The Messenger Page 1 Love Is. Love is choosing to do right no matter how you feel. - Heldur Nork From his earliest days in politics, Abraham Lincoln had a critic who continually treated him with contempt. An extremely rude man, Edwin Stanton would say to newspaper reporters that Lincoln was a low cunning clown and the original gorilla. In spite of personal and slanderous attacks Lincoln never responded, never retaliated. When Lincoln was elected President, he needed a Secretary of War and selected Edwin Stanton. When his friends asked why, Lincoln replied, Because he is the best man for the job. Years later, that fateful night came when an assassin s bullet murdered the president. Lincoln s body was carried off to another room. Edwin Stanton came, and looking down upon the silent, rugged face of his dead President, said through his tears, There lies the greatest ruler of men the world has ever seen. The power of love and kindness had broken a life of animosity and won over a heart. Saint Paul wrote to the Corinthians, Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. One of the highest, most exalted acts of a Christian is to love the unlovely. It is to love with no reward in sight. Christian love is choosing to do right no matter how you feel. In Christian Love, Pastor Bill
The Messenger Page 2 Messages from the Diaconate Strengthen the Church Begins May 1 Strengthen the Church is a special mission offering that helps support youth ministries and full-time leaders for new churches around the country where the UCC voice has not been heard before. Your generosity will awaken new ideas in existing churches and help develop the spiritual lives of youth and young adults. Because of this offering, many more will hear the good news that God is still speaking which is a campaign that has worked with thousands of UCC churches and individuals across the country to extend a welcome to all because no matter who you are, or where you are on life s journey, you re welcome here. Special offering envelopes will be available in the pews through May 15. Memorial Service May 7 There will be a Memorial Service for Bunny Hoganson at 10:00 am here at the church followed by a luncheon at 11:00 am across the street at Oakwood Commons. Mother s Day May 8 We plan to celebrate this special day by having an outdoor worship service. We are hoping for a nice, dry pleasant morning, but please dress accordingly for chilly weather. Unless it is raining and/or cold, we will be outside to worship God and celebrate our mothers. Pentecost May 15 Acts Chapter 2 tells us that when the day of Pentecost had come, the followers of Jesus were all together in one place when all of a sudden, a sound came from heaven, like a strong wind, filling the house where the people had gathered. Something like tongues of fire rested on their heads and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Wear something Red on Sunday, May 15 as a symbol of the power and fire of the Holy Spirit. Room. Thank you for your support! Your Diaconate appreciates it. Church Tours in June We are in the planning stages of our annual church tours and lunch outing which will take place toward the end of June. Stay tuned for more information next month. Treasurer s Report for March 2016 Income- $4,460.89 Expenses- $13,181.48 Capital Improvement Fund - $13,024.45 Investments with UBS valued at $182,034.92 Matthew Haling, Treasurer Book Club May 9 th at 7:00pm The Book Club is currently reading A Man Called Ove, by Fredrik Backman. Books are available in the church office. Member Directory Our updated Member Directory is now available. Be sure to pick up a copy in the Mayflower Room. If you would like one mailed to you, please contact Val in the Church Office and let her know. Volunteers for Sunday Your help is needed on Sunday mornings. Please see John Peters and let him know when you can serve as usher, liturgist, or fellowship host, or even better, just add your name to the sign-up sheet in the Mayflower
The Messenger Page 3 OUR CHURCH AT WORK In MAY Helpers for Sunday Services Greeters: May 1 Ian Haas May 8 Ian Haas May 15 Ian Haas May 22 Ian Haas May 29 Ian Haas Ushers: May 1 Ray Carter & Teresa Curless May 8 Marge Manspeaker & Available Liturgists: May 1 Marge Manspeaker May 8 Available PRAYER LIST Bernice Hartling Shirley Fedraw Geri Sampson Suzanne Van Ranst Dotty Klein R. Ferguson Family Healing, spiritual guidance Gordon Grozdanoff Arline Prois Pauline Gourlay Colleen Grozdanoff Annika Koch John Langley Pat Mangrum Kathy Gideon Cathy MacKenzie May Birthdays 9 Roberta Adamson 12 Eva Martin 21 Rufus Beardsley 22 Ann Saadah 23 Cathy MacKenzie 27 Dave Jabtecki 28 Bev Traver Dedication of Flowers - May May 1 Available May 8 Available May 1 Available May 8 Available Fellowship Hour May Dates to Remember: May 7 Bunny Hoganson Memorial Service 10am May 8 Outdoor Service 10am May 9 Book Club 7pm May 11 Trustees Meeting 7pm May 12 Diaconate Meeting 7pm May 14 Clean Up Day 8am
