january / february 2020 the messengerunioncongucc.org/docs/uccnewsletterjanuaryfeburary2020.pdf ·...

1

JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2020

The Messenger Union Congregational United Church of Christ — Reinbeck, Iowa

Luis Ruben Moctezuma Umul

Dear Sponsor: I hope you

are well. I would like to let you

know that I am next to gradu-

ate as business administration.

I am exciting but also a little sad at the same time

because this is my last year spending time with my

friends. They are my second family. These last 3

years had different kinds of emotions for me and

definitely I learned so much and also from my mis-

takes. My new goal is to continue studying at the

university economy. I wish you success in your life.

Thank you! “All of our dreams can come true, If we have the courage to pursue them.”

—Walt Disney

Blanket Sunday –

We can be our strongest, our kindest and our

most Christ-like when we are connected. It

makes the symbol of a CWS Blanket even more

powerful: think of all the individual pieces of

thread and wool being pulled together to cover

someone with warmth! Without any one of

those pieces - without you! - the story would not

be the same.

That’s what happened in Indianapolis last win-

ter. The Midwest gets cold. You don’t have to

live on the streets to know that, but for those

who do, the deep dives below zero are deadly.

Congregations like Central Christian Church

(Indy CCC) in Indianapolis don’t want to see

their neighbors suff er. So they’re doing some-

thing

about

it...and

you’re

helping

them. Last

winter, this

meant the

church

provided

heavy-

duty CWS

Blankets

for families

without homes. It also meant they opened their

doors each night to give people a comfortable

place to sleep, safe from icy temperatures.

CWS Blankets made bedding, a warm shelter

and hope for life possible.

(continued on page 2)

2

United Church of Christ Board Members

Moderator Gary Cronan

Church Council Gary Thede - Trustee Gregg Moser - Trustee Michele Cooper - Trustee Jayne Love - Christian Education

Council At Large Brian Scheumann Ginger Bouska

Staff Pastor - Joel Love Parish Adm. -Barbara Brandt Secretary/ Bookkeeper - Roxanne Larson

Trustees

Dave Freeseman Gregg Moser Steve McKinstry Gary Thede Michele Cooper Dennis Graeber Allen Hansen

Diaconate/Worship Team Denise Freeseman Diane Staker Mary Lou Moser Nancy Lauterbach Doree Cronan Shawna Jones Nancy Jungling Barb Brandt Jayne Love Allen Hansen Gary Cronan

Christian Education Jill Lauterbach Gina Mathern Jenni Cooper Jayne Love Cody Bystricky Kristy Giesking Jessie Blohm

United Church of Christ Newsletter: Gregg Moser [email protected]

BLANKET SUDAY — (continue from page 1)

From you to CWS to groups like Indy CCC to strangers on the

streets...we’re working together to weave a story of human love and

compassion. It’s one where families are protected from the cold, com-

forted after a disaster and reminded that they’re not alone.

Will you be a part of this story today? Will you make a generous

donation to CWS Blankets?

This year, our Blanket Sunday will be on

February 9, 2020. Envelopes are included in

this issue of the newsletter.

The Sunday School kids donated $500 in toys to the Christmas

project, Christmas in Grundy County. They enjoyed a day of

shopping and pizza.

The Christmas program went over very well. Thanks to Jenni

Cooper and Jayne Love for directing the program.

The kids enjoyed a movie to wrap up the Christmas Season dur-

ing Sunday School. Regular Sunday School classes will resume

on January 5th.

Also, the Christian Ed Board is planning a Blanket Sunday. Kids

will tie blankets during Sunday School on Feb 2, so we need

fleece for blankets (1 1/2 yards for each blanket) by January

25th.

We will be serving a baked potato bar on Fat Sunday, Feb 23 after church. Come to Worship, stay for lunch!

Teachers for January/February: Jayne Love and Cody Bystricky

Budget Meeting The Budget meeting to approve the 2020 budget was held on

Sunday, December 1st. The operating budget totaled an increase

of just under 2% of last year’s budget. By vote of those present,

the budget passed.

We will need the help and support of each and every one of you

to fulfill our obligations to the local church budget and also our

contributions to OCWM, so if you have not filled out a pledge

card for 2020, please do so at your earliest convenience. We are

currently under 50% pledged – it would be good to start the New

Year with about 67% of the budget pledged. We can do it!

