FOR THE JOURNEY January 2018 - Vol. 25, No. 1 HOPE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 2233 Golf Road Eau Claire, Wisconsin 54701 www.hope-eauclaire.org / 715-835-5310 / hopeumcec@yahoo.com FROM THE PASTOR Happy New Year! I think we all like new things. New clothes, new cars, new restaurants, new direction, new relationships, and new days, etc. The word new sounds like erasing something that we have messed up, no matter how bad things may have become, no matterwhat may have happened. It s something like a magic word. Although I don t believe that we should remove all of the past. The past also includes footprints that showgod has walked beside us. At the start of each new year, each new beginning that God gives us, I would think about a plan for the year. I have made a New Year s resolution every year. More personal reading time, regular exercise, regular quiet time, eating healthy food but, I can t say that I m always successful in keeping these resolutions. Sometimes I forget about it until the end of the year, but I still like to have a new plan each year as I work towards a more balanced life with healthy habits. One of habits that I feel helps me to have better relationship with God is to continue asking questions. Since it is not surprising for most of us to have a new year, we may not be asking about God s purpose for my life this year. Why does God call me to be here? What is God s purpose of our church in this year? So, before the new year, I pray that we will find the answers through the Good News of Jesus Christ and the stories of Jesus Christ again. In your personal lives or within our church life, may God guide us in the direction that we need and may we continue to be filled with joy for the Emmanuel God-with-us this coming year. Pastor Hyejung Hwang Love the Lord, all his faithful people! The Lord preserves those who are true to him, but the proud he pays back in full. Be Strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. - Psalm 31:23-24 - 1 -
PREACHING THE WORD Date Preacher Message *January 7th Hyejung Hwang Mark 1:4-11 January 14 th Hyejung Hwang John 1:43-51 January 21st Hyejung Hwang Matthew 1:14-20 January 28th Hyejung Hwang Mark 1:21-28 * Communion Sunday A Special THANK YOU to the Following: Thank you to the Sunday School, Voices of Hope, the Confirmation Class and the members of the congregation that brought us a meaningful Christmas program this season. Thanks especially to the leadership of Cindy Clauson and the Christian Education Committee. Thank you to Jan Lorentz and the Worship Committee for the beautiful worship space we enjoyed through Advent and Christmas. Thanks again to LeeAnn Richards and Jan Lorentz, and ALL the wonderful cookie bakers in a successful cookie walk again this year. Thanks to all that volunteered their time and energy to make our church a welcoming and comfortable space for the Hanrath family during their time of mourning and celebration of Tom's life. - 2 -
January 10th 6:30pm Movie Night Please join us for a movie night. We will watch and discuss The Christmas Candle. Treats will be served. January 15th 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. January 17 th Bowl Making for Feed My People January 31 st Bowl Making for Feed My People January 26th-27th January 27th Lay Servant Training in Wausau (6-9pm Fri & 9am-5pm Sat) NW District Conference in Rice Lake (9am-4pm) 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 - 3 -
BOWL MAKING FOR FEED MY PEOPLE Join us for 3 nights of making bowls for the Feed My People Empty Bowls dinner. This is a 3 night project--you need to attend all three to finish your bowl. The dates are Wednesday nights January 17, January 31 and a third date to be set. Cost is $10 to make a bowl which will then be donated to the dinner. We will meet at church by 6:15pm to carpool to Whispering Pines Ceramics on Balsam Road. We will return to church by 8:30. Contact Cindy Clauson 715-835-7308 or mcclaus60@att.net to reserve a spot or ask questions. WOMEN OF HOPE The Women of Hope meet at 9:30am on the 3rd Saturday of each month. Our next gathering will be Saturday, January 20th. Birthday Blessings to all who are celebrating a January Birthday! Happy Birthday to you, to Jesus be true May God s richest blessing, now rest upon you! - 4 -
