The Dove Tale United Methodist Church of Peace Richfield, Minnesota Volume Eleven January/February 2018 Issue 1 Gifts of Peace A Sacred Concert Our own Church of Peace Chancel Choir, directed by our own Chris Jackson, presented a glorious musical experience with the help of Karen Dykoski (piano), arranger (and trumpeter) Tim Altmann and other talented musicians comprising a small orchestra. In Chris Jackson s words, this was a homemade cantata, complete with anthems and artwork (see centerfold!). Senior Social Wednesdays, January & February @ 9:30 a.m. Women s Breakfast Monday February 12 @ 9:00 a.m. @ Original Pancake House Ash Wednesday Worship Wednesday, February 14 @ 6:30 p.m. Meals on Wheels Driving February 19-23 Men s Breakfast Saturdays, January 27 & February 24 @ 8:00 a.m.@ Richfield VFW Quick Highlights Lydia Circle Kitchen Cleaning Wednesday, January 31 @ 1:00 p.m. Upcoming Meetings SPRC Committee Thursday, February 1 @ 6:00 p.m. Trustees Committee Thursday, February 1 @ 7:00 p.m. Finance Committee Wednesday, February 7 @ 6:00 p.m. Church Council Meeting Thursday, February 8 @ 7:00 p.m. Worship Committee Thursday, February 15 @ 6:00 p.m.
Pastor s Column When people not associated with our congregation ask me about Church of Peace, I am never at loss for words. My biggest challenge is where to start! How can I not mention how our first-time visitors are received into our church home and greeted as friends we haven t yet met! When it comes to friendliness, we truly are a country church in a big city neighborhood. Of course, being welcoming and gracious to newcomers just gets me going on your big hearts for those who are in need of food and personal health options. Given the size of this church, people s eyes get huge when they hear about the over 45 tons of emergency food bags you have packed for VEAP1 and SHOP2. We are also home to three Meals on Wheels programs. When I tell others about our newest ministry packing personal hygiene kits for VEAP patrons it s icing on the cake. Our Peace in the Neighborhood annual flu vaccination clinic puts the cherry on the cake! To keep these and our many more ministries operating smoothly, I praise how the Church of Peace Trustees are at the forefront of maintaining Trustee Cliff Best clears sidewalks after the heavy and deep snowfall on January 22. our building and grounds, as well as doing the set -up and tear-down for our various ministries. With those who ask about this church s other ministries, I share how you have opened your hearts to many community groups3 in need of a safe gathering space. All this is to say that I am honored and humbled as your pastor by how you all fulfill The Greatest Commandment (Matthew 22:37-39) by loving God, loving your neighbor and loving yourself! Kent Mehrkens (left) and Brad Spear (center) were two of our many members who teamed together to pack 300 personal hygiene kits after worship on January 21. Confirmation student Alexa White (left) collects the completed kits. In Him who loved us first, Pastor Gerry 2 1 VEAP Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People. 2SHOP Sheridan Hills Outreach Program at Sheridan Hills Elementary School. 3Zoe Child Care Academy; Men at Peace (AA); Meditation at Peace (AA); Church of New Life Christian Ministries; OAMA support group Ostomy Association of the Minneapolis Area; Xerxes Neighborhood Watch Group; Great Northern Union; Twin Cities Women Chorus.
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Images from G 4 Phyllis Unger
Gifts of Peace A Scared Concert Church of Peace artists Phyllis Unger and Elda Schenk contributed to the annual Christmas Cantata in December, not only with their voices, but also with their art work. Their work was used both in the bulletin and the PowerPoint presentation that accompanied the Sacred Concert. 5
Church Council Updates December 14, 2017 Members Present: Peg Bosshardt, Karen Dykoski, Louise Hershey, Wayne Hershey, Len Pierce, Carol Rose, Steve Rose, Ann Sample, Brad Spear, Cyndy Spear, and Pastor Gerry Vuchetich. Our Council meeting opened with prayer by Pastor Gerry. The minutes from the November 2017 Church Council meeting were approved. Finance Committee: Apportionments for 2017 are paid in full. The 2018 Budget was submitted for approval by the Church Council. After discussion and approval of adding missionary, Rev. Daniel Yang (Laos) to the Second Mile Giving, voting by Council approved it as complete for the presentation at the 2018 Church Charge Conference on January 7, 2018. 2018 Apportionments were set for Church of Peace at $23,079. Staff Parish Relations Committee: The Staff Parish Relations Committee met on December 7. Finance Committee & SPRC approved gift cards for the church staff; Betsy, Joanne, and Chris. Brad Spear has accepted our nomination as the new Chairman for the SPRC Committee in 2018. Trustees: Steve Rose reported that things are going well with the Zoe Childcare group. The Zoe winter program on December 8 was very successful, attended by nearly 200. On November 16 a Low Voltage Electrician was notified that we will have him return to clean up the years worth of tangled wires, now that the phones are working again. Worship Committee: Meeting on January 18. Missions Committee: Seven bags of groceries for 66 West are packed and ready to deliver. Pastor Gerry will take them over to the building. 50 bags of groceries for VEAP were packed in advance for an anticipated Christmas rush. VEAP is asking for financial donations for the end of the year. Personal Hygiene Kits for VEAP 300 packed on November 26. For the SHOP program, 30 bags were packed for the Christmas break and delivered on December 11. Memorials Committee: The balance in the Memorials account is $3,087. 6 United Methodist Women: Activities in December included an outing to Plymouth Playhouse and the annual Brunch & Planning Meeting, held at Faith Marks home. At the meeting, $609 was collected for missions, namely Emma Norton Services, Pledged to Missions, and the World Thank Offering. These are in addition to those collected earlier this year. Pastor s Report: Nancy Best wrote and directed an excellent youth Christmas program, held on December 10. Pastor reported that his annual license renewal meeting with the DCOM group was on Tuesday, November 21 and his license was renewed. Member-at-Large (Cyndy): Cyndy Spear met with the DCOM on November 21, 2017 and was approved to move forward in ministry. Her assigned mentor is Pastor Carol Zaagsma of Portland Avenue UMC. Cyndy has begun the Answering the Call manual. Member-at-Large (Ann): Ann Sample suggested that the Church Council evaluate all of the ministries the church is doing, in order to see how they are functioning/succeeding. Other Business: Suggestions were solicited for using the 2017 Christmas offering. The meeting closed with prayer by Pastor Gerry. Next meeting: January 18 @ 7:00 p.m. (rescheduled from January 11 due to the weather). The Zoe Child Care Christmas Fundraiser in December featured the singing talents of students of all ages.