Offering envelopes for 2020 are available in the hallway across

from Roxanne’s office. Please start using them on January 5th,

2020.

Final 2019 statements will go out soon. Please check yours over

and report any discrepancies immediately to the office.

3

It seems as though we just get through Christmas

and the Lent/Easter Season is upon us. This year,

Ash Wednesday, (the beginning of Lent), falls on

February 26th.

Ash Wednesday is the day Christians observe the

first day of Lent, the time of reflection and penitence

leading up to Easter Sunday. Clergy all over the

world dispense ashes, traditionally made by burning

the palm fronds distributed on last year’s Palm Sun-

day, making the sign of the cross on the bowed

foreheads before them. As they “impose” or

“dispense” the ashes, the pastor or priest reminds

each Christian of Genesis 3:19: “For dust you are

and to dust you shall return.”

Our Ash Wednesday Service will be on

Wednesday, February 26th at 6:00 p.m.

Please plan to join us.

Ash Wednesday —

the beginning of lent

MENOMONEE FALLS - Joan Romasko's fingers

deftly wove unusual yarn with her crochet hook as a

blanket-like mat spilled over her legs.

The yarn is not for sale at a fabric store — it's actu-

ally plastic bags that have been cut, folded and tied

into a ball of multicolored plastic yarn called "plarn."

As she crocheted with her P-size hook, Romasko

thought of the people who would soon sleep out-

doors on the mats flowing from her hands.

"I always pray for the people who will use them, that

they should feel hope. Nobody should be home-

less," Romasko said last week at Village at the

Falls retirement center.

A group of 14 women sat at tables flattening, fold-

ing and cutting plastic bags into strips while others

tied them together and rolled them into balls of

plarn for Romasko to crochet into 6-foot-by-3-foot

mats.

Dubbed Mercy Mats, they have a two-fold purpose

— making life a little nicer for folks who are home-

less or don't have mattresses while putting to good

use thousands of plastic bags that would otherwise

go to waste.

"It's great keeping them out of the landfill," said

Jann Schmedeman, who helped start the Mercy

Mats group at Village at the Falls.

As Schmedeman looked around the room at the

group of retirees who joked and laughed as they

worked, she smiled and said, "What's the saying? A

second chance for old bags. It goes two ways."

Please bring your plastic bags to the church –

they will be delivered to the elementary school.

ANNUAL MEETING of the CONGREGATION The Annual Meeting of the Congregation will

be held on Sunday, January 26, 2020. Please

remain in the Sanctuary for the meeting.

If you are a chairperson or secretary, your

annual reports are due now!!

One of the issues to be addressed will be

what to do with the Parsonage next door.

Please plan to attend.

4

FROM THE MISSION COMMITTEE

We wish to thank everyone who helped with Christ-

mas in Grundy County this year. This is an amaz-

ing program and we were extremely pleased to be

a part of it. In addition to a full box of toys (we’re

talking a box about 6-foot on each side and 4 ft.

high), we had people making cookies, decorating,

serving as personal shoppers, dining room servers

and shoppers to help the kids with their parents’

gifts.

Thanks to Doree Cronan for making tree tags and

to Barb and Greg Brandt and Bob and Shawna

Jones for delivering the toys to Orchard Hill

Church.

Mission Committee: Doree Cronan, Shawna Jones

and Barb Brandt

Thanks to our Retiring BoardS

and Committee Personnel

We are grateful to those who have served the last three years on our boards. We appreciate

the vision that each and every one of you has for this Church and its members. Your service

is greatly appreciated.

Retiring members and those continuing:

Trustees: Allen Hansen and Dennis Graeber (2021); Michele Cooper, Gary Thede, Steve

McKinstry (2022); Dave Freeseman and Gregg Moser (2020) All members have agreed to re-

main on the board.

Diaconate/Worship Committee: Denise Freeseman (retires); Mary Lou Moser, Shawna Jones,

(2020) — Doree Cronan, Nancy Lauterbach (2021)– Diane Staker (2022) . The Worship Team-

members are Gary Cronan, Nancy Jungling, Allen Hansen, Barb Brandt, and Jayne Love. We

need one or two more deacons, if you are interested, please call the church office.

Christian Education: Cody Bystricky, Jessie Blohm and Kristy Giesking (2021); Carie Sager,

Jenni Cooper and Jayne Love (retire); Gina Mathern and Jill Lauterbach (2020); We need two

new members for 2022. Please call the office if you are interested in serving on the board of

Christian Education.

