FOR THE JOURNEY February 2018 - Vol. 25, No. 2 HOPE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 2233 Golf Road Eau Claire, Wisconsin 54701 www.hope-eauclaire.org / 715-835-5310 / hopeumcec@yahoo.com For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. (John 3:16) Lent is a time to reflect on what it means to live a Christian life. What do you think the Christian life is all about? I believe it s about love. Christian life begins and ends with love. It was how God s creation started and how God s action continues in the world. So, during this season I hope our worship gathering and all spiritual practices in our lives can be opportunities to experience the deeper love of God. We will begin this journey with our Ash Wednesday Worship Service and our Lenten prayer services will be focused on various symbols inviting us to meditate on Jesus life and his love into our lives. And we will focus on Jesus final words during Sunday messages through Lent, so that we will learn and be reminded about what was on the heart and mind of Jesus as he died. Please take advantage of the opportunities to grow whether it be at our Lenten services, meditation table on Wednesdays in the Fellowship hall, or our Sunday Bible studies. It is a way that we recognize we are created by God, and made in God s image, but we often fail to be what we are called to be. Give yourself as you are involved in spiritual disciplines this season. God be with you and may you stretch your comfort zone this Lenten Season as we learn and grow. Pastor Hyejung Hwang. - 1 -
PREACHING THE WORD Date Preacher Message *February 4 Hyejung Hwang Mark 1:29-39 February 11 Hyejung Hwang Mark 9:2-9 Mari Gras Sunday with Klezmazel Band February 18 Hyejung Hwang First Sunday in Lent Luke 23:26, 33-34 Father, Forgive Them February 25 Hyejung Hwang Second Sunday in Lent Luke 23:32, 39-43 Today You Will Be With Me in Paradise * Communion Sunday February 14 th Ash Wednesday February 21 st Matthew 26:14-17, 27:3-5 10 Pieces of Silver February 28 th John 13:2-5, 12, 14, 17 Towel and Basin March 7 th Mark 14:32-36 The Cup March 14 th Mark 15:9-13, 15 The Whip March 21 st Matthew 27:27-31 The Crown - 2 -
February 9 th February 11 th February 12 th February 14th February 21 st February 23 rd February 28th March 3 rd Koinonia Fellowship Meal hosted by Rich Swanson and Joanne Mellema Mardi Gras Breakfast Fundraiser Come for homemade pancakes, pure maple syrup, sausage, fruit, and beverages. Chef Pierre will again be hard at work! Feed My People 10:00am-11:45am (followed by Lunch at 12:00pm) The Feed My People Work Group will be working at FMP on Monday, January 15th. We will then head to Acoustic Café for lunch at 12:00 PM. If you can't work that day, but would like to meet us for lunch, please join us at the Acoustic Café - all are welcome. Contact Joanne Mellema at 715-833-8549 or mellemjr@uwec.edu if you have questions. Ash Wednesday Service 6:30pm Lenten Prayer Service 6:30pm Koinonia Fellowship Meal hosted by Doug & Sharon Fortune Lenten Prayer Service 6:30pm & Youth Volunteering at Feed My People Koinonia Fellowship Meal - hosted by Bob Schwartz & Cheryl Muller VOICES OF HOPE FEBRUARY SCHEDULE Practice Tuesdays at 7:00pm: Everyone is invited to join and add their voice. Please sign up and join us in singing! Contact Jan Lorentz (shawtown90@yahoo.com) or Andrea Blaeser (alblaeser@gamil.com) with any questions. - February 6 th - February 11 th - February 13 th - February 18th - February 20 th Singing at 10:30am Sunday Worship: - 3 -