Church Council Updates January 18, 2018 Members Present: Cyndy Spear, Chair, Steve Rose, Karen Dykoski, Craig Miller, Peg Bosshardt, Carol Rose, Nancy Best, Pastor Gerry Vuchetich The meeting opened with prayer by Pastor Gerry. Minutes from December 2017 were approved as amended. Finance: For 2018, 36 pledge cards were returned. 2018 apportionments are set at $23,079. Missions: Seven bags of groceries were delivered to 66 West. The Beacon Interfaith Housing received a federal grant of $1,000,000 for services at the 66 West housing. Hygiene kits are being packed on Sunday, January 21 and 20 bags of groceries are being delivered to VEAP for January. Memorials: Balance at present is $3,087.11. United Methodist Women: On January 31 the group will be cleaning the kitchen and organizing the pantry. Trustees: The 2018 garage sale dates have changed to May 3-5, with set-up beginning on Sunday, April 29. The Richfield city-wide sale is May 14-16. Staff Parish Relations: The January meeting was canceled due to the Chairman s illness. The Charge Conference was January 7, 2018 and items needing approval received approval. Prior to the packet s delivery to Annual Conference, one signature is needed. Worship Committee: Dates for the Lenten and Easter season worship services were put forth, including arrangements for combined congregations and pastoral commitments. A cantata of the combined congregations, Church of Peace, Portland Ave. UMC and Hillcrest UMC will be held at Portland Ave. UMC on Palm Sunday, March 25. Pastor s Report: Tables I, II, & III for annual conference are almost done. Members at Large: Nancy Best expressed concerns about the garage sale helpers, timing, age limitations. The meeting closed with prayer by Pastor Gerry. The next meeting is February 8 @ 7:00 p.m. Ash Wednesday/Holy Week Schedule The Season of Lent is nearly upon us, with Holy Week not far behind. Church of Peace is once again combining specific worship services with Portland Avenue and Hillcrest United Methodist Churches. This year s Lenten/Holy Week worship schedule is: Ash Wednesday, February 14 @ Church of Peace 5-6 p.m. Sloppy Joe Supper 6:30 p.m. Worship with imposition of ashes Palm Sunday Worship, March 25 Regular worship times at each church Palm Sunday Cantata, March 25 3:30 p.m. @ Portland UMC Maundy Thursday Worship, March 29 7:00 p.m. Portland Avenue UMC Good Friday Tenebrae Services, March 30 1:00 p.m. Church of Peace 7:00 p.m. Hillcrest UMC Easter Sunday, March 31 @ Church of Peace 9-10:00 a.m. Brunch 10:30 a.m. Worship 7
United Methodist Church of Peace Gerry Vuchetich, Pastor 6345 Xerxes Avenue South Richfield, MN 55423-1038 Phone: (612) 866-0069 Email: churchoffice@umcop.com Website: www.umcop.com Office Hours: M-F 9:00 a.m.-1:oo p.m. Congratulations Lydia Circle! The UMW from Church of Peace is now a Gold Star Unit and a Five Star Unit because of their giving in 2017. Our Lydia Circle/United Methodist Women gave $197 to Emma Norton Services and $842.28 to missions for a total of $1039.28. Twin Cities Show Chorus MARDI GRAS Spaghetti Dinner Great food, singing and more! Dinner is Friday, February 9 @ 6:00 (Social) and 7:00 (Serving) at the Knights of Columbus in Bloomington, 1114 American Blvd. Tickets: rberglund62@gmail or at the door. *January & February Birthdays 18 Caryl Range 23 Lynnette Buckley 25 Karen Dykoski 28 Jim Ramstad 29 Carol Rose 5 Helen Eslinger 13 Loretta Petersen 24 Carol Andoljsek *Please contact the church office for corrections, additions, or deletions. Men s Breakfast Report for 2017 Attendance for Men s Breakfast averaged 10.25 (Down from 12.9 in 2016). Twentythree men (including three boys) attended the twelve monthly meetings at least one time in 2017 up from 21 in 2016. Two men should be recognized for attending all twelve meetings: Kent Mehrkens Cliff Best Respectfully Submitted, Jerry Motz Thank you to all who contributed to the decorating of our Sanctuary for the Advent season and Christmas holiday worship! Poinsettia Dedications: Carol Aldrich & Dorothy Aldrich, in memory of Charles Aldrich Bud Burt, in memory of my wife, Jan Burt Cliff & Nancy Best, in celebration of family and friends Helen & Don Eslinger, in memory of Harold & Lucile Lindahl Jeanette George, in memory of Robert George Milly Schiemo, in memory of my aunt Loretta Petersen, in memory of Allen & Floy Petersen Gail Kleckner, in celebration of family Fred & Faye Sprecker, in memory of loved ones Phyllis Unger, in memory of my mother, Charlotte Unger, and my father, Herbert Unger Ann Sample & Pastor Gerry Vuchetich, in celebration of Jesus, our Lord 8