the Daily Disciple Monthly Newsletter of First Church of New Knoxville February 2019 The Consistory has called a congregational meeting for Sunday, February 24 immediately following the morning worship service. The purpose is to discuss and approve a bid for replacement of the church s heating system. Our Annual Meeting was held on January 27 following morning worship. Members in attendance approved the following items: Minutes Election of Officers 2018 Financial Report 2019 Budget 2019 Designated Offerings 2019 Radio Contract Renewal If you are a member of First Church and did not pick up a copy of the 2018 Annual Report or the Pastors Year in Review and Look Ahead to 2019 please email firstchurchnk@nktelco.net with your name and address and we are happy to send them to you. There will be a Parent and Student Meeting on Wednesday, February 6 th at 8:30 pm In the youth room to discuss Summer 2019 ministry events for Jr. & Sr. High Youth. Youth Schedule for February Wednesdays, February 6, 13 & 27 Combined youth group 7 8:30 pm. On Wednesday, February 20 - Youth Group will be attending the NK girls tournament game in St. Marys. See Tory for game tickets. Meet in church parking lot at 5:40 pm. Afterward we will go for ice cream. Sundays, February 10 & 17 4:30 pm. High School Bible Study Dave & Judy Bambauer s, 400 Botkins Angle Rd., NK On Sunday, February 24 - All youth group movie night from 4:30 6:30 pm We will be watching the movie I m Not Ashamed.
Dear Church, I have been reminded of the importance of our radio ministry a lot lately. First Church has broadcast the Sunday morning worship service on a weekly basis for more than fifty years. Our listeners include church members and non-members, shut-ins and nursing home residents, families with sick children at home and truck drivers traveling down I-75. When I first started preaching at First Church 2 ½ years ago, I wasn t sure what to think of the radio ministry. What kind of impact does it have? Who actually listens? I ve learned over the course of my tenure, however, that the radio ministry is vital to the life and ministry of our church. This was more than apparent on Sunday, January 20. The winter weather forced many churches in our area to close. The Elders decided to postpone our Annual Meeting that was to be held that day after the service. But no matter how bad the weather got, I knew it was important to still hold our Sunday morning worship service. Even if it was just me and the sound technician, we were going to worship that morning so that it would go out to all those listening on the radio. Especially with the conditions outside, we knew that many people would not be able to attend First Church or any other church in the area. They could, though, listen in to our services on the radio from the comfort and safety of their home. Hymns were still sung, prayers were still offered, and God s Word was still preached. And many people were able to worship that morning, no matter where they were, because of the radio ministry. In the end, I wasn t alone. About 35 people gathered for worship in the sanctuary that morning, and many, many more listened in on the radio. If you or a member of your family benefits from the radio ministry, I encourage you to support the Radio Ministry Fund. Donations help ensure that our services are broadcast each and every week, no matter what the weather is like outside. Perhaps even more importantly, please pray that those who listen to the radio broadcast are impacted by the ministry and transformed by the Gospel. Ultimately, it is not about First Church or myself. Our purpose is to keep Christ at the center of everything we do and see the Kingdom of God advanced. Grace and Peace, Pastor Joel Bucklin One of the things I love most about being in Youth Ministry is talking to students about topics that are relevant to their life in a way that points them to biblical truth. I love tackling the awkward and sometimes uncomfortable topics like dating, sex, mental health, and other topics that didn t get talked about at youth group when I was growing up. I am always amazed at the openness our students have with the leaders and I when we press into the hard topics. It is an amazing platform for us to share our stories and point them over and over again to scripture. Over the next month and a half our students are going to be learning about the tough stuff. We are starting a series on tough stuff. We will be looking at what God says about dating, sex, and mental health at youth group on Wednesday night. I am excited for the conversations. I am excited for the awkwardness and discomfort that comes with these topics for some of our students. I am excited to challenge the perspectives our students might have regarding some of these topics. Above all else I am excited to dig into God s Word with our students and help them discover what the Word says regarding the tough stuff. I want to invite you all to be praying for our students and leaders as we dig into this stuff. Pray that God will show up and challenge us. Pray that God will open our eyes to His truth during these conversations. Youth Pastor, Tory Breitigan
