Fall 2013 Newsletter Melfort United Church Minister s Message Greetings to you all, brothers and sisters in Christ, Contact Us 220 Burrows Avenue West Box 1064 Melfort, Saskatchewan Phone: 752-2288 Fax: 752-3174 Email: melfortuc@sasktel.net Website: www.melfortunitedchurch.com Minister: Rev. Emmanuel Menyereye Office Administrator: Erin Norris-Pott Caretaker: Faye Greier Music Director: Andrew Elian I would like to take this opportunity to welcome all of you back to church after the slow and restful summer holiday. Thanks to all of you who spread the word about our come back to church Sunday that took place on September 8, 2013. Thanks also to all who attended the service. It was indeed a delight to see many of you back. Fall is another event-filled season in our lives and especially in the life of the church. We look forward to continued Faith Formation through our regular worship services, confirmation classes beginning this September and Bible study in the week after Thanksgiving. As for other activities or events, please read the worship and other committee columns, look at their appeal and see where you can lend your hand if possible. Thanks to all of you who are already taking part where you are able to. Our prayers to our farmer friends who are at this time of the year working day and night to gather their crops in on time. May the Holy One protect them against any danger and give them the strength and wellness they need to do their work. May the Lord who gives peace give you peace at all times and in every way. May the Lord be with all of you (2 Thessalonians 3:16 NIV). Sunday Services 10:30 am Office Hours: Tuesday Thursday 9am-3pm Yours in his Vineyard, Reverend Emmanuel Menyereye
People News Good-bye We wish a fond farewell and best wishes to Jack & Betty Pryor as they move to BC to be closer to their grandchildren. Funerals Our sympathy is extended to friends and family. Lloyd McCloy Faye Smith Donald Rush John Alan Bayne Weddings Best wishes are extended to: Ryan Powers & Marcie Kolodinsky Brad Wudrich & Val Germain Baptisms Karter Carson, son of Arnie & Kayla Carson John Wurtz, son of Ward Wurtz & Melissa Loos WORSHIP COMMITTEE REPORT The Worship Committee provided lunch after church on Sunday, September 8 th. Communion services will be held September 8 th, October 6 th and December 1 st. Coverage will be required for worship services in Emmanuel s absence on the following Sundays: September 29 th, October 27 th, January 5 th, March 30 th and June 29 th to cover fifth Sundays and Emmanuel s learning opportunities. Worship committee members will be in touch with other committees to share out the coverage. Materials are available to support your planning. We are planning a Laughing Sunday service for October 27 th. Remembrance Sunday will be Sunday, November 10 th ; White Gift Sunday will be Sunday, December 15 th ; and our Christmas Eve service will be held as usual on December 24 th. There will be no service on Sunday, December 29 th. The Worship Committee is looking for ideas on how to involve more people in services, and how to make the services meaningful and relevant to all ages. If you have suggestions, please share them with any member of the committee (Sue Amundrud, Judy Meier, Gale Strachan). In addition, we would welcome an additional member to our committee if you would like to be involved, please let one of us know. Submitted by, Sue Amundrud, chair
UCW Report Our first meeting will be held on Sept 12, beginning with a potluck supper at 6pm. Over the summer months the UCW and Men's Group helped 2 children attend Camp Tapawingo, and on Aug. 26th, a number of UCW members attended UCW Day at Camp. Besides Camp activities we toured the Timberland Gallery featuring the nature photography of Dennis Chamberlain. Future events include: helping with Garage Sale, Sept. 20-21 Meals on Wheels, Sept. 30th - Oct. 11 Fall Home Based Business Sale, Oct. 19 Fall Supper - Nov. 3 Christmas Tea and Bazaar - Dec. 7 We welcome all women of the congregation to belong to a unit, start a new unit, or be a member at large (general member). Please consider letting your name stand for the UCW executive. We need fresh new ideas for fundraisers, speakers, etc. Respectfully submitted by, Robin Miazga and Sharon Heavin, co-chairs Christian Education Report The CE committee had a busy but successful June. We hosted the noon luncheon many thanks to all those other committee members who helped with the food, preparations and clean up at the BBQ. On June 16 we had the Grad Recognition ceremony during the service, for all of the 2013 graduates from MUCC that belong to our congregation: Ross Friesen, Andrea Kolodinsky, Heather Tatarynovich, Alanna Senecal, Kain Grisdale, Landon Hirsch, Jasmin Ogren, Jamie Hopkins, Garret Woolsey, Thomas Worley and Tristin Horkoff. Unfortunately not all of the grads were able to attend church, but cards of congratulations were sent to each of them. Alanna Senecal, Landon Hirsch and Ross Friesen were able to attend, and Erin did a terrific job of putting together a PowerPoint with their photos and future plans. After the service, the graduates served a lovely cake that was made by Faye Greier. Congratulations to all of the graduates! June 23 was the Sunday school windup and teacher recognition. The children received coupons from Dairy Queen and flowers were presented to all of those teachers and musicians that had helped during the year. Graydon Eskowich read a thank you speech on behalf of the children and youth. On September 8th, there was a Recovenanting for the Sunday school teachers during the worship service and Sunday School resumed. Rachelle Heavin noted that we have purchased a Sunday school curriculum this year, with education materials and plans all laid out for the year, so if anyone wishes to volunteer to help teach, it would be very much appreciated and you would know what to do at least a month in advance! We would like to start up the Youth Group meetings again, perhaps on a monthly basis to begin with. Anyone wishing to help or even just provide us with ideas is most welcome. Kindly Submitted by, Wendy Eskowich, Christian Education Committee