2018 NORTH WEST DISTRICT - SPRC TRAININGS Please mark your calendars and plan to attend one of the SPRC Training Sessions listed below! Saturday, January 6, 2018 / 9:00am 12:00pm Barron UMC, 154 Memorial Drive, Barron WI 54812 Saturday, January 13, 2018 / 9:00am-12:00pm Glenwood City UMC, 240 Oak St, Glenwood City, WI 54013 Sunday, February 18, 2018 / 2:00pm 5:00pm Eau Claire Hope UMC, 2233 Golf Road, Eau Claire, WI 54701 All three sessions will be the same, allowing you to attend whichever one is most convenient for you. 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. 2018 NORTH WEST DISTRICT CONFERENCE Saturday, January 27, 2018 Building Worship Bridges: Worship to Accelerate Neighborhood Connections. Guest Speaker: Rev. Cathy Townley (a worship specialist, focusing as a coach and consultant in new starts and existing churches). Cathy Townley will be the learning leader as we explore how to use worship to accelerate neighborhood connections. Each participant will receive a copy of the book Building Worship Bridges: Worship to Accelerate Neighborhood Connections. Location: Rice Lake United Methodist Church - 1221 Wesley Dr Rice Lake WI 54868 Event 9:00am-4:00pm (Registration begins at 8:30am) Childcare provided Registration Deadline January 22, 2018. Please register online at https://www.wisconsinumc.org/about-us/districts/north-west-district/conference-online-registration Cost $20- includes book and lunch (Checks only, made payable to WI Conference UMC. Mail or drop off at North West District Office - 337 Lake St Suite B, Eau Claire WI 54703) There are a block of hotel rooms under NW District Conference for the night of January 26, 2018 at the Microtel Inn & Suites Rice Lake (Phone # 715-736-2010) - rate is $64.95. Rooms will be available until January 19, 2018-5 -
(Continued) WISCONSIN CONFERENCE NEWS Want the latest news for the Wisconsin Conference? Go to www.wisconsinumc.org/connections/conference-news 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 - 6 -
SUNDAY SCHOOL SCHEDULE (* Split classes are when confirmation will meet separately) Date Type Topic January 7th split Christmas: Herod, Opposing Ruler January 14 th combined Christmas: Shepherds January 21 st split Kings & Queens: Ahab, Jezebel January 28 th combined Kings & Queens: Athaliah 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 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, Jan 3 rd 6:30-8:00pm Large Group Activity Wed, Jan 10 th 6:30-8:00pm Movie The Christmas Candle Wed, Jan 17 th 6:10-8:00pm Feed My People Bowl Making (Meet at Hope to carpool) Wed, Jan 31 st 6:10-8:00pm Feed My People Bowl Making (Meet at Hope to carpool) Wed, Feb 7 th 6:30-8:00pm Large Group Activity Sun, Feb 11 th Mardi Gras Breakfast Fundraiser (more details to come) Wed, Feb 14 th TBD Volunteer at Feed My People & Ash Wednesday Service (more details to come) Wed, Feb 28 th 6:30pm-8:00pm Large Group Activity - 7 -
Confirmation Date Time Topic Sunday, January 7 th 9:30am What is the Holy Spirit? 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 January 22nd 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). - 8 -
INISTRY VOLUNTEERS FOR JANUARY - 9 -
Jan 7 Jan 14 Jan 21 Jan 28 Scripture Reader 8:15am - Service Scripture Reader 10:30am - Service Children s Moment Joanne Mellema Ruth Nyland Sharon Fortune Joey Bohl Cindy Clauson Becky Gochanour Bruce Gardow Mark Hysell Sharon Fortune Pastor Hyejung Cheryl Muller Anne Allen Ushers 8:15am Service Rich Swanson Joanne Mellema Ruth & Ray Nyland Cyndee Kaiser Jan Lorentz Cyndee Kaiser Jan Lorentz Ushers 10:30am Service Gary & Becky Gochanour Gary & Becky Gochanour Kay Lee Elsie Bartlett Bernie & Anne Allen Greeters Joey Bohl Carolyn Johnson Dorothy & Dennis Barry John & Merry Weiland Kay Lee Audio-Visual 8:15am Service Audio-Visual 10:30am Service Coffee Fellowship Mike Clauson Gary Gochanour Mike Clauson Mike Clauson Outreach Committee Jan Lorentz (Souper Bowl) Nursery Volunteers (2) & Alberto Larabee & Alberto Larabee & 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. - 10 -