Moderator: Tim Sweet (new)

Council at Large: Chairperson; Gary Cronan (retires); Brian Scheumann (2020); we need a

new member to serve until (2022).

The new slate of nominees to be voted on at the Annual Meeting on January 26, 2020.

We need volunteers for the following positions: 3 year term on Diaconate – need 2 - (2022);

Christian Education board members, need 2 (2022).

Junior Thede is turning 90.

In honor of Junior Thede’s 90th

birthday com-

ing up on January 31st

, his family (Deb F.,

Bruce, and Deb P.) is planning to honor him

with a celebration at fellowship, after church,

following the Annual Meeting, on January 26th

.

Mark your calendar now, so you won’t miss

out on this special day for Junior.

6

JANUARY 2020

A CHURCH IS NOT A PLACE TO GO . . . IT’S A FAMILY WHERE YOU BELONG.

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

29

9:00 am Coffee Shop

10:00 am Sunday School

10:00 am Worship Service

11:00 am Fellowship

30

31

1

2

3

4

5 9:00 am Coffee Shop



11:00 am Fellowship

6

7

8 6:00 pm Casual Worship 7:15 pm Trustees

9

10

11




11:00 am Fellowship

13 6:30 pm

Choir Practice

14

15 6:00 pm

Casual Worship 7:15 pm Diaconate Worship Team

16 17 18

19

9:00 am Coffee Shop



11:00 am Fellowship

20 6:30 pm

Choir Practice

21

22 6:00 pm Casual Worship 7:17 pm Prayer Shaw at Mary Lou Moser home

23

24

25

26 Annual Meeting

9:00 am Coffee Shop



11:00 am Fellowship

27 6:30 pm

Choir Practice

28

29 6:00 pm Casual Worship

30 31 1

Baptism

Silas Michael Oltman, the son of Ashley and Shane Oltman

was baptized on Sunday, January 5, 2020. Silas is the grand-

son of Dave and Denise Freeseman and Bob and Shawna

Jones.

NEW MEMBERS We are happy to welcome two new members to

our congregation.

Beverly Cornelius, who is Tiffany Dinsdale’s

mother and Dennis Eckhoff, brother of Janice

Ohrt.

7

RESPONSIBLITIES for JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

Women’s Fellowship

Deacons/Worship Committee

Candle Lighter

Lay Reader

Coffee Shop

Sunday Mornings

At 9:00 a. m.

In the Chapel

JOIN US!!

Greeters

Servers for Fellowship

Wednesday casual worship at 6:00 p.m.

January—Kael Blohm

February– Wyatt Giesking

Next Meeting —

7:15 p. m. - January 22, 2020 - at the home Mary Lou

Moser

January 5 - Donovan and Andrea Devore, James, Richard, Sophie

January 12 - Gene and Mary Kubik

January 19 - Walt and Connie Miller

January 26 - Glenda Billerbeck and Junior Thede

February 2 - Del and Nancy Jungling

February 9 - Beverly Cornelius

February 16 - Glenda Billerbeck and Junior Thede

February 23 - Dave and Denise Freeseman

January 5 - Nancy Jungling

January 12 - Gina Mathern

January 19 - Connie Hansen

January 26 - Tim Sweet

February 2 - Nancy Jungling

February 9 - Nancy Lauterbach

February 16 - Delbert Jungling

February 23 - Shawna Jones

January 5 - Oltman family

January 12 - Gregg and Mary Lou Moser

January 19 - Walt and Connie Miller

January 26 - In honor of Junior Thede’s Birthday

February 2 -

February 9 -

February 16 -

February 23 -

January: Barb Brandt and Shawna Jones

February: Nancy Jungling and Denise Freeseman

Trustees

7:15 p.m. - Wednesday, January 8, 2020

No meetings in January, February, and March

2020

Diaconate/Worship Team

7:15 p.m. Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Teachers for January and February

Janye Love and Cody Bystricky

BLANKET SUNDAY will take place on Sunday, February 9th.

See details in this issue.