Wonderful Wednesdays in Lent are coming soon! March 13 April 10 The first Wonderful Wednesday of 2019 is March 13, but planning is already underway. What are Wonderful Wednesdays? They are part of our outreach to our community! They are an after school program for kids and community dinner for all. School age children from grades K-6 come to First Church for a snack and get to burn off some after school energy. Then they head off to get their homework done and have a little craft time before their parents arrive at 5:30 pm to join them for dinner, worship and a short message. Our goal is that in this busy season leading up to Easter we can provide an evening where parents and kids get to go home and spend the evening together as a family knowing homework and dinner are done. Are Wonderful Wednesdays just for kids and families? Not at all. Everyone is invited for dinner and worship! The entire evening is completed by 7:00 pm. There are plenty of opportunities to help make this amazing ministry happen. We are looking for classroom leaders and helpers, game and craft leaders, music time volunteers, and help serving the meals. Wonderful Wednesdays are a great chance to engage our community, and we can t do it without your help. Please contact the church office and let us know how you can be involved! Schedule: 3:15p Kids arrive from school. 5:45p Dinner served. 7:00p Program concludes. Dinner Plan Last year several of our First Church members stepped up to cook for us and we are excited that they had so much fun they wanted to do it again! March 13 Lori Kremer March 20 Sarah Belton March 27 Dave & Judy Bambauer April 3 Wonderful Wed. Planning Team April 10 Deb Schrolucke & Rebecca Vordermark Photos from Wonderful Wednesdays 2018
2019 Consistory Members Elders: Chad Huston, Carolyn Lammers, Aaron Rohrbaugh, Glenn Culp, Michelle Dillon & Stan Reineke. Trustees: Bob Grimes, Ned Vordermark & Doug Hoelscher Deacons: Brian Hoge, Annette Thompson, Clinton Hirschfeld, Dave Roediger, Ted Howe, Rick Homan, Mark Howe, Dan Wierwille, Kort Fledderjohann, Rob Chaney, Doug Bambauer & Brian Lammers. The official consistory year runs from February 1, 2019 to January 21, 2020. Members serve 3 year terms. 2019 2023 Goal: $775,000 + Pledged: $326,875.00 Pledges Paid: $117,565.00 (Heating pledges only does not include non pledge gifts to heating system) Financial Snapshot for December 2018 General Operating Fund Balance $81,878.88 Benevolent Fund Balance $21,540.11 VBS Fund Balance $6,178.74 Seminary Student Ed. Grant Fund Balance $13,285.66 Radio Ministry Fund Balance $26,803.39 Music Ministry Fund Balance $3,613.37 Bequest & Endowment Fund Balance $117,656.91 Camp Fund Balance $11,151.98 Building Maintenance Fund Balance $318,529.11 Held for Elevator: $82,519.73 Held for Sanctuary Painting $22,773.00 Held for Heating System Project $123,830.30 Jr. High Youth Fund Balance $2,314.78 Sr. High Youth Fund Balance $4,816.63 Organ Concert Series Fund Balance $975.00 Global Missions Fund Balance $2,326.36 Christian Women s Fund Balance $7,895.55 Outreach & Evangelism Fund Balance $5,093.90 Sunday School Fund Balance $1,256.89 Temporary Undesignated Gifts Balance $91,992.03 Those In Need Fund Balance $7,224.03 Building Technology & Improvements Bal. $21,197.01 Full detail is available by calling the treasurer, Connie Schroer at the church office. 419-753-2446 January facts & figures December 30 Heating System offering $1,995.30 Attendance 139 January 6 General Fund offering $1,650.10 Attendance 178 January 13 Bldg. Improvement & Tech Fund offering $1,219.00 Attendance 128 January 20 Radio Fund offering $323.00 Attendance 46 January 27 General Fund offering $1,534.00 Attendance 134
Dear First Church, Thank you for making our program go and our students grow physically, mentally and emotionally. Your generous donation from the Sunday school department is greatly appreciated. Faithful donors like you help ensure the Equestrian Therapy Program mission continues. Thank you so much. Sincerely, the Equestrian Therapy Staff. Dear Friends, Thank you for all the warm wishes for my 90th birthday and for all the wonderful cards and letters I received. Thanks also to those who were able to make it to the reception. It was truly wonderful to visit with each and every one of you. Sincerely, Joann Feldwisch Dear First Church Family, Thank you so much for your prayers and cards while I was in the hospital and during recovery. It s good to be back! Sincerely, Bob Grimes. First Church, Courtney and I are so thankful for your generous gift from the Christmas Eve service offering and your continued support of us as we do ministry in Clemson. God is certainly working here and greatly growing us personally as we do ministry and are equipped through seminary classes. We are praying for First Church and hope to