UPDATING MEMBER PHOTOS KOINONIA FELLOWSHIP MEAL You are invited to enjoy a dinner with other Hope members in a small group setting. The hosts provide the main dish and beverage and participants bring the side dishes. There is a choice of 3 dates: Friday, Feb. 9 at the home of Rich Swanson and Joanne Mellema (they have a cat); Friday, Feb. 23 at the home of Doug and Sharon Fortune; Saturday, March 3 at the home of Bob Schwartz and Cheryl Muller (they have a cat). If you would like to participate, please contact Sharon Fortune at 715-835-0841 or szfortune@yaoo.com and let her know which date works best for you. WOMEN OF HOPE The Women of Hope meet at 9:30am on the 3rd Saturday of each month. Our next gathering will be Saturday, February 17th The member pictures in the kitchen hallway are an important way to learn the names of members especially for new members and visitors. The pictures need to be updated. If you would like to have a picture taken or have a digital or printed picture, please contact Nancy Troyan at nancypt@yahoo.com or 715-878-9099. Birthday Blessings to all who are celebrating a February Birthday! Happy Birthday to you, to Jesus be true May God s richest blessing, now rest upon you! 2018 NORTH WEST DISTRICT - SPRC TRAINING Please mark your calendars and plan to attend a SPRC Training Session: Sunday, February 18, 2018 / 2:00pm 5:00pm Eau Claire Hope UMC, 2233 Golf Road, Eau Claire, WI 54701 All clergy and a SPRC member from each church are expected to attend and learn about their responsibilities. The training materials include duties of SPRC, future vision of the Wisconsin Annual Conference, congregational health and growth and a time for questions and answers. - 4 -
(Continued) WISCONSIN CONFERENCE NEWS Want the latest news for the Wisconsin Conference? Go to www.wisconsinumc.org/connections/conferencenews and sign up to receive weekly e-news from the conference. 2018 BISHOP S DAYS APART FOR CLERGY AND LAITY 2018 Bishop s Days Apart for Clergy & Laity have been scheduled. Each session will include time with clergy, AND time with laity (new for 2018). If you are unable to attend in your district, you may attend in another district. Registration is now open. For all districts, registration for the clergy session begins at 9:30 a.m. and the event is from 10 a.m. 3:30 p.m. Registration for the laity session begins at 6 p.m., and the event is from 6:30 8:30 p.m. Childcare will be provided in all sessions. South East District: Thursday, February 22, 2018 - Pewaukee: Gethsemane UMC, 642 Main St., Pewaukee, WI 53072 - Registration deadline: February 15, 2018 - Contact: Heidi Careaga hjcareaga@wisconsinumc.org North Central District: Friday, February 23, 2018 - Stevens Point: The Springs UMC, 600 Wilshire Blvd, Stevens Point, WI 54481 - Registration deadline: February 14, 2018 - Contact: Sue Olson solson@wisconsinumc.org North East District: Saturday, February 24, 2018 - Green Bay: Bethany UMC, 1110 Echo Ln, Green Bay, WI 54304 - Registration deadline: February 14, 2018 - Contact: Barbara Franken Bfranken@wisconsinumc.org South West District: Friday, March 2, 2018 - Oregon: People s UMC, 103 N. Alpine Pkwy, Oregon, WI 53575 - Registration deadline: February 23, 2018 - Contact: Sherry Malone smalone@wisconsinumc.org North West District: Saturday, March 3, 2018 - Shell Lake UMC, 135 Reinhart Dr., Shell Lake, WI 54871 - Registration deadline: February 21, 2018 - Contact: Sue Olson solson@wisconsinumc.org - 5 -
Psalm 104:33 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. Rejoice, Give Thanks, and Sing My brothers and sisters, thank you! Let us celebrate and sing, rejoice and be glad. Together, we have done a wonderful thing! Because of our commitment and generosity, lives have been saved, people have been given hope, and the loving grace and power of Jesus Christ have been shared around the world. God is doing amazing things through us, and we should be joyful. I want every pastor in our Conference to share the good news with the whole congregation: Wisconsin Conference paid its General Church apportionments in full, 100%, for 2017. In fact, we paid our commitment to Africa University at 105%! Many in our Church live under a myth about apportionments. They feel these are administrative costs, or pay insurance, or overhead, or salary support. And while a very small portion does go to these costs (less than 6%), the vast majority fund life-saving, faith-raising, hope-giving mission and ministry locally, denominationally, and globally. In Wisconsin, we have camps and campus ministries and mission teams funded through our apportionments. We support health and welfare ministries, young clergy education and development, clergy and laity training, new congregational development, and