The Messenger Page 4 I M JUST SAYIN with Pat Stacho Our book club just finished reading A Man Called Ove, by Fredrik Backman. Our meeting isn't until May 9th, so I cannot speak for the others, but I loved it. The summary on the back states, in part, "the grumpiest man you'll ever meet, a curmudgeon (don't you love that word?) with staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse." But as the story unfolds you learn that is not the case at all. I won't spoil the plot, but in the end, we learn the whys and the ways, of a kind, generous even loving, curmudgeon. Makes me wonder how many people I have written off as a curmudgeon. That, by no means, includes my dear hubby. I've adjusted quite well to his ways. Once he adjusted to mine! I'm pretty sure I was justified in my opinion of Sally Hoffman. She was a little tramp who stole my first serious boyfriend. I was lucky enough to recover the trauma before we moved on to second grade. But there was a lot of pain in the lunchroom, watching her share her lunch with Tommy. That little hussy had a Cinderella lunchbox, full of Twinkies, chips and ham and cheese sandwiches, cut in half, diagonally, no less! Who does that? I had PBJ, soggy by lunchtime, with a brown banana in the same brown paper bag I had used all week! Hmmmm it may be possible that I misjudged Tommy. But this book absolutely made me think. Maybe I haven't been fair in judging others. Have I missed out on possible shows of friendship, or chance encounters bringing smiles to others? What about the guy waving a finger at me because I turned too quickly? Perhaps he was an amputee. What if that was his only finger? I may have misjudged him, although he did seem angry when I waved back. Then more recently I became short tempered, hard to believe, but true. The girl behind the counter at Tim Horton's got my order wrong. Not once...three times, a small coffee and a maple donut. I spoke clearly, and she just couldn't get it together. It might've been my fault. I failed to point at the donut! At any rate, the point is, we all are curmudgeons at some time or another. I hope people can look past that, take a deep breath and give us another chance. God doesn't make mistakes. (Although I have questioned the influx of reality TV.) So next time you encounter a curmudgeon, smile and try engaging in small talk. Perhaps that person is having a bad day, make it brighter. If you're rebuffed, stick your tongue out at them and walk away!! We too have the right to be a curmudgeon now and then. I'm just sayin
The Messenger Page 5 BUILDING &GROUNDS ANNUAL CLEAN-UP DAY We have designated Saturday May 14th from 8:00 to 12:00 to clean the inside & outside of our Church.. Bring your favorite cleaning supplies. A list of tasks will be posted on the bulletin board just inside the tower entrance. Please put your name on a task of your choice. This is a great opportunity for you to help your Church. For info contact John Peters OUTSIDE 1. Spray weed killer around walks and cracks and elsewhere if necessary 2. Remove leaves and trash from around the buildings & shrubs. 3. Pull weeds and trim bushes where appropriate. 4. Spread Mulch around Church sign, trees & Post lights. 5. Remove A/C doors from Sanctuary. 6. Clean, adjust, change oil, and sharpen mower and lawn equipment 7. Wash outside of Sanctuary and windows. 8. Wash all outside doors (inside & out) 9. Clean glass in lawn lights and paint where necessary 10. Dispose of used oil from garage 11. Repair/replace& waterproof light fixture @ rear kitchen door. 12. Clean, sand & paint handrails at all entrances. 13. Provide drop-thru mailbox at Tower entrance. 14. Repair outside basement steps INSIDE 1. Wash pews as needed. 2. Vacuum and rotate Pew cushions. 3. Clean and polish tables at rear of Sanctuary. 4. Clean chandeliers and wall sconces. 5. Dust and vacuum around radiators. 6. Clean around organ, minister s bench, pulpit, and railings. 7. Clean coat racks in Sanctuary 8. Clean the Altar. 9. Wash and defrost both refrigerators as necessary. 10. Dust shelves in Library. 11. Clean furnace room and check furnaces
The Messenger Page 6 MEMBER NEWS Join us to see Camelot on May 15! Come out and support two of our own, Jay and Ray Carter, as they perform in Lerner and Loewe's production of Camelot, presented by the Downriver Actors Guild. We have chosen the show on Sunday, May 15 at 3:00 pm for this group outing. Tickets are $16. The DAG is located in the Catherine A. Daly Theatre, 2656 Biddle, Wyandotte. Tentatively, the plan is to meet in the theatre lobby. We hope you're able to make it! There's also been discussion about doing dinner with "the stars" afterwards, too. Get your tickets early! Visit www.downriveractorsguild.net or call the ticket line (734-407-7020). Also Valerie Haas is the director of the current production at the Players Guild of Dearborn, Seussical, the Musical. Kirk Haas is the scenic designer. The show runs for four weekends, opening April 29 th and closing May 22 nd. Friday and Saturday performances at 8pm, Sundays at 2:30pm. Call the PGD for tickets at 313-561-TKTS, or order on the website: www.playerguildofdearborn.org