see you all soon! Thank you! John and Courtney Henschen Dear First Church, God bless you all for the wonderful gift and prayers which were so badly needed. We miss seeing you all but yet a couple more years may pass before we see America again. Please see our FB page and website for updates on all our activities. Bruce & Sandie Tanner Dear First Church, A heartfelt thank for the beautiful red rose on our 54th wedding anniversary. Donald & Carolyn Henschen Dear First Church Family, We want to sincerely thank you all for your thoughts, prayers and well wishes for Gary s surgery. God is so good! A special thank you to Pastor Joel or your prayers, communion and being at the hospital. It was such a comfort and we truly needed that. Gary is doing well and recovering at home. Your continued prayers are so appreciated. In Christ s love, Gary & Sylvia Katterheinrich Dear First Church, Thank you for all the love shown to me on my 90th birthday. The flowers, gifts, telephone calls and all of the 90+ cards I received were very much appreciated. I am truly blessed to have wonderful family and friends near and far who made my day special. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. God bless you all. Marian Wellman. To the Congregation of First Church of New Knoxville, Thank you for your $1,500 donation to the Mercy Unlimited jail ministry. We used these funds to support the hungry, homeless, illdressed, sick and those in prison of Auglaize County. We are truly grateful for your continued support of the jail ministry and pray that God would richly reward you for what you have done. Tammy Brown, Exec. Director, Mercy Unlimited To First Church of New Knoxville, Thank you for your commitment and dedication to support the ministry of Operation Christmas Child. It was an honor to celebrate the 25th anniversary of OCC with you. The Lima Area Operation Christmas Child collected 20,435 shoeboxes. These went to Ecuador, Malawi, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Ukraine, Uruguay and Zimbabwe. Please pray for the children who received them that they have open hearts for the Gospel message and for those who are teaching them the twelve lesson discipleship program. The Lima Area Team is blessed to serve with your church in the mission and ministry of Operation Christmas Child We look forward to partnering with you again in 2019 Mike & Bonnie Condry, Lima Area Coordinators for Operation Christmas Child.
The Word of God tells us in many places how important prayer is to the life of the believer. Ephesians 6:18 says and pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord s people. As the body of Christ we need to be praying for each other and lifting each other up. Below is a prayer request from one of our First Church family members. We ask you to lift Brooklyn up in your prayers. We also encourage you to share with us if you have special prayer need that we can bring to our First Church family for prayer. Request for prayer by Sharon Colson. Brooklyn Martina Karch is the third child of my son Jonathon and his wife Molly of Xenia. She was born June 7, 2018. Soon after she was born it was clear she would be a special child. Her cornea is clouded in one eye and her eyes normally look to the side. At the age of four months she received glasses. She has been treated in Pittsburgh by specialists, at Dayton Children's Hospital and is a regular at Cincinnati Children s Hospital. Tests show she has had unseen brain seizures (infant epilepsy) and left brain disorder. Her development is months behind. As the new year begins Brooklyn s anti-seizure medication has been increased and she has begun ACTH injections requiring in-hospital observation. She is awaiting another Echo test and a genetics appointment for possible testing as well. Brooklyn has been on our prayer list for several months and I wanted to share her story with my First Church family and ask for these specific prayers: Please pray for Jonathan as he balances his business with the responsibilities of home, father, husband and overnight caregiver. Pray for Molly as she balances care for Brody (age 4), Blakely (19 mo.) and Brooklyn with her 3rd shift nursing career and contemplates working from home so she can work around doctor appointments. Pray for Brooklyn s doctors at Cincinnati Children s Neurology Dept., Dr. Wesselkamper and Dr. Halliran as they explore the unknown cause of this one of a kind disease. Pray for Brooklyn s health and development that the time therapists are spending with her produce visible results. Thank you. Sharon I hear the Savior say, Thy strength indeed is small! Child of weakness, watch and pray, Find in Me thine all in all. - Hymn 210. Jesus Paid it All Join us from 8 to 8:45 am in the heritage room on February 17 for guided prayer. During guided prayer we will read scripture related to specific topics (our families, our church family, our identity and who we are in Christ) and then pray for 3 to 4 minutes on each topic in small groups.