a host of mercy and justice ministries. Our Boards of Ordained and Lay Ministries are funded. Local, jurisdictional, national and international missions, ministry, projects, and programs are supported. Globally, we help The United Methodist Church be early on the spot in times of natural disasters and human suffering. This year, Wisconsin was present in Mexico, Florida, Texas, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, Haiti, Zimbabwe, and a host of other locations around the world through our connectional and second mile giving. We support Sager Brown in Louisiana and Midwest Distribution in Illinois, numerous local and national projects through Volunteers in Mission, and internationally through International Volunteers in Mission, and many ongoing projects through our denomination. We are in partnership with many of our General Boards and Agencies, and the ministries they carry out. We celebrate United Methodist Committee on Relief, The General Boards of Global Ministries, Church and Society, Pensions and Health Benefits and others. We are connected to our General Council on Finance and Administration, United Methodist Communications, Discipleship Ministries, the Commissions on Archives and History, Religion and Race, and the Status and Role of Women. We have been richly blessed, and superbly resourced by many of these agencies. We are in ministry, together. I openly acknowledge that for many of our churches it is a struggle to pay apportionments in full. It has been a sacrificial struggle for the Conference to make apportionment payments to the General Church a priority, as well. But we know that there is no greater, or more faithful way for us to be in ministry together than to celebrate our connectional identity and recommit to our Wesleyan roots by funding first the works of justice, mercy and truth. We may argue over theology, and we may have vastly different understandings of the meaning of scripture we may even debate the structure and future of the denomination, but what doesn t change is our commitment to be a witness for Christ in the world. That is what paying apportionments is: our witness of the love and grace and power of Christ in the world. When we all do our part, God blesses us and the Holy Spirit works through us to do amazing things. And so, once more, I thank you. I encourage you to celebrate that we paid 100% together as a Conference of The United Methodist Church. I also encourage all of our churches to set 100% payment of local church apportionments as a goal for 2018 and beyond. It is our shared ministry, and it is the way we are all faithful to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. And one last word, please be sure to highlight, promote, celebrate, and participate in UMCOR Sunday, March 11, 2018. More information is available: http://www.umcgiving.org/ministry-articles/one-greathour-of-sharing. Grace and Peace, Bishop Hee-Soo Jung - 6 -
SUNDAY SCHOOL SCHEDULE (* Split classes are when confirmation will meet separately) Date Type Topic February 4 th split Kings & Queens: Joash February 11 th combined Valentine s Lesson: God is Love February 18 th combined Kings & Queens: Hezekiah February 25 th combined Kings & Queens: Josiah March 4 th split Kings & Queens: Zedekiah March 11 th combined Easter: Triumphal Entry of Jesus March 18 th split Easter: Jesus Dies for our Sin March 25 th ------------- Palm Sunday Lent Faire Join us on the following dates for Middle and High School Fellowship. Friends are always welcome. (We will meet at Hope at 6:30pm, unless noted) Wed, Feb 7 th 6:30-8:00pm Large Group Activity Sun, Feb 11 th Mardi Gras Breakfast Fundraiser Wed, Feb 14 th 6:30-8:00pm Large Group Activity Wed, Feb 28 th TBD Volunteer at Feed My People - 7 -