You can sponsor Sunday bulletin covers for 2014! Congregation members are invited to sponsor a week of bulletins to honour a special day/event and to help cover the cost of bulletins for our church. For $5.50 you can sponsor the bulletin for a week and have your message included in the bulletin and on the PowerPoint. Stephen Palmer Coffeehouse Evening Friday, October 25th @ 7:30pm Melfort United Church 220 Burrows Avenue West Tickets $20 Coffee/Tea and Dessert included Ideas include: Happy Birthday Mom! Love: Bob & Susie The Smiths are wishing Melfort United Church a Happy Easter! For more information, please see the poster on the bulletin board or talk to Erin in the office. Community Thanksgiving Dinner Saturday, October 12 th at Melfort High School, 5 to 7pm. Doors open at 1pm for food drop off. Two or three volunteers from our church are required to help at the dinner. Melfort Ministerial EMS, Police, & Firemen Appreciation Banquet - Monday, November 4 Time: 6:45 Where: Kerry Vickar Centre Tickets: $25 Community Christmas Play Would you like to be a part of the Christmas play or choir? Please contact Tara Mountain at St. Paul s Lutheran Church in Melfort for details. Autumn...the year's last, loveliest smile. - William Cullen Bryant Each church is encouraged to purchase a table of 8. Church Office Hours September & October Tuesday-Thursday 9am-3pm November to February Tuesday to Friday 9am-3pm
Upcoming Events Mark Your Calendars!! Friday, September 20 - Garage Sale, 9am to 6pm Saturday, September 21 - Garage Sale, 9am to 1pm Sunday, September 22 nd - Nirvana Service, 2:30 pm - Parkland Service, 3:30 pm Tuesday, September 24 - Finance meeting, 9:30am Thursday, September 26 - Board meeting, 7pm Friday, September 27 Confirmation information meeting, 4pm Sunday, September 29 Fifth Sunday September 30th - October 11 - UCW Meals on Wheels Sunday, October 6 - Communion service Saturday, October 12 Community Thanksgiving Dinner, MUCC, 5-7pm Saturday, October 19 - Fall Home Based Business Sale Friday, October 25 Stephen Palmer Concert, 7:30pm Sunday, October 27 - Coverage will be required for worship services, Sunday, October 27 - Laughing Sunday Monday, November 4 - Melfort Ministerial EMS, Police, & Firemen Appreciation Banquet, Kerry Vickar Centre, 6:45pm Sunday, November 10 - Remembrance Sunday Sunday, November 3 - Fall Supper Sunday, December 1 - Communion service Saturday, December 7 - Christmas Tea and Bazaar Saturday, December 15 White Gift Sunday Tuesday, December 24 Christmas Eve Service Sunday, December 29 No Service Celebrate the Harvest Festival when you begin to harvest your crops. Exodus 23:16a
From the Finance Committee Do you know the number for your offering envelopes? Last year, Melfort United Church purchased bulk unnumbered offering envelopes at a large savings compared to the numbered envelopes. You must write your number on each envelope so we will know who is responsible for the giving and so you will receive a tax deductible receipt for your gift. The finance committee has received several offering envelopes that do not have a number recorded on the envelope. We have identified many of the givers by comparing the handwriting from past offering envelopes but not all offering envelopes have been positively identified. If you may have forgotten to write your number on an offering envelope, please contact Erin at the church office or let Bryan Wurtz know. P.A.R. (pre-authorized remittance) is an excellent way to give a monthly donation to the church. You don t have to remember your offering envelope number, your gift to the church occurs even if you are away for a holiday, due to sickness, or due to that January blizzard. Your offering will be deducted from your bank account automatically about the 20 th day of each month and transferred to the Melfort United Church account. One major concern for the Finance Committee is the growing deficit that is occurring in 2013. In the past, Melfort United Church often operated with a modest deficit for the first 9-10 months of the year with a financial recovery happening in the final 2-3 months of the year. In 2013, however the deficit is greater than ever experienced: January 4,408.77 February 7,130.88 March 1,348.67 April 5,865.58 May 2,421.86 June 3,358.94 July 5,419.25 August 5,302.76 Total deficit for 2013 $35,256.71 Home-Based Business Show and Sale October 19th from 10am to 5pm Contact Bea at 752-3264 to book a table. When the Pryors were moving, they graciously donated the shelving unit which you've probably noticed in the CE Centre. This is to be used to house and display some of our church historical material which is currently stuffed into a cupboard in the basement. If anyone is interested in helping with this project, please contact Gail Forsyth. Sunday School Report The Sunday School purchased a curriculum that coincides with the Seasons of the Spirit lectionary used by the Melfort United Church. The theme students will be exploring this year is the Season of Creation. The curriculum is designed for a multiage program which suits our needs well. We welcome all children ages 3-18 to come and take part in the Sunday School program downstairs. Every Sunday includes music and songs, scripture reading, activities, crafts, and learning opportunities. This year our senior students will be working on finding connections between the topics we cover in class and current events. If you are able to assist in teaching a prepared lesson or unit, please speak to Rachelle Heavin (752-7259) or Karen Hadwen (752-5555) and we will find a time that works best for you.