February 2019 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 3 Communion 8a Men's Bible Study 9a Worship Service 10:15a Sunday School 10:15a Confirmation 4:30p Sr. High Bible Study 10 Installation of Officers 8a Men's Bible Study 9a Worship Service 10:15a Sunday School 10:15a Confirmation 4:30p Sr. High Bible Study 17 8a Men's Bible Study 8a Guided Prayer 9a Worship Service 10:15a Sunday School 10:15a Confirmation 4:30p Sr. High Bible Study 24 Congregational Meeting 8a Men's Bible Study 9a Worship Service 10:15a Sunday School 10:15a Confirmation 4:30p Jr/Sr Movie Night 4 7:30p Special Consistory Meeting to review heating system bids 11 No Spiritual Council 18 6:30p Spiritual Council 7p Trustees Mtg. 7:30p Consistory 25 7p Spiritual Council 5 9:30a Women s Bible Study 6:30p Growth Group 12 9:30a Women s Bible Study 10a Serve at Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen 6:30p Growth Group 19 9:30a Women s Bible Study 6:30p Growth Group 26 9:30a Women s Bible Study 6:30p Growth Group 6 6:45p Bell Choir Practice 7-8:30p Jr./Sr. High Youth Group 7:45p Vocal Choir Practice 13 6:30p Bell Choir Practice 7-8:30p Jr./Sr. High Youth Group 7:30p Vocal Choir Practice 20 5:40p Youth Group going to NK girls tournament game 6:30p Bell Choir Practice 7:30p Vocal Choir Practice 27 6:30p Bell Choir Practice 7-8:30p Jr./Sr. High Youth Group 7:30p Vocal Choir Practice 1 2 7 8 9 14 15 16 21 22 23 28
Happy Birthday to the Following: Mary Katterheinrich will celebrate a birthday on February 19. Don Prueter will celebrate a birthday on February 28. They are both at Elmwood Living Center 711 S. Walnut St., New Bremen, OH 45869 Dorothy Egan will celebrate a birthday on February 20. She is at Bowling Green Care Center, 851 W. Poe Rd., Bowling Green, OH 43402 Happy Belated Birthdays to Joann Elshoff on January 4. & Thelma Arnett on January 9 Men s Bible Study Youth Room, 8a. Sundays Jesus Among Secular God s Study Min. Ctr. 10:15a. Jay s Adult Sunday School - Heritage Rm. 10:15a. Youth Sunday School 10:15a. High School Youth Bible Study D. Bambauer s 4:30p. Women s Bible Study Youth Room 9:30 a. Tuesdays Tuesday Night Growth Group Youth Room 6:30 p. Soup Kitchen Ministry 2nd Tuesday of the month Jr. & Sr. High Youth Group Youth Room Wednesdays 7 8:30p. Bell Choir 6:30p. Wednesdays Vocal Choir 7:30p. Wednesdays NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #5 NEW KNOXVILLE, OH 45871 Senior Pastor Joel Bucklin P.O. Box 339 200 W. Bremen St. New Knoxville, OH 45871-0339 419-753-2446 Office e-mail: firstchurchnk@nktelco.net Church Website: www.firstchurchnk.org Return Service Requested Find us on Facebook & Instagram at #firstchurchnk Text your name and remove to 419-405-3265 to be removed from our newsletter mailing list.