8

Pastoral Care The Pastor makes home visits to those who cannot

get out to the UCC services. Please contact the of-

fice if you or someone you know desire a visit. We

are glad to bring Communion to you also. DVDs

tapes of the Sunday Services are available and can

be loaned to you upon request. The services are

also available on Cable TV Reinbeck Channel on

Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Hospital Calls The Pastor makes hospital visits when notified of a

hospitalization, please contact the church office if you

know of such a need. Please note that because of

privacy concerns, hospitals do not contact Pastors

nor share information with the church, so you MUST

call to request a visit. There are, on occasion, profes-

sional courtesies involved as well, generally speak-

ing, we limit visits to members of our church or those

unchurched folks whose needs are not already being

met by pastors from other churches.

Jaden Miller, Sandi Weber, Marlys

Petersen, Chris Nielsen, Janeen

Danielsen, Charlotte Butikofer, Karol

Storjohann, Norma Thede, Randy

Henry Ohrt, Brenda Schmidt, Emily

Cormany, Nancy Witt, Laurie (Craig)

Greiner, Crystal Cremeans, Lola

Clapp, Gene Barker, Austin Hansen,

Claudia Warfel, Vernon Conradi, Me-

ghan Slessor, Romagene Volkens,

Lindy Gibbs, Marilyn Sweet, Flor-

ence Jones, Andy Trask, the

Gutknecht family, Connie Hansen,

David Hite, Ray Rannfeldt, Emmalyn

Schott, Gary Thede, Brandon

Volkens, our residents at Parkview,

the Elms and Westview.

Our sympathy to the family of Faye

Paulsen. Faye’s service was held on

December 5th, 2019.

Birthdays

Anniversaries

Feb. 27 - Robert and Yvonne Blohm

Jan. 3 - Jenni Gutknecht

Jan. 5 - Timothy Sweet

Jan. 7 - Jennifer Sweet

Williams

Jan. 9 - Madison Cooper

Jan. 10 - Matt Wyatt

Jan. 15 - Jaylon Olson

Jan. 19 - Florence Jones

Jan. 31 - Junior Thede

Feb. 1 - Gary Thede

Feb. 6 - Norma Thede

Feb. 6 - Kristy Giesking

Feb. 7 - Tyler Blohm

Feb. 11 - Jeannie Melhus

Feb. 13 - Debbie Paton

Feb. 17 - Kathy Westburg

Feb. 19 - Delbert Jungling

Feb. 20 - Cael Wyatt

Feb. 23 - John Olson

Feb. 24 - Sandy Weber

Feb. 25 - Barb Brandt

Feb. 27 - Melissa McKinstry

9

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat




11:00 am Fellowship

27

6:30 pm

Choir Practice

28

29

6:00 pm

Casual Worship

30 31

1

2 9:00 am Coffee Shop 10:00 am Sunday School


11:00 am Fellowship

3 6:30 pm

Choir Practice

4

5 6:00 pm Causal Worship 7:15 pm Trustees

6

7

8

9 Blanket Sunday

9:00 am Coffee Shop



11:00 am Fellowship

10 6:30 pm

Choir Practice

11

12 6:00 pm Casual Worship 7:15 pm Church Council

13 14 15




11:00 am Fellowship

17

6:30 pm

Choir Practice

18

19

6:00 pm Casual Worship

20

21

22




11:00 am Fellowship

24 6:30 pm

Choir Practice

25

26

6:00 pm - Ash Wednesday Ser-vice

Ash Wednesday

27

28 29

FEBRUARY 2020

The UCC Choir

The Mitten Tree

The “Mitten Tree,” in the church library, will remain standing for a while yet this winter. It is in need of mittens and hats. Reinbeck Elementary children are in need of these winter items. They either “forgot them at home” or have “lost them”, so Mrs. Love keeps a supply handy and available to keep them warm as they play at re-cess, or as they go to/from school. Please add a few items to this tree, as they will be donated to kids right here in Reinbeck.

10

Non-Profit Org.

U. S. POSTAGE

PAID

Permit #1

Reinbeck, IA 50669

Union Congregational

United Church of Christ

225 Broad Street

Reinbeck, IA 50669

Phone: 319-788-6434

www.unioncongucc.org

Address Service Requested

— —

Rev. Joel Love, Pastor

Barbara Brandt, Parish Administrator

Roxanne Larson, Office Personnel

Regular worship time:

JOIN US: Wednesday Casual Worship at 6:00 p.m.

Sunday School — at 10:00 a.m.

Sunday — Coffee Shop 9:00 a.m. Worship at 10:00 a.m.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

january / february 2020 the messengerunioncongucc.org/docs/uccnewsletterjanuaryfeburary2020.pdf ·...

Documents