast 8AM Arts Fest mtg. after worship 14 Worship 10:30am Installation of Elders/Consistory 2nd Sunday Social Consistory 7PM Barberton Soup Kitchen 10 Service 7PM 17 Lent Program 6:30PM Pastoral Relations 5:30PM Technology mtg. 7PM Make cookies 10AM Men s Breakfast Sweet Henrie s 9AM 21 Worship 10:30am Blanket Sunday Elders 7PM 24 Lent Program 6:30PM Swiss Steak Supper 4-7PM AWE - Beef O Brady s * Newsletter Deadline 28 Worship 10:30am Over 50 Fellowship 29 Shoebox Items of the Month: Toothpaste, Toothbrush Sunday Schedule 9:15 am Adult Class 10:30 am Worship Nursery care available for ages 5 & under. Sunday School for children during worship. 3 Tom Finley 5 Gary Halliwell 7 Betty Barr 8 Debbie Huffman CaraBeth Richardson 10 Mary Jo Kun 11 Dave Poetter 14 John Porter 18 Jillian Gossard Lauren Gossard 21 Janel Baughman 22 Jeremy Grigalunas 28 Cory Kather Mark Perry 14 Claude & Claudia Casey

8 ALTAR FLOWER SIGN-UP for 2016 is now available in the narthex. Honor or remember your loved ones special day. Arrangements are $18. Details can be found next to the poster. Liturgist February 7: Carol Blanar February 14: Art Holden February 21: Brian Sammons February 28: Kristen Robison Acolyte February 7: Becca Painting February 14: Josie Robison February 21: Jaime Sammons February 28: Jeff Kindel PowerPoint February 7: Kristen Robison February 14: Chris Formet February 21: Tom Blanar February 28: Julie Huckriede Sunday School Teachers February 7: Janel Baughman February 14: Greg Foster February 21: Carol Baker February 28: Greg Foster February 7: Georgia Hummel February 14: Betsy Painting February 21: Jean Holden February 28: Karen Foster EMANUEL U.C.C. 16 Eastern Road Doylestown, OH Make cookies at Emanuel on February 13th at 10am for Barberton Soup Kitchen. Send a valentine to a someone who could use the special attention. Because doing good, feels good.