NEWSLETTER
"Here is a test to see if your mission on Earth is complete: 'If you're alive, it isn't.'"
by Richard Bach
Dear Church family....
It's barely six weeks into the New Year and what a whirl-wind we've already had! The Annual meeting in January was wonderfully attended and included a very successful wrap-up to 2009 with the Annual Report. BIG thanks to Carol Wigner and Rev. Jim for collecting and compiling the necessary information. Walt Disney is quoted as saying, "The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." I'd say we are a church that likes to talk...but we get a lot done too!
I'm a bit behind in this, but Judy Burtnett, our weekly organist who volunteers all her time, asked me several weeks ago to include the following note in our next newsletter:
"Dearest people of the Congregational Church,
Thank you for the Christmas gifts. It was so nice to receive gift cards and a musical snow globe. Most of all, I appreciate the love of the congregation and the friendships of many members. It truly is a church where God's love shines." (And, as we all know, Judy's love for God & us shines every week!)
Last Sunday's Ordination Service for Rev. Bob Brooks was another step forward for Bob and for our church. Thank you to the choir, the pastors, and the others who invested time, energy and spirit into the service. It was moving and meaningful and well attended....as was the covered dish afterward. Carol and Bob are most appreciative for the whole evening.
TONIGHT is the beginning of the Lenten Season...and although this probably won't reach you in time, I hope you took advantage of the Ash Wednesday Service at the Ministry Center at 7PM. Rev. Jim is going to lead us through this Lenten Season by showing films of some of the great men in our history who we owe a great deal too...those who started the Reformation and those who have contributed to it. These will be held every Friday night until Palm Sunday at 6:30 in the evening. Some will be at our Ministry Center and some where we hold our Sunday morning services. Please get out your calendar and put the following important dates on it:
Friday, Feb. 19, "Luther" at the church.
Friday, Feb. 26, "William Tyndale, God's Outlaw" at the church.
Friday, March 5, "John Wycliff" at our Ministry Center.
Friday, March 12, "St. Patrick" at the church.
Friday, March 26, "Pilgrim's Progress," Paul Bunyeon's classic work, at the church.
These will lead us to our Holy Week Services:
March 28, Palm Sunday Services, 9 & 10:45AM
April 1, Holy Communion Maundy Thursday Service, 6:30PM
April 2, Good Friday Prayer Vigil at the Ministry Center, noon to 2PM.
April 4, Holy Communion and Easter Services, 9 & 10:45AM
Try to make as many of these Lenten & Holy Week experiences as possible. They will stretch our minds and our spirits!! And Easter morning will be far more glorious by having prepared ourselves for the resurrection of our Lord.
In between the above programs and services, we will not be "the church at rest." There are several other ways to be involved in our body of believers. Grab your calendar and pen again and make note of the following:
Thursday, Feb. 25, Men's Fellowship meets with a presentation by The Gideons at 8:30AM.
Also on the 25th, Board of Trustees Meeting at the Ministry Center, 6:30PM. All are welcome.
Sunday, Feb. 28, Jim Keough will be speaking at Sunday Celebration at Church on the Square, noon.
Strategic Planning Committee is sponsoring a field trip to the Unitarian Church of Marion, Date TBA.
Monday, March 8, Women's Ministry meets, 9:30AM, at the Ministry Center...all women of the church (and your female friends) are invited.
Friday, March 12, Style Show & Luncheon to benefit the Baby & Toddler Pantry, noon, at the church. $20 tickets are available NOW on Sunday mornings between the services.
Friday, March 19, we are hosting the Dixieland Band at Mulberry Grove Rec. Center, 7PM. $10 tickets for this fun time are also available between services. These events take A LOT of planning & preperation...please help us sell as many tickets as possible. You won't be disappointed at either program!
A note from the Financial Team: when making an offering on Sunday morning, please use only one envelope with cash or one check (no matter how many weeks you are covering). Be sure to mark the envelope with the designations of your money. Whether you are a church member or not, church envelopes ARE for you use and available at the Information table. Using an envelope and writing only one check makes our posting of accounts much easier. The only exception is if you are buying tickets for an event, which you would do separately.
Each time we have a newsletter, we like to make special mention of those in our midst who are celebrating a birthday or anniversary. I know I've passed some January people but it's never too late to send a card or offer a wish to someone who has celebrated recently. So, we take our hats off to the following:
January: 1, Tom & Annie Grewe celebrated their 7th anniversary.
13, Linda Owen, birthday
14, Carol Wigner, birthday
18, Donna Yates, birthday
26, Dave Gossard & John Fornander, birthdays
26, Bill & Helga York celebrated their 53rd anniversary!!
31, Barb Pentecost, birthday
February: 9, Carole Zaccone, birthday
11, Marilyn Russell, birthday & Bob & Carol Brook's 33rd anniversary! (big month for the Brooks!)
14, Ken Owen, birthday (I know who his Valentine is!)
18, Nancy Weston, birthday
March: 2, Marcia Burris, birthday
6, Jerry Starkweather, birthday (may your knee be feeling much better by then!)
8, Sandy Hoffman, the sender of our birthday cards has a birthday herself!
14, Diane Dresback & Bob Burris, birthdays
18, Gene Maus, birthday
27, John & Bev Fornander celebrate their 11th anniversary.
If you are not on this list, it's because I don't have your information. Please send it to me.
We, your church family, are very happy for all of you and hope your day adds a precious memory to 2010!
(As a side note, I will be in MI. in March for 13 days helping 4 grandchildren,
2 children and a son-in-law celebrate their birthdays!
As most of you know, our church took a G I A N T step two years ago and purchased 10 acres of land on #301 as a possible future site for our church building. On very short notice, we received gifts and loans totalling $298,000 to purchase this phenomenal piece of land at this phenomenal price. We have been paying off the loans, at 5% interest semi-annually, ever since and have managed to knock our debt down to $210,000. In an effort to get as much of this repaid in the shortest amount of time (and save the church approx. $10,000/year in interest payments), Rev. Jim and the Board recommended taking pledges toward a Tree of Life for our permanent church building. In the last few weeks, $39,000 has been pledged and $18,000 of this has been paid! That is great news...but we still have a long way to go. Your gifts and your prayers are most welcome towards this effort. Pledge forms are at the Information Table at the back of the church. For those who participate, there will be a tree on the wall in our new building and a leaf with your name on it, or the name of someone you want to remember.
God has been gracious and merciful to us as we experience the joys and the set-backs of trying to enlarge His Kingdom here on Earth. We are ssssoooo much farther ahead than we were a year ago...who knows where we will be a year from now?? Please unite with all of us in praying for both the physical and the spiritual growth of all people who enter our doors. As we continue to reach out in love and service with our monthly Mission Projects, our Baby & Toddler Pantry, our wonderful Sunday morning services, and the variety of programs and events we hold, may the Lord continue to shine His face on us.
Blessed to be serving Him with you in this place,
barbara howard
newsletter editor
waiting for spring, just as you are!
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