We can be the hands and feet of Jesus helping those in need Help Support Our Youth as they put their faith into action! Our Hope United Methodist Youth Group will join others fom around the state for a week of projects and jobs helping the needy that live near our Nation s Capital. YOUNKERS COUPON BOOKLET SALE YOUTH MISSION TRIP Help us sell booklets to support our upcoming Mission Trip to Washington DC. We earn 100% of the profit from each $5.00 booklet. Each booklet contains over $500 in savings to be used during the sale March 1st March 3rd. Coupon Booklets will be available to purchase through March 1st. Please see the display in the Narthex to purchase or help sell coupon booklets. Mardi Gras Breakfast Fundraiser / Sunday, February 11 th Between Services / 9:00am-10:15am Breakfast will be presented by Hope Youth All donations will go support this year s Youth Mission Trip to Washington D.C. in June Come for homemade pancakes, pure maple syrup, sausage, fruit, and beverages. Chef Pierre will again be hard at work! - 8 -
Confirmation Date Time Topic Sunday, February 21 st 9:30am Tradition: What does it mean being Methodist? Sunday, March 4 th 9:30am Tradition: The Meaning of Sacraments Sunday, March 18 th 9:30am What Happened after this life? Sunday, April 15 th 9:30am Planning Worship BIBLE STUDY ROMANS Please join us as we read and discuss God s Word. We are currently studying the Book of Romans. Our study is informal and open to all, no matter where you are in your Faith Journey. Our class will meet in the Library between services from 9:30am 10:15am. If you have any questions or would like more information about the class feel free to talk to Mark Hysell (hysell.mark@dol.gov) and Mike Clauson (mclauson60@gmail.com). WOMEN S BIBLE STUDY We will meet at 6:30pm on the 4th Monday of each month. Our next meeting will be February 26th in the Library. Please call Cindy Hanson with questions. 715-878-4941 BIBLE STUDY LIVING THE QUESTIONS 2.0 Join us Sunday mornings between worship services (9:15am-10:15am) in the Ministry Room across from the nursery for an adult study using a video series "Living the Questions 2.0. LtQ2 is a popular video & internet-based small group exploration of progressive Christianity featuring premier religious voices of our day. The 20-minute video segments include conversations with leading voices of faith, digital stories illustrating aspects of an evolving faith, and concrete spiritual practices and disciplines. We will watch the video each week and spend some time together discussing it and sharing our thoughts. No preparation required and feel free to come whenever it works for you - and don't worry if you have to leave early or come late! The group may decide to take up other topics at times and take a break from the video series as we feel we need to. All are welcome!! Please contact Joanne Mellema (mellemjr@uwec.edu). - 9 -
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MINISTRY VOLUNTEERS FOR FEBRUARY Feb 4 Feb 11 Feb 18 Feb 25 Scripture Reader 8:15am - Service Scripture Reader 10:30am - Service Children s Moment Becky Gochanour Sharon Fortune Ruth Nyland Joey Bohl John Weiland Cindy Clauson Stacey Curtis Cheryl Muller Pastor Hyejung Sharon Fortune Anne Allen Ushers 8:15am Service Lois Nelson Judy Ganong Lois Nelson Judy Ganong Ray & Ruth Nyland Ushers 10:30am Service Merry Weiland Barb Teasdale Dennis & Dorothy Barry Jeff & Stacey Curtis Youth Greeters Joey Bohl John & Merry Weiland Dan & Carolyn Johnson Joey Bohl Audio-Visual 8:15am Service Audio-Visual 10:30am Service Coffee Fellowship Nursery Volunteers (2) Gary Gochanour Gary Gochanour Mike Clauson Mike Clauson Finance Committee Becky Gochanour & Alberto Larabee Mardi Gras Breakfast NO NURSERY Renee Marino & Alberto Larabee & Alberto Larabee HOPE UMC STAFF Pastor............. Rev. Hyejung Hwang Office Manager......... Kristen Kirchman Pianists. Andrea Blaeser & Melissa Ruhbusch SUNDAY MORNING SCHEDULE 8:15am Worship Service 9:30am Sunday School & Adult Bible Study 10:30am Worship Service HOPE UMC OFFICE HOURS: TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY 9:00AM 1:00PM Visit our church website at www.hope-eauclaire.org Visit and LIKE the Hope UMC Facebook page. (From our website, click the Like Us on Facebook button just above the map showing our location.) FOR THE JOURNEY Newsletter articles and updates should be submitted to the church office by the 20 th of each month. Contributions are welcome. - 11 -
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